#revellreads

Book Review: Hadley Beckett’s Next Dish by Bethany Turner

Hadley Beckett’s Next Dish
by Bethany Turner
Rating: 4.5/5

How have I never heard of this author before?!! She is unreal! Her writing hits you right in the feels and she tackles emotions like no one I’ve ever read before. I could not put this book down (or stop listening to the audiobook which was really well done). Her main characters are so well written and developed.

Maxwell Cavanagh is a celebrity chef who knows he’s the best with nine Michelin stars and has the top-rated cooking show “To the Max” and is about to win a competition against Hadley Beckett, the Southern host of “At Home with Hadley”. When Max loses it when Hadley beats him, everything changes. While Max enters rehab, Hadley and her show become the top-rated show and she gets offered her dream of being featured on “Renowned”! Unfortunately, this dream comes with having to deal with Chef Max as a partner. As the two explore what it means to forgive and learn to trust each other to be able to work together, can they see past the celebrity personas and find love?

I laughed. I cried. I couldn’t stop reading (or listening). The message about forgiveness and second chances and dealing with the past and your identity is so authentic and ridiculously relatable. I’ve never read so many truths in a fictional book. I will definitely be reading more from Bethany Turner. She has a way with words that acknowledges and validates the character’s feelings but also gives them a way to move on and find healing. I am blown away by the author’s characters and her ability to incorporate faith and truth into real-life situations.

I highly recommend for those that enjoy contemporary Christian romance with humor with the ability to address life’s harder subjects. (I’d also check out the audiobook too!)

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

May 10, 2020 by Kim Book Reviews

Book Review: Star of Persia by Jill Eileen Smith

Star of Persia: Esther’s Story
by Jill Eileen Smith
Rating: 4/5

Who doesn’t love the story of Esther? Who hasn’t read a retelling of this epic story from the Bible? I was curious how the author would put her own spin on the story and was super impressed!

Meet the king of Persia, Xerxes, who is planning a war and has all of his officials and leaders celebrating for the week. Tricked into exiling his favorite queen, Xerxes is feeling even more inadequate at being a king. After selecting the young and beautiful Esther to be his new queen, he finds himself still distrusting all those around him. He doesn’t know who to trust except maybe Esther. As much as he finds himself falling more and more in love with Esther, the duties of his kingdom pull him away from their love. Esther must also face challenges of her own and risk her life to save those she loves.

The author thoroughly researched the historical record and compared it with the biblical record to weave a brilliant story that never fails to encourage and inspire. The author introduces some historical figures who are not in the biblical account but they provide hidden agendas and motivations for why certain familiar characters act the way they did. I loved getting a different perspective on Vashti and hearing her story in the beginning is definitely different than the account I grew up learning in Sunday school. The main characters have more layers and their backstories really drive them in their decision-making. I loved the author’s notes at the end regarding “Sometimes our God works in silence.” Though God’s name is not mentioned in the biblical account, “His handiwork is visible on every page.” So good!

I highly recommend this retelling of the story of Esther, especially for those who think they know what happened.

My thanks to Revell 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.

March 5, 2020 by Kim Book Reviews

Book Review: Collateral Damage by Lynette Eason

Collateral Damage
by Lynette Eason
Book 1 in Danger Never Sleeps series
Release date: January 7, 2020
Rating: 4.5/5

Wow. That was so good. Lynette Eason always has thrilling stories but this one was extra special. Action, mystery, romance and medicine – what else could a girl need? (I’m not biased as a medical student at all lol.)

Having almost finished serving her time in the military as a psychiatrist, Captain Brooke Adams is injured overseas and sent home. She loves her job being able to help people but has never felt that she really helped any of the service men and women she saw in Afghanistan. She is determined to try to forget what happened and move on by not seeing any veterans in her new practice. That all changes when retiree Sergeant First Class Asher James walks back into her life just as bullets are flying. Unsure of why she’s being pursued, she and Asher must figure out what the bad guys are after and how to keep each other safe along the way. Will the sparks flying between these two souls help them deal with their PTSD and bring them closer together?

The military details are very authentic sounding and well explained for a non-military person like myself. It was a bit confusing in the first chapter with all the military lingo, but after re-reading it a second time, it made more sense. I guess I needed a warmup. 😉

I also love the way that Eason incorporates her faith into these stories. She has a way of weaving it all into the story without any cringe.

Her characters are flawed and need time to grow and develop. Mental health is such a huge topic in this day and age, especially with veterans. The story could be taken from the headlines – I love that she writes about what’s current and relevant for today.

Highly recommend to anyone who loves Christian military action, romance, mystery, and suspense.

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.