I enjoyed reading The Voice We Find, the third book in Nicole Deese’s Fog Harbor Romance series. August is a sound engineer who moved back to his childhood home in California wine country two years ago to care for his sister, Gabby. He’s now the guardian of sixteen-year-old Gabby, who his late parents adopted from Colombia when she was six. Their parents tragically passed away in an accident in India during a mission trip. Gabby is living with significant hearing loss from the head trauma she suffered in the accident.

Sophie was only eighteen when she left behind the family winery built by her beloved late maternal grandmother to pursue a theatre career in New York. Sophie’s controlling father didn’t approve of her career choice, and she’s effectively estranged from her parents, older brother, and sister-in-law. Eight years later, Sophie’s Broadway career is over and her dire financial situation forces her to return to California with her elderly cat, Phantom, and work at the family winery. Her brother and sister-in-law provide accommodation at the winery in their pool house that’s next to a noisy construction site.

August’s best friend Chip, from Fog Harbor Books, offers August an opportunity to produce audiobooks. Sophie applies for voice acting work with Chip’s company. I loved Sophie and August’s meet cute at his sound recording studio and how they end up working together on projects for Chip.

Sophie bonds with Gabby, who is instrumental in Sophie rediscovering her faith. Sophie can’t avoid dealing with the childhood trauma she experienced at the winery when she was sixteen years old.

August is the prodigal who’s grieving the loss of his parents. He’s frustrated that he doesn’t have the financial resources to do more to improve Gabby’s hearing. Gabby is resilient, and she has a strong faith that August struggles to understand.

I loved how August and Sophie’s romantic relationship developed in the story and I empathised with them as they wrestled with many heartbreaking issues. The story ending was fabulous and satisfying. I appreciated how Gabby’s disability is portrayed with sensitivity and care. I recommend The Voice We Find to contemporary romance readers who like forced proximity romances with depth that deal with family drama, prodigal themes, and have strong faith elements in the story.

Many thanks to Bethany House and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy.

🥰Thank you so much Bethany Books for the e-arc

📖Title: The Voice We Find
✍️Author: Nicole Deese
📅Pub Date: April 15, 2025

🤩I'm always so excited to take a trip back to Fog Harbor, and I was more excited than ever once I found out that a lot of this book centered around audiobooks! 🎧

📖There are currently 3 books in the Fog Harbor series. While the stories takes place in the same location, they could easily be read as standalones or out of order. The three books are:

📝#1 The Words We Lost
🚙#2 The Roads We Follow
🎧#3 The Voice We Find

🤩I absolutely love how the titles and covers are all so cohesive 🤩

📖The story itself had so many incredible characters to root for, multiple plot lines to keep me locked in, and deep faith themes to encourage me!

♥️I loved all the sweet romance, the family drama, and alllllll the audiobook was so much fun!! 🎧

✝️I love how Nicole uses fiction to share so much truth. The themes of forgiveness, grace, and mercy were woven through the entire story. This isn't a fully "feel good" story as many heavy things are occurring, but I did finish the book feeling very hopeful. ♥️

📖I'll keep reading Nicole's books as long as she's writing them!

I'm a sucker for romances with characters working through past trauma they must get through in order to be together. As such, from the moment August wipes out on his surfboard and briefly considers letting go because he can't handle the guilt, I was hooked.

August put his LA music recording career on hold to take care of his teenaged sister, Gabby, who was left profoundly deaf from the train accident that also killed their parents. August feels guilty that he doesn't have the money to save his sister's hearing, and worries he was the wrong choice to raise his sister.

Sophie reluctantly returns to her controlling family in order to get her part of her grandmother's trust after an on-stage panic attack derails her Broadway career. Unable to get back on the stage, she accepts an offer to narrate audiobooks, where she meets August, the sound engineer.

I really enjoyed watching the two of them work together to overcome their pasts so they could move forward. I also enjoyed Sophie and Gabby's friendship as Sophie becomes involved in the local church's theater ministry to bridge communication between the deaf and hearing community. As an aside, the pastor's wife in my church growing up is a CODA (child of deaf adults) and every week provided ASL interpretation for one of the members who was deaf. I was always fascinated watching her interpret the sermon every week. As such, I was happy to see this experience represented in fiction because for me, this was a normal thing but I understand how it is not in most communities.

Overall, I found this a sweet, faith-focused romance that also touches on complicated issues like having hearing and deaf family members, cochlear implants/using hearing aids vs not, and all the messiness of having real people with differing views, all done with sensitivity and love.

Another delightfully addictive book from Nicole Deese.

I haven’t been able to read much recently. Too much in my head, too much stress from work to put everything down and pick up a book. I’ve tried but I thought I’d try again with a Nicole Deese book and with this I found success, a place to retreat, to sink into these characters’ lives and just believe in romance for a while.

Sophie has returned home after her acting career doesn’t go the way she’d planned. Returning to her family’s winery is the very last place she wants to be, but it’s her only option. That is, until an opportunity to narrate audiobooks opens up and she meets August. August is surviving. Surviving the loss of both his parents, surviving taking guardianship of his teen sister, surviving moving his recording studio and business. Meeting Sophie is like coming up for air after too long under water. But they both have grief and challenges to overcome and are on different journeys, so maybe the chemistry between them isn’t enough….or maybe together they’ll find everything they need.

Nicole crafts beautifully complex characters and stories. Things are not easy or smooth. Nor do things happen predictably. There is so much faith, love, friendship and compassion in this book. There is also trauma and grief and loss. Together it’s an unputdownable book.

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

The Voice We Find is a well-told story that involves three narrators whose stories intertwine. Two of the narrators share their stories in real time while the third shares through past voice memos. In addition to the multiple storylines, Deese has masterfully dealt with multiple important themes in this book: prodigals, strained familial relationships, inclusive communication for the deaf community, forgiveness, and reconciliation. While the references to the physical beauty of the three central characters may have been a bit overplayed, they were offset by the focus on their personalities, virtues, and talents. The dialogue was very realistic as were the emotional reactions displayed in this highly emotional story. I highly recommend this book and am grateful to have received a complimentary copy from Bethany House via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

The Voice We Find by Nicole Deese is a sweet romance between August, a sound engineer who’s raising his sister, and Sophie, an actress who returns home to work at her family’s winery. These two meet when Sophie is hired to narrate an audiobook at August’s studio.

I absolutely loved that these characters worked together to create audiobooks! If you’ve been following my reviews, you know I’m obsessed with the forced proximity trope- and how much closer can you be forced together than in a recording booth??

This friends to relationship, grumpy/sunshine romance was a wonderful story, filled with community- particularly the theater, church, and deaf/ hard of hearing communities. August, Sophie, and Gabby all learn to find their voice as they open up to these communities and each other. Through the three main characters, Sophie, August, and his sister, Gabby, Deese explores themes of redemption, resilience, grief, and healing.

The Voice We Find is the third book in the Fog Harbor series but can be read as a standalone. I read this early on NetGalley. Thank you to Bethany House Publishers for an early copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. The Voice We Find is out today.

3.5 out of 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

I am emotionally wrung out after reading this book, but I am also deeply fulfilled. This powerful and poignant story is rich in faith, steeped in emotion and filled with characters who are so real, flaws and all. The three main characters need to find their voice, if only they will listen to their heart and those around them.

Sophie has come home to California after a disastrous Broadway career. She believes her acting days are over and behind her. She gets an offer to narrate audio books for Fog Harbor books, never dreaming where this new endeavor will lead her.

August Tate is carrying a lot of guilt about things in his past. He has not fully grieved the loss of his parents, and now he is raising his teenage sister, Gabby. Gabby has degenerative hearing loss from an accident. He is so headset on what he considers fixing Gabby, that he cannot see she is happy and content as she is. When Sophie ends up in his studio to narrate the book, he is a grumpy bear. Again he has no clue that this new client and her talents will open up doors he never dreamt possible.

