‘Grief and regret were never far from him. They walked beside him every day. Laid down with him at night.’

I find it hard to begin this review because the book was so powerfully moving. I’m afraid I can’t do it justice. But I must try. Becky Wade’s books have always moved me. One thing I appreciate about her writing is that she never shies away from the Gospel message. This right here is the stuff that ministers to her readers. I’ve read nearly every single book of hers at least twice, and some three times. This one is destined for the same thing.

‘Every day she prayed. And prayed. And continued to seek a peace she could not find.’

Genevieve Woodward comes back to her hometown in the Georgia mountains because of an anonymous letter she’s received about a secret in her parents’ past. Gen needs a break from her career as an acclaimed Bible study author, teacher and speaker and is burned out with even concealing a terrific secret of her own, one that could destroy her. She wakes up in an unfamiliar cottage to the owner staring down at her and she knows right then she must get help.

Sam Turner has carved out a life for himself on this historic farm and with owning a kitchen in town that caters to healthful eating. He’s content. He thinks. Sam is carrying such a load of sorrow and regret that he feels as if he’s drowning at times. But he’s disciplined himself to this life and he has no desire to allow Gen to intrude on his well ordered life. But he just can’t seem to turn away from her because she desperately needs help.

Becky Wade launches out into some very deep waters with this first novel in her new series, probing the depths of human emotion, bondages and grace. She writes with a depth that makes me weep, which I did frequently during this reading. She manages to create characters with emotions so well it’s hard to believe they are fictional people on pages. I read in wonderment at her talent for weaving a story so full and rich, a talent surely given by God. The emotions Stay With Me evoked in my heart were astoundingly powerful and there were times I simply had to put the book down and just ponder at the deep truths of God contained therein. Truly, this book was so incredibly deep, that I think it just may be Wade’s best work to date. Awestruck is a word that fits when you finish this book. It is not a book to be put aside and another picked up right away. It is a book that fills your mind and heart for days ahead and one that will probably never truly leave you. I was blessed beyond measure by the reading of this book. I very highly recommend it. It is headed to the top of my top reads list in 2020.

*My thanks to Bethany House Publishers for a copy of this book via Net Galley. The opinions in this review are entirely my own.

This could easily be considered one of Becky Wade's best. It's certainly one of the richest with emotional and spiritual struggles. Ms. Wade sets the stage for "The Miracle Five," who I hope to read more about as the Misty River series continues.

Genevieve Woodward, the youngest survivor of the Miracle Five, has built a very public life as an author of Bible studies and Christian speaker. But while her public life is successful, her private life is a mess of secrets and stress. And never has she felt so closed off from the active presence of God in her life.

Enter Sam Turner, a man who's both farmer and restaurateur. He's all too familiar with the pitfalls of Genevieve's particular secret and wants nothing to do with repeating history. Yet, there are significant differences between his past and Gen, who's clearly fighting to win her battle.

Both Gen and Sam's issues are handled with grace and sensitivity, without excusing their choices. As they each find answers and healing in Christ, the friendship and love developing between them gives them the strength to keep moving toward Him. I loved how everything was addressed so beautifully and compassionately. Definitely an encouraging, emotional read worth picking up!

I was given a copy by the publisher through NetGalley, without expectation or influence. All opinions are my own and expressed willingly in my own words.

Wow, oh wow. Let's call this another home run, slam dunk by Becky Wade. The Misty River Romance series is now the 3rd series I'm reading by her, having read about the Porter family and the Bradford sisters already. Since I adored those series (plus a standalone novel) so much, I knew I had to keep an eye out for anything new that may be coming out. So I followed Becky Wade on Instagram and book stalked. I was not disappointed. I judge books by their covers (despite people saying not to) and I was so hooked on the idea of this book from the moment I saw the cover. Then I read the novella (Take a Chance on Me, which I've also reviewed on Goodreads) and was officially interested in this series.

Overall, there is such a powerful message of about love, forgiveness and redemption. Both between other people and with God.I absolutely loved reading about and watching the relationship between Sam and Genevieve unfold. They really helped to bring out other sides of each other with Sam being more serious and Gen being more outgoing and spontaneous. Both fight through past and current struggles in a way that draws them together, but also helps to heal them. Genevieve works to overcome a struggle in her current life, while Sam works to heal from past hurts. There are other aspects of the story that help bring in suspense, but I won't share anymore so there's no spoilers!

I felt like this book started off slower for me than other books I've read by Becky Wade and I'm not sure why. That's why I went with 4 stars instead of 5. I personally may have had a hard time transition from one author's style to another, but I will tell you that once I got to a certain point in the story, I couldn't put it down. I enjoyed learning about the "Miracle Five" and can't wait to see how the rest of the series unfolds!

