“Like Papa Bear in the Goldilocks story, Sam Turner had discovered a strange woman sleeping in the bed of a house he owned.”
Opening line of “Stay with Me” by Becky Wade
Becky Wade strikes a beautiful balance in “Stay with Me”, book one of the Misty River Romance series, of serious discussion and laugh-out-loud humour. From the outset, Sam, our Australian leading man, struggles with Genevieve, our leading lady, inserting herself into his life, his farm and his head. Genevieve has no intention of creating such disruption but she can’t face living at home, alone in a big city or at her parents home with her mom hovering and smothering her whilst she endures her drug detox. Sam recognises her addiction problem within minutes of meeting her and so, she sees his farm cottage as the perfect space to recover.
Sam struggles with his past and bad memories haunt his relationship with Genevieve. His curiousity about her draws him to learn more about her bible teaching books and leads to one of my favourite lines from the book when he asks the shop assistant about her videos.
“DVD series? We do. It’s one hundred and twenty dollars for the set.” He blinked at her. What on earth? He could buy a top-of-the-line cordless drill for that price.”
Favourite line of “Stay with Me” by Becky Wade
Genevieve digs into the emotional pain and psychological trauma that led to her addiction. Having been through drug withdrawal, I can say Becky has captured the experience so well. The conversations Genevieve has with her counselor are powerful in growing one’s faith, whether or not you struggle with addiction, they discuss healthy rhythms and how to draw near to God in hard times.
“Trauma never disappears, Genevieve. The things we’ve experienced are always a part of us. When we’re stressed, old traumas like to rear their heads.”
Favourite line of “Stay with Me” by Becky Wade
I loved the novella that opened this series and “Stay with Me” is fabulous, I can’t wait to read the next book in the series! I highly recommend this one, it’s a five out of five on the enJOYment scale!
On Tour with Prism Book Tours
Stay with Me (A Misty River Romance #1) By Becky Wade Christian Contemporary Romance Hardcover, Paperback & ebook, 368 Pages May 5th 2020 by Bethany House Publishers
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 an 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?
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Other Books in the Series
Take a Chance on Me (A Misty River Romance #0.5) By Becky Wade Christian Contemporary Romance, Novella ebook, 97 Pages February 25th 2020
When baker Penelope Quinn steps in to help her brother’s family through a medical crisis, she’s forced into close proximity with charming Air Force fighter pilot Eli Price.
Penelope has one iron-clad dating rule—she does not date airmen. Months ago, she relaxed her rule with Eli and immediately lived to regret it. After a long deployment, he’s now back in Misty River and, to her dismay, she finds him just as tempting as always.
Eli’s spent months thinking about funny, feisty, creative Penelope. He once leveraged his focus and drive to become a pilot, his childhood dream. Now he’s set on leveraging that same focus and drive in order to convince Penelope to give him one more chance.
This romantic prequel novella introduces readers to the quaint mountain town of Misty River and a brand-new series from Christy-winning author Becky Wade!
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About the Author
Becky Wade 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.
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Tour Schedule
There is also a bookstagram tour with its own giveaway. Follow on Instagram.
Tour Giveaway
One winner will receive: – A $100 gift card – A paperback copy of Stay with Me – A hand-knit scarf – A pair of earrings – A package of “Georgia Blues” coffee – A package of apple oatmeal muffin mix
I received a complimentary copy of the book from Bethany House Publishers through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.