Love and Other Mistakes
by Jessica Kate
Rating: 5/5

Wow. Just wow. Never have I read a story so poignant and so real and frustrating I wanted to yell at the characters. This book is THAT GOOD. I can’t explain how riled up the story made me and how much I just had to keep reading. I’m such a sucker for stories within a story. There were just enough characters to keep me hooked without getting too confusing.

Natalie has the opportunity of a lifetime – a second chance at her dream job, but it’s only an internship and she needs another part-time job to help with finances. Her ex-fiance, Jem, is back in town with his infant son and needs a part-time nanny. Desperate to prove that she has what it takes in ministry, she agrees to nanny Jem’s son, Oliver.

Jem is back in his hometown but hesitant to interact with his father who makes him feel like he’s never good enough. His first love, Natalie, doesn’t seem to want to forgive him but he’d love another chance to be with her. He’s a single dad trying to raise his son and care for his niece.

Lili, Jem’s teenage niece, ends up staying with her uncle and helping watch the baby after school. Lili’s own family seems to be falling apart and she can’t tell anyone. She’s being torn up inside and acting out. Where is God in all the chaos?

This story is real, funny, sad, frustrating, heart-breaking, hopeful, and a testament about the power of the forgiveness of God. I highly recommend reading this book. The author is not afraid to address issues that come up in real life and some of the hypocrisy that exists in the church. As a Christian, I was pleasantly surprised at how the author portrayed what was happening and the downward spirals that can easily occur. She addressed God’s forgiveness and the hope that it brings.

This book is worth reading.

My thanks to Netgalley for an ARC of the book. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own. No positive review was expected and no compensation received.

About the Book

Book: Strands of Truth
Author: Colleen Coble
Genre: Suspense
Release Date: September 10, 2019

Harper Taylor is used to being alone—after all, she grew up in one foster home after another. Oliver Jackson finally took her under his wing when she was a runaway teenager, and now Harper pours her marine biology knowledge into Oliver’s pen shell research. But she’s never stopped wishing for a family of her own.

So when a DNA test reveals a half-sister living just two hours away, Harper is both hopeful and nervous. Over warm cinnamon rolls, Harper and Annabelle find striking similarities in their stories. Is it just a coincidence that both their mothers died tragically, without revealing Harper and Annabelle’s father’s name?

Oliver’s son Ridge still sees Harper as a troubled teen even all these years later. But when Oliver is attacked, Ridge and Harper find themselves working together to uncover dangerous secrets that threaten to destroy them all. They must unravel her past before they can have any hope for the future.

Suspense, romance, and generational secrets meld in this engrossing new novel from USA TODAY bestselling author Colleen Coble.

Click here to get your copy.

About the Author

Colleen Coble is a USA TODAY bestselling author and RITA finalist best known for her coastal romantic suspense novels, including The Inn at Ocean’s Edge, Twilight at Blueberry Barrens, and the Lavender Tides, Sunset Cove, Hope Beach, and Rock Harbor series.

Connect with Colleen online at colleencoble.com; Instagram: colleencoble; Facebook: colleencoblebooks; Twitter: @colleencoble.

My Thoughts

Strands of Truth
by Colleen Coble
Rating: 4.5/5
Release date: Sep 10, 2019

Colleen Coble NEVER disappoints! Here’s another fast-paced, action-packed, mystery with inspirational romance that will keep you guessing and reading till the end!

This is a story that spans generations and it was a bit confusing at first but the reader gets used it. They are clear when changing the date for the setting, so they do their best not to confuse you. I appreciated all the different characters’ POVs and was encouraged to see true character development and not just with the main characters of Harper and Ridge. The romance is not as well-developed as the rest of the story (hence not a perfect 5/5), but the rest of the book elements make for a delightful read that I highly recommend.

As someone who’s tried out Ancestry DNA and 23andMe, I loved how Coble’s mind just ran with a story – not just any story but a mystery. As a total geek, I kept trying to guess the why and was not disappointed with the ending. The story is more than just boy falls in the love with girl and there’s some mystery in the background. The book stands out because it allows its characters to be human and adapt and find some sort of peace in a chaotic world.

My thanks to the author, CelebrateLit, and Netgalley for an ARC of the book. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own. No positive review was expected and no compensation received.

Excerpt

Blog Stops

Wow! Just wow! What a debut for an author! Talk about a grace point. As a reader, I can tell there was so much love and wisdom poured into this story. I’ve lost some sleep and cried tears. I’ve laughed and awwwwed with the best of them. Take me back to Heritage!

Hannah is trying to be a realtor but keeps wanting to prevent her sellers from selling to a certain town developer. She’s obsessed with making up for her mother’s past and abandonment. Her best friend Luke is trying to make the small town of Heritage his home but as a foster child, he still feels he’s never belonged even after many years. That kiss from senior year in the tree house didn’t end up bringing happily ever after but the attraction is still there. 

Back fresh from Paris after a year, Janie is convinced she’s still trusting in God’s plan. All those plans made with Hannah’s brother, Thomas, got shot down when he dumped her with no real explanation. Now she’s back and Thomas is engaged! What’s a girl to do except take a temporary baking job and end up working with Thomas in the diner for a few months?

A small town has its quirks and two couples struggling to keep their secrets from one another. A romantic comedy that is both satisfying and heartfelt while geniusly weaving in God’s power to redeem and heal His children. Such a great message and such a fun read any time of year! 

Highly recommended! 

My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC of the book. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own. No positive review was expected and no compensation received.