Wedding at Sea by Melissa Tagg

About the Book

Two enemies. One wedding. And a seaside mystery decades in the making.⁣

Lilian doesn’t remember anything about her life before the day Maggie Muir found her on her front porch—a toddler, abandoned and alone. And maybe that’s okay. She has a beautiful life at Muir Farm, including an adopted family she adores and a successful career as a lawyer. But she also has a secret . . . one that raises just as many questions about her future as it does her unknown past.⁣

And, of course, it would be private investigator Wilder Monroe, her brother’s best friend and the bane of her existence, who sniffs out her secret before anyone else.⁣

Wilder has spent the past three years trying to close the one case his father couldn’t—the mystery of Maggie Muir’s long-lost granddaughter. But the decades-long search has become more tangled than ever. It’s become more personal, too. Not only are the Muirs the closest thing to family he has left, but if he can solve this mystery, maybe he'll keep himself from drowning in the one he can’t . . . the truth about his father’s death.⁣

In the midst of secrets and swirling questions, Maggie asks a favor of both Lilian and Wilder: put aside their bickering and work together to plan her summer wedding. It’s a big ask, made all the more difficult when danger comes calling at Muir Farm. But if the two enemies can stand each other long enough to pull off the event of the year, they just might solve a mystery in the process.⁣

And the biggest discovery of all? That sometimes the one your heart longs for is the last person you ever would've expected.⁣

Wedding at Sea is the breathtaking finale in bestselling, award-winning author Melissa Tagg's Muir Harbor series.

My Thoughts

Oh where to even begin? I don’t know that I have words for how much I loved this book. I have been really distracted while reading lately but I read the last 40% in one sitting-75 minutes passing without me even realizing it, I just couldn’t put it down. I honestly don’t remember the last time I stayed up past my bedtime for a book but I was to engrossed to stop!⁣

I have been waiting for Lilian and Wilder’s story since their very first interaction and I can confidently say that it exceeded my expectations! Their banter is so on point and perfectly timed and they way that goad each other is just immensely entertaining. But I also loved watching as their relationship morphed and they realized the feelings that were underneath the surface. It played out so naturally the way things just slowly shifted until they became the most important person in each other’s life. The romantic tension may have almost killed me at times but I absolutely loved the way it played out even if we had to wait for certain moments.⁣

And even though the romance was engaging enough on its own the author upped the ante by hooking us with mystery’s to solve that I desperately needed the answers to! I couldn’t stop reading as more pieces of the puzzles fell into place and Tagg got in some good surprise moments at the end! ⁣

It was also fun to catch up with the other Muir family members and their significant others! ⁣

I’m a little sad to see this series end but the ending was so spectacular that it makes it a little easier, and I know I can come back to Muir Harbor for a visit whenever I need to!⁣

Meet the Author

Melissa Tagg is the USA Today bestselling, Christy and Carol Award-winning author of swoony and hope-filled small-town contemporary romances. She’s also a former reporter, current nonprofit marketing strategist, and total Iowa girl.⁣

Melissa has taught at multiple national writing conferences, as well as workshops and women’s retreats. When she’s not happily lost in someone else’s book or plugging away her on own, she can be found spoiling her nieces and nephews, watching old movies, and daydreaming about her next fictional hero. Connect with Melissa at melissatagg.com.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own. 

The Sound of Light by Sarah Sundin

About the Book

Copenhagen, 1940
When the Germans march into Denmark, Baron Henrik Ahlefeldt exchanges his nobility for anonymity, assuming a new identity so he can secretly row messages for the Danish Resistance across the waters to Sweden. American physicist Dr. Else Jensen refuses to leave Copenhagen and abandon her research--her life's dream--and makes the dangerous decision to print resistance newspapers.
As Else hears rumors of the movement's legendary Havmand--the merman--she also becomes intrigued by the mysterious and silent shipyard worker living in the same boardinghouse. Henrik makes every effort to conceal his noble upbringing, but he is torn between the façade he must maintain and the woman he is beginning to fall in love with.
When the Occupation cracks down on the Danes, these two passionate people will discover if there is more power in speech . . . or in silence.

My Thoughts

I’ve been a long time fan of Sarah Sundin, WWII is my favorite time period and she writes it like no other. Sadly this book didn’t quite measure up to the quality we usually get from her. I still enjoyed the story overall but it was lacking the usual Sundin magic. 

