A Few Five-star Reads
Hey, friend! This week, I thought I’d share a few of my five-star reads so far this year. You’ll find my review beside each book. Click each book cover to learn more about the story.
Right Before Their Eyes by Carrie Walker
As with the first book in this series, the well-rounded characters in Right Before Their Eyes will steal your heart from the very first chapter. Our heroine, Clare, shows such love and compassion as a temporary caretaker for Grandma Dottie and social worker for foster teen, Lucia. She’s such an endearing character, and you can’t help but love her, even when she doesn’t see the man of her dreams right in front of her.
We see Mason grow from an awkward, directionless teenager in Emma’s Hero to a sweet and gentle hero. The tenderness he has toward Theo, his mother, and Clare will have you cheering him on through the entire story.
The author delves into the difficult subjects of dementia, foster care, discerning God’s will in tough decisions, and so much more. This is a beautiful story of love, sacrifice, and trusting God.
I loved this book so much, and I highly recommend it to those who enjoy Contemporary Christian Romance with deep themes and a strong spiritual thread.
All This Time by Melissa Tagg
I think this might be my favorite of the Walker series books. Such a great story! I loved the element of mystery and the unpredictable reveals.
An excellent narrator also added to my enjoyment of this book.
Leaving November by Deborah Raney
The author tackles tough topics in this story in a realistic way. I thoroughly enjoyed the progression of romance between Jack and Vienne and how they each looked to God for guidance and help in their struggles. There was a note of mystery in the book and the characters were easy to love and root for.
Recommended for fans of Inspirational Romance and Women’s Fiction that explores real-life struggles and points to Christ as the help we need.
Paper Hearts by Courtney Walsh
I listened to this on audio, and the narrator did a great job. The storyline was compelling and I thoroughly enjoyed the story.
A great Valentine’s read or any time of the year! I loved how the ending showed what real love looks like.
Recommend for fans of Becky Wade, Melissa Ferguson, or any Hallmark type stories.
Dangerous Waters by Christy Barritt
This is book four in the Lantern Beach Mysteries series, and maybe the best yet. I’m fully invested in these characters and their journey.
I was glad to see forward momentum in Cassidy and Ty’s relationship. Also, her willingness to let a couple of people in on who she really is and what’s happening in her life had me cheering.
You can read each book as a standalone, but for the greatest enjoyment of the series, I recommend starting with book one, Hidden Currents.
Side note – I’ve listened to this series on audio so far, and the narrator does an excellent job.
The Unlikely Yarn of the Dragon Lady by Sharon J. Mondragon
This was another one I listened to on audio with a wonderful narrator. She really brought these characters to life!
I wasn’t sure what to expect from a story about a group of older ladies knitting, and If you’d have told me this novel would end up on my favorite reads list, I wouldn’t have believed you, but that’s exactly what happened. I loved this book so much!
It had a lot of humor, heart, and a great spiritual message. It wasn’t an action-packed, tension-filled book by any means, but a steady, solid story with characters I wanted to know more about.
I absolutely adored the ladies’ interactions with the world outside the church walls and how God worked in each of their lives. The tough as nails, Margaret, stayed true to her character all the way through the book, making me wonder what she’d suffered in life to make her so hard. I feel like I got a partial answer, but would have loved to learn even more about her past.
If you’re a knitter, I think you’ll definitely enjoy it, but even for those of us who don’t knit, there’s much to love about this book.
If you’ve hesitated to read this one because you thought it might bore you, I encourage you to give it a try. You may be as pleasantly surprised as me.
What #hopefilledfiction books have you read so far in 2025? Which are your favorites? Check out some of my five-star reads & grow your TBR list! #bookrecommendations
TweetJoin the conversation. Have you read any of these books? If so, do you agree with my reviews? What books have been your favorite reads so far this year? Let me know in the comments below!
I love sharing about my favorite books, and on March 1 one of my newsletter subscribers will get their choice from my favorite 2024 reads. There’s over 80 titles to choose from! If you’re interested in a chance to win and you’re not already a Hope Collective subscriber, SUBSCRIBE HERE before March 1 to get in on the giveaway.
Thanks in advance for sharing this post with any friends who might enjoy my blog!
If you missed Betsy St. Amant’s interview last week about her newest release, FIND IT HERE.
Deena Adams
As a Jesus girl for more than thirty years, Deena Adams understands how important hope is to daily life, which fuels her passion to inspire others through hope-filled fiction based on true to life stories. She is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Agency and is a multi-award-winning writer, an active ACFW member, and ACFW Virginia president. Connect with Deena through her website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
2 Comments
Patty Rude
The Unlikely Tale of the Dragon Lady was great…
I know I have a copy of Paper Hearts in my TBR stack somewhere. So many books so little time!
Deena Adams
I totally agree, Patty. I want to read ALL the books but know I’ll never be able to. It’s so hard to choose which to read. Thanks for your comment!