bellesmoma2021's reviews
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How to Plot a Payback by Melissa Ferguson is a delightful, light-hearted Rom-Com that I thoroughly enjoyed. This was a story I didn’t even know I needed. I read one review for How to Plot a Payback that said this Rom-Com is more Com than Rom, and I agree. This story had me chuckling the whole time. I may have even guffawed out loud once or twice, too. Life has been rather hard lately, and I desperately needed the comedy this story brings. I enjoyed many aspects to this story, but it’s the characters I loved the most. Lavender is a total sunshine personality, and I fully needed her brightness, her joy for life, and her ability to see the good in every person and every situation. Lavender’s character made me feel hopeful and happy. She is the breathe of fresh air I needed this week. Finn is a unique hero because for most of the story he is the anti-hero. Finn’s anti-hero-ness is what makes a lot of this story so funny. Nothing works out for him. He reminds me of Coyote from the classic Roadrunner and Coyote skits from Looney Tunes. I read in some reviews that readers found Finn petty, but I disagree. Finn is frustrated, and for once he just wants his life to go the way he plans. But Lavender keeps unknowingly messing up Finn’s life in BIG ways. After years of this, Finn has become a little obsessed. His reasoning has snapped where Lavender is concerned. Should he be an adult and let bygones be bygones? Sure, but that’s the problem. As soon as he moves on, Lavender strikes again. It is enough to drive him a tad mad, and it’s in these moments that the hilarity ensues. Does Finn grow up and get over himself? Well, you’ll just have to read the book to find out. But I can assure you this story ends perfectly.

How to Plot a Payback is a great Rom-Com that I highly recommend. If you’re in the mood to laugh, if you need a silly, delightful escape from our exhausting world, or if you just want a light-hearted read that will make you smile the whole time, then pick up a copy of this story today. You won’t be disappointed you did!

I received a copy of this novel in eBook form from the publisher, Thomas Nelson, via NetGalley, in order to review. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own. 

I wanted to love One Wrong Move by Dani Pettrey so much, but this story just didn’t work for me. The piece I struggled with the most is the setting up of three separate romantic pairs of characters and all their storylines. The perspectives shift throughout this book so much I had a difficult time keeping up. I do appreciate when an author begins a series and lays ground work that will play into books 2 and 3, but ground work for other books should be less than all the nuances and events and character building for the main storyline. In this book, which is 400 pages long, the main story is supposed to be Christian and Andi, but we also get Harper and Deckard, and Greyson and Riley. Then there are three sets of bad guys to keep track of as well. It’s a lot. I had to stop reading many times to try to remember who was who. If you’re a fan of intricately detailed Romantic Suspense novels, then this book is 100% for you. It will keep you on your toes the whole time. But I just wanted an escape story. I will say, if I had one romantic couple to pay attention to I know I would have been able to focus better on this story. I believe I would have been better able to keep track of the bad guys and who was working what angle if I only had to focus on one love story. I did really like Deckard and Harper’s characters. I look forward to seeing how things work out for them in a future novel. Greyson seems a bit mysterious, and he clearly has a thing for Riley, but he is working hard to hide his true feelings. That makes me want to see how things turn out for them as well. Overall, there are some things I really enjoyed and I am curious to find out how things will work out for characters in future installments, but I was just too overwhelmed by the three romantic set-ups and the three sets of bad guys.

As I said above, One Wrong Move is an intricate story filled with multiple perspective shifts, and twists and turns that will keep the reader on her toes. If you love deeply detailed Romantic Suspense novels, this book is definitely the story you need to read ASAP.

I purchased a copy of this novel in eBook form from Amazon.com on February 5, 2024, in order to review. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own. 

