Publisher: Revell Publication Date: January 7, 2020 Genre: Inspirational Suspense About The Book: Honorably discharged from the Army after an explosion nearly killed her, former military psychiatrist Brooke Adams has set up shop to help others–but her days of helping military personnel are over. She’s got her own battles to fight from her time overseas, and she’s not equipped to take on more. Former Army Special Ops Sergeant First Class Asher James could handle anything that war sent his way–terrorists, bombs, bullets. The only thing that scares him now is sleep. As the shadows close in, the nightmares begin.
Finally convinced that he needs help, Asher makes an appointment with a counselor, and Brooke is pressed by her boss to take him on. When he arrives at her office she isn’t there–but a dead body is. Brooke is devastated when she walks in, and Asher is a conveniently strong shoulder to cry on. But she can’t take him on as a client after sharing such an intimate and unprofessional moment, can she? And he’s not sure he can handle sharing his deepest fears with such a beautiful woman.
When it becomes clear that Brooke was the real target of the attack–and that her secrets go even deeper than his own–Asher vows to protect her no matter what.
Bestselling author Lynette Eason is back with a new series that spans the globe and will have your heart working overtime.
About Lynette Eason Award-winning, best-selling author, Lynette Eason writes for Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense line and for Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. Her books have hit the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists and have won numerous awards such as the prestigious Carol Award, the Selah, the Daphne, the IRCC award and more. Lynette is married, has two children, and lives in Greenville, SC.
My Rating: 4 Stars!
Lynette Eason kicks off a new series with Collateral Damage and she does indeed kick it off well! I am looking forward to what the next book brings already.
Brooke Adams, former military psychiatrist has come stateside and set up an office hoping to help others. But she is fighting some pretty serious battles herself, even though she is no longer military. Brooke struggles with occasional PTSD and has made a rule to never treat a veteran. Then she walks in on a dead body in her office one morning and a veteran, former Spec Ops Sergeant First Class Asher James is there, having found the body. Asher has finally decided to get help for his own PTSD and has arrived for his appointment. Soon it becomes clear that Brooke is the target of the killer and she and Asher are racing to find what is going on. Asher knows this is just what he wants to stay away from but he vows to protect Brooke at all costs.
The ensuing events lead both Brooke and Asher to realize that way more is going on that they both at first suspected. There is a huge, international crime in the background and it’s up to them to try and stop it, while hopefully staying alive at the same time.
Eason has done an admirable job here, blending several incidents into one story. I was captivated from the very first. And there is a great cast of secondary characters that I hope find their story in future books in the series. Honestly, there is so much to love about this story. Eason carries the reader along on a high octane filled journey of intrigue and heinous crimes and is sure to please all suspense fans. Highly recommended.
*My thanks to Revell Publishing for a preview copy of this book via Net Galley. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
Former pararescue jumper Orion Starr is haunted by the memory of a rescue gone wrong. He may be living alone in Alaska now, but the pain of his failure–and his injuries–has followed him there from Afghanistan. He has no desire to join Hamilton Jones’s elite rescue team, but he also can’t shirk his duty when the call comes in to rescue three lost climbers on Denali.
Former CIA profiler and psychiatrist Jenny Calhoun’s yearly extreme challenge with her best friends is her only escape from the guilt that has sunk its claws into her. As a consultant during a top-secret mission to root out the Taliban, she green-lighted an operation that ended in ambush and lives lost. When her cathartic climb on Denali turns deadly, she’ll be forced to trust her life and the lives of her friends to the most dangerous of heroes–the man she nearly killed.
Her skills and his experience are exactly what’s needed to prevent another tragedy–but in order to truly set Orion free from his painful past, Jenny will have to reveal hers. They’ll have to put their wounds behind them to survive, but at what cost?
Leap into action with this high-octane, breakneck new series from bestselling author Susan May Warren.
About Susan May Warren Growing up in Minneapolis and attending the U of MN, I learned to love city life, although I’m a woodsy girl at heart. Or maybe I’m an adventurer — having lived and traveled all over the world, including Siberia Russia as a missionary for eight years. Probably that’s why my characters can’t sit still, and seem to get into one scrape after another — they’re too much like me! I love God, my family, my country, my church, and feel privileged every day to be able to write stories.
Here’s my “Official” Bio.
With over 1 million books sold, critically acclaimed novelist Susan May Warren is the Christy, RITA and Carol award-winning author of over seventy-five novels with Revell, Tyndale, Barbour, Steeple Hill and Summerside Press. Known for her compelling plots and unforgettable characters, Susan has written contemporary and historical romances, romantic-suspense, thrillers, rom-com and Christmas novellas.
My Rating: 5 Stars!
‘You’re just mad because God didn’t answer your prayer the way you wanted him to.’
When you pick up a Susan May Warren book, you can be sure that you will not be disappointed. Ever. As she begins another series, that, by the way, promises to be amazing, I was again reminded of that fact.
‘That thing inside you that you can’t keep dodging, that pull to do something more with your life? God isn’t finished with you yet. He’s calling you to something…..’
Warren begins her new series, Global Search and Rescue, with The Way of the Brave, which is Orion Starr’s story, and Jenny Calhoun’s. Jenny does a yearly challenge with two friends and this year’s feat is to climb Denali, which soon turns extremely deadly. Jenny is a former CIA profiler and psychiatrist who approved an action that ended in an ambush with the Taliban with lives lost. Now, the man who was also injured in that action is the pararescue jumper who comes to her rescue on Denali when things turn seriously sideways. Can these two overcome the wounds that threaten their emotional lives? Will they allow God to mend their hearts?
One of the things I enjoy most about Susan May Warren’s writing is her ability to pull a reader into the story with a powerful spiritual theme. She is so amazingly good at this. And she also deftly weaves in characters from previous books from time to time, which is always a delight to me. And then she ends the book on a note that makes the reader wish it was already time to read the second in the series. She also gives us a glimpse of the story which will involved secondary characters. Anytime I sit down to read a Susan May Warren book, I am guaranteed an absolutely wonderful read! I highly recommend this book.
My thanks to Revell Publishing for a copy of this book through the Revell Reads program. The opinions stated here are entirely my own.
When elite members of the military are murdered on the streets of Washington, DC, FBI Special Agent Bailey Ryan and NCIS Special Agent Marco Agostini must work together to bring the perpetrator to justice. Unfortunately, all evidence points to a Navy SEAL sniper whom Bailey refuses to believe is guilty.
When Bailey and Marco start to connect the dots between the victims, including a link to a powerful defense contractor, they wonder if there’s a deeper cover-up at play. Then Bailey is targeted, and it becomes clear that someone is willing to kill to keep their dark secrets.
With the stakes getting higher by the moment in a twisted conspiracy, there’s a rush against the clock to determine whom they can really trust. As allies turn to enemies, the biggest secret yet to be uncovered could be the end of all of them.
About Rachel Dylan Rachel Dylan is an award-winning and bestselling author of legal thrillers and romantic suspense. Rachel has practiced law for over a decade including being a litigator at one of the nation’s top law firms. Rachel writes the Atlanta Justice Series which features strong, female attorneys in Atlanta. Deadly Proof, the first book in the Atlanta Justice series, is a CBA bestseller, an FHL Reader’s Choice Award winner, a Daphne du Maurier Finalist, and a Holt Medallion Finalist. Lone Witness is the winner of a Holt Medallion, the Maggie Award, and is a Selah Finalist. Rachel lives in Michigan with her husband and five furkids–two dogs and three cats. Rachel loves to connect with readers. You can find Rachel at http://www.racheldylan.com
My Rating: 4 stars!
‘Even those we believe are heroes can sometimes be villains.’
Rachel Dylan starts a new series with End Game and if the first book is any indication of the caliber of the series, it’s going to be awesome! Dylan starts out on the ball and doesn’t let up. Readers get to see inside the FBI, CIA and NCIS as events play out that will take you along on a fast and suspenseful ride. Tightly written, with great characters, even secondary ones, this is one book you’ll want to read! I loved how she included the stories of some secondary characters as well. I truly can recommend this book.
*My thanks to Bethany House Publishers for a complimentary preview copy of this book via Net Galley. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
Today I am giving away a print copy of End Game to one blog commenter. Due to postage costs, this is open to residents of the contiguous 48 states.To enter, please do the following:
Leave your full name and your email in a non spammy format, for example: susan (at) yahoo (dot) come. Contest runs through January 15.
I am absolutely thrilled to host a particular favorite author of mine on my blog today. Laura Frantz’s latest novel, An Uncommon Woman, is some of her very best work and she has graciously consented to be a guest on my blog and give away a signed copy of her book, along with a bookmark. (Find out the details at the end of the blog post.) Now, let’s meet Laura.
Laura, thanks so much for being with me today and for the gift of a book to one blessed reader. I’m sure whoever wins will love the book as much as I did.
1. When did you know you wanted to be a writer? And did you always want to write Christian fiction? From age 7, I sensed words were special and I loved them. Math was a different story! I even wrote in an old childhood diary that I wanted to grow up and be an author one day. So, I think the seeds were or are planted very early—rather the Lord gives us all unique gifts and writing is just one of them. I honestly can’t imagine writing anything other than Christian fiction as my faith affects my entire world view.
2. Did you being a Kentuckian and a Daniel Boone fan influence your decision to write historical? It did! I have a lifelong fascination with pioneers and first families in Kentucky. Fort Boonesborough was the site where I grew up spending a lot of time as it wasn’t far from our home. Of all the historical figures I’ve researched and learned about, Boone is my favorite and seems to have been beyond reproach. He had loads of integrity in addition to being a first class frontiersman.
3. Did you know you wanted to write this genre from the beginning? Yes, mainly because historicals line my bookshelves and I rarely read contemporary novels though I do enjoy them. That was my clue that I’m so tied to the historical genre that I can’t or shouldn’t write anything else. I’m completely clueless about modern-day anything, from phones to kitchen appliances. Even my Cuisinart, a gift from my foodie son, is gathering dust in the pantry.
4. Does prayer play a big part in your writing? I always begin a novel with prayer and pray my way through till the end. I recently discovered the book, ‘Every Moment Holy’ by Douglas McElvey, which has a truly amazing word for fiction writers. Here’s a sample, “Lord, let me love the reader, ever writing for their good, writing words that might, in the employ of your Spirit, bring life and hope and conviction.’
5. How do ideas come to you and how do you plan a book? Ideas come to me in snatches. I’ll find a character name and land on a setting that’s appealing. Then scenes and bits of dialogue come to mind like I’m watching a movie. It’s quite odd and it works well for me, gathering all these odds and ends and piecing them together like a crazy quilt. God gets all the credit for anything that makes sense, any beauty. Sometimes I know the end of the book from the beginning.
6. What was your favorite story as a child? My uncle gifted me with first edition copies of Winnie The Pooh books when I was born. I still have them though they’re very worn and faded. Maybe my old uncle knew I would grow up and be an author. I love them and grew up reading them.
7. Where do you write your books? Sitting by the fire in winter and at my desk by an open door in summer. Sometimes on a porch. I’d rather write outside than in.
8. What thing, if any, has most impacted your writing? My love of history and wanting to preserve it in even a small way through my books. So much is lost and is underappreciated today, as far as our country’s founding, how our ancestors got here, the struggle, etc. I lament we have so few letters and diaries and accounts from days past, but our forefathers were so busy trying to stay alive, that it explains the lack, I guess.
9. Do you want readers to take anything away from this story? I kept thinking of the old hymn, Be Thou My Vision, as I was writing An Uncommon Woman, which I placed at the front of the novel. ‘Heart of my own heart, whate’er befall, still be my vision, O Ruler of all.’ This is or would come to be Tessa and Clay’s stance in their beautiful but dark and very dangerous surroundings. I think the wisdom of those words applies to us today. We can’t control our circumstances or what life hands us for the most part. But we always need to remember God rules and is our vision or should be our vision, no matter what. Nothing else matters eternally. He is our light and we are here to shine a light in the time given to us.
Thanks again, Laura, for being with us today. It was such a blessing to get to know you better.
Christy Award-winning author, Laura Frantz, is passionate about all things historical, particularly the 18th-century, and writes her manuscripts in longhand first. Her stories often incorporate Scottish themes that reflect her family heritage. She is a direct descendant of George Hume, Wedderburn Castle, Berwickshire, Scotland, who was exiled to the American colonies for his role in the Jacobite Rebellion of 1715, settled in Virginia, and is credited with teaching George Washington surveying in the years 1748-1750. Frantz lives and writes in a log cabin in the heart of Kentucky and also Washington State.
My Rating: 5 Stars!!!
‘Fear was never far away. She’d felt its cold clutch since childhood.’
Sometimes, you read the last word in a book and you just sit there, unable to think properly because your heart is so incredibly full. Such is the emotion that a book by Laura Frantz evokes in this reader.
”Everyone on the frontier had a chair that sat empty, a place unoccupied. Who would be next?’
Tessa Swan has lived on the Buckhannon River on the Virginia frontier all her life, plainspoken in her ways and a force to be reckoned with. Clay Tygart was raised by Lenape Indians and has returned home a hero in the French and Indian War to the fort named for him. He brings with him a white woman named Keturah by the Indians who kidnapped her nearly twelve years earlier; Tessa’s best friend, she was. Clay Tygart is a courageous man, but quiet and prefers not to be entangled in relationships. However, he is soon taken with the outspoken Tessa and when she is taken by the Lenape, he will do everything in his power to bring her back home.
I am a forever fan of Laura Frantz’s books and have been since I read her very first novel. When I sit down to begin one of her books, I sink way down deep into its words, settling in for a wonderful time. I find myself torn between not wanting to finish and thus prolonging the pleasure of the read and reading swiftly to get to the end! Frantz is especially gifted at drawing the reader into her stories with her intoxicating prose, her words flowing like water over a waterfall, refreshing the reader with their crispness. Her vivid descriptions bring the American frontier vibrantly to life. She manages to pull the characters’ lives right into this reader’s heart, which simply sighs with contentment.
Frantz brings history to life in the pages of her books, something this history buff thoroughly enjoys. In fact, she so captivates me with her accurate historical research that it puts in me a desire to do some research into her stories myself! And I have done that very thing with each book.
Her powerful and vivid descriptions of everything are so amazing that I find myself stopping and reading certain passages over and over again before being able to press on with the book. Truly, my heart sings reading a Laura Frantz book. These characters, Clay and Tessa, will take up space in my heart for a very long time to come. I cherished every moment of this book . I highly recommend this author and this book.
*My thanks to Revell for a preview copy of this book via Net Galley. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
Rules and Information for Giveaway:
Giveaway ends on January 14th. Winner will be notified by email and will have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen. Open to residents of the 48 contiguous states due to postage rates. To enter, I need the following from you:
Your full name Your email in a non-spam formula, ex: susan (at) yahoo (dot) com.
When a family crisis calls him back to Big Prairie, will Craig Erikson be able to work through past mistakes and a tragedy that had sent him searching for a new place to call home?
