Sep 9, 2023

Giveaway & Tour: Room For Love

About the Book

Book: Room for Love

Author: Marguerite Martin Gray

Genre: Christian Contemporary Romance

Release Date: July 25, 2023

God gave her peace then; maybe He’ll do it again.

When Amy Lee’s son heads off to college, the bed and breakfast owner finds life even lonelier and emptier than she had after losing her husband. She needs something to occupy her mind and heart while she reinvents her life again. What more could she ask for than an after-school program for local children and a renewed interest in painting?

Then the arrival of a professor of archeology shakes her world and makes her yearn for the way things were only a few short months ago.

Still grieving the loss of his beloved wife, and ignoring the warnings and protests of his grown children, Professor Walker Standish escapes on a six-month sabbatical. His heart, barely beating these past months, jerks to life again when he finds more than a room at a B & B.

Where an ocean meets the shore, love has room for one more.

Take a trip to the Suamalie Islands where palm trees sway, the sand and sea pulse with life, and the people will steal your heart.

Click here to get your copy!

My Review

Marguerite Gray takes the reader to paradise in this later-in-life (late 30s / 40s) romance. As the reader, I felt like a fly on the wall experiencing the local cuisine, cool breezes, and stunning sunsets right along with the characters.

Amy is a brand-new empty nester, sending off her only son to college in the states. His absence leaves a void which one of her B&B guests soon helps fill. She’s been widowed for twelve years and doubts that she deserves to fall in love in her late thirties.

Widower Walker lost his wife two years ago. He coasts until he heads off to the islands for a six-month sabbatical. The island life and the pretty B&B owner are exactly what he needs to move on from his grief.

The author provides many rich descriptions of all aspects of island life. The romance is very slow to build, but makes sense given that both characters deal with allowing themselves to fall in love again.

I found I connected better with Walker’s character in the early part of the book, though I eventually related to Amy as well.

The one major disappointment for me was the very abrupt ending. I had been expecting that scene for some time. I just didn’t expect (or really like) the book ending there. It left me doubting just how much of a HEA the couple might experience.

That aside, the book is still a wonderful read and fans of clean Christian romance will enjoy it.

Genre: Christian Romance, Sweet Romance, Clean Romance, Later In Life

Location: Alexandre Island, Suamalie Islands

Romance: Very clean. Light kissing.

Faith: Mention of some verses and both characters praying for direction, especially in their relationship.

Disclaimer: I requested and received an advanced copy of this book courtesy of the publisher through Celebrate Lit Tours. I was not required to give a favorable review. All opinions are my own.

About the Author

Marguerite Martin Gray is the author of Hold Me Close, Surround Me, and Bring Me Near– Revolutionary Faith Books One, Two and Three. Besides researching her historical novels, she enjoys studying history and writing fiction. An avid traveler and reader, she teaches French and has degrees in French, Spanish, and Journalism from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, and a MA in English from Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas. Marguerite is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Abilene Writers Guild, Daughters of the American Revolution, South Carolina Historical Society, and Preservation Society of Charleston. She currently lives in North Louisiana with her husband and Cleo, her cat. Her two adult children keep her up to date and young.

More from Marguerite

I am so excited about being a part of this series. I have read all of the previous books and love having the collection on my shelf. I feel like I am traveling around my “home” with my characters, seeing all of the other islands and making new friends. Room for Love takes place on Alexandre Island just south of Laumua where the capitol and government are situated.

My husband and I traveled to Maui, experiencing the culture, food, sites, climate—the whole deal. My bucket list includes Bora Bora, but I couldn’t get my husband to splurge for a trip before writing this book. Yet, I have a hope to travel there one day.

For now, I’m relying on my experiences and research. The salty air and ocean offered awesome snorkeling and diving opportunities with the sea turtles and colorful fish. The humpback whales entertained us with their majestic beauty. Lorikeets and tropical birds serenaded from flowering treetops and sweet-smelling bushes and flowers.

Curvy roads in a convertible led us to cascading waterfalls and volcanoes. Many hours found us strolling on the beach or resting in hammocks. Needless to say, a week was not long enough.

I envisioned Alexandre Island as a perfect place for a B & B. We run three Airbnbs in Louisiana and really try to stay in others across the world when we can. Amy Lee, my heroine who owns the B & B, adds a wonderful breakfast and special authentic meals. On the property in an old barn, she, her staff, and friends offer an after-school program for local children.

Although tourism is a major source of island income, I realize and appreciate that the islanders have their own lives. I ask many questions of my characters to obtain a reality check about life on an exotic island. A little side note: I am a French teacher and have a strong love for the language, history, and culture surrounding these fictional islands.

I hope you enjoy the journey on all of the islands. Welcome to Alexandre.