Cover Image: Authentically, Izzy

Authentically, Izzy

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Member Reviews

As someone who rarely enjoys and actively avoids epistolary novels, “Authentically, Izzy” was a surprising change for me.

Through the guise of e-mails, texts, and dating site messages, we’re introduced to our heroine: Isabelle “Izzy” Edgewood. An assistant librarian in North Carolina, her love of books and all things bookish sets her on an unexpected journey towards romance, a country off the coast of Europe, and finding out what she truly wants from life.

A cute, fluffy read, “Authentically, Izzy” feels like a Hallmark movie, low stakes and all. But that’s far from a complaint for me. It never sets out to be anything different than what is, something I appreciate after dredging through too many romances that grow too big for their britches with no real payoff.

I, much like our heroine, would adore having their own Brodie in real life. He’s truly too perfect for d those of us obsessed with everything books and book-adjacent. Their romance is precious, especially when captured in their own words via the textual exchanges encompassing the first two halves of the novel. And the country of Skymar is definitely travel goals—if only it were real!

One major caveat I hold though is in the actual style taken by the author. While the first part is fully epistolary, we are introduced to actual, formal prose instead. The change, while not unwelcome, was quite sudden and somewhat abrupt. I appreciated the change in POV, but reading it like a traditional novel felt different than reading through the lens of individual characters’ letters. We were transported solely to the eyes of Izzy and Brodie until we caught up to the cousins’ various e-mails again. I’m not much of a fan of epistolary style, but it worked so well in the first half, I wouldn’t have minded if it continued for the rest of the novel.

But it certainly didn’t stop me from finishing the book! The Hallmark-esque feel kept me going. And seriously, the adorable perfection of the love interest meant I wanted to see it through to the end. Highly recommend for anyone who adores feel good fluff and loves everything books!

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this book was written in a format that I had never read before which was not what I expecting. I loved that I was able to get an oppurtunity to read something told through emails and texts.

I loved the format but didn't find myself invested into the story or the characters. I think this was so unique and will be giving the author's work another chance as i think it's the format that threw me off.

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"Why does it matter if you're ridiculous? It's an online relationship. This is one of those times where you can be authentically yourself and not worry about how it comes across. In fact, it sounds like the perfect way to start the possibility of a romance."

Finding love online is not what Izzy wants to do. The only way she agreed to even try the site was to help her family to back off. But when she connects with Brodie, she begins to wonder if it is possible to connect with someone through only letters.

Two things are important to know before reading this book.

1) Faith is an important element. I read through some of the negative reviews, and most people were shocked by this fact. This book does talk about having a relationship with God. I do not feel like it dominates the plot in any way, but it is a part of it.

2) This is an epistolary novel. Almost all of the plot takes place through letters. This means that little of the novel is taking place in present time. Once I got into the rhythm of it, I feel like it worked. For one thing, because you are getting to read about how the characters feel, the book is almost presented in the form of an omniscient narrator. I liked that fact.

As with many of Pepper's books, there is a North Carolina and English connection. I like that trademark of hers. There is also some controlled passion - she likes to include kisses. I have read many of Pepper's books, and I am definitely a fan. She has a distinct voice. Her books frequently make me laugh and almost always make me cry. And she always makes me ponder.

I did get to read an advanced copy of this book. I wanted to read it. In fact, I saved it for the week of my birthday as a lovely present. All opinions and facts are my own.

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“I think I’d find complete contentment in a world of mountains and seas and fresh air and books . . . oh, and coffee and tea, of course.”

Utterly romantic…I am delightfully in love with this book and the characters within the pages. A fresh perspective on letter writing, this book drew me in like a cup of tea by a cozy fire. I absolutely adore Izzy and her “all things books and family” personality.

Basham brought this modern, almost fairytale like book to life. I admit to having to read a bit to get into the cadence of her writing style, but once I did I was entranced. An intriguing romance that really was about exploring who you are and finding the path God has for you.

“Why are we always so surprised when God gives us something we’ve been praying for? It’s like we don’t believe He’s actually listening.”

Oh, there were so many sweet moments to this read. I loved it and think all book lovers will rejoice with Basham’s latest start to this new family series. I can’t wait for the rest of this family’s stories. I know Izzy’s story was enchanting.

I was given an ARC through NetGalley, but found buying the book was much more enjoyable! I’m looking forward to more of the audiobook, too! I already love the narration. All opinions are my own, and have been given honestly.

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I enjoyed reading this book and witnessing the relationships grow between Izzy and Brodie and Izzy and Eli, as well as Izzy's own growth in pursuing adventure outside of the pages of her books. The e-book was hard to read though because of the formatting with the emails that Izzy was sending/receiving, which made it difficult to get really invested in the story. As long as the published version cleans up the formatting, it should be an enjoyable read for anyone!

I received an ARC copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

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Dear Reader,

I've recently finished a delightful novel called "Authentically, Izzy" by the charming Pepper D. Basham, and I'm pleased to report that this is one book you can judge by its adorable cover!

In this epistolary novel, Basham has penned a feel-good, heart-felt, love letter to books that Hallmark simply MUST make into a movie. Like, seriously. This is a thing that NEEDS to happen! If you, perchance, have any connections to he who wears the crown (AKA Hallmark Channel's CEO), casually slip him a copy of this novel, please and thank you!

Hilarious. Quirky. And sweet as a glass of iced tea. This story is a light-hearted, relaxing, comfort read. When I picked up this book, I was going through a season of stress, trauma, and grief, but being able to hang out with Izzy provided a much-needed reprieve from reality. I loved Izzy's banter with her cousins, especially Luke and Penelope, who I look forward to spending more time with in the upcoming sequel.

If you're a devoted bibliophile who enjoys reading novels about the love of all things bookish, then "Authentically, Izzy" is most assuredly the book for you!

Sincerely,
A Bookworm

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own honest opinion.

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4 1/2 stars!

Book lovers will absolutely adore Authentically, Izzy! It’s a unique story mostly told in epistolary form through emails and texts. The characters are genuine, funny, endearing and completely drew me in. I loved the heartwarming romance, the themes of being your authentic self and worthy of love, the ups and downs of familial relationships, and the matchmaking meddling. I also loved the nerdy aspects with references to Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, The Andy Griffith Show, and classic books like Jane Eyre, Pride and Prejudice, Wuthering Heights, etc.

Izzy has terrible luck with men. Unbeknownst to her, her meddling, matchmaking cousin Josephine signs her up for an online dating service, Heart to Heart. Deciding to embrace the meddling, Izzy takes over her profile and communicates with several men before finally meeting Brodie, a handsome bookish, Lord of the Rings/Yoda loving resident of Skern (a small town on the fictional islands of Skymar with both Scottish and Scandinavian roots).

With both Izzy’s and Brodie’s love of books, there’s an instant connection. Though they live half a world away their friendship soon blossoms with email and video chat exchanges. There’s also another man in Izzy’s life who seems a perfect match for her too and is local. Who will she choose and who encourages her to be her most authentic self?

I highly recommend listening to the audiobook version! All the male voices are narrated by a man and the female voices by a woman. It’s absolutely wonderful hearing Brodie’s lilting Scottish accent. And Luke! Luke is downright hilarious with his dry sense of humor and sassiness. I loved hearing the email exchanges between Izzy’s cousins Penelope, Luke, and Josie and found myself frequently laughing out loud. I got so used to listening to the email exchanges that when the author changes writing styles it was a little jarring at first, but I loved hearing the extra details that wouldn’t work in emails.

Izzy is such a sweet character and I wanted desperately for her to believe in Brodie’s love. I loved her ideas for the library where she works and later the bookshop. She’s creative and fun and I enjoyed hearing her point of view. Then there’s Brodie. He’s thoughtful, supportive, shy, and just the perfect guy. He believes in Izzy and gets her to really examine and believe in herself. I loved his quoting Yoda with a Mayberry Southern accent. Then there’s Brodie’s home on the cliff. Sigh. It’s the stuff dreams are made of.

Highly recommend this heartwarming, quirky, sweet romance with a touch of faith and plenty of laughs. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the publisher through NetGalley but also listened to the audiobook version. All opinions are my own and I was not required to provide a positive review.

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I loved reading this one. I just love this kind of books.
4 stars read for me. I love this author snd her writing style.
Thanks to netgally for this arc.

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I liked the characters, quirks and all. I really enjoyed the sibling dynamic. The author lost her brother before this novel was published, and my heart went out to her as I read her character “Luke’s” dialogue and saw his personality very clearly on the page through his words. I like to think this was a tribute from the author to her brother, and if it was, brava, my friend. Beautiful.

This story centers around books, with multiple literary references. It’s fun watching the heroine and hero relate via online chats. Relatable, in this era to meet someone online and “date” them though the characters live continents apart. Well-read bookworms will relish the references and delight in the subtext.

Fittingly, one of the themes was authenticity. Communicating online gives Izzy license to be real, which is refreshing. At times I could hear Pepper (a fellow ACFW member) defend Christian fiction through the characters’ words. Jesus used parables—stories—to touch hearts. Loved this aspect.

Given it’s epistolary format, readers may struggle to recall who’s who if they step away from this novel for any length of time.

This novel will especially appeal to readers who might enjoy a less formulaic romance.

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I really wanted to like this. The premise speaks to the book nerd in me, but the I could not get past the language. Who speaks like this? Dinging off some major points for this feeling entirely unrealistic. The epistolary style should also run much, much smoother than this one did. At a certain point I really wanted to quit, but I just kept hoping the pace would pick up.

It did not.

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Thank you to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for the ARC of the novel. I enjoyed the epistolary nature of this book but did not anticipate there would be non-epistolary portions which threw me off in the moment. Putting online dating in a new light of positivity is good and I could tell what the conflict at the end would be from the very beginning. I do not believe Basham was trying to hide it but that was so in your face. Bravo for trying it. I did start skimming later in the novel especially in the non-epistolary sections as I enjoyed seeing the world through the characters' eyes. A nice novel to while away the time.

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Goodness, I loved this book so much. I really wish I had read it sooner--but many things have a way of working themselves out, as in other ways, it ended up being perfect timing for the read!

I entirely adored all of the Tolkien references. Entirely. Basham has obviously read the books and watched the movies extensively (and I heartily applaud). And wrapping up the book with one of my favorite Return of the King quotes ever?! I mean!!! I legit have not found someone that appreciates Faramir/Eowyn as much as myself in a long time and just want to say I found a kindred spirit here. :D Happiness is mine.

Most of the book is epistolary, which I can't say is my favorite--but it works here. (Though wonky eARC formatting didn't help, but so it goes. :D And it took a bit to really keep all of the characters straight.) Thankfully I've had enough exposure to the format with other excellent books (such as Amy Lynn Green's _The Lines Between Us_) to know it could be done well, and this successfully won me over. It was interesting to switch back and forth between epistolary and prose, but on the same token, there are some things that just don't translate well to letters--whether to further the story, or because who would really write such details, the way a reader optimally needs them, in a letter? LOL!)

Izzy was a fantastic MC, and I related to her both as a character (with all her quirks; sometimes it felt like reading myself in book form!) and with several aspects of her story arc. And Brodie ... oh, Brodie. :) :) That is all.

An excellent read. 5/5 stars.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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This was my first time reading something by Ms. Basham, so I didn't know what to expect. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. It did take me some time to really get into the book as the story is told through a series of emails and texts, so it was a bit difficult for me to focus on the story at first. It's a unique way of storytelling that I haven't experienced before, but once I got into it, I found It to be a fun, cute, an entertaining read and totally loved it. Izzy's matchmaking cousin sets up a profile for her on a dating site and that's where she meets Brodie, who through a series of messages appears to be the perfect well-read, book loving guy for her. He is also just as much of a Lord of the Rings enthusiast as she is, which is a huge mark in his favor. Izzy lives and breathes books and she works at a library, and of course loves Lord of the Rings. She has her doubts about him at first, but as their messages get more and more detailed, she becomes totally smitten.
I loved Brodie as the hero, so completely bookish and swoon-worthy and that dry sense of humor. He and Izzy made the perfect couple. I also enjoyed the relationship Izzy had with her cousins, teasing each other, telling it like it is, but always looking out for each other. A really adorable story that gave me all the feels!
I received a complimentary copy from Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

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Authentically Izzy was a delight to read and Pepper Basham never disappoints! I loved stepping into Isabelle’s world and seeing her sweet relationship with her cousins, who were like sisters and a brother to her. I also enjoyed the character of Brody. What a dream of a lead male and Skymar sounds like my kind of place! I loved all the book references as well! 

