Happy Wednesday Everyone :)
I'm about to head out the door for a day of shopping and such in the city with my sister, my nephew and my mother, but before I leave for the day, I wanted to hop on here and share a review for a book that I'm highly recommending to you all.
Just As I Am by Mandi Blake:
Source: Complimentary copy provided by the author
Publisher: Mandi Blake
Publication Date: May 14th, 2019
Genre: Christian Fiction/Romantic Suspense
Synopsis:
Adeline Rhodes has spent years locked away in a New Orleans apartment controlled by her criminal boyfriend. After a daring escape, she realizes just how far she has grown from the things in which she once believed.
Declan King has lived a life of solitude and duty for the U.S. Army. When the deaths of his grandparents bring him home to his family farm, he is forced into contact with people who know too much about his past to simply leave him alone.
When Adeline’s past catches up to her, the two strangers find themselves thrust into a fake relationship to protect Adeline from her vengeful ex. As their chance meeting begins a journey that heals old wounds, they struggle to stay ahead of the danger and deny their growing attraction to each other.
Declan will do anything to protect her, and failure isn’t an option when Adeline’s life is on the line.
(synopsis from goodreads)
My Review:
Just As I Am is the debut novel from author Mandi Blake, and it's a incredibly emotional ride from start to finish that tugged at my heart strings and had me wanting more of these characters once I finished it.
Right from the opening pages the reader is hooked into the intense story unfolding, as we watch Addie attempting to break away from the abusive relationship that's been controlling all of her adult years. She knows the best place for her is with the aunt and uncle that always made her feel welcome anytime she needed it. Unbeknownst to Addie, her aunt and uncle end up approaching a retired military man, Declan, to help them keep Addie safe, and neither Declan nor Addie are prepared for the strong feelings that begin to develop between them.
What starts as a means from keeping Addie safe from her abusive ex, Jason, turns into so much more. Addie and Declan start learning to lean on each other, and encourage one another in faith, love and life, and their relationship is raw, realistic, and and heart wrenching. Just As I Am is full of plot twists and turns, and there's never a moment where the story starts to feel like it drags or is no longer interesting.
I appreciated the fact that Mandi Blake tackles many harsh topics throughout the pages of her debut novel including physical abuse, emotional abuse, and stalking, and showcases the importance of God's healing hand through these horrific circumstances.
I wholeheartedly enjoyed this one from start to finish, and loved the romance, the characters, the many suspense moments that had me on the edge of my seat, and the fact that the faith element is front and center and is never shoved to the side. I will most definitely be looking forward to reading more of this series in the future, and I highly recommend it to anyone who's a fan of romantic suspense.
Final Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thanks so much to Mandi Blake for providing me with a complimentary copy of her novel for me to read and review!
I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I was not required to give a positive review.
I'm about to head out the door for a day of shopping and such in the city with my sister, my nephew and my mother, but before I leave for the day, I wanted to hop on here and share a review for a book that I'm highly recommending to you all.
Just As I Am by Mandi Blake:
Source: Complimentary copy provided by the author
Publisher: Mandi Blake
Publication Date: May 14th, 2019
Genre: Christian Fiction/Romantic Suspense
Synopsis:
Adeline Rhodes has spent years locked away in a New Orleans apartment controlled by her criminal boyfriend. After a daring escape, she realizes just how far she has grown from the things in which she once believed.
Declan King has lived a life of solitude and duty for the U.S. Army. When the deaths of his grandparents bring him home to his family farm, he is forced into contact with people who know too much about his past to simply leave him alone.
When Adeline’s past catches up to her, the two strangers find themselves thrust into a fake relationship to protect Adeline from her vengeful ex. As their chance meeting begins a journey that heals old wounds, they struggle to stay ahead of the danger and deny their growing attraction to each other.
Declan will do anything to protect her, and failure isn’t an option when Adeline’s life is on the line.
(synopsis from goodreads)
My Review:
Just As I Am is the debut novel from author Mandi Blake, and it's a incredibly emotional ride from start to finish that tugged at my heart strings and had me wanting more of these characters once I finished it.
Right from the opening pages the reader is hooked into the intense story unfolding, as we watch Addie attempting to break away from the abusive relationship that's been controlling all of her adult years. She knows the best place for her is with the aunt and uncle that always made her feel welcome anytime she needed it. Unbeknownst to Addie, her aunt and uncle end up approaching a retired military man, Declan, to help them keep Addie safe, and neither Declan nor Addie are prepared for the strong feelings that begin to develop between them.
What starts as a means from keeping Addie safe from her abusive ex, Jason, turns into so much more. Addie and Declan start learning to lean on each other, and encourage one another in faith, love and life, and their relationship is raw, realistic, and and heart wrenching. Just As I Am is full of plot twists and turns, and there's never a moment where the story starts to feel like it drags or is no longer interesting.
I appreciated the fact that Mandi Blake tackles many harsh topics throughout the pages of her debut novel including physical abuse, emotional abuse, and stalking, and showcases the importance of God's healing hand through these horrific circumstances.
I wholeheartedly enjoyed this one from start to finish, and loved the romance, the characters, the many suspense moments that had me on the edge of my seat, and the fact that the faith element is front and center and is never shoved to the side. I will most definitely be looking forward to reading more of this series in the future, and I highly recommend it to anyone who's a fan of romantic suspense.
Final Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thanks so much to Mandi Blake for providing me with a complimentary copy of her novel for me to read and review!
I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I was not required to give a positive review.
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