Hello, reader friends! I have been eager for more from today’s featured author since I read my first sampling of her work in the Love at First Laugh novella collection (which by the way, is still available for just $0.99… so don’t miss it!) Let’s learn more about The Engagement Plot with Krista Phillips!
About the Author
Krista Phillips writes contemporary romance sprinkled with two of her favorite things, laughter and Jesus.
And sometimes chocolate for kicks and giggles.
She lives in Middle Tennessee with her husband and their four beautiful daughters, and is an advocate for congenital heart defect and organ donation awareness. Visit her online!
website | facebook | twitter
Five Favorites
Favorite Christmas tradition
Kids are allowed to throw them (within reason) squish them, hug them, love on them, make giant piles and jump in them. Christmas has so many “OH BE CAREFUL AND DON’T TOUCH THAT” my Christmas bears is one of my FAVORITE Christmas traditions.
My hubby is required (by Krista law) to get me one every year. He gets to pick. Doesn’t matter boy or girl. Oh and they are always the ones you get from Walmart with the year on the foot. LOL I’m not picky or anything…..
Beth: That is the snuggliest tradition I have ever heard of, I love it! (full disclosure, the above Christmas bear is from Amazon, Walmart didn’t have any online yet!)
Favorite characters
Krista: I love quirky characters!! I love it when they are scared but bold. When they talk all big but then you see inside that they are uncertain as all get out. Because aren’t we ALL like that sometimes?
Beth: I think my friends and family can attest to my quirkiness (although some would use the term weird, quirky sounds nicer)!
Favorite childhood books
Funny, I really don’t like books that make me cry anymore. But as a pre-teen trying to figure out life and get all my emotions in check, a good book that just made me “feel” and “cry” was weirdly cathartic.
I’m still a romance fangirl!!! ????
Favorite books
But I’m also a HUGE Tamara Leigh fan (Faking Grace
Beth: I do have a heart, books should always be plural! ❤ …and I need to read the Mark of the Lion series, ASAP!!!!
Favorite time or place to read or write
Krista: I tend to be a late night reader. Snuggled in a warm bed with a good book in my hand, the bedside lamp on, some type of chocolate and a Dr. Pepper on hand…. #bliss
Beth: Oh, me too!!! It’s finally quiet once everyone is asleep and no one interrupts me!
Books
Tell us about your new release
Krista: The Engagement Plot
Please know this though: This book is NOT an endorsement of The Bachelor. Nor is it an attack on it either. The book actually opens about six months AFTER the show aired. I made up my own show for the book, but it is simply a story of the struggle of faith in the public eye, of making mistakes and God’s amazing grace when he redeems those for his glory. It’s a story of mercy, forgiveness, and how we can never stray so far from God that he isn’t right there to pick us up when we call for him.
So if you think The Bachelor is a horrible show and want nothing to do with it—I’d still encourage you to check out The Engagement Plot
I will note: If you aren’t a fan of a little sarcastic humor and expect perfect characters… then you might want to skip out on this one.
Beth: I agree. I’m not a fan of The Bachelor yet I found this story to be very entertaining and poignant!
The Engagement Plot by Krista Phillips
Six months ago, William stole Hanna’s heart and shattered it in front of millions of people on a reality TV dating show. And now the big-wig CEO is back on Hanna’s home turf in Minnesota and wants her to forgive him? Fat chance of that. But life is swirling around faster than snow in a blizzard, and despite her objections, teaming up with William seems like the only option to rescue her reputation.
William has never regretted anything more than the day he gave that ill-fated interview for the reality show, The Price of Love. But while he can’t change the past, he’s determined to fix the future. He just needs to convince Hanna to forgive him—and pretend to be engaged with him. Simple, right?