Else was extremely smart and talented but she also had a humility and kindness to her that was admirable. She was willing to take risks to help others with little thought to her own safety. 

Henrik was a little bit of a puzzle, he had an attitude and persona before the war that seemed to just magically do a 180 when the story picked back up and it would have been nice to see the progression a little more. He also played his role as the simple minded worker a little too well and that’s kind of the impression he left in my brain overall rather than the educated aristocrat he was. I did like his character though and admired all that he did and gave up for the resistance. 

I didn’t mind the romance between Else and Henrik but it wasn’t my favorite and felt a bit forced into the story at times.

It was interesting to see the war from the Danish perspective, which isn’t seen as much in WWII fiction (though all the Danish names, places, and terms were hard to pronounce and took me out of the story a bit) and was very fascinating to this history nerd.

So while this wasn’t my favorite Sundin novel I did still enjoy several aspects of it and I’m looking forward to reading what she writes next!

Meet the Author

Sarah Sundin is the aww bestselling author of When Twilight Breaks, Until Leaves Fall in Paris,and the popular WWII series Sunrise at Normandy, among others. She is a Christy Award finalist and a Carol Award winner, and her novels have received starred reviews from Booklist, Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly, and have appeared on Booklist's "101 Best Romance Novels of the Last 10 Years." Sarah lives in California. Visit www.sarahsundin.com for more information.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own. 

A Game of Hearts by Joanna Barker

About the Book

If you can't join them, beat them.

Marigold Cartwell has only one goal: to defeat her long-time rival on the archery field. She knows she can outshoot irritating, cynical Tristan Gates, but the local bowmen’s society—the one he belongs to—refuses to allow women to compete. Spurred on by their rejection, Marigold decides to start a new society. Naturally, it has only one rule: no men.

Tristan Gates is used to Marigold Cartwell always getting her way, so he is far from surprised when she forms her own society. He knows how relentless she can be, something he learned firsthand facing her at the targets. But Tristan has enough worries of his own, what with his bachelor uncle falling in love with a fortune hunter. He has no time to entertain Marigold’s ambitions.

However, after a visit to the seashore ends in disaster—and scandal—Marigold and Tristan soon realize how little they know about each other. The strained tension between them quickly turns to simmering attraction, but an important archery competition looms ahead. Lines are drawn all around them, with Marigold and Tristan on opposite sides, and neither can afford to lose. Yet winning might be the very thing to tear them apart.

My Thoughts

This is one of those books that was just a complete delight from start to finish! Enemies to more can be hit or miss for me but the author absolutely hit the bull's-eye (pun totally intended) with this one! Tristan and Marigold had such fun wit and banter and their dislike for each other was completely genuine at the start but it slowly turned to a different emotion all together! I loved their every interaction and they had me laughing out loud several times! They were so perfectly matched in every way and I loved watching them slowly discover that!

I won’t spoil anything but I was highly satisfied with the way things played out and certain problems were resolved! I kept fearing things would go one way only for them to go a much better route!

I also really enjoyed the side characters and their relationships with Tristan and Marigold-they truly had a great support system!

The archery angle was unique and fun and added a cool layer to the story!

This book will for sure be one of my favorites this year and I cannot recommend it enough!

Meet the Author

Joanna Barker firmly believes that romance makes everything better, which is why she has fallen in love with writing Regency romances. When she’s not typing away on her next book, you’ll find her listening to podcasts, eating her secret stash of chocolate, or adding things to her Amazon cart. Joanna is a three-time Whitney Awards finalist, and her books have received praise from Publisher’s Weekly, the Historical Novel Society, Readers’ Favorite, and more. She thinks being an author is the second-best job in the world—right after being a mom. She is just a little crazy about her husband and three wild-but-loveable kids.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own. 

A Hope and A Prayer by Julie Lessman

About the Book

She’s in love with her best friend. 

He’s in love with her cousin.

But when the war reveals a gift so rare, 

will they be saved by a hope and a prayer?

As Head Nurse at 2d Hospital in Nancy, France, Lieutenant Hope Dennehy is known for her healing touch, especially when it comes to mending the wounds and spirit of her best friend, Lieutenant Bren O’Neill. When Hope’s cousin breaks Bren’s heart, Hope is always there, helping to heal him with a friendship so anointed and deep, it threatens to break her heart too.

