"Unforgotten" by Shelley Shepard Gray

Unforgotten (Nov. 5, 2024) by Shelley Shepard Gray.*

<This is the second book in a series.>

Seven years after an attempted assault and the accidental death of attacker Peter Miller, Bethanne Hostetler is taking steps forward. She’s no longer hiding in her room, and she’s leaving her parents’ home on her own. She watches as her Englischer cousin, Candace Evans, is crowned Miss Crittenden County and pops up unexpectedly at Jay Byler’s workplace. Jay was once Peter’s best friend, and Bethanne avoids him because of that connection, though it’s Jay who has always adored Bethanne and feels guilty that he didn’t know what Peter was capable of. Bethanne is slowly opening up her heart to his kindness and gentle caring, but when Candace reveals that she has a stalker, old fears come rushing in.

            Officer Ryan Mulaney is new to Marion and Crittenden County, Kentucky. A Northerner from Connecticut, his position on the police force isn’t permanent. While it seems like grunt work to be assigned to accompany Candace to her appearances around the county, Ryan finds that he would loathe any other officer accompanying her, though he tries to maintain professionalism. When Candace’s stalker endangers both Candace and Bethanne, Ryan, Jay, local law enforcement and both families race against time to save them.

            This Christian, contemporary, romantic suspense novel is also part Amish fiction. It’s a story of learning to trust and love after past trauma and holding onto faith when despair wants to set in. It’s a clean love story. It is easy to root for sweet Bethanne and considerate Jay, as Bethanne gets back on her feet, for they’ve known each other since they were kids. I did not connect with Candace’s and Ryan’s whirlwind spin to falling in love. I believe that kind of love can happen, but the way it’s written felt rushed and not genuine. The plot is fairly propulsive, and fans of the author’s work won’t want to miss this one. For me, though, it’s a 3.5/5.

            Book 1: Unforgiven

* 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.”

"A Healing Touch" by Suzanne Woods Fisher

A Healing Touch (Oct. 1, 2024) by Suzanne Woods Fisher.*

<This is a standalone novel with overlapping Stoney Ridge characters.>

The kind of doctor who still believes in house calls, Ruth “Dok” Stoltzfus is in tune with addressing her patients’ physical needs as well as their emotional ones. When newly widowed Bee Bennett, breeder of Dutch Warmbloods, is facing breast cancer, Dok connects her with Fern Lapp. Bee doesn’t think she needs to talk to anyone, especially an Amishwoman that she expects to have zero connection with. Annie Fisher is Dok’s painfully shy office assistant, but she’s got a great mind for medical information and a calm demeanor in intense situations. When Annie feels called to something else, Dok will move mountains to help her, and she’ll recruit her brother David, Stoney Ridge’s Amish bishop, to assist. Annie will also discover that there just might be a young man out there that she’d like to marry. He happens to be an Amish EMT in a nearby town. And when an abandoned newborn mysteriously appears on the front step of her clinic one cold morning, Dok’s world takes a very unexpected turn.

            Anytime I pick up a novel by Suzanne Woods Fisher, I trust that it will be an excellent read. Yet again, this trust remains firm. The characters are endearing, if sometimes loud (Hank Lapp) or nosy (Sarah Blank, Annie’s friend), the plot is well-defined, the writing is engaging, and the setting is as charming as your most perfect day. It’s a delight to delve into this tight-knit community, strong of faith, but with very human struggles, too (e.g. extreme shyness, even a lack of faith). The author mesmerizes us with this Christian, contemporary Amish romance that encourages the soul like good medicine.

* 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 Blooming of Delphinium" by Holly Varni

The Blooming of Delphinium (Sept. 24, 2024) by Holly Varni.*

<This is the second novel in a series.>

When it comes to hidden talents, Delphinium Hayes has a unique one. She’s a synesthete and knows someone’s best or worst characteristic with one whiff of a person. Only she will smell their unique floral (or herbal) scent. For example, honeysuckle means bonded with love, while petunia always indicates anger and resentment. Her parents have never understood her, and the one person who did, Annie (her grandmother), has passed away. Her nose always knows until two men flabbergast her scent-driven world. Mason McCormack, real estate lawyer, is a player who uses Delphinium’s bouquets to impress and break up with women, and she cannot smell him. That’s never happened before.

            Then there’s Elliot Sturgis, the clean-cut, uptight-looking director of The Gardens Assisted Living Facility who’s so put together that he looks like he should be her parents’ kid. He smells like violets, and those individuals exude a “high standard of loyalty and love.” His scent is so intoxicating that she too easily loses her train of thought. He likes rules and maintaining order. Some of his mature residents at The Gardens do not appreciate this. They want tater tots twice a week, and Bob would eat tapioca every day. The residents continue to hang out at Delphinium’s shop long after the A/C is fixed at The Gardens, and they no longer have to hang out in Delphinium’s floral refrigerator to keep cool. The residents claim that Elliot lets them keep coming to her shop, because he has a crush on her. Sparks are definitely flying, but Delphinium’s got more on her mind. Her shop is about to be foreclosed on. This shop is her dream, for she loves flowers, but it’s also her tie to her late grandmother. How can love bloom when she’s mired in failure?

            Moonberry Lake is a fictional small town in Minnesota, and this second in the Moonberry Lake series is overall charming. There’s one moment where Delphinium’s outburst strikes me as childish, and it read as contemporary fiction versus Christian contemporary fiction, so subtle seems the faith or even faith’s growth (it is there, though). Delphinium is spirited in her bright, floral prints, and I chuckled aloud multiple times, just as I teared up when an earthly goodbye sprouted up. It’s refreshing like a cool drink and sweet, but not toothache-inducing sweet. As a Minnesotan, I can’t help but adore a Minnesota setting, even fictional, and Moonberry Lake is exactly the idyllic town I’d love to visit. Four out of five floral bouquets!

            Book One: On Moonberry Lake

* 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.”

"Into the Starlight" by Amanda Cabot

Into the Starlight (July 16, 2024) by Amanda Cabot.*

<This is the third novel in a series.>

Returning home to Sweetwater Crossing after more than a year in Europe should bring joy. Instead, Joanna Vaughn Richter’s dreams of becoming a concert pianist have shattered, as battling scarlet fever and subsequent pneumonia have left her lungs unable to withstand the exertion of a hectic concert tour, and she’s mourning the double loss of her husband of one month and her grandmother, whom she was traveling with. The thought of her childhood home sustained her return to Texas, but now that eldest sister, Emily Ferguson, has turned Finley House into a boardinghouse, her home no longer feels like home. Dr. Burke Finley arrives with Aunt Della Samuels the same day that Joanna returns. Burke is the nephew of the late Clive Finley, who built Finley House for Della, his intended. After his partner and his fiancée blame him for a patient’s death, and his former flame falls out of love with him for said partner, Burke is happy to leave the practice he’d started in Samuels, Alabama. He knows he will not return there. A two-week trek to Sweetwater Crossing seems to be turning into an extended (permanent?) stay.

            Della is looking for answers into Clive’s disappearance. She believes he died after contracting dysentery. The Vaughn sisters (two of three who are now married) and their late parents believed that he left for the war without saying goodbye and was killed in battle. Secrets are coming to light and ghosts are coming to call. Burke is drawn to Joanna and not only because her music draws him closer. Joanna is likewise drawn to him, but she wonders if she has room in her heart to love another. Will secrets from the past and Burke’s uncanny resemblance to Clive take the sweet out of Sweetwater Crossing?

            Discovered secrets and a murky history give this Christian, historical fiction romance an intriguing mystery. Cabot treats readers to a smart plot with twists to keep one guessing, world-building to make us feel as though we’re walking the streets of Sweetwater Crossing, taking tea at Porter’s, grabbing food at Ma’s and visiting Della at the town’s small-but-cozy library, and characters to captivate us. She welcomes us back to town for the third Vaughn sister’s story. I’ve been fortunate to enjoy this gracefully well-crafted trilogy in its entirety. For those who enjoy historical page-turners under a Christian umbrella with suspenseful elements, this is for you!