Finally, Gabby, finds beauty in the ashes and trusts that God's will is at play in her life. She has embraced her new way of life by learning ASL and moving on with her life. She doesn't see her injury (deafness) as a burden, but as a blessing because she survived when others did not. She has purpose in her life.

This phenomenal story is a testament that we need to listen to those we love and truly hear their thoughts and feelings. It was a story of redemption and healing as both Sophie and August needed healing from their past. Sophie is resilient. Her painful past has bled over into her future, but she refuses to let it beat her or get her down. You can always count on tears and cheers when you read a book written by this author. Tissue and pom poms are essential as you cry and cheer your way through this heartfelt story.

Thank you to Bethany House and NetGalley for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

🗣️ The Voice We Find by Nicole Deese
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Rating: 5 ⭐

"I have spoken the words of a hundred different characters on stage, but I’ve only recently found a voice of my own... It’s not too late for you to find yours.”

“Not even the most perfect person on earth is perfect enough to save themselves. That’s the irony of grace. We all need a savior, and yet none of us can ever earn what He’s already given to us for free.”

Thank you @bethanyhousefiction for an advance copy 🫶🏽

As can be expected from Nicole Deese, her newest offering The Voice We Find is beautifully written, and filled with so much heart. She takes three imperfect people and weaves a story that testifies of the perfect grace and hope that can be found, even in the darkest times.

August, Sophie, and Gabby all had realistic, heart-wrenching character arcs that made me tear up. They had their own struggles they tried to solve on their own. They carried guilt and shame. They all experienced so much pain, even from the ones who were supposed to love and support them the most.

But I was glad they eventually had each other to lean on. And I was thankful for the peace they found when they finally surrendered.

This book is also about standing up to the people around you, especially the abusive ones, and finding the courage to speak out and use your own voice.

As well as giving a voice for our brothers and sisters in the deaf community. I loved how it discussed the beauty of sign language, and how hearing and deaf/hard of hearing communities can work together towards inclusivity.

It's a beautiful and inspiring story that you wouldn't want to miss!

Read if you like:
❤️‍🩹 Redemption arcs
🌞 Grumpy x sunshine
🙊 Meddling little sister
🦻🏽 Disability representation
💞 Inspiring and healing romances

Other details and mild spoilers:
Closed door, kissing only
Dual third person POV
CW: disability, death, church hurt, domestic abuse, on-page panic attack

4.5⭐️

I have loved reading the Fog Harbor series, and I think this is my favorite!

This beautiful story has themes of faith, family, forgiveness, and redemption. Nicole has a true gift for tackling deeper themes while always handling them gracefully and weaving God into the story. I love how this book has a great balance of real-life topics and depth, imperfect characters you grow to love, relate to, and root for, and a dash of humor in between.

This book was unique in that it included the ASL and deaf community, theater performance, and insight into the audiobook narration world. I thought these aspects made this story really stand out.

I loved following each of the characters’ storylines and seeing their growth as they navigate uncertainty and family tension, struggle with faith, and find their voice. I loved the sweet and realistic romance that slowly blossoms, the sibling relationship between August and Gabby, and learning more about the deaf community.

If you’re looking for a contemporary book with depth, faith-centered themes, and a sweet romance, I highly recommend this book and the entire series!

content to consider: death of parents, toxic parents, tragic accident, anxiety/panic attacks, grief, gaslighting, abuse referenced (off-page)

Thank you, Nicole Deese, Bethany House Publishers, TLC Tours, & Netgalley for the complimentary book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are completely my own.

Nicole Deese’s The Voices We Find is an emotionally rich addition to her Fog Harbor Romance series, though it stands confidently on its own. The narrative delves into themes of faith, redemption, and the complexities of familial relationships. Sophie and August's journey is both heartwarming and authentic, as they find solace and understanding in each other amidst their individual struggles. Gabby's character adds depth to the story, offering a sensitive portrayal of the deaf community and the challenges they face. I always look forward to reading Nicole Deese's work.

