True to You (Becky Wade) – Review

~ About the Book ~

After a devastating heartbreak three years ago, genealogist and historical village owner Nora Bradford has decided that burying her nose in her work and her books is far safer than romance in the here and now.

Unlike Nora, former Navy SEAL and Medal of Honor recipient John Lawson is a modern-day man, usually 100 percent focused on the present. But when he’s diagnosed with an inherited condition, he’s forced to dig into the secrets of his past and his adoption as an infant, enlisting Nora to help him uncover the identity of his birth mother.

The more time they spend together, the more this pair of opposites suspects they just might be a perfect match. However, John’s already dating someone and Nora’s not sure she’s ready to trade her crushes on fictional heroes for the risks of a real relationship. Finding the answers they’re seeking will test the limits of their identity, their faith, and their devotion to one another.

~ Excerpt ~

The door to their room banged open. Nora angled her face toward the entranceway just as a man filled the opening. A big man. Square-jawed. His grave gaze swept the square footage in a millisecond. He seemed not to notice the falling raindrops, though they peppered his wet, spiky brown hair and drizzled down his stubbled face. He radiated complete and total competency.
[…]
Still staring at him, Nora used her fingertips to smooth water from her eyes in hopes of seeing him better. To be honest, he seemed a little too good to be true.
Then again, she was twenty-nine and single, and she’d purposely filled her life with things other than romance for three years straight. For the most part, she came into contact either with residents of Merryweather she’d known all her life or elderly people. In her regular life, she never met or even caught glimpses of men like this—
He strode to her.
She may have tarried too long. He probably thought her mute or so obstinate that she was playing the part of recalcitrant hostage on purpose.
Nora began to lever herself up, but he swept her into his arms before she could get any momentum. Her lips popped open. Her hand automatically rose to latch around one wide shoulder.
He walked from the room, through the fog-filled space beyond. Water continued to tumble from overhead.
She was being carried by him! Despite her additional weight, he walked with easy fluidity. Rescuing damsels from distress just might be an everyday occurrence for him.
“B— . . .” she began, then realized she had no idea what she’d been about to say. She, who was never at a loss for words.
A delicious masculine scent rose from his skin. He’d braced an arm behind her back and one beneath her bent knees. Her side was pressed against a male torso that had about as much give as a fir tree.
This was . . . incredibly intimate. Her hip was up against the abs of a man she hadn’t even spoken one word to. Her palm was gripping his wet shoulder. And all she’d managed so far was “b.”  She needed to say something. . . .
Nora cleared her throat. “S-sorry about my slow response time back there. I was sort of stunned by,” you, “the unexpected dowsing.”
He kept his attention focused ahead. His expression remained inscrutable.
“This is my first fake hostage experience. I’m a hostage rookie.” Her limbs had begun to shake a bit from the cold and the wet.
No response.
“I probably would have been able to walk out under my own steam. Eventually.”
They arrived at the top of a stairwell. Eep! Stairs. “If you’ll let me—”
He carried her down.

~ Review ~

Wow! I have been eagerly anticipating this book, but I did not see that coming! What an introduction to Becky Wade’s new series. It has a really fresh feel to it, and yet it is still indubitably Becky Wade. (When you read the book, you’ll see what I just did there!)

I’m not sure you could find two characters who are more different to the Porters and their wives than Nora Bradford and John Lawson. In Nora, Becky Wade has managed to capture all the endearing quirks you might expect from a genealogist/historian/bookish person without making her awkward or clichéd. And I loved her voice! So often when a character is remarkable for their use of ‘big’ words it comes across as though the author has simply dusted off their thesaurus, but with Nora it was done much more subtly and sounded completely authentic. It also added a nice dynamic to her relationship with John, but you’ll have to read the book yourself to discover how!

Speaking of John, I have to admit I’m a sucker for the strong, silent type. He might be a Medal of Honor winner, but he doesn’t give off the high-energy, alpha-male vibe that you often see in military characters. He’s not a talker, he doesn’t like to bring attention to himself, and throughout this novel his integrity and strength of character shines through. And oh, sweet mercy, those kisses! I loved the way he loves Nora!

I will admit there were times when the first half of this novel dragged just a little for me—times when I felt there was a lot of exposition that could have been trimmed down—but there are some fabulous one- or two-liners all through this novel, and I loved the dynamic between Nora and her sisters. We also get a tantalizing glimpse of where the next two books in the series will be headed, and I like what I see!

For all its strengths, where this book really excelled for me was in the last third of the book when John grapples with the discoveries his search has brought to light. He’s got the answers he was looking for, but they really aren’t the answers he was looking for! His anguish was so authentic, and I LOVED the way in which the character worked through it. Yes, there were a few tears!

If this is what we have to look forward to in Becky Wade’s new series, bring it on!

I received a copy of this novel through Litfuse Blog Tours. This has not influenced the content of my review, which is my honest and unbiased opinion.

Series:  #1 Bradford Sisters Romance
Release date:  2 May 2017
Pages:  384
Publisher:  Bethany House

Amazon US  //  Amazon AU  //  iBooks  //  Goodreads  //  Koorong

~ Previous Books in the Series ~

~ Becky Wade’s ‘True to You’ Prize Pack and $100 Giveaway ~

Celebrate the launch of Becky Wade’s new series by entering to win a fabulous prize pack and $100 cash card!

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A copy of True to You
• A $100 Visa cash card
• A prize pack hand-picked by Becky

Enter today by clicking the icon below, but hurry! The giveaway ends on May 30. The winner will be announced May 31 on the Litfuse blog.

~ About the Author ~

Becky’s a California native who attended Baylor University, met and married a Texan, and settled in Dallas.  She published historical romances for the general market before putting her career on hold for several years to care for her three children.  When God called her back to writing, Becky knew He meant for her to turn her attention to Christian fiction.  She loves writing funny, modern, and inspirational contemporary romance!  She’s the Carol Award, INSPY Award, and Inspirational Reader’s Choice Award winning author of My Stubborn Heart, the Porter Family series, and the Bradford Sisters Romance series.

 

Connect with Becky:  Website // Blog // Facebook // Twitter // Goodreads // Instagram // Pinterest