Category: Book Recommendation

24 August 2024

It’s Aussie August!

… and a bunch of top Australian authors have teamed together to introduce you to some of the best of Aussie fiction. (And one Kiwi—me.)

So if you’re looking for something to read this winter/spring, click here to check out Aussie August, featuring:

Narelle Atkins
Liz Chapman
Amanda Deed
Christine Dillon
Jenny Glazebrook
Iola Goulton
Sheridan Lee
Carolyn Miller
Jennifer Mistmorgan
Meredith Resce
Jessica Wakefield

The novels in the promotion include all three finalists in the Adult Fiction category of the 2024 CALEB Awards from Omega Writers, Australia’s network for Christian writers. The finalists are:

Where Our Hearts Lie by Jenny Glazebrook
Broken Spirit by Sheridan Lee
Heart in the Clouds by Jennifer Mistmorgan

The Aussie August lineup also includes several other CALEB winners:

The Game by Amanda Deed (2010)
Grace in the Shadows by Christine Dillon (2019)
In Want of a Wife by Meredith Resce (2022)

I recently read a blog post by Australian book reviewer Jenny Blake where talked about how she prefers promotions that are all Christian stories, rather than a mix of Christian and clean fiction.

While I haven’t read all the novels in the promotion, I have read most of them and can confirm they are Christian fiction, not just fiction written by Christians or “clean reads”.

The two authors I haven’t read are Sheridan Lee and Liz Chapman, and I’m looking forward to reading Broken Spirit and Valerie Rose soon … just as soon as I get the draft of Always in My Heart off to my fellow Trinity Lakes authors to beta read.

Jenny also mentioned how much she’s enjoying her two-month subscription to Kindle Unlimited (aka KU), which is a good time to point out that all the Trinity Lakes novels are in KU …

So if you’re looking for something to read on Kindle, check out Aussie August. And if you prefer paper books, most of the titles are available from Koorong or Amazon.

31 May 2023

Introducing … Always By My Side by Iola Goulton

My debut novel is now on sale!

I tend not to share my own writing journey on this website (an error I do need to rectify). Yes, I have been writing. Yes, I have completed a novel. Yes, that novel was published on 30 May 2023.

If you want to make sure you don’t miss out on my book news, subscribe to my newsletter>>

If you pre-ordered from Amazon, thank you so much for supporting me! The story should now be on your Kindle … so happy reading!

If you do read Always By My Side, please consider leaving a review on your favourite online retailer—reviews help other readers discover stories they will love.

And if you have read Always By My Side, please leave a comment and let me know your favourite scene or line. I love sharing my favourite lines from the novels I read, and I would like to share your favourite lines from my novel.

Here’s more about the book:

Always By My Side

A hardworking introvert meets a handsome adventurer longing to settle down.

Tabitha Thomas longs to leave Trinity Lakes and travel the world in honor of the beloved grandmother who raised her and her siblings. But she’s needed at home—she’s the responsible triplet, the one who stayed home to run the family inn while her brother and sister left to live their dreams.

Kiwi Logan Wylde doesn’t call any place home. When an injury frustrates his travel plans, he accepts an invitation to return to Trinity Lakes and recuperate at the Lakeview Inn, where he hopes to rediscover his purpose in life.

When Tabby and Logan find a property deed while cleaning out Gran’s rooms, Tabby embraces a new challenge—to solve the mystery of the floodplain and renovate the old boatshed. Working with Logan reignites long-suppressed feelings, but will their differences drive them apart?

An opposites-attract, friends-to-more, small town contemporary Christian romance.

Welcome to Trinity Lakes, a warm and welcoming small town in east Washington, filled with charm, family, and friends, where fresh starts, second chances, and romance abound. You’ll meet swoony bachelors, cowboys, and adventurers, sweet and sassy ladies, and your new best friends. This series of standalone Christian romances will warm your heart, inspire your faith, and bring a smile to your soul.

Always By My Side is on sale for 99 cents wherever ebooks are sold for one week only.

Then the price will go up to 3.99, and it will be available to borrow free for members of Kindle Unlimited.

Amazon | Other ebook stores (until 8 June)

6 February 2020

Throwback Thursday | Can’t Help Falling by Kara Isaac

Kara Isaac is working on a new book, and it will apparently feature some of the same characters as her second novel, Can’t Help Falling. Yay!

(I was going to say a little bird told me, but that’s not true. I found out via Instagram, not Twitter.)

