Author: Iola Goulton

10 December 2024

Bookish Question #361 | What audiobook narrators do you like to listen to?

That’s easy: Peter Jones, as The Book in the original version of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. However, that’s really a recording of a radio play rather than an audiobook …

If we’re going for pure audiobooks, then my children loved Miranda Harcourt’s narrations of the Horrid Henry books. She did a great job with all the character voices, just like when she played Queen Elizabeth in Blackadder II.

As for real audiobooks for adults … I’m not a big audiobook listener, so I don’t have a favourite narrator, although I will admit to preferring British narrators over American (but that would only work where the characters are British).

I have come across a couple of narrators I haven’t enjoyed, usually because their monotone narrations.

I like narrators who can act well enough that I can hear the difference between the characters, rather than having to guess who is the point of view character in each successive scene. It’s hard to like a book if I don’t like the narration.

So I don’t really have an answer to this question.

What about you? Do you have a favourite audiobook narrator? Are there any romance or rom-com narrators you particularly recommend?

9 December 2024

Book Review | So Into You by Kathleen Fuller

Artist Brittany Branch is a YouTube influencer with almost half a million followers … the perfect occupation for someone with chronic social anxiety because it means she doesn’t have to leave the house except to visit her favourite local art supplies store.

Warehouse worker Hunter Pickett is trying to turn his life around after becoming a Christian in prison. He wants to reconcile with his parents, and also wants to get to know the cute YouTube artist better … especially after he runs into her at the local art supplies store.

Teacher Amy Branch is wondering if it’s time to start dating again given it’s close to two decades since she divorced her alcoholic husband and her daughter seems to be coping with her anxiety.

Daniel Branch is out of jail, off alcohol, and thanking God he has a solid job as a chauffeur for the wealthy Pickett family and is reconciling with his estranged daughter.

Given each of the four main characters are keeping secrets about who they know and how they’re related to the other characters, it’s pretty obvious there is going to be a show-down at some point and all the secrets are going to come out.

And they do come out (of course).

I’m always a little apprehensive when I can see a scene like this coming, in case it gets awkward. I’m happy to say it didn’t go at all how I thought it would—it was so much better.

So Into You is primarily a romance, but it’s also a powerful and moving story that touches on a lot of social issues including anxiety, alcoholism, prisoner rehabilitation, and family dynamics in general. It’s well-written, with realistic characters making realistic decisions that drive plenty of relatable conflict and kept me reading.

Recommended for fans of Christian romance with depth.

Thanks to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

About Kathleen Fuller

With over a million copies sold, Kathleen Fuller is the author of several bestselling novels, including the Hearts of Middlefield novels, the Middlefield Family novels, the Amish of Birch Creek series, the Amish Letters series, the Brides of Birch Creek series, the upcoming Mail Order Brides of Birch Creek, as well as a middle-grade Amish series, the Mysteries of Middlefield. She has also contributed to numerous novella collections.

She and her husband James live in Arkansas and have three adult children. When she’s not writing, Kathleen is avidly crocheting, reading, and traveling, sometimes all at the same time. She runs the Facebook group Books & Hooks, which combines her love of books, crochet, and collecting recipes that she’ll never have enough time to make.

Find Kathleen Fuller online at:

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest

About So Into You

Opposites attract when an introverted vlogger and a reformed party boy exchange lessons on art, confidence, and yacht rock.

Artist Britt Branch has a successful online channel where she teaches a variety of art lessons. Obsessed with the 1970s, she has a style all her own. But she also has a huge problem–severe social anxiety. She lives with her mom, and while she pays her own bills, she wonders if she’ll ever have the courage to move out and move on. When her best friend announces she’s getting married, Britt decides it’s time to make a change.

Gorgeous Hunter Pickett has always skated by on his model looks, applying very little effort to anything except sports, and even that was iffy at times. The third son of extremely wealthy and successful parents, he dealt with being the black sheep of the family by drinking and using drugs. By his third year of sobriety, he’s still dealing with aimlessness. Late one night he catches Britt’s channel and ends up watching her videos. He’s not interested in art . . . at first. And when he sends her an online message, he’s surprised she responds. Before long they are chatting every day, and once they start meeting in person, a spark-filled friendship begins.

But both of them are keeping secrets. Big ones. When all truths are revealed in one pivotal moment, Britt and Hunter are at a crossroads. Will he fight for the happiness he’s worked so hard to obtain? And will she continue to hide from life, or can she finally step out of her own shadow?