When the media erupts with even worse accusations, teaming up and pretending to be engaged seems to be the only way to salvage their reputations. Despite the media frenzy that swirls around them, an attraction neither of them can fight off begins to surface. Could this love run deeper than a scandal, or will old wounds tear them apart once and for all? When all seems lost, it’s only with help from above that Hanna and Will may find their happily-ever-after.
goodreads | amazon | bookdepository | christianbook
Beth: Since I reviewed this book for RT Book Review, I am unable to share a review here on the blog but most of the review is quoted on Krista’s Facebook page.
What are you working on now?
Krista: I’m working on finishing Carly’s story, who is Hanna’s best friend and former boss in the story. After that, Emma (Will’s executive assistant) is up for her own happily-ever-after.
Beth: Oh goody goody! I can’t wait!!! Thank you so much for hanging out with us today and sharing your favorites and your latest book news, Krista!
Giveaway
Krista Phillips has generously provided a paperback copy of The Engagement Plot for a Faithfully Bookish reader friend!
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Share your thoughts about The Engagement Plot by Krista Phillips…
What kind of books you were reading as a young teen and how does that compare to your bookish tastes now?
Faithfully Bookish 
I also read the Sweet Valley High series – my friend and I would buy different titles, ask for different titles for Christmas, etc. and then share them. I so wish Robin Jones Gunn’s Christy series had been around when I was a teen!
I love the bear idea!!!
I’m looking forward to reading this book! 🙂
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Book friends are the best friends!
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I admit to being no fan of The Bachelor. But I do enjoy stories that involve a little sarcastic humor and imperfect characters, so I anticipate an enjoyable read in this release.
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Hi Michelle! Hanna made me feel a little bit better about the things that pop in my head that I don’t say! 😉
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The Engagement Proposal sounds like a book I’d very much love to read. The fact that is’t NOT about the actual show is a great selling point to me. However, to take that premise and add adorable but flawed characters with sarcastic humor thrown in makes it a “I want to read this!” type book to me.
As with the type of books I read when younger and now, I would like to think that as in me I would hope that my reading pleasure has refined as well. However, I still like the zappy books from time to time just to break the pace. 🙂
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What do you know? I’ve found a book-lover after my own heart! Francine Rivers’ Mark of the Lion series is at the very top for me too! (My sister and I both LOVED Redeeming Love as well.) And I’m also a HUGE Tamara Leigh fan! In fact, I’ve got her Age of Faith series checked out from the library right now! (SOOOO good! This is the second time I’ve read through them!)
Elly -Indiana-
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I’m reading the Age of Faith series right now!
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Beth. You have not read the Mark of the Lion Series???? You need to put everything down right now and go read it. The first two books are THE BEST. I liked the 3rd too. It’s not a normal era that I liked to read about, but holy canoli. Those books….
I should have thought to send you one of my Christmas bear annual family pictures!!!!!! We line them up by year on the couch and take their picture. It’s pretty epic.
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I just ordered it from my library, seriously going to remedy that ASAP! I will be watching your social media for this year’s bear!
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Hi! Sounds like a great fun read
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Hanna is a feisty when she chooses to be, I like her!
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While my reading tastes have matured, I still pretty much read the same type of books, historical fiction, comedies and romances. This book sounds likes so much fun!
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Yep, me too although I have thrown a bit more suspense in lately (I especially enjoy the ones with romance though) 😀
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I guess what I read as a young teen was what was required for school. I remember going to the library but not what was a favorite series( I’m old, so maybe Nancy Drew or some nurse stories). Then in my twenties I discovered Christy and Eugenia Price. Later came Janette Oke and George MacDonald. Now my favs are historicals and suspense, Christian of course.
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I remember a few good stories from our required reading!
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This book sounds great! When I was younger I loved the Little House on the Prairie books. I guess that was younger than teen years, but I seriously loved them. Now I love clean romance. Whether it be historical, contemporary, western, etc. I love it as long as it’s clean. 🙂
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You love LOVE too! 😀
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I read a lot of mysteries when I was a young teen and some romances. My mom loved mysteries and romantic suspense so I read a lot of those. I still read those three genres. Most are Christian romance or cozy mysteries. I enjoy contemporary and historical stories equally.
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Me too! Any time is a good time for a story!
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I devoured Grace Livingston Hill Books as a teen and still enjoy re-reading them on occasion. I have innumerable fav authors and have been adding to that list this summer. I have yet to read anything by Krista and would love to win a copy of this book. Thanks for the chance! ????
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I have heard of Grace Livingston Hill but haven’t read her work. Krista has an irresistible sense of humor 😀
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I’m going to plead regarding the books I read in high school (outside of assigned books). Let’s just say my taste has greatly matured since then. 😉 As for The Engagement Proposal . . . I just purchased my copy!
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As a tween I read Christy Miller books, Nancy Drew and a few others then, as I got busy being a social teenager, and lost all interest in reading novels until I was about 30. I started reading Christian romance and have become a pretty avid reader in the genre.
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This sounds like a fun book!
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This sounds really good! I probably read more romance when I was younger and more mystery now, but I still really like (clean) romance.
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My tastes have changed a lot. I think my reading has matured. When I was a teen, I liked the books that were about werewolves and other creatures. Now, I prefer Christian fiction, historical fiction, contemporary. Pretty much anything Christian
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When I was a teen, I was not a Christian so I didn’t read those types of books. Now that I am an adult and have since given my life to the Lord many years back, I only read what edifies Him 🙂 And of course romance His was is the best way!
Thanks for the giveaway chance….I think this book sounds great!
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As a teen I read Mary Higgins Clark & Phyllis Whitney. They were clean authors. Now I pretty much only read Christian fiction and I’m loving that. Thank you for the giveaway opportunity.
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Loved the interview. I liked the idea of you getting a Christmas bear each year. I bet they are beautiful. I use to read Nancy Drew books. I always wanted to see if I could figure out who did it. Thank you for the chance to read your book.
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I read Sandwich, With a Side of Romance a few years ago and really enjoyed it. I think that I need to add Tamara Leigh to my list of authors to check out.
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I’m looking forward to reading “The Engagement Plot”
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In highschool I mostly read the classics and some general market fiction, but I quickly learned that there were lots of books with stuff I didn’t read. Then I went to college and got married and had kids and never had time to read until hubs told me to do something for me and now I devour lots and lots of CF romance. If I had known there was more CF romance out there, I would have gotten into way sooner.
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You really do need to read the Mark of the Lion. It is fantastic. And this book sounds funny.
I was reading The Mark of the Lion and Susan May Warren as a young teen, and anything else I could get my hands on. I still read them. And anything else I can get my hands on.
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I have a library hold on the Mark of the Lion series right now ????
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I’m so excited to read this one!
I was an eclectic reader in high school and still am — though I leaned a lot more heavily into fantasy in H.S. (I still love it, but it doesn’t feel like there’s as much amazing variety available today as there was when I was younger.)
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I did a ton of reading throughout my childhood and even more now that I’m in my twenties. Then I loved The Boxcar Children, The Magic Tree House, Geronimo Stilton, and Little House On The Prairie. Now I’ve expanded what I read to different genres. I stay mostly with Christian books but occasionally will venture out into the secular world if I know a book is clean. My favorite authors now are Sarah Sundin, Susan May Warren, Dani Pettrey, and Denise Hunter. I’m of course always looking for new favorites and have to say that The Engagement Plot sounds absolutely enthralling. ????
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Growing up I loved to read. One of my favorites was the Nancy Drew Mysteries! Growing older…I changed over to romances…still enjoy a little mystery from time to time…but nothing too scary!
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I read many classic regency era books before high school. Then I had such a huge required reading list, I did not have time for “fun” books of my choosing. I have to say, I was in a class that was geared for reading. Being a fast reader, the teacher was always mad at me because I finished before anyone else and would do homework for my other classes during “reading” time.
As an adult, I’ve read many genres, I got in a historical rut but have climbed out and reached a good balance now. There are so many “new” contemporary CF authors I have come to love.
The Engagement Plot looks like one of those I will love!
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