Brenna Blaum had been sure of three things in her life—her brother, her running, and her dad’s star receiver. But in a matter of a year’s time, everything she’d counted on fell apart, leaving her devastated. Seven years later, she’s stable again. She has a supportive boyfriend, fulfilling career, and close friends. She keeps her past heartache where it belongs—in her rearview mirror. Until the man who broke her heart finds his way back to Big Prairie.
Craig Erikson had it all—popularity, success, and the love of his high school coach’s daughter. But after a year of mistakes that ended in a tragic accident, he’d left Big Prairie—the place he’d thought to always call home—hoping that without his antagonizing presence, Brenna would be able to heal. Now his mother desperately needs him, as do two young boys in her care. Craig has little choice but to return for good.
Unsure that she can forgive him, Brenna does her best to avoid him. Irritated that she ignores him as if they’d never meant anything to each other, Craig becomes determined not to allow it.
Life in a small town forces their interaction, making them confront their unresolved issues and igniting emotions that have smoldered for seven years. As Craig and Brenna are pushed together, can they endure the hard places still littering their lives? If so, is it possible to find their way back to love and home again?
Small town Christian stories of romance and redemption, begin the Big Prairie Romance series today!
About Jennifer Rodewald Jennifer Rodewald/J. Rodes lives on the wide plains somewhere near the middle of Nowhere. A coffee addict, pickleball enthusiast, and storyteller, she also wears the hats of mom, teacher, and friend. Mostly, she loves Jesus and wants to see others fall in love with Him too.
My Rating: 5 Stars!
‘Sometimes things don’t get better until you deal with the ugly parts. Clean up the mess.’
Craig Erikson returns to Big Prairie to help take care of his mother after a bad diagnosis, and help her take care of the two foster brothers in her care. He had it all when he lived in Big Prairie, big football star, dating the coach’s daughter. But big mistakes happened and he left after a horrible accident. He’d hoped to always live in this small town, but never managed to settle anywhere else. Now, he’s home for good.
Brenna Blaum loved her brother, her dad and Craig. In the space of one year, everything fell apart and since then, Brenna’s life has been one of just making believe everything is okay. She even has a wonderful boyfriend. Then Craig Erikson shows up in town and all the hurt, anger and pain flares up in her heart and takes an even deeper root than is has before. Will she ever have peace?
‘Brenna knew, all too well, what pain and disillusion could do to even the stoutest of hearts.’
Jennifer Rodewald has penned a novel that digs way down deep into the heart and refuses to let go. I was all in from the first page and hated to put the book aside for life. There are some hard lessons here in the pages of this story, lessons every person would do well to take note of and apply to their own lives. Brenna’s view of her own self worth caused her to take a much different path than she would have wanted to take, and she took Craig along with her. Their actions brought much pain and destruction to their lives. Can they overcome this gigantic hurdle and find their way back to peace and love? Can they live in the same town together once again?
Rodewald has captured just about every emotion in this book: fear, anger, love, heartbreak, joy, and peace, along with forgiveness and healing. I cried more reading this book than I think I have any other. This one is going on my Top Ten List for 2020. I highly recommend this novel.
*My thanks to the author and publisher for a preview copy of this novel. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
I give you fair warning that this is going to be a long post, so if you don’t care to stay, you can move on. I won’t be offended. I cannot remember a time when I didn’t love to read or be read to. My mama took me to the library when I was 3 years old, but she’d been reading to me way before then. Some of my most cherished memories are of her reading Bible stories and fairy tales to my little brother and me nearly every night, Jeff on her lap with me tucked into her side. I can almost feel it now. She bought us a Little Golden Book each week at the grocery store, and got me a subscription to the Weekly Reader and then the Weekly Reader Book Club. A new book every month!!! I was in heaven! And when I learned to read my first Dick and Jane book, I thought I was the absolute stuff! I read that book over and over, loving how I could fashion those letters into words all by myself! An amazing new world opened up for me! Mama used to say all the time, ‘If you’re looking for Susie, she’s somewhere with her nose stuck in a book.’ It still is, too.
In fourth grade, I discovered biographies of famous people and dashed through Abraham Lincoln, Daniel Boone (my favorite), Clara Barton, Florence Nightingale, Molly Pitcher, and many others. The library at school was my favorite place. And my dream at that time was to be locked in the town library overnight. All those treasures at my disposal! I was giddy! My grandpa (Pop) once bought me, at an auction, the entire set of Hardy Boy mysteries in hardcover! How I treasured those books.
Mama introduced me to Christian fiction with Janette Oke’s ‘Love Comes Softly’ and I was hooked on CF. I read it so many times and still have her original copy, as well as the others in the series. By the way, they are much better than the movies.
I don’t remember exactly how I got started influencing for Christian fiction, but I’m so happy that I did. I extend heartfelt thanks to all the wonderful authors who trust me with their hard work. It is the most wonderful blessing for someone like me, who loves to read, and a blessing I will never take for granted.
So, here we are at picking favorites. Most folks do a top ten. I cannot limit myself to only ten books. I read 259 books in 2019 and it is impossible to pick ten. I picked 15 and that was a huge struggle. I pared my list down numerous times. So here is my list, along with the synopsis for each book and the link to my goodreads review if you’re interested. These books are amazing and I highly recommend each one.
About The Book
Though Magnus MacLeish and Lark MacDougall grew up on the same castle grounds, Magnus is now laird of the great house and the Isle of Kerrera. Lark is but the keeper of his bees and the woman he is hoping will provide a tincture that might help his ailing wife conceive and bear him an heir. But when his wife dies suddenly, Magnus and Lark find themselves caught up in a whirlwind of accusations, expelled from their beloved island, and sold as indentured servants across the Atlantic. Yet even when all hope seems dashed against the rocky coastline of the Virginia colony, it may be that in this New World the two of them could make a new beginning–together.
Laura Frantz’s prose sparkles with authenticity and deep feeling as she digs into her own family history to share this breathless tale of love, exile, and courage in Colonial America.
Tragedy sent Holden Armstrong to the bottom of a liquor bottle. He spent a year there before coming to his senses and has been fighting the addiction since. But giving up alcohol is easier than forgiving the man who took his family away from him. And then there’s Izzy. She calls him every time she needs a designated driver. He’s happy to pick her up any time she needs a ride, but the alcohol causes her to cross the line every time. It’s obvious that she needs help, but he can’t be her solution. God is the only one who can fix Izzy Tanner, if only she’d let him. Izzy Tanner does whatever she wants, says whatever she thinks, dates whomever she wishes. There is nothing wrong with her casual way of living—at least, that’s what she tries to convince herself and others. Only one man could tempt her into something more serious, but nothing will ever come of it. Holden Armstrong is too good for the likes of her. When a date goes terribly wrong, it changes everything. Unwanted memories from the past resurface, leaving her broken and ashamed. She begins to question her life and the choices she has made. What will it take for Izzy to accept God’s calling?
About The Book
Tragedy sent Holden Armstrong to the bottom of a liquor bottle. He spent a year there before coming to his senses and has been fighting the addiction since. But giving up alcohol is easier than forgiving the man who took his family away from him. And then there’s Izzy. She calls him every time she needs a designated driver. He’s happy to pick her up any time she needs a ride, but the alcohol causes her to cross the line every time. It’s obvious that she needs help, but he can’t be her solution. God is the only one who can fix Izzy Tanner, if only she’d let him. Izzy Tanner does whatever she wants, says whatever she thinks, dates whomever she wishes. There is nothing wrong with her casual way of living—at least, that’s what she tries to convince herself and others. Only one man could tempt her into something more serious, but nothing will ever come of it. Holden Armstrong is too good for the likes of her. When a date goes terribly wrong, it changes everything. Unwanted memories from the past resurface, leaving her broken and ashamed. She begins to question her life and the choices she has made. What will it take for Izzy to accept God’s calling?