Thank you to Becky Wade and Bethany House Publishing for giving me a chance to be on the launch team for this book. I did receive a free copy of this book, but am leaving an honest review of this book voluntarily.

Stay With Me is the first book in a new series by Becky Wade. As always, Becky Wade captures flawed characters in relatable situations and combines that with powerful messages of family, love and faith.

Genevieve is a popular and very successful bible study writer and speaker. But after an accident last year and a stressful schedule and deadlines, she found herself turning to prescription pain medication. When, after setting off for her parents’ house, she wakes to find herself in an empty guest cottage being regarded by the owner with some concern, she decides she finally has to kick her habit and get clean. She asks Sam, owner of the cottage, if she can rent the cottage from him as a place to hide while going through withdrawal and recovery. Sam has his own reasons for wanting to stay far away from the confusing woman he found asleep in his guest house, but he also feels a strong responsibility to help her.

I loved that this book considers a very serious topic of drug addiction. As Genevieve struggles to both admit she has a problem and faces the battle of overcoming her addiction, the very real possibility of how easy it is to fall into a prescription drug problem and the very serious fallouts are considered. But, more than that, the motivations behind Gen’s addiction are also regarded, both with understanding and grace. As a bible study presenter, Gen feels conflict over her addiction, her role as a speaker and her desire to keep everything under wraps.

I loved Sam. As a fellow Aussie, I appreciated his stoicism and down-to-earth manner. I also loved that while there a few mentions of his accent and a few Aussie words and slangs thrown in, Becky Wade doesn’t go overboard with stereotypes or ridiculous use of slang. Thank you! I loved Sam’s rugged, healthy eating, farm to table, restaurant-owner vibe. It is the perfect offset for Genevieve’s outgoing personality. While he wants to stay as far away from Gen as possible, his own history, that we readers slowly discover along with Gen as she prods him to open up to her, makes it hard for him to turn his back on her need. They really are two opposites and yet they compliment each other so well. I loved their little fights and how, even though their differences, they can’t help but connect.

While this is a book about overcoming personal challenges, about resetting and falling in love, I was surprised to discover it is also a bit of a mystery. There is a pretty detailed description of a murder and Gen and her sister find themselves on the footsteps of a serial killer. He’s already been imprisoned, so there isn’t any suspense or danger, but the mystery added an extra layer to the story. There are also some pretty big surprises in the plot, that I didn’t see coming. Along with that, each chapter is started with a flashback from when Gen and her sister were young teens and were caught in an earthquake. As two of only five survivors, the real-time play out of the earthquake disaster alongside Gen reliving it as she confronts her past is powerful. The end of the book also sets up a compelling situation for what I hope will feature in book two. Hearts will be broken, I can just tell.

The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.

Stay with Me is the first full length novel of A Misty Romance series. This books features Sam Turner and Genevieve Woodward. There was a prequel novel in which we meet Sam's best friend Eli but reading the prequel in not necessary to read Stay With Me. This book features three storylines. Genevieve was part of a group of church youth who survived a tragic event in South America. In this book there are short blips of each of the characters which I assume will be the basis for future books. Genevieve's older sister Natasha was also one of the miracle five. Genevieve is hiding a secret from her family, a secret that Sam quickly finds out when she accidentally crashes his guest house and takes a nap. Sam is not sure he can deal with her since it reminds him of something painful that happened to him in the past. You will quickly find out her secret that she is dealing with in the first few pages of reading this book. Genevieve's parents are also keeping a secret so Genevieve and her secret set out to find out what it is. This was my favorite part of the story since my favorite gene is suspense/mystery.

The reason I am not giving this novel five stars is because Genevieve annoyed me in much of the book. I just didn't like her personality but in the end I liked her better because she was able to be honest with everyone.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own. Thanks to Netgalley and Bethany House for providing me a copy. Watch for May 5 for publication of this novel.

Stay with Me is a fantastic novel and a wonderful beginning to Becky Wade's new Misty River Romance series. With each novel, Wade introduces a richly layered plot within a delightful setting. Stay with Me is no exception. The characters are so well crafted they're almost tangible. Misty River feels like a community I'd enjoy living in, and the relationship between Genevieve and her sister is lovely. Best of all, the slow-burn of Sam and Genevieve's developing relationship makes for an incredibly satisfying read.
Wade expertly weaves the emotional, spiritual and suspense-filled threads into a phenomenal story that is difficult to put down. Her courage in tackling the nuances of addiction is commendable. Readers will finish Stay with Me feeling inspired, hopeful and eager to read the next book in this series.
Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the complimentary copy. All opinions shared here are my own.

