Rutabaga's Reads 2025: Part 18

Where there’s a YA fiction compilation, so there will be a Christian/inspirational fiction compilation close behind. Here is the third Christian/inspirational fiction post of 2025.

An Honorable Deception (Nov. 19, 2024) by Roseanna M. White.

<This is the third novel in a series.>

The leader of the Imposters (a private investigative firm that caters to the aristocracy), Lord Yates Fairfax, risks being recognized when his newest client, the beautiful Lady Alethia Barremore, is shot in the church they’ve met in. Lady Alethia is looking for her former nanny (or ayah), Samira, who’s gone missing. Their investigation digs up a truth far more sinister and dangerous than any of them imagined. But maybe Alethia isn’t truly surprised, given the terrifying truth that’s haunted her since she was a little girl being hidden in a locked wardrobe for her safety by her ayah.

            She may have spent years incredibly ill (scarlet fever), but Lady Lavinia Hemming highly suspects that her longtime friends and neighbors, siblings Yates and Lady Marigold Livingstone (née Fairfax), have more going on than meets the eye. When she discovers that they are the esteemed Imposters, she invites herself into the firm. Her own family’s secret continues to weigh on her, and she needs the distraction of an investigation. She wants to be useful and maybe, just maybe, she wants to let herself love Yates. But has Yates moved on from his childhood crush on Lavinia?

            In this final novel in The Imposters series, the Imposters dive into the dark side of society, where it’s obvious that titles don’t equate to noble thoughts and actions. Investigating those that they see in society is a balancing act, and despite the Edwardian-era setting, the struggle with finances is real in any timeline with characters that would be awesome to have as friends and neighbors in real life. The plot matter is not an easy topic, but it makes for a compelling story with a propulsive plot. White writes with the ease of a talented, seasoned writer, and I look forward to reading more of her stories.

            P.S. I was thrilled with the connections to the Shadows Over England and The Codebreakers series, along with allusion to “The Lost Heiress.” I love story crossovers!

            Book 1: A Beautiful Disguise

            Book 2: A Noble Scheme

Serial Burn (Jan. 21, 2025) by Lynette Eason.

<This is the third novel in a series.>

Almost 20 years have passed since Jesslyn McCormick was robbed of her family in a fire when she was only seven years old. As a fire marshal in Lake City, North Carolina (fictional), she’s dedicated her career to investigating fires. Now she’s examining one at her own church. Old feelings are dredged up and planted evidence on-scene provides new clues. There’s been an attempted abduction and attempts on her life. She recently made a passionate and public statement about never giving up on finding her family’s killer. It could be that the killer has been in the area this entire time. FBI Special Agent Nathan Carlisle is called in to work with local law enforcement. He also has a past that involves a fatal fire, which he has no interest in rehashing. Searching for the arsonist is a great distraction, but protecting Jesslyn is likewise a distraction. The spark between them is strong enough to set their lives ablaze, but someone else is setting things alight in real time.

            The penultimate story in the Lake City Heroes series is an inferno of action, danger, investigation and quick-thinking soothed by faith, found family and camaraderie. It’s a Christian romantic suspense novel that grabs hold of you in a vice-like grip, snatching your attention as you race the characters to figure out who the arsonist is before they do. Guilt is a supporting theme of one of the supporting characters and his shining scene is gripping and emotional. From start to finish, Eason takes readers on a thrill ride. One aims for a reckoning; the other’s goal is retribution.

            Book One: Double Take

            Book Two: Target Acquired

Two Seconds Too Late (Apr. 29, 2025) by Dani Pettrey.

<This is the second novel in a series.>

A woman has vanished from a couples’ retreat at a swanky, luxury resort in northern New Mexico. Skip tracer Riley MacLeod and private investigator Greyson Chadwick pose as a couple to seek out clues to the missing woman’s location. Expressive Wellness Retreat and Spa is luxurious and comes with a luxurious price tag. The woman, Kelly Frazier, is on the run and being hunted. What should be a cut-and-dried tracking case takes a sharp turn when Riley becomes the hunted, too. Her home is ransacked, she finds herself stalked, and she and Greyson are somehow tracked to the retreat. The Kelly that Riley thought she knew isn’t the only side of Kelly. Kelly’s desperate for justice, but taking it into her own hands may end her life if Riley and Greyson can’t find her. As the pair work together, their mutual attraction ignites, but Greyson’s deep secrets prevent him from admitting his attraction. From a missing woman to hit men to a questionable retreat, survival is a fight. But so is love, when one’s found one’s soulmate.

            It’s hard to put Pettrey’s books down once I start them, but I do, because I’m one of those who reads multiple novels simultaneously (normally not more than three, but it’s been as many as seven). The second in Pettrey’s Jeopardy Falls series is high-octane and action-packed. The Christian romantic suspense novel barely lets readers get a breath in as the characters get their danger-filled spying on in this wholesome story. The writing is tight, and it gets the pulse pounding, even though you know the outcome will be good for the protagonists. It’s another victory for the author and her faithful characters and a victory; therefore, for her readers.

            Book One: One Wrong Move

Rutabaga's Reads 2025: Part 12

I’ve done companion novel posts in the past, but not one specifically nicknamed Novellas (includes short stories). I don’t think this will be a regular post annually, but I wouldn’t be opposed.

The Housemaid’s Wedding (Nov. 4, 2024) by Freida McFadden.

<This short story fills the gap between Books 2 and 3.>

It’s her special day, the day she’s marrying the man of her dreams, and it starts with a death threat. Wilhelmina “Millie” Calloway has helped multiple women get away from abusive men, so threats aren’t uncommon in her line of work. But, come on, it’s supposed to be the happiest day of her life! Between the threat and a very important dress not fitting perfectly as it did a week ago, problems are being had. Millie tells herself she will tell her fiancé, Enzo Accardi. Tomorrow. All she has to do is fit into her dress, get married and contend with an unplanned obstacle, one that wants her dead.

            While not my usual way, my first book by McFadden is her short story. The hard part about short stories is that they can feel rushed and contrived, and that’s how this one felt. I know that her novels are hugely popular (I work in a library and see this firsthand), so I’m disappointed by this short story. Sure, there’s a thriller element, but the danger never feels intensive, and the wedding takes up nothing more than a piece of a short chapter. I would not spend money on this unless you’re a diehard McFadden fan. Consider checking it out from the library, as I did.

Book 1: The Housemaid

Book 2: The Housemaid’s Secret

Book 2.5: The Housemaid’s Wedding

Book 3: The Housemaid is Watching

The Shifting Current (May 2, 2023) by Dani Pettrey.

<This is a companion novella ending a series.>

When the call comes from Tom Mahoney, his high-school-buddy-turned-hometown-sheriff, Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS) Special Agent Logan Perry is on the next flight to Silver City, New Mexico, with his teammate, CGIS Special Agent Emmy Thorton, the woman he also secretly loves. His grandfather’s been murdered in his own home in [fictional] Cauldron Creek. It looks like a robbery gone wrong. Their prime suspect is a female drifter who’d been staying in one of the guest bunkhouses. She always seems to be one step ahead. They suspect there’s at least one other person involved who’s male. Emmy’s grateful to be along to assist the investigation however she can without overstepping their bounds (since it’s not their jurisdiction). Logan thinks she’s there to be his teammate as she would on any assignment, but she secretly loves Logan and considers him to be husband material despite his playboy past. If they want a chance to grow their relationship, they’ve got to catch the killer before they become the next victims.

            Although I miss that this isn’t a full-length novel, this is a compact, romantic suspense tale of the Coastal Guardians series. It’s got grit to balance the pain, love and friendship to outweigh hatred and vileness with faith to cover everything. A little rushed, I felt, because of the short page count, but Pettrey still manages to include a solid plot, clean romance and danger that you know will be turned into a happy ending. After all, how can it not when the book includes the occasional Stetson hats, Wrangler jeans, cowboy boots and horses?

            Book One: The Killing Tide

            Book Two: The Crushing Depths

            Book Three: The Deadly Shallows

What Does It Feel Like? (Oct. 8, 2024) by Sophie Kinsella.

<This is a standalone novella.>

She’s a bestselling novelist whose books have been movies and garnered her walks on red carpets, photos with celebrities and time on movie sets. She buys a Jenny Packham dress, because “an occasion will present itself.” That’s Before. Then After arrives, and Eve Monroe awakes in a hospital bed with a brain that’s forgetful. She’s made her success with her words, and now she looks at a picture of a shirt and calls it a bag. She relearns how to walk and reminds herself that she has five children, her husband’s name is Nick, and what are the lyrics to ‘O Come All Ye Faithful’ again? With her lacking short-term memory, many days are the first time she learns that she has glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer that does not have a good prognosis. All she wants is to keep going. That is her happy ending.

            Author Jodi Picoult states that, “This is the bravest book you’ll read all year,” and she may be right. While Eve Monroe is a fictional character, this story is the author’s. Sophie Kinsella has been battling glioblastoma and has survived longer than the average. This contemporary, adult fiction novella is funny in parts, sad in others, but is full of optimism and love throughout. Kinsella’s work of autobiographical fiction is a story of triumph, courage and strength, but vulnerability, too. It stirs the soul and encourages us all to live our best lives. This book is a gem, and I’m so glad that my coworker, Maggie, recommended it to me. Let it embolden us to be glowing beacons in heavy darkness, in our lives and the lives of others!

Rutabaga's Reads 2025: Part 4

Last fall, I had a library patron ask aloud and disparagingly, “Who reads these books?” The books in question were these types: Christian/inspirational fiction. He was, specifically, poking fun at Amish fiction. I, confidently, because why wouldn’t I be confident in my own reading choices?, and forcefully replied, “I do.” “Really?” he asked. He was actually astonished.

            That’s a long-winded way for me to introduce my first Christian/inspirational fiction post of 2025. Do you read Christian/inspirational fiction? Why or why not?

Double Take (Jan. 9, 2024) by Lynette Eason.

<This is the first novel in a series.>

It’s been 18 months since Physician Assistant Lainie Jackson survived her would-be murder at the hands of her ex. She killed him in self-defense, she knows she did, but a man who looks like him (from a distance) is stalking her. Someone has gone to great lengths to make it look as though he was never deceased, and his parents and brother believe him to be in witness protection. Detective James Cross has worked with the Lake City Police Department for the past couple months, but he hasn’t told his family (parents, two brothers, Keegan and Dixon, and one sister, Steph). He was honorably discharged from the Army’s Criminal Investigation Division due to wounds sustained on active duty. When James rescues two young girls and takes a bullet, his family finds out he’s around when the story’s splashed on the local news. He’s been staying with his good friend and work partner, Cole Garrison, while he figures out his family dynamics. James has always known Lainie, she’s best friends with his sister, but it’s only recently that he’s recognized her as someone other than his little sister’s best friend. Lainie wants to look to the future, one with James in it. Unfortunately, Lainie believes she’s a quitter, but if she quits, she fails, and she’ll die.

            The first in the Lake City Heroes series hits the ground running from the first paragraph and only slows down enough to round a sharp bend on a mountain when your life is in danger. In other words, this high-octane, Christian romantic suspense novel never really slows down. Eason’s skill is such that she seamlessly balances suspense with care, laughter and faith. It’s faith that sustains, not faith that is preachy. The tale is gripping and swift-paced with protagonists you wish were your neighbors and friends.

Love on a Whim (May 7, 2024) by Suzanne Woods Fisher.

<This is the third and final novel in a series.>

Steady, level-headed Brynn Haywood is reeling after an impulsive marriage to a man named T.D. DeLima that she’d known less than 24 hours. She sneaks out while he’s still sleeping and flees to Chatham, Massachusetts, a Cape Cod seaside town. Her loyal best friend, Dawn Dixon Collins, thinks she needs to “fix” Brynn’s problem and find her a lawyer through her mom’s (Marnie Dixon) very good friend, Lincoln Hayes. Lincoln is preoccupied with his daughter’s lavish, over-the-top wedding that comes complete with repeat last-minute decisions from Lincoln’s ex-wife. To put it mildly, he wasn’t an involved parent. The arrival of Lincoln’s estranged son, Bear Hayes, further agitates the challenge-filled days leading up to the wedding. His automatic animosity toward the Dixons and his father’s generosity toward them generates friction. Then the wedding day arrives and Lincoln’s whereabouts are unknown.

            A matrimonial misadventure, a wedding with no spending threshold, individual wedding cakes and Dawn’s Double-Fold Vanilla Ice Cream mix together in this sweet, Christian contemporary romance novel and final in the Cape Cod Creamery series. It features friendship, faith and forgiveness with good humor folded in. Brynn may discover that her impulsive decision shows more resolve than she realizes she possesses, but it won’t be without upheaval. There’s a character that’s in the “dark corner of unforgiveness,” though, as another character states, “Apologies don’t have expiration dates.” This book is charming and is the right amount of sweet to fill the reader up. It’s a delightful ending to an ice-cream-filled series.

            Book One: The Sweet Life

            Book Two: The Secret to Happiness

One Wrong Move (Feb. 6, 2024) by Dani Pettrey.

<This is the first novel in a series.>

Two people forging different paths. A chain of heists that’s turned deadly. Taunting riddles. Andi (Miranda) Forester was once a brilliant FBI forensic analyst until she was set up, and her career was destroyed. She now channels her brilliance as an insurance investigator and encounters Christian O’Brady. He was immersed in a life of crime at a young age by his parents. He gained faith and walked away from his corrupt past to become a private investigator and security expert. The company Andi works for insures Tad’s galleries, and Christian’s the one who installed the security systems in each of the galleries. As the two work together to discover who’s behind the break-ins, they are targeted early on. But why would someone go to the trouble of leaving them riddles as they also try to kill them? Is there more than one entity at play, and they’re not on the same page? The notes are usually left in Andi’s name, save for one with Christian’s, so they also wonder which of them is the prime target. Meanwhile, Christian has convinced his brother, Deckard MacLeod, to take on Andi’s case and prove her innocence. Trouble is, Deckard is the one who ruined her career.

The first in the Jeopardy Falls series is a thrilling plunge at breakneck speeds featuring wholesome protagonists, murderous antagonists, intrigue, ever-present danger and faith with a dash of budding romances against a contemporary Southwest backdrop (Jeopardy Falls is a fictional town in New Mexico). The romance can be cringe (“He arched a sexy brow.”), but it passes quickly enough. I’d recommend any of Pettrey’s stories to readers familiar with Lynette Eason and to anyone who enjoys suspense novels that one knows will have a good outcome at the end.

Rutabaga's Reads 2022: Part 25

Where there is a YA compilation, so, too, will there be an inspirational fiction (InspFic) post following. Presenting my second InspFic post of 2022 as we’re almost at the year’s en

The Beginning (Sept. 7, 2021) by Beverly Lewis. 

*This is a standalone novel with a crossover character.*

Love cannot be unrequited when one doesn’t know love is present. That’s how it’s turning for Susie Mast. She cares deeply for her dear friend, Obie Yoder, but when Obie takes an apprenticeship with a relative 100 miles away, she feels the loss of his presence in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. She goes out with Del Petersheim briefly, but the spark isn’t there. She ends things, but doesn’t share the news with Obie, especially after hearing that he’s soon to be engaged. She writes her final letter to Obie and that is that (or is it?). Meanwhile, her Old Order Amish life keeps her continually busy. From busily maintaining the house and homestead so Mamma - whose health has been suffering - need not worry over it and taking her turn with her mom’s little shop and accepting custom orders for her needlework family trees, there’s little time for much else, though concerns loom over her. Concerns regarding her mom, certainly, and news dropped by her older brother, Allen. The deaths of her close-in-age brother, Eli, and their dat continue to cast long shadows. She has her younger sister, Britta, who’s a hard worker, but Britta has been distracted here lately, too.

            Britta is adopted. She’s always known this. Unlike the blonde hair of her family members, hers is a rich brown and can be unmanageably wavy. She has been curious about her origin, though she tries to hide the extent to how desperately she wants information. When Mamma finally shares, Britta is floored. Will learning the truth affect how others view her? Will she become unworthy in the eyes of the People? Will she use her upcoming Rumschpringe to venture into the English world?

            Beverly Lewis’ books continue to enthrall me. I’m always impressed by how Lewis writes her characters with such solid faith, and they share Scripture and lift up prayers so naturally. It never feels forced. A running theme for multiple characters is forgiveness. It’s okay to struggle with it, and it’s okay to be frustrated, but one doesn’t want that frustration to turn to anger. As always, a strong sense of family and community is present. Reading Lewis’ stories are like being gently folded into a dessert; there’s such care. This book - and all of hers - are great for readers who enjoy Amish fiction, light romance and faith-based novels.

The Deadly Shallows (July 5, 2022) by Dani Pettrey.

*This is the third novel in a series.*

A CGIS graduation ceremony in Wilmington, North Carolina, is rocked by a devastating attack with multiple fatalities. CGIS Agent Noah Rowley and his team arrive on-scene to end the violent attack, but he’s injured in the process. Coast Guard flight medic Brooke Kesler witnesses the attack and feels the weight of that trauma, but she jumps into professional mode when she’s needed on medical flights. The first flight carries the only surviving gunman, and he whispers a word to her that is nonsensical to her, but which puts a target on her back. Noah’s hospital room becomes a command center, but he spends most of his time with Brooke when she becomes a patient (he doesn’t want to say she’s a victim). Noah wants to protect Brooke, but the more they investigate, the more they uncover. The shooting may have been a distraction from a grander plan that could have even more horrifying consequences in the wrong hands. It’s not the end. It’s only the beginning.

            When it comes to inspirational, romantic suspense, Pettrey is my favorite. Her thrill rides in literary form take sharp turns and drip with mal-intent, but her protagonists are the types of folks you want to be your friends and your neighbors, members of your church. This contemporary fiction novel is written with intense realism and contains a tight plot. The swings in tension are balanced with calm moments and trauma with the busyness of investigation and research. Burgeoning romance between Brooke and Noah and Caleb Eason and Austin Kelly add a layer of sweetness that bolsters the book’s masterful storytelling. Book Three in the Coastal Guardians series is another exhilarating gem. For me, Pettrey’s books are always five out of five stars!

            Book One: The Killing Tide

            Book Two: The Crushing Depths

To Write a Wrong (Aug. 3, 2021) by Jen Turano.

*This is the second​ novel in a series.*

Though the general public doesn’t know it, Miss Daphne Beekman is a mystery writer by day. She has a nom de plume, as her publisher doesn’t believe her famed mystery novels will sell if readers discover the writer’s a woman. She moonlights as a member of the Bleecker Street Inquiry Agency. She prefers to do behind-the-scenes work, well away from any danger. This changes when Mr. Herman Henderson seeks the services of the women of the agency. Herman, too, is a mystery writer, though, as a man, he doesn’t need to hide behind a pen name. While he may have overlooked it at first, he’s decided that someone is definitely trying to do him in. The close call that sends him to Bleecker Street is one in which he was almost run over. Despite the exciting novels he pens, he tends to lead a quiet life, not wanting to tempt himself with his own adventurous lifestyle, lest he perish on an expedition like his parents did when he was a youth. Daphne and her friends and fellow agents go undercover to Herman’s house, posing as Herman’s secretary (Daphne) and household staff, to flush out the person who wants Herman dead. The unfortunate part about working closely with the potential victim is that Daphne and her friends may become victims, too. Even with the danger, a clear attachment is forming between Herman and Daphne. Instead of crafting edge-of-your-seat fictional mysteries, the two must solve their own real-life mystery before they can write their own story. And a love story can be mysterious and adventurous, too.

            In this second installment in the Bleecker Street Inquiry Agency, readers are treated to a delightful story featuring female sleuths in a faith-themed, historical mystery that’s also part romantic comedy. It is as entertaining and quick-witted as Turano’s other stories that I’ve read. Like the skilled storyteller she is, Turano seamlessly blends elements of danger, the focus of an investigation, the percolation of new romance and snappy banter with faith and belief in prayer. Daphne prays for courage and wonders if courage has passed her by when, in fact, God has been working on her this entire time. It’s encouraging to see growth like that, even in a fictional tale. And I can always trust that writing a wrong is exactly right when the right writer writing is Jen Turano!

            Book One: To Steal a Heart​

Rutabaga's Reads 2020: Part 9

The amount of inspirational fiction on my TBR list continues to stay well-stocked. Here is the second of such posts for 2020.

The Crushing Depths (June 30, 2020)  by Dani Pettrey.

*This is the second novel in a series.*

Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS) team members Rissi Dawson and Mason Rogers have been called to duty aboard Textra Oil’s Dauntless after an oil-rig worker is killed in an accident. Tensions aboard the rig are high. The rig’s already working with a skeleton crew, for some haven’t shown up to work because they think the waters around it are cursed. Then there’s the Freedom, a marine research vessel carrying scientists who are mostly environmental activists hassling the crew aboard Dauntless. The mounting evidence suggests that Greg Barnes’ death was not an accident, and it’s up to Rissi and Mason to discover who was involved. There’s more than one suspect and another death aboard Dauntless only adds to the mayhem and strengthens the rumor of a curse. How will Rissi and Mason sift through all the willful and/or fearful personalities to gain helpful information? Are the two deaths related? Why is Caleb Eason’s nephew, Lucas, working on Dauntless when he thought Lucas was attending college thanks to the tuition Caleb paid for? Who is Gwyneth Lansing and what is her connection to the Freedom Group? Amidst all that is going on, will Rissi and Mason overcome their intertwined, haunted pasts and admit their attraction to each other?

            Someone is stalking Brooke Kesler. Brooke is a Coast Guard Medic. Her home has been broken into, and her life has been threatened. The primary suspect is her ex, Brodie O’Connell, who has historically harassed her for breaking up with him. But is he the perpetrator? CGIS team lead Noah Rowley plans to find out, and he also finds that he cares very much for Brooke, despite the fact that he’d decided awhile back to close his heart on love. Has he, really?

            The second in Pettrey’s Coastal Guardians series, this romantic suspense, inspirational fiction novel presents us with a harrowing adventure with multiple viewpoints. The story is buoyed by more than one engaging plot, interesting characters and sufficient detail without making the story too lengthy. Pettrey is a dynamic writer and her writing shows this. Although the main characters appear to adhere to a white default, I find that I’d still want these characters to be my friends and my neighbors. The one item that sank for me was calling the stingrays “slimy.” I’ve always found them to feel velvety. But, to be fair, I’ve not encountered them in the middle of the ocean. I’m sure that would change a perspective real quick.

            Book One: The Killing Tide

Diamond in the Rough (Sept. 3, 2019) by Jen Turano.

*This is the second novel in a series.*

The delightful Miss Poppy Garrison is a sight to behold. She cannot dance, which doesn’t bother Poppy so much, but probably has her imposing, high-society grandmother, Mrs. George Van Rensselaer (Viola) about to suffer an apoplectic fit (so what if that is a bit melodramatic). Poppy has come to live with Viola for a New York social Season, for those were the terms set by her grandmother in exchange for financially helping her family. 22-year-old Poppy is not equipped to deal with society; she is far better with horses. She falls into one fiasco after another and also into the arms of the brooding Mr. Reginald Blackburn. Posing as Charles Wynn’s traveling companion, Charles being the Ninth Earl of Lonsdale, Charles and Reginald are actually cousins. And Reginald isn’t just a humble citizen; he, too, is of the British aristocracy and is, in fact, the second son of a duke (the Duke of Sutherland). Charles needs an American heiress who can save his family’s estate. Reginald does not, and with his proper British manners, he’s both astounded and enamored by Poppy. Not that he wants to admit it, and he seems horrified at the challenge of teaching Poppy proper etiquette. Meanwhile, Poppy assumes that Reginald is something of a pauper. What will her reaction be if she discovers Reginald’s true identity? Is Reginald at risk of being recognized by any knickerbockers of the New York Four Hundred? Is Mr. Nigel Flaherty truly interested in Poppy? (After all, he is twice her age, and he’s usually known as a bit of a scoundrel.)

            Set in 1885, this peppy second installment in Turano’s American Heiresses series is a delightful whimsy. Her characters are snappy, and the leading ladies are fabulously outspoken, independent and feisty. Poppy is no exception. As an inspirational, historical fiction novel, faith is present, but it is not heavy-laden. It’s like a light breeze caressing your face now and again. The environments that Turano creates are always rich, and her prose never wavers in its ease of reading. Her stories make me laugh, and I suddenly want to learn the Dresden China Quadrille (honestly, I have zero idea if that is a real dance or not).

            Quote: “Once past the lips, a lady will certainly find it on her hips.” --Adele Tooker, unkindly to another young lady after Adele purposely orders gowns that are too small for everyone but herself (p. 299). Does any other woman out there feel at least the occasional truth to this statement?

            Book One: Flights of Fancy

The Number of Love (June 4, 2019) by Roseanna M. White

*This is the first novel in a series.*

Three years into the Great War (World War I), Margot De Wilde thrives in the secretive Room 40, where she spends her work days deciphering intercepted messages, breaking the codes. She is part of a team of England’s greatest assets, those codebreakers who can crack the German codes for hints of the enemy’s plans. Their information is vital to the agents in the field who risk their lives based on the decoded information and the information they are tasked to gather. Margot loves what she does, and she loves numbers. Numbers make sense to her; they speak to her. Numbers, according to Margot, are how the Lord brings things to her attention. They lead her to Dorothea “Dot” Elton, someone who needs a friend, and she keeps thinking of the number 18. Agent 18. She’s even thinking it when an unexpected loss sidelines the numbers in her mind.

            Dot’s brother, Drake Elton, has returned wounded. He’s got secrets of his own to share with his sister (and likely Margot). He may enjoy the refinement of his abuelo’s Spanish estate, but Drake hasn’t admitted to Francisco Mendoza de Haro what he’s really doing, either. He isn’t a student at a university; he’s a field agent, and that is why he is wounded. The enemy (is there more than one in pursuit of him?) won’t give up. He’s smitten right away by witty and brainy Margot (whom he wrongly assumes is one of the many secretaries) when she answers that she’s Antarctican after he correctly guesses Belgian. His potential pursuit of her will have to wait, as the danger draws closer. It isn’t only a game of Go. It could be life or death.

            While this historical, inspirational fiction novel has a touch of potential romance, the romance is not cloying. In fact, Margot doesn’t initially find even the thought of romance worthwhile, because she figures that any potential suitor would be thinking toward homemaking and babies, while Margot wants to attend university and obtain more knowledge. She is refreshingly forward-thinking and independent, but still believably vulnerable when one she so loves is unexpectedly taken away. Her take on the world is unique, which means this story is unique. It doesn’t shy away from the tough stuff, yet I found myself chuckling at times. I appreciate how smartly written this story is, and I love that a familiar character from “The Lost Duchess” has a supporting role. I am a sucker for familiar characters (that I like) showing up in other novels (being ones I also like). This novel is a fantastic start to The Codebreakers series!

"The Killing Tide" by Dani Pettrey

The Killing Tide (Aug. 6, 2019) by Dani Pettrey.*

There have been two attempts on her life in less than a year. When the second one occurs, Gabrielle “Gabby” Rowley’s boss gives her an ultimatum: Go with her brother and let him protect her or be fired. Reporting is Gabby’s passion, and job offers have been scant since the ordeal with Asim Noren destroyed her international reporting career. Gabby’s brother, Noah, is a lead Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS) agent. He doesn’t want Gabby anywhere unless at least he or Finn Walker are present, and her heart is in trouble with Finn around. She broke his heart to keep pursuing her passion for reporting, but it was hard on her, too. It doesn’t help now that she’s staying at his loft. Too close. But there are other volatile situations in play for the both of them. It’s suspected that Xavier Fuentes is still after Gabby, and foul play is obvious after a Coast Guard officer and friend of Finn’s is found dead. For better or for worse, Gabby and Finn have been thrown together again. Will they track down the killer before more are killed?

            Book One in the Coastal Guardians series, “The Killing Tide” is a romantic suspense, inspirational fiction novel. It is rife with mystery, faith, investigation and budding romance and is also anchored with those things, plus studded with a little rivalry between teams, stubbornness and time in (and on) the water. It’s another winning novel from Pettrey, but I admit that I did find Gabby to be frustrating.  I realize she’s very passionate about her job without seeming regard to her safety, but I get the impression that she’s always put herself first, put her work first. That didn’t sit well with me with Finn’s upstanding self pretty much pining for her. Fortunately, I feel she redeemed herself by the conclusion.

* 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.”

Rutabaga's Reads 2019: Part 3

Welcome to my first inspirational fiction compilation post of 2019. While YA fiction continues to lead my TBR list, this post shows that I continue to read plenty of inspirational fiction as well.

Caught by Surprise (July 31, 2018) by Jen Turano.

*This is the final book in a trilogy.*

In the few years that Temperance Flowerdew has resided in New York City (it’s now 1883), she’s established herself as a quiet, almost meek, member of the Wallflower set. But no more! Since being ousted from the home of her Flowerdew cousins, who despised taking her in in the first place after the untimely death of her parents, she’s been residing and teaching at Miss Snook’s School for the Education of the Feminine Mind. Unfortunately, she’s one day mistaken for her cousin, grabbed off the sidewalk, dumped unceremoniously into a carriage, knocked out with too much sleeping draught and stuffed into a coffin. Although not a damsel in distress, she’s rescued in Chicago by her childhood best friend Gilbert Cavendish. They return to NYC, but not before a member of society observes them talking together un-chaperoned, which prompts talk of engagement. Gilbert is for it; Temperance is adamantly not.

            The drama does not settle upon return to NYC. It’s been heard that someone has a price on Temperance’s head, but why? Pinkerton agents are on-hand to provide protection, and Gilbert and the other men carry at least one weapon on their persons. Amidst the scares, Gilbert accepts swiftly that he would engage himself to Temperance and finds that he cares about her quite a lot, even if he lacks romantic gestures. When Temperance realizes she’d very much miss Gilbert if something happened to him, she turns to denial. He’s always been a friend, even with their years apart, but for him to be something more catches her by surprise.

            As with the other inspirational fiction novels I’ve read by Turano, I found “Caught by Surprise” to be as delightful as a luscious puff pastry. Turano impresses me with the way she creates her lead female characters to be independent and assertive without being annoying. The story never slows down and her plot is multi-layered like a cake, but isn’t mind-numbingly sweet. I very much enjoyed this concluding novel in the Apart from the Crowd trilogy.

            Book One: Behind the Scenes

            Book Two: Out of the Ordinary

The Cost of Betrayal (Sept. 4, 2018) by Dee Henderson, Dani Pettrey and Lynette Eason.

*This is a novella collection featuring three authors.*

This novel is actually a trio of romantic suspense novellas from three bestselling authors of such fiction. Each novella contains characters who’ve experienced betrayal, but also realize the healing power of faith.

1. Betrayed by Dee Henderson.After almost seven years in prison for a crime she didn’t commit, Janelle Roberts has been pardoned. This is thanks, in large part, to Ann Falcon, a retired homicide detective, and her husband, Paul, a current homicide detective. Ann happens upon the murder weapon in a hodgepodge box of items that she bought at an auction. “I found a murder,” she states, but who’s the murderer? With a keen eye, she makes her decision and Paul agrees. Janelle is taken to an island to remain out of the media spotlight, but also to process with the help of Gregory Tate, one of Ann’s contacts. Ann presents her case and how she came to her conclusion, but Janelle cannot accept it.

