The Boy Who Called Me Beatrice

by Leah M. Taylor

1994—
Beatrice Barlowe only wants two her momma to come back and for the town of Arrow Rock, Missouri, to call her by her real name. After being abandoned on her grandparents’ doorstep at seven years old with little more than a note that says her name is Eunice, Beatrice is left to wonder why her own mother didn’t want her. It isn’t until she is fifteen that she starts to wonder if good things will come her way. When a family’s car breaks down in the heart of town, Beatrice quickly makes a new friend who teaches her the importance of finding God, even in the midst of brokenness and loss.

2005—
Bo Finnegan’s life fell apart when he found another man in his fiancée’s apartment. With no idea where to go next, he leaves behind his home in New York and hits the road, only to find himself back in Arrow Rock, the town his family stopped in over eleven years ago when their car broke down. There, he finds the girl he remembers from all those years ago, and she teaches him that true hope--a hope that exceeds circumstances--is only found in the grace and sovereignty of God.

Weaved together through eleven years and the pull of small-town charm, Beatrice and Bo must lean into the Lord to find their true identity, even when the world seems to strip them of all they thought they knew.

221 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 16, 2026

Reviews

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of advance reader copy received from the author

I literally flew through this book. It was such a fun and fast read. Loved the faith themes. They were beautifully incorporated into the story. I loved Bo and Beatrice together. The romance was very subtle but sweet. This book had grit and emotional depth but at the same time it was wholesome and hopeful. I loved the dual timeline. I loved getting to know these characters in the past and the future. Also loved the way the past was shown through Beatrice’s eyes while the future was shown through Bo’s. Overall it was an amazing read. I highly recommend this book if you want something fast-paced with a mixture of gritty and hopeful moments.

I give my thanks to the author for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

[Jessica Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been anticipating reading this story ever since Leah announced she was publishing it, and oh my goodness, it did not disappoint!

I loved it so much 🥺 It was so deep and symbolic, and there were so many mirror moments between the two timelines!

I loved both of our main characters—Beatrice in the “past” and Bo in the “present”—and their love story 🥺

The themes of being seen, heard, and loved was so beautiful. I needed that reminder that God really is with us through everything.

This story honestly healed a little part of me, and I think it’s one that a lot of readers are going to need ❤

[Charissa James · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this sweet story. It has a slower pace, which lends itself to relaxation and emphasizes the nostalgia of the time period. I liked how Bo and Beatrice's first meeting as teenagers was all in her POV and their second meeting 11 years later was all in his POV. I really liked how both of them learned throughout the story to lean on God when they felt like they had no one else. That is a good reminder for anyone dealing with loneliness. I was a little disappointed with how light the romance ended up being. You could tell by the end that they would maybe begin dating, but they never said those three little words. Nevertheless, the development of their friendship as teenagers and their reconnection in small-town Missouri was very sweet. I look forward to seeing what this author writes next.

Thanks to the author for providing me with an ARC. All opinions expressed in this review are honest and my own.

[Jessica · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

The Boy Who Called Me Beatrice is a lovely debut story from Leah M. Taylor. Set in a dual timeline the story follows Eunice “Beatrice” and Bo over a few days in the 90s and early 00s and their story is as slow and meandering as Beatrice’s life in Arrow Rock, Mo.
In 1994 Beatrice lives with her grandparents in a small town after her mother abandons her and there are no other kids her age in town. When Bo’s family limps into town on the way to Kansas City, Beatrice is excited to finally have someone her age to spend time with. The connection between the two is instant and they spend a few days wandering around, meeting the eclectic community and sharing secrets.
We follow Bo in the 2005 timeline running away after catching his fiancé with another man. Bo’s story is a little confusing and inconsistent. The initial set up between the two is that she is a spoiled brat and he doesn’t actually like her at all. This left me thinking he would be relieved that the relationship ended but later he spends a full night sobbing over the fact that he loved her and was going to build a life with her. His reconnection with Beatrice is very sweet and a joy to watch them get to know each other again. I’m not typically a fan of instant love type of stories so I would have loved if there had been more time for them to develop an actual relationship.
Leah’s writing has the potential to be very beautiful but there were just too many similes and metaphors. Every word spoken was a warm as a fresh biscuit with melted butter and every touch a flurry of fireflies on a hot summer night. While the wording was a little too much she created two characters that I found myself genuinely rooting for. The way she had Beatrice fighting between Joy and sadness and longing for community and isolation was done so well.
Some of my favorite movies are slow stories where nothing really happens other than the connections people have in their daily life. If you have a love for sweet, slow stories then this book is for you. I’m excited to see what comes from Leah next.

Thank you to Leah M. Taylor providing me with the digital ARC and allowing me the chance to read and review her work.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, I really loved this book! I’m not always a fan of dual timelines, but this one was done so well. I loved the settings and how Leah really made you feel like you were there with them in a tiny town in Missouri. Even now, days after finishing it, I can still so clearly see the town and places in my mind. All of the characters were so deeply crafted and you fall in love with so many of them and definitely intentionally dislike some others!

The older timeline has a great coming of age feel to it and beautiful faith themes are sprinkled throughout the whole book.

It is clean, with no spice, only kisses and also no language. It does deal with some heavy themes such as abandonment, abuse, and death of loved ones (off-page), but they play into a beautiful redemption story.

I would highly recommend this book!

[Klara Łuczka-Hanzalová · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a delightful and heartwarming read. It was a bit of an experiment for me to try out a contemporary romance, but definitely worth the risk!
The author paints a charming small town setting, creating beauty in simplicity. A slice of life where not much seems to happen outwardly, but across the characters’ interior lives we see a world of transformations. Two lonely souls meet and finally experience what it means to be seen and known. A poignant reminder of how, as human beings, we are built to be in relationship with others. All this to dimly reflect the perfect and unconditional love of our Creator ❤️

[Abigail · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Sometimes we've got to let go before moving on."
-'The Boy Who Called Me Beatrice' by Leah M. Taylor

I loved this book so much. It was such a beautiful, heartfelt read with strong Christian themes. The small-town setting was so cozy and the character growth woven throughout the story was such a delight. Both Beatrice and Bo's journeys were beautiful to experience, and I loved their individual relationship with God.
This is the perfect Christian contemporary story with dual POV, a small-town setting, and self-discovery themes.
I look forward to reading more of Leah M. Taylor's works. I am so honored to have been entrusted with an ARC. Thank you so much!

[Rachel Gruber · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a heartwarming story about Two people Bo and Beatrice who meet and one who lives in a small town , they meet as teens and find each other . They don’t meet again until years later down the road .
Bo lives in a separate town but finds his way back to Beatrice’s town .
Bo feels connected to Beatrice and they find their way to each other and to God .
It is such a sweet book and I highly recommend reading it.
This is my first book by Leah but it won’t be my last .
Clean / closed door
Christian