It was a big reading month for lil ole me!

I loved this month. It was like it went kind of fast, as the months always do, but I got so much reading done.

I tried to not binge an author, so you’ll see loads of different authors this month. Next month? I might just binge an author or two. MAYBE.

I hope you’re ready to read over 2,000 words today!

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The Perfect Putt by Annah Conwell

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Rating explained:

What’s not to love about Annah Conwell stories?

The banter was 🔥🔥🔥

I think a few times I thought Ellie was a bit too sassy with too much attitude to my liking, but the overall story and romance was perfection.

I happen to really like that golf has a representation now, this is the first book I’ve read and I am here for it, people.

Miles Day really does sound like a golfer name. juuuuust sayin’.

Book two in the More Than a Game series.

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Believing the Hero by Tara Grace Ericson

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Rating explained:

I didn’t know how I’d like this one before I started reading it because the characters were a bit more advanced in age than the usual characters I read about. A few chapters in is when I realized this book was written by Tara Grace Ericson and I was like wow, this is fine 😂 I don’t know why!!

But I did end up loving this book! The suspense was great and I loved the suspense and tension between characters.

Book nine in the Heroes of Freedom Ridge, multi-author series.

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Friends with the Hero by Jessie Gussman

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Rating explained:

I think this was my first book read by Jessie Gussman, and now I’m going to have to look up her books. 😄

I loved this old friends to best friends to lovers story. I really enjoyed the role God played in their lives and the way their stories were woven into each others plus all the events in the town that pushed things along.

Book ten in the Heroes of Freedom Ridge multi-author series.

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Big Apple Atonement by Carolyn Miller

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Rating explained:

I was so determined (obviously) to finish this series this year so I started this book in January and look how long it took. No reflection on the story though really. I just have great reading habits (read with sarcasm).

I really enjoyed the faith development and how real it was throughout the story. Midway through there was a point where one of the characters remembered that not only are we in the physical realm but there’s a spiritual war going on that we don’t see on the surface, but it impacts all of life.

This is book five in the Original Six series. There’s one more book in this series and then I have another Carolyn Miller series I’m planning to start. We’ll see when that happens.

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Double Duty Defense by MJ Padgett

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Rating explained:

I enjoyed this book, but it’s not my favorite, just because Greer was a bit of a character I was personally frustrated with throughout the story. I did really love the enemies to lovers trope and the faith element ~ they did seem to seek God throughout.

This is the first book I’ve read by MJ Padgett and now I want to read more by her. She has some other hockey romances 👀 and she has one more book at the end of this series I’m looking forward to reading as well.

Book three in the multi-author Dating a Denver Dragon series.

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The Rule Book by Sarah Adams

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Rating explained:

This was okay. After reading the Cheat Sheet, I was really looking forward to this one, but it didn’t deliver for me.

There were also a few scenes or chapters that should be skipped. I ended up “reading” this one via audiobook on Spotify and I think that’s the only thing that helped me. I skipped those spicier scenes easily.

Book two in the Cheat Sheet series.

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Merry Kismet by Anneka R. Walker

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Rating explained:

Only thanks to Spotify audiobook did I finish this in one day while I worked!! Less than 5 hours.

This was soooo enjoyable! I loved the characters and the hilarious dynamics at times.

Rockwell Davenport was such a cinnamon roll MMC. Brie was a cute character for FMC.

A cute Christmas read from the Gift-Wrapped Romance series.

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Sins of the Past by Bethany Klassen

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Rating explained:

A great historical western centered on faith and the sins of the past ~ like the title suggests. I loved the journey that the characters went on and how Matthew and Emma had their faith tested differently, but so applicably.

Overall, a great story that was heavy on the Gospel and very light on the romance. Honestly, a nice switch from what I’ve been reading, fiction-wise.

I look forward to more by Bethany Klassen!

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Solo for the Season by Martha Keyes

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Rating explained:

And next one finished by Spotify audio. 🫶🏻

This one was cute!! As I was listening to the crazy stuff that happened while Wes was trying to fix all the problems at the cabins, I laughed out loud. It was an enjoyable read to listen to Wes and Maggie reconcile and form a relationship.

Third book in the Gift-Wrapped Romance series.

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Persuaded by the Hero by Elle E Kay

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Rating explained:

I loved this one. It was such a sweet story of how people can change and the redeeming work of God in our lives.

“Do you think the Lord would’ve intervened?”

“He answers prayer. Sometimes we get the answer we hope for, and sometimes we don’t, but it always works together for our good in the end. It might not be something we can appreciate while we live here on this earth, but someday when we’re with Him, we’ll be able to look over our lives and see God’s goodness throughout.”

This is book eleven in the Heroes of Freedom Ridge series.

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Romanced by the Hero by Liwen Y. Ho

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Rating explained:

MacGyver 🫠 I’m a puddle.

The only thing about this that was not it for me was the speed in which their romance formed, but it’s fiction and I don’t have to believe it 😂 but the romance for Amy and Mac? Loved. Sweet story and so many little details packed in there.

Book 12 in the Heroes of Freedom Ridge series.

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Faith in the Hero by Jessie Gussman

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Rating explained:

Surely I’m not the only one who loves a story where the nanny falls for the single dad? 🫠🫶🏻 Summer is melting in this summer heat but also over this book.

The characters were almost too perfect. I loved them though. They had issues, but they communicated. They worked together so well. Let’s also not forget to mention how heavily they relied on God and what an encouragement that was to read. ❤️

This story, I noticed, had less interactions with the town as some of the other books, but it was so sweet. I loved this one and it was one of my favorites.

Book 13 in the Heroes of Freedom Ridge series.

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Potential Threat by Tara Grace Ericson

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Rating explained:

The only reason this took me so long is because it was an ebook and I started it at the hockey game during the season so it was the last book I think I started as a full length book ebook. I dont read much on ebook just at home for reading material, but I really wanted to get this done so I read it. Now that its done… and its part of a series… I may have to get the other books in the series as ebooks as well. I’ll wait til October though when hockey starts back up, LOL.

I loved this one! Tara Grace Ericson has a really good way of writing characters that pull you in and just feel. I had mixed feelings about the tension between them, but I think it was because my reading was sporadic. The suspense and danger in this one was up there and had me hooked. If you’re not much into the danger and threats on life, this might not be the book for you though.

Book one in the Black Tower Security series.

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Running Mate by Leah Brunner

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Rating explained:

Another one that I’m surprised didn’t have high reviews.

I read a book from this series many months ago because it was set at Christmas time and I got the Christmas cover edition and knocked it out. Now I’m reading them in order.

I was actually going to listen to the audiobook and did for a while, until I found out that Spotify only gives you so many free reading hours. 🥲 So it stopped after I had “read” 60 some pages.

I loved this story of marriage of convenience! These always get me, too. It’s the tension of being married but not wanting to catch feels, and being unable to prevent it. The characters were likable and their names are great! Madden and Odette? Cute.

This is book one in the Under Kansas Skies series.

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The Faith of Elvis by Billy Stanley

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Rating explained:

Backstory no one asked for: I’ve been listening to more Elvis the past few months. Mostly because there was a guy I had been talking to that was a huge fan and so in talking to him, I was exposed to more Elvis than I had been my whole life. I learned he sang familiar songs that I didn’t know he sang and I found I really enjoy his gospel songs. So now I have him in my playlist while I no longer talk to the guy who introduced me to Elvis. Anyway, I was at Mardel and this was the only copy of this book just sitting there. I picked it up and read the first two chapters while walking around. Don’t go telling me it’s illegal to walk and read, though!

Anyway…

I really enjoyed this book. Do I think it was the best written book or thought it was life-changing? No. I also don’t think that was the intention.

This book highlighted to me a viewpoint from a guy who was, in all the important ways, a brother to Elvis, who was deeply impacted and was simply sharing a piece of himself with us, the reader. The focus of this book was primarily the faith that Elvis had and imparted to Billy Stanley. We also get a dose of Billy’s personal testimony.

He boils down the lessons to take away from this at the end:

1. Don’t take life for granted.

2. Base your life on the Bible.

3. Show God’s love to the people around you.

I remember talking with him about his love of giving one time. He said, “Billy, it’s not a sin to be rich, but it is a sin to love money. That’s why I give so much of myself and what I have.” Then he showed me Proverbs 11:25, which says, “A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.” Giving to others made Elvis feel happy and fulfilled. He loved the sensation of helping others.

He wrote in his Bible, “If one can’t give what they have and share then they will always be empty.” Elvis was more of a giver than a receiver. You might even say he was born to give. He never looked to any other star, athlete, or celebrity for how to live. He simply looked to Jesus. More than anything, Elvis wanted to be like Jesus in his actions, especially in the way he was generous.

When you let God in, something miraculous happens in your heart.

Toward the end of the book he quoted a conversation between himself and Elvis where Elvis said that the heart would never lie to you, but we know that that’s not biblically accurate.

“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?”
‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭17‬:‭9‬ ‭ESV‬‬

There was also a few stories that I was skeptical on. Like the mention of ghosts – I’m skeptical on the thought of ghosts, but I guess Elvis believed.

The other areas detailed of Elvis were great to read about and did give me more insight into who he was as a person because I haven’t ever learned much about him except that he’s the “king of rock n roll.”

I appreciated how often Elvis told Billy that humans all fall short and he pointed him to Jesus instead.

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The Unexpected Inn by Rachael Bloome

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Rating explained:

Returning to Blessings Bay was such a treat! I love the heartwarming stories and characters that Rachael Bloome creates.

In this novel, we visit Abigail Preston and Logan again at the Inn who are joined by Abby’s friend Nadia. How all their plots come together in Blessings Bay is fun and interesting. I really look forward to the next book in the series, The Unbound Bookshop.

This is book two in the Blessings Bay series.

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That’s all for this month! I’m looking forward to some days off in July and getting more books read so I can talk about them here! 🫶🏻

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Book goal for the year: 75

Books read this month: 16

Books read this year: 60

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Feel free to share what you read in June in the comments!