Love from Afar: a short but sweet Christian romance

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

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

Love from Afar is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

A Thousand Words: a grumpy sunshine, brother's best friend Christian romance

A Thousand Words is a prequel novel to the Unfailing Love series by Mandi Blake. Tyler is in the final year of his residency and while he is a good doctor, he needs to improve in one area: his bedside manner. He is urged to go on a blind date to have some fun in his all work mentality. He agrees only to practice his communication skills. When he arrives at the restaurant, he is shocked to see who is waiting for him. Sissy is always ready for an adventure, especially for a blind date with a handsome doctor. When her date turns out to be her brother’s best friend, Tyler, she is excited. However, Tyler is not keen on the idea. He reluctantly begins to spend time with Sissy and he feels his loyalty being torn between his friend and the woman he is falling for. Can she convince him to take a chance for once?

I love Mandi Blake’s stories and I looked forward to this quick prequel. While I was a bit confused at first about who was who, I quickly fell into Sissy and Tyler’s story. I loved Sissy’s character as someone who likes to seize the day. She’s young in college and loves life. Tyler is a bit older and takes his medical studies seriously. I understand Tyler’s hesitation about dating his best friend’s sister. The two together were great as a grumpy sunshine romance. They compliment each other as Tyler needs to lighten up a bit and Sissy needs a little grounding and they do that for each other. My heart broke with Sissy’s brother’s story as someone who has hit rock bottom. I look forward to reading his story as well as the rest of the series. Overall, I enjoyed the story. If you love brother’s best friend romance, I recommend A Thousand Words. 

A Thousand Words is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Remembering the Cowboy: a clean, Christian second chance romance

Remembering the Cowboy is the first book in the Blackwater Ranch series by Mandi Blake. Camille Vanderbilt is heading home to Blackwater, Wyoming. She is determined to find her old best friend, Noah Harding, who suddenly ghosted her after high school and has been able to avoid her since then, despite their small town. Unfortunately, on the road there, she gets into an accident and wakes up with memory loss. Noah lives a simple life as a firefighter and working on his family ranch until he arrives at the scene of an accident and realizes that Camille is the accident victim. When Camille runs into Noah in town, she knows he’s someone important to her but she doesn’t know why. As they spend time together, they find the old flame is still there and Noah is determined to do it right this time. 

Mandi Blake is a great author for clean, Christian romance with sweet moments and drama. From the opening chapter to the closing page, I could not put it down. I loved Camille and Noah throughout the story. I loved Camille’s determination to find her feet on her own and deal with her memory issues without using others’ help as a crutch. Noah is a great man who loves completely and is loyal to his family and their livelihood even at the cost of his own heart. Their moments together were sweet and filled with love and tenderness. I loved the secondary characters, especially Camille’s cousin, Jenny, who didn’t have much page time but was influential in the story. I look forward to reading the future stories in this series. If you enjoy clean, Christian romances with cowboys and a small town, you will enjoy Remembering the Cowboy. 

Remembering the Cowboy is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook

Chasing Tornadoes: a clean Christian romance with a mission trip and disasters

Chasing Tornadoes by Sherry Chamblee is a clean Christian romance. Jessica Kimball needs one more adult to accompany the youth group on a church planting mission trip to northern California. The only person she hasn’t approached about the trip is Charlie Cummings. Even though they have known each other for their entire lives, something about him keeps her from asking him. Is it because he is so quiet? Severe? Or maybe he just doesn’t like her? Eventually, she has no choice but to ask him and to her surprise, he readily agrees. Little does Jessica know, but Charlie does like her. Not just like her but has been trying to drum up the courage to ask her out. Could this mission trip be the open door he needs to let his feelings known? Or will unforeseen disasters drive a further distance between them? 

Chasing Tornadoes is a short novella but packed with questions of faith and taking a chance on love. The characters are members of the Mennonite church, which I wasn’t familiar with, so I had to do a quick google search to familiar myself with the basics of their beliefs, customs and culture. Mennonites originate from the 16th century Anabaptist movement. They are known for their pacifism and community service. The story was an easy, fast paced read from the opening chapter to the closing page. I enjoyed the characters of Jessica and Charlie as well as their supporting characters. The drama and action were engaging and interesting. I loved the message of faith and trust in God in all moments and areas of our lives. Overall, I enjoyed the story. If you enjoy clean Christian romance, I recommend Chasing Tornadoes. 

Chasing Tornadoes is available in paperback and eBook

Forgive and Remember: a Christian romance with the healing powers of accepting God's forgiveness

Forgive and Remember is the first book in the Greater Life romance series by Robin Merrill. Shelby Beaton is the new kindergarten teacher in Hartport, a small coastal town in Maine. She is looking forward to this opportunity to serve God at the Freedom Academy. Lincoln Kallock owns a security business and is the single dad of one of her students. There is an instant connection; however, Shelby keeps her distance as she holds a secret. When threats are made against the small school, Lincoln brings in his security team to protect the school. He notices that Shelby is brave as well as beautiful and kind. Despite her desire to keep her distance, they seem to be being pushed together and she begins to break down her walls. Can she trust him with her secret? Can he convince her that a shared burden is an easier load to carry? 

Everyone knows the old saying “forgive and forget,” so when I came across a book entitled Forgive and Remember, I was intrigued. From the opening chapter to the closing page, this story is about truly accepting God’s forgiveness and allowing ourselves to heal and move forward in His love. I loved Shelby as she is committed to serving God as she made a promise. Her secret is sadly a common occurrence and Lincoln and other characters who learn the secret were wonderfully comforting and supportive. I wish that more people were this sympathetic. There is the mystery about who is making the threats but it doesn’t bog down the story. I am looking forward to reading the rest of this series. It is a clean Christian romance with realism and emotional moments. I will admit I shed a few tears as I finished reading this book. I highly recommend Forgive and Remember. 

Forgive and Remember is available in paperback and eBook

Island Refuge: a clean romance

Island Refuge is the first book in the Wildflower B&B series by Kimberly Rose Johnson. Zoe Griffin walked away from her dream job as a five-star chef and retreated to the tiny island in the Puget Sound. Now working as a cook and maid at the rundown bed-and-breakfast, she begins to feel at home Dr Nick Jackson is done with medicine and decides that owning and running the B&B is just what he needs but his new employee is giving him plenty of doubts. But as Zoe begins to let down her defense, Nick sees a competent, caring and yet deeply wound woman. As they begin to fall for each other, they both learn the hardest lesson of all. Can they find a way to forgive, heal the past and move forward with a future together? 

Island Refuge is a clean romance with a hint of Christian faith. I say a hint because it didn’t read like a faith based romance until suddenly it was. It seemed to come out of nowhere as if the author suddenly remembered she needed to add the characters' faith. And the faith was a little more fluffy than I would have liked. However, I liked Zoe as a woman searching for a fresh start, a place to hide and lick her wounds. Nick was a harder character to like as he was a bit more hardened. However, as the two grew to know each other and their wounds revealed, it was great to see them together. Overall, I enjoyed the book. It was a quick read for a lazy afternoon. If you enjoy clean romances, I recommend Island Refuge. 

Island Refuge is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

The Mechanics of Mistletoe: a second chance romance

The Mechanics of Mistletoe by Liz Isaacson is the first book in the Shiloh Ridge Ranch in Three Rivers #1. Bear Glover can be a grizzly or a teddy bear. He always thought he was content working the family ranch but when he develops a crush on Samantha Benton, he decides it’s time to act on it. Samantha “Sammy” is a genius with a wrench who can fix just about anything. She struggles being the strong one in her family as she has custody of her orphaned nephew and taking care of her aging parents. When Bear asks her out, she is surprised but thrilled. While their first date is considered a disaster, they can’t stop thinking about each other. When a series of tornadoes hit their small town, Bear is determined to have a second chance with Sammy. Will this be their second chance at love? 

The Mechanics of Mistletoe is a clean, Christian second chance romance. I liked Bear as the eldest brother who takes care of his family and responsibilities at the cost of his personal life. I cheered him on as he decided to take a chance with Sammy. However, I did not like Sammy. I admired her strength to take care of her nephew and her parents following her sister’s death; however, she mentions it all the time! I didn’t like her stubborn independence as she resists Bear’s help. I loved how Bear was determined to show her that asking for or accepting help isn’t a weakness. Overall, as I closed the story, I was left ambivalent about The Mechanics of Mistletoe. However, I know I most likely will not finish this series. However, if you enjoy small town, faith-based second chance romance, you may enjoy The Mechanics of Mistletoe. 

