Kristi Ann Hunter

Welcome to my blog! I’m sharing some mini reviews of books I have read and enjoyed recently across a few different genres. Hopefully one of these authors, genres, or settings sparks your interest and will add another story to your never-ending TBR! Please visit the Goodreads links to learn more about each book!

Snowbound novella by Carla Laureano – Contemporary Romance | Goodreads

This novella is contemporary romance PERFECTION! Somehow Carla Laureano manages to combine elements of second chance romance with the leads stranded by a blizzard AND competing rivals over architecture design in one enchanting story! Her romances always focus on real-world relationship dynamics balanced with the heady sentimentality of the genre and a great sense of setting (even in a short page count like this!). This is one escape to Colorado that’s happily short enough to read in one sitting 🙂

Who You Are by Jennifer Rodewald – Contemporary Romance | Goodreads

I’ve enjoyed every single one of the Murphy Brothers’ stories, and this one is exemplary of Rodewald’s ability to balance depth, likable personalities, a little humor, and characters with sincere walks of faith. In short, her books are nontypical in the best ways and combine multiple genres/tropes. This one also has a FANTASTIC enemies-to-friends-to-romance type relationship with a unique setup. While the main couple goes through a period likened to a trial courtship, they each sharpen the others’ hearts to see their full personal potential and a joy that’s rooted in friendship and a shared faith.

The Librarian of Boone’s Hollow by Kim Vogel Sawyer – Historical Fiction, 1930s Kentucky | Goodreads

This is a good historical fiction piece about how the Great Depression impacted young people, especially those from the KY mining regions. Overcoming prejudice, choosing kindness, and listening to God’s direction for your life are prominent themes. I wasn’t a big fan of the added POV of Bettina, but I came to like her more by the end. Her POV didn’t work for me because the added dialect is meant to emphasize the region and her lack of education, but I just find it annoying and feel like it diminished her character. I liked the strong love of story shown throughout this novel and the appreciation of books both Addie and Emmet hold as powerful tools for change.

Vying for the Viscount by Kristi Ann Hunter – Regency Romance, 1817 England | Goodreads

I loved the Regency setting and the lesser-explored world of horse training and racing. (At least, I’ve not ready any featuring this facet of history!) I really liked how Hudson was a fish-out-of-water in many ways with his upbringing in India (another element I appreciate: contrasts between Colonial India and England, like the food and weather from his perspective!). The humor of this novel is fantastic, making it a historical romcom in many ways, especially with the meet-cute. I liked Bianca and her spunk! The plot was a bit slow in the middle, but the last fourth or so of the book picked up the pace and my interest and threw out a few surprises. I am intrigued by the side character of Aaron Whitworth and happy to know the next book in the series features him as the hero.

Brentwood’s Ward by Michelle Griep – Regency Romance, 1807 London | Goodreads

I enjoyed the wit and the action of this! The guardian situation was a great setup for the romance and a fair bit of mystery/suspense. I liked the hero very much, but I found the heroine, Emily, to be a little immature at times — her decisions were often impulsive. Having read the rest of the series already, I wanted to go back and catch this one and see the other heroes (who connect the series) from an earlier perspective

I listened to the audiobook! I want to make a statement separate from my opinion of the story concerning the narrator: her straight narration was good and clear, easy to understand, but I disliked some of her voices. Particularly that of Emily and of Ford, Nicholas’s boss. They were delivered with over-dramatic emphasis and a haughty tone at times when a simpler demeanor would have been more fitting.

Burning Sky by Lori Benton – Historical Fiction/Romance, 1780s New York Frontier | Goodreads

What an epic story of longing, healing, and identity! Lori Benton remains a favorite author of lush historical fiction set on America’s tumultuous frontier. The threads of romance in this one had me enamored with the gentleness of the hero and his recognition of the strength and personality of the heroine. Strong themes of forgiveness, choice, loyalty, and healing thread this novel that blends the two worlds of the heroine, Willa — post-Revolutionary New York and her past time spent with the Mohawk. I am so glad I went back and (finally) picked up this debut novel!

Thank you to the publisher for the copy of Who You Are, Vying for the Viscount, and The Librarian of Boone’s Hollow. These are my honest reviews. The other books were purchases I made and I am under no obligation to provide a positive review.

Yes, it is January. I happily just finished a Christmas story and will be watching all the Hallmark movies from this past Christmas season through the month. I have discovered some new Christmas novellas, some of which have their own blog posts already, over the past weeks. This post, though, is for the few stories I have read and not yet shared about. And since today is considered the “Twelfth Night” (before the feast of Epiphany), I thought it appropriate to share now!

(I don’t observe the 12 days of Christmas or Christmastide schedule, but I do think it’s a fun idea!)

Without further ado, here are the Christmas stories I have enjoyed this year with a few thoughts on each. (Titles link to Goodreads)

Bespoke: A Tiny Christmas Tale (Espoir Archives #1) by Amanda Dykes

This is one short story that I was caught up in… with such lyrical writing and intriguing characters, I was hooked from the first hint of a secret in the prologue. My favorite things about it were the music!, the growth exhibited by the main characters, and the era. I absolutely LOVED that the setting was so immersive… though a definite year is never noted, it is clearly a historical novel and felt timeless because it was never specific (though hinted).

Letters Home: A Christmas Short Story by Rachelle Rea Cobb

This is a sweet and poetic short story in letter form. If you have read the Steadfast Love series, it is a wonderful companion story OR a great prequel that sets up and shows a different perspective on some of the events in that trilogy. I do hope Rachelle has more bookish plans for these characters!

His Mistletoe Miracle (Sugar Creek #3) by Jenny B. Jones

A FUN and hilarious romantic novel that also balanced a meaningful message of growth and even the fallout of a traumatic experience. With plenty of snarky, laugh-out-loud moments, Will and Cordelia navigate their newfound pretend “relationship” through holiday traditions and family gatherings, all the while really getting to know each other and prodding each other toward greater purpose. I hope to catch up on the rest of the “Sugar Creek” stories soon!

The Christmas Heirloom: Four Holiday Novellas of Love Through the Generations

Legacy of Love by Kristi Ann Hunter

Delightful and a nice start to the series, I especially enjoyed seeing the characters learn their worth and find an unexpected connection in this story.

Gift of the Heart by Karen Witemeyer

Though this was a novella, I thought it a well fleshed-out story in a very believable timeline. With Karen’s usual humor and endearing characters, this story takes a hero who would consider himself unlikely and pairs him with a darling little girl and a strong woman who never expected a second chance at love.

A Shot at Love by Sarah Loudin Thomas

I laughed out loud more than once while reading this story. Fleeta’s penchant for outshooting the boys was hilarious and an outward show of her fortitude. I liked Hank as her match, a man who respected her and was equal to the challenge of showing her his care. I really liked the setting of 1950s Appalachia, too.

Because of You by Becky Wade

This novella ties in to Becky’s “Bradford Sisters Romance” series in setting. Besides the fun cameos of familiar characters, this story wonderfully concluded the collection with a friendship-to-romance plot that touched on the nostalgia of the season but focused more on the joy in serving. It also handled themes of grief in a very real and tangible way, having both Leo and Maddie come to terms with honoring the past and choosing joy and good things for the future. It ended with great possibility, not with everything worked out. and I liked that.

Thanks to Netgalley for the review copy. This is my honest review.

Christmas Cake Kisses by Lena Goldfinch

This short story is just as sweet as its title implies. I adore the cover and the Victorian setting, and I really liked the time spent with the characters. Arabella and Malcolm learn more about one another and grow closer, even through a misunderstanding. I could have read a whole novel about them!