Meant to be Mine by Becky Wade

Meant to be Mine

Becky Wade is a no-holds-barred type of writer. I noticed that with her first book, My Stubborn Heart. (see my review here) I enjoy her writing. Plus, check out that cover above! For me, covers hook me in. This one definitely did.

Let’s begin with the summary:

Ty Porter has always been irresistible to Celia Park. All through high school—irresistible. When their paths cross again after college—still irresistible. This time, though, Ty seems to feel exactly the same way about Celia. Their whirlwind romance deposits them at a street-corner Las Vegas wedding chapel.

The next morning they wake to a marriage certificate and a dose of cold reality. Celia's ready to be Ty's wife, but Ty's not ready to be her husband. He's a professional bull rider, he lives on the road, and he's long planned to settle down with the hometown girl he's known since childhood.

Five and a half years pass. Celia's buried her dreams so that she can afford to raise her daughter. Ty's achieved all of his goals. Or thought he had, until he looks again into the eyes of the woman he couldn't forget and into the face of the child he never knew he had.

How much will Ty sacrifice to win back Celia's trust and prove to her that their spontaneous marriage can still become the love of a lifetime?

And now, my review:

Our heroine has pined for Ty for years. Now, after a spur-of-the-moment wedding, she’s married to him. Problem is, he’s not all in. His rejection sends her away and keeps her away.

I liked the secrets in this story. I didn’t blame the heroine for keeping her daughter a secret. The author does a great job helping readers like her imperfect characters. I rooted for them.

Celia’s four-year-old seemed a little too wise for her age. I’ve had several four-year-old girls in my life and though they were very articulate, none of them could have diagnosed my life situation like Celia’s daughter did. But the story around that element was so good, so engaging, I didn’t mind. 

I laughed aloud several times as I read, thoroughly entertained by this author’s distinctive voice and her sarcastic, witty sense of humor. Honestly, that's one of the reasons I love reading Becky's work.

Poor Celia feels unworthy. That’s a relatable state of mind/heart for many of us, and I liked how the author dealt with the issue. 

Beyond great story-telling, Becky excels at male POV. Her stories hook you and draw you right in. I’ll be watching for her next one to release. 

Highly recommended!

Blog Tour: In Perfect Time by Sarah Sundin

In Perfect Time by Sarah Sundin

Welcome to the blog tour for In Perfect Time by Sarah Sundin.

I’m a Sarah Sundin fan, so I was thrilled to read her latest World War II historical. 

Let’s begin with the summary:

Bold, sophisticated, and flirtatious, Army Air Force flight nurse Lt. Kay Jobson collects hearts wherever she flies, leaving men pining in airfields all across Europe. So how can ruggedly handsome C-47 pilot Lt. Roger Cooper be all but immune to her considerable charms? In fact, he seems to do everything he can to avoid her.

Still, as they cross the skies between Italy and southern France, evacuating the wounded and delivering paratroopers and supplies, every beat of their hearts draws them closer to where they don't want to go. Can they confront the fears and misunderstandings in their pasts?

Sarah Sundin seamlessly weaves together emotion, action, and sweet romance into a tale that transcends time and calls us to believe in the power of love.

And now, my review: 

If you’ve read this blog for any length of time, you know I’m not generally a WWII fiction fan. But Sarah came along and changed that. Her stories are so engaging, her characters so real, her topics so relatable, that I sometimes forget they’re wartime stories. 

She’s adept at conveying timeless themes. In this story, both our hero and our heroine struggle with self-worth and identity issues. As readers watch them overcome, we find tools to help ourselves and others who might face the same things.

Roger, the book’s hero pilot, came from a family who didn’t support him or his efforts. He’s a gifted drummer, chasing a dream to work in a big band. In the beginning of the story, he must prove himself to himself. As he does that, though, we watch him challenge the lie that he’ll “never amount to anything.”  

Our Nightingale's father condemned her all her life. Now, Kay has to overcome the lie that she’s evil at the core. We’ve seen Kay in earlier books in this “Wings of the Nightingale” series, and I loved watching her story unfold here. I gained both respect and understanding for this complex character. 

There are two things that readily come to mind in regards to Sarah’s writing: she doesn’t shy away from both wartime elements (i.e. plane crashes behind enemy lines) and heart-level human issues. Instead, she handles them with authenticity. That means she’s a brave writer, willing to bring her heart into the stories she writes. I walk away with great nuggets every time. 

You get a balance of action (my husband loves her books!) and romance. And, of course, flawless research as we fly along with these characters. 

Fans of Sarah’s work, and fans of WWII fiction or historical fiction, will enjoy this novel. 

Recommended!

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. 

Fun News!

 

Streamers and Confetti*

The ink is dry!

I'm thrilled to announce I recently signed another book contract. This one is like my previous title, Husband Material, in that it is a Dollar Download e-book. The title will be available via Amazon for $0.99 when it releases.

I can give you two hints: it's Christian romance, and a cowboy is involved.

Still no release date, or final title. But I'll be sharing news here, so stay tuned!

* photo credit: freedigitalphotos.net "Streamers and Confetti" by m_bartosch