Mistaken: First Impressions Are Never What They Seem

Karen Barnett works the misunderstanding-romance angle with an extra layer of self-awareness. The two leads here meet under circumstances that put both of them at their worst, and the rest of the book is the slow correction of those first impressions on both sides.

Barnett doesn’t rush the reconciliation. The misunderstandings are real, the apologies have to be earned, and the romance only works once both characters have been honest about their own piece of the mess.

The pacing is steady. The supporting cast adds enough texture that the central pair don’t carry every scene. There’s a faith element that some readers will appreciate and others may find soft, depending on what they want from the genre.

For readers who like Susan May Warren or Becky Wade, the register is similar. Cleaner romance with emotional depth and a small-town setting.