His Vow to Love: a military hero, a foster care mom and a second chance for love

His Vow to Love is the first book in the Flying Cross Ranch series by Shanae Johnson. Charlie Matthews is hanging up his wings after years of service in the Air Force. He returns to the Flying Cross Ranch to help care for his ailing father. Also, he is ready to sweep his first and only love off her feet. Growing up in the foster care system, Savvy James has always wanted a forever home. Now as a foster mother herself, she is shocked when the government takes her land to protect wild horses. Now she must uproot everyone to the other side of the state. Determined to rekindle their relationship, Charlie offers Savy and the kids a place on his ranch. Mixing Savy’s free-spirited ways and Charlie’s military style discipline leads to a social worker questioning their living situation. Can their renewed relationship stand the test ahead of them? 

I love a good romance with military heroes. I liked Charlie as a military hero coming home for the last time. I liked that he always thought of and cared for Savy and vowed he would return for her. Savy, on the other hand, was a bit more difficult to care for but understanding her past makes it understandable. The children were cute, rebellious and questioned authority as all kids can do. The struggles and challenges of children in foster care added the twists and turns to the drama. His Vow to Love sets up future stories of Charlie’s brothers. Overall, it was a decent story and first book for a series. However, I am unsure if I will be continuing the series as I wasn’t that invested in the characters and their communities. If you love a clean romance with military heroes, I recommend His Vow to Love. 

His Vow to Love is available in paperback and audiobook

Hide Away with You: when her fiancé disappeared, she will stop at nothing to find out what happened

Hide Away with You is the first book in the Kings of Eden Falls series by Judy Corry. When her family was killed, Addie’s brother’s best friend, Evan, took care of her and made sure she was protected. They never expected to fall in love. As they prepared for a future together, Evan goes on a trip and never comes back. Just vanishes without a trace. Addie is left heartbroken and confused but she never gave up hope that Evan would come home safe and sound. One year later, she discovers a clue that leads her on the right path. When she finds Evan, he is not the same man she knew and fell in love with. He is cold, powerful, dangerous and acts as if they are strangers. Is he truly Evan or someone else? By tracking Evan, did Addie put herself in danger? 

I read the second book in the series first and loved it. I quickly added Hide Away with You to my TBR list. Described as a “heart-pounding” romance, I was ready for an emotional story. The story starts off good as Addie is dealing with Evan’s disappearance and struggling to hold on to hope. When she discovers his journal, she learns more about Evan than she knew before. The story takes a turn when she tracks Evan to Italy and the mafia. I am not a fan of mafia stories. I avoid books and movies which feature the mafia. I loved Addie’s character however, I didn’t care for Evan. Overall, it was a decent story but pales when compared to the second book of the series. If I had I read Hide Away with You first, I’m not sure I would have read the second book. 

Hide Away with You is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Brush Creek Cowboy: a second chance romance

Brush Creek Cowboy is the first book in the Brush Creek Cowboy series by Liz Isaacson. Walker Thompson is a former rodeo champion who now trains horses at the Brush Creek Horse Ranch with his ten year old son, Michael. Tess Wagner is a widow who came to Brush Creek with her son, Graham, for a fresh start after the tragic loss of her husband. It has been a quiet life until Walker, out of the blue, asks her to dinner. Neither wants to endure the pain of loss again, but is willing to take a chance. However, when Tess’s breast cancer comes back, Walker backs off. He begins to feel the hole their presence left in his life. He must decide if the risk of loss is worth the love they could share in the meantime? Can they lean on God in order to find a happy ending? 

Brush Creek Cowboy is a clean, Christian romance. I love a second chance at love and the doubts and questions of blending families. I enjoyed Walker and Tess’s introduction and back stories. However, everything about this story was abrupt and had no time for development in their relationship. I was bored. I needed more. The potential for an emotional story was there but I needed more. There was no real depth in their emotions and it was too short. Even if Walker and Tess had known each other for years, their relationship seemed rushed. I did like the faith discussions and the reliance on and leaning to God in times of trouble and joy. Overall, Brush Creek Cowboy was a decent story but I felt no investment. I most likely will not be continuing this series. If you like clean, Christian romance with cowboys, I recommend Brush Creek Cowboy. 