Anyway, that seemed like a good reason to reshare my review of Can’t Help Falling … which I suspect I’m going to reread shortly 🙂

I enjoyed Kara Isaac’s debut novel, Close to You, mostly because it was set in New Zealand.

Okay, the story was also very good, but it was set in New Zealand. It had places I knew–a novelty for me.

Can’t Help Falling wasn’t set in New Zealand, and that did lead to an initial feeling of disappointment. But it did still feature Close to You’s Allie and Jackson as characters, now transplanted to England where Jackson is studying at Cambridge and Allie is teaching at Oxford–the main setting for Close to You.

Narnia freak Emilia Mason has left her LA life as mudraking celebrity “journalist” and taken a events/fundraising job in a small literacy charity in Oxford. Here she meets rowing coach Peter Carlisle, who seems to know almost as much about Narnia as she does … and who she works with at the charity.

I thought Close to You was great. But Can’t Help Falling is even better.

Better writing (no pressure, Kara!), better characterisation (perhaps because I already ‘know’ Allie and Jackson), and especially better integration of Christian themes: Peter is a Christian and won’t even consider dating Emilia because she isn’t–something Emilia finds even more odd than the fact Allie and Jackson aren’t sleeping together.

Peter is a great Christian character. Well, he’s a great character, period, who happens to be a Christian. Yes, he has his faults (this is a romance and the path of true love never did run smooth. At least, not in fiction), but he also has wisdom and grace beyond his years.

Recommended for all lovers of Narnia and a good contemporary romance.

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

About Kara Isaac

Kara Isaac is a RITA® Award winning author who lives in Wellington, New Zealand where she writes contemporary romance with heart and humor. Her supportive husband has not read any of her books because they contain “way too much talking and not enough gunfights”. When she’s not chasing three little people or working her “real” job, she spends her time writing horribly bad first drafts and wishing you could get Double Stuf Oreos in New Zealand.

Find Kara Isaac online at:

Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter

About Can’t Help Falling

Emelia Mason has spent her career finding the dirt on the rich and famous. But deep down past this fearless tabloid-reporter façade, there’s a nerdy Narnia-obsessed girl who still can’t resist climbing into wardrobes to check for the magical land on the other side. When a story she writes produces tragic results, she flees to Oxford, England–home to C.S. Lewis–to try and make amends for the damage she has caused.

Peter Carlisle was on his way to become one of Great Britain’s best rowers–until he injured his shoulder and lost his chance at glory. He’s determined to fight his way back to the top even if it means risking permanent disability to do so. It’s the only way he can find his way past failing the one person who never stopped believing in his Olympic dream.

When Peter and Emelia cross paths on her first night in Oxford, the attraction is instant and they find common ground in their shared love of Narnia. But can the lessons from a fantasyland be enough to hold them together when secrets of the real world threaten to tear them apart? Cobblestone streets, an aristocratic estate, and an antique shop with curious a wardrobe bring the world of Narnia to life in Kara Isaac’s inspiring and romantic story about second chances.

You can read the introduction to Can’t Help Falling below:

Click here to check out Can’t Help Falling and other great Christian fiction in my Amazon store!

19 July 2018

#ThrowbackThursday | Winning Miss Winthrop by Carolyn Miller

It’s Throwback Thursday! Today I’m sharing my review of Winning Miss Winthrop, the first in the Regency Brides: A Promise of Hope series by Carolyn Miller. The sequel, Miss Serena’s Secret, is due out later this month, and you’ll want to read Winning Miss Winthrop first!

This review previously appeared at Australasian Christian Writers.

Persuasion is not my favourite Jane Austen novel.

I find it frustrating, because the problems faced by the hero and heroine could be solved by one simple conversation. Unfortunately, Jane Austen lived in a society where men and women were unable to speak plainly to each other. That meant her hero and heroine spent most of the book at odds, even though they had mutual feelings towards each other.

Winning Miss Winthrop is loosely based on Persuasion, and has the same central plot problem. Two years ago, Miss Catherine Winthrop fell in love with her third cousin once removed, Jonathan Carlew. She thought the feeling was mutual, but he abandoned her. Now she is twenty-five years old, at home, and on the shelf. But things are about to get complicated.

Her father dies, and instead of the estate going to the expected heir, it goes to Jonathan Carlew. Catherine and her mother are forced to leave their home and move into the Dower House, with a much-reduced income.

