February 2021 Reading Recap & March 2021 TBR

My February 2021 Reads:

February blessed me with more reading time than January did. As you can see below, I exclusively read books I had received for review. I would like to get into my TBR stack of books I received for Christmas, but that might be awhile away still. Not complaining though, I love receiving books for review. In February, I finished:

1. The Hesitant Heiress by Dawn Crandall - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Read my review.


2. Beauty Among Ruins by J'nell Ciesielski - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Review coming soon.


3. The Dress Shop on King Street by Ashley Clark. - ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Read my review.


4. Stay with Me by Becky Wade - ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - This was a second reading. Read my original review.


5. Suitors for the Proper Miss by Jen Geigle Johnson - ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Read my review.


6. His to Keep by Sherrinda Ketchersid - ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Read my review.


7. The Moonlight School by Suzanne Woods Fischer. - ⭐⭐⭐ - Read my review.


8. A Dance in Donegal by Jennifer Deibel. - ⭐⭐⭐ - Read my review.

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Expected March 2021 Reads:

In March, I hope to read:

1. A Dark Beauty by Clarissa Kae.


2. Veiled in Smoke by Jocelyn Green. - A reread in anticipation of the sequel! Read my original review here.


3. Shadows of the White City by Jocelyn Green - sequel to Veiled in Smoke.


4. Can't Buy Me Love by Andrea Christenson.


5. What We Inherit by Jessica Pearce Rotondi - A step out of my normal genre, but it sounds so interesting!


6. Under the Tulip Tree by Michelle Shocklee - My local book club's selection for March.


7. The Piano Teacher by Kristie Self.


8. Stronger Every Day by Janell Rardon. - Currently Reading!

What will you read this month?

First Line Fridays: Stay With Me by Becky Wade

Happy Friday! 

First Line Fridays is hosted by Hoarding Books and participants share the first line from a nearby book.

Today, I'm sharing the first line from Stay With Me by Becky Wade:

"The hallway floor jolts downward beneath my feet, throwing me off balance."

Have you read this book? Book blurb below and you can read my review here.

What are you reading this weekend? I'd love for you to share your book's first line!

Happy reading!

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About the Book:

Loving her is a risk he can't afford . . . and can't resist.

When acclaimed Bible study author Genevieve Woodward receives an anonymous letter referencing her parents' past, she returns to her hometown in the Blue Ridge Mountains to chase down her family's secret. However, it's Genevieve's own secret that catches up to her when Sam Turner, owner of a historic farm, uncovers the source of shame she's worked so hard to hide.

Sam has embraced his sorrow, his isolation, and his identity as an outsider. He's spent years carving out both career success and peace of mind. The last thing he wants is to rent the cottage on his property to a woman whose struggles stir his worst failure back to life. Yet can he bear to turn her away right when she needs him most?

April Reading Re-Cap & Expected May Reads

My April 2020 Reads: 

I realize I'm posting this a bit early, but I know I won't finish any more books before the end of the month so I thought I'd go ahead and share.

April brought lots of challenges into our household and I found myself gravitating toward lighter reading. Usually I'm all about deep character development and moving stories. But this month, the lighter, less probing books met my reading tastes.

In April, I finished:

1. Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen, annotated by Karen Swallow Prior. - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Read my review.


2. Daughter of Rome by Tessa Afshar - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Read my review.


3. Stay with Me by Becky Wade - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Read my review.


4. Emberhawk by Jamie Foley - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Read my review.


5. The House at the End of the Moor by Michelle Griep - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Read my review.


6. The Chisholm Trail Bride by Kathleen Y'Barbo - ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Read my review.


7. Fierce, Free and Full of Fire: The Guide to Being Glorious You by Jen Hatmaker. - ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Review coming 5/12/20.


8. The Prophet and the Dove by Kirby Lee Davis - ⭐⭐ - Review to come.

With so many five star reads, there's no way I can pick a favorite. 🤷 It was a great reading month! 🙂

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Expected May 2020 Reads:

In May, I hope to read:

1. An Uncommon Woman by Laura Frantz. - I've been looking forward to reading this book for months!!! It's my local book club's selection for May and we'll be chatting with the author! Can't wait! 🙂


2. Storing Up Trouble by Jen Turano. - This author is not new to the Christian fiction scene, but she is new-to-me.


3. Ruby Moon by Jennifer Knipfer. - Both this book and it's sequel have been sitting on my shelf for months! Sometimes I get soooo behind! 🙈


4. The Lost Lieutenant by Erica Vetsch. - A new to me author. I've already heard lots of good buzz about this novel.


5. A Mosaic of Wings by Kimberly Duffy. - Looking forward to this one!


6. The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall. - A group read I'm doing with some friends.

What will you read this month?

Book Review: Stay With Me by Becky Wade

About the Book:

Loving her is a risk he can't afford . . . and can't resist.

When acclaimed Bible study author Genevieve Woodward receives an anonymous letter referencing her parents' past, she returns to her hometown in the Blue Ridge Mountains to chase down her family's secret. However, it's Genevieve's own secret that catches up to her when Sam Turner, owner of a historic farm, uncovers the source of shame she's worked so hard to hide.

Sam has embraced his sorrow, his isolation, and his identity as an outsider. He's spent years carving out both career success and peace of mind. The last thing he wants is to rent the cottage on his property to a woman whose struggles stir his worst failure back to life. Yet can he bear to turn her away right when she needs him most?

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My Thoughts:

Stay with Me stands as a prime example of why Becky Wade rates as one of my favorite contemporary romance writers. So many elements worked together to form this beautiful story. It had Pride and Prejudice quotes, laugh-out-loud humor, emotional drama, family secrets, and an unfolding romance. The story held my attention as the characters dealt with tough issues such as prescription drug addiction, trauma, and following God’s leading. To me, the story didn’t feel dark or heavy, but I recognize that it could be more difficult for those who know someone struggling with prescription drug addiction or have fought that battle themselves. Thankfully, there is so much hope and truth in Stay with Me.

As I reviewed my notes on Stay with Me, I found seventeen topics or issues that the novel touched on. There are probably some that I missed. Though the story taps so many issues, it focuses in on only a few and wraps up beautifully in the end. I recommend Stay with Me to readers who enjoy contemporary romances with plenty of character development and spiritual truths.

Stay with Me by Becky Wade debuts as the first full-length novel in the Misty River Romance series. There is a prequel, Take a Chance on Me, in which Sam appears as a minor character; however, it is not necessary to read the prequel.

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

March Reading Recap & Expected April Reads

My March 2020 Reads: 

How life has changed since the last time I posted a reading recap! Unlike some other readers, my reading time has not seen a dramatic increase even though I am staying home during COVID-19. As it is, I only read after my daughters are tucked into bed for the night.

In March, I finished:

1. The Socialite by J'nell Ciesielski. - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Read my review.


2. Don't Overthink It by Anne Bogel - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Read my review.


3. A Wing and a Prayer by Julie Lessman - ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Read my review.


4. Before I Called You Mine by Nicole Deese - ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Review coming soon.


5. His Lady in Hiding by Jen Geigle Johnson. - ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Read my review.


6. The Basic Bible Atlas: A Fascinating Guide to the Land of the Bible by John A. Beck - ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Read my review.


7. Formula for a Perfect Life by Christy Hayes. - ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Read my review.


8. A Lady's Maid by Jen Geigle Johnson - ⭐⭐⭐ - Read my review.

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Expected April 2020 Reads:

In April, I hope to read:

1. Daughter of Rome by Tessa Afshar - My local book club's selection for April. Though we won't meet in person, we'll still discuss it via multiple emails.  


2. The Prophet and the Dove by Kirby Lee Davis. - Currently reading.


3. The House at the End of the Moor by Michelle Griep - I love Michelle's books and was thrilled when this one arrived in the mail!


4. The Lost Lieutenant by Erica Vetsch. - A new to me author.


5. Fierce, Free and Full of Fire: The Guide to Being Glorious You by Jen Hatmaker. - I've followed Jen on social media for awhile now, but this will be my first book by her.


6. Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen, annotated by Karen Swallow Prior. - I read Sense and Sensibility years ago, but I'm a fan of Karen Swallow Prior's works, so revisiting this classic seemed like a great idea!


7. Emberhawk by Jamie Foley - A fantasy, way out of my normal reading, but it sounds very interesting. My husband has already read it and loved it!


8. Stay with Me by Becky Wade. - With this large list, I'm not sure if I will get to the book in April or May. Either way, I'm looking forward to it!  😃

What will you read this month?