The Berlin Letters by Katherine Reay is my number one read for 2024. Yes, I’m calling it. This story is utterly outstanding and I will never forget my time with this read. In fact, this book should be required reading for every human on this planet. My most favorite aspect to this impeccable novel is the history. I learned more about the Cold War, Berlin, the Soviets, Punk music, and the insanely tumultuous powder keg known as Eastern Europe circa 1958-1989 from this one book than I ever learned in all the history classes I’ve taken. The best part is how Reay weaved this authentic learning experience into her highly engaging, seriously suspenseful father-daughter storyline. I wasn’t just a reader during the course of this story, I was also a student and I LOVED every minute. From chapter one, I was hooked and HATED when I had to put this book down. This was a story that had me reading well past my bedtime. The characters are superb. I loved journeying with Louisa as she not only discovers who her father truly is, but in the process realizes who she truly is as well. I enjoyed watching her grow and change and turn into the woman God always meant her to be. SO good!!! I also really loved Haris. Well, at the beginning of the story I wanted to pop him in the nose, but he quickly becomes one of the best characters I’ve ever read. And he is such a good dad…to the punk kids he takes under his wing, to Manfred, and to the daughter he loves with all his heart, but couldn’t be with for 28 years. I really loved the father-daughter dynamic of this story. I loved that Louisa fights for her dad. Not just fights for him, but crosses into terrifying East Berlin to attempt to free Haris from a Stasi-run prison. If this isn’t a beautiful illustration of Christ-like, sacrificial love then I just don’t know what is. I also appreciated Reay’s caution about judgement. It’s a subtle message, but it really punches the reader in the solar plexus…at least it did to this reader. It is SO easy to sit back today and judge the happenings in East Berlin all those decades ago — to judge the neighbors who snitched, the bosses who snitched, the friends who snitched — and find those people wanting. But those of us in 2024 who sit in the securities of our Western homes have no clue what the people of East Berlin went through. The depravity, the losses, the torture, the fear, the threats — I truly do not know if I would have survived. I appreciate this reminder from Reay not to judge others. God judges hearts, not us. This is a truth I hope never to forget.

The Berlin Letters is an excellent story. One I won’t soon forget. If you are a fan of excellently-detailed, highly engaging Historical Literature then I highly recommend checking out this story.

I’ve been a fan of Mike Rowe since I first saw him on an episode of Dirty Jobs decades ago. I have also been an avid listener to Rowe’s podcast, The Way I Heard It, since I discovered it about a year ago. I like what Rowe stands for. I like his honesty, integrity, intelligence, his sense of humor, his willingness to get dirty to get a job done, and his ability to see value in others. I like that Rowe recognizes and acknowledges that all humans are essential and bring something unique to the table. I also like that he seeks out the stories most people tend to ignore or gloss over. On his podcast, Rowe treated his readers to 35 episodes dedicated to his book, The Way I Heard It. The Way I Heard It (the book) is 35 chapters long, with each chapter broken down into two parts. First, a biographical, historically-researched story on some unique famous person — movie stars, writers, sports figures, musicians, etc. After these biographical pieces, Rowe follows with a story from his own life that touches on the theme from the biographical story. Essentially, Rowe demonstrates how all life reflects the broad human condition even through our differences and uniquenesses. Each chapter is quick and to the point, but HIGHLY captivating. I learned so many cool facts about people I thought I knew, but clearly didn’t have the whole story. I love how Rowe tells stories. He hooks the reader or listener from the first sentence and makes you think one way, but then twists everything you thought you knew into a reveal that makes the reader/listener go, “Whoa! That was awesome!” Well, at least that’s how I reacted to the stories in this book.

I am not a big re-reader of books, but The Way I Heard It is definitely a book I would come back to for a second and third read. I loved every minute of this book, and highly, highly recommend it. If you are a fan of diverse, unique stories told in an intriguing and captivating manner then this is definitely a book you will want to check out. Personally, I recommend listening to Mike Rowe read his book on his podcast because after he reads each chapter he then treats his listeners to a fantastic discussion about that chapter with an excellent guest or two. In all honesty, The Way I Heard It is the most fun book I’ve ever listened to.

A Heart Sufficient by Nichole Van is one of the best Historical Romances I’ve ever devoured. Hands down, I loved every single second of this masterful Romance. This book is so good all on its own, but as a series concluder, it’s total perfection. This book had me feeling all the feels. I chuckled, I teared up a little, I wanted to punch the hero a couple of times, and I cheered SO hard for Tristan and Isolde. I wanted them to grow to love one another so much. There are many things about this story that I enjoyed, but the characters and the super sweet ending are my favorite aspects. Don’t worry. I won’t give away any part of the ending. Just know this story ends perfectly happily ever after, and brought a few tears of joy to my eye. I’m a sucker for character cameos, but the epilogue cameos in this series were the best. So sweet, and a perfect wrap-up to the four storylines. As far as characters go, what I have enjoyed about all of Van’s characters is how strong and capable and endearing all of them are. Each couple has been realistic and relatable. Tristan and Isolde are no exception. Both are strong, stubborn, highly intelligent, and unique. Tristan can be the absolute worst guy ever, but it comes from a place of deep pain and major childhood abuse. Once Tristan feels safe, he is the biggest, squishiest marshmallow ever. I loved getting to see this side of him, and I love that Isolde is the one who brings out Tristan’s soft, gooey heart. This story is an enemies-to-lovers story. Usually, this is not my favorite trope because I can’t stand all the fighting, but Van has done this trope right. At just the right time, both Tristan and Isolde begin to thaw towards one another and it leads to some of the sweetest and swooniest moments of the series. Another aspect to this series that I’ve really enjoyed — Van’s novels are not fluffy, Hallmark-y Romances. As with the prior three books, A Heart Sufficient is another story I highlighted like crazy. There are so many good moments, timely thematic moments, that could lead to some deep, heartfelt discussion. A Heart Sufficient would make for a really good book-club book.

