FIRST LOVE, SECOND DRAFT by BECCA KINZER

Piblication date 15/4/25

FIRST LOVE, SECOND DRAFT by BECCA KINZER is a hilariously funny romcom, with a great deal of depth, amazing characters and a strong Christian message of hope. It is the story of author, Gracie Parker, who has not only lost her edge as a writer since she divorced her famous husband, Noah, pitcher for the Seattle Mariners, five years ago, but she is faced with a two week deadline and injuries from a fall off a mechanical horse which has left her incapactated….

Noah sees this as an opportunity to try and win her back, and, with the help of her nephew Matt, he moves into her rental cottage and helps her get back on her feet. Gracie is not sure this is a good idea, but with the absence of her sister Mona, a loud and very busy real estate agent, she does not have a choice……

Her book is not going well, but there may be a way out of her deadline if Noah and Gracie work together…..

There are so many characters, including Gracie’s dad, Buck, Matt’s friend Rachel,  the boys from the firehouse, and the FedEx lady, to name but a few. News travels fast in the small town of  Alda……

I am not telling you any more for fear of spoiing things for you. 

I was given an ARC from NetGalley by Tyndale House Publishers. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

AN OVERDUE MATCH by SARAH MONZON

Publication date 18/2/25

AN OVERDUE MATCH by SARAH MONZON is an inspirational romance novel with unforgettable characters, based largele on psalm 139 verse 14, “I will praise You for I am fearfuuly and wonderfully made…”, as we follow Evangeline Kelly, librarian and avid protector of books, as she deals with her hairless body, caused by alopecia, which led to her fiance breaking their engagement and her heart. The book is laugh out loud funny in parts, especially as she puts people in categories as though they are characters in a novel and tries to matchmake them according to their reading preferences……..

She has tattoo artist Tai Davis pegged as a rake and persistently refuses to go on a date with him, afraid that he too will break her heart……

I am not going to tell you any more for fear of spoiling things for you.

I cannot recommend this delightful and emotional read highly enough.

I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Bathany House Publishers. The opinions in this review arec completely my own,

HOPE’S ENDURING ECHO by KIM VOGEL SAWYER

Publication date 25/3/25

HOPE’S ENDURING ECHO by KIM VOGEL SAWYER is the  beautifully written story of the Ward family who live in a cabin on the outskirts of Canon City Colorado in 1915, whose job it is to check the wooden pipeline running next to the Arkensaw River. The story is sensitively told and the characters’ emotions are brilliantly analysed. The book’s title is very good, underlining the message of hope running through it. We see Jennie taking hold of her mother’s “echo of hope” as she faces her beloved father’s  physical and mental breakdown and mourns the man he used to be……

There are two things Jennie asks the Lord for. One is for Him to  heal her father and the other is for a friend.When Leo Day sees her walking the pipeline, brandishing what looks like a dinosaur leg, it  seens as though they have each had their prayers answered…….

Leo comes from a long line of Presbyterian pastors, but, although he is a committed Christian, his passion is for paleontology, much to his father’s distress. I like the  way Leo takes care of the Ward family, and also the way he believes strongly in creationism…….

I am not going to tell you any more for fear of spoiling things for you.

I cannot recommend  this lovely read strongly enough.

I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Waterbrook & Multnomah. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

THE NATURE OF LOVE by TONI SHILOH

Publication date 4/2/25

In THE NATURE OF LOVE, TONI SHILOH has done it again - giving us a delightful and bittersweet love story with great characters, clever and often amusing  dialogue, a strong Christian message, orphaned chidren and an assortment of animals, in the mix…….

Brilliant orthopaedic surgeon, Dr Erykah Kennedy, at forty one years old is set in her ways and does not make friends easily, but when she meets handsome wildlife conservationist, Christian Gamble, twice in one week, she has an idea her lonely life is about to change. Chris, a committed Christian, is fascinated with this beautiful woman, but is wary of having his heart broken again……

Although this is the third novel in the Love in the Spotlight series, and we come across Chris’ illustrious friends, Tuck and Lamont and their significant others again, the book can easily stand alone.

I cannot recommend this really lovely read strongly enough.

I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Bethany House Publishers. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

WHEN THE AVALANCHE ROARED by LAURALEE BLISS

Publication date 1/1/25

WHEN THE AVALANCHE ROARED by LAURALEE BLISS is a novel in the historic North American disasters series, which will keep you rivetted as you follow Lillian Hartwick and Griffin Jones in their fight to save the people affected by the devastating avalanche that hit the small railway community,of Wellington. The characters are very well portrayed, especially as we see how the rather spoilt Lillian, who is marking time until she marries her rich and self important fiance, settles into a much simpler way of life as a companion to her pregnant cousin Elizabeth. I like to see her compassion for her new friends, and the way she teaches Griffin, the gentle giant to read, and keeps the people who are stranded on the trains, especially the children, occupied. I also like the strong Christian message of hope running through the story……

I cannot recommend this inspiring book strongly enough.

I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Barbour Publishing The opinions in this review are completely my own.