Find So Into You online at:

Amazon | BookBub | Goodreads

Don’t forget to click here to check out my Amazon shop for my top picks in Christian fiction!

6 December 2024

First Line Friday #368 | A Louisiana Snow by Morgan Tarpley Smith

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. I’m sharing from A Louisiana Snow by Morgan Tarpley Smith, which is the first story in A Louisiana Christmas to Remember. I got a review copy of this anthology last year … but just didn’t get around to reading it before Christmas, and I’m not one of those people who reads Christmas stories all year round.

Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

What’s the book nearest you, and what’s the first line?

About A Louisiana Christmas to Remember

A Rare Snowfall Leads to a Christmas to Remember

Three heartwarming, interconnected stories of faith, love, and restoration, brought to you by three Louisiana-native authors. Will a rare snowy Louisiana Christmas bring restoration and hope to the hometown and hearts of three women from the town’s founding family?

In A Louisiana Snow by Morgan Tarpley Smith, meet Mattie: A passionate visionary who learns to forgive and finds love in unexpected places…

In Restoring Christmas by Betsy St. Amant, meet Jolene: An artist and prodigal daughter who discovers love exists in the very place she once called home…

In A Christmas Reunion by Lenora Worth, meet Adale: A beautiful widow who finally dares to love again…

And don’t forget Granny, whose feisty spirit, blunt dialogue, and quirky ways play an important and endearing role.

Find A Louisiana Christmas to Remember online at:

Amazon | BookBub | Goodreads

Click here to check out what my fabulous fellow FirstLineFriday bloggers are sharing today.

And you can click here to check out my previous FirstLineFriday posts.

Share your first line in the comments, and happy reading!

Don’t forget to click here to check out my Amazon shop for my top picks in Christian fiction!

3 December 2024

Bookish Question #360 | What author (or authors) are an automatic buy for you?

Auto-buy authors …

These are the authors we love so much that we click on the “buy” button as soon as we see the preorder on Amazon. Or we frequent our local bookstore, asking when they expect the book to arrive and remind them to put a copy aside for us …

[True story: my local Christian bookstore used to unpack new stock after closing. I’d often get a call during dinner to say a book I’d ordered had arrived. Sometimes he’d just call because he’d unpacked something he thought I would be interested in. He was usually right. I haven’t bought nearly as many paperbacks since he closed the shop and retired.]

Anyway, here is a selection of my must-buy authors:

Becky Wade
Carla Laureano
Christine Dillon
Courtney Walsh
Elizabeth Maddrey
Emily Conrad
Emily Dana Botrous
Gabrielle Meyer
Kara Isaac

Note that I don’t buy all the books by these authors. I enjoy Carla Laureano’s contemporary romances, but don’t read her fantasy releases. I love Gabrielle Meyer’s Timeless series, but haven’t read her earlier books.

What about you? What author (or authors) are an automatic buy for you?

2 December 2024

Book Review | Always and Forever, Elizabeth (Scripted Love #4) by Emily Dana Botrous

Elizabeth O’Toole dated Vincent Halverson in high school, but he broke up with her the day after they went against their Christian beliefs and slept together. She married Danny O’Toole shortly after the breakup, a decision she has regretted for years. Now she’s a widow with three children to support and another on the way, and in desperate need of a job.

No, the start doesn’t show Vincent in a good light. However, that was close to twenty years ago, so there’s been plenty of time for him to improve. Which he has done.

Vincent lost his wife three years ago, and needs a nanny. His sister recommends Elizabeth, and Vincent hires her against his better judgement because he has no other reasonable option. She, unsurprisingly, turns out to be a wonderful nanny and mother. This is a romance, which, of course, means the two reconnect and have to work through their combined and separate histories to create a family.

That’s a lot harder for Vincent.

The more he hears about Elizabeth’s marriage, the more he blames himself for having put her in that situation. I liked that. While aspects of Elizabeth’s past (and present) were difficult to read, it was important to include it in the story. As a reader, I needed to see that Vincent understood the consequences of his actions and repented. It would have been a weaker story without this.

That’s not to say Vincent is the “baddie” and Elizabeth is the “goodie”. Life isn’t that simple. Elizabeth does have her own faults and insecurities, and it was good to see her triumph over them with love and encouragement from Vincent and his family … all of whom (correctly) pointed toward God as the answer.

This book does come with trigger warnings, including domestic violence and the death of a child.

It is all handled tastefully with nothing shown in detail, but it’s also not hidden in euphemisms. Despite the unpleasantness, these issues are central to the story and show the strength of Elizabeth’s quiet and enduring faith.

Yes, this is Christian fiction with an emphasis on the “Christian”.

I was especially impressed with Elizabeth’s faith, and the faith she had managed to pass onto her children, despite their family difficulties. I was particularly taken with Martin, Elizabeth’s fifteen-year-old son, who had a maturity and practicality beyond his years. This brought some much-needed touches of humour into the story, which I appreciated.

Always and Forever, Elizabeth is part of the Scripted Love series. Each story in this series features one of the Halverson siblings, and some kind of written communication between the hero and heroine. In this case, the communication is via the Post-It notes that Vincent initially shares to give Elizabeth instructions in her role as nanny, but which soon become more personal.

This story wasn’t always an easy read.

I imagine parts must have been very difficult to write. But it’s definitely worth reading if you’re looking for an inspiring contemporary Christian romance that deals with some heavy issues in a realistic way, yet which is ultimately positive and uplifting.

Recommended.

Thanks to the author for providing a free ebook for review.

About Emily Dana Botrous

Emily Dana Botrous lives in San Diego, California with her husband and their four children. She lived in 10 states before she settled on the West Coast where she plans to stay for awhile. She started writing short stories at age 10 and studied English in college. The only thing she enjoys more than writing is motherhood.

While there are a lot of things that matter to Emily, nothing is more important to her than Jesus Christ. It is her goal to point anyone who reads her writing toward Him. When Emily isn’t writing, she enjoys cooking, long walks, music, and playing with her kids.

Find Emily Dana Botrous online at:

Website | Facebook | Instagram

About Always and Forever, Elizabeth

Their wounds run deeper than either could have imagined. Will they let God have final say about their future?

Elizabeth O’Toole never expected to be a widow with three children to support. She’ll do what it takes to survive, though, since her adoptive parents are no help—even if it means taking a job from the man who shattered her heart in high school. All she has to do is keep her distance.

Widower Victor Halverson has his hands full juggling a career as a doctor, raising three small children, and drowning in guilt over his wife’s death. He’s desperate for a nanny, but can he handle facing his worst regret on a daily basis when she applies?

When Victor discovers a life-altering secret about Elizabeth, he knows what he must do. Marrying her ought to atone for the past. And maybe it would if Elizabeth had stopped loving him the first time he broke her heart. The last thing she needs now is marriage to another man who doesn’t love her. Too bad he’s her only option, for better or for worse.

Find Always and Forever, Elizabeth online at:

Amazon | BookBub | Goodreads

Don’t forget to click here to check out my Amazon shop for my top picks in Christian fiction!

1 December 2024

New Releases in Christian Fiction | December 2024

It’s December! How is your Christmas shopping going?

Here are some new releases in Christian fiction that might give you some ideas …

More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website.

Contemporary Romance

Always In My Heart by Iola Goulton — Broke solo mother Maya Allen is raising her daughter, Sarah, as well as her dead best friend’s daughter … who just happens to be her own daughter’s half sister (thanks, cheating college boyfriend).

When her lowlife landlord doubles her rent, she realizes it’s time to make a new plan and return to New Zealand with her children. First she has to do the unthinkable: make contact with her ex and compel him to relinquish his parental rights so they can legally leave the country … and not let her still-strong feelings for Trent get in the way.

Trent Thomas is an intern competing for a role in a prestigious Seattle law firm known for their family values. He figures he’s got the job sewn up when his firm sends him to his hometown of Trinity Lakes to research a dodgy property deal under the guise of offering the townsfolk pro bono legal services.

After all, no one will know the ins and outs of small-town Trinity Lakes gossip better than a lifelong resident. But he hadn’t bargained on Maya, Sarah, and Kacey stealing his chance to get his dream job, stealing his opportunity to leave Trinity Lakes behind forever, or stealing his heart. (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)

Always In My Heart is currently on sale for 99 cents, so click here to preorder now on Amazon!

Nutcracker Cottage by Stephanie Guerrero — Telling prima ballerina, Cynthia Andrews she could no longer dance haunted Dr. Zachary Newcomb, but when a surprise encounter pulls them together, her can-do attitude, hard work and faith in Christ cause him to lose his footing and his heart. (Contemporary Romance, BubbleBath Fiction)

A Very Chapel Falls Christmas by Amanda Lauer — An epic breakup finds a world-famous musician back in his hometown at the same time his ex-fiancée comes back home, making for a holiday with its share of surprises, calamity, laughter, and love—if the two of them can learn from the mistakes that drove them apart in the first place. (Contemporary Romance from Feminine Genius)

General Contemporary

Kept for Her by Joy L. Melville — Two people clinging to secrets and plans, unaware how God will use both to further His plans. (General Contemporary, Independently Published)

General Historical

River of Life by Carol Ashby — When a young Roman and his Greek best friend travel up the Nile in pursuit of their dream career, a Christian Egyptian woman rescues them from certain death, and their time with her opens their eyes to more than they ever imagined. (General Historical from Cerrillo Press)

Even If We Cry by Terrie Todd — Nina’s one task is to keep her family together while a world war threatens to rip them apart. (General Historical from Mountain Brook Ink)

Historical Romance

Love in Store by Penny Zeller — In the wild mountains of the Montana Territory, the Coulter ranch is a place of family, second chances…and a hidden fortune. (Historical Romance from Maplebrook Publishing)

Once Upon a Christmas by Penny Zeller — It’s Christmastime in Poplar Springs, Wyoming. Will Sheriff Ambrose Miller Eliason have the courage to ask the girl he’s always loved to court him? Take a break from the hustle and bustle and settle into this short heartwarming story. (Historical Romance from Maplebrook Publishing)

Romantic Suspense

Tracking the Missing by Sami A. Abrams — A search for three abducted teens…and a K-9 on the case. (Romantic Suspense from Love Inspired Suspense [Harlequin])

Corralling the Cowboy by Elle E. Kay — A widow placed into WITSEC gets to know a famous author while he masquerades as a cowboy to research his latest novel, but her past catches up with her endangering her newfound love. (Romantic Suspense from Faith Writes Publishing)

Ambush on the Ranch by Tina Wheeler — A cowboy deputy sheriff must safeguard an amnesia victim and her twin sister from an art thief who is murdering witnesses. (Romantic Suspense from Love Inspired Suspense [Harlequin])

Young Adult

The Mysterium by Jerry Schultz — Arthur Gilchrist travels to a prestigious island school, only to discover that students are being trained to suppress an ancient order whose beliefs and powers he shares. (Young Adult, Independently Published)

Plus check out these recent additions to Fiction Finder published within the past month:

Lewis: The Beloved by Lauren H. Brandenburg — Lewisia Anna has returned to the Amharclann with a new chapter in her Story—a chapter she doesn’t want the citizens to hear. As Lewis tries to figure out how to delay the writing of her Story, she realizes a lot happened in the Amharclann while she was in the Mines. (Middle Grade Chapter Book)

A Civil Murder by Joan Hetzler — Derek and Megan, a married couple with a knack for solving mysteries are on the case again. An elderly law school professor and his wife go missing, unintentionally leaving their little Snickerdoodle dog with Megan and Derek. (Cozy Mystery)

Cornered by Lynn H. Blackburn, Lynette Eason, and Natalie Walters — Prepare for three times the thrills with these nail-biting page-turners from your favorite romantic suspense authors! (Romantic Suspense)

Line of Fire by Taylor S. Newport — On the run from a relentless enemy, a mercenary must protect a life-saving narcotic coveted by a spy. (Military Suspense)

Who Touches that Mountains by Deborah Raney — How can you ever be sure if the one you’re falling in love with is the right one—the one God intends for you? (Contemporary Romance)

Powhatan’s Power by Ora Smith — From a friend helping Pocahontas establish peace to an indentured and orphaned nobody, Thomas Savage yearns to make his own way in the world. (General Historical)

Fragments by J.A. Webb — A thrilling Christian epic fantasy adventure- “They’d do anything to seek the truth . . . the Order will do anything to stop them.” (Speculative Fantasy)

An Amish Thanksgiving by Beth Wiseman — As two romances blossom, Catherine finds hope in her circumstances, and an opportunity to have the Thanksgiving she’s always wanted. (General Contemporary)

The Choice by DL Wood — When Sadie Miles receives a mysterious letter, she’s drawn into a high-stakes journey aboard a luxury yacht, where fortune and deadly secrets await—and she must survive the treacherous waters and dangerous company to uncover the truth about her past. (Psychological Suspense)

What will you be reading in December?

30 November 2024

Black Friday-Cyber Monday Christian Romance Sale!

I’ve teamed up with a bunch of Christian fiction authors to bring you a bunch of books on sale for US 99 cents until Tuesday only.

Now you can stuff your Kindle in preparation for those long winter nights ahead … or long summer days, for those of you Down Under. I know I’m loving the long, light evenings!

Click here to check out the sale!

This means my debut release, Always By My Side, is now available for 99 cents (USA only, 99p in the UK) for the first time since it released.

I’ve read several of the books in the promotion, and can recommend:

The Billionaire’s Secret by Meghan Whistler
The Art of Rivers by Janet W. Ferguson
The Wedding List by Autumn MacArthur

Check out the promotion and let me know what titles you have read and recommend.

Kindle Unlimited and Kindle Countdown

Note: many of these deals are only available to Kindle users in the USA and UK (including mine). This is because we’re running the sale as a Kindle Countdown deal to maximise royalties, and Amazon won’t permit authors to reduce prices outside the UK and USA at the same time as running a Countdown deal.

However, if a book has a Countdown deal running, that means it’s part of Kindle Unlimited … which means you can read for free if you have a Kindle Unlimited subscription.

And Kindle Unlimited is now available in Australia and New Zealand!

Click here to sign up to Kindle Unlimited (Australia and NZ)

Click here to sign up to Kindle Unlimited (USA)

29 November 2024

First Line Friday #367 | A Soldier Finds His Way by Irene Onorato

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. Today I’m sharing from A Soldier Finds His Way, a Christian military romance by Irene Onorato, a new-to-me author.

Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

What’s the book nearest you, and what’s the first line?

About A Soldier Finds His Way

Even an elite soldier can admit he’s lost.

Gruff and tough, Edward Giordano’s success as an elite Special Forces soldier doesn’t carry over to his personal life. Emotionally scarred from a painful childhood, he’s built a wall around his heart that he lets very few penetrate.

Audra Lorenzo, a first-year school teacher, is on a road trip with her niece during the holidays. A storm that was supposed to pass, instead crosses her path. Lost, with her GPS cutting in and out, her car skids off a road, down an embankment, and into an icy river. Everything goes black.

Regaining consciousness in a remote cabin, Audra finds she and her niece were saved by Edward, a soldier who’d put his life in danger to rescue them. Harsh and unfriendly at first, the lieutenant’s demeanor frightens her. As days go by, small kindnesses shine through chinks in his armor and her heart is drawn to his. But does he feel the same? Can this scarred and guarded man find it in him to share the same love for her?

Find A Soldier Finds His Way online at:

Amazon | BookBub | Goodreads

Click here to check out what my fabulous fellow FirstLineFriday bloggers are sharing today.

And you can click here to check out my previous FirstLineFriday posts.

Share your first line in the comments, and happy reading!

Don’t forget to click here to check out my Amazon shop for my top picks in Christian fiction!

26 November 2024

Bookish Question #359 | What book made you fall in love with reading?

I think I was about seven when I first discovered the ability of a good book to take me away from my small-town home and take me to another time and place.

I don’t remember the title, but I do remember it was a Nancy Drew mystery. I’d borrowed it from the school library, and it was probably a Scholastic title (the school library had a lot of Scholastic titles, from the regular book club catalogues).

It doesn’t matter. I had fallen in love with reading, and nothing has changed in the intervening years.

What about you? What book made you fall in love with reading?

22 November 2024

First Line Friday #366 | Me and Mr. Just Right by Kaylee Baldwin

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. Today I’m sharing from Me and Mr Just Right by Kaylee Baldwin, which looks to be a fun rom-com with a Goldilocks vibe. (And I just realised this book opens on an airplane, just like last week’s book!)

Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

What’s the book nearest you, and what’s the first line?

About Me and Mr Just Right

A famous singer fleeing the spotlight. A nature photographer with a secret. One week stranded together on an island…

What’s a country superstar to do when her ex betrays her, steals all her songs, and makes up lies for the media to salivate over?
Escape to a deserted Alaskan island.

Key word: deserted.

Turns out the island isn’t as deserted as Aurelia Halifax has been led to believe, and she’s surprised by the arrival of Haydn Forrester—who is less than happy to discover her asleep in his bed. And when an unexpected summer storm hits, they’re stranded together until it passes.

Worse, Haydn, is a photographer—exactly the kind of person she’s trying to avoid. He doesn’t recognize her, so it’s easy to pretend she’s Lia Hall, a make-up free, sweats-wearing, down-on-her-luck girl from the south. Unfortunately Haydn is proving to be irresistible, but she can’t let herself fall again. Trusting doesn’t come easy for Lia, especially when she learns that Haydn may be behind her biggest betrayal of all.

Find Me and Mr Just Right online at:

Amazon | Goodreads

Click here to check out what my fabulous fellow FirstLineFriday bloggers are sharing today.

And you can click here to check out my previous FirstLineFriday posts.