            Book One: After the Shadows

            Book Two: Against the Wind

* 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.”

"Unforgiven" by Shelley Shepard Gray

Unforgiven (May 21, 2024) by Shelley Shepard Gray.*

<This is the first book in a series.>

Two former Amish live in the Amish community they grew up in. Seth Zimmerman is an ex-con, having served time for a death most know was an accident, in which he was fighting off Bethanne Hostetler’s attacker. These three years later, Bethanne is withdrawn from others due to the trauma. Tabitha Yoder, while not excommunicated from the church, was still shunned by many for divorcing Leon, even though her ex was so horribly abusive that she landed in the hospital with critical injuries. Their unborn baby didn’t make it. Seth has been helping Tabitha. Three years her junior, he had a crush on her as a 14-year-old schoolboy when Tabitha was their school teacher. He chops wood, drops off food and clears her driveway. He helps take care of her where others won’t. Slowly, Tabitha opens up to Seth, and an uneasy friendship emerges. Around this time, gifts begin appearing on her porch, and it’s obvious that they’re from her abusive ex. She’s fought through fire and has worked hard to maintain her freedom, and she intends to keep that freedom to live her best life.
        This is only the second story I’ve read by Gray, but I’ve already found that it’s easy to get swept up in her stories. I rooted for Tabitha and Seth right away, reading as they found happiness, redemption and forgiveness. I enjoyed the suspense element in this Amish contemporary romance novel. There is a refreshing blend of idyll and danger with the hesitancy of opening one’s heart to another and the power of faith and hopefulness. Her writing is charming and magnetic. Gray excels at her storytelling craft, and I look forward to reading more of her stories, including those in this new series set in Crittenden County, Kentucky.

* 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.”

"Sandcastle Inn" by Irene Hannon

Sandcastle Inn (Apr. 2, 2024) by Irene Hannon.

<This is part of a series, but can be read as a standalone novel.>

Hope Harbor, Oregon, is nothing more than a stopover point for 33-year-old Vienna Price, who’s come to visit her nonconforming, carefree mom, Bev, owner of Bev’s Book Nook and maker of custom jewelry since her retirement. Vienna’s been recently fired from a high-end position with a boutique hotel chain. She holds an MBA with a double concentration in finance and marketing. Her planned-to-a-T life is crumbling, and she’s at loose ends. Traveling to Hope Harbor isn’t in Dr. Matt Quinn’s (a veterinarian) initial plans, either, but he goes to help his sister, Kay Marshall, nine years his senior, who raised him from age nine. Kay purchased Beachview B&B before seeing its disrepair and is in way over her head. Beachview B&B doesn’t just need a little TLC; it’s already on life support. Kay’s gone “Florence Nightingale” to care for a grandmother-figure who’s having surgery, leaving Matt with a foundering B&B and stuck in an “emotional wasteland” with his misplaced guilt after shattering losses. Vienna has the skills to revive the B&B. Has she the skills to mend a broken heart?
        Andrew and Paige Thompson, both in their upper 20s, are desperate for work after someone they trusted ruined their business and reputation. Andrew is in construction. The B&B needs a contractor. Might this be the project that gets them off rocky ground so they can gain stable footing yet again?
        While not my first novel from Hannon, it is my first in her Hope Harbor series, and it’s the 10th installment! This fictional town on the Oregon coast is one I’d happily visit. I’d snitch a homemade cookie and peruse the inventory at Bev’s Book Nook. I’d want to eat Charley’s fish tacos daily and grab pizza from Frank’s weekly. Hope Harbor embodies a whimsy and steadfastness that is delightful to read, even as the relatable characters grapple with life-altering events and piecemeal their lives back together. Faith is staunch, but not forceful. Hannon’s writing in this Christian, contemporary romance is warm and wholesome. The pacing is snappy, the dialogue unencumbered by lofty monologues. I wouldn’t say no to another visit to Hope Harbor!

* 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.”

"Never Fall Again" by Lynn H. Blackburn

Never Fall Again (Mar. 12, 2024) by Lynn H. Blackburn.*

<This is the first novel in a series.>

Three years have passed since Landry Hutton moved to Gossamer Falls, North Carolina, with her daughter, Eliza, now five years old. Landry’s been the artist-in-residence at The Haven, where her best friend, Bronwyn Pierce, is the CEO. Landry’s in a good place in her life and is ready to build her own home with artist’s workspace. She meets with Callum (Cal) Shaw, former Marine and youngest Shaw brother, of SPQ Construction, and, by extension, Maisy, his golden retriever. When a suspicious fire occurs at Favors on The Haven property, Landry is heartbroken. She sells her pottery there, which is a major source of her income. Without it, she won’t be able to build her home on the three acres of land she bought from Bronwyn. It’s situated across from Cal and two of his cousins: Montgomery (Mo) Quinn, a forensic accountant, and Meredith Quinn, the town’s dentist. Suddenly, the safety net that she’s been enmeshed in has been ripped apart. She doesn’t think her late husband’s family knows where to find her, but who else would target her? They’ll have to look closely at The Haven’s guests. Now that Landry and Eliza have met the Quinn/Shaw families, they’re automatically considered family. Both Cal and Landry have been hurt by past relationships, but there’s definitely more than friendship brewing between them. Now, if only they can figure out who’s set Landry as his bullseye.
        Previously, I’d only read a short story by Blackburn, and I’m glad that I finally read one of her full-length novels; this one is the first in the Gossamer Falls series. It’s easy to root for the lead characters, and it’d be spectacular fun to find oneself immersed into the Quinn/Shaw families by having “met a Quinn this morning.” I like the way in which Blackburn addresses Landry’s faith crisis. She’s a believer and knows Jesus died for her. She knows “all the Christianese” and could expound on doctrine at length. Her faith in God is great. Her faith in her fellow Christians is not: “On an intellectual level, she knew she couldn’t lump all church-going followers of Christ into one cesspool of hypocrisy and deceit.”
        “Never Fall Again” is a Christian romantic suspense novel with a focus on family (both found and by blood), faith and trusting others. While suspicious events provide drama here and there, the edge-of-your-seat climax doesn’t occur until the end chapters. And then, the race is on to save ... multiple people in two different locales (you didn’t think I’d name names, did you?). This story will have readers cheering, laughing, cringing and even gasping for breath. I look forward to upcoming installments.
        Notable lines: “Secrets bring despair. Surprises bring delight.” (p. 296)

* 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 Warsaw Sisters" by Amanda Barratt

The Warsaw Sisters (Nov. 7, 2023) by Amanda Barratt.*

<This is a standalone novel.>

It is the eve of the Nazi invasion of Poland in 1939 when sisters Antonina (Tosia) and Helena (Hela) Dąbrowska bid goodbye to their father as he leaves to serve as an officer in the Polish army. The following day, bombs fall on Warsaw, annihilating the sisters’ beloved city and eventually destroying the home of their youth. They are able to move in with Aunt Basia, a physician and sister to their father, and they both find work, especially needed when Basia is executed. Antonina goes to work at a cafe, waitressing and playing the cafe’s piano, while Helena works as a secretary for a German official. Antonina eventually moves out, leaving Helena alone to find a new roommate.

            Antonina’s beloved Marek Eisenberg is forced behind ghetto walls with his family and Warsaw’s Jewish population. After hearing he and his entire family have been sent to Treblinka, Antonina turns her grief and anger into action, becoming one of a network of women risking their lives to shelter Jewish children. She meets Jolanta (the renowned Irena Sendler, an actual person from history). Meanwhile, Helena joins the ranks of Poland’s secret army, the Armia Krajowa, to fight to free her homeland from occupation. Their secrets are their own, not even shared with each other.

            My first story from Barratt is this Christian, historical fiction tale that is sincere and has heart. There is deep poignancy surrounding the sisters striving to survive in a country ravaged by the atrocities of war, and it’s no wonder that faith struggles in the face of those atrocities. It is apparent that Barratt has done extensive research, but there were parts that didn’t seem realistic. For example, how could Helena slap a German policeman’s hand away with no consequence? Fortunately, that doesn’t deter from the courage, sacrifice and resilience seen throughout the book (not only by the lead characters). Here’s a country that’s fighting to gain back its freedom and clinging to humanity in a deep, dark time. It’s not an easy story to read, but it is richly-plotted and emotively-written.

