The Bitter End Birding Society

Author: Amanda Cox

Publisher: Revell

Release Date: August 19, 2025

A great contemporary read with beautiful setting and issues the characters face that readers will resonate with.

Ana Leigh Watkins has been through her share of trauma lately and going to spend the summer in Bitter End Tennessee to help her great-aunt clear out her house to move to a retirement home is just what she needs. When she gets to Bitter End, she finds out her Aunt has planned a trip and is leaving Ana Leigh to handle the house details herself. While cleaning it out she meets a group of bird watchers in the mountains and finds herself enjoying the time with them and taking her mind off her past problems. Along with the solace of the group Ana Leigh also finds her share of family drama she didn’t know about and finds herself transformed by the journey she goes through in Bitter End.

Amanda Cox is a phenomenal contemporary author and I always find myself excited when she has a new release coming out. While I have loved all her books I would not say The Bitter End Birding Society was my favorite. The story itself was good and the characters were engaging, just not as much as some in the past. Ana Leigh is a great protagonist and I enjoyed the way her story played out. A few of the secondary characters were a bit much for me and tended to take me out of the story at times, which is not fun. Other than those minor frustrations, I will say it was a very enjoyable read that I can recommend to anyone who enjoys a good contemporary story.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

The Atlas of Untold Stories

Author: Sara Brunsvold

Publisher: Revell

Release Date: June 17, 2025

This book is like a slow ride through the countryside, take your time and enjoy every page.

Chloe Vance must tell her mom some very hard news and the longer she waits the harder it is going to be. Her mom feels Chloe is not realistic in her life and wishes she could be more like her older sister, Lauren. Chloe has accepted a position as an instructor at a Christian school in Prague, a job her mom won’t be thrilled about. Hoping to soften the news Chloe invites her mom on a road trip dealing with some of their favorite books and authors. The road trip winds up being Chloe, Lauren and their mom, and with each passing mile the tensions also rise between the three of them. Just when they feel there is no common ground the sisters and their mom find a way to support each other and learn from past mistakes to try and make the future time they have together as good as it can possible be.

Sara Brunsvold is fantastic at writing a contemporary novel that hit all the right feels at all the right moments. I love when I can open a book like this and get completely lost in the story. Contemporary can be tricky, either it can be written with supreme emotion, or it can be boring and lose the attention of the readers. I have yet to have that problem with a Sara Brunsvold book and am eager to see what else she has cooked up each time I pick up a new one she has written. With characters that are full of emotion, conflict and so easy for readers to relate to it was hard to put the book down and focus on anything else until I found out if they would find a way to get along in the end. If you are a reader that enjoys a good contemporary read this is one you will not want to miss.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Capture the Moment

Author: Suzanne Woods Fisher

Series: National Parks Summers #1

Publisher: Revell

Release Date: May 6, 2025

A perfect romance with even more perfect settings that took my breath away.

Kate Cunningham has an amazing life working as a zoo photographer and experiencing the wonderful animals around the world. When she is approached by National Geographic to try and get a rare picture of a legendary bear found in Grand Teton National Park, she knows she can’t pass up the opportunity. There is a reason no one has ever gotten a picture of this rare bear and Kate is hoping to be the first even with the odds stacked against her. She meets Grant Cooper, a park ranger who has worked in the Tetons and knows the area which might help her succeed. The only problem is they are not the only one on the hunt for this bear and the closer they get the more danger they find themselves in.

Suzanne Woods Fisher did a fantastic job with Capture the Moment. I fully felt immersed in this story and setting and did not want to leave when the last page finished. I love national parks and the Grand Tetons are on my list of wanting to visit the first chance I get so this story only made that wish stronger. Kate was a perfect protagonist and had a driving force that pulled me into the story and the adventure she was going on in such a way I had a hard time getting anything else accomplished until I finished. This is the kind of book that will take readers far away into the parks and emotions of the characters that will hit just right. I recommend this book to readers that enjoy storybook settings, romance that has all the right feels and the start of what I hope will be a great series with many more to come.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

The Voice We Find

Author: Nicole Deese

Series: Fog Harbor #3

Publisher: Bethany House

Release Date: April 15, 2025

A story that goes deep into the heart of the characters and readers.

After a failed run at Broadway, Sophie Wilder decides there is no place like home and returns to California to help her family at the winery they own. While helping with the winery, she needs a little more to do so she starts working as an audiobook narrator. She works with August Tate, a sound engineer, who has had a hard time after taking over raising his teenage sister. Sophie gets close with August and especially with his sister, a fact that makes her very appealing to him as someone he could possibly see a future with.

The Voice We Find is a wonderfully written romance with characters that took the right speed at bringing them together with nothing too quick. I always get frustrated with books, or even movies, that have characters get together in such a way that seems ridiculous. It was nice to read about these characters that had real issues but came together to help each other in the ways they needed most. The way the characters were portrayed made it very easy to care about them and want to see them have a happy ending together. This is the third book in the series and is a great addition to the series that fans will really enjoy.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Welcome to the Honey B&B

Author: Melody Carlson

Publisher: Revell

Release Date: March 4, 2025

A heart wrenching story that pulled all the right strings at all the right times.

Jewel McKerry must take her daughter and move to help take care of her father who is battling memory issues. Not ideal but she knows that is where she belongs. Not only is having a teenager hard to deal with, but now she must add her ailing father to the mix. Money is tight and the troubles keep adding up. Seeing no way out, Jewel convinces her parents to let her turn their farmhouse into a B&B to try and get them out of their financial woes. The house needs some updates and Jewel gets her high school boyfriend to help and things quickly become trickier than Jewel anticipated for both her heart and her family.

This book was hard to read at times as it dealt with the struggle of memory issues in loved ones. I have seen snippets of that in my future with some family members of my own. The way this story was written was beautifully done and at times helped me with what might be to come. I loved the romance and the way the characters pulled at my heart strings. This is the kind of story that many will find endearing and not want to put down. The clean story is what many readers are looking for these days and this will hit the mark. I would recommend this to readers that want a heart-warming story that is full of all the right feels.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Sunrise Reef

Author: Irene Hannon

Series: Hope Harbor #11

Publisher: Revell

Release Date: April 1, 2025

Another addition in the Hope Harbor series that fans have come to love and adore.

Bren Ryan came to Hope Harbor looking for relief and finds it in the laid-back town. She isn’t looking for romance or anything to complicate her life, so when Noah Ward shows up in her life things change. Noah comes to town to help his father and try to convince him to move closer when he meets Bren who has been living in his guest house. Bren is trying to help a young teen and Noah ends up helping her and the more they are together the closer they become.

Irene Hannon has crafted a beautiful series with the Hope Harbor books. Even though each one can be individually read they work best as a series especially with some of the secondary characters that show up frequently, especially our favorite Taco man, Charlie. Honestly, Charlie is probably the reason I keep coming back to these books, he is the best character that keeps on giving to readers. These stories read quickly and are just what I would call a fun little get away. It doesn’t take a lot of thought or brain power when going through these but readers will find a good time with each of these books.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Tea with Elephants

Author: Robin Jones Gunn

Publisher: Revell

Release Date: October 15, 2024

A fun contemporary read that is full of adventure, friendship and amazing faith filled moments.

It’s been almost 20 years since Fern and Lily met volunteering at a center in Costa Rica and ever since they have remained close friends. When they get the chance to go on an African Safari together, they jump at the opportunity to get back out and see what the world has to offer them. The last 20 years has been hard on both of them and being out in the wild and connecting with their faith and each other is a little harder than when they were young.

