Tag: Contemporary Christian Romance

3 October 2022

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

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

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

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

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

But Kai is an addict.

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

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

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

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

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

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

About Milla Holt

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

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

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

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

Find Milla Holt online at:

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About Through the Blaze

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

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

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

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

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

Find Through the Blaze online at:

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23 September 2022

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

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. Today I’m sharing from Muskoka Shores, a new contemporary romance from Australian author Carolyn Miller. Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

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

About Muskoka Shores

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

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

You can find Muskoka Shores online at:

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

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

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9 September 2022

First Line Friday | Week #250 | No Filter by Lisa Renee

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. Today I’m sharing from No Filter by Lisa Renee, an Australian rom-com author.

Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

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

About No Filter

When San Diego videographer, Chance McMillan discovers a food photographer will shoot his friend’s wedding, he’s outraged.

Australian, Melissa Turner isn’t afraid to speak her mind. Her fire and spunk surprise Chance, and now he doesn’t want her to leave the US. He offers Melissa a documentary project to extend her stay, but as single parents, could two nations, two broken families build a bridge to a safe middle ground?

Melissa tags along to San Diego as a photographer for Lachlan’s sister’s wedding. Head strong Melissa, who has “no filter” clashes with videographer, Chance, who’s also a single parent.

Can she overcome her misconceptions of relationships and give him a chance before she leaves the US?

You can find No Filter online at:

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

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

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15 August 2022

Book Review | The Last Way Home by Liz Johnson

Not long ago, Eli Ross was a famous ice hockey player living the high life. Now he’s back in his hometown on Prince Edward Island, hoping his mother will give him a free place to stay after he walked out a decade ago. He also has to deal with his brothers who are not as forgiving as his mother.

Violet Donaghy ran away from home as a teenager and found her second home with the Ross family, working with Eli’s mother at Mama Potts’s Red Clay Shoppe. Mama Potts took her in when she had nothing, so now she’s fiercely protective of her new family and doesn’t want Eli’s return to mess that up.

I have to admit that I struggled through the first quarter of this novel.

The problem wasn’t the heroine hiding a secret (secrets usually entice me to keep reading ) or the bad-boy ice hockey player (even if I think Carolyn Miller did the bad boy plot better in her Original Six series). It was that they both seemed to have done stupid things and kept doing less-than-sensible things.

I also didn’t see where the romance was going to come from. It was obvious the couple was Violet and Eli, but I didn’t like Eli, and nor did Violet.

But the novel started to really grab me at around the one-quarter mark.

I got hooked when Eli agrees to coach the local high school ice hockey team because he needs the money (and boy, I was surprised at how much the parents were prepared to pay!). The coaching doesn’t go well at first, but as Eli settles into his new role, I found myself liking him more and more.

It wasn’t long before I realised that at least one of my earlier assumptions wasn’t accurate (but I’m not going to say which one because #spoilers). Let’s say that while there were still some stupid actions, there was an honourable motive.

There were also some great lines, and I’m always a sucker for great writing.

Best of all, there was a a strong message of family, faith, and forgiveness. Yes, it took me a while to get into The Last Way Home, but it was worth it.

The Last Way Home is the second book in Liz Johnson’s Prince Edward Island Shores series. I haven’t read the first, but that didn’t affect my enjoyment or my understanding.

Recommended for fans of contemporary Christian romance, especially those with a soft spot for bad boys, ice hockey players, and Prince Edward Island.

Thanks to Baker Publishing and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

About Liz Johnson

By day Liz Johnson works in marketing. She finds time to write late at night and is a Christy Award finalist and a two-time ACFW Carol Award finalist. Liz makes her home in Phoenix, Arizona where she enjoys theater, exploring local history, and doting on her nieces and nephews. She loves stories of true love with happy endings.

Find Liz Johnson online at:

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About The Last Way Home

When Eli Ross left Prince Edward Island to join the NHL, he left a broken family behind. More than a decade later, he’s broke and headed home to an uncertain welcome. He wants to make things right with the family he wronged, but his mom’s business partner isn’t making it easy. To top it off, the coaching job he’s accepted turns out to be far more difficult than he anticipated.