* 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.”

"Against the Wind" by Amanda Cabot

Against the Wind (Oct. 3, 2023) by Amanda Cabot.*

<This is the second novel in a series.>

Time away from Sweetwater Crossing has done wonders for Louisa Vaughn. She’s a doctor-in-training with midwifery instruction. Louisa plans to be back for a few days to help a friend, but when she finds an injured man along the roadside, she won’t abandon him. She isn’t yet a fully qualified doctor, but she’s got the skills and the passion. Josh Porter plans to win his grandfather’s challenge to win control of the family business, Porter & Sons (P&S). He’s laid up for several weeks with his broken leg in a cast without his horse, Zeus, and his saddlebags containing recipes that he believes will clinch his win. It’s a roadblock, but having to pause in Sweetwater Crossing prompts new ideas. When he puts his plan into action, with Louisa’s perceptive ideas, this reality lights a spark that he didn’t know he’d been missing. Now, if only the town would accept Louisa as a doctor (this is Texas Hill country in 1883). The disparaging comments are bad enough, but someone in the town wants her to abandon her passion for healing others. Can Louisa and Josh find the person behind the threats? Is there a future for them as a couple when neither plan to stay?

            I’d been looking forward to the second installment in the “Secrets of Sweetwater Crossing” series, hoping for reconciliation between Emily and youngest sister, Louisa. This story did not disappoint. From Louisa’s fervent determination to become a doctor to big-city Josh finding comfort and new direction in a small town, this story is sweet on forgiveness, ambition, family, friendship, faith and belonging. The challenge that Louisa faces as a woman in a “man’s field” is inspiring, as well as frustrating to me, a woman in the 21st Century, but it makes rooting for Louisa and Josh all the easier. Cabot’s characters are authentic, her writing even-keeled, including during moments of turmoil for her characters. This Christian, historical fiction romance is a delight.

            Book One: After the Shadows

* 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.”

"Lost and Found" by Suzanne Woods Fisher

Lost and Found (Sept. 26, 2023) by Suzanne Woods Fisher.

<This is a standalone novel, but also takes place in Stoney Ridge.>

When she sees a poem mentioning her, Trudy Yoder sees it as a sign that her friendship with Micah Weaver is ready to turn romantic. They’re both passionate about birding, and they converse with ease. Then Micah turns aloof and is short with her. He’s so distracted that it’s like the problem at Wonder Lake is no big deal! What’s worse is that he wants to leave Stoney Ridge. Bishop David Stoltzfus is considering relocating the Old Order Amish community somewhere else. Things are tense with the Beachy Amish community that has settled amongst them. Micah researches and presents to David that McNairy County, Tennessee, might be an ideal place to re-settle. He volunteers to go on the trip to gather information, but his interest lies in distraught phone messages he’s gotten from Shelley, Trudy’s older sister, who fled to the outside world to become a singer. Trudy is devastated at the possible loss of Micah, who won’t stay if the Beachy Amish build at Wonder Lake, and of the Old Order community, as her father will never uproot without Shelley. Micah is a twitcher, one skilled at finding rare birds, so if anyone can find Shelley somewhere in Tennessee, it’s Micah. Micah’s been smitten with Shelley for years, so when he drops everything to find her, he leaves Trudy with nothing but the chores on Lost Creek Farm. Micah hasn’t been straight with Trudy, leaving Stoney Ridge for her sister, whose shadow she’s always been in. There’s a good chance Trudy will no longer have time for him. And Micah will learn that what you’re looking for may not match the picture in your mind.

