The Sermon on the Mount: a powerful message that is often misquoted and misunderstood

The Sermon on the Mount, featured in Matthew 5-7, is a message of love, compassion, and selflessness. Teaching over several days, Jesus encourages his listeners to love their enemies, to forgive others and to care for the poor. Beginning in Matthew 5 with the Beatitudes, which offer guidance on how to live a blessed life pleasing to God, the Sermon on the Mount was a radical teaching. It is a call to live wholeheartedly for God through faith not just the external actions of keeping the law. It is not just a list of rules to follow but a call to live under grace and experience the blessings and rewards of a Christ-like life. It is a call to make a difference in the world. It is taught and quoted often. However, verses of the Sermon of the Mount contain some of the most misquoted and misunderstood passages. From anger and lust, to prayer and the most famously misquoted and misunderstood, judge not. 

Anger and Lust, two sins that begin in the mind before leading to sinful actions. Jesus discusses anger in Matthew 5:21-27 with the bold statement that anyone who hates his brother will face judgment just as someone who murders another will face judgment (Matthew 5:21-22). Anger is a sin as it violates God’s command to love. It is the seething, burning anger. It is the brooding anger that builds resentment and bitterness. The anger may be justified; however, harboring it in our hearts and minds can lead to damaging effects. While anger may be justified, we are not to harbor it in our hearts as it can control us instead of us controlling it. Jesus tells us to reconcile with those who anger us (Matthew 5:23-24). After discussing anger, Jesus immediately jumps to lust. Telling his audience that anyone who lusts after another has already committed adultery in his heart (Matthew 5:28). The desire or the thought of possible sex with someone who isn’t your spouse is sinful. To be truly faithful is to be faithful in body and mind. Wrong desires can lead to wrong actions which damages our relationship with God and with others. When Jesus says it is better to lose a part of your body than to be thrown in hell (Matthew 5:29). He is speaking figuratively. It is better to experience the pain of removing the habit or the desire for sin than allow the sin to bring judgment on our souls. 

In Matthew 6:5-15, Jesus teaches on prayer. Right off the bat, Jesus tells us not to be like the hypocrites and make prayer a big show (verse 5). The essence of prayer is a private communication with God, not a public declaration. There is a place for public prayer, however, do not pray simply for others to notice you. This type of prayer indicates that people are your intended audience and not God. Everyone is familiar with the Lord’s Prayer (verses 9-13). It is an example of how we can pattern our prayers. First, praying for God’s work in the world (verse 10), is not a resignation to fate but for the accomplishment of His perfect purpose in this world and in heaven. Second, praying for our daily needs (verse 11) acknowledges God as the provider and sustainer of our daily lives. Lastly, praying for God’s help in our daily struggles (verse 12-13) as we seek forgiveness and deal with temptations. Asking Him to “lead us not into temptation,” is asking God to help us recognize our temptations and the strength to overcome them. In verses 14-15, Jesus gives a firm warning: be unforgiving to others and God will be unforgiving to you. By denying forgiveness, we are denying the common ground that all sinners need God’s forgiveness. And a spirit of unforgiveness often hurts us more than the person sinned against us. As it builds a spirit of anger and bitterness. Forgiveness does not mean forgetting. It means letting go. 

Many people quote Matthew 7:1, focusing on three words of verse 1, “Do not judge,” and claim “you can’t judge me” and yet ignores the rest of the verses. Jesus tells us that we will be judged in the same manner that we judge others (verse 2-3). He is speaking to those who judge with hypocrisy. Don’t judge someone’s sinful nature while ignoring your own sins. We are to fix our own sins before judging and confronting others (verses 3-5). “Do not judge” is against the hypocritical attitude that divides instead of forgives and unites. It is not a blanket statement against all judgment. It is a call to be discerning rather than negative. To be discerning is to have or show good judgment. For example, first, examining Bible teachers and calling out the false ones (Matthew 7:15-20). Second, trusting God to be the final judge (1 Corinthians 4:3-5). While we may be justified in our judgment, correcting our brothers and sisters in Christ, however, we only know in part. God knows in full. We need to trust Him to be Judge. Lastly, correcting someone in love. In 2 Timothy 2:24-25, Paul instructs us to be kind, gentle and teach or correct without resentment and in hope that God will lead others to repent with the knowledge of the truth. Truth from a friend, while hurtful, is better than an enemy who lets us live in sin (Proverbs 27:5-6). So, judge without hypocrisy and correct in love. 

In conclusion, there is so much in the Sermon on the Mount that I wasn’t able to cover. It is an important message to Christians, to focus on love, compassion and selflessness. A message that heartfelt observance is more important than a legalistic observance. Anger and lust are powerful feelings. Beginning in the mind, unchecked, can lead to sin. Prayer is the most important communication method with God. While public prayer is acceptable, remember you are speaking to God, a holy activity, not a method to get attention from others. Prayers don’t have to be fancy or repeated like the Lord’s Prayer. Praying with a sincere heart is more important than the words being said. While the most quoted, the “Do not judge” section of the Sermon on the Mount is also the most misunderstood. We are to judge with love and the right motive. Judge is to correct someone and bring them back to God from the sin in their lives. 

The Trouble with #9: a spicy sports romance

The Trouble with #9 by Piper Rayne is the second book in the Hockey Hotties series. Trouble with a capital T describes Maksim Petrov. As the Florida Fury’s enforcer, it is his job. He protects and watches out for his teammates, one and off the ice. As his time in the penalty box increases, the team owner isn’t happy and orders Maksim to therapy. To make matters worse, the team therapist is the woman he kissed on New Year’s Eve and talking about his feelings isn’t the thing he wants to do with her. Paisley Pearce is just trying to get through the mandated three sessions with Maksim; however, he is making it difficult and she is losing the battle against her own attraction. As their professional relationship ends, they pursue a more personal one. As their relationship heats up, Maksim’s family makes a request that forces him to make a choice: follow his heart or follow his family’s request. 

The Trouble with #9 picks up right where My Lucky #13 ended. Filled with flirty moments, spicy love scenes and even deep emotional moments, The Trouble with #9 is a fast paced romance with great characters. Maksim feels he needs his pain and anger to play his role as enforcer on the ice. Paisley has her own hurts and wounds as she believes she isn’t good enough for Maksim. When they get together, they find more than just a way to release the sexual tension, but a deeper emotional connection. Even though I am not a hockey fan, I enjoyed the shop talk and the interaction between the players. Overall, I loved this book. I read late into the night as I could not put it down and I look forward to reading the rest of the series. I also enjoyed the hint into the next book of the series. If you enjoy sports romances, I highly recommend The Trouble with #9. 

The Trouble with #9 is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

The Moonflowers: a mysterious family history in a small Appalachian town

The Moonflowers by Abigail Rose-Marie is a story about one woman’s journey to unravel her mysterious family history and the dark hidden history in one small town. Tig Costello arrives in Darren, Kentucky as part of the celebration honoring her late grandfather, Benjamin. His contributions to the town and his honorable war service has made him a local hero. As an artist, Tig is commissioned to paint his portrait but he is relatively unknown to her. In order to discover more about him, Tig seeks out the one person still alive who knew him. Eloise Price, the woman who murdered him fifty years ago and confined to a state mental institution. Eloise agrees to tell her stories. About herself, Tig’s grandmother, and the other brave women through Benjamin’s orbit. She reveals secrets of Whitmore Halls, the silent mansion on the hill, that lead to the day that would change Eloise’s life forever.

With its beautiful cover and its premise of a “powerful and poignant novel,” I was ready to read a story of past and present coming together for healing. What I got was a very slow moving story which seemed to be all over the place with no direction. The story was very hard to get into and I could not connect with Tig, Eloise or any of the other characters of this small town. By the end, it became a heavy handed discourse on the importance of abortion and how it saves lives. Even with the topic of abortion, which is hidden and revealed as if a plot twist, the story dragged that I did not care why Eloise killed Benjamin or what painful past Tig is running from. I was just glad the book was over. Overall, I did not enjoy this story and I do not recommend The Moonflowers. 

The Moonflowers is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder: a young adult mystery thriller

A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson is the first book in the Good Girl’s Guide to Murder trilogy. In the small town of Fairview, Connecticut, everyone knows the story. Andie Bell, the pretty and popular high school senior, disappeared and was believed to be murdered by her boyfriend, Sal Singh, who then killed himself after confessing to the crime. It is a story everyone still talks about and it haunts the town. For a senior project, Pippa Fitz-Amobi decides to reexamine the case, to cast doubt on the original investigation and the accepted narrative. She knew Sal as a child and she can’t shake the feeling that he did not kill Andie. As she begins to question the people who knew Andie and Sal, she finds clues of darker secrets and proof that Sal is actually innocent. However, someone in Fairview doesn’t want Pip digging around as the threatening notes begin. Could her own life be in danger? 

I have seen A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder on social media for a while and it wasn’t until my preteen daughter was interested in reading the book and Netflix's new series that I decided to give it a try. Popular BookTok books have been hit and miss for me but I enjoy young adult books and mystery thrillers. I also wanted to read the book before checking out the series. I loved Pippa and her determination to cast a shadow on the accepted story. She was smart and intuitive. There were plenty of suspects and people who had secrets to hide. The twists and turns kept me guessing and the revelations at the end were unexpected but looking back on the clues, the hints were there. I enjoyed this story so much that I will be continuing the trilogy. If you enjoy young adult stories and mystery thrillers, you will enjoy this story. I highly recommend A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder. 

A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Forever and Ever, Amen: the heartwarming stories behind some of the greatest songs in country music

Forever and Ever, Amen: The Heart-Warming Stories Behind the Music of Paul Overstreet by Paul Overstreet with a foreword by Randy Travis. Paul Overstreet, a humble songwriter, chose to write songs that affirm family, the joys of marriage and faith. He would change the face of modern day country music as he no longer wanted to write about misery or “love gone wrong” songs. His songs would end becoming big hits for artists like Randy Travis (Forever and Ever, Amen, On The Other Hand), Keith Whitley and Alison Krauss (When You Say Nothing at All) and the Judds (Love Can Build a Bridge) and many, many more. Featuring the story behind the writing of some of his biggest hits, as well as personal testaments to the impact on the songs had the audiences who wrote about the influence his words had on them. 

Paul Overstreet’s success is in the power of a simple song. I loved reading about the story behind his lyrics as well as the letters from audiences about the impact his words had on their lives. I was reminded about the great music Mr Overstreet wrote for country music as well as songs I did not know he wrote. As I read about each song, I quickly went to my music app to add my favorites to my playlist. Forever and Ever, Amen is a quick read as readers will be drawn into the simple story of a simple man bringing beautiful songs to the world. It is not a complicated book. Just a man discussing his life, his faith and his inspiration behind some of the greatest love songs in country music. If you love country music or inspirational stories, I highly, highly recommend Forever and Ever, Amen. 

Forever and Ever, Amen is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Wild, Beautiful and Free: a poorly executed retelling of Jane Eyre

Wild, Beautiful and Free by Sophfronia Scott is the story of one woman’s journey. Born the daughter of an enslaved woman and a Louisiana plantation owner, Jeannette Bebinn, is raised with her white half sister. When her father suddenly dies, she finds herself on her own at twelve years old. She is denied her inheritance by his vindictive wife and sold into slavery. All on her own, away from everything and everyone she knows. Jeannette faces injustices due to her mixed race. Escaping from enslavement, she travels, going from place to place, searching for purpose, love and a place in a country recovering from the Civil War. In a world which tells her that she doesn’t belong, Jeannette must decide whether she will bend to the expectations of the world or embrace her true self. 

With its beautiful cover and intriguing premise, I looked forward to reading this story. However, from the opening prologue to the closing chapter, I struggled to get into Wild, Beautiful and Free. It felt so flat. There were so many deep themes of death, freedom, identity, purpose and yet the only time Jeannette shows any real emotions is when she falls in love? I really, really wanted to like this book. It is beautifully written with great descriptions and settings and yet, I couldn’t connect with Jeannette. I was shocked to learn this story was supposed to be a retelling of Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre. As Jane Eyre is one of my favorite classic novels, I did not see that connection at all! Unfortunately, I do not recommend Wild, Beautiful and Free. 

Wild, Beautiful and Free is available in hardcover, paperback, eBook and audiobook

When Ashes Fall: one woman loves two men, which one will she choose?

When Ashes Fall by Marni Mann is the first book in the Moments in Boston series. It has been said that you can’t love two men at the same time. You can’t split your heart, soul and body. However, Alix Rayne is here to tell you that yes, you can. Two men hold her heart, soul and body. Two men who are polar opposites of each other. Dylan Cole is like ice. Sharp and unpredictable. Like cracking thunder in a fierce storm. Smith Reid is warm, soft and gentle. Like the perfect sunny day. One man is a pilot, the other a lawyer. One has the world at his feet and the other has struggled for his place in the world. Both men are hers but she can only have one. But she isn’t a cheater. There’s more to her story than meets the eye. Which man will she choose? 

I wasn’t sure what to expect with this book. A story about one woman, two men and it isn’t about cheating? Told in the present day from Alix and Smith’s perspectives and Dylan's POV in the past, readers are taken on an highly emotional journey with shocking reveals. While one aspect of the story, I had an inkling early on but the reason why I thought it left me shocked and in tears. I sobbed through the last few chapters. I loved Alix. She was determined to be strong and yet she hid a vulnerability. And her romances with Dylan and Smith were spicy, heartwarming and romantic. The story reminded me of a book (and a movie) but I won’t reveal, as it spoils the reveals for this book. I am looking forward to reading the other books in the series. I highly, highly recommend When Ashes Fall. 

When Ashes Fall is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Curvy Girls Can Rule: a heartwarming young adult romance with real life issues

Curvy Girls Can Rule by Ann Maree Craven and Michelle MacQueen is the first book in the About That Girl series. Guys aren’t supposed to fall for their best friend, right? Especially when she’s the curvy girl. Eighteen months ago, Cameron Tucker left. He left Twin Rivers. He left his school, his friends and he left her. Peyton Callahan wrote to Cameron for eighteen months with no reply. Until one day, she decided she had enough and she moved on. The accident that took her brother’s life and caused Cameron to walk away from her tore her world apart. And she hated him for it. Now he’s back at the beginning of their senior year and she wants to show him that she has recovered without him. Little does she know that he didn’t forget about her. As much as he wanted to, he couldn’t forget. Now that he’s back, can he prove to her that he still cares for her? Will she forgive him? 

Curvy Girls Can Rule is a heartwarming, sweet young adult romance with powerful moments of grief, pain, confrontation of bullies and unbreakable friendships. From the opening chapter to the final page, readers are taken on an emotional journey of teenage drama with real issues and trauma. I loved Peyton and Cameron as they confront each other with the past as they battle present issues and fight for their futures. Cameron’s grand gesture at the end is very touching and I admit it. I shed a few tears. I especially enjoyed their mutual friend, Nori, who was not afraid to confront them and hit the nail on the head about the internal battles they were fighting silently. I do hope she gets her own story in the series. Overall, I enjoyed this story and I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series. If you enjoy young adult stories with hard hitting, real life issues, I highly recommend Curvy Girls Can Rule. 

Curvy Girls Can Rule is available in eBook

Family Money: a thriller suspense with lies, secrets and a fight to the truth

Family Money by Chad Zunker is a thriller suspense as one man’s secrets put his family in danger. Alex Mahan is happily married to his high school sweetheart, Taylor. With two beautiful daughters, a great home and a thriving business, Alex even enjoys the support of his in-laws especially his father in law, Joe. However, his world is turned upside down when Joe is abducted and killed during a family trip to Mexico. As executor of Joe’s estate, Alex goes through his finances and he realizes some things aren’t adding up. The more he investigates, the deeper the mystery becomes. It seems the man they knew, loved and trusted was not who they thought he was. As Alex continues to dig into Joe’s secrets, a threat lurks in the shadows and with every lie uncovered, Alex and his family are more and more in danger. 

I am new to Chad Zunker’s books and while described as a thriller suspense, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect as I don’t normally read this genre. From the opening chapter, I was intrigued by the mystery of who Joe truly was and why he had so many secrets, dangerous secrets. I took in every detail as Alex uncovered secret after secret and hooked until the very end as Alex fights to protect those he loves. Alex was an enjoyable character and one readers will want to root for and see through to the end. Family Money reads a lot like a thriller spy movie. The story’s elements were a bit far-fetched, like most spy movies are, but I still enjoyed the story and closed the final page with satisfaction. If you enjoy a thriller suspense story, I recommend Family Money. 

Family Money is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Beyond the Moonlit Sea: lies, secrets and confronting the past

Beyond the Moonlit Sea by Julianne MacLean is a story of one woman’s search for answers when her husband simply vanishes. Olivia Hamilton was living her dream. Her husband, Dean is a pilot who flies private planes for the rich and famous. But something goes wrong during his last flight. His plane vanishes over the Bermuda Triangle and Olivia’s wonderful life quickly falls apart. Melanie Brown is a particle physicist who is writing her dissertation on the Bermuda Triangle. When she begins to falter after the death of her mother, she is sent to see a therapist. She begins a forbidden affair with her therapist. A shocking discovery reveals a link between Olivia and Melanie and it casts doubt on Dean’s sudden disappearance. As Olivia looks into her connection with Melanie, she begins to question everything she knows about her late husband and their marriage. 

