Book Notes: Contemporary Romance Reviews

 Welcome back! I'm happy to share a couple of contemporary book reviews with you. These two are clean romances from  the Seven Virtues Ranch series, though "Gotta Have Faith" was somewhat borderline in the imagery. I think 'clean' should apply to what drives the characters and how they think, as well as the actions they take. I'll leave the rest of my thoughts for later on in the article. 

Book Review: Gotta Have Faith by Reba Doughty

Gotta Have Faith by Reba Doughty
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A Pleasant Surprise

This story was a happy surprise. I wasn't sure what to expect as the author was new to me. But it was exactly as it was marketed to be...a clean, inspirational romance with relatable characters in real-life situations.

I love that the MCs had some real struggles to overcome. While the hero had money, that wasn't a big focus of the story. That was also a plus. The way the characters were described made them easy to picture in my imagination, too. I loved how normal they came across while each of them was clearly attracted to the other.

One thing that I'm not so certain about in an inspirational romance is the focus on momentary or fleeting attractions. This story had a little more emphasis on physical attraction than I usually like to see, but, like I mentioned, these characters come across as believable human beings. I think they were well-crafted, and that the plot was well-written.

If you enjoy inspirational romance with flawed characters who learn how to overcome obstacles, then I recommend you try this book.

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Book Review: Where There is Hope by Reba Doughty

Where There is Hope by Reba Doughty
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Another Fun Romance Full of Heart

I laughed so much at the children's antics in the second book of this series! On that alone, I'd recommend the book to anyone who needs a pick-me-up after a rough day. The hurt that the MCs have gone through, as well as the regrets, made them relatable and people I wanted to know better. While the story was clean and inspirational, it wasn't preachy and you could see these people living life and trying to do their best in spite of their faults and failures.

I absolutely love how the MCs were both adamant about going slow in their romance and doing things the morally correct way so that they started off right without the regrets of the past. I like how they learned from their mistakes and rather than giving up, changed tactics or just kept moving forward.

There were a few typos, but they didn't pull me out of the story. Other than that, it was well-written and well-crafted.

I'd recommend this book to anyone who enjoys clean, inspirational romance in which you can laugh and cry along with the characters.

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I enjoyed both of these books so much that I can't wait to finish out the series. The idea of a large family naming their children after the virtues was quirky and fun. Each of the sisters is truly unique and it was great to see how they interacted with each other and how they responded in different circumstances. I also liked the family dynamic and how these characters maintained their hold on their beliefs. 

What I wish there was more of in a lot of stories which are marketed as clean, inspirational romance wasn't missing here. This family attended church. They prayed together. Their faith was evident in their daily life. Well done, Reba Doughty!

I recommend this series if you're looking for a clean, inspirational series which contains some sparks between hero/heroine, but stays within acceptable boundaries (at least in my opinion), and runs the gamut of emotions. I laughed and cried and easily became invested in these characters. So if you enjoy that kind of thing, too, please check these out!

As my post is late going out, I didn't have time to proofread. I still have a quilt to hang on my clothesline, as well as some baking to get to. Oh, what a day! Hope to see y'all back here on Friday to check out what's been happening in my writing journey this week. Thanks for stopping by and for giving me that support and encouragement an indie author like me so desperately needs. Y'all have a good one!