Book Review of 'Lovin' On Red' by Mary Pat Johns

Happy Wednesday Bookworms!

*Whew* It has been a crazy week! Were any of you able to see the eclipse on Monday? I was in an area where we were in totality, and it was a truly spiritual experience. There are moments in my life where I feel God's presence overwhelmingly and that was one of those moments. If you were able to experience the eclipse, did you have a similar experience? I'd love to hear if you did. Listening to everyone's experiences has been fascinating to me.

Today I am featuring a contemporary romance that was so cute! It's a contemporary romance that was a little tough for me to get into but I'm so glad I stuck it out. I hope you enjoy my thoughts and, as always, don't forget to scroll to the bottom of this post and enter the amazing giveaway from JustRead Tours.

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Lovin' On Red by Mary Pat Johns, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: Lovin' On Red
Series: Romance in Valiant #2
Author: Mary Pat Johns
Publisher: Scrivenings Press
Release Date: April 9, 2024
Genre: Christian Contemporary Romance

He has everything … except what he wants most.

Rory is a wildly successful contractor with all the right connections. He has everything, except the woman who sees past his missing foot. If only the tiny redhead he’s insanely attracted to would go on a date with him, it could work, but Vi refuses.

Licensed massage therapist Vi Summers needs her childhood home remodeled, and Rory Spence is the perfect man for the job. Only he’s the last person she wants to work with. Despite Rory’s reputation as a flirt, his tender attention to getting her house right helps Vi see into his heart. Too bad her past mistakes prevent a future relationship.

Drawn together like magnets, they navigate trouble with illegal squatters, family expectations, and fire. Will they finally be honest with each other, or will their secrets tear them apart?

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

My Review

The friends-to-more troupe is one that I’ve been struggling with lately, so when I started reading Lovin’ on Red, I have to admit that it took me some time to get into it. I found myself struggling to connect with Vi and Rory for some reason, possibly because I haven’t read the first novel in the series, but I also wasn’t in the best headspace when I started reading, and I do think that does play a factor.

I always try to give novels a chance and so I stuck it out and it did start to grow on me the deeper into the story I went. Both Rory and Vi feel like real people with true human struggles. Personally, I found myself connecting with Rory more than Vi. For some reason Vi came across as very self-centered to me, which bothered me quite a bit. Still, I loved watching her interactions with Rory as well as both of their journeys of personal growth. It was clear the more I read on that Vi’s actions came from a place of fear, and when I thought about everything she had had to endure up to this point I extended grace.

This novel has everything you’d want in a clean contemporary romance. Once you get past the character flaws there is a really great redemptive story, and the epilogue was the perfect ending. There are a few topics that are alluded to that could be deemed triggering for some, but these are experiences in the past and handled with the utmost respect, and I personally did not feel triggered whatsoever.

I am glad I stuck it out and gave this novel a chance. What I thought was going to be a lighthearted romp actually held a lot more substance and I am thankful that I had the opportunity to read it.

My Rating: ★★★★

More Books In This Series

About the Author

Mary Pat Johns lives in South Texas with the love of her life and two spoiled dachshunds. You can find her at the gym, on her computer, or reading a book.

Connect with Mary Pat by visiting marypatjohns.com to follow her on social media and sign up for email updates.

Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will win print copies of Countin' On Jesse and Lovin' On Red, plus sea turtle earrings and necklace!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight April 8, 2024 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on April 15, 2024. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!