What follows is a frustrating yet enaging read as Catherine and Jonathan have to face up to being in the company of the other, both believing the other to have been at fault in the demise of their earlier relationship. Matters are not helped by Catherine‘s mother, the Dowager Lady Winthrop, who makes Elizabeth Bennett’s mother appear intelligent and self sacrificing.

As usual, Carolyn Miller’s is writing is spot on for the period and location.

Her locations come alive, and she captures the manners of the Regency period perfectly, while introducing a rare spiritual depth. Miller’s writing is full of the wit and subtext present in other Regency novelists such as Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer. And now I’m anxiously awaiting Miss Serena’s Secret, the second book in the series.

Recommended for all Regency romance lovers. Thanks to Kregel and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

About Carolyn Miller

Carolyn Miller lives in the beautiful Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Australia. She is married, with four gorgeous children, who all love to read (and write!).

A longtime lover of Regency romance, Carolyn’s novels have won a number of Romance Writers of American (RWA) and American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) contests. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Australasian Christian Writers. Her favourite authors are classics like Jane Austen (of course!), Georgette Heyer, and Agatha Christie, but she also enjoys contemporary authors like Susan May Warren and Becky Wade.

Her stories are fun and witty, yet also deal with real issues, such as dealing with forgiveness, the nature of really loving versus ‘true love’, and other challenges we all face at different times.

Find Carolyn Miller online at:

Website | Facebook | Google+

Goodreads| Pinterest | Twitter

About Winning Miss Winthrop

Years ago, the man who stole Catherine Winthrop’s heart rejected her–and she’s never recovered from the grief. Now tragedy has brought him back into her life. This time it isn’t her heart he’s taking, it’s her home and her family’s good name.

Jonathan Carlew’s serious demeanor and connection to trade, not to mention the rumors surrounding his birth, have kept him from being a favorite of the ladies, or their parents. Now, suddenly landed and titled, he finds himself with plenty of prospects. But his demanding society responsibilities keep pressing him into service to the one woman who captured his heart long ago–and then ran off with it.

These two broken hearts must decide whether their painful past and bitter present will be all they can share, or if forgiveness can provide a path to freedom for the future.

Set in the sumptuous salons of Bath, Regency England’s royal breeding ground for gossip, Winning Miss Winthrop is the first volume in the Regency Brides: A Promise of Hope series. Fans of the wholesome and richly drawn first series won’t want to miss this new set of characters–or appearances by their old favorites.

You can find Winning Miss Winthrop online at:

Amazon | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong

4 June 2018

Book Recommendation | Solo Tu by Narelle Atkins (Tuscan Legacy #7)

The concept behind the Tuscan Legacy series is an original and fascinating concept: nine books by seven authors, each featuring one of the eight Rossi cousins. The settings are fabulous—from Tuscany to Australia, via Rome, Reading, New York, and Texas.

Solu Tu is the Australian connection, and is the tenth book from Australian author Narelle Atkins. It’s my favourite of the series (and not just because I worked with Narelle to refine and edit the story). It’s set in Sydney, and if we can’t have a Christian romance set in New Zealand, then Australia is the next best thing.

And there’s cricket, which is one of my favourite armchair sports. (If you know nothing about cricket, check out my Wandering Wednesday post at International Christian Fiction Writers last week).

A fun friendship formed over cricket and church soon turns serious as Sienna Rossi and Dave Maxwell realize how much they have in common. Both are teachers, both are Christians, both are family-focused.

Both have family problems—Sienna with her cousins, and Dave with his grandmother. They work at the same school, attend the same church, and soon find they have a mutual attraction. But neither are planning to stay in Sydney …

Solu Tu is a unique twist on an age-old story, with a fabulous Australian setting and an underlying family mystery throughout the series. Recommended for all lovers of contemporary Christian romance, especially those who like novels with international settings.

About Narelle Atkins

A fun loving Aussie girl at heart, Narelle Atkins was born and raised on the beautiful northern beaches in Sydney, Australia. She has settled in Canberra with her husband and children.

A lifelong romance reader, she found the perfect genre to write when she discovered inspirational romance. Narelle’s contemporary stories of faith and romance are set in Australia.

Find Narelle Atkins online at:

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter

About Solo Tu:

Home means everything to Sienna Rossi.

