The Invitation by Joyce and Alexandra SwannSeries: Book 1 of 6 | The Kinsmen SeriesPublisher: Frontier 2000 Media Group (December 22, 2016)Review by Mae Clair This short novel (192 pages) is set over Thanksgiving and Christmas, a perfect read this time of year. Kevin Marshall has a miserable life. He’s stuck in a dead end... Continue Reading →
What We Hide by Collene Coble and Rick Acker
What We Hide by Collene Coble and Rick AckerSeries: Tupelo Grove Book OnePublisher: Thomas Nelson, July 2, 2024 Joan Hall The Well Read Fish is sad to announce that one of our dear reviewers, author Joan Hall, passed away last weekend.We were blessed to have Joan’s reading/reviewing experience at The Well Read Fish. She was... Continue Reading →
Restoring Hope by Philippa Cleall
Restoring Hope by Philippa CleallSeries: StandalonePublisher: Ark House Press (October 31, 2025) REVIEW BY GWEN M. PLANO In some ways, Restoring Hope is a familiar story. A young woman, Hope Elkins, escapes an abusive marriage and returns to her hometown to rebuild a family café and rediscovers herself. As the story unfolds, so do the foundational... Continue Reading →
Mercie’s Secret by Michael Garrett
Mercie's Secret by Michael GarrettSeries: Stand AlonePublisher: MegaCross (September 9, 2025) REVIEW BY KELLY GOSHORN Triggers: Sexual assault, betrayal, violence, emotional manipulation Mercie’s Secret is a deeply emotional Christian suspense novel that weaves together themes of redemption, betrayal, faith, and the lasting scars of past trauma. The novel centers on two complex protagonists, Mercie Halford... Continue Reading →
The Ballad of Midnight and McRae by Jess Lederman
The Ballad of Midnight and McRae by Jess LedermanSeries: StandalonePublisher: Azure Star, LLC (July 24, 2025) REVIEW BY PRISCILLA BETTIS This is going to be a divisive review for a divisive book because The Ballad of Midnight and McRae is a Christian Western with a gay protagonist. Matt is a contemporary man who tells the... Continue Reading →
Married to Christmas: Diamond Cruise by Vaughn Weatherford
Married to Christmas: Diamond Cruise by Vaughn WeatherfordSeries: StandalonePublisher: Indie Release (September 9, 2025) Review by Mae Clair I received an ARC of Married to Christmas: Diamond Cruise from the author for an honest review. Perry Most developed a crush on Mary Kris Muscovey in grade school. Many years later when they wed, Mary (who... Continue Reading →
Buried Wilderness Secrets by Jaime Jo Wright
Buried Wilderness Secrets by Jaime Jo WrightStand-Alone NovelPublisher: Love Inspired Suspense, July 29, 2025 REVIEW BY JOAN HALL I’ve been a fan of Jaime Jo Wright’s dual-timeline Gothic suspense novels since Mae Clair introduced me to the author. When I learned the author penned a modern-day romantic suspense novel, I gave it a try. “She... Continue Reading →
The Prayer Box by Lisa Wingate
The Prayer Box by Lisa WingateSeries: Book 1 of 3 of A Carolina ChroniclesPublisher: Tyndale Fiction (September 1, 2013)Review by Gwen M. Plano Tandi Jo Reese runs from an abusive marriage. With her two children in tow, she finds a hiding place in Iola Anne Poole’s small bungalow on Hatteras Island, North Carolina. Tandi has very... Continue Reading →
Visible by Darlene Corbett
Visible by Darlene CorbettSeries: StandalonePublisher: WordCrafts Press (May 14, 2024) REVIEW BY PRISCILLA BETTIS Rachel is a psychotherapist who runs a weekly group session with five clients: Yardley, Matt, Jason, Shalene, and Sapphire. We learn why each client is in therapy and what they’re doing to move forward. One client was attacked in public which... Continue Reading →