Happy Friday! Today is another cold winter day in Maine – it’s currently 11°F! The book I’m sharing from today is the perfect summery escape, with the beautiful beachy cover and charming Nantucket setting. I’m linking up with Hoarding Books and First Line Friday to share the first line from If for Any Reason by Courtney Walsh, as well as my review below.
Emily Ackerman hummed when she was nervous.
If for Any Reason by Courtney Walsh
The Basics
Title: If for Any Reason
Author: Courtney Walsh
Publication Date: February 3, 2020 (available now on Amazon and Christianbook!)
Genre: Contemporary Christian Romance
My Rating: 4.5/5 Stars
From the Back Cover: Emily Ackerman has traveled the world, her constant compass and companion a book of letters her mother left for her when she died. With no father in the picture, her mom’s advice has been her only true north. But when professional failure leads Emily back to Nantucket to renovate and sell the family cottage she inherited, she wonders if her mom left advice to cover this . . . especially when her grandmother arrives to “supervise.” And especially when her heart becomes entangled with Hollis McGuire, the boy next door–turned–baseball star who’s back on the island after a career-ending injury.
As sparks fly between her and Hollis, Emily is drawn to island life, even as she uncovers shocking secrets about the tragic accident that led to her mother’s death. With her world turned upside down, Emily must choose between allowing the voices from her past to guide her future or forging her own path forward.
My Thoughts
Courtney Walsh is one of my favorite authors, and she does not disappoint with her new book! I love that Emily’s story is interspersed with the letters from her mom, and chapters that go back in time to show us glimpses of her mother’s life. Hollis and Emily’s friendship developed beautifully, as they got reacquainted and began to fall for each other. Jolie, Hollis’ daughter, added sweet, tender, and thought-provoking moments, both for Hollis and Emily and for us as readers. Hollis and Emily each came to Nantucket facing their own challenges, and I loved how they challenged each other and encouraged each other to grow.
After tragedy and failure, Emily vowed to take her mother’s advice and protect her heart, running away before anyone could get too close. But Hollis (and Jolie) slipped through her defenses and helped her realize life is so much richer when you give your heart to someone who will take care of it, even when it means taking risks. I loved Emily’s story of finding what she was meant to do in an unlikely way, and Hollis’ story of connecting with his daughter and finally being the father she needed. This poignant, heartfelt story is quintessential Courtney Walsh, with her signature layered plot and rich characters – a must-read for any fan of contemporary romance!
Now it’s your turn! Please share the first line of the book you’re reading in the comments below, and don’t forget to head to Hoarding Books to see what first lines other bloggers are sharing, or to share your own!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author and publisher. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
That sure is cold! I bet you are having fun with visions of the beach in your head right now!! Happy Friday!
Brrr! 11 degrees!! I hope you keep warm and enjoy lots of cozy reading time!
I almost envy you. We’ve had such a mild winter in Michigan this year, it’s so sad. On Sunday it will be 45! I want more snow!!! Enjoy your brisk weather. On my blog, I’m sharing the first line from Winter’s Awakening by Shelley Shepard Gray. Here, I will share the first line in chapter thirteen of my current read, Give Me Thine Heart, by Andrea Boeshaar. “Three days and three nights.” Have a great weekend!
It’s actually been pretty mild here too, in the 40s several days this week! I’m hoping for at least one big snowstorm! 😉 Thanks for sharing!
Hopefully the weather warms up for you this weekend, and that you have lots of reading time!
Happy Friday 🙂
Happy Friday!
Today on my blog I am sharing the first line from Waltz in the Wilderness by Kathleen Denly: https://christianfictiongirl.blog/2020/01/31/first-line-friday-121/. I am just getting into the novel, so I will share the first line from chapter 2 here.
“Daniel thanked the postman and stepped away from the window. Tapping the single envelope against his palm, he strode past the long line of men who, like him, had been waiting hours for news from home.”
Hope you have an excellent weekend!
Happy Friday! I haven’t read any books by Courtney Walsh, but I hear they are great! Today I’m sharing the first line from The Camera Never Lies by David Rawlings: “Eighty-eight years of life reduced to a vintage, cracked briefcase sat before Daniel Whiteley.”
https://moments-of-beauty.blogspot.com/2020/01/first-line-fridays-camera-never-lies-by.html
My first line comes from On Wings of Devotion by Rosanna White
Charing Cross Hospital, London, England 1 February, 1918
A stranger stalking down the street shouldn’t make her hands tremble in anticipation.
Roseanna White at her best!
I really liked that book! Thanks for sharing!
Happy Friday! I’m sharing the first lines from The Rebel Bride by Shannon McNear on my blog today. This is the first line from Chapter 3:
“Standing at the top of the porch steps, Pearl clenched her hands inside her wadded-up apron and glared at her cousin, who faced her from beside the wagon holding more wounded soldiers.”
Happy Weekend! My first line is from “This Healing Journey” by Misty Beller:
“Meeting a stranger shouldn’t make him so nervous.”