“So, what’s your name? I mean, if you’re going to be my plus-one for the parade, I should at least know your name.”

“Plus-one?” He shook his head. “Boone Buckam. And I can’t believe you got me into this.”

“Well, Boone Buckam, you’re about to find out exactly how much fun Fish Pic can actually be. Think of it like it’s a happy accident.”

He’s in Deep Haven to relax.

Detective Daniel “Boone” Buckam is more than burned out. After fourteen stellar years on the job, one bad judgment call—and, fine, a whole lot of cynicism—has forced him into a mandatory vacation. If he can get his head on straight, there’s a job as Police Chief waiting for him back in his Minneapolis suburb.

But then he meets Vivien.

Actress Vivien Calhoun isn’t really a drama queen. Sure, she gets swept up in the emotions of life—but please, she’s an actress. Or, um, was until a stalker made her flee the bright lights of Broadway. Now, she’s passionate about directing her local theater production. But when she accidentally ropes an uptight police detective on vacation into her cast, she can’t help but wonder if he might be the leading man she’s always longed for.

Of course, she’s in trouble.

Boone can’t help but like Vivien. He might even have a type—vivacious and bubbly, with a penchant for attracting danger. He can smell trouble even if she can’t, and is pretty sure her stalker has hunted her all the way to Deep Haven. He’ll have to stay by her side—even if it means being in her silly play—to keep her safe. But Vivien is more than he expected as she helps him discover a part of him he’s locked away…the part that said he could never love again.

So much for relaxing.

It’s summertime in Deep Haven, and the fun is heating up in this laugh-out-loud, charming story.

‘Every Sunday morning, she sat in the same pew, singing the same hymns, wondering if she could ever trust God enough to let down her guard.’

Here we go back to Deep Haven again, that most wonderful small town in Minnesota created by Susan May Warren years ago and the setting for seven books by her. How I love that place and it’s inhabitants. Now, she and Rachel D. Russell bring us book four in the new Deep Haven Collection. And it is a great offering, too!

Detective Boone Buckam comes to Deep Haven to relax-well, more like ordered to relax by his boss. If he wants a shot at the police chief job back in Kellogg, he has to learn some things. Like how to relax, control his anger and get his blood pressure down. But Boone didn’t count on Vivien Calhoun, who nabs him his first day in town to help her get away from someone she doesn’t want to see. From the moment he lays eyes on her, she has pulled him into her drama and Boone kinda likes it. She’s just so irrepressible and precious. And…it seems as if she has a stalker. Boone can’t turn off the detective in him, despite being in Deep Haven to relax, and is determined to discover who is tormenting Vivien.

‘I’ve learned you have to embrace the life you have, not the one you expected you’d have–or the one others expected you to have.’

Boone has a lot of things to think about in this story and not just Vivien and his growing feelings for her. Will he let others’ expectations of him determine the course of his life or is he willing to step out in faith for what HE wants to do with his life? Even if it shakes him to the core.

I loved every single minute of this story. Russell gives us a hero that is struggling with inner turmoil and wants desperately to do what’s always been expected of him. But you know what? God just may have something else in mind for Boone. I loved Vivien, but to me, this is Boone’s story front and center. Russell has crafted a great hero and I just loved him and his heart. This is my favorite of the Deep Haven Collection so far. And it was so great to be back there and see old friends again. There are a few fictional places I’d love to visit or live and Deep Haven in right up there at the top. Warren and Russell have created a winner here and one for the keeper shelf! Well done!

My thanks to Sunrise Publishing for a copy of this book. I was not expected to leave a positive review. The opinion here is completely my own.

As a police officer in Table Rock, Oregon, Leah Radcliff puts her life on the line to help others every day. But at home, Leah’s battling her own personal nightmare: Brad, her abusive husband, a fellow officer, celebrated hero, and beloved son of a powerful prominent family. Brad’s violent outbursts and suspicious activities have left Leah physically and emotionally scarred, until one desperate action to put a stop to his abuse results in deadly consequences.

