To Reflect the Sun

by Carrie Cotten

Hopelessly trapped, Grace Goodwin turns to the only man she can trust—the one who’s been chasing her all over the globe under orders to eliminate her, of course. Her Italian penpal comes to her rescue, but Grace wonders if she truly knows the man dubbed “The Shadow.” Can she trust her life—and heart— to a mafia enforcer, or is she just setting herself up for more betrayal and misery?

Rafael Moretti’s determination to get Grace to safety will be tested at every turn. He promised not to let anything hurt her again, but each day she spends with him seems to increase their danger. When Rafe finds himself unable to protect Grace, he’s forced to let go of his own need for control and trust the God he has just met.

As both ruthless mafia and the elusive Ghost close in, is there any hope of a future for Grace and Rafe together?

Kindle Edition

Expected publication November 10, 2026

About the author

Carrie is a Louisiana born, Texas transplant and recent North Carolina resident. She earned her BA in English from East Texas Baptist University where she met and fell in love at first sight with her hunky husband, Jeffrey Craig Cotten.

After a short tour in Alaska with the Army, Carrie and Jeff returned to Texas to start a family. Fifteen years and four kids later, they answered God's call to enter the ministry, embarking on a wild adventure that led them to the Appalachian mountains.

When Carrie isn't writing, you can find her cuddling a chicken, petting a pig or snuggling a sheep on their small family farm. She loves the freedom they've found in homeschooling and the unlimited opportunities to explore the mountains. Camping, farming, and watching movies are some of their favorite family activities. Carrie and Jeff serve together at a small church where Jeff is the youth pastor.

Her favorite thing to do is steal a quiet moment to sit on her front porch and take in the most beautiful view she's ever seen in her life.

Reviews

[Heather]

Carrie Cotten is such a talented writer! After reading this duology, I just marvel at how she wrote an intricate plot, with such well rounded characters (she captured a mafia guy who was hardened and broken but still had such a soft heart and a quirky missionary girl with big emotions who was so endearing!) AND naturally wove in so much rich faith and Gospel content.

To Reflect the Sun picks up in the exact scene book 1 (Made Like the Moon) ended on. We get more of Rafe and Grace and their run from danger, combined with clear Gospel elements.

Some things I specifically loved:
- he calls her “baby”
- “your name is in the book” and the whole train scene 😭😍
- “unmentionables” 😂
- “I don’t know what you’re talking about” 😂
- Rafe’s heart and protectiveness
- their communication
- Grace’s thoughts and words!

Just such a fabulous read! I will be eagerly waiting for what comes next from Carrie!

Thank you to the author for a complimentary early copy of this book. Thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Caren | Hopefulwords]

I received a complimentary advance copy of this book. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Has a story ever left you astonished by its beauty? This book shows faith and pain in the darkest moments, when all you can do is hold on and know you’re being held. Malachi 4:2 came to mind as this story points to Jesus with a message of hope and healing that touches hearts.

I don’t say this lightly—you need to read Rafe’s story. Seeing him discover the hope of the Gospel, along with his incredibly protective nature, makes him a MMC you cheer for — you want to see him restored, helped, and full of joy and hope.

Grace is sweet, but there’s steel within her. It’s easy to underestimate her, but she clings to God and she doesn’t give up. I love how her character shows joy in the little things in life and that all things work together for our good (see Romans 8:28).

Here are a few things you may want to know:
🧡Chapter eleven should come with smelling salts (swoon alert!)
🧡Slowburn has left the building (make sure to read Made Like the Moon first!)
🧡Laugh-out-loud funny
🧡Heart-pounding action

To Reflect the Sun is a beautiful, precious reminder of what we have in Jesus. Another verse that came to mind is 2 Corinthians 4:7.

I also want to add that the layers of storytelling and foreshadowing had me smiling with delight, nearly holding my breath at other times, and I think even colors are used in a meaningful way, specifically purple — it’s a color associated with both coming out of mourning and royalty. It fascinates me how artfully a story can be told.

This is a remarkable duology, and I can’t wait to read more stories by this author!

Content:
Redemption and Ruin Duology: Book 2
Christian Mafia Romance
Faith Filled Fiction
Intimacy level: Kisses Only
Language: Only mentions that a character curses | Some vague discussions about intimacy
Violence
Sensitive subjects: unhealthy family relationships; childhood ab*se; references to ab*se relationships
Reference to: empath

[Kristi W - Book Love By Kristi]

“I want every minute of every day for the rest of our lives.”

