Book Review: No Matter How Far by Sara Beth Williams

NO MATTER HOW FAR by Sara Beth Williams
SERIES: Trinity Lakes Romance #7
GENRE: Contemporary Romance (Christian)
RELEASE DATE: August 29, 2023
PAGES: 240

He ran away to escape his fear. She faces her fear every day.

After the death of his late wife, associate professor Dylan Mackay never thought he’d fall for another woman, until the stubborn and beautiful Jocelyn rescues him from the top of a ski slope—though he needed no such rescuing. The blissful whirlwind week spent together at Trinity Lakes Ski Resort is one of the happiest in recent memory.

After a messy breakup followed by her parents’ sudden divorce, local Trinity Lakes paramedic Jocelyn Monroe had sworn off dating, until she is forced to rescue an injured Australian against his will while volunteering for the mountain ski patrol. Dylan is stubborn, handsome, intelligent and honorable, with a swoony Aussie accent to boot and she finds herself falling head over heels before the week is out.

Once down the mountain, the spontaneity and carelessness of their rushed relationship comes full circle in devastating blows. Each one grapples with life-altering decisions that would result in moving out of Trinity Lakes—her a short distance away, him across the world. Neither one wants to leave the other, nor do they want to leave the charming town itself. Can they lean on God and trust that He will hold onto them no matter how far they go?

A second chance, opposites attract, small town Contemporary Christian romance.

Visit Trinity Lakes and meet the fun and quirky characters who value family, faith, and happy-ever-after.

Other Books I’ve Reviewed In This Series

Sara Beth Williams takes readers back to Trinity Lakes, Washington, with a sweet romance that explores trusting God fully with each step of our lives. Each book in this series can be read as a standalone. But I’m going back to read all of them the first chance I get because this is such a charming setting with a plethora of layered characters and endless story possibilities.

In No Matter How Far, the spotlight shines on two very likable protagonists – Jocelyn and Dylan. Jocelyn, a nursing student moonlighting as a paramedic, rescues Aussie hunk Dylan after a skiing accident and they soon heat up the slopes with their chemistry. Their kisses are ooh-la-la swoony, and I loved how perfectly they just seemed to fit each other. But while Jocelyn’s story has some painful layers to be sure, Dylan’s backstory will break your heart. A former missionary to Uganda, he is fighting against God’s call to return to the mission field after his wife’s tragic death on their last trip. And now that he’s falling hard for Jocelyn, how could he risk losing her too – whether because he leaves her in Trinity Lakes or takes her with him to the danger zone? I thought Williams skillfully kept this conflict realistic and believable, with rubber-meets-the-road faith questions that we all run into if we’ve walked long enough with Jesus, without making it seem overly dramatic or preachy. Instead, the characters organically wrestle with these questions together and individually in ways that will speak to readers’ hearts too.

As much as I loved Jocelyn and Dylan and their grin-inducing romance – and I did – I also loved the supporting characters that play a role in No Matter How Far. I hope this is the beginning of several more stories that follow Jake, Renee, Jesse, and others who intrigued me on these pages. And, a dog named Zuzu won my heart, given that my beloved blog mascot and Velcro dog was also a Zuzu, so I’m gonna need more time with Jake and his new pooch so I can vicariously experience more Zuzu antics!

Bottom Line: If you haven’t yet made a trip to Trinity Lakes via this contemporary romance series, No Matter How Far by Sara Beth Williams is a great place to start! Warm and engaging dialogue, swoonilicious kisses, a sigh-worthy pairing, and uplifting growth brought a smile to my face and wrapped around me like a comfy quilt. Such a sweet story in every way, and I look forward to my next visit to this charming town!

(I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book which I read via Kindle Unlimited. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.)

My Rating: 4.5 stars / loved it!

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

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Sara Beth Williams is a published author of Contemporary Christian romance, an ACFW and CIPA member and freelance writer. She has a background in freelance publicity, blog managing, newspaper journalism and nine years in the field of education. Two of her three novels have been nominated for a Selah Award: A Worthy Heart (2020) and Anchor My Heart (2022). She lives in Northern California with her husband and two daughters. When she’s not held hostage by the keyboard, she enjoys playing guitar, reading, gardening, and spending time with her family. Find out more at www.sarabethwilliams.com

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