Category: Book Review

New Releases in Christian Fiction

New Releases in Christian Fiction | April 2024

I can’t believe it’s April already! Here are the new releases in Christian fiction for April … happy reading!

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

Contemporary Romance

Love in Tandem by Becca Kinzer — She’s perfectly content leading a quiet life in her small hometown. He’s an adventurer with unquenchable wanderlust. The two couldn’t be any more opposite if they tried. But a tandem bicycle and a 500-mile road trip just might change all that. (Contemporary Romance from Tyndale House)

Playing For Keeps by Deborah Raney — The love story of Art and Maddie continues in Playing for Keeps. But their fledgling marriage faces challenges when expectations collide. When Maddie is offered a chance to take a research trip to Paris, it appears a short separation might help them both figure out what happily-ever-after looks like for them. Yet even the beautiful City of Lights is lonely without the man she loves with all her heart. (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published [ACFW QIP])

Safe Haven Ranch by Louise M Gouge — It should be easy for widow Olivia Ortiz to despise Will Mattson, the man keeping her from buying the ranchland she needs for herself and her daughter, Emily. But when Emily becomes instant friends with Will’s nephew, Jemmy, Olivia and Will find themselves growing closer as well. And as Olivia’s feelings for the handsome cowboy shift, competing for the property could be the start of something more… (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

General Contemporary and Women’s Fiction

Cookies & Eggnog from Welcombe Bay by Kate Darroch — The prequel to the first novel in the Sweets By the Sea series, “Thanksgiving in Welcombe Bay.” In this Christmas novella we learn that Lily met her former husband Gary on her 18th birthday, and we see how Gary establishes his ascendancy over her. We watch God’s love operating in her life through the actions of her grandparents and her vicar’s wife, and learn why that ultimately leads Lily to a moment of truth when she must seek to reclaim her wavering faith. (General Contemporary, Independently Published [Ad Astra Press, Inc.])

Always Think of Me by Lori Keesey — Tyrus Cal, TC for short, had no plans to leave his party boy life, but when he met Ginny at an outdoor music festival, he fell. Hard. When their budding relationship ends abruptly, TC moves on, assuming he won’t get a second chance with the captivating Ginny. But then he does. Just not in the way he expected. (General Contemporary, Mascot Books)

Why the Mountains Stand by Ashlyn McKayla Ohm — When skating coach Addisyn Miles becomes responsible for Kenzie, a turbulent new student, she’s blindsided by the girl’s troubling link to her own past. But when Kenzie rediscovers a local legend, more is at stake than either of them realized. Now, Addisyn must choose between allowing the secrets to destroy them both…or finally finding the purpose behind their shared pain. (Contemporary, Independently Published [ACFW QIP])

General Historical

Secrets of the Wildflowers by Sarah Talbert — After a tragic event involving the sacrifice of her brother, Miu escapes the stifling gods and patriarchal norms of ancient Ur, embarking on a transformative quest for freedom, like wildflowers in bloom; she grapples with control issues and learns to trust in Abraham’s personal god, Yahweh, finding a community where she can live as she was created to be. (General Historical, Eternal Threads Publishing)

Historical Romance

Earning the Mountain Man’s Trust by Misty M Beller — Naomi Wyatt has finally given up on the man who once promised to love her for the rest of his life—then disappeared with no way to contact him. She’s now a single mother with a beautiful baby girl to provide for. When Jonah Coulter asks for her hand in marriage, she knows she would be hard-pressed to find a better husband and father. But when her first love rides onto the ranch property saying he’d been searching for her for months, her heart is shredded once again. Before she has time to catch her breath though, a new threat appears on the horizon. This time she has far more at stake than her heart, and only a Divine hand can turn this disaster for their good. (Historical Romance, Independently Published [ACFW QIP])

The Sleuth of Blackfriars Lane by Michelle Griep — As co-owner of The Blackfriars Lane Enquiry Agency, Kit Forge fearlessly takes on a missing child case, only to find herself and her husband, Chief Inspector Jackson Forge, risking everything to save their own baby from the dangerous criminals involved. (Historical Romance from Barbour Publishing)

A Spring at The Greenbrier by Sandra Merville Hart — Marilla has resigned herself to spinsterhood in order to help care for her sister but more than that obstacle stands in the way of courting the wealthy brother of her sister’s best friend. (Historical Romance from Wild Heart Books)

Dreams for Courage by Shanna Hatfield — When a private investigator’s trail leads her to an aloof rancher, will love give them the courage they need to face his past and dream of a future together? (Historical Romance from Wholesome Hearts Publishing)

