Backing Books: August 2019

My Rating: 4 Stars

Description: After her beloved grandfather's death, Emmaline Moore is shocked to discover that her "deceased" father is actually living in Canada. Having no other family, Emma decides she must find him, and so embarks on a journey across the ocean, accompanied by her best friend, Jonathan. Unfortunately, Randall Moore and his well-to-do family aren't thrilled by her arrival, fearing her sudden appearance will hinder his chance at becoming mayor of Toronto in 1919. Despite everything, Emma remains determined to earn their affection.

Jonathan Rowe has secretly loved Emma for years and hopes that during their trip he can win her heart. Concerned that Randall might reject her, Jonathan is ready to console Emma and bring her home. When she informs him that she has no intention of returning to England, Jonathan begins to despair. Can he convince Emma to find value within herself rather than seeking it from a virtual stranger? And will she ever come to see that Jonathan is her true home?

My Thoughts: At the beginning, this story was slow for me. I felt that there was a lot of backstory which made up Emma and Jonathan that would have been better shown rather than filled in, particularly the relationship with Danny. And without those events shown, I found it difficult to sympathize with Emma's decisions or Jonathan's devotion to her.

Around the midpoint is when this story started taking off. That was when Emma began helping her father and her sisters, showing that she was able to think things through and that she was capable of having goals other than simply wanting her father's affection. It was also when Corinne began to show more depth of character as well, where previously she had seemed rather flat and needlessly spiteful.

While I was not enthralled with how the first portion of the story played out, I do think that it set up the second half well. The characters and their conflicts took on more definition and their choices became more realistic. By the end, I think that I liked Corinne and Will's relationship more than I did Emma's and Jonathan's, as theirs was more patient. However, I still appreciated the theme woven into that of the main hero and heroine's story.

I'm glad that I was able to find this book, as I somehow missed the first in the series. And with complex relationship such those shown in this story, I will continue to read Susan's books for some time to come.

I have provided an honest review after receiving an ecopy of the book through Netgalley.

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

Love and Other Mistakes

By Jessica Kate

Christian Contemporary Romance

Paperback, Audiobook & ebook, 352 Pages

July 30th 2019 by Thomas Nelson

Jessica Kate’s hilarious, romantic debut novel proves that some mistakes—including love—are begging to be made again and again.

Natalie Groves once had big dreams. But soon after her fiancé, Jeremy Walters, inexplicably broke off their engagement and left town, her father was diagnosed with cancer. Now tasked with keeping her family afloat, Natalie’s grand plans have evaporated . . . and God feels very far away.

Fast-forward seven years, and Jeremy is back in Charlottesville with an infant son and years of regrets. When his niece, Lili, lands on his doorstep in need of a place to stay, Jeremy needs help—and fast.

An internship opening finally presents Natalie a chance at her dream job, but she needs a second income to work around it—and the only offer available is Jeremy’s. They could be the solutions to one another’s problems, provided they don’t kill each other in the process. When they join forces, sparks fly. But they both know there’s a thin line between love and hate . . . and that love will turn out to be the best decision—or the biggest mistake—of all.

Praise for the Book

“A stunning debut . . . This tale of love and redemption will stay with you long after you've closed the book. A must-read.” —Rachel Hauck, New York Times bestselling author of The Wedding Dress

“Witty. Charming. Heartfelt. I could go on and on about Jessica Kate’s debut novel. From its highly relatable characters to its pitch-perfect dialogue, Love and Other Mistakes is a delightful, romantic read filled with just the right amount of sass. I lost count of the number of times I laughed out loud as I watched Natalie and Jem navigate their relationships, careers, and faith. Definitely one of the most enjoyable books I've read lately, and I can't wait to see what’s next from Jessica Kate!” —Melissa Tagg, Carol Award–winning author of Now and Then and Always and the Walker Family series

“Love and Other Mistakes wraps a poignant and warm look at relationships within a smart, sly, and knowing comedic voice. Readers of Sally Thorne and Bethany Turner will be immediately at home with Natalie: an all-too-real heroine who balances whip-smart agency with an endearing vulnerability and whose intersection with long-lost Jeremy helps her forge a path to confidence and discover the woman she was always meant to be. Kate’s unputdownable debut recognizes that all human relationships—familial, friendship, romantic—are worth the keen eye and clever insight of her talented pen.” —Rachel McMillan, author of the Van Buren and DeLuca Mysteries

“If you’re looking for a story with sass on top of style, or a fresh voice pumped full of fun, you need to read Love and Other Mistakes. Then after you’ve enjoyed this—and I’m confident you will—make a date with whatever this exciting new author writes next!” —David Rawlings, author of The Baggage Handler

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About the Author

Australian author Jessica Kate is obsessed with sassy romances.

She packs her novels with love, hate, and everything in between—and then nerds out over her favorite books, movies and TV in the StoryNerds podcast. When she’s not writing or discussing fiction, she’s hunting the world for the greatest pasta in existence.

Her debut novel Love and Other Mistakes releases July 2019, while A Girl’s Guide to the Outback hits shelves in January 2020.

Receive her sassy short The Kiss Dare FREE when you sign up for her newsletter at jessicakatewriting.com. StoryNerds podcast is available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and at www.storynerds.podbean.com.

Author Q&A

What made you want to start writing?

I think I was born like this. 😊 I was always reading and writing stories, and started a lot of novels as a teen. But I decided to try writing seriously when I moved to the city at 21 and only had a part-time job. I decided to devote those extra hours to writing, and stuck with it (apart from one 6 month hiatus) when I returned to full time work.

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Review

The cover of this book screams comedic romance, which is a factor in this story though not how I would overall describe it having now read the book. Natalie and Jem are a pair of goofballs who like to pick on each other despite their complicated past and present circumstances. Yet a good portion of the story is devoted to the perspective of Lili, Jem's niece. Lili also has her moments of mischief, but her story line is far less cheery.

All of the characters in this book are dealing with a lot of baggage and family issues. Even baby Oli has a problem which compounds with those of everyone else, making this story more about family and doing your best no matter what everyone else is doing around you, than it is about Natalie and Jem's relationship.

Stating that, so long as this is the story you were expecting, I do think that this is a really good read. Natalie and Jem are an adorable couple, taking care of an adorable baby, and Lili is an amazingly relatable teenager. And the heavy, emotional scenes are balanced well with lighthearted moments that show the brighter side of life. There were a few moments which seemed unrealistic, but those played more into the comedic side of the story, making them easier to roll with.

I have provided an honest review after having received a copy of the book through JustRead Tours.

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