Brush Creek Cowboy is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Dating the Defensive Back: a fake relationship romance

Dating the Defensive Back is the first book in Nash Brothers series by Lisa Suzanne. Grayson Nash has been traded to the Vegas Aces. When he walks into a local Vegas bar, he doesn’t know that his childhood best friend’s little sister was there. Ava Maxwell saw him walk in and when he attempts to pick her up, she realizes that he does not recognize him. She gives him a fake name and they end up having a steamy night together. They exchange numbers and a promise to see each other again. As they begin a flirty text conversation, Ava finds it harder and harder to tell Grayson who she really is. When Grayson does find out, he is determined to keep his distance. That is until her ex comes to town and starts harassing her. Grayson swoops in and pretends to be her new boyfriend. Now they are in the middle of a fake dating relationship for his image. However, it starts to feel very, very real. Can a fake relationship turn into a real forever love? 

I love a good fake relationship romance with a football background. They are usually sweet, fun with football players. However, it wasn’t sweet. It wasn’t fun. It was spicy. The language used was cringey and like no one really uses these terms. Like I’ve only heard them in books and tv shows. For example, I can’t stand the term “V-card” and it is used a lot by Ava! There were other descriptions of certain body parts that were so cringey and just icky. I did not like Ava who was immature and very manipulative. Grayson is just an idiot. They decide to have a fake relationship for images sake and seek the help of a public relations person. These suggestions were eye rolling annoying. It was also way too long. Sixty-three chapters alternating between Ava and Grayson! Each chapter was short; almost too short, before ending and sometimes changing the point of view. Overall, I did not enjoy this story and I will not be continuing the series. I do not recommend Dating the Defensive Back. 

 Dating the Defensive Back is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

A Love Letter to Whiskey: a not so typical love story

A Love Letter to Whiskey by Kandi Steiner is not your typical love story. Jamie Shaw and Brecks “B” Kennedy have been caught in a long string of almosts and they wonder if they will ever have the chance to have their happily ever after. Their connection has been difficult to understand. Sometimes too deep for just friends and yet too complicated for love. From their first meeting in high school, to college and beyond, Jamie and B had a decade of moments, choices and missed opportunities, they kept finding a way back to each other. The road to be together always seems to be blocked by relationships, careers and jobs but something still brings them together. Drawn together like a moth to a flame or an alcoholic to his next drink. Will they ever find a way to be together the way they are seemingly drawn to be? Is love not just finding the right person but finding the right moment as well? 

I have seen this book all over social media and everything I heard was to be ready to cry. Not just cry but ugly cry. So I dove right in and the story started off great. However, by the end of the story, I didn’t cry once. Where was the emotion? I expected to be “emotionally wrecked,” and yet I was bored, annoyed and frustrated. B was immature, never really deals with or confronts the family secret she learns as a teen. Yes, it was a devastating and shocking secret and would require a lot of energy to deal with. She just never tries. Jamie was a decent character and I enjoyed his character. I did enjoy the moments of deep friendship between B and Jamie; but their love story was odd and dragged on a bit too long. Overall, I did not enjoy this story. It was not the emotional story I was expecting. I do not recommend A Love Letter to Whiskey. 

A Love Letter to Whiskey is available in hardcover, paperback, eBook and audiobook

also available in Prime Reading for free for Prime members

James, the son of Zedebee: a man who struggled and yet showed courage in service to Christ

James is one of the first disciples called by Jesus along with his brother, John, and friends, Simon Peter and Andrew. A fisherman working with his brother and their father, Zedebee, James would become a member of the core group with Peter and John for special training as each would play a key role in the early church. Peter would be the great speaker, John the majority writer and James would be the first to die for his faith. While he was chosen to be among the inner circle, little is known about James after the events in the Book of Acts. Who was James, the son of Zedebee? What were his strengths and weaknesses? What is the key lesson we can take from his story?