Even in Death by Rebecca Hemlock — Private Detective Trix Fredson wants her husband’s murder solved, and the couple responsible live in her old home. Her husband’s best friend, Ted Mcallister pulled some strings to get Trix the job at the detective agency. He promised to help her solve Ron’s murder, which would be difficult. But how can he do that and keep himself from revealing his true feelings for her? That was going to be even harder. (Historical Romance from Bluecap Publishing)

Mystery/Suspense/Thriller

The Garden Girls by Jessica R Patch — On a remote Outer Banks island, a serial killer collects his prized specimens. And to stop him, an FBI agent must confront his own twisted past. (Contemporary Psychological Suspense Thriller from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

Romantic Suspense

Lethal Danger by Jerusha Agen — This K-9 team is trained to eliminate threats. This threat could eliminate them. (Romantic Suspense, Independently Published [ACFW QIP])


One Good Time by Luana Ehrlich — CIA covert operative Titus Ray is asked to do the unthinkable and allow a terrorist to enter the country illegally in order to stop an attack on the U. S., but as he tracks the terrorist to his destination, he suffers a devastating loss that threatens to derail the mission. (Romantic Suspense, Independently Published [ACFW QIP])

Grave Consequences by Elle E. Kay — Cate Garrison is working as a wildlife biologist for the Pennsylvania Game Commission and crosses paths with a mysterious park ranger whose dangerous past has caught up with him. (Romantic Suspense, Independently Published [ACFW QIP])

Yukon Wilderness Evidence by Darlene L. Turner — When skeletal remains are uncovered in the Yukon forest, forensic botanist Keeley Ash is called to the crime scene—and ends up abducted. She never expects her ex, paramedic Brett Ryerson, to come to her rescue, or her gathered evidence to be linked to a cold case. And when their son—who Brett never knew existed—is kidnapped, they’ll stop at nothing to save him and outrun the hunters determined to silence Keeley. (Romantic Suspense from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

Speculative Fiction

Never Forget the Truth by F.D. Adkins — When the forces of darkness masquerade in the light, is your sword sharpened in TRUTH and wielded to fight? (Speculative Fiction, Independently Published [ACFW QIP])

Split-Time

Braving Strange Waters by Sarah Hanks — Stella Lindy is supposed to be soaking up the sunshine with her bridesmaids on a bachelorette cruise to Hawaii. But when she hits the wrong button on the elevator, the glamorous luxury of the modern ship is replaced with the Missouri River steamboat Arabia filled with strangers—and a mysterious doctor informs her it is 1856. Communicating through an antique mailbox, her friends on the cruise try to guide her back home before the steamboat sinks, but Stella finds herself caught in a tangled web between pro-slavery Border Ruffians and anti-slavery Jayhawkers. Standing up for what’s right in the face of peril and uncertainty might mean never making it home. (General/Split-Time, Independently Published [SonFlower Books])

Young Adult


Protector by Megan Schaulis — Nanotech, royal romance, and biblical themes combine in this YA dystopian retelling of Esther—perfect for fans of The Selection or The Hunger Games. (Young Adult from WhiteCrown Publishing)

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

Deep Trouble by Mary Connealy — When an aimless wanderer and fearless female determined to find a city of gold are forced to work together and set out to find the treasure, trouble is hot on their trail. (Historical (Western) Romance)

His Unexpected Grandchild by Myra Johnson — This toddler will steal his heart…Just in time to open it… (Contemporary Romance)

An Unlikely Arrangement by Cindy Patterson — Abigail stands to lose all if Garrett Barringer sees past her physical beauty and uncovers the ugliness of her imperfect past. Will Abigail continue on the condemned path she’s fashioned for herself, or trust that God wants a future for her she never believed possible? (Historical Romance)

Phooey Kerflooey by Kristen Joy Wilks — Through a raucous tornado of personal growth, the boys and Phooey work together to save the day. But when the dust (and squirrel poo) settles, can they convince Dad and Mom to let them keep their puppy princess? (Middle-grade Chapter book)

 

It’d be nice to spend one entire day where nobody looks at me like I’m on the verge of jumping off a bridge because my brother stole the love of my life.

Book Review | Love in Tandem by Becca Kinzer

Charlotte Carter is a music teacher who is about to lose her job because of a lack of funding. So it’s up to her to figure out how to earn the money over the summer. She also wants to avoid her ex-fiancé … which becomes a little more difficult when she meets his brother in somewhat awkward circumstances.

Things go from bad to worse when Charlotte finds herself and Zach signed up to complete a five-hundred mile tandem bicycle ride which, if they can complete the ride in ten days, will earn hem enough to fund the music programme. The catch is that the cycle ride is for couples, so Charlotte and Zach have to pretend to be dating. Pretending should be harder than it is.

Given the title and book description, I’d expected the race to start earlier in the book. As it was, we were a third of the way through the story before the race was introduced, which meant I spent a good portion waiting for the “actual” story to start. As a result, I found the early chapters didn’t capture my interest.

