Tag: Emily Conrad

11 November 2024

Book Review | Matchmaking the Cowboy by Emily Conrad

Rodeo star Hollis Price has returned to Redemption Ridge to take over the family ranch after his father’s death, and hopefully rescue it from financial ruin.

Dr. Lucy Aveline is the local veterinarian who visits when his father’s favourite horse is unwell. Lucy soon realises they are being set up, and decides to take matters into her own hands by setting Hollis up with one of her friends.

Lucy is an intelligent woman (which is something I always like), but who is man-shy after her last relationship ended badly when she realised she was dating a controllilng narcissist.

Hollis isn’t looking for love—he’s more interested in saving his horses, including the horse now owned by Lucy’s ex. There’s always something attractive about a man who loves animals, and thefact Hollis lovesJesus as well makes him a loveable and believable hero, and the perfect match for Lucy.

Matchmaking the Cowboy was a fun Christian romance, and I love the way Emily Conrad wove in the faith aspects. They were realistic without being overbearing, and added to the plot and characterisation.

Matchmaking the Cowboy is part of the new Christmas in Redemption Ridge multi-author series. Like the other Redemption Ridge stories, it is a standalone story in a shared setting that features some shared characters. People who have read the whole story will recognise characters from previous books, but readers who are new to the series won’t miss anything.

Recommended for Christian romance fans, especially those who like Christmas stories and small-town settings and a healthy dose of humour.

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

About Emily Conrad

Emily Conrad writes Christian fiction. She lives in Wisconsin with her husband and two 60+ pound rescue dogs. Some of her favorite things (other than Jesus and writing, of course) are coffee, walks, and road trips to the mountains.

Find Emily Conrad online at:

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

About Matchmaking the Cowboy

What’s a little covert matchmaking between friends?

Lucy Aveline’s ex has a knack for making her feel small and helpless. She’d avoid him entirely, but he still owns a piece of her heart in the form of the pets he purchased for her but kept for himself. She visits Rosie and Jasmine when she can, vows to avoid another controlling boyfriend by staying single, and focuses on her large animal veterinary practice. Or that’s the plan until some longtime family friends attempt to set her up with former rodeo star Hollis Price. Lucy convinces them to drop the plot only when she promises to find Hollis a good match herself.

Hollis is more concerned with surviving his first Christmas after losing his dad than with finding love. Dad’s champion horse is aging, and rumors started by an unhappy client threaten the horse training business Hollis inherited from his father. When the kind and talented Lucy offers friendship, he accepts simply to add cheer to the season.

It’s not long before his interest in Lucy deepens, but so do problems at his ranch. Saving his father’s legacy begins to look as impossible as earning Lucy’s trust. Especially when her ex continues to use her love of animals against her and she won’t stop pushing her single friends at Hollis long enough to notice she’s the one he’s falling for.

Return to Redemption Ridge, Colorado and enjoy the faith, friendships, and forever-afters in this Christian Christmas Romance.

Find Matchmaking the Cowboy online at:

Amazon | BookBub | Goodreads

2 November 2024

New Releases in Christian Fiction | November 2024

Another month has passed … what are you reading in November?

Here are the new and recent releases from Fiction Finder, from American Christian Fiction Writers.

Contemporary Romance:

Matchmaking the Cowboy by Emily Conrad — What’s a little covert matchmaking between friends? (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published [ACFW QIP]

I have to tell you that I loved this one 🙂

The Daze Before Christmas by Laurie Germaine — She fled her old life for a new one. Trouble is, she can’t remember why she ran–and now God is prompting her to return. (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)

Wishing for Mistletoe by Robin Lee Hatcher — When the heart pens its own holiday romance, even a skeptic can find magic under the mistletoe. (Contemporary Romance from RobinSong, Inc.)

