Each year, I eagerly anticipate Becky Wade's new release. And each year, I'm not disappointed. Stay with Me, the first novel in Wade's new Misty River Romance series, is just as wonderful as—and a lot more thought provoking than—I'd anticipated.
When acclaimed Bible study author Genevieve Woodward receives an anonymous letter referencing her parents' past, she returns to her hometown in the Blue Ridge Mountains to chase down her family's secret. However, it's Genevieve's own secret that catches up to her when Sam Turner, owner of a historic farm, uncovers the source of shame she's worked so hard to hide.
Sam has embraced his sorrow, his isolation, and his identity as an outsider. He's spent years carving out both career success and peace of mind. The last thing he wants is to rent the cottage on his property to a woman whose struggles stir his worst failure back to life. Yet can he bear to turn her away right when she needs him most?
You know how sometimes you love a book so much that you just can't even find the words? Yeah, that's me right now!
More than just a romance (though what a romance it is!), Stay with Me tackles a variety of topics: Christian celebrity culture, addiction, long-buried secrets, and the power of grace.
I loved every second I spent reading this novel—Sam and Genevieve are wonderful, both together and separately, and I loved watching their romance unfold. I also enjoyed the mystery surrounding the letter Genevieve received about her parents, and that mystery led to one of the most touching scenes of forgiveness that I've ever read. The whole novel really is about redemption and grace, and it's so beautiful.
This series centers around the "Miracle Five"—five people who miraculously survived an earthquake while on a mission trip as teenagers. Gen and her sister are two of the five; readers are also introduced to Sebastian and Ben in Stay with Me, while Luke doesn't appear (except in the flashbacks to the earthquake). Sebastian's story comes next, and, without spoiling anything, let me just say that I'm so excited to read it! The romance (and potential conflict) is set up in the final quarter of Stay with Me, and I gasped when I realized where Wade was going to take the story!
Stay with Me is a novel that will "stay with you" long after you finish reading, and I highly recommend it! 5 stars.
Buy the book (affiliate link).
Read my reviews of Wade's Bradford books Then Came You (prequel novella, 4 stars), True to You (5 stars), Falling for You (5 stars), Because of You (novella, 5 stars), and Sweet on You (5 stars); the Porter Family Series: Undeniably Yours (5 stars), Meant to Be Mine (5 stars), A Love Like Ours (5 stars), and Her One and Only (5 stars); My Stubborn Heart (5 stars); and Love in the Details (5 stars).
Becky Wade is the 2018 Christy Award Book of the Year winner for True to You. She is a native of California who attended Baylor University, met and married a Texan, and moved to Dallas. She published historical romances for the general market, then put her career on hold for several years to care for her children. When God called her back to writing, Becky knew He meant for her to turn her attention to Christian fiction. Her humorous, heart-pounding contemporary romance novels have won three Christy Awards, the Carol Award, the INSPY Award, and the Inspirational Reader's Choice Award for Romance. Becky lives in Dallas, Texas with her husband and three children. To find out more about Becky and her books, visit www.beckywade.com.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
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I did not expect the "twist" of this book. BUT it's SO good, and as usual Becky writes yet another winning work of fiction. Like you, I always eagerly anticipate her books each year, and am now sad we have another year wait to read book two! :)
ReplyDeleteSo good, right? Can't wait for next year!
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