Love in Tandem is a rom-com with an emphasis on the comedy, from Charlotte and Zach’s initial meeting to the tandem bicycle ride. Becca Kinzer says in her author’s note that many of these scenes were inspired by her own long-distance tandem bicycle ride with her then boyfriend (now husband) in 2010. All I can say is that she hasn’t convinced me to take up the sport.

This is the first novel I’ve read by Becca Kinzer, and I thought it was her debut. It’s not—she is also the author of Dear Henry, Love Edith, which got excellent reviews when it released last year. I guess it’s time I put that on my to-read list.

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

About Becca Kinzer

Becca KinzerBecca Kinzer lives in Springfield, Illinois where she works as a critical care nurse. When she’s not taking care of sick patients or reminding her husband and two kids that frozen chicken nuggets is a gourmet meal, she enjoys making up lighthearted stories with serious laughs. She is a 2018 ACFW First Impressions Contest winner, a 2019 Genesis Contest winner, 2021 Cascade Award winner, and all-around champion coffee drinker.

Find Becca Kinzer online at:

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About Love in Tandem

Cover image - Love in Tandem by Becca KinzerShe’s perfectly content leading a quiet life in her small hometown. He’s an adventurer with unquenchable wanderlust. The two couldn’t be any more opposite if they tried. But a tandem bicycle and a 500-mile road trip just might change all that.

After a failed engagement and her mother’s battle with cancer, Charlotte Carter’s life is finally turning around now that she’s landed a dream job teaching music. What she didn’t see coming was the imminent closure of the school’s music program. She’s determined to save it, even if it means getting creative. There’s no way she’s chalking this up as just another failure in her book of recent embarrassments.

Zach Bryant is back in town just long enough to see his brother Ben get married and then he’s off traveling the world again. He never imagined he’d run into Charlotte Carter, his brother’s ex-fiancé, or that everyone would believe he and Charlotte are an item. He certainly didn’t dream he’d end up riding a tandem bicycle hundreds of miles with her in an attempt to raise funds for a defunct music program, but how can he say no when the prize money would help him out of his financial predicament too?

Charlotte is sure she can set aside her differences with Zach long enough to cross the finish line and win the giant cash prize . . . can’t she? A few hundred miles in, she’s questioning her deeply held assumptions about Zach and wondering if maybe tandem biking is only the start of their biggest adventure yet.

Find Love in Tandem online at:

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This is God’s proof to me that He is the only Father whose approval I must seek.

Book Review | Uncharted Peace (Uncharted #13) by Keely Brooke Keith

I didn’t enjoy Uncharted Peace as much as I’ve enjoyed previous novels in the Land Uncharted series. I think there are two reasons for that. One was because the romance was largely completed via letters before the story started. The second was because the “secret” hinted at in the book description is something the dedicated series reader already knows, because it was revealed in the previous book in the series, Uncharted Grace.

Rather than being a story of Lena and Phillip’s romance, it was a story about how an obscure law almost prevented their marriage … a plot device that felt a little contrived, given it hasn’t been mentioned in the twelve previous romances in this series. We read romance to watch the couple fall in love. Sure, we know there are going to be a few problems along the way, but Uncharted Peace seemed to be mostly problems with not enough of the falling-in-love phase of romance.

I’m also not a big fan of marriages where there is a big age gap between the hero and heroine. It wasn’t immediately obvious, but Philip Roberts is much older, and he does sometimes seem almost patronising in his attitude towards Lena. I didn’t find that attractive, which made it harder to want their relationship to move forward.

The best part about Uncharted Hope is the Christian element.

Despite being older and a preacher, Philip Roberts still had a few things to learn about God and life, and it was good to see him learning those lessons.

Overall, Uncharted Peace wasn’t my favourite in the series, but I’m still looking forward to the next book.

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

About Keely Brooke Keith

Keely Keely Brooke KeithBrooke Keith writes inspirational frontier-style fiction with a slight Sci-Fi twist, including The Land Uncharted (Shelf Unbound Notable Romance 2015) and Aboard Providence (2017 INSPY Awards Longlist). Keely also creates resources for writers such as The Writer’s Book Launch Guide and The Writer’s Character Journal.

Born in St. Joseph, Missouri, Keely grew up in a family that frequently relocated. By graduation, she lived in 8 states and attended 14 schools.  When she isn’t writing, Keely enjoys playing bass guitar, preparing homeschool lessons, and collecting antique textbooks. Keely, her husband, and their daughter live on a hilltop south of Nashville, Tennessee.

Find Keely Brooke Keith online at:

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About Uncharted Peace

Lena’s stay at The Inn at Falls Creek leaves her torn between loyalty to her family and marrying Philip for love.

