Reluctantly Yours by Jessica Marie Holt

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Reluctantly Yours: A Granny Matchmaker Romantic Comedy (Granny Pact Book 1) by [Jessica Marie Holt]

As a Book Reviewer, this is my honest review of Reluctantly Yours by Jessica Marie Holt. I was not required to write a positive review nor any review.

Reluctantly Yours by Jessica Marie Holt is a delightful, humorous clean romance story. Ellie and June have been friends forever and have shared many adventures and made many memories together. However, now they are facing what may be the greatest challenge they have ever faced. But they have a plan – the Granny Pact.

Ellie’s grandson, James, is unmarried, as is June’s granddaughter, Sarah, and these grandmothers have vowed to help their grandchildren’s romantic happiness along, whatever it takes. But James and Sarah aren’t so easy to convince, and these two have a past that their grandmother’s don’t know about, which complicates everything.

If you enjoy clean sweet romantic comedy novels, you’ll enjoy Reluctantly Yours by Jessica Marie Holt. The delightful scheming grandmothers are endearing as they try to help their grandchildren fall in love, as they both want what’s best for their grandchildren, and the thought of actually being family after all these years is appealing to them as well. Their antics to influence this romance are humorous as their grandchildren begin to wonder what is wrong with their grandmothers.

James and Sarah aren’t easily convinced that romance is in the cards for them, but they make some attempts at spending time with each other just to humor their grandmothers. However, their past continues to prevent any new blossom of romance. Will they be able to put the past behind them?

Jessica Marie Holt has created realistic characters with flaws and weaknesses and real-life struggles. They could be one of your family members, one of your friends, or maybe one of your neighbors. This story and its characters are engaging and will live on in your memory even after you turn the last page and close the book or e-reader.

Reluctantly Yours by Jessica Marie Holt is well written and fun to read. It’s a quick, easy read.

I give Reluctantly Yours by Jessica Marie Holt 5 stars.

Promises Unbroken (The Moretti Trilogy #1) by Kristina Hall

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As a Book Reviewer, this is my honest review of Promises Unbroken (The Moretti Trilogy #1) by Kristina Hall. I was not required to write a positive review nor any review.

Promises Unbroken by Kristina Hall is a Christian Mystery/Suspense novel that will have you burning the midnight oil just to read one more chapter.

Mae Ashton’s family isn’t what it used to be. Part of the reason the family has changed is because Mae’s sister has disappeared, or as many believe, died. But Mae believes her sister is still alive, so she writes a note to her fiance and leaves town to find her sister.

This book begins with danger and action as Mae realizes she’s being followed. Just after Mae is threatened, her fiance, Davis, shows up, determined to take Mae home or help her, but he’s definitely not leaving without her. With each chapter, the suspense and danger facing Davis and Mae mount and Mae regrets being the reason Davis is there.

When Davis first meets Alberto Moretti, a ruthless henchman for a corrupt businessman, he suggests that Moretti read the Bible. As the story continues, both Davis and Mae have run-ins with Moretti.

Throughout the novel, Davis encourages Mae in her walk with the Lord by quoting scripture. Davis also to tries to discuss faith and the Bible whenever he can fit it into a conversation with Alberto Moretti.

Ms. Hall has created a suspense filled novel with a thread of the Christian faith flowing through it in the midst of the danger. This book is also reminiscent of historical mafia stories where the criminal is the head of a family who has been involved in criminal activities for more than one generation. The story is well written, and though it is the first book of a trilogy, the ending is satisfactory and doesn’t leave the reader hanging on the edge of a cliff anxiously awaiting the next book.

There is plenty of suspense and some tense moments. The romance is clean and mild. There is some violence, but the violent scenes are brief and are not explicit.

I give Promises Unbroken by Kristina Hall 5 stars.

What Does Mr. Person Fear? by Patrick Lauser

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Patrick Lauser has written and released a new children’s book. It is written in Shakespearean meter — a poetic form.

What Does Mr. Person Fear? by Patrick Lauser is a unique children’s book. Master Axel, a brave rabbit, has come to visit Mr. Person and is concerned by the look of fear upon Mr. Person’s face. He examines every part of Mr. Person’s house, finding many frightening things and asking Mr. Person which one is it that frightens him.

Mr. Lauser also provides the illustrations for What Does Mr. Person Fear? and does a great job of showing things that are scary to children, like the beasts in Mr. Person’s bedroom. I would caution that preschool children could find some of the illustrations scary and may not understand the story. However, I encourage parents of children ages 5-8 to share What Does Mr. Person Fear? with your children. It is a unique story with an unexpected ending. It has a very encouraging message that could make for great discussion.

I enjoyed reading What Does Mr. Person Fear? by Patrick Lauser and give it a 5 star rating.

Cover Reveal for What Does Mr. Person Fear?”

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“What Does Mr. Person Fear?”

A haunted house children’s book in Shakespearean Metre.
To be released next Friday!

Master Axel, a sturdy, steadfast rabbit, finds a terrified person named “Person” living in a house full of hideous horrors. Master Axel wonders which of the many monsters is the reason Mr. Person is so terrified, but it turns out to be more of a mystery than the exploratory rabbit expected…

Mr. Lauser also created the cover. Here is how he says he did it:

Everything on the cover is hand-drawn, including the text and the gradient around the edges (done with sponges). It’s just cleaned and arranged on the computer (to get the texture, the title is in fact zoomed in on tiny writing).

Patrick Lauser will be releasing his book trailer for this book tomorrow and I will either share it or a link to it here. I’m sure you won’t want to miss it.

Cover Reveal

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Patrick Lauser is releasing his first children’s book soon and tomorrow is his Cover Reveal Day. I will also be sharing in his Cover Reveal, so be sure to stop back tomorrow to see Patrick Lauser’s Cover for “What Does Mr. Person Fear?”

Rubrum by Keith Eldred

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RUBRUM: A novel retelling of A CHRISTMAS CAROL by [Keith Eldred]

Many authors have written what are deemed “retellings” of fairy tales. Instead, Keith Eldred chose to write a “retelling” of a well-known classic Christmas story, A Christmas Carol. Mr. Eldred has created a more modern setting.

Evan Easter is a loner with an abusive past. He is a loner who receives a visitor who hasn’t walked the earth in years, as well as a couple other visitors from beyond the grave. He also receives a summons that causes him to fear for a child he has never met.

Keith Eldred writes in the style of the classic authors, and in Rubrum, he moves the reader back and forth from present to past and back again, and occasionally hops from one character’s head to another’s without warning. Evan Easter is a very likeable character who gains the reader’s sympathy from the start. Mr. Eldred gives a very clear picture of Evan’s life, both past and present, which, at times, seems to draw the story out. Evan’s life is filled with hurt, misery, and loneliness, but he has chosen the loneliness.

Despite his tragic, lonely life, Evan has a very caring heart, so when he is summoned and told of a situation in the life of a child he has never met, he fears for the child. Evan is a man of great and deep thought. He thinks long and hard about everything before he chooses whether or not to act.

Rubrum is the story of a likeable character, and though the ending isn’t really sad, readers who want happy endings may be disappointed. But whether you want a happy ending or can be satisfied with an ending that isn’t really sad, Rubrum is worth reading just to get to know Evan Easter because he’s a remarkable character that everyone can relate to in one way or another, and he has a message for all of us.

Rubrum is different from any other book I have ever read, and Evan Easter will live long in my memory. Rubrum’s genre is listed as Psychological Literary Fiction. And though it’s very different from A Christmas Carol, I believe Evan and Scrooge may have some things in common. However, I believe Keith Eldred gives us a much deeper psychological look at Evan Easter than Charles Dickens offered of Scrooge.

If you are a reader who likes unique characters and stories that will give you things to think about long after you turn the last page and close the book, I suggest you read Rubrum by Keith Eldred.

I give Rubrum by Keith Eldred 4 stars.

FREE for 5 Days! Get Your Copy NOW!

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Here it is — the opportunity I told you about, to get Clean Fiction Magazine for FREE!

You only have 5 days to do it, so don’t wait! You’re bound to find some great gift ideas for the readers in your life!

Spies Never Quit by M. Taylor Christensen

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As a Book Reviewer, I received a free ebook copy of Spies Never Quit by M. Taylor Christensen and this is my honest review. I was not required to write a positive nor any review.

Spies Never Quit by M. Taylor Christensen is the first book in the “Banana Girls” series. Mari Sandoval’s mother is kidnapped and the kidnappers tell Mari she must break into her mother’s research lab and get them some information from her mother’s most recent research. However, when Mari attempts to follow the kidnapper’s demands, she is thwarted by some sorority girls.

Mari ends up moving in with the sorority girls for her protection and for their help. It turns out the sorority girls are none other than the “Banana Girls”–spies! Mari wants to help free her mother, so the Banana Girls help her get a job inside the company they suspect is connected to the kidnapper.

In addition to working under cover, Mari must flirt with a couple of the men in the company in order to gain information that could lead her to her mother.

Spies Never Quit is a fun read full of adventure, danger, fight scenes, and romance. I found the first chapter or two a bit slow-paced, but after that, I couldn’t stop turning pages. The Banana Girls are a unique group of girls who are making their way through college life, while working as spies on the side. In addition to all of their yellow Banana vehicles, they all have rhyming names, and they each bring a special skill to the group that helps them with their missions.

M. Taylor Christensen has created interesting characters the reader enjoys following through adventures while rooting for them to crack the case and save Mari’s mom from the kidnappers. M. Taylor Christensen also created a fun romantic interest in the middle of Mari’s struggle to release her mom, in the form of a sweet character named Trey who works in the company. He flirts with Mari and lets her know he’s interested, and when Mari decides to take a chance and trust him, he helps her find time within her workday to explore the entire building complex of the company.

Between heart pounding suspense, action-packed fight scenes, some humorous dialogue lines, and the sweet romance, you won’t want to put the book down.

The suspense, danger, and fight scenes are not explicitly violent nor graphic, and the romance is clean.

If you enjoy fun clean reads, you will enjoy Spies Never Quite by M. Taylor Christensen.

Exciting New Magazine for Book Lovers

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Clean Fiction Magazine is a brand new magazine that is filled with Book Reviews of Clean Fiction stories you can find on Amazon and other places Clean Fiction books are sold. Amy Lynn McConahy of Sunset Valley Creations came up with the idea of creating Clean Fiction Magazine to help indie authors of Clean Fiction stories get the word out twice a year–the biggest book buying times of year, December and March–about their great Clean Fiction stories.

When I found out about it, I contacted Amy Lynn and asked if she needed reviewers to help with the project. She said, “Yes. Send five of your reviews to me and I will choose three to include in the magazine.”

Well, I sent her five reviews, and she decided to include all five! So, above is a picture of me with my print copy of the very first, newly released copy of Clean Fiction Magazine’s Winter 2021 Edition, as well as a picture of me with the magazine open to two of my reviews.

If you want a copy of Clean Fiction Magazine, you can get it for Free on Kindle Unlimited, or get an ebook copy for $2.99 — soon to be free for 5 days! You can also order a paperback copy for $14.99. Just go to this link: https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B09L8LTLWN

In addition to Book Reviews, the magazine includes full color pictures, book blurbs, information about each author, book related advertisements, a few puzzles, a couple poems, and a few devotions.

I’m very excited to be a part of Clean Fiction Magazine and look forward to writing even more reviews for the next issue. Ms. McConahy has asked me to be the Clean Romance Reviewer for the upcoming issues of this publication and I was honored to accept that position.

Tomorrow I will post the information for the upcoming free ebook issue of Clean Fiction Magazine. If you’re a Clean Fiction reader, you won’t want to miss it!