bellesmoma2021's reviews
974 reviews

Of Gold and Shadows by Michelle Griep is the perfect story. I loved every page of this glorious Historical Romance. I admit to feeling a little stressed going into this book. Not because I thought this story would be boring or tedious or anything like that. But because I am so swamped at work. I thought to myself, “Am I going to have time and motivation to read this book right now?” Silly me. I had nothing to worry about. This book was the perfect escape from my very overwhelming work schedule. Simply put, I devoured this story in hours. The pacing is perfect. The engagement is extremely high. I loved the Suspense — this is what kept me turning pages furiously throughout the day and into the night. I was sure I had the mystery figured out, but I was totally wrong. It was great! Griep got me on this one. And the romance between Ami and Edmund…absolute perfection!!! The meet-cute is hilarious. The chemistry is pretty instant. And the tension between the two is impeccable. Edmund is the best hero ever. He is detail-oriented — it’s what allows him to be so good at business — and, boy, does he pay attention to Ami. This alone made Edmund super swoony in my book. Edmund appreciates all the ways that Ami is NOT like the women of his upper-class Society. To snooty Society Ami is weird, but to Edmund, Ami is perfect. Ami is a rad heroine. She is so smart. She absolutely does not care what others think about her. And she is courageous. But she has a heart that’s been hurt, not by one big thing, but by small, seemingly insignificant things that over time turned her into a sort of introverted, independent, solo actor. She doesn’t need anyone…until she meets Edmund and he has her rethinking her life’s goals, plans, and purposes. I really enjoyed how these two characters become actual friends, help each other overcome their issues, work together to overcome the evil against them, and fall in love. Edmund and Ami’s love story is super sweet and highly endearing, full of adventure and intrigue, and I was so there for every minute. I will miss these two tremendously charming and relatable characters.

There is so much more to say about Of Gold and Shadows, but I don’t want to accidentally spoil one second of this outstanding and superb story. This book is Historical Romance at its finest. If you are a fan of well-written, engaging, suspenseful, and fun Historical Romances filled with excellently crafted characters and thematic depth, then this is 100% the book for you. Purchase a copy ASAP. You won’t be disappointed you did!

I received a complimentary paperback and eBook copy of this novel from Bethany House Publishers. I was under no obligation to leave a review of any kind. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Saved by the Matchmaker by Jody Hedlund is my new favorite Hedlund novel. This story is outstanding. This is another book I highlighted and marked up like crazy because it’s jam-packed with so much goodness and wisdom! Sometimes I struggle with marriage-of-convenience stories, but not this one. Hedlund utilized this trope exceptionally well. The pacing of the characters going from strangers to friends to lovers is perfect and totally realistic. I also feel that the heroine’s struggle to overcome her physical and mental issues is exceptionally true-to-life. There are moments in this story where Enya reacts to Sullivan in a negative manner, hurting his feelings in the process, and mid-act she knows with her head that she is being foolish and selfish, but her body and soul just cannot get in line. For us humans, trauma devastates us on a mind, body, and soul level. All three of these elements must be given the space and time to heal so we can get back to the practice of healthy, contented living. The problem is, Society does not allow us the time to grieve and heal so all three elements can get back to healthy. This is why traumatized people can sometimes come unhinged. Our wounds keep bleeding, and everyone can see that, but the world tells us to get over ourselves. Hedlund did an amazing job illustrating this principle through Enya. And Sullivan…oh my word, he is the best kind of man. He is an excellent example of how to deal with traumatized people…because he was once traumatized himself. He is the embodiment of 2 Corinthians 1:3-4: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” Sometimes, God allows us to walk through trials that hurt us on a mind, body, and soul level because He’s going to bring someone into our lives in the future who will need the wisdom we learned through our traumatic times. God wastes nothing! Sullivan is the absolute best man for Enya. He sees through all her bluster and pain and anger and brokenness to the hurt girl she truly is. He gives her space and kindness and truth. All things that allow Enya to actually heal mind, body, and soul. It was a tremendously beautiful journey to walk with these characters. I loved every minute. I cried a whole lot with this read, but I also cheered a whole lot, too.