Lena Vestal enjoys spending her days cooking for her siblings and her nights curled up with a good book… or a letter from Philip Roberts, the overseer of Falls Creek and only man ever to capture her heart. It’s safe to dream of a future with him while she is still sheltered by the older brother and sister who raised her. When Philip’s final letter announces his forthcoming arrival to take her to Falls Creek, Lena must leave all that is familiar to make her dream a reality.

Philip Roberts takes his duties as the overseer of Falls Creek seriously, not only to please God but also to prove his competence. Having been in the pastoral position for two years, Philip’s dissertation is anticipated by all the overseers of the Land, particularly his father. Producing a work of great merit would prove his worth, as would setting an excellent example of holy matrimony in his church.

Lena’s yearning for the security of Philip’s love compels her to spend a month without her siblings at the isolated Inn at Falls Creek. To prepare for their nuptials, Philip informs her the Land’s tradition requires they compare family lineage. When she receives hers from her sister, a shocking secret about her true origins means she must choose between protecting her family and marrying the man of her dreams.

And when Philip’s published book is distributed before he can check it, both feel their hopes dissolve.

But at the Inn at Falls Creek, no one is alone and everyone is worthy.

Find Uncharted Peace online at:

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Words were wily things—but they were miraculous too. They created, they shaped, they breathed life.

Book Review | A Noble Scheme (Imposters #2) by Roseanna M White

This is the second book in Roseanna M White’s The Imposters series, following A Beautiful Disguise. I do suggest reading that first, because it is the better book (well, I preferred A Beautiful Disguise), and because it introduces The Imposters, Inc so well.

A Noble Scheme has The Imposters undertaking a pro bono case to rescue a boy kidnapped in a case of mistaken identity.

The story focusses on Gemma, a gossip columnist, and Graham, an architect. A Beautiful Disguise made it apparent that there was a history between the two, and hints at a romance gone wrong. A Noble Scheme explores the origins of their enmity.

Gemma kept thinking back to the event a year earlier where Graham broke her trust and her heart. It was obvious she knew what had happened, but her recollections were frustratingly vague, and the reader doesn’t find out what actually happened until close to the halfway point. I could understand her not wanting to think about what had happened … but she was thinking about it, and she was making that clear in her viewpoint scenes, so it felt unnatural for her to not reveal the secret of the event. Keeping the secret was probably intended to increase the tension, but it just increased my frustration.

Graham is also suffering. He lost Gemma, and he lost his faith. He still believes in God, but he doubts God’s love and doubts God’s ability or perhaps His willingness to care for us. I was initially impressed, because I’m always keen to read Christian fiction that tackles life’s hard questions.

And “Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people?” is a hard question.

But my curiosity about how Gemma and Graham would discover the answer to the hard question was overshadowed by the fact I didn’t know what had happened to cause them to feel this way. When the secret was finally revealed, it did make sense in the context of the story, and it was a sufficiently important event that I could see it causing the rift between them. However, it also fundamentally changed the tone of the story.

It also makes this review hard to write.

Reviews shouldn’t contain spoilers, yet the big secret twists the second-chance romance plot into a related trope that not all readers like (marriage reconciliation), and it also introduces an event that some readers may feel needs a trigger warning (no, it’s not sexual assault or similar act of violence). But because the big reveal didn’t happen until around the halfway point and isn’t even hinted at in the book description, would sharing that information be considered a spoiler? I think so … but I also think readers should know what they are getting. If you want to know, highlight the white text below so you can read it:

*Spoiler Alert”

A Noble Scheme is a marriage reconciliation story that also deals with the death of a small child, Gemma and Graham’s son.

*End Spoiler Alert*

Aside from that, A Noble Scheme was excellent. I enjoyed seeing more of Lady Meredith and her brother (although I would have liked some scenes set in their ancestral home, and I would have liked to see Sir Merritt a little more). The plot was excellent, and I loved the way Gemma was able to use the example of God and Jesus to bring Graham back to God.

Overall, A Noble Scheme is a solid story, but I did prefer A Beautiful Disguise.

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

About Roseanna M White

Roseanna M WhiteRoseanna M. White pens her novels beneath her Betsy Ross flag, with her Jane Austen action figure watching over her. When not writing fiction, she’s homeschooling her two children, editing and designing, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna has a slew of historical novels available, ranging from biblical fiction to American-set romances to her new British series. She lives with her family in West Virginia.

Find Roseanna M White online at:

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About A Noble Scheme

Gemma Parks is known throughout high society as G. M. Parker, a columnist renowned for her commentary on the cream of society. Behind the scenes, she uses her talent to aid the Imposters in their investigations by gathering intel at events and providing alibis for the elite firm’s members through her columns. Yet her clandestine work would be more exhilarating if it weren’t for the constant presence of the gentleman who broke her heart.

