Jessica Kate

There’s a fresh new voice in Christian fiction. Jessica Kate’s debut had me smiling or laughing one minute followed by a sucker punch of sympathy for this family in crisis.

While Love and Other Mistakes includes plenty of romance, it’s Jem’s family that stole the show for me. From Jem’s turbulent relationship with his father to his niece’s struggle with loneliness, disillusion with her parents, and feeling unloved, my heart hurt for the Walters family.

Natalie Groves has her own show more issues to work through—her dad’s illness and her how to make her desire to follow in his footsteps, no matter what the cost to her, a reality.

There’s so much happening in this story, I flew through it. And when it was over, I immediately hopped online to find out when the next book was coming and if it featured any of the supporting characters I just med (January and YES!).

Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255. show less

I liked sooooo very much about this book. I found myself literally LOL-ing at times, to the startled reactions of those around me (on the train or at the nail salon). The author is downright hilarious, and I appreciated how she incorporated humor into some very serious topics.

The downside for me was that one storyline didn’t get nearly the resolution it needed, given how much plot time was spent on it. I would have liked to even see it addressed in an epilogue—but no dice. That’s show more unfortunate, because there are, I’m sure, some ramifications felt by the characters both in the story and on the fringe.

Still, quite the debut novel, and I look forward to reading more by the author.

I received a copy of the book from Prism Book Tours and the publisher. All opinions are my own. show less

Jessica Kate’s debut, Love and Other Mistakes, has the look of the type of rom-com I love to read—light, fun, ad very swoon-worthy. However, the story that unfolds between Natalie and Jeremy has a lot more going on than great kisses and witty banter.

Seven years ago, Jeremy “Jem” Walters left Natalie Groves only weeks before their wedding. Now, he’s returned to town—with a baby in tow—and needs her help. As they deal with the hurts of the past, complications of the present also show more intrude—plenty of Walters family drama and the arrival of his ex, plus Natalie’s dad’s sickness and her new internship and romantic interest from the boss.

The hate-to-love is perfect, and I loved the dynamic as Jem and Natalie figured out their feelings for each other. Yet, with the additional storyline of Lili, Jem’s niece, and her disintegrating family, I felt that, at times, the story tried to handle too much. I would have much preferred to simply focus more of the romance and all that’s needed for a second chance.

Still, Love and Other Mistakes is an enjoyable read. I am looking forward to reading more from Jessica Kate, especially since A Girl’s Guide to the Outback involves a couple characters I’ve already met.

I received a complimentary copy of this book and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own. show less

One thing I love about Rom-coms is they are fun and light. That's one of the things that sometimes bothers me too. But The Girl's Guide to the Outback doesn't only include lightness and humor, it also contains a meaningful vein of faith, trust, dealing with fear, and following God's path for our life.

Another thing I enjoyed about this story, a huge part, was the Australian setting. It adds so much to the story and gave me a glimpse of a place I rarely visit in my readings. The language show more jargon was fun and the ambiance is a nice perk to the story.

Characters are usually the strongest pull for me in a story. I love when I connect, root for, and sympathize with the main character. That was the case in this story, but it took me a little longer than I prefer to fully 'get' and have more concern than frustration for Kimberly. I was able to connect with Sam much sooner.

This slow-burn romance is a mixture of sparring fun and uplifting change and put me through many emotions. I was most pleased with the thread of inspiration it instills.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. show less