inspirational romance

On My Kindle ~ The Wishing Season by Denise Hunter

/ Dora Hiers
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Chef PJ McKinley, the youngest of the McKinley clan, is out to prove to her loving family that she can take care of herself by winning the Wishing House, an ancestral home that’s being awarded to a deserving business by a Chapel Springs philanthropist, and turning it into a thriving restaurant and B&B. 

Cole Evans, a former foster kid who blames himself for the accident that stole his family, plans to win the house for Crossroads, a transitional home for foster kids who turn eighteen during high school and are forced onto the streets. When they present business plans to the eccentric philanthropist, she grants Cole the upstairs and PJ the bottom floor for the restaurant. Both are challenged to make their ventures work before the deadline.

I’m a huge fan of cute meets, and The Wishing Season doesn’t disappoint, but I won’t spoil it for you. And all those chance meetings at the front door or in the kitchen were charged with romantic tension. Just enough for me to keep turning pages. 

“I can’t stop thinking about you.” Her breath hitched at the husky timbre of his voice. At the words. He advanced slowly, purposefully. His eyes, locked on hers, were filled with longing.


“Is that so?” Was that her breathy voice? She gripped the edge of the counter before she could do something stupid like pulling him into her arms and kissing his neck.

“Yeah, that’s so.”He stopped when he was close enough to make her body hum, and cradled her face in his hands. Then his lips were on hers. Not slow and lazy like last time, but deliberate, full of want. Finally.


What do you think? Would that keep you flipping pages past your bedtime? The Wishing Season wasn’t all fun and fluff, though. Hunter balanced some heavy moments with some lighter ones, but she also offered spiritual nuggets to combat the lies that each character believed.

“If your heart’s telling you you’re not capable, it’s lying. What’s God telling you?” 

PJ made a face. “Honestly? I haven’t asked in a while. I’ve been too busy trying to make a success of myself.”

Mom squeezed her hand. “Well, it’s never too late. We all have thorns, you know.”

“Thorns?”

“Those things that rise up around us, strangling us. Thorns don’t keep a seed from sprouting, but they’ll keep it from producing fruit.”


Phew! How many of us have been there? I appreciate how everything wasn’t wrapped up in a neat little package just because it’s an inspirational romance. Overall, The Wishing Season was the perfect book to curl up with on a lazy Saturday afternoon. Actually, it’d be the perfect book to spend any afternoon. 🙂

Disclaimer: Sending a big thank you to Thomas Nelson Fiction and NetGalley for allowing me the privilege of reviewing The Wishing Season 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.

On My Kindle ~ The Yuletide Angel by Sandra Ardoin

/ Dora Hiers
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What a fun premise! A Good Samaritan makes weekly deliveries during the weeks leading up to Christmas, delivering precious supplies to the needy in the community, and the next door neighbor who secretly loves her catches her in the act. 

Violet Madison considers herself plain and socially inept, but this small act of kindness emboldens her. Hugh Barnes sees beauty and a kind heart in Violet, and he determines to protect her during her clandestine missions. It was neat to see how Violet and Hugh grew over the course of the story, Violet morphing from shy and quiet to bold and empowered and Hugh dealing with past hurts inflicted by his brother.

“…what is it you want?”

Kit settled into the nearest chair, crossed his legs, and propped his hat on his knee. After a moment of silence, he said, “Forgiveness.”“

We discussed this situation five years ago. You’re forgiven.” Even as he spoke, Hugh recognized the statement as a lie. Forgiving his brother meant a renewal of their relationship.

Haven’t we all experienced a toxic family member, someone who hurts us repeatedly with their vicious zingers whether with words or deeds? This hit home for me, so I was glad to see that Kit had truly changed. Even so, I appreciated that their relationship wasn’t restored immediately and that it took Hugh a little while to come to grips with his brother’s new behavior.

The Yuletide Angel was a quick read with a clever plot and spiritual depth that kept me turning pages. For my taste, I would have liked more romantic interludes (read kissing) between Hugh and Violet, but I understand that society in the late 1800’s didn’t permit much of that. 🙂 Overall, The Yuletide Angel was a pleasant way to spend a couple hours, and a great read for all seasons.

Disclaimer: Sending a big thank you to Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas and the author for allowing me the privilege of reviewing The Yuletide Angel 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.

Teaser Saturday

/ Dora Hiers / 4 Comments
“I should have known.”
“Should have known what?” Her voice came out soft, silky, refreshing as a tall glass of iced tea on a hot summer day.
“That you would be the one bringing them home. You’re a softie inside, you know that?”
He stepped close. Close enough for him to know that she had a cinnamon mint in her mouth, close enough to see the sheen glazing from those luscious jade eyes.
Winter narrowed her brows and glanced frantically in both directions. “Sheesh! Don’t let anybody hear you say that. You’ll ruin my reputation.”
Her face lifted up to his, her cheeks puffy with amusement, her eyes shining with joy.
“Your reputation? You mean spending all your off-duty hours helping a family be able to bring their children back home? Or the hard core cop image you show to the world? Which one, Winter?”
Her face softened, bringing that vulnerability she only showed occasionally, exposing her true beauty. Beauty that shone from the inside, from that huge heart of hers.
The banging, the laughter and tears, the hugging and slapping all faded into background noise, leaving just him and Winter, standing under the shade of a massive oak tree.
Tree branches swayed in the soft breeze, the leaves shimmering with beauty and strength, but fragile in the heavy winds and storms.
Just like Winter.
Sturdy and strong on the outside, but the inside?
Inside she harbored a fragile, gentle soul. One that suffered when the storms of life hit her at such a young age.
He leaned closer and flicked a wisp of hair that floated loose from her ponytail behind an ear. He held his breath, wanting to capture this moment, this picture of her, forever in his head.
Not just the midnight blue shorts and ruffled white top she wore. No, he wanted the essence of Winter. Her spirit of kindness and reconciliation. Her desire to heal fractured families. Her generous heart.
        If he were an artist, that’s what he would paint.
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Did you enjoy that little gem? It’s from When Love Triumphs, my first novella in the Pure Amore series, due to release in November via subscription with Pelican Book Group. It’s one click shopping. You don’t have to drive to the bookstore or check back for new releases. After subscribing, each month your “Pure Amore” romance will be emailed to your inbox, mailed as a print copy, or you can select a combination of both for as low as $48. Check out the gorgeous covers and intriguing blurbs for all twelve books here. Convenient, right? How cool is that? 🙂