Graham Wharton has never had eyes for anyone but Gemma, and she left his soul in tatters when she walked away from him. When the Imposters take on a new job to recover a kidnapped boy mistaken for his aristocratic cousin, Graham is determined to use the time with Gemma not only to restore the missing boy, but also to win back the only woman he’s ever loved. As they trace the clues laid out before them, Graham must devise a noble scheme to save the boy’s life and heal their hearts.

Find A Noble Scheme online at:

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When you go undercover, the line between what is real and what is acting can blur. Neither of you can allow that to happen.

Book Review | Rocky Road (Sons of Scandal #2) by Becky Wade

Rocky Road has one of the best boy-meets-girl scenes I’ve read. It’s the perfect rom-com introduction—unique, not cringey, and the perfect introduction to both characters: the staid and responsible Jude Camden, and the outgoing and impulsive (but secretly equally responsible) Gemma Clare.

Jude studied law before deciding he wanted to track down the bad guys, not defend them.

He’s now an FBI agent, and his new assignment has him working undercover with Gemma to collect evidence against her cousin, Cedric.

Gemma blames Cedric for her father ending up in jail, not least because Cedric is still walking free despite being the brains behind her father’s crimes. So she’s more than happy to post as Jude’s girlfriend to get him close to Cedric if that means Cedric will face the consequences of his actions.

Of course, the one rule of undercover work is that the couple aren’t to form any kind of attachment. Jude doesn’t think this will be a problem—he’s never met a rule he can’t follow. Gemma is not so sure … and that’s going to ruffle Jude’s calm demeanor.

One of the things Becky Wade is famous for is the banter between her characters, and Rocky Road is full of banter. Gemma and Jude were perfect opposites and that meant they were each the perfect foil for the other … which leads to lots of wonderful banter. But there’s also some serious points, especially when it comes to matters of faith.

I appreciated the way Becky Wade crossed the boundary from fun to faith without it seeming forced.

I was about a third of the way through the story before I realised the connection between this story and Memory Lane, the first in Becky Wade’s Sons of Scandal series. For those who read and enjoyed Memory Lane, we get enough of Jeremiah and Remy to keep us interested, as well as more of an introduction to Max, the third Camden son… who is clearly being positioned to be the hero of the next book. I can’t wait.

Recommended for contemporary Christian romance fans, especially those who like an element of rom com and suspense.

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

About Becky Wade

Author Photo Becky WadeBecky is the Carol and Christy award winning author of heartwarming, humorous, and swoon-worthy contemporary inspirational romances.

During her childhood in California, Becky frequently produced homemade plays starring her sisters, friends, and cousins. These plays almost always featured a heroine, a prince, and a love story with a happy ending. She’s been a fan of all things romantic ever since.

These days, you’ll find Becky in Dallas, Texas failing to keep up with her housework, trying her best in yoga class, carting her three kids around town, watching TV with her Cavalier spaniel on her lap, hunched over her computer writing, or eating chocolate.

You can find Becky Wade online at:

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About Rocky Road

Cover image - Rocky Road by Becky WadeFBI Agent Jude Camden handles every aspect of his job with by-the-book professionalism. There’s no reason why his latest assignment—which calls for him to pose as the boyfriend of perfumer Gemma Clare—should be any different.

Except Gemma is different. She’s creative, bold, and feisty. And as soon as she meets Jude, she wants to loosen him up, wrinkle his perfect shirts, and test every ounce of his towering self-control.

The FBI has an iron-clad rule against romances between those working together on operations. Jude’s never met a rule he didn’t respect. But adhering to this one is going to be tough because, as time goes by, he finds Gemma more and more irresistible.

Buckle up! It’s going to be a rocky road.

Find Rocky Road online at:

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No one knew better than Giovanni Rinaldi that it was possible to switch courses in life. It wasn’t easy, but it was possible.

Book Review | While the City Sleeps by Elizabeth Camden

For the last two years, New York Police Department Lieutenant Jonathan Birch has been escorting dentist Dr. Katherine Schnieder to the nearest subway station when her shift ends at midnight, even though that isn’t part of his official duties. Katherine would like to take the relationship further but has no idea how Lt. Birch feels.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that there is something undeniably attractive about a man who can cook.

Give him the ability to bake flawless focaccia or chocolate biscotti and … well, I’m sold on Jonathan and can see why Katherine is so taken with him. Meanwhile, she enjoys her work as a dentist, treating those who would not be able to afford care from New York’s more mainstream dentists. Their personal and professional lives coincide when Katherine realises one of her recent late-night patients might have been involved in a bomb attack, so she contacts Jonathan … an action which has consequences.

