Imagine finishing four books in five days… because that’s pretty much my life this month.
Love story after love story after love story… but if you follow me on GoodReads, you know that’s not all I read this month – just what I finished.
And if we want to be completely real here, the Bible is a love story soooooo 🙂
You’ll also notice I’m in a Courtney Walsh phase. A deep one. Lol!!
By month end, I took a break from reading dear Walsh, but I hope to be back to Courtney Walsh soon!
Here’s what I read in July:
This Time Around: Three Sweet Romances
Three novellas in one book written by Denise Hunter, Melissa Ferguson and Kathleen Fuller. These are three of my favorite authors right now soooo I thoroughly enjoyed this book!
Each story was unique and cute. 24 hour read for me!
The Christmas Heirloom
I loved this book. Not sure what I did not read this sooner.
The four love stories, centered around this one heirloom, were written by four authors – three of whom I knew; Sarah Loudin Thomas I did not know.
I loved how the book came together and spanned over a century and a half of time. I would so read this again. Definitely recommend.
The reason I even read this was mostly for the first story – A Legacy of Love – which is a novella in Kristi Ann Hunter’s series that I read (well, am still reading since I haven’t read the final book of the series yet). I was pleasantly surprised that the ending story brought me back to the Bradford Sisters series by Becky Wade!
If For Any Reason by Courtney Walsh
Before I get into the review of this LOVELY book, I “read” most of this thanks to the audiobook version while I worked on July 5th. Thank you audiobook productions and my local library!! 🙂
Another book by Courtney Walsh that I loved!!
I had to order this one (and it came in on the 3rd!!) so that I could read the novella that comes after it since for some reason… I had that one before this one. Lol!
This was a story of forgiveness and moving on from tragedy and life’s hurts. It was well written and the characters were really likable all around. They’ll have you routing for that happy ending!
If For Any Reason is the first book in the Nantucket Love Story series.
This also concludes my 50 book reading goal. Continue reading my blog posts the rest of the year to see how far I get! Lol I’ve decided to not up my goal, but to just see how many I can read. If I hit 100, great. If I just read more than last year, very tubular. I’m just happy to be reading.
A Match Made at Christmas by Courtney Walsh
Yesssss, another one day read!! 😍 Could not put this one down until Hayes and Prudence had their happily ever after moment!
This one is one of my all time favorites now. Loved it. I can’t love it enough.
I loved the banter and the best-friends-in-love plot line and how it all played out. If you need a quick romance set at Christmas, this is definitely the novella for you.
This is #1.5 in the Nantucket Love Story series.
And you can bet this is going in my Christmas Reads for 2022 blog post!!! 😀
Let’s just say… I’ve thought about this book well after the point of finishing it. I want to go back to these times and live in those moments of pure romance.
Just One Kiss by Courtney Walsh
Another read I couldn’t put down!! Obviously!! With extra exclamation points!!
I was like… I don’t know how this is going to go… I knew how it would go (sort of, because we all know) and she would give him a second chance… it’s obvious. I wasn’t going to like it. But getting there! Totally didn’t expect it to go the way it did. It turned out to be such a great book.
Forgiveness, child/domestic abuse trauma, and health diagnosis stuff… can’t think of the word here so that’s basically it on that front.
Reading a lot of good books this month so far… don’t ever ask me to pick a favorite. Ever.
Book three in the Harbor Pointe series.
Is It Any Wonder by Courtney Walsh
Special thanks to the local central library for having this one! I picked it up (really the only book they had available that I was planning to read, all others were like book four of a series and I’m too ocd about reading in order to try that right now so…) and started reading while at the library even though I was also reading another Courtney Walsh book already at home… So I ordered this book and the next one because I had yet to do so. I received the book I can keep just as I finished reading the library’s copy.
Also! While at the library, I showed them where I completed the reading program and received this year’s tote bag and a booklet of coupons. I picked up their BINGO card and I ended up completing it – normally I don’t have anything done to mark on there.
Anywayyyy…
This book was deep in the matters of guilt, secrets and the power of forgiveness – that it comes from God through Jesus’ sacrifice that we can give out forgiveness ourselves to those who hurt us.
Unforgiveness hurts more than just the two people, but those who are effected by the strained relationship as a result.
Here’s just one quote that made me laugh – all of her books have given me a good laugh (her characters either are funny themselves or they have funny encounters) so I figured I’d try to point this out as I read it because I forget to go back and grab these sorts of things.
McKenzie’s smile spread across her face like cream cheese on a bagel.
Great, now I’m hungry.
-pg 94-95
Book number two in the Nantucket Love Story series.
What Matters Most by Courtney Walsh
I didn’t give this one five stars, but I still enjoyed it. It was pretty deep.
I felt bad for Jamie most of the book – he was trying to repay a debt that wasn’t there… for something that wasn’t his fault.
It was a different plot line, but I did enjoy the characters and the support system Emma had along the way even though she didn’t utilize them like she should have.
Book number three in the Nantucket Love Story series.
Just Like Home by Courtney Walsh
This is my last Courtney Walsh book for a while. Why? BECAUSE I CAN’T HANDLE ALL THE LOVE ANYMORE.
Just kidding. I just ran out of books at home by her to read. I’m sure I’ll be in possession of more soon.
I loved the annoyed-to-new-love romance. Lovedddddd. The progression was perfect.
This story was the full story of a glimpse of conflict in book number three in the series.
The fourth installment to the Harbor Pointe series.
Off-Script & Over-Caffeinated by Kaley Rhea and Rhonda Rhea
Book number nine for the month of July! 😃
This one has my laughing out loud! The humor and awkwardness were definitely my jam.
This was the first book by this mother-daughter writing duo that I’ve read. Maybe have to read more!
Reclaiming Christianity by A W Tozer
In Reclaiming Christianity, Tozer brings up points that are relevant today and will continue to be relevant throughout history of the church going forward until the new earth has been revealed to us. These are things that have actually been around since Jesus’ time (we know because of the Word brought to us by the apostles’ careful writing), but perhaps only magnified and celebrated more so in modern times thanks to the aging and tolerance of sin with the help of advanced communication outlets.
I think what I love about Tozer is his readability. He puts things into simple terms, sometimes using metaphors and real life examples, with a touch of humor even.
Tozer wasn’t a scholar who went to a prestigious university or has multiple degrees in theology or from a seminary. He’s more just a guy who loves the Lord, spent countless hours in His presence and studied the Word for other simple folk to understand – like me.
Here’s some quotes from this book:
What does it profit a man to say, “I have a Savior” if he is living in iniquity?
Page 52
To Christ, sin was not a contagious. Sin was a disease of the soul, and Jesus knew a pure heart needed no protection.
Page 82
Reverence is astonished awe that comes to the human heart when God is seen.
Page 114
For the mature Christian, any unlovely place is suitable for worship if the heart is right and the Spirit dwells within.
Page 123
It is possible to worship God with our lips and not worship God with our lives. If your life does not worship God, your lips do not worship God either.
Page 141
People are not building the Church. God is building the Church. If He were not building His Church, all you would have is simply a religious organization.
Page 185
Everything God does He does in His foreseen wisdom. God knows our tomorrows, He knows our day after tomorrow, He knows all about us down the years and it has been planned before our time was.
Page 185
Marrying Mr. Wrong by Melissa Jagears
Thank you local library! I’m going to have to buy this series now.
I decided to read this one… knowing when I left the library that it was the FOURTH book in the series and I hadn’t read the other books yet.
And I know that I don’t have to buy them, but… 🙂
Great book! I loved Tim – he’s very much relatable.
I haven’t read much by Melissa Jagears, but the few I’ve read here and there I’ve never been disappointed with. I’ve read great reviews about this book and others so I feel good about reading more!!
Have you read any of these? What did you read this month?
I always look forward to this post! Good point about the Bible! Of the books you read, I have only read “This Time Around” and “The Christmas Heirloom.” All of the others sound really good, though! Congrats on the tote bag and coupons from the library! That’s so cool!
In July I finished 7 books. To be fair, 5 of those were started in prior months. So I really only read 2 cover-to-cover within the month.
– The Nature of a Lady by Roseanna White
– Growing Slow by Jennifer Dukes Lee
– Growing Slow Bible Study by Jennifer Dukes Lee
– Wake Up to Hope devotional by Joel and Victoria Osteen
– Enjoying the Presence of God by Jan Johnson
– The Heart of the Mountains by Pepper Basham
– To Tame a Cowboy by Jody Hedlund
I haven’t read any of those (yet 😏)!!
Thanks for sharing 🤗