In a Word, Yes by Kit Tosello: Book Review

 **ARC received for consideration. All opinions are my own. 

The Book

Lucy hides behind boundaries. Her mother hides behind busyness. But love and grace have a way of finding us wherever we hide.

Lucy Montgomery excels at drawing boundaries and avoiding risk. Her favorite word is no, and she's not afraid to use it. It's been five years since she picked up the leftovers from a crumbled marriage and started over with her brilliantly unique autistic son in Charity Falls, Oregon. As a single mom, she now works behind the scenes at a local newspaper. Enter Wyatt Hayes--an affable local police officer with the soul of a poet and the kindness she's always craved. A man who's more than eager to help her break free from her security blanket of an adventure-free life.

Lucy's celebrity mother, Carly Montgomery--a vivacious and beloved women's Bible study leader--can't deny a sense of weariness. But if she doesn't remain in perpetual motion, her regrets are bound to catch up with her. Despite the outward appearance of a perfect empty-nester life, she's kept her daughter at arm's length and has already missed so much of her young grandson's life. Is it too late to turn that around?

For Lucy and Carly to restore their relationship, and for Lucy and Wyatt to embrace the risk of loving, it will take a big step of faith to reconcile the past together.

A small-town friends-to-more romance, and a multigenerational mother-daughter story. This read is perfect for book clubs and readers who love second chances, strong female characters, family, and faith.

The Author

Kit Tosello is an award-winning writer of evocative, small-town, contemporary women’s fiction with heart and humor, as well as inspirational essays and devotionals. Her debut novel, The Color of Home, releases September 24, 2024 with Revell Publishing and is now available for preorder.

Kit's recognitions include a 2016 Cascade Award for published article and a 2019 Cascade Award for unpublished nonfiction book. Her inspirational essays appear in The Kitchen Devotional (Revell, 2024), So God Made a Grandma (Tyndale, 2025), So God Made a Mother (Tyndale, 2023), and Miracles Do Happen: 101 Glimpses of the Hidden Hand of God (Guideposts, 2019).

A former kitchen designer, Kit is a freelance newspaper correspondent and book editor. But her favorite gigs are wife, mom, and nana. When not writing or editing, Kit can be found in the loose-tea shop she operates with her husband, exploring the great Pacific Northwest, or enjoying the “great indoors”—which is to say, bookstores & libraries. Most likely with a matcha latte in hand.

Book Review

Whether you're in the mood for a beautiful friends to more romance or women's fiction focusing on mother/daughter relationships, this sweet story has you covered for both... and I honestly couldn't tell you which aspect of the story appealed to me most. The romance between Lucy and Wyatt was really sweet and just felt like a really natural and believable build up. I couldn't help but enjoy them together. Lucy and her mother Carly's story was equally intriguing and added so much to the story as well. I loved seeing the growth throughout and just found that this book blended all the elements of small town life, family relationships and romance in a really great way. I must admit, as the mother to an autistic child myself, I often get a little apprehensive when I see autistic characters in books, but I thought this one was done really well. This is certainly one that fans of Christian fiction and mother/daughter relationships are going to want to check out. 

In a Word, Yes is a Christian romance/women's fiction with kisses only and no language. 


You can purchase your copy here: https://amzn.to/4b6Jokp