Christmas at Hope Hall - Pam Rhodes

Pam Rhodes’ ‘Hope Hall’ trilogy has been a joy to read from the start, and Christmas at Hope Hall doesn’t disappoint.  (OK, just to reassure you, it’s not strictly a Christmas story, despite the title, but as well as a good read at any time, it’ll make a nice Christmas present.) 

It’s been lovely to follow the characters who visit Hope Hall and to pick up their stories.  Ray begins to come to terms with his grief with a little help from a small dog which unexpectedly bounces into his home, and there are life-changing moments for several of the characters we’ve come to know through the series, including wedding bells!  We also find out that the slightly scary Ida may not be as formidable as she has appeared previously. 

Harvest Festival sees tensions between traditional and new ways, and the forthcoming panto introduces even more stresses. In between there’s a quiz at which Percy, the man everyone thinks Ida loathes, has an accident and Ida’s reaction leaves her friends with more questions than answers!

In my view Hope Hall is one of Pam’s best series yet.  I was so desperate to keep reading that I even read this book while walking on the treadmill! My only complaint is that this is the last. I would really love to read more about the people of Hope Hall – I’m especially curious about Brenda. Pam and Lion – any chance this could become a four book series?

9781782642893, Lion Fiction, out now, £8.99

Note: for transparency, I was sent an advance copy of this book, but I was not required to write any specific or favourable review. All views herein are my own. 

When the Day Comes - Gabrielle Meyer

While fiction genres are pretty well established, from time to time there do seem to be trends, and for a while now one of them has been ‘dual time’ stories.  When the Day Comes is a dual time story with a difference.  Libby is a ‘time-crosser’, someone who lives the first twenty one years of her life in two time periods.  She loves her life and close family relationship with her time-crosser mother in 1774 colonial Williamsburg, but when she sleeps there she wakes in 1914 ‘s ‘Gilded Age’ New York where though more prosperous her life is harder.  

 

In 1774 she falls in love with Henry Montgomery, a man with dangerous secrets as revolution approaches, but in 1914 her status-chasing and self-obsessed mother is determined to marry her off to a titled man she doesn’t love.  She tries to follow her heart, but circumstances and time are conspiring against her.

 

This book has been instantly catapulted into my top five of the year so far. Everything about it is superb. The characterisation of both of Libby’s families (especially her 1774 mother, whose ‘other time’ was two hundred years later than the 1770s where she settled), the sense of place and time, the feeling of impending ‘big events’ approaching and the complexity of the plot. What’s more, it’s absolutely believable and credible.

 

It's really exciting to find an author who writes as beautifully and compellingly as Gabrielle Meyer, and I’m thrilled  that there are another two books to come in this series.  When they do I’ll be shutting out the world so that I can do some uninterrupted reading.

9780764239748, Bethany House, June 2022, £9.99

Note: for transparency, I was sent an advance copy of this book, but I was not required to write any specific or favourable review. All views herein are my own. 

The Dove Stone - P S Daunton

I don’t review many children’s novels, but more because I don’t see that many from Christian publishers than anything else.  This one, from Dernier, caught my eye in a post on Instagram.  I enjoy historical novels and this one is set in post-Roman England, with the sense of place and time very well described.

 

Rhiannon is free spirited and adventurous, but some of her adventures go wrong – like the time she and her dog Wolf are almost drowned in the river near their home.  They’re rescued by a stranger in a brown robe, but before the mystery of who he is can be answered, there’s the terrifying problem of Torsa and his dog Pilot. Torsa is a violent bully who particularly hates Rhiannon’s friend Donan and his little brother Nico. 

 

Prayers to the Roman gods Rhiannon is familiar with aren’t working. Can the mysterious man in the woods – someone from a new tribe called ‘Christians’ – help them? Will the Father God he speaks of rescue them when Torsa’s hatred reaches its peak? And what is the significance of The Dove Stone?

 

This is an excellent story for pre-teens and confident early readers.  There is plenty of pace and intrigue and the characters are clearly defined and distinct and well pitched for children. It addresses issue of faith, friendship, and overcoming fear very well and completely absorbed within the story.  It would be a perfect book for a Sunday school story, and there are useful extra resources on the publisher’s website.

My only negative comment is that it finishes slightly abruptly. I would love to read another story about Rhiannon and her friends, and about Ronin, so I hope another is in the offing.

9781912457519, Dernier Publishing, June 2022, £8.99

Note: for transparency, I was sent an advance copy of this book, but I was not required to write any specific or favourable review. All views herein are my own. 

Enchanting the Heiress - Kristi Ann Hunter

The Hearts on the Heath series has been an enjoyable series to read, and in this third volume was have a novel in which fans of Emma may notice a number of familiar elements.

 

Harriet Hancock likes to meddle in her friends lives to make them happier – whether they like it or not. She’s surprised to find her friend Sophia Whitworth (whose own story is told in Winning the Gentleman) is set on improving the happiness both of Harriet, and of Jonas, Sophia’s brother.  

 

Jonas isn’t at all keen on this idea, as he thinks Harriet interferes in his sister’s life far too much. He would rather live a quiet life among the horses he loves. 

 

When Harriet finds out Jonas’ gift for words she asks for his help to write a book. But there is far more behind this request than first appears, and the bubbly and engaging Harriet has a secret of her own.

 

This is an entertaining story, with enough intrigue to keep this reader interested.  (I prefer suspense to romance, so like my romance reads to have a good helping of mystery!)  It flows on very nicely from the earlier two books in the series, but it would be possible to read it as a stand alone novel, although I would recommend reading the others first, for background detail.

 

As an English reader who has spent quite a few years riding and working with horses, there are some ‘horsy’ elements I found jarring.  We don’t say ‘shall we run’ when we mean ‘shall we canter or gallop’, we don’t refer to ‘stirrup straps’, and some of the racehorse training described didn’t ring true. For the largely US readership though, and probably for ‘non-horsy’ readers elsewhere, these elements won’t even be noticed.

 

More likely to raise eyebrows is the idea of a high born English Lady pursuing a serious relationship with a stable hand. I found this a huge stretch of my credibility, even though we do know that his background certainly wasn’t as a stable hand. That said, the story survived these glitches, and I really do enjoy Kristi Ann Hunter’s storytelling skills. Her characters are all well rounded and feel ‘real’ and her descriptions bring places to life in the reader’s inner eye.

I very much look forward to seeing what comes next from Kristi Ann’s pen (or laptop!).

9780764235276

Bethany House, out now

Note: for transparency, I was sent an advance copy of this book, but I was not required to write any specific or favourable review. All views herein are my own. 

The Healing - Joy Margetts

Long before I read this, others were saying how wonderful it is. Now I’ve read it, I can echo every other plaudit it has rightfully received.

 

Philip de Braose is an angry and bitter nobleman and soldier found near death in a ditch when Cistercian monk Brother Hywel notices a magnificent war horse standing, saddled but alone, on the side of a French road. Hywel and Noble the horse take Philip to the nearby Abbey, where Philip begins the very long road to healing and back to Wales, the country of his birth. Along the way, it’s not only his physical wounds, but also his spiritual and emotional ones which slowly begin to heal.

 

This is a story which is beautifully told, with wonderful descriptive writing and perfectly chosen and positioned bible verses throughout. 13^th century France and Wales are so well described that it’s obvious that the author has done her research very well, and that she knows and loves the land she describes.

 

The Cistercian Abbey Cymer reminds me of the Shrewsbury Abbey of Ellis Peters’ Brother Cadfael novels and I have no hesitation in saying the The Healing is as engrossing as any of the Cadfael books.  I would love to learn more of the other monks – especially Brother Aldred.  Faith is an obvious element of the book, woven in perfectly and not just inside the Abbey church and pastures.  Hywel’s outworking of his faith as he travels home to his Welsh community is both lovely to read and inspirational.

 

I read lots of books which never make it to my shelf but this book is a keeper.  I am truly thrilled that The Pilgrim, which tells Hywel’s early story, is due out in July and I am chomping at the bit in my eagerness to read it!

9781912726424, Instant Apostle

Note: for transparency, I was sent an advance copy of this book, but I was not required to write any specific or favourable review. All views herein are my own. 

The Prince and the Prodigal - Jill Eileen Smith

Jill Eileen Smith is well known for her novels about Bible characters and her latest volume shows why her book sales have reached over 400,000 copies. The Prince and the Prodigal tells the story of Joseph and also follows his older brother Judah who tries to make a new life and forget about his role in the evil done to Joseph. 

Something I really like about good novels set in Bible times is the way they encourage me to think about a well-known Bible story differently. In this case, the early part of the book made me think much more about Joseph’s brothers and the reasons why they hated him, while the part following Judah caused me to look up his story  as I’d not really taken it on board before.

 

The author has a real ability to create a sense of place with her descriptive writing, and her characters spring to life off of the pages. Highly recommended for any fan of Biblical fiction, and a superb introduction to anyone who hasn’t dipped a toe into this genre before.

9780800737634, Revell, out now

Note: for transparency, I was sent an advance copy of this book, but I was not required to write any specific or favourable review. All views herein are my own. 

The Girl Who Could Breathe Under Water - Erin Bartels

I’ve been a fan of Erin Bartels’ novels since her first was published.  They’ve each been complex and compelling reads and The Girl Who Could Breathe Under Water is equally so.  

 

This story, though, is a darker tale than Erin’s previous books.  It begins with what seems a quite simple if not very nice problem – a letter from A Very Disappointed Reader about Kendra Brennan’s first, and very successful, book.  

One ‘hate mail’ letter could be brushed off, but the writer of this particular letter makes accusations which stick in Kendra’s mind. Stick so intrusively that she is struck with writer’s block while the deadline for her next book looms ominously before her.  

So she heads back to her grandfather’s old cabin on Hidden Lake, the place where she spent all her childhood summers, to face the demons of her past and settle in her mind the accusations made in the letter.  To do so will mean facing Tyler, the brother of her childhood friend Cami, and facing the breakdown of her friendship with Cami.

 

Just as Kendra is getting settled in she has a further challenge to deal with when the German translator of her first book, someone Kendra thought was Andrea-the-girl, but who turns out to be Andreas-the-guy, arrives unexpectedly on her doorstep.

 

This is a book which you need to keep focussed on. It’s not an easy read and deals with some very tough issues of which the key one is sexual assault. It explores a number of relationships, not just that of Kendra and Cami, and the connections of  the wider community around Hidden Lake.  It’s a book which makes the reader ask themselves questions when they come up for air. 

 

Tightly-written, moving, and powerful, this is a strongly recommended read. It would be an excellent book for a reading group or book club read. 

9780800738372, Revell, Pub date: 28 February 22 in the UK, out now in the USA

Note: for transparency, I was sent an advance copy of this book, but I was not required to write any specific or favourable review. All views herein are my own. 

Ramah - Rob Munday

Sarah, a young woman abandoned in love, is returning home to Bethlehem with her young son Issa when she meets young couple Mary and Joseph on the road and is warned of coming danger.  This is the start of a connection between Issa and Yeshua which will last their whole lives.  

 

In the face of rejection, suspicion and hatred, Sarah and Issa struggle to survive, eking out an existence on the fringes of Bethlehem both physically and socially.  They meet kind shepherd Daniel, who apprentices Issa, and deaf-mute Moshe who is at the birth of Yeshua in the cave stable where he tends his animals and who becomes almost a brother to Issa.

 

Moshe was my favourite character of the whole story, and I was constantly curious as to who he was and what would happen to him.  Despite his disability he is shown to be caring, supportive, and able.  

 

This is a fascinating and compelling read.  The author’s gift for descriptive writing immerses the reader into the dust, heat and struggle of the Bible lands so effectively that you can almost feel and taste it.  The story brings biblical characters to life in sometimes surprising ways with depth and richness in the telling.  I loved the use of song and Psalm throughout  and it lifts the text.  This is a hard-hitting novel, sometimes shocking and often unexpected.  An excellent read for both male and female readers.

9781912863907, Malcolm Down Publishing

Note: for transparency, I was sent an advance copy of this book, but I was not required to write any specific or favourable review. All views herein are my own. 

To Treasure an Heiress - Roseanna M White

I enjoyed reading The Nature of a Lady (book 1 in The Secrets of the Isles series) but I loved To Treasure an Heiress.  This second book in the series absolutely sparkles with wit and energy and there were plenty of times where it raised a chuckle or even outright laughter from this eager reader.

The search for pirate treasure is an enticing element throughout, and I very much liked the telling of the much earlier history of the Pirate Prince Rupert and his bride, where the author masterfully entwines fact and fiction. 

 

Beth Tremayne is the local lass from the Scillies, firmly connected to her island roots, but with a thirst for adventure.  She is fascinated by the tale of Rupert and Briallen and very unimpressed by the interloper from the Lake District, Lord Sheridan, particularly as she believes he stole her beloved inherited trinket box.

Sheridan is smitten with Beth almost immediately, and there are some nice little quotes from him from Pride and Prejudice and some very amusing calculations which vary wildly depending on how long he thinks it will take him to win Beth!  Although his and Beth’s relationship develops at lightning speed, something I usually strongly dislike in novels, here it works really well perhaps in part because although the overall time span of the book is short, such a lot happens within it.  Underpinning everything is the search for ‘pirate treasure’. Is it really there? What is it? Will Beth and/or Sheridan find it?

 

One of the reasons I like Roseanna M White’s books is the depth she gives to her wider cast of characters and this is no exception.  Early in the story we meet Senara, newly home on the Islands after making a very bad choice which has catastrophic consequences.  Once back things don’t become simpler for her and she risks compounding her mistake.  But the truly lovely Ainsley, Sheridan’s Valet, is there to help guide her.  The episode with the pearl is one of my favourite parts of the book and I’m not going to say any more than that as to do so would spoil it for any new reader.  I would love to read more about Senara and Ainsley.  Please, Roseanna, do mention them again!  I also thought Sheridan’s sisters Lady Abbie and Lady Millicent were wonderful, and again I’m not going to say more in case I give a spoiler away…

 

The bad guy in the book is far more than a caricature and has a really evil streak which means there’s a hefty ‘threat level’ to the story. Unfortunately he’s the brother of Beth’s friend Emily, about whom I very much look forward to hearing more in book 3 of the series.

 

To Treasure an Heiress can be read as a stand alone although the reader will certainly want to read the earlier book as quickly as possible afterwards to find out how Libby and Oliver met.

 

Highly recommended as not merely an adventure story (though it’s a superb one) but also a tale of renewal and redemption.

9780764237195, Bethany House, £9.99

Note: for transparency, I was sent an advance copy of this book, but I was not required to write any specific or favourable review. All views herein are my own.

The Crystal Crypt - Fiona Veitch Smith

The Crystal Crypt is the sixth book in the well-established Poppy Denby Investigates series from Lion Fiction.  Although a series, each book is a stand-alone story. 

In this volume, professional reporter and amateur sleuth Poppy Denby is asked to find out what really happened to Dr June Leighton, a female scientist who is far from welcomed by the men she works alongside in an Oxford laboratory.  Her death has been recorded as an accident, but her lab assistant is unconvinced.  As Poppy begins to investigate, under the guise of writing an article about June, it’s not long before an ‘accident’ on her bike shows that someone is not happy about her enquiries.  

 

Fiona Veitch Smith’s craft as a mystery novelist is well honed. This is an excellent novel with lots of action and twists and turns in the tale.  Poppy is, as always, an engaging heroine and the Oxford of the story will ring true to anyone who knows the city.  As it happens, I also know Somerville, as a family member used to work in the Porter’s Lodge there!  The story is set in the 1920s, and much of the book addresses the gender inequality of the time, as well as references to other prejudices of the time period.

 

An excellent historical mystery, with plenty of pace and interest, and wonderful characters (hello, Rollo!). Perfect for whiling away a few hours in a comfy chair. And then going to look for the others in the series…

Note: for transparency, I was sent an advance copy of this book, but I was not required to write any specific or favourable review. All views herein are my own. 

The Lady's Mine - Francine Rivers. Author Q&A

A sweeping, romantic tale of a displaced New England suffragette, a former Union soldier disinherited by his Southern family, and the California frontier town they join forces to save.

Francine Rivers' new novel The Lady’s Mine is set in a California gold rush town.  Kathryn Walsh is a city girl newly arrived from Boston.  Matthias Beck is one of Calvada’s leading citizens. Neither is very impressed with the other. Not at first anyway. But Kathryn’s decision to relaunch her late uncle’s newspaper will have very far reaching consequences.

 

I asked Francine about writing and her new release.

You write fiction and nonfiction but are best known for being a novelist. What is it about storytelling that keeps you coming back to it again and again? 

I love reading good stories. Every writer has a unique voice, life experience, way of looking at characters and the world. Every time I dive into a book, I’m diving into the creative mind of another writer. There are only so many plots and yet there is no limit to the way we tell stories. In my opinion, the best stories teach us lessons, and I’ve tried to do that through my own. Almost every project I’ve tackled has been a personal quest to find answers to faith questions. It’s an exciting process to create characters who come to life and voice different points of view, with one, like me, seeking God’s perspective.

I also love nonfiction and not all from a Christian perspective. It’s important to learn how other people think and process issues we all face. The Bible is nonfiction and I read through it every year. I’m looking for information, inspiration, and transformation. Scripture is God-breathed and alive and provides all three.

 

What character in this The Lady’s Mine did you most enjoy crafting? Why? 

Kathryn Walsh! She has strong faith, seeks the Lord, and does what she believes is right. She isn’t a quiet little lady in the pew. She’s fiery, opinionated, earnest, and determined to make the town she lives in better (whether men agree or not). When she realizes she’s wrong about something, she changes her mind. When she’s right, she ploughs ahead no matter the cost. She looks for ways to help people rise from poverty. Though she has few resources herself, she shares what she does have. She doesn’t judge anyone (except Matthias Beck!), though she is frequently judged by others (Beck being one). And she has a sense of humour. Frankly, I enjoyed getting to know her during the COVID shelter in place orders. And, of course, Matthias Beck also had his fascinating character traits. 

In The Lady's Mine we see two sides of love—that which is possessive and controlling and that which supports, protects, and encourages. Many of your books are love stories, but many have non-standard love stories in them, such as Elvira’s peripheral story in The Lady's Mine. What is it about these folks, whom Jesus spoke to but many 'religious' people through the ages condemn, which makes you want to include them in your books, and do they come into your stories unbidden or do you plan them?

The main characters are always the first to arrive in my head, and they carry on intense conversations. It’s one of the highly entertaining things about writing: the imaginary friends and enemies that inhabit my mind over the course of months and sometimes years. I loved the movie The Man Who Invented Christmas because of the way Dickens’s characters followed him around, talking to and arguing with him. I certainly related to that experience. Many writers I know feel the same way. Peripheral characters, in my case, are seldom planned. They appear and start to tell their story. Sometimes, as in Elvira’s case, her story links to that of another character. That wasn’t planned either, but it worked out well for the overall message.

Every human being, from conception to the last breath, has great value to God. We are all sinners in need of a Savior, and God sent Jesus. He’s done everything and given everything necessary to open the way to a personal relationship with His Father. The world condemns many. The new order of the day seems to be pitting one group against another. But God doesn’t think like mankind. He sees each of us as precious, redeemable, a child to be wooed into a full, loving relationship with Him, a lost lamb that needs a Shepherd (Jesus) to show the way home. I believe and trust in God. And I strive to see people in the same way He does, through eyes of love.

Finally, you mentioned in the author note that this story has been with you for decades, and that the COVID-19 pandemic was the catalyst for writing it. What was the original germ of this idea, and how were things added to it over time?

The starting point of this novel came from one I wrote in the general market years ago. The title told me little, and I glanced through it to jog my memory. What struck me is how many opportunities for character development and coping with real-life issues I had missed. And I thought: Why not rewrite it? Why not show the difference God has made in my life over the past thirty-plus years as a Christian? I’ve also learned more about the craft of writing. With the COVID shutdown and life so heavy and serious, I wanted the story to have humor in it. People need to laugh. I know I do. I hope readers will enjoy The Lady's Mine as much as I enjoyed writing it.

 

ISBN 978-1-4964-4757-9 | Hardcover | £21.99 | February 22, 2022 

 

 

 

 

New York Times bestselling author Francine Rivers has published numerous novels—all bestsellers—and she has continued to win both industry acclaim and reader loyalty around the globe. Her Christian novels have been awarded or nominated for many honours, and in 1997, after winning her third RITA Award for inspirational fiction, Francine was inducted into the Romance Writers of America Hall of Fame. In 2015, she received the Lifetime Achievement Award from American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). Francine’s novels have been translated into over thirty different languages, and she enjoys bestseller status in many countries.

 

Relative Silence - Carrie Stuart Parks

Christy Awards 2021 Winner:

Mystery/Suspense/Thriller

When Piper Boone’s 3-year-old daughter Dove is drowned Piper’s world stops turning.

Fifteen years later Piper is caught up in a shooting tragedy which would’ve cost her life if not for the heroic actions of Tucker Landry.  It soon becomes clear that Piper was the intended target, and when her neighbour also goes missing it’s just the start of the road to find out the truth.  Or truths. What has happened to her neighbour? What really happened to Dove? Is Tucker who he seems? And is one or more of Piper’s narcissistic family really a killer?

 

This is a superb book for anyone who likes a gripping thriller.  The characters are brilliantly written, including the entire cast of Piper’s generally unlikeable family, and the story has plenty of twists and turns.  I guessed a key element very early on – maybe I’ve read too many suspense novels – but it didn’t in any way diminish the story.  This is a book quite light on the faith input, although it’s clearly there. I will definitely be looking out for other books by this author.

FBI-certified forensic artist Carrie Stuart Parks combines her knowledge of art and forensics in this case of family secrets and deception.

                               

9780785226185, HarperCollins UK, out now

Note: for transparency, I was sent an advance copy of this book, but I was not required to write any specific or favourable review. All views herein are my own.

Like Him - Julia Stevens

 

Like Him is full of inspiration, prayers, poems, encouragement and spiritual experiences to help you seek His Kingdom first. This warm and loving book is a devotional of exploration into identity.

'May our Father in heaven give you the Spirit of Wisdom and revelation so that you may know Him better.'
Ephesians 1:17

* * * * * * *

As a young child Julia Stevens saw her severely depressed mother's life transformed by faith.  In time she followed her mum's path and discovered her own faith. A faith which has certainly been transformational in her own life.

Early in the book Julia says 'When you know the Lord, you know more who you are and who the Lord has called you to be'. She has come a very long way from the young girl with anxiety and OCD she used to be. Her immersive faith has given her strength and self-worth and it's very clear that she has a calling and deep commitment to helping others to both understand who Jesus is, and to understand just how important they are to Him.

Although there are many biographical elements, this is primarily a devotional and teaching book, split into twelve chapters, each studying a different theme. 

My own experience of day-to-day faith is very different to Julia's, and yet there is still much with which I connected in this book, in particular in the chapter In the Beginning, You Were Made in His Likeness.  The following phrases are marked in my copy:

'His Kingdom accepts those who are weak because your life is strong when it is dependent on His strength and not your own. He knows that you are on a journey of being transformed into His likeness.'

'You can decide not to be defined by your own feelings or perception about yourself; but be defined instead by what He says about you.'

and:

'Ask God to help you see yourself how He sees you.'

Later sections of the book talk further about the choices we make ourselves, day by day, to be more aware of God - and the importance of doing this as an ongoing part of life, during work, rest, and worship.

Chapter headings are:

Where I've Been

The I AM - I Am Like Him

In the Beginning, You Were Made in His Likeness

When We See Him, We Become Like Him

Ruling and Reigning in His Love

Sanctuary

Menorah

Be Continually Filled 

Adam and Ishah

Sons and Daughters, Kings and Priests

You Are A House of Prayer

Who I am, a Testimony

Each chapter contains something which is likely to resonate with or challenge the reader.  This is a book which is ideal for picking up and reading a chapter at a time, and then giving your mind and spirit time and space to reflect on the elements which have stood out for you.

You will find Julia Stevens up to something creative most days, whether it is making glass mosaics, singing with a harp or writing a line on the blog: treeoflife195@wordpress.com Julia has a degree in creative writing from Chichester University; she and her husband run a small business, have two adult children and are part of their local church family.

There is a place where love does dwell.

There is a name: Immanuel

He dwells inside,

He dwells within,

In unseen realm so real, to true.

The King of all, He dwells in you.

(Song by Julia Stevens)

Available on Kindle: Kindle Edition

In print on Julia's website: Print Edition

Note: for transparency, I was sent an advance copy of this book, but I was not required to write any specific or favourable review. All views herein are my own.

A Portrait of Loyalty - Roseanna M White

Christy Award 2021 Winner:

Historical Romance

The third and final book in The Codebreakers series, this can easily be read as a stand alone novel, but I’ve enjoyed all three in the series.  In this book we meet expert Russian cryptographer Rivon Marin. Forced to flee Russia he’s determined to offer his help to the British in the hope this in turn will help his country. He meets Lily Blackwell who works in British Intelligence as a photographer involved in propaganda and their friendship begins to blossom. But is he as trustworthy as he seems? And what about his Bolshevik brother, also heading for England? 

 

As always with Roseanna White’s books, this is a fast-paced story with an excellent plot and sub-plot, interesting characters, and plenty of tension.  What lets it down a bit for a British reader is the far too casual approach to the secrecy involved in Room 40 and the Intelligence Services in general.  People just would not have spoken about the work they were doing, even within their families.

 

On the upside, Lily’s photography work, especially the re-touching for propaganda purposes is interesting and the way her world is described through her eyes makes it very personal for the reader.  The plot is gripping and makes the reader want to keep turning the pages! 

 

This is another book which doesn’t ignore harsh realities: there is heartbreak in places, but that helps to keep the feel of the book more grounded. The sense of place and time is generally very well written, and this is another story where the faith is woven seamlessly throughout.

You can read an excerpt here.

9780764231834, Bethany House, out now

Note: for transparency, I was sent an advance copy of this book, but I was not required to write any specific or favourable review. All views herein are my own.

Stay With Me - Becky Wade

Christy Awards 2021 Winner: 

Contemporary Romance

Genevieve Woodward is very well known as an author of Bible studies. What is less known is that she’s on the edge of burnout and struggling with an addiction to prescription painkillers. When she receives a threatening letter she sets off to visit her parents and get to the truth of the past. But she doesn’t make it. Or at least, not before she’s found asleep in the holiday cabin belonging to Sam Turner – a man who has his own secrets and isn’t impressed AT ALL with Gen. Despite this, he agrees to help her, a decision which will change both their lives.

Becky Wade is a polished author of contemporary romance novels, and her skill in storytelling is well demonstrated here.  The story is intriguing from the first sentence and maintains its pace throughout.  The romance is gently built, and the mystery is enjoyable.  I do like romances to be about more than just the romance! 

 

Although an easy read, this isn’t a ‘fluffy’ book. It deals with tough issues including the impact of secrets kept, the problems around addiction and the very tough process of fighting it, the world and pressures of Christian celebrities, and above all redemption and grace.  This is a Christian novel which is full of faith elements, but never awkward or preachy. Highly recommended for anyone who’s looking for a compelling read, superb storytelling, and characters you may not immediately warm to, but find you connect with deeply as the story unfolds.

9780764235603, Bethany House, out now

Note: for transparency, I was sent an advance copy of this book, but I was not required to write any specific or favourable review. All views herein are my own.