Though public opinion seems ready to convict Leah, Officer Clint Tanner is one of the few to believe she acted in self-defense. As he works with Leah’s attorney to produce the evidence they need, new truths about Brad’s dark side come to light—and reveal a deep-rooted problem in Table Rock. There are some who have breached their sworn duty to serve and protect . . . and they’ll do anything to keep their secret safe.

‘She hadn’t prayed in years, and she found herself wondering if God would listen to anything she did pray.’

I was all in from the first page of this book. When Officer Leah Radcliff answers a domestic violence call, Leah herself is drawn into the drama more than anyone else would be, because she herself lives with an abusive husband. A husband who is a fellow police officer. But her husband also has a wealthy family, is a hero and well loved. But no one knows the side of him that only Leah sees. Then one dark night Leah’s life takes a most dramatic and horrific turn. And it only gets worse.

‘The minutes ticked away in a blur of agony, regret, fear, grief, all whipped together as if in a Ninja blender. They hit Leah in changing and shifting degrees, like the colors of a kaleidoscope.’

I have read a few of Janice Cantore’s books and thoroughly enjoyed them. Suspense is my favorite genre and criminal justice has long fascinated me. Cantore’s twenty two years as a police officer have proven to be of great worth to her writing career. And this is incredibly well written. Cantore gives us loads of knowledge of police procedure and it totally intrigued this reader. I was captivated through the entire book. Not only was I well entertained with great writing, a well formed plot and really good characters, I also learned a lot about how the police department works. I loved it! Nearing the ending, I found myself gasping many times because no matter how hard I tried to figure out what was going down, failed. Cantore totally surprised me.

‘Prayer was a powerful weapon and should be the first one drawn in any fight.’

I loved how the author correlated prayer as the greatest weapon in this battle on the pages of the book. She is right. Prayer is a powerful weapon God gives us. This book builds in intensity all the way through the story and careens into an adrenaline-laced, nail biting, and thrilling conclusion. This will go on my top reads of 2021 for sure and occupy a prized place on my shelves. Well done!

My thanks to Tyndale House and the author for a copy of this book. I was not expected to leave a positive review. The opinions expressed here are expressly my own.

Falcon Hunt awakens without a past, or at least not one he can recall. He’s got brothers he can’t remember, and he’s interested in the prettiest woman in the area, Cheyenne. Only trouble is, a few flashes of memory make Falcon wonder if he’s already married. He can’t imagine abandoning a wife. But his pa did just that–twice. When Falcon claims his inheritance in the West, Cheyenne is cut out of the ranch she was raised on, leaving her bitter and angry. And then Falcon kisses her, adding confusion and attraction to the mix.

Soon it’s clear someone is gunning for the Hunt brothers. When one of his brothers is shot, Falcon and Cheyenne set out to find who attacked him. They encounter rustled cattle, traitorous cowhands, a missing woman, and outlaws that take all their savvy to overcome. As love grows between these two independent people, Falcon must piece together his past if they’re to have any chance at a future. 

About Mary Connealy

Mary Connealy writes romantic comedy with cowboys. She is independently publishing a contemporary romantic suspense series called Garrison’s Law, book one is Loving the Texas Lawman. Her new historical series, High Sierra Sweethearts begins with The Accidental Guardian. She is also the author of these series: Kincaid Brides, Trouble in Texas, Wild at Heart, Cimarron Legacy, Lassoed in Texas, Montana Marriages and Sophie’s daughters, and has man other books.
She is a two-time Carol Award winner and has been a finalist for the Rita and Christy Awards. She’s a lifelong Nebraskan and lives with her very own romantic cowboy hero. She’s got four grown daughters and four spectacular grandchildren.
Find Mary online at:
Her website: maryconnealy.com
Her blog for aspiring writers: Seekerville
Her blog for lovers of western romance: Petticoats & Pistols
Sign up for her newsletter at maryconnealy.com/newsletter
Mary is on Facebook at facebook.com/maryconnealy
And Twitter at twitter.com/maryconnealy

My Rating 5 Stars!!

‘His pa was as worthless as perfume in a chicken coop.’

Mary Connealy continues her Brothers in Arms series here and I was so excited to read Falcon’s story when I met him in the last book! Cheyenne’s too, because she is a pistol. (Pardon the pun.) So these folks all find out they have a brother by their no good pa’s will. In two cases, they thought their pa was already dead, so apparently, he died twice.

I purely love anything Connealy writes. She is an auto buy for me. Her sense of humor is exquisite and her cowboy tales are the tops. These folks feel like family already and I’m invested in their lives. And that Cheyenne! Man, is she ever mean! She can do anything, well, except maybe cook real good, and she makes sure everyone is scared of her. Grown men want to get out of her way when she is riled up. But wait till you see what happens.

‘She oughta tie him up an drag him behind her horse at a full gallop for a mile or two, over rocks and scrub pines. Then back her horse over him.’ (See what I mean?)

Well done! I can’t wait for the next story in the series, which will be Wyatt’s story. I love these books so much.

My thanks to Bethany House Publishers for a copy of this book via Net Galley. I was not expected to leave a positive review. The opinions here are expressly my own.

Publisher: Bethany House
Publication Date :July 6, 2021
Genre: Inspirational Historical
Length: 320 pages
Buy Link: A Man with a Past (Brothers in Arms Book #2) – Kindle edition by Connealy, Mary. Religion & Spirituality Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

US Marshal Madison James may not be sure who shot her three months ago, but she does know one thing–it’s time to get back out into the field. When her partner, Jonas Quinn, receives a message that a federal warrant just came in on a man connected to a string of bank robberies, Madison jumps at the chance to get back to work. What she and Jonas find is a bank robbery in progress that’s gone wrong–and things are about to get worse.

For these bank robbers, it’s never been just about the money. It’s about taking risks and adrenaline rushes, and getting caught is not part of the game. When the suspects escape, Madison and Jonas must hunt them down and bring them to justice before someone else–someone close to them–gets hurt . . . or worse.

From Seattle to the San Juan Islands, bestselling author Lisa Harris takes you on a nonstop chase where feelings are complicated and failure isn’t an option.

‘Her goal was to eliminate the threat and make sure they didn’t open themselves to an attack.’

I’d never read anything by Lisa Harris until I read her 2020 novel, The Escape, which was the first in her US Marshals series. It was great and I started looking forward to the next book in the series. And let me tell you, my wait was more than well worth it. I was absolutely captivated by this story. The Chase is quite aptly titled, too, by the way. The two main protagonists are in a highly intenseful chase for fugitives who always seem to be one step ahead of them. Jonas Quinn and Madison James are partners in the US Marshals service and are incredibly good at their jobs. This time they are up against some bad guys who have every contingency all planned out, though, so they must find a way to up their game in order to capture these folks and stop the madness. I was so intrigued all the way by not only the writer’s skill at creating such a great story, but at how these two law enforcement officers went about their jobs, deciphering clues and chasing off on the next lead. It was so interesting!

‘She was the one who went after the criminals. Not the other way around.’

At the same time that Jonas and Madison are chasing after these fugitives, Madison still hasn’t solved a cold case from five years ago and one other devastating event. There is a spiritual thread here, a good, one, a smatter of romance, but the suspense is the king of this show! Hands down. It is high-octane suspense throughout! I could not stop reading, and I had chores to do. I couldn’t wait to get back to the book when life interrupted. And there is another book in the series!

Harris has created two main characters that nearly leap off the pages and who fit their roles so well that it’s like watching a good crime drama. Goodness, it’s even way better than a tv show! Honestly, this one is for the keeper shelf and to get read again. Well done!

My thanks to Revell Books for a copy of this book via Net Galley. I was not expected to leave a positive review. The opinion here is expressly my own.