Oh my! This fantastic book picks up right where Made Like the Moon left us. I have no words! None. At. All.
Prepare for an emotional roller coaster of happiness, fear, contentment, anxiety, and swooning. The action and danger are intense, and the twists are perfectly twisty and shocking. Rafe’s faith journey is absolutely amazing and the way Grace encourages and guides him incredible. Oh to be as bold and confident as Grace!
Grace & Rafe are now two of my most favorite characters ever. I love their chemistry and the way they know and understand each other. They have so many heart melting and swoony moments in the midst of the chaos that has become their life. Every page of this two book series is FANTASTIC!!

If you are looking for fiction that will challenge your faith this series is it. It will remind you that NOONE is beyond the saving power of Jesus’ blood. It will challenge you to be prepared to share your faith at any moment. And, it will remind you that God can and does work miracles in His time.

A few more quotes:
“You’re just enough. Not too much, not too little. Everything you are is the right amount. What I was going to say is that you’re incredible.”

“How many more assassins can I expect? Because I feel like I’ve met my quota for a lifetime.”

“I’d give you the world if I could, you know that?” “Yes.” “And I’d burn it down if you asked.” “I would never ask for that.” “I know. See how much I love you; I’m willing to lay down my matches.”

Note: This is book two in the Redemption and Ruin duology and should be read after Made Like the Moon.

This complimentary copy was provided by the author. I was not required to give a positive review, rating and opinions are my own.

[Leah (faithfulreadingcorner)]

4.5 ⭐️

To Reflect the Sun was such a great sequel to Made Like the Moon! I really loved this book, and Grace and Rafe have grown on me so much throughout these two books.

One of my favorite parts was seeing Rafe’s growth in his faith. I loved watching him learn to fully trust Christ and surrender his fears and circumstances to Him. Grace was also such a strong character throughout everything she went through. I loved that she stayed true to herself and, more importantly, stayed true to God even while they were on the run.

There were some unexpected moments that had me turning the pages faster, and I really enjoyed the storyline and plot twists. Carrie definitely knows how to keep me invested!

The only thing keeping this from being a full 5 stars for me was the amount of physical touches and kissing throughout the book. It wasn’t anything explicit, it just felt a little much. Other than that, I absolutely loved it.

I normally wouldn’t pick up a book in this genre, but because it’s Carrie Cotten, I decided to give it a go - and I definitely was not disappointed! 💙🧡

*I received an ARC from the author; all thoughts and opinions are my own*

[faith_family_fiction]

THE CONCLUSION YOU’VE BEEN WAITING FOR ✨

The conclusion to the Mafia Redemption Duology is absolutely AMAZING! 😍 If you thought the first book sounded good, just wait until you get to this one!

The chemistry and yearning between Grace and Rafe? Absolutely swoon-worthy. ❤️‍🔥 Rafe is seriously every book girl’s dream husband. 🥹

But what made this series stand out to me even more was the way God’s grace is woven throughout the entire story.The quotes and conversations continually point back to Christ, His grace, and His perfect plan in such a beautiful and meaningful way. ✝️🤍

This duology has romance, suspense, redemption, and SO much heart—and I truly cannot recommend it enough!

📖 Book 1 releases October 6th
📖 Book 2 releases November 10th

And trust me when I say… you do NOT want to miss this series!

[Jodi Thompson]

Great 2nd book in this duology! To Reflect the Sun continues Rafe’s and Grace’s story and also God’s story! Put it on your TBR list!

I received an advanced reader copy, and this is a fair and honest review.

[Kristen Speer]

Another Carrie Cotten book that needs to be immediately added to your TBR list. An incredible ending to the story of Grace and Rafe! Danger, romance, and the gospel seamlessly intertwined on every page in a way that only Carrie Cotten could write.

[Jennifer Hunt]

Riveting conclusion to this page turning duology. So sweet to watch Rafe and Grace’s relationship unfold

[Marlene Protzman]

Rafe and Grace. ❤️‍🔥😭 These two had me from beginning to end.

There was SO much here that I loved, and after waiting very impatiently to get my hands on this sequel, getting to jump back into this story and finally see where Rafe and Grace were headed was everything I’d been waiting for.

With that said, let’s dive right in.

Made Like the Moon had SO many interesting side characters, and those relationships added so much personality and life to the story. This book is much more focused on Rafe and Grace as he tries to get her home safely, which makes sense for the story being told, but I really missed that larger cast.