"...I don't understand why things happened the way they did, but I trust that God has a plan. My mom raised me to believe He works in every circumstance in out lives. Even the hardest ones." Nicole Deese returns in her third installment of the Fog Harbor book series with new characters that will have you regretting having to close the pages at the end.

Sophie and August are thrown together when they are needed to produce an audiobook for an up-and-coming fantasy author. Each is down on their luck and holds burdens and sorrows from days past. August recently became the legal guardian of his sister, and Sophie has returned to her hometown after a failed career on Broadway. Throughout the book, not only will they have to confront their pains, but perhaps find love along the way.

This book wrestles with the aftereffects of loss and tragedy. In both sets of characters, they have gone through a traumatic event that they struggle to see past and overcome. This book had the most honest portrayal of authentic struggle in life-altering dianogisis. It also did a startlingly good job of showing Christian culture. Honestly, it isn’t often that an author shows as much attention to the church as she does scripture. Most Christian books have a lack of the church unless it’s a critique. It was so refreshing to read a book that viewed the Church and church postively. The primary theme is that nothing can rip us from the hand of God: not our mistakes, not our pain, not tragedy, not dianogisis’s.

This book has Deaf representation through August's sister Gabby, who has a degenerative hearing condition she developed after an accident. Though I am not deaf, I enjoyed learning about and seeing this culture represented in a Christian book. It was amazing to see the call to action within these pages to reach the Deaf community with the gospel and how to do so. It was different and refreshing. I also enjoyed the adoption plotline throughout this book. I'm sure the experience was authentic, given Deese's experience with adoption.

This book touched me on a personal level as I was reading this book. I had just come off life-altering decisions due to health concerns that remain unresolved and undiagnosed. This book felt written for me and my situation and was a beautiful reminder that God has a purpose in our pain. I can't say enough good things about this story, and I would highly recommend adding this as your next read!

I loved the previous books in this series for their very real messy human struggles and authentic faith elements. As a Christian I’m a little bit picky about what Christian fiction I read. Sometimes they come off preachy and I’d rather just see how a normal person goes about life while living their faith and letting it shape them. This author does it so well.

Sophie moved back to California to work at her family’s vineyard after a failed broadway career. When auditioning to be an audiobook voice actress, she meets August. A sound engineer who is dealing with his own life altering circumstances. August has recently become the guardian of his little sister. His parents and sister were in an accident which killed his parents and left his sister deaf. I loved all of these characters and their interactions. I became so invested in them and loved their faith journeys as they navigate difficult life circumstances.

I’ve always had a love for ASL. When I was 8 my oldest brother married someone who was deaf. I was so excited to meet her and make her feel welcome, so I went to the library and got an ASL book to learn as much as I could. I later took classes at the community college in town during high school, as well as attended ASL camp in the summer where no talking was allowed. I came to love ASL and the deaf community. But there are some sensitive topics in the community. The idea of being disabled because of hearing loss is not appreciated. Cochlear implants can be great, but also have limits snd consequences. Mixing hearing and deaf family members can be tricky. It’s all takes a lot of humble listening to understand and find a way to be respectful and understanding to a life that is different but also beautiful. I love how the author seemed to truly understand this complicated world and showed the struggle one has in navigating hearing loss when feeling pulled between two worlds that value different things. It was beautifully done and I really enjoyed this story.

When I received the review copy of this book, I quickly realized I had not yet read the first two books in the Fog Harbor Romance Series. While I am happy to report that The Voice We Find can be read as a standalone, I am also quite glad I took the time to binge read all three books in order last week. It makes certain things a bit sweeter to have the greater context. I also thoroughly enjoyed each intricately woven storyline and the tapestry they weave together. Nicole Deese has created these characters lovingly, with great depth. I convinced my soul sister to read along so we could shoot texts back and forth the way we did when we parallel watched Gilmore Girls and When Calls the Heart, and my favorite from her has been, “Tell me I’ll always love Chip.” I will resist the urge to tell you what I told her, as I recommend finding out for yourself.

The Voice We Find is, like every other Nicole Deese I have read, an experience with dear friends. Sophie Wilder is a brilliant stage actress whose star has fallen and must drag her disgraced self back to a home and trauma she has spent years avoiding. August Tate is still trying to find his footing in a world upended by tragedy, which is compounded by soul crushing shame. It is Chip that brings Sophie and August together with a business proposition that is like nothing either has ever imagined. While Sophie struggles to find her voice, August struggles to find his sister’s lost hearing, and Gabby struggles to be heard as she embraces the challenges of her new normal and meets them head on with grace and grit. The Voice We Find will have you cheering for beloved characters, rooting for the downfall of the villains, and searching out your own Twilight Theater experiences. The lessons learned by each are worth carrying close to the heart and the romance fermenting between Sophie and August will have you feeling just a bit tipsy with bliss!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for allowing me a copy to read and review. All opinions expressed here are my own and are completely genuine.

I always jump at the chance to read a Nicole Deese book, because I know I’m in for a deep and emotionally moving tale. Her stories are never predictable, always satisfying, and full of inspiration. I love the depth of the characters. They’re carefully crafted--each with their own problems, flaws, and strengths.

The Voice We Find is one of my favorite books that Deese has written. She has obviously put much thought and careful research into the construction and development of the plot. It is full of creativity and imagination which makes for a beautiful and memorable tale. The many twists and turns kept me turning pages.

The main characters are relatable and engaging. Sophie Wilder is a musical actress with a dysfunctional family she is semi-estranged from. When her Broadway career ends in disgrace, she returns home to recuperate and regroup. August Tate owns a private recording studio who is offered a side gig as an audiobook producer. He is also guardian of his teenage sister Gabby who has a degenerative hearing loss because of an accident which killed their parents. When Sophie is hired to narrate the audiobooks, their paths collide. I loved all the witty banter between them and the way their relationship changed and grew.

Deese is a talented and gifted storyteller who obviously puts much thought into her stories. She tackles some hefty subjects with beauty and grace and emotion. Redemption, healing, forgiveness, family, faith, and hope all combine to give this story inspirational depth. It is part of her Fog Harbor series but can be read as a stand-alone book.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from Bethany House Publishing via Interviews and Reviews and NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

There are so many great things packed into this book I don’t even know where to start. If you want a book with family dynamics that will give you joy, bring out the angst, and bring you to tears, look no further, this book was written for you.

The characters in this book are so real and relatable I feel like I know them. They’re as comfortable as my favorite pair of slippers, yet so full of life they invite me to journey with them through every high and low.

I love the characters, but my favorite is August, a man trapped in his own guilt, motivated for his sister whose deaf from an accident, and afraid to let go and live the life God intended. He’s a multifaceted character I was drawn to from the very beginning.

This wonderful book was given to me courtesy of Bethany House through NetGalley. This is my honest review.

“I suppose that’s the hardest thing about dreams coming true at a young age: Once you’ve lost them, it’s impossible not to wonder if you’ve also lost yourself.”

The Voice We Find is the third book in the Fog Harbor series and while I only read and absolutely LOVED the first book… (don’t worry I already purchased a copy of book 2 since I somehow missed it) I wasn’t at all hesitant to jump into book 3 knowing they work well as stand-alones.

In this one you have Sophie… who is returning home to her family’s winery after up and leaving years before to pursue her dreams on Broadway. She needed to leave NY but she was also hesitant to return home. Would she be welcomed? While at home she picks up a new gig as an audiobook narrator and meets silently brooding August and finds herself caring for him as well as his sister who August is legal guardian of.

“I have spoken the words of a hundred different characters on stage, but I’ve only recently found a voice of my own.”

This book is beautiful for many reasons and the title rings true to what unfolds from the story. The blending of audiobook narration, Broadway, grief and hearing loss felt so authentic, I had to skip to the authors note to see if it was based on real events which to me is a sign of a master storyteller. I’ve come to realize this is where Nicole Deese shines…Delivering complex, unique voices and a talent for creating a found family you wish to be apart of.

“You stayed.”

Thank you Bethany House Publishers & Nicole Deese 📖

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Lyon.brit.Andthebookshelf/

“I fall back against the bedpost, drop my head in my hands, and finally let go of the burdens He never asked me to carry.”

I’ve yet to meet a book by Nicole that I didn’t like and this is one of my favorite series ever! This book had SO many things that I just adored. I connected immediately with both Sophie and August. I loved every layer of their beautiful story. They knew heartache and they each had broken pieces of themselves that needed healing. The deaf community was also so beautifully represented in this book and the christian elements were done well. I loved that Nicole threw a little mystery in there and I ended up really enjoying the side characters (especially August’s sister) This will most likely be a top read for me this year!

🤟Contemporary Romance/Christian Fiction
🤟Book 3 in Series/Can Standalone
🤟Kissing Only
🤟No Swearing

this was such a gentle and lovely read. i couldnt get enough of it. it was original in every sense of the word. from the characters, to the situations it centred around and even the themes. it was just so wonderful to see all these different and unique plot points be taken on. and done to perfection. i cant quite put my hand on how or why but the tender working of this book entered my heart and made it warm throughout the whole reading of this book. i didnt want to put it down. and was quirky and unique and is so much more than you think it will be going in.
in this book Nicole handles even more delicate subjects with the tender storytelling they deserve. she could write me the instructions of how to pour serial and i think at this point id fall in love with it.
another brilliant addition to this series. they seem to get better and you never think " oh can this be as good as the last" with Nicole. you have pure confidence that each thing she writes you will love.
i also want to add with someone who has person connection to the death and sign language topic it was done brilliantly. and felt myself doing my own signs throughout the book which was funny to those watching me reading.

4.25/5 stars

I always enjoy a Deese book...always. Her writing is beautiful, her characters well-fleshed out and real and her storylines unique and heartwarming, and this one is no exception.

This particular book has multiple things going on...dealing with and embracing a new major reality in one's life (deafness), learning how to forgive oneself, gaining confidence and strength to overcome failures, and standing up for oneself and making sure that your voice is heard. Lots happening!

I love how Deese incorporates faith into her stories. She gently interweaves God's words and truths flawlessly and gives the reader a front-row seat to witness the characters' burgeoning love and trust.

The characters here are each vulnerable in their own ways. Some have physical obstacles to deal with, some spiritual, some emotional. But they all are wonderfully developed and a pleasure to watch.

My sincere thanks to the author, NetGalley and Bethany House for providing the free early arc of The Voice We Find for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

Who knew that audiobook narrating, stage performance, and devastating hearing loss could all meld together into one incredible story? Leave it to Nicole to make it happen. And to open up whole worlds that I didn’t know anything about before.

I echo the words of a friend when I say that she has a gift for conveying a story that’s full of grit & grace, all at the same time. The characters in this story felt real to me. They each had their own unique voice, strong personalities, and nuance to their various struggles. Nicole doesn’t shy away from conflict and the characters dealt with their fair share, both without and within. But as they begin to press into the community around them and toward a God whose love never lets them go, they found a grace that allowed them to forgive themselves and others.

The Voice We Find explores meaningful themes of healing faith, found family, communicating when it’s challenging, fighting hard for those you love, and speaking up on behalf of another. For those who have read her other Fog Harbor books, I think this one is on par to be the best.

😇: Christian publisher (Bethany House); strong faith portrayed, themes of forgiveness, redemption, growing in spiritual walk
😍: veiled longing and visual admiration, but kept appropriate; a couple sweet kisses
🤐: no language!
⛔️: panic attack portrayal, tragic accident, abuse referenced but not on-page

Thank you to Nicole Deese & Bethany House Publishers for the complimentary book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.