These 3 Christian Fiction Books Had Everything Right, Except The Words
Are you the type of irrational person who has to finish reading a book, even if it makes you cringe? Then we’re not the same.
If a book doesn’t captivate me in the introduction, prologue, or first chapter, I’m out. Done. Moving on. And that is exactly how I feel about these clean fiction books.
To be fair, I read between 20%-40% of the books I’m reviewing here. Somewhere in the beginning, there was just enough of a spark that made me pause and think, mmm, this sounds like it has potential. But then it felt rushed. Weird. You know those "it's interesting but not that interesting" books?
Yeah.
So I gave them a chance, but they fell flat for me. Some have everything right—the concept, the plot, the title, even the cover—except the words. And if the words aren’t working, well... let’s just say it’s a tragedy.
Proceed at your own discretion.
No. 3
Promised Land by Robert Whitlow
One of my favorite books is Chosen People, the first book in this series. I gave my two cents on it here. Promised Land is promising, but in my non-expert, totally subjective opinion, it moves too fast when it should linger and drags when it should pick up the pace.
I kept waiting for those middle climaxes, those intriguing building blocks that make a story immersive. The characters were not as beautifully developed as in the first novel. I know some of the characters we’re already familiar with, but we want to experience how they grow.
Could we explore that maybe Hana is second-guessing her pregnancy?
What type of tension would there be by having a new baby and living in America?
Should we delve deeper into whether they should leave their jobs to keep the baby safe?
What are we doing with the dog?
How would losing the baby (or Daud) challenge Hana’s faith and identity?
I mean we need that complexity in there. And hey, it happens. Sometimes the first book in a series is the hit, and then the sequel just isn’t. We see it in movies (Toy Story 2? Trash), in music, and in books. It’s okay.
I remember the milestones in the story, but none of them submerged me in the experience. It felt like when my husband is giving me “the entire story”, according to him. You know what I mean? No juice, no details, no inner motivations, no how, not even when. Just "our son fell from the stairs, but he's fine now." And I’m sitting there like, HOW did he fall? WYM he’s fine now? Is he bleeding? Are you at home or in the hospital? WHY did he fall? WAS IT YOUR FAULT? You know, motivational details.
Because the book does give lots of details, but they’re not relevant to the story. They feel more like an explanation of a cultural context instead of an immersive literary experience. That’s what the book was missing.
Will there be a Promised Land Book 3? Now that would be interesting. Exploring marriage on a deeper level? Yes, please. Some solid law drama? Even better. The first book had an incredible unraveling plot, maybe a third one could bring the comeback this series needs.
No. 2
The Thief of Blackfriars Lane
If it’s about thieves, love, anything before the 1940s, and redemption, I’m all for it. In fact, I’m building a list of my favorite criminal-ish, legal-ish, spy-ish books. Stay tuned for that.
Actually, a Christian fiction book that has the same feel as this one but is superior in both prose and plot is A Name Unknown by Roseanna White. I’ve spoken about that book a LOT (and will continue too because it deserves it!)
And if you want something actually funny, intriguing, and about street urchins (and, guess what? BOOKS!), then The Lady and the Highwayman by Sarah M. Eden is a good one. Both will be part of my upcoming review list: “Criminal Christian Fiction Books So Good You Should Be In Jail for Reading Them”—or something equally cheesy.
Now, I don’t have much to say about this thief book. It felt cheesy. Maybe fourteen-year-old me would’ve read it, simply because it hits all the right notes of predictable drama—the overzealous police officer, the good-of-heart female thief. I mean, doesn’t this scream romance alllllll over it?
Yep. Predictable. And with my experience of Christian fiction books I’ve been exposed to, predictable = boring. And I can’t do boring—I literally only have five hours on the weekend to read.
So, what do I remember from this book? A new police officer wants to throw a thief in jail, but the thief outsmarts him. That’s it. That’s all I remember.
No. 1
Hearts of Steele by Elizabeth Camden
First things first, Elizabeth Camden is an incredibly talented writer. She has this rare ability to make everything interesting, funny, charming, and intriguing. She’s one of my favorite authors of all time!
In fact, this book is the final installment in The Blackstone Legacy (a series I absolutely LOVE). But for some unfathomable reason, it just doesn’t land.
It doesn’t give that final oomph, that golden, satisfying closure. For the first time, we get a deeper look into Liam, and yet… it doesn’t hit. It doesn’t deliver that page-turner, still-fantasizing-about-this-book kind of feeling like the first two did.
And I think the issue is the plot. The cadence, as I remember it, is solid—well-paced, engaging. The writing itself is as strong as ever, staying true to the tone of the first two books. But something about the storyline just loses its magic. It doesn’t pull you in. It doesn’t captivate.
It feels like one of those books you can easily forget, which wouldn’t be a big deal if it were a standalone novel. But as the grand finale of a beloved series? The golden ribbon tying it all together? Yeah, it kind of misses that kaboom!
And honestly, I think part of the problem is that Liam’s character arc just doesn’t evolve enough. We’ve spent two books watching him struggle with proving his place in this new family, dealing with his insecurities, clashing with rivals. But now, in the third and final book, it feels like we’re still circling the same “I don’t belong here but I’m trying” storyline.
Don’t get me wrong, that struggle was fantastic in books one and two. But in book three? It would’ve been nice to see something new.
Maybe he could have been forced to reconsider marriage, adding a layer of personal stakes beyond just proving himself.
Maybe he got smarter, shifting his ambitions in a way that surprised even himself.
Or what if he did something wild, abandoning everything, only to come back stronger and prove everyone wrong?
Something bold. Something unexpected. Some growth. A crazy plot twist that makes you clutch the book and gasp, “I did not see that coming.”
Instead, it felt like we were still stuck in the same emotional space he was in two books ago. And for a series that had so much fire, it’s a letdown to not see him rise in a way that truly changes the game.
