Tag: Christian Fiction

“A Run at Love” (Love in the Spotlight) by Toni Shiloh (ARC Review)

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Shiloh, Toni. A Run at Love. Minneapolis: Bethany House, 2024. 

ISBN-13: 978-0764241512 | $17.99 USD | 352 pages | Contemporary Romance/Christian Fiction

Blurb

A CONTENDER RUNNING FOR THE ROSES

As a Black woman in a field with little diversity, Piper McKinney is determined to make her mark on the horse-racing world. Raised on a Thoroughbred farm in Kentucky, Piper’s dream is for her horse to win the prestigious Kentucky Derby. With the help of her best friend and trainer, Tucker Hale, she gains national attention but must grapple with the complications that arise when a journalist delves into her past as a transracial adoptee.

A BEST FRIEND RACING FOR LOVE

In an effort to win Piper’s heart, Tucker formulates a plan to train Piper’s horse to victory, hoping to prove himself to her, her parents, and his own self-doubts. Then a shocking scandal hits the media, implicating both Piper and her parents, and she and Tucker will have to survive the onslaught to find their way to the winner’s circle–and each other.

A ROMANCE WORTH THE CHALLENGE

“Readers are going to be delighted by this endearing and adorable romance.”–Sarah Monzon, author of the Sewing in SoCal series on The Love Script

In the series

#1 The Love Script

Review

4 stars

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own. 

A Run at Love is the second in Toni Shiloh’s Love in the Spotlight series. It can be read as a standalone, although I do recommend the first book as well. While I’ve read myriad celebrity romances at this point, the equestrian world, especially related to horse-racing and the Kentucky Derby, were much less familiar. But Shiloh conveys a knowledge for the sport in a way that is digestible for newbies to the sport, conveying the characters’ passion for it, while not going overboard with the technical aspects that could sometimes bog down the narrative. 

Piper is an incredible female lead, and I particularly liked how she handled issues with her Black identity in both her professional and personal lives. She’s a Black woman in the horse-racing world, dominated by white men, but she’s also a Black transracial adoptee. I respect how her story highlights the complex feelings someone like her can have, being grateful for the opportunities she has due to the family who raised her, but also being  unsettled by the situation, and especially the public’s perception of her. 

Tucker is a generally solid guy, and I loved how his romance with Piper developed. They’ve known each other pretty much all their lives, and I love how he’s as passionate about her winning the Kentucky Derby as she is, even making elaborate plans in an attempt to make it happen. They had great chemistry and it was sweet seeing things develop from platonic to something more. I did feel like the marriage proposal came a little too soon, but given how long they knew each other, and how it came rather late in the story, I can accept that it makes sense. And the wedding isn’t necessarily something they’re rushing into by the end, anyway. 

This was another heartfelt romance from Toni Shiloh, and I’d recommend it to readers interested in a Christian or sweet (no-sex) romance with a Black lead. 

Author Bio

Toni Shiloh is a wife, mom, and Christian fiction writer. Once she understood the powerful saving grace of the love of Christ, she was moved to honor her Savior.

She writes soulfully romantic novels to bring Him glory and to learn more about His goodness.

Before pursuing her dream as a writer, Toni served in the United States Air Force. It was there she met her husband. After countless moves, they ended up in Virginia, where they are raising their two boys.

When she’s not typing in imagination land, Toni enjoys reading, playing video games, ​watching K-dramas, and spending time with ​her family.

Toni is a member of the American Christian ​Fiction Writers (ACFW) and of the Virginia ​Chapter.

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“A Winter by the Sea” (On Devonshire Shores #2) by Julie Klassen (Review)

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Klassen, Julie. A Winter by the Sea. Minneapolis: Bethany House, 2023. 

ISBN-13: 978-0764234286 | $16.99 USD | 448 pages | Regency Romance/Christian Fiction

Blurb

Royalty comes to Sidmouth, bringing unexpected danger and the sweet possibility of romance. . . .

