Skip to main content

Review: The Engagement Cover - Christmas in Garland Collection #2

The Engagement Cover book cover on blue background

This is such a fun yet emotional story, with The Engagement Cover by A.M. Heath demonstrating why the Christmas in Garland series is such a great series to read any time of the year. Personally, out of all the books I've read in the series so far (book #5 is coming out soon!), this has been my favourite. The hockey likely helped, though I also loved the cultural aspects 😍 

Book Synopsis

He nearly ruined her life. Now he’s the only one who can help her.

After a disastrous dating app experience that nearly destroyed her modeling career, Teresa Bradford knows what she wants, and Justin Reynolds seems to check every box. But when her family pressures her to bring him home as her fiancé in order to ease the mind of her dying grandmother, their relationship takes a weird turn, and his absences create the need for a fill-in fiancé.

Since his mom’s passing, and with his dad working out of state through the holidays, Alex Landry misses the feeling of home. So, when his friend Marc Bradford asks him for a strange favor with the promise of family for the holidays and all the tamales he can eat, he’s all in. What he didn’t expect was Marc’s sister to be the girl he’d gone on an awful date with two years ago.

Committed to a fake engagement to fulfill a dying woman’s wish, Alex and Teresa form a rocky friendship. As first impressions change and it becomes clear that Alex fits in better with her family than Justin does, Teresa is forced to reconsider what she wants. She’s drawn to both men for different reasons, but the one who nearly ruined her life might be the one to help her find what truly matters.

Source: Amazon

Book Thoughts

I seldom read about love triangles as I feel that they have to be handled really well; however, in this case, I can see how carefully A.M. Heath communicates the situation that Teresa finds herself in. Boundaries are respected, lines aren't crossed, and eventually, there is a respectful resolution. This takes away the stress that I can experience when reading such stories! I'm thankful that this story addresses the concepts of misleading others, falsehoods, and emotional entanglements. It's clear that the characters are Christian and seeking to follow God, while still making the mistake of running ahead of Him and His plans, which we can certainly learn from.

The second in the Christmas in Garland series, The Engagement Cover is a lovely standalone story as well. Readers will love meeting Teresa's family, especially Abuela, along with the glimpses into their family's culture and food. The hockey references are hilarious and spot on for anyone whose husband happens to be a hockey fan and sets the book up for a wonderful second chance story. Ultimately, I appreciate that Alex is such a strong Christian character who exhibits self-control and integrity by doing what he can to protect Teresa; what a treat to read about a man who selflessly puts others first!

Book Summary

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

Labels

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

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...
11 comments
Read more

Review: The Maker of the Mountain

I'm always on the hunt for children's books that share concepts about God in an understandable manner, so I'm grateful that I had the opportunity to read this book set in the mountains. The Maker of the Mountain by Sandra McCracken and Tim Nicholson is a story that I would be happy to share with the children in my life as it combines Bible verses with a map and delightful scenes in nature. Many thanks to Merge Public Relations for providing a complimentary copy of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own. Book Synopsis What is God like? Little Brown Bear is on an adventure to find the maker of the mountain and discover what he is like. Along the way, the bear meets new friends who share that the maker is like a bridge and a gate, a rock and a boat. And he’s always there to light our way home. This charming story offers: Imagery from the Bible to help young readers better understand what God is like A map of the bear’s world with corresponding Scriptures...
Post a Comment
Read more

Diverse Stories

One of the things I've been challenging myself to do this year has been to read more Christian books written by authors from other countries. I love that the body of Christ spans the four corners of the world and that we get to benefit from hearing so many different perspectives. I've also appreciated getting to know some amazing authors and readers online from other nations and continents as it's enriched my understanding of how Christians experience life. It helps me realize that the views I take for granted may only be limited to where I am situated, geographically and culturally. I haven't read all of the authors below yet, but here are a few Christian fiction authors who write from outside of North America if you're interested in reading more: Africa Ivy Emerson Enewerome Anna Jensen Tope Omotosho Asia Joanna Alonzo Joy Crain Australasia Narelle Atkins Liz Chapman Iola Goulton Jessica Kate Bessie Le Couteur Carolyn Miller Jennifer Mistmorgan Honey Stone Jessica...
Post a Comment
Read more