James is described as ambitious, short-tempered, judgmental and yet deeply committed to Jesus. Ambitious as he, along with John, asked Jesus for a place of honor in his kingdom, specifically a seat on his right and left (Mark 10:37). Jesus rebukes them, telling them both that they do not truly understand what they are asking. As with all the disciples, James did not understand Jesus’s true purpose. They envisioned Jesus overthrowing the Romans and restoring Israel’s to her former glory. Regardless, James knew he wanted to be by Jesus’s side. He had found the right leader; he was just wrong about the timetable. It would take Jesus’s death and resurrection for true understanding. James would have an outburst of temper. In Luke 9:54, he and John asked Jesus if he wanted them to call down first from heaven to destroy a Samaritan village after they refused to welcome him (verses 52-53). He wanted quick retaliation. In Acts, he would speak at the First Council and agreed that Jesus had come for Gentiles as well as the Jews (Acts 15:13-21) as the requirements of faith that we follow are set by God and not by man. 

James would be the first to die for his faith. He was willing as he saw Jesus conquer death and open the doorway to eternal life. James was a man with strengths and weaknesses. His strengths are simple to understand. He was one of the 12 disciples and one of the inner three. He would be the first to die for his faith. However, it is in his weakness that we can see ourselves. His two outbursts indicated that James struggled with a temper and selfishness. When he left a wrong had been committed, he wanted quick payback. A feeling that many of us have experienced from time to time. Something happens which is unfair or undeserving and we want the person to feel the same pain and disappointment that we do. However, in Romans 12:19, Paul reminds us that revenge is the Lord’s, he will play, quoting Deutoronmy 32:35. We are not to overcome evil with evil, but with good (Romans 12:21). And like James, we experience moments of selfishness. It is a part of being human. As selfishness is the root of sin and conflict, we need to actively focus on humility and putting others before ourselves in order to overcome this natural response. Paul writes in Philippians 2:3, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.” 

Jesus promised eternal life to those willing to trust him (John 3:16). If we believe in this promise, Jesus will give us the courage to stand for Him and face whatever challenges that come our way, even during the most dangerous times. The key lesson from James’s story is that the loss of life is not too heavy a price to pay for following Jesus. In Matthew 10:17-42, Jesus prepared his disciples, and us, for persecution, in which he says, “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it (verse 39).” Even Paul writes in Philippians 1:21, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” To live meant to have time to tell others about Christ and to become more like him. To die would be the end of the worldly troubles and to see Christ face to face. As times get harder and the world increasingly puts pressure on believers, will I be able to stand when death would be the result? I don’t know. I can only pray that if (or when) that moment comes, I can say “to live is Christ and to die is gain.” 

In conclusion, James, the son of Zedebee, was a fisherman who left life as he knew it to follow Jesus. Even though he was one of the 12 and one of the inner three, he struggles with his ambitious nature, a temper and selfishness. Through his faith and trust in Jesus, he realized the true mission of Jesus’s life and death, he would spend the rest of his life telling others the good news. He would be the first to die for the faith and he certainly wasn’t the last. James is an example of the courage in service to Christ is important as we spread the gospel. That courage can also make us a target for persecution. We need to be bold for Christ with courage and humility. 

