**I received a complimentary copy for consideration. All thoughts are my own.

About the Book

Book: Shut the Front Door

Author: L.M. Karen

Genre: Contemporary Christian Fiction

Release date: July 15, 2021

The zany story of an alpha male pursuing a headstrong woman and the hilarious entanglements that follow.

Maddy’s dating profile couldn’t be more together. Maddy, however, feels utterly not together when Derek is in the room. She thought living next to her best friend Brittany, (who happens to be married to her brother, Matt) would be the best move of her life; not realizing it came with the complication of Brittany’s older brother Derek. Their undeniable chemistry and passionate personalities make it hard for Maddy to continue ignoring his determined pursuit. This is a feel good romantic comedy with a hint of excitement.

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About the Author

LM Karen writes contemporary Christian fiction romance. As a longtime lover of words, she can generally be found behind her laptop or with a book in her hand. A graduate of Toccoa Falls College, her heart is in the mountains. She eventually made use of the voices in her head by putting them on the page.

More from LM Karen

I like writing characters who are flawed but are loved anyway. Who have maybe made a mess of things, or are consumed by fear, or have some growing to do, because isn’t that all of us? All of my characters get happy endings because as Christians we all get the happy ending. We are flawed, we are human, we are sinful, but we are loved. We are forgiven.

One of my favorite things about Maddy in Shut the Front Door is that she is fearless. She is bold and unapologetic about who she is. But even Maddy with all her confidence still has insecurities about being accepted, and just wants to be loved at the end of the day. She just wants to know that she will be received for all she is by the one person she loves the most. I think that’s a very relatable desire and what we all really want. One of my favorite things about Christian fiction is that we are reminded within the fun and sweeping nature of romance that we are always and eternally loved by God.

My Thoughts

Shut the Front Door is the second book in the Oak Street series. While the characters from the first book are featured prominently in this book, I definitely feel like this could read just fine as a standalone as well. I must admit that I had forgotten a lot of the details from the previous book, and I still enjoyed this one just the same.

The chemistry between Maddy and Derek was quite entertaining to read. They so often butt heads... but then their chemistry when they finally got together...wow! Actually, it was a bit steamier than I usually see so much in Christian fiction... still clean, of course... just perhaps more talk of making out than what is typically mentioned in the genre. Personally, I didn't mind this, but some more conservative readers might not prefer it. There were times when I must admit that both characters annoyed me a bit, but then... flawed is human, so... overall, I found that I enjoyed it very much. If you enjoy Christian romance, this is certainly one to check out.