Faking the Shot by Carolyn Miller — Faking the Shot is a fake-dating Christian romance and the fourth book in the Northwest Ice Christian hockey romance series. It can be read as a standalone, and is perfect for fans of banter-laden romance with hope, heart and humor. (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)

This is on my to-read pile—I love Carolyn’s contemporary romances, especially her ice hockey romances.

Rediscovering Christmas by Mindy Obenhaus — She feels she’s lost everything… Will love give her hope? (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

A Kringle Family Christmas by Miriam Thor — When Bethany Kringle’s brother unexpectedly comes home for Christmas with his friend, Jay, in tow, Bethany shelves her plan to skip the holiday, and instead, with a little help from Jay, makes it a Christmas to remember. (Contemporary Romance from Pelican Book Group)

Guarding Her Christmas Secret by Jill Weatherholt — ‘Tis the season for second chances and a special puppy. (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

Contemporary/Women’s Fiction:

Maddie by Dawn Kinzer — Messages scrawled in a century-old cookbook and the residents of a tourist town in the foothills of the Olympic Mountains add important ingredients to the life recipe an ER travel nurse is searching for. (Contemporary/Women’s Fiction, Independently Published)

Historical Romance:

Pretending to be the Mountain Man’s Wife by Misty M. Beller — In the wild mountains of the Montana Territory, the Coulter ranch is a place of family, second chances…and a hidden fortune. (Historical Romance, Independently Published)

Courting the Country Preacher by Angela K. Couch, Carolyn Miller, Naomi Musch, Kari Trumbo — Four inexperienced preachers face a myriad of challenges including those who figure a man of the cloth needs a wife. Can they meet the expectations of “helpful” congregants and be true to their hearts? (Historical Romance from Barbour Publishing)

An Unexpected Catch by Abbey Downey — Can she count on the pitcher to save her dream, or will his secret destroy their futures? (Historical Romance from Wild Heart Books)

Investigation of a Journalist by Danielle Grandinetti — A story of love and second chances when secrets come full circle in this suspenseful conclusion to the Harbored in Crow’s Nest series. (Historical Romance from Hearth Spot Press)

The Library by Edwina Kiernan — How can someone keep the peace when there’s never been any peace to keep? (Historical Romance from Moliant Publishing)

Seeking Simon by Susan Pope Sloan — When a mysterious stranger claims to be her fiancé, the fight to save her land turns into a battle for her heart. (Historical Romance from Wild Heart Books)

Abigail’s Pursuit by Jodie Wolfe — With the Civil War raging, Abigail is on the verge of losing everything, and the other seeks forgiveness from the family he can’t find. Can two wounded hearts find their way back home? (Historical Romance, Independently Published)

Beyond the Horizon by Penny Zeller — She’s desperate to keep her job. He’s desperate for solitude. What is God’s plan in this complicated situation? (Historical Romance from Maplebrook Publishing)

Mystery/Crime:

Seven Days Off: A Mylas Grey Mystery by Luana Ehrlich — Private Investigator Mylas Grey can’t take seven days off—not when an ex-con gives him information that could help him locate a missing school counselor. (Historical Romance from Potter’s Word Publishing)

Romantic Suspense:

Bayou Beginnings by Robin Caroll — In a romantic suspense Louisiana mystery that is set amid historical events, two very different people must come together to survive. (Romantic Suspense, Independently Published)

His Last Text by Rebecca Lake — A romantic anniversary dinner. A heartfelt message. Then silence. (Romantic Suspense, Independently Published)

Deadly Christmas Inheritance by Jessica R. Patch — This holiday, an unexpected gift could be lethal. (Romantic Suspense from Love Inspired Suspense [Harlequin])

Speculative Fiction/Allegory:

Here Lyeth by Johanna Frank — Answers are buried beneath a grave marker. Only it happens to be her own. (Speculative/Allegory, Independently Published)

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

River of Peril by Sandra Merville Hart — A Civil War volunteer nurse is shocked to learn that her Confederate soldier beau came to her ward overnight with a head wound–and doesn’t remember her. (Historical Romance)

