"Stay With Me," by Becky Wade is a wonderful piece of literary excellence. Wade masterfully develops the character of Genevieve Woodward, transforming her from emotionally distant to endearing in ways that the reader could not fathom early on. Upon her return to the Blue Ridge Mountains of Georgia, she comes into contact with Sam Turner, who is immediately endearing. The detailed writing of Becky Wade plays a key role in helping the reader to feel as though one is right alongside these characters in their journey to overcome a past that has been kept secret for so long.



Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley, and was not required to write a favorable. All opinions are my own.

This is a beautiful story and one of my favorites that I’ve read from Becky Wade.  Genevieve needs a break. Her career has left her drained both physically and spiritually.  She decides to head home to the Blue Ridge Mountains to regroup.  She finds herself an unplanned and unexpected position that forces her to admit that she needs help confronting an addiction.  Sam determines that he’s going to help her, even though he’s not that comfortable getting involved.  

Here’s what I loved about this book:  It’s all about the grace of God and His unfailing love for us.  Genevieve is a wonderful, caring person who loves her family and the people in her life, but she’s finding it hard to admit she needs help.  It’s a great reminder to us to be there for our friends and support them in their struggles.  When we do that, we open up avenues for God to reach them ( and us) in miraculous ways.  

Genevieve and Sam’s story is amazing, and I have to admit that I was teary-eyed through part of the book.  Don’t miss this one.  I love it that this is Book One in the series, and there’s more to come!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.  All opinions are my own.

I tried really hard to get into this but unfortunately it just wasn't for me.  I just can't get into books that have a strong religion theme and this seemed like that type of book to me.

Several things: I can't "see" this title without singing Sam Smith. Two, I avoided reading this book for the longest time, because I knew when I started that meant IT WOULD ALMOST BE OVER and I just couldn't take it.

I wasn't wrong.

This is one of those books that is surprising in the very best of ways. It also ends in the very best way....leaving you extremely hungry for the next one. A lovely setting, an interesting premise, a unique mystery, and multi-layered characters with atypical back stories....all elements that have come together to create a wonderful story.

The first book in the new Misty River Romance series, we are introduced to Genevieve Woodward and Sam Turner.

Not your typical couple - in fact they are not even a couple for the majority of the book - the meet cute occurs when Genevieve is discovered by Sam, passed out in his cottage (she says cottage, he says guesthouse....) When he wakes her up she barely knows where she is, which stems from a pill dependency - I promise this is not a serious spoiler as it's revealed quickly. To further complicate matters, Genevieve is a Christian author and speaker - and she is sincere and genuine to be sure, but the extra layers of pressure to recover and find redemption also add some serious "how will this be resolved" tension.

Sam is dealing with deep regrets from his past, and Genevieve's particular challenges are not a place he wishes to visit. Their chemistry is super valid and their verbal repartee game is strong. Meanwhile, as Genevieve is navigating her sobriety along with whatever this is with Sam, she is also trying to solve a mystery about her parents that has the potential to change everything she knows to be true.

This is not a traditional or typical romance book; the author often includes an element of mystery in her stories which I always appreciate. I especially enjoyed the peek back to the different members of 'The Miracle Five' sprinkled throughout the book and their clear setup I AM SO EXCITED for the next book in the series. I thought the resolution of both the mystery as well as Genevieve and Sam's relationship was unexpected....a pleasant surprise.

In case you did not feel it was clear....I strong recommend this book and all other books by this author.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Becky Wade engages readers with this emotional contemporary romance and draws you in with her characters real world problems. Stay With Me addresses very real struggles while peeling back the layers of hope by facing them head on. The main female character, Genevieve, is a Bible study author with secrets that could devastate her career. Sam, the main male character, is living the life of a farmer in order to shut out his past and stay secluded. Their paths cross in an unusual way and they struggle to let go of their own reservations to move toward the future. Lies, secrets and trauma will all be exposed and an inspirational message fills the pages. Stay With Me is engaging, emotional and full of redemption. I am looking forward to the next book in the series!

