Review: The Honeymoon Express

The Honeymoon Express book cover on blue background

I'm probably not the only reader who enjoys novellas, so I'm thankful that I get to share some stellar ones I've come across lately, including The Honeymoon Express by Susanne Dietze. I've enjoyed her novellas so much that I've actually read four of them in less than a month!

Book Synopsis

Ellen, a telegrapher and jilted bride, and Nash, a mysterious frontiersman, may be total strangers, but they both need to get from New Jersey to California, fast...and the only way is to share the last ticket-for-two aboard The Honeymoon Express, a transcontinental train trip intended for honeymooners.

Neither relishes the idea of traveling amongst canoodling lovebirds, considering both of their hearts are broken beyond repair, but the guarantee of a speedy trip is worth the temporary arrangement. But once they're thrown together, they stumble into a mystery to solve before the end of the line...and perhaps the possibility of healing and love.

Source: Amazon

Book Thoughts

This was a lovely novella by Susanne Dietze that involved romance, sleuthing, and adventure. I enjoyed seeing Ellen and Nash make the most out of an awkward situation and just how well they complemented each other in their skills, temperaments, and most importantly, their Christian faith. I loved that they weren't afraid to pray and ask God for help in the midst of trying circumstances beyond their understanding and control.

The author did an incredible job in giving both main characters, along with the supporting characters, fleshed-out personalities in such a short story. Along with the suspenseful elements involved, the historical details were fun and rich to read, helping me feel like I was also riding along on The Honeymoon Express. This is a captivating story that will make you want to travel by train, especially with people as kind as Ellen and Nash.

Book Summary

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

Comments

Christian Book Review Programs

Over time, I've been on the hunt for Christian book review programs that readers can join. As a result, I've been able to compile the following list which may be of interest if you are seeking review copies of Christian books. This list mostly applies to print and ebooks, although some publishers offer audiobooks as well. If further information is available for any of the publishers below (or any missing publishers), please let me know as I am happy to update this list—thank you! Please note that you can also search for these publishers on NetGalley and other review sites in case there are no review programs available or you don't qualify for one 😊 Christian Publishers B&H Publishing Group Previously offered the B&H/Lifeway Blogger program which has since closed Availability: Professors and instructors Link: B&H Academic Book Requests Baker Publishing Group Availability: U.S. and Canadian residents Genre: Christian fiction, Christian non-fiction Imprints: Bet...

Happy Chinese Language Day!

Today is Chinese Language Day! It’s a day that has meaning for me because I speak a Chinese language (a language that isn't easy to learn as an adult), so I'm grateful I didn't have to go through the process of mastering tones later in life! At the same time, I acknowledge that it also brings about mixed emotions when I reflect on my journey of language discovery. Despite Chinese being my first language, I still feel like an outsider to the culture and world because I don’t speak the main Chinese languages that everyone thinks of. It’s been one of my pet peeves over the course of my life where a lot of non-Chinese people have attempted to guess what I speak, maybe not realizing that there are so many languages that exist (guessing for other people doesn’t always bode well 🫠). Lacking Mandarin and only knowing select phrases in Cantonese, this feeling of separation from other Chinese people is even more pronounced in living overseas as part of the Chinese diaspora. While...

Review: Believing the Hero - Heroes of Freedom Ridge #9

I'm just trekking along with the Heroes of Freedom Ridge series ! Believing the Hero marks the halfway point, so I'm getting there 😄 Honestly, these books are becoming a soap opera in my head where I'm familiar with most of the characters now and can revisit them throughout the year. What a fun series to get into where I can see what people are up to a little later in their life! Book Synopsis She’s been alone for years. Can this secret agent convince her to love again? Jan Clark lost her firefighter husband ten years ago. She fills her days running Stories and Scones and doting on her first grandchild. Finding someone new feels like betraying the husband she loved for decades, and the thought of tragically losing someone again is terrifying. But Pete O’Rourke is handsome, charming, and makes her feel young again—and what could be safer than an insurance agent? Pete moved back to Freedom, Colorado after 25 years as a CIA operative, not that anyone around here thinks he d...