Nehemiah: a study of prayer before action

Nehemiah is often remembered as the man who rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem after Israel’s exile to Babylon and helped renew the faith of the Israelites as they returned. He is the last of the Old Testament historical  books. His book records the history of the third return to Jerusalem. He saw a problem and set out to solve it. He organized, managed, supervised, and encouraged. He was met with opposition, confronted injustice and kept going until the job was done. He was a man of action; however, he was also a man of prayer. He came to God in prayer in many situations. Long, focused prayers and even brief, quick prayers before responding to questions or taking action. Through his story, we learn that prayers and action go hand in hand. Through prayer, God guides our preparation, teamwork and diligent efforts to carry out His will. What were his prayers? How can we model his example? 

In his first prayer, recorded in Nehemiah 1:5-11, occurs when he hears about the state that Jerusalem sits. After he fasts and mourns, he turns to God in prayer. There are elements to his prayer that we can model for our own prayers. First, he praises God. In verse 5, he prays “ O Lord, God of Heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and obey his commands.” Second, he seeks repentance. In verse 6b-7, he confesses “the sin we Israelites, including myself and my father’s house, have committed against you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.” Lastly, he prays for his specific request. In verse 11, he asks for favor as he brings his plans to the king. As the cupbearer for Artaxerxes, the king of Persia, Nehemiah had a great access to the king. To do what he wanted, he needed the king’s permission. Nehemiah asks that God work on the king’s heart to fulfill his request. In his prayer, Nehemiah recognizes God’s holiness and asks for a hearing, confesses his sins and asks for specific help. By including God in his plans and concerns, it prepared Nehemiah’s heart and gave God the room to work. The elements of his prayers are similar to the way Jesus teaches us how to pray during the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 6:9-13 and Luke 11:2-4). 

Not only did he pray before approaching the king, Nehemiah prayed before taking other action. In Nehemiah 2:4, Nehemiah prayed for strength before answering the king’s question. I picture the scene as Nehemiah brings the king his wine, his heart is heavy about the state of the city, and the king asks him what is troubling him. Before answering, he takes a deep breath and prays silently, “O Lord, give me strength.” How many times have you prayed quickly for strength, patience or favor? Prayer doesn’t always have to be on your knees and long. It can be the moment before you leave your car to go into work or school. It can be during the final steps before an important meeting or a big exam. It can be any moment when you need to call on God for help. Nehemiah’s plans were met with great opposition which resulted in threats. Instead of acting impulsively, Nehemiah prayed first. In Nehemiah 4:4-5, 9, he prayed for help against those who despised them and insulted their efforts. He prayed that their guilt or sin would not be erased from God’s sight (verse 5) and prayed before posting a guard to watch over the day’s work and meet with any threat that may come (verse 9). When the opposition and insults continued, Nehemiah prayed for strength to prove the opposition wrong (Nehemiah 6:9). Instead of running and hiding, he prayed for strength to continue doing what he knew God wanted him to do. We can do the same! 

Nehemiah prayed for favor and remembrance. In Nehemiah 5:19, he prayed “Remember me with favor, O my God, for all I have done for these people.” He wasn’t seeking recognition or reward from the people; but from God, for whom he did the work. Hebrews 6:10 tells us that “God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.” It is easy to be discouraged as we think our efforts are not being seen. While people may not see our efforts, God does and he will remember. Nehemiah prays for remembrance again in Nehemiah chapter 13, verse 14. 22, and 31. He prayed to be remembered for his faithful service (verse 14), to be shown mercy according to God’s great love (verse 22), and to be remembered with favor (verse 31). As he reflected on his efforts to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem and bring the people from captivity, he asked God to remember his works. As he worked, toiled, fought opposition, Nehemiah remembered it was for God that he worked. Philippians 4:6 tells us, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” We are to turn our worries into prayers, just as Nehemiah did, and our prayers can turn into action. 

In conclusion, Nehemiah was a man of prayer and action. He was a man who held a passion for God, a concern for God’s people and a zeal for the house of the Lord. He prayed before he took action. He prayed for guidance, for strength and for remembrance. Essentially, there was nothing he wouldn’t pray for. How often do we pour out our hearts to God? How often do we give him a specific request to answer? What stops us? Nehemiah did not let the impossible stop him from approaching God for help. We can do the same. In today’s society, prayer is often looked down on and seen as a cop out instead of real action. However, I have seen prayers answered many times in my life. While the world may scoff at your prayers, God does not. He listens and he responds. Let us follow Nehemiah’s example and be a people of prayer and action. 

