Just Stab Me Now by Jill Bearup

A desperate mother. A dubious escort. And a deranged author who won’t leave them alone.

Caroline Lindley is determined that her new romance novel will be her best one yet. Fantasy! Formal gowns! Fencing! And, of course, a twentysomething heroine to star in an enemies-to-lovers plot with all of Caroline’s favourite tropes. But Lady Rosamund Hawkhurst is a thirty-six-year-old widow with two children, her sole focus is facilitating a peace treaty between her adopted nation and her homeland, and she flatly refuses to take the correct approach to there being Only One Bed. What’s an author to do? If you loved Stranger Than Fiction and The Princess Bride, you will soon find yourself cheering on enemies-to-BFFs Rosamund and Caroline as together they learn what it means to be the hero of your own story.

I bought the book because I very much enjoy the author's videos on Youtube, and the Fantasy Heroine series of shorts was delightful. So I went in expecting to like the book (I already knew the plot and enjoy the Bearup's humor, which presumably translates from video to page). At the same time, I expected to have it give it some grace, being written by a Youtube content producer who has never written (nor considered writing) a book before and accomplished it in roughly a year. 

Honestly, I thought the book was better than most recent fantasy I've read. It's utterly delightful and much more fleshed-out than the videos. Without already knowing it, I'd never have expected this was essentially a fan-service by someone who has never tried to write a book before nor ever intends to write one again--it's actually a well-written book. (And for those of us who care: the editing is superb--it's not riddled with errors like some self-published novels and even some mainstream.) In contrast to the dark and gritty stories that have become so popular recently, it's the sort of light, clean, swashbuckling romance that tends to find a permanent place on my shelves. 

And it's actually romantic. Very slow-burn, and the payoff is wonderful in the end. The romantic tropes are frequently subverted, but not in the usual ways (as some subverted romantic tropes have become so common that they're cliché.) As much as it jokes about being Enemies-to-Lovers, it isn't really; there's no heated bickering with sparks flying that accumulates to the leads letting passion take the better of them. Rosamund and Leo are way too pragmatic and, honestly, way too kind. She's dealing with grief and fear for her children; he's doing his best to protect her (and not just physically--emotionally, she's been through the ringer and he's very sensitive about it).

People like to liken anything and everything to The Princess Bride; but this is one instance where I'd say, if you like the Princess Bride film, there's a good chance you'll like this book. It's similar low-magic fantasy, with sword-fighting, a bit of revenge/justice, and, eventually, true love. The plots aren't alike, but it has a comparable light-hearted, swashbuckling character to it, along with the sense that it's a story being told (or in this case, written) with "real-world" intrusions. Just delightful.

Embers in the London Sky by Sarah Sundin

As the German army invades the Netherlands in 1940, Aleida van der Zee Martens escapes to London to wait out the Occupation. Separated from her three-year-old son, Theo, in the process, the young widow desperately searches for her little boy even as she works for an agency responsible for evacuating children to the countryside. When German bombs set London ablaze, BBC radio correspondent Hugh Collingwood reports on the Blitz, eager to boost morale while walking the fine line between truth and censorship. But the Germans are not the only ones Londoners have to fear as a series of murders flame up amid the ashes. The deaths hit close to home for Hugh, and Aleida needs his help to locate her missing son. As they work together, they grow closer and closer, both to each other and the answers they seek. But with bombs falling and continued killings, they may be running out of time.

I enjoyed the change of pace in this WWII book; its backbone is still the history, with a focus on 1940-1941 London, but the personal stories are what really make it. In some ways, it has more in common with a mystery/suspense novel, as Aleida searches for her missing son and Hugh researches his uncle's murder (I absolutely did not suspect the murderer, for all that the clues were there). In the midst of it, there's the air raids, Hugh's work as a broadcaster for the BBC Radio, Aleida's work with child evacuations, and the moral/ethical issues of censorship and telling the truth versus boosting moral.

Sarah Sundin's research is always excellent, and this book is no different. Aleida's search for son is especially heart-breaking, but also uplifting.

Her Part to Play by Jenny Erlingsson

Desperate for extra income after her mother's passing, Adanne accepts a last-minute job as a makeup artist for a movie filming in her small Alabama hometown. She's working to save her parents' legacy and help her brother, but the money hardly seems worth having to face the actor who got her fired from her last job in Hollywood. John Pope has made his share of mistakes over the years. But after turning his life over to God and enduring a messy breakup, he's ready to start rebuilding his career. Imagine his surprise when the woman called in to cover for his usual makeup artist is a quiet but feisty newcomer on the set--and definitely not a fan. Sparks of tension--and could that be attraction?--fly between them, but Adanne hates the spotlight, and John's scheming manager has bigger plans for him than to end up with the humble makeup girl from the small-town South. Can these star-crossed lovers find their way to happiness? Or will the bright lights of Hollywood blind their eyes to what's right in front of them?