I have loved every single second of the Penn-Leiths of Thistle Muir series, but A Heart Sufficient will go down as my favorite. This book is just perfect. I’m sad my time with these characters is over, but I’m leaving this series with such a sense of giddiness and joy that can only come from the best of stories. If you’re a fan of superb Historical Romance then I cannot recommend this series enough. I implore you to purchase a copy of the Penn-Leiths of Thistle Muir series today. You will not be disappointed you did.

I purchased a copy of this novel in eBook form from Amazon.com on February 6, 2024, in order to review. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own. 

Rocky Road by Becky Wade is my new favorite book. I adored every single second of this delightful read. What I enjoyed the most is the humor. Gemma is one of the funniest heroines I’ve read in a long time. She is so smart and intelligent and witty. I fully enjoyed her verbal sparring with Jude, and loved how quickly she could come up with the most outlandish stories. It really made the undercover/fake-dating scenarios some of the best scenes in the book. All of the characters in this story are super endearing, and I wanted to give most all of them a great big hug. The women in Gemma’s family are the BEST. Gracie, Gemma’s 102-year old great-grandmother, has a poignant and sweet, but very relatable, side story that added beautiful depth to the storyline. I enjoyed going on the journey with Gemma to solve Gracie’s romance mystery. Collette, Gemma’s feisty, bossy, and boozy grandmother is superb. What a spitfire! I loved her character so much. Then there is Simone, Gemma’s sweet but cowed-by-life mother. My heart hurt for Gemma’s mommy. What I loved so much about Gemma’s family is how supportive and accepting and loving they are of one another. They are always there for each other no matter what. Next up, Jude…best hero ever! He is so put together and smart and calm. He is the perfect cool-as-a-cucumber to Gemma’s bright-and-bubbly-but-slightly-spastic personality. What I love the best about Jude is his innate need to take care of others. Jude is a selfless protector who would literally jump in front of a bullet if it meant saving someone’s life. Jude is my favorite kind of swoony hero! In addition to the awesome humor and the great characters, I also really loved Wade’s discussion on fear. Fear stinks. It gets inside of you and tries to take over. It’s insidious. But fear is nothing. Sure, we need to be smart and thoughtful and cautious, but we shouldn’t let fear rule our lives. When it does, fear robs us of all the great and good things God has in store for us — friendships, romances, and memorable life experiences. My favorite moment in this story is when Gemma makes the decision to not let fear rule her life. It’s such a great moment!

Rocky Road is going down as one of my top-ten reads of 2024. I love this story so much, and highly, highly recommend it. If you’re a fan of excellently-written Contemporary Romances with heart and depth then this is the book for you!

I purchased a copy of this novel in eBook form from Amazon.com on February 13, 2024, in order to review. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own. 

Between You and Us by Kendra Broekhuis is an absolute masterpiece. This story is unlike any novel I have ever read. This is a story I will NEVER forget. It’s heartbreaking, yet hopeful. Everything about this story is good: the plot is HIGHLY engaging and unputdownable, the characters are so real and relatable, and the themes are timely and thought-provoking. Warning to all, this book deals with incredibly painful stuff — real-life stuff like poverty, family estrangement, self-centered parents, infertility, loss of a child, infidelity, anger, and more. The characters in this book suffer…hard. But it’s such an honest look at life. So, yeah, there is suffering, but there is also forgiveness and love and joy and hope and friendship and community.