The Trouble With Love: a best friend's brother romance with a realistic look into faith and God

The Trouble With Love is the first book in the Faith and Fortune series by Toni Shiloh. Holiday Brown has it all. A successful singing career with a platinum record and a multi-million dollar home in Manhattan that she shares with her two closest friends. Everything was looking great until her roommate’s brother came to stay. W. Emmett Brown has been a thorn in her side for a long time. He is annoying, stubborn and a know it all. He is also the most gorgeous man she has ever seen. Suddenly dynamics charge as Emmett’s sister has a stalker who is getting closer and more threatened. Holiday soon finds that Emmett’s faith isn’t as annoying as it was and he has a softer side that she had failed to notice before. As the two get closer, Holiday starts to question faith, belief and God in ways she hadn’t thought about before. Will it bring Holiday closer to God? 

The Trouble With Love is a slow burn, enemies to lovers, best friend’s brother, clean romance. It sounds like a lot, so many tropes in one story, but it works. Once I started this story, I could not put it down. One of my favorite quotes is “The trouble with love was it always smacked you in the face when you least expected it,” which is so true! I fell in love with Holiday, Emmett and her roommates, Tori and Octavia. I loved the banter and teasing between Holiday and Emmett. I loved the interactions between all the characters. The friendship and love between the women. I loved the in depth, realistic look into the struggles with belief, the questions and doubts and the honest real answers from the believers in the story. Even before I finished Holiday and Emmett’s story, I knew I would be continuing the series. I highly, highly recommend The Trouble With Love. 

The Trouble With Love is available in paperback and eBook

I Would Die for You: a slow burn thriller with twist and turns to keep you guessing

I Would Die for You by Sandie Jones is a slow burn thriller in which a woman’s past comes roaring back. Is she prepared to fight back? Nicole Forbes lives a quiet life in southern California with her husband and daughter. It is shattered when a journalist comes to her door and asks her for information about the downfall of Secret Oktober, the biggest British band of the 1980s. The same day, her daughter is picked up from school by her aunt. The only thing is her daughter doesn’t have an aunt! Nicole is faced with the threads of her life and hidden past that is quickly becoming unveiling. In 1986, sixteen year old Cassie is obsessed with Secret Oktober with an intense crush on Ben Edwards. She is determined to do anything she can to capture his attention among the cheering fans and groupies. What she doesn’t count on is Ben meeting her older sister, Nicole. What happened to Secret Oktober? What does Nicole know? 

Sandie Jones is a new author to me and I was intrigued by the synopsis of this book. A dual timeline story with multiple POVs as Nicole searches for the person behind the events of today and Cassie as her obsession with Secret Oktober and Ben grows taking her down a dangerous past. As events of today and yesteryear begin to shine light on the truth, the twists and turns were interesting and kept me hooked. However, as the mystery was revealed, the ending was confusing and a bit abrupt. My first thought when I closed the book was “what?!?” Throughout the story, I liked the character of Nicole and the mystery about who was bringing up the past and why was engaging and kept me guessing. Overall, I enjoyed the story. The mystery was engaging, the ending was just abrupt. If you like dual timeline, multiple POVs stories with a bit of suspense and mystery, I recommend I Would Die for You. 

I Would Die for You is available in hardcover, eBook and audiobook

The Ride: an in depth investigation and recounting of the famous ride 250 years ago

The Ride: Paul Revere and the Night that Saved America by Kostya Kennedy is a deeper look into Paul Revere’s famous midnight ride. On April 18, 1775, Paul Revere, a Boston silversmith, engraver and an anti-British political operative, set out for a crucial mission to alert the awaiting American colonists of the advancing British troops. He had completed similar missions before and yet, this one would help change the American Revolution from isolated skirmishes to a full fledged war and would cement Revere as one of America’s heroes and legends. Digging deeper into the events which would lead to the famous ride, Kennedy details the coordinated pieces to the puzzle. We all know the ride and its importance to American history, but do we know the events and the people who made it happen?

I love American history and I knew Paul Revere’s famous ride, even Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s favorite poem which recounted, “One, if by land, and two, if by sea.” Perfectly timed for the 250th anniversary of Paul Revere’s ride, I was ready to dive into Kostya Kennedy’s investigation into this historical event. What the book did was open up much more into the event that I never knew. Through primary and secondary sources, family letters and diaries and so much more, we learn that history is so much more complex than we learned as children in school. While Revere was central to the mission’s planning, he had a lot of help and information from unlikely sources. Told through dramatic and thrilling narrative, The Ride is an engaging  page turner! I highly, highly recommend The Ride. 

The Ride: Paul Revere and the Night that Saved America 

is available in hardcover, eBook and audiobook

My Name is Eva: one woman's price for a promise she made

My Name is Eva by Suzanne Goldring is a story about one woman, one promise and the price she pays to keep that promise. Evelyn Taylor-Clarke is staying at the Forest Lawns Care Home, surrounded by residents whose minds are slowly losing their grip on memory and time. However, not Evelyn. She is as sharp as ever. She is a woman with secrets and she remembers everything. She made a promise to the love of her life to discover the truth about the mission that led to his death. When an old picture is discovered and questions are asked, Evelyn is transported back to “The Forbidden Village”, a place in Germany where no one dared to go and a woman who called herself Eva went to find a man. Will she get her revenge? 

Described as a “gripping, haunting and compelling read about love, courage and betrayal set in the war-battered landscape of Germany” and perfect for fans of The Letter, The Alice Network and The Nightingale would be hooked. I was intrigued. I love The Nightingale. It is a book that has stayed with me even years after I have read it. So I started My Name is Eva with great anticipation. The story started out great; however, it took way too long to get to the action of the story and Evelyn was truly unlikeable. She mocked those with age related difficulties. And the reason for her revenge? We don’t really find out. Sadly, this story was disappointing and in no way can be compared to The Nightingale! I do not recommend My Name is Eva. 

My Name is Eva is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Seeking Mr Debonair: one pact, one dream to find her very own Mr Darcy

Seeking Mr. Debonair is the first book in The Jane Austen Pact series by Cami Checketts. At the age of twelve, Harley Redland vowed to marry a man as debonair as Mr Darcy, even though she is secretly in love with her older brother’s best friend. After graduating from Yale, Harley learns she has been accepted into Cambridge for her master’s program. However, she is called home to the family ranch in Wyoming as her father is very, very sick. Crew Harrison has known Harley all of her life and has harbored love for her for as long as he can remember. He wants to find a way to show her that he is as charming, educated and romantic as her precious Mr Darcy. A wrench in his plan is her dream Englishman who comes to town on business. Can Harley see what she is looking for is right at home?

Everyone who knows me knows I am not the biggest Jane Austen fan. Especially since everyone seems to fixate on Pride and Prejudice and love for Mr Darcy. That being said, I do not turn away books because the characters love Pride and Prejudice. When I read the blurb of Seeking Mr Debonair, I was intrigued and it sounded like a fun romance. However, right from the beginning, I did not care for Harley. I understand a dream which started as a young girl; however, as one grows and matures, the dream usually grows and matures with them. Not Harley, she would not budge. Her Mr Darcy can only be an Englishman otherwise he is not Mr Darcy. So narrow minded. I didn’t like the never travel, never leave home/your roots mentality from her brother. Really? Overall, I did not enjoy Seeking Mr Debonair and I will not be continuing the series. 

Seeking Mr. Debonair is available in paperback and eBook

The Paris Express: a historical fictionalization of the infamous 1895 train disaster

The Paris Express by Emma Donoghue is a historical novel about the infamous 1895 disaster at the Paris Montparnasse train station. Originating in Normandy, on the morning of October 22, 1895, The Paris Express is packed as it heads to its final destination. From individuals from French citizens to foreign visitors on a normal, every day train to Paris. From members of parliament in a hurry for an important vote, a medical student who suspects a patient is dying, a secretary trying to convince her boss to see the future in motion pictures, and a young anarchist who plots a terrifying plan. What they don’t know is that this train ride will not end well and change their lives forever. Who will survive? Who is to blame? 

While I have heard of Ms. Donoghue’s novel, Room and the subsequent film, she is a new author to me. The Paris Express is touted as “an evocative masterpiece that effortlessly captures the politics, glamour, chaos, and speed that marked the end of the 19th century.” I hadn’t heard of the 1895 disaster and was curious to read about it. However, I was quickly disappointed. I was bored and I could not connect or care about any of the characters, which there were far too many to keep track of (and I take notes for my reviews)! The Paris Express is more about the characters as they travel on the train than the disaster itself. The build up to the disaster didn’t work either and when it happened, it was underwhelming. I do not recommend The Paris Express. 

The Paris Express is available in hardcover, eBook and audiobook

Four Leaf Felony: a murder mystery in a small town with a holiday theme

Four Leaf Felony is the first book in the Holiday Cozy Mystery series by Tonya Kappes. Violet Rhinehammer is on a flight to California for an interview for a dream job. A chance to be a real reporter, bigger than a reporter for her local news organizations in Normal, Kentucky. However, while on the flight, she discovers a dead body in the plane’s lavatory. The plane makes an emergency landing in the small town of Holiday Junction, a town that celebrates every holiday with much fanfare. With all flights grounded and every passenger considered a suspect, Violet is stranded until the murder is solved. However, she isn't willing to sit on her hands and wait. She starts her own investigation. Will she be able to solve the crime and make it to her job interview? 

The Holiday Cozy Mystery series is a spin off of the Campers and Criminals Cozy Mystery series which I have enjoyed. I was looking forward to this series as it is set in a small town with a unique theme. While Violet isn’t a likable character in the Campers and Criminals series and I don’t know why I expected her to be more likable in the Holiday series; but I did. I found her even more insufferable in this story. Violet aside, the rest of the premise did not make sense. Holiday Junction is a small town that has a high tourism industry and yet they are rather rude and mean spirited to the tourists. The plot and the mystery was all over the place and I ended the story with little satisfaction. I was disappointed in this story and will not be continuing this story. 

Four Leaf Felony is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Lessons from a One Night Stand: can one wild night turn into a forever love?

Lessons from a One Night Stand is the first book in The Baileys series by Piper Rayne. Austin Bailey came home to Lake Starlight, Alaska to take care of his younger siblings after the tragic death of their parents. Now as his younger sisters are graduating, he is looking to start his dream job as a collegiate baseball coach. Over the weekend, he had a wild night with an amazing woman. They exchanged no names and no identifying information. Imagine his surprise when Monday morning, he meets her as the temporary principal at the high school where he teaches biology. Holly Radicliffe is in town on a mission of her own and didn’t expect to see him again, but she is determined to keep their relationship as professional as possible. It turns out it is easier said than done as their attraction is strong. Neither is planning to stay in town after the school year ends, so they can certainly stay apart…right? 

Piper Raye has become my go-to author for great stories with amazing emotional depth and steamy romance. Lessons from a One Night Stand is more than a steamy romance. It is a story with laughs, smiles and heartbreak. It is a story where we find where we truly belong while on the search of what we think we want and need. I loved Austin for his commitment to his younger siblings while also still keeping his own dream in mind. I also loved Holly as a woman who is searching for a part of herself and discovering it was better that she didn’t have it in the first place. I enjoyed their supportive friends who were quick with a kick in the pants when they needed it as well as a shoulder to cry on. I loved the rest of the Bailey siblings and I am looking forward to reading their own love stories. I highly recommend Lessons from a One Night Stand. 

Lessons from a One Night Stand is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Shadowing Stella: a Christian suspense

Shadowing Stella is the first book in the Endless Mountain series by Elle E Kay. Pregnant and alone, Stella McIntrye has no choice but return home to Edinsville to the family and God she ran from. Her family welcomes her home. Jason Duncan sees Stella beyond her mistakes and wants to show her that she is loved and deserves love. But first he needs to break through the walls she has built around her heart. As they spend time together and become close, they don’t realize that someone is watching Stella from the shadows and evil is around the corner. When Stella is abducted, she must keep her faith and wits as she works to set herself free. Who has abducted her? Will she be set free? 

Shadowing Stella is a Christian suspense story. I loved the focus on faith and trust in God. I also loved the acknowledgement of doubts and struggles with faith and God and yet continuing to trust. I don’t know why Christians have this idea that believers cannot have doubts or struggles. I also loved that Stella’s parents welcomed her home like the prodigal son and helped her get back on her feet. On a sad note, the attitudes from others in town about Stella’s situations were all too real. However, the pace was a bit too slow for me and the suspense part of the story dragged the story down even more. Overall, the story was okay; however, I will not be continuing the series. If you enjoy Christian suspense stories, you may enjoy Shadowing Stella. 

Shadowing Stella is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

The Unexpected Inn: an inspirational story of friendship, love, and faith

The Unexpected Inn is the second book in the Blessings Bay by Rachael Bloome. Abigail Preston never expected to own an inn. But here she is in Blessings Bay and preparing to open an inn and a very important guest is coming that could hinder her goal before it is even off the ground. When her best friend, Nadia Chopra, comes, she is the bright light in the gathering clouds. Nadia is fresh off a very public break up and needs a change of scenery for a time. One day at the local farmer’s market, she meets Evan Blake and can’t stop thinking about him. Evan had been so focused on continuing his mother’s saltwater taffy business as well as taking care of his hospitalized father. He’s not even thinking about dating and love. However, Nadia captivates him with her candid opinions and soft heart. With so many overwhelming odds, can love overcome their doubts and lead to their own happily ever afters? 

I have fallen in love with Rachael Bloome’s stories. With her Poppy Creek series ending, I was excited to read her new Blessings Bay series. With stories of hardship, friendship, faith and love, her stories are engaging and inspirational. The Unexpected Inn is another great example of her stories. From the opening chapter to the closing pages, I was on the edge of my seat. I loved all the storylines. With Abigail and the inn, Nadia and Evan, they all blended beautifully and did not distract from each other. Even though this is mainly Nadia and Evan’s story, I loved the continuation of Abigail's story from the first book, Blessings on State Street. There were twists and turns I wasn’t expecting and how I wish I could try Evan’s saltwater taffy! I am looking forward to reading future stories in this series. If you enjoy found family, small town community stories with faith and love, I highly recommend The Unexpected Inn. 

The Unexpected Inn is available in paperback and eBook

Hope's Way: a journey of grief can transform one woman's life

Hope’s Way is the first book in the Hope series by David Johnson. Hope Rodriquez is about to face a journey that will transform her life. She becomes pregnant at 15, then loses her parents in a tragic accident. Fearing that she will lose custody of her child, she leaves her Kentucky small town to New York City. There she is faced with the harsh realities of public housing and scraping by as a single mother. She manages to build a life and raise her daughter. However, Hope is plunged into tragedy once again as her teenage daughter decides to take her own life. In the depths of grief, Hope is determined to find the reasons behind her daughter’s decision. Along the way, she meets Michael, a charismatic preacher, who awakens emotions in her that she did not know she could feel again. Can she find solace with her daughter’s decision? 

With the book’s synopsis, I expected an amazing emotional journey that tackles heavy topics. And it was filled with the heavy topics and I’m sure the emotional journey was intended; however, I was taken away from the journey with the glaring mistakes. Right off the bat, from the opening chapter, Hope is described as a 36 year old woman with a 16 year old daughter, Lisa. The next chapter takes the reader back in time when Hope is 15 and seven months pregnant. So, the math is off as Hope would be 31/32 when Lisa is 16 years old. That mistake took me out of the story. Unfortunately, I feel I missed the impact the book’s emotional story should have had. Overall, I was disappointed with this story. I will not continue with this series. I do not recommend Hope’s Way. 

Hope’s Way is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook