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Tell Your Heart to Beat Again
Eighteen young authors have come together to present this collection of heartfelt Christian romance. Tell Your Heart to Beat Again includes stories, poetry, and encouragement that stand out from the worldly romance circulating today, focusing on themes of maturing through romance, healing after loss, and growing closer to God.
This anthology speaks of romance as a journey of joy and laughter as well as sorrow and difficult growth. In the end, each piece points us toward placing our hope and identity in the Lord.
Featuring authors Rachel M. Adams, Fay Andrews, Raelyn Blanchat, Abigail Cash, G. K. Elliott, Erin Hylands, Ariel R. Jensen, Adaelyn Lee, Decker J. Martin, Bella Nigol, Leighton Opperman, Abigail Powers, Kathryn Smith, Jessica Sprecher, Hannah Grace Staton, Ann Weaver, Aryanna Wegner, and Cadence E. Witt
This anthology speaks of romance as a journey of joy and laughter as well as sorrow and difficult growth. In the end, each piece points us toward placing our hope and identity in the Lord.
Featuring authors Rachel M. Adams, Fay Andrews, Raelyn Blanchat, Abigail Cash, G. K. Elliott, Erin Hylands, Ariel R. Jensen, Adaelyn Lee, Decker J. Martin, Bella Nigol, Leighton Opperman, Abigail Powers, Kathryn Smith, Jessica Sprecher, Hannah Grace Staton, Ann Weaver, Aryanna Wegner, and Cadence E. Witt
476 pages, Paperback
First published January 28, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
January 18, 2025
OMGOODNESSSS GUYS THIS BOOK IS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!! ROMANCE WITHOUT SPICE AND IS WELL WRITTEN IS RARE BUT THIS BOOK CHECKS OFF ALL THE BOXES! PLEASE READ YALL THIS IS AMAZING!!!!
February 2, 2025
Rating: 4.5 stars
*Disclaimer* I am one of the authors of this anthology, but I will be giving an honest review and feedback based on my opinion as a reader.
I absolutely loved this anthology! Each story had sweet elements of both Christianity and romance, and it was so refreshing to read clean romance that wasn't focused on sensuality but instead portrayed what a beautiful, God-honoring relationship can look like.
One of my favorite things about this anthology is that there were so many different genres displayed among the individual pieces. Fantasy, historical fiction, contemporary, poetry, and nonfiction articles- I enjoyed getting into each story and reading something different!
I would recommend this to any reader who enjoys reading romance but struggles to find clean and wholesome stories.
*Disclaimer* I am one of the authors of this anthology, but I will be giving an honest review and feedback based on my opinion as a reader.
I absolutely loved this anthology! Each story had sweet elements of both Christianity and romance, and it was so refreshing to read clean romance that wasn't focused on sensuality but instead portrayed what a beautiful, God-honoring relationship can look like.
One of my favorite things about this anthology is that there were so many different genres displayed among the individual pieces. Fantasy, historical fiction, contemporary, poetry, and nonfiction articles- I enjoyed getting into each story and reading something different!
I would recommend this to any reader who enjoys reading romance but struggles to find clean and wholesome stories.
March 7, 2025
As I read this book, I felt privileged to have played a part in putting it together, both as a member of the publishing company that produced it and as one of the featured authors. I've never been so closely involved in the book publishing process before, so getting to be a part of this book from beginning to end was a journey I won't soon forget. It's a project I'm honored to be part of.
This book beautifully captures the highs and lows and in-betweens of Christian romance. Even though I don't often read the romance genre, I loved seeing the journey of romance through the lens my fellow young writers (most of whom have not yet experienced it themselves) provided. The stories are all clean, and the romance is sweet. There are also some lovely poems and a few thought-provoking nonfiction pieces, which nicely round out this diverse compilation.
So if you're looking for a sweet, romantic read that is sure to touch your heart, bringing laughter and maybe even a few tears, and if you want to support rising young writers while doing so, I would encourage you to pick up Tell Your Heart to Beat Again.
This book beautifully captures the highs and lows and in-betweens of Christian romance. Even though I don't often read the romance genre, I loved seeing the journey of romance through the lens my fellow young writers (most of whom have not yet experienced it themselves) provided. The stories are all clean, and the romance is sweet. There are also some lovely poems and a few thought-provoking nonfiction pieces, which nicely round out this diverse compilation.
So if you're looking for a sweet, romantic read that is sure to touch your heart, bringing laughter and maybe even a few tears, and if you want to support rising young writers while doing so, I would encourage you to pick up Tell Your Heart to Beat Again.
February 22, 2025
My sister was an Author in it, and they all did SO GOOD
February 17, 2025
I just finished this book this past weekend. I really enjoyed the creativity of our young authors and I can’t wait to see what they come up with in the future. My favorite stories were the civil war story and the Titanic story. My favorite poem was the last entry by Decker Martin. Very well done. Bravo to all.
March 11, 2025
Ahhh this book has been such a blessing to me this month! Through all the lovely stories, I've laughed, teared up, and found wonderful reminders of God and what it looks like to wait patiently for his timing and everything. Each story, article, and poem was bright beautiful, and full of wholesome messages. Many of these I will remember for a long time yet. Definitely five stars!
January 18, 2025
...
disclaimer: the fact that i am one of the authors in this book and a SPP member is not effecting my review
(this took forever to write out, glad their isn't a word count limit on reviews lol. oh and bits of spoiler alerts)
...
A Healing Love by Kathryn Smith
this one was definitely one of my favorites, i loved the dynamic and the characters. and i absolutely loved nathaniel so much. his sweet, caring, and chivalrous but fiery character was my favorite thing about him. and i also loved Savannah’s character too, she is such a special character. i enjoyed how we got to know her thoughts and the fact that her and the readers didn’t know her past at all. one of the stories that i personally enjoyed the best for sure.
A True Masterpiece by Kathryn Smith
i really enjoyed the dancing dynamic to this one. for me it was slightly hard to follow but i loved hazel as the main character and how the author incorporated our identity into it. ballroom dancing is so graceful but suspenseful so it went perfectly with the rest of the story and plot.
Adaline by Ariel R. Jensen
this one was also an amazing story for being as short as it is. i loved how the author played and tugged at my emotions and really gave me the feeling that i was in the story. definitely one of my top stories in this anthology.
Cloak by Abigail Cash
this one was very interesting with the fact that the mother is telling her son a story. but he doesn't know that she's telling him her story. it's a super entertaining and fun story to read.
Cruising On Love by Rachel M. Adams
okay so this one was my story and i definitely criticize my writing way more than i prolly should lol. but anyways, this story was loosely off of a dream i had one day and then incorporated in with inkotber so it's kinda choppy. i did love writing this story a lot though. i loved all the characters, their names, and their personalities'.
Draw Me Back by Abigail Powers
this was another one of my absolute favorites. it felt really relatable and a relationship that i'd like to have one day. i loved quinn so much, her character was so amazing and perfect for her. i loved jake's character cuz of how sweet, loving, funny, and caring he was. another one of my top favorites of this book
Faith in the Midst of Fear by Raelyn Blanchat
this one wasn't as relatable for me but it really did draw me into how being martyred felt and how much faith they had to stand their ground for believe in God even tho they could get killed for it. overall a great story about faith
Hold My Hand by Fay Andrews
this was a super sweet poem and how the author incorporated God, love, and relationships into the poem was amazing. and the title of the poem is absolutely perfect.
How To Pray For Your Future Partner by Rachel M. Adams
oh goodness, this another one of my stories and i don't know how i feel about this one lol. this originally was supposed to just be a blog post but it ended up getting accepted into the anthology. and well, i hope that it can be used as an encouragement
In the Rafters of Notre Dame by Adaelyn Lee
this one had another cool plot and dynamic to it for sure. i loved how much alexander cared for kathrin and how he showed it. i also enjoyed how our identity was added into this story
Love is a Rose by Jessica Sprecher
this poem was beautiful. the way that it talks about grief, healing, love, and joy. all in a single rose. i loved this allegory.
My Terrible Dancing by Rachel M. Adams
*runs to hide* this one was written in like an hour on a long car ride. i actually am kinda proud of this one cuz parts of it is true for me personally. all the characters were based from some of my in real life friends, if you couldn't tell, i love naming my fictional characters after real people i know. so overall i really liked writing this on
Perfection Impossible by Ann Weaver
this one was really sweet, it had a beautiful message. we can't be perfect, and that's okay. none of us are perfect and that's why we need Jesus
River Elegy by Decker J. Martin
this was such a cool poem, i loved how it also depicted a story in a way. i really enjoyed that aspect of this poem
Someday, My Dear by Leighton Opperman
this was another amazing poem that i love. i think that first letter going down is a such neat extra thing that adds to the poem.
Someday... by Fay Andrews
this one was also another awesome poem. i really could feel the beauty in love and in the poem as i read it
Stress Relievers by Adaelyn Lee
this one was a different story but it was still so beautiful. it was like showing beauty in the little things and taking the time to really value love, and the love that Jesus gives us
The Crown’s Fire by Cadence E. Witt
this one is another one of my favorites for sure. i loved the two love interests so much. they were like perfect together. it may have been a little cheesy but i loved how deeply warren showed that he cared for ava. and how either letter displayed their feelings.
The Lord Takes, and the Lord Supplies by G. K. Elliott
i really enjoyed the journal format of this story, it was different, but in a good way. i also loved how open the writer of the journal was, especially since it was male character. this story did play with my emotions a lot and i enjoyed that, even if the ending was a bit sad
The Poet I Once Knew by Erin Hylands
this one is a big love-hate relationship for me. the characters were so so cute and perfect for each other and then at the end he gets killed off. i did really appreciate that at the end they will see each other again but it still really made my emotions fly all over the place. i know that this one was written during inkotber and i really loved how seamlessly the word prompts were spread all over the story
The Rest of Him by Bella Nigol
this one was also had a beautiful but very sad ending. i loved how the main character has flash-backs and how personal the character was. but also the hope at the ending was beautiful in it's own special way <3
Titanic Waves by Aryanna Wegner
this one was a really cool story about sacrifice and how much teddy cared for lena. i'm not much for historical fiction but i did enjoy this one a lot, and the ending was insanely cute too.
True Commitment by Ann Weaver
this one was a really encouraging but kinda a flash into our world and the reality of how many couples that aren't faithful to each other. i did enjoy the ending and the overall message of this one
We Are Stardust by Leighton Opperman
i loved the imaginary details of this one. it really described the love and the beauty of the stars all at the same time.
What I Couldn’t Do by Decker J. Martin
this was an amazing poem to end with. that He freed us from our sins, through love. so now we can love too.
...
welp, that literally took so long to type out lol but i did it. every single one of these pieces are special and unique in their own way <3
to finish, this anthology is amazing and personally one of the best ones yet from SPP. i totally recommend reading it.
"We love because He first loved us" - 1 John 4:19
...
...
disclaimer: the fact that i am one of the authors in this book and a SPP member is not effecting my review
(this took forever to write out, glad their isn't a word count limit on reviews lol. oh and bits of spoiler alerts)
...
A Healing Love by Kathryn Smith
this one was definitely one of my favorites, i loved the dynamic and the characters. and i absolutely loved nathaniel so much. his sweet, caring, and chivalrous but fiery character was my favorite thing about him. and i also loved Savannah’s character too, she is such a special character. i enjoyed how we got to know her thoughts and the fact that her and the readers didn’t know her past at all. one of the stories that i personally enjoyed the best for sure.
A True Masterpiece by Kathryn Smith
i really enjoyed the dancing dynamic to this one. for me it was slightly hard to follow but i loved hazel as the main character and how the author incorporated our identity into it. ballroom dancing is so graceful but suspenseful so it went perfectly with the rest of the story and plot.
Adaline by Ariel R. Jensen
this one was also an amazing story for being as short as it is. i loved how the author played and tugged at my emotions and really gave me the feeling that i was in the story. definitely one of my top stories in this anthology.
Cloak by Abigail Cash
this one was very interesting with the fact that the mother is telling her son a story. but he doesn't know that she's telling him her story. it's a super entertaining and fun story to read.
Cruising On Love by Rachel M. Adams
okay so this one was my story and i definitely criticize my writing way more than i prolly should lol. but anyways, this story was loosely off of a dream i had one day and then incorporated in with inkotber so it's kinda choppy. i did love writing this story a lot though. i loved all the characters, their names, and their personalities'.
Draw Me Back by Abigail Powers
this was another one of my absolute favorites. it felt really relatable and a relationship that i'd like to have one day. i loved quinn so much, her character was so amazing and perfect for her. i loved jake's character cuz of how sweet, loving, funny, and caring he was. another one of my top favorites of this book
Faith in the Midst of Fear by Raelyn Blanchat
this one wasn't as relatable for me but it really did draw me into how being martyred felt and how much faith they had to stand their ground for believe in God even tho they could get killed for it. overall a great story about faith
Hold My Hand by Fay Andrews
this was a super sweet poem and how the author incorporated God, love, and relationships into the poem was amazing. and the title of the poem is absolutely perfect.
How To Pray For Your Future Partner by Rachel M. Adams
oh goodness, this another one of my stories and i don't know how i feel about this one lol. this originally was supposed to just be a blog post but it ended up getting accepted into the anthology. and well, i hope that it can be used as an encouragement
In the Rafters of Notre Dame by Adaelyn Lee
this one had another cool plot and dynamic to it for sure. i loved how much alexander cared for kathrin and how he showed it. i also enjoyed how our identity was added into this story
Love is a Rose by Jessica Sprecher
this poem was beautiful. the way that it talks about grief, healing, love, and joy. all in a single rose. i loved this allegory.
My Terrible Dancing by Rachel M. Adams
*runs to hide* this one was written in like an hour on a long car ride. i actually am kinda proud of this one cuz parts of it is true for me personally. all the characters were based from some of my in real life friends, if you couldn't tell, i love naming my fictional characters after real people i know. so overall i really liked writing this on
Perfection Impossible by Ann Weaver
this one was really sweet, it had a beautiful message. we can't be perfect, and that's okay. none of us are perfect and that's why we need Jesus
River Elegy by Decker J. Martin
this was such a cool poem, i loved how it also depicted a story in a way. i really enjoyed that aspect of this poem
Someday, My Dear by Leighton Opperman
this was another amazing poem that i love. i think that first letter going down is a such neat extra thing that adds to the poem.
Someday... by Fay Andrews
this one was also another awesome poem. i really could feel the beauty in love and in the poem as i read it
Stress Relievers by Adaelyn Lee
this one was a different story but it was still so beautiful. it was like showing beauty in the little things and taking the time to really value love, and the love that Jesus gives us
The Crown’s Fire by Cadence E. Witt
this one is another one of my favorites for sure. i loved the two love interests so much. they were like perfect together. it may have been a little cheesy but i loved how deeply warren showed that he cared for ava. and how either letter displayed their feelings.
The Lord Takes, and the Lord Supplies by G. K. Elliott
i really enjoyed the journal format of this story, it was different, but in a good way. i also loved how open the writer of the journal was, especially since it was male character. this story did play with my emotions a lot and i enjoyed that, even if the ending was a bit sad
The Poet I Once Knew by Erin Hylands
this one is a big love-hate relationship for me. the characters were so so cute and perfect for each other and then at the end he gets killed off. i did really appreciate that at the end they will see each other again but it still really made my emotions fly all over the place. i know that this one was written during inkotber and i really loved how seamlessly the word prompts were spread all over the story
The Rest of Him by Bella Nigol
this one was also had a beautiful but very sad ending. i loved how the main character has flash-backs and how personal the character was. but also the hope at the ending was beautiful in it's own special way <3
Titanic Waves by Aryanna Wegner
this one was a really cool story about sacrifice and how much teddy cared for lena. i'm not much for historical fiction but i did enjoy this one a lot, and the ending was insanely cute too.
True Commitment by Ann Weaver
this one was a really encouraging but kinda a flash into our world and the reality of how many couples that aren't faithful to each other. i did enjoy the ending and the overall message of this one
We Are Stardust by Leighton Opperman
i loved the imaginary details of this one. it really described the love and the beauty of the stars all at the same time.
What I Couldn’t Do by Decker J. Martin
this was an amazing poem to end with. that He freed us from our sins, through love. so now we can love too.
...
welp, that literally took so long to type out lol but i did it. every single one of these pieces are special and unique in their own way <3
to finish, this anthology is amazing and personally one of the best ones yet from SPP. i totally recommend reading it.
"We love because He first loved us" - 1 John 4:19
...
...
January 24, 2025
This book is so God honoring. I love being able to read Romances again, with out feeling icky inside. This book points back to God in every story, not to worldly love that dies in the hardship of doing it on your own. Defiantly would read it again a million of times.
January 18, 2025
this is an absolutely amazing collection and i 100% recommend it. i loved all the pieces in here. the back blurb perfectly describes the whole entire basis of this book <3
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews