A Match for a Bookish Bride: a clean historical romance with a bit of mystery

A Match for a Bookish Bride is the first book in The Mystery Matchmaker of Ella Pointe series by Tess Thompson. In the spring of 1910, Amelia Young saw an advertisement in a Boston newspaper that would change her life. A wealthy family is in need of a secretary on Whale Island and this person must have an affinity for books. It fit her perfectly. When she is offered the position, she packs her merger belongings and travels to Washington state. Her new employer is Benedict Tutheridge. She didn’t expect him to be handsome or interesting but she knows that he would never see her as more than an employee. After the death of his father, Benedict is expected to run the family business. He fully expects his new secretary to be a man and is shocked when his new secretary is a beautiful woman. As the two work together, they find themselves drawn together. Do they risk their work relationship for something more? 

After reading the prequel, The Making of a Matchmaker, I was intrigued about the Tutheridge family and the matchmaker who would find their perfect matches, even the mystery behind the death of the Tutheridge patriarch. I enjoyed Amelia as a woman who pulled herself up from a poor beginning through hard work and her love of books. Benedict is a man who was tortured by his father and believes every horrible thing his father believed about him. However, it is when Amelia arrives, she begins to break out the falseness of what Benedict believes about himself. My heart broke for Benedict and I had my suspicions about his difficulties. The family dynamics were a great source of drama as they deal with their past and the situation surrounding their father’s death. Overall, I enjoyed this story and I am looking forward to the rest of the series. If you enjoy clean, historical romance, I recommend A Match for a Bookish Bride. 

A Match for a Bookish Bride is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Should Christians date to Marry?: Courtship, dating and my thoughts

The first time I heard the concept of courtship, I was in college and it was foreign to me. Courtship came to the national stage as a famous family burst into the homes of the world (and I do not need to name the family nor do I want to), many people, Christians and non-Christians, had opinions and questions. What is courtship? Courtship is the purposeful and intentional approach to finding a life partner rooted in Christian beliefs and values” (Evans Francis Organizations, 2023). A couple enter into a courtship agreement with the intention to marry at the end of the courtship. Courtship is supposed to set Christians apart from secular dating which may not have the ultimate goal of marriage. What are the biblical principles behind courtship? Why is courtship portrayed as an alternative to secular dating? What are my own thoughts on courtship? 

While the Bible is silent on exact courtship procedures, proponents use the examples of Ruth and Boaz, Jacob and Rachel, and Isaac and Rebekah as a guide. The biblical principles behind for Christian courtship can vary; however, here are a few common ones. First, the couple would seek God’s guidance and trust his timing. To pray for his wisdom, clarity and guidance for their relationship and ultimately their marriage. Proverbs 3:5-6 says “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” Second, the couple would seek to honor purity (1 Thessalonians 4:3-5). Clear physical and emotional boundaries are set. Sexual intimacy is saved for the covenant of marriage while other intimate contact, such as kissing, hand-holding and other contact may vary from couple to couple. Third, courtships usually involve the couple's families and older mentors. Families involvement can be seeking wisdom and guidance of trusted family members who can give valuable insights and accountability. Proverbs 15:22 says “plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.” 

Many proponents of courtship view the system as a better alternative to secular dating. For three reasons. First and foremost, the involvement of God. Courtship is a commitment to honor the Lord and his purpose in their lives (Psalm 9:10). The assumption is secular dating involves romantic interest with focus on immediate gratification with the desire Second, the intent. Christian courtship is grounded in the idea that dating should have a purpose. As mentioned before, proponents believe that dating should have the ultimate goal of finding a life partner, while claiming secular dating focuses on the present with no clear goal of long term commitment. “The nature of causal dating is usually to have fun with the responsibilities of commitment (Institute in Basic Life Principles). I highly disagree with this as many secular couples do dating with the goal of long term commitment. Does every relationship end in marriage? No and nor should they. And Christians are not “selfish, impulsive or immature” if they chose dating over courtship (Fielta, 2015). Third, physical boundaries are important in Christian courtship. Physical boundaries are set to maintain purity while secular dating can vary in terms of physical boundaries which are influenced by social norms. 
                                      

The rise of courtship came about in the late 1990s/early 2000s with the rise of purity culture. I don’t like the one size fits all approach that some churches propose because every relationship is different as each couple is different. Courtship isn’t a guarantee of a successful relationship. I knew couples who went through the courtship ritual and they were divorced within ten years. I wasn’t able to find exact statistics but one article reported that the divorce rate is high (Umstattd, 2014), which makes sense as the high involvement of fathers in the courtship continues after marriage which is direct violation of the leave and cleave principle (Genesis 2:24, Matthew 19:5). As a young adult in my 20s, I was very uncomfortable with the idea of courtship and I still am. My husband and I didn’t practice courtship; however, we did discuss certain boundaries and expectations continually. Healthy relationships are about making the most of our interactions with the opposite sex which leaves us with no regrets. The key is open communication about expectations and boundaries. We can still honor God in our dating relationships without adding all the extra rules and requirements. 

