"No Way Up" by Mary Connealy

No Way Up (July 5, 2016) by Mary Connealy.*

The way the Boden siblings see it, their pa was not in his right mind when he made out his will, put into effect, not by dying, but immediately after leaving by train to receive treatment for his leg. Cole, Justin and Sadie are to live at Cimarron Ranch (CR) for an entire year, effective immediately. This is no problem for middle-child Justin, as he already lives there, but it means a move for Cole and Sadie. Cole oversees the mine and has a college degree at his back; he’s much more city than country, and he’s day and night different from Justin. Meanwhile, Sadie has to give up her work at the Safe Haven Orphanage, a place she feels is her calling to be at. But if the siblings do not all reside at the CR for a full year, they forfeit the ranch to a despised third-cousin-to-their-mother.

            Their father and CR patriarch Chance Boden was caught in an avalanche, and without the quick thinking and Army-medic skill of hired hand Heath Kincaid, there’d probably be no chance that Chance would keep his leg. But with his involvement in assisting Chance, Heath finds himself embroiled in the Boden family drama. He makes the discovery that the avalanche may have been intentional, and that; therefore, is not the end of the danger. Though he’s ready to move forward with his future – and preferably one with Sadie in it – he won’t leave the Boden siblings alone to fight for themselves or amongst each other.

            “No Way Up” was another novel I chose because I’d read a short story by the author in a novella collection. Hers was my favorite story in that collection, and I enjoyed this novel of hers as well. This one is the first in The Cimarron Legacy, which I plan to continue. Mary Connealy’s Christian, historical fiction novel never makes me feel as though I’m sitting through a history lesson (it takes place in late 1880). On the contrary, the book was a swift read. Her characters are compelling; you root for them but then shake your head when an argument ensues, for they can bicker like anyone from any era. Connealy’s world-building feels authentic; I could practically feel the dust and grime from a day on the ranch. It is also apparent that the author did her research. There’s a budding romance, and there’s intrigue, issues to resolve and danger lurking, a ranch to protect and sibling rivalries to overcome. And also faith. Sadie says it well, “No matter what you’ve done in this life, all God asks is that you believe in Him. God loves you …” That’s the truth. Always. Highly recommend!

* Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions are expressly my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

"Missing" by Lisa Harris

Missing (July 5, 2016) by Lisa Harris.*

When Special Agent Nikki Boyd with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation arrives on the scene, two bagged bodies are being wheeled out of a home in one of Nashville’s affluent suburbs. This is unusual, mostly because Nikki handles missing persons cases as lead with the Missing Persons Task Force. But the deceased are not the owners of the home. The homeowners, Mac and Lucy Hudson, are, and they are, indeed, missing. When another dead body turns up on the boat of her friend Tyler Grant, Nikki has to unravel what ties Tyler to the Hudsons. There are counterfeit drugs, a private investigator, a potential double-cross by said P.I., and a killer involved. There’s always a killer.

            Nikki also needs to grapple with her feelings for Tyler. He was always her best friend’s husband, though Katie has been gone now for a year following a freak boating accident. Somewhere along the way, she fell in love with Tyler, and she already adores his son, Liam. In some ways, it feels totally wrong to her to have fallen for her friend’s husband, but it also seems right. Occasionally, she thinks she sees the same longing in Tyler’s eyes, but she passes it off as wishful thinking. Perhaps, if they both survive this investigation, Nikki can figure out if Tyler is one to pursue. But Tyler has some major news to share, news which may be a great divide.

            Sometimes my reasons for choosing a book are simplistic and have no bearing on the actual story. The first reason I chose this book is because the author’s first name is Lisa. The second reason is that the jacket copy did actually capture my attention. Just thought I’d put that honesty out there!

            The second book in The Nikki Boyd Files, “Missing” was a satisfying blend of potentially budding romance and whodunit suspense within the sub-genre of Christian fiction. Lisa Harris writes in a manner that’s not so complex that someone can’t enjoy a good read at the end of a long day, but the plot is complex enough to engage the reader. You feel invested in the lives of Nikki and Tyler and the characters that surround them. Harris gives her characters, not just a voice, but a resonance. This is especially helpful since it’s the second book, and I came into this series without having read the first book, “Vendetta.” There were some hints to what went on in the first book and probably a continuation to a long-standing search of Nikki’s, but there wasn’t enough focus on it that I ever felt lost or resentful to the fact that I haven’t read the first story. Summed up, I am glad that I chose this book by a gal named Lisa, for I look forward to continuing this series, which has been fast-paced for me, thus far.

* Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Revell Books. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions are expressly my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

"No Other Will Do" by Karen Witemeyer

No Other Will Do (June 7, 2016) by Karen Witemeyer.*

In an era where the men are the heads of the house (it is 1894), the credo of Emma Chandler, her suffragette aunts and the women of Harper’s Station is that men are optional. And more like, totally unnecessary and mostly unwelcome. The women of the colony all have good reasons for making a fresh start at Harper’s Station, and Emma has charged herself with protecting them. Unfortunately, someone harassing their camp is escalating in his aggression toward the station. Emma admits that she may need a man on-site.

            Malachi Shaw is that man. An explosives expert for the railroad, he has come a long way from his half-frozen, thirteen-year-old orphaned self. Emma is his angel, so when her telegram arrives, he thinks of nothing except getting to Baylor County, Texas, and the girl who saved his life. Except that girl isn’t a girl anymore. She’s a woman – “a handsome, well-put-together woman” – and one he hasn’t seen in ten years, since he was fifteen years old. Mal has always thought of Emma as his angel, though he feels undeserving of her. Time hasn’t erased all of those early years when he saw himself as nothing but gutter trash. But even that doesn’t stop him from wondering if Emma feels that he’s as precious to her as she is to him. (She does, of course, but as she tells herself, “Dwelling on old girlish feelings and dreams would serve no purpose.”) Besides, there’s a dangerous man (or men) out there. Protecting and fighting for Harper’s Station is the priority. But after that, what may or may not come?

            Previously, the only work I’d read by Karen Witemeyer was a short story which was part of a novella collection. That collection is what prompted me to select this novel, and I was not disappointed. One part mystery and suspense and another part historical romance all wrapped up with a strong female protagonist with verve and independence, a respectable man who respects independent-thinking women, a distinct cast of supporting characters, and deep faith, despite what life has (or has not) thrown at them. I loved the author’s idea of a women’s colony as the setting. It definitely worked, thanks to Witemeyer’s skill at creating prose that flows.

* Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions are expressly my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”