Stay With Me By Becky Wade

Stay With Me
by Becky Wade
Publisher: Bethan House
ISBN: 9780764235603

I was so thankful when author, Becky Wade, asked me if I would review her book! It's the start of her new A Misty River Romance series so I couldn't say no to that!

Summary:

Loving her is a risk he can't afford . . . and can't resist.When acclaimed Bible study author Genevieve Woodward receives an anonymous letter referencing her parents' past, she returns to her hometown in the Blue Ridge Mountains to chase down her family's secret. However, it's Genevieve's own secret that catches up to her when Sam Turner, owner of a historic farm, uncovers the source of shame she's worked so hard to hide.

Sam has embraced his sorrow, his isolation, and his identity as an outsider. He's spent years carving out both career success and peace of mind. The last thing he wants is to rent the cottage on his property to a woman whose struggles stir his worst failure back to life. Yet can he bear to turn her away right when she needs him most?

My Review:

What a fantastic book! I read it this past weekend and fell in love the the story and the characters. It was very raw and beautiful. The nuances in various situations brought the characters to life for me!

When we meet Genevieve, she is a hot mess and Sam can smell it a mile away. Sam on the other hand is a closed down and wants no one interfering in his shuttered life. THEN he meets Genevieve. She makes his world topsy-turvy.

I really felt for Sam. He just wants to be left alone (which of course isn't healthy), but he's got his routines and just wants to rent his guesthouse (team Sam on that one), but Genevieve convinces him to let her stay there. She and her sister seem to run roughshod over the poor guy. I just wanted to say, "Let the poor man call it his guesthouse!" hahahaha You have to read the story to understand. Even reading "cottage" on the back of the book made me frustrated for him. HA!

And Gen (can I call her that?), she reminded me of some well known authors and speakers for women's ministries. In a huge way she made them more real to me, and reminded me that they have struggles to. They're not to be put on pedestals. The story also made me wonder what kind of pressure they must be under. I can't even imagine.

Sam made the loss of someone to addiction so palpable. This comes up early on in the book so I don't feel like I'm giving anything away. Gen's secret makes him want to hold her at arms length while at the same time come along side her to make sure she's got someone holding her accountable. He doesn't want to be more than her landlord. Gen's struggle really made me realize how important it is for people with her secret to have at least a couple people they can really count on. Seriously, this storyline was handled so well! I appreciative of authors who tackle important topics and do their research. It evidenced throughout the Becky learned what she could about the topic.

I also learned what I really like in characters who have a romantic interest in each other. I like it to be drawn out over a period of time. I appreciate when we see the "reason" why characters fall for each other, watch (read) their feelings grow over a period of time and through different situations.

One of the main reasons I enjoyed this book is because I said earlier, the author adds so many nuances to her characters and circumstances. What could take other writers more time explain or become more drawn out, Becky does simply and seamlessly. If someone is pacing the floor, you can absolutely picture it. Honestly it was the attention to details that drew me in and kept me invested in the storyline!

About the Author:

Becky Wade (www.beckywade.com) is the 2018 Christy Award Book of the Year winner for True to You. She is a native of California who attended Baylor University, met and married a Texan, and moved to Dallas. She published historical romances for the general market, then put her career on hold for several years to care for her children. When God called her back to writing, Becky knew He meant for her to turn her attention to Christian fiction. Her humorous, heart-pounding contemporary romance novels have won three Christy Awards, the Carol Award, the INSPY Award, and the Inspirational Reader's Choice Award for Romance. Becky lives in Dallas, Texas with her husband and three children.