The strongest love is formed in the crucible of hardship
As Norah King surveys her family land in Iowa in 1880, she is acutely aware that it is all she has left, and she will do everything in her power to save it–even if that means marrying a man she hardly knows. Days before her wedding, Norah discovers an injured man on her property. Her sense of duty compels her to take him in and nurse him back to health. Little does she realize just how much this act of kindness will complicate her life and threaten the future she’s planned.
Norah’s care does more than aid Quincy Barnes’s recovery–it awakens his heart to possibilities. Penniless and homeless, he knows the most honorable thing he can do is head on down the road and leave Norah to marry her intended. But walking away from the first person to believe in him proves much harder than he imagined.
My Impressions
“The farmland went on forever, and it smelled like happiness.”
One thing I can count on when I read a Rachel Fordham book. I know I’m going to love it, and Where the Road Bends is no exception.
Fordham writes with a sweet, historical romance, prairie-style. I love Norah King and her innocent, one-chance-left-self. She is stronger than she knows, and has a truly compassionate heart for others. How I wish she had had someone she trusted besides Jake Granger and Quincy Barnes to advise her!
Quincy is quite the dashing hero. I loved his willingness to share his faith and his compassionate heart as it prompts him to act, as well. He shares much of himself with Norah, trying to encourage her.
“But I don’t have an author weaving words together, ensuring a happy ending.”~ Norah
…“You do have an author,” he whispered. “He’s there, working for your good.” ~ Quincy
I think I identified most with the housekeeper, Mrs. Dover. She has seen enough of life to give some very sage advice to both Quincy and Norah.
Highly recommended, especially for readers of Kim Vogel Sawyer.
I found the story wonderfully unpredictable. So many heart-wrenching moments, where I wanted to grab up a character and hug them, or yell at them to make a different choice. (It didn’t work.)
I received a copy of the book from Revell through LibraryThing Early Reviewers, plus I purchased my own ebook. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“The dark is easier to cure than other fears.”
“…if you add light, the dark dies.”
“I’m afraid of coming close to happiness, only to lose it again.
“Trust is a finicky thing.”
My Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Magnificent!! A Heart-wrenching, Unpredictable Prairie Romance
About the Author
Rachel Fordham has long been fascinated by all things historical or in the words of her children “old stuff”. Often the historical trivia she discovers is woven into her children’s bedtime tales. Despite her love for good stories she didn’t attempt writing a novel until her husband challenged her to do so (and now she’s so glad he did). Since that time she’s often been found typing or researching while her youngest child naps or frantically writing plot twists while she waits in the school pick-up line. In addition to her passion for storytelling she enjoys reading, being outdoors and seeing new places. Rachel lives with her husband and children on an island in Washington state.
Learn more about Rachel’s current projects at rachelfordham.com
When Leah Miller’s entire Amish family was murdered ten years ago, the person believed responsible took his own life. Since then, Leah left the Amish and joined the police force. Now, after another Amish woman is found murdered with the same MO, it becomes clear that the wrong man may have been blamed for her family’s deaths.
As Leah and the new police chief, Dalton Cooper, work long hours struggling to fit the pieces together in order to catch the killer, they can’t help but grow closer. When secrets from both of their pasts begin to surface, an unexpected connection between them is revealed. But this is only the beginning. Could it be that the former police chief framed an innocent man to keep the biggest secret of all buried? And what will it mean for Leah–and Dalton–when the full truth comes to light?
USA Today bestselling author Mary Alford keeps you guessing as two determined souls plumb the dark depths of the past in order to forge a brighter future–together.
My Impressions
“The inevitable showdown coming had been a decade in the making. When it was over, would any of them be left standing?”
This quote. It indicates the enormous level of suspense created and maintained throughout novel. I felt the need to check my blood pressure after reading Among the Innocent by Mary Alford, to make sure it was not abnormally high!! This particular novel is a little darker than most I choose to read, but it is oh, so well done!
I did identify with Leah more than I would like at some points. “She’d lost her family to a killer—probably Ellis to the same man. Now she was slowly losing Marge to a different kind of killer.” The killer that stalks Marge is all too prevalent, and so many families must deal with that threat. I loved how that thread strengthens the story.
Sigh. Dalton is swoony dreamboat who might be perfect, but for his secrets. Full of faith despite a rough past, he is protective of Leah, kind, sensitive, and quite the looker. Will he and Leah be able to work together to keep tragedy away from the Amish community, or will they become part of the region’s mounting calamities?
I received a copy of the book from RevellReads. I also bought my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“Let it go. The past is written and done, but you’re not.”
He was back. John was back.
“…he wanted to beg her to trust him. Yet how could he ask for trust when he had his own secrets?”
“It’s going to be okay.” And it would, because he’d make sure of it. Yet to get to okay, they’d have to go through a whole lot of bad.
“Her heart kicked out an unsteady beat at his protectiveness. Something about him made her wish for a second that she could be normal.”
“The mountains were black shapes in the distance, but they were always there. Just as God was. Even in the darkest moments when it was hard to feel his presence.”
My Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Magnificent! A thriller-chiller of the first degree!
About the Author
Mary Alford is the USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of more than fifty novels. Her books have been finalists in the Selah Award, the Daphne du Maurier Award, and the HOLT Medallion Contest. As a writer, Mary is an avid reader. She loves to cook and can’t face the day with-out coffee. She and her husband live in the heart of Texas in the middle of 70 acres with two very spoiled cats and one adorable rescue dog. Mary is very active online and would love to connect with readers on Facebook and Twitter or any social platforms listed at http://www.maryalford.net.
Genre: Christian Fiction / Historical Fiction / Romance
Release date: June 1, 2022
“Get Your Farm in the Fight” – The Realities of WWII Come to a Wisconsin Farm
Only last year, Fannie O’Brien was considered a beauty with a brain, and her future shone bright, despite the war pounding Europe. With her father’s sudden death and her brothers overseas, Fannie must now do the work of three men on their 200-acre farm—until eight German prisoners arrive and, just as Fannie feared, trouble comes too. Someone seems intent on causing “accidents,” and Fannie is certain the culprit is one of the two handsome older Germans—or possibly both. Can she manage the farm, keep the prisoners in line, and hold her family together through these turbulent times?
“vIctory BegIns on the Farm! overalls are your unIForm!”
“They are my enemies, no matter how many courtesies we share or how hard they work. I must never forget it.”
Wow!! I had never read anything by Naomi Musch before Season of My Enemy, but what a powerful book that tells of some of the unknown history of the home front during WWII. Part of Barbour’s Heroines of WWII series, Musch tells of a Wisconsin farm family, whose father has died and oldest brothers are serving in Europe. Unable to keep the farm running on their own, the O’Brien family is forced to ask for workers from the local German PW(prisoner of war) camp to help with the harvest.
Most of us are quite familiar with “love your neighbor,” and “treat others the way you want to be treated,” but Musch forces us to place ourselves in each family member’s shoes: the mother, Fannie, Jerry, Patsy, and others. How would we react to being dependent on the enemy? Could we trust them? Could we see the PWs as individuals, caught up in something bigger than themselves, or would we, like Fannie, endeavor to hold on to hatred and prejudice?
I loved the reality of the family’s struggle. Just as I would think they all overcoming their fears, events or people would influence them to hold onto their deep bitterness.
I also loved the mom’s path of cobblestones. What a wonderful idea!!
If you like a strong, well-told story of those left behind at home in WWII, you will enjoy this story of uncovered history, faith, slight romance, and intrigue!
I received a copy of this book from the author through Celebrate Lit. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“We are not involved in a war of ideals. It is a war of hatred.”
“Pray for me, Jerry. I want to believe the best—concerning most of them anyway. They seem like us. Just men stuck in a bad situation.”
“Showing kindness might be the best way to keep them all safe.”
“I pray for all of them. I pray for peace.” “That’s how you manage, isn’t it?”
“Such hatred is a poison, and there is nothing about it that can be understood…” “Only God can change the heart of man.”
My Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Magnificent!! I loved this historical fiction by a new-to-me author that taught me Truth and history!! Naomi Musch has been added to my Must-Reads!!
About the Author
Naomi Musch is an award-winning author who writes from a deer farm in the pristine north woods of Wisconsin, where she and husband Jeff live as epically as God allows near the families of their five adult children. When not in the physical act of writing or spending time loving on her passel of grandchildren, she can be found plotting stories as she roams around the farm, snacks out of the garden, and relaxes in her vintage camper. Naomi is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, the Wisconsin Writers’ Association, and the Lake Superior Writers. She loves engaging with others and can be found all around social media or at her site naomimusch.com
More from Naomi
Welcome to my wilderness – that’s what it says when you pop onto my website, because so many of my books take place in rural and wilderness settings. That’s where my heart lives too. Therefore, when I decided to write a World War II story, I gravitated to the home front, to rural America, where living out the war years meant a different kind of survival.
Before this story idea came to me, I knew that prisoners of war had been held in America during part of the war years. There are a number of other wonderful WWII novels out there set in North America involving POWs, and I adore the 2005 movie Sweet Land. Yet, until looking further, I hadn’t realized that so many German soldiers were held right here in my home state of Wisconsin! In fact, thousands of prisoners were sent to work in our country’s canning factories and on our farms. How could I have grown up and never been told that there had once been a POW camp right in my home town?
In fact, there were 38 such “branch camps” just in Wisconsin alone—camps that housed workers specifically for contracting work on farms and in canneries. Workers were contracted by farmers with the army and sent to labor in the cranberry bogs, cherry orchards, apple orchards; to farms picking beans, peas, corn, and to tend the other crops. By international treaty, prisoners had to be paid for their work, so they were allowed to earn scrip in the equivalent of 80 cents per day which they could spend in camp canteens on personal items.
Bingo! There was the seed that burst through the soil of my imagination for my novel Season of My Enemy.
My heroine Fanny O’Brien is a Wisconsin farm girl who left state teacher’s college to manage her family’s farm during the war. She never imagined herself coordinating the work of eight German prisoners in the process—or what the outcome of that task would be.
I believe a great story has to reveal strong yet subtle themes in order for the characters and their plight to feel real. In Season of My Enemy, Fannie uncovers a lot of prejudice both in her own heart and as her eyes are opened to the broader sphere around her. There are all kinds of prejudice in the world, and some of it revealed in this story may surprise you. In fact, my editor and several other authors of WWII fiction who read the book all said, “I didn’t know that!” (I won’t tell you what they were referring to, because you know…spoilers.)
Season of My Enemy isn’t all about history of course. It’s a heartfelt story of a man and woman who slowly yield their hearts to love amidst unpredictable times and unusual circumstances. They begin as enemies who finally look beyond their prejudices to find they have more in common than they first thought. To overcome terrific odds, they must depend upon their faith and rest in a powerful hope that touches their own lives as well as the lives of others surrounding them.
I hope you’ll read Season of My Enemy, and be sure and pop me a note to tell me what you think!
Luke Davenport has been fighting all his life–for respect, for country, and for those unable to fight for themselves. But now that his Horsemen brothers are domesticated, he’s left alone to battle the wildness within. When an opportunity arises to take a job on his own, tracking down a group of rustlers, he jumps at the chance.
Damaris Baxter has mastered the art of invisibility. Plain and quiet, she hides in books and needlework, content to be overlooked. Until her brother dies suddenly, leaving her custody of her nephew. She moves to Texas to care for Nathaniel, determined to create the family for herself that she never thought she’d have and to give him the family he desperately needs.
When Nate finds himself knee-deep in trouble, Luke’s attempt to protect him leaves Damaris feeling indebted to the Horseman. But suspicions grow regarding the mysterious death of Damaris’s brother. And the more questions they ask, the more danger appears, threatening the family Luke may be unable to live without.
In Honor’s Defense, #3 Hanger’s Horsemen, by Karen Witemeyer is the story of the fourth and final Horseman. I enjoyed the first but didn’t get a chance to read the second. This book can be read as a standalone, but you will appreciate the relationships and characters so much more, if you read the other two first.
I enjoyed the easy reading style, coupled with the romance, historical western setting, and suspense all wrapped up into one unputdownable package. Witemeyer uses humor to help drive her thoughts home and make her characters relatable and memorable. “She’d persevere, even if the thought of asserting herself among strangers delighted her as much as the prospect of being dragged behind a horse. By her hair. Through a bed of cacti.” How fun this book is!
Prayers, verses, and thoughts on spiritual matters as relates to a character’s development are smoothly woven into the story. I love the verses Witemeyer chooses to include in the story and how very apropos each one is to the situation. And how appropriate the book about “the Preach” would contain numerous Scripture references!
Damaris Baxter and Luke Davenport are two people who are polar opposites, yet life and God throw them together. Damaris has always been overlooked, but Luke’s attention and example help her develop from a wallflower into a formidable force, “Texas Damaris.” I love that kind of influence!
Luke first meets Damaris and her nephew, Nate, when he agrees to locate missing cattle for a neighboring rancher. Luke is attracted to the little struggling family who possesses a sense of home he never had. Can Luke and Damaris work together to rescue not only the ranch, but her nephew’s wayward heart? And what of their own lonely hearts?
Those who like historical fiction, a bit of a mystery, and westerns, will want to read this novel. Also, those interested in troubled youth, and the difference mercy and love can make in lives will find this book a treasure.
I received a copy of the book from the author through Celebrate Lit via NetGalley. No positive opinion was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“To be chosen for herself—it was the secret desire of her heart. To be important to someone. More than a glorified servant who fetched and carried and entertained at her aunt’s whim. To be wanted truly for herself. Seen instead of invisible. Valued instead of tolerated.”
“A good boss knew his men, but no man knew another completely. Everyone had secrets.”
“Strange that she should feel more valued and cherished in the middle of an armed standoff than in the middle of her family.”
“The longer the anger lives in you, the more it erodes your soul and destroys your relationships. If you’re not careful, one day it’ll hollow you out and leave you with nothing.”
“sugarcoating danger only left a person ill-equipped to respond when it came calling.”
“Unfortunately, the law isn’t always about what is true. It’s about what you can get a judge and jury to believe is true.”
“Contentment isn’t chained to a certain set of circumstances, Luke. It’s portable. You can take it with you wherever you go.”
“…it’s that there are always more options than you see at first glance. You just might have to get a little creative in where you look for them.”