            Undoubtedly, this Amish fiction tale from Woods Fisher is winsome with its close-knit community theme, faith base and family connectedness. Shelley’s potential return to the fold throws a wrench into Trudy and Micah’s friendship, while the liberal Beachy Amish threaten the Old Order community’s permanence in Stoney Ridge. There is much to untangle in this story. From characters who love birding and want to protect the land to encourage bird life to tensions between communities and peoples to the cleanest love triangle tale, this story  makes one think about family, community, nature, the traditions that have always been and looking ahead to forward progress. The story’s interspersed with Trudy’s Bird-Watching Log, which is very informative, and there’s no way to forget the endearing characters, including Hank Lapp (you can’t miss him, he’s SO LOUD!).

            Favorite line: “We don’t grieve as those who have no hope…but we do grieve.” --Amos Lapp

* 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.”

"A Royal Christmas" by Melody Carlson

A Royal Christmas (Sept. 5, 2023) by Melody Carlson.*

<This is a standalone novella.>

Life isn’t a fairy tale, certainly not for Adelaide Katelyn Smith. Growing up was a lean time with her mother, a single parent. Her mom’s been gone three years, and Adelaide’s barely been supporting herself by working at a coffee shop for over eight years as she strives to put herself through law school. Then one day a letter arrives notifying her that she’s a direct descendant of King Maximillian Konig V, the ruler of Montovia, a small European principality. After realizing it’s not a joke or a scam, Adelaide finds herself on another continent, her guide the prime minister’s handsome nephew, Anton Balazs, and the youngest member of Montovia’s Parliament. Her royal father is battling liver cancer and losing, but he’s overjoyed to meet Adelaide, and she’s thrilled to know the father she never knew she had. Unfortunately, time is short, and she’s already managed to make an enemy of Queen Johanna Maria Egger Bohm Konig. She clearly wants to make her son, Georg, king, as he is legally King Max’s son by adoption. Prince Farcus, the king’s brother, would be next in line for the throne, but he is missing. Adelaide will be charmed by the villages and a certain youngest member of Parliament. She has a chance at a fairy tale romance and a home in Montovia, but she expects to return to the States. Can someone change her mind?

            Channeling “The Princess Diaries,” this rags-to-royalty Christmas novella is a sweet escape from the routine of life. Adelaide is hard-working, sincere and indomitable. Queen Johanna may be shrewd, but she underestimates Adelaide, who won’t be treated like a rug and walked all over. It is easy to cheer Adelaide on and know that she’ll fall for Anton. Readers know the story will have a happy ending, but I would expect nothing less from a cozy tale full of holiday spirit with a dash of mystery and trickery.

            P.S. Does anyone have an excellent, tried-and-true recipe for sacher torte?

* 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.”

"Countdown" by Lynette Eason

Countdown (Aug. 1, 2023) by Lynette Eason.*

<This is the fourth novel in a series.>

It’s been so long since flight paramedic Raina Price has been Brianne, so long that she’s been running. Somewhere still in the world, there is Kevin Anderson, and she knows that’s not his real name. When she sees a national interview of a young, teenage snowboarding sensation, she prepares for her past to finally catch up to her. She’s been training for it all these years, and looking over her shoulder for her stalker has become second nature. She will sacrifice her own safety to protect the son of her abusive ex-boyfriend.

            US Marshal Vincent (Vince) Covelli is a tracker (of fugitives) and a protector (of his assignees). When Raina is almost killed, he vows to protect her at all costs, even taking personal time off in order to do so. It is apparent that someone wants Raina gone, and that doesn’t settle well with Vince, because he wants to build a relationship with her. He wants her to trust him. And he wants her to give her struggles and fears to God.

            Eason doesn’t write idly on. Nope, she catapults readers straight into the high-stakes melee of this cat-and-mouse game. As readers discover, it turns into more of a cat-and-cat-and-mouse game. There is tension and danger, little moments of whimsy, solid faith and shaky faith, friendships so strong that they could move mountains and the tentativeness of new love. Eason is a master raconteur of Christian romantic suspense, and I can count on her stories to be riveting and hold my attention from first page to last. My only wish is that her stories would showcase some racially diverse characters, as all of the main and supporting characters cue as Caucasian. This novel in the Extreme Measures series features a woman determined to put her traumatic past in the past, while I look forward to a future full of many more stories from Eason!

            Book One: Life Flight

            Book Two: Crossfire

            Book Three: Critical Threat

* 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.”

"Her Only Wish" by Shelley Shepard Gray

Her Only Wish (June 6, 2023) by Shelley Shepard Gray.*

<This is the second novel in a series.>

Because of her lungs, Betsy Detweiler has led a more sheltered life than others, but she has an adventurous spirit. When the Kentucky-raised woman travels to Pinecraft, Florida, she’s got her “life list” compiled and is ready to learn new things. She’s not only going to learn about golf, she’s going to play 18 holes. She’s going to learn how to swim and master putting her head under the water. When she steps onto the Snow Bird Golf Course, she almost gets struck by a golf ball, but that’s when she meets the golf course’s manager, August Troyer. He’s never been a golf instructor, but Betsy quickly becomes his first student. From the first, August is mesmerized by her. He sees that she’s outgoing, eager and determined, but also sometimes unsure and not golf-coordinated. Like, at all. But she brings joy to his life that his missionary parents, always so judgmental, have not.

            Betsy and August will have a month to get to know each other. Betsy will also meet new friends, like August’s best friend, Nate Beachy, and Annie Jackson and her newly divorced, older sister, Danielle. Life’s a beach until Betsy has a health scare that lands her in the hospital. Despite that scare and what her parents think, she knows she wants a full life, which includes falling in love.

            My first story by Shelley Shepard Gray, I enjoyed this Amish fiction novel featuring distinct characters, the pull of wanting to grow forward even when others seem to be holding one back, and the strain of duty to family versus doing what one’s good at in the life one already has. My favorite Amish fiction author is Beverly Lewis, but these are a breath of fresh air. Where Lewis’ are typically historical and Old Order Amish, this one was contemporary and New Order. It’s a delight from start to finish.

            A Season in Pinecraft Book 1: Her Heart’s Desire

            A Season in Pinecraft Book 3: Her Secret Hope (coming Nov. 7, 2023)

* 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.”

"Blind Trust" by Natalie Walters

Blind Trust (Apr. 11, 2023) by Natalie Walters.*

*This is the third novel in a trilogy.*

She knows she has a reputation for being impulsive at the [fictional] SNAP (Strategic Neutralization and Protection) Agency, but Lyla Fox always jumps in feet first and faces the threat head on, no matter how dangerous the situation. But even Lyla is given pause when she receives a threatening note from a man she helped put in prison along with a busted windshield, and the inmate turns up dead by apparent suicide. There are other situations, too: vehicles following her and shots fired with her as their target. She can’t uncover what’s going on by herself. She’s going to need the entire trusted SNAP Agency team, especially Nicolás Garcia (formerly had a brief career in the Army Explosives Ordnance Disposal (EOD) branch), who’s always the most bothered by her recklessness and doesn’t seem to trust her. The rest of the team includes cyberguru Kekoa Young, team leader Jack Hudson and SNAP Agency Director Tom Walsh. Nicolás has dealt with bombs and knows how dangerous they are, but working with Lyla is just as dangerous.

            My first full-length novel from Walters, I found it to be dramatic and fairly fast-paced with a snappy cast of protagonists (Kekoa is easily my favorite) and antagonists. Trust is a theme and fear is present, too. It’s not a rollicking adventure, more a slow-build with bursts of adrenaline and pulse-pounding scenarios. Faith is there in multiple characters, but not in an overbearing way. The danger is well-balanced with humorous interjections. When it comes to romantic suspense, I prefer Dani Pettrey’s novels, but Natalie Walters has made a strong case with this novel that I read. My only gripe is that Lyla’s impulsivity sometimes grated on my nerves, so I didn’t connect with her character as well. I get that she’s in a profession where she’s sometimes got to make split-second decisions where there isn’t time for thinking, but that impulsivity seems to be her default.

            Standout line: “The woman owns real estate on the edge of risk, and next to her I look like Mr. Rogers.” --Nicolás to Jack (p. 160)

            Previously read: Targeted: Caught in the Crosshairs (a novella)

* 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.”

"After the Shadows" by Amanda Cabot

After the Shadows (Mar. 21, 2023) by Amanda Cabot.*

*This is the first novel in a series.*

When her abusive husband is killed in a bar fight, Emily [Vaughn] Leland sheds no tears. Free to return to her family’s home in Sweetwater Crossing, her homecoming is far from comforting. Her mother’s recently passed away after an illness and now her father’s died by apparent suicide, meaning he can’t be buried by her mother. Her youngest sister, Louisa, resents Emily, and she eventually leaves town. Her other sister, Joanna, is in Europe growing her musical talent. The house where Craig Ferguson, the new schoolteacher, and his two-year-old son, Noah, were set to board with Mrs. Carmichael burns, and Emily opens their home as a boardinghouse (this was the straw that set Louisa to leaving), despite Emily’s fear of men. The Vaughn name is tainted in controversy, but Emily knows her father didn’t kill himself. Craig proves himself to be a man to trust. Not only is he a devoted father, he’s a resourceful teacher and the ally Emily didn’t know she needed. Craig brings “radical” ideas (for the 1880s) to his classroom, from how he handles classroom discipline to welcoming 12-year-old Beulah Douglas with Emily’s support and despite the townsfolk’s protests, whom Emily defends as the child of God that she is. Meanwhile, death continues to come for the residents of Sweetwater Crossing, many of them around 70 years old. As Emily and Craig look to uncover the truth, they find murky depths under the town’s seemingly calm surface.

            The first in the Secrets of Sweetwater Crossing series takes readers back to 1880s Texas Hill Country. Cabot’s narrative is engaging, and her realistic portrayal of characters of the time inflamed me all the more. Not kindhearted Emily, nor compassionate Craig, but the close-minded townspeople, especially outspoken, thinks-he’s-always-right Mayor Alcott, and the uppity Mrs. Dietrich and her vile daughter Lizzie. My parents taught me to be a compassionate person from a young age, and I expect they would have even if we’d been alive in the 1880s. I am curious if Emily will share her story with Louisa in the next installment, as I’d like to see the sisters return to their close-knit bond. Humans have value in this story, no matter how fast they learn or how valuable one thinks one isn’t. Cabot’s new series opener shows courage, grit and determination, more than enough love to go around, and the path that can lie ahead after chasing away the shadows.

* 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.”

"Second Time Around" by Melody Carlson

Second Time Around (Mar. 7, 2023) by Melody Carlson.*

*This is a standalone novel.*

With her youngest, Louisa, recently married, 40-something Mallory Farrell is truly an empty nester. She’s inherited her grandmother’s run-down tourist shop in Portside, Oregon, and the interior designer initially thinks she’ll sell to Grayson Matthews, former secret crush. As Mallory spends time in the shop, she makes the decision to sell her big, lonely Victorian and relocates full-time to Portside. She runs with her dream to open a décor shop called Romancing the Home, and while her shop is eye-catching and sophisticated, the Rainbow Brite apartment above is decrepit and smells like mildew. This isn’t a problem since she’s the only one who sees it until the host of a popular renovation TV show informs Mallory that her apartment will be featured, too. She’s ready to declare herself the village idiot, but Grayson tells her not to be so hasty. With 13 days to go until filming, can Grayson romance Mallory’s home and possibly move into her heart as well? Or will the demands and costs of renovating a major fixer-upper see her leaving in shame?

            Mallory is an admirable character. Readers learn she raised her three kids mostly on her own, but she’s not defeated. The independent woman with a good head on her shoulders shows faith, strength and entrepreneurial prowess. She’s clearly a hard worker. I’ve never initiated a construction project, but Mallory’s accumulating list of challenges had me cringing in sympathy all the same, such is Carlson’s skill with prose. This inspirational fiction novel is ideal for fans of clean romance and readers of contemporary fiction. The ups and downs of new relationships and the ups and downs of construction projects do not take away from the bright, uplifting tone of the story. The setting is a seaside escape, and the town is full of charm. I would delightedly grab ice cream at Brower’s Ice Cream Parlor, catch supper at Fisherman’s Wharf and wander through Romancing the Home.

* 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.”