Britt Reads Fiction

If you have read the other River Falls novels, you will enjoy seeing many of those characters again. It is such a great series! However, even if you haven’t read the earlier stories, you can jump in and read this novel on its own. And it is a powerful story.

From the book blurb, you know that Summer’s brother, who is also Benjamin’s best friend, dies early on in the story. It is definitely heartbreaking, but is a necessary part of the plot. I thought the author handled the situation in a very caring and authentic way.

My heart hurt for these characters, not only in their loss of TJ, but also in the disconnect that they had together as a couple. And although it was clear to me that Benjamin cared for and loved Summer and wanted to be married to her, Summer just couldn’t believe it. She had been told all of her life that she was a mistake. Her mother resented her and treated her horribly. That kind of treatment really messes with people’s minds and Summer was a clear example of someone who couldn’t comprehend being truly loved for who she was. There was this moment when everything finally clicked for Summer and her eyes were opened to the way Benjamin had been showing and telling her how much he loved her all along. It was beautiful and ushered in the beginning of some true healing.

I loved the progression of this story. Once I really had a chance to sit down and start reading it, I found that I couldn’t stop reading. The author wove in some beautiful sermons that helped these characters face the things that were weighing them down. The sermons themselves didn’t solve everything, but helped both Summer and Benjamin take steps toward understanding God’s love for them and how to work through their grief. This was a captivating marriage of convenience tale that also incorporated the brother’s best friend and reunion romance tropes. It is probably my favorite of the series so far.

(5 stars)

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

ABOUT THE BOOK

They may have gotten married for practical reasons—but that doesn’t make it a marriage of convenience. At least not in his eyes. Now he just has to convince his wife…

As the baby of the Calvano family, Benjamin has a reputation as the goofy, fun-loving, spontaneous one. The one who has never faced a serious test of his faith. Until the day his best friend dies. And he learns that his friend’s sister—aka the woman who broke Benjamin’s heart—might lose guardianship of her nephew. For his friend’s sake, Benjamin can’t let that happen. So he does the only thing he can think of: he proposes.

Summer’s brother was the only person who ever truly loved her. Now that he’s gone, she has one purpose: to raise his four-year-old son. Although she knows Benjamin’s proposal isn’t for real—after all, the man doesn’t know how to be serious—she can’t risk losing her nephew. She’ll just have to keep her arrangement with Benjamin strictly business—and tell her heart to stay out of it. She knows from experience that wanting more will only lead to heartache.

As they face trials and tests neither could have imagined, Benjamin is determined to prove that though their marriage may have begun impulsively, his love for Summer is real. With God’s help, can she find the courage to open herself to the possibility of being genuinely loved and wanted…this time forever?

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Valerie M. Bodden has three great loves: Jesus, her family, and books. And chocolate (okay, four great loves). She is living out her happily ever after with her high-school-sweetheart-turned-husband and their four children. Her life wouldn’t make a terribly exciting book, as it has a happy beginning and middle, and someday when she goes to her heavenly home, it will have a happy end.

​She was born and raised in Wisconsin but recently moved with her family to Texas, where they’re all getting used to the heat (she doesn’t miss the snow even a little bit, though the rest of the family does) and saying y’all instead of you guys.

​Valerie writes emotion-filled Christian fiction that weaves real-life problems, real-life people, and real-life faith. Her characters may (okay, will) experience some heartache along the way, but she will always give them a happy ending.

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