Secrets and our pasts often have a way to catch up with us when we least expect it. Books by Julianne MacLean promises to be an emotional roller coaster with twists, turns and jaw dropping reveals. Beyond the Moonlit Sea delivers on all points that will keep readers glued to the page. As the story opens and readers are introduced to Olivia and Melanie, the question hangs in the air: how are these women connected? A question you may think you have figured out but there is a surprise! I enjoyed Olivia’s character as she learns to move on with her life, building her new life and putting Dean in the past. I loved her strength and determination when she must confront the past and the life she remembered fondly. Overall, I enjoyed this story and I highly recommend Beyond the Moonlit Sea. 

Beyond the Moonlit Sea is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Friends with Secrets: what you see isn't always real

Friends with Secrets by Christine Gunderson is a story about the idea that what you see isn’t always real. Nikki Lassiter is an emotional wreck with four children and desperate to return to the job she loved and had a sense of purpose. Ainsley Bradley is the picture perfect wife of an aspiring politician and a mother of two children. But deep down, she hides a secret that would tear apart everything she has. A secret about who she really is and where she came from. When a dangerous figure from Ainsley’s past becomes the coach at their kids’ school, she confides in Nikki about her past. Together, they devise a plan to expose the coach and protect their kids. As they put their plan in motion, they place everything they hold dear in danger. Can they protect their lives and their new friendship in the process? 

An Amazon First Reads book touted as a “funny and suspenseful debut” that explores “the myth of the perfect mother, the bonds of female friendship, and the haunting impact of secrets,” I was highly anticipating a laugh out loud adventure of female friendship and motherhood. However, what I got was a story of two mothers and a friendship I could not relate to. Though I couldn’t relate to the women, I wanted to continue the story with the hopes it would get better. The final straw for me was the constant product/store name dropping. The long list of make and models of cars they drove, the clothes they bought and from which stores. I felt as if I was reading an episode of Desperate Housewives. Overall, this story wasn’t my cup of tea. However, if this book sounds right up your alley, I recommend checking out Friends with Secrets. 

Friends with Secrets is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Daughter of Fire: caught between worlds, a young woman comes of age

Daughter of Fire by Sofia Robleda is a coming of age story of a young woman in 16th century Guatemala. Catalina Cerrato has been raised by her widowed father, Don Alonso. In 1551 Guatemala, it has been thirty years since the Spanish invasion, her father is a member of the Spanish hierarchy who has sway over the Indigenous communities, who have been relegated to the lower class. As the daughter of a Spanish father and a Mayan woman, Catalina is caught between worlds and struggles to honor both her parents. She made a vow to her late mother, to preserve the lost sacred text of the Popol Vuh, a treasured but now forbidden history of the K’iche people, that she has committed to memory. Catalina begins a secret quest to rewrite the text. 

As an Amazon First Read, I was intrigued by the book’s beautiful cover, the intriguing premise, and the historical setting. I have not come across many books set in Guatemala that I was eager to read this story. Daughter of Fire is beautifully written with lyrical mysticism and imagery that take readers on a wild adventure. I was hooked in the beginning and yet the story was choppy and bogged down at times and I was bored and confused as the story progressed. While it has a historical setting, it is not essentially a historical novel. It is more of a mystical fantasy with a historical setting. Overall, I enjoyed the setting and the characters but I found the story lacking. If you enjoy a mystical fantasy story, I recommend you try Daughter of Fire. 

Daughter of Fire is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Keeper of Enchanted Rooms: a story of magic, danger and love

Keeper of Enchanted Rooms by Charlie N. Holmberg is the first book in the Whimbrel House series. In Rhode Island, 1846, Merritt Fernsby received a letter that he inherited a remote estate in the Narragansett Bay. Even though the house has been uninhabited for more than a hundred years, he is ready to call it home. Once inside, he realizes he cannot leave. The house won’t let him. The Boston Institute for the Keeping of Enchanted Rooms sends Hulda Larkin to help figure out the source of the Whimbrel House’s enchantments. Armed with a set of magic tools, Hulda soon realizes that her work is cut out for her. As they delve into the house’s secrets and history, there is something darker, more dangerous lurking in the distance and it is getting closer. Can Hulda and Merritt calm the magic within the house and battle the evil that stalks them? 