Left at an orphanage as a child, Thea Reed vowed to find her mother someday. Now grown, her search takes her to Pleasant Valley, Wisconsin, in 1908. When clues lead her to a mental asylum, Thea uses her experience as a post-mortem photographer to gain access and assist groundskeeper Simeon Coyle in photographing the patients and uncovering the secrets within. However, she never expected her personal quest would reawaken the legend of Misty Wayfair, a murdered woman who allegedly haunts the area and whose appearance portends death.
A century later, Heidi Lane receives a troubling letter from her mother–who is battling dementia–compelling her to travel to Pleasant Valley for answers to her own questions of identity. When she catches sight of a ghostly woman who haunts the asylum ruins in the woods, the long-standing story of Misty Wayfair returns–and with it, Heidi’s fear for her own life.
As two women across time seek answers about their identities and heritage, can they overcome the threat of the mysterious curse that has them inextricably intertwined?
From the RITA Award–winning author of Five Days in Skye comes a sweet, romantic treat that will leave you hungry for more.
Baker and pastry chef Melody Johansson has always believed in finding the positive in every situation, but seven years after she moved to Denver, she can’t deny that she’s stuck in a rut. One relationship after another has ended in disaster, and her classical French training is being wasted on her night job in a mediocre chain bakery. Then the charming and handsome private pilot Justin Keller lands on the doorstep of her workplace in a snowstorm, and Melody feels like it’s a sign that her luck is finally turning around.
Justin is intrigued by the lively bohemian baker, but the last thing he’s looking for is a relationship. His own romantic failures have proven that the demands of his job are incompatible with meaningful connections, and he’s already pledged his life savings to a new business venture across the country—an island air charter in Florida with his sister and brother-in-law.
Against their better judgment, Melody and Justin find themselves drawn together by their unconventional career choices and shared love of adventure. But when an unexpected windfall provides Melody with the chance to open her dream bakery-café in Denver with her best friend, chef Rachel Bishop, she’s faced with an impossible choice: stay and put down roots with the people and place she’s come to call home . . . or give it all up for the man she loves.
A Cross-Country Trip through Regency England Brings Intrigue, Rogues, and High Adventure
The must-read conclusion to Michelle Griep’s Bow Street Runners Trilogy: Life couldn’t be better for Abigail Gilbert—but it’s been a long time coming. Having lived with a family who hated her, love is finally within reach. Abby sets off on a journey across England to marry one of the most prestigious gentleman bachelors in the land—until highwaymen upset her plans and threaten her life.
Horse patrol captain Samuel Thatcher arrives just in time to save Abby. But to him she’s simply another victim in a job he’s come to despise. Tired of the dark side of humanity, he intends to buy land and retire.
Abby pleads with him to escort her on the rest of her journey. He refuses until she offers him the thing he desperately needs to achieve his goal: money. Delivering her safely will earn him more than enough to settle into a quiet life.
So begins an impossible trek for the cynical lawman and the proper lady. Each will be indelibly changed by the time they reach her betrothed, if they don’t kill one another first—or fall in love.
When cybercriminals hack into the US Marshals’ Witness Protection database and auction off witnesses’ personal details to the highest bidders, the RED Team led by FBI Agent Sean Nichols begins a high-stakes chase to find the hacker. But before he can even get started, the first witness is targeted and barely escapes with her life. Sean believes Phantom, an obsessed hacker who previously outwitted the top minds in the field, is behind the attack, and Sean needs this witness’s help, as she’s the person who has come closest to discovering Phantom’s identity.
Trouble is, she’s a witness under the care of US Marshal Taylor Mills, and Sean is reluctant to work with the captivating marshal who knows his deepest secrets. But Phantom claims he knows where the witness is hiding and will kill her, so to stop the hacker, Sean and Taylor must work through their personal pain and learn to trust each other. . . . The seconds are ticking down before someone dies.
To save her family from financial ruin, Miss Poppy Garrison accepts an unusual proposition to participate in the New York social season in exchange for her grandmother settling a family loan that has unexpectedly come due. Ill-equipped to handle the intricacies of mingling within the New York Four Hundred, Poppy becomes embroiled in one hilarious fiasco after another, doomed to suffer a grand societal failure instead of being deemed the diamond of the first water her grandmother longs for her to become.
Reginald Blackburn, second son of a duke, has been forced to travel to America to help his cousin, Charles Wynn, Earl of Lonsdale, find an American heiress to wed in order to shore up his family estate that is in desperate need of funds. Reginald himself has no interest in finding an heiress to marry, but when Poppy’s grandmother asks him to give etiquette lessons to Poppy, he swiftly discovers he may be in for much more than he bargained for.
When captured rebel Scotsman Alex MacKinnon is granted the king’s mercy–exile to the Colony of North Carolina–he’s indentured to Englishman Edmund Carey as a blacksmith. Against his will Alex is drawn into the struggles of Carey’s slaves–and those of his stepdaughter, Joanna Carey. A mistress with a servant’s heart, Joanna is expected to wed her father’s overseer, Phineas Reeves, but finds herself drawn instead to the new blacksmith. As their unlikely relationship deepens, successive tragedies strike the Careys. When blame falls unfairly upon Alex he flees to the distant mountains where he encounters Reverend Pauling, itinerate preacher and friend of the Careys, now a prisoner of the Cherokees. Haunted by his abandoning of Joanna, Alex tries to settle into life with the Cherokees, until circumstances thwart yet another attempt to forge his freedom and he’s faced with the choice that’s long hounded him: continue down his rebellious path or embrace the faith of a man like Pauling, whose freedom in Christ no man can steal. But the price of such mercy is total surrender, and perhaps Alex’s very life.
“It was just a house. Just a weathered old house in a hidden grove, shuttered and still . . . ”
Last year, after traumatic circumstances forced her from her job as a nanny, Mara Bristol finally found a place to belong—the winsome Everwood Bed & Breakfast at the edge of Maple Valley, Iowa. For months, she’s helped its owner, Lenora, maintain the ramshackle property despite their shortage of guests. But when Lenora fails to return from a month-long trip and the bank threatens foreclosure, Mara worries she’s once again alone . . . abandoned . . . about to lose the only true home she’s ever known.
Detective Marshall Hawkins is no closer to whole today than he was two years ago . . . the day his daughter died. Between his divorce, debilitating migraines, and a dependence on medication, his life is falling apart. And when a reckless decision on the job propels him into administrative leave, he has no other plan but to get in his truck and drive. A one-night stay at the Everwood was supposed to be just that. But there’s something about the old house—or maybe its intriguing caretaker—that pulls him in.
Together, Mara and Marshall set out to save the Everwood. But its secrets run deeper than they could’ve imagined. As they renovate the house and search for its missing owner, they’ll each confront the pain that brought them to the Everwood in the first place . . . and just maybe discover a faith and love to help them carry on.
From Christy Award–winning author Joanne Bischof comes the sequel to her beautiful novel Sons of Blackbird Mountain.
Aven Norgaard understands courage. Orphaned within an Irish workhouse, then widowed at just nineteen, she voyaged to America where she was wooed and wed by Thor Norgaard, a Deaf man in rural Appalachia. That the Lord saw her along the winding journey and that Aven now carries Thor’s child are blessings beyond measure. Yet while Thor holds her heart, it is his younger brother and rival who haunts her memories. Haakon—whose selfish choices shattered her trust in him.
Having fled the Norgaard orchard after trying to take Aven as his own, Haakon sails on the North Atlantic ice trade, where his soul is plagued with regrets that distance cannot heal. Not even the beautiful Norwegian woman he’s pursued can ease the torment. When the winds bear him home after four years away, Haakon finds the family on the brink of tragedy. A decades-old feud with the neighboring farm has wrenched them into the fiercest confrontation on Blackbird Mountain since the Civil War. Haakon’s cunning and strength hold the power to seal many fates, including Thor’s—which is already imperiled due to a grave illness brought to him at the first prick of warfare.
Now Haakon faces the hardest choice of his life. One that shapes a battlefield where pride must be broken enough to be restored, and where a prodigal son may finally know the healing peace of surrender and the boundless gift of forgiveness. And when it comes to the woman he left behind in Norway, he just might discover that while his heart belongs to a daughter of the north, she’s been awaiting him on shores more distant than the land he’s fighting for.
Journey into the Blue Ridge Mountains of 1918 where Laurel McAdams endures the challenges of a hard life while dreaming things can eventually improve. But trouble arrives in the form of an outsider. Having failed his British father again, Jonathan Taylor joins is uncle’s missionary endeavors as a teacher in a two-room schoolhouse. Laurel feels compelled to protect the tenderhearted teacher from the harsh realities of Appalachian life, even while his stories of life outside the mountains pull at Laurel’s imagination. Faced with angry parents over teaching methods, Laurel’s father’s drunken rages, and bad news from England, will Jonathan leave and never return, or will he stay and let love bhttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2609989439loom?
About The Book
Unraveling secrets is their mission…
But the truth can be fatal.
After his last CIA assignment ended in betrayal, the covert operative known only as Ned holes up for Christmas in his remote mountain cabin, preparing to trap the men hunting him. But journalist Mary Grace Ramsey reaches Ned first, injured and determined to uncover why someone is after her and her CIA agent brother. Together, can they unravel a conspiracy that goes higher than they ever imagined?
FBI agent Radley Tumberg must rescue his fellow agent, Honor Remington, from a spiritual sanctuary where she’s being held against her will. But when he reaches her, posing as her estranged husband, he discovers the motives for her capture are deadlier than he expected. Can they escape the sanctuary and find evidence that its leader isn’t what he’s pretending to be?
Two years after Grace Thackery washed up on a small-town Mississippi riverbank, she has the first clue about the life she doesn’t remember: someone wants her dead. And while search-and-rescue director Hollis Montgomery’s determined to protect her, the secrets of her past are darker than they expected. Can the bond between Grace and Hollis survive her true identity…and an assassin?
The next choice is a series by Susan May Warren called The Montana Marshalls. I’m counting it as one choice because each story bleeds into the next one as the story arc continues. My list, my rules.
About The Book
His voice threaded through her, as if it might be made of rawhide, designed not to break, to weather time and elements, as sturdy as the land he probably worked. Because yes, he wore cowboy like a second skin, the no-nonsense aura of hard work and get ’er done.
“Do I need to go back there and put some hurt on anyone?”
He wasn’t smiling, and she couldn’t tell if he was serious—maybe. Which sort of unrooted her for a moment. Um…
A woman in danger. A man who can’t help but save her. But, at what cost?
He was sent here to kill you, wasn’t he?” Glo’s voice emerged in a whisper of horror.
Tate drew in a breath, and even Knox looked away as Tate nodded.
Oh, she knew it. Apparently, she had a type.
The kind of men who didn’t care what trouble—or death—might be waiting for them. Who turned their face to it and charged ahead.
The kind of men who died for what they believed in.
The kind of men who would break her heart.
What will it cost this bodyguard to save the woman he loves?
*Susie writes a delightful story! –NYT bestselling author Dee Henderson.*
Susan May Warren is the USA Today best-selling, Christy and RITA award-winning novelist of over 65 novels, including the best-selling Montana Rescue and Montana Fire series.
Bodyguard Tate Marshall, has always been the family troublemaker…
Maybe it’s his propensity to get entangled in other people’s problems. Now, he’s in over his head because he’s desperately in love with the woman he’s tasked to protect, the beautiful Gloria, “Glo” Jackson, daughter of US Senator and presidential hopeful Reba Jackson. A member of the country band, the Yankee Belles, Glo was targeted in a recent terrorist attack designed to deter her mother from running, and Tate will do anything to keep her safe. Even if it means letting her go.
Country music artist Glo Jackson isn’t afraid of trouble…
Stubborn and brave, Glo isn’t about to hide from threats, at least the kind that won’t cost her heart. She’s already paid a terrible price for the war on terror, and she refuses to fall for a man who might die, especially because of her. Better to keep him away, even if it means sacrificing her heart.
But when danger threatens them both, what will they sacrifice to keep each other safe?
As the presidential campaign heats up and the threats deepen, so does the attraction between Tate and Glo. But what will it cost Tate to keep her alive? And what will Glo do to keep from losing another man she loves?
The gripping second installment of the Montana Marshalls series.
Navy Seal Ford Marshall isn’t the kind to stand by and let a woman get hurt—especially when it involves his twin sister, RJ. So, when she makes the news, accused of sparking an international incident, he doesn’t care what it takes—he’s going to find her and bring her home.
But he might need a little help, so he calls on the woman who has had his back during the last three years—Petty Officer Scarlett Hathaway, former communications expert-turned Rescue Swimmer candidate. She’ll help him get into the country, watch his back, and…well, they might be able to have one last mission together before she leaves for a new life, a life he very much wants to be a part of now that she is off his team. Maybe he can convince her to give them a chance to kindle the spark that’s simmered between them for years.
Scarlett Hathaway isn’t sure what future she wants—not when she suddenly has to care for her little brother. Maybe she should quit the Navy and start a life with the man she can’t seem to get out of her heart. So yes, she’ll help Ford find his sister. And maybe, along the way, figure out if they have a future.
But finding RJ somewhere in the vastness of Russia with the FSB chasing them will push Scarlett beyond even her courage and make her question everything she thought she wanted…including Ford. What will it cost her to love a man who saves the world?
And when Ford is asked to choose between saving his sister, saving the world from a war, and rescuing the woman he loves…can he live with his decision?
He’s lost her twice…he’s not going to lose her again…
NHL Hockey Goalie Wyatt Marshall has everything–fame, money and a thriving career. But he’s hiding the two things that matter most…a career-ending injury, and his broken heart. He’s been in love with Coco Stanley since she walked into his life at age fourteen, a foster child for the Marshall family. She stole his heart years later, when, after a secret tryst, she returned to her home country of Russia. But she won’t let him back into her life—and he can’t figure out why.
She’s harboring a secret that could cost lives…
Coco Stanley is tired of living her life undercover. Or at least, with an assumed name, always pretending to be someone she’s not. And that’s not the only secret she’s harboring. If Wyatt discovers the real reason she left him, it might just destroy him. She’s resigned herself to loving him from afar…
But when he discovers she’s in danger…
Wyatt is horrified when he learns Coco has been shot and left in Russia, her fate unknown. There is nothing—nothing—that will stop him from finding her. So what if he’s not one of his super-heroic brothers, not a Ranger, not a SEAL…Wyatt is a hockey goalie, a special kind of crazy brave. Except, is he brave enough to face the secret Coco is keeping, or will it destroy everything he’s hoped for?
What will it cost them to save her?
What Wyatt and Coco don’t know is that revenge is stalking her and bringing her home just might cost them their long-awaited happy ending.
Continue the breath-taking Montana Marshalls series!
Ruby Jane never thought she’d meet the man of her dreams while running from the police in Russia. That he’d steal her heart on a train to Siberia. But loving a former CIA officer comes with a price…a life of danger. A life of high stakes.
A life where he simply disappears…
He has no memory of the man he was.
Mack Jones has no memory of his past…just the dark sense that he is hiding. And, he wants to stay that way. Mack likes the life he’s built in a small tourist town, tucked away beyond the mountains, and has no desire to dig around in the gray areas of his memory.
When his place of business catches fire and Mack rescues the owner, he makes the news, which of course alerts the past he’s hoping to outrun.
The only person who can help him is a mysterious woman he doesn’t remember.
But a woman he desperately needs.
The surprising, thrilling conclusion to the Montana Marshalls series.
She has the whole world fooled. But the one man who just may see through her holds not only the key to her success, but also her heart…
Rachel Somers is America’s #1 relationship coach—America just doesn’t know it. Rachel writes the books, but her Aunt Donna plays the face of the operation. Living in fear of their secret being exposed, Rachel has no choice but to keep up the charade or lose the big money required to care for her father. With the deadline for their next book closing in, Rachel finds herself out of inspiration and running out of time. The last thing she needs is her aunt and publicist concocting a harebrained scheme to join forces with some radio star in the hope it will help deliver the elusive next book idea.
Lucas Grant is a star of late night radio—though it’s come with an unexpected price of hordes of women who keep calling his sports show to ask him for relationship advice. They make his ratings look great, but they also mean he has to waste hours talking to people like Dr. Donna Somerville about feelings instead of his first love: football. When a big-time producer calls, it looks like his hard work is about to pay off. But the offer comes with a catch—the producer is convinced Dr. Donna is not what she seems and he wants Lucas to discover her secret. To do that, he needs to win over her tight-lipped assistant who holds the key to his success and—he begins to suspect—his heart. Can love find a way through the lies that force them apart?
He broke her heart. Now, he’s back, and he’s determined to show her what they had isn’t over. . . and he can prove it with just one kiss.
Single mother Carly Collins likes predictability. However, when her son Jaden’s health is threatened, her neatly controlled world is tossed into a tailspin. Nothing is certain anymore, especially her feelings for Josh Dixon, Jaden’s father, her first love and the man responsible for shattering her heart sixteen years ago.
When Josh Dixon walked out of Harbor Pointe, he left behind his only shot at a real family. Now a successful tech mogul, the town rebel has found a cause—ensure his son’s recovery and prove to Carly and Jaden that he’s not the same guy he was back then.
Carly and Josh are forced to wade through messy emotions and questions that have gone unanswered for years, which would be easier if not for the pesky feelings, every bit as strong and impossible to ignore as they ever were.
Will forgiveness win, giving Carly and Josh a second chance at love . . . or will the past prove too much to overcome?
A small town romance about first love second chances and how our most beautiful life might look nothing like we planned.
To save her family from financial ruin, Miss Poppy Garrison accepts an unusual proposition to participate in the New York social season in exchange for her grandmother settling a family loan that has unexpectedly come due. Ill-equipped to handle the intricacies of mingling within the New York Four Hundred, Poppy becomes embroiled in one hilarious fiasco after another, doomed to suffer a grand societal failure instead of being deemed the diamond of the first water her grandmother longs for her to become.
Reginald Blackburn, second son of a duke, has been forced to travel to America to help his cousin, Charles Wynn, Earl of Lonsdale, find an American heiress to wed in order to shore up his family estate that is in desperate need of funds. Reginald himself has no interest in finding an heiress to marry, but when Poppy’s grandmother asks him to give etiquette lessons to Poppy, he swiftly discovers he may be in for much more than he bargained for.
Britt Bradford and Zander Ford have been the best of friends since they met thirteen years ago. Unbeknown to Britt, Zander has been in love with her for just as long.
Independent and adventurous Britt channels her talent into creating chocolates at her hometown shop. Zander is a bestselling author who’s spent the past 18 months traveling the world. He’s achieved a great deal but still lacks the only thing that ever truly mattered to him–Britt’s heart.
When Zander’s uncle dies of mysterious causes, he returns to Merryweather, Washington, to investigate, and Britt is immediately there to help. Although this throws them into close proximity, both understand that an attempt at romance could jeopardize their once-in-a-lifetime friendship. But while Britt is determined to resist any change in their relationship, Zander finds it increasingly difficult to keep his feelings hidden.
As they work together to uncover his uncle’s tangled past, will the truth of what lies between them also, finally, come to light?
From the pages of history and accounts of those who endured the Battle of Franklin, Tamera Alexander weaves real-life love letters into a story of unlikely romance first kindled amid the shadows of the Civil War.
Elizabeth “Lizzie” Clouston’s quietly held principles oppose those of the Southern Cause–but when forty thousand soldiers converge on the fields of Franklin, Tennessee, the war demands an answer. The Carnton home where she is governess is converted into a Confederate field hospital, and Lizzie is called upon to assist the military doctor with surgeries that determine life or death. Faced with the unimaginable, she must summon fortitude, even as she fears for the life of Towny, her fiancé and lifelong friend.
As a young soldier lies dying in Lizzie’s arms, she vows to relay his final words to his mother, but knows little more than the boy’s first name. That same night, decorated Mississippi sharpshooter Captain Roland Ward Jones extracts a different promise from Lizzie: that she intervene should the surgeon decide to amputate his leg.
Lizzie is nothing if not a woman of her word, earning the soldiers’ respect as she tends to the wounded within Carnton’s walls. None is more admiring than Captain Jones, who doesn’t realize she is pledged to another. But as Lizzie’s heart softens toward the Confederate captain, she discovers that his moral ground is at odds with her own. Now torn between love, principles, and promises made, she struggles to be true to her heart while standing for what she knows is right–no matter the cost.
From the pages of history and the personal accounts of those who endured the Battle of Franklin, Tamera Alexander weaves the real-life love letters between Captain Roland Ward Jones and Miss Elizabeth Clouston into a story of unlikely romance first kindled amid the shadows of war.
This historical novel is a standalone, though it can be read as part of Tamera Alexander’s series, the Carnton Novels. Prequel novella: Christmas at Carnton Book one: With This Pledge
In this sweet romance, the power of love and the miracle of faith promise hope and healing in the beautiful Victorian known affectionately as The Memory House.
When Beck Holiday lost her father in the North Tower on 9/11, she also lost her memories of him. Eighteen years later, she’s a tough New York City cop burdened with a damaging secret, suspended for misconduct, and struggling to get her life in order. Meanwhile a mysterious letter arrives informing her she’s inherited a house along Florida’s northern coast, and what she discovers there will change her life forever. Matters of the heart only become more complicated when she runs into handsome Bruno Endicott, a driven sports agent who fondly recalls the connection they shared as teenagers. But Beck doesn’t remember that either.
Decades earlier, widow Everleigh Applegate lives a steady, uneventful life with her widowed mother after a tornado ripped through Waco, Texas, and destroyed her new, young married life. When she runs into old high school friend Don Callahan, she begins to yearn for change. Yet no matter how much she longs to love again, she is hindered by a secret she can never share.https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2450260376
And I can’t leave out two great cozy mysteries.
Exotic pet-sitter Belinda Blake is nervous about her new job at the White Pine Wolf Preserve, but it turns out that the care and feeding of wild carnivores may be the least dangerous part of the gig . . .
Pet-sitter Belinda Blake is no stranger to dealing with wild animals, but she’s wary when the owner of the Greenwich, Connecticut, preserve asks her to help out with her “fluffy darlings.” Her caution seems justified on her very first day, when she discovers a tour guide—dead, bloodied, and surrounded by wolves in the enclosure.
Was it death by predator or something more sinister? The body count rises, but something’s not adding up. As she gets to know the rescued wolves and wolf-dog hybrids better, Belinda realizes that her human colleagues are not above suspicion. With help from her own “pack”—her pregnant sister, Red the chauffeur/bodyguard, and hunky farmer Jonas—Belinda is hot on the killer’s tail, but if she doesn’t find him soon, he’ll do more than muzzle her to keep the truth from escaping.
Can a couple of baristas chase down a car thief without spilling a drop of their favorite drink?
Plans for a Valentine’s Day grand opening of a small town coffee shop go awry when the first customer is killed. Evidence points toward the victim being mixed up in a car theft ring, but shop owners Tandy and Marissa have reason to believe he was framed. An assortment of suspects–from a pink-haired heir to Tandy’s charming ex–all seem to know a little too much about grand theft auto.
Without approval from either their boyfriends or the gum-chewing FBI agent in charge, the shop owners go on stakeouts, plan stings, and pursue justice in a high-speed car chase. If they don’t find the killer soon, it might be more than their love lives in trouble.Can a couple of baristas chase down a car thief without spilling a drop of their favorite drink?
Plans for a Valentine’s Day grand opening of a small town coffee shop go awry when the first customer is killed. Evidence points toward the victim being mixed up in a car theft ring, but shop owners Tandy and Marissa have reason to believe he was framed. An assortment of suspects–from a pink-haired heir to Tandy’s charming ex–all seem to know a little too much about grand theft auto.
Without approval from either their boyfriends or the gum-chewing FBI agent in charge, the shop owners go on stakeouts, plan stings, and pursue justice in a high-speed car chase. If they don’t find the killer soon, it might be more than their love lives in trouble.
Can a couple of baristas chase down a car thief without spilling a drop of their favorite drink?
Plans for a Valentine’s Day grand opening of a small town coffee shop go awry when the first customer is killed. Evidence points toward the victim being mixed up in a car theft ring, but shop owners Tandy and Marissa have reason to believe he was framed. An assortment of suspects–from a pink-haired heir to Tandy’s charming ex–all seem to know a little too much about grand theft auto.
Without approval from either their boyfriends or the gum-chewing FBI agent in charge, the shop owners go on stakeouts, plan stings, and pursue justice in a high-speed car chase. If they don’t find the killer soon, it might be more than their love lives in trouble. Can a couple of baristas chase down a car thief without spilling a drop of their favorite drink?
Plans for a Valentine’s Day grand opening of a small town coffee shop go awry when the first customer is killed. Evidence points toward the victim being mixed up in a car theft ring, but shop owners Tandy and Marissa have reason to believe he was framed. An assortment of suspects–from a pink-haired heir to Tandy’s charming ex–all seem to know a little too much about grand theft auto.
Without approval from either their boyfriends or the gum-chewing FBI agent in charge, the shop owners go on stakeouts, plan stings, and pursue justice in a high-speed car chase. If they don’t find the killer soon, it might be more than their love lives in trouble. Can a couple of baristas chase down a car thief without spilling a drop of their favorite drink?
Plans for a Valentine’s Day grand opening of a small town coffee shop go awry when the first customer is killed. Evidence points toward the victim being mixed up in a car theft ring, but shop owners Tandy and Marissa have reason to believe he was framed. An assortment of suspects–from a pink-haired heir to Tandy’s charming ex–all seem to know a little too much about grand theft auto.
Without approval from either their boyfriends or the gum-chewing FBI agent in charge, the shop owners go on stakeouts, plan stings, and pursue justice in a high-speed car chase. If they don’t find the killer soon, it might be more than their love lives in trouble.
Small-town realtor Hannah Thornton has many talents–unfortunately, selling houses isn’t one of them. When a developer sets his sights on the historic homes in Heritage, Hannah turns to her best friend Luke for help. Will Luke risk his future and confront his past to help her succeed?
So there you have it. My Top 15 Reads in 2019, along with a few other categories. I highly recommend each one, so why not grab a few, or all, and enjoy them!
In Regency England an advantageous match could set up a lady for life. Julia knows Matthew Blake, copper mine owner and very eligible bachelor, is the gentleman she should set her eyes upon. But why can’t she steal her gaze away from his younger brother, Isaac? Cornwall, England, 1818 Julia Twethewey needs a diversion to mend her broken heart, so when her cousin invites her to Lanwyn Manor, Julia eagerly accepts. The manor is located at the heart of Cornwall’s mining industry, and as a guest Julia is swept into its intricate world. It’s not long, though, before she realizes something dark lurks within the home’s ancient halls. As a respected mine owner’s younger son, Isaac Blake is determined to keep his late father’s legacy alive through the family business, despite his brother’s careless attitude. In order to save their livelihood—and that of the people around them—the brothers approach the master of Lanwyn Manor with plans to bolster the floundering local industry. Isaac can’t deny his attraction to the man’s charming niece, but his brother has made clear his intentions to court the lovely visitor. And Isaac knows his place. When tragedy strikes, mysteries arise, and valuables go missing, Julia and Isaac find they are pulled together in a swirl of strange circumstances, but despite their best efforts to bow to social expectations, their hearts aren’t so keen to surrender.
About Sarah E. Ladd Sarah E. Ladd has always loved the Regency period — the clothes, the music, the literature and the art. A college trip to England and Scotland confirmed her interest in the time period and gave her idea of what life would’ve looked like in era. It wasn’t until 2010 that Ladd began writing seriously. Shortly after, Ladd released the first book in the Whispers on the Moors series. Book one of the series, The Heiress of Winterwood, was the recipient of the 2011 ACFW Genesis Award for historical romance.
My Rating: 4 Stars!
‘Sarah E. Ladd brings us the second in her Cornwall Novels series with another good Regency, a genre she is quite good at doing.
Cornwall, England, 1818. Julia Twethewey has come to Lanwyn Manor for two reasons: to recover from a broken heart and to keep her friend company who is ill. The manor is in the heart of the mining industry and before long Julia is intricately involved in all around her. But she soon learns that there is something quite strange going on at Lanwyn Manor.
Isaac Blake is a respectable second son to a mine owner and he is determined to make a go of his late father’s mine. His twin brother’s carelessness regarding the mine is at odds with Isaac’s integrity in the business. And Isaac has developed an interest in Julia, even though Matthew wants to use her to get in her uncle’s good graces.
There are mysteries, intrigue and a great deal to like about this book. A good Regency is a favorite of mine and Sarah Ladd has been a favorite since I read her very first book. I can’t imagine not reading her well done novels. She once again proves herself quite adept at the genre. Highly recommended.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson Publishers through Net Galley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
A remote Colorado mountain town and a fake identity have been Ashley Willis’s safe haven since fleeing after she witnessed a murder—but now the killer has found her trail. Desperate and terrified, she’s prepared to run again…but Deputy Sheriff Chase Fredrick won’t let her. With the lawman by her side, can she face danger head-on…and live long enough to bring a murderer to justice?
About Terri Reed Award winning, multi-published author Terri Reed found solace from a chaotic childhood in the pages of books that took her far away to different realms and realities. When she discovered Christian fiction, she also discovered her own story telling voice. Now she writes books of heart-warming romance and heart-pounding suspense infused with faith. Her romance and romantic suspense novels have appeared on Publisher’s Weekly top ten and Nielsen BookScan top hundred lists, and have been featured in USA Today. She’s a member of the Honor Roll of Romance Writers of America. Her books have finaled in Romance Writers of America RITA contest, National Readers’ Choice Award, Inspirational Reader’s Choice Award, and the American Christian Fiction Writers Carol Award. One of her romance novels was adapted into a Hallmark movie for Christmas 2019. Terri resides in the Pacific Northwest with her college-sweetheart husband. When not writing, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends and running the agility course with her Australian shepherd. You can write to Terri at P.O. Box 19555 Portland, OR 97280 or visit her online at http://www.terrireed.com or email her at terrireed@sterling.net
My Rating: 3 Stars! A witness to a murder has gone into hiding, but is found and now must run for her life. A small town deputy wants to help her. Together they must stay ahead of those wanting her dead and her mouth closed. Terri Reed is a new to me author, but I enjoy suspense, so I decided to try her writing out. Don’t miss this chance to get your heart racing as this book plays out.
*My thanks to the publisher for a complimentary copy of this book via Net Galley. The opinion here is entirely my own.
Responsibility—that one word sums up Wade Spencer’s existence since his father’s death. Thrust into the role of head of the family, he’s keeping the farm running and his younger siblings in line. When a life-threatening illness attacks his momma, he readily steps in to support her. Sure would be nice to have someone by his side to help carry the load, but all that responsibility hasn’t left much time for dating. Or maybe it’s just his reserved nature holding him back.
Dani Connor had gotten everything she ever dreamed of as a child. Married her high school sweetheart, had a sweet little girl she could shower with all the love she’d been denied by her own parents, and built a life far away from the farm. When those dreams come crashing down, she realizes that back at home on the farm is where she should have stayed.
It doesn’t take long after Dani’s return to Shiloh for Wade to realize she’s the one God has in mind, but Dani will have to get over past hurts and take another chance if she wants Wade to be part of her new dreams.
About Andrea Boyd Each of Andrea Boyd’s series represents a different genre but all fall into the category of romance. All offer an element of her own brand of humor. And all are a tribute to God. Besides writing, she loves spending time with her family, quilting, going to car shows, and driving around in her 1968 Barracuda convertible. Andrea lives with her husband, Tommy, and at least a couple of cats in York County, SC. You can visit her website @ http://www.andreaboyd11.com
I am so delighted to welcome author Andrea Boyd to my blog today! Andrea lives less than 15 miles from me and I’ve met her several times. She is a wonderful person, completely real and totally loves the Lord. Andrea has graciously agreed to give away an e-copy of Waiting For You to one of you, too! Stay tuned at the ending of the blog post for how to get your name in the hat to win a copy of this amazing story.
1. Hello, Andrea! Can you tell us what inspired you to start writing? I had no idea I would be a writer until God called me to it.
2. How do your books take shape? An idea pops and then scenes start playing out in my head. I write the scenes down and start getting to know my characters but most of it comes once I start writing. I’m what is called a ‘pantster’, in the writing community- as in ‘by the seat of my pants.’
3. Do you leave a little part of yourself in your books? Yes, I do. None of my stories are about me, but I can totally relate to what my characters are going through.
4. What was the inspiration for this book? Waiting For You was a spin-off of Mistletoe Kiss. I loved the Spencer family so much, I decided to write a series. Wade Spencer is the eldest of the siblings.
5. What one thing, if any, has impacted how you write? I do research to improve my writing and I have critique partners who influence some of it, but ultimately, I write what God gives me.
6. Does prayer play a big part in your writing? Yes, it does. A lot. I pray before starting a story, before I write each day, and before I publish. And all points in between, too.
7. What do you hope readers take away from this story? I want them to think about who God is to them. Dani. (the main female character) makes a list. I hope this inspires readers to come up with a list of their own and maybe work on increasing that connection.
My Rating: 5 stars!
‘That smothery feeling caused by family responsibility labored his every breath. He never asked to be his family’s support.’
Andrea Boyd takes her readers back to the Spencer family she first introduced us to in Mistletoe Kiss. I’m glad she did for they are a wonderful, salt of the earth family. Wade Spencer has always been the responsible one, the one who stepped up and took care of the family after his dad’s early death. Now, his mother’s been diagnosed with cancer and he steps up. Again. Will he ever have time for his own life? But he does responsibility gladly.
Dani Conner married the high school sweetheart she thought she’d love forever; funny thing life sometimes just doesn’t work out the way we hoped it would. Now she’s back in town with a precious 4 year old daughter, come to live on the farm she grew up on and being raised by her grandparents. She should never have left.
I was hooked from the first page and finished this book in less than a day. Andrea Boyd has set her book right here in South Carolina, my home state, and has created a cast of characters that just get all up inside your heart. And that Wade Spencer? Who wouldn’t want a hero like that to fall in love with? Swoon. Seriously. I shed more than one tear reading this book. Boyd knows how to delve into your heart well indeed. I was completely captivated by the depth of feeling in this novel. I highly recommend it. Boyd is very talented at the lovely southern based novel.
*My thanks to the author and publisher for a preview copy of this book. The opinion stated here is entirely my own.
So, who wants too win a copy of this awesome book? And don’t you just love that cover? That’s what drew me in first of all. It’s truly a wonderful book and my thanks to Andrea Boyd for giving a copy away. It’s a digital copy. And the rules are as follows and you must complete each one.
1. Comment on this blog post. 2. Leave your full name. 3. Leave your email in a non spam formula, for example: susan (at) yahoo (dot) com
The contest ends on December 31st. The winner will be notified via email. If no response in 24 hours, another winner will be picked. Good luck to you all!
True Colors: Historical Stories of American Crime Fiction Based on Strange, But True, History
Will Edyth prove her sanity before it is too late?
On Blackwell’s Island, New York, a hospital was built to keep its patients from ever leaving.
With her late parents’ fortune under her uncle’s care until her twenty-fifth birthday in the year 1887, Edyth Foster does not feel pressured to marry or to bow to society’s demands. She freely indulges in eccentric hobbies like fencing and riding her velocipede in her cycling costume about the city for all to see. Finding a loophole in the will, though, her uncle whisks Edyth off to the women’s lunatic asylum just weeks before her birthday. And Edyth fears she will never be found.
At the asylum she meets another inmate, who upon discovering Edyth’s plight, confesses that she is Nellie Bly, an undercover journalist for The World. Will either woman find a way to leave the terrifying island and reclaim her true self?
About Grace Hitchcock
Grace Hitchcock is the author of The White City and The Gray Chamber from Barbour Publishing. She has written multiple novellas in The Second Chance Brides, The Southern Belle Brides, and the Thimbles and Threads collections with Barbour Publishing. She holds a Masters in Creative Writing and a Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in History. Grace lives in southern Louisiana with her husband, Dakota, and son. Visit Grace online at GraceHitchcock.com
My Rating: 4 Stars!
‘This place has stripped away the layers of thick skin, and I am raw, for I have had no one and nothing to lean on here but the Lord.’
1887. Edythe Foster, wealthy heiress, but under her uncle’s care until she turns 25 (which is just months away), is a bit of a madcap, riding a velocipede and fencing, when her uncle finds a strange loophole in her father’s will and commits her to a lunatic asylum just a few weeks before her birthday. No one else knows what he did and think her merely visiting in another state. Edythe is certain she will die in this hell hole. Then she meets another inmate, the reporter Nellie Bly, who has had herself committed to Blackwell Island to do a article for the newspaper she works for. Will they find a way off this island and this horrific asylum before they truly do go mad?
I was fascinated by this book and did a bit of research on my own. This True Colors crime series is fictionalized accounts of true American crimes. I was horrified by the research I did! Blackwell’s Island was a menace to women in this era: tortured, starved, beaten regularly. This is not a long read and it’s compelling. Grace Hitchcock has done a wonderful job of bringing the horrors of this asylum to life. Recommended.
‘I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.’
I am giving away a print copy of this book. To enter to win:
1. Leave your FULL name, along with your email in a non spammy formula, example: susan (at) yahoo (dot) come.
2. Contest runs ends December 30, 2019 and is open to the 48 contiguous states due to shipping costs.
Simply Susan 