Reviews of the first two novels, originally posted on Tales to Tide You Over

Until I Met You by Kimberly Rose Johnson

Ever heard someone wondering how to meet people in a modern world? Well, for Brandi it involves being soaked in a rainwater puddle when a car went by…combined with the driver being a decent guy who stopped to apologize and replace her spilled drink. This encounter began the first of many discussions between them as they get to know not just the surface, but what makes each other tick.

The novel is a sweet, inspirational love story with nice themes about waiting until the time is right and living up to your promises. It focuses on volunteering for the right reasons and on finding joy even in the littlest things, an important Christmas message when thought and caring should matter more than the price tag on a gift.

Another element is Brandi’s treatment at work and her desire for more responsibility. Though this became less of a focus as the story progressed, it was a good look at how to, and how not to, handle crises at work.

I would have liked to understand Ian’s background more because the hints were intriguing, but I suspect he and Brandi have many more conversations in front of them. There’s a large time gap toward the end, most likely because of word count limits, that might have answered some of these questions and made something that happens in the end feel more grounded. Still, I enjoyed getting to know the two of them before they were dating, along with both her roommate and his best friend, and that end thing isn’t enough to interfere with my enjoyment.

Good people, a cute meeting and pre-dating story, and fun conversations. The inspy angle is quite heavy at times, but it is story relevant when both are strong in faith and she has vowed to focus on her relationship with God instead of losing herself in another boyfriend. I had a few quibbles with story continuity, but nothing that threatened my enjoyment of the story.
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The Cowboy's Christmas Reunion by Valerie Comer

“Holier than thou” is a well-known phrase in the English language, and in Valerie Comer’s first cowboy inspirational romance, Kade and Cheri struggle with just that as they try to overcome their history. It’s much easier to compare your faults to another’s than live up to your own standards in the eyes of God. Part of the reason I’m a long-term fan of Valerie Comer is her ability to bring real characters to the page. They don’t just pass through her stories. They struggle with questions about faith and living up to their own image of self in very tangible ways.

The Cowboy’s Christmas Reunion is a second chances story because Cheri left Kade at the altar six years before. She returns with her daughter Harmony to the small town where she grew up because she has run out of choices. Kade is busy being a good Christian as he organizes a Christmas relief effort with some of his friends and the support of his church. They’ll bring food, presents, and assistance to the elderly families and single mothers throughout the area…a group he does not realize includes his ex-fiancee.

Kade thinks he’s moved on from his first love, but one sight of Cheri brings it all back, the love, but also the betrayal. Cheri’s not much better. Her love never died despite what happened (we learn more in the story and it’s far from as simple as Kade believes it to be), but she’s drowning in her own failure, as unwilling to forgive herself as Kade is to forgive her.

Though Kade seems the better person from the start, the story is more complex than that. I found a greater strength in Cheri’s acceptance of responsibility for what happened, even though she could easily have transferred blame to another. Forgiveness, though, is something they both struggle with.

The faith message, while a little heavy toward the end, is solid and shown both through actions and words. The characters are far from perfect, but none of them, including Cheri’s grandparents and Kade’s brothers, lack flesh and blood reactions. I found everything I’ve enjoyed in Valerie Comer’s farm romances in this story, especially the roles played by Harmony and Jericho, her daughter and his son. She has a wonderful ability to write children who are neither stand-ins for adults nor hard to relate with. Then, of course, there were horses this being a cowboy story, and the connections between the people and their horses were lovely.

I quibble a time jump toward the end and a scene revealed in memory rather than as it occurred, but those are a minor wrinkle and probably due to space issues. The story is complete and satisfying on both the romance and the faith side. At the same time, it raises questions and hints at where the world will go next.

It may be hard to live up to the standards expected in a person of faith, but this novel helps demonstrate how to both forgive and accept gifts with joy, whether they come from neighbors of God. The theme is definitely in keeping with the Christmas setting, and the setting rang so true, I found myself humming Christmas songs way too early.

I read broadly, so this is far from my first cowboy romance. I believe Valerie Comer has successfully brought her skills to a new subgenre and look forward to the other novels to come. ( )