Saved by the Matchmaker is a home run. Every minute of this Historical Romance is spectacular, and I cannot recommend this book enough. If you are a fan of well-researched, well-crafted, deeply poignant Historical Literature filled with heart and depth, then Saved by the Matchmaker is 100% the book for you!

Once Upon a Boy Band by Jenny Proctor is a really good story. I enjoyed every minute of this read. The characters are realistic and relatable and endearing. Laney is a totally believable heroine. I certainly had tween/teen dreams of meeting Donnie Wahlberg from NKOTB. Sure, I played MASH and envisioned marrying him. But I never actually believed it would happen. Same with Laney. In fact, it’s quite hilarious when she discovers who Adam really is. I very much enjoyed that reveal! But I also enjoyed watching Laney be her authentic self with Adam before she knew who he really was and afterwards, too. Adam captured my heart from the very beginning. It is obvious he wears his big, squishy heart on his sleeve and he wants to be the best man he possibly can be. I love how Laney helps bring Adam out of his shell. In fact, Laney and Adam’s relationship journey is my absolute favorite aspect of this novel. I love how the two build each other up and are there for one another no matter what. They are really good friends first. Yes, their chemistry is amazing. But I really appreciate their friendship, their communication, and their ability to be vulnerable with each other. It’s so sweet, and I was cheering for them very early on. I’ve seen several reviews ask for this book to become a series so we can dive into the lives of the other boy banders, and I wholeheartedly agree. Not only did I love Laney and Adam, but I am so ready to read about Adam’s fellow bandmates. They all captured my heart! In addition to the well-done, excellently crafted characters, the topics that Proctor’s characters deal with over the course of this story are real and raw and full of depth. Don’t be fooled by the title of this book. This is a story that tackles a ton of stuff really well. Once Upon a Boy Band is definitely NOT a Hallmark-y story. My emotions ran the gamut. One minute I was smiling big time, then I was chuckling, and then I was crying. It was great, and I really did love every minute.

Once Upon a Boy Band is a really excellent Contemporary Romance. I highly recommend this story. If you are in the mood for a sweet, highly-engaging story that isn’t afraid to delve into deeper matters, then this is definitely the story for you.

I loved every single Bradford Sisters novel by Becky Wade. Sweet on You, the final installment of the series, is no exception. In many ways, this is my favorite book of the series. Why did it take me five years to get to this book? Because I have a problem. When I love a series so much, as I do this one, I have a very difficult time saying goodbye. I know. I know. That sounds crazy. It is crazy. I mean, I could just re-read all the books. But there is something that physically and mentally holds me back from saying goodbye to fictional characters I’ve grown to really love and admire. The real reason I didn’t want to say goodbye to this series is because of Zander. I have loved his character from book 1 and have been rooting for him to get his girl the whole time. Zander does not disappoint in Sweet on You. He is the perfect hero: he is an observant, kind, considerate man who deeply feels and has an active servant-heart. And, yes he is beyond handsome. He’s also brooding, serious, and introverted. There is something swoony about a man who is uber manly, but who needs and deserves a good hug. Zander needed like 100 hugs over the course of this story. The way he stands by Britt even though it tears his heart to pieces to just be friends…yeah, Zander needed a lot of hugs in this story! Britt…she was the sister I least wanted to read. I struggle with the youngest child. They tend to be immensely self-focused, which Britt totally is. Because I have such a soft-spot for Zander I dreaded spending days reading all the ways Britt would unknowingly — because main characters rarely really talk in romances — wreak havoc on Zander’s brutalized and damaged heart. But Britt’s character arc is actually quite superb, and while she is self-focused for a lot of the novel, her journey was well worth taking with her. While I basically loved everything about this story, I would have to say my most favorite aspect is the mystery and suspense. I had so much fun trying to figure out the whodunnit. There were quite a few twists and turns that I didn’t always see coming. It definitely made the pages fly by!

Sweet on You is an excellent Contemporary Romance AND Romantic Suspense. I enjoyed both elements of the story immensely. I will totally miss my time with the Bradford sisters, but truly loved every minute spent with this unique and spunky family. If you’ve not yet read this book, then I highly, highly recommend getting your hands on a copy ASAP!

A Man Worth Shaving For by Michelle Pennington is one of the best reads I’ve read in a while. I genuinely loved every page of this story. Tessa is a great character. In fact, she is one of the most relatable characters I’ve read in a while. I loved and appreciated Tessa’s strength of character, her work ethic, and her sense of humor. I even loved, and fully related to, her insecurities. Tessa is a fuller-bodied woman. She has plenty of curves. People, some unintentionally and some fully intentionally, make comments about her size. A lot of times, those comments stick and hurt. So when Logan comes into the picture and there is IMMEDIATE chemistry, it is really hard for Tessa to believe and trust that this chemistry is real. Logan is BEAUTIFUL. Like GQ magazine beautiful. How could a guy like Logan truly fall for a woman like Tessa who is the opposite of every magazine model that’s ever lived? But Logan, he’s a squishy hearted, vulnerable, wears-his-heart-on-his-sleeve kind of hero. He’s so cute, he doesn’t even know how to be a GQ model type. Just cause he looks it doesn’t mean he is one. He’s a genuinely good guy with a big heart who truly likes Tessa. Watching Logan and Tessa journey to love was a really fun time. I am glad I read this book! It’s definitely going on my re-read pile.

A Man Worth Shaving For is such a good story. I highly, highly recommend this book. If you are in the mood for a fully engaging, seriously fast-paced, charming and fun Contemporary Romance, then this is definitely the book for you.

Happiness is a choice…this is the premise to The Happy Life of Isadora Bentley by Courtney Walsh, and one I agree with wholeheartedly. I struggled to read this story, not because it is slow or boring or unrealistic, but because it was like holding a mirror up to myself and I didn’t fully enjoy what I saw. Yes, happiness is a choice, and for the last 30 years Isadora Bentley has been choosing self-isolation and stoicism. Her rationale is simple: if you don’t let people in and you don’t feel anything, you can’t get hurt. But all this does is make one a robotic loner. Isadora hasn’t been living. She’s been barely surviving. On her 30th birthday, Isadora reads a “31-Steps-to-a-Happier-You” article and sets out to disprove the author by running an experiment. She will complete each task and track her data. Isadora is convinced her experiment will prove the article foolish. As she embarks on this purely scientific journey, Isadora meets and befriends some truly amazing people, and they all influence her life in nuanced and various ways for the better. Isadora now gets out of her apartment regularly to do things like yoga and kite-flying and visiting family. She has real, deep conversations about life and experiences and hardships and love and goals and other sundry topics. Over the course of trying to prove the article wrong, Isadora wakes up to an actual life. I must admit that I love/hate Isadora. There were moments I 100% fully understood and related to her. There were moments I wanted to hug her hard and share all my hard truths so she would know she wasn’t alone. There were moments I full-out cheered for her. And then there were several moments where I wanted to knuckle-punch her hard right in the arm. The more like a baby she acted and the more she stood in her own way, the more I wanted to scream at her to stop being a goober and grow up. But then I realized two things: 1.) I needed to take it down a notch as this is a fictional tale and Isadora isn’t real (maybe look at myself instead, Nicole); and, 2.) Walsh is a genius storyteller who has mastered illustrating, through Isadora, how humans who embark on a journey to change often take one teensy baby-step forward, then 12 adult-sized steps back. Once I got this, I gave Isadora some grace because changing one’s self for the better is HARD work. It’s why so many people don’t change — inevitably, it proves to be too much work to complete day in and day out.

