Review: "Sunrise" by Susan May Warren

Susan May Warren is one of my must-read authors; if she writes it, I'll read it! So I was very eager to get my hands on the first book in her new Sky King Ranch series, Sunrise.

Review: "Can't Buy Me Love" by Andrea Christenson presented by Susan May Warren

Another Deep Haven novel? Yes, please!

Review: "The Price of Valor" by Susan May Warren

Susan May Warren's Global Search and Rescue series (and, in a way, her Montana Marshalls series) ends on a high note with The Price of Valor!

Review: "The Heart of a Hero" by Susan May Warren

Susan May Warren fans are sure to be delighted by this second installment in the Global Search and Rescue series!

Review: "The Way of the Brave" by Susan May Warren

Anytime Susan May Warren releases a new book, my reaction is "yes, please!" It's a no-brainer! And since she's such a prolific writer, it feels like I constantly have a new book of hers to read ... and I'm certainly not complaining about that 😀.

Review: "Wyatt" by Susan May Warren

As Susan May Warren's Montana Marshalls series has released over the last several months, I've eagerly devoured each installment. I got review copies of the first several books, but I missed out on Wyatt ... so I bought it myself, as I needed to know what happened next!

Review: "Ford" by Susan May Warren

After reading Knox and Tate a couple months ago, I couldn't wait to dive back into the Montana Marshalls with Ford!

Review: "Tate" by Susan May Warren

The Montana Marshalls are back, and this time middle brother Tate takes center stage.

Review: "Knox" by Susan May Warren

Nobody writes inter-connected series like Susan May Warren, and she's back with her new Montana Marshalls series! I can't wait to read all of them!

Review: "Wait for Me" by Susan May Warren

Susan May Warren has a way of creating series with characters that end up feeling like friends and family. After I finished the Christiansen family series, I was hesitant yet eager to pick up the Montana Rescue series—how could I possibly love the new characters as much as I loved the Christiansens?

Well, you've probably guessed by now that the PEAK Rescue team has stolen my heart. I've loved every book in the series, and Wait for Me is no exception. Wait for Me finally wraps up Pete & Jess's story, as well as tying up the loose ends regarding PEAK founder Ian's niece Esme/Shae (who disappeared in the prequel novella If Ever I Would Leave You). And it's wonderful.

Review: "Storm Front" by Susan May Warren

So ... this has absolutely nothing to do with the book, but every time I look at the cover, I see Henry Cavill, which isn't exactly a bad thing! Now that we have that out of the way, let's get to the book ...

"Troubled Waters" by Susan May Warren

Is it too soon to have a candidate for my best books of 2018 list? Because I do. Troubled Waters is every bit as wonderful as I'd hoped it would be!

"A Matter of Trust" by Susan May Warren

Each time a Susan May Warren novel lands in my mailbox, I feel a bit giddy, as I know I'm in for a great read. A Matter of Trust, the latest book in Warren's Montana Rescue series, is just that ... a great read!

"Rescue Me" by Susan May Warren

It's two romances for the price of one in Susan May Warren's Rescue Me, and I wouldn't have it any other way!

top ten tuesday: all-time favorite inspy romances

For this week's Top Ten Tuesday, the topic is Top Ten ALL TIME Favorite Books of ___ Genre. That's pretty wide open, and I contemplated several topics as I drove today. (We had our annual yearbook conference in a town 45 minutes away, so I had a 90-minute drive time to think.) I wanted to be creative. I wanted to do the unexpected. But when it comes right down to it, they say to write what you know, and what do I know?

Inspy Romance.

I couldn't bear to rank them, so, listed by year of publication, here are my Top Ten Inspy (aka inspirational, aka Christian) Romances.

1990's

At the yearbook conference today, we talked about how yearbooks from the 80's look like they were made in the 80's ... well, these books from the 90's certainly look like they came from the 90's!

1994

Wings of the Morning by Lori Wick. I haven't read this book in years, but I still remember it vividly. Lori Wick was my favorite author of the mid-to-late-90's, and Wings of the Morning is my second favorite of her novels. A handsome sea captain, an independent woman, and pirates ... what more could you want?

1995

Sophie's Heart by Lori Wick. I probably read this ten times in high school alone. I also loaned it out to all my friends, which is why my copy is in such horrible shape. Like Wings of the Morning, I haven't read it in years, but it will always be one of my favorites.

