Category: First Line Friday

First Line Friday

First Line Friday #341 | It’s All Relative by Rachel Mcgee

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. I’m quoting from It’s All Relative by Rachel Mcgee, a new-to-me author. I love illustrated covers, and this looks fun.

Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

Helena Crosby had an unusual amount of optimism for seven o’clock on a Monday morning.

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

 

About It’s All Relative

Helena’s a “fly by the seat of her pants” kind of girl. Amelia’s got her perfect life planned down to the minute. How will they ever get through their parents’ wedding–let alone a life as stepsisters–without ripping each other apart?

Twenty-seven-year-old Helena Crosby is over her mom Nora’s wedding–and it hasn’t even happened yet. For months, Helena’s been dreading the day she and Nora would become part of The Perfects, aka the Maddox family, led by oldest perfect daughter Amelia. Her complete opposite in every way, Amelia owns a house, runs her father’s architecture firm, and is engaged to her also perfect (and dreamy) fiancé Gage, all before the age of thirty. Helena has no idea how she’s going to fit into this family with their fancy traditions and strict timetables. Thankfully, her best friend Landon is joining the festivities as her emotional support plus one–and the perfect buffer between her and her new family.

Amelia Maddox has spent months planning the perfect wedding week for her dad Steve and his bride-to-be Nora. She’d planned for every consistency . . . except for her new free spirited stepsister’s deadly shellfish allergy, her brother’s insistence on blowing up his life, and an unexpected guest on Helena’s arm. A guest she hasn’t seen in years. A guest who held her heart years before her fiancé Gage ever did . . . her ex Landon Blake. But no matter–Amelia’s kept the Maddox family together since her mother died a few years ago. She’s not going to be thrown by Landon’s deep blue eyes and sun-bronzed forearms and the way he makes her feel all warm and cozy, like she’s come home to herself. Nope. She has duties to attend to: being the best daughter, sister, fiancée, boss, and wedding coordinator. And she’s going to bring her Eldest Daughter Energy to it all and push down those inconvenient feelings, no matter what.

Through a whirlwind week of wedding activities and a few near disasters, both Amelia and Helena realize that sometimes the blueprints for the perfect family and relationship look better on paper than in real life–and that family isn’t only made of the people you’re born with. Family is also made of the people we choose over and over again.

Find It’s All Relative online at:

Amazon | Goodreads

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

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

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!

First Line Friday

First Line Friday #340 | Between You and Us by Kendra Broekhuis

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. Today I’m reading Between You and Us, the debut novel from Kendra Broekhuis.

Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

“Bartolotta’s, please,” Leona said as she settled into the back seat of the taxi.

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

About Between You and Us

Two possible lives to live. One impossible choice to make.

Between You and UsWhen Leona Warlon heads across the city to meet her husband, David, for a rare dinner out, she hopes they can share a moment of relief after their year of loss. But Leona quickly realizes this is no ordinary date night. She hasn’t just stepped into an upscale ristorante; she’s stepped into a different version of her life. One in which her marriage is no longer tender, in which her days are pressured by her powerful in-laws, and in which her precious baby girl lived.

Now Leona must weigh the bitter and sweet of both trajectories, facing an unimaginable choice: Stay in a world where tragedy hasn’t struck but where the meaningful life she built with David is gone? Or return to a reality that’s filled with struggle and sorrow but also deep and enduring love?

Find Between You and Us 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!

First Line Friday

First Line Friday #339 | Romance in a Land Down Under by Narelle Atkins

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. Narelle Atkins has recently published a novella collection set in sunny Australia. Winter is on the way Down Under, so I’m looking forward to some virtual sunshine in these stories.

The collection includes:

  • Seaside Christmas
  • Solu Tu: Only You
  • His Perfect Catch

Here’s the first line from the Chapter One of Seaside Christmas:

Chelsea Somers walked down the steps leading to the exclusive yacht club, her overflowing pink canvas tote bag swinging from her shoulders.

 

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

 

About Romance in the Land Down Under

Three sweet and clean Christian contemporary romance novellas that will warm your heart and inspire you to explore the beauty of Australia. Perfect beach reads for lazy summer days.
SEASIDE CHRISTMAS

Chelsea Somers walked down the steps leading to the exclusive yacht club, her overflowing pink canvas tote bag swinging from her shoulders.

Chelsea Somers is the girl he never called back.

Six years later, former bad boy Gus Donovan is intrigued by Chelsea, but his past mistakes continue to haunt him. Gus is determined to prove he’s a changed man—prove it to his friends, his family, his father. And prove it to Chelsea.

Chelsea has embraced the faith she once mocked, and she’s focused on furthering her career in health promotion and staying away from politics. She’s drawn to Gus, although his busy role as an advisor for an Australian senator doesn’t impress her. When she’s forced to confront her fears and deal with a past family tragedy, can Gus convince her to trust him and take a chance on him?

