As a tie-in to Risking Love, I’d love to tell you a great story of the time I took a big chance and how it turned out.
The time that I . . .
Um. Yeah. I’m not really a risk taker. Not even a little bit. I tend to be cautious about anything that could cause pain or trouble. The part of me that analyzes things is always working overtime, warning me if something could be a bad choice. “Don’t do that, Phyllis! If you do, you might end up. . .”
Funny thing is, I can be impulsive. I even kinda like the impulsive me. Nevertheless, it is a controlled impulsiveness, so it, too, is safe.
I often wonder, if I was on the boat with Peter when Jesus came walking on the water, would I have been able to risk stepping onto the water if Jesus called me to Him as Peter did. Would I have been able to evaluate that it wouldn’t be dangerous because Jesus was there? On the other hand, would I have remained in the boat, too terrified to take a chance?
Risking Love
by Toni Shiloh
Series: Maple Run #4
Published by Celebrate Lit Publishing
Publication Date June 25, 2019
Genres: Christian Fiction, Clean Romance
Setting: Virginia Contemporary
Main Character Ages: 25-34, 35-60
Written for: Adults
Synopsis:
Nikki lives with a perfect trifecta of noes. No guys. No dates. No way. After years of keeping men at bay, Nikki Gordon has it down to a science. No one, not even the sweet, hunky Shorty Smalls can change her mind. Period. So if she’s got it all figured out, why does her heart sink to her toes when she sees Shorty with another woman? Read Risking Love today and see what happens when you risk your heart to the care of a good man.
I would like to thank Celebrate Lit for giving me a copy of this book. This gift did not influence my opinion or review.
Purchase Links
I am a fan of Toni Shiloh’s books. She has a way of taking deep heart matters and shining the light of truth on them, helping her characters experience freedom from their pasts through the power of Jesus. Without being preachy. So when I saw her latest book, Risking Love, I knew I wouldn’t be risking anything by reading it.
Shorty is the sweetest, kindest, most patient man! The mere fact that he has waited six years for Nikki to be ready to let him become more than a friend is evidence to that. I loved the way he was willing to lay his heart bare and yet was hesitant to do so for fear of scaring Nikki.
With some characters who are trying to overcome trauma, I can get impatient. I like to think it is the fault of the author and not because my heart is hard. It’s just that sometimes I want to shake some sense into the character! Though Nikki was dealing with intense pain, enough that she had alienated herself from her family, I liked her and felt like her recovery and healing from grief happened at a good pace.
I think what I appreciated most about Risking Love is that even though it deals with the trauma Nikki experienced as a result of a rape, the author didn’t even get close to describing it. It was mentioned as a past fact without details. At all.
As I have come to expect from Ms. Shiloh, she incorporates spiritual truths and character growth naturally into the narrative. They were touching and insightful.
My analytical brain did have trouble with some of the details, though. They weren’t really important to the story, yet my mind just wouldn’t let go of them. Ugh.
While I believe this story is intended to stand alone, and it does, for the most part, I did feel there was backstory I missed reading. It started six years into Shorty and Nikki knowing each other and the waiting and wanting to be with the other had been going on for a long time. So I recommend reading the Maple Run series in order.
If you enjoy Christian romance, you should add this to your TBR (to-be-read) list.
Toni's The Maple Pit Food Inspiration Pinterest Board
(click here to go directly to the board on Pinterest)
More from Toni
Risking Love has been a long time in coming. You see when I wrote Buying Love, book one in the Maple Run series, I had only intended for it to be a standalone. But soon the other characters clamored for attention and you, the readers, sent me messages asking for Shorty and Nikki’s story.
Like any good writer, I sat in front of my laptop prepared to whip out their story in the speed in which I wrote Buying Love. Yeah, it did NOT go as I anticipated. You see, Shorty and Nikki refused to talk to me. They wouldn’t answer my questions about their past, about how it affected them. Zip. Zilch. Nada.
So I wrote book two, Finding Love, featuring Luke and Delaney. They were more than willing to share their heart. I fully intended to then make Shorty and Nikki’s story book three. I figured they’d had enough appearances through book two that they were fully ready to reveal all to me and let me write their story.
Wrong.
As you know, if you’ve been reading chronologically through the series, book three is about Belle and Micah. They spoke with me freely. I just couldn’t understand why Shorty and Nikki wouldn’t be so candid. Fortunately, while writing Belle and Micah’s story, Nikki began to speak. Then Shorty spoke, and I knew I’d finally be able to write their story.
Y’all, writing Risking Love was tough! They fought me at every turn. I can’t recall how many times I complained about them. Thank goodness my critique partners had patience with me as I fought for every word in this story. And now that their story is out in the world, I’m wrecked with nerves. Will they live up to your anticipation? Will the story truly show how tenuous the relationship between these two are?
As you began to read Risking Love, I pray it blesses you. Whether you’re reading strictly for entertainment or seeking God’s greater truth, I pray you experience those things. And more than that, I thank you for picking up their book and joining me once more in Maple Run. It’s been a blessing as I return to tell the stories in this fictional Virginia town.
Blessings,
Toni Shiloh
Blog Stops
Melissa Henderson, July 1
Inklings and notions, July 1
Among the Reads, July 2
Through the Fire Blogs, July 2
Blossoms and Blessings, July 3
Stephanie’s Life of Determination, July 4
Remembrancy, July 4
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 5
janicesbookreviews, July 5
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 6
Mary Hake, July 6
Back Porch Reads, July 7
Emily Yager, July 7
Simple Harvest Reads, July 8 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)
Creating Romance, July 9
Texas Book-aholic, July 9
Where Crisis & Christ Collide, July 10
A Diva’s Heart, July 10
Britt Reads Fiction, July 11
Cultivating us, July 11
Reading Is My SuperPower, July 12
KarenSueHadley, July 12
Christian Chick’s Thoughts, July 13
Just Your Average reviews, July 13
A Reader’s Brain, July 14
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Toni is giving a grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card and a finished copy of Risking Love!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/e544/risking-love-celebration-tour-giveaway
About Toni Shiloh
Toni Shiloh is a wife, mom, and Christian fiction writer. Once she understood the powerful saving grace thanks to the love of Christ, she was moved to honor her Savior. She writes to bring Him glory and to learn more about His goodness.
She spends her days hanging out with her husband and their two boys. She is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and president of the Virginia Chapter.
Blog Contributor:
Putting on the New | Heartwings Blog | Diversity Between the Pages | ACFW Virginia
Thank you so much for your review and this post. And man, does that Maple Pit Pinterest board make me hungry all over again. 🙂
Wow, this book sounds intriguing and like a real good read! I ‘ll have to add it to my TBR list for sure! Thank you so much for the reviews that were posted, enjoyed reading them and a little about the book. God Bless you.
This sounds like a fun story!
Would enjoy reading this! First giveaway of one of her books that I have been able to enter as I can only read print books.
This sounds like a great read.
This book sounds like a really fantastic read.
I love a unrequited type of love story. The hero sounds super sweet!
Thanks for hosting the tour!
sounds interesting
looks like a fun one