With an interesting premise, Keeper of Enchanted Rooms is a great ride with twists and turns. A slow burn story that builds into a raging fire with an action packed climax and finale, this story is more than just about magic, evil and danger but also love and finding a place to belong. Every character adds to the wonderful quirkiness of the story. I especially loved Hulda with her no-nonsense attitude and yet hides a deep hurt and desire. Even the house, especially once they discover what is going on and try to interact with it. The Whimbrel House gave me Casita from Encanto (2021) vibes as it has its own personality and adds to the humor and intrigue of the story. I am interested in reading more of Hulda and Merritt and will continue the series. I highly recommend Keeper of Enchanted Rooms. 

Keeper of Enchanted Rooms is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Prestige: a thrilling suspense story with a hint of romance

Prestige by Marci Bolden is the suspenseful thriller with twists and turns that will keep readers guessing. Troy Buchanan is a Lochlin Private Security team lead. He has never lost a client until now. When Richard Bantam and his wife Sharon are discovered brutally murdered in a safe house, Troy takes their son and runs, fearing for the young boy's life. Meri Osborne left Lochlin and started fresh at Prestige Security and Investigation Services. When Troy, her former teammate, shows up unannounced and asks for her help, she jumps into action. Together, they do all they can to keep the boy safe and discover who killed his parents. Is the killer someone they know? Can they trust anyone, even each other? 

I have been a reader of Marci Bolden’s books for a long time and Prestige is a change of genre for me. However, this story was filled with twists and turns with suspense that kept me glued to the page. It is a gritty, dark story filled with danger behind every corner. There were surprises at every turn and even the culprit was a complete surprise. The characters were great. I enjoyed Troy and Meri and their supportive characters. There is a bit of history and romance between Troy and Meri which adds to the suspense of who can trust whom. If you enjoy a suspenseful thriller with a hint of romance, I recommend Prestige. 

Prestige is available in paperback and eBook

When We Began: a teen romance novella

When We Began by Judy Corry is a prequel novella to the Ridgewater High series. Cassie never paid much attention to her best friend. Alyssa’s older brother, Liam, until he refused to kiss her during the party game of Seven Minutes of Heaven back in junior high. Now in high school, she has to spend the week with Alyssa and her family while her parents are out of town. She is determined to find her next summer fling and flaunt it in Liam’s face. It was working great until Liam began to target his charms to her. As they begin to hang out and talk, they discover they were wrong about each other and many other things. Falling in love certainly wasn’t in the plans. 

When We Began is a short but sweet teen romance with plenty of banter and emotional revelations. Even though it is a novella, it was engaging and felt like a full length novel. It is a clean romance with plenty of heart and fun. I loved Cassie and Liam as individuals and as a couple. Their banter was fun and sweet. It was a wonderful mix of friends/enemies to lovers romance. I am looking forward to the rest of the series. I hope to see Cassie and Liam together in the series. While it is a teen romance, readers who love romance will enjoy this story. It is a great story to fill an afternoon. I recommend When We Began. 

When We Began is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

A Match for the Marine: a fun, clean romantic for a weekend read

A Match for the Marine by Jess Mastorakos is the first book in the First Comes Love series. The matchmakers at First Comes Love, a premier matchmaking service, have certain rules. The first and most important is: never fall in love with the client. After making her way to the top, Amy is in the running to become the new CEO. Her next client seems to be a shoe-in to help her. A hot Marine with bulging biceps with a killer smile would be easy peasy to match. Dexter “Dex” Harrington is not thrilled when his meddling mother signs him up for the matchmaking service. He wants to get it over with and on with his life. It doesn’t help when his perfect match seems to be his matchmaker. 

A Match for the Marine is my first book by Ms Mastorakos and it definitely will not be my last. From the opening chapter to the final page, I had so much fun reading Dex and Amy’s love story. It was sweet, cute and a clean romance with great flirty banter. Dex may be a hunky Marine but deep down he is a geeky computer nerd and he was so adorable! Amy was doing her best to be professional but couldn’t help being drawn to Dex. I loved their friends and even their enemies were great to the story. I am looking forward to the rest of the series. I highly recommend A Match for the Marine for a quick, enjoyable weekend read. 

A Match for the Marine is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook