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 Explosive Christmas Showdown by Darlene L Turner, a Canadian Christian romantic suspense author (It’s too early for Christmas stories. I know, yet here we are).

Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

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

About Explosive Christmas Showdown

A bomber brings terror to Christmas

as the presents go tick…tick…boom.

With criminal investigative analyst Olive Wells at the center of a bomber’s dangerous game, she’ll do anything to catch the culprit—even work with her ex-fiancé and his K-9 detector dog. But with the Christmas rampage drawing ever closer, Zac Turner’s convinced the attacks are personal. Can they piece together their ties to the bomber…before another gift explodes?

You can find Explosive Christmas Showdown online at:

Amazon | BookBub | ChristianBook | 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!

Bookish Question #246 | What’s Your View on Sex or Rape Scenes in Christian Fiction?

by Iola Goulton

4 October 2022

I’m not a fan of rape as a plot point in any fiction, Christian or otherwise.

It’s become an overused way of showing a female character’s tragic backstory (and it’s always a female character). I’m especially not a fan of on-the-page rape scenes as they generally come across as voyeuristic and violent, as though they are there for the cheap thrill rather than to move the plot along.

People who have experienced sexual violence don’t need the reminder, and people who haven’t don’t need to have the details spelled out in order to understand that the character is going to be negatively affected.

I’m even less interested in Christian fiction that will show rape (which is nonconsensual and unlawful) but won’t show consensual sex in marriage. I’m not saying I want to read explicit sex scenes in Christian fiction (I don’t), but I do see it as hypocritical if sex is only described when it’s the unlawful, undesireable kind.

What about you? What’s your view on sex and rape in Christian fiction?

Book Review | Through the Blaze (Seasons of Faith #2) by Milla Holt

by Iola Goulton

3 October 2022

I don’t know if the Norwegians have the saying, “Marry in haste; repent at leisure”, but that certainly fit Lisa. She married young, against her mother’s advice, and it turned out that her marriage wasn’t a good decision: Kai was a compulsive gambler who lied to hide his addiction.

So when Lisa’s twenty-one year old daughter announces she’s engaged to someone Lisa didn’t even know she was dating, Lisa is not well pleased. However, she is relieved when she finds Kai will be able to contribute to the wedding, and supports it. Maybe he has changed …

Through the Blaze is a romance, and we all know what that means.

Lisa and Kai are going to find their way back together. Here’s the problem: there are good reasons why they broke up, and Lisa shouldn’t even be thinking of reconciling until she’s convinced Kai is no longer a gambler.

But Kai is an addict.

He’s done the whole 12-step process, and he’s even a programme sponsor for another gambling addict. But he’s still an addict. He still needs God’s help to get through each day without gambling.

If Lisa married Kai twenty-four years ago and he had a gambling problem then, and he still had that problem two years ago, I feel she is being completely reasonable to still be suspicious. As such, while I was convinced Kai had changed (probably because the reader only sees him at his best, not his worst), I wasn’t convinced Lisa could make that mental shift.

Through the Blaze is the second book in Milla Holt’s Seasons of Faith Christian romance series, following Into the Flood. While Through the Blaze is a standalone romance, the characters are introduced first in Into the Flood and you may prefer to read the series in order.

Through the Blaze by Milla Holt is a Christian contemporary reunion romance set in Norway. Recommended. #ChristianRomance #BookReview Share on X

Recommended for Christian contemporary romance fans who don’t mind reunion romance plots, and those who are looking for romances set outside the USA.

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

About Milla Holt

I write inspirational romance with an international twist, with stories that uplift and encourage. Heroes with honor and integrity and strong, can-do heroines are my thing. And the good guys always get their happy ending. My fiction reflects my Christian faith.

I’m not a fan of writing about myself, but here goes. I used to be a lot of things: a journalist, a communications manager for a health activist group, and a freelance copywriter.

Before all that, I was a diplomatic brat, trailing along as my mother’s job took us to various diverse locations around the world.

