Skip to main content

Review: Capsules & Crushes - Sweethearts on Everwild #1.5

Capsules and Crushes book cover on blue background

Isn't it delightful when a short story ends up becoming more, based on readers' requests? Capsules and Crushes is a fun novella that Amanda Tero Matthews has developed for the Sweethearts on Everwild series, and is a great way to prolong your summer with these Christian beach reads.

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

Book Synopsis

When a time capsule reveals a secret crush, it might be the start to something new... if they can overcome the challenges of today.

Devon Graves has one goal this weekend: forget that his fiancée is marrying someone else. He escapes with his metal detector to Everwild Island only to uncover a time capsule that should have stayed hidden.

Makayla Bowman has secretly loved Devon since high school. When he invites her to spend the day with him treasure hunting, it’s a dream come true. Until she sees the teenage note she wrote about him in his possession. Falling for her old crush is one thing. Falling for him when his heart belongs to someone else is another.

The past brought them together, but they both have a choice to make about where they go from here.

Escape to Everwild Island in this clean, faith-filled beach read with an old crush, a broken heart, and unexpected romance.

Source: Amazon

Book Thoughts

I am grateful that Amanda Tero Matthews turned her flash fiction into a novella that delivers the same emotions, but with more to love. Devon and Makayla are memorable characters who are reunited on Everwild Island, years after they went to school together. While Devon is nursing a broken heart, Makayla is coming to terms with being around a man she has had a crush on for practically forever. Filled with shenanigans from Lucky the dog and wonderful people from the island, it is sweet to see how these two overcome their past in order to see a future together.

With crushes having the potential to go sideways, I appreciate that this book delves into other issues, including spiritual discernment, idolization, and friendship. What starts off as a breezy beach read contains some hard-hitting truths about how we can view and treat other people. Devon and Makayla both learn valuable lessons, and it's a joy to see how God takes their disappointments and hurts, transforming them into something new and unexpected. If you're looking for a story about the buried treasure in our hearts and what God can unearth in them when we trust Him, Capsules and Crushes is a charming read that offers a deeper look at seeing what others may miss at first glance.

Book Summary

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

Book Quotes

“Uh, let’s just say he’s a high school friend I ran into again.” I filled my mouth with another sip of milkshake. Gosh, I probably shouldn’t have even said that much. Aunt Shelly straightened the menus again, even though they were perfectly in order. “I say that crushes will crush a friendship. Either you become friends, or you don’t. And when you’re friends, you’ll either work out as a couple, or you won’t. It’s as simple as that.” My face flooded with warmth as I remembered Devon’s intense stare earlier. It didn’t feel that simple.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Review: Shadowing You - The Wright Heroes of Maine #10

For Camp CCR , hosted by the Clearly Christian Readathon , I thought I would make my way to the Rescue Ridge campsite for romantic suspense and thrillers (earning this lovely badge ), and read Shadowing You by Robin Patchen . Taking place in China, terrifying circumstances are ratcheted up several levels with vendettas and technology creating a nearly insurmountable setting for the main characters. This book certainly left me breathless, dreading what could come next in a series of death-defying actions. Many thanks to  NetGalley for providing a complimentary copy of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own. Content to be aware of : marital dishonesty, violence, death Book Synopsis When the wife he believed dead calls from China, an ER doctor races to find her before her enemies silence her forever. Ethan Wright never recovered from the death of his first love. Six years ago, Mei Lin discovered evidence linking powerful officials to a human trafficking ring. Sh...
Post a Comment
Read more

Review: Emotional Hoarding

The topic of home organization appeals to me where, in reflecting our orderly God and Creator, it is nice to be in a calming environment. This book takes that sense of physical space and translates it to our emotional space, helping us clear out the debris that may be taking us away from what God wants for us to experience. Emotional Hoarding by Laurie Davies is gentle without diminishing the pain that can accompany such a state of mind, making it a useful primer on a myriad of feelings that can have us staying down. Many thanks to Moody Publishers for providing a complimentary copy of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own. Content to be aware of : references to Brené Brown and Mark Batterson Book Synopsis We could live free, but cleaning house is hard. Emotional baggage is trendy. We might even joke about it. Yet, one of the early English definitions of luggage is anything of more weight than value. Let that sink in. When we collect, stack, and stockpile b...
Post a Comment
Read more

Review: Still Judas - Dear Judas #2

I have been anticipating Still Judas by James Finke for some time after reading Dear Judas , a modern-day version of the Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis. Coupled with a narrative that brings the epistolary content to life, Dear Judas is a series that merges a fictional couple with non-fiction truth in a unique way. This book picks up after Tommy Finch's life is changed, and it is ideal for Christians who are established in the faith and yet may be reticent to share their beliefs. Many thanks to the author for providing a complimentary copy of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own. Book Synopsis Real spiritual warfare unfolds quietly in offices, living rooms, hospital rooms, and everyday conversations where believers decide whether to speak or stay silent. Tommy Finch survived cardiac arrest, encountered the reality of eternity, and gave his life to Jesus. But after his conversion, he slipped into something dangerously comfortable. He attends church. He prays...
Post a Comment
Read more