Review: Running Into You - Devine Family Series #1

Running Into You book cover on blue background

Happy release day! It's such a treat to be able to enjoy Canadian-authored books, especially when there are Easter eggs hidden in the book! Running Into You was such a fun book to read on a road trip, where I was able to complete it while travelling between provinces 🚗

Many thanks to the author for providing a complimentary copy of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Content to be aware of: self-forgiveness, references to yoga and luck

Book Synopsis

Can a car accident possibly change your life for the better?

On the last day of school, Julie is looking forward to a break from her work as a second-grade teacher.

But when she and her brother get into a car accident, her world turns upside down in an instant. Julie is caught up in trying to forgive the other driver for what happened. And when sparks fly between Julie and Noah, who was also involved in the crash, she also has to figure out how to forgive herself for her role in the accident.

Source: Amazon

Book Thoughts

Running Into You, the first book in the Devine Family Series, is a lovely summer book that explores the question of what it means to truly forgive and though unreferenced, how God can turn things around into good things for us as believers. I really enjoyed how the author was able to get into the mind of Julie and demonstrate how she felt at different times during her journey of forgiveness. I also liked how Noah provided support without overstepping his boundaries, making their relationship tender and edifying as they learn to trust in God for what's next for them.

The Devine family is such a delight that I'm grateful we will get to see more of them in subsequent books. Courtney Westerhof writes truly vibrant family scenes that make you feel like you're at the dinner table with them. Additionally, the other supporting characters shine as they help Julie and Noah through the aftermath of the car accident. For those wondering what love springing from a less than auspicious start could look like and how God can bring redemption from such a beginning, this is the book for you.

Book Summary

Format of book: 📖
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Recommendation: 👍

Comments

Life Up North

I'm going to go against my previous posts about keeping my opinions to myself on things outside of faith and reading by sharing some of my recent experiences instead. I figure that if we read fiction to broaden our understanding of other perspectives that it might be worthwhile for me to share how things have been for me as a non-representative Canadian (I'm not speaking for anyone else here!) 😄 I'll be honest in that it's been tough in the last few weeks and months. I've done my best to keep up my optimism and more importantly, my hope in Christ, Who is unchanging and steadfast. Rulers come and go, nations evolve and change, and politics can swing back and forth, but God is immutable and sovereign over all things. That being said, recent geopolitical factors have resulted in an emotional toll on me and a lot of the people I interact with in my life. While I am grateful that I can place my burdens at the foot of the cross, I recognize that others in my life have va...

Review: Penelope Judd

Imagine my surprise in discovering that the song for this book was released a number of years ago, making me realize that Penelope Judd by Shai Linne must have been in the making for quite some time. I'm grateful that the lyrics can now be found in a tangible form in this Christian children's book. Many thanks to Merge Public Relations for providing a complimentary copy of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own. Book Synopsis Based on his song, “Penelope Judd,” Shai Linne tells an allegorical tale that helps kids understand the Gospel story. Penelope Judd is a young girl living in a very messy land. Her whole town is covered in mud and only filled with children. No one is kind, the kids fight constantly, everything is sad and dirty, and Penelope feels hopeless. But one day, she receives a message that changes everything. She has been invited to meet a spotless Prince. This lyrical story helps kids see that, like Penelope, people live in a broken, messy...

Review: Friends with the Hero - Heroes of Freedom Ridge #10

At the pace I'm going, I might just finish the Heroes of Freedom Ridge series this year! Friends with the Hero was my first introduction to Jessie Gussman, and I look forward to her next book in the series. Book Synopsis Can a chance encounter with a former childhood best friend be the start of a beautiful romance? When volunteer firefighter Frank “Tuck” Tucker responds to a false alarm in the middle of the night at the new bake shop in town, he doesn’t expect to come face to face with his childhood best friend. In her nightgown no less. He also didn’t expect to get hired as her new assistant. But that happened, too. Along with an odd tingling in his hand when they shook that didn’t used to be there when they dug for crawfish down by the creek. But he needs a job and hers was the only place in town hiring. She didn’t seem to care that his former career as a smoke jumper didn’t provide much experience in baking cakes. Patience Martel isn’t sure what caused her smoke ala...