Love on the Run: A Small Town Christian Romance

Love in Blackwater #5

by Mandi Blake

When a runaway bride hitches a ride from her best friend’s grumpy brother, their lives will never be the same.

Anna Harris needs a getaway car after her wedding day ends in disaster. She may be a hopeless romantic, but she knows there's no Prince Charming coming to her rescue. There's only Beau, and right now, he's her only chance at freedom.

Beau Lawrence planned to sit through the ceremony and slip out before the reception. Helping the bride disappear wasn't on his to-do list. But now here he is, walking her to his motorcycle, trying to ignore the way her trust in him stirs something long buried.

Beau avoids relationships, and he is the last person Anna expected to give her hope as her life falls apart. And yet, what started as a desperate escape plan has quickly turned into the adventure of a lifetime—and maybe, just maybe, the answer to prayers she never knew to pray.

But when they return to the real world after a life-changing week completing her honeymoon bucket list, will their differences destroy their happily ever after?

If you loved the Blackwater Ranch series and the Wolf Creek Ranch series, get ready to fall in love all over again in Blackwater, Wyoming.

Genres: Romance, Christian Fiction, Christian, Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Clean Romance

448 pages, Paperback

Published May 31, 2025

About the author

Mandi Blake was born and raised in Alabama where she lives with her husband and daughter, but her southern heart loves to travel. Reading has been her favorite hobby for as long as she can remember, but writing is her passion. She loves a good happily ever after in her sweet Christian romance books and loves to see her characters' relationships grow closer to God and each other.

Reviews

[theliterateleprechaun · Rating 5 out of 5]

“𝐒𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐢𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬. 𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.”

Read that again. What do you think? Thoughts?

Mandi Blake crafts exceptional male main characters!

Beau Lawrence is Anna Harris’ best friend’s brother and he comes to her rescue just when she needs it most.

This book is about having the courage to stand up for yourself and about the price of success. Of any of the books I’ve read this year, this one hit closest to home, and perhaps that’s why it was a binge read for me late last night. I was cheering Anna to break free of what/who was controlling her and cried when she finally did!

Anna shows readers that sometimes things can’t be fixed and that walking away is the only answer. Freedom comes not from trying to mend what doesn’t work, but in being ready and experiencing what comes next.

Three things I’m still thinking about:
✔ The rage room
✔ “Your love costs more than I can afford.”
✔ “Success isn’t about happiness. It’s about determination.”

I’m eagerly anticipating book 6 in January!

[BookLoverAmanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love on the Run by Mandi Blake
5 Stars
(Book 5 in the Love in Blackwater Series)
Blog Post: https://bookloveramanda.blogspot.com/...

OK this makes book 16 I have read by Mandi - how AWESOME is that?! AND NO SURPRISE FRIENDS - ITS A 5 STAR FOR MEEE! I LOVED THIS ONEEE SO MUCH!

I am so connected with our characters in this series that it just MAKES the story for me to see them all connected as a friend group and truly live life together!

In this one - we have so many things I love in books!
- Dual POV
- Laugh out Loud Moments
- MMC Protects and Takes Care of our FMC
- FMC Stands up to her Controlling Parents (Relatable)
- Clean, Christian Romance
- Runaway Bride
- Best Friend's Brother
- Beau and Anna go on her honeymoon after her failed wedding, ANYWAY :)
- Forced Proximity
- MMC Reading his Bible
- Prayers and Moments of Faith
- Bookstore Visits
- Coffee & Dinner Dates
- Snowboarding/Snowmobile Activities
- Christmas Town in Freedom, Colorado (tied in from Mandi's other book)
- Christmas Tree Lighting Event

JUST THE BEST!

In this story, we follow Anna and her upcoming wedding with Dean. Dean is NOT a good guy - it's revealed early on that he cheated on Anna and the wedding is OFF! BUUUTTT not before her best friend Olivia puts her brother Beau up to going with Anna on the honeymoon to the mountains in Colorado she planned anyway! We LOVE a good matchmaking friend ;)

She runs off on the trip with Beau to get away.... away from her controlling family and job and finds more then she could ever imagine. Beau and her find themselves in some hilarious situations and as things would have it, fall in love.

It's a beautiful story of love, faith, standing up for yourself, doing what you want in life, and Mandi also shows how important it is for you to be careful in your postings online - as Anna is also a fashion influencer online and has some odd situations with an online friend.
Thank you Mandi for these great characters, settings and stories. Never stop writing sister! We love them!

I read a complimentary copy of this book - thank you to the author. All thoughts are my own! :)

[Kendal Sheldon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story!! I was hooked from chapter one to the end. I was surprised how many pages it was because I read it so fast. Beau is quiet but the biggest sweetheart when it comes to Anna. My favorite things about Beau was that he would read his Bible every morning and he was very attentive and protective of Anna. The things he does for her are so sweet. I also love how he respects her in every way and has self control to stay faithful to God and save himself for marriage. I loved the humor in this book as well. My favorite scene was their dance lessons and the instructor told them to whisper something sweet in their partner’s ear… so Beau leaned down and whispered names of “sweet” foods.

I also loved seeing a lot of Olivia and Dawson (from book 2) in the background of this story. Olivia is Anna’s best friend and Beau’s sister who orchestrated this whole thing with Beau going on the trip with Anna. This story had a romcom feel at times, but also had depth. I loved it and definitely recommend! I’m loving this whole series and can’t wait for book 6!!!

FMC: Anna - social media fashion influencer
MMC: Beau - owns a car mechanic shop

What you’ll find:
🏔️ Dual POV
🏔️ Best friend’s brother
🏔️ Grumpy / Sunshine
🏔️ Runaway bride
🏔️ He takes care of her
🏔️ He protects her
🏔️ He stands up for her
🏔️ He reads his Bible every morning
🏔️ Bookshopping, dance lessons, snowmobile
🏔️ Colorado mountain scenery
🏔️ Christmas / winter
🏔️ Breaking old things smash session
🏔️ Christian faith & reading the Bible

INFO:
📚: Book 5 of 6 - “Love in Blackwater” series
🔹: Interconnected standalones (best enjoyed enjoyed in order but not required)
📖: 450 pages

CONTENT:
🌶️: sweet kisses, they share a bed /hotel room, but nothing happens and no scenes in bed, he helps wash her hair in the shower but both are clothed/in bathing suits.
🤬: None
⚠️: unloving controlling parents, death of a parent (past), fiancée was unfaithful

"𝘐 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬. 𝘖𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯."

[Tasha (the_clean_read_book_club) · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Why did things have to be weird?
Because she was on her honeymoon with a man who wasn’t her husband…”

Yep. We have a full-blown runaway bride situation on our hands. And honestly? I loved every second of it.

If you’re a fan of major forced proximity, off-the-charts romantic tension, and best-friend’s-grumpy-brother energy—all wrapped in a kisses-only Christian romance—Love on the Run needs to be next on your list.

This is one of those tropes that can teeter if not handled with care, but Mandi Blake nailed it. She weaves in beautiful faith threads that keep the characters grounded and their story both believable and emotionally satisfying. It’s fast-paced, almost insta-love, but the setup works perfectly because of the forced proximity honeymoon-bucket-list twist.

If you’ve loved the Blackwater Ranch or Wolf Creek Ranch series, this new release will feel like coming home because you’ll be surrounded by all your favorite friends!

I thoroughly enjoyed this one and if you love best friend’s brother, forced proximity, falling fast, and swoony romance you’ll love it too!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Content/Triggers: emotionally abusive and manipulative parents, unfaithful fiancé, romance—kisses only.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love this book!!! It’s a must read!!

[The Bookworm Girl Bethany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Mandi Blake for an ARC copy of this book! If you like stoic MMCs, Christmas romances, and faith themes, this book is for you.

I had such fun reading this book. It was SO funny! I love Beau's sarcasm, and Mandi created hilarious moments using his humor. This was a major highlight for me because I laughed a lot to myself. She wrote Beau so well, and I loved his character inside and out. I also loved Anna and how she and Beau worked through a lot together.

Also, I love how Mandi crafted dynamic, well-developed characters. She incorporates tropes in her writing, but her characters always feel more than a trope. She makes them feel real and relatable by sharing their struggles, thoughts, and deep conversations. She also uses faith content to drive this home. Mandi certainly achieved this with Love on the Run!

Finally, I love a good winter romance, and this one hit home! I loved the wintery scenes and cozy moments. SO MUCH fun!!

Happy reading,
Bethany the Bookworm Girl

[Camille Dayton Fostering.literacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness. I think this is my favorite book in the Blackwater series! I’ve gotten to know Anna from the other books, and I’ve been so curious to see where her story would take her. Mandi Blake just released it in Love on the Run, and you guessed it. It’s starts with running away!

I loved Anna’s courage to find herself and be true to her desires instead of living up to her parents expectations. Her best friend plays such an amazing role in the book, and we can’t forget the swoony and grumpy hero, Beau.

Favorite quote (From Beau):
“You’re not a problem. You’re not a mistake. You’re not an inconvenience. You can cry and kick and scream, and I’ll still think you’re amazing. Anyone who doesn’t isn’t worth your time.”

Overall this was a fantastic book. The romance is completely clean and many Christian themes are discussed in the book. I would recommend this to teenagers and older. Thank you to the author for the advance copy of this book. A review was not required.

[Ashlee Francois · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of Love on the Run, and I was hooked from the very first chapter. A runaway bride? Yes, please. Add in her best friend’s quiet, rugged brother—cue the swoon! Mandi Blake delivers a perfect blend of tension, chemistry, and heart.

The story is equal parts emotional and uplifting, with moments that made me smile, hold my breath, and cheer for the characters. The slow build between the leads felt authentic and full of depth, and I loved how faith and healing were gently woven into their journey.

If you love small-town romance, unexpected second chances, and protective heroes with a soft side, Love on the Run is one you don’t want to miss!

[Bookswithaudreyb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Genre: Christian Contemporary Romance
Rating: 5⭐️

I wasn’t sure what to expect from Anna’s and Beau’s story but I absolutely loved it. I can relate so much to Anna and this story connected with me so much. Even the relationship between Anna and Beau was incredible. It really shows how opposites bring out the best in each other. Also, in true Mandi fashion this was centered around God and the characters relationship with Him. I absolutely loved this book and i really recommend it to everyone.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Forced proximity, best friend's brother, a little bit of insta love, and maybe a potential stalker? What else does one need? I absolutely LOVED Beau & Anna's story. Everything from the start to the finish was perfect. The scenes in Colorado felt real. You could sense their true connection developing. Not only do we watch their love unfold, but Anna develops so much as a character. Amazing story. already looking forward to #6

[Natasha Wall · Rating 5 out of 5]

a beautifully written story. This one hit me in so many ways. Beau and Anna's stroy just pulled me in and made me feel all the love,sorrow, heartache, acceptance, friendships all in one . a must read

[Bernadette Cinkoske · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love on the Run is a delightful, small town, Christian romance. I fell in love with Anna and Beau. It was interesting to watch Beau coax Anna to be herself rather than the person her really awful, controlling parents demand she be. There are many swoony moments between these two will they are on Anna's honeymoon trip. Ms. Blake never preaches. The faith aspect appears as her characters make decisions and in how they live. I love how these friends support each other. While this well written book can stand on its own, I am glad that I have read the other books in the series as it provides an even richer experience. You do not want to miss this book that I could not put down!

[Lillian Peters · Rating 4 out of 5]

Almost five stars but there were some loose ends for me that weren’t talked about or explained.

1. When they bought books on their road trip but were never talked about again. Did he end up reading the book she chose for him?
2. When they were at the birthday party the way Anna left the party didn’t make sense to me. They drove together and it was on a Saturday. When she was leaving the birthday party it was implied that she was going right then but when Anna went back to work in the next chapter it felt like it was on a different day.
3. What happened to buying a house together?
4. I would have liked a little more balance between Anna and Beau’s perspective. It doesn’t have to be 50/50 but the book did feel very heavy on Anna’s side especially on the rode trip.

These were just some of my pov’s on a few details I would’ve cleaned up.

I loved how Anna’s experience with her ex was addressed with her relationship with Beau. She still needed reassurance and explanations from Beau. The swoony part came with his perfect answers to her doubts.

[Heather.loves.books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Toe curling romance with faith at the center? This book was dreamy.

[Ashlee · Rating 5 out of 5]

You guys! Mandi Blake has done it again! But is that any surprise? I stinking loved Love on the Run so much! I am still obsessed with Love in the Wild so I won't say this one is my absolute favorite in the series (because Gage and Hadley are top tier), but it's definitely my second favorite of this series and one of my top favs of all her books! Cannot gush enough.

Having been reading this series from the start, we all knew Dean was a tool and it was no surprise to find out how just big of a tool he is. I loved Anna's friends all jumping in to help her when things came to light. They were all so supportive and then some of the things Olivia said had me rolling. The sibling banter between Beau and Olivia was also so entertaining. They were hilarious together. Her bubbly personality and his dry sense of humor. Chef's kiss. My favorite? "Did you think I'd leave her at a truck stop or something."

Then don't get me started on the absolute chemistry between Beau and Anna! Seriously, The. Chemistry. Between. These. Two. Was. Everything. Talk about lighting the pages on fire without anything inappropriate happening. Like that one restaurant they go to where they feed each other! I felt like I had to fan myself and yet it was totally clean! Nothing untoward happens but you definitely still get the feeling they belong together. It was so swoony. Not only that, but Beau was there to help Anna see her true worth after constantly being put down and berated by her own mother. Love it. Cannot recommend enough.

[Beverly Dibble · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! What an amazing story! Best book boyfriend ever! (Although I have probably said that about other heroes in Mandi Blake’s books.) I absolutely loved Beau and his super wonderful attitude toward Anna. He was very protective and so insistent that Anna be herself, which was super sweet. He went above and beyond to help Anna find who she really was and what she wanted to do with her life. I loved that Beau encouraged Anna and had her back every step of the way. Of course, Anna was able to draw Beau out as well, so that made for a great love story. I loved that they had such a great friend group who also did everything they could to help out. Everyone should have friends such as these. I really enjoy how Mandy Blake effortlessly weaves God and faith throughout her books without them ever coming across as preachy.

[MaryEllen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my voluntary review of a copy I was given.

The characters are fantastic and so good together. The group of friends are all characters we've met in town before. They are solid Christians, and their faith guides their actions, even when things are difficult or scary.

They encourage Anna to go on her planned honeymoon trip and lean into Beau's protectiveness to go along to keep her safe. She may be physically safe, but their emotions take a hit, and... both fall.

And then they go home and are left to figure out if the changes they made can survive “real life.”

[Grumpy74rwgmail.Com · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic addition to the Blackwater series that has great characters, inspiration and humor. Anna discovers on her wedding day that her fiancé has been cheating on her. All she can think of is to get away from the embarrassment, where can she go?

[Donna Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This runaway bride story was great. I really enjoyed Anna and Beau and their adventures together. This is a sweet, clean romance.

[Demi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anna comes to a shocking conclusion on her wedding day and runs. Devastated Anna isn’t sure what to do next. Anna’s best friend encourages her to take the honey moon trip with Olivia’s brother Beau as chaperone. Anna and Beau had known each other for years. Taking this trip pushed both Anna and Beau out of their comfort zones and in doing so came to some realizations about themselves and one another. Beautiful story of personal growth, Christian values and eventually love!

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well I wrote my review before finishing the book……..



this was the book I NEVER REALIZED I NEEDED . idk this was everything i want and literally the MMC was perfect to a tea. I could see myself in Anna a lot , overanalyzing everything and falling into things real quick. Such a strong female charecter and she is a lawyer ?!?!? It can’t get better than that. Mandi Blake brought all the romance and the angst while also not shying away from bibical truth. I really really really am obessed with this book. Everything situation was perfect and I just LOVE THIS BOOK. please enjoy the art I designed on the next slide and hopefully it will persuade you to go pick this book up 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶

[Lissa Ruck · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adore Beau & Anna's intense, heartbreaking, real, caring, sweet, loving, swoony happily ever after!!

[Megan Crofton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one had the best grumpy/sunshine vibes! And I loved that he was just grumpy, not shy or anything, just a man of few words. I love those grumps the best! Cranky Beau was my favorite LOL!

The tension between Anna and Beau was strong whether they wanted to admit it or not. I loved their constant pull to each other and how they showed their feelings to each other faster than they admitted them to themselves. There was this great attraction there. Grumpy, protective Beau is fighting for first with Gage for my favorite MMC in this series! Anna was so sweet and strong though she didn't know it. Her character growth was wonderful and so relatable. I loved her genuine kindness. Mandi Blake does a wonderful job making sure the character growth seems natural and relatable.

There were so many emotions throughout their story. I was on the edge of my seat with Brittany, she was a mystery to me. I was so curious to see how everything developed with her storyline as well. I couldn't put this one down, I wanted to keep reading all day!

I have loved this series so much and I am now a huge Mandi Blake fan! I can't wait to read all of her books!!

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved Anna and Beau's story!

From first meeting Anna earlier in this series, to the last two books when I was rooting for her to dump Dean, I have been waiting and hoping she would get the love story she deserved. So when Mandi paired Anna up with her best friend's older brother?! I was: Here. For. It!!!

I absolutely love Anna. She has such a sweet and caring soul and always thinks the best in people. I loved watching her learn that she could put herself first and do what was right for her. It was awesome to see her gain independence and also realize that she was worthy of great, real love.

And then there's Beau. Oh my goodness he was the perfect grumpy hero to Anna's sunshine. I loved seeing him come out of his shell and learn that God had a partner in mind for him, even when he wasn't looking for one. He was so protective and encouraging of Anna, even before their relationship went beyond friends. I absolutely loved every second of it.

I cannot wait for the next book in this series! Mandi writes these love stories so beautifully, every time I finish one I am on the edge of my seat, ready for the next one! If you haven't visited Blackwater yet, you really need to!

[Reagan Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

YALL 👏🏻 this is probably one of my new favorite books 📚 Literally this book was so timely and filled my heart with so much happiness 💗 Anna + Beau forever ♾️

Anna. WOW DID THIS GIRL CALL ME OUT 😂 while talking with my bestie about this book, we both agreed that Anna is such a relatable FMC 🥹 I absolutely adored her progression in finding her spark again 💖 and fall in love with a man who treats her right ❤️‍🩹

Beau. I have been so excited for his book the whole series and HE DELIVERED 🤩 Oh my gosh him falling for Anna was as easy as breathing 🥹🥲and watching him step up for her and support her was EVERYTHING 🥰 Also his sense of humor is amazing 😂

This series has my whole heart ❤️ the romance was amazing and the faith elements were fantastic 🕊️ I probably have the entire book highlighted so enjoy a few of my favorite lines!

Also THE SNEAK PEAK?! I NEED 😮

⚠️ CW: side character struggling with mental health ⚠️

[Trudy Cordle · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED Beau and Anna's story!! I've loved Beau since he was first mentioned in earlier books, and have been waiting for his story. It was well worth the wait! When we first met Anna, I wasn't crazy about her, but she grew on me. She's perfect for Beau!! The only thing I didn't like, was Anna was thankful for unanswered prayer. NO prayer is EVER unanswered!! It's either, Yes, No, or Wait. NEVER unanswered!! Other than that, this is one of Mandi's best books yet!! I don't want to give away any spoilers, intentional or not, so you really need to read the book for yourself!! You definitely won't regret it!!

I received a complimentary copy of this book, was not required to leave a review, and the opinion expressed is my own.

[April Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beau and Anna make a great couple; they have known each other for years but from a distance, but they only begin to see each other when Anna’s world explodes. Their banter was really funny in parts; their friendship grows quickly into more. They both fall fast, but I liked that they didn’t doubt that love. There is no big breakup that they have to work through. Her parents and ex are just plain jerks. I liked seeing characters from all the series set in Blackwater; it blended together nicely. You can get caught up on their lives a little.

I received a complimentary copy from the author and these are my voluntary and honest opinions. I was not required to leave a positive review.

[Nati · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I’m trying to say I’ll give you time to realize that you can do things on your own without questioning every move you make. You don’t have to wary about what I think because I’m on your side. Always”. Running away on her wedding day with her best friend’s brother wasn’t Anna’s plan. But Beau is going to prove to her that she is worth, God loves her and is on her side to protect and help her face her controlling family and prove her strength. They are mean to be together.

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story! the premise was different from many of the books I’ve read and that made it all the more interesting. I already adored all the characters from their appearances in other books. It was so nice to see Ana learn to be herself and stand up for herself and to see the other side of Beau. And I totally didn’t see things ending that way with Brittany! I ended up staying up almost two hours past my bedtime just so I could finished the book. I’m already looking forward to the next book in the series.

[Tara Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely fell in love with Beau and Anna's story!! I remember Beau being mentioned in previous books. I'm excited that he got to have his own chance at falling in love!! This sweet, Christian story is filled with second chances, best friends brother, compassion, true friendship and overcoming heartache!! I found myself laughing and crying!! Such a very emotional story!! I look forward to reading more books in this series!! I couldn't put it down!! I wish I could give ten stars instead of five!!