Book Review

Excited about Reading: Just the Way You Are by Jessica R. Patch

/ Dora Hiers
Free for a limited time
when you sign up for her Patched In Newsletter

The Cover Story~

When Pastor Gabe asks Audrey Gilbraith to use her mad florist skills to help him design a prayer garden, she’s all in, especially since it helps take her mind off the fact she’s about to lose her job and her apartment. But working closely with Gabe and not falling for him is complicated. She’s not pastor’s wife material, and she has the past to prove it.

Gabriel Brookson wants out of Audrey’s friend-zone, but when he pursues her romantically, he ruffles more than a few feathers in his congregation. How much is he willing to give up for this wonderful, quirky woman, and will Audrey accept him if he risks it all?

My Takeaway~
Have you ever been in a situation, or worse, in a relationship, where you didn’t feel like anything you did was good enough? Where no matter how much you tried to fit in or how much you attempted to be that person nothing worked? It’s no fun. And that’s Aubry. Loud and boisterous, she cracks yo-mama jokes and is chronically late to everything, including church. She’s also hiding a tremendous amount of pain and guilt from her past.

“People dressed up hurt in all sorts of ways. Dresses and heels, a grin and witty words didn’t mean it wasn’t simmering under the surface, ready to explode…”


None of that matters to Pastor Gabe, who finds Aubry refreshing and honest, and has loved her for the past two years. When he finally woos her to move past friends, certain members of his church force him to choose between staying at the church or loving Aubry.

The underlying theme shines throughout this book like a lighthouse on a foggy night. Aubry didn’t have to change for Pastor Gabe to love her anymore, just like we don’t have to change for God to love us anymore. He loves us exactly as we are, where we are, even if we have a past we’re ashamed of.

I read Hope Under Mistletoe and loved it, so I was excited to snatch up another book by Jessica R. Patch. I love how she writes grace into her stories using real-to-life characters and witty dialog without being preachy. Just the Way You Are is a quick read, a wonderful book for a lazy weekend afternoon. I’m definitely a new fan!

Disclaimer: I received this novella free by signing up for Jessica’s Patched In newsletter. I received no compensation for my fair and unbiased review.

Excited about Reading: A Love Like Ours by Becky Wade

/ Dora Hiers / 2 Comments
Amazon Purchase Link

The Cover Story~
Former Marine Jake Porter has far deeper scars than the one that marks his face. He struggles with symptoms of PTSD, lives a solitary life, and avoids relationships.

When Lyndie James, Jake’s childhood best friend, lands back in Holley, Texas, Jake cautiously hires her to exercise his Thoroughbreds. Lyndie is tender-hearted, fiercely determined, and afraid of nothing, just like she was as a child. Jake pairs her with Silver Leaf, a horse full of promise but lacking in results, hoping she can solve the mystery of the stallion’s reluctance to run.

Though Jake and Lyndie have grown into very different adults, the bond that existed during their childhood still ties them together. Against Jake’s will, Lyndie’s sparkling, optimistic personality begins to tear down the walls he’s built around his heart. A glimmer of the hope he’d thought he’d lost returns, but fears and regrets still plague him. Will Jake ever be able to love Lyndie like she deserves, or is his heart too shattered to mend?

My Takeaway~
Since reading Meant to be Mine, I couldn’t wait to read Jake’s story in A Love Like Ours. If you’d like to read about Ty and Celia’s story in Meant to be Mine, you can read my review here. How did I miss Undeniably Yours, book #1 in the Porter Family series? Will have to remedy that!

A Love Like Ours is one of those books that leaves you thinking about it long after you’re finished reading. The cover is cute, but it doesn’t give you a real inkling to the depth of this story. Jake struggles with PTSD. He lost his faith in Iraq along with his buddies, and horrific nightmares and survivor’s guilt chains him to a solitary lifestyle. Lyndie’s determined to help her childhood best friend heal, but along the way, she starts to view him differently…not so much as her childhood friend anymore.