2. Deadly Isle by Dani Pettrey.A storm is rolling in, effectively trapping residents on an already isolated island. Talbot (fictional) is a small island off the coast of Maryland. Crisfield is the closest town on the mainland, and it’s still an hour’s boat ride away. Tennyson “Teni” Marlena Kent is an officer with the National Resources Police with specialization in underwater investigations, and former flame Callen Frost works as an Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigator. With their work, they have unilateral statewide jurisdiction, which allows them possession of a body until the ME can safely arrive from the mainland. Unfortunately, the body is Teni’s cousin and best friend, Julia, whose death is found to be a murder. But who is the murderer? Talbot is small, and there are only so many places someone can hide, especially during a storm surge. And now, the killer looks to have set murderous sights on Teni. Why?

3. Code of Ethics by Lynette Eason.When a GSW lands Detective Isaac Martinez in the ER, trauma surgeon Ruthie St. John is there to take it cleanly out. Isaac has been a whistleblower to alleged corruption against a coworker. Nobody likes a tattletale, but it’s seen as the worst betrayal to report a colleague. Isaac’s onto something, though, if someone trying to attack him while he’s recovering in the hospital isn’t telling enough. He plans to head off on his own, but Ruthie won’t allow it, for he is her patient, and she doesn’t want him ripping out stitches. At first, Isaac is dismayed to learn Ruthie belongs to those St. Johns. As in, Ruthie’s five other siblings all work in law enforcement, and their mother, Tabitha, is the Chief of Police. He thinks they won’t understand his side of the story, but it’s obvious that he’s greatly underestimated them. The St. John siblings are not all enlisted to help as they show up and help anyway, because that’s what they do as a family. Should Isaac and Ruthie fall in love while seeking evidence they need to end the danger and outrun and capture the killers, well, surely stranger things have happened.
   
   Overall: I am satisfied with my purchase of this novel featuring a trio of romantic suspense novellas. As expected, there is a continuous current of faith running through each story. It’s not usually obvious like if you had a constant surge of static electricity shocks, but more subtle, like the purring of a cat that’s been purring well before you realized it was purring. I couldn’t choose a favorite story between Pettrey’s and Eason’s; I was an equal fan of both. Regrettably, I didn’t care for Henderson’s. I appreciated Ann’s perspective based on years of investigative skills and an objective lens and found plausible Janelle’s perspective, highly subjective though it was. The island was too perfect a place, but what I missed was that there wasn’t a satisfying conclusion to who killed Andrew. Fortunately, I enjoyed the stories of the other two authors enough that I’d pre-order a novella collection from the three of them again without hesitation.

The Lieutenant’s Bargain (Dec. 4, 2018) by Regina Jennings.

*This is the second book in a series.*

When the stagecoach she’s on is attacked, Hattie Walker is left with no food, no money and none of her possessions, not even her oil paints. Hattie runs for her life, spending a cold night outside and praying that the gunman doesn’t find her. Knowing she can’t stay where she is in unfamiliar Indian Territory, she vacates her hiding spot only to encounter a group of Arapaho. Not knowing they’re friendly, she goes the route of difficult houseguest (they do not call her “One Who Spills Stew in Anger” for nothing). She’s rescued by John “Jack” Hennessey, someone she knew in her youth, but does not recognize right away, Jack having gone from nervous nerd to good-looking lieutenant. Jack recognizes Hattie right away, having been smitten with her since they were youngsters. Wanting to be the hero, Jack makes “saving” Hattie a big deal, complete with a ceremony. Unfortunately for him and despite the progress he’s made learning the language, Jack doesn’t realize the ceremony is a wedding ceremony and is binding in the eyes of the Arapaho.

            Once Hattie learns she’s now Mrs. Jack Hennessey, she is understandably dumbfounded and resistant. She and Jack come to a truce in which she’ll act the part of doting wife in public, but she needs put no fronts on when they’re homebound. Jack struggles not to show how much he truly cares for and loves her, because he knows he’ll let her go to Denver as she planned, and he’ll have to be re-assigned so as not to disgrace the Arapaho. Hattie remains resistant until she doesn’t. Until she really takes notice of the man he’s become. Jack is her safety net, especially since the stagecoach robber and murderer is still at large.

            Having read the first story in The Fort Reno Series, I was anticipating this one, as Jack was my favorite character thanks to his comic relief, but I was missing his wit in this story (guess he was too nervous in this installment). Still, I found Book Two in the series to be overall likable. I liked Hattie’s culture shock with being introduced to the Arapaho and then finding herself on a military base, far from her usual comforts. Those experiences encourage new growth in any of us who trek from our norms. Hattie’s character comes a long way in this story, which is her saving grace, as, for much of the story, I found her to be a shallow woman who thought of nothing and no one outside of herself. This story is one of growth, both personal and spiritual, in the context of historical fiction, but with an element of danger, and Jennings assembles it as deftly as Major Adams commands the fort.

            Book One: Holding the Fort