Flying high as a daredevil aeromedical evac pilot in the European Theatre, “Lieutenant Love” O’Neill crashes and burns when the woman he loves falls for another. Depending on the support and prayers of Nurse Hope Dennehy to save him, Bren re-evaluates his free-wheeling lifestyle when he witnesses the heinous atrocities of the Buchenwald concentration camp. Suddenly nothing in life is as important as taking care of those he loves … or is it? Battling demons from his past, Bren learns that only one thing can truly save him from himself.

My Thoughts

The O’Conners have long been one of my absolute favorite fictional families so I’m always excited to reenter their world! This time it’s the first of the O’Conner grandchildren’s turn to find love.

Hope is a very selfless and loving person and her faith shines through everything that she says and does. Bren appears to be her opposite with his reputation and drinking but he also has the biggest heart and would do anything for those closest to him. He’s a bit thick headed though and it took him far to long to get his act together despite the love and care of his friends, sobering experiences, and the risk of losing everything he cared about. He finally does wake up and he and Hope are very well matched, she softens him and he brings out some of her fire.

There were times where the story dragged a little and I wasn’t as engaged with the plot but I did still enjoy Hope and Bren’s journey and was happy to see them come together in the end.

It was also great to get to see more of the rest of the O’Conners and catch up on their lives!

*Couldn’t end this review without a little bit of a disclaimer/warning. There are a few chapters that take place at a liberated concentration camp and it gets a little more descriptive than necessary at times. Plus there are a few comparisons that’s aren’t particularly sensitive so just a heads up if that's something that bothers you.

About the Author

A lover of all things Irish, Julie Lessman writes close-knit Irish family sagas that evolve into 3-D love stories: the hero, the heroine, and the God that brings them together.

Author of The Daughters of Boston, Winds of Change, Heart of San Francisco, Isle of Hope, and Silver Lining Ranch series, Julie was American Christian Fiction Writers 2009 Debut Author of the Year and has garnered over 21 Romance Writers of America and other awards. Voted #1 Romance Author in Family Fiction magazine’s 2012 and 2011 Reader’s Choice Awards, Julie’s novels also made Family Fiction magazine’s Best of 2015, Best of 2014, and “Essential Christian Romance Authors” 2017-2020, as well as Booklist’s 2010 Top 10 Inspirational Fiction and Borders Best Fiction.

Julie has also written a self-help workbook for writers entitled Romance-ology 101: Writing Romantic Tension for the Sweet and Inspirational Markets. Contact Julie through her website at www.julielessman.com.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own. 

A Seaside Wonder by Melissa Tagg

About the Book

In one evening, Indi's world falls apart. Enter the shy professor her family mistakes for her fiancé . . . make that ex-fiancé.

Professor Philip West never wanted to return to Maine . . . or his grandfather’s miserable old house. But after his mother’s death, he’s now the guardian of a teenage half sister who doesn’t want anything to do with him. He longs to help her heal, but he’s exhausted and numb, desperate for relief of his own. Maybe that’s why he’s so easily distracted when he happens upon the little shop with an intriguing owner—one who happens to share a name with someone from his grandfather's mysterious past.

More than a decade has passed since Indi Muir made the heartbreaking decision she’s never recovered from—though she’s certainly tried. She has a full life running her shop and creating the artsy pieces that fill its shelves. If she can just stay busy, she’ll keep her hurt and regret at bay. But when her ex-fiancé returns to Muir Harbor, he brings news that shatters her carefully built walls. Things only get worse when lurking danger comes calling at her childhood home.

The one bright spot amid Indi’s turmoil is the shy stranger who wandered into her shop months ago and his moody but lovable sister. As she confronts her past and the mysterious threat facing her family, she’s intent on helping Philip win over his sister. He just might win over Indi, too, if they can overcome old secrets and wounds, outrun rising peril . . . and take a chance on love.

My Thoughts

The wait is always worth it for a Melissa Tagg novel! I have be anxiously awaiting this second book in the Muir Harbor series since I read the last page of the first one and I’m so happy to report that it is every bit as beautiful as I knew it would be!

Indi intrigued me from the moment we met her and I loved getting to know her more as we got to get in her head. She had a very vibrant personality that circumstances and regrets had dulled but I loved seeing her start to come to life again.

