Episode 201: Conrad Kingston, Fake Dating & Real Danger: A Christian Romance Book Club Review of Susan May Warren’s Minnesota Kingstons Series

About This Episode

Conrad Kingston, Fake Dating & Real Danger: Christian Romance Fans Will Love This Book Club Discussion

Can a hockey star and a true-crime podcaster find real love while pretending to be in a relationship? That is exactly the question at the heart of book two in Susan May Warren’s Minnesota Kingstons series. In episode 201 of the LiteraryScape podcast, the book club dives deep into Conrad’s story — and it does not disappoint.

What Is the Minnesota Kingstons Series About?

Susan May Warren’s Minnesota Kingstons series follows the Kingston family, a wealthy and powerful clan with deep ties to the world of professional hockey. Each installment centers on a different Kingston sibling, weaving together faith, romance, and nail-biting suspense. The second book spotlights Conrad Kingston, a power center for the Minnesota Blue Arcs — a man grappling with a very private battle as his time at the top of his game grows short.

Meet the Characters: Conrad & Penelope

Conrad Kingston is not your typical romance hero. He is a professional hockey player with a secret: crippling panic attacks that strike whenever the spotlight finds him. Fame and public attention are the last things he wants.

Enter Penelope Pepper, a true-crime podcaster and self-described magnet for trouble. She is on a mission to uncover who murdered her sister’s fiancé — a quest that has already landed her in a kidnapping and put a target squarely on her back. She desperately needs a protector. Conrad needs ticket sales. A mix-up pulls them into a fake-dating arrangement, and neither realizes the other’s true motives — at first.

The Fake Dating Trope Done Right in Christian Romance

Few romance tropes land with as much emotional punch as fake dating gone real. Susan executes it masterfully here. Conrad genuinely falls for Penelope, believing the relationship is authentic. When he finally learns the truth, his heartbreak is palpable — and the host reflects on one of the most tense scenes in the book: Penelope showing up at his door, in danger, after he has just discovered the deception.

He nearly turns her away. The tension in that moment is almost unbearable, and it speaks to how deeply Susan crafts her characters’ emotional journeys.

Suspense, Social Media, and Stakes That Feel Real

The danger in Conrad’s story is no mere backdrop. Penelope’s investigation into her sister’s fiancé’s death unravels a tangled web involving tech company buyouts, a family fortune, and a killer who has not finished the job. The book club highlights a particularly chilling scene: Penelope visiting a suspect’s apartment alone — and quickly realizing she cannot leave.

Meanwhile, social media plays a villain of its own kind. A photograph taken at the wrong moment paints Conrad as an abusive troublemaker. The fallout threatens everything he has built. Susan captures how a single image, stripped of context, can destroy a reputation overnight.

The Hockey World as a Christian Romance Setting

One host notes that Conrad’s story stands apart from other heroes she typically reads, who often have military backgrounds. The hockey world brings its own brand of brotherhood, pressure, and public scrutiny. A scene involving a child nearly struck by a Zamboni — and Conrad’s heroic intervention — results in a painful hip injury that has the whole book club holding its breath.

Conrad’s panic attacks add another layer of vulnerability. The root cause is revealed through the story in a way that earns deep reader sympathy. He blames himself for something that was not truly his fault, and that internal struggle shapes every decision he makes.

Family Dynamics in the Kingston World

No Kingston story would be complete without the family drama lurking in the background. The hosts discuss Penelope’s sister Tia, who simply wants the investigation dropped, and a mother who comes across as slightly detached compared to Conrad’s warm family circle. The contrast between the two families adds texture to the romance and raises questions that carry through the whole series.

The Secondary Storyline: What About Phoenix?

Eagle-eyed series readers will catch glimpses of Phoenix, a recurring character who continues to weave through the Minnesota Kingstons world. Her storyline is still unfolding, and the book club teases that her connection to Steinbeck — and his role as a personal bodyguard — will become clearer in the next installment.

LiteraryScape Book Club Ratings for Conrad

The hosts use a coffee-inspired rating scale — from Latte (moderate) to Espresso (strong) — to score key elements:

• Mystery: Latte
• Suspense: Latte — enough tension to keep pages turning
• Inspiration: Espresso — faith themes hit with real depth
• Drama: Latte
• Romance: Espresso — sweet, heartfelt, and swoon-worthy
• Overall: 3 Lassos out of 3

Should You Read Conrad by Susan May Warren?

If you love Christian romance with a fake-dating twist, high-stakes suspense, and a hero who is equal parts strength and vulnerability, Conrad is absolutely worth your time. It is a clean, compelling read that builds beautifully on the foundation Susan May Warren laid in book one.

Tune in to episode 201 of the LiteraryScape podcast for the full discussion, including more scene breakdowns and a lively debate about whether our hosts would rather spend a year reading historical or contemporary Christian romance.

Explore the full Minnesota Kingstons series:

susanmaywarren.com/series/the-minnesota-kingstons