An Unexpected Texas Reunion by Heidi Main

An Unexpected Texas Reunion K-9 Companions by Heidi Main is a sweet Love Inspired romance and part of the K-9 Companions Tale book 40. It is a standalone story. Brenna Parks comes back to her small town with her support dog, Lulu, to ease back into life after a very traumatic experience. She is hoping to co-lead a summer camp with her friend. But things change, and she is now working with recently widowed, Owen McCaw, her past boyfriend from high school. Do they have a chance?

This is a beautiful second chance romance, and the author did a great job helping me to connect with characters and story through her writing. Main characters Brenna and Owen both transformed in the story and I was rooting for them to have a happily ever after. I loved their tender conversations. The story explores themes of grace, forgiveness, and trusting.

This will be a 2025 favorite for me and I highly recommend An Unexpected Texas Reunion by Heidi Main. A delightful story that you will connect with through the themes, characters and sweet love story!

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

Heidi Main is a Publishers Weekly Bestselling Author, a Holt Medallion finalist, and a Faith, Hope, and Love Christian Writers Reader’s Choice Award finalist. Her sweet inspirational romance novels celebrate small-town life, faith, and the beauty of second chances. Though she lives in the suburbs, Heidi dreams of acreage and horseback riding—longings that find their way into her novels through wide-open ranches and loyal horses.

She loves popcorn and milk chocolate (not necessarily in that order), and savors novels and movies with happily-ever-afters. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys taking walks, gardening, playing card games, curling up with a good book and watching HGTV. Before starting her writing career, Heidi worked with computers and taught Jazzercise. A perfect Saturday is spent relaxing on the deck with her husband and watching the birds that visit their backyard. 

Betting on the Best Friend by Melanie Jacobson

 

Betting on the Best Friend: A Sweet Romantic Comedy and partof the Betting on Love series by Melanie Jacobson is a delight!  This is a series, but I think you can pick up any book at any time.  The author does a fantastic summary at the beginning bringing you up to speed.

 Ruby has dated a guy for five years, broke up with him, and now he is flaunting an engagement to someone else on Instagram.  Her roommates are trying to set her up so she can show him!   Luckily, she has her best friend, Charlie, until she doesn’t.  Can they be best friends again, will they be friends again,  or can they be more?

This was a refreshing take on friends to more. The author did a great job in this dual POV sweet romance.  Charlie and Ruby had great chemistry, banter, and a friendship that fun to watch.  I seriously wanted to hang out with Ruby and Charlie at the library, and the fact that they both worked at the library was an added bonus to the story.  It was fun to visit with the characters from past books and they added their unique personalities to the story.  I laughed many times over their antics.

Betting on the Best Friend by Melanie Jacobson is one of the best friends to more story that I have enjoyed in a long time. I loved the depth of the characters, the humor, banter, and the sweet romance. This was the perfect way to end my 2025 and will be a 2025 highlight for me.  I highly recommend that you read!

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

Melanie Bennett Jacobson is an avid reader, amateur cook, and champion shopper. She lives in Southern California with her husband and children, a series of doomed houseplants, and a naughty miniature schnauzer. She holds a Masters in Writing for Children and Young Adults from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. She is a USA Today bestseller and a four-time Whitney Award winner for contemporary romance.

On a Midnight Clear by Tracie Peterson, Karen Witemeyer, and Misty M. Beller

On a Midnight Clear by Tracie Peterson, Karen Witemeyer, and Misty M. Beller are three historical novellas that take place around Christmas and weave in themes of the Nativity. Each story takes place on the Western frontier.

This is such a delightful collection of historical western romances. Each story was heartfelt with themes of love, friendship and grace. I was truly enchanted by each story, and fell in love with the endearing characters. This was the perfect cozy book for me to read in December.

I highly recommend On a Midnight Clear Tracie Peterson,Karen Witemeyer, and, Misty M. Beller which will be a 2025 favorite for me!

 

Not Exactly Mr. Darcy by Carolyn Miler

Not Exactly Mr. Darcy is the first book in the Silver Teapot series by Carolyn Miller.  Olivia Bennett’s life in Australia implodes when her teaching contract is not renewed.  She is nominated by her family to help care for her grandmother after surgery in her small English Village.  Olivia is intrigued by Harbury Hall which was used as Pemberly in filming of Pride and Prejudice especially the fountain.  Her grandmother makes a way for Olivia to help bring Harbury Hall back to life for visitors.  Her only issue is with the gardener, Liam Browne.  

What a delightful novel to get lost in with many lovely Jane Austen connections!  Olivia and Liam were endearing characters with wonderful chemistry, good banter, and sweet romance.  They both grew and matured in the story making them so loveable.  I adored their English village and all the villagers. The faith thread was natural, well written, and naturally woven into the story.  I especially enjoyed visiting Harbury Hall and the author did an amazing job helping me feel like I was walking the grounds and touring the house.  I enjoyed getting to know Olivia’s family and I look forward connecting more with her sisters in future books in the series.  

Not Exactly Mr. Darcy By Carolyn Miller is a wonderful book with sweet romance, engaging characters, and beautiful redemptive themes.  The book is immersive with the author’s writing style.  I highly recommend Not Exactly Mr. Darcy by Carolyn Miller.    A 2025 highlight for me. 

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

Carolyn Miller is an inspirational romance author who lives in the beautiful Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Australia with her husband and four children.

A longtime lover of romance, especially that of LM Montgomery, and Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer’s Regency era, Carolyn loves drawing readers into fictional worlds that show the truth of God’s grace in our lives. Carolyn's readers describe her books as heartfelt and realistic with relatable characters, woven with faith, hope and humour. She enjoys music, films, gardens, art, travel, ice hockey and food. Her bestselling, award-winning Regency and contemporary novels are available wherever good books are so