And Grace. 😂

I love Grace. I really do. Her quirky personality was one of the things that made her so endearing and funny in the first book.
But GIRL.
WHY ARE WE STILL FOLLOWING RANDOM ANIMALS INTO DANGER?!

At first, I kept thinking maybe these little detours were going to be providential, like God was using them to move her away from something worse.
Nope.

Every time this woman followed a creature, CHAOS. 🤦🏾‍♀️😂 At some point I needed Rafe to put her on one of those toddler backpack leashes. STAWP, Grace.

But Rafe and Grace together? Yeah. That worked for me. ❤️‍🔥

I loved their relationship. The banter, the ridiculous conversations, the heart to hearts, the pet names (I preferred “kitten” to “baby,” but I wasn’t exactly complaining 😂), the yearning, the nearness, the tenderness, and YES, all those kisses. Their chemistry was SO good, but what I loved even more was watching the emotional relationship underneath that chemistry deepen.

They were learning each other’s histories, fears, regrets, and hopes while desperately wanting a future neither of them knew they could actually have. I loved watching Rafe realize that he didn’t just want to protect Grace. He wanted an entire ordinary life with her.

The Paris date was one of my favorite parts of the entire book.
And THAT ELEVATOR SCENE.
Excuse me. 😂❤️‍🔥

Rafe’s character arc was another huge highlight for me. This is a man carrying an enormous amount of guilt over the things he’s done and wrestling with whether someone with his past can truly become someone different. Watching him begin to understand grace, both the woman and the actual grace of God, gave his story so much depth.

There’s one moment in particular that I think may have been my favorite part of Rafe’s entire faith journey. He compares himself to the Roman soldiers who drove the nails into Jesus’s hands. When he looks at the story of Christ, that’s who he sees himself as. Not one of the disciples. Not one of the people following Jesus. The man holding the hammer.

That comparison was SO moving and so incredibly well written. It captures exactly where Rafe is at that point. He knows what he’s done and sees the worst of himself clearly, and yet he’s beginning to understand that the same Jesus he would have nailed to a cross is offering grace to him. 😭 For me, that was the absolute best moment in the evolution of Rafe’s relationship with Christ. And probably my highlight of the entire book.

And then Grace realizing that Rafe had written his own name in her Bible.
WRECKED. 😭

After everything he had wrestled with, seeing that simple evidence that he had finally begun to make this faith his own was EVERYTHING. It was such a small, quiet detail compared to so many of the bigger moments in the story, but it said so much about how far he had come.

My biggest disappointment, though, was The Ghost.

After everything surrounding that mystery and all the danger attached to it, the eventual reveal and the plan to catch The Ghost felt underdeveloped and surprisingly underwhelming. I had spent so much time wondering who this person could possibly be that I expected the answer to have much more impact.

Instead, my reaction was basically…
All of THAT because of a scorned woman?! 😅

At one point I became convinced The Ghost might be Sio, which honestly made more sense to me narratively while simultaneously causing me to threaten to FLIP A TABLE. 😂 Thankfully, that wasn’t the answer either. I’m not mad about the direction the book took. I just wanted the reveal and resolution to have more complexity.

Thankfully, Sio still gave me exactly what I wanted elsewhere because I KNEW that man and Stella were getting a book. 😂 Their dynamic was way too suspicious. The epilogue confirmed it, and YES, I will absolutely be reading their story.

As for Rafe and Grace’s ending, this is where my feelings get complicated.

I loved so much of it. Rafe finding Lagarto for her was PERFECT. 😂💗 After everything they survived, seeing them finally safe and building a life together was exactly what I wanted.

But somehow, the ending managed to wrap everything up a little too perfectly while also leaving me wanting more. And I don’t mean more plot. I didn’t need another villain, another chase, or another problem for them to solve.

I needed more Rafe and Grace.

We get their new life, their home, dinner, their new identities, and then the story begins handing things over to Sio and Stella. And while I am VERY ready for those two, I wasn’t ready to leave Rafe and Grace yet.

I wanted one more truly intimate, romantic moment between them before we said goodbye. And no, I don’t mean a more explicit scene (obviously). I wanted emotional intimacy. Romance. After all that yearning and uncertainty about whether they could ever have a future together, I wanted to sit in that future with them for just a little longer.