The Mechanics of Mistletoe is available in hardcover, paperback, eBook and audiobook

Missing on Main Street: a Christian suspense mystery

Missing on Main Street by Sarah Hualde is the first book in the Honey Pot Mysteries series. Ivy Hooper is missing and Lydia Everett is the only person who seems to notice or even care. When no one else seems interested in searching for Ivy, Lydia takes matters into her own hands and begins asking questions. She fears the worst when Ivy’s stepfather denies even he has a stepdaughter and Ivy’s ex-boyfriend is acting shady. She recruits her friends, Kat and Flora, to help. In spite of the crazy holiday schedules and their own family dramas, the three friends hope to find Ivy before it is too late. 

Missing on Main Street is categorized as a Christian suspense mystery. While it is heavy on the Christian element, it was lacking in the mystery. The case of the missing Ivy seemed to take a long time before it caught Lydia’s attention and seemed to take a back street to the women’s family issues and dramas. There was way too much going on and it didn’t seem to know what it wanted to be. Was it a mystery or was it a simple Christian fiction novel? It would have worked either way but I think the author was trying to do too much in the first book. Overall, it was a fast read and I am curious about the rest of the series. Although, I am not sure I would recommend it.

Missing on Main Street is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook. 

 

Home to You: a Christian love story

Home to You by Jenn Faulk is the story of Faith Hayes and Sam Huntington. Faith has been in love with Sam since she was 6 years old and used to sit next to him in church. Sam is 10 years older than Faith and always saw her as a sweet little girl in church. But after 10 years apart, and on leave from the Marines, Sam sees Faith again and doesn’t recognize the little girl in the young woman. After realizing that Faith is the little girl from church, he cuts off all contact and heads to combat in Afghanistan. Heartbroken, Faith pours herself more into her studies and tries to forget Sam Huntington. The story fast forwards again, 8 years later, Faith is now 24 years old and a midwife at a Houston women’s clinic where another chance meeting puts her face to face with Sam. Sam is a broken man, plagued by nightmares of his time in combat and trying to put the pieces of his life together. Is this the chance for Faith and Sam to finally be together? Can Faith help Sam recover from his emotional battle scars? Is there anything that stands in their way?

Home to You wasn’t the book I thought it was. It started out great with the interactions between Faith and Sam, despite their age differences, had an obvious attraction. Then toward the end, Faith starts acting strange and, to me, out of character. There is one scene in which Sam turns her away from their make out session because he wants to be honorable and wait for marriage. Sounds reasonable for two Christian people, right? Well, Faith starts distancing herself from Sam because he “rejected” her? For a character who has a strong faith in Christ and raised in a Christian home, this behavior seems odd. Then there are two characters, despite being Christian, are openly hostile to Sam because he is former military, “We’re in the job of saving lives, not ending them.” Like seriously!?!?! There are other events that turned me off about the story. Overall, I liked the story. I loved and sympathized with Sam’s character and wanted to see him happy and leading a better life. Faith, I didn’t care so much for. Her drive for perfection and everything according to a timetable seems unrealistic for a woman who chose midwifery as a career. I’m torn if I recommend this book or not. If this seems like you would enjoy this book, check it.

Home to You

is available in paperback and eBook

More than Words: family values in action rather than speech

More than Words 10 Values for the Modern Family by Erin Wathen is an evaluation of family values. According to Ms. Wathen, the purpose of the book is to find common ground between progressive and conservative Christians. Ms. Wathen is the senior pastor at the St. Andrew Christian Church in Kansas City as she uses her experience and observations to illustrate the values she feels are the most important as expression of love. Values such as compassion, joy, justice, and forgiveness. Each chapter features one particular value which people can practice in their home and in the community as well as questions at the end of each chapter to help the readers further put the value into action in their lives.

My first impression of More than Words was disagreement. I disagreed with many of Ms. Wathen’s illustrations as to why these values need to be practiced to our lives. I agree with the values that she is discussing and she had some excellent points. Despite the fact that I disagreed with her illustrations, I enjoyed her openness to discuss topics that many people would shy away from such as our approach as Christians to the LGBTQ community. I particularly liked her statement that marriage is an art, not a science. There is no formula for a great marriage, it is a piece of art which is worked and retouched as time goes by. I also liked that she said the old adage “don’t go to bed angry” isn’t good advice. I’ve found that sleep will often give you a new perspective in the morning and you are better able to talk calmly. I have other examples; however, I am recommending it for those who are open to a different point of view or if you would like to know what are the other viewpoints.

