Loyally, Luke

This is a self-aware hallmark movie book. Incredibly enjoyable and will leave you with all of the warm and fuzzies. Be sure to check out the audiobook. Great cast with fantastic accents.

I received an ARC from Netgalley and the publisher.

LUKE. I loved Izzy and adored Penelope, but LUKE. LUKE WAS PERFECT. The way this was written with as many romcom tropes and cliches in it, while Luke constantly talks about hating romcoms and hallmark movies is PERFECTION. I absolutely loved it. It had just the right amount of snark, sass, and swoon. The audio was also great! As someone who listened to the first two as well, I could tell the voices for Izzy and Penelope were different, but I still loved them! And Luke’s narration was spot on.

Loved!

I am very excited to be reading this book! My full review to follow.
Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is the third book in the Skymar series. Luke was featured in the first two and whole this is a standalone story, it is best enjoyed having read the others. You really come to understand the family relationship and Luke's personality in those books before getting to his story.

I will begin by mentioning that I listened to this book, as I did the others. I really thought the narrators, especially the male narrator, made the story in the other books. His accents were perfection. This audiobook is a bit different than the others. They each had a male and a female narrator. This one has a FULL CAST! This is the first book I have listened to with a full cast reading it. I loved it so much! I received an advanced audio copy from Netgalley, and Zondervan Fiction Audio and Thomas Nelson. I specifically didn't request an advanced ebook because I knew I wanted to listen to this. That being said, I would have liked to follow along in the ebook some just to see how the print version compared to cast's reading, especially the text messages.

This book does not contain as many emails or text messages as the previous 2 books, and the only negative feeling about the audio I had was the reading of all of the descriptions of the emails especially. I would like to see if this one was written like the others and just read differently because of the different characters or not. But either way, I loved listening to the book!

And I loved the story! It had tongue in cheek nods to romance tropes and Hallmark movies. It was fabulously written. I laughed so many times. And Luke is just the sweetest big lug of a guy there is!

While I did receive the complimentary audio, I am happily and voluntarily leaving my honest review.

My heart is full is full to bursting with bibliophile rapture! I. Can’t. Even….

My brain is scrambled and my tummy hurts from laughing so hard and my knees are still buckling in preparation for a swoon every time I stand. Because Luke is the hero of my heart. The best of all book boyfriends.

I’ve anticipated this book since first meeting Luke in ‘Authentically Izzy’ to the point I was almost nervous to read it because my expectations were so high. Happy to report that Pepper Basham did not disappoint and neither did the stellar cast of performers who narrated the audio book. Seven narrators!!! Christopher Ashman, K.C. Sheridan, Kathleen McInerney, Natalie Duke, Gary Furlong, Caitlin Davies and Mhairi Morrison. They all did a brilliant job of bringing these characters to life and I think avid audio ‘readers’ will be thrilled with their listening experience. I sure was!

So…if you’ve been following this series, ‘Loyally Luke’ delivers exactly what you’d expect…times a billion! So much fun! The meet-cute! Snicker. Cue the banter that doesn’t let up the whole read through. And let me tell you, I was already in love with grumpy Luke, but flirty Luke about did me in. My fainting couch needs new springs!

One thing I found interesting is that the author mixed up the format in this third book where the emails and messages are interspersed with ‘live action’ scenes. If you’ve read one of the other books in this series, this will make sense (I hope) but if you haven’t, I’ve likely totally confused you. Explanation: The first two books are written in epistolary format for the first half and then switching to a combination of emails/texts and ‘in the moment’ POVs for the rest of the story. In this one, there’s definitely less emails and texting and the book starts on in real time with Luke just off the plane as he arrives in Skymar. I enjoy both styles, but I know some people aren’t a fan of epistolary novels so this strikes a happy medium.

We still get enough Izzy and Penelope (and even Josephine) input (Luke’s sisters/cousin) through their correspondence, which kept me grinning, because they go all Disney Princess on him in a big way much to his consternation. There are so many wonderfully clever movie references which become quite hysterical because it’s Luke realizing he’s caught in the snare of one of his sisters’ romcoms. He kept needing to watch Rambo to centre himself. Bwahahaha! But there is no getting away from all those romantic tropes!

And his princess’s story? Heartbreaking and inspiring. The paparazzi — Gah! We occasionally get the point of view of a gossip columnist which set me off every time. (And scary to contemplate, but Pepper Basham would make an excellent tabloid reporter!)

Gah — there’s so much more to gush over but this review is way too long. You just need to read this book — the whole series, really — and then we can form a Luke fan club and gush to our hearts content.

My thanks to Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio and Net Galley for providing me with an audio edition of this book.

I have enjoyed this fun series and Loyally, Luke was a great addition to it. Luke is such a likable, good guy, not to mention swoon-worthy flannel loving carpenter. He is in Skymar to do some remodel work. As the only boy in a family of three sisters, two biological and one a cousin raised by his parents, Luke knows more about girl movies than a fellow should. To compensate, he watches plenty of action flicks, like Rambo, Mission Impossible, and others. This is a lighthearted and humorous story with laugh out loud moments and with many sweet and romantic ones as Luke works on an orphanage with and develops a friendship with Ellie, a real princess. There is an attraction but how can a country boy from the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina have more with a real princess? Sweet romance with a foundation of faith. I recommend for those who love romance in an impossible situation.

Loyally, Luke is a sweet Christian romance. I really enjoyed reading this novel! Luke is working on a renovation project when he meets Ella. Just as their romance begins, he finds out her secret: she’s a princess! The plot was great as well as the romance. I loved the characters. The only criticism I have is that there could have been more faith content. Highly recommend this book and will definitely be reading more by this author. I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in trade for my honest opinion. My thoughts are my own.

YouTube Review: 05/08/24
YouTube Handle: KeenCat

I knew going into this book I would fall for Luke after getting a peek at his character in the first two books in this series, but I didn't' realize I would fall for him this hard. What a fantastic hero!
This story was charming. It felt like a warm summer day or a sweet hug. The characters were all so genuine and I absolutely loved how the story itself was written with a full cast, featuring dual POV and some delightful texts and messages between other characters. The audiobook version was delightful to listen to as it featured a full cast production and each narrator did so well with their individual characters, it brought it to life, I could have been watching a Hallmark movie listening to this story.
Speaking of Hallmark, this story cracked me up with all the funny references to Hallmark movies and their common plots and tropes. I loved the way the author wove that into the plot itself. It just added to the overall charm. The royal falling for a commoner and overcoming obstacles, including hidden identity, was so sweet.
Back to Luke and my new found crush on him as a fictional character, I loved so much how he SAW Ellie for who she truly was and the way he made even her smallest dreams come true. He's practically perfect. I enjoyed their moments together so much.
If you're in the mood for a cute, feel-good novel, make sure to pick this book up.
I listened to an advance listening copy of this novel from Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio on Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I recommend this book.

Pepper Basham is one of my favorites! This was absolutely delightful. The plot was well-paced and captivating from start to finish. The characters were charming and witty. I highly recommend this fun and quick read! Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of the book.

Loyally, Luke is the third book in the Skymar series. While I think you might have some better understanding of the family dynamics in Luke's family if you've read the previous books, I do think this could be enjoyed as a standalone as well.

I must admit, I didn't expect to love this book nearly as much as I did. While I enjoyed the previous two books in the series enough to keep reading them, they weren't my favorite books by Pepper Basham. Part of that, I think, was the epistolary style that those were written in. I enjoyed them by the end, but it always took me a little longer to get into. While this book does have a lot of fantastic sibling text threads and emails too, it's overall written in a more traditional style. That definitely may have played a part in my enjoyment, but honestly, a lot of that was just Luke himself. This was such a great character. I'd enjoyed him in the previous books, but his own love story was absolute perfection. Growing up the only boy, he knows more than he'd like about Hallmark movies and romcoms... but her certainly never planned to be living one in real life! And yet, that's exactly what happens when he finds himself falling for a real-life princess. I loved the pop culture references and his need to balance out his sisters influence with action flicks... but he's ultimately the biggest sweetheart and it was hard not to be charmed by this fantastic story. There were so many moments that had me laughing out loud and I couldn't get enough.

If you're looking for a great Christian romance that will have you laughing out loud and swooning at the same time, this is absolutely one not to be missed.

As for the audiobook version, it was fantastically done too. The narrators did an amazing job of bringing this story to life!

**I received a complimentary copy via Netgalley for consideration. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this story. I have enjoyed the other books in this series because I think the characters are fun and imperfect but I love seeing them find their true loves. I loved how Luke fell for a princess and the impossibility of their situation. I liked how their romance developed and how the author was able to come up with a believable solution for them being together. I loved how the story is a mix of text messages and narration. I think that makes the story unique and a fun one to read. I would definitely recommend this book and this whole series. I also loved the narrators and how they read the story.

I received a complimentary book from publishers, publicists, and or authors.  A review was not required and all opinions and ideas expressed are my own.

The writing was amazing and interesting at the same time. The characters were well penned down so that we as a reader can easily relate and understand them.
Right from the starting till the end, it was interesting and had my attention to the fullest. Plus in audiobook format it was fabulous.
I love it.

Oh my, how I loved these two and their love story! Literally had the cutest Hallmark, GAC, and Christian values/influence which I loved! I'm so glad I got to read this in audiobook form the whole cast was fantastic! The accents were amazing and beautiful.

The writing is engaging and rich with emotion. The dialogue is snappy and genuine, which made the interactions between characters incredibly enjoyable. The setting, with its small-town charm, added an extra layer of coziness to the story. It was a feel-good romance that left me smiling long after I turned the last page. It's a book I'd recommend to anyone looking for a story about love, loyalty, and finding happiness in unexpected places

This book is easily my favorite in the trilogy! Although this can be read as a stan alone, I do think you need to read the previous two books in order to appreciate Luke’s total Luke-ness. It placed our favorite flannel wearing, southern drawl accented Grinch at the heart of the most rom-commy rom-com of all time and I loved every minute.

This book was by far the best in the series! The balance between correspondence and "in person" interactions was absolutely perfect and the full cast helped really bring it to life. While this story did feel a little long at times but it was still really well done!

The story of Luke and Ellie was all the best parts of a romantic Hallmark Channel Movie! I enjoyed the Penelope and Izzy were still very much present in this book as much as the others.

The full cast in this book was even better than the last one! I really hope this is not the last time we will be in Skymar!

"I received a complimentary copy of this book and audiobook. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own." Thank you Thomas Nelson for the opportunity.
Luke Edgewood, the third unmarried Edgewood, has made it to Skymar to help with a couple construction projects. Little did he know what he was getting into. There would be royal run-ins, fun with children at the orphanage and many other humorous moments. Will he end up a with his movie script love story?
Pepper Basham is so good at interweaving humor with sweet moments and then also mixing in faith elements. I enjoyed this book so much and I was overjoyed to get an Arc of the audio as well.
The narrators, Christopher Ashman; K.C. Sheridan; Kathleen McInerney; Natalie Duke; Gary Furlong; Caitlin Davies; Mhairi Morrison were tremendous. I so enjoyed the voice of Luke in the other books and knew that I wanted to listen to this one as well. I know there were some changes in the narrator of Izzy and Penelope but because it has been awhile since I listened to those books that I didn’t find the differences all that noticeable. The voices of all of the narrators fit the characters well, but especially Christopher Ashman as Luke. I also think that the narrators did very good with the accents. The use of the different narrators definitely help with the understanding of the book because of the somewhat epistolary format of this book.
I would recommend this book to all those readers of Christian fiction books who love fairy tale type stories. One might even consider it a flipped fairytale story. The faith element is more on the light side, so if they bothers you this might now be the book for you. I loved it in both formats.

This was super sweet!

This whole trilogy is so sweet, cozy, and funny! But it isn’t all fluff and kissing. In between and mixed in with the romance, is quite a bit of really good advice (and movie quotes too!).

If you love romantic comedies, good guys wearing flannel, or anything royal, I think you will love this!

I really enjoyed listening to the audio version of this book! The full cast production helped keep the characters straight and the accents are fantastic!!

Huge thank you to NetGalley, Thomas Nelson, and Zondervan Fiction Audio for the opportunity to experience this fabulous audiobook!

This was an AMAZING end to the series!

I am a fairytale girl but like Luke I understand that’s not real life.

We follow Luke who has an opportunity to help with building projects in Skymar and doesn’t know who he falls for. It’s Princess Diaries and all the heartfelt rom-com movies you can think of.

Luke and Elle have my heart. ♥️

I laughed and smiled through this entire book, I listened and read along.

I am going to truly miss this family and world.

CW: cancer (recounted), death of parents (mentioned), alcoholism (mentioned), gaslighting, classism

I would like to thank NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for providing me with a free audio e-ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Luke Edgewood has no need for what he calls “the fru-fru” of Hallmark movies in his life. But, when he gets tasked to spearhead a major renovation for an orphanage in Skymar, Luke’s life turns into one.

Loyally, Luke is a heartwarming novel that left me grinning from ear to ear. Readers who love Basham’s swoon-worthy romance in the previous two books of the Skymar series will have their fill of swoon as Luke falls in love with a Skymarian princess, Ellie, and he doesn’t even know it.

Since I have listened to each book in the series on audio, I definitely noticed that Basham and her team went all out with the narration/production. Narrated by a full cast of narrators, each of the narrators brought their own narration styles that made the characters come to life from the page in Basham’s least epistolary novel of the series. However, I do note that the only downside to having this many narrators on hand is that you don’t get that duet narration between the love interests as you would have if you were listening to Authentically, Izzy or Positively, Penelope.

What I love most about Loyally, Luke is how Basham is able to get you swept in the heart of the story. Feeling the characters’ emotion from the book’s narration to the book’s main themes of grace and hope, it’s hard not to get invested in these characters and in this story. As it may be the last book of the Skymar series, Basham also takes time to nicely wrap the character arcs from the other Edgewood family members as they all get their HEAs.

That being said, you need to read Loyally, Luke if you’re looking for a Christian romance full of heart and an audiobook narration that will get you completely swept away.

Pepper Basham did it again! What a fun way to end this series with Luke Edgewood, brother and cousin to Izzy and Penelope (check out Authentically Izzy and Positively Penelope to read their stories that are equally as fun!). Luke is a non-sensical, flannel wearing, hammer yielding, country boy from NC who finds himself in Skymar, a country off the coast of Scotland, to help remodel a castle turned orphanage. Of course since he is not interested in or looking for anything remotely relating to romance, and then he meets a girl... but not just any girl. One who happens to be a princess. Something that everyone knows except him.

I loved the story and as I listened on audio, the narrators brought Luke and Ellie to life. The hilarity of the situations reminded me of my favorite rom-coms of the 90's (Notting Hill was a big one that came to mind!) and made me smile and laugh. Yes, it is "hallmark-y" - it will give you the warm fuzzies and I think we all can use a break from the craziness of this world to enjoy that!

Thank you Net Galley, Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio for the ARC of this audiobook to listen and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Love, love, love this book! I was able to read an ebook ARC and love the audiobook narration that was done by this ensemble group. Great job putting this one together! Pepper Basham is the Queen of Christian Rom Com books and this one is her best yet!

Loyally, Luke. By Pepper Basham is a sweet romance between honest carpenter Luke and Ellie /Eliana Princess of Skymar.
This book really is like reading a Hallmark movie which Luke hates. He's a flannel wearing action movie loving tough guy. Except he has a big heart for his sisters and orphans. He is honest and straightforward and the kind of things girls really want in a partner.
Ellie is the fifth daughter of the royal family of Skymar. She's a recovering addict with a bad reputation she's trying to rebuild after years of hard work. Life in the spotlight had left her with a few wounds and trust issues.
Luke and Ellie are thrown together working on restoring an old orphanage. They start out fighting and then become friends and then more.
They have some impossible circumstances to overcome.
This is a very sweet little rom-com and an enjoyable listen.
I like the different voices in the audio version it gave each of the characters a little more personality to follow.
The text conversations between Luke and his sisters adds a lot of joy and laughter to the story
Thank you to netgalley for this audiobook. This review was given voluntarily and all views expressed are my own.

If you’re looking for a good choice to make in your life, choose to listen to this audiobook as soon as possible. It was ABSOLUTELY DELIGHTFUL 🤩. From the full cast of narrators (6!!!) with incredible accents to the various styles used (narrative, texts, emails, “gossip” articles), all of it made for a listening experience that was pure bliss! I didn’t want it to end!!

As an avid cheerleader for the first book in the series, I surprise myself when I say I might have enjoyed this one even more. It seamlessly continues on the series, and it was so fun to get more of Izzy’s and Penelope’s story in this book (including a wedding!)

Beyond being just a wonderfully sweet and swoony romance story, it held some elements that were a bit deeper and thought-provoking than is common: the impact/power the online world can have over past mistakes never being forgotten, the importance of involving other trusted people in big life decisions, and how healthy communication is so important!

😇: Christian publisher (); brief mentions of Christian themes and active faith in the characters
😍: a few descriptive kisses
🤐: no language!

Thank you to Thomas Nelson for the complimentary audiobook in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

I was so happy to listen to the audiobook of this third Edgewood family story! I love the fictitious setting of the Island of Skymar with it's loyal inhabitants. I love the teasing between the siblings and how they encourage one another. Read Authentically, Izzy and Positively, Penelope first, then dig into Luke's story!

I received this audiobook from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

So when I started this audiobook, I did not realize that it was the third in the series! But I did not feel like I was missing any key or vital information to understand or enjoy this book. Thank goodness for interconnected stand-alones!

This book felt like a breath of fresh air. It was such a fun, light romance with just enough drama to be entertaining and make me want to keep reading! I loved the sibling/cousin relationships highlighted throughout the book. Luke had his own little cheerleading squad and I was here for it! Ellie’s growth throughout this book is so tender and I was excited to watch her become the women that God meant for her to be!

The book follows the story of Luke and Ellie as they navigate a renovation project for an orphanage. They have VERY different backgrounds, but are able to find common ground and help each other grow and move beyond past hurts and trauma.

The audiobook has a fantastic cast and the consistency with accents and personality for each character was so immersive!

All opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for this audiobook copy.

This isn’t the typical genre I read and I really enjoyed it. It was fun, lighthearted and witty. Loved all the characters. There were several narrators and this took me a moment to make the adjustment and I found it quite appealing. Definitely a clean romance with light faith. This book had me smiling and laughing throughout. I loved the ending. It is part of a series, but can be read out of order. I was blessed with a free ARC, and I’m leaving my review voluntarily. Highly recommend, if you need an entertaining, light read.

Loyally, Luke by Pepper D. Basham

Narrated by: Christopher Ashman, K.C. Sheridan, Kathleen McInerney, Natalie Duke, Gary Furlong, Caitlin Davies, and Mhairi Morrison

FIVE STARS


This book was adorable!

Luke is making it through life, through a series of events he is in Skymar with an opportunity to bid on and work on a project fixing up the county orphanage. As the only boy raised with three girls he overcompensates a bit on the "masculine" part of things. Some found it annoying, it just was what it was to me.



Ellie is a princess trying to get her life back on track after a series of poor choices. The Royal family has a place in Skymar where they can live normally and they also care for the orphanage. Ellie is trying to get back to active royal status and is in charge of overseeing the renovations.



Luke and Ellie do NOT get off on the right foot and her royal status goes unknown for some time which gives them a chance to get to know each other.



This book had a host of narrators, all who were perfect. Christopher Ashman, K.C. Sheridan, Kathleen McInerney, Natalie Duke, Gary Furlong, Caitlin Davies, and Mhairi Morrison were all awesome!



Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins Christian Publishing, and the author for the opportunity to listen to and review this book.

O my goodness this upcoming release by Pepper Basham is like stepping into a Hallmark movie, but one that takes place in Europe instead of a Christmas Tree Farm 😉

Luke’s commitment to simplicity and solitude is tested when he finds himself entangled with a Grace Kelly look-alike who, spoiler alert, just so happens to be a princess 🤫. From restoring an orphanage to navigating the expectations of being a royal, this book is a delightful blend of romance and adventure.

With all the makings of a romantic comedy this is definitely a book that will leave you feeling all warm and fuzzy inside!

This book! What a fabulous ending to a lovely family series! I was enraptured with the voices! The accents! The beauty of this book shown through in this portrayal of all the characters! I loved it!

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to listen, all thoughts and opinions are my own!

I’m from South Mississippi, so when I say I’m the authority on southern charm in narration— believe me. Luke in this audiobook hit the absolute nail on the head! He even used “ain’t” without sounding like he hurt himself. You know when Hallmark season comes around and you get all cozy and warm feeling just thinking about their movie lineup? And your husband, dad, brother, and uncle all just roll their eyes? Luke is the embodiment of that! However, you can tell that he has resigned himself to his fate being in a house full of sisters. It reminded me so much of my own brother and how he would always reluctantly let us choose the movie every now and then. I also grew up in a builder’s home, so that was very nostalgic for me. Basically, Luke would hate to hear it, but I felt like I was in a Hallmark movie the WHOLE TIME!

Ellie trying to reinvent herself was also very relatable, because haven’t we all been young and dumb once? The shame she feels about her past choices is an element of my own reality that endeared her to me. I love that the people around her didn’t try to sugarcoat her past, but consistently pointed her to the present life she was working so hard in. I loved the Scottish lilt to the narration for her voice, as well. But what can I say? We love to hear ourselves and the southern accents will always win out for me.

Luke's cousin and sister found love in Skymar and so naturally, his sister thought he'd follow the same trend. He disagreed of course. He was only there on a short-term construction job. That was until he bumped into annoying Ellie who turned out to be in charge of the job he was undertaking to restore a castle-like orphanage.

I enjoyed this so much! Their first meeting had them both at each other's throats after their coffee orders were switched, they weren't so thrilled when they found out they'd be working together. I couldn't get enough of Penelope's predictions of how Luke's life would play out like a Hallmark movie and it was 😂

Finding out Ellie was a princess definitely put a damper on their budding romance but they fought to keep their friendship intact as Luke's departure drew near.

I loved the steadiness with which Luke carried himself. He reminded Ellie to give herself grace in that her shaky past needn't affect her demeanor. She brought him out of his shell and I loved them for each other.

My highlight was the audiobook. It made the experience even more enjoyable. I laughed out loud a number of times and flew through the story. All the narrators did an amazing job.

What a wonderful conclusion to the Skymar series! Thank you to Netgalley and Publisher for an ALC in exchange for an honest review.

I received an audiobook arc from NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

I enjoyed this book and the characters. The storyline was on point and you could feel the love between Luke and the Princess and how much they were struggling with trying to deny their attraction due to her being a princess and Luke a commoner.

Always love a HEA ending and this one did not disappoint. Definitely one I would recommend to others. First time reading this author and will definitely be reading more from her!

Thank you to HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Pepper Basham and NetGalley for an ARC audio copy of the book in exchange for an honest review!

WOW! I had high hopes for this book and it blew right past them! Such a fun, witty, full of banter book that had me smiling and giggling as I was listening (I'm sure those passing by me on my daily walks thought I was a little loony!)

While this is the third book in a series, this was my first time reading both the series and this author - I will 100% being going back and reading/listening to the other two books and Pepper Basham is now added to my auto buy author list.

this book gave the perfect balance of clean romance (enemies to lovers) and banter which made it such a refreshing read/listen compared to some other more popular romance authors.

Would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a summery-vibe romance novel to take to the beach this summer!

Loyally, Luke by Pepper Basham is a part of a series but can easily be read as a standalone novel. I read one of the other books in this series and enjoyed it, but it was not my favorite. Reading this book as an audiobook completely changed my perspective. The audiobook is narrated by a group of people and they really bring the book to life. As an audiobook, the brilliance of Ms Basham’s fun plot really shines. The plot is a sweet romance and yes predictable. However, readers of this genre expect this. If you like sweet romance, you will adore this book. I received a review copy of the audiobook from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

Oh, man...This one is so stinkin' good! It is hands down the best royal romance I've ever read. Emma St. Clair is so right with her quote on the cover...Luke is beyond dreamy. The swoon is strong with this one. I did read this book before the previous ones in the series, but now that I've also fallen in love with Izzy and Penelope, I'll be backtracking into their stories soon!

This was my first Pepper Basham book and I loved how she wove Christian themes throughout without being super in your face about it. I know that can be a reader complaint sometimes and I think she did an excellent job of letting her faith speak for itself, but not too loudly. I'm definitely looking forward to checking out her backlog and any new books she releases in the future. I'm absolutely hooked on Pepper's writing style. ❤️

Ellie...What a perfect princess! She had a tough past reputation to overcome, but she did exactly that with grace and poise. I love how genuine Ellie seems, how dedicated she is to serving her people. Even though she is a huge deal as a famous royal, she's just so down to earth and lovable. One of my favorite FMCs lately for sure!

Luke...Oh, my. This man is a top tier book boyfriend for sure. He's absolutely my type so that of course helps, but he's also just an incredibly decent guy. He loves his family and friends with ferocity and just truly loves living a simple life. Throw in a bit of flannel and coffee...What's not to love?!

Things I loved...the epistolary portions of the story (specifically Luke's conversations with his sisters and Ellie's talks with Maeve), Luke's relationships with Faye, Amara, and Jamie, the entire world of Skymar, Gordon and Nessa, all the movie references, the humor (I laughed so much), the voice acting for the audiobook (top notch - one of the best I've ever listened to), and so much more.

Don't sleep on this one. Grab a copy and get to reading today!

Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas Nelson, Zondervan Fiction Audio, and Pepper Basham for access to a free audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️

Audio Book Review
Loyally Luke by Pepper Basham

Genre: Modern Rom-Com; Christian
Romance Level: Kisses only

What I loved:
Luke (enough said)
Meet Cute
Forced Proximity
Rivals to more
Looking for the names scene
Fake dating
Alley scene
The kisses
The list
Fishing
And so much more!

Story Review:
Luke. Luke Edgewood is this unforgettable character who is “rough around the edges”, sarcastic, loves making fun of his sis “Penny Girl aka Penelope” (in a fun brotherly sort of way), and your typical outdoorsy, manly man. Underneath the surface, he is “ooey gooey”, tender, loving, and fiercely loyal to his family. He has a good heart and even though he isn’t perfect, his heart is in the right place.
The romance in this including all of the kissing scenes is all just so *chef’s kiss*.
And I really liked princess Ellie! She was a fun character and had some really funny lines. She is so perfect for Luke!
I loved this story; definitely my favorite of the 3 Skymar romances by Pepper Basham. It has so many tropes because of course Penny Girl has mapped out Luke’s love story and wants him to live out every single rom-com trope. Lol!
From fake dating, to forbidden romance, to a bit of enemies to more, Pepper definitely packed in so much rom-com goodness into this beautifully hilarious and entertaining story.
I definitely snickered, sighed, swooned and almost cried with joy and excitement during so many of the scenes.
This is also a story of redemption and change and becoming a better person despite what the world or media tries to portray.

Audio Review:
I loved the cast! They all did so well. I especially love who did the voice for Luke. He had a perfectly grumpy, sarcastic and handsome voice. But you could also feel the underlying goodness coming out in him. Christopher Ashman plays Luke in the first two as well.
I also just loved the narrator for Maeve; perfect blend of smooth and Scottish lilt.
I highly recommend listening to this series as audiobooks because they are all so excellent!

I was given a free copy of the audio from Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

Content Warning: kisses only, no swearing, uses of word: s*xy
Trigger Warning: discussion of hard topics: cancer, slandered on media, alcoholism and rehab

This is the audiobook. I'm going to paste my book review below. But let me say that I truly loved listening to this book. It did not take away from the voices I heard in my head. Yes, I know, that sounds bad. But normally when I read a book I have their voices and faces in my head and it's like I'm actually watching a movie. I thoroughly enjoyed the voice of this audiobook. It was relaxing but also kept me listening and hooked on the story!

I literally could not wait to read this book. You see, I’ve read the other two in the series and the wait time between them is not for the faint of heart. Penelope and Izzy came first in this series. They’re both amazing and I loved their stories. You can find my reviews for them on my blog as well. While I identified with them in some areas I think I identify with Luke more. I’m not comfortable in the spotlight. I don’t want to be famous. Oh, and I prefer my animals to other people most of the time. I’m an introvert you see. And people can be too much sometimes.

Luke accepts a job on Skymar. It’s a construction project. And it’s on an old historical building. These are things Luke enjoys. But he’s not here for romance. Just because his two sisters have found romance involving this island doesn’t mean he has to. He also has no need for a royal family. He’d prefer to steer clear of them for good. Let’s just say Luke doesn’t even know what any of them look like.

Luke is amazing. He’s what you think of when you dream of a wonderful guy I think. He wants to protect his sisters and he wants to solve their problems. But what he doesn’t want is romance.

WELL. HE FINDS IT. IN THE FORM OF A GRACE KELLY LOOK-ALIKE.
As he gets to know Ellie he doesn’t know she’s a princess. So when he finds out he naturally feels a little betrayed and let down. But she was so real and so wonderful. Can he let her go?

Luke knows romance movies like no other man. He won’t admit it of course. He also has seen his share of masculine movies but this mix of movies is what makes Luke Luke. You’re going to love him. And you’ll love the bits of suspense and mystery surrounding the royal family and Luke.

Can Luke overcome himself and his limitations? What about the super sweet orphans? And what about Skymar? But maybe the most important thing, what about Luke’s family? You see, they mean everything to him, and he can’t just leave them.

Read this series in order. Don’t ask. Don’t think about reading out of order. Just don’t. You’ve been warned.

I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from JustRead Publicity Tours. All views expressed are only my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC regulations.