BOOKMARKED FOR LOVE by Sarah Monzon, Reviewed by Winnie Thomas for #JustRead

WINNIE'S REVIEW:
Talented author Sarah Monzon’s contemporary rom-com Bookmarked for Love is entertaining and delightful. I enjoyed the witty and comfortable banter between the main characters, children’s librarian Martha Aldridge and Julien King, the heir to a publishing empire. When Martha approaches Julien about a donation to save her children’s program at the small library she works at, he agrees if she’ll help him try to save the children’s imprint at his company.

I was impressed how the author tackled some seldom-used tropes in her story—middle-aged main characters with age gap, plus-sized heroine, different social levels, etc.—and blended them together to add interesting elements to the tale. It was fun to see Martha and Julien accept their different strengths and life circumstances and be comfortable with each other.

With many laugh-out-loud moments and a bunch of chuckles and snorts, this story kept me turning the pages. This is the last book in Monzon’s Checking Out Love series but can be read as a standalone without losing much backstory. 
*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

SEE REVIEWS BY PAULA AND REBECCA

BackCover Blurb:
Can a jeopardized children's library program spark a partnership that saves their careers but costs them their hearts?

When children's librarian Martha Aldridge learns about budget cuts that will not only put her out of a job but also shut down the library's children's programs, she's determined to raise the funds needed to save both. The good news is, she knows just who to ask for a large donation on the library's behalf. The bad news? She swore she'd never step foot in his office again.

Julien King has been groomed to one day run his family's publishing empire, and now he must prove he's ready to take the helm by turning around the company's languishing children's imprint. That wouldn't be a problem, except he doesn't know the first thing about children's literature. So when Martha waltzes into his office, he sees an opportunity and makes her an offer she can't refuse. He'll give her the money she needs for the library in exchange for her help in acquiring a bestselling manuscript that will resurrect the dying imprint. The longer they're forced to work together, however, the more they come to realize their jobs may not be the only thing on the line. 

Bethany House Publishing, July, 2026

Available in digital ebook, paperback, and audiobook:

Buy BOOKMARKED FOR LOVE at Amazon, Christianbook, or Baker Book House 

 

THE BRUNSWICK by Calley Murray, Reviewed by Paula Shreckhise

(Historical Southern World War II Novel set in Georgia and Inspired by True Events with Themes of Foster and Adoption)

PAULA'S REVIEW:
This debut had so much heart. It was an emotional and realistic story. 

"Home was a soft place to land , where you were loved, safe and free. It was your own tilled row where your roots could grow deep and your branches could spread wide, where others could rest in your shade until they had land of their own.” 

With a resilient heroine and a brave, caring hero, this story showed that hope could prevail and love could be shown in adversity. 

Cora offered hope and stability in the midst of turmoil and upheaval and was the catalyst for bringing a community together to do a great service.  

This story had a strong representation of care for others, a bit of danger, and a believable romance. It was well-researched and showed that there is hope for the future even though you are uncertain of the changing circumstances.
*A complimentary copy of this book was provided by Revell through Interviews and Reviews via NetGalley. I was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are mine alone.*4.5 stars and a slight faith thread

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BackCover Blurb:
When Cora provides a safe haven for Jewish refugee children, she discovers that opening her doors means risking everything, including her heart.

In 1939 Georgia, far removed from the war brewing overseas, Cora Cain's world feels small--and shrinking. There, she runs The Brunswick, her family's once-grand hotel, which is now struggling as the town's general store. When Thomas Watkins arrives seeking work and solace after his mother's death, a connection sparks between them. Through Thomas, Cora glimpses a life beyond obligation and her war hero father's unpredictable moods.

But everything changes when Cora is asked to turn The Brunswick into a sanctuary for Jewish children fleeing persecution in Germany. As Cora and Thomas prepare for the children's arrival, they struggle to confront their pasts--and the prejudice of their neighbors--as their fragile hope is put to the test.

Meanwhile, in Vienna, ten-year-old Charlotte is offered refuge in America. But even with the horrors she sees around her, she wonders how her parents could possibly send her away. As war's shadow begins to reach small-town Georgia, each person must face what love demands and decide what to hold on to and what to let go. 

Revell Publishing, May, 2026

Available in digital ebook, paperback, hardcover, and audiobook:

Buy THE BRUNSWICK at Amazon, Christianbook, or Baker Book House  

 

THE REIMAGINED LIFE OF JADE MORROW by Vannetta Chapman, Reviewed by Paula #ReleaseDay

 A Novel of Healing and Second Chances

PAULA'S REVIEW:
Jade Morrow has made a career as an author writing books that reimagine lives of notable people. As her life takes an unexpected turn, she is living reality as she never reimagined it. 

I liked the way the story of Jade’s life was interspersed with excerpts from her novels of famous people. It takes a talented author to basically write several books in one. Ms. Chapman took me into the life of Jade Morrow and made me want to know more about her and see how her relationships progressed. 

An accidental fall was the catalyst for Jade to take a closer look at her life, circumstances, and the motivations that put her on the path that she had chosen and to make healthier lifestyle choices from then on. 

This beautifully written book had me wanting to explore the books mentioned and maybe wishing for there to be a real Jade Morrow so I could read all of her reimagined stories. 

The faith thread was underlying but you could tell that Daniel, Virginia and a few other characters were mature in their faith journey. 

The story is certainly a thought provoking look at how different people were not above reimagining their lives and prospered in doing so.
*A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the author. I was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are mine alone.*5 stars and an underlying faith thread

BackCover Blurb:

She’s spent her career rewriting the lives of famous women. Now she must find the courage to rewrite her own.
Bestselling author Jade Morrow has built a career reimagining history’s most iconic women and the single choices that changed their lives. But at forty-six, Jade’s own carefully constructed world is unraveling.

Crippling panic attacks force her to leave New York City behind and start over in Shelby, Texas, the small town her parents once called home. Determined to rebuild her life in solitude, Jade keeps everyone at a distance—until a devastating accident leaves her stranded and utterly alone.

As the people of Shelby slowly break through the walls she’s built around herself, Jade discovers that healing may require more courage than reinvention. And for the first time, she wonders if the life she truly wants is still waiting for her.

The Reimagined Life of Jade Morrow is an emotional and uplifting novel about grief, friendship, second chances, and learning that it’s never too late to choose a different future. 

Available in digital ebook and paperback at Amazon 

THE EYES OF RIVER by Cindy K. Sproles, Reviewed by Rebecca Maney

REBECCA'S REVIEW:
Fearing for his safety, Lizzy Haney makes the courageous decision to mail her younger brother by rail out of Holden's Gap and to a family friend in Knoxville, Tennessee. Due to the fact that their mean, vicious father was continuously threatening River's life, the nine year old was becoming increasingly vulnerable; all due to his eyes. River had the most astounding crystal green eyes that looked beneath the surface of a person and straight into their soul, and it was no secret that Lizzy's father had a mammoth amount of rot in his soul.

On the morning after River's departure, Lizzy meets up with troubles of her own and is forced to go on the run after her father murders two men in cold blood and lays the blame on his daughter. Her friend Alton Mosley is in the right place at the right time and steps in to assist with her getaway, but the stage has been set for a guilty verdict if they are found out.

In addition to this book being a fractured family's journey towards freedom from the past (because there are a lot of things that are not adding up in Lizzy's life story), it is also a deeply personal faith journey for a young woman who has lived in total fear and void of trust in anyone for her entire life. Those who care about Lizzy need her to heed their instructions, but her continued missteps become a risk to everyone's safety. Reaching a breaking point, Lizzy meets her Dear Father on the riverbank, and tentatively accepts the fact that prayer is a powerful ally and that true love is indeed possible, so perhaps the truth really can set her free.

A fascinating novel woven with threads of Appalachian culture, both beautiful and beastly! 
*I purchased a copy and was under no obligation to provide a positive review.

BackCover Blurb:
In the shadowed hollers of the early-twentieth-century Appalachian Mountains, Lizzy Haney is on the run.

She’s been falsely accused of murder and is desperate to reunite with her brother, River, whose unforgettable green eyes haunt her. The secret in her past is a stinging wound, but it motivates her toward her goal: freedom.

But nine-year-old River, sent through the US Post Office to his late mother's friend in Knoxville, never arrived. Lizzy’s dream of finding him and starting a new life away from their alcoholic and abusive father is ripped away.

Her hope rekindles as she finds an unexpected confidant to help her dodge the law and save the missing youngin'. As she finds herself trusting him, she discovers the truth of the old adage her momma repeated: And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Kregel Publishing, June, 2026

Available in digital ebook, paperback, and audiobook:

Buy THE EYES OF RIVER at Amazon, Christianbook, or Baker Book House