When the Duke and Duchess of Kent and their daughter–the future Queen Victoria–rent neighboring Woolbrook Cottage for the winter, the Summers sisters are called upon to host three of the royal family’s male staff in their seaside house. But they soon realize they’ve invited secrets and intrigue into their home.

Meanwhile, Emily Summers longs to become an author. A local publisher offers to consider her novel if she will first write a Sidmouth guidebook for him. Emily agrees and begins researching the area with help from the Duke of Kent’s handsome private secretary. But a surprise visitor from her past shows up at Sea View, leaving Emily torn between the desires she’s long held dear and her budding dreams for the future.

Return to the Devonshire coast with the Summers sisters, where loyalties are tested, secrets come to light, and new love emerges.

In the series

#1 The Sisters of Sea View

Review

3 stars

While the first book in Julie Klassen’s On Devonshire Shores series took time for me to get into, I ultimately thought it was a good book. The second book, A Winter by the Sea, by contrast, had all the promise of the first book, but failed to deliver a compelling reading experience. 

I was immediately drawn to the subplot about the Duke and Duchess of Kent in Sidmouth, and of course, I was pleasantly surprised it was based on true events leading up to the Duke’s death. While I know much more about young Queen Victoria’s life after her father’s death, it was interesting seeing the seeds of it here, with John Conroy already in the picture. It also provided a means through which the Summers family would meet new people, and the intrigue would center on that. And whatever I feel about the individual characters, I like the family dynamics, especially how the Summers family continues to face scrutiny due to one sister’s actions. 

Emily was my favorite sister, given her writing aspirations, and while I had no expectations of her being a radical, I definitely wanted more for her writing than was featured. 

Also the love story here was so muddled. I love the intent with one, as one is a childhood infatuation she must grow out of, but then there’s two other love interests, one who is set up as the one she ends up with and another man, and while Klassen has written about heroines with multiple suitors well in the past, I just didn’t find any of them compelling, even the guy she does end up with. This book, even more than the prior book, felt like it relegated romance to the subplot, or at least had too much going on to make the romance feel meaningful.

Pacing wise, this book was also a massive slog. It clocks in at just under 450 pages, and Klassen’s books are on the longer side for the historical romance genre, Christian or otherwise, but this one in particular had so much going on, yet nothing kept my interest.

Given my overall apathy and mixed feelings about this series, I’m not sure I’ll be continuing unless the last book sounds really good, particularly as far as the romance aspect goes. But I can see why this book/series appeals to other people who like books with vivid historical settings, strong family dynamics, and strong romantic subplots. If you’re into that, I’d recommend checking it out. 

Author Bio

Julie Klassen loves all things Jane—Jane Eyre and Jane Austen. A graduate of the University of Illinois, Julie worked in publishing for sixteen years and now writes full time. Three of her books, The Silent Governess, The Girl in the Gatehouse, and The Maid of Fairbourne Hall, have won the Christy Award for Historical Romance. She has also won the Midwest Book Award, the Minnesota Book Award, and Christian Retailing’s BEST Award, and been a finalist in the Romance Writers of America’s RITA Awards and ACFW’s Carol Awards. She blogs at http://www.inspiredbylifeandfiction.com.
Julie and her husband have two sons and live in a suburb of St. Paul, Minnesota.

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“The Love Script” (Love in the Spotlight #1) by Toni Shiloh (ARC Review)

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Shiloh, Toni. The Love Script. Minneapolis: Bethany House, 2023. 

ISBN-13: 978-0764241505 | $16.99 USD | 352 pages | Contemporary Romance/Christian Fiction

Blurb

A Hollywood hair stylist.

Nevaeh Richards loves making those in the spotlight shine but prefers the anonymity of staying behind her stylist chair, where no one notices her. But when a photo of Nevaeh and Hollywood A-lister Lamont Booker goes viral for all the wrong reasons, her quiet life becomes the number-one trending topic.

The silver screen’s latest heartthrob.

Lamont Booker’s bold faith has gained him a platform, and the authenticity of his faith is well known . . . until the tabloids cause the world to question everything he claims to be. With his reputation on the line, he finds himself hearing out his agent’s push for a fake relationship–something he never thought he’d consider in a million years.

A love that goes off script.

With their careers at risk, Nevaeh and Lamont have to convince the world that their scripted romance is more than just an act. But when fake seems to turn into something real, can Nevaeh trust her heart in a world where nothing is ever as it seems?

Review

4 stars

I received a complimentary copy from the author and publisher as part of the author’s review team and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own. 

The Love Script is the first in what seems to be a new series from Toni Shiloh called Love in the Spotlight. I was drawn to the premise and Shiloh’s fresh take on both fake dating and celebrity romance, and I really enjoyed it. 

While I sometimes quibble when authors make weird narrative choices, like mixing first and third person POVs, Shiloh makes it work here. While  I initially was taken off-guard, the POV switches felt seamless instead of jarring. 

As for their characters, I found both of them both easy to resonate with. Nevaeh is relatable in the sense that she’s a lot of “normal” folk, and I couldn’t help but sympathize  as she navigates her sudden fame by virtue of dating a famous actor. She has her own aspirations, and I enjoyed seeing her find a way to achieve them over the course of the story. 

I have more nuanced feelings about Lamont, because of his overall character journey from the outset. At the beginning, he’s not just a reformed bad boy, but a born-again Christian who made a commitment to celibacy and was very public about his faith journey, and reputation is everything. While there were some aspects that toed the line to being questionable toward non-Christians, like where his ex-girlfriend was concerned, I appreciate that the narrative tended to reinforce that this was a personal choice he chose to make public, and having to realistically grapple with the consequences of that. Given the crux of the issue was that he felt he had to bend over backwards and it was easier to lie to appease the fans and purity culture vultures of the media, I’d have liked to see further distinction between him being allowed to have his own values while critiquing the institutions holding people to impossible standards, but what was there still mostly worked for me. 

And while it is fake dating, I like how it never really felt fake to me. There was always a spark between Nevaeh and Lamont, and there was never any denial about it, even if things originally began on false pretenses. The romantic chemistry between them felt believable, and I rooted for them to figure things out, even as the media’s scrutiny became more invasive. 

This is a fun read with a lot of heart to it. If you’re interested in Christian contemporary romance with nonwhite leads, I’d recommend checking this out! 

Author Bio

Toni Shiloh is a wife, mom, and Christian fiction writer. Once she understood the powerful saving grace of the love of Christ, she was moved to honor her Savior.

She writes soulfully romantic novels to bring Him glory and to learn more about His goodness.

Before pursuing her dream as a writer, Toni served in the United States Air Force. It was there she met her husband. After countless moves, they ended up in Virginia, where they are raising their two boys.

When she’s not typing in imagination land, Toni enjoys reading, playing video games, ​watching K-dramas, and spending time with ​her family.

Toni is a member of the American Christian ​Fiction Writers (ACFW) and of the Virginia ​Chapter.

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“Pixels and Paint” (Trinket Sisters #1) by Kristi Ann Hunter (ARC Review)

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Hunter, Kristi Ann. Pixels and Paint. Stockbridge, GA: Oholiab Creations, LLC, 2023. 

ISBN-13: 9781959589068 | $15.99 USD | 342 pages | Contemporary Romance

Blurb

or Emma Trinket, life is a delicate balancing act between loving her family and pursuing interests they don’t understand. When the opportunity arises to finally impress them with her job as a computer programmer, she jumps at it even if it means immersing herself in a world she’s despised since childhood.

Unfortunately the one man who could crush her prospects is also the best person to help her navigate the lessons she needs to be a success.