A Christmas Gift by Annette M. Irby — A stateside farmer. An international boy-next-door model. And the Christmas reunion that brings them back together. (Contemporary Romance)

Murder by Half by Dony Jay — A troubled detective with a blue-collar background and an Ivy League degree must risk everything to solve the murder of his high-profile attorney friend—and do so before more people die. (Crime/Suspense)

Sea Thrifts & Thistles by Ruth Kyser — After the unexpected deaths of her parents in a plane crash, Heather Conners makes a discovery that turns her world upside down. (Contemporary Romance)

Where Secrets Lie by Rebecca Lake — Some secrets refuse to stay buried… (Romantic Suspense)

The Perfect Getaway by Nancy Lavo — Riley is tired of looking over her shoulder. Can she trust the small-town superhero with her secret, or will the loyalty she admires in him bring danger to her door? (Contemporary Romance)

On the Right Track by Shaen Layle — On The Right Track is the eighth book in the Mysteries of Cobble Hill Farm Series. (Cozy Mystery)

Julia’s Joy by Susan G. Mathis — She came to claim her inheritance, but the mysterious scarred lighthouse keeper makes her question all her plans. (Historical Romance)

Why the Nations Rage by Aidan Meerman — Casey Cole is three hundred years old but expects to be dead in as many seconds. The brutal regime that governs his home crushes all forms of dissent… and he’s about to put his neck out. (Biblical Suspense/Thriller)

The Lost Daughter’s Irishman by Carolyn Miller — She wants to find a way to live again; he wants to close a deal and move on, until sparks fly and these opposites attract. (Contemporary Romance)

Christmas in Nutfield by Robin Patchen — Come home to Nutfield in these two Christmas novellas, featuring Daniel Nolan, the little boy from Innocent Lies, all grown up, and Caro Neely, from Convenient Lies. (Contemporary Romance)

When Love Overcomes by Denice Perkins — Having everything we want and a plan for our future doesn’t prevent God from abruptly sending our lives in a whole other direction and showing us even greater happiness. (Contemporary Romance)

’Tis the Time, ‘Tis the Season by Chris Posti — Three women in their late fifties learn that change is possible at any age. (General Contemporary)

The Cowboy’s Forgotten Love by Tina Radcliffe — He finally found the love of his life. Now if only he could remember… (Contemporary Romance)

A Country Christmas Collection by Davalynn Spencer — Two Holiday Novellas, each a complete romance with cowboys, a second chance at love, and a feel-good, happily-ever-after! (Contemporary Romance)

Tangled Promises by Lynn U. Watson — Thunderous applause extinguishes her dream and ignites her worst nightmare. (Historical Romance)

Neurifact by Kenneth Dale Watts — A neurological AI tool observes and assesses a unique brainwave phenomenon associated with one F-35C pilot’s impulsive action and arrives at a spiritually based finding. (Military Thriller/Suspense)

To Touch the Earth by Kristy Werner — Love calls her home. But can love last forever? (Contemporary Romance)

20 May 2024

Book Review | A Surefire Love by Emily Conrad

Blaze Astley has raised her half-sister practically since birth, and certainly since their mother died four years ago. Now she’s volunteering to help out in youth groups after Mercy came home crying after the youth pastor told her off.

Anson Marsh is the youth pastor who has his own set of problems, not least of which is an elder who wants to see him fired.

While I do have some sympathy for an elder who wonders why the church employs a full-time paid youth pastor to run a youth group with only a dozen attendees, it’s not the youth pastor’s job to grow the entire church. I also felt the head pastor didn’t stand up for Anson as much as he could have, particularly since the elder seems more focused on growing a social club than a church.

So the story has been set up as a romance between Blaze and Anson, with some obvious issues for them to overcome … not least that Anson is currently dating someone else.

I’m not a big fan of romances where one of the main characters is dating someone else, even if they do break up. I also wasn’t keen on the reason for the breakup–because Anson and Sydney didn’t have “passion”. The foundation of a strong Christian marriage is a strong shared faith, not passion. Too often, passion burns and dies, and divorce ensues.

During the story, Blaze and her sister Mercy were both tested for and diagnosed with ADHD.

The story did a great job of showing how the disorder presents differently in females than in males, the difficulty in getting a formal diagnosis, but the difference a diagnosis can make.

All in all, while I thought A Surefire Love did a great job of showing a great redemption story and the challenges of ADHD (and it certainly had some thought-provoking lines), I didn’t enjoy this nearly as much as I enjoyed The Rhythms of Redemption Romances.

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

About Emily Conrad

Find Emily Conrad online at:

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

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?

Fans of Nicole Deese and Melissa Tagg will fall in love with this opposites-attract romance about faith, second chances, and sacrificial love.

Find A Surefire Love online at:

Amazon | BookBub | Goodreads

Click here to check out my Amazon shop for my top picks in Christian fiction!

26 April 2024

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.

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!

19 December 2023

Bookish Question #309 | What were the top ten books you read in 2023?

We’re almost at the end of 2023, and I must be getting older because I am sure the years are going faster. Yet again, I’ve read a lot of books (and published one, which was a first!). Some were excellent, some were fun but forgettable, and some were unforgettable for all the wrong reasons.

But today it’s time to share the books I enjoyed most in 2023. Most are contemporary Christian fiction, because that’s the genre I read most. But one is Biblical fiction (Plagues and Papyrus), one is multi-timeline (In This Moment), and one is perhaps more women’s fiction than romance (The Words We Lost).

So here’s my list, most of which I have already reviewed or featured on the blog:

What were the top five (or ten) books you read in 2023?

8 December 2023

First Line Friday #315 | Bidding on a Second Chance 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 currently reading a review copy of Bidding on a Second Chance by Emily Conrad, which is part of the Christmas in Redemption Ridge series.

Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

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

About Bidding on a Second Chance

His bid for a second chance this Christmas might lead to her most disastrous fall yet.

Police officer Graham Lockhart’s life is dangerous enough without accident-prone Piper Wells tripping around in it—at least that’s what she claimed when she declined his marriage proposal two years ago. But he can’t help but wonder if there is more to her refusal.

Piper always cared for Graham, but she is incapable of giving him the one thing he wants more than anything—family. All her orphaned self knows about that is how much it hurts to lose. She’s better off focusing on caring for her nephew and running her business. Secondhand furniture doesn’t break hearts.

When an injury sidelines Piper leading into the holidays, Graham steps up to help her keep her commitment to a Christmastime auction benefiting a local family. Can they overcome the hurdles between them, or will the past and their warring hopes and fears trip them up for good?

Visit Redemption Ridge, Colorado and enjoy the faith, friendships, and forever-afters of the Christmas in Redemption Ridge series of Christian romance.

Find Bidding on a Second Chance 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!

17 March 2023

First Line Friday #276 | Between the Two of Us by Emily Conrad

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 from Between the Two of Us by Emily Conrad, the prequel novella to her fabulous Rhythms of Redemption Romance series.

It’s here to tempt you, because it’s available free from her website 🙂

Here’s the first line from Chapter One:

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

About Between the Two of Us

He hates drama—but it sure seems to love him.

Food trailer owner Asher has seen too many tears he couldn’t dry. Determined to be part of the solution, he avoids romance and all the heartbreaking drama that goes with it.

At least, that’s the plan until he falls for one of the Warren twins—and not the Warren twin who declared her feelings for him. He’ll have to proceed carefully or he’ll break not one, but two women’s hearts. And, perhaps, his own.

Welcome to Lakeshore, Wisconsin! In this prequel novella to the Rhythms of Redemption Romance series, you’ll meet Asher, the food trailer owner who appears in each of the novels in the series. His lovely assistant, Adeline, is the heroine in the first book in the series, To Bring You Back.

Get acquainted with the town and enjoy a glimpse of Adeline’s life before a certain rock star looks her up and changes everything.

Find Between the Two of us free online at Emily’s website:

Goodreads | Website

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!

2 December 2022

First Line Friday | Week #262 | To Believe in You by Emily Conrad

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 To Believe in You by Emily Conrad, the fourth book in her Rhythms of Redemption Romance rock star romance collection (how’s that for alliteration?).

I’ve read and enjoyed the first three books in the series, and have no doubt I’ll enjoy this one just as much.

Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

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

About To Believe in You

Can she trust her heart to a man who can’t trust himself?

Since his dismissal from the rock band Awestruck, former bassist and addict Matt Visser has been transformed by faith and a year of sobriety.

Betrayed by her fiancé, Lina Abbey surrenders her hopes of a family of her own. Instead, she focuses on her work as Awestruck’s social media manager and director of Key of Hope, a non-profit funded by the band to teach music lessons to kids from low-income families.

She would never hire a man with Matt’s track record as a bass guitar instructor, but her boss, a firm believer in God’s grace and second chances, overrules her objections. Matt takes the job to clear an old debt, but soon finds he can’t resist the challenge of winning the beautiful but cautious Lina’s trust.

When a new truth about his past reveals a wrong he can never right, he and Lina both need Someone more trustworthy than Matt to believe in. Otherwise, history will repeat itself in all the worst ways.

A meaningful Christian romance with a side of fame and fortune for readers who enjoy faith-filled escapes and happily-ever-afters where no one is beyond hope of redemption.

You can find To Believe in 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!

22 July 2022

First Line Friday | Week #242 | To Begin Again by Emily Conrad

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 To Begin Again by Emily Conrad, the third book in her Rhythms of Redemption Romance rock star romance collection (how’s that for alliteration?).

Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

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

About To Begin Again

Every dream comes at a price.

Michaela Vandehey’s reality show win transformed her from the girl whose own father ignored her into a pop singer loved by the masses. But fame has proven hard to keep. To bolster her floundering career, she heads to Wisconsin to snag a collaboration with the iconic rock band Awestruck. There, she meets bass guitarist Philip, a dad whose devotion challenges her skepticism about love and family.

Whatever faith Philip Miller had died with his wife. Now, “Amazing Grace” is nothing but a lullaby to sing to his children in her memory. Thanks to Awestruck, he can provide privileged lives for his kids, but he has no intention of finding love again. If only he weren’t so drawn to Michaela.

When he falls for her despite himself, Michaela learns the dark secret that threatens his family’s future. The grace they’ve heard so much about might grant them the fresh start they need, but to begin again, they’ll first have to sacrifice what they hold most dear.

A meaningful Christian romance with a side of fame and fortune for readers who enjoy stories where grit and grace meet and no one is beyond hope of redemption.

You can find To Begin Again 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!

22 April 2022

First Line Friday | Week #233 | To Bring You Back by Emily Conrad

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 To Bring You Back 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 To Bring You Back

He’s determined to confront the past she’s desperate to forget.

When Adeline Green’s now-famous high school crush descends on her quiet life, a public spotlight threatens to expose her deepest regret.

To bury her mistakes, Adeline follows all the rules, working meaningful jobs that don’t quite make ends meet, and avoids close friendships that would only end in rejection if the truth about her came out. The closer she gets to Gannon, who took center stage in her past, and the reporters that hound him, the more she risks the carefully curated life that’s finally brought her a measure of peace.

Gannon Vaughn and his rock band, Awestruck, have conquered the music industry, but he can’t overcome his feelings for Adeline.

She may have been right to cut off contact between them years ago, but thanks to the grace of God, he’s a changed man. When he hears Adeline’s struggling, he sets out to turn her life around and win back the love he lost to poor choices eight years ago.1

But when Gannon’s fame and their mutual regrets jeopardize their relationship anew, will grace be enough to bring them back to God and each other?

You can find To Bring You Back 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.