🌟Book Review🌟

4.5 Rounded up

Read if you like:

Sweet romance stories
Christian values
Faith elements
World War II
Love triangles
Easy to read
Heartfelt story

I love Karen Kingsbury. She's one of my favorite Christian authors. This is a very sweet love story about Hank and Irvel.

Irvel has been diagnosed with Alzhimer's disease and she and Hank are making a video to document their love before she completely forgets. The story follows them through mishaps, struggles, and their roles in World War II.

I enjoyed this story. It was easy to read with a sweet romance. At one point, Irvel has to battle her fear and she does it by memorizing scripture. I found that part very inspirational and helpful. The only thing I'd have liked more of is details about the war and Irvel's role in it. But overall, I thought it was a very sweet romance and reminded me of The Notebook.

Thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for a free digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is Kingsbury’s first historical fiction novel and I think her fans will love it. She has never written a novel during this period in history and she took great care to get the details accurate. Beyond the story of WWII, there is a sweet romance between kids who have grown up together their whole lives.

It’s the summer of 1940, Irvel Holland and brothers Hank and Sam Myers are living their best lives. Hank and Irvel are best friends but there has always been a feeling of something more, especially after a particular incident while walking along the river. But, neither one has acted on their feelings and they both grow up and head off to college. Irvel ends up dating Sam and then WWII begins.

Kingsbury is known for her heartfelt novels and this one will touch your heart. If you like chaste romance stories, historical fiction, or family stories then this one will be for you. Irvel, Hank, and Sam deal with a lot of struggles and roadblocks during their young lives. War isn’t kind to their families and Kingsbury paints an accurate scene of war both on the battlefield and at home.

"…maybe some far-off day they would laugh fondly at this time in their lives. When the lives of love and friendship blurred and none of them could grasp the seriousness of what the future held."

Even though Ivrel is with Sam, you know that Hank is her one true love, but both are too stubborn to admit it. Then WWII tears them apart and you wonder if they will ever be able to be a couple. Kingsbury weaves a realistic story of war, first love, loss, and a secret that once finally shared will be a fun reveal to the character.

Karen Kingsbury’s stories, if you didn’t already know, have a Christian background. The characters rely on God and the Bible and trust in Him to reveal the answer to their prayers.

"God was the answer…why hadn’t she thought of that before? She felt her body relax more with every passing breath. She was His…and He alone could give her peace."

I was reading this story as I was staying overnight with my dad during his illness. This passage calmed me so much that I read it over and over again during that week. Sometimes characters and the readers all need a little reminder of God’s ever presence in our lives.

Beautiful and heartbreaking dual time-line story of young Irvel and Hank during World War 2 and later in the 1980’s. So sweet and full of love. Karen Kingsbury did a wonderful job as usual!! I also listened to the audio version and think the narrators were perfect!

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review.

Publication date: 14 November 2023

Karen Kingsbury fans finally get to hear the story of Irvel and Hank in Just Once. And what a wonderful story it is! This book brings out all the emotions and will leave you feeling speechless. A definite must read!

Just once by Karen Kinksbury is an amazing WW2 story about a girl torn between two brothers! Irvel grows up with her best friend, Hank, and they are inseparable. As they grow into adulthood they both delay telling the other how they feel about each other, leading to misunderstandings and them dating other people. Irvel dates Hank's older brother Sam but still has feelings for Hank. Then WW2 breaks out and Sam enlists.
This story will keep you guessing as to what happens next!

I don't know why I requested this, knowing I hate war stories. But I did because everyone loves this author and raved about it. Unfortunately, I just couldn't get into it. If you're into WWII historical fiction and Christian romance, you will probably love it.

Just Once is a bit of a departure for Karen Kingsbury fans as it is historical fiction. The dual timeline story takes place during WW2. The main character ,Irvel gets involved in the war effort as a spy . An enjoyable but rather predictable read,
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Karen Kingsbury does it again! Couldn't put this book down. The story is about a couple's walk through new love throughout their life and the challenges that incur. Very touching and beautifully written. This story was extra special because it was about the strength of a couple's love no matter what happens. Highly recommend.

Emotional and encouraging — a difficult combination to master. I love that Karen Kingsbury stepped into historical fiction, and I would definitely read more like this.

As I immerse myself in the pages of Karen Kingsbury's latest masterpiece, I can't help but feel my heart swell with emotion. The year is 1941, and the world is at war, yet amidst the turmoil, Irvel Holland's story shines like a beacon of hope. Her love triangle with brothers Sam and Hank is achingly relatable, and I find myself rooting for her as she navigates the treacherous waters of love and loss. When Sam is deployed to the front lines, my heart breaks for Irvel, knowing the uncertainty and fear she must face. But then, she's presented with a dangerous proposition - join a spy network to help the war effort. My pulse races as I turn the pages, wondering if she'll take the leap of faith. Through Kingsbury's masterful storytelling, I'm reminded that true love and courage can conquer even the darkest of times. Irvel's journey becomes my own, and I'm left with a sense of awe and gratitude for the resilience of the human spirit.

Intense love triangle; don't read unless you are ready to have an emotional journey and cry more than once. A WW2 romance that takes you from Pearl Harbor to Europe and back to the US as we follow the love story of Irvel and brothers Hank and Sam. Great research on WW2 and a well-developed emotional story against the heavy, intense events on the 40s. I liked it, and think it was a good intro to a reader new to Karens' writing. Curious to see if Karen writes more historical fiction.

Just Once written by Karen Kingsbury was PHENOMENAL!!!!!! I knew this book was going to be heart breaking, but I devoured every single minute of it. Through the tears, I loved this book more than anything, it was beautiful, raw, gut wrenching, pure, honest, and so powerful. Karen Kingsbury has a way of grabbing her readers hearts and smashing them to the ground. I sobbed my entire way through this book and didn't stop to wipe my tears until the very last page. Just Once is such an important book in so many ways, it deals with World War II and the persecution of the Jews by Hitler's regime. The stories that were being told by the characters just destroyed me mentally, it was like it was happening right in front of me and I will never be able to forget what this book did to me. If anyone decides to read this book, just know there is a love triangle, but there's no cheating involved at all. I can't recommend this book enough, everyone needs to read it at some point in their lives. There might be heart break in Just Once, but there is also love, hope, faith, and healing. The characters grabbed and sucker punched my heart so many times, but I came to love them deeply. Just Once is the type of story that will remain in my heart forever.

THANK YOU TO NETGALLEY AND ATRIA BOOKS FOR AN ARC OF THIS BOOK IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW!!!!!!!

Joshua 1:9 "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid..... do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go".

"Can love find a way, even from the ashes of the greatest heart break?"

In 1941, Irvel Ellis is too focused on her secret to take much notice in the war raging overseas. Irvel is dating Sam, but she's in love with his brother, Hank. Irvel has no idea how to break the news when the unthinkable happens- Pearl Harbor is attacked. When their lives are turned upside down overnight, Sam is drafted and Hank wants to enlist, but only one man in the family can enlist. Sam has insisted that Hank stay home where he and Irvel can take up the battle on the home front. Hank and Sam have done everything together, so when Sam is drafted Hank is beside himself. Sam and Hank's family have a business where they build machinery to be sent overseas for the war. As the battle continues to rage on, Hank and Irvel both enlist in the way, but Irvel is scouted out and has to keep her job a secret. With Sam, Hank, and Irvel enlisted in the war, their parents are beside themselves, but they are so proud of their children for dropping everything and fighting back against the enemy. Sam, Hank, and Irvel held my heart captive throughout the entire book, I sobbed, I smiled, and I cheered them on because they all deserved the best.

I want to take a minute and thank EVERYONE who has served for The United States of America. Whether you were or are in the Army, Air Force, Navy etc, THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart for your service. I know war is a very heavy topic to be discussed, but it's so important. So many lives were lost and so many lives were changed, and it truly breaks my heart to see so many service members be treated poorly. A simple hug, a thank you for your service can put the biggest smile on a service members face. I'm getting teary eyed writing this review, because my brother was in the Marines and this is such a touching topic for me, so I want to apologize for being so sappy. This book is NOT easy to read, but it truly is such a beautiful and heart breaking book that I think everyone needs to read. Despite sobbing the entire book, I don't regret reading this book at all. It will remain in my heart forever. Irvel, Hank, and Sam will remain in my heart forever, as well. Their story will continue to live on. I knew how heavy this story would be, but yet I continued to read this book and I'm so happy I did because it truly was one of the best books Karen Kingsbury has ever written.

What a beautiful story by Karen Kingsbury. Her tender and uplifting style of writing makes the reader feel like we know the characters personally. The author gets us invested in their world. She does not disappoint.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review of the book.

I have been provided with a review copy of Just Once from NetGalley for an impartial review. This book was just so easy to get lost in. I completely got lost in the story and I just loved getting to see these new characters come together. I just absolutely love this story and I just didn’t want to put it down. I can’t wait to see what’s next from this author.

I loved this book! I the love story was inspiring and encouraging. Even when things didn’t go how they originally planned they had faith and worked it out.

Such a beautiful love story. I was so excited to get the chance to read more about Irvel and Hank. I love how Karen Kingsbury will bring back past characters from other books and tell their story. This book kept me on the edge of my seat and turning the pages I couldn't put it down! Those who like to read about WWII era will also find this story interesting. Thank you to the author, publisher and netgalley for the advanced copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This is Karen Kingsbury‘s first historical fiction novel. At the end of the book, she explained the amount of work and research she had to go through to write this book. And I appreciate that she did research in order to write a book that was historically accurate. However, I wasn’t a fan of The book. I’ll give it three stars. I read it through. I was able to finish it. But I felt like there was too much coincidence? Not really realistic. Maybe I’m just looking for some thing that could gonThat’s a very real possibility I guess. The love story was here. And I feel like there was a lot of detail that was missing. And there was too much to include everything in historical events. I just feel like it could’ve been a little more realistic. I did love the premise of it, a spy in World War II!
My ARC was provided by the publisher NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I have been a long time fan of Karen Kingsbury and when I found out about Just Once, a story about one of Ms. Kingsbury’s favorite minor, yet major characters, Irvel, from her Baxter Family series I knew I had to read it! Just Once is primarily split between the 1980s when Irvel gets her Alzheimer’s diagnosis and the 1940s when Irvel served in World War II. Irvel and the love her life Hank fall in love quickly as kids and make promises to each other to marry in the future. As they grow into adults, their promises to marry seem as though they will never happen, especially when they end up seeing other people. Irvel starts seeing Hank’s brother Sam until he gets drafted and Sam asks Hank to watch out for Irvel. Hank and Irvel’s friendship gets rekindled before Hank goes off to war and Irvel gets drafted into a super secret mission for Her Country, leaving their lives upended and future unknown.

I’m a big fan of Time-Slip Novels and was excited to see that Karen Kingsbury triumphed at writing one with Just Once. I love how Ms. Kingsbury brings us something different than she usually writes–an historical time-slip novel–and yet you know it’s unmistakable Kingsbury writing with the depth of emotion and story that are built on a foundation of Christ. I love that she revisited Irvel’s story from the Baxter Family series and unraveled the layers of Irvel and Hank’s story. I love FINALLY getting to meet the Hank that Irvel always talked about in the Baxter Family series and getting to know him for myself. Kingsbury wrote Hank the way I always imagined him to be, and yet Hank still exceeded my expectations. I love how we find out about Irvel’s top secret mission and how she served Her Country. I love how Hank and Irvel’s stories are constantly intertwining and how God weaves their story together for His Glory and the ripple effect it had on those around them. If you are looking for a book that will sweep you up, give you an escape, all the feels, and encourage you at the same time then I highly recommend Just Once by Karen Kingsbury!

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. My review is also on Goodreads and my blog, Leslie's Library Escape and various Facebook groups..

I don't believe I have ever read a Karen Kingsbury book before, but the WWII plotline made me request this one. I thought it was a bit like The Notebook with it's flashbacks to the 1940s and a love story with two elderly people, one of whom is dealing with heartbreaking dementia. I knew the main characters would eventually end up together despite their timing never being right and kept rooting for it to happen. This was a sweet, inspirational romance that I really enjoyed.

I normally don't gravitate to Karen Kingsbury books because of their almost too pat way of wrapping everything up doesn't feel relatable to me. BUT this book was excellent, I am a huge fan of historical fiction and the topic of OSS was intriguing and an overall very enjoyable read. There were a few parts that felt pat and slightly fake, but I will be purchasing this book for our library and I will give Kingbury's next stand alone book a read as well.