I have developed a sudden taste for well-executed modern marriage of convenience stories, and Lake Shore Sanctuary is an excellent example. I’m also developing a real enjoyment of the grumpy-sunshine trope.
Isa Romero was raised in a Christian family but went through a rebellious patch. Her rebellion has landed her in Elk Lake … pregnant to her ex, leader of a violent cartel. When his adult son shows up in town, she is surprised and grateful when gruff Grady steps in and helps.
Grady Briggs is new in town, a forest ranger with a background in law enforcement. He doesn’t expect his two worlds to collide, yet finds himself proposing marriage to Isa to keep her safe from the cartel. I loved the fact that Grady’s gruff and grumpy exterior was at least in part to hide his attraction to Isa.
Isa is definitely the sunshine character.
She decides to make the best of the situation and determines to make Grady fall for her, because marriage is forever and she can’t face the thought of a loveless marriage. But getting Grady to smile turns out to be easier than changing his feelings … because Isa doesn’t know what the reader knows.
Lake Shore Sanctuary is the fifth book in Jennifer Rodewald’s Redemption Shores series. This series is a little out of the ordinary for Christian fiction, for several reasons.
It doesn’t easily fit into a genre.
The stories are definitely small-town contemporary Christian fiction, with an emphasis on the Christian. The stories all have a romantic element, but the romances aren’t tied in a pretty bow by the end of each book. There are a lot of mysteries, and the stories also have elements of suspense.
I loved watching Isa and Grady develop real feelings for each other as they discover they have more in common than they thought, and I also enjoyed catching up with some of the characters from the earlier books in the series.
It’s more of a serial than a series.
While each book focuses on a couple of main characters, they also follow the characters from the earlier books: the prickly Hazel, her brother Hunter, his one-time girlfriend Janie, his best friend Bennett, and Bennett’s half-siblings.
Yes, you could read Lake Shore Sanctuary as a standalone title and you would probably enjoy it. But you’ll enjoy it all the more if you read the series in order, starting with Lake Shore Wandering.
Recommended for readers looking for Christian fiction with less of a romance focus, and more spiritual depth.
About Jennifer Rodewald
Jennifer Rodewald is passionate about the Word of God and the powerful vehicle of story. Four kids and her own personal superman make her home in southwestern Nebraska delightfully chaotic.
Born in Colorado, she experienced both the seclusion of rugged mountain living and the busy streets of a Denver suburb during her growing up years. Somewhere in the middle of college, she married a Husker and found her way back to the quiet lifestyle of a rural area, which suits just fine.
Blessed with a robust curiosity, Jen loves to research. Whether she’s investigating the history of a given area, the biography of a Christian icon, or how nature declares the glory of God, her daily goal is to learn something new. Aiming to live with boundless enthusiasm, her creed is vision, pursuit, and excellence.
Jen lives and writes in a lovely speck of a town where she watches with amazement while her children grow up way too fast, gardens, and marvels at God’s mighty hand in everyday life.
You can find Jennifer Rodewald online at:
About Lake Shore Sanctuary
Winning her husband’s heart might be the adventure–if not the achievement–of her life. If she can pull it off.
Grady Briggs is quiet and dependable and wants a life that looks nothing like his years spent working as a criminal investigator. But when a known member of the cartel comes searching for Isa Romero, that calm, predictable life he’d hoped to find in Luna goes up in flames. Things get complicated when Grady discovers why the crime boss is after Isa.
Though the flirty, vivacious young woman has rubbed him wrong since day one, Grady is willing to go to any length to protect her–even if that means marrying her.
Isa wanted a life full of romance and adventure, but her search for it has landed her in a whole lot of trouble. Grady’s offer of protection is the smart choice, but a lifeless, loveless marriage isn’t something she can live with. Her best option? Win her husband’s heart—which might be the adventure, if not the achievement—of her life, if she can pull it off.
Their marriage is supposed to be her refuge, but the danger only gets worse …
Just when they discover that they might have a chance at a real future together, their secret is exposed. When the danger becomes life-threatening, will Grady be able to protect his wife like he promised?
