Tag: Self-Published

24 February 2025

Book Review | What Makes a Home by Jaycee Weaver

This is an older title that I picked up as a free download in the Valentine’s Day Stuff Your Kindle promotion. I’m glad I did!

What Makes a Home is a romance featuring party-girl artist Jobie (short for Jobanna) and beige computer programmer Caleb. Caleb decides it’s time to adult up so he buys a do-up house, which happens to be just down the street from his old friend Jenna and Jobie, her hot roommate.

There were three things I loved about What Makes a Home.

First, Jenna’s natural faith.

Jenna and Jobie have been roomates for at least three years by the time the story starts. Although it’s clear from Chapter One that Jobie is not a Christian, it’s equally clear that Jenna has overtly judged her for her lack of faith. That opened th door for my second point:

Second, I loved Jobie’s conversion to Christianity.

Okay, so this could be considered a spoiler except that What Makes a Home is categorised as Christian romance, and good Christian romances do not have couples who are unequally yoked. I loved the natural way Jenna shared her faith with Jobie. And I loved the way Jobie took that on board and reflected it back to Jenna in her time of need.

And third, Caleb was a wonderful hero.

Sure, he has been accusing of being vanilla (and his taste in decor does tend to beige). but he has a good heart an is a perfect gentleman … even if he is a little slow to pick up on the fact Jobie is interested in him.

The other thing I liked about What Makes a Home was the realistic portrayal of physical attraction. No, there was nothing inappropriate (although it is clear Jobie has a history), but it was good to see both Caleb and Jobie acknowledging the temptation of physical attraction.

Overall, What Makes a Home is a wonderful example of a realistic Christian romance that focuses on friendship first. Recommended.

About Jaycee Weaver

When New Mexico resident and USA Today bestselling author Jaycee Weaver isn’t reading or writing, she enjoys dates with her brainiac hubby, crafting, pretending she’s a nature photographer, and making her daughters cringe.

She considers herself a recovering perfectionist and regularly battles the ADHD squirrels. Jaycee appreciates humorous books with banter, characters facing adversity, and guaranteed happy endings, so that’s what she writes. She does her best to live her faith in action, being open, honest, and authentic; letting God be Lord over the good, the bad, and the ugly even when it’s hard.

Find Jaycee Weaver online at:

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | X (Twitter)

About What Makes a Home

An artist looking for love in the wrong places. A bored engineer searching for purpose. Can a fixer upper teach these opposites What Makes a Home?

Jobie Everett has built her life around teaching art to senior citizens, living green(ish), social media trends, and wild pursuits that inspire her muse. When her roommate introduces her to a God who personifies a love she’s never known, she discovers how full life truly can be.

Surely there’s more for Caleb March’s lackluster life than work and computer games. Desperate for change, he buys a run-down house near an old friend and her pretty roommate. Ready for more than “just friends,” Caleb will first have to reconnect with a God he’s been ignoring for far too long.

As Caleb and Jobie bond over renovations, a new development forever changes her and pulls the rug out from under him. Jobie needs a godly man who will support and pursue her. Can Caleb become the man she needs in order to finally give her heart a home?

The Everyday Love Series is a clean, inspirational contemporary romance series set in Albuquerque, featuring ordinary people in lifelike stories that inspire, uplift, and share hope. Stories in which a very real God shows Himself in everyday ways to carry His people through any circumstance.

Find What Makes a Home online at:

Amazon | BookBub | Goodreads

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

21 February 2025

First Line Friday #379 | Small Town Harmony by Milla Holt

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. I’m reading Small Town Harmony by Milla Holt, part of her Rhapsody of Grace contemporary Christian romance series, set in England and featuring three brothers who are Christian musicians.

Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

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

About Small Town Harmony

Faith, fame, and family collide as a Christian music power couple hides a secret discord.

Ezra Falconer’s career with his brothers’ band always took center stage while his shy wife Martha was content to play a supporting role in the background. That all changed when Martha’s hidden talent was discovered and she became a breakout singing star. Shedding her frumpy image, her old-timey name, and 100 extra pounds, she transformed into the sultry and sophisticated “Morgan.”

Ezra, grappling with his own career setbacks, struggles to reconcile the confident superstar with the unassuming woman he married.

Martha returns from a sell-out international tour to a marriage on shaky ground. Unprepared for the pressures of fame, she navigates new opportunities that threaten to pull her and her husband even further apart.

As they hide their crumbling marriage from family, friends and fans, Ezra and Martha are asked to collaborate on a charity album, forcing them to confront the growing silence between them. How can they rediscover harmony while they’re singing in different keys?

Find Small Town Harmony 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!

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14 February 2025

First Line Friday #378 | Only You Can Love Me (Trinity Lakes 15) by Carolyn Miller

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 Only You Can Love Me by Carolyn Miller, which is the 15th book in the Trinity Lakes Romance series, and which releases next week. Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

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

About Only You Can Love Me

Wanted: someone hardworking, honest, humble, with a sense of humor, who can appreciate the simple things in life. Who loves God, loves family, and loves animals. Genuine seekers only.

Dr. Jess Martin–Doc Martin to her local community–might be used to solving the veterinary problems of rural south east Washington, but she can’t solve the problems of her lonely heart. When a dating app specializing in rural connections comes her way she figures she’s got nothing left to lose. Especially when she’s already lost the only guy who had touched her heart, who has made it clear his future lies in Silicon Valley and not in Trinity Lakes. It’s time to let go of the past, once and for all.

Cooper Reilly never pictured himself as finding his future or contentment on a ranch. His heart has always hankered for the finer things of life. But when a corporate reshuffle sees him kicked to the kerb, he finds himself right back where he started. And right back to trying to convince a certain pretty vet to give him a second chance. But she’s not playing, convinced she’s found her Dream Match already. But there’s something she doesn’t know…

Can these two friends look past previous mistakes and find a future? And what does a hunky fireman have to say about a perfect Dream Match?

Find Only You Can Love Me 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!

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Stop Press!

I’ve just found out that Carolyn Miller’s first two Trinity Lakes books are onl sale for 99 cents each! Click below to buy …

Love Somebody Like You (Trinity Lakes #5)

Only You Can Love Me (Trinity Lakes #9)

10 February 2025

Book Review | Uneasy Street (Sons of Scandal #3) by Becky Wade

Uneasy Street is the third and final story in Becky Wade’s Sons of Scandal series. I have to say this was my least favourite of the three. I found the conflict between Max and Sloane to be frustrating (even though it was also completely understandable).

The story didn’t really pick up until a couple of twists hit around the halfway point.

The setup is simple: Sloane has offered to care for her teenage niece while Ivy’s parents are working overseas for a few months. They have rented out their house but want Ivy to continue going to her regular school, so have rented an apartment for Sloane and Ivy … an apartment owned by Sloane’s college friend and one-time business partner, Max.

Max may not be a full-on billionaire, but he has all the toys including the private jet (are you really even a billionaire if you don’t have access to a private jet?). But Uneasy Street wasn’t the regular billionaire-meets-poor-girl romance, because Max and Sloane were both involved in the app’s establishment which means Sloane should be as rich as Max, but isn’t. But that isn’t what she resents.

I didn’t exactly like Sloane at first but I did admire her. She resented Max for having pushed her out of Libri, the digital library app they founded in college, not for the millions and millions he’d earned since pushing her out. I did appreciate that Max and Sloan covered off the misunderstanding behind their falling-out fairly early in the book, so the story wasn’t bogged down by that mystery.

Sloan is an etiquette expert whose muse is “Princess Kate” aka the Princess of Wales. This did mean she came across as a bit prissy and perhaps false, because there were times when her manners felt more like how she behaved rather than who she was.

I did enjoy the banter between Sloane and Max, especially when she forgot her etiquette and told him what she really felt.

My favourite character was Ivy, who wasn’t afraid to tell it how she saw it, and who had the typical teenage enthusiasm (and occasional thoughtlessness).

Becky Wade fans, especially those who have rad the first two Sons of Scandal stories, will want to read Uneasy Street. If you haven’t read a Becky Wade romance before, I’d recommend starting with True to You or Stay With me.

Thanks to the author 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 Uneasy Street

Once upon a time Max Cirillo and Sloane Madison were close friends and business partners. But when their business relationship imploded, so did the friendship.

Now, four years later, Max is a rich CEO. Sloane’s a not-so-rich etiquette expert who returns to Maine to serve as her niece’s temporary guardian and help the girl search for her birth father. Sloane and her niece move into a darling garage apartment but Sloane’s joy in their accommodations soon turns to horror when she realizes their apartment belongs to Max. Thanks to an unbreakable lease, she’s stuck living right next door to him.

Max pulled strings to bring Sloane into his orbit because he needs closure on what went wrong between them. Quickly, though, his scheming comes back to bite him. The world might view him as a cold-hearted rake, but this one woman has dangerous power over his emotions.

They’ll have no choice but to confront their history—and the undeniable spark between them—while living side by side on uneasy street.

Discover witty humor, rich emotion, banter, and charm within the pages of this sweet enemies-to-lovers romance!

Find Uneasy Street online at:

Amazon | BookBub | Goodreads

31 January 2025

First Line Friday #376 | Empowereds by Janette Rallison

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 Empowereds by Janette Rallison, an adult dystopian romantic suspense. Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

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

About Empowereds

She’s hiding her family’s deadly secret. He’s hunting for the truth—and her.

Twenty-one-year-old Charity Huntington has spent her life in hiding, dodging a government that hunts down Empowereds—those with forbidden abilities. Her father is one of the last remaining psychics, and their family lives as harvesters, working in isolation to avoid the authorities.

She knows the rules: keep their family secret, trust no one, and never draw attention.

Charity especially ought to be wary of the new hire, Enzo. The man is tall, dark, and a bit too cocky. He also has a mysterious past and some serious gun skills that don’t match his story.

Of course, knowing the rules and following them are two different things when a guy looks as good as Enzo. She’s in danger in more ways than one.

Enzo Valdez is a government officer tasked with a deadly mission: go undercover, locate the psychic hiding among the harvesters, and eliminate them with extreme prejudice.

But when he meets Charity—captivating, kind, and everything he didn’t expect—his loyalty begins to waver.

Falling for her could mean betraying everything he’s sworn to uphold…but resisting her may be impossible.

This post apocalyptic romance has page-turning action, sweet romance, and lots of witty banter. If you’ve ever wanted to read a dystopian adult romance or love dystopian sci fi romance, this book is for you. (Because hey, it’s not just the seventeen-year-olds who get to fall in love in the future…)

Find Empowereds 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!

27 January 2025

Book Review | Uncharted Mercy (Uncharted #14) by Keely Brooke Keith

Uncharted Mercy is the latest book in Keely Brooke Keith’s Uncharted series. The series is a unique mix of historical and futuristic romance as the series is set in the future, after Earth has experienced a nuclear war and chaos reigns … everywhere except the Land, which has been stuck in the 1860s because of the strange atmospheric disturbance surrounding the Land.

Uncharted Mercy is the story of Bette Owens, a widow with two young children who makes her living as a hatmaker. When her interfering in-laws decideher son should live with themwhile Bette marries a man she has never met, Bette vents her frustrations to herneighbour, Noah Vestal. Noah proposes a novel solution—marriage.

It’s pretty obvious that Noah has feelings for Bette, but he then worries that he may have coerced her into marriage. I really liked Noah and his attitude—it showed he was a man of honour. Unfortunately, Noah has a secret (that series readers have known for the last two books, but which Bette and the other villagers don’t know). That secret is about to put Noah’s home and livelihood at risk.

This is an excellent romance, a marriage of convenience that turns into a real relationship. I loved the way Bette and Noah’s relationship developed, and the healthy way they integrated Bette’s children into their relationship. (Or is that the healthy way Bette integrated Noah into her family?)

I really liked the ending. Without giving anything away, it showed how a good Christian marriage is a partnership of equals, even in a patriarchial setting.

All the stories are standalone titles, so you don’t need to read the whole series for this book to make sense. However, you’ll probably want to read at least The Land Uncharted (#1 inthe series) and Uncharted Grace (#12, Caroline’s story) to best appreciate Uncharted Mercy.

I’ve enjoyed all the Land Uncharted series. I particularly enjoyed Uncharted Mercy because of the marriage of convenience trope, because we got to see more of Connor in this story, and because of the strong Christian characters of both Bette and Noah.

Uncharted Mercy by Keely Brooke Keith is an excellent Christian marriage of convenience romance with a unique blend of historical and speculative tropes. Share on X

Recommended for fans of historical romance with a speculative twist.

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

About Uncharted Mercy

A marriage of convenience uncovers secrets that spark a battle for inheritance, family, and a chance at love.

Lonely bachelor Noah Vestal longs for a family of his own. His inherited farmhouse feels empty, and working the expansive orchard doesn’t keep his mind off his life in America before being shipwrecked on the Land. When he learns the lovely widow next door is being pressured to marry a man she’s never met and to leave her son behind, he offers to marry her. She could have a home and keep both of her children, and he could fill the orchard house with the family he longs for. But when Noah’s inheritance is contested by someone claiming to be the orchard’s rightful heir, he stands to lose everything—including his new family.

Bette Owens has made the best of things since losing her husband three years ago, but now her forceful in-laws want rid of her. When they persuade her parents to help separate her from her son, she has nowhere to turn but to the generous bachelor next door. She has always admired Noah and misses the protection and companionship of having a husband, so when Noah proposes a quick marriage, it seems like a wise remedy. Just when her children are settling into their new home—and love between Bette and Noah seems possible—she discovers Noah isn’t who he says he is.

While the Good Springs elder council becomes judge and jury over the orchard’s ownership, Noah’s dreams of supporting a family and being part of a community slip away. And as Bette’s friends side against her, she finds herself in an unimaginable fight for her family—and for love.

Can their marriage of convenience withstand the battle for inheritance, family, and love?

Find Uncharted Mercy online at:

Amazon | BookBub | Goodreads

About Keely Brooke Keith

Keely Brooke 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:

Website | Facebook

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

24 January 2025

First Line Friday #375 | Uncharted Mercy by Keely Brooke Keith

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 Uncharted Mercy, the 14th book in Keely Brooke Keith’s excellent Uncharted series.

Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

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

About Uncharted Mercy

A marriage of convenience uncovers secrets that spark a battle for inheritance, family, and a chance at love.

Can their marriage of convenience withstand the battle for inheritance, family, and love?

Find Uncharted Mercy 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!

13 January 2025

Book Review | A Home for Christmas by Sara Beth Williams

One criticism of Christian romance is that everyone is beautiful (or handsome) and they all have perfect lives. A Home for Christmas is not that novel. While high school teacher Lynn Monet has a home and a job and all the things we expect of a 30-year-old adult, Garrett Kuhlmann is living in a garage and working two jobs to save enough money for the deposit on an apartment for him and his teenage son.

The Schwab Modern Wealth Survey (released May 2019) claimed that 59% of Americans are only one paycheck away from homelessness (and the subsequent Covid-19 job losses won’t have improved this figure). Garrett’s situation is therefore closer to reality than many of us would like to believe.

I found the first chapter a little awkward, but soon found myself engaged in the story. Lynn is possibly the perfect Christian some readers find difficult to relate to, but she’s also an illustration of a Christian who puts loving her neighbours into action.

Garrett is a hardworking guy who has made a few mistakes and now fallen on hard times. But he’s proud and determined to make a better life for him and his fifteen-year-old son, Josh, and that is an admirable trait.

