Category: Contemporary

About

Cannon James has a plan: Sign on as a contestant for his father’s new reality show, marry a blonde hand-picked by the producers, and walk away two million dollars richer. It’s all been arranged. Easy. Clean. No regrets. Until Ellie McAllister ruins everything by winning the viewer’s vote. Now he has to convince America that he’s head over heels in love with her. Not easy to do since she’s a walking disaster.

Ellie McAllister has her own problems. She needs money, and she needs it now. Despite her parent’s objections and her belief that marriage is sacred, she signs on to The Wedding Game…and wins. Now she’s married to a guy she can’t stand, and if she wants her hands on the money, she has six months to make voters believe she loves him. Not easy to do since he’s the most arrogant man in America.

It doesn’t take long for Ellie and Cannon to realize they’ve made a mess of things…even less time for their feelings for one another to change. But is it too late for them? More importantly, can the worst decision they’ve ever made actually become one of the best?

Review

What I liked about this book: The concept. It was different, fresh, funny, clever and I could see the potential romance right off the bat. The first page pulled me right in and I was thoroughly engrossed. Sometimes you need some light chick lit to read and this one completely fit that bill. Though Cannon and Ellie had issues to deal with, at the heart of this novel is romance. I also really liked that this was not a love at first sight kind of novel. Cannon and Ellie had some real problems with each other and I liked that it took them time to learn to like and eventually fall in love with each other.

What I didn’t like: the deception. Cannon and Ellie each had a secret that they kept from each other, which in my opinion was totally understandable in the beginning. However, there is a certain point in the novel where circumstances changed. And once that happened, I failed to understand why they were keeping secrets from each other. It kind of felt like the novel was being made longer and so I got kind of irritated with Cannon and Ellie.

Spiritually….well…let me just begin by saying that when writing Christian novels you are, to a degree, limited to certain types of circumstances because there are just some situations you ought not find yourself in. This is one of them. That said, Ellie fully recognizes that she had stopped trusting God to handle her problems and that she must learn to let Him be in control. Cannon, on the other hand, though he prays, there’s never really a moment where you can believe that he has a relationship with God. Yet, again, I totally understand what the author was doing. I felt like the novel was going for pure entertainment and fun and that’s what I got.

Romantic Scale: 8.9

About

Samantha Moore has always hidden behind the words of others—namely, her favorite characters in literature. Now, she will learn to write her own story—by giving that story to a complete stranger.

Sam is, to say the least, bookish. An English major of the highest order, her diet has always been Austen, Dickens, and Shakespeare. The problem is, both her prose and conversation tend to be more Elizabeth Bennet than Samantha Moore.

But life for the twenty-three-year-old orphan is about to get stranger than fiction. An anonymous, Dickensian benefactor (calling himself Mr. Knightley) offers to put Sam through Northwestern University’s prestigious Medill School of Journalism. There is only one catch: Sam must write frequent letters to the mysterious donor, detailing her progress.

As Sam’s dark memory mingles with that of eligible novelist Alex Powell, her letters to Mr. Knightley become increasingly confessional. While Alex draws Sam into a world of warmth and literature that feels like it’s straight out of a book, old secrets are drawn to light. And as Sam learns to love and trust Alex and herself, she learns once again how quickly trust can be broken.

Reminding us all that our own true character is not meant to be hidden, Reay’s debut novel follows one young woman’s journey as she sheds her protective persona and embraces the person she was meant to become.

Review

Dear Ms. Reay,

I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed this book! When I first heard about it, I was so excited! How did you know I love epistolary novels? How did you know Daddy Long Legs is one of my favorite books (not the movie, per se, Fred Astaire came off as a bit creepy lol)? And that Emma was my favorite Jane Austen novel? Mr. Knightly far surpasses Darcy in my opinion. And then, to top if off, the novel took place in my hometown of Chicago! Amazing.

I will say, that at first, I was nervous, because to do a kind of remake might not have turned out so well. Let me just say, that Samantha is her own person and infuses the novel with her personality. I loved everything about her. Her insecurities, her love of reading, and her awkwardness.  I even liked her age and dealing with grad school and finding a job (yes, that might be about where I am in life). Her experiences felt real. I know people like that. And the guy? I loved him on so many different levels, even when he messed up. I thought the romance was beautifully done, real and raw. I did however wish that it wasn’t tied up so quickly. I wish there could be a book two. I want to see more of Sam and her guy together.

As an English major with a love for all things British, I felt like you got me. I recognized the quotes, I understood the references, I got it. None Austen-Bronte fans may not get every reference, but for those of us who do, the novel was very rich.

Spiritually, I loved how you showed God’s love through his people and how you can do things your way, but only God will bring you contentment and joy.*

Overall, Ms. Reay, this novel warmed my heart and made me want to immediately reread it again. Loved your novel, and I look forward to anything you write from here on!

Your new biggest fan,

remaininhislove

*For my sensitive readers, there is a swear word in the novel that may or may not be jarring.

Romantic Scale: 9.5

**I received this novel from Netgalley. My opinion was not affected in any way.**

About

Miranda Woodruff has it all. At least, that’s how it looks when she’s starring in her homebuilding television show, From the Ground Up. So when her network begins to talk about making cuts, she’ll do anything to boost ratings and save her show–even if it means pretending to be married to a man who’s definitely not the fiance who ran out on her three years ago.

When a handsome reporter starts shadowing Miranda’s every move, all his digging into her personal life brings him a little too close to the truth–and to her. Can the girl whose entire identity is wrapped up in her on-screen persona finally find the nerve to set the record straight? And if she does, will the life she’s built come crashing down just as she’s found a love to last?

Review

Am I the only here who is not a fan of deception? It never really ends up well. And then I read this novel. It appeared to me that Ms. Tagg read the usual deception novels and flipped them. I can not tell you how pleased I was with the way this novel turned out! So, what I loved about it?

The characters. All of them. Blaze was fascinating (does he get his own book?), Matthew handled everything gracefully, Miranda’s best friends were full of personality. Their reactions in the novel were often hilarious and yet, realistic. Miranda’s struggle for acceptance with God in spite of her past was real.

I liked that Ms. Tagg also didn’t go the way I thought she would with this story. I kept having to ask myself, now how is all this going to work out (sorry, this review will be vague, too many possible spoilers). But the ending was nice and really worked out well.

The romance was light and fluffy and though I usually enjoy more serious romances, it really fit the story.

What I didn’t like:

Matthew beating himself up so much. He messed up once, but it wasn’t the end of the world.

The novel didn’t pull me in right away, and my own frustration with deception had me hesitant to continue (don’t hesitate, it’s all going to work out fine!)

Overall, a great contemporary romance that you will enjoy!

Romantic scale: 7.5

**I received this novel from Netgalley. My opinion was not affected in any way.**

About

Megan McKinney is being forced to re-evaluate Justin Frasure, her womanizing boss, since he became a Christian three months earlier. She finds her heart softening as his faith grows. Can he wait patiently for God to change her heart, or will his patience push her toward someone else?

Review

This was such a cute romance, and really, it fits the day and times in which we live. When you read what this book is about you will know that there are two guys that Megan has to choose from (if you read the back of the novel, not just the Amazon description!) I don’t want to give away which guy Megan ends up with, but I was in full support of her choice from the first time I met the guy. That said, because there were two guys I found myself a bit stir-crazy and it took all I had not to flip to the ending to figure out who the winner was.  I found Megan to be a really good character and though there were moments that I wasn’t crazy about her reactions, they totally made sense. Spiritually, I loved the theme of being made new in Christ and how you have to see yourself as new even when others don’t. Also, there was great emphasis on forgiving people even when they don’t seem to be sorry. A good book, and a romantic read!

About

Running from his frustrating life, Chad loses his way on Christmas Eve and soon
stumbles on the remote town of Piney Meadows. Before long, he falls in love with the
people of the Old Order Mennonite community, accepts a job, and settles into the
area. He is touched by the good people and their strong faith, even though he still
has a lingering dispute with God. Most of all, he is fond of Anna. The more he gets
to know her, the more he falls in love with her. But Anna is not happy in Piney
Meadows. The Mennonite community is changing, but it’s not changing fast enough for
her. She longs to move to Minneapolis to get a job, make her way in the world, and
find herself. Chad doesn’t want her to go, but Anna can only see the freedom she
imagines she will get in the big city. When she’s ready to leave he contemplates
leaving with her, but a personal crisis shakes Chad to his core. Feeling let down by
everyone—including God—Chad wonders if Anna will now desert him too.

Review

Having read the first book in this series (The Narrow Path) and enjoyed it, I knew I had to get my hands on this one. Chad and Anna are introduced in the first book and I greatly enjoyed getting to know them. Chad, in my opinion, was a great hero because he was authentic and real. You could see him slowly beginning to rely on and trust God and to slowly fall in love with Anna. He had a past, but he did everything he could to rectify it. Anna, on the other hand, was a bit like a female Ted. In most Amish books, they portray the women as no nonsense women who have to learn how to have fun. Anna is no different. But she is a fully likeable character that you will root for throughout the novel. The romance in this book was my kind of romance. There was kind of a slow, easy burn that kindles toward the end. I so appreciated the fact that Chad and Anna became such good friends before they fell in love with one another. If I had a problem with this book, it would have to do with the Amish ways, and not the characters themselves. Spiritually, the novel dealt with issues of judging those who have already asked forgiven and learning how to accept that you are forgiven. It was a really good topic that worked well. This book was funny, sweet, at moments very real, and quite romantic. I think if you read this book, you will vastly enjoy yourself. Recommended!

**I received this book from Netgalley. My opinion was not affected in any way.**

Romantic Scale: 9.5

About

Once Upon a Prince, the first novel in the Royal Wedding series by best-selling author Rachel Hauck, treats you to a modern-day fairy tale.
Susanna Truitt never dreamed of a great romance or being treated like a princess—just to marry the man she has loved for twelve years. But life isn’t going according to plan. When her high-school-sweetheart-turned-Marine-officer breaks up instead of proposing, Susanna scrambles to rebuild her life.
The last thing Prince Nathaniel expects to find on his American holiday to St. Simons Island is the queen of his heart. A prince has duties, and his family’s tense political situation has chosen his bride for him. When Prince Nathaniel comes to Susanna’s aid under the fabled Lover’s Oak, he is blindsided by love.
Their lives are worlds apart. He’s a royal prince. She’s an ordinary girl. But everything changes when Susanna receives an invitation to Nathaniel’s coronation.
It’s the ultimate choice: His kingdom or her heart? God’s will or their own?

Review

Who hasn’t dreamed of marrying a prince at some time? Now, I know this novel is so unrealistic, but who cares? There’s a reason people love fairy-tales. That said, I thought Ms. Hauck did her level best to infuse as much realism in a situation of this kind as she could. I found Susanna to be an endearing heroine. She never came across as annoying to me. In fact, I like the scene where she realizes who Nathan is. She handled the “big reveal” swimmingly. I also found Nathan to be a wonderful prince. At times he was a bit too perfect, but I guess that’s the general idea behind a prince! There is an underlying mystery in this novel and let me just say that for a second I was worried, really worried that it would be solved in a very cliche way, but it wasn’t. This novel was sweet without being corny. Spiritually, I love the way the Lord challenges Susanna to let go of her plans and schedules and to just trust Him. This is a very sweet read with that fairy-tale flavor that makes your heart sigh. Recommended!

About

Darek Christiansen is almost a dream bachelor—oldest son in the large Christiansen clan, heir to their historic Evergreen Lake Resort, and doting father. But he’s also wounded and angry since the tragic death of his wife, Felicity. No woman in Deep Haven dares come near.

New assistant county attorney Ivy Madison simply doesn’t know any better when she bids on Darek at the charity auction. Nor does she know that when she crafted a plea bargain three years ago to keep Jensen Atwood out of jail and in Deep Haven fulfilling community service, she was releasing the man responsible for Felicity’s death. All Ivy knows is that the Christiansens feel like the family she’s always longed for. And once she gets past Darek’s tough exterior, she finds a man she could spend the rest of her life with. Which scares her almost as much as Darek learning of her involvement in his wife’s case.

Caught between new love and old grudges, Darek must decide if he can set aside the past for a future with Ivy—a future more and more at risk as an approaching wildfire threatens to wipe out the Christiansen resort and Deep Haven itself.

Review

If I had to describe this novel in one word I would use: Touching. Ms. Warren does a fabulous job of capturing people’s emotions.  Her characters are always rich and vivid and ready to step off the page.  And sometimes that can be a bit of a problem, because just like you can’t really know people, I felt like I couldn’t really know these characters. This novel seems to start right in the middle of things. You have all of this backstory that is so relevant to the present. The first chapter starts off interesting it took me a minute to really get into the novel, but once I got into it I had to finish it. Darek was an interesting hero. He was flawed, but he was real. Ms. Warren has been doing this thing where she kind of writes two love stories in one so the love stories are a bit shorter than I would like. And personally, there are some characters who I just want to know more about than others. I wanted to see more of Darek and to really watch him fall in love with Ivy on the pages. But I felt that it was a bit stunted at time. A lot seemed to happen off screen.  My heart went out to Jensen though. Boy did he have it rough. I would say the best part of Jensen was when he came to a realization that he needed to let go of the past and that God loved him and never stopped loving him.  Claire’s situation, though noteworthy, was one that I felt could have been a bit more developed. I knew who she was, but I still felt like I didn’t know where she came from. Overall, the novel has a lot going on, but you won’t get lost. The novel is engaging and recommended. And I for one, look forward to seeing what happens in the next book!

Update: I was told that this was a confusing review, so to clarify: Ms. Warren is a fabulous author. You won’t be disappointed with her books, and though this is not one to be missed, it was not especially my favorite.