“It don’t matter how dark things look or how big your opponent is. If you believe you can win, you’re already halfway to victory.”
My Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Magnificent!! A great conclusion to the Horsemen Series!!
About the Author
For those who love to smile as they read, bestselling author Karen Witemeyer offers warmhearted historical romance with a flair for humor, feisty heroines, and swoon-worthy Texas heroes. Voted #1 Readers’ Favorite Christian Romance Author in 2019 by Family Fiction Magazine, Karen is a multiple award-winning author and a firm believer in the power of happy endings. She is an avid cross-stitcher, tea drinker, and gospel hymn singer who makes her home in Abilene, TX with her heroic husband who vanquishes laundry dragons and dirty dish villains whenever she’s on deadline.
More from Karen
Meet Luke and Damaris
As the Hanger’s Horsemen series comes to a close, I’m thrilled to introduce you to Luke Davenport and Damaris Baxter. If you haven’t read the other books in this series, don’t worry. This one stands on its own just fine.
Luke
Luke Davenport is a former cavalry officer who is part of an elite squad of men known as Hanger’s Horsemen. Haunted by the horrors of war, this group of Texas legends has spent the last few years fighting for justice on behalf of those who cannot fight for themselves. Luke is Matthew Hanger’s right-hand man, but when Matt retires the Horsemen in favor of a more settled life with his new wife, Luke is left feeling adrift. So when a solo job comes his way to track down rustled cattle, he jumps at the opportunity.
Known for his strength, his size, and his skill with his fists, I modeled Luke after a pair of football players, Howie Long and JJ Watt. He’s a man of action with a bit of wildness inside, yet his ability to memorize Scripture earned him the nickname Preach. He’s a godly man with scars, seeking to find his place as his Horsemen brothers move on to new phases of life.
Damaris
Damaris Baxter has been invisible her entire life. Plain of face and quiet of manner, she it’s the epitome of unremarkable. While she dares heroic feats and grand adventures between the covers of her favorite books, life outside the pages consists of little more than needlework and dull conversation with her great aunt. Until her brother dies under suspicious circumstances and she travels to Texas to care for her nephew. Determined that the “Texas Damaris” will be bolder and braver than her former self, she sets out to win the heart of a grieving boy and ends up mixed up in a dangerous murder plot with a handsome cowboy who actually sees her.
When creating Damaris’s character, I gave her two of my favorite hobbies—reading and cross-stitching. She shares other similarities with me as well. She’s a quiet person who dislikes making waves, but when family needs her, there’s nothing she won’t do to help. Her questionable baking skills might also have found some inspiration in my personal experience. Just ask my husband about my famous transparent chocolate chip cookies.
Opposites Attract?
I love to explore what brings people together, and while it’s a common idea that opposites attract, I’ve always believed that there must be some core commonalities beneath the differences to bind a couple together for a lifetime. So, while Luke and Damaris seem to be stark opposites—he an adventure-seeking soldier used to solving problems with guns and fists; she a quiet, proper lady used to escaping problems with books and needlework—they actually have several core commonalities. They both crave belonging and family, they both value God’s Word, and they both have a strong, protective instinct toward those they care about. This core common ground is what serves as the foundation for their relationship.
Now that you’ve been introduced to Luke and Damaris, I hope you’ll join them on the adventure that leads them to love.
To celebrate her tour, Karen is giving away a Hanger’s Horsemen prize bundle consisting of autographed copies of all three books in the series, a custom mug, and Horsemen swag!! (U.S. Only)
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
Protecting the evidence means facing down assassins and an unforgiving wilderness…
Framed for murder and corporate espionage, future aerotech company CEO Haley Whitcombe flees in her plane with a camera full of evidence that could clear her name—until she’s shot out of the sky. Now trapped in North Cascades National Park, her survival in the wilderness depends on park ranger Ezra Dalton. Yet escaping the wild will mean nothing if they can’t outrun their merciless hunters…
Hunted in the Wilderness by Kellie VanHorn is a must-read for romantic suspense fans. From the first sentence that starts the tension to the last, you will be glued to your seat to find out what happens next. This story is a whirlwind of action set juxtaposing the corporate world vs. the beautiful, but unforgiving wilderness. Van Horn makes me want to visit the North Cascades National Park, with her compelling depiction of the beauty there. However, fleeing from one’s enemies as Hailey Whitcombe and Ezra Dalton find themselves doing, would be beyond terrifying!
I did guess one of the betrayers early on. It was just too obvious. But that didn’t make the novel any less interesting.
I did have a little difficulty figuring out who one character was. His full name is used twice on one page in passing, then he is referred to only by first name multiple times, even though he’s not yet a major player. Maybe I am the only one with this issue.
I had to laugh at the disagreements that Hailey and Ezra have. How true to life! Hailey hurts Ezra with a pointed barb. Couples often go for the jugular, and that sure felt like it. And Ezra’s comment? “I want you to stop pretending you’ve got it all together.” Vulnerability makes a person so much more appealing.
I felt like Hailey’s and Ezra’s struggles with trying to earn God’s favor, and an inability to trust God due to our past, are both very relatable. “Maybe she’d been thinking about it all wrong—maybe His grace wasn’t something she could earn, but something He freely bestowed, like this beautiful sunrise painted across the mountains.”
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I received a copy of the book from the author through Celebrate Lit. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
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Notable Quotables:
You’ve brought a whole new level of chaos to my life.”
Maybe it was time for her to step aside and let Him be in charge. Had she ever even stopped to ask what His plan for her life was? Or had she always simply plowed ahead, following everyone else’s wishes and asking Him to bless her?
Strength and warmth wrapped around her heart. She wasn’t alone. God was with her, and no matter what happened, He wouldn’t abandon her. That was the solution to the equation, the answer to every one of life’s questions. Walking in relationship with Him.
My Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Great!! Non-stop action, gorgeous scenery!!
About the Author
Kellie VanHorn is an award-winning author of inspirational romantic suspense. She has college degrees in biology and nautical archaeology, but she’s always found her sense of adventure most satisfied by a great story. When not writing, Kellie can be found teaching her four children, camping, baking, and gardening. She lives with her family in west Michigan.
More from Kellie
One of my favorite things about being a writer is living out wild adventures in my imagination. I get to enjoy all the action and feels without any of the unpleasant real-life problems I’d face if I were actually being chased by bad guys with guns. The more exciting and far-off the setting, the better! My family loves to travel and to camp, so we’ve spent a lot of time visiting national parks around the U.S. Our favorites include Grand Teton, Rocky Mountain, Devil’s Tower, and Badlands. We pile our four kids into the car, fill it to the brim with gear, and tent our way from park to park for weeks at a time in the summer.
For Hunted in the Wilderness, I wanted to explore a park we haven’t had the chance to visit yet—North Cascades National Park in Washington state. In fact, my first glimpse of the story came to me when I was scrolling through my Facebook feed and saw a picture of a lake in the Cascades. Inspiration struck, and I knew the heroine of my next book had just crash-landed her Cessna airplane in those mountains, and she needed a handsome, single park ranger to come help her escape the bad guys.
What makes this park such a perfect setting for a romantic suspense is not only the gorgeous scenery, but also the fact it’s very remote. The region is easy enough to access via road from Seattle, but most of the protected land can only be reached on foot, horseback, or float plane. Because I hadn’t been there myself, I relied on a topographic map and lots of research to help me craft the setting and make it an indispensable part of the plot.
Of course, now that I’ve studied the trail systems so extensively, I’d love to visit the Cascades in person one day. One of my teenaged sons who loves hiking has all sorts of plans for us to take a long backpacking trip out there, even though neither of us has ever backpacked before. I might have to work up my courage a bit before I’ll be ready to hit the trail without our minivan full of gear. 😉
One of my favorite things about being a writer is living out wild adventures in my imagination. I get to enjoy all the action and feels without any of the unpleasant real-life problems I’d face if I were actually being chased by bad guys with guns. The more exciting and far-off the setting, the better! My family loves to travel and to camp, so we’ve spent a lot of time visiting national parks around the U.S. Our favorites include Grand Teton, Rocky Mountain, Devil’s Tower, and Badlands. We pile our four kids into the car, fill it to the brim with gear, and tent our way from park to park for weeks at a time in the summer.
For Hunted in the Wilderness, I wanted to explore a park we haven’t had the chance to visit yet—North Cascades National Park in Washington state. In fact, my first glimpse of the story came to me when I was scrolling through my Facebook feed and saw a picture of a lake in the Cascades. Inspiration struck, and I knew the heroine of my next book had just crash-landed her Cessna airplane in those mountains, and she needed a handsome, single park ranger to come help her escape the bad guys.
What makes this park such a perfect setting for a romantic suspense is not only the gorgeous scenery, but also the fact it’s very remote. The region is easy enough to access via road from Seattle, but most of the protected land can only be reached on foot, horseback, or float plane. Because I hadn’t been there myself, I relied on a topographic map and lots of research to help me craft the setting and make it an indispensable part of the plot.
Of course, now that I’ve studied the trail systems so extensively, I’d love to visit the Cascades in person one day. One of my teenaged sons who loves hiking has all sorts of plans for us to take a long backpacking trip out there, even though neither of us has ever backpacked before. I might have to work up my courage a bit before I’ll be ready to hit the trail without our minivan full of gear. 😉
While interviewing the Coastline Strangler’s only surviving victim, forensic artist Scarlet Wells is attacked and left with amnesia. Now she’s his next mark and has no choice but to work with constable Jace Allen to unlock the criminal’s true identity trapped in her mind. Will they be able to recover the hidden memory and hunt down the killer before he strikes again?
From Love Inspired Suspense: Courage. Danger. Faith.
“Did she want to remember? For some reason, the pencil seemed like home, but it also brought a paralyzing sense of sadness and pain.”
Darlene L Turner’s Fatal Forensic Investigation is a unique romantic suspense for me. Great action, constant danger and tension are present, as one would expect, but I loved the amnesia aspect, which I think is more unusual. It plagues forensic artist Scarlet Wells and renders her less than her usual capable self.
We get the backstory of Scarlet’s childhood tragedy in bits and pieces, which keeps the reader wondering. Sometimes, it takes bravery, to allow the mind to remember.
Another point that caused me much wondering, to my terrified delight, was that we begin to realize that SOMEBODY from the small community is, in fact, the Coastline Strangler (CLS). How fun as a reader to wade through each new person, examining each as a possible suspect, trying to figure out the villain before the CLS is finally exposed! Just like Jace Allen and Scarlet, we wonder if we’re trusting the wrong people.
There are extra romantic interests- hmmm… That always makes investigations sticky, awkward, and uncertain. And provides red herrings or paths to truth.
I liked how comforting Bible verses were brought to mind from memory, sometimes from childhood. God works that way, using His Holy Spirit to remind us of His Truth when we most need it.
A child in the center of the story is a sure way to grab my attention. Such innocence having to face such evil. Can Jace and Scarlet unravel who is ultimately behind this incredible string of murders? Or will their names be added to the victim list?
I received a copy of this book from the author. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
“God, how can I trust You when You keep allowing such heartache?”
“God knows what He’s doing, so we trust. Completely.” What a sense of calm that gives, if we truly believe!
My Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Magnificent. Will have you reading… FAST… till the last word!!
About the Author
Darlene L. Turner is an award-winning author and lives with her husband, Jeff in Ontario, Canada. Her love of suspense began when she read her first Nancy Drew book. She’s turned that passion into her writing and believes readers will be captured by her plots, inspired by her strong characters, and moved by her inspirational message. You can connect with Darlene at http://www.darlenelturner.com where there’s suspense beyond borders.
This K-9 will stop at nothing to keep a child safe.
When a little boy is threatened, Officer Daniella Vargas and K-9 partner, Zara, are assigned to pose as his nanny to uncover the culprit’s identity. Suspecting one of the guests in his inn, widower Sam Kavanaugh’s only option is to begrudgingly trust Daniella and Zara to help. But can they solve the case and its mysterious connection to Sam’s late wife before it’s too late?
“Sam had done more than gotten under her skin. He seemed to have burrowed right into her heart.”
My nurturing heart loves this story! Mentink has a great understanding of toddlers, plus has done her police K-9 research well. Both act as great buttresses to the actual romance. Mentink so vividly describes the wonders of southwestern New Mexico and the Gila National Forest that the reader will put it on their bucket list to visit. IF they can disassociate the terror and suspense of Undercover Assignment from the park itself!
You can’t help but fall in love with three year-old Oliver, whose widowed father, Sam, runs a desert lodge. Sam and his FBI-assigned officer, Daniella Vargas, vie for control of protecting the inn and especially sweet Ollie. Each avoids letting others too close due to very different painful pasts. However, both Sam and Daniella share a strong faith and are learning to trust God even when they can’t understand why God works as He does. “He’d come to a place of acceptance that God had not saved his wife, but he certainly didn’t understand it. The definition of faith, he thought. To trust, even when you don’t understand.”
Book four of The Rocky Mountain K-9 Unit series, there is a thread presented that apparently ties all the books together. However, it is loose enough that you can enjoy Undercover Assignment as a stand-alone, which I did.
Sometimes Mentink just makes me smile, which is a great thing amidst romantic suspense.
“You’re a nanny of many talents.” She waved an airy hand. “Mary Poppins has nothing on me.”
and, “If there was a booklet on how to drive people away, she could probably be a coauthor.”
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I received an ARC of this book from the author through Celebrate Lit, plus I pre-ordered my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
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Notable Quotables:
“God loved all His children, dirty or clean, poor or comfortable, in the suffering and the sunshine.”
“People who were determined to do evil would find a way no matter what the circumstances.”
“If you don’t like the path you’re on,” she’d say, “you got two choices. Learn to like it more, or find the new one God’s got for you.”
My Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Magnificent!! I always enjoy a Dana Mentink romantic suspense!
About the Author
Dana Mentink is a USA TODAY and Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author. She’s written more than forty mystery and suspense novels for Love Inspired Suspense, Harvest House, and Poisoned Pen Press. She is honored to have received two ACFW Carol Awards, a Holt Medallion Award, and a Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice Award. Please visit her on the web at http://www.danamentink.com to sign up for her newsletter, or find her on Twitter, Facebook and Bookbub.
More from Dana
What a joy to participate in a series with seven other talented authors! A continuity series is a set of books, each written by a different author, and each with its own suspense plot along with an overarching series plot and characters. It’s a very complicated project to complete, but the fantastic part is chatting, collaborating, and sometimes commiserating with other writers. What a rare treat, since most of our work is done alone in dark rooms with computer screens and bottomless cups of coffee! This series was especially fun to write because of the whole wilderness lodge setting which is my favorite type of story. Picture it! Ancient cliff dwellings, a freak electrical storm, twenty-four hours with no power and a killer on the loose! That’s my kind of suspense novel. I hope you will enjoy this multi author series as much as we enjoyed creating it!
The fiery pain at her new husband’s murder might equal the disaster blazing across the Pacific Northwest. Stranded in the treacherous railroad camp, baking bread for survival to avoid the life of a bordello canary, Juliana Hayes has no desire to marry a railroad ruffian like Lukas Filips, or anyone else. Her scrimping and saving will pay off soon. She’ll be free of the camps, the rails, and the men who destroyed her life. But she can’t earn her living constantly besieged by desperate bachelors where few women cause chaos in the male ranks.
Juliana reluctantly accepts his protection, but when Lukas reveals the secret of his Montenegrin nobility, the old fears flare as hot as the fire storm eating up the forest at their heels. Can she release her prejudice to love again? Or will either one of them survive The Big Blowup to find out?
Flame of the Rockies, Book 6 in the Queen of the Rockies series, is based on true history when three million acres burned out of control on the border of Montana and Idaho darkening the skies all the way to the East Coast during August of 1910. It’s a wonder anyone survived! Read this heart-pounding romance full of adventure, honoring true history and the heroes that made it. Be sure to follow this 6-book historical romance adventure series, Queen of the Rockies, set in the Gilded Age through the turn-of-the-century. Written by bestselling author and professional genealogist, Angela Breidenbach.
“Why did she have to feed the very men who murdered her husband?”
I really didn’t want to give Flame of the Rockies five stars. But Angela Breidenbach upped her game, if that was even possible, from the others. This was the very best of all six of the Queen of the Rockies series!
Immediately, Breidenbach draws the reader into the story of a widowed bread baker (Juliana) who is constantly fighting off unwanted miners’ attentions. Yet, Lukas, as the latest foreman, is equally compelling and relatable. Breidenbach sets the uneasy, hot 1910 Montana summer scene well. The dangers, manmade or natural, are realistic, well-presented, and suspenseful. The scenery and action are vividly portrayed. What a terrifying event Breidenbach brings to life, one easily ignored. I know I’ll never forget it, as I lived through it vicariously.
Love, love, love the info and the whetting of the appetite Ms. Breidenbach stirs up in the intro! They say a good speaker should lay out his or her main points before the start of a talk, and tell the audience exactly what it is they should learn. Breidenbach does this very effectively. I don’t think I’ve ever seen it done so well in a novel before.
Need tourist information for a trip to Montana? Breidenbach could single-handedly handle the tourism industry for Montana, with her knowledge of the state, its history, and her ability to make that history come alive. In this novel, she focuses on the Route of the Hiawatha. Breidenbach even suggests what to take and expect on your tour.
Faith plays an important role in Lukas’s and Juliana’s story. A wonderful part of a great book.
I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit, plus I purchased my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
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Notable Quotables:
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Men forged the roads, built the towns, answered the call of adventure. But women—they tamed hearts, settled men, and created civilization.
“You’ve accepted my apology, but have you forgiven me?”
“A woman settled a man. He glanced at Juliana. He wanted to be settled by her.”
“Always give credit where credit is due. My father taught me that. A man will give his best when it’s appreciated.”
My Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Magnificent!! An event I’d never heard about, now I’ll never forget!!
About the Author
Angela Breidenbach is a professional genealogist, the director and president of The National Institute for Genealogical Studies(GenealogicalStudies.com), conference speaker, bestselling author of eighteen books. Angela lives in Montana with her hubby and Muse, a trained fe-lion, who shakes hands, rolls over, and jumps through a hoop. Surprisingly, Angela can also. Catch her show and podcast, Genealogy Publishing Coach!
Research is both a joy and a nemesis for an author and/or genealogist. We’re easily distracted with one more fascinating discovery! The entire series, Queen of the Rockies, came from research rabbit trails when I thought there’d be one book. Now there are six ending with Flame of the Rockies!
Flame of the Rockies happens on the factual Trail of the Hiawatha. At first, this trail was a mining area deep in the mountains on the Idaho-Montana border. So deep that fourteen feet of snow blocking the railroad was common during the winter. Quite the contrast to the hot, dry summers with countless lightning strikes and regular forest fires.
