Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for the ARC of this novel. I enjoyed this novel a bit more than the previous ones in this series as there was a bit less epistolary fiction and more focus on what was truly occurring. It continued to be extremely sweet with some small pitfalls but an overall happy ending for everyone involved and you do get follow-ups to previous characters and their stories. The characters of Luke and Ellie has actual character growth but also remained true to who they were at their core all along. Sometimes, all you need is a kisses-only romance. 3.5 stars.

Firstly I would like to thank the publishers of this book for allowing me an e-arc copy of this book, in return of my own thoughts in review.
I love these enemy to friends to more stories,
I really enjoyed getting to know the characters, and what makes them who they are and where they have come from.
The writing style of the author was enjoyable, and very readable, she made the story gripping and kept me wanting to go back for more (honestly if I didn’t have a toddler, school age children, a job and a home to keep I’d have read this book much quicker), it was nice to read it slowly as I could savour the story.
I will recommend this to others that I know that will enjoy this kind of story.
Happy reading!

I love this series from Pepper Basham! The banter between the siblings/cousin is so fun. And of course the romance is sweet. I’ve really enjoyed these books!

I actually didn't realize this was part of a series but luckily it seems to be interconnected standalones and now I want to go back and read the others! I really enjoyed this, it was fun and I loved the characters. The romance was very sweet and I always love a small town romance! They were very Lorelai and Luke coded so I'm obsessed

I love this family and have enjoyed reading about each of their experiences with "finding 'the One.'" And "Loyally, Luke" was just as good as the rest of books in this series of standalones!

As the only boy in a family of sisters, Luke's had to put up with a lot of stuff along the way, especially Hallmark movies and rom-coms... So, he overcompensates by steeping himself in Rambo and Indiana Jones movies, and wearing flannel.

He temporarily leaves his home in the Blue Ridge Mountains to do some short-term restoration work in the small European country of Skymar, where he has a meet-cute with a Grace Kelly lookalike. But he soon learns that she is heading up one of the projects he has come to Skymar to work on. So, there's no avoiding her.

There are fun jabs at various romance tropes throughout the book, and I love Luke as a person. He is so wise and sweet, while pretending to be gruff and grumpy. There were some pretty wonderful conversations between Luke and Ellie throughout the story that were swoonworthy.

Thank you to Pepper Basham, who is quickly becoming one of my favorite contemporary writers, Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for an advance review copy.

Loyally, Luke was such a lovable and easy to read book once you got a few chapters into it, I enjoyed the royalty/commoner trope and how sweet and dreamy the hero was.

My deepest thanks to the Author, Publisher, and NetGalley for an ARC of this book!
Unfortunately, this book was a miss for me.
I really enjoyed the first book of this series, but the second was just okay, and this one was a complete miss. I couldn’t root for Luke or Ellianna at all. I found their relationship to be far too physically based, and as much as it pains me to say it, I found their relationship to be very similar to what I would find in any other secular book. There were a lot of kisses, some of which made me a little uncomfortable, and yeah, it just left me unable to root for them. On top of that, the Christian content has seemed to decrease with each book, with this one having very little Faith content, besides some ideas and expressions of faith, I found it to be very lacking. I hate that I have to write this, as I was looking forward to Luke’s story.

Unfortunately, this wasn't my type of read. Most of this may have just been that it wasn't my style of writing, and this was book 3 in a series I had never read before. I am not going to lie, I got caught in the hype of all the 5-star reviews and just knew I would like it. But for me, it was a slow start, the texting back and forth wasn't a favorite, and I just couldn't get into it. I considered not leaving a review because I wasn't blown away... But I think in order for people to trust the reviews on books they need to see a mixture, not all 5 stars. So, here we have it. Pepper is a skilled writer, her books are wildly popular and I want her to see much success in the future. But for now, this wasn't my sort of read... perhaps one day I will circle back around and give it another go, but not yet.

Thank you to Netgalley for this early copy to review!

There's a reason so many people love Pepper Basham's books! She's a delightful voice in clean, hope-filled romance! What a treat this book is to our world. A fun, flirty, banter-filled romance, written with skill and creativity! Would recommend to any reader who loves romance, puns, and cheeky romantic vibes. A great read! 5 stars!

I loved this series and I loved, loved, loved this book. Luke is not looking for romance but a chance meeting with a woman has his sister talking about romance tropes. Luke is disgusted and has to go watch manly movies like Rambo to counteract the rom-com talk. He is a great character. He's friendly and cares for kids. His interactions with Ellie are fun.

Ellie realizes that Luke doesn't know she's the princess and she appreciates being known for who she is rather than what she represents. You can guess where it goes from there...more romance tropes to fulfill.

The characters are well developed and the texts between Luke and his sisters are always entertaining. I will be sad to see this series end. It's very memorable. Thank you to Thomas Nelson for providing me with a free e-copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

I have to start by saying two things; I'm not generally into royal fiction and I absolutely loved the first two books in the series because they were largely epistolary novels. So this one was different, for me, from the other two because you got less of the "sibling" banter that I loved from the first two books. Having said that, I did love finishing out the series with Luke and Ellie's story. The scene in the kitchen was my favorite and I loved the historical elements especially (history major here!)
All in all I enjoyed this book and I'm glad to have spent more time in Skymar, which I really wish was a real place I could visit someday!

I would rate this book 5 stars. Loyally Luke is a must read for lovers of romance and fairytales.
Luke and Ellie had a heartwarming relationship. I love the setting of the book. Basham did a wonderful job at making you feel like you were there in Skylar and part of the story.
Overall this is a very enjoyable book I would definitely recommend it.

Oh, Luke. This is just the perfect way to wrap up the Skymar series, with the rugged exterior and warm and gooey interior of Luke finally taking center stage! We knew it was going to take a special woman to break through his shell, but a real live honest to goodness princess? That is comic gold. From their first rendezvous in the broom closet to helping Ellie check off a list of things she’s never done Luke is chivalrous, mostly kind (in a very blunt Luke-ish sort of way) and he discovers that this woman he’s very attracted to happens to actually be the Princess. They’re the perfect foil for each other—he is the grumpy to her sunshine, the down to her up, the left to her right. Their relationship as it grew was so lovely to watch, and it was especially fun to revisit characters we met in previous Skymar books. Even though this book didn’t hinge as heavily on epistolary factors as previous books (if they did, we’d be looking at a novella at best…Luke is a man of few words!) it flowed effortlessly from a hidden identity trope to a blossoming relationship that I personally adored. The audiobook is everything, and I cannot highly recommend this book enough! I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a positive review.

Loyally, Luke is the third book in the Skymar Christian contemporary fiction series by Pepper Basham. For the richest reading experience, I recommend reading the first two books before this one, where you will meet, befriend, and fall in love with the cast of endearing characters.

In this book, Luke Edgewood visits Skymar and meets a beautiful girl named Ellie who takes his breath away. She is everything he is looking for in a girl, but she also happens to be a princess. Luke and Ellie fight their desire to be together due to their loyalty to their homelands, but their desire to be together continues to build as they get to know one another more. I LOVED the tension between Ellie and Luke in lots of forced (or chosen!) proximity scenes.

Book one (Authentically, Izzy) and about half of book two (Positively, Penelope) were written in an mostly epistolary style, but I appreciate the more traditional narrative style that is book is mostly written in. It feels more "real time" and seems more like Luke's style anyway.

I love the world of the Edgewoods and Luke's story is perfect! The length of the Skymar series books are on the longer side for contemporary romance or rom-coms, but it gives the books a chance to really capture the full world of Skymar and the character building events.

Content: Clean, kisses only.

Christian content includes mentioning God, prayer, seeking God's will, and going to church. I really appreciated the focus on doing what is best for others, not just making a selfish choice.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I LOVED this book! From start to finish, I absolutely adored it. Is it my favorite of the series?

*whispers* Yes, I think so.

Which feels like a big statement, but MY GOODNESS, Y'ALL. Luke is wonderful. Luke + Ellie together? Magic. The sassy sarcasm, the banter, the bittersweet tenderness of their time together . . . it was just all perfect. For me, there wasn't a single misstep in this novel. Basham has found her stride with the Edgewoods and it's a true delight for readers.

I highly recommend for rom-com fans who love the enemies-to-lovers trope. Or fans who love royalty romances. Or fans who love reluctant but honorable heroes. Or fans of romances.

IF YOU LIKE BOOKS, READ THIS SERIES. That's it. That's the end. These characters nestle into your heart and make themselves real. You don't want to miss this one, friends.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. All expressed opinions belong to me.

A fun story about a grumpy, plaid wearing handy man and an undercover princess. I loved the characters and returning to the fictional isle!

DNF

I think not having read the first books in the series hindered my reading experience. I will go back and read the other books eventually, but not any time soon.

💛 A little different of a book then I normal read/review....This cover just stole my heart and your girl ended up reading a kisses only Christian romance. But I freakin loved it!


Loyally, Luke is:
💛 Secret identity - princess/royalty
💛 MMC Southern boy Carpenter
💛 Cinnamon roll MMC
💛 HUGELY different worlds
💛 Opposites attract
💛 Close Proximity
💛 Forbidden - would the King approve 😱
💛 Funny - LOL funny
💛 Book 3 in a series (but I was never confused)
💛 Delightful banter
💛 Reverse Cinderella retelling
💛 🐶🐶 Chewy + Indie
💛 Texting!

Honestly I feel like that ^ covers it. But just know it was so freaking cute. I laughed out loud and had a heck of a good time. I am so glad I applied for this on a whim. The audio narration was phenomenal as well. A full cast narration?! Amazing! I will definitely be adding book 1&2 to my tbr for when I need something outside of my norm.

Thank you to @librofm for the audiobook and @netgalley for the ebook. AND of course @pepperbasham for writing this adorable book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for the eARC of this novel. The thoughts expressed in my review are completely my own.

Luke and Ellie have a meet-cute in a coffee shop at the airport when they accidentally mix up their coffee orders. Their witty banter begins right from the start. Then they find out they are going to be working together on renovating an orphanage. He’s annoyed at first because she was rude when they met, but then she apologizes and tries to start fresh. He tries to avoid being distracted by her beauty, humor and charm, but fails miserably. He rejects that notion that he could fall for her because they are from two very different worlds. Ellie seeks advice from her best friend Maeve who encourages her to not follow the royal protocols of participating in an arranged marriage to help her reputation. Luke seeks advice from his sisters who are all encouraging him to pursue a Hallmark movie romance despite the fact that he is a commoner from America, and she is royalty.

I adored the dual POV so we could see what was happening inside both Luke and Ellie’s minds as they navigated their relationship. Ellie has a sordid past and she is working hard to repair her public image. She hides her true identity from Luke because she wants him to see her for who she truly is and not for what she is, which is a literal princess. I loved the side characters all rooting for Luke and Ellie to admit that they are head over heels for one another.

Read if you enjoy:
Forced proximity
Workplace romance
Small-town
Royal romance / secret identity
Forbidden romance
Sweet / closed door romance
Meddling family & friends

Pepper Basham’s epic Skymar trilogy ends with fireworks in this dazzling final installment, Loyally, Luke. I honestly can’t believe how perfect this series has become. The humor, romance, movie references, characters, and storytelling were top-notch. From the first chapter, the writing hooks you with its charm and comedy. Each book starts off light and fun, but within the feel-good rom-com tropes lie impacting messages that bring depth and heart to the plot.

"Sometimes the best people to come into our lives are the ones we least expect. The ones who we can’t see fitting, but they change everything. Even the things they don’t plan to change." ~ Pepper Basham

I was really curious how Pepper Basham would write Luke’s story. After reading the first two books, readers will know how much he abhors technology and romance. Yet, Pepper deftly handles this challenge with grace and brilliance, taking us into the mind of this grumpy, black-coffee-loving, flannel-wearing countryman. The combination of texts and storytelling was perfect, making Luke’s internal journey and interactions all the more relatable and entertaining.

Luke really took me by surprise in this book. Every romance trope was thrown at him, yet he seemed to lean into it, proving that all along, he was a closeted romantic. I also respected how he remained firm in his standards and beliefs but welcomed change as God opened his heart to Ellie.

"Maybe this happily-ever-after gig wasn’t so bad after all." ~ Pepper Basham

The banter in Loyally, Luke was nothing short of a gold mine. Luke brought a delightful juxtaposition of ruggedness and tenderness, making him a new favorite book boyfriend. On the other hand, Ellie added layers of reliance and growth to the narrative as she fought to rebuild her life. The mutual loyalty and commitment between Luke, Ellie, and their families were beautifully portrayed.

A standout aspect of this novel was how it handled adult topics with sensitivity and realism. Ellie’s past is messy, but her transformative journey is relatable. Pepper Basham’s portrayal of mature love was also refreshing. Luke and Ellie’s relationship was driven by more than passion and attraction; it was underscored with respect, understanding, and a realistic approach to life’s priorities. While most romances show protagonists sacrificing everything for their love interest Loyally, Luke showed that while every relationship comes with sacrifice, it’s admirable to hold tight to your family and duties. Fairytales are great fun to read, but (as Luke so often pointed out) they aren’t real. Not everyone has the privilege of living happily ever after, and this aspect of the story was really authentic, setting it apart from traditional romance narratives.

"Love held power, a truth he knew soul-deep. The earthly sort didn’t always prove magical—he had a track record to support a failure here and there—but the heavenly, pure, all-in kind sure did." ~ Pepper Basham

The supporting characters were also brilliant with their quirkiness and meddling. Penelope remains the fiery redhead who believes in pixie dust and pushes Luke to embrace the fairytale. Meanwhile, Izzy was the bookish, clear-headed ally who helped Luke when things became messy. Ellie’s friend Maeve was also a great addition as she perfectly represented a girl’s best friend; I loved her nicknames for everyone.

The moral of Loyally, Luke is that God knows our hearts. He knows exactly what we need and has worked it out according to His plans. Even the things that seem impossible are possible for our God. If we put our trust in Him and release our deepest desires into His care, we will see how our stories are written according to His perfect timing.

"Why would God send someone so . . . interesting into her life when she couldn’t allow herself to even consider a future with him? To strengthen her self-control? To help her prove she’d changed? She shook the thought away." ~ Pepper Basham

Loyally, Luke ticked all the boxes and brought this series to the perfect close — you will be satisfied with everyone’s ending. I cannot rave about the Skymar trilogy enough; it is the perfect summer read that will have you booking a ticket to a foreign country in search of a bookshop owner, accountant/dancer, or prince. 😉

"Izzy: Oh my word. I hate to sound like Penelope . . .
Luke: Don’t.
Izzy: But this sounds like a movie moment.
Luke: You can’t join her side, Izzy. You’re the reasonable one." ~ Pepper Basham

*Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher, for providing me with a pre-release copy of this novel. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own*