1997

Sunsets by Robin Jones Gunn. I loved the whole Glenbrooke series, and Sunsets was my favorite installment, I think because it featured Alyssa, a character from the Christy Miller series.

2000's

2008

The Convenient Groom by Denise Hunter. This marriage of convenience story is still one of my favorites! It was recently made into a Hallmark movie which was good, but the book is better! (my review)

2010's

2011

Blue Skies Tomorrow by Sarah Sundin. This book, the first of Sundin's I ever read, was my favorite book of 2011. Sundin's World War II novels are some of my most anticipated reads each year. (my review)

2012

My Stubborn Heart by Becky Wade. Kate & Matt's story was my favorite of 2012, and I knew the instant I began reading it that Becky Wade was destined to become one of my favorite authors. (my review)

2013

Dear Mr. Knightley by Katherine Reay. This epistolary novel is unlike anything else I've ever read, and it was my favorite book of 2013. I've only read it once, but I'm thinking it's time for another go at it! (my review)

2014

2014 was a very good year for inspy romance—my final three books are from this year!

Dancing with Fireflies by Denise Hunter. I absolutely loved Denise Hunter's Chapel Springs series, and this—about pregnant, unmarried Jade and Daniel, the man who has secretly loved her for years—is my favorite installment. (my review)

When I Fall in Love by Susan May Warren. While I enjoyed the first two Christiansen Family books, book three, When I Fall in Love, is the one that made me go "all in" on this series. Max and Grace have the sweetest story! (my review)

Meant to Be Mine by Becky Wade. If you forced me to name an absolute favorite novel, this would be it. I love Ty (swoon!). I love Celia. I love their daughter Addie. Needless to say, it was my favorite book of 2014. I've read it twice already, and you can bet I'll be reading it again! (my review)

What's your favorite inspy romance? I'd love to know! And if you made your own list this week, leave a link in the comments, and I'll be sure to visit.

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase an item, I will receive an affiliate 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."

"wild montana skies" by susan may warren

Revell, October 2016

I began reading Wild Montana Skies on the way home from a weekend in Nashville, which seems pretty appropriate, as main character Ben King is a country superstar, one half of the wildly popular duo Montgomery King. The novel is less about country music, though, and more about finding your place—in life, in love, and in faith.

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Bestselling Author's New Series Delivers Romance and Adventure as an SAR Team Searches for Others--and Finds Themselves 

Search and rescue pilot Kacey Fairing is home on leave in Mercy Falls, Montana, twelve years after she joined the military to escape the mistakes of her past. With a job waiting for her as the new lead pilot of Peak Rescue in Glacier National Park, Kacey hopes to reconnect with the now-teenage daughter she sees only between deployments. What she doesn't realize is that someone else is also back in town. 

Ben King has been building his country music career since the day Kacey shut him out of her life. Now all of that's on hold when his injured father calls him home to help run Peak Rescue until he's fully recovered. It doesn't take long, though, to discover his father's ulterior motives as Kacey Fairing walks into the house and back into his heart. 

With Mercy Falls in a state of emergency due to flash floods, Kacey and Ben are forced to work together to save lives. But when floodwaters turn personal, can they put aside the past to save their future?

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Ben and Kacey were high school sweethearts who planned on getting married, but a series of misunderstandings drove them apart. Thirteen years later, they both wind up back in Mercy Falls, Kacey to work with PEAK search and rescue, and Ben to help his father recover following an injury. The sparks are still there—and if you've read other Susan May Warren novels, you know just how sizzling those sparks can be!—but 13 years of anger and heartache (not to mention Ben's music partner Hollie) threaten to stand in the way of their happiness.

There's a secondary romance in Wild Montana Skies involving Kacey's best friend Sierra and Ian, founder of PEAK Rescue. Their story began in the prequel novella If Ever I Would Leave You, and it continues in Wild Montana Skies. One thing to note if you did read the novella: Wild Montana Skies begins three years after the events of the novella. That wasn't super clear right away, and it did cause a little confusion for me at the beginning of the novel. Ian and Sierra's story is a bit unresolved as Wild Montana Skies ends, and I look forward to reading more about them as the series progresses.

One thing I love about Warren's novels, which looks to hold true in the Montana Rescue series, is that the conflict is always realistic. What I like to call "just talk about it already" syndrome, where all the couple's problems could be solved with a simple conversation, is nowhere to be found. Instead, there are real roadblocks to happiness, roadblocks that may, in some cases, be insurmountable (though I hope that isn't the case!).

Wild Montana Skies is a wonderful kick-off to the new Montana Rescue series. Full of romance, adventure, and faith, it kept me flipping through the pages, and I can't wait to continue the series with Rescue Me next year. 5 stars.

Buy the book.
Read my review of the prequel novella, If Ever I Would Leave You (4 stars).

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Susan May Warren is the ECPA and CBA bestselling author of over fifty novels, with more than one million books sold. Winner of a RITA Award and multiple Christy and Carol Awards, as well as the HOLT and numerous Readers' Choice Awards, Susan has written contemporary and historical romances, romantic suspense, thrillers, romantic comedy, and novellas. She can be found online at www.susanmaywarren.com, on Facebook at SusanMayWarrenFiction, and on Twitter @susanmaywarren.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free for review from the author and publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate 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."

"you're the one that i want" by susan may warren

I've had You're the One that I Want in my possession for several months now, but I just finally got around to reading it. Why? Because I have adored Susan May Warren's Christiansen Family series, and this is the final book. I just didn't want the journey to end!

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Owen Christiansen has been in a downward spiral since an injury ended his NHL career. But a job on an Alaskan crabbing boat offers a fresh start . . . maybe even a shot at romance with Elise “Scotty” McFlynn, the captain’s daughter.

Used to being one of the guys, to never relying on anyone, Scotty doesn’t believe in happily ever after―especially with someone like Owen. Her instinct is confirmed when Casper Christiansen arrives to drag his prodigal brother home, bringing with him a truckload of family drama―and even worse, the news that Casper is wanted for questioning in connection to a crime back in Minnesota.

But Owen is more than the sum of his mistakes, a truth both he and Scotty discover when she escorts both brothers to Deep Haven as part of her new job on the Anchorage police force. Thrust into an unfamiliar world of family, faith, and fresh starts, Scotty begins to see potential for a happy ending . . . if she’s brave enough to embrace it.

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You're the One that I Want is Owen Christiansen's story. Owen, the prodigal son, the family black sheep, the character I most disliked throughout the series. Yet, in a testament to Warren's great writing, as I began the book, I found myself rooting for—and even really, really liking—Owen!

While the book focuses on Owen and Scotty's relationship, it also ties up loose ends from the other Christiansen books—especially regarding Casper. I was surprised to find that I was not "Team Casper" for most of the novel ... and that brings up something that I've greatly appreciated about the Christiansen Family series: the Christiansens are most definitely not perfect, even after a "come to Jesus" moment. The characters mess up—sometimes in major ways—yet they remain a family and love each other, while also not excusing bad behavior. This is especially evident as the family deals with the fallout of both Owen's and Casper's actions throughout the series.

Not only is You're the One that I Want a fabulous conclusion to the Christiansen Family novels, but the entire series is wonderful, and I highly recommend all of the books! 5 stars.

Note: This series is one that is best read in order. Start with Take a Chance on Me, and then work your way through the rest. This is one of my favorite series of all time!

Buy the book.
Read my reviews of other Christiansen family novels: When I Fall in Love (5 stars); Evergreen, a Christiansen family novella (5 stars); Always on My Mind (5 stars); and The Wonder of You (5 stars).

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Susan May Warren is the ECPA and CBA bestselling author of over fifty novels, with more than one million books sold. Winner of a RITA Award and multiple Christy and Carol Awards, as well as the HOLT and numerous Readers' Choice Awards, Susan has written contemporary and historical romances, romantic suspense, thrillers, romantic comedy, and novellas. She can be found online at www.susanmaywarren.com, on Facebook at SusanMayWarrenFiction, and on Twitter @susanmaywarren.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I purchased this book myself and reviewed it by choice. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase an item, I will receive an affiliate 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."

"if ever i would leave you" by susan may warren

I recently finished reading Susan May Warren's wonderful Christiansen Family series, which ended up being one of my favorite series of all time. So I'm thrilled to begin her new Montana Rescue series with this prequel novella, If Ever I Would Leave You, which is free to her newsletter subscribers and free on Kindle!

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If you harbored a devastating secret, had given your solemn promise of silence… what would make you to break it?

Ian Shaw can have anything he wants…

...except the woman he loves. After all, Sierra Rose is his amazing assistant, a woman who helps him hold his empire together, leaving him free to pursue his adventurous hobbies—his only distraction from his excruciating past… until now. But what if she is the one who can finally free him from his regrets?

Sierra Rose harbors a terrible secret…

...the fact that Ian’s favorite niece and ward, Esme, just might elope with her less-than-awesome boyfriend. Sierra’s made a promise to Esme—but her first loyalty belongs to her boss Ian, the man she's admired for years. But letting herself fall in love with him risks the best job she’s ever had.

When tragedy strikes, sparks ignite…

...because Esme has vanished. Ian fears the worst--has she run away with her boyfriend? Or, has something more sinister happened in the wilds of Glacier National Park? It's a race against time, with Sierra and Ian caught in the crossfire of secrets, regrets and what-ifs.

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If Ever I Would Leave You tells the story of how PEAK Rescue, the group at the center of Warren's Montana Rescue series, came to be. Billionaire Ian Shaw is working up the courage to tell his assistant Sierra how he really feels about her when tragedy strikes. He vows to do everything he can to find his missing niece Esme, including funding the rescue efforts when law enforcement needs to close the search and move on.

This prequel novella contains everything I've come to expect from Susan May Warren—strong characters, romantic chemistry, and realistic conflict. Though it does end rather abruptly with absolutely nothing resolved, it's a wonderful lead-in to the Montana Rescue series. 4 stars.

Get your free copy of the novella.
Get the Kindle version free through Amazon.
Read my reviews of Warren's other novels.

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Susan May Warren is the ECPA and CBA bestselling author of over fifty novels, with more than one million books sold. Winner of a RITA Award and multiple Christy and Carol Awards, as well as the HOLT and numerous Readers' Choice Awards, Susan has written contemporary and historical romances, romantic suspense, thrillers, romantic comedy, and novellas. She can be found online at www.susanmaywarren.com, on Facebook at SusanMayWarrenFiction, and on Twitter @susanmaywarren.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this novella free as a subscriber to Susan May Warren's newsletter and reviewed it because I wanted to. The opinions expressed are my own. Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate 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."

best books of 2015: top ten

Yesterday, I posted my "honorable mention" list of books I read in 2015, and today it's time for the main event: my top ten favorite reads of 2015! (Remember, these are books I read in 2015; a few were released in previous years.)

10. The Imposter by Suzanne Woods Fisher (my review)

Amish novels don't often make my list of favorite reads, but this latest release from Suzanne Woods Fisher is simply spectacular. Full of humor, romance, and intriguing characters, The Imposter also deals with problems within the leadership of an Amish church district, making it unusual and fascinating.

9. The Inn at Ocean's Edge by Colleen Coble (my review)

Colleen Coble is at the top of her game with The Inn at Ocean's Edge. I find that often romantic suspense falters on either the "romantic" or "suspense" part—but The Inn at Ocean's Edge has both romance and suspense in spades. It's easily the best book I read in the genre in 2015.

8. The Golden Braid by Melanie Dickerson (my review)

Hands down my favorite YA read of the year, The Golden Braid is a wholly entertaining retelling of Rapunzel. It's one of those books you could hand off to your preteen daughter with no concern, yet you'll fully enjoy yourself. I can't wait to read more from Dickerson!

7. The Lost Garden by Katharine Swartz (my review)

Easily my favorite book cover of 2015, The Lost Garden is beautiful and literary and gently romantic. I had never heard of Katharine Swartz before picking up this novel, but I'll definitely be watching for her work now!

6. For the Love by Jen Hatmaker (my review)

The only non-fiction book on my list, For the Love was truly life changing, in more ways than one. The content of the book caused me to reevaluate several things in my life; the community that sprung out of the book's launch team also changed me. I'm ever so grateful for this book!

5. A Love Like Ours by Becky Wade (my review)

It's no surprise to find a Becky Wade book on this list: I have yet to come across something she wrote that I didn't love. In A Love Like Ours, she gives readers two romances for the price of one: Lyndie & Jake and Amber & Will. Both are charming.

4. The Wonder of You by Susan May Warren (my review)

Another year, another Christiansen family entry in my top ten list. (It could just as easily be Always on My Mind, Casper Christiansen's story, on this list, but I decided long ago to only include one book per author on my top ten lists!) The Wonder of You tells Amelia Christiansen's story, and it also checks back in on Max and Grace, whose story began in It Had to Be You, which made my top ten list last year. I have loved this series so much, and I'm sad that it's nearing its end.

3. Through Waters Deep by Sarah Sundin (my review)

Sarah Sundin kicked off her new Waves of Freedom series with Through Waters Deep, a novel just as engaging as all of her previous ones. While I usually gravitate toward contemporary fiction, I have a soft spot for the World War II time period, and I don't think there's anyone who writes better World War II fiction than Sundin. The characters, romance, and plot of Through Waters Deep are all top notch, and I eagerly await the next book in the series!

2. The Bound Heart by Dawn Crandall (my review)

I read the first three novels in The Everstone Chronicles in 2015, and while I enjoyed them all, I loved, loved, loved The Bound Heart. Lawry and Meredyth's romance is sweet, frustrating, and passionate. I started reading The Bound Heart one evening and stayed up way too late so I could finish it. Easily my favorite romance of 2015!

1. A Broken Kind of Beautiful by Katie Ganshert (my review)

I don't even have the words to describe how much I loved this novel! Though it's marketed as a romance, I didn't find it that romantic, at least in the conventional way. Instead, it felt like a romance between God and His children. One of the themes of the novel is forging ahead with faith when life doesn't turn out as planned—something I think we all can identify with! I know I haven't done an adequate job of describing just why this novel is special, but take my word for it: you want to read A Broken Kind of Beautiful.

So there's my list. What about yours? If you posted a top books list this year, please leave a link in the comments so we can all check it out. And if you didn't, you could just list your favorites in a comment. I'd love to know if we loved any of the same books!

See my lists from 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014.


Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate 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.”

"from russia with love" by susan may warren

From Russia With Love, then known as Ekaterina, is the book that made me fall in love with Susan May Warren's writing. I'd read a few of her other novels before (Reclaiming Nick is the first I read), and while I liked them, I didn't love them. But I liked them enough to look for her other work, and the Heirs of Anton series grabbed my attention. I've been devouring Warren's novels ever since.

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Upon receiving an unusual package in the mail, Ekaterina "Kat" Moore boards a plane to Russia, her ancestral home, to seek some answers. What she finds leads her on a perilous journey through time as Kat must flee the Russian underground. To further complicate matters, she finds herself falling in love with FSB Captain Vadeem Spasonov, a man trying to forget the nightmares of his own past. When Kat's secrets lead to the answers Vadeem needs, the treasures they find unleash an avalanche of God's design. A trip to her ancestral home of Russia thrusts Ekaterina "Kat" Moore into a web of ancient conflict and family secrets.

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As I said before, when I first read this novel, I absolutely loved it. Time, which has led to my becoming a more discerning reader and Warren becoming a better writer, has diminished my love. On this second read (I just read it again last week), I definitely loved it much less. It's not that it's a bad book, but it didn't captivate my mind and emotions in the way I've come to expect of Warren's novels, and I found myself skimming quite a bit.

The story itself is intriguing as Kat seeks to learn about her past. Not too much is revealed, which is why you need to read the next book to discover the answers!

One thing I love about this series is the way it's written in reverse. From Russia With Love is set in the early 2000's. The next book, The Spy Who Loved Me (aka Nadia) is set in the 70's, and the third and fourth books are set before that. Even though I didn't love From Russia With Love on the second read, I'm still looking forward to rereading the rest of the series. 3 stars.

Buy the book or the ebook (The ebook is available exclusively in the Much Ado About Love romance collection--and at 99 cents for six books, it's a pretty good deal!)
Read my reviews of other Susan May Warren novels.

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Susan May Warren is the bestselling, RITA Award-winning author of more than forty novels whose compelling plots and unforgettable characters have won acclaim with readers and reviewers alike. She served with her husband and four children as a missionary in Russia for eight years before she and her family returned home to the States. She now writes full-time as her husband runs a lodge on Lake Superior in northern Minnesota, where many of her books are set. She and her family enjoy hiking, canoeing, and being involved in their local church. Several of her critically acclaimed novels have been ECPA and CBA bestsellers, were chosen as Top Picks by Romantic Times, and have won the RWA's Inspirational Reader's Choice contest and the American Christian Fiction Writers Book of the Year award. Five of her books have been Christy Award finalists. In addition to her writing, Susan loves to teach and speak at women's events about God's amazing grace in our lives. She also runs a writing community for authors.

Find Susan online: website, My Book Therapy, Twitter, Facebook

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free for review from the author. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate 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."