Not Until Now

This book had my emotions all over the place! When the story started out, Cam was really a piece of work. It is hard for me to think of a main character that I have liked less than him at the beginning of a book. However, I really, really enjoy this author’s novels, so I realized that I was probably going to be amazed at the changes that Cam went through by the time I turned the last page. And I definitely was!

Cam’s personality transition from egotistical and self-centered, with a large helping of disgruntled, slowly and realistically began to change as the story progressed. A man began to emerge who valued and loved his niece and had a whole different set of priorities for his life than the shallow ones that he started out with.

Ruby was a great character and a very realistic example of the resiliency of childhood. I loved the way she interacted with Cam and Kayla and the connection that grew between the three of them.

Kayla was a strong and independent character, who had to learn that opening her heart to someone and sometimes allowing them to help her did not make her a weak person. Kayla was a great example in this story of overcoming extreme trauma and hard circumstances and trusting God deeply through the event that changed her life forever.

This story examines the question of why God allows bad things to happen to people and whether we can really trust that He is able to use all things for good. Forgiveness, grace, doubt, and grief are also major themes in the story and the author handles them in a beautiful way that stays true to God’s word.

This book is part of the Hope Springs series and there are some characters who overlap in this story. However, Not Until Now can definitely be enjoyed as a stand alone novel.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

You can read this review on my blog:
https://brittreadsfiction.wordpress.c...

Brenda Moser

9,375 reviews140 followers

March 24, 2021

This is a beautiful heartfelt romance between Cam and Kayla. The author brings strong characters and weaves a sweet love story taking them on a journey from not quite enemies to eventual love. She brings faith and inspiration as she guides them with God's plan for them. It's a wonderful Christian story that captured and held me right to the end. I loved and would highly recommend this book.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book. All opinion in this review are my own and freely given.

Debbie Eyre

5,913 reviews116 followers

March 6, 2021

This is such a sweet read! A well written story about forgiveness , redemption and hope. This made me laugh in places and it had me balling like a baby but boy is it a great story, one that I could not put down. A fun Christian romance and an amazing journey of faith! A must read.

Beth

1,066 reviews9 followers

April 11, 2023

An unlikely pairing of a strong Christian and paraplegic woman and a big city, agnostic high powered corporate lawyer to care for the man's niece (whom he didn't know existed) is the focus of this 7th book in the Hope Springs series.
Cam has been estranged from his older sister for 10 years; her drug habit destroyed her family financially and put her parents both into an early grave, and he has refused to have anything to do with her. He put himself through college, got his law degree, went into corporate law, has a nice place, a posh office, and after he proposes to his boss's daughter, a possible partnership. Except, he is not so sure he wants to marry the boss's daughter anymore.
Kayla was coming to Hope Springs to visit brother Nate & his wife Vi when the car in front of her slows, swerves, and drives off the road into a tree. She parks, calls 911, and goes to render what aid she can, if any, when a small voice calls for help and she sees 7 year old Ruby in the back seat. Kayla gets Ruby out just before EMS arrives to get her mom out of the car. Bethany is a single mom with no known relatives or family, but Ruby says she has an Uncle Cam. Kayla takes a flyer on unlocking the phone and succeeds, and calls Cam, insisting he do the right thing and come to take care of his niece. Thankful, in a way, to get out of the proposal to his wannabe fiancée, he explains that he has a family emergency and flies to the airport nearest Hope Springs.
But Cam is at a loss what to do with a 7 year old girl and has no desire to ask God for anything, so Kayla becomes his resource person when it comes to Ruby. He hates his sister for what her addiction did to her family, so he has no intention of seeing her in the hospital. Kayla is her only visitor and she reads a bit of "Little Women" to her every visit.
Meanwhile, others in Hope Springs are going through their own ups and downs. Throughout the book, as has been true of all in this series, scripture is skillfuly woven in and explored in a way that is not preachy, but enlightening. I like that even solid seeming Christians have tests of their faith - that is realistic, and something not always included in many Christian fiction books, where the characters come to the Lord and all their problems are solved forever. Jesus refutes that when He tells His disciples that they will have tribulation, that the world will hate them as it hated Him because we are not of this world, but to remember to be of good cheer because He has overcome the world and because we will not recall our suffering in heaven where He has prepared a place for us. For a book to leave a reader with the impression that becoming a believer will mean a life of blessings that you can coast through is, IMO, sinful because it is an anti-scriptural lie. The New Testament tells us that the perfecting of our faith occurs through trials, and is a necessity for spiritual growth...like a workout of sorts, but for the spirit and the mind, and only coincidentally may involve the body. So I appreciate the genuine portrayal of both newer and more established believers questioning their faith, esp. when their remedy is to read the Bible and pray, amd sometimes talk with a friend or their pastor.

Emma

1,622 reviews28 followers

Not Until Now by Valerie M. Bodden
“My heart went pitter patter.… A sweet story about forgiveness, redemption and letting go of what you think is the plan for your life.”
They both know what they want. And it’s not each other . . .
Kayla has worked hard to regain her independence after her spinal cord injury, and she isn’t willing to give that independence up for anyone. Which is why she is willfully single, with no intention of dating, marrying, or starting a family—ever. But when she witnesses an accident in Hope Springs, she finds herself drawn inextricably into the life of the young girl whose mother is now in a coma—and the uncle she has to convince to take care of the girl.
On the verge of the perfect life, Cam doesn’t owe his estranged sister anything. So he doesn’t appreciate the call informing him that he needs to care for the niece he didn’t even know he had. And yet, somehow he can’t say no to the woman on the other end of the phone. He soon finds himself on a plane for Hope Springs. He’ll go there, make alternate arrangements for the girl, and get back to his real, nearly perfect life.
But as Cam gets to know his niece and Kayla he starts to question what the perfect life really means. And as Kayla experiences the pull of family, she wonders whether being independent really means closing yourself off to others. Can they both let go of what they thought they wanted and let God give them the love they truly need?
This is Kayla and Cam's story.
This is Bethany Moore and Ruby Jane's story.
“Now what, Lord?” Kayla whispered the words into the silence of her car, an unfamiliar restlessness gathering in her soul as she eased the hand accelerator toward the steering wheel to pick up speed on the highway.
She’d always believed God opened and closed doors in a person’s life for a reason but she was struggling to understand the reason he’d literally close the doors of the camp for disabled children that she’d worked at for the past decade.
The place that had gotten her through the hardest time in her life.
What was wrong with him? Tonight was a big night. Cameron should be content, if not ecstatic.
He took in the spacious living room of his boss’s mansion big enough to fit three of the houses he grew up in.
The place was packed with mingling and laughing people, all of them here to congratulate Cameron on the multi-million dollar merger he’d just brokered.
I highly recommend reading.
Not Until Now by Valerie M. Bodden is a wonderful well written 5 star book.
I am looking forward to reading more books by Valerie M. Bodden.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

Stox4story

883 reviews9 followers

Life Can Change at Any Moment ...

This is a touching story that will have you raising your eyebrows a time or two. Why? The main female character, Kayla, is a real conundrum. It’s easy to understand where she’s coming from but, at the same time, she can be very frustrating. Cameron, the male lead, has his issues too but it’s easier to relate to him. He hides his pain deep within and has completely transformed himself to someone he is not in order to keep past hurts and betrayals at bay.

Kayla lives her life in a wheelchair. She was in an accident which left her with spinal cord damage. Thus she can’t walk, but she is gung-ho to let anyone and everyone know she doesn’t need them. She calls it being independent, I call it misplaced pride. She denies her needs with the facade of independence. She’s almost like two people in one. That prideful independent woman also is kind, loving and caring.

As for Cameron, he’s lost a lot. He’s had to come to terms with drug addiction … not his, but his sister’s. He blames her for their parents deaths, the loss of their livelihood and being all alone, without family. Thus he’s got his life all planned out and controlled. And, that means his sister has absolutely no place in his life.

But, unbeknownst to Kayla or Cam, there is Someone else with other, more perfect plans, for their lives. Seeing it all unfold is rewarding while sitting back and watching their ups and downs as you absorb page after page. As they say, God works in mysterious ways.

👁 OBSERVATIONS:

... Little Ruby was precious. No way Cam could ignore her

... Cam’s Ex has a lot to learn … just like Cam did

... Bethany, Cam’s sister, may not have played a major talking role here,,but without her, there would be no story. Her role was a blessing. With His help, people can and do change.

I was provided an advance copy of this book and am leaving my personal views and opinions.

Karen

204 reviews1 follower

March 3, 2021

As always, the books in the Hope Springs series inspire & entertain, and this story involving Kayla and Cam, along with some favorite characters from previous books, was no exception. Little Ruby, who was a delightful little girl, was in the car with her mother Bethany when they ran off the road. Bethany had suffered a brain aneurysm, and her brother Cam was called upon to care for Ruby while Bethany recovered. Since she remained in a coma for the majority of the book, it wasn’t even certain that she would recover. Although Cam wasn’t particularly likable in the beginning of the book, and hadn’t seen his sister in years (in fact, he didn’t even know he had a niece), he reluctantly stepped up to the plate to take responsibility for Ruby. His girlfriend Danielle was none too pleased, and she was a real piece of work, making me wonder what Cam ever saw in her. Kayla, independent but soft-hearted, helped Cam navigate the difficulties of caring for Ruby, and the slow build of their relationship from strangers to tentative friends to much more was both frustrating and rewarding. It was especially wonderful to see Cam’s eyes and heart gradually open to spiritual truths so that God could bring about a miracle in his heart. I was also very glad when he finally realized that Danielle wasn’t right for him and broke things off with her. Ms. Bodden is one of my favorite authors and an excellent storyteller, and I always look forward to sitting down with another one of her books. I received an advanced copy of this book from the author, and am giving my voluntary and honest opinion.

J. Gilmour

105 reviews2 followers

I just finished reading an advance reader copy of Not Until Now, and I enjoyed it! I love the characters in the story. Kayla, who is a spunky, young woman witnesses a car accident and stops to see if she can help. She offers to help the little girl, Ruby, to find her next of kin. She also visits Ruby's mother who was injured in the accident in the hospital. She then finds Ruby's uncle Cam and connects with him. She tries to convince him to take care of the child. She and Cam do not hit it off right away. Kayla is waiting to find direction in her life after a job she was working in at a camp for disabled children closed its doors. She is waiting to be accepted on a mission trip.

Cam is a businessman who wants success and prestige. He has his life planned out for him, and he does not want to be burdened with a child, especially his sister's child. He does not have a good relationship with his sister. He does eventually find Ruby's dad and goes to visit to see what he is like. When he finds out when meeting Ruby's dad that he is a drug addict, he decides to take care of Ruby until her mother wakes up from the coma.

As Cam is taking care of Ruby, he realizes what he is missing in life. He enjoys her happy chatter and her joyful spirit. He also enjoys being in Hope Springs and the people in the community. He realizes he is missing something in his life.

I love the message about forgiveness and how God can take any situation and work it out for the good.

Becky Collins

532 reviews4 followers

This is the 8th book in the Hope Springs series and definitely my favorite. It is Kayla’s story. Kayla had been in an accident and she had a spinal cord injury so she was bound to a wheelchair. She had just lost her job because they where closing the business and it was working with children with disabilities. So she heads to Hope Springs to be with her brother Nate and his wife Violet (Vi ) to help out with their first newborn that was about to arrive. As she was heading there she witnessed an accident so she went to help the victims and Bethany the mom was unconscious but Ruby the 7 year old was okay. Kayla called Bethany’s only family member her brother Cam to let him know about the accident and to come take care of Ruby. Cam wasn’t interested because he hadn’t spoken to his sister in a very long time because of her habit that she had. Cam was about to be engaged to Danielle when this all happened but he knew it didn’t feel right. Cam heads to Hope Springs to help with Ruby. Oh my I could go on and on but I don’t want to give anything away. But God truly has a hand in your life. The snow angel scene and the snow globe melted my heart. You will not be disappointed in this book. I read it in one day because I couldn’t put it down.

Sonya Wasden

1,075 reviews12 followers

March 15, 2021

I have absolutely loved every single story I have read but his author. She has an amazing talent of making her characters real and drawing the emotion of their lives into the reader's life and making the characters become your friends and family. This story was no different and is a wonderful addition to the Hope Springs series.

Kayla has a spinal cord injury and will spend the rest of her life in a wheelchair but she doesn't let that slow her down but she is determined to not be dependent on anyone, especially a man. When her trip home finds her as a witness to a horrific accident, she takes the little girl, Ruby, left alone when her mom is seriously injured, and is determined to help to provide what she needs.

Kayla needs to contact Ruby's Uncle Cam to come and take care of his niece. Cam is not the easiest person to like. He has a completely different life in California and the last thing he wants is to be called on to take care of a niece he has never met or even knew about and a sister who he is very angry with for ruining their family.

This story is a beautiful story about forgiveness, redemption, love and learning about and accepting God's will.

I was given an arc copy of this story and I willingly offer my honest review.

Diana

711 reviews6 followers

Kayla had been following the car that ended in the ditch, and bonded with the little girl in the car immediately. She has a plan for her life- to never get married or depend on anyone, but she takes time out for a little girl who immediately depends on her. Cam has the perfect life. He's about to become partner in the law firm, almost engaged to his boss's daughter, neither one of them wants kids; then as with all things perfect, he gets "the call". His sister that he hasn't spoken to in years, has been in a car accident and in ICU. Cam doesn't really care, he cut ties with his sister long ago when she ruined his perfect family. .Kayla shames him into coming to Hope Springs to see about his sister's daughter, his niece. He swears to his almost-fiancé that he'll find a place to dump the kid and be right back to pick up where they left off. Cam didn't expect Ruby. Ruby is his super adorable niece that just worms her way into everyone's heart. As Kayla and Cam try to do the best for Ruby, they learn about themselves and that what each of them thought they had mapped out for their respective perfect lives may not really be what's in the cards.

Victoria

700 reviews8 followers

Kayla dialed 911 when the car in front of her holding a woman and her precious little girl drove off the road and into a ditch. Not one to abandon a person in need, Kayla assisted by staying with Ruby while her mom was being cared for and by using the woman’s phone to locate and contact a family member concerning the serious accident. She was shocked by the blasé way Ruby’s Uncle Cam responded to the news of his sister’s injuries. She had to be very blunt and almost forceful to get him to come. Such was the meet-cute between Kayla and Cam—not so cute. The author took me on their journeys through the hard things in their pasts and then as their paths converged, it was amazing to read about their healing and journey to wholeness together. If you’ve ever wondered why God has allowed something painful to happen or if you’ve ever struggled to forgive, then this book may offer you some comfort and wisdom. Or you can just read for pleasure as this book takes you on twists and unexpected turns and leaves you with a very satisfying happily-ever-after. I received a complimentary copy of this book and this voluntary review is my honest opinion.

Adpa

503 reviews2 followers

Another great story from Valerie Bodden! An independent, strong paraplegic meets a lawyer who finds he has a niece he didn't know about, and that his sister is lying in a coma at the hospital. Cameron finds his life disrupted to take care of his niece, Ruby, and his demeanor shows it. Kayla witnessed the accident that caused the mother to be hospitalized and has taken Ruby under her wing until Cam arrives from California. Seeing Cam's disregard for Ruby's feelings, Kayla keeps pushing Cam to do the right thing as a responsible family member, regardless of ill feelings toward Ruby's mother.
Ruby is such an upbeat, happy child and Kayla stays involved in her life and eventually the interactions between Cam and Kayla become more friendly and eventually developing into deeper feelings.
This was really an enjoyable book that emphasizes the need to forgive those people who hurt us especially those who we feel don't deserve forgiveness.
I was blessed to receive a copy of this book and am grateful for the opportunity to give my review.

2021 arc

Carol Brandon

633 reviews4 followers

August 13, 2021

I loved this cozy romance. We see again some familiar characters from the Hope Springs series … Kayla has just lost her job and is wondering where God is leading her. She goes to visit her brother and sister-in-law in Hope Springs. On the way, she witnesses a car accident, which leaves the mother, Bethany, in a coma, and a 7 year old, Ruby, without family … except for an uncle. Who doesn’t know she exists. Reluctantly, he comes to help out. But can he ever forgive his sister, Bethany, who ripped their family apart? Will Ruby melt his heart? More importantly, can God? Kayla is an independent woman who is determined to never marry. I was quickly drawn into the story, and into the lives of these people. The romance wasn’t formulaic, and I appreciated Kayla’s brother and sister-in-law who pointed out that one doesn’t lose part of oneself when they marry; they are completed. I also liked the exploration of the theme of forgiveness. I received a free copy of this book, with no obligation.

Marie Bourgery

3,643 reviews17 followers

September 5, 2022

For someone who had gone through so much Kayla amazed me with her strength and compassion. But she is also too stubborn for her own good at times. Cam was living a life he thought he wanted but a phone call from Kayla that his sister is in a coma, and he needs to care for a niece he never met makes him see different possibilities. His girlfriend struck me as self-centered and with her priorities all messed up. She wanted Cam to foist his niece off on an unknown potentially criminal man that her investigations deduced could be her father and run back to her. But even though Cam is angry at his sister for what she did to his family he won't do that to his niece. Kayla and Cam argue a lot in this book, and she sees him as selfish at times too, but his world was turned upside down and for someone who has never dealt with kids before he works through all his missteps with Kayla's help. This is a deeply Christian book with lots of religious references, wondering why bad things happen to good people, and forgiveness.

Aurélie

490 reviews1 follower

Cam has his life all planned out: getting promoted as partner in his law firm as soon as possible, marrying his boss’s daughter to fulfill the place of perfect wife, and finally living the perfect life, making a lot of money and definitely without children. So when he receives a phone call and learns that he has to take care of his niece Ruby, whom he did not even know existed, he is less than happy…
Each character had a very interesting growth to go through. Cam learned that his plans apparently had nothing to do with God’s plans for his life. Kayla learned that faith comes not from her being strong but God being strong within her. And Ruby was the perfect example of a child’s faith, even believing that her grumpy uncle could become happy / friendly just because she prayed about it ☺. Enjoy this story as you accompany each character as they grow in their faith individually as well as their personal relationships.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Deb

73 reviews

March 17, 2021

I am often skeptical of "friends to lovers" stories. They are often written with going from one to the other too quickly. But in this story Val builds this relationship between Cam and Kayla more slowly, more realistically, building from truth instead of initial attraction. Even though Kayla came on overly strong and as stand-offish at first, if you read about her in Nate & Vi’s story you understood her more. I think their mutual love that grew so quickly for each of them towards Ruby being the building block for the attraction that grew as they watched each other interact with her was what made their story work so well. Of course Cam’s relationship with Christ was another point that made them work in my eyes! This was a great book of faith, love, forgiveness and trust with some unexpected twists and turns along the way!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. This is my voluntary, honest opinion.

Lisa

901 reviews

April 3, 2021

I received this book for my honest review! Sorry it took me so long to read! It was such a good book! ❤️ Cam’s sister Bethany is in a bad accident and he gets a call from a lady named Kayla saying he needed to get to Hope Springs to take care his niece. What a niece? Why would he do that he hasn’t talked to his sister since she messed up and got into drugs. Can he even forgive her for the mess she made in their family? Plus he was to busy getting ready to propose to his bosses daughter, but that was just a convenient plan. The lady, Kayla,
Wouldn’t take no for an answer someone had to take care of his niece and she didn’t even know her! Well Cam Didn’t either, but he went ahead and came back to take care of his niece...very grudgingly. Kayla helps Cam out since he has no clue how to care for a child and really doesn’t want to, but God can change our want to. Read the story to see how this story plays out!

Barbara

1,604 reviews22 followers

A story of faith, hope, new beginnings, finding true love, and a HEA. Cam wasn’t thrilled to be taking time out of his busy life to care for a niece he didn’t even know he had, for a sister he hadn’t been in touch with for over 10 years. However, the more time he spends with her, he realizes life is about more than a big paycheck, a partnership in business, prestige, having the biggest house, most expensive car, or about money at all. It’s about family, getting through good times and bad together, the love, smiles, and all-around happiness. Cam meets Kayla, the one responsible for contacting him after his sister’s accident. It’s definitely not love at first sight, and they get on each other’s nerves quite easily. But time and circumstances have a way of changing things, if you give them a chance. I was given an advance copy. This review is my honest opinion.

Korkoi

7,062 reviews31 followers

Faith And Redemption -
Cam’s was living a high life, but felt like there was something missing. Kayla had overcome so much, but was still looking to accomplish more. Their lives intersected when they were both at a crossroad and direction. Ruby came into their lives and helped them find what they truly needed.

I have noticed that every Valerie M. Bodden book I read, has a lesson to teach us. In this book, it taught me about forgiveness, having faith, that God has a plan for everyone and that when you have a feeling something isn’t right, then step back and re-assess. I really enjoyed reading this book and this bible verse came to mind: Colossians 3:13 “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”

I received an advanced copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

Trudy Cordle

1,164 reviews6 followers

Loved this book!! Cam thinks his life is just as he wants it, until he gets an unexpected phone call from his sister's phone, and finds out that he has a niece he's never met, and needs to go take care of her. He resents the intrusion into his life, at first, but then realizes his life he thought he wanted wasn't really what he wanted at all. When he meets Kayla and starts taking care of Ruby, he realizes what he really wants is what he never thought he'd want. When he reconnects with God, he realizes that he really can have the perfect life, just not the perfect life he thought he wanted!

I received a complimentary copy of this book, was not required to leave a review, and the opinion expressed is my own.

Paula

2,281 reviews27 followers

March 2, 2021

A story that pulls at your heart, makes you smile, and gives you hope. Kayla is very determined to do everything for herself and definitely without a man. Cam is one self-centered man with unforgiveness in his heart. Enter Ruby. She was one of the most adorable little girls I have ever read about. Loved the focus on the Lord and how He is the only one who can truly forgive and enable us to forgive. Funny first encounter between Kayla and Cam that made me laugh. Of course there is angst but that tends to make good story. Amazing how the people we encounter can (in this case) inspire us to change our outlook, perspective and desires. The Lord can truly change people and these characters exhibited great change. Loved the ending.

Paula Marie

173 reviews8 followers

March 16, 2021

I just adore Hope Springs and the community these people have with one another. I would happily read any story from this author and set in this place, but this one seriously took me on a journey! I cannot for one moment tell you what it must be like to be wheelchair bound, but I imagine the author did a great job in this book. I can tell you how it is to be so fiercely independent you don't even want someone to open a door for you...I spent too many years feeling the need to shun any help from anyone, mind you!

Kayla and Cam are so entertaining as they go through some very serious issues involving 7 year old Ruby and Cam's sister's coma....you simply must take the time to visit Hope Springs!!

Jaycee Weaver

Author 38 books305 followers

June 3, 2021

Awesome!

Not only was this a perfect addition to the Hope Springs series, it might be my new favorite. I love a good redemptive story, which we got in Cam as he goes from hard-headed, wounded jerk to someone so much more. But Kayla’s the star here. Her huge heart that stubbornly refuses to let people give any less than the best of themselves, her fierce independence that is both strength and greatest weakness... she’s awesome. And the fact she comes to us on wheels as part of her and not her whole story, well, that’s just icing on the cake. It’s refreshing to read a differently-abled, strong, and thoroughly human heroine who is authentic and well written. And together? They’re so much more than either could have planned or imagined. Well done!

SJ Garrison

652 reviews

Really loved Kayla and Cam's story. I read this through out the day. Kayla watched a car run off the road and called 911, then made her way to rescue a little girl named Ruby and wait with her till her Mother was taken to the hospital. Cam was the brother to Ruby's Mom and the only contact Ruby knew to call. I loved little Ruby and ached for her when she couldn't see her Mom in the hospital. I fussed at Kayla always afraid of losing her independence. And celebrated when they started becoming friends. If you like clean inspiring stories you can't go wrong with 'Not Until Now'. I highly recommend. I received this book from the publisher. The thoughts and comments are my own.

Bonny Rambarran

1,521 reviews21 followers

When she stops at the scene of an accident, the first thing she does is call 911. The second thing she does is go to the car and gets the child out. (Not easy in her wheelchair.). When the ambulance gets there they take the mother and she take the girl with her. BUT now what? Does she have a father? Family? Turns out the only family is a brother she has not seen in decades . . . .who does not even know she has a child!! AND the story get really complicated - and interesting at that point!!! AMAZING STORY! Love Love this book.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All thoughts and comments are my own.

Pat

1,832 reviews12 followers