The Curse of Misty Wayfair by Jaime Jo Wright

Like all Jaime Jo Wright previous two novels this one involves a dual timeline also. You have Thea Reed in the past in the early 1900s  and the present is Heidi Lane. The story starts out a little creepy as Thea Reed goes to the home of the recently deceased and takes photos of the dead woman. This may seems ghoulish for people today but it was a common practice then for people to take memory photographs of the dead.

Misty Wayfair plays a part in both stories. In the first story the death of Misty Wayfair happened quite a few years previously. The legend of Misty Wayfair continues even to the modern story. Who was Misty Wayfair and how was she connected to both women? I had to keep reading to find out the mystery of who Misty Wayfair was and her influence on the people of the town.

This story deals with mental illness in both stories, mental illness and the institutions that are supposed to help heal these people.


I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The Curse of Misty Wayfair is due to be released on January 22, 2019.

Code of Valor by Lynette Eason

Code of Valor is book 3 in the Blue Justice series. I knew this would be a suspense filled book and I was not disappointed. We finally get Brady St. John's story. Brady keeps saving Emily Chastain's life over and over. The bad guys are determined to get to Emily but she is smart enough to let Brady help her out. Lots of twists and turns in this book that keep you guessing. I like the previous book better that had Chloe in it but this was still a good read. Thanks to LibraryThing Early Reviewer program and Revell Books for providing me a copy of this book to read and review. This book is due to be published on January 1, 2019.

Two Weeks by Karen Kingsbury

This is another book about the Baxter family. The main Baxter in this one is Cole who is Ashley's son. We first met Cole when he was a toddler some 15 years ago. Cole is all grown up and has an instant attract to Elise, a transfer student from Louisiana. She had moved to Indiana to finish high school to escape an abusive boyfriend. Soon after their friendship is under way Elise discovers she is pregnant. The majority is the book is Elise suffering turmoil on whether or not she will keep the baby or give her child up to a loving childless couple. She waffles back and forth about what she wants to do. There is a tragic event in town that affects some of her decision making however I wish the author had used some other means rather than this tragic event to affect her way of thinking. This tragic event was just too sad for me. Anyway the title of this book is Two Weeks and this means that Elise has two weeks after the birth of her child to decide whether or not to keep the baby or give it up. This book was well written and I connected with the characters quickly. I hope we see Elise and Cole again. I would love to know what is in their future. 


I received a complimentary copy of this book from Howard Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Two Weeks will be published on April 2, 2019.

Friends to the End by Shelley Shepard Gray

Friends to the End is a prequel to Shelley Shepard Gray's Walnut Creek series which revolves around the friendship of 8 people. Not all are Amish. Besides Amish there are Mennonite and also English, some women some men. The story starts out where Trish Warner is at her family's summer cabin and the power goes out. In a panic mode she calls her brother Andy, one of the 8 people and he calls one of his best friends in the group Logan who happens to be New Order Amish. Trish, an Englisher had a crush on him when she was younger. Logan comes to the rescue and then about half of the Magnificent 8 as they are called come a few hours later bring more supplies to weather the storm. We get a brief introduction to some of the characters that we will get to know in the series. There is a romance but not until the end of the book. I felt that it was rushed and not entirely believable. The two people involved are from different walks of life and for the romance to be able to thrive it is going to me one person making a drastic change. I suppose that romance will be developed in future books and will make more sense. This novella was only 100 pages and not enough pages to develop characters, romance or even a plot. I look forward to reading future books in this series as I have always enjoyed books by this author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Gallery Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. This book is due to be published on February 11, 2019.

Wait for Me by Susan May Warrens

Wait for Me is the sixth and the final book in the Montana Rescue series. I think I liked this one best of all in the series. It has more suspense in it then the other books. This book got my attention from the get go and didn't let go until the end. This book focuses on on Pete and Jess who also goes by the name Selene and on Ned and Shae who formerly went by the name Esme Shaw. After an argument with Pete Jess accepts a ride with Ned and Shae but almost immediately their lives are in danger. Who wants them dead? Jess thinks it could be someone from her past who wants revenge because of what her father did. Shae was a witness to her boyfriend's murder some five years earlier and she thinks this person has discovered her identity and is after her. I was kept in suspense until the end trying to guess who the bad guy was in all of this and it was not who I suspected. Just when you think it is over and everyone is safe and happy there are some twists. I highly recommend this book.

I received this ARC book compliments of LibraryThing's Early Review program and the publisher Revell. This book will be published on November 6, 2018.

The Christmas Heirloom by Karen Witemeyer, Kristi Ann Hunter, Sarah Loudin Thomas and Becky Wade

The Christmas Heirloom is a collection of four novellas by four different authors but yet all the stories have several things in common. All the women are related to one another and are all connected to an heirloom broach which has been passed from one generation to the next. The original owner of the broach was Lady Densby and although she did not have a daughter to pass to broach onto she passed it to her grandson who fell in love with Sarah his grandmother's companion. After Sarah it was handed down from daughter to daughter. I love genealogy so I loved this aspect of handing down a legacy. 

All the stories were well written but I did not enjoy the third one A Shot at Love as much as I did the others. Fleeta was too much of a tomboy and I don't think she valued the broach as much as the other women did. She really didn't care about the history of the broach. She only liked it because it had belonged to her mother. And she cared more about guns than finding the love of her life. 

I received this book from Bethany House through the review program at Netgalley. This book is due to be released on October 2, 2018.

A Simple Singing by Leslie Gould

A Simple Singing by Leslie Gould is second in the Sisters of Lancaster County series. After the first book I thought the next book would be about the youngest sister going off to nursing school but this book was about Marie who I did not really like in the first book. She was sanctimonious and self-righteous toward others most particularly her older sister who lived among the Englishers for a few years. I really didn't care for her at the beginning of this story either but as the story progresses she begins to change and I like her more. Her heart changed.

This book covered two timelines. Marie's story is in the present and an ancestor of hers Annie is in the Civil War times around the year 1863. Annie is sent to care for an ailing sister-in-law.

I loved both stories but think I enjoyed Annie's story best. She begins to see that God has called her to be a nurse and maybe not the wife of the Amish man she was courting.

Both women learned to listen to God's calling rather than what they thought was expected to do by the community.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bethany House for providing me a digital copy of this book to read and review. This book was released on July 31, 2018. I look forward to reading the rest of the series.

The Cost of Betrayal by Dee Henderson, Dani Pettrey, and Lynette Eason

The Cost of Betrayal is a collection of three novellas by some favorite writers in the romantic/suspense genre. Each novella deals with the theme of betrayal.

Betrayal by Dee Henderson - We first meet Paul and Ann Falcon in Dee's previous novel "Full Disclosure. Reading the previous novel in which we meet the Falcons is not necessary to enjoy this book. It has been several years since I had read the novel and had forgotten except their names. Paul and Ann attends an auction and she wins a bid on a box of interesting items. She finds an expensive ring and a pink knife in the box with the name on it. She finds out the knife is trace to a murder that have a few years ago. She and husband study the case and decide the person convicted was innocent. I like how Paul and Ann put their heads together to determine the character's innocence. I didn't like it that part of the plot was left hanging. The innocent person was freed but justice was not really served for the guilty party.

Deadly Isle by Dani Pettrey - Tennyson's cousin is murdered while swimming. She is left wondering if she is the target. Tennyson reconnects with a former boyfriend. Her life is further put in danger and Callen seeks to protect her. Lots of suspenseful moments in this book that keeps the reading turning until the last page. 

Code of Ethics by Lynette Eason - This novella is part of the Blue Justice series. The St. Johns are six siblings where all but one sibling is in law enforcement. This book featured Ruthie, the only sibling not in law enforcement. She is a trama doctor. Just because she didn't go into law like her mother and the rest of the family doesn't mean some of the crime fighting skills didn't rub off on her and she shows her skills in this books. This book deals with a group of dirty cops and she has to help Isaac Martinez stay alive long enough to expose the corruption. Like any Lynette Eason novel espect lot of suspense and moments where the characters barely escape with their lives. There was a twist in the novel that I wasn't expecting. Off the three novellas this one was my favorite.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bethany House Publishers for providing me an ecopy of this book to read and review. This book was released on September 4, 2018.

Starting & Saving Seeds: Grow the Perfect Vegetables, Fruit , and Flowers for Your Garden by Julie Thompson-Adolf

Every year I plant a vegetable and a flower garden and every year I buy seeds which adds up to money spent. This book provides valuable information on saving your seeds so you can save money year after year on your seeds. Learn tips on the appropriate time to harvest and how to store them to be used for the following year.

