Love I. Becham’s writing style, which always paint a story so vividly. You get a sense of excitement, suspense and heart warming all at the same time. The story was nicely weaved with complex character, the relationship feels genuine and loyal, despite all complications. Recommending this book to everyone.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1943676115?type=review#rating_153119960

I very much enjoyed this book. The characters are well written and have substance. Joey and Sam especially are very relatable. The plot is interesting. The writing flows. The level of angst is just right. Well worth reading.

I wasn’t sure if I would enjoy this one, but it turned out to be really good. This book is worth picking up. The characters are older, which isn’t written often but it worked. I was surprised how much I enjoyed reading their story. Beacham has a way of making a reader feel connected to characters. This book makes you really feel for both characters. If I am honest, I am always a little leery of relationships where one of the two is in a leadership position within a church. I have no good explanation for this, but it always makes me a bit nervous. This is one of the best done I have read so far. This was my second Beacham book, and both were really great reads. I should pick up her other books, because if they are as good as this it is well worth the read.

I couldn't get into the story. I didn't actully like the way the book was written and narrated. Too much blahblah, boring and irritating characters.

Stevie‘s review of Soul Survivor by I. Beacham
Contemporary Lesbian Romance published by Bold Strokes Books 18 Apr 17

I seem to be drawn to romances in which one or both protagonists experiences a crisis of faith, possibly because the situation is outside my experience and something I’m unlikely to encounter in myself – at least in its religious sense. While Church of England clergy seem to be popular heroes to feature in the trope, I’ve rarely encountered them as the heroine of a story, even though women vicars have been around for at least half my lifetime. Add in the fact that I’ve loved everything I’ve read by Beacham so far, and it may become obvious why I had to get my hands on this book.

Sam Savage heard the calling to be ordained at a young age and gave up her one serious relationship with a woman to become a vicar. Although she personally sees no conflict between her sexuality and her beliefs, she is all too aware that others within the Anglican Church disagree vehemently with her. Besides, she has far too much to do within her parish to consider getting involved with anyone, no matter what her housekeeper has to say about people taking advantage of her good nature. Just as Sam’s been landed with yet more parish issues to deal with, not limited to the leaking roof on her Grade One Listed parish church and an organist who plays all the right notes, though not necessarily in the right order, someone with more pressing – and very different – troubles walks into her life.

Joey Barry was a famous war reporter for US TV, until she got caught up a little too intensely in the conflict, witnessing the deaths of her fellow crew members and suffering extreme hardship before finally being rescued. Now suffering from PTSD, she’s been forced to take a leave of absence from the TV station and has moved into her aunt’s house in Sam’s parish, while working as a consultant to a small British production company.

Sam and Joey hit it off straight away, even more so once Sam discovers that Joey is a talented keyboard player, who might be able to adapt her skills, temporarily, to the church organ. The pair enjoy dinners and motor bike trips together, but just as things seem to be working out from Joey’s point of view, Sam seems to put her duty to the people of her parish above the needs of her new lover. Already questioning whether her youthful vocation is still the only way she can serve her God, Sam sets out to convince Joey to give her another chance – with the help of some unexpected allies both in the UK and in the US.

I loved all the characters in this book: not just Sam and Joey, but all the rest, including Sam’s housekeeper, and her bishop and his family, as well as Joey’s parents and other family and friends. The one aspect I found jarring was the rapidity with which the point of view switched from one heroine to the other. Overall, a highly satisfying read, nonetheless.

Grade: B

This was my first book by this author and it definitely will not be my last. I was really surprised by her well developed characters and the fluidity of her writing.


What I really liked was it was a compelling story about two mature women. Their lives thoroughly lived and now looking for something more. The start of the book is fast paced, high octane stuff. It's an excellent opening and scary. No wonder PSTD is the main talking point of this book. But then it slows down somewhat to a country lifestyle in the heart of England. A very picturesque area. Kind of suits the mood of the story. You can also imagine the setting and how two people went from friendship to love.


I loved the books honesty. It's two main characters are easy to like and very well developed.


*ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley*


https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1994828542


https://www.amazon.co.uk/review/R6CUHY24XC6LN/ref=pe_1572281_66412651_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

Review of Soul survivor by I. Beachman

This is the first book I read by this author. It is the story of a relationship between Josephine "Joey" Barry an American war journalist, who suffers from PTSD, and Samantha Savage, a vicar from the Church of England.

I was intrigued on how the author was going to deal with the issue of religion and homosexuality so I decided to give it a try. The book starts at a fast pace describing Joey's dreadful experience in Syria which triggers her PTSD. It follows to the depiction of semi rural England, where Sam serves as a vicar. The contrast couldn't be more profound though the reader soon finds that both women are struggling with their own issues.

I think that this is overall a good read but my issue is that there is a great amount of angst that in my opinion extends too much and weakens the tension of the plot. There is also quite a few parts that describe what's going on with the characters instead of showing through their experiences. I'm no expert on PTSD issues but I didn't find it completely believable specially at the end of the book. However, this is a good read, specially if you like a lot of lesbian angst and drama.

Overall 3.5 stars rounded to 4.

ARC provided by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The story of Joey, investigative reporter suffering from PTSD and Sam, female Vicar in a quaint English village is an engaging read and one I can highly recommend. Both main characters are well developed and likeable mature women with busy professional lives but lack that special someone we all hope to find. When they meet it just seems right. They don’t have it easy as Joey’s PTSD is serious and impacts all aspects of her life. Sam is just a wonderful woman though and the very person any of us would want on our side in a crisis. She is thinly stretched at work and her personal life has always taken a back seat. I so wanted her to have a life of her own, to make it work with Joey. I loved the English village setting and the minor characters that made it all come alive. After finishing the book all I could think was ‘What happens next?’. I enjoyed it so much I want a sequel!

I was given this ARC by Netgalley and Bold Strokes books in return for an honest review.

The back of the book of Soul Survivor lured me in with a unique pairing between a former investigative reporter suffering from PTSD with a minister. Who knew you could make such an odd pair work but this author does it deftly, and made me care tremendously about them and their fate. Joey's PTSD stands between them and the challenges they face to conquer the formidable opponent of survivor guilt left me on the edge throughout their journey. Sam struggles with trying to juggle a relationship with Joey and the demands of running her parish and seeing to her flock. It's a classic crossroads for both of them, and they're standing there facing each other deciding what to do, how to do it, and is it really worth it. It certainly was worth reading about these amazing women.

An honest review thanks to Netgalley. This was a nice read; I liked the beginning and the experience of finding out about Joeys PTSD and what she went through when trying to get her story. Having Sam being a vicar brought in a nice twist to read about. Though through the story, I didn't feel the chemistry and connection between Sam and Joey, which had me trying to get though. I couldn't get into the story as must as I usually would. The plot was nice, but the characters and me just didn't connect.

This is the first book by Beacham, I have had the chance to read. I must say I am impressed. I thought this was really good and I enjoyed reading it. If this is the kind of quality she normally writes with, I can't wait to read some of her other books.

The beginning of this book was excellent. Joey is an American journalist in Syria, and we all know what kind of atrocities that are going on there right now. This book could have been ripped out of the headlines. I don't want to spoiler this, but I will say it is very exciting, edge of your seat kind of read. When Joey comes home, she is dealing with PTSD. On an extended stay in England, Joey meets Reverend Sam. As their feelings grow, Sam must handle the balance of a relationship and the Church. While Joey, must find a way to not let her PTSD, prevent a relationship. Both women are dealing with a lot, can they come together, or be forced to stay apart.

Both characters were really well written. I loved Sam, heck if they had Reverend's like Sam in the USA, I might actually go to church:) Joey was tougher to get to know, but she was closed off because of her past. I felt so bad for her, and just wanted her to heal. I enjoyed their relationship, though some of the angst drove me a bit nuts. But it was put in for entertainment, so I'm looking past this.

Overall, I really enjoyed this. I think this is an easy book to recommend to romance fans. As I said before, I can't wait to read more from Beacham.

An ARC was given to me by BSB, for a honest review.

There was much to enjoy about this read. Although it was heartbreaking to read what the main characters were going through. As I read, I invested my mind as I learned about the impact of PTSD and my heart as I cared about each of the main characters and cheered for them to find peace and happiness. Even though you are doing good work, the price tag can be pretty high. The story itself was different from a typical les/fic read due to the characters and the challenges they each faced. Josephine Barry, larger than life correspondent with a knack for delivering the big story. She encounters a situation that she is unable to handle alone, even though she tries. Reverend Samantha Savage, her heart is large and she takes on so much and tries to help so many but she is lonely and desires to give herself to love. I really enjoyed the story flow as the author carried the reader through some very difficult life challenges.

What do a rural vicar with an affection for classic motorcycles and a burned out war correspondent have in common? As it turns out, quite a bit. Sam and Joey both carry a lot of emotional baggage thanks to their respective professions. They also both possess a dry wit and an attraction for each other.

I enjoyed everything about this story. The scenes were easy to visualize, almost at a cinematic level. Whether you are on ground with Joey, hiding from insurgents in Syria or sitting in the dark in a haunted vestry waiting for thieves hoping to steal the lead tiles off the church roof, the reader is fully engaged in the moment.

The lighthearted events and witty dialogue between Sam and Joey in the first half of the novel reinforce why these two should be together. Their attraction for one another is easy to see. Their declarations of love might seem quick but these are not young women. They have the maturity to recognize the real thing when they meet one another. I found it refreshing to see conflict generated not from misunderstanding but from a desire to not inflict the other with their own personal or career challenges. This early bond helps when the going gets rough later on in the novel.

A well told tale I would recommend anyone to read.

4.5 stars
ARC received from publisher for a fair and honest review

I enjoyed this book very much. It's well written with a great storyline that keeps the pages turning. I love a good romance with emotional angst and humor in the story. This author has a talent in her writing that will keep you interested from beginning to end. I highly recommend.

This is a book about adult love. Two women in their maturity, both with personal crisis of very different kind. They bond very quickly, perhaps too quickly, but maybe it is because is the right time for them to meet. I have liked Sam more than Joey. I've found Sam persistence very endearing. And Joey, once she realizes that she wants a commited relationship with Sam, I consider that acts consistently. I've enjoyed very much this book and I recommend strongly to read it

This was a delightful gem of a book, which effectively touched on a number of themes including religion which I routinely avoid when selecting a new read. One can only bear so much proselytizing by those members of faiths that condemn the aspects of life and love that I cherish most. While I will never be inclined toward deity based beliefs, the depiction of Sam's parishioners was a nice departure from the expected. The romance was solidly presented and I was particularly captured by Joey's deep struggle with the traumatic aspects of her war reporting. Together, the two women formed a unit that typifies what I would like from such a partnership.

href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31212923-soul-survivor" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="Soul Survivor" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1473596127m/31212923.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31212923-soul-survivor">Soul Survivor</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2768800.I_Beacham">I. Beacham</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1952258444">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
I rec'd an ARC from NetGalley/Bold Stroke Books in exchange for an honest review. No synopsis necessary. This is a well written emotional romance with angst, drama and a touch of humour. Central characters are American journalist Josephine "Joey" and English Reverend Samantha "Sam". Ms. Beacham deftly handles Joey's and Sam's journey without making the storyline drag. A wonderful read for her fans and I encourage new readers to discover Ms. Beacham's writing talent. 4.5 stars.
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/31134832-gail">View all my reviews</a>

It is a very well written book and the author knows how to play with words and build strong characters. I enjoyed the book.