Must-read inspy romances: 'The Covered Deep,' 'Lizzy & Jane,' 'At Bluebonnet Lake'
The Covered Deep by Brandy Vallance
What it's about (from Worthy Publishing):
Bianca Marshal is holding out for the perfect husband. Finding a man that meets the requirements of her "must-have" list in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains has proven impossible. Bianca's mama insists that there's no such thing as a perfect true love, and that Bianca's ideal man is pure fiction. On the eve of her twenty-fifth birthday, Bianca discovers a devastating statistic: her chance of marrying is now only eighteen percent. Unwilling to accept spinsterhood, Bianca enters an essay contest that propels her into a whirlwind search for her soulmate. Via the opulence of London and the mysteries of the Holy Land, Bianca's true love will be revealed, but not without a heavy price.
Why you should read it: Lovely lyrical prose sets the scene for Victorian romance, while layered mysteries and a diabolical plot of emotionally — and psychologically — devastating proportions combine to bring the story and its characters to life in The Covered Deep. This novel from debut author Brandy Vallance is beautifully written and showcases a breakout talent that isn't afraid to push the boundaries of what is "expected" in an inspirational historical romance.
As the protagonist, Bianca embodies innocence ... with a touch of fire. When she finds the man for whom she has so hoped — and he returns her affection — her heart flies. But when well-hidden secrets are revealed through the cruel design of the mastermind who brought them together, love is put to the test and the very adventure for which Bianca so longed could devastate her more precious hope for love.
The intrigue is well played and steeply built. At times while reading, it was almost as if I could hear Hans Zimmer's Sherlock Holmes original motion picture soundtrack seeping out of the shadows. I have no doubt this author (and her book!) will rank among my favorites of 2014. What are you waiting for? Go grab a copy of this multiaward-winning and delightfully Gothic-toned Victorian romance for yourself!
Lizzy & Jane by Katherine Reay
What it's about (from publisher Thomas Nelson):
Sometimes the courage to face your greatest fears comes only when you've run out of ways to escape.
At the end of a long night, Elizabeth leans against the industrial oven and takes in her kingdom. Once vibrant and flawless, evenings in the kitchen now feel chaotic and exhausting. She's lost her culinary magic, and business is slowing down.
When worried investors enlist the talents of a tech-savvy celebrity chef to salvage the restaurant, Elizabeth feels the ground shift beneath her feet. Not only has she lost her touch; she's losing her dream.
And her means of escape.
When her mother died, Elizabeth fled home and the overwhelming sense of pain and loss. But fifteen years later, with no other escapes available, she now returns. Brimming with desperation and dread, Elizabeth finds herself in the unlikeliest of places, by her sister's side in Seattle as Jane undergoes chemotherapy.
As her new life takes the form of care, cookery, and classic literature, Elizabeth is forced to reimagine her future and reevaluate her past. But can a New York City chef with a painful history settle down with the family she once abandoned . . . and make peace with the sister who once abandoned her?
Why you should read it: Katherine Reay wowed me with the style and story craft that layered honesty, vulnerability and humor across the pages of her 2013 debut, Dear Mr. Knightley. My awe for her talent has not waned in the least after reading Lizzy & Jane. Although this novel is more traditionally styled than her debut, it is just as beautifully crafted, just as bursting with flavor and heart. I now consider myself an Official Katherine Reay Fangirl For Life.
Using food preparation as both plot point and metaphor, Lizzy & Jane is as much women's fiction as romance. The story builds through moments which are savory, spicy, sour and sweet; this book is impossible to put down, and at the same time, difficult to continue due to the ache it brings to the heart. This tear-jerking story of family heartbreak, relational redemption and hopeful romance requires tissues at several stops along the journey (yes, I even sloppy-cried at one point). But it is a journey that should not be missed. Lizzy & Jane is one for the keeper shelf.
At Bluebonnet Lake (Texas Crossroads, book 1) by Amanda Cabot
What it's about (from publisher Revell):
Marketing maven Kate Sherwood's world is fast-paced, challenging, and always changing. The last thing she wants to do is slow down to a crawl at Rainbow's End, a dilapidated resort in the Texas Hill Country. But she cannot deny her ailing grandmother's request to visit the place where she and her deceased husband spent one glorious week (albeit fifty years ago). There Kate meets Greg Vange, the resort's handyman. But there's more to Greg than meets the eye—billions more, in fact, as he recently sold his successful software company and is at the resort in search of what's next for his life.
Kate isn't looking for romance, but she can't deny the sparks of attraction that fly every time she and Greg are together. She even starts to see potential in the rundown resort. Could there be a future there? Or will Kate's long-sought promotion take her back to the big city?
Amanda Cabot invites readers to step away from the pressures of the daily grind. They might be surprised by what they find at Rainbow's End.
Why you should read it: There is no shortage of Texas on inspy romance shelves, and to be honest, I was fully prepared to write this one off as "just another ranch romance." But since I was in the mood for a contemporary, I decided to give it three chapters and then, if it didn't pique my interest, move on. Those three chapters became four and then 12, and suddenly I realized that, right along with Kate and Greg and Grandma, I had taken up residence at a rundown Texas resort and I was now invested in how all their stories would play out.
Amanda Cabot does a fabulous job of building a setting and then deepening it alongside her characters. Rainbow's End has its own — albeit stuttering — heartbeat, and as a vision for its future bleeds into a few guests' hearts, it pulses more than one couple toward a life-redefining love. This is an enjoyably clean weekend romance that might just make you consider the Texas Hill Country for your next romantic getaway!
A writer, performer and accomplished partaker of dark chocolate, Serena Chase lives in Iowa with her husband and two daughters. Her Eyes of E'veria series — The Ryn, The Remedy and The Seahorse Legacy — is out now. You can find out more about her at serenachase.com.