One of the things I like most about Elizabeth Camden’s novels is her ability to create intelligent female characters and place them in a story in a way that feels both progressive and entirely natural. Dentist Dr. Katherine Schneider is no exception. But the novel isn’t all about dentistry (great news for the squeamish). It’s more a historical romantic suspense that takes two not-quite-ordinary people and gives them a gripping story.

If I had to find fault with While the City Sleeps, it would be that Nonna’s secret recipe for chocolate biscoti remains a secret …

One of the things I like best about historical fiction is the opportunity to learn something new—like the fact Dr. Edgar Parker really did legally change his given name to “Painless” in order to win a lawsuit. Dr. Parker was decades ahead of his time in hiring dentist who reflected the diversity of his customer base—including female and Black dentists. I also appreciated the way he kept his prices affordable (because everyone deserves decent dental care), and kept his clinics open beyond  the normal nine-to-five to give working people the chance to receive treatment.

I didn’t especially enjoy Elizabeth Camden’s last series (I didn’t even read the final book), but While the City Sleeps takes us back to what I most like about her work: her ability to weave a fascinating novel around real-life history, and to inject that with a strong yet understated Christian element.

Recommended for fans of Christian historical fiction, especially those featuring women in non-traditional occupations.

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

About Elizabeth Camden

Elizabeth Camden is a research librarian at a small college in central Florida. Her novels have won the coveted RITA and Christy Awards. She has published several articles for academic publications and is the author of four nonfiction history books. Her ongoing fascination with history and love of literature have led her to write inspirational fiction. Elizabeth lives with her husband near Orlando, Florida.

Find Elizabeth Camden online at:

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About While the City Sleeps

Cover image - While the City Sleeps by Elizabeth CamdenAmid the hushed city, two hearts must navigate danger and deception, bound by a love that outshines the stars.

Katherine Schneider’s life as a dentist in 1913 New York is upended when a patient reveals details of a deadly plot while under the influence of laughing gas. As she is plunged into danger, she seeks help from the dashing Lieutenant Jonathan Birch, a police officer she has long admired from afar.

Jonathan has harbored powerful feelings toward Katherine for years but never acted on them, knowing his dark history is something she could never abide. Now, with her safety on the line, he works alongside her through the nights as they unravel the criminal conspiracy that threatens her . . . even as he keeps his deepest secrets hidden at all costs.

Find While the City Sleeps online at:

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The summer of '77 still defined her. Maybe because the summer of '77 had broken her.

Book Review | The Best Summer of Our Lives by Rachel Hauck

High school graduates Spring Duval, Summer Wilde, Margaret “Snow” Snowden, and Autumn Child are the Four Seasons, best friends from kindergarten who are now spending the summer of 1977 together as camp counsellors in Tumbleweed, Oklahoma.

It’s going to be the best summer of their lives.

But The Best Summer of Our Lives is a dual timeline novel, and 1977 is the past timeline. In the more recent 1997 timeline, Summer has just arrived back in Tumbleweed for the first time since the summer that broke their “forever” friendship.

The Best Summer of our Lives moves between both timelines to show the story of the summer of 1977 from the perspectives of each of the four teenage girls, then moving to 1997 to show where they are now, and how the secrets of 1977 moulded them into their 1997 selves.

I did find the story a little hard to get into because we were moving between four points of view and two timelines, which felt like eight different characters to keep track of mentally (and I imagine it would be even harder with an audiobook).

But I persevered, and the results were worth the effort.

There were hints of secrets and withheld information from the get-go. Spring’s secret was relatively easy to figure out, as was part of the underlying conflict between the friends. Other information was harder to figure out, perhaps because it was more important to the teenager characters than to the reader. (Although that still felt realistic, given teenage girls and our/their habit of misinterpreting motive and over-dramatizing events.)

But there were times when I mixed up the characters, forgetting their histories, and that did mean the Big Reveal of one secret fell flat, because I’d lost track of the character. There were also times when I wasn’t sure who the main character was, or even if there was supposed to be a main character.

There is: Summer Wilde.

In 1977, Summer is an opinionated and impetuous teenager with father issues. In 1997, Summer is a wannabe country music composer and singer who has never achieved the success she dreamed of (and who still has father issues). The beginning of the story belonged to Summer, and the end did as well. But, like Summer, it kind of got lost in the middle.

Despite the hormones of four teenage girls, The Best Summer of Our Lives in Christian women’s fiction rather than romance. The Christian element grows as the novel progresses … which potentially makes this a good novel to loan to non-Christian friends who are seeking God in the midst of their hurts, past and present.

The Four Seasons are excellent characters, and will remind many readers of the friendships and insecurities of their own teenage years (I’ll leave it to you to decide if that’s a good thing or a bad thing).