Good girl and spiritual role model, Genevieve Woodward needs a rest, as her world closes in on her. When Sam Turner finds Genevieve in his house, he's reluctant to turn her away. As past events and secrets shape the present, Sam and Genevieve struggle with deep loneliness. But the two slowly begin to lean on one another, making room inside of their very weary hearts. Becky Wade shines with an unputdownable mix of romance, very human emotions and how faith plays a role in each. Genevieve's journey will stay with readers for a very long time

Stay with Me
by Becky Wade
 Bethany House 
Bethany House Publishers
 Romance 
Pub Date 05 May 2020


I am reviewing a copy of Stay With Me through Bethany House Publishers and Netgalley:




A strange and mysterious letter hinting to a secret in her parents past draws Genevieve Woodward back to her Blue Ridge Mountains hometown, but she needs a break from her high profile career that has left her burned out, and hiding a powerful secret of her own.  Waking up in a cottage she does not know, with a confused owner staring down at her, she realizes she can no longer deny she needs help.





Sam Turner embraces his sadness as well as being an outsider.  The solitary, disciplined life he lives on his historic farm is the life he's chosen for himself.  He certainly does not want to rent his cottage to a woman who is both troubled and talkative.  Yet he can’t turn her away when she obviously needs him.


As Genevieve researches her family’s history the emotions between her and Sam deepen.  They have to let go of the facades and loneliness they've clung to and allow light to illuminate every hidden truth. 



I give Stay With Me five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

This was a sweet story with a good back story. It had great pace and intense moments. It was a unique read that keeps you fully engrossed.

A well written lovely novel that deals with how past choices affect the present. Beautifully depicted, lovely characters, great Christian message.

I am a huge Becky Wade fan mostly  because she is one of those rare contemporary Christian romance novelists who can craft a good romance story without contriving something silly. My thoughts:

What I liked

Genevieve’s secret. It’s a good one. And it’s one I’ve never encountered in a Christian novel before. I thought the author handled it perfectly. To the right people, it wasn’t a secret so there was no deception story-line going on here…and yet, the fact that certain people know, doesn’t make the book any less stressful at moments. Kudos to Wade for tackling an issue I think a lot of people have heard of or encountered at some point.

The back story. Genevieve has quite the backstory that is being told alongside the present. I could be wrong, but I think at least two people in the back story are going to get their own book. It took a minute to draw me in because I wasn’t sure of the point, but as I slowly got to know all the characters, I really liked where the road was leading.

The mystery. It was really fascinating because in some ways, you didn’t see it coming. I thought the story did a good job of untangling things to get where it got.

The romance. Becky Wade knows how to write a romance. And she knows how to write these silent heroes who will do anything for the women they fall in love with. This book is no different.

Spiritually, the novel deals with grace and what that looks like and how  you can’t earn it.

What I didn’t like

I will admit it took me a few more chapters than usual to get invested in this book. But once I was in, I was in.

Romantic scale: 9

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I’m very nervous about the second one! But I’m still going to read it anyway!

**I received a copy from BethanyHouse via Netgalley. My opinion was not affected in any way.**

Stay with Me by Becky Wade is the first book in the Misty River series. Genevieve Woodward has it all a successful career as a Christian author and motivational speaker, but she is hiding a secret of opioid addiction. A mysterious blackmail letter concerning her parents' past sends her back to her hometown to investigate. When her addiction sends her spiraling out of control, she takes refuge in a nearby cottage of Sam Turner. He volunteers to help her through withdrawal.  Together, they unite to discover her parents' secrets and find out more than they bargained for including romantic feelings for each other. Wade has started off another great series.

Stay with Me, the first book in Becky Wade‘s Misty River Romance series, is a sweet romance that wrestles the topics of trauma, addiction, and secrets. Sam Turner, who readers meet in Take a Chance on Me, prefers his solitude, but when he discovers a stranger asleep in his empty guest house, his world is turned upside down.

Genevieve Woodward is a successful Bible study author and speaker. After receiving a threatening letter, she returns home to Misty River to find answers. Except, she’s harboring a secret of her own: a prescription drug addition. When it causes her to black out in a random guy’s guesthouse, she realizes she has to get clean. Her past few attempts failed, but Sam Turner’s guest house held the perfect balance of someone to keep an eye on her and the privacy she needed to be successful.

I don’t think I’ve read a Christian Fiction story that so unabashedly showed someone struggling with addiction and recovery. It was refreshing to read the honest take. Becky Wade also avoided making it melodramatic. Readers rooted for Genevieve to stay clean, even as she faced pitfalls to her recovery. It was also refreshing to read about the hidden side of what a (fictional) famous Christian personality could go through. Like Sam, I saw Genevieve as too loud and too pushy, but seeing her real personality emerge endeared her to not just Sam.

I highly recommend reading Stay with Me. Of course, if addition and trauma are triggers for you, this may or may not be the best book to read. But for anyone who wants to a refreshing take on these topics, definitely pick up a copy. The story continues in the next book in the series.

---
I received this book free from NetGalley and Bethany House Publishers in order to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Feeling that this book comes from the author’s heart it has turned out to be her best one yet! 
Wade gives us a little bit of everything in this book along with some life’s lessons 
and she doesn’t beat around the bush about it. 
Wade has done well with writing about these tough subjects and I loved the theme of love and forgiveness. 
God works in mysterious ways doesn't He? 
Genevieve is just like any other human being. She is just trying to get through life the best way she knew how what with everything going on in it and all.
I think life is stressful at times but it can also be what you make of it.  Only in my opinion Genevieve took some of it a little too far.
For this reason I really couldn’t warm up to her at all.
Sam is an amazing character! At first he got on my nerves but as I read on I grew to love him. I thought that he was perfect for a certain someone. 
There were times when I wanted to knock both their heads together and put them in the closet to see which one came out first. However; I"m just as guilty of Sam and Genevieve are for  some of the same reasons.  
I enjoy Becky‘s writing to the fullest. I love walking away with my heart feeling full and satisfied. Wade has a way of doing that to you.
This is such a tenderhearted novel that will leave you thinking about the characters long after the book is finished. 
The cover of this book is certainly beautiful!
I recommend this book to anyone who loves Becky Wade like I do. 
My thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this book. A book like this comes once in a lifetime! 
I was NOT required to write a positive review and all opinions are my own.

There are some stories that lightly feather your emotions and some that just whack you in all the feels. Stay with Me is the latter in the best possible way.

Having been a Becky Wade fan for a while, I had no doubt this would be a great story, but this-This!- book far exceeded my expectations. And my fangirl levels are soaring off the charts, because not only did this novel have layered-yet-relatable characters, an Intriguing plot, and a swoon-worthy romance, but the author tackled a delicate subject with brilliant strokes of grace. 

The scenes were so vivid I wanted to pack my bags and head toward Misty River. Seriously Sam’s house and Gen’s cottage (well, Sam insists it’s a guesthouse) is my kind of charming! And can we just talk about Sam for a bit. 
SAM!!!! 
Okay, he has such a tender heart. He knows it, Gen knows it, the reader knows it, but he was still so scared to open up again because of past hurt. His protectiveness and devotion was super endearing. I could probably gush on and on about Sam because he was that beautiful. Yes beautiful. 

In true Becky Wade fashion, this series has an amazing cast of secondary characters. Natasha is by far my favorite. She’s an Austen fan and quotes Pride and Prejudice like a boss. We could be besties. 

I love the spiritual theme woven throughout the pages. It reminds me of that verse- in my weakness, His strength is made perfect. In our struggles, God shows up and shows up BIG! That’s what resonated with me while turning the pages of this amazing story! I give it all the stars! 

** I received a copy from the author. All opinions are my own.

Stay with Me is a welcome change to your typical Christian romance. In this page turning romance, we see our characters deal with drug addiction, honesty, and ultimately how the truth will set us free to receive grace. I highly recommend and was unable to put this book down until the very end.

This was a sweet story with a good back story. It had great pace and intense moments. It was a unique read that keeps you fully engrossed.

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ (3.5 Stars)

Stay With Me by Becky Wade was an intriguing and unique story.

Becky tackled some raw, tough subjects with grace and I was fascinated with the unique concept of this series and the challenging storyline.

The characters were indeed incredible, (so many adorable personality  traits that were super fun to read about) and the setting was simply gorgeous—I’m so excited to explore a series set in Georgia!! (Southern girl here 😉)

While I honestly did enjoy much of this story and am thrilled to continue this fascinating series, I ended up feeling quite conflicted and a little disappointed in some aspects by the end of the book. 

Gen is a world-renowned Bible study teacher and writer. She captivates audiences with her charm and sincerity. But privately, she struggles with the chains of addiction and dishonesty.

Sam is an international transplant attempting to leave behind a past of tragedy and start anew with a simple life of solitude. 

Both characters are missing something from their lives and struggling to leave the darkness behind. 

But through their struggles and interactions with each other, I felt that the “soul” of the struggle was missing. Both characters, but especially Gen, are searching for restoration, but I never felt as if they sought God for it. God is missing from Gen’s life, but instead of crying out to God, getting in the Word, and seeking godly counsel, she simply plugs on through her life and almost seems to find fulfillment in family and Sam.

While I understand that everyone’s walk of faith is different and not all stories play out the same way, in all honesty, this one just fell a bit flat for me and left me a bit disappointed.

I do adore Becky and her books and will for sure be continuing this series, but I felt compelled to provide my sincere feedback through this review.

I received a copy of this book for FREE, and a positive review was not required.

(🌟🌟🌟-🌟 3-4 out of 5 stars)

“𝚆𝚑𝚢 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚒𝚝 𝚜𝚘 𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚍 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝙲𝚑𝚛𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚊𝚗𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚌𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚗 𝚝𝚘 𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚒𝚗𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚑𝚊𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚖 𝚋𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚒𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚛𝚘𝚊𝚝𝚜? 𝙱𝚎𝚌𝚊𝚞𝚜𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚙𝚛𝚒𝚍𝚎? 𝙱𝚎𝚌𝚊𝚞𝚜𝚎 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢 𝙲𝚑𝚛𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚊𝚗 𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢 𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝙲𝚑𝚛𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚊𝚗 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚔 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚢 𝚠𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚍𝚘𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚝 𝚛𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝? 𝚃𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚢 𝚠𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚘𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚐𝚘𝚘𝚍?” (𝐒𝐚𝐦-𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐌𝐞, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟎)


I’m giving this book about 3-4 stars out of 5.
I can’t make up my mind about the star-rating because I have mixed emotions on this book which I would try to explain in this review.

Genevieve was a preacher of God’s teachings for a living. She comes from a respected family and grew up close with her sister, Natasha. She and her sister were famous from an event that happened in the past and has been living under the shadows of that event. She was battling her thoughts and emotions about everything in her life including her purpose as a person. Because of all the pressure that she had to endure, she suffered from drug addiction but vowed to clean herself to not disappoint the people around her.

Sam was an half-Australian, half-American who decided to live permanently in the US after everything that he’d been through in life. He, as well, experienced a very scarring event in his life that resulted to him living a self-imposed prison. It may not have been his exact description of living, but that’s how Genevieve saw it. Sam owns the restaurant and farm in Gen’s hometown and their paths crossed when Genevieve went back home to recover and refresh herself.

In this book, you will be able to read about Christianity, faith, mental health, and a twist of mystery. In totality, I liked this book. I like the roller coaster of emotions that it brought me while reading it and how the story line went. I also like how this book showcased how a person can cope when struggling with mental health by saying that you do not need to be afraid to seek help from people close to you, because if they truly love you, they will support you no matter what. I also liked how this book showed God’s power. He may not be giving you everything that you want, but know that He will always be watching and listening. His ways are to be trusted and be praised for He knows what is best for you. As a catholic, I admire how Becky Wade included this because this is what we believe in our religion. It may not be what you want or what you asked for from God, but He knows better and He has valid reasons for everything that happens or will happen.

However, there are still some points where it felt a little off to me like when either of the main characters doubted Him. I know and understand that at some point in life, people really tend to do doubt or question God and His ways, especially when their life has turned upside down. It just pains me to know and think that people do not have as much faith in Him even if they know that He is our creator. He created life. Readers, please do not get me wrong. I AM NOT JUDGING ANYONE, but a part of me wishes I could help people who struggle. I wish I could impart wisdom to anyone who needs to be uplifted..

The other point that seem off to me was kind of the story-telling. I appreciated the effect of how you need to keep reading in order to understand, but the roller coaster of emotions gets a bit overwhelming when you’re too carried away. Yes, roller coaster of emotions has good and bad sides and this is what the bad side is, at least in my opinion.

I would still recommend this book to anyone but most especially to readers who are into romance, Christianity, self-care, mental health—these are the topics covered by this book. I hope you give this a try as I would also like to see other people’s thoughts about this one. Happy reading!

This is the link to my full review: 
https://aeloynes.wixsite.com/adventures/post/first-attempt-at-becky-wade

Things I liked:

1. The relatability! As Christians, it's easy to put on this perfect lifestyle that screams "all is well in my world!" at everyone you come across. However, very seldom is life actually so peachy. I loved that this book tore apart the stigma of Christian's who struggle.
2. Gen's moms past: Okay I really thrived in the mystery of this book. In fact, I really actually felt like Wade gripped me more in the mystery than she did in the thriller. I was pulled into the story, I was eager to see how it played out, and when the ending hit I was quite content with the results. It was a little predictable, but the story itself was honestly easy to read through. 
3. Elements of romance. I enjoyed some of the romantic elements. I felt like a lot of it was too superficial, but there were a few threads I was LIVING for! Gen's parents, the groceries, and the laundry room scene. 1 -- Gen's parents' romance. Yes ma'am, more please! Gen's mom was so hard for Genevieve stomach because she was so overbearing, but the portrayal of mental health and the love Gen's dad had for her mom was beautiful! 2 -- THE EVERLOVING GROCERIES!! Oh my I got a good laugh from this one! Without spoiling it, Sam is this health nut with a desire to eat well (which is completely respectable). He's also a chef. A great one at that. So when they go grocery shopping and he buys her groceries, he buys her a bunch of healthy stuff and lots of produce that Gen has no clue what to do with. It's a great thread, albeit a short one, and I had a blast. 3 -- There's one specific scene where Gen crashes in his laundry room. Basically, the laundry room became some sort of "hello, I'm here, come save me" kind of indicator, so one night Gen's having a particularly rough go of it and she decides, like any sane person would, that crashing in Sam's laundry room is the solution. It was really cute and totally swoon worthy, but in order to not spoil the story I'll stop here!

Things I didn't like:
1. The romance. I'm a sucker for a solid romance, but this one really just didn't do it for me. There was very little chemistry, very little character interaction (it seemed), and Sam really felt paper thin and 2D. Additionally, Sam's inability to recover from his past relationship that wrecked him after 7 years of torturing himself...it just seemed a little extreme. 
2. The characters. The only character I think I actually really enjoyed completely was Natasha. Gen wasn't a bad character and neither was Sam, but you really didn't get to know them fully in their environments. I appreciated Gen but she kind of bothered me, and Sam was infuriating all on his own. Also, I realize Christians come in all shapes and sizes with various character traits, but I don't expect a bible study writer to listen to Nicki Minaj and Iggy Azalea. Considering they're both heavily explicit and vulgar, I can't imagine a strong follower of Christ being completely okay with the messages of either rapper. If she weren't specifically a bible study writer than I'd say okay, yeah, I guess I'm guilty too, but the extreme that the author of this book took to make Gen out to be such a devout follower made this element a little unrealistic. 
3. The overall drug problem. For one thing, I haven't ever been through drug withdrawals or any sense of coming off of drugs for me to fully understand what it takes and what it's like, but the way it was handled in this book felt too pure and easy. She struggled to come off of it but she really only had to try two times prior, and those were done on her own without help. I don't know, I could be wrong, but just seemed too easy for her to quit. 


Overall summary:
I didn't really enjoy this read. It definitely had its parts, don't get me wrong, and I loved who Sam was portrayed to be, but there was just so little feeling to the characters and the story. I didn't live with the characters, I just kind of observed them. I didn't get to really meet any of them besides maybe Gen. With the others, I was like oh hey you exist now, okay. I also felt like it was largely unrealistic quite often. All of this is so disappointing because I've seen so many books by Becky Wade on different shelves and I have one on my shelf right now to read, so I was so hopeful that this one would be as much as the others have been talked about, but I really felt like it was lacking.

I've enjoyed each Becky Wade book I've read and Stay with Me was no different. The thing I really liked about this book was that it didn't shy away from hard things. 

The opioid crisis is real and relevant in our society, and I like that this book showed that it could happen to anyone. But that wasn't an excuse to continue in sin. We all allow something to take priority over our relationship with God. And most of us wear masks so others can't see our flaws. What a timely reminder that we can't hide from God, and He is the only one who can satisfy.

The characters were real and relatable. There was more focus on physical appearance than I would have liked but honestly, that's pretty realistic too. This book helped me look at my own life and ask questions about how honest I am with others, myself, and God. It's hard to have a book that focuses this much on the Christian walk but doesn't come across as preachy. I think Becky Wade accomplished it.