More than Words

is available on Amazon

in paperback and on the Kindle

The O'Malley series by Dee Henderson: stories of family and faith

The O’Malley series by Dee Henderson is another example of great books that have stayed with me. Each book focuses on one aspect of the Christian theology with each character who is a non-Christian struggling to understand and accept. Set in Chicago, Illinois, The O’Malleys are 7 individuals who met at Trevor House, a home for children who have been orphaned or taken from their parents’ custody. Together, they decide to start their own family, choosing the name O’Malley and maintained a strong bond that rivals some natural siblings.

First, The Negotiator is the story of Kate O’Malley, a police negotiator who meets Dave Richman, a FBI agent. Together, they must untangle a mystery of a plane bombing. The main theme is God’s mercy versus justice. She learns that her youngest sister, Jennifer, is sick and she questions God’s mercy to those she believes deserve justice. Dave must help her understand that God accomplishes both through Jesus Christ.  One of my favorite quotes from this series is: “Faith is the ultimate personal decision.” I also love Dave’s explanation of the different between a relationship with Christ and a religion: it is the distinction between “follow me” and “follow these rules.” 

Second, The Guardian is the story of Marcus O’Malley, a U.S. Marshall who is assigned to protect Sherri Hanford, the only eyewitness to the shooting death of her father and a family friend who is a federal judge. The main topic between Marcus and Sherri is the idea of unanswered prayer. Marcus, who abandoned his faith when God didn’t answer his childhood prayer and Sherri, who also had an unanswered prayer, helps Marcus understand that God doesn’t always answer prayers in the way we want Him to. God always answers prayers. Sometimes He answers yes, sometimes it’s not yet and sometimes it’s no.

Third, The Truth Seeker is the story of Lisa O’Malley, a forensic pathologist who with the help of Quinn Diamond, a U.S. Marshall and Marcus’ partner, investigates a possible serial killer with a connection to a missing person case from Quinn’s hometown. The topic of the Resurrection is the main theme. Lisa, who has witnessed death as a young child and spent her career investigating death, doesn’t believe that the Resurrection is real. Through the course of the investigations, she must decide if she believes in Jesus and His Resurrection.

Fourth, The Protector is the story of Jack O’Malley, a firefighter who is drawn to Cassie Ellis, a fellow firefighter who was injured in a tragic fire. Together with their boss, Cole Parker, they must investigate a series of arson fires before someone is hurt or killed. The main theme of this story is the reality of Hell. Jack is one of my favorite O’Malley character. He is funny and lovable. He also have a knight in shining armor quality that makes him the ideal firefighter. He struggles with the fact that he cannot protect his youngest sister from the illness that is ravaging her body.

Fifth, The Healer is the story of Rachel O’Malley, a trauma psychologist for the Red Cross who helps people after major tragic events. She is called in to help with the victims of a recent flood in the Chicago area when a crime is discovered that connects her to the victim. She must figure out how she is connects as well as struggle with her new faith, her new relationship with Cole Parker and the realization that her youngest sister is dying. This book is the most emotional for me. Even after reading it for years, I still cry at the end.

Lastly, The Rescuer is the story of Stephan O’Malley, a paramedic and the only O’Malley who has accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior. The story begins immediately after the events in The Healer. Stephen, unable to cope with the changes around him, takes a very long vacation. He is effectively running away. As he drives away from his home and family, he runs into an old friend, Meghan Delhart. Stephen is drawn to the small town life which Meghan has settled in. He buys a neighboring farm. They soon discover a pieces of stolen jewelry and they must unravel the mystery before someone comes looking for them. The main theme of this story is how someone keeps their faith in Christ amidst personal tragedy and crisis.

These books are filled with laughter, tears, and thought provoking questions that many Christians struggle with. Ms. Henderson offers a few answers to these questions but effectively each person must answer one question: will you put your faith in Jesus Christ? The O’Malley series is a great story of one family’s journey through crisis and faith. How blood doesn’t necessary create a strong bond of family. I also highly recommend Dee Henderson’s Danger in the Shadows which is a prequel to the series and it is a great mystery focusing on Dave’s sister, Sara.