I read this book as an audiobook and for the most part - I am an avid audiobook reader and can easily follow along any book. This is a read that I think, is either best read in book format or by not having the author read her own works. This pains me to say that, she read this really well, if doing a reading but when the story flips back and forth from different points of views (characters), not changing her voice in anyway, made it difficult to keep track of who was speaking and kept getting lost in the overall story line.

Kit is going to college in Texas, so she can finally move away from her hometown. Everything in her hometown reminds her constantly of her past trauma.
At college she meets Levi and she starts to see him everywhere. Levi likes Kit and even brings her snacks and asks her out on dates.
Kit doesn’t want anything to do with Levi and holds him at a distance. She is not ready for a relationship and she doesn’t think she can handle it. Everytime Kit is alone with Levi there are flashbacks that come up from her past trauma. Kit hopes that God can hear her prayers for healing from this trauma but she feels like God doesn’t hear her.

This is a sweet christian romance novel, but also goes into more serious themes and trauma. I read this book and I listened to this book at the same time. The narration was done by the author, who has a very nice voice. I liked the writing style, it was very easy to follow and understand. I liked the christian themes; faith, growth and prayer.
There also were a lot of modern references that were really funny.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book was a cute Christian college romance. But beneath the surface the main characters show us their struggles. Kit shows up to her freshman year struggling with the aftermath of being sexually assaulted less than a year ago. Levi is a returning student who is insecure about other accepting him as himself instead of pursing him for his money or connections. Together they both grow and open up to each other as they build on the foundation of their faith.
The audiobook was read by the author, so it was nice to be able to hear they way she meant her words to be heard.

Modern Christian Romance, not really something I enjoy reading.

This book is not afraid to talk about their faith. Characters try to always find the positive even when the FMC went through something traumatic. The MMC seems kind and truly wanting to get to know and understand the FMC.

I received an audiobook, the narration leaves a lot to be desired. Very monotone and when it could be funny it falls flat.

Thank to NetGalley for the ARC audiobook

I love this book! 💛 4.5⭐️
Christian themes, past trauma & a swoony love story.
Anything was so inspiring to me, and it has most definitely encouraged me to pray throughout the day and say little thanks to the Lord as I live my daily life. Reading about Kit and Levi was so sweet and seeing them navigate their struggles with faith was so inspiring! I honestly love when books make me want to make changes in my real life even though this is a fictional story it was still so impactful and I highly recommend it! 💛🎀

Thank you @_kristinawelch for sending me your sweet book! I loved it so much! 💛 and I’ll definitely be reading anything you write in the future! 💛🥹

This book had many cute moments. The Taylor Swift and Disney references were a plus because I’m a big fan, it also had many other “pop culture-ish” references that made the book feel familiar and fresh.

The FMC felt lighthearted and fun, but also a little lost when it came to flirting and putting herself out there, which made her so easy to relate to.
The MMC’s sweet notes and foodie gifts were a small but meaningful way of showing love, and the book’s message about faith, trust and surrendering was a great reminder that prayer doesn’t have to be complicated or fit into a perfect schedule.

That being said, I struggled to stay fully immersed. The dual POV was great in theory, but the transitions weren’t always clear on the audiobook, and I found myself getting lost if I wasn’t reading along with the book. The slow burn romance had its sweet moments but I think I would have connected more with the story if there had been a deeper emotional journey for the two MCs.

Even though it wasn’t perfect, it still had a cute and satisfying ending that left me with a smile.

⭐️⭐️✨☆☆ (2.5/5)

Special thanks to NetGalley for the eARC & audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This book took me completely out of my comfort zone in a very good way. I have always struggled with my faith and loved the inner dialogs of both Kit and Levi. I actually noted some of the verses that were used for my own use. The way Kit leaned into her faith and prayed constantly over everything was eye opening. Watching her struggle through the PTSD as she tried to heal, while trying to navigate her feelings with Levi. It was amazing growth for her and monumental patience from him as this slow burn romance developed. The story included great friends, witty comments, a ton of pop culture references, while tackling some pretty big topics was so well written. I would HIGHLY recommend this book and look forward to more in this series.

This book was a fun read! About a young girl going away to college for the first time- finding a new girl friend group who I loved and figuring out how to navigate a romantic love interest when she is still reeling from a traumatic experience with a guy she had been dating in high school. At times the main character came off annoying because of her triggers and panic attacks- but honestly, that’s so real. Triggers and panic attacks are annoying but a real part of people’s lives. I loved the audiobook narrator. She fit the part so well, even singing parts of the book when a character was singing. Very cool. I also loved the central theme- leaning on God through life, the hard parts and just in your daily walk.

God will help us all in whatever we face physically, spiritually, emotionally, etc.

Hmmm, hmmm, hmmm. I pray God heals us all. 🙏


Thank you, Kristen Welch

Thank you netgalley for this opportunity to read.

There are some heavier, harder themes in this book that I don’t read often in the books I choose to read but I felt the author tackled them well. I appreciated the Kit’s journey and how she was able to overcome.

The audio was a little hard at times but I appreciate the listen now option to give it a try!

I received an ARC from NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

This book is deep and deals with trauma, moving on in relationships and trusting others. There was a lot to process in this read and sometimes I felt it was moving kind of slow. I did enjoy the overall story and character development. The Faith content was on point and described and explained their Faith and choices well.

Please make sure to review the triggers/contents that may be explored in this book.

I wasn’t able to finish this book. I understand that everyone processes trauma differently, and as someone who experienced sexual assault in high school, I personally found comfort in opening up to someone at my own pace. However, I found myself frustrated with Kit’s reluctance to seek support from a counselor or her mother sooner. Her repeated pleas for divine intervention to “fix” her became difficult for me to connect with. I think I would have enjoyed and finished the book if she and Levi had communicated more openly and worked through her struggles together. I made it to 81% before ultimately deciding to stop.

Anything is a great debut novel by Kristina Welch. I look forward to reading some more books. I was swept in from the start and could not put this book down.

The character development was fantastic. In a season that can be very hard to navigate Kit is trying to figure out college life while also dealing with PTSD from sexual trauma. While Levi brings some great development trying to navigate this relationship while also working on his own faith.

The setting and storyline were good. I enjoyed going back to college and experiencing the college life and figuring out new relationships. It was a fun element. It also gave me an insight into PTSD. It was really well written.

The romance element was a little bit much for me. It definitely contained a lot of swooning. Which can make for some awkward scenes. Though nothing more than kissing, Kit’s mother does a great job of pointing out what could happen if they don’t reign that in. Which I appreciated the balance.

Kristina Welch did a great job intertwining faith throughout out the book. Watching people struggle through hard issues and fining their faith in the hard times. It was really well done.

*I received a complimentary copy from the author and voluntarily chose to review it. All opinions are my own.

This was a beautiful story dedicated to overcoming trauma and giving it all to Jesus! The story was lovely and the characters really had to struggle and grow in the Lord! I enjoyed the journey!

Thanks to NetGalley and the author for this! All opinions are my own.

Thank you for allowing me a listen to this cute little romance. At first, I was thrown off by how YA the author sounds- but this is a YA book, so it worked.

I enjoyed watching the relationship between Kit and Levi ebb and flow. Levi's steadfastness despite Kit's reluctance was enduring. I enjoyed listening to each character give their struggles and worries over to God. It was a good reminder for me to do that myself more.

I love listening to stories narrated by the author. I think it gives them a little more life. I also love that while there were some hard themes of the book, everything was wrapped up nicely in the epilogue.

3.5 stars (rounded up) || Kit Talbot has sworn off boys. After a traumatic experience in her Colorado hometown left her self-conscious, closed off, and bound by PTSD, she’s happy to head off to Bible college in Texas for a fresh start.

Levi Whitaker is hot guy on campus. Every girl wants him and he wants no one—until he meets Kit. He’s built walls for a different reason, but Kit is threatening to tear them down. But will he be able to tear hers down as well?

This was a slower read than I’m used to, but it felt true to the college-aged characters. Kit did a lot of wrestling with her past and the wrestling was a dominant part of the story. It picked up for me around the halfway mark and I was fully invested in finding out how everything came together.

I listened in audio and read on KU—the ebook was the winner for me. The audiobook was read by the author, which I appreciate in so many ways, but she didn’t use different voices for different characters so I got tripped up several times in distinguishing who was talking in conversation.

All that said, I’m looking forward to reading Sophie and Austin’s story!! 😍

I'd like to start with I am not the target audience for this book. It's the first book in a while that I feel like the characters are too young for me and I do not relate. I struggled getting through the audio book, perhaps if I was reading it I would feel differently. what I would like to say is I am so grateful for authors who write sweet clean faith filled stories for the younger generation. I love that there are books out there for my daughters to read that are not filled with filth. So thank you. thank you for the chance to review your book. I appreciate it and you!

I tried so hard to listen to this audibook and I simply couldn't. I feel bad by saying this, but even though the author has a great voice, and it is great to have her as a narrator of her own book, she doesn't make the book engaging. I tried it at my regular speed time of 2.2 and I couldn't distinguish between the main character and the others, so I thought maybe if I slow it down? And it didn't, I went all the way to 1.5 and it only made it slower but as difficult to understand which character was she on. I wish they would had use an engaging narrator because I felt the story had so much potential. I unfortunately only lasted 30 minutes on it before I had to officially DNF it.

thank you Netgalley for the ALC in exchange of my honest review.

4⭐
Never in a million years would I think I'd ever enjoy a Christian Romance, 16 year old me would be shocked! But I loved this!

"A match made in Heaven, or a blueprint for disaster?"
This is a very heartfelt romance, absolutely enjoyed it. Loved Kit & Levi's 'courtship'/relationship. I love how God is the foundation of their relationship. Such a beautiful start to a series I'm definitely gonna continue!

Thank you IBPA and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley for an audio ARC of this book.

This just wasn't for me. I did not like the characters, and none of their experiences seemed to go beyond the surface.

Honestly, if you read the "jacket", you're good...no need to read the book.