I absolutely loved Philip! I definitely have a soft spot for the nerdy and slightly awkward heroes and he definitely fit the bill. He was so gentle and unassuming with Indi and was just the steady presence that she needed in her life. And the way he stepped in with his half sister and was willing to do whatever necessary to mend their relationship and help her was entirely endearing. Honestly everything about him was endearing from the way he stuttered when he was uncomfortable to his calling Indi “Farmgirl” I just loved it all!

Holland, Philip’s half sister, had a lot of snark and just enough sweet to make her lovable, which was the perfect mix!

It was really fun to escape back to Muir Harbor and spend more time with all the Muirs! We got some more pieces of the mystery figured out and I can’t wait for book 3 to find out the rest! Also Wilder and Lillian’s story is just going to be the best!

Meet the Author

Melissa Tagg is the USA Today bestselling, Christy and Carol Award-winning author of swoony and hope-filled small-town contemporary romances. She’s also a former reporter, current nonprofit marketing strategist, and total Iowa girl.

Melissa has taught at multiple national writing conferences, as well as workshops and women’s retreats. When she’s not happily lost in someone else’s book or plugging away her on own, she can be found spoiling her nieces and nephews, watching old movies, and daydreaming about her next fictional hero. Connect with Melissa at melissatagg.com.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own. 

Sunburst by Susan May Warren

About the Book

When former Navy SEAL and lifelong bachelor Ranger Kingston is called upon to take part in a rescue mission to save his brother Colt, who has been kidnapped by terrorists in Nigeria, he is shocked to find among the hostages a woman he knows and could never forget.

Noemi Sutton was attempting to return a young girl to her family in Boko Haram territory when she and the girl found themselves taken hostage, along with several others.

And while Ranger Kingston may be able to get the hostages away from their captors, he'll need Noemi's help if he ever hopes to get out of Nigeria alive.

Her solution? Pose as husband and wife. But when her uncle discovers the union, he insists on a traditional Nigerian wedding--binding Noemi to a man destined to break her heart. Worse, she's discovered the real reason she was kidnapped, and anyone around her is bound to be caught in the cross fire. Including her so-called new husband.

She'll need to figure out a way to leave the man she loves if she wants to save his life.

USA Today bestselling author Susan May Warren throws you into the thick of the action in this high-stakes, globe-trotting romance.

My Thoughts

I always jump at the chance to read a Susan May Warren novel and this one was another stellar story!

I loved that we got to experience Africa and Alaska-two very different cultures but Warren was able to immerse us in both!

There was plenty of action but not so much that you couldn’t catch your breath which is the perfect balance in my opinion!

Ranger intrigued me from what we got to know of him in the last book so I was really excited to dive into his story and he did not disappoint! I loved his determination to do whatever needed to be done and felt for him as he tried to figure out his next steps after his life plan was derailed.

Noemi was a great match for Ranger, her stubbornness got her in trouble sometimes but it also gave her strength to do hard things.

The two of them were fantastic together and I loved the sparks between them! I also liked how they had a bit of history to their romance!

All in all another fantastic SMW novel and it left me highly anticipating book 3!

Meet the Author

Susan May Warren is the USA Today bestselling author of nearly 90 novels with more than 1.5 million books sold, including the Global Search and Rescue and the Montana Rescue series, as well as Sunrise and Sunburst. Winner of a RITA Award and multiple Christy and Carol Awards, as well as the HOLT Medallion and numerous Readers' Choice Awards, Susan makes her home in Minnesota. Find her online at www.susanmaywarren.com, on Facebook @SusanMayWarrenFiction, and on Twitter @SusanMayWarren.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own. 

Crossfire by Lynette Eason

About the Book

She's never lost a hostage. Surely she can manage to take care of her sister.⁣

FBI special agent Julianna Jameson is a top-notch negotiator, but when her much younger sister, Dottie, needs a place to live while she finishes high school, Julianna's skills will be put to the test.⁣

Former sniper Clay Fox left the army after a tragic incident that he can't get past. Until he can figure out what to do with the rest of his life, he's working as a resource officer at a school. Dottie's school. ⁣

When Julianna is called in to negotiate a courtroom hostage situation involving Clay's sister, he's impressed--and, if he's honest, a bit intimidated--by the calm, capable woman with the dark hair and blue eyes, and invites her to speak at the school. ⁣

But as the anniversary of a school shooting from Julianna's past approaches, it becomes clear that her perfect record is about to be tested and that Dottie is at risk. If Julianna and Clay can't figure out who's behind the attacks, more innocent people will die--and Dottie is next in line.

My Thoughts

After hearing positive things about this one from my bestie I was really excited to dive in and it did not disappoint! ⁣

I loved that it started off with a hostage negotiation scene! Not only did it immediately hook me into the story but it reminded me of one of my favorite books (The Negotiator by Dee Henderson). Hostage negotiator is not a common career in books and that made it even more fascinating to read about!⁣

Clay and Julianna were both really great characters and I liked them together as a couple. They both had some trauma in their past to make peace with but they were able to help each other.⁣

The mystery and suspense angles were well done in this book, there was enough to keep me guessing throughout yet I was able to figure out some of the pieces-the perfect balance! ⁣

This was a great follow up to the last book and I am already looking forward to book 3! ⁣

⁣

*On a side note that did not affect my opinion of the book, if anyone can explain to me why this book is called Crossfire I would really appreciate it because it made no sense as a title to me!

Meet the Author

Lynette Eason is the USA Today bestselling author of Life Flight and Crossfire, as well asthe Danger Never Sleeps, Blue Justice, Women of Justice, Deadly Reunions, Hidden Identity, and Elite Guardians series. She is the winner of three ACFW Carol Awards, the Selah Award, and the Inspirational Reader's Choice Award, among others. She is a graduate of the University of South Carolina and has a master's degree in education from Converse College. Eason lives in South Carolina with her husband and two children. Learn more at www.lynetteeason.com.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own. 

The Catch by Lisa Harris

About the Book

After a harrowing attempt on a judge's life at the courthouse, Deputy US Marshals Madison James and Jonas Quinn are tasked with finding a missing woman and an endangered child in connection to the murder of the judge's wife. What seems like a fairly straightforward case becomes hopelessly tangled when the marshals discover that the woman they are searching for is not who they think she is.

Madison and Jonas are forced into a race to find the woman and the child before the men who want her dead discover her location. And in a final showdown that could cost her everything, Madison will come face-to-face with the person who murdered her husband.

USA Today bestselling author Lisa Harris concludes her thrilling US Marshals series with this breathless tale of secrets kept, lies exposed, and ultimately, justice prevailing.

My Thoughts

This series has been an amazing ride and this book was the perfect conclusion!

I loved how the author balanced the conclusion to the mystery behind who had killed Madison’s husband with the new case of trying to find a missing woman and baby. It never felt like there was too much going on and I was invested in both outcomes! There were countless twists and turns as well as plenty of page turning action that kept me hooked into the story and reading as fast as I could!

Jonas and Madison have been fantastic characters throughout the whole series and their slow burn romance has been building with expert timing and it was so fun to finally see them get together!

In short I completely enjoyed this book and highly recommend the whole series!

Meet the Author

Lisa Harris is a USA Today bestselling author, a Christy Award winner, and the winner of the Best Inspirational Suspense Novel from Romantic Times for her novels Blood Covenant and Vendetta. The author of more than forty books, including The Escape, The Chase, The Traitor's Pawn, Vanishing Point, A Secret to Die For, and Deadly Intentions, as well as The Nikki Boyd Files and the Southern Crimes series, Harris and her family have spent over 17 years living as missionaries in southern Africa. She is currently stateside in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Learn more at www.lisaharriswrites.com.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own. 

Fatal Code by Natalie Walters

About the Book

In 1964, a group of scientists called the Los Alamos Five came close to finishing a nuclear energy project for the United States government when they were abruptly disbanded. Now the granddaughter of one of those five scientists, aerospace engineer Elinor Mitchell, discovers that she has highly sensitive information on the project in her possession--and a target on her back.

SNAP agent and former Navy cryptologist Kekoa Young is tasked with monitoring Elinor. This is both convenient since she's his neighbor in Washington, DC, and decidedly inconvenient because . . . well, he kind of likes her.

As Elinor follows the clues her grandfather left behind to a top-secret nuclear project, Kekoa has no choice but to step in. When Elinor learns he has been spying on her, she's crushed. But with danger closing in on all sides, she'll have to trust him to ensure her discoveries stay out of enemy hands.

Natalie Walters sucks you into the global race for space domination in this perfectly paced second installment of her SNAP Agency romantic suspense series.

My Thoughts

I’m pretty sure that Natalie Walters improves with each book and this one was my favorite yet!

Kekoa was a fun character in book one but I wasn’t sure how he would transition into a leading man but he stepped into the role seamlessly. He was the quirky tech guy but he also was willing to step into danger to protect those close to him. I will admit that his Hawaiian surfer dude lingo was distracting to me at first (even though it was totally authentic to his character and where he was from) but eventually it grew on me enough that I didn’t even notice it by the end.

While Kekoa was techy, Elinor took nerdy to a whole new level, but she wore it well and it was actually super endearing on her. She was just one of those genuinely kind and sweet people and you couldn’t help but love her.

The two of them were really cute together and I enjoyed watching them start to fall for each other!

The intrigue and suspense was engaging and had me trying to figure things out until the end!

Definitely Walters’ best yet and I can’t wait for the next one!

Meet the Author

Natalie Walters is the author of Lights Out, as well as the Harbored Secrets series. A military wife, she currently resides in Texas with her soldier husband and is the proud mom of three. She loves traveling, spending time with her family, and connecting with readers on Instagram and Facebook. Learn more at www.nataliewalterswriter.com.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own. 

Out of the Blue by Susan L. Tuttle

About the Book

Falling in love again wasn’t on her checklist, but he’s about to pencil it in.⁣

Nate Reynolds’s ugly history has dogged him long enough. He has spent years reforming himself, but there has to be a purpose for all the pain in his youth. When he discovers the perfect campground for rehabbing juvenile delinquents, he sees his chance for redemption. Even if it means butting heads with the owner’s granddaughter, Gwen Doornbos, a woman who, for all her sharp edges, possesses a heart similar to his. The more time he spends with her, the more he envisions a future he once thought impossible.⁣

Four years ago, Gwen Doornbos lost her husband at the hands of a troubled teen. Her dream of ministering to kids died with him, and she returned home to help her grandfather run their family summer camp until his retirement. That day has finally arrived, except her grandfather has other plans for Camp Hideaway, and they include the irritatingly handsome Nate, a do-gooder with more brawn than sense who insists on bringing the past right to her door.⁣

When an accident requires Gwen to temporarily assist Nate, she discovers that the campers challenge her in ways she’s not ready to face. Yet if she can find the courage to stay, the darkness that has shrouded her for so long may lift to reveal a love arriving out of the blue.

My Thoughts

Anyone else get a little nervous when one of your favorite author’s releases a new book? I always get just a little worried that each new book just might be the one I don’t enjoy. But thankfully Susan Tuttle’s streak remains unbroken. This one didn’t unseat my favorites of hers but I still thoroughly enjoyed it! ⁣

Gwen was a tough nut to crack for sure. After facing unimaginable grief she had closed herself off and allowed bitterness and anger to to root and poison her outlook on what had once been her ministry. She came across very unlikable at first but I was also able to see through her pointed words to the hurt that lay underneath-not excusing her harshness but understanding what caused it. And I loved seeing her growth and softening as the story progressed. It wasn’t an easy journey but slowly she was able to release her anger and see things through eyes of grace.⁣

I absolutely loved Nate. He had the biggest heart and was willing to do whatever it took to help even just one kid. Yes, he was a little naive at moments but he truly wanted to give everyone a chance to prove they could be better. And I loved the way he gently prodded Gwen toward seeing the good as well. He also was endlessly patient with the kids and Gwen, guiding and pushing when needed but never forcing. And the respectful way he handled honoring Gwen’s late husband while carving space in her life for him was definitely well done. ⁣

Nate and Gwen were definitely opposites in most regards but they balanced each other out and were exactly what the other one needed. ⁣

I was thoroughly caught up in this story and, other than Gwen’s less than stellar moments, enjoyed every moment. I also really hope there will be some follow up books about certain characters!

Meet the Author

ACFW Carol Award finalist, Susan L. Tuttle lives in Michigan, the Mitten State, where she’s a mom of three and happily married to her best friend. Between homeschooling her youngest and leading the women’s ministry at church, she finds time to write stories filled with inspiration, hope, and encouragement. Connect with Susan at susanltuttle.com.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.