Playing for Keeps by Mandi Blake Review

 Happy Monday Sweet Friends :)

I pray today finds you all doing well, and I'm so thankful you've taken the time to drop on by The Preppy Book Princess today for another book review.

I'm Kirby, and I'm always excited to welcome you to my little bookish corner of the internet.

If you've been around my blog before, then you're probably already quite aware that I absolutely adore Mandi Blake's Christian romances. I don't think she could write a bad book if she tried, and I love how her stories always point back to Jesus.

I recently had a chance to read her upcoming release that's part of the multi author Christmas in Redemption Ridge series, and today I can't wait to tell you guys all about it.

I hope you'll keep reading down below, and join me for today's full review.

Playing for Keeps by Mandi Blake:

Source: Complimentary Copy Provided by the Author as Part of Her ARC Team

Publication Date: October 22nd, 2025

Genre: Christian Fiction/Christmas Read/Contemporary

Series: Christmas in Redemption Ridge

Synopsis:

He let her get away once. Now he’s back, and he’s playing for keeps.

Twelve years ago, Justin McKinnon fell in love with the girl next door—Caroline Taylor—but their families had hated each other for decades, and no one was interested in putting the bad blood aside. What started as a spur-of-the-moment kiss at a barn dance turned into a forbidden, secret romance that would rival Romeo and Juliet.

Caroline Taylor has everything she ever wanted. She owns the best bakery in town, has a loving family, and she’s friends with everyone. So why did she just break up with the perfect guy because he kept dropping hints about proposing. How could she marry him when she’s still hung up on her first love?

When Justin got the chance to get away from his abusive dad and support his elderly grandparents, he took it, but it meant leaving Redemption Ridge—and Caroline—behind.

Now, Justin is back in town and ready to remind Caroline that they belong together despite the family feud hanging over them. Can she trust the man who once broke her heart?

Visit Redemption Ridge, Colorado and enjoy the faith, friendships, and forever-afters of the Christmas in Redemption Ridge series of Christian romance.

This series is a spin-off continuation of the best-selling Heroes of Freedom Ridge Series with all new characters and traditions, but the same magic of community and romance readers love.

(synopsis from goodreads)

My Review:

Playing for Keeps is another wonderful romance from best selling author Mandi Blake, and is a lovely redemption story with a beautiful faith element effortlessly blended right in. Mandi is one of my all time favorite authors, and I always look forward to getting to read her new book releases. I've come to love all the stories she's written that focus around the Taylor family and their issues throughout the years with the McKinnon's, so knowing this one was going to be the star crossed lovers story between two people from these families, I knew I was going to be in for a real treat and she definitely did not disappoint.

This sweet romance had so many of my favorite tropes all wrapped up into one, as aside from being a redemption story and a star crossed lovers story, it's also a second chance romance since Caroline Taylor and Justin McKinnon first fell in love as teenagers. Now it's many years later, but neither have ever forgotten or gotten over their first love, and when Justin moves back to Freedom Ridge after years of being an MLB player, he's determined to fix things with the one he let go.

Caroline and Justin's romance is sweet, swoon worthy and heart wrenching, and I continue to love how Mandi Blake never backs down from writing about the hard things. And of course, my favorite part of her stories continues to be her beautiful illustrations of faith and what it truly means to follow Jesus, and I love that she always balances out her suspense with the light that comes from knowing and being known by Him.

I'm not surprised whatsoever that this ended up being another one of my favorite reads of the year, and I can't possibly recommend this heartwarming story enough.

If you love clean, faith based romances than this is the book for you, and if you've never had the pleasure of reading a book by Mandi before, then this is the perfect one to start with.

Final Rating: 5/5.

Thanks so much to Mandi Blake for allowing me to advance read and review this title!

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary advance reader copy of this novel from the author as part of her ARC team. I was not required to give a positive review, and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thanks so much for reading guys! Have a great rest of your day :)