Winner of the 2018 Christy Award Book of the YearAfter a devastating heartbreak three years ago, genealogist and historical village owner Nora Bradford has decided that burying her nose in her work and her books is far safer than romance in the here and now.Unlike Nora, former Navy SEAL and Medal of Honor recipient John Lawson is a modern-day man, usually 100 percent focused on the present. But … focused on the present. But when he’s diagnosed with an inherited condition, he’s forced to dig into the secrets of his past and his adoption as an infant, enlisting Nora to help him uncover the identity of his birth mother.
The more time they spend together, the more this pair of opposites suspects they just might be a perfect match. However, John’s already dating someone and Nora’s not sure she’s ready to trade her crushes on fictional heroes for the risks of a real relationship. Finding the answers they’re seeking will test the limits of their identity, their faith, and their devotion to one another.
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A delightful contemporary Christian romance! I loved these characters and was wowed by the plot!
I connected with the heroine early on in the novel because we have so much in common. A love of history, books, period pieces, I could go on and on. And the first scene had me snickering so much, I was glad no one was around to hear me. I loved the raw emotion and Nora’s journey to recover from her heartbreak. The characters were real, and while this was a nice, sweet romance, it wasn’t all rainbows and sunshine. I appreciate seeing characters deal with struggles in their relationships because no relationship is perfect. Watching Nora and John deal with issues made them even more real to me. Great book! I can’t wait to read the next one in the series.
Wonderful read with relatable characters and good plot.
I mostly enjoyed the story, but felt it was a tad slow at times.
I didn’t understand the reasoning given why John needed to find his Mom. What was the point of that information? I also saw the plot twist coming because there were too many clues for it to be a surprise.
I did enjoy the slow and sweet romance. True to Becky Wade, I enjoyed the depth. It is not a light and fluffy read. I also liked the ending.
It was a bit too heavy on the Christian side for me, especially towards the end.
There is mild kissing and thoughts of touching the other’s body (mostly his 6-pack, chest and face/hair – nothing risqué). A few mildly crude comments from a co-worker side character. There is past violence that is mentioned (rape and murder). No bad language.
Definitely a must read. This is the first book I read by Becky Wade. I will definitely be looking for more of her books!
I had chuckled, giggled, snickered (you know just about every possible way of laughing) numerous times within the first five pages of this book. At that moment, I thought, “This book is going to be great!” And it is, but not just in humor, it’s so much more than that. The humor had me hooked within the first few pages, and the discovery of and the depth of the story kept me hooked.
There are so many, many aspects of this book that I loved. And so many, many of those aspects are almost impossible to discuss without giving away some pretty significant spoilers. I do NOT want to give away any spoilers about this book because I want you to enjoy the same ride of discovery that I did as I read it. But I will say it’s filled with all sorts of greatness! I loved how the story line played out. There are some quite funny moments, some aching moments, some shocking moments, some bittersweet moments, some healing moments, and a whole host of other kinds of moments in this book.
I loved all three of the Bradford sisters as well as the dynamic of their relationships with each other. Nora is the main character in this book, and I recognized a little bit of myself and my oldest daughter in her, and little bit of Britt in two of my other daughters which made the book especially fun to read. And there are some serious teasers happening in this book about Willow’s and Britt’s histories and their future stories. I can’t wait to read their books!
I loved the development of Nora and John’s relationship—from the fun of getting to the point where they actually had a relationship and the joys and some of the anguish as their relationship was being fleshed out and they were figuring it out. Their dates once they started dating had me full on swooning! Nora’s, hmm, shall we say, enthusiastic thoughts regarding John and her “slight” infatuation with him often had me smiling and laughing. I loved her personality and her quirks and how John fell in love with her and those quirks. John is the strong, silent type who, in the process of the story, is being made vulnerable by some life circumstances, making him a wonderfully relatable character.
The flow of the dialog in this book as well as the banter, the wit, and style of humor was great! I loved the many “asides” in the book provided through emails, text messages, lists, notes, and letters. It added a unique aspect to the book and provided a fun way of getting into the characters’ heads a little bit more.
And Nora’s village! I so wish it was a real place I could visit, and that’s all I’m going to say about that.
God often uses the tough things to show us ourselves and the faults we don’t want to see as well as to show us Himself and what He wants to be to us and how much He loves us. I love how that came so clearly through in this book. True to You is so well put together, and it will take you on such a journey as you read it!
**I was provided an advanced copy of the book by the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
From the very first page to the very last I found myself drawn into the story and enveloped in the story of Nora & John. A perfect blend of light-hearted fun, and deep thoughtful pros, this fantastic book has something for everyone.
The true to life struggles of the characters brought them closer to God, and I appreciated how you could see God’s hand working in their lives. The text at the end of the book was a fantastic choice “Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.” Jeremiah 32:17
True To You was such a delightful read, I didn’t want it to end. I am eagerly anticipating reading the next book in this series.
(I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.)
Where, oh where to start? The sizzling chemistry between Nora and John? Because it was on a heat stroke level! The twists and turns galore? I gasped so loud at one point, my husband came in the room to check on me. The amazing setting? I’m ready to pack my bags and move to the historical village. The beautifully woven faith element? It was all perfection. Sheer perfection. These characters will remain with me always. Their charm, bravery, humor, wit, and flaws. Becky Wade continues to be one of my favorite authors. Her writing style is authentic, funny, emotional, and gripping. Every book has ALL THE FEELS. I can’t wait for next novel in this series.
True to You is definitely in my top two favorites of Becky Wade’s novels. In fairness, I haven’t read all of them yet, but so far, Nora is the character that I’ve connected to the most. It didn’t take much more than the first chapter before I found myself loving her quirkiness. There were so many things I found endearing about her – the fact that she is a librarian, her bookish-ness, her love for British television shows and her love of genealogy. I was expecting Nora’s story to be sweet, but I was not expecting the major plot twists as well as some of the heavy-hitting revelations for the characters. Nora is all aflutter when she meets John, making one think that a typical romance is about to begin. However, soon after they start looking into John’s birth family, the story takes a deeper turn, ending in a way that neither of them could have ever expected.
John is one of the strongest male leads I’ve read about in a good while, but also one of the most vulnerable. His struggles feel so genuine and realistic, and I truly empathizes with the life-altering information that he finds through Nora’s genealogical search. I really appreciated how the author goes straight to the point and doesn’t shy away from temptations that arise in real-life situations, and the complexities that come along with that. It just felt very human and honest. Nora and John have amazing chemistry, yes, but also just respect each other as people and as children of God.
And, oh, the plot twists! One is a bit cutesy, but also really fun. It falls more along the lines of something I might expect from a romance novel, and I actually had a feeling it might happen, I just wasn’t sure how it would all go down. Then, what I would consider the real plot twist happens, and I was honestly floored. It transformed an already engaging, romantic story into a complex and layered story about individual trials as well as the breaking point of John and Nora’s relationship.
I found the relationship between Nora and her sisters completely endearing, and I’m so eager to read Willow’s story. The snippets that were from her perspective had me intrigued, and I also thought it was fun that there is a connection in her story to the last book in the Porter family series. I also thought the adoption thread was handled with sensitivity. My husband was adopted, and if he hadn’t been, his life would have been drastically different, so different that he and I likely would have never met if he hadn’t been. I know that God took a situation that could have been bad for him and used it for good. John’s parents are so gracious and loving towards him; their reaction toward him was heartwarming.
There is such a strong redemptive note throughout this entire story, and the culmination of it was beautiful. Becky Wade doesn’t shy away from temptations and suffering, but she also portrays grace in a moving, authentic way. Trusting God didn’t mean their problems went away, but it did ensure that they had peace even in the midst of trials.
True to You is one of my favorite reads of 2017 for sure. It was a stellar start to a new series, and I’m giddy thinking about how there are at least two more books to come after this!
I received a complimentary copy of this novel, which I chose to review. This review is my honest opinion.
This was a really good book. I loved the slow and heated romance between Nora and John. I was riveted by the deep issues presented and the twist. Most of all, I absolutely loved the portrayal of God’s love for us as individuals. I definitely recommend this book.
Another Becky Wade book that kept me reading well into the night! Loved the characters, the story, and the chemistry between Nora and John. Becky knows how to write tension and how to hold a reader’s interest. And I loved watching John and Nora grow throughout the book. Great book! Can’t wait for the next book in the series!