This was my first Naima Simone book and won't be my last. I know a lot of romance readers (and non romance readers) would love this book. A wonderful, hopeful tale of second-chapters in life told my an own-voices author.

*Church Girl* by Naima Simone is an enticing, emotional romance that pulls readers in with its complex characters, sizzling chemistry, and heartwarming journey of self-discovery.

Aaliyah Montgomery is anything but your typical preacher’s daughter. After calling off her wedding and fleeing her small-town life, she moves to Chicago with big plans to reclaim her independence and follow her own path. However, she finds herself in an unexpected situation when she takes a job as a nanny for Von Howard, a brooding, tattooed single father. Von, who’s been through his own emotional upheaval, wants nothing more than to keep things simple—but Aaliyah’s innocence, curves, and undeniable sensuality spark something in him that he can’t quite shake.

The contrast between Aaliyah’s sheltered past and Von’s gritty, rough-edged lifestyle creates an electrifying dynamic. Aaliyah’s awkwardness in the kitchen and tendency to be a “fire hazard” playfully highlight her lack of experience, but it’s her hidden talent and genuine connection with Von’s daughter that showcase her heart and inner strength. Meanwhile, Von’s gruff exterior hides a man who is still healing from a difficult divorce and trying to be the best father he can, even if that means confronting his own feelings for Aaliyah.

The slow-burn romance between Aaliyah and Von is steamy and layered with emotional depth. Aaliyah is running from more than just a wedding—she’s running from a life that doesn’t fit her, from the expectations placed on her by her family, and from the fear of losing herself in someone else’s life. Meanwhile, Von is just trying to be a good father and keep his emotions in check. But the undeniable attraction between them forces both to face their pasts and their fears, and the result is a passionate, intense romance.

Naima Simone excels at creating characters that are messy, imperfect, and deeply relatable. Aaliyah’s growth as she learns to embrace her own desires and fight for what she wants is inspiring, and Von’s struggle to balance his protective instincts with his growing affection for Aaliyah is just as compelling. Their chemistry is electric, and their journey together is a beautifully written exploration of love, vulnerability, and self-empowerment.

With *Church Girl*, Simone delivers a captivating romance that is equal parts steamy and heartwarming. Fans of slow-burn romances, bad boys with a soft side, and heroines who find their strength in unexpected places will be hooked from start to finish. It’s a story about embracing your true self, breaking free from past expectations, and discovering love when you least expect it. *Church Girl* is a must-read for anyone craving a romance that is as heartfelt as it is hot.

A church girl that desires independence from her preacher father and his plans for her gets her wish, and ends up in the big city. While learning her way in life without being sheltered she meets a man who is her opposite. A tattoo shop owner that happens to be a single father needs a nanny and based on her time in children's church, she thinks this is the perfect job for her. She soon finds out that life not under her father's thumb is really differently but lovely

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this arc.


This book follows Aaliyah as she runs away from her wedding and starts living life for herself. She becomes the nanny of a sweet little girl, Gia. Now, Von, Gia's dad, is a handsome man instantly attracted to Aaliyah. I like Aaliyah's journey throughout the book and I wished it was longer. This was a sexy book guysss. Like I lowkey wanted to be a fly on their wall.

I really enjoyed this book. This is the first one I'd read from this author and I can't wait to read more. The story kept me engaged the entire time.

I loved Aaliyah and Von's romance. The combination of sparks and swoon, and heart and emotions were potent and had me firmly hooked and all in from this couple's very first meeting. This was a very fun story that easily touched my heart.

AMAZING! I loved the characters big time! It was so amazing and the female main character reminded of myself! Love it!

This opposites-attract romance between Aaliyah, a Bishop’s daughter escaping her past, and Von, a grumpy single dad and tattoo artist, is heartfelt and unforgettable. Aaliyah’s journey to reclaim her voice and power, paired with Von’s emotional growth, creates a beautiful balance of sweet and steamy moments. With strong chemistry, endearing characters, and a touching father-daughter dynamic, this is a top read I’d recommend to anyone who loves emotional and fiery love stories.

This was my introduction to Naima’s work, and I enjoyed it. It was a quick read but super sweet with great characters that developed well throughout the pages. Both separately, and together. The evolvement of Aaliyah from the scared timid girl we met at the start, to the badass b in the end was my undoing. I adored her!

My only criticism is that I think an extra 50 pages would have allowed the ending to take its course in a much better paced way. It just felt a tad rushed for me. A solid 4 star read though.

Naima Simone out here making me question if I’m the church girl or the sinner, because whew, this book is a whole sermon of temptation, longing, and passion! Church Girl hit me right in the feels and set my soul on fire. I’m talking about that heart-thumping, chest-aching, “Oh no, they didn’t!” kind of vibe.

This story’s got it all—chemistry so intense you’ll need a fan, characters with layers for days, and a journey of faith, love, and oh-so-good angst. The heroine? Relatable and real, like someone I’d side-eye in Bible study but secretly root for. And the hero? Let’s just say he’s the kind of bad boy who makes repentance worth it.

Naima’s pen is dangerous, y’all. She writes with this mix of heat, heart, and authenticity that’s downright addictive. One minute, you’re laughing at the sharp wit; the next, you’re clutching your pearls (or your Kindle) because the SPICE is spicing, and the emotions? Cutting deep.

If you like your romance with soul, sass, and a little “Lord, forgive me,” Church Girl is the book for you. Naima Simone doesn’t miss. Ever.

This book was okay, I did have a little bit of a hard time following along. But will say the characters were amazing!

Church Girl is a beautifully well-written story with a well built plot that will keep you intrigued. It's an exceptional love story of faith, love, self-discovery, real life emotions and connection. It's a roller coaster of intense and raw emotions, powerful drama and the classic Naima Simone SPICE.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

A 2024 favorite of the year!

I absolutely devourered this romance.

Is Von intense as hell? Yes. But watching men like that be wholly undone by someone while trying to deny it is my *catnip* 🤌

And I loved their romance against the backdrop of the heroine paving her own life. Naima Simone balanced both so well, and I loved following the heroine learning not only what she wants, but how to stand up for it as well

Naima Simone delivers an emotionally charged and deeply intimate story in Church Girl. With raw vulnerability and her trademark steamy romance, this book explores faith, identity, and the courage to embrace one’s true self. A must-read for fans of complex characters and powerful love stories.

I don’t have words for how I felt about this book because it was just that good. Please tell me there will be more of this as a series!

I liked this one. I love stories of women coming into their own and finding out about themselves.
Aaliyah's determination to make it on her own terms and leaving the suffocating expectations of her religious family made me root for her the entire story. On the other end, Von's devotion to his daughter and making sure that she feels loved, protected and seen, warmed the heart.
The way these two came together was definitely a ride that I enjoyed reading.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and all opinions expressed are mine.

This is my first Naima Simone and it's perfect for fans of single parent and opposite attract romance. The book follows Aaliyah a preachers daughter who is a runaway bride and ends up in Chicago working for Von a tattoo artist with a beautiful daughter .I enjoyed watching Aaliyah grow into herself and find love and that baby mama drama was so much. I liked how the author tackled growth ,love ,parenthood and expectations.

Aaliyah is a preacher’s daughter, runaway bride and an inexperienced nanny. Von is a sexy tattoo artist, divorced single father and in need of a nanny for his seven-year-old daughter. Aaliyah finds herself in Chicago with big plans for her life. Breaking away from her dominant father and her mother she is finding her own way. Von’s ex-wife is not such a nice person with every turn she is right their making trouble especially when she sees that Von has feelings for Aaliyah.

This is a great read with a runaway bride finding her way, divorced single father with an ex-wife creating trouble, dominant preacher father and a mother that goes along with her preacher husband.
I am a big fan of the author Naima Simone, can’t wait to see what she has in store for her readers next.

I received an ARC via NetGalley and Harlequin - Romance | Afterglow Books by Harlequin and I am leaving my review voluntarily.

I wanted to like this so much. I am needing an audiobook to get through this one. The main character is so insufferable and it is something that i cannot take. The writing is also a bit questionable for me, I know this is something that I will return to but now is just not the time.

First of all, what a gorgeous cover! That's what drew my eye in first, and the blurb was intriguing. I always love a good single dad, and this hero was so sweet with his little girl. I also liked that the heroine had a bit of bite to her, even if she seemed innocent and naive at first glance, and acted that way on occasion. This is definitely more lust-focused than romantic, and some of the thoughts going on in the hero's head were kind of off-putting. I don't think the relationship development was particularly good, though I loved the instant sparks. With a longer length, this could've been a lot stronger, but it ultimately felt very surface level to me.