Four years ago, Sienna defied her father by moving to Australia to obtain her teaching qualifications. Her grand plan is shaken by her father’s unexpected death and a trip back to Tuscany for her grandmother’s eightieth birthday where she renews her close bond with her sister, Alessa.

Teacher Dave Maxwell likes the freedom of his nomadic lifestyle. He works contract-to-contract, moving to different high schools around Australia. He’s in Sydney for a season, caring for his grandma while his aunt is on an extended overseas vacation.

Back in Sydney, Sienna moves in with her Aussie cousins and starts her first teaching job, torn between her dream for a future in Australia and her longing for home. Sienna and Dave work at the same school, attend the same church, and quickly become friends. They are drawn together by circumstances and an undeniable attraction.

But their idyllic time together is temporary. Can the girl from Tuscany and the boy from Australia risk everything for love?

You can find Solo Tu online at:

Amazon | Goodreads

You can read the introduction to Solo Tu below:

26 March 2018

Book Recommendation | A Chance at Forever by Melissa Jagears

A Chance at Forever is the third (and hopefully not last) novel in The Teaville Moral Society series.

It follows A Heart Most Certain and A Love So True. There have also been two novellas in the series, With This Ring (which I haven’t read), and Tied and True (which I have). But A Chance at Forever is a standalone novel, and you don’t need to have read the earlier books to enjoy this. (But you should read them anyway.)

It’s been six years since school bully George Firebrook left Teaville. Now he’s back in town as Aaron Firebrook, aspiring math teacher. But Mercy McClain is in the school board, the same Mercy McClain he teased mercilessly for having only one arm … and for always being happy in spite of her disability. That’s part of why he’s returned, to try and make up for the sins of his childhood. Now he has to convince people he has changed, and that’s going to start with Mercy.

Mercy McClain knows she’ll never marry and have children.

Her disability has seen to that. But she can still love the children in her care and make sure they aren’t bullied the way she was as a child. And she’s not convinced George Aaron Firebrook has changed from the bully she knew. She’s not pleased when he’s hired as the orphanage gardener. She’s gradually swayed by his work ethic and his obvious concern for the children, especially for Jimmy the troublemaker, and Owen.

Mercy is a great heroine. She’s got issues, but she’s also got a strong sense of self and she’s not willing to let anyone present the orphans with less than ideal role models. That places her in an awkward situation when she realises Aaron isn’t her biggest problem, and that speaking out might cost her.

Aaron is a strong hero. He was a bully as a schoolboy, but he’s a Christian now and trying to make amends. There are also reasons why he was a bully. This explains why he wants to make sure other Teaville children don’t face the same problems. So the job at the orphanage is perfect, even if Mercy would rather he wasn’t there. But the path of true love doesn’t run smooth, and first Aaron has to deal with bumps in the path like Owen and Jimmy.

I know I’m usually a contemporary Christian romance fan. But A Chance at Forever (and the other Teaville Moral Society stories) are the best kind of historical romance. I love the way the series uses historical settings to address some very modern issues. How do we, as Christians, deal with the less desireable members of society? The alcoholics, the drug addicts, the prostitutes, the homeless? How do we deal with that? Jagears has some ideas:

She also isn’t afraid to identify the problem:

This is the problem highlighted by the #MeToo movement. It’s just framed a little differently.

See what I mean about historical fiction being an excellent vehicle for highlighting present-day problems?

As you’ve probably guessed, I thought everything about A Chance at Forever was outstanding—the plot, the characters, the writing, and the Christian message. Recommended for all Christian fiction readers.

Thanks to Bethany House and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

About Melissa Jagears

I stay home with my kids, and though that’s PLENTY to do, I added homeschooling and writing to my schedule too!

My husband and I have been married since 2001 and have a daughter and two sons. I’m a former high school ESL teacher and an avid book reader. If you don’t believe me, come peruse the 16 bookshelves in my house. The only reason I don’t have more is because my husband is convinced he can hear the house’s foundation groaning.

He only claims one of those bookshelves which is full of how-to manuals because he loves blacksmithing, knife smithing, traditional archery, hunting, etc. Generally whatever a mountain man does, he’s done or wants to do. He and his one lonely bookshelf often come in handy for research.

My daughter is also an avid reader who owns the book shelf chair, is a lover of famous art, and wants to be a fashion designer. My middle son builds and creates all day long, his creations are mostly knives and swords since he wants to be a knifesmith like his daddy. And my youngest is the quietest of the bunch. At the moment, he self-identifies as a cat. A black one. He answers in meows.