Leona stole my heart from page one. I felt a total sense of sisterhood with her character. I related to her on many levels, but it is Leona’s bottled-up anger that I resonated with the most. Leona is the type of person who follows all the rules. She does all the right things. But Life beats her up. She works really hard to be a good wife and friend and daughter and sister, but it doesn’t matter. Life is relentless. One of Leona’s many battles in this story is with infertility. Leona and her husband have tried everything within their miniscule budget to get pregnant. Nothing works, and Leona is at her wits end. One day, in the midst of her fertility struggles, Leona’s sister surprises her with a visit. During this visit, Leona realizes that her totally unmarried, unattached sister is pregnant. Leona loses it. Not because her sister is pregnant, but because of the injustice of it all. It’s not her finest moment, but Leona absolutely melts down. She screams. She throws things. She sobs. Why?! Why is it so easy for some women to get pregnant, and so hard for others? Why do the people who follow all the rules and right steps often end up broken and empty-handed, while those who break rules and go down “bad” paths, more times than not, get everything they want? I relate to all of Leona’s struggles in these areas. I relate to her meltdown and her anger and her screaming and her questions. You see, every woman I know from my grandma, to my mother and aunt, to my sister, and to all of my girlfriends had easy pregnancies and easy births and so many beautiful babies. But my body — it just fails at the one thing women are supposed to do. I’ve been where Leona was. I’ve been so angry and hurt by the injustice of it all. When one of my friends or my sister told me they were pregnant yet again I was happy for them for sure, but I was also devastated and so deeply hurt. Why couldn’t my body work the way it was supposed to? I’m sure there are many women out there like Leona, like me, who will feel this topic deeply. What I love and appreciate the most is that Broekhuis respectfully deals with these topics of infertility and anger so well, so honestly, that I felt seen. When you read Leona’s story, you’re also reading my story and countless other women’s stories who have dealt with infertility or other pregnancy issues. It’s utterly amazing. I don’t think I’ve ever felt like this after reading a book before.

This book has deeply touched my heart and spirit. Between You and Us is, without a doubt, a must-read story for 2024. I know I’ve said a lot in this review, but I have BARELY covered the surface as there is SO much to talk about with this book. This is a book that must be experienced. Personally, I’m leaving this story so grateful for my husband and daughter and friends and puppies. I’m so thankful to God for the beautiful, messy, sometimes-painful, blessed life He has given me. I implore everyone on the planet to read this amazing story. This is a story not to be missed!

I received a review copy of this novel in eBook form from the publisher, Water Brook Press, via NetGalley. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

The Vanishing at Castle Moreau by Jaime Jo Wright is definitely going on my best-reads-of-2024 list. This book is SO amazing. I was hooked from the very first line, and hated when I had to put this book down. I was terrified, I was creeped out, I cried, I hoped, and I totally related to the characters and the themes. Man, SO, SO good! I don’t even know where to begin with this review, to be quite honest, because there are many important details and aspects that could be spoilers. You know those movies you watch or those books you read that when you finish you’re kind of sad because you know you can never watch them or read them again for the first time? Yeah, that’s 100% how I feel about this book. I know my reviews are usually more: more on character, more on theme, but I just can’t. I refuse to, in any way, accidentally ruin the suspense, the mystery, or the perfect ending. So, this is where I am leaving this review. The Vanishing at Castle Moreau is the best blend of historical and contemporary, mystery and suspense, and character growth and thematic discussion. If you haven’t read this book yet, read it ASAP. You will not be disappointed in this story!

I purchased a copy of this novel in eBook form from Amazon.com on April 3, 2023, in order to review. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own. 

I loved every minute of Calling on the Matchmaker by Jody Hedlund. I actually feel a tad overwhelmed because I did enjoy every aspect of this well-written Historical Romance, so I don’t feel I can do this story justice in a single review. Let me begin by saying that Calling on the Matchmaker has all the hallmarks of an excellent Hedlund story: superb attention to historical detail, a unique historical setting, endearing and relatable characters, and timely themes. And it made me feel ALL the feels. I honestly could spend the whole review discussing any one of these features, but what I’m going to address are reviews already posted and a cautionary theme.

