Book Review: Love Unfeigned by Nadine C. Keels

LOVE UNFEIGNED by Nadine C. Keels
SERIES: For Every Love #1
GENRE: Contemporary Romance (Christian)
PUBLISHER: Nadine C. Keels
RELEASE DATE: February 27, 2013
PAGES: 128

For Every Love, Book One: a sweet second chance romance

There’s homesickness in his kiss…

Back when Lorraine and Isaiah were children, the competitive spark and warm regard between them grew into a strong bond. But they’ve been traversing divided paths in the years since, and a disastrous experience has resulted in life-altering trauma for one of them.

Now that Lorraine and Isaiah have reached adulthood, what might it take to reunite them in a love unbounded by time?

Other Books In This Series

Love Unfeigned by Nadine Keels has been on my TBR list for an embarrassing length of time, but I’m determined to get caught up – or at least make a dent in my TBR galaxy – this year. I’ve long respected Keels’ reviews, and I’ve been eager to read one of her books. I am delighted to report that her writing voice is just as delightful and compelling as I expected.

I was captivated with the characters and plot of Love Unfeigned from word one, and I couldn’t put it down until I finished. Even as a novella-sized read, it had the depth and character development of a full-length novel, and I quickly got caught up in the different layers. The story is told in different POVs, indicated by the headings ‘Me’ (first person) and ‘She’ (third person), which take us from the beginning of Lorraine & Isaiah’s childhood affection for one another to their re-connection in the present day. I adored Lorraine immediately – her sass and her inner strength even as a child drew me and young Isaiah to her, and those same qualities in an older, wiser, and more world-weary Lorraine kept me invested in her present day life, too. And for all his bravado and charming swagger, there is an ache – an emptiness – in young Isaiah that captured my heart, too. Granted, I wanted to purse whomp him several times through their middle school & high school years, but as Keels lets the reader in on more of his story, I developed a new respect for where he came from, how he behaved, and who he became.

Bottom Line: Love Unfeigned by Nadine Keels is a sweet romance with layered characters and a compelling plot full of second chances and a few surprises, too. I was most impressed by the way Keels brought these characters fully to life with developed layers and vibrant personalities despite the shorter page count. I could have easily kept reading, though, and I’d love a follow-up story on where Lorraine and Isaiah go from here. Their instant connection, even as children, warmed my heart, and their chemistry in the present day was tangible. In summary, I don’t have to feign my love for this sweet story and would be happy to spend more time with these characters in the future!

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author an embarrassingly long time ago. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.)

My Rating: 4 stars / loved it!

KissingBook Level: 3+ / will forget to breathe on occasion

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Nadine. A French name, meaning, “hope.”

Her lifelong passion for the power of story makes reading and writing an adventure for Nadine C. Keels. She’s driven to write the kinds of stories she’s always wanted to read but couldn’t always find, featuring diverse and uncommon lead characters in a medley of genres. Through her books and her blog (Prismatic Prospects), Nadine aims to spark hope and inspiration in as many people as she can reach.

“My aspiration is for my words to help people: to bring hope, to change minds, to expand imagination, to provide entertainment, and to save lives—as other authors’ words have done for me.”

Connect with Nadine at her website.

What about you? What makes you want to read Love Unfeigned by Nadine Keels?