Also, I am sorry, but you cannot make me spend two books knowing this man as Rafe Moretti and then suddenly tell me he’s WES. 😂

WES?! 🫠
Absolutely not. His name is Rafe. End of discussion. 😅

The weirdest part is that it’s been hours since I finished this book, and I STILL have that anxious book hangover feeling. That almost never happens to me. I can only think of one or two other books that have done it.

It’s this strange combination of being genuinely sad that the story is over while also not being completely satisfied with where I had to leave these characters. I think I just needed another chapter. Another five or ten pages. One more quiet moment where I could look at these two and think, Okay. They’re home. They made it.

And after ALL of those paragraphs of opinions, let me make something very clear. 😂

Do I plan on rereading both of these when my physical copies come in? 💯 Am I going to TAB THE MESS OUT OF THEM? 💯 I mean, this is an EXCELLENT Christian Mafia duology.

Ultimately, To Reflect the Sun gave me the thing I wanted most from this sequel: Rafe and Grace. I laughed. I swooned. I yelled at Grace to STOP FOLLOWING ANIMALS. I highlighted an embarrassing number of things Rafe said. I got emotional over his faith journey. I loved the kisses, the pet names, and Lagarto. And I finished the book already wanting Sio and Stella’s story.

Made Like the Moon was one of my favorite reads of the year, so this sequel had an incredibly high bar to meet. While I ultimately still preferred the first book, To Reflect the Sun was an excellent sequel with a whole lot to love.

——————

A huge thank you to Carrie Cotten for allowing me to ARC read To Reflect the Sun! 💗 I’m so grateful I got the chance to jump back into this story early.

[Jo|Ruth Reads]

This was such an amazing ending to the duology! Suspense, romance, faith, a bit of mystery, tons of banter, and some amazing kisses!

Grace’s life is still in danger, but this time, instead of Rafe chasing her, he plans to protect her. Unfortunately, everywhere they turn, trouble finds them. And the more time they spend together, the more they start wanting a future outside of all the chaos. But first, they have to figure out who the actual ghost is. And even after it’s all said and done… can a man like Rafe truly have a happily ever after with a woman like Grace?!

This book definitely cranks up the romance, faith, and suspense. I loved the page-turning suspense, but I also loved the quieter moments when they talked about God, started letting their walls down, and finally confessed their feelings to each other. Those moments added so much depth to their relationship.

I am SO curious about what’s next… are Stella and Sio getting a story?! 👀 Because I need to know!

I gave this a 4.5 rounded to a 5 star rating. This was my favorite of the series!

✨️Some FUN quotes:
You’re a cinnamon roll in a red flag wrapper.”

“A golden retriever disguised as morally gray?”

“Tortured soul with a heart of gold? Could snap a guy’s neck with his pinky but pays rent and respects boundaries?”

✨️A few more quotes with a bit more depth:

“But no matter where we end up, I want to live a life where I’m made like the moon. Like you. One where we reflect the sun.”

“What your father intended for evil, God is now working to use for good. And that doesn’t mean it won’t be heartbreaking or messy, but it means there can be beauty from those ashes.”

“You’re just enough. Not too much, not too little. Everything you are is the right amount. What I was going to say is that you’re incredible.”

I received a complimentary copy. This review reflects my honest opinion.

[Danielle K]

You know how you love all the tension of a slow burn, but then after you enjoy reading that you wish you could read another book where the FMC & MMC are together more?

To Reflect the Sun is just that. And I loved it. We get to follow Rafe and Grace through the rest of the cat and mouse chase, but this time they are together for more of the ride. And it is beautiful.

Carrie Cotten did it again with the high stakes adventure - leaving my heart pumping, breath catching, and heart melting.

I have thought about some aspect of this book every day since I read it. And I don't imagine that will stop anytime soon. I highlighted so many powerful truths that spoke to my heart and swoonworthy banter that had me giggling.

This is a duology, so go read Made Like the Moon first. It's the 5 star beginning of this story.

I'll be rereading this soon!

- Missionary & Mafia
- Protective MMC
- Animal Lover FMC

[Myra]

Book two of this lively duology continues the journey of Grace, along with Rafe, The Shadow enforcer, trying their best to get Grace home. More fascinating travel and food experiences ensue as they dodge mayhem and hitmen into the ultimate picture of God’s provision and care for them through Grace’s clumsiness and her dad’s bible.

Another hysterically funny yet spiritually encouraging must read from Carrie Cotten.

[Chapters With Heather]

This was a very satisfying conclusion to the first book in this series, Made Like the Moon. Detailed review to come ❤️❤️❤️