If you enjoy a solid, faith-filled story, this is for you. The characters are far from perfect--each has their hang-ups, even while living in faith--but they're still encouraging examples for navigating the challenges of life. Adanne was very relatable, especially her habit of carrying burdens by herself (that being a tendency I fall into easily enough, myself). And even without her extra trauma courtesy her experience in Hollywood, I understand her desire to avoid the spotlight.

I'm not usually keen on celebrity stories (real or fictional), but I'm glad I gave this author a shot. It pairs really well with Toni Shiloh's novel The Love Script. I hope we get stories about Adanne's cousins!

Thank you Revell and NetGalley for the complimentary e-book. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions are my own.

The British Booksellers by Kristy Cambron

A tenant farmer’s son had no business daring to dream of a future with an earl’s daughter, but that couldn’t keep Amos Darby from his secret friendship with Charlotte Terrington . . . until the reality of the Great War sobered youthful dreams. Now decades later, he bears the brutal scars of battles fought in the trenches and their futures that were stolen away. When the future Earl of Harcourt chose Charlotte to be his wife, she knew she was destined for a loveless match, having given her heart to another long ago. Twenty-five years later, Charlotte remains a war widow who divides her days between her late husband’s declining estate and operating a quaint Coventry bookshop, with Amos nothing more than the rival bookseller across the lane. As war with Hitler looms, Charlotte's daughter is determined to preserve her father’s legacy. So when an American solicitor arrives threatening a lawsuit that could destroy everything they’ve worked so hard to preserve, mother and daughter prepare to fight back. But with devastation wrought by the Luftwaffe’s local blitz terrorizing the skies, battling bookshops—and Amos and Charlotte—must put aside their differences and fight together to help Coventry survive.

Dual timelines can be a bit hit-or-miss for me, since generally I'd prefer two full stories rather than two half-stories that have been pushed together, but when the timelines are about the same people, I'm generally confident that the story will mesh well. However, I struggled through this one. 

Normally I don't have a problem keeping track of details from one timeline to the other, but I spent most of the book thinking I missed something. Sometimes an explanation finally came later--and not just a chapter later, but sometimes over half the book later. In the WWII timeline, I would have thought the reason Jacob is suing Charlotte and Eden to be a fairly important detail, but it's chapters after the subject is introduced that we find out for what. And even then, I never understood why Eden was set to inherit (I have an assumption, but if it was actually spelled out, somehow I missed it). So many things introduced in the WWI timeline don't get real explanations--at best, they're briefly glossed over: the broken cello, Gretna Green, the book arrest, why Charlotte married Will after all. And why the rival bookshops?  Why the supposed animosity (that never actually played out on the page)?

The historical detail is well researched, for both timelines. Amos's role as a veterinary sergeant in WWI, the land girls, the bombing of Coventry--all that was excellent. But the story itself left me with more questions than answers. Maybe I'd have struggled less if it were more linear, or if it didn't have Eden's viewpoint; I didn't dislike her chapters, but they seemed superfluous when Amos and Charlotte were clearly the focus and able to carry the story on their own.

Thank you Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for the complimentary e-book. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions are my own.

Rocky Road by Becky Wade - Sons of Scandal, book 2

FBI Agent Jude Camden handles every aspect of his job with by-the-book professionalism. There's no reason why his latest assignment—which calls for him to pose as the boyfriend of perfumer Gemma Clare—should be any different. Except Gemma is different. She's creative, bold, and feisty. And as soon as she meets Jude, she wants to loosen him up, wrinkle his perfect shirts, and test every ounce of his towering self-control. The FBI has an iron-clad rule against romances between those working together on operations. Jude's never met a rule he didn't respect. But adhering to this one is going to be tough because, as time goes by, he finds Gemma more and more irresistible. Buckle up! It's going to be a rocky road. 

I don't read a lot of contemporary romances, but Becky Wade is one author I will read every time. I love the humor and emotion that Wade manages to capture. I wasn't too sure of Gemma at first, since she seems like a "rules are meant to be broken" kind of person, but in spite of deriving enjoyment from pushing the envelope (at least where Jude is concerned), she's actually really solid--in faith, responsibility, business, familial relationships. Jude was the best. I loved his self control, his integrity, his still-waters-run-deep personality.

It is absolutely shocking (and I cannot overstate how satisfying) when 1. characters act with integrity even knowing there will be unpleasant consequences (Jude with the FBI); and 2. characters withstand temptation to do something stupid that everyone told them not to do (Gemma and New York). #1 didn't surprise as much, because it's fully within Jude's character as a very straight-laced man of integrity, but I was proud that he stayed true and didn't succumb to the bad impulses that so often plague fictional characters. #2 surprised me exceedingly, because Gemma is impulsive and it would have been within her character to do (idiotic, frustrating, and dangerous, but arguably within character), and it is a cliché to which far too many heroines fall victim. I will long bask in this rare joy of characters who choose the smart thing with short-term pain that will lead toward long-term success, rather than opt for short-term satisfaction with long-term consequences. Author, I salute you.

I greatly look forward to Max's story with the mysterious Sloane.

Sons of Scandal
1. Memory Lane
2. Rocky Road

The Elusive Truth of Lily Temple by Joanna Davidson Politano

Peter Driscoll, an underground investigator to the wealthy, has never met anyone like Lily Temple. The beautiful silent-film actress spins fairy tales and plays frivolous roles in front of the cine-camera, but beneath the costumes and stage makeup is a woman with a quick wit--and a murky past. Peter has been tasked with locating the legendary Briarwood Teardrop, an exquisite sapphire, which Lily wears beneath her gown. In order to stay close to her and hopefully unravel the mystery of her story--and the sapphire--Peter employs Lily's help on a case, which leads to a useful partnership. But as they are investigating together, Peter is also investigating Lily. The closer he gets to the truth, the more danger they face. And the closer he gets to Lily, the clearer it is that he needs her even more than she needs him.

If you love stories and storytelling (think fairy tales, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, A Tale of Two Cities), this is the book for you. Essentially the book is comprised of Lily Temple telling her story, with smaller stories within the story--a bit Arabian Nights-esque (but not quite as convoluted). There's her past, which she doles out in the form of stories (so that one can't be certain which parts are true, until near the end). There's the movie she stars in, which we get installments of throughout the book. And there are other people's stories that she and Peter help complete in his job as an inquiry agent. At the same time, there are also moments that are very allegorical, with pretty unmistakable metaphors of God's love.

The author's writing is as lovely as ever, and its very literary quality enhances the story theme of the book. I wasn't surprised by the twists, but the author did, through Lily's stories, set them up for if one caught onto the right details. My main complaint is that the ending felt a little incomplete--I could have done with an epilogue ensuring that justice was served, rather than what seemed to me a rather ambiguous ending. And the cover looks 2-3 decades in the future, not that it actually impacts the story at all.

Thank you Revell and NetGalley for the complimentary e-book. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions are my own.

If the Boot Fits by Karen Witemeyer - Texas Ever After, book 2

Determined to prove that cattle king Eli Dearing has no justification for evicting his stepmother and half brothers, Asher Ellis uses the cover of a fancy ball to break into the Three Cedars ranch house to search for proof of wrongdoing. On the verge of discovery, he flees, but a boy's cry compels him to make a daring rescue. Spunky and independent, Samantha Dearing balks when she learns the ball her father is hosting in her honor is nothing more than a matrimonial ambush. Taking a break from her unwanted suitors, Samantha spots a thief fleeing her home. When the stranger ends up saving her brother's life, she hides the only clue to his identity left behind--his boot--and resolves to find him herself. But when Samantha encounters the older brother of a student she tutors, all thoughts of the bootless mystery man vanish. And although Asher tries to keep his distance from Samantha for reasons of his own, a series of suspicious accidents befall her, and his protective instincts flare, no matter the cost to their future.

I love fairy tales, but I think this book was better for having been inspired by Cinderella and then running off in its own direction (let's face it, most fairy tales are bit shy on relationship development). Every now and then a detail would crop up as a nod to the Disney version of Cinderella (which was fun for nostalgia, but at the same time, I just don't like Disney upheld as the Definitive Version of any fairy tale). I loved how a lot of things were turned on their heads--Asher as Cinderella, rather than Samantha; it begins with the dance and Asher losing his boot rather than climaxing with the ball; Asher's stepmother is as sweet as they come, and his little brothers are adorable.

For the most part, it really is its own story--most of the plot doesn't have much to do with the fairy tale other than as a jumping-off point. I wasn't actually surprised by the plot twist near the end; the author did a good job setting it up, and I actually managed to latch onto the right clues early on. I really appreciate it when something like that is foreshadowed so that it makes sense, not having it appear melodramatically out of the blue. I also appreciated that Samantha starts working on her relationship with her dad pretty much from the beginning; they have a ways to go, with misunderstandings to work through (some immature behavior to repent of . . . ). 

Over all, it's sweet, entertaining, and faith-filled. And of course, if you love Disney's Cinderella, there are plenty of sly references to watch for.

Thank you Bethany House and NetGalley for the complimentary e-book. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions are my own.

Texas Ever After
1. Fairest of Heart
2. If the Boot Fits
3. Cloaked in Beauty