Wednesday, July 30, 2025

Wes and Addie Had Their Chance by Bethany Turner

 


Wes and Addie Had Their Chance by Bethany Turner is a love story.  Addie Atwater-Elwyn has come back to her mountain home town of Adelaide Springs, Colorado after many disappointments in Washington DC.   Wes Hobbes was our high school love who left her at the altar.  She wants to forget him, but that is hard when his face is everywhere since he is running for president.  It can only get worse when he shows up back in town. 

I felt like this was a very well written second chance love story.   Wes and Addie had grown up enough to reconnect in a believable way. Their characters were well developed, had great chemistry, and wonderful banter.  There were many light moments between the heavier ones which made for a funny, but meaningful story.  I enjoyed revisiting with everyone is Adelaide Springs, Colorado and seeing their reaction to Wes and Addie after so many years. 

I absolutely loved Wes and Addie Had Their Chance by Bethany Turner.  The author is an auto buy for me, and this could be one of my favorite stories she has written.  I read this quickly and happily embraced losing sleep to read.   I highly recommend and this will be a 2025 favorite. 

I was given a complimentary copy and not required to write a positive review. 

Bethany Turner has been writing since the second grade, when she won her first writing award for explaining why, if she could have lunch with any person throughout history, she would choose John Stamos. She stands by this decision. Bethany now writes pop culture–infused rom-coms for a new generation of readers who crave fiction that tackles the thorny issues of life with humor and insight. She lives in Southwest Colorado with her husband, whom she met in the nineties in a chat room called Disco Inferno. As sketchy as it sounds, it worked out pretty well in this case, and they are now the proud parents of two grown sons. Text Bethany any time at (970) 387-7811, or connect with her across social media @seebethanywrite, where she clings to the eternal dream that John Stamos will someday send her a friend request





Monday, July 28, 2025

The Romcom Remake by Jen Atkinson

 


The Romcom Remake by Jen Atkinson
is a sweet romantic comedy. Fran Fairchild is looking to romcoms to lead her in romance. That is only working so well. Callum Whitaker is a professional soccer player who is off his game and not really about love. What can one kiss do to change that?

This is my first book by Jen Atkinson and it will not be my last. I really enjoyed it. Fran and Callum were lovely characters who had chemistry, interesting back stories, and I really wanted to them to be my friends in real life! I appreciated how the author created their backstories through their friends and family. I enjoyed my journey with each of them as they changed and grew. It was fun to take a walk down memory lane with the romantic comedies that Fran loved and revisit Pride and Prejudice.

I enjoyed the Callum’s soccer team and am hopeful we will get to know more of his teammates in other novels. This delightful romantic comedy will make you smile and thankful for love stories and good family. I highly recommend the Romcom Remake by Jen Atkinson.

I was given a complimentary copy and not required to write a review.

Jen Atkinson has been dreaming up love stories and writing them down since she learned her ABCs in elementary school. While Jen has written a variety of genres, from romantic suspense to laugh out loud romcoms, all of her novels contain three things: a love story, a happily ever after, and all are sweet, closed-door reads! If you want to feel all the feels and get a little light head from swooning over cinnamon roll heroes grab one of Jen's books.

When she isn't writing... or editing... or creating fun graphics about books to share online, Jen is dating her husband, hanging out with her children, and teaching elementary kids.

To learn more about Jen, follow her on Instagram at @authorjenatkinson.



Thursday, July 24, 2025

Plays by the Book by Carolyn Miller


Plays By The Book by Carolyn Miller is book number five in the Northwest Ice series, but is also a standalone novel. Britta Johnson, the librarian, considers herself very ordinary, but is comfortable in her own shoes. Mitchell Reilly is an intimidating hockey player who is a little bit sacred of Britta Johnson when she gives out her best librarian looks. Mitch is hopeful she can help him with choosing romance books so he can impress his girlfriend.

Britta Johnson is the librarian that you want to be when you grow up. Mitch is a great hero who is so loveable and the real deal. Both charming characters had wonderful banter, chemistry, and a solid believable love story. I LOVED Britta’s sisters and family and it was fun to visit with past friends from the hockey Bible study. The faith narrative was seamlessly integrated into the story, and brought depth to the characters.

It was wonderful to visit St. Paul, Minnesota and hang out with the Minnesota Wild hockey team. I loved the humor, wonderful characters, faith, and sweet romance in Plays by the Book by Carolyn Miller. The story had all the feels and was such an engaging read! I highly recommend Plays by the Book and this will be a 2025 favorite for me. #britt&mitchforever

I was given a complimentary copy and not required to write a positive review.

Carolyn Miller is an Inspirational Regency romance author who lives in the beautiful Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Australia with her husband and four children. Together with her husband she has pastored a church for ten years, and worked as a public high school English and Learning and Support teacher.

A longtime lover of romance, especially that of Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer’s Regency era, Carolyn holds a BA in English Literature, and loves drawing readers into fictional worlds that show the truth of God’s grace in our lives.

She loves reading, music, films, gardens, art, travel and international food, and really enjoy creating worlds where flawed people can grow in faith, hope and love.

Her Regency novels include the award winning The Elusive Miss

Ellison, The Captivating Lady Charlotte, The Dishonorable Miss

DeLancey, Winning Miss Winthrop, Miss Serena's Secret, The Making of Mrs Hale, and A Hero for Miss Hatherleigh, all published by Kregel Publications.

Carolyn is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube agency.

Thursday, July 17, 2025

Of Silver and Secrets by Michelle Griep


I loved meeting Michelle Griep last weekend at the Columbus Book Festival. I enjoyed hearing her share about her newest book Of  Silver and Secrets. 

Review: Of Silver and Secrets by Michelle Griep is second in her Time’s Lost Treasure series. The book can be a standalone. Eva Inman is running her family’s crumbling estate, trying to make ends meet and take care of her blind sister. When she believes there is treasure on her land, she takes the found items to Cambridge and accidently sees her old childhood friend, Bram Webb. They did not part on good terms, but is something still there?

I thoroughly enjoyed this romantic suspense novel set in Victorian England. Eva had my heart from the first page as I walked through life with her. She was an endearing character who learned to trust God, forgive herself, and grow into a wonderful woman. Bram was a dashing archaeologist who had a certain Indiana Jones mystique and it was a pleasure to watch his journey of growth. The story had many twists and turns and good prevails in the end.

Of Silver and Secrets is a wonderful, mysterious, adventurous journey that you will be so glad you signed up for! The author beautifully weaves in faith threads with engaging characters to bring deeper meaning to the story. I highly recommend!

I was given a complimentary copy and not required to write a positive review.


Michelle Griep is an award-winning author who pens historical romances like a tea-sipping time traveler—full of heart, rich with adventure, and always with a mischievous glint in her eye. She’s been writing since she first discovered blank wall space and Crayolas, and these days crafts stories that transport readers to richly drawn pasts—each one brimming with mystery, romance, and redemption.

Her stories have picked up their fair share of shiny gold stars—including a Christy Award for 12 Days at Bleakly Manor and a Carol Award for The Doctor’s Woman. She’s also landed finalist spots for the INSPY Awards with fan favorites like The Thief of Blackfriars Lane and The Captive Heart.

When she’s not wrangling wayward plotlines or swooning over her own heroes, Michelle can be found in her proper English garden battling armadillos and pretending her to-do list doesn’t exist. She lives in Missouri, where she’s always dreaming up her next story—and often crafting twists that lead her characters to hope, healing, and happily ever after.

You can follow her escapades by signing up for her newsletter or on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.