Stay with Me (Misty River Romance, A)

The best way to describe Stay With Me is to say it’s a gloriously, lovely book. I’ve read all of Becky Wade’s books, but I can say this is one of her best if not the best. I refrain from saying it’s the best because I still think My Stubborn Heart and True to You are two of the best books ever written in the Christian Romance genre, so I’m going to put Stay With Me in a three-way tie. Wade has created these beautiful rich characters in her latest that will stay with you for a long time. I laughed out loud throughout, totally enjoyed the little mystery in the story, and fell in love with Sam Turner. At the end of the book, I literally wept, not because it was sad, but because it was such a beautiful story. Gracious, I still get a little choked up just thinking about it. There aren’t enough stars for this book. It’s absolutely fantastic.

Stay With Me is the first full-length novel in Becky Wade’s newest series set in the north Georgia Blue Ridge mountain town of Misty River. If you’d like to read the prequel novella, Take a Chance on Me, currently available for free, you’ll get a glimpse of the town there. You will also meet Sam, who shows up as a secondary character in the novella. But don’t worry, you don’t need to read the prequel to follow the story of Stay With Me.

So as not to share any spoilers, I won’t go too deeply into the focus of the novel. Instead, let me tell you where Becky Wade’s writing shines. Genevieve and Sam’s stories are messy and involve difficult topics like addiction and trauma. Wade doesn’t shy away from these complicated subjects, and when she weaves God and faith into the story, it’s done seamlessly rather than heavy-handedly. In fact, sometimes it’s not until all the threads come together that you recognize where the stitches were made — just as we don’t always see God at work in our lives until we’ve lived through a situation and view it from the other side. Only then do we realize that He had been with us all along.

Wade has drawn dynamic characters with Sam and Genevieve. She gives readers intimate access to their past experiences and their thoughts and emotions. Genevieve learns and grows a lot during the course of the novel. Frankly, at the beginning, I wasn’t a fan of hers. Genevieve’s definitely not perfect; she’s human and has shortcomings, and that’s refreshing and relatable. I was able to understand her, view her with compassion, and eventually grow to like her as I saw her learning how to be more honest and transparent. By contrast, I liked Sam from the get-go (pretty much the whole town does). But let me note that Sam isn’t perfect either, so he has room to grow and never seems too good to be true.

Let me not forget to mention that though the novel has serious themes, Wade balances everything nicely with lighthearted scenes and humor. Comic relief often comes in the form of Genevieve’s sister, who is obsessed with Jane Austen and who knits with gusto (if not talent). Just as the faith element is handled comfortably and naturally, the humor never feels distracting, forced, or awkward. Wade has an instinctive gift for mixing in just enough levity at the right places without causing her readers to become aware of her authorial presence. So don’t let the fact that Stay With Me examines addiction, trauma, and transparency scare you off. There is plenty in this story to make you smile, make you laugh, uplift you, and give you hope.

Verdict: 5 of 5 Hearts: Hopeful small-town romance that tackles tough topics with humor and heart.

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I would like to thank Becky Wade and Bethany House for providing me with a copy of Stay With Me.

Wow! This book took me on an emotional roller coaster-in a good way. This book had it all mystery, romance, personal struggles and an uplifting message. Gen is a successful Christian author and speaker but her life is out of balance and in the grip of opioid addiction. Sam is a loner trapped by guilt but a nurturer by nature. God brings Gen and Sam together--just like the caravan in Joseph's story--and the journey is such a wonderful gift to witness. The message of Grace was presented in such a beautiful, powerful way. I can't wait to read about the other Miracle Five!

Genevieve Woodward has a secret addiction that no one knows about, except for Sam Turner. Sam has already failed at helping one person recover from addiction, but is this both his AND Genevieve's chance for redemption? Meanwhile, there's a mysterious secret in Genevieve's parents' past that she's working to uncover. As the book unfolds, everyone will learn that the truth will set them free, as hard as it may be.

Becky Wade is a fantastic author and I loved this book in which the characters were real, flawed, and deep. Great summer read! I can't wait for the next book--2021 is too far away!

I received an advance review copy of this novel from the publisher--all opinions are my own.

I have read several books by Becky Wade and I have thoroughly enjoyed everyone. This book was no exception to that. “Stay with Me” was even better than I was anticipating. It had so much going on that you could not help but want to keep reading until the end. It had part mystery and part romance. The characters all had different issues they were dealing with. Given that, you can find at least something you could relate to even if it was just the imperfection of a person. There were some heavy issues in this novel but Becky Wade did an excellent job with going about writing about them. Without giving anything away about this first book in the “Misty River Romance” series, I will say that the way this book goes definitely makes me ready and wanting to read the next one when it comes out in 2021.

A new Becky Wade novel is always something to celebrate for this reader - and when it's the start of a series, even better! Stay with Me introduces readers to Genevieve Woodward, a popular speaker and Bible study author. She is also a part of the Miracle Five, a group of kids that survived a devastating earthquake while on a mission trip. Being a part of this group has impacted their adolescence and the rest of their lives, sending some on a journey to live a life worthy of their life being spared, while others take a darker turn.

Genevieve is definitely on the side of making good on God sparing her life. She feels duty bound to produce goodness for the kingdom of God, but over time, it gradually became a mask to hide her personal struggles. Hiding behind her grateful, extroverted personality is an addiction to opioids, which began innocently enough when she was recovering from a nasty ankle injury. I really appreciated Wade tackling this what-if type of situation, since, after all, Christian authors and speakers are people too and aren’t exempt from temptations and struggles.Drug addiction is truly no respecter of person; it can take anyone from any and every walk of life, and I applaud Wade for portraying that in this story. Sam seems like the last person that would be right to help Genevieve. Their personalities are complete opposite; his is stoic and reserved, while hers is bright and extroverted. His previous experience with drug addiction and the intense destruction is causes makes him to be both drawn to her and keep her at arms length. He doesn’t want to risk his heart to what he considers another failure at helping a drug-addicted person.

Despite the heavier topic, the story is not without humor either. I loved the relationship between Genevieve and her sister, Natalie – especially their quoting of Pride and Prejudice. There are beautiful moments of friendship and familial reconciliation, along with a good bit of family mystery. The setting is charming; I loved Genevieve’s cottage, as well as the beautiful descriptions of Sam’s farm. The reader is also introduced to other members of the Miracle Five ahead of the next book in the series. My favorite part is Genevieve’s letter at the end; it resonated with me deeply. I eagerly await book two in this series!

I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. I was not required to post a positive review, and the opinions expressed here are my own.

By now, I am pretty much certain that I will love anything Becky Wade writes, so it is no surprise that I loved Stay With Me.

With an anonymous letter in hand, Genevieve Woodward returns to her hometown to dig into her family’s past—and perhaps, deal with a secret of her own. Sam Turner has his own past, which he has struggled to overcome, and Genevieve has the potential to upset it all.

As these characters work through the mystery and secrets, the hardships and burdens, Wade crafts a story that balances the more serious aspects with lighthearted and humorous moments, making Stay With Me a page-turning romance. It took my heart on a journey, and (I know I already said this, but) I loved it. So, so, so much. I highly recommend this book and cannot wait for the series to continue in Let It Be Me.

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.

Excellent storyline. Well written characters. Overall a great read. I couldn’t put it down. The depth of the story and the characters was amazing. They were real, they struggled, they weren’t perfect, and not everything worked out in their favor. There were a few times where I got confused in the details. Like I had missed something. But it didn’t affect the understanding of the story. The spiritual thread was natural and not forced feeling. Another story to love from Becky Wade. She doesn’t disappoint.
I received a digital copy from netgalley. I was under no requirement to write a positive review. All thoughts are my own.

Stay with Me is a deeply touching story of addiction and the hard road to recovery wrapped in God’s sweet mercy, grace, and forgiveness. Wade does not pull any punches with her latest contemporary, touching on issues that are often swept under the rug.

Genevieve and Sam are both hiding from the brutal fallout of opioid addiction but for different reasons. I was rooted to the pages of their story and could not help but feel the stress and expectations that are present for many people. Often times, we hide behind a mask of all-is-well when in reality it is definitely not. Who can we turn to and be vulnerable with, without feeling as if we will be judged? How quick a medication, or anything we put before God in our life, can become an idol of addiction.

If you are a fan of Becky Wade books, you will definitely like this one. She is a master at weaving a story with deep emotion and strong faith. She makes you cheer for fictional characters as if they’re friends.

I was provided an electronic copy of the book through the publisher and Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Stay with Me is genuinely marinated in grit and shame yet seasoned with grace and authenticity. Yes, my reader heart was trampled by heavy emotion but the empathy gained is well worth the cost. Grief, substance abuse, guilt, secrets, and shame play important roles in the lives of these characters crafted with transparency and heart.

A simple small-town girl who happens to be a quasi-famous Christian celebrity meets ridiculously handsome Aussie-American foodie guy who lives in a historic mountain valley... a purely wonderful storyline without all the baggage. Stay with Me is so much more than that. It is exquisitely complex and I highly recommend it. We need more stories like this one to make us think and feel and learn what we may not know we need.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and was under no obligation to post a review. The opinions expressed are my own.