Oath of Honor by Lynette Eason

I think I am really going to enjoy Lynette Eason's new Blue Justice series. Wow! I knew this book would be a good one when I requested it and and was not wrong. I think I will even enjoy it more than the last series since this series is focused just on one family, the St. Johns. The first one is Izzie, one of six siblings most of who are in some kind of police service. Her mother is the chief of police and her father is a lawyer. I'm not giving anything away. This is on the back of the book. Anyway her partner, Kevin Marshall is killed at a warehouse. Izzie teams up with Kevin's brother Ryan to find who the killer is. Izze has been friends with Kevin's family since they are kids. This book kept me engaged. Very thrilling with lots of twists. Just when you think everyone is safe you find out differently! I can't wait until the next book. Thanks to LibraryThing and the Revell company for providing me a copy of this book to read and review. If you are a lover of suspense you don't want to miss this book. Oath of Honor will be released on January 2, 2018 with the sequel coming out in the summer 2018.

The View from Rainshadow Bay by Colleen Coble

The View from Rainshadow Bay is the first book in the Lavender Fields series. You can count on a Colleen Coble romantic suspense novel to grab you from the get go and this one did not disappoint. In the first few chapters there are several murders. I had to keep turning the pages to see who was responsible.

Shauna McDade is a widow raising a five-year old son. She blames Nate Bannister for the death of her husband but she must learn to trust Nate in order to keep her and her precious son safe. Someone has already murdered a few people in their community and she could very well be the next target.

This book kept me guessing. I think I may have read every single novel that Collen Coble has written and I have been able to figure out who the villain was in many of her books but this one had me stumped. I never did figure out who it was until the characters figured it out. Maybe I re-read this book and see if I missed any clues!  There is a mystery that was not resolved in this book and I suspect it will be resolved in a sequel. I look forward to reading the rest of the books in this series.

Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson for providing me a digital copy of this book to read and review. The View from Rainshadow Bay is due to be released on January 23, 2018.

Troubled Waters by Susan May Warren

Troubled Waters is book four in the Montana Rescue series. I have been looking forward to Ian and Sierra Rose's story since they were first introduced in the prequel. They definitely have chemistry and they definitely love each other but circumstances have kept them apart. Ian could never get over the fact that Sierra was not truthful with him concerning the disappearance of his niece. The disappearance of his niece has been a mystery since the prequel and we finally get some answers in this book. Even though the mystery of Esme is solved there are other mysteries evolving in this book such as the mysterious Brett which will be covered in a future book. Like all the other books this one has some action. While the other books had events dealing with the weather such as floods and snow this one deals with a shipwreck and Sierra and Ian on a desolate shore. The problem is that Sierra is still holding secrets from Ian. Will he be able to forgive her for still keeping secrets? 

Another thing I loved about the book besides the chemistry between Ian and Sierra is the developing relationship between Jess and Pete. I look forward to a future book with them. I also loved the cover of this book. The covers of her books just keep getting better with the good looking men on the cover.

I received an advance copy of this story from the author and publisher. The opinions stated above are entirely my own. Troubled Waters will be released on January 2, 2018.

The Man He Never Was by James L. Rubart

Torren Daniels goes missing for 9 months. He has no memory of where he was for that time in his life.  He has always dealt with anger issues and feels he has changed. His wife does not believe he has changed. He Has promised to change so too many times and it never did take. She has taken too much of his verbal abuse.  We quickly learn how he got the way he is. It steams from childhood abuse from his alcoholic abusive father who did not but belittle him.

This book kept me engrossed. I kept wondering if he could overcome the demons from his childhood. I kept reading to find out if he would win back the love of his wife. He slowly won the trust of his kids but his wife was another matter. He still had major changes he needed to do in his life. 

This book is not fluffy. It deals with real life issues that many families face. 

I highly recommend this book. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read a copy of this book. This book is due to be released on  February 20, 2018.

Almost Gone:Twenty Five Days and One Chance to Save Our Daughter by John Baldwin and McKenzie Baldwin

Almost Gone is the story of Mackenzie Baldwin and how she almost abandoned her Christian upbringing and married a smooth talking convincing Muslin man. Thankfully her parents found out in time and were able to bring her back to the faith. It was not easy since she was so thoroughly convinced that the Muslin faith was the correct faith. This Christian family came close to losing their precious daughter to a false religion.

This book should serve as a warning to all Christian parents to pray without ceasing for the soul of the children entrusted to them by God.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me a copy of this book to read and review.

Who the Bishop Knows by Vannetta Chapman

The final book in the Amish Bishop Mysteries "Who the Bishop Knows" is my favorite in the series. All the books were good but this one held my attention more than the first two. I stayed up way too late in order to finish it. 

This book started off with someone getting murdered. The murderer knows that Henry has these drawing skills and is threatened by Henry's ability even though Henry really did not see anything that could be beneficial to the investigation.

This book involved the youngies (Amish youth) getting involved in the investigation. I had no idea who the murderer was until it was revealed. I had a tiny inkling when Bishop Henry and Emma revealed their suspicions but was not sure.

I am sorry to see this series end but am pretty sure the author has another excellent series in the works. 

Who the Bishop Knows by Harvest House is due to be released on March 6, 2018. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a digital copy of this book to read and review.