Hello Little Girl: the fight to survive comes to the final showdown

 Hello Little Girl by Kay Bratt is the tenth book in the Hart’s Ridge series. The search for Lydia Grimes continues as new evidence provides proof she could still be alive. Caleb Grimes, her husband, is more determined than ever to bring her home. He won’t rest until he has her safe and sound or recovers her body for burial. Taylor is pulled from the search and given an opportunity to further her career and get the promotion she desires but it requires putting her career first and leaving her family behind for a period of time. A simple assignment quickly becomes a life and death situation. Meanwhile, Lydia becomes caught between the fight for her own freedom and the desire to protect another from the evil man who keeps them in captivity. Can she find the courage to save them both? As tensions and stakes rise, can Caleb, Taylor and Lydia find their own strength and determination to have the happy endings they are fighting for? 

I don’t think I have ever recently anticipated a book in a series as much as I waited for Hello Little Girl. Left with a bit of a cliffhanger in Blackbird, Hello Little Girl picks right off and keeps going. I was glued to the pages with pins and needles as the story unraveled. There were twists and turns and shocking revelations with one revelation I picked up on in Blackbird and waited for that shoe to drop! My jaw dropped a few times near the end. I am ecstatic to learn that there will be more stories in the series. Readers don’t have to say goodbye to Hart’s Ridge and the Gray Family just yet. If you have enjoyed the Hart’s Ridge series, you will love Hello Little Girl. If you haven’t started this series, you are missing out on an excellent series of intrigue, family, the fighting human spirit to survive. I highly, highly recommend Hello Little Girl and the entire Hart’s Ridge series. 

Hello Little Girl is available in paperback and eBook

Maria: a fictionalized look at the real Maria von Trapp and the making of The Sound of Music

Maria by Michelle Moran is a fictional novel based on the real story of Maria von Trapp. In the 1950s, Oscar Hammerstein was asked to write the lyrics to a new musical based on the life of a woman named Maria von Trapp. Intrigued by the inspirational story, and as one of the famous Rodgers and Hammerstein duo, he knows it will be Broadway gold. But with the war still fresh on the audience's mind, he is reluctant to show the horrors in their story. Everything is going well until Maria insists on a meeting with Hammerstein to demand he tell her story correctly. Instead of a meeting with the famous lyricist, she meets with Fran, his secretary, who takes notes as Maria recounts her story which contradicts the story being told in the new musical. Generations know her name and the musical but do they know the real Maria von Trapp? 

The Sound of Music is a beloved classic musical and film that inspired generations with the story of the would-be nun who fell in love and narrowly escaped from the Nazis. Maria is a story of love, love and difficult choices that life forces us to make. It is also a reminder that real life is much more complicated than the stories told by Hollywood. I have been a fan of the film musical since I was a child and I always knew that the musical doesn’t get everything right about the story of the von Trapps. Beyond the sweet, caring Maria in the musical, Maria von Trapp was a woman who lived through a tragic young life vowing to keep her family intact at all cost. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and if you love The Sound of Music, you will love Maria. I highly recommend checking it out. 

Maria will be available on July 30th in paperback, eBook and audiobook 

A Scarlet Cord: a contemporary Christian fiction with a bit of romance and mystery

A Scarlet Cord by Deborah Raney is a contemporary Christian fiction with a bit of romance and mystery. Four years ago, Melanie LaSalle lost her husband and was left with a newborn daughter and a bleak future. With the help of her loving in-laws, she is now managing the family design firm and caring for her daughter, Jerica. Romance and falling in love again were the last things on her mind until he walked into her life. Joel Ellington is a new staff member at her church and draws Melanie with his warm and friendly demeanor. However, there is something troubling about Joel. Despite her doubts, the two become closer. Then Joel suddenly disappears, along with the church’s funds and she cannot ignore her doubts any longer. Torn between her feelings and the mounting evidence against Joel, Melanie must decide to forget Joel or find a reason to trust him with her heart. 

Deborah Raney is known for heartfelt stories with romance, inspiration and a bit of suspense. A Scarlet Cord starts off strong, then quickly loses its way and rushes to the end. The story is very slow moving with unbelievable plot points and overall, I was bored. I found myself not caring for Melanie and her dilemma. I did feel for her grief and her reluctance to love again. I loved that her in-laws were supportive and caring for Melanie and Jerica. Joel was likable with a hidden past that he was reluctant to share. The end reveals why and I rolled my eyes. Sadly, it was a let down. There was a plot line that involved Jerica that only added to the unbelievable turn of events. Overall, I did not enjoy A Scarlet Cord. However, if you are a fan of Deborah Raney or contemporary Christian fiction, you may enjoy A Scarlet Cord. 

A Scarlet Cord is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook

The Whisper in Wind: an inspiring romance in a small town

The Whisper in Wind by Rachael Bloome is the sixth book in the Poppy Creek series. Lucy Gardener is ready to settle down and start her dream career. When her brother, Jack, asks her to help document the town’s fall festivals for a promotional video for the Whispering Winds Inn, she looks forward to it. However, she was not prepared to share the task with Vick Johnson, the brooding former marine and her secret crush. Vick has one foot out the door. He always knew his time in Poppy Creek would be temporary and while he has plans to leave, the close-knit community is making it difficult to leave. Especially Lucy with her bright smile. With their obvious connection, will Lucy and Vick take a chance on a happily ever after? 

I truly love this series and I wish Poppy Creek was a real town I could visit and maybe even live. I loved the close knit community friendships. In an uplifting style, The Whisper in Wind is an inspiring romance story with the characters’ finding a purpose and a home. I could not put this book down as Lucy and Vick struggle with their sense of purpose and trying to find their place in the world. Their journeys as individuals and as a potential couple was sweet and heartwarming. I loved that they connected over the love of a book. There were sweet moments throughout the story and I cannot wait for the rest of the series. I highly recommend The Whisper in Wind and the previous books in the Poppy Creek series. 

The Whisper in Wind is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Cruising on Ice: a friends to lovers, hockey romance

Cruising on Ice by Kerry Evelyn is the first book of the Palmer City Voltage series. Taylor Ranford did not expect to be on a cruise with her longtime crush. When her sister suddenly becomes ill, Kingston Brewster agrees to go with her. As the season was over, Kingston had a bunch of free time on his hands, so why wouldn't he spend the time with her. After all, she has always been there for him and even helped him through his playing slump. Neither realize that the other holds feelings beyond friendship. Their five day cruise brings them closer and they have an amazing time together. When the career making call that he has been waiting for comes, Kingston realizes that it’s now or never. He needs to tell Taylor about his feelings but still he hesitates. Could revealing his feelings break both their hearts? 

I am fairly new to the hockey romance genre and I looked forward to this friends to lovers, hockey romance. I enjoyed Taylor as she was bubbly and positive and Kingston, as the fun, handsome hockey player. While I was a bit disappointed that there is little hockey in the story itself, the cruise was a different setting. They meet fun and colorful characters on the cruise and I enjoyed the slow transition from friends to lovers. They had tons of chemistry and I could easily see them as a couple. There were great fun moments and sweet romantic moments. It is a predictable romance but sweet and the story flowed well. I didn’t like the miscommunication break up near the end but the makeup was sweet. Overall, I enjoyed this story. If you enjoy friends to lovers, hockey romance, I recommend Cruising on Ice. 

Cruising on Ice is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Fate be Changed: what if Merida took the spell instead?

Fate Be Changed by Farrah Rochon is the latest addition to The Twisted Tale series. What if Merida received a different spell? As a princess of Clan DunBroch, Merida knows she has certain requirements and obligations. She begrudgingly follows through each one until the topic of her betrothal is brought up. She finds herself in a battle of wills with her mother, Queen Elinor. Merida follows the wisps to a hidden witch’s cottage. There she is given a spell in the form of a pastry to give to her mother. However, Merida eats the pastry herself and finds herself in the past. To a time when the Clans MacCameron and DunBrich are bitter enemies and teenage Elinor is betrothed to another and has not met Fergus DunBroch. Merida now races against time to bridge the rival clans, get her parents to fall in love and return to her own time. 

Fate Be Changed is a great addition to the Twisted Tale series. Brave (2012) is one of my favorite Pixar movies and I looked forward to reading this twisted tale. From the opening chapter to the closing pages, this story is a wild adventure. As with the movie, in this story, there is more than just the changing of Queen Elinor to see Merida’s point of view. Merida sees her parents as more than just her parents with their rules and regulations. She begins to see her mother as a young girl who fought her own battles for the life she wanted. She also realizes that there’s more to her parents and her family that she did not know. There is the added drama of a plot against the king and Elinor and Merida must expose the plot to save their futures. I enjoyed and highly recommend Fate Be Changed. 

Fate Be Changed is available in hardcover and eBook

Secrets at the Last House Before the Sea: returning home and confronting the past

Secrets at the Last House Before the Sea by Liz Eeles is the first book in the Heaven’s Cove series. After the death of her mother, Rosie Merchant is back in the tiny seaside village of Heaven’s Cove and her childhood home, Driftwood House. Her goal is to get the house ready to rent and head back to her boyfriend and her real life. When local farmer Liam Satterley offers to help her clean up the house, she can’t refuse. In the attic, she discovers a faded photograph that will have her questioning everything she thinks she knows. What are Liam's true intentions? Will the truth be the final wedge between her and Heaven’s Cove? Or will she find that she can finally feel at home by the sea? 

Pulled in by a beautiful cover and an intriguing premise, I looked forward to Secrets at the House Before the Sea. A tiny village on the Irish shore with a mystery and secrets that would rival a big city. Secrets at the Last House Before the Sea is a bit predictable with its conflicts and their resolutions. I can easily see the life changing decisions that Rosie makes and everything wrapping up by the end of the story. While predictable, it wasn’t a bad story. It was actually enjoyable and I enjoyed seeing Rosie’s search for the truth and her growth as she confronts the past and considers her future. Overall, I enjoyed this story and recommend Secrets at the Last House Before the Sea. 

Secrets at the Last House Before the Sea is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Just Don't Fall: a fun, clean sports romance

Just Don’t Fall by Emma St Clair is the first book in the Sweater Weather series. Parker Douglas grew up with Logan Barnes, her brother’s best friend, and her first crush. But he broke her heart when he left town. Now he’s back as he was forced to play for Harvest Hollow’s minor league team. Recovering from an injury and bad press, Logan is biding his time until he can return to the NHL. As the team’s social media manager, Parker will be working with him daily as she creates TikTok videos and fun team highlights. She's determined to keep their relationship professional. However, one conservation with her father leads to a fake relationship with Logan, she realizes her old crush never died. Parker starts to think her feelings aren’t one-sided, but Logan isn’t staying, right? 

Just Don’t Fall is a sweet, clean romance with humor and great banter. There are also moments of drama as Parker stands up for herself and demands her own path in life, love and career. As well as Logan, who is hiding deep hurts that led to the way he left town in the first place. I loved the relationship development between Logan and Parker. The teasing, the deep talks and the fun competition between them was like watching a rom-com movie. This story is an easy read as it kept my attention and flowed freely from the page. Overall, I enjoyed this book as Just Don’t Fall is a great and fun weekend read. I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series. If you enjoy sweet, clean sports romance, I highly recommend Just Don’t Fall. 

Just Don’t Fall is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

A Familiar Stranger: a mystery, psychological thriller with many twists and turns

A Familiar Stranger by AR Torre is a mystery, psychological thriller. Lillian Smith leads an ordinary life. She writes obituaries, posts tweets about mysterious deaths and deals with her inattentive husband and a disconnected son. When she meets David, a handsome stranger, in a coffee shop, she can’t help but invent a new persona and lures herself into an affair. With no strings and with the excitement she is missing and craves. She has never felt so reckless and wanted but as her affair intensifies, she begins to ignore everything else in her life. When her affair finds its way to her son’s social media, everything she has worked for is at risk. With lie after lie, her world spins out of control. What she doesn’t realize is she isn’t the only one leading a double life. 

A Familiar Stranger is an interesting mystery with a few twists and turns that lead to an unexpected culprit. Every character is hiding behind walls of lies and deceit. And no character being worthy of redemption with their comeuppance waiting in the wings, there were many moving parts and secrets at play. The timeline follows before, during and after a death, it is a slow burn at first until the victim and the suspects spin at high speed to cover their tracks. Who is the victim? Why were they killed?  Who is the killer? Will they be discovered or will they get away with the murder? The ending was surprising. Overall, I enjoyed this story and look forward to other works by Ms. Torre. If you enjoy mystery, psychological thrillers, I recommend A Familiar Stranger. 

A Familiar Stranger is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook. 

Catching Quinn: a enemies to lovers, sport romance

Catching Quinn by Jennifer Bonds is the second book of the Waverley Wildcats series. Quinn Mowery is determined to lose her virginity. She is on a mission and focused. What she didn’t account for was Copper DeLaurentis, a teammate and friend of her brother’s. With his misguided sense of bro code, he is constantly putting an end to her possible hookups. He seems to think it is his mission to keep her from hers. As Waverly’s star wide receiver, Cooper is also the most notorious player on campus. He’s arrogant and sexy as hell. However, Quinn is no pushover and two can play this game. As the two go toe to toe, they become friends and learn about each other's dreams, hurts and plans for the future. Neither factored in falling in love. 

Catching Quinn is a fun, sweet romance with dramatic heartbreaking moments and heartwarming scenes. The events of this story occur alongside with the events of the first book, Claiming Carter (which I highly recommend). I love Quinn as a quirky college student who is trying to find herself and sense of purpose. Cooper is dealing with a painful past and a family dynamic that he hides from the rest of the world. Cooper shows Quinn that she is worth more than just random, meaningless hookups. Quinn shows Cooper that he is not doomed to repeat the patterns of the past. There was great banter, tearful moments and a great grand gesture. I am looking forward to the rest of the series. If you enjoy enemies to lovers, sports romance, I highly recommend Catching Quinn. 

Catching Quinn is available in paperback and eBook

Even Forever: a clean historical romance with action, drama and heart

 Even Forever by Robin Lee Hatcher is the first book in the Boulder Creek series. Rosalie Tomkin wanted nothing to do with men and marriage. Her abusive father and lazy brother were prime examples that men could not be trusted. She plans to leave Boulder Creek as soon as she can. Michael Randolph is in a high stakes competition with his half-brother for control of the family hotel business. He has been sent to Boulder Creek to oversee the construction of a new hotel. When an innocent encounter leads to a shotgun wedding, Rosalie and Michael agree to a marriage of convenience. One year and they would go their separate ways. However, when her greedy father won’t leave her alone, Michael finds himself risking it all to protect Rosalie, especially his heart. Can he prove to her that all men are not like her father and brother? Will Rosalie be willing to risk her heart as well? 

Even Forever is a clean historical romance with plenty of action, drama and heart. I was quickly drawn into Rosalie and Michael’s story as the big city man falls for the small town country girl and finds new meaning in his life. Their romance was so sweet as Rosalie wanted to protect her heart and Michael wanted to show her she was worthy of so much more than she had before. I could not put the book down as her nasty father caused more and more trouble and my heart melted as they confessed their love to each other. There were twists and turns that took me by surprise and I eagerly read to find out how it all resolved. Even Forever is a story that reminds us that God’s blessings come in surprising and unexpected ways. I look forward to reading more in this series. If you enjoy clean historical romance, I highly recommend Even Forever. 

Even Forever is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

The Faith in Flowers: a second chance romance with heart and small town charm

The Faith in Flowers is the fifth book in the Poppy Creek series by Rachael Bloome. Olivia Parker returns home for her brother, Grant’s wedding. She decides to keep her divorce secret so as to not ruin the big day. Confirmed bachelor Reed Hollis has never forgotten the only woman to capture his heart and he also hasn’t forgotten that she is married. Believing Olivia is happily married, he buried himself into cultivating his beautiful blooms and keeping his distance. When the original wedding venue becomes unavailable, Olivia and Reed are brought together to help plan the wedding with a new venue. As the two work together, they are confronted with their feelings as well as their fears and painful secrets. Can their love bloom with a little faith? 

I love the Poppy Creek series and The Faith in Flowers is a great addition to it. It is a sweet, clean romance with plenty of heart and the small town charm. A second chance for Olivia and Reed find themselves face to face after so many years and discovering their past feelings are alive and well. I love the themes of love, grace and forgiveness and that even the most beautiful flowers bloom from the dirt. We are not bound to our past mistakes as we build for a brighter future. Reed and Olivia are so sweet as they banter as friends and confide in each other before ultimately confessing their love. I look forward to continuing the series. I highly recommend The Faith in Flowers and the Poppy Creek series. 