“I think that God empowered him with the ability to run…for your sake.”
“Why would God do that?”
“Because it’s one of the only avenues of communication He has left with you. You’ve shut Him out, but I think He wanted to show you that He hasn’t shut you out.”

There were so many aspects of this book to savor and chew on. The strong faith thread with a “God is good” mantra even through hardships. Lyndie’s perseverance and determination to save Mr. Tall Dark and Brooding when most women would’ve given up. Her creative spirit, not only illustrating and writing whimsical fairy stories, but also building and decorating a “hero” house with her neighbor’s son. Cheering for Silver Leaf to win his race because their healing was so entwined. The powerful theme of hope and restoration woven throughout. What’s not to love about A Love Like Ours?

Disclaimer: Sending a big thank you to Bethany House Publishers and NetGalley for allowing me the privilege of reviewing A Love Like Ours and for the free copy I received in exchange for my fair and unbiased review. This opinion is my own, and I received no compensation.

Excited about Reading ~ Be My Love By Bella Andre writing as Lucy Kevin

/ Dora Hiers
Purchase Link
The cover story:
Come for a visit to Walker Island where you’ll find stunning Pacific Northwest ocean views, men too intriguing to resist…and five close-knit sisters who are each about to find their one true love. 

After four years on the Seattle mainland, when Hanna Walker returns to Walker Island to make a documentary about the infamous Peterson-Walker feud from the early 1950s, she’s shocked to realize that passions still run high. Especially when it comes to Joel Peterson, the one man who is totally off-limits…but that she’s never been able to stop dreaming about. 

The last thing Joel wants is for Hanna to dredge up the past, but when he realizes she’s determined to follow through with her documentary no matter what, he knows he has no choice but to join her. But despite vowing to hold back his growing feelings for her, as Joel works with Hanna to unravel the mystery of what really happened between their two families, he soon begins to see that love is an unstoppable force…and that sometimes two people are meant to be. 

My takeaway:
After living four years in Seattle, Hanna Walker returns to her home, Walker Island, to film a documentary, a piece on the 1950’s Peterson-Walker feud and the truth behind Poppy’s suicide that would guarantee her a spot in the graduate program. But Joel Peterson, the only remaining Peterson on the island, isn’t keen on Hanna dredging up the past and vows to preserve his family’s dignity. After all, it’s his duty, same as operating his family’s shipping company, and just as uncomfortable and tight as the tie clamped around his neck.
While Joel and Hanna slide easily into romance, other islanders and family members continue to add fuel to the decades-old feud.
Shame,” she muttered as the two of them went past.
“What’s that?” Hanna asked, not understanding.
The look the woman gave her was actually a little frightening in its intensity. “I wasn’t talking to you, girl.” She turned her narrowed gaze to Joel. “Don’t you have any shame, walking around with a Walker? What would your father think? What would your grandfather think?”
In my fictional visit to Walker Island, I could almost feel the wind whipping my hair, the sand tickling my toes and the salt kissing my cheeks. I felt like I got to know the rest of the Walker clan, the four sisters who make up the other books in the series, and grandmother, Ava. The setting was a major part of this book, just as valuable as the characters.
While I haven’t read any Bella Andre books, I enjoyed this “sweet” romance by Lucy Kevin. It was a departure from my normal inspy books, but when I read the blurb, I decided to take a chance and I’m glad I did. Be My Love was all about family and how they take care of and protect each other from life’s hurts. It’s about events from our pasts and how they aren’t always as they seem, and a strong love that overcomes bitterness and hurts that have festered for decades.
I appreciate that this book didn’t contain any steamy love scenes, but I would’ve preferred a dash of sizzle to go along with the sweet on this side of the bedroom door. Overall, I enjoyed Be My Love enough that I plan to read the rest of the series.
Disclaimer: I received this book free on Amazon. This review is my opinion, and I didn’t receive any compensation.