Lynn, Garrett and Josh were all excellent characters. They felt realistic, and as frustrated as I got with Garrett over his pride and reluctance to admit when he needed help, I could also understand and respect why he was like that.

I found the story an enjoyable read, and I especially enjoyed the relationship between Garrett and Josh.

Overall, A Home for Christmas was a solid Christian romance between a couple that don’t have perfect backgrounds. Recommended.

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

About A Home for Christmas

She just moved to Silver Pine to start a new future. He’s never been more unsure of what the future holds.

Garrett Kuhlmann doesn’t want or need anyone’s pity. As a single father, he’s worked hard by himself to ensure his son is fed, clothed and safe. But after house-hopping for the last year, he is desperate to give his teenage son more stability. If only housing weren’t so expensive. When a young woman gifts him a bag of food to thank him for changing her tire after her car breaks down in the parking lot where he works, he can’t put the act of kindness, or her pretty smile, out of his mind.

Even in the small town of Silver Pine, Lynn Monet didn’t expect to see the man who changed her tire again, until she discovers he’s the father to one of her high school students. The more they interact, the more her heart breaks for Garrett and his son, and the more the duo worm their way into her life. But Lynn isn’t looking for love, and the secret she has will only destroy any potential relationship, just like it had once before.

Lynn’s compassion is like a beacon of light cutting through the darkness of Garrett’s struggles, offering him a glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe, he doesn’t have to do everything alone. A new chapter of love and stability finally feels within reach. But secrets from both of their pasts threaten to shatter the fragile hope, leaving Garrett to choose between playing it safe or forgiveness and love.

Find A Home for Christmas online at:

Amazon | Goodreads

About Sara Beth Williams

Sara Beth Williams is a published author of Contemporary Christian romance, an ACFW and CIPA member and freelance writer. She has a background in freelance publicity, blog managing, newspaper journalism and nine years in the field of education. Two of her three novels have been nominated for a Selah Award. A Worthy Heart (2020) and Anchor My Heart (2022). She lives in Northern California with her husband and two daughters. When she’s not held hostage by the keyboard, she enjoys playing guitar, reading, gardening and spending time with her family.

Find Sara Beth Williams at:

Website | Facebook | Instagram | X

3 January 2025

First Line Friday #372 | A Home for Christmas by Sara Beth Williams

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. I’m sharing A Home for Christmas, a new novella from Sara Beth Williams. I probably should have read this before Christmas … but before Christmas was so busy I didn’t get started on my Christmas reading until Boxing Day 🙂

Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

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

About A Home for Christmas

She just moved to Silver Pine to start a new future. He’s never been more unsure of what the future holds.

Find A Home for Christmas 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!

27 December 2024

First Line Friday #371 | Becoming Us by Jaycee Weaver and Jenn Faulk

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 Becoming Us by Jaycee Weaver and Jenn Faulk, which I picked up on sale back in July. I just love that cover!

Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

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

About Becoming Us

He’s easy-going and charming. She’s hot-tempered and tightly wound. Together, can they become better than who they are apart?

Working through the disappointment of a teaching career that isn’t what he expected it to be, Mason Hayes’ otherwise cushy life gets turned upside down by the sudden loss of both parents in a car accident, leaving him with no one in the world. Until, that is, a half-sister he never knew existed shows up.

Hailee Miller-Garcia would do anything for Gina Bennett, including make a trip to meet the brother Gina’s never known – despite the issues Hailee’s having with her mother and little brother. As Mason’s life becomes entangled with her own, his laidback approach challenges her to reevaluate her own ways of dealing with the past, the present, and her dreams for the future.

Delving past friendship and growing into deeper feelings, it’s clear Hailee and Mason are better together. But the road ahead may be rocky and full of unexpected detours, challenging each of them to draw closer to Christ, work through their issues, and dream of a different future for themselves as they become more than a you and a me – they become us.

Find Becoming Us 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.