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

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Izzy Edgewood is a bookworm, Lord of the Rings lover, and quote queen who would love to find her Prince Charming. However, she always feels like she needs to become someone she is not in order to be wanted by others. When her cousing Josephine makes Izzy sign up for an online dating website, Izzy meets Brodie, a fellow bookworm and Lord of the Rings fan who lives an ocean away on a small island. The two quickly connect through their mutual interests and love of family, but can they find something more than friendship when they live so far apart?

This was, for the most part, a heartwarming clean romance. I loved that most of the story was epistolary. The one thing that annoyed me about the story was that there were a few instances where the main characters looked down on those who prefer more commercial fiction to classics and literary fiction. I don’t like when people judge others based on what they prefer to read. Apart from that, if you want a romance that abounds with references to other books, check this one out.

Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this book.

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"What does a woman who adores books, tolerates small groups of people, ad has a magical love for bringing together the right people and the right books do with her life?"
Izzy is a book loving librarian who has never left her small town of Mt. Airy. When her sister signs her up on a dating app, she is understandably upset. What she doesn't foresee is connecting with someone whose love of books matches her own, and who seems to be the love she has hoped for. With this new opportunity, she is faced with needing to step out in faith in several ways to face her fears. Will she be able to take a leap of faith, and what will she find if she does?
I loved this book! Izzy was a character who totally endeared herself to me in both her love of books and love for her family. I enjoyed the letters and emails between her and her family as well as with her romantic hero- who was so delightful! I loved the way Izzy's journey unfolded and the way she grew. Her ability to forgive and empathize with others was lovely. The families represented in this story, as well as, the countries/hometowns of our characters were wonderful! I loved getting to visit two different places, and the secondary characters were so fun to get to know!
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves books and love stories!
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

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This was really good in the beginning and really draws you in but unfortunately, I had to dnf at 45%.. nothing was happening to move the story along. The emails seemed a bit outdated. I just wish that more was happening to keep you intrigued. The beginning was very good. Even though I had to dnf this book, I would still read other books from this author.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher f9r sending me this for my honest review.

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Strong characters. I love when a book is written in a different way other than just the standard paragraph form. The emails and messaging were fun. The love between Izzy and Brodie is so gooood. Y’all need to read this book.

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Authentically Izzy is a book I was eagerly anticipating and, while I did enjoy it, I was a little disappointed. The story is told almost completely through emails/texts and, while fun in the beginning, I got to where I felt like I was missing out. Later on in the book we did get to have moments of normal format, which I liked so much better. I enjoy letters and all, but usually not entire stories. LOL

The characters were nice and I liked the romance. It seemed like they were perfectly matched and it was fun to see their relationship grow.

All in all, Authentically Izzy was a story I liked.

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. 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.*

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This was my first book by Pepper Basham, and I really loved the writing style. There is absolutely no narration, with only letters and correspondences between the characters, which is new, but super fun.

I found the interactions between Izzy and the other characters interesting to read, with no filter, and it's own unique flavor. I did somewhat miss the descriptions that are given in usual narration, because I just couldn't picture Izzy as a thirty year old. In my imagination, she was still a broody teenager, who loves reading. Josie gave off more motherly vibes than a concerned cousin. I don't if this was just me though...

Not having read the Lord of the Rings and some of the other references in the book, I was completely clueless when it was mentioned, which is quite often. Probably, this is one of the best parts about this novel for fans of the references.

I received a complimentary copy of Authentically, Izzy from NetGalley and St Thomas Nelson in exchange for an honest review.

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