In this heartwarming episode of The Christian Romance Podcast, Kelly chats with debut author Melissa Alyse, who brings readers stories soaked in grace and filled with faith. They talk all about her journey from homeschool mama and marketing coach to Christian romance author, how God called her to put everything else down and pick up the pen, and how obedience led to joy.



Melissa shares the beautiful inspiration behind her debut novel A Place to Belong — a cozy small-town romance featuring sweet tea, front porch swings, funny meet-cutes, and a wise grandma named Glory who might just steal your heart. 💛



They also dive into what it looks like to grow in faith through journaling, trusting in God's timing, and embracing the freedom we have in Christ to be fully ourselves. If you’re craving stories that are warm hugs for your soul, Melissa’s books might be your next favorite read.







Listen to the episode here.















Meet Melissa Alyse







Melissa Alyse is the author of grace-soaked Christian fiction that feels like a front porch conversation with a friend.



Her debut novel, A Place to Belong, is the first in a heartwarming series set in Willow Creek, Texas—a fictional small town where faith, love, and second chances bloom.



Melissa’s stories offer readers hope, encouragement, and the gentle reminder that God made them just as they are—on purpose.



She lives in Alaska with her sweet husband and their rescue pup. Melissa loves quiet mornings journaling with Jesus and a cup of coffee, FaceTiming with her grands, making a creative mess, and finding beauty in life’s simple, everyday moments.







Visit Melissa's website here



Get your FREE ebook download here







Bible Verses for Encouragement








"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2:10 (NKJV)







"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11 (NKJV)







"As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 7rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving." Colossians 2:6-7 (NKJV)








Melissa Alyse's New Book: A Place to Belong















She had a plan. God had a better one.After one shattering night, Sammy Thomas’s carefully built life lies in pieces. Lost and heartbroken, she returns to the quiet Texas town she never thought she’d see again—only to find herself running her grandmother’s church pantry and questioning everything she thought she knew about purpose, faith, and the future.



But between porch swing conversations, community potlucks, and the soft rhythm of small-town life, Sammy begins to wonder…What if the plans she made were nothing compared to what God had planned for her?



A Place to Belong is a heartwarming, grace-filled Christian novel about starting over, discovering your purpose, and trusting God when life doesn’t go the way you imagined. Perfect for fans of small-town communities, clean romance, and faith-filled women’s fiction—and for anyone who needs the...