Thanks to Netgalley and Cool Springs Press for providing me a copy of this book to read and review.

A Secret to Die For by Lisa Harris

I liked that a Secret to Die For started off with suspense. Grace Callahan is a psychologist. When one of her clients is murdered Grace's life is in danger. Someone thinks Grace has information. Grace is going through a rough period. It is the anniversary of her daughter's death. After her daughter died her husband divorced her but Grace is a strong woman. Nate Quinn is the detective investigating her client's murder but really Nate is more messed up in the head than Grace. He is dealing with some heavy things from his past. 

I liked this book but it was not as good as her previous books. It lost a little of it's steam the middle of the book. It would have been better had Nate not been dealing with issues from his past. A Secret to Die For will be released September 18. Thanks to Netgalley and Revell for providing me an ebook to read and review.

Premeditated Peppermint by Amanda Flower

Premeditated Peppermint is book 3 in the Amish Candy Shop Mysteries. This series has become my favorite cozy series I have ever read. The books start out with someone being murdered. This time a woman was murdered in a gazebo. I correctly guessed that the woman was not who she seemed. I did not guessed who murdered her. This book kept me guessing. 

On thing I have enjoyed about this series is the humor. There is a character Juliet who has this pet pig that she treats like her child. It is quite funny when she comes on the scene. This same woman also has a nice looking son who is in law enforcement. Juliet has it in her mind that Bailey and her son Aiden will someday marry. Of course there is some attraction between Bailey and Aiden but they haven't even gone on a first date yet.

Thanks to Netgalley and Kensington books for providing me an e-copy of this book to read and review. Premeditated Peppermint will be released on September 25, 2018.

Sadie: An Amish Retelling of Snow White by Sarah Price

Sadie is the third book in the Amish fairy tale series. Sadie is the retelling of Snow White. Like Snow White Sadie has an evil step-mother. Her step-mother wanted so much to bear a child and blamed Sadie for all her infertility. She was quite jealous of Sadie's youth and would do anything to get her out of the way. In the story of Snow White you have the poison apple. No poison apples her but an allergy to apples. The step-mother was quite evil and you would not believe all the horrible things she did to Sadie. I think her father should have a more of a backbone. And then is the friendly Amish gentlemen that she meets at the edge of the woods. Could this be her prince charming?

I have enjoyed all the books in the series which are quick reads. I wish the author would write some more re-telling of fairy tales into Amish fiction. Perhaps Sleeping Beauty?

Thanks to Kensington Books and Netgally for providing me an e-book to read and review. Sadie is due to be published on September 25, 2018.

Freedom's Light by Colleen Coble

Freedom's Light is different from the romantic suspense that most people are used to reading from Colleen Coble. This book is a historical romance that takes place during the time of the American Revolution. No mystery as to who the villain is in this novel. You know from the very start who this person is. There is a tiny bit of suspense at the end. I predicted how it would end and I was right. 
You will not regret reading this book if you enjoy historical romance. You will love Hannah and Birch's story. Freedom's Light will be released on September 11, 2018.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Death and Daisies by Amanda Flower

I always enjoy a cozy mystery by Amanda Flower. She always keeps me guessing on who the villain one and this one was no different.

Fiona is getting settled in the small Scottish town but still does not have the approval of some of the citizens, the main one being the local minister. Why does he dislike her so much. When he turns up dead Fiona again becomes a murder suspect. She decides to do some investigation on her own.
I was surprised at who the villain was. I didn't see that one coming.

The only thing that bothered me about this series is that Fiona thinks the fox in the garden is her godfather. I thought that was just too weird.

I'm looking forward to the next book in this series. 

Thanks to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing me a digital copy of this book to read and review. Death and Daisies will be published on November 23, 2018.

When We Were Young by Karen Kingsbury

This book shows what can happen to a happily married couple when one of the partners get too obsessed with social media. It shows what happens when you neglect the relationship. Noah got wrapped up with his social media accounts and neglected Emily. Emily didn't handle it well either. At the beginning I didn't like Noah very well. He was willing to walk out on his family. I didn't like the way he treated his wife. Emily finally gave up her pride and confided in her good friend Kari Baxter Taylor. Kari and her husband prayed for a miracle for this family.  What if a the husband or wife could reflect back and remember why they fell in love? What if somehow one of them could get a glimpse of the future and the consequences to their young family because of their leaving? 

Of all the many books Karen Kingsbury has written and she has written a lot this one has got to be my favorite. I really do think this would make a good made-for-television movie. 

Thanks to Netgalley and Howard Books for providing me a digital copy of this book to read, The opinions are entirely my own and I was not compensated for this review.

My Soul Loves by Barbara Gee
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

There is so much to like about this book. It has several elements that I enjoy in a book such as a clean romance, likeable characters, suspense, friendship, community and humor.

I knew I would like it right off because of the location. Ava moves to Hidden Creek after inheriting her grandmother's house. Hidden Creek is a small town in the mountains of Tennessee with an array of colorful characters. Ava was very close to her grandmother and loved visiting her for extended visits every summer. Her grandmother's church lady friends adopted her as their granddaughter when she moved to town. These octogenarian ladies were quite humorous offering her advice on her love life. Then there was the hunky man who was staying with her next door neighbors. Jude and Ava had instant chemistry. There was also a cyber stalking story that added some suspense to the story and toward the end it really got suspenseful with her life in danger.

I enjoyed the author's writing so much that I want to read everything she has written. I definitely want to read the next in the series which will feature her best friend Myla.


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You Can Stay Home With Your Kids! by Erin Odom

I received an advanced digital copy of this book to review. My kids are grown and out of the house but I found some useful tips in this book to save money. She wrote this book to encourage young mothers that indeed they can stay home. I think this book is useful for even people who do not have children yet. It would be useful for the newlywed to read so that they can prepare to stay at home when children come along. It is a useful book chocked full of tips even if a couple chooses to never have children. Erin Odom is a woman of faith and it shows through in her writing but even if you do not share her faith a person could benefit from this book. I highly recommend this book.

The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond by Jaime Jo Wright

The first book I read by Jaime Jo Wright was The House on Foster Hill and I became hooked on this author. Her first book was so good and I didn't think it could be possible that she could write a better book but she did. The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond is a stand-alone novel. It is a dual time-line mystery/suspense novel. There are mysteries happening in both timeline, the one that was 100 years ago and the present age. Both are set in the town of Gossamer Grove. There was many surprises and twists and turns in this novel. I started reading one evening and then got up the next morning early and could not put this book down until I read the last page. Both storylines kept me involved. I had to see how the two storylines were connected. In the modern time a man is found dead in his trailor with pictures of Annalise plastered all over the walls. This is enough to creep anybody out. Someone does not want Annalise to investigate and mysterious things keep happening. In the story from 100 years ago a couple of people died under unusual circumstances. Both people were connected to the Greenwood family. I loved both Libby's story and Annalise's story but I think it was the story of Annalise that interested me the most. This novel was not heavy on romance so if you are looking for a romance story this is not the book for you. There is a little but it does not play a huge part in the story.

The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond is due to be released on July 3, 2018. Thanks to Netgalley and Bethany House Publishers for providing me a digital copy of this book to read and review. The opinions are entirely my own and I was not compensated to read this book.

Restless in Carolina by Tamara Leigh
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This one was my favorite of the Southern Discomfort series. Sadly it is the last of the series. I've grown to really like the Pickwick family. Like the other two this one had me laughing at times in the book. The antics of Bridget's niece and nephew kept me in stitches. I like the romance in this one better than the previous. I think Bridget and J.C. had chemistry from the get-go.


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Take a Chance by Shelley Shepard Gray

I have read all of Shelley Shepard Gray's Amish books and all of her western series which are in the Christian category. When I saw Take a Chance the first book in the Bridgeport Social Club series on Netgalley I knew I wanted to read it because of the author. It was not listed in the Christian category and the reason was the book had quite a bit of profanity in it by the main male hero in the story. The heroine did not curse any. Normally I would give this book a four star rating but because of the profanity I will have to ding it and give the rating a 3 star. I was at least happy that the hero did not take God's name in vain or use the F word. 

This story involved two love stories. There is recently moved to town landscaper Kurt Holland and school teacher Emily Springer. Also there is the story of Kurt's teen brother Sam and his girlfriend Kayla. I really like Sam and Kayla's story. I love how he stood up for her and protected her when some bullies tooks some pictures of her in the locker room and spread them all over the school. I loved how she was able to cry on his shoulder.

I really enjoyed this story but would have enjoyed it better had it not been for the cussing that was not necessary in this story. Thanks to Netgalley and Blackstone Publishers for allowing me to read the digital copy of this book. The opinions are my own and I was not compensated at all. This book will be released September 18, 2018.

Cross Fire by C.C. Warrens
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The suspense continues. Colin is a threat and still is at the end of the book. This will be addressed in the next book. Marx is involved in bringing down some people in drug deals and Holly is caught in the middle. There are a couple of surprise twist at the end of the book. I look forward to reading the next book where I hope that Colin will get his comeuppance for the horrible twisted things he did to Holly when she was a foster child.

I highly recommend this book if you enjoy reading suspense.


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Justice Betrayed by Patricia Bradley

This book is the third book int the Memphis Cold Case series by Patricia Bradley. Right off the bat it kept me in suspense. You know fairly early as a reader who the killer is. The murderer has killed people in the past and in the past. Rachel Sloan thinks the murder of her mother and a friend of her mother a few days later is connected. As I said you know who the murderer is but that is only one layer pealed away that is revealed. There is much more to this sociopath than meets the eye. 
This person is truly evil. As in any good romantic suspense there are twists in the story. I am looking forward to any future books that this author will write.

Thanks to Revell and LibraryThing for providing me an ARC to read and review. The opinions are entirely my own.

The House at Saltwater Point by Colleen Coble

Ellie's sister McKenzie disappeared and all evidence points to her death. There is blood everywhere. No one could survive that much loss of blood but where is her body? There is  Grayson the  handsome coast guard who is a long last relative of a resident in the area. He wants to Mack since she could be involved in cocaine transport. This book kept me engaged. I wanted to know what happened to Mack.I loved the sweet romance that developed between Ellie and Grayson. It was good to visit the characters from the previous book and see what they are up to.  There is still some loose ends that will be developed in the third book which will come out later this year.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

More Than Meets the Eye by Karen Witemeyer

Started out slow but picked up speed and really got intense toward the end of the book. Five people's lives were in danger.  I loved how Logan turned his life around. He started out wanting to seek revenge for a wrong done to his father but eventually leaned to let go of bitterness and follow God's plan. Evangeline was just a sweetheart. Her adopted brothers Seth and Zach just wanted to protect her. A few of the people in town think she is bewitched just because she has two different eye colors. They don't see the beauty that is within in.  Loved the romance between Evangeline and Logan and the other romance that developed. This is first in the Patchwork family series. I'm hoping that Zach will find love next!

This book will be released on June 5, 2018. Thanks to Netgalley and Bethany House for providing me a copy of this book to review. My opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

The Love Letter by Rachel Hauck

The Love Letter is a dual timeline story with Hamilton Lightfoot and Esther Longfellow in the Revolutionary era time period and Chloe Dashle and Jesse Gates in the modern time period. Chloe is an actress who somehow gets parts where she dies. She hopes the movie written by Jesse Gates will break the pattern. The movie is loosely based on Jesse's ancestor Hamilton Gates from a letter. The letter reveals very little about Ester and Hamilton. We learn of all what we know when the story switches the the narration of Hamilton and Esther. At first I had a hard time getting into the story but by 40 percent of the book it picked up speed and I was hooked. Both Esther and Chloe trusted in Jesus. My favorite statement taken from the book: She hadn't known it then, but God was pursing her. Her choices had led her straight to Him. Both Hamilton and Jesse struggled with what God was doing in their life. It was so rewarding to see how God finally brought both this men around. All through the book I was wondering how these two stories were going to connect. It was not until the end that you find out and that ending was so satisfying.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. This book is due to be released on June 12, 2018.

Falling for You by Becky Wade

Falling for You is the second in the Bradford Sister series. I've enjoyed all the books in this series so far but may like this one a little better than the first since this one involves a mystery of a missing person who may or may not be alive. Corbin Steward and Willow Bradford had dated a few years before but Willow broke up with him after he broke her heart. She is asked by Corbin's cousin to help solved a family mystery of a missing aunt. Being the kind-hearted person she is she agrees to do so but it means contact with Corbin and she can't yet forgive him for the hurt he caused her. I can't say I blame her. He is now a new Christian. I loved seeing how he grew in his Christian faith. I think the author did an accurate portrayal of how many young Christians think. Anyway Corbin and Willow work together to solve the mystery and some hurts as assuaged. Can she totally forgive him. Will they be able to solved the mystery? 

I loved how she was able to confide to her sisters of what happened between her and Corbin. I loved it that she was able to talk to her sisters without being judged. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series which will feature Brit. We got some clues in this book of what the book will be about. I'm sure I will enjoy that one as much as I did this one.

Thanks to Bethany House and Netgalley for providing me a digital copy of this book to read and review. The opinions expressed are my own and I was not compensated for reviewing this book which will be released on May 1, 2018.

Ella: An Amish Retelling of Cinderella by Sarah Price

When I read the last Amish retelling of a fairy tale by this author I knew I had to read all the books in the series. When Ella: An Amish Retelling of Cinderella became available on Netgalley I immediately requested. I was able to read in two sessions and stayed up after midnight finishing this book. The author did an excellent job of converting the classic tale of Cinderella into an Amish novel. She did an excellent job of portraying the step-mother and step-sisters as abusive. The step-mother made Ella do all the work, never let her socialize and put her daughters before Ella. Ella was way too kind and were never say a word against them. They did everything they could to sabotage the friendship of Hannes and Ella. Linda the step-mother wanted her daughters to capture the attention of Hannes. Then there is the kindly Marian. She plays the part of the fairy godmother. I don't want to give too much of the storyline away but I guarantee you will enjoy it even if you don't enjoy Amish fiction. There is even a twist toward the end. The comeuppance that the step-family received was priceless.

I received this ebook thanks to Kensington Books and Netgalley. The opinions are all my own and I received no compensation for reviewing this book. This book is due to be released on May 29, 2018.

The Amish Quilter by Mindy Starns Clark and Leslie Gould

When I saw that this book was available on Netgalley I knew I just had to read it. I love the team writing of Mindy Starns Clark and Leslie Gould. I've yet to read a badly written book by this team. They work together to produce a well-written story. This book is 5th in the Women of Lancaster series. It's been over four years since the last novel in this series. Some of the characters from previous books make an appearance in this one such as Izzy Mueller and her husband Zed. Izzy is the sister of the main character Linda. Also Ezra has a minor role. He expresses an interest in one of the other Mueller girls. The story captured my attention because like Linda my hobby is quilting. I'm also interested in family history. Linda with the help of Issac does some research on Linda's grandmother who in her later years lived a bitter life but at one time was a gifted painter. As Linda spends more time with Issac her affections grow for him but finds out something disturbing about his past. She is rather idealist. Even her close family feels she is too idealist. I loved seeing how the character worked through her issues. I loved seeing how the mystery of her grandmother Nettie's past was unraveled.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Harvest House Publishers NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. This book will be released on May 1, 2018.

Beneath a Prairie Moon by Kim Vogel Sawyer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was a delight to read. It's a little different from most Kim Vogel Sawyer books. The main character was a prickly sort of woman. Abigail was not very likeable at first. She was not likeable for the first half of the book. She looked down her nose at the people in the town and was always correcting their grammar. Who wants to be around a lady like that? Helena who had the mail order bride agency was an older woman and a widow. She sure knew how to take care of herself. She could handle a gun and knew how to use it if push came to shove. There was Mack. He owned the hardware store and the only single man in town not looking for a mail order bride. There is a host of other ecentric characters that will amuse you. There is also an element of danger that will keep the reader in suspense.


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Storm Front by Susan May Warren

Fifth in the Montana Rescue series this book captured my attention from the beginning to the end. We were introduced to Brette in an earlier book and she certainly had chemistry with Ty but then she disappeared. In this book early on we find out why she was missing in action for so long. Brette is a strong woman who has been through some difficult circumstances. Brette is a photographer who works with storm chasers. When a horrendous tornado sweeps through a Minnesota town the Peak crew are called on to help and Ty and Brette cross paths again. A race is on to find some missing a group of missing people that may or may not be alive after the devastating tornado that destroyed much of the town. You don't know until toward the end whether or not these people have survived. I stayed up too late to finish this book. Some reviewers have stated that it is difficult to keep up with all the characters. It is not if you have read the previous books.  Even if you do not read the previous four at least read the first one in the series which is Wild Montana Skies. The two main characters, Ben and Kacey in that book have a huge part in this story.

I am looking forward to the next book in the series. You get a hint of what will be happening in the epilogue of Storm Front.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revel Publishing  through LibraryThing. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Storm Front is due to be released in May 2018.

Blind Betrayal by Nancy Mehl

Third in the Defenders of Justice Series, Blind Betrayal is a fast-paced novel with a lot of characters. This novel is chalked full of suspense but you do need to slow down in order to get the characters straight. The book starts off with Martin Avery, an environmentalist trying to hide from people who want him dead. You don't know until later in the book if he was able to escape with his life. Casey Sloan has to team up with Quinn a man from her past to transport a witness to safety. Their lives are in constant danger and you keep wondering how are they going to get out of the current dangerous situation alive. There are many twists and turns up to the very end.

Even though this book is part of a series you don't have to read the first two although I highly recommend as these books are enjoyable reads.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers through Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. This book is due to be released on April 17, 2018.

Plain Confession by Emma Miller

Plain Confession is the fifth in the Amish Mystery series. Rachel Mast is engaged and supposed to be getting married; that is if she can stop investigating a murder long enough to plan her wedding. Someone in the Amish community has died under mysterious circumstances. The police believe it to be murder. Someone has confessed and Rachel was asked by a family member to help. Despite the confession Rachel believes the person to be innocent. The Amish trust Rachel since she used to be Amish herself. She is able to speak their language and ask questions. I had no idea who the guilty person was. My suspicions ran one way but I was entirely wrong. I sure was surprised by who it turned out to be.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Kensington Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. This books is due to be released on March 27, 2018.

Lethal Licorice by Amanda Flower

Lethal LIcorice is book 2 in the Amish Candy Shop Mystery series. I got hooked with the first book in this cozy series. The books have these quirky characters that you just come to love like Juliet Brody. Juliet kept me laughing with her pet pig Jethro who goes everywhere with her. He even goes to church with her where she has eyes for the pastor. Juliet's son is Aiden, a deputy, and she makes no secret that she wants Aiden and Bailey to be a couple.

In this book there is a candy contest and there is one person who thinks since Bailey is not technically Amish she has no right to be in the contest. When this person is found deceased at first it appears Bailey may be a suspect. This book kept me guessing. I had a couple of people who I thought may be the culprit but it turned out I was completely wrong. I love a cozy mystery where I cannot figure things out and this one fit the bill. I look forward to the next in the series, Premeditated Peppermint which will be released later this year.

Thanks to Netgalley and Kensington Publishing for providing me a digital copy of this book to read and review. Lethal Licorice will be released on February 27, 2018

Tess in Boots by Courtney Rice Gager
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I thought this was a really cute book and had me laughing several times. There is so much that I enjoyed about this book but saying what I enjoyed would reveal too much of the plot and I don't want to ruin it for anybody. All I can say that there were twists in the book that I didn't see coming. I like it that the author kept us guessing. Some plots are so predictable. This one was not. I didn't know if she would wind up with Landon or Thatcher. Read the book to find out!


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Lethal Homecoming by Lynette Eason
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Book was short but it quickly got my interest when the book started out with the heroine being in danger. There was romance in the story that developed quickly but was believeable due to the fact that the couple had been involved previously. The heroine's life was threatened and I was surprised at who the person was. There were some twists in the book which also kept the story interesting


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Honeysuckle Dreams by Denise Hunter

I love the romance stories where the main characters start out as best friends and Hope and Brady are. She is between jobs and helps Brady out by taking care of his son. Brady's ex wife has recently died in a tragic accident. The deceased ex-wife parents want to claim custody of Brady's child. They claim he is not the biological daddy and has no rights to the baby. Hope would do anything to help her friend. I loved the chemistry of Brady and Hope and how they grew in love. There were more than one obstacle in their relationship and loved how they eventually worked those things out. Another thing I enjoyed about this story was getting to know some of the other characters in the town who will be in future stories. I have a feeling the good looking preacher will be the next one.

Thanks to the Thomas Nelson books and Netgalley for providing me a digital copy of this book to read and review. This book will be released on May 1, 2018.

Hearts Entwined: A Historical Romance Novella Collection by Karen Witemeyer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Hearts Entwined is a collection of four novellas. I enjoyed some better than others. My review of the four as follows:
The Love Knot by Karen Witemeyer - I loved returning to the Women's Colony Harper Station and catch up on some of my favorite characters. We met Claire in a previous book. She barely escaped being a mail order bride to the horrible Mr. Fisher. We find out in this book why the spunky Claire let the town she was raised in. We learn about her background and the man she was interested in. He comes to the town with a surprise package and a vow to win her love back.

The Tangled Ties that Bind by Mary Connealy - I haven't read any of the Kincaid books so I was a little lost on who was who. The main female character got on my nerves. I loved the male lead. It was a tangled web that they were sort of cousins but not by blood or anything. I think I would have enjoyed the novel better had I read any of the other books in the Kincaid series.

Bound and Determined by Regina Jennings - The book was quite humerous in parts. I felt the romance between the two main characters could have been developed a little better. I think this book would have worked better in a full length novel instead of a novella. Not enough time to develop plot and the characters.

Tied and True by Melissa Jagears - This one was my favorite of the four. It was just different. Usually it is a poor girl who falls in love with a rich boy but this one was the opposite. I think the plot moved smoothly and the characters were well developed. In this book from the first page we learn that Marianne is head over heels in love with Calvin. Problem is that Calvin thinks that it would never work out between the two of them because of her wealth and station in life. She would do anything to prove to him that monetary things do not matter to her.


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If I Live by Terri Blackstock

If I Live is book 3 in the If I Run Series. If you have not read the first two I would advise you to read those before reading this one. It will add to your enjoyment of this book as you get to know the characters thoroughly. This story is told in the first person from the viewpoint of three characters. There is Casey Cox who is on the run from being accused of a murder she did not commit. There is Dylan Roberts, the man hired by the family of Brent Pace to find Casey. After getting to know Casey he is one of the few people who believe in her innocence. He has also fallen in love with her. The third character is the dirty cop Keegan. He is one evil character. He is a sociopath and does not think twice about killing anyone who gets in his way. He's a rather cocky fellow who thinks he is smarter than anyone alive. He does not think Casey and Dylan can outsmart him. I had an image in my mind of what Keegan looked like and I kept seeing him look like that man who escaped from prison a couple of years ago and evaded the police for a while.

In this book and in the entire series you start out knowing who the main villains were. What you don't know is that they corruption goes beyond just these two cops. Casey and Dylan do not know who to trust. I will say no more because I don't want to reveal too much so to spoil the plot for you. What I can say is that Casey comes to a saving faith in the Lord and knows no matter what she can trust what the Lord has in store for her. Dylan gets closer to the Lord also.

This story kept me in suspense. It was hard to put down. Terri Blackstock is one of my favorite suspense writers and I look forward to reading her books in the future. 

Thanks to Netgalley and Zondervan for providing me a digital copy to read and review. This book will be released on March 6, 2018.

What a Christmas by Jenn Faulk
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The main characters Caleb and Amelia Miller expected to have a quiet Christmas alone. She is in her 36th week of pregnancy so it was not wise for her to travel in her condition. They did plan on Caleb getting the flu or her wack relatives showing up unannounced. His folks showed up too. This book kept me laughing particularly the antics of Amelia's ditsy mother Charity Connor Pearson.

As always I enjoyed reading Jenn Faulk's book and look forward to reading some more of her books.


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Flowers and Foul Play by Amanda Flower

Flowers and Foul Play is the first in the Magic Garden Series by Amanda Flower. It is a nice cozy little mystery that will keep you guessing. When Ian McAllister dies he leaves his cottage and magical garden to his goddaughter Fiona Knox, an American. She had grown close to her godfather since the family made frequent trips to Scotland. After a broken engagement and the failure of her business Fiona goes to Scotland to claim her inheritance. The day she arrives she discovers a body in the garden who turns out to be the lawyer handling the estate. Immediately the law is called and she becomes a suspect along with her godfather's caretaker Hamish. She has an alibi but a shadow still hangs over Hamish. Very quickly over the next few days the suspects grow as she decides to do some investigating much to the chagrin of the local law officer. 

The murderer could have been a number of people since nobody really liked the lawyer. A lot of people had the motive but who did it? It kept me guessing until the very end. The story got really suspenseful when she figured out who it was and with her life in danger.

Thanks to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing me a digital copy of this book to read and review. Flowers and Foul Play is due to be released on May 8, 2018. I look forward to reading more cozies in this series