The Best Summer of Our Lives by Rachel Hauck is a strong coming-of-age story that builds in some of the wisdom that only comes with the passing of time. #BookReview #WomensFiction Share on X

Overall, The Best Summer of Our Lives is a strong coming-of-age story that builds in some of the wisdom that only comes with the passing of time.

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

About Rachel Hauck

Author Photo Rachel HauckRachel Hauck is an award winning, New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author.

Her book The Wedding Dress was named Inspirational Novel of the Year by Romantic Times. She is a double RITA finalist, a Christy and Carol Award Winner.

Rachel sits on the Executive Board for American Christian Fiction Writers, and is the comical sidekick to Susan May Warren at the amazing My Book Therapy. She is a worship leader and speaker.

A graduate of Ohio State University with a degree in Journalism, Rachel is a devoted Ohio State football fan. She lives in sunny central Florida with her husband and ornery cat.

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About The Best Summer of Our Lives

Twenty years ago, the summer of ’77 was supposed to be the best summer of Summer Wilde’s life. She and her best friends, Spring, Autumn, and Snow–the Four Seasons–had big plans.

But those plans never had a chance. After a teenage prank gone awry, the Seasons found themselves on a bus to Tumbleweed, “Nowhere,” Oklahoma, to spend eight weeks as camp counselors. All four of them arrived with hidden secrets and buried fears, and the events that unfolded in those two months forever altered their friendships, their lives, and their futures.

Now, thirtysomething, Summer is at a crossroads. When her latest girl band leaves her in a motel outside Tulsa, she is forced to face the shadows of her past. Returning to the place where everything changed, she soon learns Tumbleweed is more than a town she never wanted to see again. It’s a place for healing, for reconciling the past with the present, and for finally listening to love’s voice.

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I keep wondering if Samuel 2.0 is going to reboot to his original factory settings.

Book Review | Julia Monroe Begins Again by Rebekah Millet

Julia Monroe is the widowed mother of two college-aged sons. She supports herself as a self-employed cleaner, and volunteers for the church cleaning ministry she established before her husband dies.

Ex-Green Beret Samuel Reed was Julia’s first love and first heartbreak. He’s back in town after an injury forces him out of the army. They meet at church, and it immediately obvious that Samuel wants to reconnect romantically with Julia. It’s equally obvious she has no interest in reestablishing any kind of relationship, even though it’s more than ten years since her husband died.

I could well understand Julia’s reluctance.

Having said that, I thought her big excuse (that her children were upset the last time someone asked her out) was a little weak given how much time had passed. I could also understand her reaction to Samuel’s over-confidence (which came across as almost arrogant). I get that he’s a Green Beret so his career has taught and required competence and confidence. But I did think a dose of humility might have helped his cause.

I’m amazed and impressed that Julia could support herself and two sons while working as a self-employed house cleaner. I’m also impressed that Samuel could go so long without a job. That speaks well to his financial sense – he’s a saver, not a spender.

The story is written in first person, and entirely from Julia’s point of view. While it might have been nice to get into Samuel’s head sometimes, we didn’t need to as there was no doubt about Samuel’s feelings or what he wanted from Julia. Being in Julia’s perspective meant we could journey with her on her journey from aversion and suspicion to friendship to more.

Yes, this is a romance.

There is definitely a “more” although it’s definitely on the slow-burn low-angst end of the scale. I liked that, because anything else wouldn’t have felt true to her character (and because there is enough angst in real life. I read to escape real life). I especially liked the Christian aspects of the story – the way Julia does (and doesn’t) pray about her problems (which felt realistic and believable), and the way she sees Samuel has changed since he became a Christian.

Julia Monroe Begins Again is an excellent second-chance #ChristianRomance from Rebekah Millet, and features an older couple. Recommended. #BookReview Share on X

Julia Monroe Begins Again is an excellent second-chance romance featuring an older couple. The cover gives off a bit of a rom-com feel, but it’s more romance than rom-com (apart from regular appearances from Chewy, Julia’s dog. He’s named for Chewbacca, but the other meaning also holds true). This is Rebecca Millet’s debut novel, and I look forward to reading more from her.

Recommended for fans of first-person contemporary romance and authors such as Jan Thompson, Liwen Ho, and Courtney Walsh.

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

About Rebekah Millet

Rebekah MilletRebekah Millet is a Cascade Award and ACFW First Impressions Award-winning author of contemporary Christian romance novels. A New Orleans native, she grew up on beignets and café au lait, and she loves infusing her colorful culture into her stories. She exasperates her husband by rearranging their furniture and being a serial plant killer, while her two sons keep her laughing and share her love of strawberry Pop-Tarts.

