REVIEW: Loyally Luke ⭐⭐⭐

I didn't realize two things when I received Loyally Luke as an ARC. First, I didn’t know that this is actually the third book in a series, but thankfully, it can easily be read as a standalone. The other thing is that I didn’t realize this was a Christian Fiction book. Nothing is wrong with that; I just thought this book would be more romance fiction.

I liked how Pepper Basham wrote this book. There were chapters from different characters' points of view, plus some news articles and texts throughout. The audiobook made this even better because it had a whole cast of readers. It made the story so much more enjoyable and genuine. I also really liked both of the main characters, Luke and Ellie. They both had so much personality and were confident in who they were. Both of them had very fun and sweet moments throughout the story.

There were a few things that I wasn’t super keen on. The story itself was very slow and drawn out. Along the same lines, the romance was a super slow burn (or spark even). They eventually kissed, but that’s it. At first, I liked some of the romance cliches in the story because Luke was so anti-rom-com, yet things kept happening to him like a rom-com. Unfortunately, after a while, it got to be too much. A few things were fine, but it got too repetitive. The last thing I wasn’t a huge fan of was that this is a Christian Romance. I am not religious, and I don’t usually like reading so much about religion in the book. That’s just me, though.

Overall, I still enjoyed Loyally Luke. The audiobook narrators brought the story to life. This book may be great for other readers, but it isn’t the kind of book I usually gravitate towards.

Thank you, Netgalley and HarperCollins Christian Publishing | Thomas Nelson Fiction, for the free advanced copy for my honest review!

This was my first book by Pepper Basham, but won't be my last! Luke might be one of my favorite Heroes ever, and I loved his relationship with his family. I didn't know this was a series going in, and now I'm so happy to have more books to read!!

This is such a sweet romance by Pepper Basham! When I started reading this book, I didn’t realize this was the 3rd in the series. I didn’t feel lost or like I was missing anything. I quickly fell in love with Luke, Ellie and Skymar!

The prodigal princess Ellie is trying to repair her reputation tattered by the poor choices of her past. Her journey & development is a beautiful journey as she rediscovers her faith and who she is meant to be.

Luke is the quiet steady hero who is wonderful with kids. He cares so much for his sisters-the banter between them is hilariously written and you can tell they truly care about each other.

Together, Luke & Ellie are just perfect despite their extremely different backgrounds. They get off on the wrong foot, but find common ground as they are forced to work to renovate an orphanage together. Their “meet cute” is hilarious and I love their “trope” list!!

All opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I love a good romcom. And in Loyally, Luke, the characters constantly referred to different romcoms, including quotes from my favorite, Notting Hill. It was a cute story about a construction worker from North Carolina who ends up in a small European village and falls for a dutchess. Forced proximity, royal/commoner romance, all of it. The texts with his sisters and best friend were really cute as were the little social media posts about the dutchess. All in all, it felt like a hallmark movie.

A charming contemporary romance that follows my absolute favourite character of this series, Luke. He is a practical and emotionally reserved character, due to some things that happened in his past. I just love the slow way he learns how to navigate love and redemption.
This whole series was amazing, but I feel like "Loyally, Luke" has the best blend of humour and grace, making it absolutely delightful. I found myself quickly engaged in the book by the amazing storytelling, well-developed characters and the perfect Skymar setting.
Now I just want to read anything Pepper ever wrote!



* I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley, and this is my honest opinion.*

For Luke Edgewood, love is not a priority. His sisters may be obsessed with all those mushy Hallmark movies, but he is not impressed. Until a coffee mix-up causes him to meet a girl he cannot stop thinking about. Only problem is that she's a princess. A real one! Does that mean that they have no future?

Loyally Luke is a sweet, clean romance. I would absolutely consider this Christian Fiction as there is some talk about God. That said, I don't feel that it was overly aggressive with the delivery of these scenes. It was tactfully done, and if you're ok with a religious character, you can easily overlook the religious aspect in the book.

Overall, I did enjoy this book, and would rate it a 3.5 (rounded up). It was one of those fluffy Hallmark-esque books with minimal real drama, and gave "You must be married to a Prince," vibes.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas Nelson Fiction, and author Pepper Basham for making this possible.

Loyally, Luke by Pepper Basham is book #3 in The Skymar Series. I've read the first two and totally loved them. I thought nothing could surpass POSITIVELY PENELOPE, but I was wrong. I think I might have swooned a few times reading about Luke and Ellie. It's told in the same style with a lot of texts and group chats, but if you have read the first two you will be use to that. It's a very humorous book, but it's also a romantic book too. I'm sad there will be no more Skymar books. I fell in love with the place and this family. I know for sure I'll be reading all three books again. I was given a copy, but all opinions are my very own.

I received an ARC of this book, my first from the author, and it was so cute! I loved the theme of being loved for who you are, no matter your standing, your past, or what others think! I adored the family and friends of our two min characters and the setting, as well! Ellie is such an inspiring character, outside of the fact she is a princess, she has overcome great adversity, serious health issues, the pressures of being a royal and targeted by critics, and her own mistakes. She does so with grace, caring, and she’s not afraid of putting in work! Luke is such a good man—a heart of gold, will do anything for those he loves, sure and true, and wise. It’s adorable the things he does for the kids at the orphanage, his sisters, his friends, and most especially, Ellie. He says very poignant things and his intentions are pure. Seeing their love and tension grow, surrounded by friends to lovers, hidden royals, a spot of fake dating, and forced proximity/working together were all combined to show how they loved each other for who they are and truly. Plus, all of the text exchanges and hallmark references were hilarious!

Last year, by total chance I found the book, Authentically, Izzy and was immediately sucked into the world of Izzy, Penelope, Josephine and Luke Edgewood. And of course, the dazzling country of Skymar. It was the beginning of a beautiful thing and I never looked back! (Can I just confess right now that after reading Izzy’s book I googled Skymar, hoping it was a real country? 😜 I know, I know… totally embarrassing but if it was- I was needing to go!✈️)

Luke’s story was everything I anticipated it would be.. and more! Luke, having two sisters and a cousin who is like a sister, really has to be a little tough and sarcastic to fend off their constant matchmaking and romantic tendencies. But at the center of his flannel wearing and tool belt toting heart, we discover how tender and loyal he truly is. When he meets the real life, very lovely Princess Ellie while in Skymar, he knows it can never work out. He’s the opposite of anything Royal.. and he doesn’t desire that fishbowl life… but… those kisses…🤭🫠 I think at some point I have called Pepper Basham the Queen of Kissing and she definitely earns that title here!

What I loved:

🏰 The renovating of a castle turned orphanage & the cast of sweet orphans that Luke befriends
🏰 The meet- cute at the coffee shop
🏰 The comical text messages between all the Edgewood’s
🏰 Countless movie references
🏰 The hallmark chime
🏰 Ellie’s bucket list
🏰 Ellie’s redemption story
🏰 The tight knit family feels
🏰 Luke’s thoughts on kissing
🏰 The antique shop and it’s lovable, sometimes meddling owners
🏰 The car ride to the Royal ball
🏰 The small, quaint town of Crieff
🏰 Being able to check in again with Izzy & Penelope
🏰 Themes of faith & hope
🏰 The feel good way this book made me feel!
🏰 Lots of laugh out loud moments

You don’t need to read the other two books in the series as this works as a standalone just fine but I highly recommend if you can to get the full experience!

Content: no language, kisses only/closed door.

Thank you to @pepperbasham for giving me a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

Loyally Luke by Pepper Basham is a wonderful contemporary romance that is the third book in the Skymar series, it follows Luke Edgewood's love story with Ellie a protocol Princess.

This story does not disappoint, it is a sweet, heartwarming, humorous rom-com with many laugh out loud moments.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Thomas Nelson for the complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Another absolutely beautiful installment in this series by Pepper Basham. I was so excited to read Luke’s story since he was my favorite of the cousins and it did not disappoint. I found myself laughing so much reading this and the other books in the series. If you are looking for a clean rom com, you have found your book!

All books can be read as standalones without any issues

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review this book. All opinions are my own.

This book was such a fun, lighthearted read, it follows Luke, a heartwarming carpenter, who is working at an orphanage when he meets Ellie, a true when opposite worlds collide moment. This was such a good read, will definitely be going back to the other 2 books in this series

I have loved Luke and have been looking forward to his story since meeting him in Authentically, Izzy. He is just such a great character, and so good at loving his people. But for some reason, this book just fell a little flat for me. It was frustrating to have the whole book being about him and Ellie deciding not to pursue a relationship and not to fall in love and then going ahead and spending time together and making choices that obviously encouraged their interest in one another. It made them both seem weak to me, and I didn't really like that part of it. I also found Penelope super annoying in this book even though I loved her in her own book! She seemed so insensitive to what Luke was going through and just kept pushing and pushing. All that said, despite the things I didn't enjoy, there was enough about the book that I did like to make it worth the read for me. And even though this maybe wasn't the story I would picked for Luke, I was glad he was happy in the end.

Basham leaves the best til last! We’ve met Luke Edgewood in the first 2 books of the series. He’s a great foil to his sister Penelope and cousin Izzy. But we get a sense in those first 2 stories of chivalry and his strength as an individual. And now in this final instalment of the series, Basham gives him his own story.

This is my favourite of the three. Luke visits Skymar to work on a renovation project for an orphanage and in the process meets its patron, Ellie St. Clare. Little does Luke know but Ellie is royalty. A real life princess.

There is immediate chemistry on their first meeting and it’s not long before both of our leads are infatuated with the other. But there’s lots of reasons for them both not to pursue anything other than friendship. For much of the story, Ellie and Luke struggle to resist their increasingly strong feelings for the other. Basham writes the struggle brilliantly that makes us love this couple even more.

