"Fatal Frost" by Nancy Mehl

Fatal Frost (Nov. 1, 2016) by Nancy Mehl.*

Although her father was mostly absent during her growing up years, U.S. Marshal Mercy Brennan still followed in his law enforcement footsteps. Her father’s recent reappearance in St. Louis (STL) has put Mercy in the sights of STL’s most powerful gang, and this puts her in danger enough that could end her career. Or worse, her life. Because of these very valid concerns, Mercy’s boss assigns Deputy U.S. Marshal Mark St. Laurent – Mercy’s ex-boyfriend – and the St. Louis PD allows her best friend, Lieutenant Tally Williams, to provide protection for her. She does not know the true story, but when they are stranded in a remote, unknown location during a blizzard/ice storm, the seriousness of their situation becomes crystal clear. They have not reached their destination of Piedmont, MO, and they have no way to contact their bosses with communications down. Mother Nature and the potential enemy lurking nearby (maybe in that barn over there) puts everyone in significant danger. How do you find someone when you don’t know where they are?

            A remote location, danger in the storm and bad guys stir the pot to brew up this suspenseful, inspirational fiction caper. This story throws you right into the action from the first chapter and keeps going. I could do without the romantic plight, but that is trivial. The tension can be gripping, and you root for Mercy, the strong female lead who’s so good at hiding her emotions, but that you can also tell struggles, especially with her faith. Like all of us, she has room to grow, and Mehl displays that, while balancing Mercy’s obvious strength and independence. This romantic suspense series is one I wouldn’t mind following as this literary journey continues beyond this first story in her ‘Defenders of Justice’ series.

* 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.”

"A Primary Decision" by Dr. Kevin Leman & Jeff Nesbit

A Primary Decision (Oct. 18, 2016) by Dr. Kevin Leman and Jeff Nesbit.*

There are secrets. Secrets are powerful, especially in the wrong hands where they may be used with malicious intent and/or manipulation. As an attorney working for the Department of Justice, Sarah Worthington is used to being incredibly good at ferreting out secrets and getting to the bottom of everything. Unfortunately, there is a secret, even within her family, that she’s yet to hear. It’ll be a tough pill to swallow, since some secrets “had so many interweaving threads that they could only be pulled one at a time without making a mess of the complete tapestry.” Still, nothing will deter Sarah from moving forward. She’ll make a mark on the world, overcoming threats to her family and possibly balancing a personal life (cue Jon Gillibrand), but with honesty. “Secrets breed gossip, mistrust, and even hatred. We’ve had enough of that in American politics.” Well said, Sarah Katherine Worthington, well said!

            With this inspirational, contemporary fiction novel focusing on politics, I’ll readily admit that I didn’t have high initial hopes for liking this story. But after reading it, I stand corrected. I found this story to be very smart with high energy.  There are perils to overcome, battles to be won, and mysteries to be solved.  There is strong faith and faith tested.  There is political intrigue, apparently centered around a homicide featured in one or both of the previous books, this story being the final book in The Worthington Destiny trilogy. There are definitely back stories that I am missing, but overall this book read smoothly, and I didn’t feel totally lost not having read either of the previous books. I was actually impressed by the prose and how well it flowed, able to capture my interest even though I don’t naturally gravitate toward politics-centric material. Sarah is a strong, brilliant female character, and I appreciate that they created her in such a light, including staging her in an arena dominated by men. She’ll show them!  Is Sarah Worthington too good to be true? Well, sure, why not? She is a fictional character, after all, but she’s still got my vote!

* 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.”

"The Fred Factor" by Mark Sanborn

The Fred Factor (Apr. 20, 2004) by Mark Sanborn.*

Who is Fred? The author’s Fred, Fred Shea, the first Fred, was a mail carrier (Sanborn was one of his customers).** What is the significance of a Fred? That is up to you -- not just to strive to be a Fred but to recognize other Freds. The simple answer is that a Fred is anyone who is taking pride in one’s work – no matter the profession – and turning the ordinary into the extraordinary. That does not mean running yourself ragged to go above and beyond at full throttle, giving 200%, and wearing yourself so thin that you get stress hives. No. It can be as simple as offering someone encouragement in a time of need or standing out in the winter cold for ten more seconds to hold the door open for someone.

            The author, Mark Sanborn, is a motivational speaker. His former mail carrier inspired him to “be a Fred.” The book has distinct focuses on defining Freds, how to become one and even how to develop other Freds. It’s a book of advice, encouragement and leading by example.

            Of the many examples, one shines out at me. He was relaying the story of a man who was dying of cancer. Even at his most frail, just days before passing, he said to a visitor, “How can I serve you?” And this leads me to a memory from college where one of my hall-mates had a handwritten sign in her room right above her door that read, “Servant’s Entrance.” To her, it signified being a servant and child of God and reminding herself to be as such when she left her dorm room each day, but it is fitting to this slim book as well. For anyone in customer service or who works with people on a frequent basis, to be a servant isn’t a chore. It can also be about making the best better, continually reinventing yourself to serve others more effectively and transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary.

            I don’t tend to read books “like this.” And by that I mean books that focus on motivation and encouragement (but also non-fiction literature in general). I appreciate the insight that Sanborn has. Anyone who ever deals with people should read this book. To be a Fred isn’t a mundane thing, but a remarkable one. To have Fred moments isn’t tedious but noteworthy. To witness Fred moments isn’t lackluster but inspiring. Life is a work in progress, so why not work to be a Fred while you’re going about it all?

* Disclosure of Material Connection: I was loaned this book by my boss. I was not required to write a positive review, nor a review of any kind. The opinions are expressly my own and do not reflect the opinions of my boss, the author, the publisher or any entities associated with any of the aforementioned. 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.”

** Fred Shea retired in 2013. [Google linked me to a post on the author’s Facebook page.]