This book explores the reality of the beauty, and pain, that is that people are not always as they seem. It is easy to judge someone off of a first impression, for better or worst, and how that can often bar us from experiencing something beautiful, or putting ourselves in harm's way. Told through the perspective of a young Christian woman in her first year of college, this book was a sweet, tender, clean romance.

--I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.--

I enjoyed Anything, but I definitely could have enjoyed it more. The writing style was fun, and the overall story was great. But I felt that Kit, the female MC, was leading on the the male MC nearly the whole book. I understood her reluctance to date. She had been through a traumatic event and needed healing, which can be a long and difficult journey. But instead of telling the male MC that she couldn't or wouldn't date him, she simply lead him on for months. It made it difficult to root for her. However, I rooted for the male MC, Levi, and I really enjoyed the characters constant communication with God and love for the Lord.

This book was definitely a "chip book", one you just can't put down and enjoy reading. There is a trigger warning at the beginning (which I usually skip reading) but it played a much larger role than I thought it would. All that said, this book gave me nostalgic feels: my husband and I met at a Christian college, his name is Levi and was made for me (that's about where the similarities stop). It was so good to go down memory lane while reading this, a lot of our early dates were with a group and walks through town.

🥜 In a Nutshell: A young woman with trauma in her past hopes for a fresh start at college. She meets a guy that treats her well but she may not be able to get over her past wounds.

✅ Excellent Faith Content
✅ Slow Burn Romance
✅ College Setting

What I enjoyed most about this book was the characters being so faith driven. Kit had been through some trauma and wanted to move forward but struggled and prayed through it. God did not always directly answer her prayers but He was always working through her situation. I thought Levi was a great character and so patient with Kit. I liked the college setting with all the pop culture references too. What I didn't care for was that it seemed like all of Kit and Levi's interactions were the same rehashed story repeated for many chapters until the end resolution. I would have liked to see more growth of Kit's character instead of the same thing over and over. While I'm not the target demographic for this novel, I still enjoyed it and loved the faith woven in so well, even if it was a tad redundant at times.

Thank you to NetGalley for the audiobook to review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Anything by Kristina Welch is the perfect combination of heartfelt storytelling and emotional depth, whether you’re reading it or listening to it. This book truly shines in both formats, making it an ideal choice for anyone who enjoys experiencing a story in multiple ways.

The writing is beautifully crafted, pulling you into a world full of emotion, growth, and the kind of real, raw moments that stick with you long after the last page (or the final track) ends. The characters are wonderfully relatable, and their journey feels both personal and universal—something anyone can connect with.

What makes this even better is how well the audiobook complements the book itself. The narration is excellent, with the narrator’s voice capturing the emotional nuances of the characters and adding depth to the story. If you love to read and listen to books, Anything is a perfect choice, as it seamlessly works in both formats, enhancing the experience in each.

If you’re looking for a heartfelt, beautifully told story that you can enjoy in any format, Anything is definitely worth checking out. It’s a story that will stay with you long after you’ve finished.

This faith filled romance is a really great read!

When Kit goes away to college she thinks she’s leaving behind the pain and anxiety caused by a previous relationship. She ends up in a great community at a Christian college far away from home. Here she meets a great group of friends, and a boy who seems way too good to be true.

Levi is seems so similar to Kit’s ex. He’s charismatic, popular, and attractive. This brings back a flood of negative emotions. Fortunately, unlike her ex, Levi is also patient, kind, and loves the Lord.

This faith based romance shows not only how important friendship and love between partners is, but also illustrates how Jesus can help mend what is broken, and that God will lead you to exactly where He wants you!

Note: I DNF this book 60% into the audiobook.

When I began listening to the book, some things bothered me. First was the setting. I'm not a fan of books set in college, but I decided to give this book a chance. Next were the main characters. We follow Kit Talbot and Levi Whitaker. Kit is your typically lovely girl who tries to make everyone happy, but she denies that she is pretty (which got on my nerves a couple of times). Then we got Levi, your all-time rich, intelligent, and arrogant boy who acts like wealth isn't a big deal. In the book, you get both of their perspectives; however, more of Kit.
However, the book starts with Kit entering college as a freshman. In the first couple of chapters, she meets Levi, to whom she is suddenly attracted. Here's a frustrating thing about Kit's character: she begins to deny her attractiveness to him, telling herself that she needs to avoid him at all costs, stating the following: "I can keep myself safe this time. Step one is avoiding that Levi guy and anyone like him." Throughout the book, she constantly tells herself that she doesn't like him and needs to stay away, which is repetitive. But that is not even the worst part. The worst part is when she accepts his invites, like going out as quote-on-quote "friends," or when she accepts the sweet treats that he delivers to her. These are just some things that she found annoying, not to mention when she's watching him and commenting on her physical attraction to him. What happened to stay away? It's like she's constantly throwing that out the roof.
Nonetheless, there is a particular part in which Levi seeks advice from a fellow peer. During that time, he acknowledges the fact that he can get any girl and that Kit isn't his "only option." He even considers making her jealous in hopes of getting her attention. He says, "And fine, a fling is a bad idea. But do I really go on like nothing has changed? I could pull back and give her a taste of her own medicine. Couldn't hurt my chances." Honestly, I am pretty done with this book at this point cause I no longer care for what happens to any of the characters. I was really hoping this book would get better, but sadly, it didn't. This is partly why I decided not to finish the book, as I knew my rating would be lower than three stars. Despite my disappointment, I held out hope for a more satisfying conclusion.
What I did enjoy was the faith elements, like going to church, praying, and talking with God. These aspects of the book resonated with me and added depth to the characters. I also appreciated the movie references, which added a fun and relatable element to the story.

4.5 stars

Kit is starting college after a traumatic end to high school. Dating anyone is the last thing on her mind. She feels she is too broken. She never expected to meet Levi, who keeps defying the stereotypical good looking athlete she pegged him as. Kit finds it hard to open up - the slightest noise, the slightest touch sets her off. But Levi is determined to get to know her, and slowly and patiently breaks down the walls between them.
Both characters were well rounded and life-like, and had sizzling chemistry. And they couldn't even touch! Levi was such a cinnamon roll hero. Not only was he rich and good looking, but kind and sweet with a strong faith. Both character's had a strong faith which I appreciated.

Kit had a supportive friend group, which I loved, and a supportive family which was nice to read about. There were lots of culture references, and my favourite band got a mention!
I think Welch handled Kit's PTSD well.
The ending was perfect!

Anything was a well-written, clean, Christian, contemporary romance that I highly recommend. In the eBook there is a sneak peak of book 2 and when I read it I was so excited because it is the two characters I was hoping it was going to be. I can't wait for it to be released.

The audio was perfect. The author reads it herself. She had a really nice reading voice and did a great job. I listened to it while cooking dinner, and I found myself excited to cook dinner every night just so I could keep listening!

Kit is a college freshman leaning heavily on prayer and scripture while navigating her healing journey from past relationship trauma. She must confront her fears to open back up to the possibility of love.

I enjoyed the internal monologues and consistency of Kit’s relationship with and reliance on God. The verses sprinkled throughout were nice too.

I was quite annoyed with Kit though. Maybe it’s the YA aspect but she felt very 1 dimensional with her only “hero’s journey” being the past trauma affecting her current situation. I wanted more of a plot alongside what I feel should have been the “B story”. Levi, however, was written by a woman—such a gem of a man! 5 stars for him.

Overall, it was a cute, lighthearted story exploring Kit’s journey of learning to trust again while seeking grace through faith. PS: I was here for all the millennial tv/music references—Psych, Veronica Mars, Gilmore Girls, country music and more! I would recommend this book to the Christian YA community!

I had high hopes for this one, but I found myself struggling to get through it and almost considered not finishing several times. While I thought the author's role as the narrator might add something extra, it didn't work as expected. I had a hard time distinguishing the dual POVs because she didn't differentiate the characters well. This made it difficult to stay fully immersed in the story. I think I might have enjoyed it more if I had read the physical book instead. Based solely on the audiobook experience, I wouldn't recommend it.

It's funny...I just visited Baylor University with my high school daughter and I think this may have inspired the setting of the novel, from Common Grounds Coffeeshop to a college steeped in tradition.

Right from the beginning the main character has us asking questions about what exactly happened to cause such fear and panic in normal college friendships and situations. This is clearly a Christian faith based book, and we watch how her relationship with Jesus brings healing to a traumatized freshmen from a past moment from her senior year of high school. The story is about walking with Jesus and trusting that He has a plan for redemption and purpose in the lives who are surrendered to Him. Romance, covered dreams, college roommate growing pains - it's a quick read (listen) and a sweet story.

