Book Beginnings, First Line Friday, & Friday 56: When I Wasn't Looking (Big Prairie Romance Book 4) by Jennifer Rodewald

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading. Friday 56 is hosted by Freda's Voice and asks you to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and share a non-spoilery sentence or two. I'm also linking up with Carrie at Reading is My Superpower for First Line Friday.

This week I'm featuring When I Wasn't Looking (Big Prairie Romance Book 4) by Jennifer Rodewald. Y'all, I can't say enough good things about this book. 

About the Book

Sage Greene loves a good story, especially if it has a dashing and romantic hero.

But her family’s legacy of broken relationships has convinced her that romance is strictly for fiction. Take her great-grandfather Harold Teller, for example—a selfish drunk who rejected his wife and son. But if that were so, why would he leave his house and property to her? Sensing there’s more to his story, Sage heads to Big Prairie determined to discover the truth for herself. Not even a quixotic encounter with a handsome stranger will sway her from her purpose.

Grant Hillman knows what makes for a healthy relationship.

After all, he is a counsellor. But he’s certain that he’s a long way from being anyone’s romantic hero. Quiet, observant, and slightly fastidious seems to translate to boring, quirky, and too different, and he’s just about given up on finding love. So he shouldn’t be surprised when the one time he rescues a damsel in distress, it turns out she didn’t need a hero and she isn’t looking for romance.

Despite their inauspicious meeting—or perhaps because of it—Sage determines she and Grant will become the closest of friends.

As they work together to learn the truth about Grandpa Teller, Sage discovers there’s more to Gramps than the bitter, grumpy old man he presents on the surface. And the more time she spends with Grant, the more she begins to wish she believed in romance after all. But Grant knows that the maxim “opposites attract” doesn’t mean “opposites will have a lasting, healthy relationship.” Especially when one of them doesn’t believe in romance to begin with.

As Sage and Grant work to untangle the threads of Grandpa Teller’s story, is it possible they could unravel a few assumptions of their own and write the beginning of another story altogether?

The Big Prairie Romance series is a collection of gentle contemporary romances set in a small town. Come and visit, meet the people who make Big Prairie special, and follow their emotional journeys of faith, forgiveness, and love. If you are a fan of deeply moving romances, and heartfelt Christian love stories, then you’ll love this beautiful small town romance series by Jennifer Rodewald.

Book Beginnings / First Line Friday (From the Prologue)

June 1957

My Dearest Clara,

I feel like the stars are within reach. These hills lift me up, and anything is possible.

Friday 56

She'd known few to no people who were able to be honest about their foibles. Most were more set on pointing out the shortcomings of others rather than owning their own. If they did own them, they used them as some sort of humble brag, which Sage found annoying.

Not the case with Grant. He simply knew who he was and was honest about it.

What have you been reading lately?