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About Julia Monroe Begins Again

Samuel was back. It seemed unfair to be blindsided. And in church no less. Shouldn’t there be a commandment about that? Thou shalt not step foot inside thy ex’s place of worship.

Julia Monroe has just turned forty and has high hopes for a fresh start after the last decade of her life abruptly left her a young widow and a single mom. With both her boys off to college, she can finally focus on expanding her New Orleans-based cleaning business. Julia is ready for new beginnings–but God has other plans. Samuel Reed, the ruggedly handsome Green Beret who shattered her heart over twenty years ago, has returned to town and is the kind of distraction she never saw coming.

After their first interaction in years leaves her mind spinning and her emotions out of control, Julia knows she needs to avoid him if she wants any chance of preventing history from repeating itself, but her meddling best friend keeps throwing them together. And now it seems inevitable that the man who was hard to forget might just be impossible to resist.

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I’m Cat Cranwell. Half owner of the platform about to take the world by storm. And famous for a living.

Book Review | Famous for a Living by Melissa Ferguson

Cat Cranwell is an online influencer who is unceremoniously cancelled when the new social network she’s promoting is found to be selling data.

My first impression of Cat was shallow.

My second impression was that she was clever enough to know she really should read a contract before signing it … but not clever enough to stand up for herself and insist that she (or her lawyer) actually read the contract. I almost stopped reading at this point. In fact, I did stop reading, only to return to the book several months later.

Anyway, Cat’s uncle invites her to his small town in Montanna, where he has a job she can do while she waits for the hullabaloo to die down. He’s the head Park Ranger for Kannery National Park, and hires Cat to reenergise their social media profiles and marketing in general.

So Cat catches a flight to the middle of nowhere, taking more suitcases than she should reasonably have been allowed to check in. (Who needs six suitcases to go anywhere?) She meets her uncle’s quirky colleagues, including the elusive Zaiah Smith.

Famous for a Living had the same city-girl-meets-country-boy grumpy sunshine plot and overall vibe as Brynn and Sebastian Hate Each Other. Brynn and Sebastian’s story had them both as point of view characters, while Cat’s story is told entirely in first person from her point of view.

I found that a little hard going … and I say that as someone who usually loves first person.

I think my problem was that I found Cat annoying and unlikeable for the first third of the book. She mellowed slightly in the middle third and was quite likeable by the end (although I still don’t see what Zaiah saw in her, or vice versa).

The cover gives off definite rom-com vibes, and there were some funny lines and even funny scenes. The writing was good and occasionally great, although there were a few times I had to backtrack because it felt like I’d missed something important (like Zaiah giving any indication he was romantically interested in Cat. Or vice versa). As such, the story was definitely more com than rom.

The story did make some solid points about social media use and addiction.

However, I would have liked to have seen that spread more evenly throughout the story. I guess it could be argued that the whole story was a warning against social media addiction, but that wasn’t the impression I got.

Famous for a Living is categorised as Christian fiction, and I kept waiting for Cat–or Zaiah, or anyone–to show some kind of Christian message (like how we, as Christians, should look to God rather than social media for love). But it never came. Yes, I guess it was a clean and wholesome romance, but I would have liked to have seen more of a faith element, and much more of a romance.

If you enjoy rom-coms from authors like Bethany Turner, then you may enjoy Famous for a Living.

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

About Melissa Ferguson

Melissa Ferguson

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About Famous for a Living

She’s Insta-famous. He uses a flip phone.

When her business partner is accused of serious financial crimes, superstar influencer Cat Cranwell—an engineered marvel of beauty, energy, and fun—falls from her penthouse perch. Des­perate to get away from the online trolls and paparazzi docu­menting her disgrace, Cat accepts her uncle’s offer to work with him in Kannery National Park, Montana. About as far as possible from life as she’s known it.

Cat’s world shifts from the swirling haze of likes and comments to lit­eral blizzards of frostbite temperatures and waist-deep snow. In place of negotiating brand deals, she finds herself negotiating at the ledge of a frozen lake with her die-hard Polar Bear Plunge coworkers. Instead of padding through the marble kitchen of her Manhattan loft, she’s sharing a tent-sized cabin with a roommate eager to bond like characters in sitcoms. But something curious is also happening in this overwhelming breath of fresh air as she reacquaints with the most honest parts of her­self and begins to ask the hard questions. Can Cat love herself with, and without, the world watching?

Then there’s that other tiny problem—she’s falling for Zaiah, the ruggedly handsome park ranger—and he hates anything remotely connected to social media, quite possibly her included.

Written with bestselling author Melissa Ferguson’s signature wit and charm, this laugh-out-loud romantic comedy of opposites attract is full of hilarious romp and a romance that will melt readers’ hearts.

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