Book Notes: June 15, 2022 - Contemporary Romance

 Welcome back! I've got two contemporary romance novel reviews to share with you this week. One is inspirational with a heavy emphasis on Christian behavior and difficult choices. The other is lighter on the faith element, but still a sweet, contemporary story. Let's get to the reviews!

Book Review: A Marriage for the Marine by Liz Isaacson

A Marriage for the Marine by Liz Isaacson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4.5 Stars, A Sweet Contemporary Romance

This book was sweet and clean. The faith element was kind of all over the place. But the story was enjoyable. I love a story about a wounded warrior, and while this hero's scars were on the inside, he was an interesting character. The heroine was a little too forward, but she seemed to have good intentions. I didn't hate her.
If you enjoy sweet, clean, contemporary romance with a liberal dash of faith thrown in, maybe give this one a try.

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It was interesting to read about a different personality than what's usually portrayed as 'US Marine Corps.' One thing I wasn't too keen on in this book was how forward the heroine was. There was also very little emphasis on how their church attendance affected the way they thought and acted. Honestly, the hero, who hadn't grown up in church, showed more Christ-like behavior than the heroine who seemed to have grown up in a thriving church community.

I'd say that's strange, but in fact, I think it's more true-to-life. To me, that's a sad thing. Still, the book was enjoyable. I only gave it 4.5 stars because, to me, the faith element was almost token. 

Book Review: The Haak Family Reunion by Elizabeth D. Marie

The Haak Family Reunion by Elizabeth D. Marie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Excellent Story As Expected

I know this romance story won't be to everyone's taste, but I recommend giving it a try. Elizabeth D Marie is an excellent author and whether she's writing fiction, fairytale retellings, or even blog posts, she does it well. The faith element is strong in this story, and the MCs were people I could cheer for.
If you enjoy an inspirational romance story which includes some drama and growth of the characters, then you should give this book a try.

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If you've been reading my blog a while, you know Elizabeth is one of my favorite indie authors. She always add the faith element into her stories. Many times, if not all the time, it shows through in the main character's every-day behavior. 

This book was no exception. It's part of her Haak family series. These are short romance novels, easy to read, and well-written. There are a few typos. 

Unfortunately, for indie authors, that seems to be the case. Whether that's because indie editors are just not as eagle-eyed as those hired by publishing companies, or else the beta readers just don't catch everything in that final read-through. That didn't hinder my reading, though. 

I highly recommend this series as Elizabeth really is a true author and storyteller. 

Thank you so much for reading today's post! Have you read these? If so, please tell me what you thought about them in the comments. If not, did either of these pique your interest? I'd love to hear your thoughts. 

I'll be back on Friday with a writing update. You should know up front that this week has been trying. Vacation Bible School means far less time to edit. I should have a kitten update, though. 

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