GRR Reviews Melody's Christmas by ID Johnson

Melody lost her father two Christmas's ago, and had lost all interest in music and holiday spirit. She only came back to help her mother keep the family antique business afloat... and she needs to work fast, as the business may be foreclosed on if she dawdled. Meeting the new handyman in town, Reid, was a surprise, and so was meeting his adorable five-year-old. Did she put her life on hold for grief? // Reid had to leave town after his wife left, leaving him to raise his son alone. He moved to the small town for a fresh start, and it's clear that his son is smitten with Melody. But is his heart ready to try again? Can he get her back into the Christmas spirit? 

Clear but not too overly Christian themes, not too heavily handed, good use of kid's cuteness. But nothing truly extraordinary either. 

3/5

GRR Reviews Not Until Christmas Morning by Valerie M Bodden

Austin lost his leg, his friend, and his faith in Afghanistan. With his brother also serving, he's determined to go back, but with the decision on his discharge in the air, and moping at home is not an answer, he decided to visit Hope Springs, where his parents came from... and met a neighbor having her own problems. // Leah has plenty of heart to give, but after betrayal, she decided to remain single, even as she decided to foster a teen problem child. But Jackson, who found his mother dead of OD, is determined not to let anyone ever hurt him again, and has been bounced out of multiple foster families. Yet Jackson formed a bond with their new neighbor, Austin. Leah had to be nice to Austin, but Jackson's sake, But can three broken souls make one happy family as Christmas nears?

VERY Christian, plenty of mention of Bible and faith, but NOT heavy-handed (as some Christian writers tend to sprinkle Bible quotes throughout), and great character arc for all three. I have a little problem with Jackson, whose behavior is conflicting. Seems he ONLY EVER eats a PBJ sandwich... which he later explained that it was the last thing his mom made for him, yet he also hates his mom for leaving him for drugs and OD death... But the story overall, is still quite uplifting. 4.5/5

GRR Reviews her Kind-hearted BIlionaire by Juliette Duncan

Phoebe still can't get over the death of her fiancee only weeks before their wedding, even a year later. When her best friend decided to drag her to Asia on a volunteering trip to Southeast Asia, she decided to go. // Nicholas is an Aussie billionaire with his two siblings... but lately it feels as if he's the only adult left. His little brother just spends and spends, and his sister just goes on these "meditation retreats", yet both are shallow as ****. Feeling a bit lost, he wandered into a local church, and heard about a volunteer opportunity in Bangkok. He decided to take a month off to volunteer... undercover. // Nick and Phoebe met in Bangkok at a rehabilitation shelter for trafficked children, and they connected. But he's hiding his identity and had not given himself to God,  She's feeling guilty of falling for someone less than a year after her fiancee's death... Can they find love?

A bit too overtly religious, and there was no resolution for Nick's two siblings, who are STILL shallow as ****. Pure dress pieces. 3.5/5

GRR Reviews her Compassionate Billionaire by Juliette Duncan

Jonathan "Jon" is a rich single father trying to raise 3 kids... by hiring nannies and overworking himself because he's still grieving over his wife's early death. When their nanny had to quit two weeks before Christmas due to family issues, he has no choice but to place ads to hire another. He didn't expect to find Ruth... // Ruth is a new empty nester... Her son, who just turned adult, is heading for college. Yes, she was a single mom, but she believes in God and He has lead her out of dark times. And she has more love to give. Being a nanny to 3 kids is exactly what she needed...

Not much innovation or twists, it's a straightforward hot for boss / hot for nanny romance albeit with a clean Christian theme around the Holidays. 3.5/5

GRR Reviews A Love Song for Kayla by Kimberly Rose Johnson

Kayla loves being a florist, but hated Valentine's Day, because she's alone. Then she met the new UPS guy, Derek, who's handsome and mysterious. And she's intrigued. // Derek is hiding from his successful singing career as DJ by living with his mother. He rather enjoys being Derek the UPS guy, meeting new people, and the florist Kayla was... delightful.  But when his showmance partner and ex-girlfriend starlet Estelle found him in town, Kayla recoiled at the betrayal. Estelle, keen on reviving her own career, needs Derek/DJ back in Tinseltown, somewhere Derek never wishes to go again, as he wanted to stay for Kayla. But then Estelle revealed WHY she must get Derek/DJ back...

The last act of the book felt a bit forced, and same with Estelle's conversion from bitchy-starlet into a Christian woman. Also, it's seriously IMPOSSIBLE for someone to find work at UPS using a pseudonym.  Still, it's a cute tale. 4/5

GRR Reviews Heaven Sent by Sherri Schoenborn Murray

Isabelle is joining another town's Christmas Choir for five weeks, despite her boyfriend Albert's objections. Upon arrival, she and a few other new members of the all-girl choir was quickly set upon by the gossipy women about town trying to arrange a date for the young and unattached pastor. And the young pastor did fall for one of the girls, not that he would admit it, of course. Then Albert showed up in town...

There is a certain polish to the tale that I enjoy, but the pace is not to my liking. At times, I wasn't sure if this is a contemporary or a historical romance... And it was VERY Christian, though there was no excessive use of Bible quotes and such. There were more than a few LOL moments that may require a second reading to fully appreciate. In the end, I felt there's something there, but the style is just not for me.

Category: Contemporary

Overall Rating: 3/5

NOTE: Tropes are now in the "Labels" below.

GRR Reviews Judith (Rose Creek Ranch Mail Order Brid by Ann Laurel

Judith is a historical Western mail-order bride story that has a heavy-handed Christian message that seems to teach women are weak doormats and only their husbands (even for mail order brides) can protect them. There was really no struggle per se except faith.

Judith was the daughter of a coal miner, and her parents wanted a better life for her, so they married her off to Colorado by pretending to be her and corresponded with a man in Colorado, and married her off as a mail-order bride. She went willingly, but there was no love to her husband. After months there, she didn't quite fit in, didn't find Christ, and was homesick, so she ran off toward home. On the way back, her train was robbed, and she along with another girl traveling alone, was taken off the train by robbers and forced to work in a lawless town as a saloon girl. She begged for mercy from God and deliverance from her ordeal, until one day, her husband along with US marshals came to town and rescued her. She learned her lessons and decided to stay married to her husband, who forgave her. The end.

Clean, yes. Christian, yes. Entertaining... NO! There really was no plot. Things just keep happening to the poor girl, and the ONLY decision she made was to run home and look at how that turned out. So basically the theme was "don't make any decisions for oneself", right? ARGH!

Category: Historical Western / Christian

Primary Plot: Mail order bride hates her new home, ran off for home, got kidnapped by a gang who robbed the train

Tropes: mail order bride, kidnapping, runaway bride

Overall Rating:  1/5

GRR Reviews Tender Love: A Christian Romance by Juliette Duncan

Tender Love is about letting go of past baggage in order love again. It is billed as Christian Romance, so there is no sex.

Tessa Scott saw her relationship with her multi-year BF fall apart and unsure how to move forward. Ben Williams saw his wife of 14 years walk out of his life leaving him with their son. When Ben's counselor, Stephanie, also happens to be Tessa's BFF, the unlikely pair of Tessa and Ben was set up on a date. And while they really are drawn to each other, each has a ton of baggage they are not letting go just yet.... But perhaps God and prayers can show them the way...

Plenty of mentions about praying for guidance can a bit jarring, but it's expected in Christian romance. The rest of book is okay about finally moving past their respective problems.

Category: Contemporary / Christian

Primary Plot: Two hurt people coming together, but unsure about how to move past their past hurts

Tropes: clean, scars, single parent, 

Overall Rating:  3/5 (rounded up)