Blue Ridge Sunrise by Denise Hunter

Blue Ridge Sunrise is the first book in Denise Hunter's Blue Ridge series. In this book we get introduced to Zoe and Cruz and their friends and family. This book focuses on Zoe and Cruz. Zoe was madly and love with Cruz as a teenager five years earlier. She left abruptly from their town breaking Cruz's heart. She only returned to the town because her beloved grandmother had died, leaving Zoe her orchard. In the time that Zoe had been gone she now has a young child and a controlling boyfriend. She decides to stay there and manage the farm much to chagrin of her boyfriend.
There are some rocky roads ahead as secrets are reveal.

I was pleasantly surprised to this book has a bit of suspense in it being that suspense is my favorite genre. Someone does not want Zoe to succeed in the orchard business but who could it be? I was pleased at how the book ended.

There were some clues in the book as to who the next hero and heroine will be. I'm thinking it could be her brother Brad and her best friend Hope. It will be next year before the book is released and I can't wait. Blue Ridge Sunrise is due to be released on November 7, 2017. Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson Company for providing me a digital copy of this book to read and review.

More Than Making It by Erin Odom

I have been following Erin Odom's blog the Humbled Homemaker on for a couple of years. She really is humble. I would love to know her in real life. I was thrilled to be able to read the ARC copy of her new book, More Thank Making It. She shares the struggles financially she and her husband had as a young couple. By writing this book she outlines what they did wrong. Buying a house at the wrong time was one thing but she shared other things too. She shares so other people won't make the same mistakes she and her husband made. She always shares some money saving tips that I already knew but I think it would be beneficial for younger people who don't know this stuff yet. She admits to being on financial assistance and was embarrassed by it. She felt she was judged by people. This got me to thinking about my attitude when I see someone pull out food stamps. I'll try not to be so judgemental of people in the future. 

I loved reading how she and her husband were able to finally get off the government assistance by hard work. I'm happy for her that her blog has been successful and has been instrumental in them getting off government assistance.

Blind Spot by Dani Pettrey

Third in the Chesapeake Valor series, Blind Spot has two story lines going on. One is a murder at a retreat center. One person is found dead and two are missing and presumed dead. I pretty much was able to figure out who the murderer was in this story line although I did not know the reason.

In this book we are introduced to a new character who is described as a blend of Jack Reacher and Jason Bourne. He will play a pivotal part in this book.

The other story line involved terrorist which is a continuing story line from the previous books. Decker Grey and Tanner are heavily involved in this story. They were introduced in the previous books but we get to know them better in this one. Sometimes this story line was confusing due to the different characters but the story kept me engaged. Decker and Tanner's lives were in danger several times and I kept wondering how they would escape with their lives intact. Some situations were very intense and they escaped with the skin of their teeth. Just when you thought you could breath with one terrorist problem solved another one crept up but you were left with a clifthanger that will not be solved until the next book. I can't wait. 

Blind Spot's release date is October 3. Thanks to Netgalley and Bethany House for providing me a digital copy of this book to read and review.

Vanishing Point by Lisa Harris
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Vanishing Point is book 4 in the Nikki Boyd Files series but she is a secondary character is this book. She does not even appear until after the first 200 pages and not very often then. The main characters are FBI Jordan Lambert and Detective Garrett Addison and their main focus is to find the serial killer who identifies himself as the Angel Abductor and is responsible for the murder of several teen girls. The evidence points that he is responsible for the disappearance of Nikki Boyd's sister Sarah but unlike the other girls Sarah's body has never been found. Jordan and Garrett have a history together but they never came get together. Careers and distances keep them apart too many years. They must work together to solve the mystery of the serial killer before he strikes again. There were some twists that I did not see coming.

We find out what happened to Nikki's sister in this book. Is she found alive or did she suffer the fate of the girls who were murdered? You will have to read this keep you up all night book to find out. This could possibly be the last book in the series since several things were wrapped up in addition to the mystery of what happened to Sarah Boyd. I have enjoyed this series and hope that the author writes more romantic suspense books sooner than later.

Vanishing Point is due to be released on November 7, 2017. Thanks to Baker Publishing and the Early Reviewer program at LibraryThing for providing me an ARC to read and review.


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Assaulted Caramel by Amanda Flower
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Bailey King gets a call from her Amish grandmother that her grandfather is seriously ill. Bailey at the time is living and working in New York City as a chocolatier. She is up for the position as a head chocolatier but goes to Ohio anyway to see to her grandfather who she got her love of chocolates from. Her grandparents own and operate a candy shop in Ohio. While she is there a businessman who is trying to buy up all the Amish businesses on the block where her grandparents operate is murdered inside their candy shop. He is stabbed with a candy knife. Her grandparents had been the last holdout into this shady man's dealing. They refused to sell out. The Amish shops on both sides of the candy shop at sold out. Bailey tries to investigate but there is tight lips among the Amish community. What are they hiding and who are they trying to protect? I did not know who the killer was until it was revealed to the main character and I was shocked. I love a story where I am not able to guess who the murderer was.

There were moments in this book that kept me laughing such as the pet pig who has free reign inside a church. Also Bailey's best friend Cass who came down from New York to fetch her was a hoot. You never knew what was going to come out of her mouth.

Assaulted Caramel is the first in the Amish Candy Shop mysteries. I look forward to reading Lethal Licorice which is will be released in the Spring of 2018.



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In This Moment by Karen Kingsbury

In This Moment is part of the Baxter Family series. There are like 25 or 26 Baxter books before this but whose counting. You don't have to read all the previous books about the Baxter family to know what is going on. The author takes several pages in the beginning to give you a brief history of the Baxters and who is married to who. This book was not really about the Baxters although some of the Baxters were in it. The author's favorite Baxter Ashley was in it as she makes an appearance in all Baxter books but the main Baxter was Luke, the youngest of the five Baxter siblings. Luke is a lawyer who formerly was an entertainment lawyer. He is not a lawyer working for as a religious rights lawyer. He defends religious freedoms in schools and other public places. His fees are paid by donations people make to the organization where he is employed.

Enter Wendell Quinn, a high school principal who loves and is concerned about the students at his high school. Violence, failing grades and broken children prevail at his school. He is a godly man who is raising godly children alone. He wife had died a few years earlier. He has the full support of his family to start an after school Christian group for the kids in his school.

Be sure to have your hankerchiefs on hand. There are moments of heartache in this story that will bring tears in your eyes. There are moments of joy also such as a troubled girl coming to the faith. I loved seeing how she grew in her faith despite the turmoil she experienced in her home life. There is moments of danger in this book as one of the people principal Wendell is close to is being stalked.
Be on the lookout for a character from the Angels Walking series to make a cameo appearance.

I liked this book but the book would have been better without so much Baxters in it. I thought too many Baxters took away a little bit from this excellent story. It would have been enough with Luke Baxter in it. That is just my opinion. Some people just can't get enough of the Baxters. Also this book tended to get a little preachy if you know what I mean. I am not bothered by it since I am a devout Christian but some people who do not share my faith may be bothered by the frequency of it.

This book was an enjoyable read for me and I stayed up way too late to finish it. Thanks to Netgalley and Howard Books for providing me a digital copy of this book to read and review. In this Moment will be released on November 7, 2017.

The Engagement Plot by Krista Phillips

Those of you who enjoy tv programs such as the Bachelor and the Bachelorette will enjoy this story. In this story the program is called "The Price of Love". I'm not really a fan of programs where you watch people being slutty but when I read what this story was about I decided it would be an interesting read. Hanna is not your typical sexpot gal who goes on these shows. She is a devout Christian who wants to save herself for marriage. She is not one of these gals who is going to go into the fantasy suite and let the bachelor have his way with her knowing that he could possibly chose somebody else to marry. Because of the standards she has set she gets the nickname Holy Hanna. In the end the bachelor in this story choses her but that is just the beginning of the story. Really the beginning of the story is that they are already broken up because some off color remark that lead millions of people to believe that he and Hanna did the deed. Her reputation was ruined. She lost her job and her reputation was the fodder for tabloids. I loved it that she was concerned what this did to her Christian witness. I was really irritated with William, the hero of this story for destroying her like this. It was going to have to take a lot for me to start to like this character but in the end her won me over when I realized that he truly did love her. 

This book had its funny moments. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review a digital copy of this book. This book is due to be released on November 1, 2017.

Home of Her Heart by Shanna Hatfield

Home of Her Heart is second in the Hearts of the War series. I have not had the privilege of reading the first in the series but I plan on doing so. If you are familiar with the Pendleton Petticoat series of books this takes place in the same town but like 40 or more years later during World War II. Some of the same characters from that series make an appearance in this series. I think it is neat that you get to catch up with what they have done with their lives.

This is the story of Klayne Campbell and Delaney Danvers. They have an almost instant connection and fall quickly in love after only knowing each other a short time. They meet on New Years Eve and around the beginning of February they marry. Klayne wanted to marry so he could declare her as his beneficiary. I don't think he counted in falling madly in love with her so he did everything in his power to stay alive. 

This was an enjoyable read. Keep your hankerchiefs handy. There are some sad moments in the book. You will laugh and you will cry. There are moments of heartache and of joy.

I am looking forward to reading more in this series. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me a digital copy of this book to read and review.

Justice Buried by Patricia Bradley

I have only recently started reading Patricia Bradley books and was hooked on her romantic suspense. I then sought out every book she has written starting out with reading all in the Logan Port series. A couple of weeks ago I finished book one in the Memphis Cold Case series. I was excited to see that Book 2, Justice Buried would soon be released and jumped on the opportunity to be an early reviewer. This book like all her previous books kept me up late at night wanting to finish the book. 

This book has some of the same characters as in the first book but this book could be read as a stand alone. If you read this book before you read the first book you would not be spoiled too much. There is nothing given away in this book that would take away the enjoyment of you reading this first book. Where the first book focused on Andi Holister this one adds a new character Kelsey Allen and Brad Hollister, Andi's brother is the leading man in this one.

Kelsey Allen is not afraid of heights. She repels up and down buildings testing their security. She also has a background in museum conservatory which comes in handy when she is hired by the Pink Palace Museum to test their security. As in any good romantic suspense novel there is a murder at the beginning of the book. There are many potential suspects and I had no clue until it was revealed to the heroine which was 90 percent into the book. I like a book that keeps me guessing and this one did the job. For me the story started off slow for me but it gained momentum the more I read.

I highly recommend this book if you like romantic suspense. Thanks to Netgalley and Revell Company for allowing me to read and review this book. Justice Buried is due to be released on September 5, 2017.

Hand Made: The Modern Woman's Guide to Made-from-Scratch Living by Melissa K. Norris

Hand Made is not just a book of recipes although it does have plenty of them. Melissa shares memories from her childhood. She gives tips on simplifying your life, cooking from scratch, soap making, herbal solutions, money saving tips, tips on making the holidays special and much more. Although she did not grow up during the depression she had loved ones who passed on their stories and tips to her. 

I had read her previous book The Made-from-Scratch Life and enjoyed it so I knew this book would be just as enjoyable. I follow her blog and listen to her podcast regularly. 

Thanks to Netgalley and Harvest House Publishers for allowing me to read and review a digital copy of this book. This book is due to be released on October 1, 2017 just in time to order and give as a Christmas gift to that special lady in your life.

I Know a Secret by Tess Gerritsen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I know when I decide to read a Tess Gerritsen book I won't be able to put it down and this one did not disappoint. This book kept me in suspense from the get go. As usual there is a murder, a gruesome one at that and not the only one. I thought I had it figured it halfway through the book but I was wrong. I then picked out another person I thought was it and was again proven wrong. Who it turned out to be took me totally by surprise.

In this book we saw the return of a couple of people from Maura's past who proved to be crucial in the solving of this crime. I can't wait until the next Rizzoli & Isles book is released. By the way the book series is totally different and way better than the TV series!


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All of You by Sarah Monzon

All of You is book 2 in the Carrington Family series. Like the first book it involves a dual timeline which are 1944 and the present. The heroine in the modern timeline is Jack aka Jackie but don't call her Jacqueline. The heroine in the 1944 timeline is Alice. Both of these women are involved in jobs that are typically held by men. Jack is a restorer of vintage airplanes and Alice flies airplanes.

We met Trent Carrington in the first book and in this book we meet his brother Michael. Michael was in the military and recovering from a loss of two of his limbs. Jack has a problem with a former boyfriend stalking her so her brother who was in the military with Michael ask Michael to watch over her. This says a lot about Michael's character that even though he is disabled Jack's brother thinks he is fully capable of watching over Jack.

I liked both storylines but the modern one is the storyline that stood out for me. I loved the development of the romance between Michael and Jack. Jack accepts and loves him as he is but Michael feels he is not good enough because he doesn't have all his limbs. This is the way our Lord sees us. Of course we are not perfect. None of us are whole but he loves us just the same. We need to accept the love that he is willing to give to us freely

I was pleased with the ending. You will not regret reading this book. I look forward to future books in the Carrington Family series.

My Daughter's Legacy by Mindy Starns Clark and Leslie Gould

This is the third and final book in the Cousins of the Dove series. Like the previous books in the series this one involves a dual timeline. There is Nicole Talbot who lives in the modern timeline. Nicole was the one who was suffering from drug addiction mainly as a result of what she witnessed as a child. Her sister and cousins were witnesses to the same thing but it affected her more deeply. She started her recovery in the second book and in this book she is on solid ground and trying to make something of her life. 

The historical timeline involves Therese Jennings in Virginia in 1864, in the American Civil War period. Therese is very passionate against slavery and thinks Michael Talbot betrayed her just because he joined the South in fighting the war. This story bothered me a little because slavery was not really the main thing why the South was fighting. It was for states rights and many other things. Slavery although an evil thing to do was only one of the reasons.

There was a little romance in this book but not a lot. The historical portion was more focused on events in Therese's life. She is involved with two Talbot men so you don't know until the end who she winds up with. Nicole also had a romance in the modern timeline but that was not all that developed although I was pleased with the end.

The mystery was finally solved in the modern timeline with some twists and turns.

Thanks to Harvest House Publishers for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book.

The Backyard Homestead Seasonal Planner: What to Do When to Do It in the Garden, Orchard, Barn, Pasture Equipment Shed by Ann Larkin Hansen

Book is ideal for the small time farmer or if you are wanting to get into homesteading. Ann Larkin Hansen has written a series of excellent  books dedicated to the backyard homesteader. Lots of useful tips. This one deals with planning according to the seasons.

To Wager Her Heart by Tamera Alexander

To Wager Her Heart is third in the Belle Meade Plantation series. With most series I like to read them in the order they were released but it is not necessary with this series. Each book can be read as a stand-alone novel. There is nothing in the book that would spoil it in case you wanted to read the earlier books in the series.

This book takes place in 1871. The Civil War has long ended but the scars remain. The heroine of the story Alexandra Jamison has suffered a great loss when her betrothed died in a train wreck at Dutchman's Bend where over 100 people lost their lives. The tragic train wreck that killed 101 people and injured many more actually occurred in 1918, some 47 years after the fictionalized account in this story. The heroine of the story acquires a position teaching at Fisk University against the wishes of her overbearing father. Her father was trying to force her into a loveless marriage and her mother went along with it. As a native Nashvillian I knew very little about the history of Fisk University and the Jubilee singers so I enjoyed reading about them in this story. The hero of the story was Sylas Rutledge. He was a wealthy railroad man who came to Tennessee to clear his father's name. His father may or may not have been responsible for the tragic train wreck. He meets Alexandra and slowly develops a friendship with her.

Being from the Nashville area I have enjoyed both Tamera's Belle Meade Plantation series and her Belmont series. I have always enjoyed historical novels and look forward to reading historical novels she writes in future.

Thanks to Netgalley and Zondervan for providing me a digital copy of this book to read and review. To Wager Her Heart will be released on August 8, 2017.

Statistically Improbable by Jennifer Peel
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I liked this book even more than the first one in the series. All the characters from the first book are back. Like the first book in the series this one had me laughing. I loved Zander and Meg together. It took him long enough to get over some of his hangups. Zander was so a womanizer. Only sweet Meg could make him change his ways. His family background was a little sad. We met his less than conventional booze drinking mama in the first book who saw no need of wearing foundation garments for her well endowed figure. She's back and she still does not care to wear a bra. Zander loved his parents but was a little embarrassed by their behavior.

Loved seeing the Nanettes again. They kept me laughing. And I absolutely loved Kenadie's mother who was like a second mother to Meg. I hope we see her and her friends again in the next book in the series. Read this book. You won't regret it.


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His Personal Relationship Manager by Jennifer Peel
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a delightful romance. It had me laughing all through the book. Her co-worker and best friend since Xander had me laughing at some of his inappropriate comments and also the Nannettes, her mother and her mother's two best friends.

I have read several of Jennifer Peel's book and I have noticed that the male character usually has a moment when you just want to slap him because he is a jerk. These moments do not last long and you grow to love the character because of his devotion to the female in the story. Not so with this story. Jason was a sweetheart of a guy from the get-go. Everyone could tell he was sweet on Kenadie. Even her mother and the Nanettes noticed but she was oblivious to it all.

I highly recommend this entertaining story if you want something to read that will make you smile and laugh out loud.


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When the Bishop Needs an Alibi by Vannetta Chapman

When the Bishop Needs an Alibi is a cozy mystery. I enjoyed revisiting with the people we met in the first back. I loved the Bishop. He not only cared and loved the people in his flock but showed concerned and sympathy for those outside the Amish faith. Like in the previous book he uses his skills at drawing from his subconscious mind to solved a mystery. This mystery involves a woman he befriended and was murdered and he is the main suspect. All his family and friends and even some of his non Amish friends know he is innocent but how does he prove it? This book kept me turning the pages to see who did it. If you are looking for a book heavy on romance this book is not it. There is a developing friendship with an Amish widow woman close to his age that is turning into a sweet romance but no public display of affection in this book.

This book kept me engaged and I look forward to the next in the series which will be released in the Spring of 2018. Thanks to netgalley and Harvest House publishers for providing me a digital book to read and review. When the Bishop Needs an Alibi is due to be released on September 1, 2017.

Always by Jenn Faulk
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Always by Jenn Faulk is a little different than most of her writings. The romance is still there but this novel is a little darker and deals with subjects you don't find often in Christian romance novels. This would be a good novel for the girl in her late teens to read before heading off to college. Maybe she can afford some of the heartache that the heroine went through.


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Crushed by Jenn Faulk
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sweet romance. I just love Jenn Faulk books and I just had to read the last one on one of the Lucas brothers. I've read them all now and all were good. I can't say which one is my favorite. This one had some humor thrown in.

Hayley had low self esteem. She always felt like she was ugly and fat and it didn't help that her so called current best "friend" Amber reinforced those negative feelings. I would have dumped Amber as a friend a long time ago had I been Hayley. Who needs that kind of negativity in your life? Issac Lucas was so sweet. He always saw the beauty in her inside and outside. He lifted her up where her so called friend tried to tear her down. So happy that Hayley had her happily ever after ending with Issac.


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Christmas at Carnton by Tamera Alexander

Christmas at Carnton is a prequel to Tamera Alexander's Carnton series which will start being released in 2018. I love her series of historical books set in middle Tennessee which is where I was born and raised. I've been to several historical sites in Tennessee but Carnton is not one of them. After reading this prequel I have decided this is one of the sites I would like to visit.

In this book Aleta is a fresh widow with a young son and a baby on the way. You feel her heartbreak as she is about to lose her home. You really do feel the heartbreak when other women in the story get the heartbreaking news that their husbands perished in this terrible war. I loved the character of Jake. Only thing that bothered me in this book was that the romance was a little too soon after getting the news that her husband was killed. 

I am grateful that the author stuck to the historical facts and did not try to be politically correct as some authors try to do these days when writing books. 

I'm looking forward to reading more books in this series. Christmas at Carnton will be released on October 3, 2017. Thanks to Netgalley and the Thomas Nelson Company for providing me a digital copy of this book to read and review

Love Held Captive by Shelley Shepard Gray

Love Held Captive is the third the Lone Star Hero's Love Story series. This one is a little more intense than the other three and deals with topics not frequently addressed by Christian romance writers. Because of the issues addressed this might not be a good read for the younger reader. It deals with such heavy subjects like abuse, hunger during wartime, rape, and women doing degrading stuff just to be able to keep from starving. The author was able to write this novel and at the same time kept it clean.

This book actually covered two love stories and one book but the author was able to pull it off smoothly without the reader getting confused. This story focused on the last two brotherhood of men, Ethan Kelly and Devin Monroe. Ethan was interested in Lizbeth, a woman scarred during the war and Devin was interested in Julianne VanFleet, a beautiful woman with a checkered past.
Ethan and Devin must call on the rest of the brotherhood of men to help take down a man who means harm to the women they love.

Thanks to Netgalley and Zondervan Fiction for providing me a digital copy of this book to read and review. Love Held Captive will be released on October 1, 2017.

His Guilt by Shelley Shepard Gray
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

His Guilt which was book 2 in The Amish of Hart County was even better than the first book. Even though it is part of a series it can very easily be read as a stand alone book. I loved the characters of Mark and Vaneta and how they grew in this series. And I loved all the secondary characters in this book such as Henry, Vanetta and Mark's boss who gave Mark a job when nobody else in that community still looked at Mark with distrust. Love the loving support of Vaneta's parents. At first like others in the community they looked at Mark with distrust but decided to trust him after listening to a sermon by their preacher.

There is a mystery backstory. Women are being attacked in the community and all eyes point to Mark. Vaneta and Henry believe in his innocence but does anybody else? There was a possibility of two different people who could have been the attacker and I was happy at the one it turned out to be. I'm looking forward to reading more books in this series.


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Rachel Laine by Jennifer Peel
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I have enjoyed all the books in The Women of Merryton series but I think this one has to be my favorite so far. Andrew and Rachel had great chemistry. He was a superstar athlete but she wasn't in awe of him like most women. I love the banter back and forth between them. I loved the way Andrew was a good father to his son that he just recently learned about. I adored his mother. She was just the sweetest thing, elegant but not snobby one bit. I got frustrated at Andrew for putting his political career ahead of his son and the potential relationship with Rachel.


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Light of Dawn by Vannetta Chapman

Light of Dawn is book 3 and the  final book in The Remnant series. Each of the books in this series has kept me up late reading. The trials the group suffered from the beginning continued with this book. This book as in the others in the series causes one to think what you would do if the power grid went out. Could you trust your neighbors enough to band together for the good? Along the way the group of people met good people and not so good people. I liked the ending but it kind of left you wondering. The power grid never did come back on in the story. It left you to wonder what would the people do to rebuild the society.

Thanks to Netgalley and Harvest House Publishers for allowing me to read and review a digital copy of this book. Light of Dawn will be released on July 1, 2017.

Restored: Never Give Up Hope by Kimberly Rae
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read the first book in the series which was Shredded nearly two years ago when it was released. I was looking forward to reading the second book but never got around to reading it until book three was released and then I read the books back to back. I finished Shattered in the morning and immediately started reading Restored. I am now glad that I waited until the third was released because there was so much unfinished business in book 2. There was so much destruction that happened in book 2, so many lives changed forever and so much sadness. Book 3 returns with most of the same characters we grew to love in the first two books. This book resolves many of the problems that have happened since the beginning of the book. All the characters grew. Jean became less timid and more confident in herself and grew in the Lord. Candy was a delight in the beginning book and still was delight with the third book. I would love to be friends with a Candy even though I could never relate to her background. Her love for Jesus and her understanding for things of the Lord just continued to expound throughout the series. She had such a love for prostitutes that they should know the love of Jesus that she had. She wanted to share with the abused and forgotten women. I absolutely loved the character of Florence. She was so funny at time. Not going to give away too much detail. You just have to read for yourself.

With most series books can be read alone but not with this series. I suggest you start with book 1 and read in order. You would get the most out of the series if you did. You would understand more fully what the pain the characters went through.


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Beneath Copper Falls by Colleen Coble

Beneath Copper Falls is the sixth book in the Rock Harbor series. It was nice to visit with familiar characters again.  I believe the Rock Harbor series is my favorite of all of Colleen Coble's romantic suspense series.

The story starts out with Dana Newell moving back to Rock Harbor, the quaint town she grew up in. She moves back home to escape an abusive and controlling boyfriend.  She moves in with her adoptive brother Chris.  As soon as she moves back one of her friends is murdered. While reading this book I compiled a list of characters in my head at who the murderer could possible be. Was it her ex-boyfriend who is stalking her? Could it be her adoptive brother or could it be Boone the victim's cousin? Or is it the new man that Laurie met in Hawaii?

This book kept me in suspense  but I did guess who the murderer was about 75-80 percent in the book. Because I guessed so easily I am going to have to give this book four stars instead of five starts. This book did keep me up until almost midnight. Even though I pretty much guessed who it was I want to see how this evil, evil character  was caught.

Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson for providing me an e-copy of this book to read and review. Beneath Copper Falls is due to be released on July 10, 2017.

Chasing Secrets by Lynette Eason
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

When I saw that Lynette Eason had another book coming out I knew I had to read it. This book did not disappoint me. It kept me in suspense from the beginning to the end. I can't decide if this book or the one previous is the best one in the series. They're both good. I loved the character of Haley and Steven. Haley is one of the Elite Guardians and in this book she discovers something about her past as a child in Ireland. I kept turning the pages to see who was stalking her and wanted her dead. This book kept me guessing and boy was I surprised who it was. I can't say too much as I would spoil the story.
There is also a side story of a young boy, his mother and the boy's very ill brother that I enjoyed.

Chasing Secrets will be published August 2017. Thanks to Netgalley and Revell Books for providing me an ARC to read and review.


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Heart on the Line by Karen Witemeyer

People these days meet this spouse all the time online. Of course back in the 1800s there was no internet but they did have the telegraph and after hours people were allowed to "talk" with other people on other lines. Harper's Station is the perfect place for Grace Mallory to hide out. She fears for her life. She takes on a job as a telegraph operation and strikes up a conversation with someone on the other end she has never met. She doesn't know what he looks like but when she is in trouble he shows up in her town ready to protect her.

I like it that the author did not create a hero that is typical of most romance novels. Amos Bledsoe is not particularly good looking. He is not muscular and he wears spectacles. These days we would call him geeky looking but Grace was a woman of character and looked beyond someone's looks. I also liked it that she was a gutsy character and thought on her feet. 
As in all of Karen Witemeyer's novels there is a tiny bit of humor. I loved it that Amos was going to teach the ladies how to ride a velocipede which was some sort of bicycle.

There was a bit of suspense in the book which kept me turning pages. I kept hoping the villain would get his comeuppance and I was not disappointed.

Heart on the Line is book 2 in the Harper's Station series and will be published June 6, 2017. Thanks to Netgalley and Bethany House Publishers for providing me a digital copy of this book to read and review.

Sweetbriar Cottage by Denise Hunter

Sweetbriar Cottage is a stand-alone book by Denise Hunter. It's the story of Noah and Josephine Mitchell, a couple who thought they were divorced but it turned out the papers had never been signed by a judge. Josephine goes to Noah's home to hand him the divorce signed divorce papers so they can be filed but while at his mountain home gets caught in a storm and is forced to stay there.  At first I didn't like either of the characters. I thought Josephine was a little too flirty with her barber clients calling everyone sugar and honey. I thought Noah was way to bitter and harsh with Josephine. It was not until later in the story that the characters begin to understand what went wrong in the marriage. We see that Josephine went through some horrendous things in her childhood that influenced what she did as an adult before marriage and what contributed to the downfall of her marriage.  I highly recommend this book even though the topics are a little more heavy than most of her books and the storyline a bit more darker. It is a novel of forgiveness and redemption

Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas and Thomas Nelson for providing me an e-copy of this book to read and review. Sweetbriar Cottage is due to be released on June 13, 2017.

A Bridge Across the Ocean by Susan Meissner
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Susan Meissner has perfected the art of writing dual timeline stories. A Bridge Across the Ocean involves post war 1946 and the present day and involves three women. The two women in the 1946 timeline are Annaliese and Simone and Brette is in the modern timeline. Brette's viewpoint involves ghosts called drifters but don't let the paranormal aspect of this story scare you off. It's only one minor aspect of the story and not the whole. I loved the strength of the women involved particular the women in the post war story. They suffered hardships no woman should have to go through but came out strong.

Even though the story involved three women and would jump around from one woman to another I did not find it difficult to keep up at all. I got so absorbed that I could not put this book down. I must offer a warning. There is a brutal rape scene that may be difficult for some to read. Also one character's harsh treatment by her cruel husband may be difficult for some people.

This book had lots of surprises in it. Just when you thought the story was headed one direction you are quickly surprised. I was pleased with how it ended.


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A Matter of Trust by Susan May Warren

A Matter of Trust by Susan May Warren started out slowly but quickly gained momentum like a snowball on that mountain. It got to the point that I was quickly turning pages to see what would happen next. There were many intense moments when lives were in danger. This book focuses on Gage Watson and a new girl the reader has not been introduced to yet. Ella and Gage know each other. They have history and Gage still harbors hard feelings for what he thought was a betrayal from her. Gage has to get over the past temporarily in order to help her in a desperate situation. What follows is a roller coaster of events. I could not stop reading and stayed up late to finish this book.

This is the fourth book in the series, not counting the prequel. I don't know if he is my favorite hero or not. They are all good but I think he is the best looking of the bunch and I'm the type of gal who usually doesn't like long hair on a man but he does it well.

I loved the love story that slowly unfolded. It was not too rushed so therefore believable. We were also introduced to Ella's friend Brett. Now there is something mysterious about her. She is probably hiding a secret of some sort but it was not revealed to us in this book. Maybe we will find out in a future book? Maybe the next book? I certainly hope so. I am really enjoying this series. I loved the Christensen series but I do believe I like this series better. I can't wait until the next book, Troubled Waters which is due to be released either in 2017 or early 2018.

I was provided a copy of this book to read and review by the author, Susan May Warren and the published Revell, a division of Baker Books. This book is due to be released on July 4, 2017.

Dark Deception by Nancy Mehl

Dark Deception is Book 2 in the Defenders of Justice series.  Kate O'Brien had experienced something horrific in her life four years earlier and she was the only survivor. She has to live in a small town under an assumed name in order to protect her while the criminal is brought to justice. She has already sat through two trials.  Something happens and her quiet life in the small town is about to end. Tony DeLuca will have to do everything in his power to protect her against the evil.

I liked the characters. I thought Kate was strong even though she had been through a lot.  This story had lots of twists and turns in the story that kept me turning pages.  I had to pay close attention because there were numerous characters that I had to keep straight in order to follow the story.  I have to admit I had a tiny inkling of who the major villains but that was only because mystery/suspense is my favorite genre to read and I have gotten pretty good at detecting who the villains are.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bethany Publishers for providing me a digital copy of this book to read and review.  Dark Deception will be released on July 6, 2017.

The Writing Desk by Rachel Hauck

Rachel Hauck does it again. She writes another outstanding book. The Writing Desk is a dual-timeline story. One story takes place in the gilded age.  Birdie, a young woman of marriageable age desires to become a writer but it was very difficult from women during that time to be taken seriously. Her overbearing mother wanted her to enter into a loveless marriage that would benefit both families. She was very hateful to Birdie and nothing Birdie could say could convince her mother. Her mother was more concerned about her own selfish wishes than the happiness of her only living child. Birdie tried to stand up to her mother and I wanted to keep reading to find out if Birdie was able to overcome what her mother wished. There were twist and turns in this story that kept me engaged. 

The modern timeline involved  Tenley Roth who has written one best seller and is struggling to write another novel. She lives in New York with her boyfriend.  At the request of her estranged mother she goes to Florida to take care of her mother while the mother undergoes treatment.  At first I did not like Tenley. I thought she was self-centered and a little too quirky but as the story progressed I began to like her a lot better.

Thanks to Netgalley and Zondervan for providing me a digital copy of this book to read and review. The Writing Desk is due to be published on July 10, 2017.

Pursued by Lisa Harris
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have loved suspense mystery books ever since I was a child and remains to this day my genre. I had read all of my current favorite authors and needed something to read so I picked up the first book in the Nicki Boyd series at the library and was hooked. I decided to read the rest of the series. While waiting for the chance to read book 3 I read all the books in her Southern Crime series. Lisa Harris has become one of my favorites as an author that manages to keep me engaged in her books. Her books keep me up too late at night trying to finish them.

Starting with book 1 we learn that Nikki's first career was teaching school. She became interested in the Missing Persons unit of law enforcement when her teen sister comes up missing. She has been able to solve many missing persons mysteries but has yet to solve the case of her missing sister. In each book in the series she gets closer to learning the truth. In this book she is on a flight from California back to Nashville and is engages a conversation with a woman. The plane comes close to crashing and they make an emergency landing but then it is like the woman never existed. Where did the woman go? I had to keep turning this action packed novel to find out the mystery. This books has so much action in it. Lisa Harris' style of writing suspense is very much similar to Lynette Eason another suspense author I love.

Lisa Harris will be releasing the fourth in the Nickki Boyd series. I can't wait to find out what happens. Will she ever find out what happened to her sister.

Thanks to LilbraryThing Early Reviewers and Revell Books for providing me a copy of this book to read and review.


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Weaver's Needle by Robin Caroll

Landry Parker and Nickolai Baptiste are in competition against each other to find a lost map. They were hired by a client whose husband was murdered for this map. The first one who finds this map will get a hefty finder's fee. By the middle of the book they learn they must work together to find the map. Their lives are in constant danger. Someone does not want them to find the map.  Both the main characters were likeable and each had a good motive to find the map.  I did not like this book as well as I have Robin Caroll's previous books. At times I got confused with all the legend thrown on.  The book did get suspenseful toward the end.

Thanks to Barbour Press and Netgalley for providing me an e-copy of this book to read and review. Weaver's Needle will be published on June 1, 2017.

Plain Missing by Emma  Miller
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Although Rachel Mast is no longer Amish she is not fully English either. She still has her roots in the Amish faith and still loves the Amish people. She would do anything for her family she loves. She takes care of a mother going through chemo treatment even though her mother treats her like an outsider making her sit at a separate table to eat. None of her other family treat her this way. Like in the previous three novels she becomes involved in a mystery. This time it involves someone close to home. A young woman and her boyfriend turn up missing after an Amish social. The girl never made it home. What happened to her. To disappear is so unlike her. I love how Rachel and her still Amish younger cousin Mary Aaron work together to solve the mystery but will they endanger their own lives in the process?

I love how the author develops her characters. After already reading four books the characters begin to feel like old friend. They become real. I loved the suspense in the story. It kept me guessing. I did not know who the evil characters were until the end. There were a couple of loose end that were not finished up in this book such as her younger sister's interest in a local boy and Mary Aaron's future. I hope that there will be more books by this author in the future.


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True to You by BeckyWade

True to you is book one in the Bradford Sisters. They are are close knit group of sisters who lovingly always get in each other's business. Willow is the oldest and the pretty one, Nora is the middle and the smart one and Brit is the youngest and considered the creative one. This book focuses on Nora, the smart one. This book had a good balance of humor and things that are considered serious matters. Nora was the librarian and ran a museum. I felt like I could identify with her. She like books as I do and she even managed to update her Goodreads progress daily like I try to do. She is immediately attracted to John. But one of the problems is that John has a very sweet girlfriend.Since she knows a little about genealogy she helps John in the search for his birth mother. He has reasons to search for the mother but does not reveal to her quite yet. The more time they spent together the closer they got.

I loved all the characters in the book and am looking forward to reading the other two sister's stories. This book is due to be released on May 2, 2017. Thanks to Netgalley and Bethany House for providing me a digital copy of the book to read and review.

Haven of Swans by Colleen Coble

When I requested to review this book I did not realize that I had read it before because it was under a different title. The previous title was Abomination, book four in the Rock Harbor series. I still enjoyed reading it because it had been 10 years and I had forgotten much of the plot. I only remembered bits and pieces and did not even know the outcome.

A young woman and a small child is found on the side of the road by Bree Matthews. The woman has lost all of her memory. She doesn't even know her name. All she knows is that she is in danger. She does not know if it is an angry ex-husband or a stalker. All she knows is that someone is after her.

A killer is on the loose waiting for his next prey. This book is not for the faint of heart. I highly suspect that the author is a fan of Stephen King fiction.  This story kept me engaged and I stayed up late. I grew weary so I finished it the first thing the next morning.  The book under this new title is due to be released on May 2, 2017. Thanks to Thomas Nelson and Netgalley for providing me an e-copy of this book to read and review.