February’s Reads: Romance

Well, I read a lot more in February than I did in January. That was due, I’m sure, to being back to fiction. Nonfiction always takes me longer to get through, even when it’s interesting.

In my reading challenge for this year, February’s genre was Romance. For those of you who didn’t read my January post explaining the challenge, you can read that post here. And you can find the original challenge here.

 

In February, I read four books. I really do enjoy romance novels, although I’ve learned that I’m much happier when I stay with Christian romances. On the rare occasions that I’ve strayed into secular romances, even ones that I wouldn’t consider smut, per se, there’s almost always way too much detail about sex. So I tend to stay away from those. I read a post a long time ago on The Writer’s Alley that talked about the differences between Christian and secular romances, and, though I can’t find it now (this one has some similar thoughts), the point was that Christian romance, when done well, celebrates the fun and flirty side of romance (along with the solid foundation of the actual relationship) while keeping the door closed on details that are meant to be private between a husband, wife, and God. And I really like that description.

Anyway, moving on. In order of reading, my books from February were:

The Measure of a Lady by Deeanne Gist

(Description adapted from Deanne’s website): When Rachel Van Buren arrives in the lawless city of San Francisco at the height of its Gold Rush, all she wants to do is get home as quickly as possible with her dignity intact. But she finds this more difficult than expected, since ships don’t leave San Francisco anymore. And soon her younger siblings don’t seem to want to leave. Even worse, she finds herself falling for a man who, despite all his charm and seemingly good character, nonetheless runs a saloon! How is one woman to remain a lady when the entire world seems stacked against her? 

This is the second time I’ve read this one, and I really enjoyed it both times. It’s fast-paced and snappy with lots of sparks. But it’s not perfectly predictable, which I really appreciate. It’s very much a story about the difference between appearing to be a lady and actually being one, and I like that. This is probably the “raciest” of the books I read, although I use that term loosely. She includes just enough details about the attraction to make your heart skip, I’ll put it that way.

Next, I read True to You by Becky Wade. I’ve read this one before, too, but it’s been a while.

(From Becky’s website) After a devastating heartbreak three years ago, genealogist and historical village owner Nora Bradford decided that burying her nose in her work and her books is far safer than romance in the here and now.

Unlike Nora, former Navy SEAL John Lawson is a modern-day man, usually 100 percent focused on the present. However, when John, an adoptee, is diagnosed with an inherited condition, he’s forced to dig into the secrets of his ancestry.

John enlists Nora’s help to uncover the identity of his birth mother, and as they work side-by-side, this pair of opposites begins to suspect that they just might be a perfect match. But can their hope for a future survive their wounds from the past?

This book ran the emotional gamut for me, from funny and lighthearted to gut-wrenchingly heartbreaking. I really appreciate how the title plays into the story, which is about faithfulness and honesty in a lot of different ways – with God, loved ones, and one’s self. I really loved the characters and the story. One of the things I find really interesting about this book and the series at large is how Wade uses texts, Facebook messages, and even phone notes to add pieces to the story without having to do an entire point-of-view shift. It’s almost jarring at first, because I don’t know if I’ve ever seen that in any other book. But it actually works really well, blending into the story without detracting from it.

After I finished that book, I moved on to the second book in the series, Falling for You.

(From Becky’s website) Famously beautiful model Willow Bradford is taking a temporary break from her hectic schedule to work as the innkeeper at her family’s small-town bed-and-breakfast. She was enjoying the peace of her hometown, Merryweather, Washington, right up until she came face-to-face with Corbin Stewart, the man she loves to hate. A thoughtful rule-follower by nature, Willow threw caution to the wind four years ago when she entrusted her heart to Corbin — then suffered the consequences when it all fell apart.

Former NFL quarterback Corbin is forceful, charming, and accustomed to getting what he wants . . . except where Willow Bradford is concerned. Unable to forget her, he’s never stopped regretting what happened between them.

When a decades-old missing persons case brings Corbin and Willow together, they’re forced to confront their past and who they’ve become — and whether they can risk falling for one another all over again.

While the first book is very sweet, this one is much more sassy. And I equally enjoyed it. It’s also got a fascinating mystery at its heart, even though it’s not specifically a mystery novel.

Both books have a really solid focus on seeking God’s will, which I love seeing portrayed. And they’re just fun books!

Next, I turned to one of my favorite authors, Roseanna M. White, and read A Stray Drop of Blood.

(Abbreviated from Roseanna’s website) Beautiful is a dangerous thing to be when one is unprotected. That is a lesson Abigail learns well when her master’s son, Jason, takes her to his bed. Jason’s mother, Ester, may have educated her as a daughter instead of a slave; his father, Cleopas, may have obeyed Hebrew law rather than Roman in the running of his household, but none of that matters to their son. At least, it doesn’t until he has a child of his own on the way…

Israel’s unrest finds a home in her bosom, but their rebellion tears apart her world…

She was born free, made a slave, married out of her bonds. But she never really knew freedom until she felt the fire of A Stray Drop of Blood from a Jewish carpenter. She was disowned by Israel, despised by Rome, desired by all. Yet she never knew love until she received the smile of a stoic Roman noble.

I hadn’t read White’s biblical fiction up to this point, only her British historical fiction (which is spectacular), and it was really different. The characters drew me in, and the story completely transfixed me. I stayed up too late reading this, which I have not done in a very long time (word of advice: I don’t typically recommend this if you have a toddler). In some ways, the two halves of the story feel like completely different books, which disoriented me a bit. I also had the weirdest sense of deja vu the entire time, so maybe I have read it before. I don’t know. But I was so attached to the characters that I had to keep going. And I really enjoyed it. It’s not an easy book – it deals with hard subjects and the failures of human nature. But it offers beautiful hope, too, in the coming of Jesus. And that’s what lives on after you finish reading it.

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So, February was a very satisfying month of reading for me. I enjoyed everything I read, and I’m looking forward to finishing both the Bradford Sisters series and Roseanne White’s Visibullis series.

I also started Lord of the Rings in February, getting a head start on March’s genre, which is Fantasy. And that may or may not take me longer than a month, anyway. We’ll see. I’m intending to read it among other fantasy books, but I had forgotten just how much I enjoyed that book!

What have you been reading lately? I’d love to hear about it in the comments!