I really loved my time reading The Happy Life of Isadora Bentley. This story is solid good storytelling. The characters are fabulous and human and multi-faceted. The journey is tough, but fun and totally worth it. And the many, many themes discussed are timely and poignant. I cannot recommend this book enough. If you’re in the mood for emotions and hope and love and change and happily-ever-after then this is definitely the book for you!

Here Be Dragons by Melanie Shankle should be mandatory reading for all parents. This book is spectacular on every level. I saw myself and my family on almost every page of this marvelous book. Generational trauma is something I have been struggling with and battling against since I became an adult. I like how Here Be Dragons is set-up. Readers begin with very honest and raw stories of Shankle’s tumultuous childhood told from the author’s perspective as a child. I especially appreciate Shankle’s sentiment that she struggled with her mother as a child, BUT she had no idea her childhood was different from anyone else’s. When we are children we think what we are facing in the moment is what everyone is facing. When I was a kid, sure, I hated a lot of what I was put through, but I genuinely had no idea my experiences were out of the norm. That realization came later when I met the man who would become my husband. I would tell him stories and his eyes would get bug-eyed big and he would start to tear up…that’s when I realized I grew up differently than the average kid and needed to work on some things that had been issues in my family for decades and decades. After the candid kid stories, Shankle moves into her teen and college years. Continuing with her honest storytelling, Shankle moves into those moments as young adults when we see clearly the issues, but we’re at a loss for how to proceed forward in a healthy way without causing undue hurt towards our families. We’re all born with an innate need to love our parents, but if they’re hurting us what is the correct move to make to heal from those wounds? Do we cut our parents off? Do we hold them at arm’s length? Is setting boundaries enough? I love that Shankle tells the reader the choice she made but states very clearly that everyone’s choice in this kind of situation is one of a kind. We can take solace from Shankle’s journey, but her journey and choices may be vastly different than what we choose for ourselves. And that is OK as long we are turning to God for the answers. After her young adulthood trials, Shankle moves into motherhood. This is where the real gems of the text take place. I, too, related to wanting a different life for my daughter. I wanted desperately to break the generational traumas and issues and cycles, and give my daughter a different, better path. This is where God comes in to play BIG TIME. I absolutely loved every single page in this book after Melanie’s daughter, Caroline, is born. Shankle’s clear reliance on God is my favorite aspect of this book, and the main point. We cannot break the shackles that tie us down, that keep us repeating horrible family cycles, unless God is our very center. Amen to that!

Here Be Dragons is a superior parenting text that I highly recommend. This single review cannot do this book justice. I adored Shankle’s sense of humor, honesty, vulnerability, and truth-telling. I also truly love that she goes back to God over and over again as the source of her true healing. Such an excellent reminder for us all. If you’re a mom or dad entering the teen years with your children, Here Be Dragons is absolutely the book you need to read. If you are a survivor of generational traumas and/or mean girls, you will also love this book. It will speak to your soul and will make you feel seen. Truly, I cannot say enough good things about this book. Purchase a copy asap. You will not be disappointed you did!

One of my reading goals for August was to re-read a book. So, I chose Our Secret Song by Emily C. Childs. This was my third time reading this book, and I loved it this time around as much as the first. I actually never wanted to review this book because I wanted it to just be a book for me, but that’s sort of silly, right?! The first time I read this book, in 2021, I devoured it. Loved every second of Alexis and Bridger’s back-and-forth banter and wit. This time around, in 2024, I still love Alexis and Bridger’s fiery back-and-forth. It actually reminds me of Benedick and Beatrice’s snarky banter in Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing. It definitely made me chuckle as much this time as the first time. Alexis and Bridger have known each other since birth. They have had a back-and-forth as long as they can remember, but they’ve also been each other’s safety nets. Growing up, their lives were filled with heavy stuff. I’m talking seriously heavy stuff. But they are their for one another. This is my favorite part of the book. I love Alexis and Bridger’s relationship — the bickering, the friendship, the love, being there for one through thick and thin. They’re so darn cute, and quite a good example of being a real friend no matter what. I also love their chemistry. Clearly, Alexis and Bridger are meant to be together, but it takes them some time to really understand and accept this. The journey to their happily ever after is such a fun ride. I loved every minute of this journey the first time I read this book, and I wholeheartedly loved every second the third time around.