While I have read one other novel by Becky Wade in the past and found it to be enjoyable, I must admit it wasn't one that for me pushed her into that status of one whose books could not be missed. Stay With Me, however,certainly has me rethinking that. This book absolutely is one NOT to be missed.

Right from the very beginning, this book drew me in. Let's be honest, it didn't start off like your typical Christian romance. In fact, we meet our leading lady, Genevieve as she's passed out in a stranger's cottage, having taken pills that left her more than a little hazy. Like I said, not your typical opening... but it certainly grabbed my attention!

I loved that the author took on such a heavy and even taboo topic in this book. We often think of addiction as being something that non-Christians struggle with, but that's not always the reality--- especially with a prescription drug addiction that can start from a valid need for pain management that eventually leads to dependency, as is the case for Gen. While this may be a work of fiction, I still believe it can open our eyes to that very real issue in our world today.

Still, despite that uneasy topic, there was a lightness and sense of hope about this book that kept it from being too heavy. The romance played a big part in that. I loved the banter between Gen and Sam, bringing lightness to a book with many darker themes. I truly felt the chemistry leap off the page, and found myself rooting for them to overcome the obstacles in their way... as this is the first in the series, I hope to be able to catch up with them again in later books in the series because I wasn't quite ready to say goodbye. (I feel like we also got a glimpse of what will be the start of a story line for a future book, and I must say, I am READY for it!) Of course, a great mystery added in and a beautiful message of God's grace makes this all together a fantastic read, and one that I would certainly recommend!

**I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley for consideration. All thoughts are 100% my own.

Stay with me is such an amazing story ! It forces you to re-examine your own life, to check if you are hiding behind a facade because you are too scared to face the truth. It's also a sweet love story with realistic and amazing characters.

Becky has done it again with another excellent novel! Full of romance and family drama, you will not want to put this book down. With one of the main characters Australian, there's plenty of Australian lingo, themes, and cuisine. A must read to all who love romance novels.

This has quite a different feel than the other books I’ve read by this author. It has been awhile since I’ve read one of her books, but I didn’t remember them being so faith based. There’s quite a bit going on in this book, and the character’s faith is a big focus of the story. Also, the subject matter (prescription drug addiction), the mystery (it had a darker feel especially as the details came about), and the flashbacks from the earthquake all lend to that different feel.

I was expecting a bit more focus on the physical aspect of kicking the addiction. I would think the mental aspect is huge in addiction recovery, but thought the physical part was sort of regelated to a few briefly described days.

This was a fairly fast read, and it mostly held my attention. While there is a good message of hope, the bulk of the story had a downer feel as the characters were fighting their demons. I’m not sure I was really in the right mood for this type of story, but I did appreciate that it had a happy ending. And, I’m very curious about how things will end up for some of the other characters.

3.5 Stars

Becky Wade has done it again! This is a story about an Aussie farmer/restaurant owner named Sam and an American Bible study author Gen who both come to terms with their Own issues about themselves. The romance was super sweet and swoony (those kisses!) I loved how Sam wanted to help Gen with her issues even at the beginning when he hardly knew her. He was a great hero. Gen was a great heroine, too. Christian messages about forgiveness and God loving us unconditionally was nice, too. There’s also a mystery woven in this story that has a surprising twist.

I recommend this book!

“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!

This book picked me up and carried me away to a beautiful cottage in the farmlands of Georgia. Becky Wade has written a phenomenal story of one woman’s futile quest for earned Grace and her journey to healing and peace.
By all appearances, Genevieve Woodward is the epitome of success-she has a huge following for her Christian Bible studies and speaking tours. She’s beautiful, fashionable, charismatic. But behind the facade she carries secrets that could destroy her.
Sam Turner is a serious man with one mission in life-survive each day of loneliness and regret alone as penance for past mistakes.
When Sam learns her secrets, helping her is the farthest thing from his mind but his soul refuses to abandon her, even if his heart must pay the ultimate price.
Gen knows she can’t fight her demons alone but in her pursuit of grace, she forgets that it is a free gift-not earned by works.
My takeaway: While I loved the chemistry between Sam and Gen, the word “desire” sometimes made it feel like more of a lust, or physical attraction, rather than a true connection of heart and soul. Yes physical attraction is important, but a well rounded connection is even more so, in my opinion.
I also had trouble with an unmarried couple living together in sin, even after a gracious Bible study leader lovingly shared the biblical truths with them regarding their lifestyle. As new Christians this became offensive to them. I never saw the characters offer guilt, remorse or repentance for that lifestyle, even after they had grown as a Christian. For this reason I can’t give 5 stars with a clear conscience. Christians are not perfect and definitely mess up from time to time, as this story greatly portrays. We all walk through times where God feels silent and so far away. As Ms. Wade so skillfully reminds us, He is near to all who call upon Him and His grace is freely given, we need only to repent from our sins and accept it. He will never give up on us.

