Review: Risky Business - Hearts on Display #3

Risky Business book cover on blue background

I've been curious about Kimberly Keagan's books for some time, so I was delighted to see her name pop up on LibraryThing! The premise of Risky Business sounded so interesting that I didn't hesitate to request this title. This English aristocracy tale takes us across the pond and touches on caregiving and found families in a loving and sensitive manner.

Many thanks to the author and LibraryThing for providing a complimentary copy of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own. Book Thoughts content is also posted on LibraryThing.

Book Synopsis

An American heiress. A British barrister with a need for speed. And a London season destined for trouble.

The last thing department store heiress Lena Dennison wants is to travel to London to meet the grandmother who snubbed her family for thirty years. But her youngest sister begs to go, and soon Lena is navigating British nobility’s social expectations—with Bron Jeffers, a handsome barrister and celebrated motorcar racer, assigned as her escort. When a string of mysterious incidents threatens Bron’s family, Lena is pulled into his world as his unlikely ally … and the one woman he can’t charm—or ignore.

Source: Amazon

Book Thoughts

What a lovely introduction to level-headed Lena and daredevil Bron. This sweet story between an heiress and the “Merry Barrister” as he's known demonstrates what happens when being a caregiver becomes an identity that keeps others out. Thankfully, there are many around Lena who encourage her that she can let go of her family members to allow them to flourish on their own. This tightly-wrung control is exhibited in Bron's life as well through his need for speed, revealing what happens when we don't want to surrender ourselves to God. I love that these characters are written as opposites but are, in reality, two sides of the same coin.

Starting off with a slow burn, the pace of the book really picks up near the end. It's the third title in a series but can be read as a standalone, with some interesting what-ifs in the epilogue. I appreciate that there is a loving and healthy stepmother-stepfamily relationship, and that there are stirring messages around heartbreak and sibling dynamics. Readers looking for a sweet story about family surprises and unexpected love will find Risky Business to be a gentle reminder that surrendering plans and dreams to God is always worth the risk.

Book Summary

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

Comments

Theological Backgrounds

Have you ever wondered about the theological background of authors? I am sometimes curious, especially if there are things that pop up in their books that make me pay attention (either positively or negatively). What I've found is that it's not always easy to find out. Some authors will openly share what church or denomination they belong to, whereas others don't seem to mention it—which for privacy concerns, I completely understand. In terms of how important this information may be for readers, or not at all for some, it does make me think about the role that this could play when deciding which books to read and buy. On the one hand, I think not specifically knowing which theological stream an author comes from but still being aware that they fall within the broader evangelical umbrella is fine with me. There's so much to learn as believers and I wouldn't want to be limited to only simply what I know. On the other hand, not knowing much beyond "Christian"...

Christian vs. Clean

This is a theme that isn't new if you've been following some of my musings over the past several months. You could even say this is the natural progression of taking this line of thinking to its conclusion. In evaluating which books to read, the refrain of Christian vs. clean has become so ingrained in my thinking that it's practically been on repeat for me. To be honest, I've never really held a view on Christian vs. clean books until the end of last year. Most of my reading since becoming a Christian has been all over the place, where I believed that acquiring knowledge, almost any knowledge, was worth it for the sake of becoming more learned. Being a voracious reader meant that I would consume most anything—especially if it was free as I didn't have a lot of books growing up (my parents preferred to take me to the library on a weekly basis as I would have cost them too much in books 😂). However, God has definitely been impressing upon me the conviction that I ca...

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...