So, reviews I’ve read. Several stated that they didn’t appreciate, or were uncomfortable by, the steaminess of the story. One of my favorite things about Hedlund books is her realistic and relatable characters. Personally, I didn’t find this story particularly steamy. Our main characters are two young and very beautiful people who have instant attraction to one another. They never break with the rules of their Society. Even when it appears that they do, they actually don’t. There is one scene where they are in bed together. The heroine is caring for the hero who has cholera. She falls asleep. That’s it. I actually worried for her because I didn’t want her to get sick, too. I mean, cholera! They do exchange a few kisses, but it did not feel opened-door steamy. It didn’t even feel closed-door steamy. It felt like two young people having a hormonal moment who then gather their wits and DO THE RIGHT THING. People have passions and people make mistakes. Personally, I don’t want to read a book about perfect people. I find those books tedious, unrelatable, unrealistic, moralizing, and super boring. I like seeing characters face weak moments and then choosing to react in a strong, moral way. It’s the reactions after these weak moments that illustrate really good teachable moments. Moments I actually want to evaluate and think on and put myself into the situation of to see how I might react. So, I don’t agree with many of the reviews I’ve read stating this book is too steamy for Christian/Clean-Read audiences. I think it actually has really good teachable points we all could learn a thing or two from.

Next up is the cautionary theme. Early on, Finola flashes back to a great, big, awful time in her life. In this horrible moment, Finola’s mother says to Finola, “What did you do?!” Those words devastated Finola to her core. They changed her emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. They physically damaged her. And they set her on a path that she probably would never ha chosen had her mother not said those heart-breaking words. This one single, seemingly-insignificant moment stuck with me throughout the whole book. I struggle with my words. Some of the most convicting parts of the Bible deal with controlling the tongue. As a mother, I want so desperately to nourish my daughter’s emotional, mental, spiritual, and physical well-being. I want her to feel loved by her mommy no matter the situation she finds herself. However, I am honest enough with myself to know that some of my words have hurt my daughter. I’m sure deeply. This single moment in the story had a profound effect on me, and I see it as cautionary because I have been Finola’s mother. Perhaps, if you’re a mom you’ve been in the same situation — you’ve said something that hurt your kiddo’s heart, too. I think the moral of the tale is to pay attention to our words. How do our words hit those we are speaking to? Do they speak life, or do they cause hurt? If they speak life, great! If they speak hurt, then we’ve got to face that honestly and ask for forgiveness.

Whew! Sorry for my verbosity, I just have much to say about this seriously excellent story. If it isn’t clear yet, I highly recommend this book. If you’re a fan of engaging Historical Romances that make you gush, then check out Calling on the Matchmaker. I really don’t think you’ll be disappointed you did.

I purchased a copy of this novel in eBook form from Amazon.com on December 17, 2023, in order to review. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Women of the Word by Jen Wilkin has single-handedly illustrated to me that I have never read my Bible correctly. Put simply, this text has convicted me. Yes, I have been reading the Bible selfishly and emotionally, and this is all wrong.

Here are the immediate questions of the text that had me evaluating all I thought I knew about reading God’s Word:

Am I reading my Bible understanding that it’s a book about God?
Am I making the Bible a self-help guide?
Am I reading the Bible making it all about me?
Am I coming to Bible study focusing on me, me, me OR God, God, God?

God desires a relationship with us, and we should absolutely crave a relationship with Him. We know that one of the BIGGEST goals as a Christian is to become a new creation and to work towards being like Jesus. We are called to be imitators of God (Ephesians 5:1-2). So, we go to our Bibles to see how we can be more like Jesus. But in this, we run the risk of turning the Bible from a book about God into a self-help manual. One of my favorite quotes from the text is: “The Bible tells us who we are and what we should do, but it does so through the lens of who God is” (loc. 238). So when we read the Bible we need to ask ourselves, “What does this passage teach me about God?” When we do this, we can then compare who God is to whom we are and make the necessary changes. Well, we can at least attempt to make the necessary changes; it’s really God doing all the work. All I’ve stated to this point is a microcosm of all that Women of the Word attempts to teach. It’s a really tiny book, but it is jam packed with gem after gem. For sure, this book has completely revolutionized how I approach Bible studying from now on.

Women of the Word is a text that forces readers to make a perspective shift. It is a text full of tools to get us to shift from emotion to reason, to sound Bible study that gets us to Bible Literacy. It is a text that illustrates that the whole aim of the Bible is to get us to desire all the things God desires. I absolutely devoured this book, loved every convicting moment, and now wholeheartedly intend to put all the many tools, tips, and techniques of this book into practice so I can actually become the woman God wants me to be — one who loves all that He loves. If you can’t tell by this point, this book is invaluable and I highly recommend it.

I received a copy of this text in eBook form from the author on October 23, 2018, in order to review. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.