This Wandering Heart.

When high school geography teacher and secret travel blogger Keira Knudsen gets the opportunity of a lifetime, she needs an assistant. And as luck would have it, her ex-boyfriend and first love is perfect for the job.

Robbie Matthews just wants to keep his little girl, but he needs steady income if he wants a fighting chance in the custody battle. Keira’s job offer provides what he needs, but it also places him in close company with the woman who broke his heart five years ago.

As Keira and Robbie travel the road, they visit their past and come face-to-face with what really happened all those years ago. But as secrets and dreams come to light, they must decide if history will repeat itself or if wandering hearts can truly find a home.

my thoughts:

Here’s the thing: I knew this was going to be good. I don’t know Janine, like, as a person, but we frequent many book-loving groups together. The woman has incredible taste when it comes to romance and she’s one of the funniest people I’ve ever not met. Her GIF game is strong and I respect it. So I knew, deep in my guts, that this book was going to be good.

But it was even better than I expected.

There’s so much heart in it! The connection between Robbie and Keira is palpable. The journey Keira takes in her relationship with Robbie’s daughter is endearing and so well done. But the most rewarding aspect of the novel for me (aside from the swoon worthy romance) is Keira’s growth. I need you to understand that I’d use all the heart emojis here if I could.

I was also so impressed by the way Janine handled faith in this book. Without being preachy or over-the-top, she managed to weave strands of Christ through the lives of her characters. She gently reminds us that God knows our hearts, our pasts, our dreams. He knows what’s best for us and He’s kind enough to speak to us if we’ll listen. Angela, a character you’ll meet and immediately love, says, “He speaks in whispers when all the world is loud.” I love that.

This Wandering Heart releases May 5th and it’s definitely one you won’t want to miss. I give it all the stars, all the hearts, all the love. It’s a good one, friends.

I’m so incredibly grateful to the author, Janine Rosche, and Berkley for a complimentary copy of this book. All expressed opinions are mine.

Purchase: Amazon | BAM! | Barnes & Noble

book boyfriend:

ROBBIE stinkin’ MATTHEWS. I am not playing around when I tell you to be fully prepared to lose your heart to this cinnamon roll of a man. He is human and imperfect, but good gravy, he loves his girls well. He’s not shy about how he feels, but he isn’t pushy either. He’s sweet and kind and I want one for Christmas. (That’s a joke. Kind of.)