In conclusion, on its face, courtship seems to be a great dating process; however, courtship is not a right path for every Christian couple. While marriage is God ordained and blessed; however, not everyone is called to be married. Marriage and singleness are both gifts from God, each with its own purpose (1 Corinthians 7:7). To answer the ultimate question of courtship is should Christian date to marry? If marriage is your goal, then yes dating is the process which you discover if the other person is someone who you want to commit a lifetime to. Do you need to enter into a courtship? That is up to each individual couple. In my personal opinion, courtship is not necessary; however, if you feel you would struggle with physical intimacy boundaries and need the accountability, courtship might work for you. However, not all Christians need to follow this process. 

References

Evans Francis Organization (March 5, 2023). Biblical Principles for Christian Courtship. courtshiptomarriage.com/biblical-principles-for-christian-courtship/. Retrieved March 29, 2026. 

Fileta, Debra (March 1, 2015). 4 Reasons Christians Should Stop Pushing Courtship. True Love Dates. https://truelovedates.com/christians-should-stop-pushing-courtship/. Retrieved March 29, 2026. 

Institute in Basic Life Principles (no date). What is courtship? https://iblp.org/how-courtship-different-dating/. Retrieved March 29, 2026. 

Umstattd, Thomas (August 12, 2014). Why Courtship is Fundamentally Flawed. https://www.thomasumstattd.com/2014/08/courtship-fundamentally-flawed/. Retrieved March 29, 2026. 

The Island Club: three women in the 1950s, the game of tennis and a friend that will change their lives forever

The Island Club by Nicola Harrison is a story of friends among life struggles and secrets. 1956, Balboa Island, off the coast of California, is a place where life was perfect, at least on the surface. The lives of three women begin to fall apart, however,  their friendship and the game of tennis helps them build something stronger. Milly Kinkaid had hoped moving to Balboa would save her troubled marriage. She believed the move would help incentivize her husband to get home from work on time; but now sometimes he barely comes home at all. Sylvia Johnson is the society matriarch, and along with her husband, has become pillars of their community. Her new business venture, The Island Club, is a place where members could swim, play tennis, and dine in style. When she learns that her husband makes a financial decision that threatens everything. Adele Lambert is the standoffish loner on the island and lives in fear that her past would be revealed. 

I was eager to start this book as it was described as “unputdownable” and the cover is absolutely gorgeous. However, I found myself putting this book down often. I could not relate to any of these women, especially Milly. Milly is a mother with young kids. How do you not ask your four, almost five, year old child if they need to go to the bathroom and expect them to go when they need to. One, you are in a new place, did they even know where the bathroom was? Two, so what if a teenager was “watching” the kids, it is still your responsibility to check on your kids! The constant mentions of Elvis was annoying. I got it. It is 1956 and Elvis was the new and hot in music. Overall, the story is well written and I am just not the audience for this story. However, if the story intrigues you, I recommend checking out The Island Club.  

The Island Club is available in hardcover, eBook and audiobook

Last Kiss of Summer: heartbreaking young adult love story of one summer

Last Kiss of Summer by Jessica M. Fellerman is a heartbreaking young adult love story of one summer and a devastating turn. Sera Watkins and her family return to their summer house on Cape Cod after two years. She has one goal in mind: to stay away from the boy who broke her heart two years ago. Luke Tisdale is their next door neighbor and he literally has a piece of her heart. When Sera received a new heart as a baby, her healthy values of the old heart were given to Luke. They spent summer days on their secret beach, bonding over their physical connection as well as their mutual love of art and painting. Their friendship seemed like it was evolving into something more. Except one fateful night and a family secret sent Luke spiraling and broke Sera’s heart in the process. Now she is determined to pick Luke as a friend and nothing more. But when she receives devastating news, she is more determined to make this the summer to remember. 

Last Kiss of Summer is described as “A Walk to Remember meets Everything We Never Said.” While I have not read Everything We Never Said, I have read and seen the movie A Walk to Remember, so I was prepared for an emotional story. From the opening chapter to the closing pages, I was hooked on Sera and Luke’s story. My heart warmed at the tender romance between Sera and Luke and I stopped breathing as Sera suffered setbacks that made her future look grim. There was drama and life lessons with tender moments. Oh the tears that fell during the last couple chapters. I kept going back and reading again and again, thinking what just happened didn’t really happen. I closed the book with tears streaming down my face. This story isn’t just a story of summer love. It is a story of learning to truly live and embrace all the storms that life will bring in your path and yet find the joy and beauty in life itself. I highly, highly recommend Last Kiss of Summer. 

