Today we’ll be looking at the first line of Stay With Me by Becky which is the first book in her new Misty River series.
The First Line of Stay With Me
Like Papa Bear in the Goldilocks story, Sam Turner had discovered a strange woman sleeping in the bed of a house he owned.
- Who is the woman?
- Why is she in Sam’s bed?
- Who is Sam?
- How did the woman get into the house?
- Is there something wrong with the woman?
- Is she lost? Hurt? Sick?
- Why did she choose Sam’s house? How did she get to his place?
- What’s Sam thinking about this strange woman?
- Is he planning to call the police?
- Did someone alert him to the woman’s presence or did he just happen to be there?
- What will he think of her because she had essentially broken into his place?
- How will he overcome whatever impression he has of her as the story progresses?
This first line immediately plops me back into a favorite fairytale. I loved the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears and this first line of Stay With Me brought me back in time. And then there are the questions…
How the First Line Plays Out in Stay With Me
The first line of Stay With Me takes us into the action and introduces us to the characters. We see a bit of the dynamic between Sam and Genevieve and we are immediately intrigued by their relationship.
It is used to introduce Genevieve’s great secret and the impact it has on her life.
Read: Stay With Me Review
It also sets up barriers for Sam. Because of this first meeting he has an impression of Genevieve–one that he has to work on overcoming for the rest of the book.
Surprisingly, it also ties in with Sam’s past and the great lie he has told himself.
The first line of Stay With Me, while reminiscent of a fairytale, issues in a story that is not a fairy tale. It is full of heart, and pain, and hardship. But it also has beauty and glimpses of the depth of human kindness and emotion.
As with every Becky Wade novel I’ve read, Stay With Me is also resplendent with glimpses into God’s heart and His love for humanity and it began with a single line.
Have you read Stay With Me? What did you think of the first line of Stay With Me?
About Stay with Me (Misty River Romance, A Book #1)
Loving her is a risk he can’t afford . . . and can’t resist.
When acclaimed Bible study author Genevieve Woodward receives an anonymous letter referencing her parents’ past, she returns to her hometown in the Blue Ridge Mountains to chase down her family’s secret.
However, it’s Genevieve’s own secret that catches up to her when Sam Turner, owner of a historic farm, uncovers the source of shame she’s worked so hard to hide.
Sam has embraced his sorrow, his isolation, and his identity as an outsider. He’s spent years carving out both career success and peace of mind. The last thing he wants is to rent the cottage on his property to a woman whose struggles stir his worst failure back to life. Yet can he bear to turn her away right when she needs him most?
About Becky Wade
Becky Wade is a bestselling author of heart-pounding and faith-filled contemporary romance novels and the winner of the 2018 Christy Award Book of the Year.
She’s a native of California who married a Texan and now lives in Dallas with her husband and three children. To find out more about Becky and her books, visit www.beckywade.com.
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