Now, I’m homeschooling my children in the east of England and devoting every spare moment to writing.

Find Milla Holt online at:

Website | Facebook | Instagram

About Through the Blaze

He has spent his life taking chances, but will she risk it all to love him again?

Gambling addict Kai Meland has spent the last decade fixing the life he wrecked. Still, some things are broken beyond repair. Include his marriage. His daughter’s upcoming wedding might be his last chance to show his estranged wife he’s not the same man who once crushed her heart and chose gambling over her.

Lisa wants nothing to do with the man she once loved. After his addiction destroyed their family, she focused on their daughter, Eline. She wiped her tears, held her close, and met her needs. So now that Eline is about to marry, how can she want both of her parents present?

As preparations begin, Lisa finds an older, wiser Kai saying all the right things, but she’s not about to fall for his charms. She’s been down that road and has the scars to show it.

Will the approaching wedding allow Kai the chance he needs to break through Lisa’s emotional fortress and prove to her their love is worth a final wager?

Find Through the Blaze online at:

Amazon | BookBub | Goodreads

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

First Line Friday | Week #253 | The Upwelling by Lystra Rose

by Iola Goulton

30 September 2022

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 The Upwelling by debut Australian Christian author Lystra Rose. Here’s the first line from Chapter One:

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

About The Upwelling

Three misfits.
Two warring spirits.
One chance to save the world.

Kirra is the great-granddaughter of a truth dreamer, and, like Great Nanna Clara, no-one believes her night-visions are coming true. When an end-of-the-world nightmare forces her to surf where her brother was killed, she time-slips into a place that could ruin her life, here, and in the Dreaming.

Narn is the son of a well-respected Elder and holds an enviable role in his saltwater clan. Though he bears the marks of a man, many treat him like an uninitiated boy, including the woman he wants to impress.

Tarni is the daughter of a fierce hunter and the custodian of a clever gift. Somehow, she understands Kirra when no-one else can. But who sent this unexpected visitor: a powerful ancient healer or an evil shadow-spirit?

When death threatens all life, can a short-sighted surfer, a laidback dolphin caller and a feisty language unweaver work together to salvage our future?

You can find The Upwelling 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!

Bookish Question #245 | Who is your favourite character in Christian fiction?

by Iola Goulton

27 September 2022

This is a tough question.

I’ve read hundreds, perhaps thousands, of Christian novels, and while several characters spring to mind, they aren’t necessarily “favourite” characters. They are memorable characters, and there is a difference.

For example, Angel in Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers is a memorable character. But she’s not always likeable, so can’t be called a favourite.
Mrs Clara Kip in The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs Kip by Sara Brunsvold is another memorable character. But while she is the character in the title and the person with many life lessons to share, she’s the mentor figure. Not the main character. Shouldn’t the favourite be the main character?
Some characters are memorable and interesting for reasons they have no control over. An example of this is Libby in When the Day Comes by Gabrielle Meyer, who literally lives two lives separated by more than a century.
And some characters are memorable for their circumstances, like Marissa Moreau in Shadows of Hope by Georgiana Daniels, a crisis pregnancy counsellor who can’t get pregnant, and discovers her new client/friend is her husband’s mistress.

But if we’re going to talk about my favourite character, it probably has to be a character that features in a series I’ve read over and over: the Love Comes Softly series by Janette Oke. It’s an oldie, but a goodie. The series centres around Marty and Clark and their children. There was a later spinoff series that featured one of their grandchildren, Virginia.

My favourite character is Drew, who married Marty and Clark’s youngest daughter, and who is Virginia’s father.

Drew is an inspiring example of a Christian man, husband, and father. He’s a bitter young man when we first meet him, but over the years he matures into a strong man of God, a man who wants to care for and protect those around him with the skills he has. He’s also a man who overcomes trials that could have broken him, but he chooses to be the survivor and victor, not the victim. And that’s why he’s my favourite.

