Skip to main content

Review: Loyally, Luke - Skymar #3

Loyally, Luke book cover on blue background

I'm so happy to finish a series as I feel like I've been such a slow reader recently and am only starting things or am partway through. Now I can say that I have experienced the full Skymar effect! Loyally, Luke was such an adventure, and it also met one of the prompts for the Clearly Christian Readathon from Galatians 5:22-23, where self-control as a fruit of the Holy Spirit is exhibited throughout the book.

I am grateful to the author for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Book Synopsis

Sometimes love means embracing the good, the bad. . . and even the impossible.

Dear Reader --

My name is Luke Edgewood, and there are few things in life that I require. Mainly black coffee. And flannel. And lots of solitude. And my dogs, Chewy and Indie. What I don't need is romance, so I have no plans to change my thirty-year-old bachelor status anytime soon.

But my youngest sister thinks that by accepting a short-term construction job in the small European country of Skymar, that I'm going to follow along in her footsteps and discover my own romantic adventure. Nope. Bah humbug. The End. This time, her rom-com-movie senses are totally wrong.

Or maybe not. Because I've met a Grace Kelly lookalike who is annoying. . . until she isn't. But she is impossible. As in, nothing can happen between us because she is a literal princess. Even though that's easy to forget when we're working together to restore a castle-like orphanage in a secluded mountain town and "forced proximity" includes a small closet, a secret one-hundred-year-old journal, and the tactile memory of an off-limits royal in my arms.

Basically, the whole situation has turned into an ooey gooey magical snow globe of romantic tropes complete with cute kids and an actual ball. Now, even my sentences are starting to sound like mush. Ugh. Send high levels of testosterone my way--I'm going to need it.

Loyally, Luke

Source: Amazon

Book Thoughts

This book feels like the ultimate culmination to a series that has offered witty epistolary dialogue, immersive narrative insights, and an utter self-awareness that gives readers the experience of stepping into a movie and its accompanying commentary all at the same time. It is difficult to express the sheer delight that embodies the Edgewood family as it is evident how loving and caring they are toward each other. Luke's story could not have played out any other way than for him to shine in his role as a noble and valiant brother, cousin, friend, and ultimately, prince. In fact, the commentary that Luke provides in his correspondence regarding the scenario he is in is probably the best book-in-book experience I've had in reading a modern romance.

Loyally, Luke is one of those books where you can't help but be amused by the journey because it blatantly points out tropes and cliché moments without actually feeling like you're in the middle of it; that takes some pretty amazing skills! Though there is plenty of chemistry and sizzle in this book, Pepper Basham keeps readers focused on the spiritual themes of self-sacrifice, self-control, and finding one's identity in God. Luke and Ellie are able to see and appreciate each other's qualities because of their time spent serving others, which makes their story all the lovelier. Readers looking for a satisfying conclusion to the Skymar series will have their expectations exceeded. Prepare yourself for an enjoyable foray into pop culture references, likeable characters, and Hallmark-esque self-deprecating humour that will sweep you off your feet.

Book Summary

  • Format of book: 📱
  • Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Recommendation: 👍

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Review: The Call of Living Water - Refuge #1

Be still, my missions-loving heart! This is hands-down, one of the best fictional books I've read on this theme, and I cannot gush enough about it. The Call of Living Water by Alexis M. Melvin is a new book that will be released on August 23, 2025 and  if I had to suggest a Christian fiction title that could make a difference in your walk with God this summer, it would be this one. Many thanks to the author for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own. Content to be aware of : tribal sacrifices, martyrdom Book Synopsis When the God of Living Water calls, will Suái be willing to risk her life and the lives of everyone she loves to answer? Deep in the jungle of Paraguay, Suái’s tribe worships indifferent gods who withhold the life-giving rain unless their worshippers make costly sacrifices. However, when a missionary arrives speaking of the loving God of Living Water, Suái’s curiosity leads her down a dangerous path. Thrust into a new life with p...

All the Cheese

I've been coming across content within the past several weeks that has stereotyped Christian books (and other mediums) as being cheesy on Christian accounts. While this isn't a new label or even a new topic, what has surprised me somewhat has been seeing more Christian authors jump into this conversation who wholeheartedly agree with this sentiment. Although some authors will name others whom they believe are writing non-cheesy fiction, I feel as though the damage has been done by repeating this blanket statement. While readers have freely been engaging in this type of commentary for some time, it's been interesting to see authors chime in, where in some cases, there seems to be an emphasis on self-promotion over reflection. I'm not stereotyping and saying that all authors or even the authors I'm connected to respond with this tactic (because I really don't think they do!), but there are a few out there from my limited experience who seem to respond to this disc...

Review: No Stone Unturned - The Bluestocking Society #1

Seeing so many glowing reviews about No Stone Unturned by Jenelle Hovde after it was released, I'm grateful that I had the opportunity to still read a copy while it was available. Not only did the cover captivate me, I'm thrilled that its content was just as engaging as I envisioned it would be. Many thanks to  Tyndale House Publishers  and  NetGalley  for providing a complimentary copy of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own. Book Synopsis She wants to uncover the past. He wishes to build a future. In this Regency romance set in rolling hills of West Sussex, two opposing wills discover their fate may lie in the common ground. Miss Bridget Littleton’s passion for history and antiquities defies most social conventions, even in her small village nestled in the beautiful English countryside. When a local farmer discovers an elaborate mosaic buried in his field, Bridget dreams of making a name and future for herself by excavating the Roman r...