Last Kiss of Summer will be available in paperback, eBook and audiobook on April 28, 2026. 

To Bind Fire: an engaging fantasy as one young woman learns she is destined to save the world, a world she doesn't know

To Bind Fire is the first book in the Empire of Ash and Song trilogy by D.E. Carlson. Iris is thrust into a foreign world she has never known. She knows little about her past and even less about her heritage. The only life she has known is the remote mountain cabin she lived with her mother and brother. When a tragedy brings her down the mountain, she learns the land has been torn by war and is now ruled by the powerful Fire Emperor. She also learns she has a terrible power, a power that can save the world or burn it forever. Besaun is the Crown Prince of the Fire Empire who has no desire for the throne. He has no patience for all the bowing, scraping, and politics. He just wants to tinker with his inventions. Little do they know, they are both fated to save the world. 

I discovered D.E. Carlson on TikTok and I was intrigued by her fantasy books. I decided to start with To Bind Fire. It has been described as “Perfect for fans of the faith themes of the Chronicles of Narnia, the powerful writing style of A Court of Thorns and Roses, and the clean sweet romance of Caraval!” While I haven’t read A Court of Thorns and Roses or Caraval, I love the Chronicles of Narnia and looked forward to how Ms. Carlson weaved faith themes into her story. From the opening chapter to the closing pages, I was hooked on this story. There is action, adventure, intrigue and drama with a smidge of romance. I loved the faith elements with the fantasy magical system. While I was left with questions and suspicions, I can’t wait to finish the trilogy and Iris’s story. I highly, highly recommend To Bind Fire. 

To Bind Fire is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Liar's Dice: a coming of age historical fiction of one girls fight against all odds

Liar’s Dice by Juliet Faithfull is historical fiction, coming of age story of a teenage girl in 1970s Brazil who must learn to fight even against all odds. Dolores and Mita are identical twins who grew up in rural Brazil. At the age of seven, it is discovered that Mita has a degenerative condition and Dolores does not. By the age of 12, her condition becomes debilitating and suddenly, their parents send Mita to a hospital in their father’s native London and the family moves to Rio and begins to live an obstacle lifestyle. However, Dolores is miserable. She misses her sister, her small town and struggles in her new school. It all starts to change when she meets a brave, headstrong girl who shows Dolores a new side of Rio and how to survive. Soon tensions rise with the dictatorial government cracking down on protesters and dissenters. Dolores is determined to find the truth, discover where her sister and her own place in the world. 

I was looking forward to Liar’s Dice as it is a historical fiction which takes place in a different place and time that isn’t normally talked about. Liar’s Dice is described as a “heart-rending and hopeful” coming of age story as one young girl learns to form her own identity, the price of secrets and the courage to forge a different path. Dolores is a sympathetic character and I felt her pain and confusion. I liked the use of Portuguese phrases; however, I would have liked some form of translation in the context of the dialogue or description. Not a glossary at the end of the book which I didn’t know was there until I was finished. There were a lot of time jumps without explanation that pulled me out of the story at times. Overall, I did enjoy it, especially Dolores’s tenacity to find her sister and make sure Mita knows she is not forgotten. If you enjoy historical fiction, I recommend Liar’s Dice. 

Liar’s Dice will be available in paperback, eBook and audiobook on April 28, 2026. 

Long Road Home: a lost soul looking for redemption and the love that heals

Long Road Home is the first book in the Texas Redemption series by April Murdock. Mick Breeden is a lost soul. As a troubled teen, he was given a choice: prison or military. He chose the army and served honorably. The army became the only home he ever knew and he was forced to leave after an injury. With nowhere else to go, he heads home to the small town Texas where he didn’t know how well he would be welcomed. Hayley Samms loves living in her small town. She loves running the dinner she inherited from her beloved aunt and focuses her time and attention on its success. Then Mick walks back into her life. She sees the boy in the man before her with a dark storm raging in his eyes. Soon they are drawn together, spending time learning about each other/ Can Mick finally find redemption for his past and build a brighter future? 

Long Road Home has been previously published as Long Road Home for the Broken Ranger. It is a sweet, clean romance with plenty of drama and plenty of laughs. I loved Mick as a man who hasn’t left behind his past and struggles with civilian life. He doesn’t expect much when he arrives back in town but Hayley shows him that his past is not his future. I loved how Hayley wanted to help Mick get back on his feet and defended him against those who would hold his teenage transgressions against him. It was an easy read and I eagerly turned pages to follow Mick and Hayley’s story. There are a few events that were left open ended so I am intrigued to see how they play out in the rest of the series. Overall, I enjoyed this series and I am looking forward to the rest of this series. I recommend Long Road Home. 

Long Road Home is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook