16. Lumber Baron's Wife

16. The Lumber Baron's Wife. Lynn Austin. 2026. 368 pages. [Source: Library] [Christian fiction, historical fiction, dual timelines, multiple narrators, three stars]

First sentence: It's long past midnight but I cannot sleep, consumed with worry for my friend.

The Lumber Baron's Wife has THREE narrators. (Is that too many narrators???) Hannah and Kate narrate the "past" timeline in the novel. Hannah is the doctor's wife. (His name is John). They've lost their children to disease, they were exposed through her husband's work. They are newly moving to Michigan. Kate is the lumber baron's wife. (His name is Henry). He is old. She is young. She isn't just younger than him. She is different in every way imaginable. Everyone thinks it would be a good idea if Hannah "coaches" her in behavior. The longer Kate and Henry are married, the more frustrated he gets with his wife. Meanwhile, Hannah barely tolerates John because she blames him for the death of their children. The "present" timeline in the novel is narrated by Ashley. Her husband is David. He is a conservationist? environmentalist? Something to do with trees and nature and wild things. She loves museum work. He "insists" they move to Michigan. She leaves her happy, happy job so he can have his happy, happy job. Which might be completely and absolutely okay if he gave any proof of being a decent human being. (He does not.) Because we're thrown into the middle of this troubled, tension-filled marriage, there's not much reason for me to like him. She wants to restore the lumber baron's mansion--that is join the community effort. He wants her to find steady work, the higher-paying the better. And he absolutely under no circumstances wants her to have the baby they've conceived. His pressuring her to have an abortion in a dozen or so chapters is the most obnoxious thing I've ever read in a Christian book. 

The stories are tied together because of the setting--obviously--but also in trying to solve the mystery of what happened to Kate. 

I did not like this one very much. I didn't love Kate and Henry. I didn't. I could tolerate John and Hannah. But I despised and loathed David. 

A bright side for this one could be that it does tackle difficult issues. Spousal abuse, manipulation, grief, abortion, etc. Most of the characters are not Christian. There's some will they or won't they become Christian by the end of the novel. This might be a plus for some readers. There is plenty of WHY is this happening if there is a God. Hannah questions God after losing her children. Her husband wants her to share the gospel with Kate, but, Hannah is struggling to believe the gospel herself. Kate is struggling with the basics of the gospel. She doesn't believe that grace could actually be grace. Henry and John aren't really characterized super well, though we do know that HENRY is a horrid, horrid man. David, as I mentioned, is despicable. He is angry at God. And he's super controlling and manipulative. And Ashley is not a Christian. She isn't open to the idea of spending time with Christians just in case they share the gospel. But she makes a friend who is a Christian and their mutual interest in restoring this historic house brings them together. There's some gospel presentation. But it isn't always received well. Which I think is probably realistic. 

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

15. Into a Golden Era

15. Into a Golden Era. Gabrielle Meyer. 2026. 384 pages. [Source: Library] [christian fiction, christian romance, series book, 3 stars]

First sentence: I needed help, and I didn't have much time. 

Premise/plot: Into a Golden Era is the newest in Gabrielle Meyer's "Timeless" series. Ally, our heroine, lives in two timelines. She lives in California in 1849 during the "Gold Rush," and in California in 1929 as an actress in the Golden Age of Hollywood. In the 1849 story line, Ally is trying to use her knowledge of the future (though not well thought out research) to make her family rich so she doesn't feel guilty leaving them for her more modern life. She knows where gold will be found, and is going to try to get there and take some before it is actually actually found. In the 1929 story line, Ally and her family (who own a small, independent film company) are filming Little Women. Ally is faking a relationship with Hollywood bad-boy, Spencer, who is starring as Laurie in the film. This is the life that she supposedly wants, but, she's not particularly happy in it. Well, to be fair, Ally is having all the issues in both timelines. 

The two love interests are Sam (in the 1849 story line) and Spencer (in the 1929 story line). The reader can guess the outcome extremely early on. 

My thoughts: I don't mind formulaic romance. I don't. It can be a great joy, a "guilty pleasure" if you will. Guilty not because it's sinful or shameful but because it isn't the most super amazing quality of literature. The books are allegedly Christian fiction. And there's a shallow amount of Christianity to be found. Which is completely fine. The speculative fiction of this series makes it strange. And perhaps it's for the best that theology or doctrine isn't inserted in this super strange world. Two bodies, one soul. It is just ODD if you overthink the theology of it. 

I wanted to love this one more than I did. But I did like it better than some in the series. 

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

11. Mists Over the Channel Islands

11. Mists Over the Channel Islands. Sarah Sundin. 2026. 368 pages. [Source: Library] [world war II, historical fiction, historical romance, christian fiction, 5 stars]

First sentence: Words failed Dr. Ivy Picot, so she sketched her father with gray-flecked hair, packing to go to war. 

Mists Over the Channel Island depicts a family torn apart by war. Half of the family goes to England--either to fight for Britain OR for refuge. Ivy and her sister, Fern, remain behind. Ivy is a doctor and she's needed. Fern chooses to stay than to go with her husband who will soon be fighting for the Allies. 

Gerrit van der Zee (and his friend Bernadus Kroon) are Dutch and have joined the Nazis. Not because they're actually actually Nazis--in any way. But because they want to be spies and work with the Resistance. They are assigned to Jersey (one of the Channel Islands). They soon befriend, Charlie, Ivy and Fern's younger brother. Ivy doesn't want to like--let alone like-like- the enemy. But she soon seems there's more to Gerrit than what it seems. HE is a good guy though technically 'an enemy' 'an outsider' to the islanders. Meanwhile, Fern begins working FOR the Nazis--after a fall out with her sister--and soon finds herself having an affair with a Nazi soldier. She even begins to view the Allies as enemies and the Nazis as the good guys. 

Tensions are high. Lives are at stake. Family loyalty is tested....

I enjoyed this historical romance GREATLY. It was a great read. Highly recommend. 

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

10. The French Kitchen

10. The French Kitchen. Kristy Cambron. 2025. 384 pages. [Source: Review copy] [3 stars, historical fiction, Christian fiction]

First sentence: What would a French glamour girl wear to stash weapons in the dead of winter besides a haute couture gown? Kat Harris wished she knew.

The description of French Kitchen sounds great, interesting, intriguing. However, for me at least, the book failed to match the description. 

The French Kitchen has dual timelines. 

There is a timeline set in France during World War II where the heroine, Kat Harris, is masquerading as Celine a woman part of the Resistance. The real Celine never arrived at her assignment. Kat Harris took her place and assumed her name. She's going undercover as a pastry chef, I think??? Regardless, she's going undercover in a French kitchen. France is occupied. The book opens with a cliff hanger, though since you have no investment in the characters much of the intensity and suspense is wasted. 

The second timeline is France in the 1950s. Kat Harris has received a telegram that may or may not be concerning her dead or not dead brother who was also a spy working with the Resistance. For whatever reason she feels the best way to find her possibly-not-dead brother is to find a man she may or may not be able to trust, Gerard, and marry him. For whatever reason he says yes. (At this point, readers are most likely as clueless as I was as to why he would say yes and why she would propose and what the point is). 

The chapters alternate between the past and present. In the 'present' story line Kat is once again become interested in cooking and meets Julia Child. This is what the description emphasizes. This is what the author's note emphasizes. This supposedly is the whole reason the book exists--to create fictional characters to interact with a fictional Julia Child. She's also searching for her possibly-not-dead brother. 

There are characters--friends, enemies, frenemies--in both timelines. But the way this story unfolds...at least to me...is not as effective as it could be if the author had chosen a timeline and kept things chronological. I am not opposed to dual timelines IF the story flows well and most importantly if it makes sense with little to no confusion. 

The description seems like it was written by someone who only heard a summary of the book and didn't actually read it. 

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

9. Taming Lady Temperance

9. Taming Lady Temperance. Karen Witemeyer. 2026. 336 pages.  [Source: Library] [historical fiction, historical romance, christian fiction, 4 stars]

First sentence: Casting a surreptitious glance over her shoulder, Noreen O'Sullivan tiptoed pas the unoccupied Methodist church, then darted across Walnut Street toward the schoolhouse. Heart palpitations brought on by self-imposed skulking shallowed her breathing.

Premise/plot: Noreen O'Sullivan is a "spinster" (27 years old) who has reconciled herself to being single, strong, independent, and, of course, opinionated. Soon after the novel opens, she joins a Spinster Society. Noreen's cause is temperance. She is out to almost singlehandedly change her community.  She's protesting and using her first amendment right to try to dissuade anyone from entering the local saloon. The local deputy, James Paxton, wants to be fair to everyone. He does. But he is becoming more and more smitten with Noreen by the day. He wants to support her cause without going on the record as supporting her cause. After a parade--with band--in support of temperance, a local drunk beats up his daughter and wife. Noreen loses control and makes an unwise decision...which sets her up to be set up. 

James will have to fight for Noreen...even when she asks him to consider his own career before her freedom. 

My thoughts: This one was a quick read. I enjoyed it. It was both unique and predictable. Unique in that I haven't personally read many Christian fiction romances about feisty heroines who are part of the temperance movement. Predictable in the romance perhaps. Though maybe that is unique in some ways too? I feel I've seen some old black and white movies that might perhaps feature this type of romance. Anyway, a deputy falling in love with someone he's had to arrest.... Anyway, plenty of drama and melodrama. I liked it for the most part. 

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

8. The Belle of Chatham

8. The Belle of Chatham. Laura Frantz. 2026. 384 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars, historical fiction, historical romance, American Revolution]

First sentence: Her four-poster bed seemed made for winter. 

Premise/plot: The Belle of Chatham is historical fiction set during the American Revolution. Maebel and Coralie Bohannon are sisters with VERY different opinions on the war. Coralie is a loyalist engaged to a British soldier. Maebel is sympathetic to the 'rebel' Patriots. When the Bohannon's house several American soldiers--including General Rhys Harlow, Mae becomes quite smitten. The strife between the sisters continues to grow as the war continues on. 

The novel is set in New Jersey and New York in 1777/1778 I believe. The tension between the sisters is one of the main plot points, and, the damage it does to their relationship, the family itself, and Mae's new relationship with Rhys. 

My thoughts: I enjoyed this one. I did. I don't normally read American historical fiction set during this time period. But I enjoyed this one! George Washington does get some time in the book, I believe, as well as some other real life historical figures. While this one is definitely a romance, there's more history than romance. The romance happens quickly--yet I think that is realistic in times of war, particularly at this time in history. Seize the moment while you can when you find someone you love. 

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

6. The Fault Between Us

6. The Fault Between Us. Stephanie Landsem. 2025. 344 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars, historical fiction, christian fiction]

First sentence: The day Mother left, Claire got a gold star for her report on Yellowstone National Park. 

Premise/plot: Historical fiction set in 1959. Claire, Bridget, and Frannie are sisters. Claire has married a cowboy, Red Wilder, and is now living in Montana in western Yellowstone. Her dad who did not approve of the marriage even slightly has sent his two daughters--Bridget and Frannie--to "fetch" her home with her new baby with or without her husband. Claire receives word via letter that Bridget it is coming two days before. Not much time to prepare, and since Red has literally just lost his job, there is much tension. The visit does not go well--at the start. Red goes off in search of another job. Bridget goes to her nursing job in Yellowstone. Frannie runs away to join the staff at Canyon Lodge. But when disaster strikes--an earthquake--the family will be tested greatly. Will they survive the shocks and aftershocks? 

My thoughts: I enjoyed this one. It isn't without its...faults...but it is a good read. There are a LOT of narrators--Claire, Bridget, Frannie, and Red. The characters don't always treat each other with kindness, compassion, love. There's hardly any giving each other the benefit of the doubt. But I do think the book deals with family trauma. Not all historical romance does. So this is definitely not your typical Christian historical romance. 

Once the earthquake happens things gets intense QUICKLY. Everything is building up to that point. The pacing is a little uneven, but, it is necessary. You can't just start with the earthquake without building up the characters and giving them back stories. 

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

1. The Lawyer and the Laundress

1. The Lawyer and the Laundress. Christine Hill Suntz. 2025. 368 pages. [Source: Review copy] [5 stars, christian fiction, christian romance, christian historical fiction]

First sentence: She hadn't thought a person could be so hungry that just the sound of cooking could make a mouth water.

Sara O'Connor, the laundress, is struggling to get by. She has a secret (because of course she has a secret) about her past. James Kinney, the lawyer, is struggling as well--although not financially. She's a widow. He's a widower. They are brought together by his daughter, Evie. Evie hates, hates, hates the current 'school' she is attending. It's not a school-school. She's attending lessons with one of the children in the neighborhood who has a governess. Sara witnesses Evie's great unhappiness and the two bond. Because Sara speaks up for Evie, she loses her job but Evie is safer. When Evie falls ill, it is Sara who is sent for to nurse her back to health....which ultimately eventually leads to a marriage of convenience. And has there even been a marriage of convenience novel that doesn't end with them being madly in love with each other?!?! 

Christian romance is undoubtedly predictable. YET that doesn't take away from the enjoyment. This one is set in Toronto, Canada in the 1830s. Do I know American history? Yes. Some decades better than others. Do I know anything at all of Canadian history? NOPE. Thus though certain elements of this one were predictable enough in places, there was plenty to keep my interest. 

The romance worked for me. I think there was chemistry between these two almost from the start. Their attraction was in some ways instant. BUT the relationship was not. It took time. It took conversations. It took circumstances. She had lessons to learn. He had lessons to learn. I definitely liked these two together. 

The writing was solidly good. In a perfect world, there would be half-star ratings. I would easily rate this one 4 1/2 stars. I think that's where it belongs. It was GOOD fun. I loved reading this one. It was not the most amazing book I've ever read. BUT it was GREAT to spend time with these two AND EVIE. One of my favorite elements of this one was that Evie was HOOKED on Ivanhoe. She wanted to read more, more, more, MORE. She was always talking about the characters. Since Ivanhoe is a favorite of mine, this helped me love the characters even more. 

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

82. Whispers at Painswick Court

82. Whispers at Painswick Court. Julie Klassen. 2025. 368 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars, Regency historical romance, Christian fiction]

First sentence: Miss Anne Loveday sat in the parlour with the widower Mr. Shufflebottom--that was his name--while he droned on about his eight adult children, and how much they all still missed their mother, who'd died many years ago giving birth to a ninth. 

Anne Loveday, a woman who longs to be a doctor or surgeon apothecary like her father, goes visiting and finds herself hired on as a nurse to Lady Celia at Painswick Court. The elderly woman is sometimes out of sorts, but, also pleasant enough in her own way. There's her 'spinster' daughter and her two adult nephews around--none of whom particularly seem to like Lady Celia. Lady Celia has two physicians attending her. Anne forms relationships with both doctors and the household itself. BUT she also finds herself almost always in situations where she can eavesdrop on others--in the house, in the gardens, on the grounds, about the village. Always, always something suspicious being whispered about. She knows there are secrets, secrets, and more secrets. But are any of these secrets dangerous enough to threaten Lady Celia's life?!?! 

I enjoyed this one. The whispers in the title is completely accurate. This one does not have a strong romance to it perhaps because so much time is given to her overhearing private conversations and trying to piece together all the secrets. It's hard to know WHO to trust when everyone's whispering, whispering all the time. BUT it blends history, mystery, and romance. It's a good read. 

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

81. Christmas in Wisconsin

81. Christmas in Wisconsin. Linda Byler. 2025. 240 pages. [Source: Library] [3 stars, Christmas, Christian romance, Christian fiction]

First sentence: The onset of winter in Wisconsin came suddenly.

Amish fiction is not my typical read although I have read Amish stories here and there. This one has a modern-day Wisconsin setting, and it's a Christmas-ish setting as well. It tells a few (disjointed at least to me) stories. Lydia Beiler is a 'spinster' schoolteacher--Amish, of course--who has spent decades teaching and never had a romance of her own. Laura Slotzfus is a young Amish woman--a teenager--who is being courted. Lydia's suitor is the father of Laura's suitor. Neither romance is fleshed out. And I don't mean in a fleshy-worldly way. I mean in a fictional-literary-basics way. Characters need to actually be developed and stories need to be developed as well. Romance stories should feature romance. I'm not talking steamy romance. I'm talking scenes where the characters are together be that talking about the past, the present, the future OR talking about hopes and dreams and such OR just talking about the day, the weather, anything. 

I wanted LYDIA to have a story beyond the guy that she had a crush on as a teenager coming back to the community with his grown son and him showing up with a basket of fruit and them becoming essentially engaged within thirty seconds. Her: I had a big crush on you as a teenager but you never noticed me. Him: I noticed you and wished I'd picked you instead of the woman I married. I ended up not liking her at all. Do you want me to marry me in three months? 

The other romance was about the same except I'm not sure we actually spent much time with them. It was mostly HIM talking to his dad and others about how much he thought of Laura but she was barely eighteen and he didn't think she'd be interested in marrying him. And with Laura, well, we didn't even get to know Laura that much. I mean we read that she was confused why after sitting together at a wedding why he didn't show up ready to court her within a few days. But essentially no characterization there. 

More time is spent on Laura's parents--Amos and Mary--than on Lydia OR Laura. 

I felt the first half had potential. I felt it was going somewhere probably. The second half was just ALL telling and no showing. There was no relationship development, no character development, no plot. And the last chapter was the worst type of ending to a book where the author dumped forty-million bows onto the story. In other words, it wasn't just one story wrapped up with a pretty little bow. It was let's give happy endings to every character for several generations and all the side characters that were mentioned too. 

All this being said, I think for readers who LOVE and adore Amish fiction, this one might work. I mean the author has a LOT of Amish novels fiction published and they obviously have an audience. I am positive that there are readers out there who do enjoy this type of read. I'm just not the target audience. 

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

78. Sea View Christmas

78. Sea View Christmas (On Devonshire Shores) Julie Klassen. 238 pages. [Source: Review copy] [4 stars, adult romance, christian romance, historical romance, christian fiction]

First sentence: Miss Sarah Summers sat on her neatly made bed, a treasure in each hand. In her left she held a letter from the man she'd been betrothed to before his death at sea more than three years before. In her right palm lay a dried thistle--stalk, spiny bulb, and purple flower crown--the symbol of Scotland. It had been given to her by a Scotsman who, despite her efforts to forget him, still occupied a large part of her thoughts...and, if she were honest with herself, her heart. 

Premise/plot: Miss Sarah Summers cannot forget Callum Henshall and his stepdaughter Effie. They were among the first boarders at her family's boarding house. It has been a good number of books--three? four?--since Sarah has last spoken with him face to face. BUT neither has forgotten the other. This Christmas season, Callum and his stepdaughter have returned to the boarding house...has he come to woo her and win her? Probably. Possibly. Maybe. Meanwhile, Georgiana, the youngest sports-minded sister, is having a strong flirtation of her own with Colin, a local young man who's just a few years older. Nothing definite happens between them too, but they have the feels for each other AND it's just a matter of time. Probably. Possibly.

My thoughts: I was sad to learn this is the last in the series. I really LOVED this series and wish it would continue for at least one or two more books. I think Georgiana could have used her own novel. There are a few stepdaughters that could use a novel perhaps. And though I can't recall her name--it's been four or five days since I finished the novel--the mother became guardian to one of the orphans in town. So the stories COULD have continued on. 

Julie Klassen is one of my favorite authors. I love this cozy series of romances. 

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

75. Through Each Tomorrow

75. Through Each Tomorrow. Gabrielle Meyer. 2025. 384 pages. [Source: Library] [historical fiction, 4 stars, time slipping, christian fantasy]

First sentence: Hardship seemed my constant companion. The only difference was that in 1563, I had money and a title to overcome the difficulties life threw at me. 

Through Each Tomorrow features FOUR, yes, FOUR time-crossers. Charles (1560s and 1880s), Cecily (1560s, 1910s but she's deceased in her second time so she's stuck in Elizabethan England), Drew (1560s and 1880s) and Evelyn (1690s and 1880s). We get points of view from Cecily, Charles, and Drew. 

This novel is ALL about time-crossers crossing into each other. Charles and Drew occupy the same times and have become friends in both times. Drew falls for Charles' sister, Cecily. Charles falls for Drew's sister, Evelyn. I believe Charles and Cecily are step-siblings. Drew's sister Evelyn was adopted. There's plenty of complications mainly about CLASS and REPUTATION and snootiness. 

Charles is an Earl in his 1560s timeline; Charles and his sister are both in the royal court of Queen Elizabeth. In the 1880s, Charles is a poor farmer. He poses as an EARL to help out his friend, Drew/Andrew. In the 1560s storyline, Andrew/Drew is a poor nobody. In the 1880s he's studying to be a doctor AND the heir to a company. Charles wants Drew to play doctor in the 1560s in the royal court. 

I liked it well enough. I did. Not my favorite or best, but somewhat mostly interesting. 

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

74. The Christmas Book Flood

74. The Christmas Book Flood. Roseanna M. White. 2025. 175 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars, historical romance, holiday romance, Christian fiction]

First sentence: The ringing of the phone quite possibly kept Tatiana Eliasdottir from getting sacked. Its shrill cry brought her jumping to her feet, and a startled look at the clock on the wall showed her that had the phone not pulled her from the sentence half written on the paper in the typewriter, she would no doubt have been late to her job.

Premise/plot: The Christmas Book Flood is set in Iceland during the Second World War, 1944, I believe.

Tatiana Eliasdottir, our heroine, is secretly a published author writing under a false name. Her editor does not know her real name or gender. But she knows him a bit better because of their correspondence AND the fact that she works in the same office. Anders Johannsson, our hero, is an editor and an artist. He fears that his family does not accept his life choices--he's not in the family business, after all. 

When Tatiana's niece comes to spend the holidays AND this visit comes at a particularly busy time--a CHRISTMAS BOOK FLOOD, there are several in the office that help 'babysit' her while she's in the office...including Anders. As they begin to spend time together outside of the office it becomes clear that love is in the air....

My thoughts: I enjoyed this one. I did. It is a novella. I prefer full-length novels because it allows for more character development and more romance development. But it was an enjoyable Christmas-y read. 

Quotes:

But nothing she saw in the sparsely shops looked right for Anders. Nothing said, I know you and want to know you more. Nothing said, I want this to be the beginning of forever.

She'd been falling in love with him step by step, letter by letter this past year, after admiring him for years before that but deeming him unknowable.

She was, without question, the only woman ever to touch his heart in a way that made him dream of forever by her side. 

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

73. On a Midnight Clear

73. On a Midnight Clear. Karen Witemeyer. Tracie Peterson. Misty M. Beller. 2025. 304 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars, novella, Christmas novellas, christian fiction, christian romance]

There are three novellas in ON A MIDNIGHT CLEAR. All are historical fiction, historical romances. Tracie Peterson's novella is The Shepherd's Heart. Misty M. Beller's novella is No Room at the Inn. Karen Witemeyer's novella is A Star in the West.

A Star in the West is set in Waco, Texas, circa 1890. 

First sentence: THREE WISE MEN FROM THE EAST TO ARRIVE TOMORROW. The headline caught Stella Barrington's eye as she cleaned up her father's breakfast dishes.

I'll start by reviewing my stand-out favorite, favorite of the three. I adored Karen Witemeyer's A Star in the West despite it being about math and/or science. Professor Ignatius Barrington, has invited the three professors to Baylor University for a conference of sorts. Stella Barrington, our heroine, has been corresponding with a young man, a professor, Frank N. Stentz. The two have become friendly-friends. Neither is absolutely certain how the other feels. She has all the feels for him; he has all the feels for her. But they've not had that conversation, that vulnerable I like-like you, do you like-like me conversation. Now the two will be meeting in person for the first time. Will he want to pursue a relationship? Will he not? And conversely, he is thinking will she want a relationship with me...what if she rejects me...etc. Over a short span of time, these two make a connection...but will it be enough for a proposal. 

I underlined (this was a digital library read) so many places in this one!!!! SUCH a great, sweet story. I loved it. 

I would rate this story easily a five stars.

Quotes from A Star In The West

Writing a man who lived a thousand miles away had seemed safe enough. The two of them would never meet. He worked at Harvard, for pity's sake. She had nothing to fear in striking up a friendship. And when the letters had become more personal? Well, it was like living in her very own novel. A place where she could pretend to be beautiful and clever, the type of woman to engage the interest of a scholarly gentleman. A gentleman she'd come to respect and esteem. Perhaps even love. 

Besides, God had arranged her features the way he'd seen fit, and she'd not argue with the Creator over his artistic inclinations. He hadn't given her beauty, but he'd given her other blessings--ones she wouldn't trade even if offered the choice. A loving home, a supportive faith community, a passion for learning, and an empathy for others struggling to find their way. Things that carried lasting value. 

Her insinuation made his jaw clench. He looked her straight in the eye and refused to let his nervousness divert his gaze again. "You're right. There is a reason you haven't yet had a suitor. Because until today, I was in Massachusetts. I apologize for my tardiness." Now it was her turn to blink. Once. Twice. Three times. "You're in earnest?" He nodded. Then, just to ensure there was no misunderstanding, he added words. "I am." 

"Don't let fear steal your chance for happiness, Miss Barrington," Annabelle whispered. "If God can make a path through the Red Sea, he can clear a way through whatever obstacles stand in front of you, too. So don't go running back to Egypt just yet."

It reminded me that holding tight to something just because it's familiar isn't always as safe or good as one might think. Sometimes we have to try something new to discover blessings only God can see.

No Room At The Inn is set in Nebraska territory (Wyoming) circa 1861. 

First sentence: Hope Palmer slid her knife through the last of the dried apple pieces, letting them drop the bowl on the table in front of her. 

Hope Palmer and her brother run an inn for the stage coach. A storm brings them unexpected guests for the holidays. One of whom is Noah Bentwood. The other is a young lady he is accompanying--having been hired by her father. She falls for him. He knows he's about to leave with little reason to return. But he does find her charming, etc. During their few days together will love develop. 

This was my least favorite of the story. I felt that while there was some character development, it was a minimum of character development. Most of the story is about a 'missing' heirloom--a knife--that she plans to gift her brother. The plot is so thin and uninteresting. I also found myself doing a lot of overthinking. She is a baker--in the west, not really close to civilization as such. I'm fairly certain railroads had not gotten through that far yet. Though I could be wrong. Things come by stage coach. Hence the stage coach inn. Yet she is reckless with her baking--sugar, chocolate, spices, etc., In my opinion. Perhaps I've just read other pioneer stories where sugar is almost hoarded for extremely special occasions. It was an okay read. I liked the romance well enough. 

I would rate this one three stars.

The Shepherd's Heart is set in Nebraska circa 1875.

First sentence: For a moment that dawn, everything seemed completely perfect.

Angellyn Lewis (aka Angel) was jilted on her wedding day, or perhaps the night before her wedding. One or the other. Yet she feels like she's heard a voice from above telling her she'll have a husband by Christmas. It's September. Visiting with a close family friend, she learns of a former childhood friend, recently widowed, who's looking for a woman to marry to help him raise his children. She has very fond feelings of their friendship, and so she agrees. He lives in Wyoming so off she goes to be his bride. Will these two who marry for convenience fall truly in love with each other? 

I tend to love marriage of convenience stories. This one was fun. I DO personally wish it had been a full length novel. I do feel it was a bit rushed. I think with a bit more time--and less rushing--it would have easily been a five stars. I really found myself liking both Angel and Vincent (Duran). I just felt that they went from being awkward friends to not being able to keep their hands off each other. One page it was, she'd get the bedroom and he'd sleep in the barn. And then the next chapter they're in bed together. I kept looking for what I'd missed. Maybe I did truly miss something. But I thought it was good. 

I enjoyed two out of the three stories very much. I would definitely reread The Shepherd's Heart and A Star in the West. I was not as fond of No Room at the Inn. But I didn't dislike it enough to regret my time. 

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

68. Yesterday's Gone

68. Yesterday's Gone. Cindy and Erin Woodsmall. 2022. 432 pages. [Source: Library] [5 stars, time travel, Amish fiction, christian romance]

First sentence: Sweat rolled down Eliza Bontrager's neck as she carried her youngest sibling on one hip and a plate of sliced bread in her hand. Stale bread, and the last of it. The mountain air hung thick with the familiar July aromas. 

Premise/plot: TIME TRAVEL. AMISH ROMANCE. Who knew these two could blend so well?!?!?! 

Eliza Bontrager loves, loves, loves Jesse Ebersol despite the opposition of their families and the community. There have been marriages between the Ebersols and the Bontragers in the past that were less than ideal. There's even rumors of a 'curse' if these two families marry into one another. Jesse and Eliza do not believe in 'the curse.' Love conquers all. On their wedding day, Eliza is given a quilt--passed down through the generations--and told a family story. The story is almost too incredible to believe. If she takes the quilt to an old cabin in the woods--place names escape me--and she undoes a single stitch in the quilt and restitches it, she can travel back in time to one particular moment in her past. Supposedly, once done it is DONE. No going back to the way things used to be. And no do-overs. Five or six years later, Eliza faces strong temptation after burying her third child. She is convinced that life would be better for everyone if she'd never married Jesse. But is that true?

My thoughts: This one has IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE vibes and time travel. It also has quite a lot to say about grief, love, loss, and healing. I really LOVED this one. I loved getting to know Eliza, Jesse, Ruth, and Andrew. I loved seeing both realities. I highly recommend this one. 

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

66. Last Light Over Galveston

66. Last Light Over Galveston. Jennifer L. Wright. 2025. 356 pages. [Source: Library] [christian fiction, historical fiction, survival story, 4 stars]

First sentence: I walked until I could go no farther, until open water was all I could see. It was the end of the road, for sure. Possibly the end of the world. For me, they were one and the same. 

Premise/plot: Kathleen McDaniel (aka "Annie") is running away from her past. She's found refuge in an orphanage in Galveston, Texas, though she is not young enough to technically be in an orphanage. She doesn't want to be a nun herself, but, she's happy to help out in exchange for a safe place to stay. But her welcome is wearing out, perhaps, on the 'fateful' day the hurricane hits the island. She's only lived on Galveston a few months--May through September--yet everyone she has come to love is in great, great danger. No where on the island is safe, no person is safe. 

My thoughts: This one is definitely not my first book on the 1900 Galveston Hurricane; I've read fiction and nonfiction. This may be my first CHRISTIAN fiction novel with that setting. The survival aspect of this one is definitely a strength.

Last Light Over Galveston may try to tell too many stories. Reading is subjective. I would have preferred NOT to have the 'current' storyline interrupted for many, many, many flashbacks to her past--how she came to run away from her old life. I thought the 'added' drama of having her past 'catch up with her' by someone discovering her new location, new life, was a little unnecessary considering THE HURRICANE.  Like, she's already in great danger from the winds, the floods, the collapse of buildings, etc, let's have someone from her past there trying to pursue her. I think if her past story was simplified or revealed through conversation, it would have fit better. 

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

58. These Blue Mountains

58. These Blue Mountains. Sarah Loudin Thomas. 2025. 352 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars, historical fiction, historical romance]

First sentence: Hedda slipped from the frigid air into the warmth of the kitchen and snugged the door shut behind her. She closed the dead bolt. Opened it. And closed it again, nearly dropping the newspaper beneath her arm. She reached for the lock a third time but then lowered her hand. No. It wasn't necessary.

Premise/plot: Hedda Schlagel lives with Lotte, the woman that would have been her mother-in-law if her fiance had not died. She is surprised to see his name appear in an American newspaper as someone who died in a German camp. She goes to America to find his grave, to bring his body back to his mother, to perhaps find some closure. The problem--you know every novel has one--the body in the coffin, in the grave, is NOT her fiance. It is a woman who has been missing for years. (I believe 1918, though I could be off by a year either direction). She does NOT want to return to Germany, yet she's overstayed her approved visit. Sheriff Garland Jones finds himself in a place to help the newly arrived Hedda out. Not just once, but over a series of weeks and months. Soon he considers her a friend. He is aware that she could get deported back to Germany and wants to help her find a way to stay in the United States. 

Several mysteries are found within These Blue Mountains. It is historical fiction set in Germany AND North Carolina in 1932/1933. 

My thoughts: I enjoyed this one. I enjoyed the characters. There are definitely more side characters fleshed out than is typical in a romance novel. (This is a good thing). I enjoyed the setting and the time period. Easy to recommend this one to those who enjoy Christian historical romance. 

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

56. This Promised Land

56. This Promised Land. Cathy Gohlke. 2025. 358 pages. [Source: Library] [5 stars, christian fiction, general fiction, family]

First sentence: It was late in the season.

Premise/plot: Ginny Pickering Boyden is returning to her family home after almost five decades. Her family home is a Christmas tree farm, Wetherill Pickering's Christmas Tree Farm. She didn't leave under the best of circumstances--family drama, you see--and she never expected to come back again. Her plans are to be quick about it. Little does she know that this homecoming is a forever homecoming. 

Why did she return? Her brother Harold's death. Turns out he's been lying to her for decades as well as lying to other family members. The tree farm is now hers....but what can she do with it? 

Harold's two sons--Mark and Luke--are under the impression that they will inherit the Christmas tree farm. Luke and his wife, Bethany, do not have children. Mark has three children. Can they come together as a family to save the tree farm and be each other's true FAMILY? 

This family saga has a handful of flashbacks to the 1940s but is primarily set in 1992. The main character, Ginny, is older (probably mid to late sixties). There's some romance, but, it's not the primary focus exactly. 

This one is all about the healing of dyfunctional families, complex relationships, and forgiveness.

My thoughts: This Promised Land was a wonderful read. I loved getting to know the characters. I loved the flaws--in the characters, in the situation, the realness of the family dynamics. I loved how everyone came together and grew together. I love that it wasn't an easy process, that it was a journey, a struggle, that it required commitment and effort and time. 

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

52. Every Hour Until Then

52. Every Hour Until Then (Timeless #5) Gabrielle Meyer. 2025. 368 pages. [Source: Library] [speculative fiction, historical fiction, time travel, christian fiction, 5 stars]

First sentence: A cold wind rattled the window frame in my bedroom at 11 Wilton Crescent as the edges of a tree branch scraped across the glass.

Premise/plot: The Timeless series by Gabrielle Meyer are speculative fiction heavy on the romance. Each is a 'timeslip' novel where the heroine is living in two time periods. She lives each day twice: once in each time period. She alternates where she wakes up essentially. Her first name is the same in both timelines. Kathryn, our heroine, is living in 1888 and 1938. In one timeline, JACK THE RIPPER is splashed across the newspapers. IN the other timeline, ADOLF HITLER is. She loves history in both timelines. But she has perhaps a better job in 1938. She is, in fact, hired to put together an exhibit on Jack the Ripper in 1938 for the London Museum. For better or worse, her time in the 'present day' of 1938 is effecting how she is living life in 1888. She knows WHO the victims will be and the details surrounding their death. She knows that the killer will not be brought to justice and is in fact still very much a mystery. She is tempted to see for herself if she can figure out WHO he is by hiding at the scene of his crimes. Especially when she knows one of the future victims. Will she risk it all to save a life?

My thoughts: This might be my favorite of the series. Perhaps. For the record, some of the books in this series I have not cared for at all. This one was extremely different from previous books. It was more MYSTERY and SUSPENSE then romance. That's not to say the love interest in the past lacked charm, he did. It's just that there was no love triangle--like in previous titles in the series where some attempt is made to be angsty in the love department. 

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

51. To Love a Beast

51. To Love A Beast. (Once Upon a Time in Texas #1) Karen Witemeyer. 2025. 229 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars, historical romance, Christian romance]

First sentence: Everett Griffin strutted through the halls of the Union Club like a thoroughbred stallion on the auction block--for that's what he was. New York's Golden Boy. The American Adonis. The bachelor who would barter his handsome face along with his freedom for the right price. A very high price.

Premise/plot: To Love a Beast is a historical retelling of the fairy tale Beauty and the Beast--minus everything that makes a fairy tale an actual fairy tale--the magical, fantastical elements. The 'beast' Everett Griffin is a scarred man who has essentially run away from trauma and is now living in Texas. The 'beauty'  Callista Rosenfeld is a book-loving bookbinder who works alongside her father in their book-binding business. When his health falters, she takes his place with an important new client, Everett Griffin. She'll spend a few months at his home rebinding his library--rebinding several books a day in leather with artistic designs as well. Slowly but surely, this Beauty will fall for the Beast.

My thoughts: I listened on audio as that was the only way my library offered it. It is narrated by Cara Firestone. I was not a fan of Cara Firestone's narration. I didn't care for how she portrayed the different characters with her voice acting. It was often rough-going. Overall, a very monotone, almost lifeless rendering of a story that I am almost sure would have been all kinds of awesome if read by another narrator or in print form. (Though I did hear that the font size of the print edition was small.) 

I am a BIG, BIG, BIG fan of Karen Witemeyer's books. I definitely enjoyed this one. I'm very glad I read it. It is not my favorite and best of her fairytale retellings. It is solidly good however. 

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible