Love You, Truly by Susan L. Tuttle {A Book Review}

**I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for consideration. All thoughts are 100% my own. 

Blake Carlton, the camera-shy son of Hollywood’s Darling, dodges the invasive limelight and scripted relationships that so often accompany fame. But when his mother’s popularity declines and she falls into a depression, he offers himself up as the next bachelor on a reality show, hoping to reignite interest in her career while creating a way for them to finally connect.

After her fiancé dumps her for her best friend, aspiring photographer Harlow Tucker is done with romance—until her beloved, disabled sister requests her aid to start a nonprofit. Harlow agrees to do whatever is needed to raise funds, even reluctantly costarring on a dating show with a notorious womanizer who distrusts anyone behind a lens.

As Blake and Harlow navigate the superficiality of a reality show, their preconceived notions of love are challenged. Deciding to trust each other feels like the ultimate risk, but taking that chance could lead to a love truly picture-perfect, worth both of their hearts.

Susan Tuttle lives in the Mitten State where she's a homeschooling mom of three and happily married to her best friend. Between raising her teens and leading the women's ministry at church, she finds time to write. She's firmly convinced that letters were meant for words, not math, and loves stringing them together into stories that inspire and encourage. Romance, laughter, and cookies are three of her favorite things, though not always in that order. Connect with Susan at www.susanltuttle.com.

Oh, what a fun and unique read this was! At first I must admit I wasn't sure what to expect from it. I'm not a big reality TV fan, so I wasn't sure if that would affect my opinion of the story. And honestly, it didn't at all. It might poke fun at the actual reality of reality television, but it does so in a way that I honestly think that those who watch it and those who don't will enjoy it just the same. It had all the makings of a good romantic comedy and I couldn't help but smile as I read it!

In this story we meet two rather imperfect characters: Harlow and Blake.Harlow has dedicated her life to taking care of her disabled sister, putting her own interests to the side. Blake grew up in the spotlight with his actress mom, but as such had learned to keep his distance from those around him who always seemed to want another piece of him. From the moment they meet for his new reality dating show, sparks fly... though not always in a positive way! Their back and forth throughout the story kept me wanting to read on. It was humorous, it was fun...and it was truly a fantastic chemistry.

Speaking of chemistry, for a Christian romance, it did seem like there was more attention than usual paid to the physical for this particular genre. Don't get me wrong, this is still very much a clean romance but there were many instances where bodies were admired, there was some pretty steamy kisses and even implications of going further than that. Again, it wasn't graphic, it wasn't talked about in any real detail, just more so than what you typically find in Christian fiction. As such, more conservative (or younger) readers may not enjoy that aspect of the story. Personally, I feel like in this story it made it more genuine. It also really allowed us to see the growth that Blake makes throughout the story, and to see God working on him through it too and that even more than the romance was absolutely fantastic to see.

Overall, I really enjoyed this story. I look forward to checking out more from this author in the future!