Tea with Elephants is a great contemporary read, full of all the great adventure moments one would come to expect from a book like this. I loved the way Gunn brought readers right into the thick of the African wilds with all the exotic animals and the glory that comes with being in the presence of God’s greatness. Both Fern and Lily have a lot going on in their lives and have to be able to work through it in order to return from this trip better than when they started it. I enjoyed the way they struggled with decisions they had to make and the fact that it wasn’t too easy and expected that would have made me roll my eyes at the way it was written. This is the first book by Robin Jones Gunn I have read, it was well written and enjoyable making her a new author to add to my shelves. I would recommend this book to readers that enjoy contemporary adventures in an exotic setting.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

The Color of Home

Author: Kit Tosello

Publisher: Revell

Release Date: September 24, 2024

An inspiring and emotional story that will touch the hearts of readers.

Audrey Needham is an interior designer working for the upper class and it is getting harder and harder by the day. When her aunt needs help caring for her uncle, she must decide if it is worth risking her career to go back to Charity Falls, Oregon, the small town she spent her summers growing up. She hasn’t been back since in thirteen years since her father was killed in a fire at the Sugar Pine Inn. As she arrives back at Charity Falls, she is met with sign after sign that she is in the right place.

I love when a contemporary fiction book gets it just right. Sometimes those are the very best books I read, they surprise me with how enjoyable they are and usually at just the right moment. The dynamic between the different characters hit home for me and the way the story slowly built made me eager to turn the pages and see how it would all turn out. Audrey was a fantastic protagonist and just what I was looking for with this contemporary fiction read. There was very little “fluff” and nonsense that took me out of the story, a great aspect in novels. The slow build up was great for me but it might be considered slow by some so that is something to keep in mind. I do recommend this to readers that enjoy contemporary fiction.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Meddling with Mistletoe

Author: Liz Johnson

Publisher: Revell

Release Date: September 3, 2024

Get ready for the holiday season early with a fun and quick read.

Culinary School is going to be the newest adventure Whitney Garrett goes after, if she is able to raise the money for her tuition. One problem after another arises and when her oven goes out, she must ask for help from Marie Sloan, the owner of the local Inn if she can use the one in their kitchen. Whitney gets the go ahead with two issues, she must cook breakfast for those at the Inn and watch the Sloan children. With the holiday season coming up quickly, the Inn is busy with guests; one of those guest is Daniel, who quickly catches her eye and she feels they might be just right for each other.

It’s always fun with the holiday novels come out in September to get me in the spirit for the upcoming seasons. Whitney sure had a lot on her plate with wanting to get into culinary school but having so much to deal with before she could even consider it, but she kept her head up and was able to come out in the end with a smile on her face and mine as I read. There were definitely challenges that she faced and that kept me wanting to turn the pages wanting to find out what was going to happen next for her and hope it would be a happy ending. This book was short, sweet and to the point which was great, quick to read and enjoy. There wasn’t a bunch of fluff and stuff that wasn’t necessary. This will be the perfect holiday read for readers getting ready for the holiday season.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

The Christmas Tree Farm

Author: Melody Carlson

Publisher: Revell

Release Date: September 3, 2024

Curl up with a blanket and some hot chocolate to enjoy this perfect holiday read.

Madison McDowell has spent the last few years teaching overseas and when she returns home tired from it all, she has plans to work at her family’s Christmas tree farm in Oregon. While she was gone, the farm fell into disrepair and her hopes of a future with the trees and her family is in question. Her sister wants to sell the farm, and the buyer turns out to be Madison’s old flame. With tensions high between her and her sister and the farm about to be sold, she has the cards stacked against her, but the challenge proves to be just what she needs after arriving back home.

Melody Carlson can always be counted on to craft a fun and endearing holiday romance that will get readers in the holiday spirit. Madison is a fun and quirky protagonist that put a smile on my face. I enjoyed the interactions between her and Gavin as she worked to try and save the farm. I always enjoy this time of year when I get these fun holiday books, they are quick and fun to get me in the holiday spirit. I can pretty much sit down and read this in a day. Readers that are looking to get in the holiday spirit will not want to miss this one.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.