About The Book:

Step into True Colors — a series of Historical Stories of Romance and True American Crime
 
Enjoy a tale of true but forgotten history of a 19th century serial killer whose silver-tongued ways almost trap a young woman into a nightmarish marriage.
 
In 1876, Emma Draycott is charmed into a quick engagement with childhood friend Stephen Dee Richards after reconnecting with him at a church event in Mount Pleasant, Ohio. But within the week, Stephen leaves to “make his fame and fortune.” The heartbroken Emma gives him a special pen to write to her, and he does with tales of grand adventures. Secret Service agent Clay Timmons arrives in Mount Pleasant to track purchases made with fake currency. Every trail leads back to Stephen—and therefore, Emma. Can he convince the naive woman she is engaged to a charlatan who is being linked a string of deaths in Nebraska?

About Jennifer Uhlarik

Jennifer Uhlarik discovered the western genre as a pre-teen, when she swiped the only “horse” book she found on her older brother’s bookshelf. A new love was born. Across the next ten years, she devoured Louis L’Amour westerns and fell in love with the genre. In college at the University of Tampa, she began penning her own story of the Old West. Armed with a B.A. in writing, she has won five writing competitions and finaled in two other competitions. In addition to writing, she has held jobs as a private business owner, a schoolteacher, a marketing director, and her favorite–a full-time homemaker. Jennifer is active in American Christian Fiction Writers and lifetime member of the Florida Writers Association. She lives near Tampa, Florida, with her husband, teenaged son, and four fur children.

My Rating: 4 Stars!

I love this series so much. I enjoy suspense and true crime stories and each of these is based on true crime. This one was particularly interesting. The books always spur me to research these crimes further.

I received a copy of this book from Barbour Publishers via Net Galley. I was not expected to leave a positive review and the opinion here is my own.

Publisher: Barbour Fiction
Publication Date: July 1, 2021
Length: 258 pages
Buy link: The Scarlet Pen (True Colors) – Kindle edition by Uhlarik, Jennifer. Religion & Spirituality Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

If you’re in his sights…

County social worker, Natalie Dunn discovers a horrible secret about the father of her juvenile clients. The man not only killed one woman, but Natalie suspects he’s killed several others. She plans to go to the authorities, but before she can, the killer turns his sights on her. Fearing for the lives of this man’s children, she removes them from their home and calls in former U.S. Marshal, Drake Byrd of Nighthawk Security to protect her and the children and help her prove their father is a ruthless killer

You’re as good as dead.

As they investigate, Drake learns the father is a former elite sniper and assassin, and he has done a professional job of hiding any evidence of his wrong doing. Drake vows to protect Natalie and the three children—all of whom he has come to care for—putting everything on the line for them. When bullets start flying, can he save them all from a certain death?

I purely love a good inspirational suspense story and Susan Sleeman is my go-to for just that. Her writing ticks all the boxes for this reader.

Here in the fourth novel in her Nighthawk Security series, we get Drake Byrd’s story. Drake and his brothers have been called in to protect social worker Natalie Dunn and three children in her care whose missing father is a suspected serial killer. A father who is well trained as a sniper and an expert at hiding evidence. A man who will stop at nothing to to track Natalie down.

So, buckle up and settle in for a fast ride on this super suspense train Sleeman takes her readers on. With, I might add, a totally stunning twist! I loved every minute! I can’t wait for the rest of the Byrd family siblings’ stories. Well done!

My thanks to the publisher and author for a copy of this book. I was not required to leave a positive review and the opinion expressed here is entirely my own.

This epic journey is the only way to leave her secrets behind.

After eleven years spent looking for the girl who stole his heart, Jean-Jacques Baptiste—better known as French to his friends—is tempted to give up. Until the day he spotted the flaxen-haired stranger traveling the wooded path with Blackfoot Indians. He never imagined he’d find his childhood friend masquerading as a man in this Rocky Mountain wilderness, hundreds of miles from the Canadian town where he last saw her. No matter her reasons, he can’t let her go this time.

Colette Mignon’s life has become a cacophony of lies, including the fact that her Blackfoot Indian companions believe she’s a man. She’s willing to live the taxing life of a trapper in these desolate mountains as long as it keeps her secrets hidden. When her childhood friend and first love discovers her, his determination to help might put everything at risk.

As the worst of her past threatens to catch up with her, the hope for Colette’s new life shatters. But no matter what, she must protect the one good thing that came from all her mistakes. Though French is determined to stay at her side, she can’t let him become entangled in the perilous consequences of her actions. If only it wasn’t so painful to push him away. The danger pressing in may leave her only one choice—leave everything behind…again.

From a USA Today bestselling author comes another epic journey through breathless landscapes and adventure so intense, lives will never be the same.

About Misty M. Beller

Misty M. Beller is a USA Today bestselling author of romantic mountain stories, set on the 1800s frontier and woven with the truth of God’s love. For a limited time, you can get one of her bestselling novels FREE here: https://mistymbeller.com/freebook

She was raised on a farm in South Carolina, so her Southern roots run deep. Growing up, her family was close, and they continue to keep that priority today. Her husband and children now add another dimension to her life, keeping her both grounded and crazy.

God has placed a desire in Misty’s heart to combine her love for Christian fiction and the simpler ranch life, writing historical novels that display God’s abundant love through the twists and turns in the lives of her characters.

Writing is a dream come true for Misty. Her family–both immediate and extended–is the foundation that holds her secure in that dream.

Learn more at http://www.MistyMBeller.com.

‘Why is this happening, God? Why would the Lord bring her to this place of utter misery?’

Misty Beller again takes us back into the wilderness with French’s story. He has been with the other folks in the last 4 books and I’ve been wondering when she would tell his story. She does now and I loved it. French finds the woman he lost years ago and there is something not quite right about her situation. She is traveling with four Indians and things are not what they appear. Can he get through to her and show her he cares about what happens to her? And will Colette finally be able to stop running and attain the peace her soul craves? Well done!

My thanks to Celebrate Lit for a digital copy of this book. The opinion here is my own.

Life’s detours can be the most important steps we’re meant to make.

Injured and stranded, hiker Quinn McAlister is stuck recovering in Laurel Cove, North Carolina. The quiet mountain town and its polite residents are a far cry from the stifling home and painful disappointments back in Maine. When her handsome rescuer offers her a place to stay, she’s faced with coming to terms with her past and putting faith, for once, in a hopeful future.

Camp director Eli Moreland has devoted his adult life to serving others. The summer takes an unexpected turn when the beautiful hiker staying in one of the cabins sparks a deep desire for more. Giving her ad

vice about faith comes easy. What’s hard is deciding if he’s ready to reopen his heart to love.\

About Teresa Tysinger

Teresa Tysinger is an author of Southern Contemporary Romance inspired by grace. She writes on the fringes of being a wife, mom, and full-time communications and public relations professional. She loves coffee, traveling, and prides herself in knowing and loving almost every genre of music. Born in Hawaii, raised in Florida, and educated in North Carolina, she now resides in Texas with her husband, daughter, and dog. Teresa is a proud member of American Christian Fiction Writers.

Being lost is worth the pain when being found is so sweet.

Welcome back to Laurel Cove! Teresa Tysinger created this precious town in North Carolina in the Blue Ridge :Mountains and it’s one I fell in love with instantly. One stormy night Eli Mooreland finds an injured woman on the Appalachian Trail near his home and both their lives are destined to be impacted greatly from a chance encounter. Quinn McAlister isn’t just hiking the Appalachian Trail; she is running from so much hurt that her heart is barely beating. She is actually running from what should have been her home, but what is instead filled with despair and pain. But she had not reckoned on the good citizens of Laurel Cove and the healing grace of God’s love.

Full of God’s great love and acceptance, this story is one that will make your heart sing as you watch what He does in the lives of those He loves. Because every single one of us is important to Him and he has a marvelous plan for our lives! Teresa Tysinger has captured this love and grace perfectly. She has crafted characters that just leap into the reader’s heart so well! And not just the main characters, either. Some of these folks, I just wanted to give a big hug. She brings out such a powerful spiritual truth here that the reader feels like they have been blessed by God just reading the book. I wept through parts of this book and there is much to take a way from it to enrich my life. Well done!

My thanks to the publisher and author for a copy of this book. I was not expected to leave a positive review and the opinion here is my own.

Publication Date: June 8, 2021
Publisher: Good Day Publishing
Length: 222 pages
Genre: Inspirational
Buy Link: Someone Found (Laurel Cove Romance Book 3) – Kindle edition by Tysinger, Teresa. Religion & Spirituality Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

With a storm on the horizon, who will stand against the darkness?

Conor and Aine have barely escaped Seare with their lives. Conor knows he must return to find the harp that could end the Red Druid’s reign of terror, but he must first see Aine safely to her family home on the isle of Amanta. When an unnatural storm tears them apart, they find themselves in even more danger than that which they fled.

Because magic is not the only thing to fear in Aine’s homeland, where the Sofarende invaders harry the coasts and shifting clan alliances make it impossible to know who to trust. Conor and Aine must cling to the whispers of Comdiu’s plans for them and their enduring love for one another, even when the future looks darkest.

But with betrayal at every turn, will they give into fear? Or will they learn to depend on Comdiu completely … before all hope is lost?

I read the 1st book in The Song of Seare trilogy and loved it, even though I didn’t think I’d like Christian fantasy. It was really great because it was set in the Dark Ages and I love reading about that era.

Now, I’ve read the 2nd book in the series, Beneath the Forsaken City. This one was amazingly good! It truly deserves more than the 5 stars I’m allowed to give it. This books takes up where the first left off and hits the ground running and never lets up. Even to the last sentence.
Now I’m left to sit on pins and needles until the 3rd and final book comes out in the fall.

Beaneath the Forsaken City is set in the Dark Ages, in a time of myth, magic and sorcery. There are some, however, who believe in the true god, Comdiu and His Son, Balus. This book takes the reader on a journey both frightening and thrilling at the same time.

Conor and Aine have just barely escaped Seare before being killed. Married by the captain of the vessel in which they leave, they hope for a new life that is happy, but fear the worst because of the war back in their homeland. Soon, they are parted again cruelly, each left to wonder long months if the other is even alive. Conor knows he must return to Seare at some point to find the harp and hopefully end the reign of terror began by the malicious Red Druid. Aine, too, knows that she must return to find Conor for their future lies in Seare. Both despair of on their own and find themselves in grave danger. The enemy tries to kill their love for one another and their hope in Comdiu. The danger is from both mortal and sorcery avenues. Will Conor and Aine give in to the despair surrounding them or will they trust Comdiu to fulfill His plans for their lives? Even if it means they never see each other again?

Carla Laureano weaves a tale full and rich that draws the reader in from the very first sentences and does not let go, even when the book ends! Because you’re so desperately longing for the third book to see what happens! She has created a land much as Tolkien created Middle Earth. She has also created characters that get down into your heart, characters that leave you thinking about them long after you finish the book. I am finding it hard to pick up another book because I’m still concentrating on the folks in Beneath The Forsaken City. I don’t want to leave them, actually. As a matter of fact, I re-read Oath of the Brotherhood before reading this second novel because I wanted to refresh my memory. I’ll probably re-read both the first two before I read the third and final book, too.

The authors draws the reader into the story so well that I felt as if I were there, seeing the destruction, feeling the dismay and heartache. This was a mighty fine book and I hated to see it end, but I’m very much looking forward to book three. Very well written novel, one that made me think about my own relationship with God and how I react to Him during difficult times.

I guarantee you will not be disappointed with either book. If you do read them, you must start with Oath of the Brotherhood; otherwise the second book will not make sense.

*I was given a copy of the book by the publisher in exchange for my honest review, which I have done.