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 📖

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“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.

This may be my favorite in the Fog Harbor series! I got so attached to all the characters, especially Sophie. I loved Gabby-her faith, and her perseverance. I appreciated that this had emotional depth in addition to the romance, so it didn't feel fluffy at all. And the Christian/faith elements were handled so well. They felt authentic rather than cheesy.
The romance between Sophie and August also felt realistic. I loved their chemistry and that their romance emerged only after they were friends for a while.

The only critique I have is that it could have been a little shorter. There were several scenes/chapters that felt unnecessary to the story.

I admire what Nicole Deese is doing to the contemporary Christian fiction genre. It’s no secret I don’t like fluff (the odd light hearted story excepted). I don’t like hallmark cliche love stories and unrealistic happily ever afters. If you stick around long enough, you’ll find I read far more historical than I do contemporary.

However.

I have absolutely loved the Fog Harbor series and I do believe The Voice We Find is Nicole’s best work this far. She took a few complicated people and paired them with interesting + not often represented careers, and the result is a beautiful life giving story of redemption and faith and finding the confidence to live how God has called you.

I’ll have a hard time finding another story that tops this read for the year!

Oh my! I loved this book. It has been awhile since I've made time to read one of the Nicole Deese books sitting on my Kindle, and I am SOOOO glad that I made time for this beautiful story. Sophie and Tate were a great H/H combination and Tate's sister Gabby was a wonderful secondary character. She was so real and the way her loss of hearing journey was woven in felt real and genuine. And the back and forth of the romance was the perfect amount of sweet. Add in a touch of mystery that builds slowly and it was a very enjoyable read that I can highly recommend.

4.5 STARS

This series continues to be SO good! I've been in a little bit of a book slump, so at first I thought this story might be a little slower-paced (when I wasn't really in the mood for that), but the more I read, the more I connected with Sophie and August and loved their relationship! There's a ton of depth here, with topics like hearing loss, ASL, loss of parents, emotional abuse, etc. But the star of the story for me was the authenticity of the relationships and the spiritual threads.

One thing that wasn't to my taste was the winery setting.

If you're looking for women's fiction with strong Christian themes and depth, you'll find that in The Voice We Find!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC to read and honestly review.

IF I COULD GIVE THIS BOOK A BILLION , A MILLION, A ZILLION STARS I WOULD. THIS . IS. IT . AND THE FACT THAT I CALLED THIS BOOK AT 20% AS ONE OF MY TOP READS OF 2025 !!!! IF YOU COULD READ ONE BOOK THAT I RECOMMEND THIS YEAR , THIS THIS THIS IS IT. THIS IS MY ENTIRE HEART IN A BOOK

*so sorry for the all caps, I will never shut up on how good this book is. brb as I create things and just ahhhhhhhhhhh

"But hope is strange thing. It keeps right on living even when you feel like dying."

It's another tear-inducing, heart-warming, completely gratifying novel from Nicole Deese. The author has a gift for creating stories that start with regrets, grief, and heartache but transform into beacons of hope, faith, redemption, and dreams realized. I love her emphasis on community and family, which shone extra brightly in this book.

Sophie and August's first person voices were honest, down-to-earth, and relatable. Their banter was witty and clever and showed how resilient they are in the aftermath of loss and grief. I loved Sophie's gift for theatre and August's gift for music. I learned quite a bit about music and audiobook production, deaf community in theatre, and management of a winery which were all fascinating. Gabby's first person voice through her voice memos were precious and allowed the reader to see into her heart. Faith thread was strong throughout the book and it was wonderful to see Sophie take baby steps and August to find forgiveness and mercy. The voices that each of the main and secondary characters find are memorable and treasure-worthy. But I am still waiting for my story about Chip, the editor at Fog Harbor, and I'm hoping his story is next.

This is a must-read if you are looking for a contemporary romance that will make you laugh, cry, and burst with joy. It's one of my top 2025 reads. I received a complimentary copy courtesy of Bethany House via Interviews and Reviews and NetGalley and was under no obligation to post a positive comment. All opinions are my own.

A STRONG STORY.

First and foremost I loved the deaf/hard of hearing rep so much. I felt like I learned a lot and appreciated seeing this heavily present in the book. It’s a theme throughout and there was a copious amount of knowledge gained.

The relationship between Sophie and August was sweet. They went from strangers to lovers well and I liked the times the spent together and the little nudges of getting to know each other and feel seen within their own personal trials. I was highly frustrated by the third act because it involved one of my least favorite third act tropes, but I digress. These two had a tender and beautiful romance I loved seeing blossom.

The side plot with Sophie’s brother Jasper never felt complete or fully woven in. I don’t know how to put my finger on it that something was missing from this nefarious side quest and I needed something different from him.

All of the audiobook and ASL learning content was amazing though. I loved those aspects and they really carried the journey in this story. A bit preachy here and there for my usual preferences in reading a Christian romance but I think this will still resonate with a lot of people and hopefully bring some peace while reading this beautiful book.

Overall audience notes:

Christian Contemporary Romance
Language: none
Romance: kisses
Violence: moderate
Content Warnings: loss of parents (recounted), mentions of spousal abuse (brief), grief depictions, panic attack on page

Absolutely beautiful!

Sophie returns home to piece her life back together after a failed attempt at making it on Broadway and takes a side job as an audio book narrator while she figures out her next steps. Though she did not expect to develop feelings for the sound engineer, it is best to push the aside as she has no plans to stay in California near her dysfunctional family.

August Tate is busy trying to be a parent to his teenage sister who is slowly going deaf and reviving his recording studio. He certainly doesn't have time to be distracted by beautiful narrator who comes to record in his studio every day, or for the feelings she awakens in him to seek for a peace he has yet to find.

What you'll love:
forced proximity
dual pov
audiobook narrator
wounded hero
determined not to fall
deaf representation
found family
message of hope and healing
great chemistry
surfing lessons
lots of heart and emotion
sweet and swoony romance
character growth

In true Nicole Deese fashion, this book spoke to my soul and completely stole my heart! August and Sophie have been endured so much heartache and yet together they find peace and healing and unconditional love. This book gave me ALL the feels - I laughed, I swooned, I cried - and I savored every single moment of it.

Sophie and August were both such dimensional characters and I enjoyed that their initial connection to each other deepened into something so sweet and swoony through so many moments of joy and laughter but also serving and inspiring each other. That first kiss melted my heart and though their journey together had some bumps and obstacles along the way, the end made every moment so worth it!

The heavier topics in the story were touched on with such grace and were painted as stepping stones to faith and hope and rather than weighing me down, I was left feeling inspired and full of joy. This is a beautiful story of faith and family, of love and loss that simultaneously broke and healed my heart. This is sure to be one of my favorite reads of the year!

This is the third but of the series but can be read and enjoyed as a standalone.

I received a complimentary copy but a positive review was not required.

Nicole Deese is back with another installment in the incredible Fog Harbor Romance series. These can all be read as stand-alones, but I love how they all have little threads that connect the characters. As with all Nicole Deese books, the emotional and spiritual depth is truly incredible.

The novel unfolds in alternating character perspectives. It was super interesting to get an insider look at the process of recording audiobooks. I also appreciated the deaf community representation in this novel. The truth of the gospel shines through multiple times as the characters deal with some intense grief and despair. If you’re looking for a contemporary romance with real life depth you must read this book. Highly recommend!

Thank you, Bethany House Publishers for a complimentary e-ARC of this book! All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

This was such an interesting read. I loved learning about audiobook recording and voice recording in a studio.
Sophie and August were great characters.
I did feel like Sophie was a little too perfect in her reactions and being open to everything. I did like her and August. They both came into the relationship with baggage.
August’s sister Gabby plays an important role in the story. Her increasing deafness and learning sign language weave the characters and story together.
I appreciated the way the characters’ faith issues were examined and how they dealt with them.
And I loved the surprising event near the end that I never saw coming.
This was such a unique story but for some reason I had trouble connecting with the characters.
But Nicole Deese is an excellent author and I always look forward to reading her books.

Thank you to Net Galley for allowing me to read this book. The opinions are entirely my own.

This is one of the best books I've read all year! "The Voice We Find" by Nicole Deese is an incredible, powerful contemporary story. This one really demonstrates that it's never too late to come back to faith in God. Deese packs so much into this book and keeps the reader engaged from the dedication all the way through the emotional ending. The theme of the book is Romans 8:38-39 and that verse is perfect for this story.

In this one the reader will encounter:

* Audiobook Narrators
* Deaf Representation
* Winery Setting
* Theater/Broadway
* Loss of parents
* Difficult family dynamics
* Church life
* Surfing in California
* Romance
* Overcoming difficult circumstances
* Prodigals return to God

This book packs a lot into it, but the story is so well woven together that all of these things make sense as the book evolves. This is women's fiction but with a strong romance built in, more so than the earlier two books in this series. The romance is important, but so much else in the story makes it more than just a romance book. The family dynamics in Sophie and August's respective families are very different but the way these two grow despite the challenges they face in the book is done well. I also was interested in Sophie and her sister-in-law Natalie's interactions - this added some mystery and intrigue into the book.

I just can't recommend this book and the entire Fog Harbor Series enough. These can all be read as stand-alone books and they are all worth reading. The only connection in these books is an editor at Fog Harbor Books named Chip who really needs his own story sometime...hint, hint!

Thank you to Bethany House Publishers and Netgalley for an opportunity to read an ARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

I have yet to read a Nicole Deese book that I didn’t love. She has such a gift for tackling difficult, real-life topics in a way that feels both honest and full of grace. I’ll read anything she writes—seriously, even her grocery list! She’s a fantastic storyteller, and I love how she weaves the gospel into each of her books so beautifully.

This book felt different from her others, as it follows a girl named Gabby who loses her hearing after a terrible accident. We get to see her journey as she learns ASL and connects with the Deaf community, which was such a unique and compelling aspect of the story. Watching her navigate this life-altering change and mature through it all was really special.

Then we have our MC, Sophie, who has her own struggles but ultimately comes to faith in such a powerful way. Her story is a beautiful representation of leaving the ninety-nine to go after the one. I also loved seeing her growth, the sweet friendships she builds along the way, and the way her family relationships evolve—especially with one person in particular.

The only thing that threw me off was the final voice memo. It was written in a way that felt more like an epilogue rather than an actual voice memo, which made it stand out from the other VMs in the book. The level of detail in it didn’t quite match the more casual, spoken feel of the previous ones. It wasn’t a huge issue, but it did catch me off guard. That being said, it didn’t take away from my love for the book—I’m still giving it five stars!

Honestly, you need to read this one. It’s the kind of story that will stick with you, def gonna be a favorite book of the year!

The Voice We Find by Nicole Deese is an emotional contemporary romance that immerses readers in the world of ASL (American Sign Language), the hearing-impaired and personal trauma that many people may relate to.

In this story, we have three different perspectives. August Tate is a recording engineer with his own studio. He is the guardian of his teenage hearing-impaired sister Gabby. After their parents died in a horrible train wreck, we slowly experience the aftermath and how it affected both August (who feels guilty for how he left things with his parents) and Gabby, who suffered a brain injury during the crash.

We also meet Sophie Wilder, an actress who suffered a traumatic event as a teenager, which came back to haunt her onstage. She also suffered verbal and emotional abuse from her family. The author brilliantly peels back the layers of Sophie’s life and the phobias she lived with. She does the same thing with August and Gabby and how the traumatic death of their parents affected them and their relationship with God.

This novel is beautiful in its prose. Its title is perfect, as each character strives to find their voice amid the turmoil in their lives. The faith element is perfect and very realistic, and the romance is genuine and sweet.

This was the first time I’ve read a novel by this author. It won’t be my last. I highly recommend it!

​I received a complimentary copy courtesy of Bethany House Publishers via NetGalley for my honest review.