Our Secret Song is a highly engaging and totally endearing Contemporary Romance. I cannot recommend this book enough. If you are looking for a fast-paced, endearing, heartfelt Contemporary Romance, then this is definitely the story for you!

If you’re a longtime reader of my blog, then you know I’m not a big fan of anything Hallmark-y. I respect Hallmark. I respect that other people LOVE Hallmark. I just don’t like Hallmark. And that’s OK. Mr. & Mrs. Fix-It Find Love by Ellie Hall is a sweet and clean Contemporary Romance. For me, it is a Hallmark-kind-of read. I think if you like those kinds of stories — very sweet, fast paced, light and breezy, easy to read — then this is the book for you. It would make for a perfect beach read!

There were a few things I liked. L0uella Belle is a hoot. I loved every second of her internal monologues. She genuinely made me chuckle. I also really love her heart. She adores people and she lives to help others. It is her God-given talent. She would give the shirt off her back if she saw someone in need. I like how easy it is for her to make friends. As a dye-in-the-wool introvert, I’m sort of jealous of Louella Belle’s ease with others. I also enjoyed watching her bring down the walls around Bo’s heart. Honestly, I wish Louella Belle was a real person. I could totally use a friend like her in my life! Bo, the hero of this tale, was BADLY burned by love in the past and he is not in the mood for love. He’s a super cool dude — guy can fix pretty much anything — but he is really hung up on his past. But he sees Louella Belle and can’t help himself. He is instantly drawn to her. Here is where I struggled — everything in this story moves at a pace that feels insta- the whole time: boy and girl meet and instantly make out, boy and girl have slight conflict that is instantly put to rights, and boy and girl have an instant happily ever after. I needed the brakes hit on this story and a little more development anywhere: character development, conflict development, plot development, or thematic development. I’m not picky. I just needed some depth.

I don’t want to discourage anyone from this book or this series. Like I said above, if you’re a Hallmark fan, if you LOVE those types of warm and fuzzy feel-good stories, then you definitely need to check out Mr. & Mrs. Fix-It Find Love!

I purchased a copy of this novel in eBook form from Amazon.com on August 26, 2023, in order to review. I am under no obligation to leave a positive review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own. 

Oh my word, Plotting Summer by Jess Heileman is such a good story! It was inevitable that I would love this story as it follows my absolute favorite romance trope ever: the out-of-her-league heartthrob falling for the bookish introvert. I will never, ever get tired of these kinds of stories. They speak to my very soul. Plotting Summer is a perfect read. It is tremendously engaging, it is so fast paced, and the characters are outstanding. Capri is totally relatable as an introverted heroine. She is a woman who loves others deeply, but knows her limits. She loves to be around family and friends, but admits to needing plenty of re-charge time. I also love how in-her-brain she is and how much she obsesses over things. And I love how socially awkward she can get. I absolutely adored how she behaves whenever Tristan is around. She basically shorts out. It’s super sweet, super endearing, and super hilarious. Then there is Tristan. Tristan is my new favorite book hero. He is genuinely a gentleman. He is conscientious and pays attention to all of Capri’s nuances and details. He gets that she disappears into her own story world. Instead of seeing her as weird, Tristan gets curious and asks Capri questions about her process. Once he truly understands how her creative brain works, Tristan learns to decode when Capri is having a creative moment versus a manic moment. I love how he helps Capri out of her manic moments back into reality. He is really good at un-spiraling her, so to speak. As far as becoming a couple goes, Capri and Tristan are a fun couple to watch grow from friends to more. And their chemistry is electric. Oh, how I loved every minute of this story!

Plotting Summer is a summer must-read. I loved this story and cannot recommend it enough. If you are a fan of Contemporary Romances that are filled with humor and heart, then this is absolutely the book for you!