Happy Friday! I am so excited to share a debut novel with you today, for First Line Friday hosted by Reading is My Superpower. As soon as I saw the cover of After She Falls by Carmen Schober I knew I had to read it, and I’m so glad I did!

“Adri doesn’t turn on the radio or pull up Eva’s playlist on her phone. For once, she drives in silence.”

After She Falls by Carmen Schober

The Basics

Title: After She Falls

Author: Carmen Schober

Publication Date: November 2, 2021

Genre: Contemporary Romance

My Rating: 4.5 Stars

From the Back Cover:

She’s always had that fire in her. She just needs to find it again.

Strong-willed Adri Rivera nearly achieved her goal of being a professional mixed martial artist, but then she fell in love with a man who knocked all the fight out of her. When their abusive, tumultuous relationship finally comes to a head, Adri flees with their young daughter to her small hometown in the mountains of Pennsylvania. There, she must face the people she left behind and put her broken life back together again.

A hardened Max Lyons can’t believe Adri is back in town after abruptly cutting him and everyone else off years ago. Despite the distance that grew between them, he feels compelled to help her regain her independence and offers her a job at his gym. But regaining each other’s trust is another matter, made even more complicated by the lingering spark between them. As Adri dares to pursue her dream again, she trains for a big tournament with Max’s help, but they’ll both have to confront their own doubts in order to rise victorious.

My Review

After She Falls is a fantastic debut novel by Carmen Schober! It is definitely not your typical sweet Christian fiction romance – not that there is anything wrong with that, but I loved the rawness and grittiness of Adri’s story. As an MMA fighter, she is a strong female protagonist in every sense of the word. After fleeing from an abusive husband, she is struggling to get back on her feet in both her professional and personal life. Throughout the book, we see her regain her strength both as a woman standing up for herself and her daughter, and as a fighter with a second chance at her dream of becoming a strawweight champion.

Adri and Max were friends in high school before she broke his heart, and they struggle to find their footing when they first reconnect. As the story progresses, their friendship – and eventually romance – develop in a beautiful, authentic way. Adri’s uncle Roman and coach Boom both provide words of wisdom and give the story richness and depth. The faith elements are authentic and completely natural to the story, tackling real life challenges with grace. Adri is a uniquely compelling heroine – her journey as a fighter is a powerful story of perseverance, discipline, determination, and courage.

I highly recommend After She Falls, and I can’t wait to read whatever Carmen Schober writes next!

Now it’s your turn! Please share the first line of the book you’re reading in the comments below. Don’t forget to head to Reading is My Superpower to see what first lines other bloggers are sharing, or to share your own!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Happy Friday! For today’s edition of First Line Friday, hosted by Reading is my Superpower, I’m featuring a new release by one of my favorite authors. Irene Hannon is one of the most well-known names in Christian romantic suspense, and she just released the second book in her current series – Labyrinth of Lies.

“They wanted her to take on another undercover gig? No way. Not happening.”

Labyrinth of Lies by Irene Hannon

The Basics

Title: Labyrinth of Lies

Author: Irene Hannon

Series: Triple Threat (Book 2 of 3)

Publication Date: October 5, 2021

Genre: Romantic Suspense

My Rating: 4 Stars

From the Back Cover:

When the daughter of a high-profile businessman disappears from an exclusive girls’ boarding school, police detective Cate Reilly is tapped for an undercover assignment. It doesn’t take her long to realize that beneath its veneer of polish and wealth, Ivy Hill Academy harbors dark–and deadly–secrets. But the biggest shock of all? The only man she ever loved is also working at the school.

Zeke Sloan has never forgotten Cate, but now isn’t the best time for their paths to cross again. When their two seemingly disparate agendas begin to intertwine–and startling connections emerge among the players–the danger escalates significantly.

But who is the mastermind behind the elaborate ruse? And how far will they go to protect their house of cards?

My Review

The Triple Threat series is Irene Hannon at her finest! Labyrinth of Lies follows the oldest Reilly sister, Cate, as she faces her next undercover assignment as a St. Louis County detective. The last person she expects to see is Zeke, a DEA agent and her ex-boyfriend. As her missing persons case begins to intersect with his drug investigation, their personal lives also begin to intersect again. I loved the history between them and the resolution they were able to find in this “enemies to lovers” story. The romance level was just what I expect and appreciate in an Irene Hannon novel – a realistic complement to the suspense, not sappy or overwhelming.

The main focus was definitely on the action and the increasing danger, especially for Cate. I only guessed the villain a couple of pages before he was revealed! The characters and their motivations are complex and compelling, and the suspense kept me turning pages. I can’t wait to catch up with the youngest sister, Grace, in the next book! I highly recommend Labyrinth of Lies and the Triple Threat series to fans of romantic suspense, especially those who enjoy authors like Lisa Harris or Dee Henderson.

Now it’s your turn! Please share the first line of the book you’re reading in the comments below. Don’t forget to head to Reading is My Superpower to see what first lines other bloggers are sharing, or to share your own!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Happy Friday! The book I’m featuring today might make you hungry – Tacos for Two by Betsy St. Amant 🙂 I’m joining Reading is My Superpower and for First Line Friday to share the first line and my review!

“If Rory Perez could find a way to wad all the cilantro in the entire world into a ball and hurl it into outer space, it still wouldn’t be far enough removed for her preference.”

Tacos for Two by Betsy St. Amant

The Basics

Title: Tacos for Two

Author: Betsy St. Amant

Publication Date: October 12, 2021

Genre: Contemporary Romance

My Rating: 4 Stars

From the Back Cover:

Food truck owner Rory Perez may not be able to cook, but she’s determined to keep the family business out of the red. An upcoming contest during a food truck festival seems like the best way to do it. The prize money could finally give her solid financial footing, freeing up her time to meet the man she’s been talking to via an anonymous online dating site.

Jude Strong is tired of being a puppet at his manipulative father’s law firm, and the food truck festival seems like the perfect opportunity to dive into his passion for cooking and finally call his life his own. If he loses the contest, he’ll be back at the law firm for good, so failure is not an option.

But things are about to get . . . complicated. Rory’s chef gets mono, forcing her to cook after all. And Jude discovers that his stiffest competition is the same woman he’s been falling for online. Will they sacrifice the futures they’ve envisioned for the sake of love? Or will there only ever be tacos for one?

My Review

This delightful rom-com will whet the appetites of You’ve Got Mail fans and taco lovers alike! Quirky characters give this fun story plenty of laugh-out-loud moments with heart.

Rory and Jude cross paths when his company orders lunch from her food truck every week, and when they are matched on an online dating site… but they don’t realize the connection. Rory is loyal and dedicated to providing for her cousin, no matter what it takes. Jude is stuck working for his manipulative father and brother instead of pursuing his dream of cooking. Their worlds collide during the town’s food truck competition, with a lot of hopes and dreams riding on a win for each of them. Plenty of misunderstandings and hilarity ensue as they compete by day and confide in each other through the dating app by night. Nothing goes as planned when they finally decide to meet, and the final day of the competition brings more twists than they ever expected.

This flavorful rom-com, seasoned with quirky side characters and small town drama, will leave you satisfied with the story but craving tacos! Fans of Bethany Turner and Melissa Ferguson won’t want to miss this one.

Now it’s your turn! Please share the first line of the book you’re reading in the comments below. Don’t forget to head to Reading is My Superpower to see what first lines other bloggers are sharing, or to share your own!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Happy Friday! This week I’m joining Reading is My Superpower’s First Line Friday linkup and sharing the first line from Since You’ve Been Gone. Tari Faris takes us back to Heritage, Michigan in her newest release, and it makes for a great fall weekend read!

“One person can fail only so many times. That was her theory, so after two big failures in her life, a win had to be around the next corner for Leah Williams.”

Since You’ve Been Gone by Tari Faris

The Basics

Title: Since You’ve Been Gone

Author: Tari Faris

Publication Date: September 7, 2021

Series: Restoring Heritage (Book 3 of 3)

Genre: Inspirational Contemporary Romance

My Rating: 4 Stars

From the Back Cover: With her vision and his know-how, this thing just might work . . .

Leah Williams is back in the quaint town of Heritage, Michigan, and ready to try again to make her business a success. But blank slates are hard to come by, and a piece of her past is waiting for her there. Heir to the Heritage Fruits company, Jonathan Kensington is the guy who not only made Leah’s past difficult, but he also seems determined to complicate her present as well.

In order to avoid forcing a buyout of Leah’s building, Jon will have to strike a compromise. Can the two of them work together? Or will their troubled past set the tone for their future?

My Review

Tari Faris brings us back to Heritage, Michigan in this charming conclusion to the Restoring Heritage series! You will definitely want to read this series in order, as there are lots of returning characters and interwoven storylines.

In this book, Leah returns from Costa Rica with the dream of reopening her grandparents’ store. That dream seems to be out of reach when she realizes Jon, her high school arch nemesis, holds the key to making it happen. As they end up working together, he forces her to confront her history of running when things get hard. She helps him gain the courage and perspective he needs to take over his father’s company and help his younger sister Abby launch into adulthood. Mistakes and miscommunications abound, but their community of friends help them see the value in letting their guard down and giving each other a second chance.

On a lighter note, we finally learn in this book how and why Otis the hippo moves! Fans since the beginning of the series will appreciate that revelation 🙂 This book is the perfect combination of small town community, romance, and poignant spiritual truths that fans of Susan May Warren, Becky Wade, and Melissa Tagg will love.

Now it’s your turn! Please share the first line of the book you’re reading in the comments below. Don’t forget to head to Reading is My Superpower to see what first lines other bloggers are sharing, or to share your own!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you, Revell!

Happy Friday, and happy October! It has been almost chilly the last few days – perfect weather to stay in and read 🙂 Today I’m linking up with Reading is My Superpower for First Line Friday and sharing from A Midnight Dance by Joanna Davidson Politano.

Covent Garden, London, 1833

“He was so very blue. That was all my scattered mind could gather as he sailed past the window of Craven Street Theatre.”

A Midnight Dance by Joanna Davidson Politano

The Basics

Title: A Midnight Dance

Author: Joanna Davidson Politano

Publication Date: September 7, 2021

Genre: Historical Romance

My Rating: 4 Stars

From the Back Cover:

At their core, all theater romances are tragedies. Ella Blythe knows this. Still, she cannot help but hope her own story may turn out different than most–and certainly different than the tragic story of the Ghost of Craven Street Theater.

After a chance encounter with one of the ballet company’s handsome dancers late one night, Ella is swept off her elegantly pointed toes. The dance they share and the promise he makes to her feel like a new beginning. Yet as she faces mounting challenges in the ever-shrinking ballet company, Ella cannot deny the uncanny feeling that her life is mirroring that of the ghostly ballerina.

Is she dancing ever closer to the edge of her own disastrous end? Or will the secrets that are about to come to light offer release from the unyielding grip of the past?

My Review

Joanna Davidson Politano’s evocative, lyrical writing style brings ballet in Victorian London to life in A Midnight Dance! Ella is an orphaned ballet prodigy looking for answers about her past and her identity. Jack, the unlikely hero, brings color and spontaneity to her rigid, perfectionist life. I love the way he helped her break out of her shell, and her faith helped bring him growth and stability. The mystery of her past raised the tension and kept the story moving. There was a twist at the end that I probably should have seen coming, but the surprise was delightful and ended the book on a high note for me! I recommend this book for fans of historical romance, especially readers who enjoy Elizabeth Camden and Roseanna M. White.

Now it’s your turn! Please share the first line of the book you’re reading in the comments below. Don’t forget to head to Reading is My Superpower to see what first lines other bloggers are sharing, or to share your own!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.