A heartwarming and inspirational Christmas romance novella set in Sydney, Australia.

Seaside Christmas is a standalone novella that was available in An Aussie Summer Christmas ebook box set.

SOLO TU: ONLY YOU

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?

Solo Tu is part of A Tuscan Legacy multi-author series and was available in the series ebook box set.
HIS PERFECT CATCH: A SAPPHIRE BAY NOVELLA

Sydney girl Mia Radcliffe borrows her cousin’s beach house in Sapphire Bay to escape the scandal surrounding her ex-fiancé. Her new neighbor is her secret crush from years ago… and she’s still captivated by the handsome builder who was a youth group leader at her church.

Living next door to Mia wasn’t part of Pete McCall’s plan when he started renovating his beach house. The blonde beauty inspires thoughts of settling down, despite her high maintenance ways and big-city dreams. Love kindles during their time together and Mia’s heart is set on returning to Sydney with Pete. When new opportunities arise, Pete and Mia must decide if their love is for keeps.

His Perfect Catch is a standalone novella that was included in SPLASH! and Love, Faith & Tender Kisses box sets.
Visit Sydney and the fictional town of Sapphire Bay in this fun and faith-filled romance novella collection of spin off stories connected to the Sydney Sweethearts series storyworld.

Find Romance in the Land Down Under 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!

First Line Friday

First Line Friday #338 | Because of You by Hannah Currie

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. I’m quoting from Because of You by Australian author Hannah Currie.

Because of You a Young Adult novel about a short-term mission trip to Thailand, which is a switch-up from her usual royalty romances. Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

This would be the summer that changed my life forever.

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

 

About Because of You

Because of You by Hannah CurrieSixteen-year-old Chloe Gabriels has dreamed of going on an overseas mission trip for as long as she can remember, so when the opportunity arises for her to go to Thailand with Teen Missions International she jumps at the chance. Working at an orphanage, learning new skills, experiencing a different culture, making lifelong friends—what better way could there be to spend her summer vacation?

Of course, the trip will have its challenges—living in close quarters with seventeen other teens out of their comfort zones has a way of doing that—but it will be worth it. She’ll finally be serving God in a practical way.

But while the orphans and their stories break her heart, it’s someone unexpected who has the biggest impact on Chloe’s summer and leaves her wondering if maybe there are just as many people who need her love back home as there are overseas.

Find Because of You 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!

First Line Friday

First Line Friday #337 | Her Part to Play by Jenny Erlingsson

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. I’m quoting from Her Part to Play, the debut novel from Jenny Erlingsson, an American author of Nigerian descent who currently lives in Iceland. That’s a unique background!

Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

Sleep didn't come easily to the brokenhearted. Which was ridiculous.

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

About A Part to Play

Her Part to Play by Jenny ErlingssonDesperate for extra income after her mother’s passing, Adanne accepts a last-minute job as a makeup artist for a movie filming in her small Alabama hometown. She’s working to save her parents’ legacy and help her brother, but the money hardly seems worth having to face the actor who got her fired from her last job in Hollywood.

John Pope has made his share of mistakes over the years. But after turning his life over to God and enduring a messy breakup, he’s ready to start rebuilding his career. Imagine his surprise when the woman called in to cover for his usual makeup artist is a quiet but feisty newcomer on the set–and definitely not a fan.

Sparks of tension–and could that be attraction?–fly between them, but Adanne hates the spotlight, and John’s scheming manager has bigger plans for him than to end up with the humble makeup girl from the small-town South. Can these star-crossed lovers find their way to happiness? Or will the bright lights of Hollywood blind their eyes to what’s right in front of them?

Debut author Jenny Erlingsson’s diverse cast comes alive with faith, romance, and a touch of humor to create a story worthy of the big screen.

Find A Part to Play 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!

First Line Friday

First Line Friday #336 | Darkness Calls the Tiger by Janyre Tromp

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. I’m quoting from Darkness Calls the Tiger, the latest release from Jaynre Tromp. It’s set in Burma during World War II. That’s a new-to-me setting for Christian fiction, so I’m looking forward to getting stuck in.

Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

The beating of ancestral drums throbbed across the mountain, tangling with the rhythm of my thudding heart.

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

 

About Darkness Calls the Tiger

After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Imperial Japan devours the southern portion of Burma, intent on taking over mainland Asia. Unaware of the coming darkness, Kailyn Moran drifts in her role as the only daughter of a widowed missionary. As whispers of war snake through the Kachin mountains, Kai’s father is convinced God will protect the mission. He entrusts the village to her and the kind yet inexperienced new missionary, Ryan McDonough, while he makes routine visits to neighboring villages.

War descends like a tempest upon the mountain peaks, and an unbreakable bond forms between Kailyn and Ryan as they unite to provide solace to both villagers and the flood of refugees. Despite their tireless efforts, a brutal enemy shatters almost everything they love, pushing Kailyn to embark on a path of unrestrained vengeance.