Artistic expression is both Carter Anderson’s safe space and his livelihood, but his fading inspiration has him worried about his place in life. His encounters with Emma spark a passion to create that he hasn’t felt in years and he isn’t ready to let go of his new muse even if she’s threatening the sanctity of his art world with her digital technologies.

As each tries to gain an advantage from the other, Emma and Carter discover they actually might be more compatible than they thought. Will that be enough to unify their opposing missions or will the real differences between pixels and paint tear them apart?

Review

4 stars

I received an ARC from the author/publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own. 

I’ve more or less enjoyed Kristi Ann Hunter’s previous historical romances, and was excited to hear that she was also starting to write contemporary romance. While it’s a bit of a stylistic shift, she manages the transition well, and Pixels and Paint is  just as engaging as her historicals. 

I was really drawn to the characters and their dynamic. Emma in particular drew me in, as she’s an intriguing flip on a conventional trope, being more technical, while her family is in the art world, especially it’s far more common for the protagonists to be artists, and their families be pushing STEM careers on their children. However, I totally understand struggling to be your true self with family or others who think they know you best/want things for you that you don’t. Carter is a great love interest, being flawed, yet sympathetic. I love how he’s Emma’s opposite in some ways, being more artistic, but they learn they can learn from each other and what they bring to the table (both professionally and personally). 

I enjoyed this book a lot, and I’m excited to continue to get to know the Trinket family in future books. If you’re interested in closed-door/Christian contemporary romance, I’d recommend checking this out! 

Author Bio

Kristi is the RITA® award winning author of romance novels from a Christian worldview. Her books include the Regency era set Hawthorne House, Haven Manor, and Hearts on the Heath series. Look for her first contemporaries in early 2023. 

She is also speaker, teaching classes in writing as well as Biblical and spiritual topics. She has spoken to writers’ groups, schools, and young women’s groups at churches. 

​When she is not writing or interacting with her readers, Kristi spends time with her family and her church. A graduate of Georgia Tech with a computer science degree, she knows that life rarely takes the turns we expect. While she still spends hours a day on a computer, now she’s living out the dreams of her childhood and creating stories for others to enjoy and be inspired by. 

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“The Sisters of Sea View” (On Devonshire Shores #1) by Julie Klassen (Review)

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Klassen, Julie. The Sisters of Sea View. Minneapolis: Bethany House, 2022. 

ISBN-13: 978-0764234262 | $17.99 USD | 434 pages | Regency Romance/Christian Fiction

Blurb

Some guests have come for a holiday, others for hidden reasons of their own . . .

When their father’s death leaves them impoverished, Sarah Summers and her genteel sisters fear they will be forced to sell the house and separate to earn livelihoods as governesses or companions. Determined to stay together, Sarah convinces them to open their seaside home to guests to make ends meet and provide for their ailing mother. Instead of the elderly invalids they expect to receive, however, they find themselves hosting eligible gentlemen. Sarah is soon torn between a growing attraction to a mysterious Scottish widower and duty to her family.

Viola Summers wears a veil to cover her scar. When forced to choose between helping in her family’s new guest house and earning money to hire a maid to do her share, she chooses the latter. She reluctantly agrees to read to some of Sidmouth’s many invalids, preferring the company of a few elders with failing eyesight to the fashionable guests staying in their home. But when her first client turns out to be a wounded officer in his thirties, Viola soon wishes she had chosen differently. Her new situation exposes her scars–both visible and those hidden deep within–and her cloistered heart will never be the same.

Join the Summers sisters on the Devonshire coast, where they discover the power of friendship, loyalty, love, and new beginnings.

Review

4 stars

Despite Julie Klassen typically being a favorite of mine, it took some time for me to come to grips with the style of The Sisters of Sea View and the promised On Devonshire Shores series. It had been a few books since her last series, and I guess I was taken aback by the multiple POVs from the different sisters. But after reacquainting myself with the structure, akin to the previous Ivy Hill series, I ultimately enjoyed this first installment. Klassen pays subtle homage to the family structure of Little Women with her four sisters and their distinct personalities, while also peppering in her standard myriad Austen references as well, making this a fun read for any lover of 19th century classics. 

This is very much Viola’s book, even if her other sisters play major roles too. I admit to feeling a bit nervous, because of her cleft palate and the resulting ableism (including some internalized negative thoughts). While the historical period contextualizes it somewhat, I’m very much of the opinion that when you’re writing for a modern reader, that should never justify it, especially if your intent is to pay tribute to the experiences of real living people, as was the case with this book. But fortunately, while Viola does have some shame over her appearance at the start, motivating her to shy away from the public, especially the eligible young people that have become the clientele their family is renting their home out to, it’s just the start of her arc. Her story is ultimately one of internal growth and strength, especially when she’s forced to confront the man praised as a miracle worker for physical disabilities, who caused further damage to her cleft palate that another surgeon in France had to fix. 

That plays a role in her romance with Major Hutton, the soldier she meets in her work with the invalids of Sidmouth. He, like her, is ashamed of his appearance and how they have impacted his prospects in terms of marriage, although Viola tries to reinforce that his injuries were gained through the noble act of fighting for his country, even if he does not see it that way (and neither does society). I love how working with him leads her to have a deeper understanding about what really matters in life, and she begins to develop the courage to advocate not just for herself in the face of the man who injured her, but for Major Hutton when he buys into the  false promises of the same man. And their love story is just so sweet, with two people who are othered by society due to their appearances, finding acceptance and happiness with each other. 

While they are not the main focus, I like that the other sisters and their relationships with each other as they navigate this new venture are prominent. I can’t say either shined as much as the “main” story with Viola, but I am eager to see them each come into the spotlight in the subsequent books. Emily is of particular interest to me as a writer, and she’s already gotten into some romantic drama in this book, which I’m curious to see progress going forward. Despite being top-billed in the blurb, Sarah is the one I feel is the least defined of the POV characters, but I hope that will change in the next book. 

This is a solid series starter, and another great read from Julie Klassen. I’d recommend it to anyone who enjoys Jane Austen and historical fiction/romance. 

Author Bio

Julie Klassen loves all things Jane—Jane Eyre and Jane Austen. A graduate of the University of Illinois, Julie worked in publishing for sixteen years and now writes full time. Three of her books, The Silent Governess, The Girl in the Gatehouse, and The Maid of Fairbourne Hall, have won the Christy Award for Historical Romance. She has also won the Midwest Book Award, the Minnesota Book Award, and Christian Retailing’s BEST Award, and been a finalist in the Romance Writers of America’s RITA Awards and ACFW’s Carol Awards. She blogs at http://www.inspiredbylifeandfiction.com.
Julie and her husband have two sons and live in a suburb of St. Paul, Minnesota.

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“Wishtress” by Nadine Brandes (Review)

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Brandes, Nadine. Wishtress. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2022.

ISBN-13: 978-0785264002 | $19.99 USD | 453 pages | YA Fantasy/Christian Fiction 

Blurb

Her tears grant wishes. Her next tear will end her life.

She didn’t ask to be the Wishtress.

Myrthe was born with the ability to turn her tears into wishes. But when a granted wish goes wrong, she is cursed: the next tear she sheds will kill her. She must travel to the Well to break the curse before it can claim her life—and before the king’s militairen find her. To survive the journey, Myrthe must harden her heart to keep herself from crying even a single tear.

He can stop time with a snap of his fingers.

Bastiaan’s powerful—and rare—Talent came in handy when he kidnapped the old king. Now the new king has a job for him: find the Wishtress and deliver her to the schloss. But Bastiaan needs a wish of his own. He gains Myrthe’s trust by promising to take her to the Well, but once he gets what he needs, he’ll turn her in. As long as his growing feelings for the girl with a stone heart don’t compromise him.

Their quest can end only one way: with her death.

Review 

4 stars 

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own. Review withheld for the duration of the HarperCollins Union strike. 

Wishtress is the first book I’ve read from Nadine Brandes, although I’ve long been interested in the premises of her books. While it isn’t immediately obvious, there are subtle Christian messages in the book, which makes sense as this was put out by a Christian publisher. The effectiveness of the blending of fantasy and faith will depend on the reader, but I enjoyed it for the most part. 

I liked the magic system of Talents, and how each person with a Talent has a different one (ie Myrthe has the ability to grant wishes with her tears, Bastiaan can stop time). 

Myrthe is an intriguing character, and I love how the combined impact of her power and the curse on it have hardened her, otherwise any tear she sheds will mean she dies. On top of that, she’s been through a lot, having been faced with her aunt’s manipulation and now dealing with being on the run from the king and his militairen. She does vacillate at times between that hardness and a softer side, but it always feels believable.  I also loved that the book highlighted the relationship she had with her mother, and reckoning with her grief for her over the course of the book. The dedication at the beginning to Brandes’ own mother is a nice touch. 

Bastiaan is the other major character, and he’s also pretty compelling. While he’s been tasked by the new king to bring Myrthe in, and he does this by making a deal with her, which he plans to go back on once he gets what he wants. While that can be very hit-or-miss for me, it does add an interesting dynamic, as he has to avoid getting his feelings compromised for his own reasons. And ultimately, just like Myrthe, he can’t help but be in touch with his emotions and feelings for her. Ultimately, he’s doing it for good reasons, and is protective of those he loves. 

While it’s on the longer side (448 pages + acknowledgments and discussion questions  in the hardcover edition), I didn’t feel the length at all. It’s a well paced, engaging read, with relatively short chapters and prose that easily kept my attention. 

This is an enjoyable read, and I’m more intrigued to check out more of her work. If you’re a fan of YA fantasy, I recommend checking this out! 

Author Bio

NADINE BRANDES once spent four days as a sea cook in the name of book research. She is the award-winning author of FAWKES, ROMANOV, and the Out of Time Series. Her inner fangirl perks up at the mention of soul-talk, Quidditch, bookstagram, and Oreos. When she’s not busy writing novels about bold living, she’s adventuring through Middle Earth or taste-testing a new chai. Nadine, her Auror husband, and their Halfling children are building a Tiny House on wheels. Current mission: paint the world in shalom.

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“Her Christmas Redemption” by Toni Shiloh (Review Team Review)

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Shiloh, Toni. Her Christmas Redemption. Toronto, Ontario: Harlequin, 2022.

ISBN-13: 978-1335585400 | $6.50 USD | 217 pages | Contemporary Romance/Christian Fiction e

Blurb 

Can she find a second chance…
on a town’s holiday wish list?

Organizing her church’s Christmas Wishes program is the perfect start to Vivian Dupre’s new life—one without the shame of her recent mistakes. But as she grows closer to co-coordinator Michael Wood, she’s even more determined to keep her past hidden. Together they can give joy to their small town. But when Michael discovers her secret, will he be willing to grant Vivian’s holiday wish—forgiveness?

From Love Inspired: Uplifting stories of faith, forgiveness and hope.

Review 

4 stars 

I received an early copy of the book from the author as part of their review team and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.

Her Christmas Redemption is the start of a new series for Toni Shiloh, and it’s a fairly standard inspirational category length read. While I’m not the biggest fan of Shiloh’s approach to the category length thus far, this one was a bit more solid for me than my previous attempt. 

I like the characters for the most part. Vivian in particular is pretty interesting, what with her past as an alcoholic. While I have a complicated relationship with faith being incorporated into stories about people with real issues like this, I think Shiloh strikes a good balance between having Vivian reconnect with God and also seek out the earthly resources. Shiloh also encourages anyone going through similar things to seek help in her author’s note at the end of the book. 

Michael also has his own issues to work through related to anger and his own dark past, and I appreciate that it wasn’t a story of one person being damaged, and the other being the perfect supporter, but two broken, healing people coming together. 

I also really liked the small town community vibes, and it’s just the sort of thing I love about most Christmas stories. 

The thing that impacted my experience the most was the pacing for me. Particularly for such a short book, it felt very slow. It does have a nice cozy vibe, so I could imagine it may work for a specific ambience, like tucking into a book for a cozy evening by the fire. 

In spite of its shortcomings, I enjoyed this for the most part. If you’re looking for an inspirational, uplifting, cozy  romance for Christmas, I recommend picking this one up! 

Author Bio

Toni Shiloh is a wife, mom, and Christian fiction writer. Once she understood the powerful saving grace of the love of Christ, she was moved to honor her Savior.

She writes soulfully romantic novels to bring Him glory and to learn more about His goodness.

Before pursuing her dream as a writer, Toni served in the United States Air Force. It was there she met her husband. After countless moves, they ended up in Virginia, where they are raising their two boys.

When she’s not typing in imagination land, Toni enjoys reading, playing video games, ​watching K-dramas, and spending time with ​her family.

Toni is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and of the Virginia Chapter.

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Hunter, Kristi Ann. A Return to Hawthorne House. Stockbridge, GA: Oholiab Creations, LLC, 2022.

ISBN-13: 978-1959589020 | $3.99 USD | 203 pages | Regency Romance 

Blurb 

lways a Lady

Despite the fact that her daughter is not cooperating, Caroline, Duchess of Riverton is determined to ensure every one of her children marries someone they love as much as she loved their late father. William, the widowered Earl of Blackstone, is delighted to have his days of escorting daughters approaching an end. The last thing he expects is to find himself drawn to a woman who is just starting such a journey. Are they each too set in their ways to grasp this chance to have a second love?

The Lady’s Maid

When Lydia Smith began her career as a parlor maid, she knew love and marriage wasn’t likely in her future. Dreaming about the boy next door as she dusted seemed harmless until he started working as the new valet under the same roof. When Finch needs her help with a special project, will it give them a chance to defy expectations and find love or ruin their happiness forever?

BONUS – PRINT ONLY – A Lady of Esteem

In the series

#0.5 A Lady of Esteem

#1 A Noble Masquerade

#2 An Elegant Facade

#3 An Uncommon Courtship

#4 An Inconvenient Beauty

Review 

4 stars 

I received a complimentary review copy from the author and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own. 

While I’ve enjoyed most of what Kristi Ann Hunter has written, the Hawthorne family continues to have a soft spot in my heart, especially as it’s her first series, as well as the one through which I discovered her. And I love that she’s gone back to write stories fans were asking for connected to that series. 

“Always a Lady” 

Caroline, the matriarch of the Hawthornes, and her romance with William, Earl of Blackstone, is delightful. I’ve always liked how Caroline walked that line between being a proper society lady and mother, while also encouraging her children to marry for love (which was only starting to become more common at the time the series is set). And the fact that she also deeply loved the late Duke, which is not something you often see in historicals with widowed heroines, is nice. And I love that she and William meeting while escorting their respective daughters during the Season made for a great rivalry/flirtation setup that beautifully transitioned to something deeper, as Caroline learned to put herself first in something for once. 

“The Lady’s Maid” 

This is another unique story, as you don’t often see historical romances between servants. I like that the focus was about the proximity between Lydia and Finch, and them confronting those feelings, with the reality of their situations touched on, but not in an overly bleak manner. And given the way I was reminded of how it ties to Trent’s story, I love how he ended up playing a role in helping them find their happy ending! 

This is a delightful collection of stories that adds more to the world of Hawthorne House and its characters, and can also serve as a fun intro if you want to start with something shorter before diving into the other, longer works. 

Author Bio 

Kristi is the RITA® award winning author of romance novels from a Christian worldview. Her books include the Regency era set Hawthorne House, Haven Manor, and Hearts on the Heath series. Look for her first contemporaries in early 2023. 

She is also speaker, teaching classes in writing as well as Biblical and spiritual topics. She has spoken to writers’ groups, schools, and young women’s groups at churches. 

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When she is not writing or interacting with her readers, Kristi spends time with her family and her church. A graduate of Georgia Tech with a computer science degree, she knows that life rarely takes the turns we expect. While she still spends hours a day on a computer, now she’s living out the dreams of her childhood and creating stories for others to enjoy and be inspired by. 

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“Betrayer” (Lady Wynwood’s Spies #4) by Camille Elliot (ARC Review)

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Elliot, Camille. Lady Wynwood’s Spies, Volume 4: Betrayer. San José, CA: Camy Tang, 2022.

ISBN-13: 978-1942225287 | $4.99 USD | 493 pages | Christian Historical Romantic Suspense

Blurb 

A Christian Historical Adventure set in Regency England with romance and a supernatural twist
Part four in an epic-length serial novel

Beleaguered spies

Lady Wynwood’s team of spies are trying to heal from the physical and mental wounds recently dealt to them. However, their investigation into Apothecary Jack’s mysterious group has turned up only a few strange, disjointed clues, and the dangerous Root elixir continues to circulate in the London underbelly. It is only a matter of time before the Root is sold to Napoleon, which would give him overwhelming dominance in the war.

Sudden threats

Then Laura, Lady Wynwood, is unexpectedly attacked by a man she had trusted. Although Phoebe and her household staff manage to protect her, her life is now in danger and she must go into hiding.

Dangerous mysteries

Laura uncovers more secrets kept by her late husband that shed illumination on his enigmatic mistress, Bianca. In the meantime, the team follows the trail of Laura’s attacker, which might enable them to capture Apothecary Jack or his compatriot, the pale-eyed man.

All the while, they are unaware that the hunters have become the hunted.

PLEASE NOTE: Like the novels published in Jane Austen’s time, this is a novel in multiple parts. Each volume has a completed story arc, but this is NOT a stand-alone novel and ends on a cliffhanger.

In the series

#0a The Spinster’s Christmas

#0b The Gentleman Thief

#1 Archer

#2 Berserker

#3 Aggressor

Review 

4 stars 

I received an ARC from the author and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own. 

Betrayer is the fourth installment of the Lady Wynwood’s Spies series. As before, you need to have read the first three books, as it’s a continuous story. I did appreciate the recaps of the first three to help remind me of the story so far, given I have the memory of a goldfish, and it has been a year or so since the publication of volume three (something Elliot addresses a bit in the author note at the end). 

There’s a great balance of interpersonal relationships and pulse-pounding intrigue, meaning there’s almost always something happening. It’s delightful to get more updates on the relationships between Sol and Laura, or Michael and Phoebe, among others, alongside their current efforts to stop the Root from getting into the wrong hands, as well as to root out a threat to Laura’s life, 

This book is a lot longer than prior installments, but with so much going on, it’s easy not to notice the  length. It’s consistently engaging, even in the quieter moments. 

  This is another solid installment in the series, and continues to make me excited to return to it. While the episodic format can be hit-or-miss for many, if you don’t personally mind it, and you enjoy historical romantic suspense with a dash of the paranormal, I continue to recommend checking this series out. 

Author Bio

Camy writes Regency romance as USA Today bestselling author Camille Elliot and Christian romantic suspense as Camy Tang. She grew up in Hawaii, where she started reading Regency romances when she was thirteen years old. Now she lives in northern California with her engineer husband and rambunctious dog. 

She graduated from Stanford University in psychology with a focus on biology, and for nine years she worked as a biologist researcher. Then God guided her path in a completely different direction and now she’s writing full time, using her original psychology degree as she creates the characters in her novels. 

In her free time, she’s a staff worker for her church youth group and leads one of her church’s Sunday worship teams. She also loves to knit Victorian and vintage patterns, spin wool into yarn, and is training to (very slowly) run a marathon.

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