Love from Afar: a short but sweet Christian romance

Love from Afar is the first book in the Love Letters from Ellis Creek by Penny Zeller. In the frontier town of Ellis Creek in 1880s Montana Territory, Meredith Waller has quite the reputation as a wedding dress seamstress. However, she is never the bride and with the low number of suitable bachelors, she is resigned that she never will. Gabe Kleeman has returned to town after three. However, his administration for Meredith never wavered. However, he is unsure how to let his feelings known. Tillie and Lula are best friends. Best friends who are tired of watching their older siblings admire each other from afar. So they hatch a plan to bring their siblings together. It’s all for a good cause. Can they bring these two lonely hearts together? 

Love from Afar is a short but sweet Christian romance. With faith, humor and two pint sized matchmakers, I quickly read this story. I smiled at Tillie and Lula’s antics and their plan to bring their siblings together and later their bargaining skills when someone finds out. I loved how Gabe found the words to say what was in his heart. I sympathized with Meredith as she tried to keep the faith that God had someone for her and yet couldn’t see how that would happen in their small town. I loved the two of them together. Overall, I enjoyed this story and I look forward to reading more in this story. If you enjoy a quick story for a cozy afternoon of reading, I recommend Love from Afar. 

Love from Afar is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

The Sidelined Wife: does she get back in the game or does she stay on the sideline?

The Sidelined Wife is the first book in the More than a Wife series by Jennifer Peel. Samantha Higgins heard her husband’s conversation by accident through his car’s bluetooth and now she is divorced and at loose ends. She writes on a blog post that goes viral and she reinvites herself as The Sidelined Wife. Life becomes a bit more interesting when her younger brother’s best friend, Reed Cassidy, moves back to town as her son’s new head football coach. Reed was an adolescent annoyance and has harbored a crush for Samantha for years. However, Samantha isn’t looking to date, not even the attractive younger man. As she navigates the single life, Reed makes her wonder if she wants back in the game or if she prefers the sidelines. 

The premise of the book was intriguing that I was excited to dive in. However, from the get go, I was annoyed by Samantha. Her internal monologues were annoying and eyerolling. Her constant complaining about the unfairness of not being represented in the name of the family business, her grandmother’s scorn for her divorce, and how horrible Reed was in the past. Her grandmother throwing holy water on her was supposed to be a funny gag but I cringed and rolled my eyes from the first time it happened. I did like the relationship between Samantha and her teenage son. The romance between Samantha and Reed was disappointing. Her constant worrying about their age difference was tiresome. Overall, I did not enjoy this story. I will not be continuing the series. I do not recommend The Sidelined Wife. 

The Sidelined Wife is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

The Contract: two best friends and a marriage of convenience

The Contract is the fifth book in the Brides of Beaufort series by Jess Mastorakos. Zoe Katsaros and Chase Mitchell are fellow Marines and best friends especially after they were on deployment together. His family is about to lose everything and he can’t send extra money home. Her family is pushing for marriage to a Greek man she doesn’t like or love. Thanks to dual military benefits and his willingness to embrace her Greek family’s traditions, Zoe suggests a marriage of convenience as the answer to their problems. They discuss terms and set their plan into motion. However, married life isn’t all they thought it would be, even to a best friend. Their arrangement started out as a means to an end; however, Chase will do everything he can to make it much, much more. 

When I started Chase and Zoe’s story, I wasn’t sure I would like it as well as I did the previous books. It did have a different vibe than the others. However, there were a lot of deep issues present in the story and I cheered for them and ended up falling in love with their story. Parental expectations. Family traditions and culture. And responsibility of adult children to their parents. I loved how strong Zoe was as she loved her family, her culture and their traditions but deep in her heart, she wanted something more than an arranged marriage. I wanted to hug Chase as he struggled helping his parents and I was angry on his behalf when he learned the truth. What is the truth? You’ll have to read the story to find out. I highly, highly recommend The Contract. And if you haven’t started this series, what are you waiting for? 

The Contract is available in paperback and eBook

Releasing 10: young love that blossoms into a deep bond but can it survive the tests of life

Releasing 10 is the sixth book in the Boys of Tommen series by Chloe Walsh. Lizzie Young has always been “too much.” Diagnosed with bipolar disorder at a young age, she never really fit in anywhere. Not her family. Not her community. Not with her friends or in school. Like any child, she just wants to be accepted and loved, with very few on her side, she carries her secrets alone. That is until she meets a kind boy on the school bus and everything changes. Hugh Biggs is a young man beyond his years with a sharp mind and a firm code of ethics, he finds himself drawn to Lizzie with an intense sense of protection. Lizzie finally finds a group of friends and a tenuous sense of belonging. With a bond that grows through their teen years, Lizzie and Hugh’s chemistry grows with a potent love and a connection that goes soul deep. However, their love is shaken by forces and circumstances beyond their control. Can their love within stand the tests that most adults would buckle under? 

I love the Boys of Tommen series and while the series tackles serious topics like childhood abuse, sexual abuse, self-harm, mental illness and suicide, these characters are worth reading such hard topics. Hugh and Lizzie have been on the sidelines since the beginning with little tidbits as to their story, Releasing 10 dives deeper into their history and how they got to where they are when readers first meet them. My heart broke for Lizzie as she struggled with mental illness. My heart also broke for Hugh as he tried to be strong for Lizzie while longing to be a regular teen. I am looking forward to reading the continuation of their store. While the book is categorized as a young adult fiction by the publisher, the topics covered in this series are not suitable for readers under the age of 18. If these topics are too sensitive for you, I do not recommend reading Releasing 10 or the rest of the series. However, if you can handle these topics, I highly, highly recommend Releasing 10. 

Releasing 10 is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

The Fake Date: an arrangement to fulfill a promise and keep matchmakers at bay

The Fake Date is the fourth book in the Brides of Beaufort by Jess Mastorakos. Beau Devereux is a Marine with a side hustle. Mr Fake Date, a business in which women can hire him to be a date for weddings. He has strict rules. No feelings. Kissing is extra. Everything was going great until his father forced him to make a promise to find something real. Lyndi Robinson is the beautiful yet bookish woman who caught his eye a year ago. When she needs a fake date for an upcoming family wedding, he offers his services. They can pretend to be dating to satisfy his father’s promise and keep her family’s matchmakers away. As they begin their charade, Beau realizes she could be the one. But he is determined to be her fake date and walk away. He has to. He doesn’t want to fall in love and lose her like he lost everyone else. 

To say I am loving this series would be an understatement. And Jess Mastorakos is quickly becoming a must-read author for me. Great characters with flaws, of course, handsome military men are always a plus. The Fake Date dives deeper into the fear of loss, social anxiety and escaping reality. I loved that the mutual attraction between Beau and Lyndi was shown in the first book and carried on through the second and third book even though neither Beau and Lyndi were willing to act on their feelings. The growth of Beau and Lyndi in this story was great. I loved Beau who was closed off for a purpose, although he really didn’t want to be but felt he had to to protect his heart. I loved the bookish Lyndi, but there were times I wanted to shake some sense into her. Overall, I loved this story. I’m ready to jump right into book five. I highly, highly recommend The Fake Date. 

The Fake Date is available in paperback and eBook

Thaddeus: the disciple with the heartfelt question

Thaddeus, also known as Judas, son of James is another disciple that little is known about. His occupation isn’t mentioned in the scriptures, his characteristics aren’t highlighted. Other than being listed among the Twelve Disciples, Thaddeus fades into the crowd, witnessing Jesus’s miracles, listening to his teachings and following his instruction. The major event in which he is singled out is during the Last Supper, when he asked Jesus a question. What is the situation in which Thaddeus comes into the spotlight? What was his question? Did Jesus answer him? Can we bring our own questions to God and get the answers we seek? 

He is known as Thaddeus to distinguish him from Judas Iscariot. In John 14, Jesus is teaching during the Last Supper, preparing them for his departure. In verses 15-21, he is promising the Holy Spirit will come to them and be a Counselor and live with them forever. He will reveal himself to those who love him and keep his word. Thaddeus asks in verse 22, “But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?” Jesus stops his teaching to answer in verses 23-24, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own, they belong to the Father who sent me.” Jesus then continues his teaching on the Holy Spirit. 

There are three parts to Thaddeus’ motivation behind his question. First, his question shows compassion for the world, wanting everyone to know Jesus. It reveals a man who has a selfless desire for the world to have the same opportunity as the disciples to know and follow Jesus. Second, Thaddeus had curiosity and an eagerness to learn and his desire for a deeper understanding of Jesus’s plan for the world. Lastly, his question also shows his comfortable relationship with Jesus. Thaddeus felt comfortable enough to question his Lord’s actions. To interrupt the teaching and ask a direct, honest question that was on his heart. Just as there were three parts to Thaddues’s motivation, there are three parts to Jesus’s response. First, love and obedience. Manifestation is related to love and obedience to him (John 14:23). Only those who love and obey Jesus’s teachings will know Jesus and the Father. Second, the indwelling presence. With love and obedience, the Father and Jesus will make their home with each believer (John 14:23). This indicates a unique relationship based on love and obedience. Lastly, implied rejection of the world. The wider world, lacking love and obedience, would not be ready for the same divine revelation and manifestation (John 14:24). 

In his book, Twelve Ordinary Men (2002), John MacArthur described Thaddeus as a “gentle soul with a tender, childlike heart.” His question shows a heart for the wider world. He wanted everyone to know Jesus. Thaddeus is a great example that we should hesitate to ask our questions. Questions that are crafted to gain knowledge, insight and understanding of the many difficult issues we encounter in the scriptures are welcomed. It shows our desire to live out Jesus’s teachings. There are many individuals asking their questions to God. From prophets like Jeremiah and Habakkuk, to King David, these men brought their questions to God. James 1:5 says that “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.” Jesus tells us to ask and it will be given to us (Matthew 7:7). We can approach the throne with confidence to ask our questions (Hebrews 4:16). We do not need to stumble in the dark, hoping to discover the answers to our questions. We can come to God with our heartfelt questions and he promises to provide the answers we seek. 

In conclusion, even though little is known about Thaddeus, we can learn an important lesson from his question. We can bring our questions. We can question God about the things we do not understand. God wants our questions. Like a child who goes to his parents with his questions, God wants us to come to Him. When our heart truly seeks the answers, God will lovingly answer us for he gives wisdom and from his mouth comes understanding and knowledge (Proverbs 2:6). God promises that we may not understand fully now; but one day, we will know in full (1 Corinthians 13:12). 

Talking with Your Kids about God: a great resource to have those important conversations

Talking With Your Kids about God: 30 Conversations Every Christian Parent Must Have by Natasha Crain is another great tool to have the all important conversations about God. In a world that is increasingly skeptical and hostile, Christian parents find themselves fighting hard to pass along their faith to their children, becoming overwhelmed and discouraged. How do parents answer their children’s simple and yet complicated questions? Natasha Crain provides a resource that helps parents and the adults in children’s lives have those important conversations and answer the questions about the existence of God, the science of God, the nature of God, what it means to believe in God and the difference God makes in our lives. With step-by-step conversation guides with discussion questions and tips, Talking With Your Kids about God is great for parents, grandparents, or anyone who has questions about how to have informed conversations about God. 

Talking With Your Kids about God is organized in a way that allows for cumulative learning experiences, as the chapters build on each other. Ms. Crain does not shy away from the skeptical questions and objections. She answers each one intellectually with clarity and simplification. I enjoyed that she uses conversational experiences from her own life and her children. I appreciated that she also included additional reading for further investigation and discussion. Overall, I gained a lot of insight about how to talk about what I believe, why I believe it with the resources to show it. Despite the heavy topics of God and the skeptical objections, this book was fairly easy to read and a resource I will keep on hand. I highly, highly recommend Talking With Your Kids about God for anyone who wants or needs an insight on how to have these conversations in an informative and practical way. 

Talking With Your Kids about God: 30 Conversations Every Christian Parent Must Have

is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook