This story of forbidden love spans 15 years. Corrine might have left the fundamentalist church but she could never leave Enoch behind. This is about risk, reward and love.
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Huge thank you to @stmartinspress and @netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

3.75⭐️

When I first started this book, I thought that I was going to hate it. Not because this book isn’t well written, but because organized religion is a cult and I was not about to read a religious book. The author does an amazing job showing the reader just how strict conservative congregations are, to the point where it’s uncomfortable to read and leaves the reader saying “there’s no way people like this really exist.”

Corinne and Enoch’s relationship (if you can really call it that at first) is doomed from the start it seems. They secretly hold hands and work up to kissing at midnight on Saturdays after playing board games together in Enoch’s family’s basement. Eventually, Enoch takes Corinne’s virginity, AND THEN IMMEDIATELY GOES AND TELLS EVERYONE. I hated Enoch so much after this. Of course, the church elders permit Enoch to stay because he obviously regrets sinning, but Corinne is cast out because they don’t believe she does (and she doesn’t). The church’s treatment of women is absolutely infuriating. Her mother even begs her not to go to college because it will take her further from god. Corinne’s life is so sad but I was so proud of her for leaving the church completely and going to get her bachelors and masters degrees and finally experiencing the world.

Even when Corinne and Enoch meet again as adults, I still hated him because he seemed to keep trying to get Corinne to come back to the church and it just felt gross and I could not understand why she likes him so much. When he kind of left the church, I started liking him more because he was willing to give it up for her and accept that she would never return.

Their relationship isn’t my favorite that I’ve ever read, but it was unique and cute. It’s was a little cringey how often they said each others names and “I love you” and “I’m sorry,” and I was thoroughly annoyed with them both by the end, but it’s pretty on par with the super religious people that I’ve known so I think it was realistic.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for my gifted finished copy!

After getting cast out of her fundamentalist church and shunned by her family at the age of eighteen, Corinne must find her own way in the secular world. She never quite manages to leave her first big love, Enoch Miller, behind though. The problem is that Enoch is at complete odds with most everything she stands for.

This book was so much more than I was expecting! It’s a coming of age and an adult romance wrapped all in one, but it also an examination of faith and how it changes as we grow, and an exploration of how different beliefs can impact that ways in which we relate to others. I really found myself empathizing with Corinne- I loved her character.

The real show stealer here is Morrow’s writing. I’m pretty sure I’d read anything she writes- it’s absolutely gorgeous, and I was completely mesmerized by it.

Rounded up from 4.5 stars. I couldn't resist . . . I've never seen a book with my name!

This was a slow, tender, quiet surprise of a book. It's marketed as women's fiction but it totally meets the criteria for a romance (with a somewhat atypical formula). Ultimately, it's a book where almost nothing happens (particularly in the second half) with lots of small sort of domestic moments. It was somehow exactly what I needed to read right now.

It's about Corinne (and Enoch) and a surprisingly enduring love. Their connection with each other felt very authentic to me, and the tension that built along with it was palpable. The characters were compelling. Considering their fundamentalist upbringing, Corinne was a resilient character who stays true to herself and Enoch experiences an impressive amount of growth.

The author uses an abundance of repetition, small echoes, callbacks and double meanings in the writing. It almost feels like too much, but ultimately I was drawn to the voice. Also, considering the book was not marketed as romance, I was surprised at the amount of steam. It was an interesting device to depict individual and relationship growth. Apparently the author is a best-selling NYT author using a pseudonym - which is intriguing.

I received a digital Advanced Review Copy from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

After reading the first two chapters, I was unsure if I would be able to immerse myself in Corinne. However, I am pleased to say, that the characters were captivating, the plot was complex and I really enjoyed the overall direction that this novel took. We get elements of forbidden love, second chance romance,, friends to lovers and even elements of enemies to lovers tropes which I really enjoyed. Corinne and Enoc have fundamental differences that they need to sort through to find out if they're the right fit for each other. The character development was also phenomenal.

Corrine has been cast out of her church. She ends up leaving her home town and the boy that destroyed her life and making a way for herself. However, she returns home after quite a few years to take care of her ailing mom. She encounters, Enoch. She still feels the same connection to this man which she felt as a young girl. But, a thousand things have changed, can they find their way back to each other.

This story started out great! I actually thought it would be a 5 star read for me. Then I hit almost exactly half way through and the story changed. And it became, not necessarily a love story, but a dad blamed sex story. Honestly, it changed from a plot to a bunch of fun between the sheets.

I also thought Enoch was a bit of, I don’t want to say pansy, that is not quite the right word. He just didn’t stand up for himself or explore better options. I just was not impressed with his character. I found Corinne stronger and gutsier.

Need a book with a swift change in M.O. THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

I was lucky to receive a copy of Corinne by Rebecca Morrow from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review and opinion. This was a very interesting book for me to read - not sure I loved it but managed to finish it. I did like the cover and the description however it just fell flat. I do appreciate the opportunity to read and review it.

This was a quick read for me, which I enjoy. It wasn't too complex that I had to really take my time to read it but it kept me engaged and the characters were likeable enough for me to be invested in them.

Thank you to netgalley for providing me with this free arc in exchange for an honest review of the work.
This was a clever novel. It was very easy to read as it was written in short chapters which I personally love. I have read so many books with LONG chapters lately that because of these short ones I flew through it

I’m struggling to put my thoughts down about this one. So please note that these are my opinions.

The book centers on two characters, Corinne and Enoch. At the start of the book, they are both seniors in high school, and Enoch’s family takes in Corinne’s family. Both families have lost their fathers in different manners, one to death and one to alcoholism.

Enoch and Corinne’s families are part of “the Church.” Enoch seems all in, taking part in his churchly duties. Yet Corinne finds it all boring. This church they attend is rather rigid, strict, and horribly legalistic. In fact, after Enoch and Corinne commit an “act” together, and apparently, Corinne isn’t repentant enough, she gets booted out of the church.

I did enjoy the ongoing dance between Enoch and Corinne. As teens, there was obviously something between them. I loved how they played monopoly together and snuck in kisses as their brothers played Legend of Zelda. But Enoch, more than Corinne, struggled with the idea that their relationship was sinful.

The timeline jumps ahead thirteen years, and they meet again. Enoch had a failed marriage while Corinne was busy going to college and starting a career. But Corinne has never fully gotten over Enoch.

The writing is different, with very choppy dialogue. But I came to accept that that was how Enoch and Corinne conversed. It’s evident that this is a poke at religion; I wish it hadn’t rolled all Christian faith into it because this is 𝘯𝘰𝘵 the faith I grew up with. I’m hoping their love story is what people will focus on.

Thank you @stmartinspress for this gifted ebook.

Well, it was ok. Just ok for me. I was surprised that it started off so religious and was thinking I had picked up the wrong book, as it didn’t match the synopsis. It went a different direction than I was thinking but I found the characters interesting. A bit slow for my tastes although the writing flows nicely. Overall, probably just not the book for me.

I don't typically read romance, and I didn't even know what "open door" meant until about a month ago. I am not even sure I would categorize this book as a romance, I guess it is, and it is definitely open door. I felt like half of the chapters were play-by-play of the mechanics of the two characters having sex.

I loved the beginning section of this book, set in 1992, when Corinne and Enoch are part of a church that has strict rules and gender roles. Corinne's family moves into the basement of Enoch's family home, and there is a lot of chemistry between the two teenagers, even though Enough is engaged to someone else. I could picture everything the author describes about living in the eighties and nineties as though I had lived it myself (I did!)

The next part of the book takes place 13 years later, after Corinne has been cast out of the church. The author did a fantastic job of showing what it would be like to be outcast from your family and entire social community. But other than a lot of sex, nothing much happened. The plot moved at a snail's pace.

I loved parts of this book, and I wish I could unread other parts. Overall, it wasn't enjoyable after the 1992 section.

I can’t fully explain why but I loved this. Perhaps it was the writing style, most of it seemed very natural and flowed well. There were some hiccups during the uh intimate scenes, but I’m willing to overlook that. The ending was unsatisfying but I can’t think of an ending that would have worked.

Corinne by Rebecca Morrow is a novel that will pull you in at the beginning and will leave you wanting to understand the dynamics of a church whose public judgments are harsh and unforgiving. A poor family, of which Corinne is a part, are forced to sit in the back of the church even though they have gone to this church three times a week for ten years. The wealthy are reserved the front row seats. The novel spans many years and explores the relationship between the two main characters, Corinne and Enoch. It a raw and honest depiction. The reader is left feeling conflicted about how these characters are treated by the church and by their family members. Although, at times, the novel seemed a bit too long it is well worth the read. You will be thinking about these characters long after you finish the novel. Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read this novel in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This one is a bit odd for me. It’s marketed as a modern day Romeo and Juliet and more of a romance but that’s not really the case. It’s mostly about the religion that Corinne grew up in and how it affected her childhood and now adulthood. It plays a huge factor in the entire story and I felt myself bored at times because I couldn’t connect with that part and disagreed with most of it so it was harder to continue. It was repetitive and I was very frustrated most of the time. Corinne and Enoch were interesting together. It felt a tad forced at times and some of their romantic scenes were just weird. Corinne acted way younger than she was throughout the whole book and I just couldn’t get past that.

I would have preferred it to be more of a romance since that’s what I was expecting. I enjoyed the writing style and the short chapters but the context just irked me too much to enjoy it.

CW: body sharing, homophobia

Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the digital ARC.

This book is not at all what I expected and sadly not in a good way. When I requested this book from Netgalley, it sounded like a forbidden romance type of thing, and while that remains true - it was not what I envisioned.

Corinne and Enoch belong to the same church and their views about everything are incredibly strict: no dancing, no touching, after a certain age boys and girls are not allowed alone together, etc. Basically, I agree with absolutely none of it.

All of this made enjoying this book difficult. Everything church-related was so extreme. Y’all, I grew up in the Bible Belt, I know this is real, but I just can’t, especially in the current climate of the extremities that evangelical Christians are displaying. It was an easy and quick read but so repetitive - the characters were always talking about the same thing over and over again.

I’m not sure I would recommend it to any of the people I interact with in this corner of the internet because all of y’all will totally hate with the way of life portrayed. I do like to read books that provide me with learning opportunities and new ways to think and grow as a person, but this borderline angered me and it wasn’t much of a learning experience.

Corinne is the story of forbidden love between two people, but also the impact of that love on their relationships with their family and church. Members of a very strict fundamentalist Christian church, Enoch and Corinne's lives are very much regulated and mapped out for them. Epoch embraces the beliefs and the rules of the church. Corinne not so much so, and when she is cast out it is both devastating and freeing. When Corinne returns home after years away, she is slowly being allowed back into her family's fold. It's a tightrope that she is now willing to walk, wanting her family but not wanting to go back to the church. As an outcast, her family can only allow her so far in, and even then, they are risking much. A chance meeting with Enoch sends both their lives into a spiral as they deal with their feelings from the past and current ones in the present. I could feel the conflict because as much as I wanted Corinne and Enoch to be together, I didn't want them to have to sacrifice so much of themselves to do so. And that was what they each had to come to terms with as well.
Rebecca Morrow has the ability to convey so much emotion and conflict without exaggerated detail. What this book did have was a lot of explicit scenes. At some points, I thought the book focus was solely on those scenes, when I wanted more of their thoughts and feelings and especially, would have been interested of Enoch's POV while at church. While we know what happens there we're not privy to the details.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's press for my gifted arc.

It's so fitting that this book is title after the main character, Corinne. My reasons for saying that are more than just the fact that she's the main character so the story revolves around her. She is the one person in the novel that seems to find balance between the two worlds - - the secular world and a peace of sorts with the people of the fundamentalist church she was shunned from as a teenager. But in saying that, I guess it isn't completely true. I believe a better statement is that she finds a sense of peace about where "she" is in the world. She was removed from the church and found a way to live with it. Her one regret was also being shunned by her family.

All the other characters who are either still heavily involved with the fundamentalist church in the book (or those still somewhat involved - - you'll see what I mean if you read the book) seem to really struggle with so many back and forth emotions of guilt and self doubt. It's heartbreaking for Corinne. Especially when their guilt is because they were associating with her.

It was an interesting analysis of how this type of "this or that" treatment of people in churches affects families. When you cut people out of churches, they are also completely isolated from their families if they stay in the church and left with no support system whatsoever. It's tragic.

The book also touches on how intimacy is sometimes addressed in stricter belief systems. Where people basically come into a marriage not understanding that it's okay to seek and provide pleasure with their partners.

This book does help some of the characters involved find peace. It's definitely a struggle, but it's worth the tough work. It definitely is a heavy book, but there is "light" within the pages too.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

CORINNE
Rebecca Morrow - Author
Barry Kreinik - Narrator
Contemporary Romance / Women’s Fiction

At 30 years old, Corinne is finally making amends with her family and getting her life back on track after being shunned by their church since she was 18. Then in walks Enoch who ruined everything for her before. Will their long standing love fix their problems or make them worse?

I found this book very interesting. Especially the religious aspect of it and how strict the church was where they attended. Having grown up a pastor’s daughter, I know a lot of what goes on behind the scenes at a church and was thankful that my church was not that strict. This was definitely a 5 star read for me. It was really steamy in some parts, so I recommend it more for contemporary romance readers.

The faith vs church element was the star of the story and one I followed closely. It felt necessary to have the intimacy and spice involved illustrating that clash. Bravo, good job to both the author and the narrator. Rebecca Morrow was new to me but Barrie Kreinik is a long-standing favorite! Excellent voice to tell this tale. #Corinne #macmillanaudio #stmartinspress #netgalleyreads #macmillanforthelisten #RebeccaMorrow #BarrieKreinik