What about you? Who is your favourite character in Christian fiction?

Book Review | Dangerous Beauty by Melissa Koslin

by Iola Goulton

26 September 2022

After Liliana Vela’s family is murdered and she is trafficked from Mexico to Texas, she escapes at the first opportunity and is rescued by the mysterious Meric Toledan. Meric then offers a marriage of convenience as a way of keeping her safe, so she doesn’t have to return to Mexico where she fears she’d just be kidnapped and trafficked again.

(I’m fairly sure that it takes more than marriage to a stranger to be allowed to stay in the USA, but we’ll let that minor detail pass. The “billionaire marrying a stranger” did remind me of Streiker’s Bride by Robin Hardy, if you’ve been reading Christian fiction long enough to remember that one.)

I initially hesitated to request Dangerous Beauty for review because the topic was human trafficking. I read for entertainment, and there’s nothing entertaining about forcing women into sexual slavery.

But after reading Melissa Koslin’s debut novel, Never Miss, I decided to give Dangerous Beauty a chance and I’m glad I did. While trafficking provides the main tension in the plot, there is nothing explicit about trafficking (although there are a couple of well-written fight sequences).

Liliana is an excellent character.

She’s strong, intelligent, and determined. She’s also brave – she’s not afraid to trust Meric, to leave the apartment, to learn new things, even when that will potentially put her at risk.

Meric is more of a mystery, one that is uncovered slowly as the novel progresses. It’s obvious he’s hiding something from Liliana, but it’s also clear that she trusts him. It’s a credit to Koslin’s writing that she convinces me that because Liliana trusts Meric, I should as well.

The story is fast-paced to the point where I didn’t stop to ponder the logic or possibility of plot points like the marriage of convenience or even Liliana’s feelings towards Meric. It swept me along to the inevitable yet satisfying conclusion that answered all my questions, including one I hadn’t even realised I had.

Recommended for romantic suspense fans who enjoy authors such as Dee Henderson and Dani Pettrey.

Thanks to Revell Books and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

About Melissa Koslin

Melissa Koslin is a fourth-degree black belt in and certified instructor of Songahm Taekwondo. In her day job as a commercial property manager, she secretly notes personal quirks and funny situations, ready to tweak them into colorful additions for her books. The author of Never Miss, Melissa lives in Jacksonville, Florida, with her husband, Corey.

Find Melissa Koslin online at:

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter

About Dangerous Beauty

Liliana Vela hates the term victim. She’s not a victim, she’s a fighter. Stubborn and strong with a quiet elegance, she’s determined to take back her life after escaping the clutches of human traffickers in her poor Mexican village. But she can’t stay safely over the border in America–unless the man who aided in her rescue is serious about his unconventional proposal to marry her.

Meric Toledan was just stopping at a service station for a bottle of water. Assessing the situation, he steps in to rescue Liliana from traffickers. If he can keep his secrets at bay, his wealth and position afford him many resources to help her. But the mysterious buyer who funded her capture will not sit idly by while his prize is stolen from him.

Melissa Koslin throws you right into the middle of the action in this high-stakes thriller that poses the question: What is the price of freedom?

Find Dangerous Beauty online at:

Amazon | BookBub | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong

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

First Line Friday | Week #252 | Muskoka Shores by Carolyn Miller

by Iola Goulton

23 September 2022

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 Muskoka Shores, a new contemporary romance from Australian author Carolyn Miller. Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

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

About Muskoka Shores

Serena Williamson loves working at Muskoka Shores, the fancy resort on Lake Muskoka, and making couples dreams come true. But after returning from a celebrity wedding to find her own hopes crumbling to dust, she sets out for self-improvement, and to prove her ex was wrong. But when a misunderstanding concerning the new assistant church minister leads to more self-doubt, can she ever really trust a man again?

Joel Wakefield is looking forward to a fresh start for himself and his sister in this beautiful small town beside Lake Muskoka. He hadn’t counted on meeting a curvy cutie with a gift for hospitality and a gracious heart. Can he show her that it’s what is inside that truly counts?

You can find Muskoka Shores 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!

Bookish Question #244 | What’s your view on billionaire romances?

by Iola Goulton

20 September 2022

Good question. I have mixed feelings.

On one hand, I’m not a fan of billionaire romances, especially in Christian fiction, because of the underlying unstated assumption that money will fix any problem.

On the other hand, I’ve read too many books where the plot centres around money troubles (often caused by medical issues), and it’s refreshing to read a novel where money troubles aren’t part of the plot.

When I do read a billionaire romance, I’m a little fussy when it comes to how they have made their money.

I’m not interested in family money or in people who have made their millions and billions by treating others badly (if you’re a billionaire, you can afford to pay more than minimum wage).

I prefer stories where the person has made their money honestly and without subjugating others, which is why I prefer sportspeople or (even better) tech billionaires. Tech billionaires are also good because it’s more believable that they make their money relatively quickly.

I’m currently reading and enjoying Elizabeth Maddrey’s Billionaire Next Door series about a group of friends who all won big on the stockmarket.

What I would like to see is a story about a female billionaire … do you have any recommendations?

What about you? What’s your view on billionaire romances?

Book Review | Flight (Collective Underground #3) by Kristen Young

by Iola Goulton

19 September 2022

I read an early draft of Flight several years ago. I very much enjoyed the story, but found parts of it confusing, as it felt like I’d been dropped in the middle of something bigger with no idea what the character’s history was. Kristen Young took that feedback on board, and wrote Apprentice and Elite. The characters now feel much more rounded, and the story is stronger for it.

If you haven’t read Apprentice and Elite, I recommend you do.

Otherwise, you’ll probably find Flight as confusing as I did the first time around.

This time, the whole story made a lot more sense because I had the background. Apprentice Kerr Flick (aka Cadence) is only weeks away from graduation when what seemed like a random assignment reveals information that could get her killed. Cadence escapes, but will the Muse protect her and help her find refuge, or will her enemies betray her and get her killed?

Flight picks up where Elite left off, but picks up both the pace and the tension. the story moves quickly (which is why it’s advisable to read the earlier stories first). Cadence is thrown into new situations where she comes face to face with an old enemy and has to figure out who to trust. Her life depends on making the right decision. And I don’t want to say any more because of potential spoilers.

The Collective Underground trilogy has strong underlying Christian themes.

The Muse is clearly the Holy Spirit, and the songs Cadence is tasked with remembering are the scriptures. At least, that’s obvious to me, reading as a Christian. Science fiction and fantasy novels often build their own religion, so a nonChristian reader might think the Muse and the songs are simply the religion created for the story. But I hope they’ll be able to see the underlying allegory.

Kristen Young has created a fascinating and scarily believable dystopian society in which children are raised in government-run dormitories which make the average prison look welcoming and flexible. The children then graduate to participate in a society where citizens are encouraged by their leaders (called “Lovers”) to turn in anyone they suspect of being a “Hater”. It’s a twisted system of doublethink that’s rather Orwellian.

The trilogy is unique in Christian fiction, and recommended for fans of Divergent, The Hunger Games, or similar Young Adult titles with dystopian themes.

Thanks to Enclave Publishing for providing a free ebook for review.

About Kristen Young

Kristen Young was born (and spent a memorable first few months of her life) in the UK, grew up in Sydney, but now lives in the Central West of NSW with her husband, three children, and slightly neurotic dog. She has been involved in church-based ministry for over 20 years, and loves helping people of any age to see how awesome Jesus is.

Kristen has had a number of books published, beginning with The Survival Guide series of devotions for teens. What if? Dealing with Doubt is a book for anyone from high school age onward, and aims to help anyone struggling with doubts about God, Jesus, or faith. In more recent years she has been writing fiction. Apprentice is her first published novel.

Find Kristen Young online at:

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

About Flight

The fight for what is right is also a fight to survive

On the cusp of graduation, Cadence is finally feeling in control. She’s about to become one of the prestigious Elites working in the Hall of Love. Plus she can take her place as a full member of the underground Sirens who meet secretly in Love City. She’ll finally be able to use her memory skills for good, instead of reporting people as a Watcher.

But a dangerous trap is set, throwing Cadence into unwelcome and unfamiliar territory. Someone in the Collective remembers things that could very well get her killed. The Muse is by her side, after all, but will she be protected when someone powerful wants her dead?

Cadence just wants to be normal, free from politics or squad intimidation. Will she be able to achieve her Elite dreams, or will sinister forces leave her running for her life?

Find Flight online at:

Amazon | ChristianBook | Goodreads

First Line Friday | Week #251 | Forgiven by Carol Ashby

by Iola Goulton

16 September 2022

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 Forgiven by Carol Ashby, the first novel in her Light in the Empire series set in the Roman Empire.

Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

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

About Forgiven

Dangerous times, difficult friendships, lives transformed by forgiveness and love

Are some wounds too deep to forgive?

With a ruthless father who murdered for the family inheritance, Marcus Drusus plans to do the same. In AD 122, Marcus follows his brother Lucius to Judaea and plots to frame a zealot for his older brother’s death. But the plan goes awry, and Lucius is rescued by a Messianic Jewish woman. Her oldest brother is a zealot and a Roman soldier killed her twin, but Rachel still persuades her father Joseph to put his love for Jesus above his anger with Rome and hide Lucius until he heals.

Rachel cares for the enemy, and more than broken bones heal as duty turns to love. Lucius embraces Joseph’s faith in Jesus, but sharing a faith doesn’t heal all wounds. Even before revealed secrets slice open old scars, Joseph wants no Roman son-in-law. With Rachel’s zealot brother suspecting he’s a Roman officer and his own brother planning to kill him when he returns, can Lucius survive long enough to change Joseph’s mind?

You can find Forgiven 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.

Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

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

About Explosive Christmas Showdown

You can find Explosive Christmas Showdown online at:

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

I’m not a fan of rape as a plot point in any fiction, Christian or otherwise.

What about you? What’s your view on sex and rape in Christian fiction?

Through the Blaze is a romance, and we all know what that means.

But Kai is an addict.

About Milla Holt

Find Milla Holt online at:

About Through the Blaze

He has spent his life taking chances, but will she risk it all to love him again?

Find Through the Blaze online at:

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

About The Upwelling

Three misfits. Two warring spirits. One chance to save the world.

When death threatens all life, can a short-sighted surfer, a laidback dolphin caller and a feisty language unweaver work together to salvage our future?

You can find The Upwelling online at:

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

This is a tough question.

My favourite character is Drew, who married Marty and Clark’s youngest daughter, and who is Virginia’s father.

What about you? Who is your favourite character in Christian fiction?

Liliana is an excellent character.

About Melissa Koslin

Find Melissa Koslin online at:

About Dangerous Beauty

Find Dangerous Beauty online at:

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

About Muskoka Shores

You can find Muskoka Shores online at:

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

Good question. I have mixed feelings.

When I do read a billionaire romance, I’m a little fussy when it comes to how they have made their money.

What I would like to see is a story about a female billionaire … do you have any recommendations?

What about you? What’s your view on billionaire romances?

If you haven’t read Apprentice and Elite, I recommend you do.

The Collective Underground trilogy has strong underlying Christian themes.

The trilogy is unique in Christian fiction, and recommended for fans of Divergent, The Hunger Games, or similar Young Adult titles with dystopian themes.

About Kristen Young

Find Kristen Young online at:

About Flight

The fight for what is right is also a fight to survive

Find Flight online at:

Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

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

About Forgiven

Dangerous times, difficult friendships, lives transformed by forgiveness and love

You can find Forgiven online at:

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

Three misfits.
Two warring spirits.
One chance to save the world.