Audiobook note: I do wish their were duel narrators as I at first missed the switch from Kit to Levi's narration while listening..

Recommendation: I picture a girl who attends youth group and loves Jesus enjoying this book.

I enjoyed this book so much! At first, I thought it was your cheesy Christian romance book, but it is so much more than that. It's about overcoming your trauma through prayer and therapy! All too often, people don't think you can have the Holy Spirit and go to therapy.

Kit is working through her uncertainties and relies on God for everything. After a traumatic experience, she struggles to trust people, especially the attractive boy at her new college.
Levi is the only one in his family who believes in God and is the only one who doesn't value his money over the people in his life. As Levi works to stay close in his relationship with God, he also discovers what it means to be patient and listen to God's will, not your own.

Overall, I loved this book! It took me a quarter of the way into the book before I connected with Kit and Liam. Learning to trust in God fully, even when things seem bleak. That is the overall message, along with finding love unconventionally.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

kit earns a scholarship to mayberry university in texas, giving her the perfect chance to escape the painful memories of her past in colorado. as she battles ptsd, her new beginning quickly gets complicated when she attracts the attention of levi whittaker.

i had a hard time getting into the book. it was really slow and the story felt repetitive, constantly cycling through the same pattern - levi likes kit, but whenever he gets close, her past trauma is triggered, causing her to pull away, and this happens over and over again, which became kinda tiring. i also disliked the miscommunication between the characters.

i really liked the portrayal of the friend group though - it wasn't just a perfect, idealized version where everyone gets along all the time, but it also showed their struggles and challenges.

the narration had dual pov's , but without distinct voices for the characters, it felt monotonous and lacked depth.
kristina read the text well, but she didn't change her voice, making it hard to follow who was speaking, and at times, i found it confusing.

the book had some cute moments though, and i really liked the pop culture references.
i found the main characters likeable and relatable, especially kit.
the ending was satisfying, and i was happy with how it turned out.

the book is perfect for readers who enjoy slow burn romance and christian themes!



*thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with an audio ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*

The characters all felt authentic and I loved watching them grow as the story progressed. By the end, I was getting teary-eyed because I was so invested in the characters. The atmosphere of the school setting was well written and the pacing was spot on with the story. I also loved the modest romance of the story and the unapologetically Christian aspect of the story as well. One of the best romance books I've read this year.

The author, Kristina Welch, also narrated the audiobook and did an amazing job. she was easy to listen to and brought life and joy to the story.

I love this cute little YA read. The narrator was great! I loved all the references and that fact that our FMC was determined to live for Jesus. While she had some trauma it didn’t overshadow her character. Levi was a sweet and comforting character!

This was such a sweet Christian read! Will review more on IG :) Thanks so much NetGalley & Kristina 💞💞

Dorm life in a Christian College. Laced with humor this hip book is a good read for thw younger generation trying to find there place, career, or who they are, by following God's uidance. I rate it a 3.5 .

Should a beautiful book, reflecting on God Grace and Love for us. I love the relationship each person in this book had with God. I love how easy and relaxed their communication/prayer was with God. In everything they did they acknowledge and asked for his direction. I pray I am able to reflect this in my own life.

“How does a girl know if she has found the right guy? What is she falling in love with?”

Kit is starting college. She sees, meets, and starts hanging out with Levi as a friend. Loud sounds make her panic and she feels like she is reliving a traumatic experience she had involving a guy.

Likes: the internal dialogue with herself and her prayers to God, hearing scriptures from the Holy Spirit. Pop culture references.

I love that the characters weren’t perfect, didn’t try to act perfect, and were just regular people living out their faith and convictions. I love that their conversations were deeper.

I want to read more books with characters who live out their faith.

This story encapsulates what it’s like to work through the messy process of healing from a trauma while trusting God to work all things for good.
The author beautifully portrays what it can be like to receive God’s guidance through a constant open line of communication.
The depiction of flash backs, triggers, and frustration over having to behave differently to cope is palpable.
The FMC’s struggle to work through these moments goes on at a realistically painful pace, but it makes it incredibly relatable.
Through it all there is a beautiful message that God is in control and that it’s ok to trust Him with everything; even with the most painful and confusing parts of us.
This book is worth checking out, especially if you’re going through a time of trusting while healing.