Reviewed by Edith Wairimu for Readers' Favorite

The delightful contemporary romance story, A Wisp of Faith by Chrystal Gilkey, blends a town’s captivating history with a young woman’s journey of growing stronger in her faith. Since her childhood days, Mercedes has always loved clouds. After pursuing meteorology, she lands her first job at a local news station. Soon after, Mercedes is let go. She struggles to decide on her next step. She had earlier received a strange email from an anonymous person requesting her to investigate a shrinking cloud in Shady Springs. The cloud has been hovering over a lake since the town’s establishment. Intrigued by the story and encouraged by her friends, she travels to the town to make inquiries. The journey turns into a wonderful romance and a chance for Mercedes to grow in her faith.

The story includes many life-changing lessons about finding hope despite disappointments and lessons about God’s steadfast love. I found Mercedes to be a relatable character whose faith is restored in remarkable ways. I loved how the author beautifully threads her story with the mystery and the town’s history. I was inspired by the town’s founding pastor’s strong faith despite the painful and difficult events that occur as his group made its way to the town’s current location. I also loved how different characters exemplified other valuable attributes such as forgiveness. A Wisp of Faith by Chrystal Gilkey is a wonderful Christian romance novel with realistic characters whose lives readers will relate to. It includes a lovely mystery and impactful, encouraging messages about overcoming doubt and growing in faith.

Reviewed by Tracy Traynor for Readers' Favorite

Season of Deception by Sara Jane Jacobs is a sweet Christian romance that I really enjoyed. Amanda Jarvis has the most cunning, conniving aunt in the world! Intent on exerting her will over her niece, Phoebe Garrison sets out on a plan to control Amanda’s life. Part of the deceit is to pull Amanda away from her childhood sweetheart, Tyler Armstrong. When Tyler supposedly stops contacting her, Amanda is bewildered, lost, and hurt. One day she finds herself in the company of a rich Englishman called Eric Bridwell. He is charming, kind, not to mention extremely handsome, and wants to take care of her. Slowly, she begins to fall in love again, and although memories of Tyler are pushed to the back they are always there. A thrilling, super-dramatic ending brings the three together. How honest will they be when revealing the truth might send the one they love into another person’s arms?

Although Season of Deception is number two in the series, it was very easy to read as a standalone. The only thing I would say is—as a person who didn’t read book one I had no affinity with Tyler and really wanted a certain ending to happen. With that in mind, it might be best to read book one first. Sara Jane Jacobs has an easy flow to her writing that carried me along and kept me fully engaged. The love triangle is moving and tugs at the emotions. Sara touches on what love truly is and how if we are not careful love can be selfish (I’m talking about the aunt here). The author shows how true love is self-sacrificing and always puts the happiness of others first. I also really liked how a girl who grew up in a log cabin on a mountain in North Carolina can be given her every wish and dream—only to learn that it means nothing without true love. A lovely story and I would definitely read more by this author.

Reviewed by Doreen Chombu for Readers' Favorite

Catalina, shortened to Cat, is fighting a custody battle with her former in-laws, the Roca family, for her son Fransico, affectionately called Chicho. Her friends are adamant that she needs all the help she can get to win this war because the Roca family is not average. They run the town and have enough power and money to make people disappear. Cat seeks the Lord in prayer for assistance and guidance because He is her source of strength and protection. Through a series of investigations, Cat and her friends discover that there is more to this case than meets the eye. The clues they uncover all point to a series of well-thought-out crimes and they realize their lives are in danger. Find out if Cat will finally be reunited with her son in Secrets of Fortuny Bay by Ara Grigorian.

Secrets of Fortuny Bay is the second installment in the Fortuny Bay series but can be enjoyed as a standalone novel. The story contains elements of mystery, friendship, faith, and love, as Ara Grigorian brings all the characters to life with great writing skills. The author tells the story from multiple points of view; however, it is easy to follow and understand as each chapter begins with a character's name. I loved the brewing romance between Cat and her friend Leo. Cat is going through a lot, and I understand why she takes her time with him, yet Leo displays true friendship and patience. Everyone on Cat's team knows their lives are in danger and they are determined to stay by her side. Van's wits and attitude were hysterical and brought a refreshing element to the story. I loved every minute of reading it and recommend it to all book lovers. Amazing story.

Reviewed by Stephanie Chapman for Readers' Favorite

Kerry Evelyn’s Love on the Brain features Jane Porter Allen and Ryan Engstrom as they deal with grief, hope, and prayer for Noah’s survival. Jane was still grieving over the loss of her husband Casey to cancer. Now her son Noah has a brain tumor. The failure to perform a biopsy had Ryan advising Jane to bring Noah to Austin. As a pediatric neurosurgeon, he could remove the tumor. Staying at Ryan’s home opened the door for Ryan and Jane to take their friendship further. However, guilt over betraying Casey’s memory made Jane feel conflicted about how she felt. Noah and Jane returned to Maine to wait six weeks before an elite team could perform the delicate surgery. Ryan was faced with a difficult decision. If the procedure was not successful, would Jane see him as a failure and end their complicated relationship? If Noah died, would she blame him?

Kerry Evelyn’s portrayal of faith in God, grief, recovery, and hope in Love on the Brain is full of suspense. I kept holding my breath when Noah had to wait for answers. It brought tears to my eyes when Noah asked, “If you can't fix my head, I'm going to go to heaven to be with Daddy, right?” A five-year-old child facing a life-or-death situation would break anyone’s heart. Jane had videos of Casey that she played at least four times a day, explaining why she was stuck in the past. The perspectives of Ryan and Jane transition effortlessly. The family support for Noah was endearing, and the prayers relayed the emotions felt in the hospital. The theme of processing grief by having faith in God’s timing is present throughout. The supporting characters added to the plot and brought to light the vulnerabilities of Ryan and Jane. Love on the Brain will appeal to Christian readers who enjoy emotional romances full of hope.

Reviewed by Tracy Traynor for Readers' Favorite

Lake Bride: Holiday Brides by Shanna Hatfield is a wholesome romance that was a pleasure to read. Bridger Holt is leaving the army. For the last two years, he has stood guard to The Unknown Soldier, now he’s at a loss of where his life should be. When his uncle, Wallace Holt, dies, leaving Bridger his lakeside cabin and some other treasures, Bridger decides to take time out and assess his life. Nurse Shayla Reeves is the ultimate joyful optimist. She came to Holiday, Oregon, to start a new life where she could enjoy nature. Unbeknown to her, she has been camping on private property. When Bridger goes to chase off the intruder, he is instantly attracted to her. The feeling is mutual.

Shanna Hatfield has done an amazing job of building a tender romance with these two characters that, at first glance, seem to be opposites. The depth of the writing pulled me in, and I loved the easy flow of the romantic plot. Shanna puts a lot of detail into each person—looks, background, hopes, and dreams. This “fleshing out” causes them to become real and believable. I feel that a lot of research must have been done before the story commenced, and I appreciated the level of detail. Her writing style is smooth, so this was a relaxing read. The introduction of a stray dog, a lost fawn, and a hungry squirrel added magic to this really lovely contemporary romance. I can easily recommend Lake Bride to everyone who enjoys well-written, sweet romances.

Reviewed by Edith Wairimu for Readers' Favorite

The enthralling romance novel, Secrets in the Palazzo by Kathleen Reid, intertwines romance and mystery and includes superb descriptions of major Renaissance artists and their works. Rose is living her ideal life in Florence. She is engaged to her fiancé and has just opened her first gallery, which has been acclaimed as a great success. But her life takes a turn when she discovers a devastating secret that could change her future plans. Her friend Beatrice, who works as a conservator at the Vatican laboratory in Rome, is in love with Mike. He is an enigmatic and creative street artist whose rivalry with another painter results in the creation of imaginative works of art. Beatrice has also discovered exciting information linked to a lost Leonardo da Vinci painting which is surrounded by rumors and intrigue.

Secrets in the Palazzo is a brilliant romance novel with suspenseful plots set against a captivating backdrop. I loved the work’s masterful inclusion of historical details and art descriptions into the mysteries. I also loved that its main plots were unpredictable and the artists’ murals in the work highlight themes of diversity and inclusion, relevant to our modern world. I also liked that the characters’ lives are imperfect but also portray the value of forgiveness and growth. Secrets in the Palazzo by Kathleen Reid is a unique, compelling work with intriguing twists. It blends mystery and romance and creates an immersive novel with important themes. Highly recommended to readers who enjoy either of the genres or are art enthusiasts.

Reviewed by Sefina Hawke for Readers' Favorite

Slow Road to Love (A Sunburned Land Series Book 1) by Juliette Duncan is a Christian contemporary romance that would appeal most to an audience of middle-aged and older adults who enjoy Christian romance stories. Maggie Donovan’s life took quite a turn when her politician husband of thirty-five years left her to be with a woman much younger than her. This leads to Maggie choosing to divert her focus to her job as a reporter, her children, and her church. Her devotion to her career leads Maggie to travel to the remote Kimberley area where she meets widower Frank Goddard. Will Maggie and Frank be able to put their pasts behind them and form a relationship or will their differences prove insurmountable?

Slow Road to Love by Juliette Duncan is a well-written book with a visually appealing cover image. I liked the fact that the author chose to put the two main characters on the cover as it gave me a clear picture of what each one of them looked like. I liked that Maggie and Frank were not the typical characters one reads about in romances as both were older and they each had already been in a marital relationship, which gave each of them more depth as a character. I enjoyed following Maggie through her troubles and feelings as she got to know Frank and, more importantly, as she opened her heart to him. Overall, I greatly enjoyed reading this book and I look forward to being able to read the rest of the series in the future!

Reviewed by Joy Hannabass for Readers' Favorite

Distracting the Deputy by Shanna Hatfield is a sweet small-town clean romance that I enjoyed very much. Deputy Strickland strives to keep law and order in his small town, and now his thoughts are on a certain Zadie Redmond, and what she is all about. But Zadie has her own troubles that keep her looking over her shoulder while she tries to work. They both come with a bit of baggage that is sure to surface sooner or later. Can the two get over themselves and their past for a little romance?

Distracting the Deputy takes readers back to Summer Creek, Oregon. This cozy story is so good it will have readers wanting to sneak a blanket and comfy chair for some good long reading time. I think this cast of characters keeps getting better as new characters keep coming in. I think each one plays their parts so well they make the story shine. I enjoyed the interactions between the Deputy and Zadie and their closeness as they spent so much time together. There were twists and turns that were surprising, including well-kept secrets that came to the surface. If you enjoy a good clean western story with lots of drama, this will be the book for you. This is book four in the Summer Creek series, but I didn't have any problems with getting to know any of the characters, and I didn't feel lost as I read the story. I really enjoy Shanna Hatfield's phenomenal writing style and will definitely look for more books by her in the future.

Reviewed by Rabia Tanveer for Readers' Favorite

Shattered Treasure by Cindy Patterson is the story about the scars of our past that don’t seem to leave us, even if we try to move forward. Something like this happened to Addison. She was just trying to get over the hurt of her past. Loving someone is beautiful yet not easy and she knew that. But when she found out her boyfriend was cheating on her, Addison’s world shattered. However, her breaking point came when her sister died and she knew she couldn’t take it anymore. She made a huge mistake and was involved in a car accident that almost took the life of a young girl. Devastated, she tries to rectify her mistake and apologize. Soon, she realizes that fate has some testing in store for her. All she needs to do is make sure she fastens her seatbelt and tries her best to stay on course.

Beautiful yet very powerful, the story is poignant and shares a strong message. If you are good at heart, good things will come to you, even if they take time. Addison is the quintessential protagonist that falls into hard times, but unlike the usual protagonist, she actually does something about it and tries to make the best of the situation she is in. She is strong and smart, but more than that, she has a big heart that gets her into trouble and she knows it. Her relationship with Logan was very charming; the two of them took their time to test the waters and see if they will fit each other. They both were calculating, but they gave in at the end. This is a wonderful story of forgiveness, of loving and of acceptance; one that I enjoyed a lot!

Reviewed by Deborah Stone for Readers' Favorite

The Butterfly Recluse by Therese Heckenkamp is a touching story that starts out slow and serene but takes us step by step on Lila’s journey of discovery. Lila lives in a world of her own since losing her entire family in a car accident. She has retreated to a safe place where she thinks she can control what happens. Lila cares for and photographs butterflies, provides a safe haven for Monarchs, and keeps to herself. She potters in her garden, looking after her butterfly habitat, and sees nobody. She shops online, has groceries delivered and her only friend now is Jess, an online-only friend with no other contact. Harvey Sanford invades her world on a noisy motorcycle. Aside from disturbing her peace and quiet, he has disturbed her butterflies. He wants to buy some butterflies, but they’re not for sale. Persistent and insistent, Harvey keeps coming back. After accidentally breaking Lila’s camera, Harvey convinces her to leave her sanctuary long enough to buy her a new camera. Friendship and trust slowly develop and she agrees to attend his sister’s wedding with him. At the reception, she feels betrayed by Harvey and she meets Jay. Everything Lila has trusted and held dear is suddenly being ripped away. Her quiet and peaceful existence has been twisted into a nightmare. She needs saving, but who can she trust. As she cries out to God, her prayers are heard.

Therese Heckenkamp takes us on an extraordinary journey in The Butterfly Recluse. What seemed like a slow start was actually the first step in the buildup to exciting events further down the road. As Therese Heckenkamp lays the groundwork for this fascinating story, we learn about a lonely young woman who has carved out a quiet and secluded life for herself until Harvey bursts into it in full force and keeps coming back. Therese demonstrates how tragedy can alter our lives and how we sometimes need help redefining who we are. Each character is well defined, realistic, and at times frightening. This story takes us into Lila’s world and shows us how she struggles to reluctantly step back into the world around her. We also experience the consequences of the betrayal and lies that threaten to destroy her. Faith, second chances, trust, and forgiveness are key components of Therese Heckenkamp’s love story that will tug at your heartstrings, thrill you, and scare you all at the same time. The second half of the book caught me totally by surprise, but no spoilers here.