The Faith in Flowers is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Twisted Lies: a fake dating romance with a morally grey character

Twisted Lies is the fourth and final book in the Twisted series by Ana Huang. Christian Harper is charming, deadly and smart enough to hide it. He is a ruthless monster parading as a gentleman in a three piece suit. Morals just get in the way and love is a useless emotion, however, he can’t deny the attraction toward a woman he barely knows. He can’t afford a weakness and yet, he has one. Stella Alonso is sweet, shy and introverted despite her very public fashion blog and media presence. Busy with her career and other responsibilities, she has very little time for a relationship, despite being a romantic at heart. When a threat from her past returns, Stella finds herself turning to Christian for help. He suggests a fake dating agreement which would be mutually beneficial. However, when their relationship becomes very real that their original agreement, based on a lie and twisted with secrets, that could shatter everything.

 Twisted Lies is a steamy, medium to slow burn fake dating romance. Christian is a morally gray character who closes himself off to any emotions and the only person that seems to be able to invoke any emotions for him is Stella. Twisted Lies is my second favorite book in this series. I enjoyed Stella’s growth the most as she learns to stand up for herself and her dreams. She struggled with anxiety due to her overachieving family and I loved how Christian shows her that success doesn’t follow a certain formula. While Christian was a hard character to like, however, as he opens up to Stella, he is revealed to be deeply wounded. I also enjoyed his banter with the men of the Twisted series, especially Alex and Rhys. Overall, I loved the slow burn and the build up to Christian and Stella breaking the rules of their arrangement. If you have enjoyed the Twisted series, I recommend Twisted Lies. 

Twisted Lies is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

A Whole New World: what if Jafar got Genie's lamp first?

A Whole New World by Liz Braswell is a part of the Disney Hyperion A Twisted Tale series. What if Jafar got the lamp first? When Jafar finally obtains the Genie’s lamp, he uses his first two wishes to become sultan and the most powerful sorcerer in the world. Agrabah lives in fear as Jafar still has his third and final wish to make. To stop the madman, Aladdin and Princess Jasmine must find a way to unite the people of Agrabah and fight back. With the network of Agrabah’s thieves, they start to thwart Jafar’s plans. Will the Street Rat become a leader? A princess, a revolutionary? It all starts with the question: what if Jafar was the first to summon the Genie? 

I love the Twisted Tale series and A Whole New World is a great twisted story. With the beginning following fairly closely with the beloved Disney film, the twist occurs and the story turns gritty, dark and a thrilling ride to the very end. The story also adds elements of the Genie’s origins and history that was absent from the original movie. A Whole New World is my fourth book of this series and I cannot wait to read the rest. My only complaint is the ending seemed rushed and it was over quickly despite the build up. However, I thoroughly enjoyed this twisted story. If you love the Disney stories and want to experience a twisted tale, I highly recommend A Whole New World. 

A Whole New World is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Twisted Hate: the ultimate enemies to lovers romance

Twisted Hate is the third book in the Twisted series by Ana Huang. Josh Chen and Jules Ambrose have a hate-hate relationship. As a gorgeous, cocky and on track to becoming a doctor, Josh has been able to charm any woman he wanted, that is until Jules. As one of his sister’s best friends, she has been a thorn in his side that he must tolerate for his sister’s sake. However, he always finds Jules entering his thoughts in ways he didn’t expect. When their animosity results into one unforgettable night, Josh proposes a frenemies with benefits arrangement with three simple rules. No jealousy. No strings attached and absolutely no falling in love. Jules thinks easy peasy because, despite being incredibly handsome, Josh is insufferable. However, she soon realizes there is more to Josh than meets the eye. When demons from her past catch up with her, Jules soon sees that her best friend’s brother, her nemesis, may be her salvation as well. 

Twisted Hate is the ultimate enemies to lovers romance. Josh and Jules only have one thing in common: his sister Ava. That and their mutual goal to take the other down a peg or two. The banter between Josh and Jules from the previous books was only the beginning. It fuels into a full blaze in Twisted Hate. And yet there were tender moments as their hearts soften toward each other. Their spicy scenes were a bit uncomfortable at times. I enjoyed their banter and tender moments more especially toward the end as they acknowledged their new feelings for each other. Huge warning with this book. It does contain explicit content, profanity and other sensitive topics. There were a few moments that were difficult to read. It is recommended for 18+ readers and I concur. Overall, I enjoyed this story, even though it is not my favorite of the series. If you have enjoyed the first two books of the Twisted series, I recommend Twisted Hate. 

Twisted Hate is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook