Stay With Me by Becky Wade

Wade has crafted another entertaining contemporary romantic novel. I like how she is not afraid to tackle issues in the Christian community. In this novel, a successful female Christian author of Bible studies, Genevieve, has gotten addicted to prescription pain relievers. A potential romance develops when she meets a man, Sam, who is willing to stand by her as she begins to detox. But he has his own issues from his past. There are huge obstacles to overcome before the two can pursue a relationship.

There is also a mystery woven into the plot. Genevieve has received a letter indicating her parents had done something terrible in the past and all might be revealed soon. Her parents deny any skeletons in their closet but when she receives a second letter, Genevieve and her older sister begin to investigate their parents' past.

Both of the threads of the plot combine to explore the concept of Christians putting on an appearance of being fine when all is not well. The whole issue of honesty is highlighted when Sam demands honesty from Genevieve if he is to help her. There is a serious lesson there for all of us in our relationships.

I love the snappy dialogue between Genevieve and Sam. Wade's ability to create engaging characters with entertaining interactions make the novel work. I did not like the time slip aspect, the interludes of going back to the earthquake. I felt they were disruptive and would have rather had them all as a prologue.

You can read an excerpt here.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

Becky Wade is the 2018 Christy Award Book of the Year winner for True for You. She is a native of California who attended Baylor University, met and married a Texan, and moved to Dallas. She wrote historical romances for the general public, then put her career on hold for several years to care for her children. When God called her back to writing, she knew He meant for her to turn to Christian fiction. Her contemporary romance novels have won three Christy Awards, the Carol Award, the INSPY Award, and the Inspirational Reader's Choice Award for Romance. She lives in Dallas, Texas, with her husband and their three children. You can find out more at www.beckywade.com. Photo: © Emilie Hendryx of E.A. Creative Photography

Bethany House, 400 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)