With Every Memory

Author: Janine Rosche

Publisher: Revell

Release Date: June 6, 2023

One of the best books I’ve read all year! The characters and emotion I felt reading this were next to none!

It’s been ten months since a tragic accident caused Lori Mendenhall to lose her memories of the last nine years. As she leaves the rehab center to come back to a home she has no memory of, she feels little memories trying to surface and secrets coming to light that could change everything for her.

I picked this book up fully expecting to skim through it and not enjoy or remember much about it, to my surprise I couldn’t put it down and it has stuck with me for a while now. I read this in a single day and by the time I turned the last page I was enthralled with this story! I have got to stop doubting contemporary novels; they turn out to be some of the best written ones I have read in a very long time. Each new chapter revealed a secret or new memory, adding meaning to the characters and story. This is the first book I’ve read by Rosche and it for sure won’t be the last. I recommend this book to anyone that wants a good contemporary read with deep meaning and a love story to boot.

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

The Love Script

Author: Toni Shiloh

Publisher: Bethany House Publishers

Release Date: July 31, 2023

A cute and quirky romance that fans of Hallmark type movies will love.

Nevaeh Richards is a hair stylist in Hollywood trying to help others shine while keeping herself out of the spotlight. When she is photographed with big time star, Lamont Booker, she goes viral, and her life of anonymity goes away. Lamont Booker has made his faith known and uses his stardom to reach others in this way. When his photo is taken with Nevaeh, rumors start to swirl that he isn’t as clean cut as he claims to be. Both of their careers end up in danger as they try to work through a scripted romance that ends up turning into the real thing.

Toni Shiloh is becoming a well-known name in Christian fiction with her quirky characters, endearing romances, and enjoyable stories. When I pick up a Toni Shiloh book, I know I am going to have a quick read that will be enjoyable. There are plenty of faith-filled elements throughout this book that readers who are looking for will enjoy, if that is not what you enjoy it could seem a little forced at times. If you are picking up this book, I’m pretty certain you know you are getting a faith filled book and it will be right up your alley. These stories really do remind me of Hallmark movies, they are enjoyable, even if they do resemble each other. I enjoyed the romance, clean story and characters that took their faith seriously. I recommend this book to readers that are looking for a clean faith-filled romance.

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

Saving Grayson

Author: Chris Fabry

Publisher: Tyndale House

Release Date: November 7, 2023

This book was nothing like what I expected and hit super close to home with the subject matter.

Grayson Hayes has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and it is quickly taking over his life and that of his family. His wife is trying his best to help him, but it is getting harder and harder. Grayson knows there is something he needs to do back in his hometown but can’t remember what it is. His wife gets him a helper to drive him back home and help him along the way. But with each passing mile, his confusion and frustration make the trip more difficult.

I guess I wasn’t expecting the subject matter to be so difficult, I have a family member that is starting to show signs of memory issues and that made it harder to read. Even with that, the story was well written and intriguing. The way Fabry tied in all the characters together with the missing memories was really sweet. I hated to see Grayson struggling with remembering things and his wife worrying about him, but the way Fabry wrote it all made it so real, like I was living it with them. The writing was solid, and the storyline original compared to so many I have read this year. I would recommend this to readers that are looking for a heartwarming story but might be hard to take at times if they are dealing with this in their own lives.

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

The Wind Blows in Sleeping Grass

Author: Katie Powner

Publisher: Bethany House

Release Date: September 26, 2023

A contemporary read so full of emotion and heart, I was glued to my seat!

Pete Ryman never thought he would find himself back in Sleeping Grass, his hometown; but now at fifty-years old, he is back with his potbellied pig, Pearl. He dropped out of high school making it hard for him to find work except for the sanitation department. Wilma Jacobsen is trying to live her live life now that she is a widow and her children have all left. When Pete Ryman shows up in town, a wave of guilt washes over her from the past she has never been able to get over. Pete’s younger sister shows up in town with her young son and Pete suddenly finds himself with everything he wanted and afraid of losing it all.

Katie Powner has written a powerful story with heart, emotion, and pure enjoyment. Every character in this story had just the right moments and just the right pull on the heartstrings. Pearl, the pig, had a bigger part than some might enjoy but it did bring some light-hearted moments to a story that did get heavy at times. Usually I would say a thriller is my favorite type of book to read but lately I have picked up some contemporary reads that have been just what I needed in that moment. Overall, this was a fabulously written story that brought me into the heart of Montana and in the living room with these characters as they hashed out the struggles they lived with and learned that happiness was something for everyone no matter what they had done or been through.

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

No More Secrets

Author: Kerry Lonsdal

Series: No More #3

Publisher: Lake Union Publishing

Release Date: March 14, 2023

Easily the best book of the trilogy! Lucas’s story is what Lonsdale fans have been waiting for!

Lucas Carson never wanted his life to turn out the way it did. He couldn’t seem to get affection from his father, so he tried acting out to get his attention. One of these occasions goes wrong and he winds up serving a six-month stint in a juvenile detention center that add far more scars than he came in with. Traumatized by his experience, he shuts everyone else out of his life, even his sixteen-year-old pregnant sister Lily who is thrown out of their house.

Years later while living life in nowhere, he stumbles across a young runaway named Shiloh. Lucas can’t help but see Lily when he looks at her and decides to help her to make amends for his past. He can’t risk a run in with the law because of some other acts he has done, but he feels he must help her out.

I have loved each book in this series, but this one really takes the cake. I fell in love with Lucas’s story. In the first two books, he is so standoffish that you can’t really take him seriously as a character, but now readers get to see his true self. This is a story of redemption and love, though not romantic. I love how everything tied up at the end, especially with their mother, and hope that there is a future story where readers can find out more about the characters lives as they live them out.

There is quite a bit of language as well as some sex scenes throughout. I recommended this book for mature readers. It could be read as a standalone, but I highly recommend reading the previous two books in the series first!

The Secret to Happiness

Author: Suzanne Woods Fisher

Series: Cape Cod Creamery #2

Publisher: Revell

Release Date: May 2, 2023

Return to Cape Cod for another great story!

Callie is at the top of her career, until one mistake brings it all down crashing around her. Needing a place to hide out and determine what is next in her life, Callie flees to Cape Cod to visit her favorite aunt. But her cousin Dawn is not thrilled to see her. There has been some tension in the past that left Dawn feeling second best to Callie. But even Dawn can see that Callie is struggling with depression. To get her out of this, Dawn drags Callie to a local community college class about finding happiness. While skeptical at first, Callie discovers this class, and its instructor, might be just what she needs.

I was so happy to return to the Cape Cod Creamery for another lighthearted feel-good story. This one focuses on Dawn’s cousin Callie and her current distress. Fisher does such a great job of introducing characters who just fold right into your lap and make you want to be their friend. Callie was one of those characters who you felt for right away and just wanted to see her happy again. I also loved meeting new characters as well as visiting some recurring characters from the first book. Such a great read to start off the summer reading season!

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

Windswept Way

Author: Irene Hannon

Series: Hope Harbor #9

Publisher: Revell

Release Date: April 4, 2023

Another edition to the fantastic Hope Harbor series that will easily sweep readers away into the magic Hannon has created!

Ashley Scott has experienced some difficulties in life recently and decides buying a haunted house in Hope Harbor might be her next step in life. Her new neighbor is Jonathan Gray, a wounded warrior that likes to keep to himself until she must ask for his help. It doesn’t take long for Jonathan to develop feelings for his new neighbor despite his best efforts. This historic town is in for a battle as its newest arrival stirs things up in the hearts of all.

The Hope Harbor series is a fan favorite for a reason, so much to love about this cute little town and those that reside within. Nine books into this series and it is still one that I look forward to picking up and losing myself in this little beach town. Each book has a new set of main characters but also gives us a continuing look at returning characters such as Charlie, he may be the best character in the whole series. His little wise tidbits at his fish taco stand are the best nuggets in each book. Ashley and Jonathan were a good pair of main characters that had a good chemistry and way of moving the story forward. Faith is always a big element in this series and helps the characters through their difficult situations, readers will be able to pull something no matter what they are going through. I always appreciate Irene Hannon’s way of crafting characters and situations that the readers can relate with. This is a great book for those that love contemporary romance and have been following this series.

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

Second Time Around

Author: Melody Carlson

Publisher: Revell

Release Date: March 7, 2023

A fun quick romance that readers will greatly enjoy!

Mallory Farrell inherits her grandmother’s tourist shop in Seaport, Oregon; however, she doesn’t want to spend the time and energy it would take to get the shop back up and running. That is, until her old crush shows up wanting to add the store to make a cookie cutter outdoor mall. Mallory now has the determination to make the shop what it can be. She catches the eye of a renovation TV producer who wants to feature her shop and the apartment above she has been living in. The apartment is much worse than the shop and Mallory is ashamed, causing her to almost pull out of the show all in trying to keep Grayson at arm’s length.

Melody Carlson is a great contemporary romance author that has a way of transporting readers to a faraway place in her stories. One thing I have come to love about her writing is the way the main characters interact; it is dynamic and fun and with the perfect amount of romance at all the right times. Whenever I pick up a book by Carlson, I know I am going to have a quick and enjoyable read. These are the types of books that when I pick them up, I don’t have to think too much or worry about the story.

In the way that Grayson wanted to turn Mallory’s shop into a cookie cutter shopping mall, this book is somewhat of the same thing. For me at least, contemporary romance novels are very much cookie cutter books. That’s not a bad thing as much if you are just looking for a quick read that doesn’t require much thinking. They are still entertaining, but readers don’t have to worry about a deep story. And in the world that we live in that can be great sometimes.

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

What Happens Next

Author: Christina Suzann Nelson

Publisher: Bethany House

Release Date: January 17, 2023

A little different that what I’ve come to expect from Nelson, but I like it!

Recently divorced Faith Byrne has taken her past career as an investigative reporter and shifted to performing a podcast that focus on redemptive stories of people who have experience traumatic events. When her ex-husband gets permission to take their two daughters to Hawaii for the entire summer, Faith isn’t sure what to do with herself until she receives an unexpected letter from one of her childhood friend’s sister. Faith had always wondered what she had done for her summer of 1987 friend to never respond to her letters, but she finds out that she went missing after school started that year, but her family never told her. Heather’s sister, Brooke, solicits Faith’s help on her podcast to bring her missing sister’s story to light so that her family might finally find closure. But as Faith digs into the story, what she finds is anything that she expected.

I love Christina Suzann Nelson’s contemporary stories and look forward to her newest book every year. This one was a little different than anything she has written in the past, but I loved it! It was interesting to see how everything played out and if the reader could follow the clues to discover the truth before Faith did. Nelson did a great job of balancing mystery and intrigue with hope and healing for Heather’s family. Showing how grief support groups can help families heal and not store grief for years is something that needs to be shown more throughout our society. If you love a good mystery, this will be a good story for you to pick up on!

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

Everything is Just Beginning

Author: Erin Bartels

Publisher: Revell

Release Date: January 17, 2023

Bartels delivers yet another unparalleled story about friendship, conflict, and healing.

On New Years Eve of 1989, the world is changing and possibilities seem endless. But for Michael Sullivan, its just another reminder of how his life is turning out. After being kicked out of his band and apartment, he ends up sharing a room in his uncle’s trailer across the road from a sprawling mansion of a talented music artist and producer. His uncle shares his name and goes by Mike, so when Michael stumbles on an invitation to a New Year’s Eve party at the mansion and his uncle on an extended road trip in Vegas, Michael decides to test fate and go see how the other half lives. While at the party, he meets Natalie, daughter to the music legends who live in the mansion. Through this chance encounter, he learns more about music, more about this family, and more about himself than he could ever bargain for.

I love that Erin Bartels usually releases her novels around the start of the year because she sets the bar for what I expect of the year! Each book is so different from the rest that you can’t help but be pulled into each new story. Michael and Natalie’s story is just so good that you’ll want to read it again and again. Set in the suburbs of Detroit, Michigan in 1990 brings back so many memories of life and music during that time, I just loved it.

As with most of her novels, the emotion is raw and laid out bare for all readers to see. It deals with some heavy things that people deal with today, not just 30 years ago. It is so easy to connect with her characters and have them draw you into their story so that you feel more like a participant than an outsider. This will easily be one of my favorite books of 2023!

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