About the Book
Book: Book, Chapter, & Vows
Author: Chautona Havig
Genre: Christian Contemporary Romance
Release date: July 26, 2022
Falling in love with Benjamin wasn’t in the plan, but Mallory finds she’s all but lost her head and her heart after two and a half years of banter, memories, and now shared books.
But when her ex-fiance (does it count if it was just for a few hours?) shows up right in the middle of a writing project with Benjamin, the guy manages to ruin her happiness… again.
Benjamin has been keeping one tiny part of him back from Mallory–just the one thing that’ll repel her for good.
So when the ex-boyfriend-slash-fiance shows up, and things look serious again, he takes a giant step back and prays he can keep his heart intact in the process.
They’re clearly meant for each other. God obviously has a plan. So what’s it going to take for Mallory and Benjamin to work things out and get those vows made?
This Breakers Head novel is Chautona Havig’s final book in the Independence Islands Series featuring five islands, six authors, and a boatload of happily-ever-afters.
My Review:
I’ve been following the “Independence Islands” series for awhile now, and one of my favorite storylines throughout the series has been the growing romance between Mallory and Ben. I like the way that they’ve taken their time to get to know one another. I was happy to see that in this book, they are both at the point that they are seriously thinking about marriage. They’ve conducted their relationship in a God-honoring way, and it seems that it’s now time for God to bless them together as a couple.
But things don’t always go as smoothly as they wishes . Mallory had to first deal with a previous relationship, and Ben had to find his courage to not only go ahead and propose to Mallory, but to also confess to her a secret that he’s been hiding. I have loved these two characters, and the author did a good job of making their romance not only a sweet one, but one that has included some wonderful Biblical principles along the way.
Although this is part of a series, it’s easy to read this book on its own.
If this is your first book to read in the series, you’ll want to go back and read some of the others. I was happy to see that we’ll have a chance to see Mallory and Ben again in a new series.
I voluntarily received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
Click here to get your copy!
About the Author
USA Today Bestselling author of Aggie and Past Forward series, Chautona Havig lives in an oxymoron, escapes into imaginary worlds that look startlingly similar to ours and writes the stories that emerge. An irrepressible optimist, Chautona sees everything through a kaleidoscope of It’s a Wonderful Life sprinkled with fairy tales. Find her at chautona.com and say howdy—if you can remember how to spell her name.
More from Chautona
It Happened AGAIN!
I remember the first book I had trouble finishing. Beneath the Cloak. It was the last book of the Wynnewood series, and I was dying to reveal the big secret that had been a big part of the story line. I spent hours writing very few words. Someone asked if I had writer’s block, but I didn’t. I knew every word I wanted to put on that page, but I kept procrastinating.
For weeks. We’re talking long, agonizing weeks.
Finally, I realized a significant part of why I hadn’t finished was because I didn’t want to. I didn’t want the series to end. Say goodbye to beloved characters? Agony, okay? I wanted to spend the rest of my life in Wynnewood seeing what happened with all the characters and all the things that would happen.
I just wanted to write a bunch of other books, too. What can I say? It’s a thing.
So, as I dove into writing the book I’ve been dying to write since I penned the opening scene of Christmas on Breakers Point, you’d think I’d have been prepared for the inevitable. I mean, it’s happened with several other series since that first time, so… yeah. All ready to combat the problem, right? Not hardly.
To be fair, I was also coming off being very sick, my mother being even sicker, so being crazy behind on everything. I mean, that had a lot to do with it taking so long to get going on it. But once I did, I’d type like crazy and then ignore it for a day or two before the story demanded more telling.
Then, just as I neared the big scene of Book, Chapter, & Vows… I went nuts on doing everything but finishing that book. No joke. I did. Sigh. Again, you think I’d learn.
After much soul searching and even more wailing at God about the cruelty of it all (I was in a dramatic mood, okay?), the solution came to me. Okay, God smacked me upside the head with a 2×4 of memories on how I solved every other, “don’t wanna finish this series” crisis.
See, way back with Wynnewood, the only thing that got me to the finish line was a promise I made to myself. “It doesn’t have to end here. You can write more if you want to. There’s nothing to say you can do ‘Wynnewood, the Later Years’ or something like that.”
Just that one promise to myself that I didn’t have to say goodbye was all it took for me to get back on that trusty old Toshiba laptop and pound out those last few chapters.
And here I was again, not ready to say goodbye to a series—to these islands that feel so crazy real to me. I didn’t want to say goodbye to the characters and their quirky ways. Would you?
Now… you’re going to laugh at me. Go ahead. I mean, I did. See here’s the deal. I didn’t have to make that promise to myself again. “What?” you say? “What do you mean?”
Yeah. I don’t have to say goodbye to the characters or the islands. Why? Because we have another island series coming, the Suamalie Islands, and Mallory is going to visit those islands.
If that isn’t enough for me, I have another series all planned for the Independence Islands, too! Yeah. That. I mean, what was I not thinking?
As soon as I thought of that, I was able to get in there, get the last few scenes written and pass it off to the fabulous Christy for her editorial magic. As for me, I think I’m going to go play around just a little bit with one of the Josie Parker Mysteries. I mean, why not?
Blog Stops
An Author’s Take, August 9
Lots of Helpers, August 10
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 10
Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, August 11
The Sacred Line, August 11
She Lives To Read, August 12
Texas Book-aholic, August 13
Splashes of Joy, August 13
Inklings and notions, August 14
lakesidelivingsite, August 15
For Him and My Family, August 15
LIbrary Lady’s Kid Lit, August 16
deb’s Book Review, August 17
Blogging With Carol, August 17
Locks, Hooks and Books, August 18
Sodbuster Living, August 18
Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, August 19
Simple Harvest Reads, August 19 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)
Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, August 20
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 21
Sylvan Musings, August 21
Blossoms and Blessings, August 22
Miriam Jacob, August 22
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Chautona is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card and a paperback copy of the book!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
https://promosimple.com/ps/20712/book-chapter-vows-celebration-tour-giveaway
The book sounds like a good read, and I really like the cover.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. This sounds like a story that may have many surprising twists.
Thank you for sharing your review of Book, Chapter, & Vows, this sounds like a wonderful book and series and I am looking forward to reading all of the stories myself
This book sounds really good.
This is such a good book! I’m looking forward to reading more about Mallory and Benjamin, too.
I do enjoy series, but I appreciate when a book can be read as a stand alone…just in case and also because I have messed up on the sequence when reading book series in the past. This island romance sounds like true love.
I love Chautona’s sense of humor and I’m sure that translates well to this novel. I really need to read this series!