Afraid he’s losing the woman he loves, Ryan fights to protect Kai from the deadly consequences of her choices. But in the face of destruction, can he convince her of the power and freedom of forgiveness?

Find Darkess Calls the Tiger 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!

First Line Friday

First Line Friday #335 | A Surefire Love (Many Oaks #1) by Emily Conrad

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. I’m sharing from A Surefire Love, the first book in a new series by Emily Conrad. Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

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

 

About A Surefire Love

Small towns have long memories, and generations of dysfunction burned Blaze’s reputation before her own faults could.

Twenty-six and guardian to her preteen sister, Blaze is determined to give her sister the stability she never had. Her church is a big part of that plan, until a run-in with an uptight youth pastor derails their progress. Blaze goes toe-to-toe with a man who looked down on her back in high school—and volunteers for his team of youth leaders.

A survivor of the wreck that took his high school basketball coach, Anson sacrificed a promising athletic career to pick up Coach Voss’s legacy. Now a youth pastor, his mission to offer students real hope clashes with a leadership board that’s more concerned about numbers.

As his allies turn their backs and Blaze explores the impact of undiagnosed ADHD on the patterns of her life, Blaze and Anson find unexpected support in each other. Perhaps her preconceived ideas about him are as far off base as his are about her and her sister. When scandal ignites around them, will their love prove to be surefire—or crash and burn?

Find A Surefire Love 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!

First Line Friday

First Line Friday #334 | The Mapmaker’s Secret by Jennifer Mistmorgan

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. I’m quoting from The Mapmaker’s Secret, the new release from Australian author Jennifer Mistmorgan. Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

“You want me to do what!” Lieutenant Jack Marsden wasn’t using the polite, respectful tone he usually took with his superiors.

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

 

About The Mapmaker’s Secret

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!

First Line Friday

First Line Friday #333 | Emma’s Hero by Carrie Walker

Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

One day sure made a difference. May fifteenth would go down in the books as the day her life changed.

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

 

About Emma’s Hero

“God won’t give me more than I can handle? I’m pretty sure He just did.”

After a year of loss and bad choices distance Emma Reynolds from her lifelong beliefs, she finds herself pregnant and alone at a twenty-week ultrasound, hearing the words “incompatible with life.” When her son, Theo, survives birth, she fights to give him the best care possible. As each day passes, Emma’s love for Theo grows—along with her fear of losing him. She can’t understand why God allows her son to suffer.

Seventeen-year-old blogger, Mason Hughes, feels lonely and worthless after his father left their family years ago. When he ignores his mother’s push to “contribute to society,” she volunteers him to help Emma each week. Wishing he’d applied for any other job, Mason has no choice but to grocery shop and practice his rusty social skills with a mother and son he doesn’t know.

Paramedic Ben Sullivan has earned himself the title of “most eligible” bachelor among his friends as they continually set him up on blind dates. While he’d love to avoid the uncomfortable events, his heart can’t help but seek the one thing missing in his life—a marriage like his parents have. If only he could find the woman himself.

As Theo’s tiny life connects them to each other, their loneliness breaks under the love of community, and they will never be the same.

Find Emma’s Hero 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!

First Line Friday

First Line Friday #332 | The British Booksellers by Kirsty Cambron

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. Today I’m quoting the first line from Kirsty Cambron’s upcoming release, The British Booksellers. Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

How many times in a life could a boy say he was risking his neck, doing the very last thing he'd expected ... for a girl?

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

 

About The British Booksellers

A tenant farmer’s son had no business daring to dream of a future with an earl’s daughter, but that couldn’t keep Amos Darby from his secret friendship with Charlotte Terrington . . . until the reality of the Great War sobered youthful dreams. Now decades later, he bears the brutal scars of battles fought in the trenches and their futures that were stolen away. His return home doesn’t come with tender reunions, but with the hollow fulfillment of opening a bookshop on his own and retreating as a recluse within its walls.

When the future Earl of Harcourt chose Charlotte to be his wife, she knew she was destined for a loveless match. Though her heart had chosen another long ago, she pledges her future even as her husband goes to war. Twenty-five years later, Charlotte remains a war widow who divides her days between her late husband’s declining estate and operating a quaint Coventry bookshop—Eden Books, lovingly named after her grown daughter. And Amos is nothing more than the rival bookseller across the lane.

As war with Hitler looms, Eden is determined to preserve her father’s legacy. So when an American solicitor arrives threatening a lawsuit that could destroy everything they’ve worked so hard to preserve, mother and daughter prepare to fight back. But with devastation wrought by the Luftwaffe’s local blitz terrorizing the skies, battling bookshops—and lost loves, Amos and Charlotte—must put aside their differences and fight together to help Coventry survive.

Find The British Booksellers 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!