Review: Big Nick Energy: A Single Mom Cowboy Christmas Romance (Season of Revenge Series) by Morgan Elizabeth

About the Book

When Connor Finch insists his one-time Tinder match, Shae, comes to his dad’s house for Thanksgiving with her two daughters, it’s because he refuses to let them be alone on her first-holiday post-divorce.

But when she arrives at the Christmas tree farm and ranch he grew up on, she meets his father—the crazy tall, built, golden retriever cowboy who tells her girls all about the magic of the stupid elf on a shelf.

Of course, when she later corners him and tells him thanks a lot for nothing and that she’s way too overwhelmed to have to deal with yet another responsibility, he feels terrible.

So terrible, he finds himself driving two hours every night just to deliver an elf, move him about, and create some Christmas magic for her girls.

But what happens when he decides meeting her the way he did was some kind of Christmas miracle, and he needs to convince Shae to give him a shot?

Review

Big Nick Energy was the type of Christmas story I had been on the hunt for. It’s a Hallmark Christmas story with some spice.

Shae is a single mother who had recently left an abusive relationship. And one night she goes on a tinder date with a younger guy named Connor. They end up remaining friends after the one date. Connor, who was raised by a single father—Nick, is constantly talking about Shae and her daughters. And invites them to Thanksgiving at his father’s ranch. Shae and Nick get out to a rough start, but Nick begins to constantly show up for the girls and Shae. Starting with driving an hour (back and forth) to do Elf on the Shelf to make Christmas special for them.

Shae is understandably hesitant about the whole ordeal. She’s used to being the sole provider for the girls and used to having a terrible and uninterested partner. And she doesn’t want there to be another situation where she feels she fails her girls. Shae is doing the best she can, and rude parents and kids and a reappearing ex-husband aren’t making it easy for her.

Nick is understanding about all of that and doesn’t want to rush things. One thing that I adored about him was that he always reminded Shae of her worth. In addition to being there for her daughters, he was always there for her. He wanted to make her life stress free. I really enjoyed their romance. I thought it progressed naturally and there were many times where I was grinning ear to ear.

Final Thoughts

Big Nick Energy is a cozy read about family, love, and healing. Nick will most likely be having everyone swooning with how good he is. And Shae’s story about healing is inspiring. It is worth mentioning that this story does need another round of editing. There were several noticeable errors. It made me wonder if it had been rushed. All and all, it’s still a great holiday story.

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Review: Be the Difference Monthly Planner: Serve Others and Change the World: A Guided Journal by Ink &. Willow

About the Book

Identify the issues that matter most to you, create a plan of action, and make the impact God wants you to make—locally, nationally, and globally—with this undated, guided twelve-month planner.

All too often, the news is filled with heart-wrenching stories of poverty, injustice, inequality, fear, prejudice, divisions, and more. You may want to help fix the brokenness and change the world, but may not know where to start.

In Be the Difference Planner, you will find the motivational strategies and organizational tools to identify the issues that matter most to you. Then, using the planner’s practical guides and insightful reflections, you can map out intentional steps to create a meaningful impact, both at home and on a global scale.

Special features and tools that will instruct and enable you to be the difference include: 

• overviews of several current issues that have always been on God’s heart and should be on ours as well—such as poverty, racial reconciliation, homelessness, fostering, and human trafficking

• monthly spreads to organize and view a month at a glance and refreshing monthly check-ins for guarding against burnout

• brainstorming and vision board pages for narrowing advocacy goals and focus

• profile spotlights on leaders and advocates who are already established voices in different humanitarian spaces

• a log for tracking taxable gifts and donations throughout the year

• space to record and reflect on any articles, blogs, books, films, or other media that speak to your topic of focus 

• line art throughout

God has called us to love those around us. In our broken and hurting world, redemption is still part of His plan, and it’s time to be the difference.

Review

If you are faith based and are looking for a social cause to rally behind or have something in mind and want to gather your focus more collectively, this is a wonderful monthly planner to have. It’s not like your typical planner. You can curate your own journey based upon the tools they give to guide your progress in the planner. The time frame is open ended so you can start when you want to use it. Many find themselves wanting to do so much but don’t know where to start. This is one of those resource tools that you can brainstorm, visualize and plan out your advocacy agenda. You can keep track of ideas, reflect and so much more. If you aren’t sure, they offer some ideas to consider getting involved in and throughout the planner highlight individuals out there making a difference.

This isn’t just for those who are just starting out but for those who have a cause and want to organize their efforts. Overall, it was an interesting concept for a journal and I know that the people who use it will find it helpful and fulfilling.

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Review: Gutsy: Learning to Live with Bold, Brave, and Boundless Courage by Natalie Franke

About the Book

Whether you’re struggling to get started, afraid of making a big decision, or clinging to a path no longer meant for you—this book is the kick in the pants you need to take the next step and go after what you want.

Gutsy is your guidebook to uncovering the audacious courage within you and making an impact on this world that only you can make. This book will help you learn to turn off the expectations of others, ask for what you deserve, stick your neck out, and be brave enough to take that next step.

This book is for you if:

You’ve been putting things off, procrastinating, or feeling stuck

You’re done letting the opinions of others hold you back

You’re tired of chasing after approval and hustling for validation

You know that you are capable of greatness with a little push

You’re ready to take action and become the boss of your own life

The gap between where you are and where you want to be is never as wide as you think it is.

Gutsy will turn your momentary pause into forward progress with a heavy dose of radical curiosity, audacious courage, and abundant grace.

Review

Gutsy by Natalie Franke is the book for anyone who’s ever felt invisible, discouraged or has had their light dimed by others.

Beyond the words I can write here, this book not only is an encouraging hands up but the positive reinforcement for all those who felt like they or no one can ever achieve whatever is in their heart.

Blending her own experiences, wisdom and insight, you can’t help but end this book with a smile and unlimited determination to start living.Her enthusiasm is infectious. She truly was the sister or best friend that was here to encourage, motivate and give you the push you need to go forward and start living. She helps you dig deep and reach for that buried courage to be brave and be the boss of your life.

She has some amazing advice and great takeaways that will leave you motivated and inspired. She definitely helps you learn to live bold, brave and boundless.

So, I was bold and simultaneously read the book and listened to the audiobook. That audiobook was awesome. No one could’ve narrated that book but her. I didn’t want to turn it off. Reading the book was good but the audiobook had an elevated appeal that kept you engaged and felt like a friend with a determined purpose was talking to you.

Overall, I loved both the book and the audiobook. If you love empowering motivation, this would be great to listen to.

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Review: Rental Person Who Does Nothing: A Memoir by Shoji Morimoto

In "Rental Person Who Does Nothing," Shoji Morimoto takes readers on an interesting journey into the heart of loneliness, social anxiety, and the pursuit of connection. His unconventional service, Rental Person, is a safe haven for those looking for companionship where there may not be any or are uncomfortable with those around them in certain situations.

The book begins with Morimoto's personal struggle, as he deals with feeling insignificant in his professional life. Inspired by his introspective moment on whether “doing nothing” can have value in the world, he transformed his life and the people that he comes into contact with. His concept seems simple and ordinary but for those people, their moments were extraordinary.

Morimoto shares his experiences in detail which allows the readers to experience some of the service requests that were asked for. With a wide range of requests, we experience through the shared tweets moments of people trying to navigate life from something as simple as grabbing a coffee to someone just looking to share a moment rather than be alone. Not putting in much effort, his nonjudgmental, committed demeanor allows the boundary of strangers but gives them the comfort they need to feel fulfilled.

As you go deeper into the book, it becomes more fascinating understanding the cultural norms of Japanese culture and the effects of how this service brought awareness to the need for human connection in their lives. Also by contradicting the culture norms of reciprocity by fulfilling the requests without the expectation of something in return, its thought provoking and inspires the conversation of how being there for someone can really make a difference. Also, how the act of doing “nothing” can for strangers be so moving and inspirational because many people out there don’t have anyone. This gives them a chance to fulfill a moment in their lives without feeling alone.

Overall, Rental Person Who Does Nothing is a wonderful memoir with a simple concept but leaves a deeper meaningful impression that will hopefully inspire people to be more present for people who may need someone.

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Review: King of Country by C.W. Farnsworth

About the Book

Kyle Spencer is the king of country music.

She’s the city girl, sent to talk him into returning to the stage…

Piper Egan landed her dream job straight out of college—working at Empire Records. But instead of discovering new talent and changing lives, like she’d hoped, her time is spent taking meeting notes and catering to spoiled celebrities. When the chance to change that finally appears, she should be thrilled.

Unfortunately, Piper’s promotion involves the charming cowboy she’s spent years attempting to avoid. And flying to middle of nowhere, Texas, in a desperate attempt to talk the king of country music into returning to the stage.

It’s a work trip with no boundaries. Piper is determined to head back to New York with a signed contract in hand, no matter what it takes. But that plan becomes complicated when she’s greeted by a scowl instead of Kyle’s trademark grin. Becomes challenging when she glimpses the genuine guy beneath the superstar. Becomes impossible when she learns the reason he walked away from the spotlight.

When she realizes…her only plan should have been to protect her heart.

Review

C.W. Farnsworth earned her spot as an author who had potential to be an automatic buy with me. Fake Empire felt like it was written with me in mind, and I absolutely adored that book. Serve took longer to grow on me, and with confidence I can say that I ended up enjoying that book more than I had originally thought. It snuck up on me. I read a few other books by Farnsworth, and unfortunately, they have all tended to be fine, and felt like a big junk had been cut from them. I felt like I was missing something. I wasn’t feeling the connection with the stories or the characters, and it felt rushed. I say all this because I was hesitant to read King of Country. However, I was craving a sweet cowboy romance and gave it a go.

I’m so happy I gave it a go. Finally! Farnsworth has hit jackpot with me again. I couldn’t put this book down. I have few complaints, if any. I felt this to be well paced, and the romance is just great. I loved every second with this one. Kyle and Piper were so perfectly matched.

Piper was sent to Texas to convince Kyle to sign a new deal with the record label that she works at. If she is able to complete the task, she will be given a promotion once she returns to New York. Kyle is determined to quit music forever and live a quiet life back in his hometown, after having a successful career.

There was so much to love about them. It’s not love at first sight with them. They have a natural attraction progression, and as they grow more comfortable with each they share more about their past. I found it really beautiful that Piper was able to see both sides of him, and that Kyle supported Piper and accepted her dreams. I adored them. And I was so satisfied with their conclusion.

Final Analysis

King of Country just felt cozy and sweet. Both MCs are great, and I loved their character arc. I thought the ending suited them both very well. This book restored my faith in Farnsworth, and I’m excited for future releases again.

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Review: A Kiss of Iron by Clare Sager

About the Book

In the cut-throat game of court life, masters manipulate pawns—and you never know which one you are. One thing is certain: there’s no space on the board for love.

A penniless noblewoman, Kat is on the verge of losing everything when she’s offered a well-paid job that could be her salvation… or her ruin. Drawn into court’s deadly intrigues, she’s given a single task: spy on the powerful fae lord known as the Night Queen’s Shadow.

Bastian Marwood is handsome, ruthless, and cunning, but Kat can’t decide if he’s a threat to her kingdom or just her heart. To uncover the truth, she must play a dangerous game of desire and deceit, pushing him to reveal his secrets while protecting her own. But Bastian’s shadows have a hold on her—one she isn’t sure she wants to escape.

Kat soon learns that at court, nothing is as it seems and even the best-laid plans can be destroyed in an instant. As a pawn on the board, she can’t afford to fall victim to love—only fight for survival.

A Kiss of Iron is the first book in a new series featuring court intrigue, a morally grey hero, and an unforgettable enemies-to-lovers romance. Perfect for fans of Gild and From Blood and Ash.

Review

As the year is quickly ending, I’m starting to realize that most of the fantasy books that I have read have been more hits than misses for me. Authors in this genre have been constantly pushing the bar and crafting unique characters, romances, and stories. A Kiss of Iron is no exception. There is so much goodness packed into this 600-page novel. Political intrigue, fae magic, sabercat races, amazing outfits, thievery.

Kate, oh Kate, oh Kate. My heart ached for her. This was a woman who had an abusive childhood, was forced into a marriage, and then took it upon herself to care for the estate in her husband’s absence. And to continue to care for the estate she enters an agreement with a cruel man and is brought to the palace to serve the Queen and spy on a fae by the name of Bastian. This is a woman who is trying the best that she can in a world that isn’t kind to her. Her internal monologue is great with witty responses. She’s smart, and really just a great FMC.

As for Bastian, I hadn’t expected him to be the way that he was. This isn’t a bad thing at all because I absolutely adore him. I expected him to be rougher. Yes, he would do anything for Kat and had his dark moments and is mysterious, but this guy is so swoon worthy. And sweet, and such a flirt. Also, dangerous, but he’s tender with Kat. The two of them had amazing chemistry, and their slow burn was hot.

Final Thoughts

A Kiss of Iron was an entertaining and heartbreaking book that ended on a breath holding cliff hanger. Kat is a good representation of female rage. She’s a character who is trying to find her voice in an oppressive world.

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