A fun little read!

The Billionaire's Secret was sweet if a bit serious. The setting was much like most billionaire romances which made me love it.

Warnings: mentions of cheating, a character asking a character if they are gay (not encouraged), and kissing.

This was a quick and enjoyable read! I knew I could trust Meghann Whistler for something clean, fun, and spiritually sound, and she has delivered that and more in The Billionaire's Secret!

Writing: 5/5 Nothing bad to say here!

Characters: Ryan was the sweetest thing ever! He never resented others, he was always looking out for people, and he was never arrogant or self-seeking despite the fact that he is a literal billionaire (with a b!). Obviously he wasn't perfect, but even when things happened and he got angry at Zara, he was always so nice and blamed things on himself instead of her. Ryan was my favorite part of the whole thing, but I do wonder if he was a *little* too perfect? Personally, I don't think I've ever met a guy that was that good, but maybe that's just me! Zara didn't make that big of an impression on me, but she and Ryan did fit really well together (Nancy was right all along!). I really liked Nancy as well, but other than that, there's not really any more characters (other than Ryan's two business partners and some unimportant people).

Plot: The plot was good! I was expecting most of the book to take place at the wilderness retreat, but the author surprised me! This doesn't really have to do with the plot, but I do wish that the settings in the second half of the book had been more vivid like the resort and the scene in the storm was. Also, just in case you're wondering how the whole book could just be about Ryan hiding one secret (his diagnosis), there's actually lots of other problems, too! You'll just have to read the story to figure out how everything gets fixed!

Romance: There were a few kisses and scenes where it was just Ryan and Zara together, but nothing really sexual happened. And then I think the two of them did have a talk or two about whether or not they'd be able to have children with Ryan's diagnosis and such.

Spirituality: Both Zara and Ryan are Christians and they talked about God and Scripture sometimes. However, I was under the impression at first that Zara wasn't a Christian? I knew Ryan was, but for some reason I felt like Zara wasn't really into it all, if that makes sense, but it turns out I was wrong about that later on. There were positive themes like trusting in God and not worrying about what you couldn't control, and the scene with Ryan and the Linx-us deal was amazinggg, but sometimes I felt like God and the spiritual side of things was shoved a bit to the side, like it was just a secondary thing instead of a primary one.

Language: None ofc :)

Recommended for those looking for a clean romance novel!

Many thanks to the author for the free review copy! Please note that all opinions expressed are completely my own and I was not required to leave a positive review :) ( )

“If she’d learned anything from her mother’s battle with cancer, it was that you could find evidence of God’s grace in even the worst situations. You just had to have open eyes and an open heart.”

I love discovering new authors! When I won a copy of this from LibraryThing, I thought the premise sounded interesting and fun, so I decided to give it a try. I’m so glad I did! This was a well written, fresh, new take on the billionaire trope. The characters immediately pulled me in and I was intrigued as to how their relationship would play out.

Ryan is a billionaire venture capitalist and bioengineer. His recent diagnosis of an autoimmune disease has left him reeling. His friends and business partners convince him to go to a wilderness retreat in Vermont to clear his head and get some much needed R&R. Zara has put her life on hold since her mother’s breast cancer has returned. She’s devoted herself to helping her mother achieve her bucket list in whatever time she has left. Her absentee brother Robbie has financed a stay for them at the same wilderness resort designed specifically for those with medical conditions. When Ryan and Zara meet, there’s a surprising attraction even though Zara’s just recovering from a bad breakup and Ryan is leery about starting a new relationship after his diagnosis.

Though Zara claims Ryan’s not her type, there’s definitely something there. Ryan’s nice guy persona brings her instant comfort and his ability to make the impossible happen makes her wonder just who he is. Ryan is instantly attracted to Zara’s funny down-to-earth personality. She’s not falling all over him and doesn’t seem to be overly impressed by his wealth. Not wanting to ruin their budding relationship, he’s reluctant to share his diagnosis for fear it will push her away. Will they be able to find love or is friends the only thing they will ever be?

I loved Zara! She’s such a fun character with a big personality that makes you instantly want to be friends with her. Her positive, take things in stride attitude and funny quirks add to the enjoyment. Ryan is honestly a dream guy. He’s kind, considerate, and almost too good to be true. His struggles with his illness are believable and understandable. I could sympathize with his need to feel in control versus relying on God.

The spiritual messages were naturally woven in to the story in a positive way without being over the top or too preachy. I liked the way faith was used to help both characters learn to trust and love themselves, each other, and God.

I highly recommend this fun creative take on the billionaire trope and recommend it to those who love Christian romance especially. Thanks to the author and LibraryThing for the complimentary copy. All opinions are my own and I was not required to provide a positive review. ( )

This book by Meghann Whistler was a quick, sweet read. I really enjoyed the character of the Mother and wish she had a bigger role in the book. One issue with the book is that I felt like it really jumped quickly through different scenes. The book is only 226 pages and I feel like some parts of the book and conversations could have been added to, giving a bit more depth to the characters. There was an element of faith embedded throughout the book, with references to God and with citations from the Bible. Going into the book, I knew that it was Christian fiction so I was not surprised, but if someone doesn't realize it is Christian fiction - they might be surprised by it.

Overall a quick, sweet read. I'm looking forward to Book 2.

Ther rich guy meets non-wealthy girl is an old well-used trope, but it's still a nice sweet read. I was surprised a bit surprised in the end as I expected someone to die, but no one dies here (YET), so YAY!!
Meghann Whistler is a new-to-me author. I know nothing about her except that this book is really nice. It's not a heavy-read at all which I appreciated because of the timing in my life. The characters are well developed. I did sense some chemistry, but I could have visualized a little more banter because that's what I really love to read.

Try it. I think you'll like it. ( )