This wasn't the best of reads, the audiobook version was very dull and made it quite hard to stay engaged in the story

A sweet and simple love story that warms the heart and leaves you smiling.A charming, heartwarming romance that’s easy to read and leaves you smiling by the final page.

ARC/ ALC REVIEW:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Entering her first year of college, Kit Talbot is thankful for a fresh start. Despite growing up in a household full of love and faith, her mostly idillic childhood was turned upside down in a blink of an eye. Will a new setting, new friends, and new love interest be enough to overcome the pain of her past, or will the major life changes lead to a complete breakdown?

Kristina Welch’s Anything is an accurate portrayal of a young woman’s struggle to navigate life and relationships after a traumatic experience. While this book is a work of fiction, it is very much grounded in reality. Welch decision not to sugar coat things allowed Kit’s unique outlook to shine through. As a Christian, Kit chose to resist blaming God; instead she ran to Him during her darkest moments and prayed fervently for deliverance.

Anything is technically classified as a contemporary, Christian romance. Telling the story through dual POVs made sense because it gave us direct insight into Levi’s thoughts. However, it could be argued that the strongest storyline wasn’t between Kit and Levi, but rather Kit’s journey to healing. As someone who connected with Kit on a deep level I was mostly concerned with her chapters. Thankfully, Welch agreed and allotted her the majority of the chapters.

I had the pleasure of both physically reading and listening to this as an audiobook. While I enjoyed both formats, I highly recommend the ladder. Welch herself serves as the narrator. She was the perfect woman for the job. She brought a much needed sense of levity to the rather heavy story. Standout moments consisted of the current pop culture references. You can count on lots of singing by the talented author and now voice actor.

Needless to say adored this debut novel. I hope to encourage everyone to check this book out. Special thanks to Netgalley and Kristina Welch for allowing me to read/ listen to this book in exchange for my honest feedback.

I really appreciated that this is a faith-filled romance and covered some important topics from that lens. Unfortunately, I just had a really hard time connecting with the characters. The story lagged for me and I found myself struggling to care much about what was going on.

This was a beautiful story where both main characters grow in Faith, find hope and love at the end. Cutesy slow burn.

Loved it
Would recommend to my Christian girlies

I enjoyed the story. It was pretty clean and mentions god and Christianity. Next time my grandma asks me what I read I'm going to give her this book. The narrator of the book is the author and she did a amazing job.

I read and listened to the audiobook of this book. Great book, but if you read the description then you don’t have to read the book because it basically tells you all that happens.
The book was very good but the way the storyline was written was not my favorite. I felt like each chapter was the same thing over and over again. Kit would start to feel like she could finally accept Levi but then something would happen and she was running away from him and saying she can’t be with him. This happened consistently throughout the end of the book. I understand trauma is very hard to deal with, but I don’t think each chapter needs to be the same thing over and over. I think another side storyline should have been added or shorten the book. I really struggled making my way through the end and almost did not finish the book because of the repetitiveness. It was honestly just too much and it was easy to lose interest.
Overall the story was very sweet and I loved Levi as a character, what a gentleman. I was a little fed up with Kit but I could never tire of Levi. Their faith in Jesus and growing love was very intriguing as well. However, I did struggle at times understanding who was and who wasn’t talking so there could be some improvement with that portion at least.
The voice for the audiobook was very good. I enjoyed reading and listening to this book at the same time. I think the audiobook helped me to finish this book truthfully.
It is hard to come by Christian romances like this, so I appreciate the author writing a story like this and continuing the story onto book two with the other characters.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for allowing me to read and review this book as an ARC.

A heartfelt story, but not quite for me

Anything is a clean, Christian, contemporary romance that many readers of faith-based fiction will likely enjoy. The romance is sweet, the characters are well-developed, and the emotional moments are thoughtfully written.

That said, this genre isn’t really my usual go-to, and I found the frequent religious references a bit off-putting. The mentions of God and prayer felt unnecessary at times and pulled me out of the story. While I understand this will be a big part of the appeal for some readers, I personally would have preferred a lighter touch on the spiritual themes.

Overall, it’s a sincere and well-meaning book—it just wasn’t quite the right fit for me.

This was a great book that was very cute and the couple was good I just wasn't expecting the religious parts in this and also the dynamic felt a little off but overall I really liked this book and would recommend to a friend.

I randomly stumbled upon this ARC audio reading by the author for this book on NetGalley, and truly think my receiving this book was orchestrated by God in His perfect timing! This book ministered to me so much!!!

The author tactfully mixes together the shame that is felt from traumatizing events, the joy and excitement of potential relationships, and the fear of stepping out in faith into the unknown. This book revealed in my heart past hurt that I didn't even know I was still holding onto and finally prompted me to tell God, "I want to be healed." God is redeemer of the lost, healer of the hurt, and comforter to the broken. As long as we place our trust, cares, fear, hopes, desires, and dreams in His arms, all will be well. My only complaint is that the author has no other books yet available for me to binge read 😭

My challenge to anyone reading this book would be this... God gives only good gifts to His children; if only we were to accept all the gifts He provides, no matter how difficult the packaging or the assembly it may require.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for this audio ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book explores the reality of the beauty, and pain, that is that people are not always as they seem. It is easy to judge someone off of a first impression, for better or worst, and how that can often bar us from experiencing something beautiful, or putting ourselves in harm's way. Told through the perspective of a young Christian woman in her first year of college, this book was a sweet, tender, clean romance.

--I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.--

I enjoyed Anything, but I definitely could have enjoyed it more. The writing style was fun, and the overall story was great. But I felt that Kit, the female MC, was leading on the the male MC nearly the whole book. I understood her reluctance to date. She had been through a traumatic event and needed healing, which can be a long and difficult journey. But instead of telling the male MC that she couldn't or wouldn't date him, she simply lead him on for months. It made it difficult to root for her. However, I rooted for the male MC, Levi, and I really enjoyed the characters constant communication with God and love for the Lord.

This book was definitely a "chip book", one you just can't put down and enjoy reading. There is a trigger warning at the beginning (which I usually skip reading) but it played a much larger role than I thought it would. All that said, this book gave me nostalgic feels: my husband and I met at a Christian college, his name is Levi and was made for me (that's about where the similarities stop). It was so good to go down memory lane while reading this, a lot of our early dates were with a group and walks through town.

🥜 In a Nutshell: A young woman with trauma in her past hopes for a fresh start at college. She meets a guy that treats her well but she may not be able to get over her past wounds.

✅ Excellent Faith Content
✅ Slow Burn Romance
✅ College Setting

What I enjoyed most about this book was the characters being so faith driven. Kit had been through some trauma and wanted to move forward but struggled and prayed through it. God did not always directly answer her prayers but He was always working through her situation. I thought Levi was a great character and so patient with Kit. I liked the college setting with all the pop culture references too. What I didn't care for was that it seemed like all of Kit and Levi's interactions were the same rehashed story repeated for many chapters until the end resolution. I would have liked to see more growth of Kit's character instead of the same thing over and over. While I'm not the target demographic for this novel, I still enjoyed it and loved the faith woven in so well, even if it was a tad redundant at times.

Thank you to NetGalley for the audiobook to review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Anything by Kristina Welch is the perfect combination of heartfelt storytelling and emotional depth, whether you’re reading it or listening to it. This book truly shines in both formats, making it an ideal choice for anyone who enjoys experiencing a story in multiple ways.

The writing is beautifully crafted, pulling you into a world full of emotion, growth, and the kind of real, raw moments that stick with you long after the last page (or the final track) ends. The characters are wonderfully relatable, and their journey feels both personal and universal—something anyone can connect with.

What makes this even better is how well the audiobook complements the book itself. The narration is excellent, with the narrator’s voice capturing the emotional nuances of the characters and adding depth to the story. If you love to read and listen to books, Anything is a perfect choice, as it seamlessly works in both formats, enhancing the experience in each.

If you’re looking for a heartfelt, beautifully told story that you can enjoy in any format, Anything is definitely worth checking out. It’s a story that will stay with you long after you’ve finished.

This faith filled romance is a really great read!

When Kit goes away to college she thinks she’s leaving behind the pain and anxiety caused by a previous relationship. She ends up in a great community at a Christian college far away from home. Here she meets a great group of friends, and a boy who seems way too good to be true.

Levi is seems so similar to Kit’s ex. He’s charismatic, popular, and attractive. This brings back a flood of negative emotions. Fortunately, unlike her ex, Levi is also patient, kind, and loves the Lord.

This faith based romance shows not only how important friendship and love between partners is, but also illustrates how Jesus can help mend what is broken, and that God will lead you to exactly where He wants you!

Note: I DNF this book 60% into the audiobook.

When I began listening to the book, some things bothered me. First was the setting. I'm not a fan of books set in college, but I decided to give this book a chance. Next were the main characters. We follow Kit Talbot and Levi Whitaker. Kit is your typically lovely girl who tries to make everyone happy, but she denies that she is pretty (which got on my nerves a couple of times). Then we got Levi, your all-time rich, intelligent, and arrogant boy who acts like wealth isn't a big deal. In the book, you get both of their perspectives; however, more of Kit.
However, the book starts with Kit entering college as a freshman. In the first couple of chapters, she meets Levi, to whom she is suddenly attracted. Here's a frustrating thing about Kit's character: she begins to deny her attractiveness to him, telling herself that she needs to avoid him at all costs, stating the following: "I can keep myself safe this time. Step one is avoiding that Levi guy and anyone like him." Throughout the book, she constantly tells herself that she doesn't like him and needs to stay away, which is repetitive. But that is not even the worst part. The worst part is when she accepts his invites, like going out as quote-on-quote "friends," or when she accepts the sweet treats that he delivers to her. These are just some things that she found annoying, not to mention when she's watching him and commenting on her physical attraction to him. What happened to stay away? It's like she's constantly throwing that out the roof.
Nonetheless, there is a particular part in which Levi seeks advice from a fellow peer. During that time, he acknowledges the fact that he can get any girl and that Kit isn't his "only option." He even considers making her jealous in hopes of getting her attention. He says, "And fine, a fling is a bad idea. But do I really go on like nothing has changed? I could pull back and give her a taste of her own medicine. Couldn't hurt my chances." Honestly, I am pretty done with this book at this point cause I no longer care for what happens to any of the characters. I was really hoping this book would get better, but sadly, it didn't. This is partly why I decided not to finish the book, as I knew my rating would be lower than three stars. Despite my disappointment, I held out hope for a more satisfying conclusion.
What I did enjoy was the faith elements, like going to church, praying, and talking with God. These aspects of the book resonated with me and added depth to the characters. I also appreciated the movie references, which added a fun and relatable element to the story.

4.5 stars

Kit is starting college after a traumatic end to high school. Dating anyone is the last thing on her mind. She feels she is too broken. She never expected to meet Levi, who keeps defying the stereotypical good looking athlete she pegged him as. Kit finds it hard to open up - the slightest noise, the slightest touch sets her off. But Levi is determined to get to know her, and slowly and patiently breaks down the walls between them.
Both characters were well rounded and life-like, and had sizzling chemistry. And they couldn't even touch! Levi was such a cinnamon roll hero. Not only was he rich and good looking, but kind and sweet with a strong faith. Both character's had a strong faith which I appreciated.

Kit had a supportive friend group, which I loved, and a supportive family which was nice to read about. There were lots of culture references, and my favourite band got a mention!
I think Welch handled Kit's PTSD well.
The ending was perfect!

Anything was a well-written, clean, Christian, contemporary romance that I highly recommend. In the eBook there is a sneak peak of book 2 and when I read it I was so excited because it is the two characters I was hoping it was going to be. I can't wait for it to be released.

The audio was perfect. The author reads it herself. She had a really nice reading voice and did a great job. I listened to it while cooking dinner, and I found myself excited to cook dinner every night just so I could keep listening!

Kit is a college freshman leaning heavily on prayer and scripture while navigating her healing journey from past relationship trauma. She must confront her fears to open back up to the possibility of love.

I enjoyed the internal monologues and consistency of Kit’s relationship with and reliance on God. The verses sprinkled throughout were nice too.

I was quite annoyed with Kit though. Maybe it’s the YA aspect but she felt very 1 dimensional with her only “hero’s journey” being the past trauma affecting her current situation. I wanted more of a plot alongside what I feel should have been the “B story”. Levi, however, was written by a woman—such a gem of a man! 5 stars for him.

Overall, it was a cute, lighthearted story exploring Kit’s journey of learning to trust again while seeking grace through faith. PS: I was here for all the millennial tv/music references—Psych, Veronica Mars, Gilmore Girls, country music and more! I would recommend this book to the Christian YA community!

I had high hopes for this one, but I found myself struggling to get through it and almost considered not finishing several times. While I thought the author's role as the narrator might add something extra, it didn't work as expected. I had a hard time distinguishing the dual POVs because she didn't differentiate the characters well. This made it difficult to stay fully immersed in the story. I think I might have enjoyed it more if I had read the physical book instead. Based solely on the audiobook experience, I wouldn't recommend it.