December Recap & January Reading

My December 2019 Reads: 

With December being a naturally busy month, I'm surprised and pleased that I read as many books as I did.

In December, I finished:

1. Love You, Truly by Susan L. Tuttle. - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Read my review.


2. Praying With Jane by Rachel Dodge - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Read my review.


3. Christmas at Carnton by Tamera Alexander. - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Read my review.


4. The Dating Charade by Melissa Ferguson. - ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Read my review.


5. Above the Fold by Rachel Scott McDaniel - ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Review coming soon.


6. The Way of the Brave by Susan May Warren - ⭐⭐⭐ - Review coming soon.

My favorite book this month was.... Love You, Truly by Susan L. Tuttle. Honestly, I wasn't sure I even wanted to read this book, but I gave it a chance and I'm so glad I did! 

Expected January 2020 Reads:

In January, I expect to read:

1. On Wings of Devotion by Roseanna M. White - I'm already hearing good buzz about this book so I'm looking forward to it!


2. The Magician's Nephew by C.S. Lewis - Still in progress! It's not a review book and has slid to the bottom of my stack.


3. The Spice King by Elizabeth Camden - My local book club's January selection!


4. Isaiah's Legacy by Mesu Andrews - Both my husband and I will read this one. He loves Mesu Andrews' books!


5. Booked by Karen Swallow Prior - I'm currently reading this memoir and it's amazing.


6. Anne's House of Dreams by L. M. Montgomery - I may or may not read this one. I haven' t read the prior books in the series, but the online book group I joined is reading it.

 What will you read this month?

Outstanding Reads of 2019

It's the very last day of 2019 and time to share TEN outstanding books I read this year. Okay... maybe there's actually eleven here, but the first two go together. 😉 Not all were published this year, but I read them all in 2019. They are in order according to when I read them. I couldn't pick a favorite.

---

Sons of Blackbird Mountain and Daughters of Northern Shores by Joanne Bischof. I read these back-to-back with my local book club and we all loved them! Read my review of Daughters of Northern Shores.

The Memory House by Rachel Hauck. This book reintroduced me to Rachel Hauck's work after a hiatus from it.  Read my review here.

The Noble Guardian by Michelle Griep. Ms. Griep's finest book so far, in my opinion. Read my review here.

The King's Mercy by Lori Benton. My book club leader introduced me to Lori Benton's Pathfinders series early in the year. I jumped at the opportunity to read The King's Mercy. Read my review here.










Until the Mountains Fall by Connilyn Cossette. I waited so long for Malachi and Rivkah's story and it did not disappoint! Read my review here.

The Baggage Handler by David Rawlings. This book made me ugly-cry... more than once. But, the message inside was so worth it! Read my review.











The Words Between Us by Erin Bartels. This novel was filled with bookish goodness and I loved it. Read my review here.









How to Survive a Shipwreck: Help is on the Way and Love is Already Here by Jonathan Martin. I didn't agree with everything in the book, but it met me where I was at a tremendously difficult time in my life.

Strong, Brave, Loved by Holley Gerth. Another devotional that met me where I was and spoke truth into my mind and heart. Read my review.

Love You, Truly by Susan L. Tuttle. I wasn't even sure I wanted to read this book, but I'm so glad I did! Read my review.

Book Review: Love You, Truly by Susan L. Tuttle

About the Book:

Blake Carlton, the camera-shy son of Hollywood’s Darling, dodges the invasive limelight and scripted relationships that so often accompany fame. But when his mother’s popularity declines and she falls into a depression, he offers himself up as the next bachelor on a reality show, hoping to reignite interest in her career while creating a way for them to finally connect.

After her fiancé dumps her for her best friend, aspiring photographer Harlow Tucker is done with romance—until her beloved, disabled sister requests her aid to start a nonprofit. Harlow agrees to do whatever is needed to raise funds, even reluctantly costarring on a dating show with a notorious womanizer who distrusts anyone behind a lens.

As Blake and Harlow navigate the superficiality of a reality show, their preconceived notions of love are challenged. Deciding to trust each other feels like the ultimate risk, but taking that chance could lead to a love truly picture-perfect, worth both of their hearts.

My Thoughts:

I adored every page of Love You, Truly by Susan L. Tuttle. With a reality tv show as its setting, the perpetual changes and circumstantial drama held my attention throughout the story. The amazing romantic tension between Blake and Harlow made me resist putting it down even when I should have. As soon as I finished the book, I wanted to start back at the beginning and enjoy it again.

But it wasn’t all reality tv drama and sizzling romance in Love You, Truly. The novel has boldly-stated themes about how true fulfillment comes only from God, finding God’s purpose for one’s life, dealing with rejection, and feelings of inferiority. Both Blake and Harlow experience different types of loneliness and cope with it in different ways. It was a pleasure to find substantial character development in this contemporary romance. 

I recommend Love You, Truly by Susan L. Tuttle to readers looking for an amazing Christian romance novel. Seriously, it’s in my top ten books for this year. This was my first book by Susan L. Tuttle and I’ll be on the lookout for more! 5 Stars!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I was provided a copy of this ebook by the author. All opinions in this review are my own.