For years, Violet Donaghy has put everything she had into making Eli’s mom’s ceramics shop a success, and she’s not eager to forgive the man who hurt the family that’s taken her in as one of their own. But when the kiln at the shop starts a fire that nearly destroys the studio, she’ll need all the help she can get to save the business and their summer income.

Can these two strong-willed people come together to mend the broken pieces of the Ross family? Or will the ghosts of the past continue to haunt them?

Find The Last Way Home online at:

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Read the introduction to The Last Way Home below:

12 August 2022

First Line Friday | Week #245 | The Billionaires Best Friend by Elizabeth Maddrey

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. Today I’m sharing from The Billionaires Best Friend by Elizabeth Maddrey. Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

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

About The Billionaires Best Friend

You ever meet someone and have that immediate click? That was Kayla and me. First day of our first teaching jobs and we both just knew we were going to be best friends forever.

And we are.

She does a great job keeping me down to earth—a skill I appreciate even more now that I’m a billionaire.

Except lately, it’s like she’s pulling away.

It started with her spending more time with my sister instead of hanging out with me. And now she’s starting to date the youth pastor?

It could be that I’m a little jealous. Seems like everyone is falling in love except me. But I don’t think that’s it.

Because it feels like I’m in danger of losing a lot more than my best friend and I don’t know how to make it stop.

You can find The Billionaires Best Friend online at

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

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

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27 May 2022

First Line Friday | Week #238 | The Truth Between Us by Tammy L Gray

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. Today I’m sharing from The Truth Between Us by Tammy L Gray, the second book in her Brentwood series. Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

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

About The Truth Between Us

Nine years to win her. Three years to love her. And one decision that destroyed it all.

April Duncan was raised with three clear truths: the family name is absolute, ambition and success rule over every emotion, and love always comes with strings attached. Image was everything in her carefully crafted world… until the mirror cracked. Sean Taylor was April’s best friend, the one man who taught her it was okay to let her guard down and to rely on someone. She trusted him. She loved him. Which made his deception the darkest kind of cruelty. Now, nearly a year later, she’s ready to leave her failed engagement in the past and get back her life and her estranged family, even if it means dating a man solely for his connections. She’ll never again choose love over loyalty.

Sean has spent his entire life breaking barriers, facing challenges, and never giving up. Until one impossible choice destroyed his future and left him no option but to flee from the woman who annihilated his heart. Now he’s back in Bentwood and determined to make her hear the truth and rebuild the trust he shattered. But April has become a mere shell of the woman who claimed his heart long ago. Winning her back is more than just seizing a victory, because if he fails… the girl he’s loved for a lifetime will disappear forever.

You can find The Truth Between Us online at:

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

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

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25 April 2022

Book Review | Turn to Me (Misty River Romance #3) by Becky Wade

When Finley Sutherland’s father dies in prison, he leaves her a bequest and a request. The bequest is a sealed envelope, the first clue in their traditional birthday treasure hunt. The request is that she’ll give Luke Dempsey a job at The Furry tails dog rescue shelter. She needs someone to rebuild and upgrade their website, and Luke earned two degrees in computer science while serving his time in prison.

Turn to Me is the third book in the Misty River series. These are all stories about the “Miracle Five”, five teenagers who survived eight days trapped in a basement in El Salvador after an earthquake hit.

Luke has always been the bad boy of the bunch.

He’s the one who never wanted anything todo with the others after they were rescued. It’s easy to see why: he has survivor’s guilt, because he survived and his younger brother didn’t. Worse, Ethan might have survived if Luke hadn’t told him to go to the back of the line.

Turn to Me could easily have been a feel-good story about the do-gooder accidentally falling for her latest rescue project, but it’s so much more. Finley has issues of her own, although it takes a while for her to admit them to herself, let alone to Luke. But the two are a good match in that while their backgrounds are different, theire will be similarities in their respective paths to healing.

What throws the two of them together (more than just work) is the treasure hunt. Finley’s father made Luke promise to help her, which is the only reason he’s back in Misty River: his plan is to move to Montana.

The treasure hunt was a lot of fun, and is a unique plot idea.

I will admit to being pleased that I got one clue long before Finley and Luke … But there was also an element of suspense, because Ed’s last words before dying had been that the treasure hunt might put Finley in danger.

Yes, this is yet another Becky Wade Christian romance that has an unexpected suspense subplot. I say unexpected, yet they all have them. One day I’ll remember and won’t be pleasantly surprised when it appears …

Overall, this was another excellent contemporary Christian romance from Becky Wade.

The only problem is that it will now be another year before I get to read another new Becky Wade novel, and I don’t know if this is the end of the Misty River series or if we are going to get one more book with Bens’ story. I hope we do.

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

About Becky Wade

Becky 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:

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter

About Turn to Me

His promise will cost him far more than he imagined.

Guilt has defined Luke Dempsey’s life, but it was self-destructiveness that landed him in prison. When his friend and fellow inmate lay dying shortly before Luke’s release, the older man revealed he left a string of clues for his daughter, Finley, that will lead her to the treasure he’s hidden. Worried that she won’t be the only one pursuing the treasure, he gains Luke’s promise to protect her until the end of her search.

Spunky and idealistic, Finley Sutherland is the owner of an animal rescue center and a defender of lost causes. She accepts Luke’s help on the treasure hunt while secretly planning to help him in return–by coaxing him to embrace the forgiveness he’s long denied himself.

As they draw closer to the final clue, their reasons for resisting each other begin to crumble, and Luke realizes his promise will push him to the limit in more ways than one. He’ll do his best to shield Finley from unseen threats, but who’s going to shield him from losing his heart?

You can find Turn to Me online at:

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

28 February 2022

Book Review | Postcards by Elizabeth Maddrey

Cecily has just landed a big project for her company and is looking forward to managing her first project when her boss dumps a bombshell: he’s hired Owen Chandler to take over the project. Unfortunately, her sister and sounding board has just left the country after dropping a bombshell of her own: she’s been diagnosed with terminal cancer. She’s even cancelled her mobile, so Cecily can’t even text her. Instead, she finds herself texting the random stranger who now has Leila’s number.

Work improves, and Cecily finds herself hanging out with Owen outside of work – they have the same taste in movies, and go to the same church. But he’s just a friend.

After all, everyone who loves her ends up leaving her …

There was so much to like about this novel. To start with, Postcards is written in first person. I know that’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but I love it as a way of getting inside the character’s head.

Postcards has a heroine with the unusual job. The fact she enjoyed her job and was really good at it was a bonus (I love to read about women who are good at things, especially areas such as IT or STEM which are often male-dominated).

And there were other things I loved: The postcards Leila sent as she travelled. The way Cecily investigated the places her sister visited (many of which I’ve visited too). Cecily’s snarky tone (particularly her attitude to exercise). The way Cecily’s Christian faith was intertwined into the novel. Her relationship with her sister.

The fact Cecily isn’t afraid to stand up for herself at work. The fact money wasn’t an issue (I’m not a fan of novels where someone’s financial problems are a major plot points. It’s an unpleasant reminder of some of the systemic failures in our society, and I’m generally reading romance to escape. If I want Big Issues, I’ll choose women’s fiction).

Overall, Postcards ticked all my boxes for contemporary Christian Romance: intelligent heroine, great hero, excellent writing, and a strong Christian thread.

Overall, Postcards by @ElizabethMaddre ticked all my boxes for contemporary Christian Romance: intelligent heroine, great hero, excellent writing, and a strong Christian thread. #BookReview #ChristianRomance Share on X

There were also links back to Elizabeth Maddrey’s Operation Romance series, which I read over the Christmas break. It was great to catch up with some of those characters again.

Recommended for Christian romance fans, especially if you’ve already read the Operation Romance series.

About Elizabeth Maddrey

Elizabeth Maddrey is a semi-reformed computer geek and homeschooling mother of two who loves a good happily ever after.

She began writing stories as soon as she could form the letters properly and has never looked back. Though her practical nature and love of computers, math, and organization steered her into computer science at Wheaton College, she always had one or more stories in progress to occupy her free time. This continued through a Master’s program in Software Engineering, several years in the computer industry, teaching programming at the college level, and a Ph.D. in Computer Technology in Education. When she isn’t writing, Elizabeth is a voracious consumer of books and has mastered the art of reading while undertaking just about any other activity.

She lives in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. with her husband and their two incredibly active little boys.

Find Elizabeth Maddrey online at:

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About Postcards

Turns out, my sister was serious about everything she said in that phone call.

The cancer.
The leaving.
The postcards.

So I was already struggling to figure out just what God thought He was doing. And then my boss introduced me to the guy who would be taking over the new project.

My project.

Sure, Owen’s hot. And so what if he has the world’s most impressive resume? He’s not getting my job without a fight.
And my job isn’t the only thing I’m not going to surrender.

I’m also not going to let Owen take over my heart.

You can find Postcards online at:

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

4 February 2022

First Line Friday | Week #222 | Her Tycoon Hero by Narelle Atkins

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. Today I’m sharing from Her Tycoon Hero by Narelle Atkins, an old favourite that’s just been re-released. I’m looking forward to reading it again. Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

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

About Her Tycoon Hero

Cassie Beaumont believes in second chances.

Cassie is set on proving she’s no longer a party girl, instead focusing on her career as an event planner. Ryan Mitchell, her dad’s top executive, proves to be a handsome distraction, especially when someone from Cassie’s wild past tries to draw her back into the life she has worked hard to escape.

Ryan is taken with his boss’s beautiful daughter. But he is slow to trust, having been burned by a brother who ran in the same circles. When Cassie’s newfound faith works its way into his heart, Ryan wants to claim both Cassie and her faith as his own. Can they forgive past mistakes and navigate a future together?

You can find Her Tycoon Hero online at:

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Click the button to check out what my fabulous fellow FirstLineFriday bloggers are sharing today:

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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!

31 January 2022

Book Review | In Search of a Prince by Toni Shiloh

Brielle Bayo is happy in her life as a middle school civics teacher in New York.

But one day her mother shares a bombshell: her long-dead father was the Crown Prince of Ọlọrọ Ilé, a small island kingdom off the coast of Africa. And that means Bri is actually Princess Brielle Adebayo, heir to the throne.

Bri and her best friend travel to Ọlọrọ Ilé to meet Bri’s grandfather and decide whether she will accept her role, or abdicate. But when she decides to step into her heritage and future, there’s one more challenge ahead … finding a husband.

The setup and the characters got me engaged from the very first page.

I’m not usually a fan of princess stories or made-up kingdoms, but the author has done a great job in creating a believable setting and history of Ọlọrọ Ilé.

I liked the fact that the story also had a minor suspense thread, which was enough to add interest to the plot without turning it into a nail biter. (I also liked the fact that I didn’t guess the identity or the motive of the evildoer, but that it still made perfect sense).

I especially liked the fact that the characters were all strong Christians.

Bri prayed about her problems and did her best to seek and follow God’s will in making her big decisions.

One thing that bugged me was the odd speech tags (stated, ordered, censured, requested). I will admit that I started skimming the tags.

This novel would be a great choice for anyone who likes princess stories like The Princess Diaries and is looking for a Christian version.

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

About In Search of a Prince

It seems like a dream come true . . . until it forces her to question everything.

Brielle Adebayo is fully content teaching at a New York City public school and taking annual summer vacations with her mother to Martha’s Vineyard. But everything changes when her mom drops a bombshell–Brielle is really a princess in the island kingdom of Ọlọrọ Ilé, off the coast of Africa, and she must immediately assume her royal position, since the health of her grandfather, the king, is failing.

Distraught by all the secrets her mother kept, Brielle is further left spinning when the Ọlọrọ Ilé Royal Council brings up an old edict that states she must marry before her coronation, or the crown will pass to another. Brielle is uncertain if she even wants the throne, and with her world totally shaken, where will she find the courage to take a chance on love and brave the perils a wrong decision may bring?

You can find In Search of a Prince online at:

Amazon | BookBub | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong