Book Review: A Brewed Awakening

Clever title! Witty banter! Opposites attract! Pepper Basham is becoming a well-loved writer. I have adored listening to Authentically, Izzy, Positively, Penelope, and Some Like it Scot. Her books are fun and flirty. The dialogue reminds me of the fast talking that goes on in The Gilmore Girls show. You can rely on Basham for clean romance, full of heart-rending conflicts, softened by lighthearted exploration. I can't wait to read more of her books. In fact, I'm wishing I had secured A Brewed Awakening in audio form with the British accent to enhance the story.

Daphne Austen loves all things British. While opening her late grandmother's tea shop one morning, she catches sight of a British car she has loved from Granny's tales (a Cabriolet - I'm not familiar). Unfortunately, Finn (the dashing Brit who owns the car) immediately casts aspersions on her tea shop. It turns out he's her new neighbor and his shop will offer British fare of a heartier variety than tea and scones.

Both Daphne and Finn are wounded souls. They protect their hearts the only way they know how. Can they open them to each other and get past the caustic stereotypes? Because I follow Basham on Facebook, I knew she wrote this tale while facing the damage left by Hurricane Helene. I don't believe I've ever been to North Carolina, but it came alive through this book. Maybe it is time to make a larger bucket list than my current one.

Book Review: To Find Where She Belongs

This book, To Find Where She Belongs, is the 4th book in the Christian Fiction Reading Challenge. That's a bit misleading. It seems many of the books in this challenge are the newest books in an existing series. When I signed on, I was content to add 12 prescribed titles to my year's reading. However, given the number of books that follow other titles, the number continues to increase. (In all, if one read every title of each series represented, it comes to 32 books! That is far more than some read in an entire year. Of course, you don't have to read each book in every series listed.) Hmm. I'm still considering whether I will stick with this challenge. When I came to this April selection, I decided against reading Robin Lee Hatcher's previous four titles in this The British Are Coming series.

This is also a Western book (not my favorite category). I plugged on anyway, partly because I so enjoy Hatcher's author newsletters. Keely Boyle is a young Irish woman who fears her safety after a man in power makes unwanted advances. She steals to gain money for passage to America, hoping to find sanctuary with a friend who has always raved about a ranch he loves in Idaho. As Keely settles in to ranch life, she battles guilt and shame for the sin she committed in desperation. Then, sparks begin to fly between Keely and the young ranch owner, William Overstreet.

This book provides great commentary on sin and guilt, grace and redemption. God's love can overcome the deepest shame and restore relationships. The problems on the ranch (poisoned water and dying cattle) resolved a bit more quickly than I expected, but added a further layer of conflict. All in all, this was an enjoyable read, even if it was outside of my normal fare (I'm just not a cowboy person).

Book Review: We Are Never Getting Together

I listened to this fun young adult novel in June. We Are Never Getting Together by Janette Rallison is a clean read. It tells the story of Madeline and Cooper, whose pranks against each other land them in the principal's office. Their parents are called in and seem obviously attracted to one another. Thus, Madeline and Cooper decide to fake date in hopes of keeping their parents apart. The pranks are fun. The tension ramps up. Of course, they cannot stay enemies forever, especially while pretending to be a couple. I liked Cooper more than Madeline, but did come around to her by the end of the story. There are so few clean YA reads out there. This one was worth the time investment.

Series Review: The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion - Highly Recommend

Following the buzz, in June, I dipped my toe into the delightful world of The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion and did not want to depart. In very short order, I listened to Volumes 1-8 on the Hoopla app. I cannot wait for the ninth installment to release (although I worry my library will not have access, or I will be far down on the hold list). I will seek it in audio form again. The narrator Genevieve Gaunt does an outstanding job! If you enjoy Victorian England, these books will surely hook you!

Emma M. Lion is a young woman alone in Victorian England. Although her parents' deaths should have left her with Lapis Lazuli House, an odd relative has been living there and ripping through her inheritance monies. Now that she is finally ensconsed in the house, she seeks to rectify these wrongs and find her place in society. Her journals are delightful. The cast of characters surrounding her make the reader wish to enter this world for real.

I was thrilled when Emma mentioned the very street I lived on when I spent six months on a work visa in London, Sydenham Hill. With each installment, I was sucked deeper and deeper into the story. Emma is fiesty and independent. Her friends are colorful and conflicted. You cannot help but be swept away into this alternate reality.

My only complaint is that the books attempt to push a feminist agenda. I know Victorian London. Emma would not have waltzed independently through life in those times. Yet, still... I absolutely loved these books! I'm willing to suspend disbelief, to overlook historical inaccuracies, because I love Emma and all her entourage of young male friends (suitors?). I love her stream-of-consciousness commentary. Each book ends with a listing of her growing library of books. This is enchanting! I highly recommend this series, and especially in audio form. I'm even hoping the books will continue well past book nine.

Book Review: Now and Forever

I tend to avoid science fiction books. Indeed, I'm pretty sure I picked this up on a 30-second jaunt into the library to find an audio book for car rides. Ray Bradbury comes at the start of the alphabet. Thus, I attempted this short book, Now and Forever, containing two novellas. While it did kill time for me, it wasn't as entertaining or as thought-provoking as Fahrenheit 451, by any means.

I enjoyed the first novella, "Somewhere a Band is Playing." This story, of a man compelled to jump off a train to explore a strange town, held a certain amount of intrigue. However, I soured on the second novella, "Leviathan '99," a science-fiction version of Moby Dick. In my younger years, I found Melville's Moby Dick tiresome. This one was even more so. It was not "spellbinding," nor was I "entranced," as the back cover promised. Oh, well, sometimes you venture into foreign territory to a pleasant surprise. Other times, you realize you should stick to what interests you.

Book Review: Hearts in Circulation

Sarah Monzon is a new-to-me author. But, oh this book cover sucks you in. I love the idea of a bookmobile for individuals who cannot get to a library. I would love that job! I enjoyed Hearts in Circulation so much, I'll seek out the other two in this Checking Out Love series (somehow I missed the first in the series, and the final book is due out soon).

Librarian Hayley Holt is eager to serve her community. She agrees to drive the newly donated bookmobile, even though it looks like a tin can on wheels. Hayley considers it the least she can do in her daily efforts to live up to the liver transplant she received in her youth. When a rockslide traps Hayley in a back woods hollow, a surly, uncommunicative mechanic offers to repair the vehicle. Can Levi Redding endure her constant chatter and larger-than-life presence in his environs?

What a delightful and bookish forced proximity rom-com! What's more, I was duly impressed with the natural and insightful faith elements that appear as the story concludes. Monzon introduces a character whose personal struggles uniquely flesh out arguments for the faith that I have been sharing with friends and family. Her story illustrates the truth that we can never earn the free gift of salvation God offers through Christ's atonement. I loved the thoughts expressed in the Hayley-Levi confrontation scene, especially the advice, "Don't cheapen the gift!" That is what people do when they insist they must maintain, through obedient faith, the salvation Christ has secured for them. 

I enjoyed the book for more than this firm salvation security argument. The characters were endearing and the plot held me riveted. I loved the exchange of letters, in spite of the forced proximity. I loved the scavenger hunt for clues through books. What fun! I recommend this light-hearted and meaningful romance (a Carol Award finalist for the 2026 romance category). 

Book Review: This Book Made Me Think of You - Highly Recommend

This book made me think of why I love books! They can meet you right where you are and tap into your most intimate wishes, hopes, and dreams. They can soothe sorrows! I don't know if I was merely ripe for this book by Libby Page (daughter to author Sally Page). Perhaps, This Book Made Me Think of You is merely brilliant for anyone and everyone. Oh, how I adored it! The characters are relatable. The premise is perfect. Plus, the book is brimming with book recommendations. Like I said, it is a brilliant book! My favorite read of 2026!

Listen to this outstanding first line: "The right book in the hands of the right person at exactly the right moment can change their life forever." That's what Alfie, the owner of Book Lane believes. When Alfie calls Matilda Nightingale to tell her she has a book to pick up at the bookstore, she insists she didn't order anything. Alfie explains her late husband scheduled a year's worth of monthly books to get her through the first full year without him. Of course, ever since his death six months ago, Tilly hasn't been able to read. What follows is a year-long adventure as Tilly regains her reading mojo and learns to live again without the love of her life.

I immediately thought, "Man, if my husband died and left me twelve selected books, I would be utterly blown away by the gesture." Like Tilly's husband, my husband is not really a book reader (he does read some, but only in his slim selected categories and, primarily, God's Word) so I know I'll never experience this scenario. Ah, but because of this book, I was able to live through it vicariously, through Tilly. Even though it deals with grief, it is incredibly life-affirming.

It took some time but I jotted down all 96 book titles mentioned in this book. Probably half to two-thirds are titles I've heard of or know. I have only read 19 of the books listed. So, now that I have the whole list, I have much to add to my endless file of books to read. Book recommendations are always welcome, as are books that feature a bookshop. And how can you not be sucked in by characters who love books?

I adored Tilly! She and I would be friends IRL. We would be two peas in a pod. Here's a line that could describe me: "After reading, crafting has always been her way of relaxing, but what she has in enthusiasm she does not possess in skill." Ha, too true! Like Tilly, I took a leap and visited Paris on my own. What fun when she explores Shakespeare and Company and finds this quote: "I wish I could show you when you are lonely or in darkness the astonishing light of your own being." So many parts of her story gutted me.

I also want bookish friends like Alfie and Rachel. Everyone should have a special bookstore, and a special bookseller, like Alfie. His role in this book is tremendously touching. Rachel's part of the story made me squirm. If Tilly can forgive Rachel and restore friendship, I know I should be able to forgive and restore a friendship with a "Rachel" in my life. Bookish friends have a value beyond expression.

Indeed, this is a love song for books, both in the long recommendation lists and in the way individual books meet Tilly's need at just the right moment. Here's another line that resonated: "Maybe this is what books do, she thinks, whether stories real or imagined or poems compiled in one place for people to flick through in search of what they need. They offer something universal but allow you to find your own meaning among the words. They are for everyone and yet they are for you too." At the end, Tilly says, "I am the person I am because of the books I have read. My reading history is a map that shows the path of my life." I want to be like Tilly, a "bookish soul eager to help steer you on your way." Indeed, I wish I could read this for the first time all over again!

Word of caution: The emotions in this book are very raw and real. If you've recently lost a loved one, the story might be bookish cryptonite for you - just a place you cannot go for the moment. Still, there is merit in following Tilly's journey as she heals from the grief and finds solace in books. Moreover, I did mark this as a clean read, but should note that there are one or two curse words and a few times the Lord's name is taken in vain.

Book Review: The Tupelo Grove Series

Colleen Coble and Rick Acker begin their Tupelo Grove series with What We Hide. Other readers in the Christian Fiction Reading Challenge suggested these books really need to be read in order. Thus, I took their advice. Thankfully, the pages flew by and I couldn't stop reading. Plus, the authors kept me guessing until the end. I love that!

Teacher Savannah Webster finds a dead body at Tupelo Grove University. Even though she is currently separated from her lawyer husband Hez, she calls him in to try to clear her name. He wants to convince her he has changed, but she is hesitant to trust again after tragedy ripped their relationship apart. Someone is selling off artifacts from the university's collection. Who is trustworthy?

Every page uncovers a new secret or an unexpected wrinkle. If Savannah is cleared, will her sister Jess be arrested for embezzlement and two murders? How much does Jess really know? Savannah's feelings for Hez simmer and her faith in him is restored by his drive to find the truth. But, the stakes are high and the criminals will pull out all stops to keep their crimes hidden.

Where Secrets Lie offers another adrenaline-rush story. Savannah and Hez continue to try to unravel the artifact smuggling scheme. Danger intensifies. Savannah's job is at risk. Hez's health is compromised. The plot thickens. Their relationship, and the survival of the university, is in danger.

The final installment of the Tupelo Grove series is When Justice Comes. But, will justice flow like a river? Both Savannah and Hez are desperate to win custody of their nephew, but his criminal grandfather holds great power and allure over the boy and the courts. The book holds plenty of moments where characters can only rely on prayer for God's intervention.

I enjoyed this Christian thriller/romantic suspense series. Each book has a compelling plot. The characters interact in believable ways. Savannah and Hez face plenty of tension and realistic conflict. Clearly, both played a role in the dissolution and restoration of their relationship. While things move at a frantic pace, the reader roots for the triumph of good and the defeat of evil.

Book Review: The Elsewhere Express

I'm not much into fantasy books. While I can deal with magical realism, the really out there fantasy novels elude me. The Elsewhere Express is such a beautiful physical book, that I couldn't help but pick it up. Stencils of colorful luggage appear around the edges of the pages. The cover is dreamy and enticing. It is billed as a train that takes you to your life purpose. How intriguing!

Hiraya Sia's parents conceived her to provide organs for their ailing son. This idea is fraught with internal conflicts. Quentin Chen Phillips Jr. is an artist on the cusp of losing his eyesight. This is another conflicting experience. These are the two passengers readers follow onto The Elsewhere Express, an imaginary train built "by the hours people have spent staring out of the window, wishing they were somewhere else. It is in constant motion, fueled by a steady stream of wandering thoughts. Every inch of the train writhes with reveries and vibrates with the constant chatter of conversations people have with themselves." Neither character knows why they have landed on this imaginary train. Raya wants off. Quentin, with restored sight on the train, is desperate to stay on the train.

I will admit, it was a bit too philosophical and woo-woo for me. But, it was a quick and absorbing read. And in the process of watching these two try to find their way and their place on this mythical train, the reader considers lots of scenarios of loss, grief, purpose, life fulfillment, and creativity. I was intrigued to learn that the author is from the Philippines (a place I served in missionary work in the summer of 1987). The writing is good and the premise is promising. Pages fly by. While I wouldn't want to land on the Elsewhere Express myself, it was interesting to visit for a few hours over several days. 

Book Review: Sipsworth

The cover is enticing and the title perplexing. Sipsworth, a novel by Simon Van Booy, tells the story of Helen Cartwright, a woman waiting to die. After spending six decades in Australia, and burying her husband and son, Helen returns to England to live out her remaining years. For the first few hours I listened, I was confused where the story was going. Helen establishes a relationship with a small mouse she accidentally transports from someone else's rubbish into her home.

Two-thirds into the book, the reader's understanding shifts in the most unexpected way. Though slow to get going, this book is thoroughly compelling. It treats so many important aspects of older age: invisibility, loneliness, second chances, the importance of kindness, and legacy. What a delightful journey with an octagenarian and her pint-sized pet! 

Book Review: The Lawyer and the Laundress

When I finished my last audiobook on Hoopla, I skimmed through the recommendations. The Lawyer and the Laundress had an interesting cover and promised a clean read. Lately, I've tried several popular titles and, quite far in, abandoned them. I abandoned Taylor Reid Jenkins' Atmosphere (despite the good writing and compelling investment in the story) when, halfway through, the main character visits a strip club and is titillated by the experience. Census, by Jesse Ball, was stilted. It also failed to be engaging or clean. Interested in Claire Foy's movie H is for Hawk, I attempted to read that book prior to seeing the film. It was quickly abandoned and I'm glad I didn't go to see the movie with my husband, despite my love of Claire Foy's performances. Finally, I just abandoned The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. It gets discouraging.

The Lawyer and the Laundress takes place in 1837 Canada, during a time of political unrest. A widowed lawyer, James Kinney, is struggling to raise his feisty daughter Evie. She is miserable at her lessons under a strict and ineffective teacher. As such, she seeks the friendship of the laundress, Sara O'Connor. Sara is no ordinary laundress, as she knows French and effectively teaches Evie. James eventually seeks Sara to serve as Evie's governess. As romance blossoms between the two of them, political unrest threatens their lives.

I just learned this is a Carol Award Finalist. For a debut novel, it was well-written and engaging. The characters are compelling. Evie is delightful. The plot moves at a reasonable pace with plenty of conflicts. Most of all, I appreciated the tasteful treatment of the romantic tension simmering between Sara and James. Christine Hill Suntz manages to write it with sizzle, without smut. Why can't all authors stick to that?  

Book Review: Strangers in Time

Surprisingly, I've never read a David Baldacci novel before. The name is familiar and popular, but this was my first foray, with Strangers in Time. Isn't this cover beautiful? I snagged the audio book version from my library and was really enjoying listening to the narration. Sadly, it came due (large hold list) and I was able to finish reading the book in large print, hardback form (less demand). I'm wishing I'd been able to hear the whole novel.

Charlie Matters is a 14-year-old who knows his way around London. He knows his way around rules, as well. When he robs The Book Keep bookshop, his conscience gets the better of him and returns the money and the book. Ignatius Oliver, the owner, insists on giving him the book. Charlie is tempted to sell the book. It could bring him 5 pounds and that might go a long way to helping Charlie and his grandmother keep up with bills.

Molly Wakefield is returning to her posh London home, after a spell away in the country for safety. She expects to find her mother and father at home, but is greeted by only her nanny. She hires Charlie to help her look for her father, but they have no success. Charlie, Molly, and Ignatius weather the storms of war together and look out for each other. They each carry heavy personal burdens, but bearing it together lightens the load.

The narration sucked me into the story. Yet, I had a harder time staying riveted when reading on my own. The book has likeable characters and brings wartime London to life. It is quite like many other WWII novels, but the writing is clean and good. I would be willing try another by this author, but perhaps not another war novel.

Book Review: The English Masterpiece

This was February's read for the Christian Fiction Reading Challenge I joined. At one time, I picked up Katherine Reay's Dear Mr. Knightley. It wasn't the right timing for me, and I set it aside. This time, however, I was enthralled by Reay's well-woven story of an alleged forgery. I listened to The English Masterpiece on Hoopla and loved the distinct, alternating narration of the two main characters, Lily and Diana. It made my morning exercise and chores slip by unnoticed.

When I lived in London, I visited the Tate Gallery (purchased a lovely card game of painting sets). How fun to return to that setting, albeit in an earlier timeframe! Lily eagerly anticipates the 1973 opening of a Picasso exhibit she helped prepare. Her boss, the art curator, Diana Gilden, hopes to advance in her job as a result of their work. Instead, with one uncontrolled whisper of "forgery," Lily has put everything in jeopardy. Lily's own asperations of showing a painting in an upcoming Emerging Artists Exhibition may be foiled, as well. But, as we all sadly learn, once words slip out, you cannot undo them.

What follows is a carefully plotted chase to determine the truth behind the painting and its provenance. The insurance company calls up an American detective, Conor Walsh. When he finds a student studio full of Lily's copies of the masters, suspicion shifts to Lily. Walsh and Lily feel pulled toward each other, but the mystery remains the focus. She is closed off to others, but will she open up to Conor?

I loved the pacing, and the characters were well-drawn. Lily's back-story was interesting. I was thrilled to explore the world of early-70s London. The writing was such that I forgot there was a puppet-master pulling the strings. My mind was gripped with the unfolding mystery. I'm so glad I read this book, and I cannot wait to seek another Katherine Reay novel.

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My favorite passage of all came toward the end of the book, when Lily is ruminating on the assessment of talent. Her words, about painting, could equally apply to writing. "Next week, I'll find out how far I'm willing to stretch, how vulnerable I can make myself, and how much of myself I'm willing to splay onto a canvas. Whether the art world chooses to laud my efforts or eviscerate them is beyond my control... As Picasso taught me, the act of painting is the vivisection of one's soul, splayed out before the world in a two dimensional format. And in art, as in life, success lies in holding nothing back. The world can hate it, but I can still have a marvelous time." 

Book Review: The First Time I Saw Him

The First Time I Saw Him is the riveting sequel to Laura Dave's best-selling book, The Last Thing He Told Me. This book sits at #61 in Suspense Thrillers on Amazon. It is, again, a page-turner. I cruised through in a few days. It was a fairly clean read. No unnecessary blood, guts, and gore and only mild cursing (for emphasis in the crisis moment).

The book picks up where the first installment left off, with the missing husband making a momentary appearance in Hannah Hall's life. Within pages, she receives an anonymous warning to flee because her and her daughter's lives are both in danger. I do wish I had taken time to re-read the first book, to remember more of the elements leading up to this mystery. Still, it could be read as a stand-alone, I'm guessing. The author sums up enough to get the reader up to speed.

Thankfully, these books provide good talking points. They are likely popular with a younger audience because of Reese Witherspoon's endorsements. The first book is now a series on Apple TV. As an older reader, it is always beneficial to keep in touch with what young people are reading. I wonder if my daughter-in-law has read these two books. Maybe I should ask. 

Book Review: The Bookshop of Hidden Dreams

I had never heard of this author, and now I cannot remember where I picked up the recommendation. Was The Bookshop of Hidden Dreams offered on Book Bub? I may have been a less-than-motivated reader, so I don't count this against the book, but it didn't enthrall me. With "bookshop" in the title, you assume it will focus a lot on books. Book mentions were minimal. It takes place in a bookshop in the small town of Dove Pond.

Tay Dove is one of seven sisters. Supposedly, whenever seven sisters are born in the Dove family, those women are endowed with magical powers. Tay possesses the unique power (helpful, as she is a historian) to see the scene of writing when she places her hands on handwritten notes and letters. Of course, this comes in handy when you're trying to solve a mystery from the past with primary source documents. When the sisters uncover a tin of love letters, they beg Tay to pick up the trail and solve the mystery of their relative, Sarafina Dove, and her suitor, an alleged train robber, William Day. Rose Day, owner of the town bookshop, offers her grandson's assistance, in hopes that romance may blossom.

You have all the standard details of a mystery: suspicious characters, lost money or treasure, secret codes, and families hoping to learn more about distant relatives. It was an easy read. I just wish it had sucked me in more. Again, my indifference might have stemmed from a reading malaise. When life's circumstances heat up, my mind is more on current issues than on pages passing. I appreciated it as a clean read though (especially as I've turned aside 3 others for content I couldn't get behind). Plus, it receives many 4 and 5 star ratings on Amazon, so others are clearly enticed.

Mid-month Mention: Another Scavenger Hunt

Lately, I've been encountering new Christian authors through promotional activities. Last month I shared an opportunity for a Christian author scavenger hunt including almost 30 authors. I subscribed to a handful of author newsletters, including one for Jaime Jo Wright. Wright has joined another new-to-me author to create their own small scavenger hunt as introduction to their newest books.

Jaime Jo Wright's newest release is The Bookshop of 99 Doors. It is a Christian dual-timeline mystery set in a Pennsylvania mansion with Civil War secrets. Like Wright's other books, it is atmospheric and suspenseful. Melanie Dobson's The Lost Story of Via Belle is also a dual-timeline historical mystery. It, too, takes place in Pennsylvania. A present-day screenwriter investigates the 1940s disappearance of a romance novelist. I am eager to read both of these novels and then pass on recommendations to my cousin, Karin, who lives in Pennsylvania.

If you want to participate in this smaller scavenger hunt visit this Storydoors website. You will find two portals into photos associated with the novels. Each book showcases four rooms to explore. Some of the images, when clicked on, will send you to informational sites tied to these stories. In each room, there is a hidden clue to copy down. Once you find the 8 hidden clues, you can enter the completed sentences to enter the giveaway (15 Christian fiction titles), which ends on April 29, 2026. There is also an invitation to join a Zoom call with the authors, held on April 30th, to learn more about these stories. The winner will be announced during that Zoom call.

I joined in the fun. A few of the sites held information about author Grace Livingston Hill. My paternal grandmother had numerous Grace Livingston Hill books on her shelves in her upstairs rooms (where my sister and I stayed during visits). I can remember passing time in those novels, although I did not recognize any titles I may have read, since it was years ago (almost half a century). Even if I don't win the scavenger hunt, it was interesting to visit these sites and learn more about these books.

Book Review: The Battle of the Bookshops

Since I enjoyed Poppy Alexander's The Littlest Library, I checked out her newest book, The Battle of the Bookshops. It is clearly meant to be a modern retelling loosely mixing Romeo and Juliet with You've Got Mail. The names are ridiculously similar. Jules Capelthorne helps her aging great-aunt run a tiny bookstore in Portneath. It is the only bookstore in the tiny seaside town and is approaching its hundredth birthday. Enter the dashing young man from a feuding family, Roman Montbeau. Of course, he opens a flashy, new bookstore across the street. Unlike You've Got Mail, the rivalry is right out in the open, but like Romeo and Juliet, the two cannot keep themselves apart, despite family animosity.

The book was predictable, and yet, somewhat delightful. If you need something easy to read and are seeking romance, this book hits both boxes. I wasn't so absorbed that I read it in one sitting, but it only took a few days. It would make a quick beach read. I think The Littlest Library is still my favorite from this author. 

Book Review: The Life She Forgot

Almost a year ago, I discovered and joined a Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt. It was not only fun, but also introduced me to a host of new-to-me authors. I signed on for several author newsletters and that is how I first came to know about Joanna Davidson Politano's books. I borrowed The Curious Inheritance of Blakely House from my library. Sadly, my stack of current reads kept me from it and other readers in the hold line were eager for their turn. When she mentioned a launch team for The Life She Forgot in her newsletter, I jumped at the chance.

The Life She Forgot is an Edwardian dual-timeline historical mystery set on the Cornish coast. It is the first book in Politano's House on the Edge of the Cliff series. You can pre-order the Kindle version and it will be auto-delivered on April 21, 2026.

It is 1913 and Merryn cannot remember who she is or where she is from. Three years ago, Lady St. Laurent took her in, grateful that Merryn saved her 7-year-old grandson Cecil from being hit by a car (the act that brought on her amnesia). At Lady St. Laurent's death, her will stipulates that Merryn will receive a small fortune and guardianship of the boy. However, Lady St. Laurent's daughter Sabine will receive the house. Sabine feels cheated and is determined to have Merryn declared unfit and sent to an asylum.

Merryn's only hope seems to be in proposing marriage to the young man she met at the park three weeks ago, A.J. Winthrop. She doesn't know herself, let alone anything about this young man, but she is desperate to retrieve her memory and prove her ability to care for Cecil. Can she trust A.J.? Will he help her restore her memories? Then, memories of another man and another wedding begin to surface. She hopes a trip to Cornwall will bring clarity, but she is being followed and time is running out.

In 1947, William Thatcher is plagued by memories of the war. He leaves his wife behind (thinking it is in her best interest) when he inherits Dunn Cottage on the Cornish coast. He doesn't even know Anwen Dunn. Why would she leave him the cottage? He is drawn to a painting of a woman and determined to find out the story and value of the portrait. Can he prove its provenance and secure enough funds to send back to his wife? Why does he think she'd be better off without him?

Although there are several storylines and characters to keep track of, the two timelines interweave, even to the point of sharing ending and beginning lines in chapters. I enjoyed so many things about this novel. On the one hand, memories can plague a person. On the other hand, losing memory is like losing the essence of yourself. Multiple questions lure the reader and ramp up the plot repeatedly. Merryn is in a race against time to retrieve her memory so she can save herself and Cecil.

This book considers identity, parenting, greed, and marriage. Both William and Merryn have made mistakes in the past that haunt them in the present. Both struggle with their marriages. I loved the line, "Marriage is the Russian Roulette of humanity--deposit yourself firmly in the arms of another and hope they deign to catch you every day of your life." We all enter marriages unaware of what the future holds. Sometimes we wound one another. Sometimes we save one another. If you're looking for a Christian historical novel full of intrigue in a beautiful coastal setting, The Life She Forgot, will woo you and win you.

Book Review: Uneasy Street

Uneasy Street, by Becky Wade, was the first book selection for the Christian Fiction Reading Challenge. Many individuals balked because it is the 3rd in the Sons of Scandal trilogy. While I prefer to read books in order, I had no difficulty reading this as a stand-alone novel. It was a wholesome romance that follows two wounded people from friendship to alienation to tolerance to love.

Sloane Madison has had a troubled upbringing. One bright spot is her deceased sister's daughter, Ivy. When Ivy's adoptive parents go away for a house-swap trip, they leave Ivy in Sloane's charge and put them up in the guest house on a wealthy property. It seems like a horrid trick when Sloane discovers the owner of the property is none other than her former business partner, Max Cirillo. Max wants closure but Sloane wants nothing to do with him. His lack of concern and spiteful retaliation in the past require forgiveness Sloane cannot muster.

Forgiveness is a key theme in this book. From neglect to misunderstandings to adulterous mistresses, there's lots of forgiveness fodder. Ivy has her own sub-plot as she searches for her biological father and discovers an unexpected wrinkle in her adoption story. I loved Ivy and her rats. I even liked Sloane, in spite of her constant bristle with Max. Max was physically swoony, but I struggled to feel as drawn to him as the others. 

Each character comes with baggage and that baggage is steadily unpacked throughout the story. I loved the concept of giving to others what you need for yourself. So Sloane is learning to seek to meet the needs in others that she wishes her family had met for her in her childhood. Although I was unable to make the Zoom call interview with the author, I did watch it at a later point in time. My favorite part of that interview was when Becky articulated the truth that everyone experiences a novel differently because we come at the story with different histories, perspectives, and needs. I think this is also why you can read a novel at one point and then later, in reading again, experience it in a whole different way. If you are interested in watching that interview (including reader questions), click here.

I will happily try another Becky Wade book at some point, but I've too many books on my stack to seek the first and second in this trilogy. Indeed, before I even read this book, I had taken this screen shot of the author's declaration that all of her books are written without AI. In this day and age, that's a promise I want to bank on in books I read.

Mid-month Mention #3: Spring Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt

I so enjoyed last year's scavenger hunt that I wanted to help publicize this year's opportunity. It provides a great way to meet new authors and find books of interest. Jump on it now, because it kicked off yesterday at noon. There's still time to participate, seek prizes, and meet authors.

Lisa Tawn Bergren posted this on her Facebook page:

Over $1800 in books and prizes FROM 30 AUTHORS! It's a whopper! And it begins on Thursday afternoon... https://lisatawnbergren.com/.../spring-scavenger-hunt.../

You can start at the first stop here. Suzanne Woods Fisher is one of the authors highlighted. I've already encouraged readers to visit her website and join her newsletter. I think my favorite cover posted (first on the bottom row) is the one for To Love a Lady. Which is your favorite cover?