Stay with Me tells the story of women's Bible study author Genevieve who is addicted to Oxycontin. When Genevieve receives a mysterious letter threatening her family, she returns to her Ridge Mountains hometown in hopes of solving the mystery. As she continues to struggle with her personal addiction, coffee-shop owner Sam forces her to face her addiction. Stay with Me shares not only Genevieve's struggle as she combats her addiction, but also the path to solve her family's mystery. Meanwhile, she & Sam develop an unusual friendship as they both battle memories from the past that have shaped each of them into the adult they have become. Great story. Very realistic, never sugarcoating the struggle of an addiction, but also providing hope and showing the value of truth against all odds. This is also an incredible story of God's grace and forgiveness in the midst of seemingly unapproachable obstacles. GREAT story!

Wow! This book took me on an emotional roller coaster-in a good way. This book had it all mystery, romance, personal struggles and an uplifting message. Gen is a successful Christian author and speaker but her life is out of balance and in the grip of opioid addiction. Sam is a loner trapped by guilt but a nurturer by nature. God brings Gen and Sam together--just like the caravan in Joseph's story--and the journey is such a wonderful gift to witness. The message of Grace was presented in such a beautiful, powerful way. I can't wait to read about the other Miracle Five!

This book has it all!!! Heartbreak, loss, healing, mystery, murder, miracles, love, swoon worthy moments, a hunk of an Australian man, and a beautiful message of grace from God. I love Becky Wade's books. She is fabulous! This book is no exception! It kept me reading and thinking and feeling. Can't wait for more books in the Misty River Series!!!

I should say first that Christian Romance (which this definitively is) is not my thing. But as that genre goes, I would say that this is top tier. The heroine and hero are very real people with very real flaws and difficulties that they need to overcome. They don't come across as holier than thou - or really any different from your average person.

Genevieve is an author of bible studies and inspirational/devotional materials. She is respected and adored by her fans and family. She also has a very serious prescription drug habit. She is determined to take steps to get sober and does so - by detoxing alone. As part of that process she lands at Sam's guesthouse/cottage (which is very convenient for a story that isn't going to involve any sexytimes between the H/h. It allows for proximity - but separation.

Sam is an Australian who moved to Georgia after he lost someone to prescription drug addiction. Sam is a successful restaurant owner and farmer (and health nut). He is. however, very much alone and not interested in sharing his life with anyone, let alone another person with a prescription drug addition.

Genevieve more or less forces him to rent his cottage to her and to help her through her rehab.

There is a LOT going on in this book. Each chapter is framed by a flashback to a time when Genevieve and four other kids were trapped underground after an earthquake. With all the kids serving as narrator over the course of the book. That somewhat relates to what is going on in the book - but more seems to just serve as character introduction. There is also a significant plot involving Genevieve's family.

Overall - I liked a lot about the book - but didn't love it. I think it could have used a bit of judicious editing and perhaps a little less plots going on. I also think Genevieve's recovery needed a bit more authenticity and support. I was surprised she wasn't going to NA meeting (or at least being urged to do so).

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley but these opinions are all my own.

Oh how I love a good Becky Wade romance. They are absolutely swoon-worthy and irresistible. The character are always relatable and the plot flows beautifully.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone.

Gen awakens in a cottage on Sam’s property, with no recollection of how she arrived there. Sam discovers Gen’s secret and from the get-go convinces himself to remain as he has, isolated and alone.

The two characters must work through their past, and attraction to each other causes sparks to fly. Their experiences have shaped them, but can they trust the Lord to guide their future?

This is a must read! Every year, I mark my calendar for Becky Wade’s newest release. And every year, I am so sad when I’ve finished reading her newest book, because they are SO GOOD! Stay With Me is a beautiful story that has the reader searching their heart and staying up past their bedtime!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Becky Wade's "Stay with Me" is a sweet story about two people who find a path to healing. Both are broken. Both are dealing with fallout and baggage in their lives. I enjoyed the characters who deal not only with past issues, but the ongoing issues of addiction. How does one convey their faith even through their brokenness? How does one choose to take a risk to love over being alone? Wade explores these themes through the eyes of her hero and heroine, Sam and Genevieve. I enjoyed the emotions, the story world, and the cautious relationship the two developed.