A pronunciation lesson for the curious: Jagears sounds like /Jag – ers/, like Mick Jagger with an S.

You can find Melissa Jagears online at:

Website | Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter

About A Chance at Forever

In early 1900s Kansas, Mercy McClain, determined to protect Teaville’s children from the bullying she experienced as a child, finds fulfillment working at the local orphanage and serving on the school board. When Aaron Firebrook, the classmate who bothered her more than any other, petitions the board for a teaching position, she’s dead set against him getting the job.

Aaron knows he deserves every bit of Mercy’s mistrust, but he’s returned to his hometown a changed man and is seeking to earn forgiveness of those he wronged. He doesn’t expect Mercy to like him, but surely he can prove he now has the best interests of the children at heart.

Will resentment and old wounds hold them back, or can Mercy and Aaron put the past behind them in time to face the unexpected threats to everything they’re working for?

You can find A Chance at Forever online at:

Amazon | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong

You can read the introduction to A Chance at Forever below:

22 February 2018

Book Review | The Dishonorable Miss DeLancey by Carolyn Miller

It’s Throwback Thursday! Today I’m bringing you my review of The Dishonorable Miss DeLancey, the final book in the Legacy of Grace trilogy by Carolyn Miller. I’m sharing it because it was my favourite of the series, and the first book in her new series is due out in March! I’m looking forward to reading it—The Winsome Miss Winthrop.

About The Dishonorable Miss DeLancey

Will a damaged reputation and desire for society’s approval thwart the legacy of grace?

Tainted by scandal and forced to leave London for the quieter Brighton countryside, the Honorable Miss Clara DeLancey is a shadow of her former society self. She’s lost the man she loved to another and, in a culture that has no patience for self-pity, is struggling with depression. A chance encounter brings her a healing friendship with the sisters of an injured naval captain. But Clara’s society mama is appalled at the new company she’s keeping.

Captain Benjamin Kemsley is not looking for a wife. But his gallant spirit won’t let him ignore the penniless viscount’s daughter–not when she so obviously needs assistance to keep moving forward from day to day. Can he protect his heart and still keep her safe?

When they’re pushed into the highest echelons of society at the Prince Regent’s Brighton Pavilion, this mismatched couple must decide if family honor is more important than their hopes. Can they right the wrongs of the past and find future happiness together–without finances, family support, or royal favor?

My Review

It is a truth universally acknowledged that all romance novels since Jane Austen are mere copies.

Well, not really. As we know, we are all unique, so our journeys to love are also unique. But many romance novels do offer a conscious or subconscious nod to Austen’s work, and The Dishonorable Miss DeLancey is no exception.

At five-and-twenty, Miss DeLancey is close to being on the shelf. Her marital prospects are not helped by a mama who combines Mrs Bennett’s silliness with Lady Catherine’s snobbery, a brother who has gambled away her dowry, and a father who reminded me of Mr Bennett: intelligent and personable, but influenced by his wife. There are also echoes of Persuasion in the decorated sea captain who was rejected in love when a lowly lieutenant.

Carolyn Miller takes these well-known tropes and gives them new life in The Dishonorable Miss DeLancey, the final book in her Legacy of Grace series—and the best (well, in my view).

Miss DeLancey had the misfortune to fall for someone who didn’t return her regard, and was then humiliated for it. It didn’t help that her brother gambled away her dowry, making it difficult for her to find another suitor. (Yes, there were several times when I thought Richard DeLancey needed to take a long walk off a short pier.)

Ben Kemsley has his own problems. He’s spent most of his prize money caring for the families of the men he captained, especially those who didn’t make it back to England. The Prince Regent has promised him a reward, but Prinny is famously self-centred and how exactly does one ask the Prince of Wales for a promised fortune?

My favourite aspect of Clara DeLancey’s story was the focus on her spiritual journey.

In fact, that was the major focus of the first half of the novel. Clara’s turning point comes when she realises there is more to Christianity than church. She sees the need to change from the dissatisfied person she had been. And she saw the need to put that change in God’s hands. Fortunately, she has her new friends to guide her … new friends with a handsome brother.

I also enjoyed the references to the marine chronometer. I read Longtitude by Dava Sobel many years ago. She explained that we’ve long been able to calculate latitude through the position of the stars and sun. But we can’t calculate longtitude accurately without a clock that can remain accurate throughout a long ocean voyage.

I love this kind of mix of fact and fiction, because it was the lack of such a clock caused the shipwreck that made Captain Ben Kemsley a minor Regency celebrity. There were also several scenes set in and around the famed Brighton Pavillion, redecorated by the Prince Regent at great expense and with dubious taste, and I enjoyed this as well.

Overall, an excellent Christian Regency romance with element of suspense. Recommended!

Thanks to Kregel Publications for sending me a free paperback to review.

About Carolyn Miller

Carolyn Miller lives in the beautiful Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Australia. She is married, with four gorgeous children, who all love to read (and write!).

Find Carolyn Miller online at:

Website | Facebook | Google+

Goodreads| Pinterest | Twitter

Find The Dishonorable Miss DeLancey online at:

Amazon US | Amazon AU | Amazon UK

ChristianBook | Goodreads

18 January 2018

Book Review | Close to You by Kara Isaac

It’s Throwback Thursday! Today I’m sharing my extremely biased review of Close to You by Kara Isaac. It’s biased because Kara is a fellow Kiwi, and it’s the first Christian novel I’ve read that is set anywhere near what I call home.

To the best of my knowledge, Close to You by Kara Isaac is the first novel from a New Zealand author contracted and published by a major US Christian publisher. That alone is worth five stars, at least from this parochial Kiwi reader. Those of you who can’t see the appeal of a romance novel set in the Land of the Long White Cloud (and the land of hobbits) … I don’t know. What do people who don’t like New Zealand or hobbits read? Do they read? Can they read?.

Anyway, on to the novel.

Allie is short of money, as her funds are currently tied up in a messy divorce. She’s working as a tour guide delivering high-class (i.e. expensive) tours of New Zealand’s Lord of the Rings and Hobbit movie locations, making good use of her PhD in English literature. Unfortunately, she now loathes all things Tolkien.

Jackson’s company has just gone bust, and he’s accompanying a long-lost—and rich—uncle on Allie’s Lord of the Rings tour in the hope he can persuade uncle to invest in his next business idea. Unfortunately, he knows nothing about Tolkien, hobbits or Lord of the Rings … despite telling his uncle he’s a die-hard fan.

Naturally, Allie and Jackson start off on the wrong foot and equally naturally (this is Christian romance!), things change as they start to get to know each other. Throw in a tour bus full of seriously eccentric characters, a wily uncle and a weasly almost-ex-husband, and the stage is set for fun and romance.

I loved all the Kiwi touches.

The nail-biting approach to Wellington Airport. The lush greenery of the Waikato. The “scents” of Rotorua. The majesty of Queenstown. The Tolkien tourist mecca of Hobbiton (which is even better in real life. I love the Second Breakfast at The Shire’s Rest cafe). The writing was good, with a good dose of humour (people actually speak Elvish?) and a subtle underlying Christian theme.

Recommended for fans of Carla Laureano and Susan May Warren. And New Zealand, and Tolkien. So that should cover pretty much everyone.

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

About Kara Isaac

Kara Isaac is a RITA® Award nominee who lives in Wellington, New Zealand, where her career highlights include working in tourism as Private Secretary for the Prime Minister. She loves great books almost as much as she loves her husband and three Hobbit-sized children.

You can find Kara Isaac online at:

Website | Facebook | Twitter

About Close to You

A disgraced scholar running from her past and an entrepreneur chasing his future find themselves thrown together—and fall in love—on a Tolkien tour of New Zealand.

Allison Shire (yes, like where the Hobbits live) is a disgraced academic who is done with love. Her belief in “happily ever after” ended the day she discovered her husband was still married to a wife she knew nothing about. She finally finds a use for her English degree by guiding tours through the famous sites featured in the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit movies. By living life on the road and traveling New Zealand as a luxury tour guide, Allison manages to outrun the pain of her past she can’t face.

Jackson Gregory was on the cusp of making it big. Then suddenly his girlfriend left him—for his biggest business competitor—and took his most guarded commercial secrets with her. To make matters worse, the Iowa farm that has been in his family for generations is facing foreclosure. Determined to save his parents from financial ruin, he’ll do whatever it takes to convince his wealthy great-uncle to invest in his next scheme, which means accompanying him to the bottom of the world to spend three weeks pretending to be a die-hard Lord of the Rings fan, even though he knows nothing about the stories. The one thing that stands between him and his goal is a know-it-all tour guide who can’t stand him and pegged him as a fake the moment he walked off the plane.

When Allison leads the group through the famous sites of the Tolkien movies, she and Jackson start to see each other differently, and as they keep getting thrown together on the tour, they find themselves drawn to each other. Neither expected to fall in love again, but can they find a way beyond their regrets to take a chance on the one thing they’re not looking for?

You can find Close to You online at:

Amazon | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong

You can read the opening to Close to You below:

Click here to find Close to You and other great Christian fiction in my Amazon store.

24 October 2017

Book Recommendation | The Dishonorable Miss DeLancey by Carolyn Miller

It is a truth universally acknowledged that all romance novels since Jane Austen are mere copies.

Carolyn Miller takes these well-known tropes and gives them new life in The Dishonourable Miss DeLancey, the final book in her Legacy of Grace series—and the best (well, in my view).

My favourite aspect of Clara DeLancey’s story was the focus on her spiritual journey.

In fact, that was the major focus of the first half of the novel. Clara’s turning point comes when she realises there is more to Christianity than church. She sees the need to change from the dissatisfied person she had been—and the need to put that change in God’s hands. Fortunately, she has her new friends to guide her … new friends with a handsome brother.

I also enjoyed the references to the marine chronometer. I read Longtitude by Dava Sobel many years ago. She explained that we’ve been able to calculate latitude through the position of the stars and sun, calculating longtitude accurately meant having an accurate clock—and one that could remain accurate throughout a long ocean voyage.

Overall, an excellent Christian Regency romance with element of suspense. Recommended!

Thanks to Kregel Publications for sending me a free paperback to review.

About Carolyn Miller

Carolyn Miller lives in the beautiful Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Australia. She is married, with four gorgeous children, who all love to read (and write!).

Find Carolyn Miller online at:

Website | Facebook | Google+

Goodreads| Pinterest | Twitter

About The Dishonorable Miss DeLancey

Will a damaged reputation and desire for society’s approval thwart the legacy of grace?

Tainted by scandal and forced to leave London for the quieter Brighton countryside, the Honorable Miss Clara DeLancey is a shadow of her former society self. She’s lost the man she loved to another and, in a culture that has no patience for self-pity, is struggling with depression. A chance encounter brings her a healing friendship with the sisters of an injured naval captain. But Clara’s society mama is appalled at the new company she’s keeping.

Captain Benjamin Kemsley is not looking for a wife. But his gallant spirit won’t let him ignore the penniless viscount’s daughter–not when she so obviously needs assistance to keep moving forward from day to day. Can he protect his heart and still keep her safe?

When they’re pushed into the highest echelons of society at the Prince Regent’s Brighton Pavilion, this mismatched couple must decide if family honor is more important than their hopes. Can they right the wrongs of the past and find future happiness together–without finances, family support, or royal favor?

Find The Dishonorable Miss DeLancey online at:

Amazon US | Amazon AU | Amazon UK

ChristianBook | Goodreads

14 July 2017

It’s RITA Time!

It’s time for the 2017 RITA Awards! For those who don’t know, the RITA Awards are the annual published author awards presented by Romance Writers of America.

They are a big deal, the Oscars of the romance writing world. I read Christian fiction, so I’m most interested in the Romance with Religious or Spiritual Elements category.

The four finalists for 2017 are:

My Hope Next Door by Tammy L Gray
Keeper of the Stars by Robin Lee Hatcher
Close to You by Kara Isaac (who also finalled in the Debut novel category)
Trust My Heart by Carol J Post

I’ve read and reviewed all four books, and I’m glad I’m not a judge!

All four books were excellent, and it’s going to be a tough decision for someone (or several someones). I’d love for Kara Isaac to win, because Close to You is set in New Zealand and she’s finalled in two categories. And I edited her latest book, Then There Was You. Not that I’m biased or anything.

Here are links to my reviews:

Close to You
Keeper of the Stars
My Hope Next Door
Trust My Heart

My review of Keeper of the Stars was a guest post at Smart Bitches, Trashy Books, as part of their annual RITA challenge. They ask for guest reviewers to volunteer to review each of the (many) finalists. They post two reviews of each book in the weeks leading up to the announcement of the winners.

These reviews are interesting to read because they are mostly written by readers who don’t usually read Christian romance. You’ll see the reviews aren’t nearly as glowing as those usually seen on Christian fiction review sites.

Here are links to the other SBTB reviews:

A B- review for Close to You from Bluetomarto.
A C- review for Close to You from Hope.

A B- review for Trust My Heart from LauraL.
A C- review for Trust My Heart from DonnaMarie.

A C+ review from Julia for Keeper of the Stars.

A D review for My Hope Next Door from Samantha.

If you go by the SBTB grades, the winner will be Keeper of the Stars. But that’s based on my B+ review, and I’d have given B+ or better grades to all four finalists!

The winners will be announced at the Romance Writers of America conference, on 27 July.

My debut novel is now on sale!

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Always By My Side

A hardworking introvert meets a handsome adventurer longing to settle down.

An opposites-attract, friends-to-more, small town contemporary Christian romance.

Always By My Side is on sale for 99 cents wherever ebooks are sold for one week only.

Then the price will go up to 3.99, and it will be available to borrow free for members of Kindle Unlimited.

(I was going to say a little bird told me, but that’s not true. I found out via Instagram, not Twitter.)

I enjoyed Kara Isaac’s debut novel, Close to You, mostly because it was set in New Zealand.

I thought Close to You was great. But Can’t Help Falling is even better.

About Kara Isaac

Find Kara Isaac online at:

About Can’t Help Falling

You can read the introduction to Can’t Help Falling below:

Persuasion is not my favourite Jane Austen novel.

As usual, Carolyn Miller’s is writing is spot on for the period and location.

About Carolyn Miller

Find Carolyn Miller online at:

About Winning Miss Winthrop

You can find Winning Miss Winthrop online at:

About Narelle Atkins

Find Narelle Atkins online at:

About Solo Tu:

Home means everything to Sienna Rossi.

You can find Solo Tu online at:

A Chance at Forever is the third (and hopefully not last) novel in The Teaville Moral Society series.

Mercy McClain knows she’ll never marry and have children.

She also isn’t afraid to identify the problem:

See what I mean about historical fiction being an excellent vehicle for highlighting present-day problems?

About Melissa Jagears

A pronunciation lesson for the curious: Jagears sounds like /Jag – ers/, like Mick Jagger with an S.

You can find Melissa Jagears online at:

About A Chance at Forever

You can find A Chance at Forever online at:

You can read the introduction to A Chance at Forever below:

About The Dishonorable Miss DeLancey

Will a damaged reputation and desire for society’s approval thwart the legacy of grace?

Captain Benjamin Kemsley is not looking for a wife. But his gallant spirit won’t let him ignore the penniless viscount’s daughter–not when she so obviously needs assistance to keep moving forward from day to day. Can he protect his heart and still keep her safe?

My Review

It is a truth universally acknowledged that all romance novels since Jane Austen are mere copies.

Carolyn Miller takes these well-known tropes and gives them new life in The Dishonorable Miss DeLancey, the final book in her Legacy of Grace series—and the best (well, in my view).

My favourite aspect of Clara DeLancey’s story was the focus on her spiritual journey.

Overall, an excellent Christian Regency romance with element of suspense. Recommended!

About Carolyn Miller

Find Carolyn Miller online at:

Find The Dishonorable Miss DeLancey online at:

It’s Throwback Thursday! Today I’m sharing my extremely biased review of Close to You by Kara Isaac. It’s biased because Kara is a fellow Kiwi, and it’s the first Christian novel I’ve read that is set anywhere near what I call home.

Anyway, on to the novel.

I loved all the Kiwi touches.

About Kara Isaac

You can find Kara Isaac online at:

About Close to You

You can find Close to You online at:

You can read the opening to Close to You below:

It is a truth universally acknowledged that all romance novels since Jane Austen are mere copies.

Carolyn Miller takes these well-known tropes and gives them new life in The Dishonourable Miss DeLancey, the final book in her Legacy of Grace series—and the best (well, in my view).

My favourite aspect of Clara DeLancey’s story was the focus on her spiritual journey.

Overall, an excellent Christian Regency romance with element of suspense. Recommended!

About Carolyn Miller

Find Carolyn Miller online at:

About The Dishonorable Miss DeLancey

Will a damaged reputation and desire for society’s approval thwart the legacy of grace?

Find The Dishonorable Miss DeLancey online at:

The four finalists for 2017 are:

I’ve read and reviewed all four books, and I’m glad I’m not a judge!

Here are links to my reviews:

Here are links to the other SBTB reviews:

Have you read any of these RITA finalists? Which do you think should win?