Book Review: Undeniably Yours

Undeniably Yours by Becky Wade
May 1, 2013
Bethany House Publishers
380 pages
Genre: Christian Romance
Source: NeGalley for honest review

Book Blurb:

When Meg Cole’s father dies unexpectedly, she becomes the majority shareholder of his oil company and the single inheritor of his fortune. Though Meg is soft-spoken and tenderhearted–more interested in art than in oil–she’s forced to return home to Texas and to Whispering Creek Ranch to take up the reins of her father’s empire. 

The last thing she has the patience or the sanity to deal with? Her father’s thoroughbred racehorse farm. She gives its manager, Bo Porter, six months to close the place down. 

Bo’s determined to resent the woman who’s decided to rob him of his dream. But instead of anger, Meg evokes within him a profound desire to protect. The more time he spends with her, the more he longs to overcome every obstacle that separates them–her wealth, his unworthiness, her family’s outrage–and earn the right to love her. 

But just when Meg begins to realize that Bo might be the one thing on the ranch worth keeping, their fragile bond is viciously broken by a force from Meg’s past. Can their love–and their belief that God can work through every circumstance–survive?

My Review:

I really enjoyed reading Undeniably Yours. I was expecting a simple, sweet romance book, and I got so much more. When we first meet Meg and Bo - Meg in the process of trying to fire Bo - we're immediately drawn into the difficulty of their situation. Meg has just inherited millions after her father's death, including her father's Thoroughbred racehorse farm, which is managed by Bo. What could have been immediate animosity instead became a wonderful journey.

What I loved was how the author slowly but steadily reveals the depths of Meg and Bo's characters, and how despite the reality that they appear as opposites on paper, the way their friendship develops shows just how good they are together; that is, if they are able to overcome both themselves and the surroundings that are against them. Meg has been hurt in the past and has understandable trust issues; plus she is wealthy now and has to scrutinize the honesty with which people treat her. Bo is as honorable as they come, but has to hold in his feelings and not cross the line with Meg as his employer.

Beyond having to deal with her feelings toward Bo, Meg really has to deal with her feelings about herself, about her purpose, and about her future. She has been thrust into her father's business, but it's not where she wants to be. But how can she get out of it? Should she get out of it? What does she want to do with her life? Meg wrestles with a lot, but I loved how she dealt with it and prayed through it with God. I really appreciate how the author allowed us to see Meg's process.

Meg doesn't just have to deal with potential romance. There are other crazy plotlines happening and drama thrown in that give the story just the extra bump up it needs to be an absolute page-turner. Of course I didn't love the creepy "bad" guy or frustrating family, but they really pulled the story together into so much more. Outside of a slight lull in the middle of the book, I felt completely entranced in the story and invested in the outcome. There was also such a great mix of secondary characters that really helped pull everything together.
  
I was also hesitant on how the author would honor Christian principles in the romance department, and was afraid that she would step outside the boundaries or walk a thin line. Fortunately, I got romance in just the right dosage. Meg and Bo's feelings felt honest in regard to both their emotional and physical attraction toward one another, but didn't cross into territory that I felt was inappropriate. I really enjoyed watching their feelings develop and the respect they had for one another, as well as their genuine attraction. I couldn't help but root for them.

Bottomline: This is a great Christian romance that displays a beautiful love story about overcoming odds and expectations and finding your place. I loved Meg and Bo. And luckily this is the first book in a series about the Porter siblings, and I look forward to the rest of this series, and more books by this author.

 

5 STARS

Book Links:

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