We see tremendous growth in both Ellie and Luke through the story. Ellie, in particular, has been much maligned in her recent past, resisting her princess title. She has two supportive parents who choose to believe Ellie is able to mature into a willing royal taking on responsibilities that would benefit the people of Skymar. To her credit, Ellie responds well to her parent’s selfless love, whilst trying to establish her own way of assuming the role of Princess.

With some tremendous scenes which could easily feature in a ‘best of’ romantic story scenes, Basham has her readers falling madly in love with Ellie and Luke and their union. With a tremendous supporting cast and two delightful young girls, Faye and Amara, who capture Luke’s heart, the reader happily turns the pages at breakneck speed wanting to see what our resistant couple get up to next.

Will they or won’t they choose their own life without the other or find an alternative option?

A brilliant end to what is a fabulous series.

I feel very fortunate to have received an early Ebook copy from the publisher via NetGalley with no expectation of a positive review.

For all those bibliophiles the Skymar series by Pepper Basham is the equivalent to finding a cozy chair on a rainy day by the fire with a cup of tea and finger sandwiches. It is perfection!
After Izzy and Penelope found their happily ever after it was definitely time for Luke. The grumpy, flannel, hallmark eye rolling man that the readers adore! The cherry on top to this novel is that of course his true love is THE Princess of Skymar. And oh my does it get any better than their meet cute?!
It was most definitely worth waiting for!

Thank you to the publisher, Pepper Basham, and NetGalley for the requested ARC. This is my honest review.

"The best stories are like a diamond. They have many sides, and the true reader is the one who attempts to understand more than one." He offered a small smile. "I know you're not used to living with royals as a regular part of your world, but I can tell you from a lifetime of watching and listening to the stories, there is always more than one side. I don't know if you want to see any of the other sides of this one, since you're only here for a short while, but it might provide more clarity on how to manage the next steps."

A man in flannel. A princess hiding from the spotlight. Unanticipated connection. Potentially expected results. But the story is still so good.

Luke never planned on ending up in the fictional land of Skymar. But he will do anything for his sisters. He assumes he understands this country and its people. But soon he realizes that he has more to learn. Patterns are rarely predictable when the human heart is involved.

This epistolary novel includes more dialogue and face-to-face interactions than the first two books in the Skymar series. But it still is a book that includes texts and letters. The three books are all connected. I highly recommend reading all of them in order.

Family and faith are key parts to this story. Learning to be true to oneself and to shed stereotypes is also an important element. This is a sweet romance about finding love in the most unlikely of places.

I did read an advanced copy of this book. I wanted to read and review it. All opinions are my own.

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.

“He flinched. But this wasn’t love. Maybe it could turn into love, because his heart veered really close to falling, but right now it was like. A lot. A kissing lot.”

I fell in love with Luke from the very first book in all this grumpy, flannel-wearing glory. This man has three sisters and deals with all the heart eyes and Hallmark tropes every day of his life, but when a job takes him to Skymar for a couple of months, all the meet-cutes and chimes can’t keep him away from his Grace Kelly, aka Ellie.

Pepper Basham brings these characters to life in a way that makes them leap off the pages and I couldn’t get enough of Luke’s story. His disdain of all things romance (give him Rambo and Star Wars) and his stellar self-control, thanks to living with ridiculous sisters, pits him perfectly against this sassy, brave, smart and witty woman. I laughed at every snippet of banter and swooned at every *chime* of chemistry-laden interaction. And the text exchanges between the siblings are the cream on top of a deliciously fruit-filled pie. I think this one is my favorite of the series!

Content: mild religious references; mild romance

I loved this book. You can’t read it without wishing Luke was your best friend. He’s smart, funny, tender, and kind. The best sort of man who hides all the goodness behind a crusty exterior. He may very well go down as my favorite book boyfriend, ever!!! The first meeting between Luke and Ellie St. Clare is superbly executed. Ellie comes off as snobbish, which naturally rubs Luke the wrong way. But as the story progresses, Ellie shows her true nature, which is kind, caring, and down-to-earth. There are so many tender moments in this story especially with Luke and a little girl named Faye. You’ll love him because of the way he treats this sad girl. Loyally, Luke has wonderful humor, multiple moments that can’t help but touch the reader, and a beautiful love story. Even more, Basham shows how when someone has a giving heart and unselfish motives that person has the power to change all those around him or her. The world would be a better place if we could all be more like Luke.

This book was super sweet. I loved Luke so much; he was grumpy, kind, and tender hearted. Ellie was a wonderful FMC; I loved her growth. I was reminded of Princess Diaries 2 many times throughout the book. I loved the movie references, the side characters, the texts/emails, and the sweet kisses.

Enemies to lovers and grumpy x sunshine are two of my favorite tropes, and to have them together was so fun! It also had the royal trope and was done really well, in my opinion.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the arc ebook!