After the Big BlowUp that occurred in August of 1910 burning over 3,000,000 acres, the area gradually became a gorgeous upscale train ride through the mountains. People rode the Hiawatha for leisure, upscale dining, and tourism. Then rails died out. The Trail of the Hiawatha rose from the ashes of forgotten history to become the incredible 16.5 mile bike path it is today. The trail winds down the valley from on top of the Continental Divide with incredible views for miles as you ride and experience the awe of God’s creative grandeur.
Understanding the history and evolution of this special trail isn’t hard. So much work in historical preservation has been done, and continues to be done, for those who come. Be sure to read the travel article in the back of this book so you can be one of those holding your breath as mountain after mountain after mountain roll outward from the trestles. You’ll see mountain tops go on for miles and miles. Those vistas truly feel as if you’re standing on the clouds with the Heavenly Hosts. Then you’ll understand why Montana is called the Big Sky Country!
I hope you enjoy Flame of the Rockies and meeting many of the real people who lived and worked in those extreme conditions. Yes, a few of the characters are fictitious. But remember you’re also going to meet a true hero whose heroism and name still rings through the Hiawatha and the world today!
Some duel with swords, others with ships. In love, however, they duel with hearts.
When Sir Walter Elliot, secret admirer of the Navy, invites officers to visit his estate, what could be more natural than for his two daughters to find themselves in love?
Elizabeth Elliot’s legendary, bitter pride clashes with Admiral Baldwin’s stubborn conceit until any hope of a match seems impossible. They say love conquers all, but does it?
All looks hopeful for Anne Elliot and the dashing Captain Wentworth, but when a cousin steps in and sets evil plans into motion, is their love enough to withstand the storm, or is it best to let the captain sail that ship… alone?
Shakespeare’s Much Ado about Nothing meets Jane Austen’s Persuasion in this story about trust, disappointment, and disguises.
“Happy are the men that hear their detractions and can put them to mending.”
Because I had not read Austin’s Persuasion and Shakespeare’s Much Ado about Nothing, I chose to find summaries of the plays to better understand what to expect from the novel Cornthwaite’s Much Ado about Persusaion. Once I had done that, I could better appreciate how Barbara Cornthwaite marries Much Ado about Nothing and Persuasion.
I did not connect with the characters immediately. Slowly, as I became more acclimated to the antiquated language, I really began to enjoy the multiple storylines presented. A robust tale, with several relationships threatened, forming, or desired, it was at first difficult to keep all the characters straight. Happily, I found that continued reading rectified this problem. There were actually several times I laughed out loud. While the original tales are older and the language mimics that of earlier centuries, there were so many nuggets of truth that are applicable today! How I loved that! I underlined a great many quotes.
Faith is included with appropriate Scripture quotes or even sermon snippets that fit right in to the fabric of the story. Nothing contrived there, which can be a tricky maneuver for an author.
I recommend this novel for fans of Jane Austen and William Shakespeare. Other historical fiction lovers might also be enthralled with the story.
I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“good people collect other good people around them.”
Good birth is no guarantee of good character.”
“Pride is a very empty comfort when you are alone.”
“…the best thing would be to start off by praising her. Not something about her beauty, which might seem like mere flattery, but something about her character.”
My Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Great! Keep at this one until you discover the gems inside!!
About the Author
Barbara Cornthwaite lives in the middle of Ireland with her husband and children. She taught college English before “retiring” to do something she loves far more; her days are now filled with homeschooling, trying to keep the house tidy (a losing battle), and trying to stay warm in the damp Irish climate (also a losing battle). She is surrounded by medieval castles, picturesque flocks of sheep, and ancient stone monuments. These things are unappreciated by her six children, who are more impressed by traffic jams, skyscrapers, and hot weather.
More from Barbara
I discovered Jane Austen in college when I was required to read Pride and Prejudice. This was in the dark ages before the famous adaptations, and I knew nothing about the storyline. In fact, I expected it to be depressing, probably because the title sounded similar to War and Peace. It was a delightful surprise to be charmed by the novel, and I went on to read all Austen’s other books on my own. Each of them have a special place in my heart. I love Emma so much that I wrote a two-book parallel novel for it (the George Knightley, Esquire series). I also have novellas based on Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park and Emma in the A Very Austenanthologies. This book, however, is the first thing I’ve written based on Persuasion.
Mixing the stories of these two authors has been great fun, and redeeming a couple of characters who didn’t learn anything from their mistakes in the original stories gives my version a spiritual twist. I hope you enjoy it!
Shakespeare I met in high school, and furthered my acquaintance with him in college. Much Ado About Nothing is, I think, my favorite of his plays (although there are several close contenders for the top spot). His grasp of character is unmatched, and his language, even after five hundred years, is striking.
Who knew concealing one’s true identity could be so disastrous?
Who knew asserting one’s independence would cause such embarrassment? If only Almira “Emilie” Crawford Wheeler hadn’t insisted upon carrying her own stack of parcels, she wouldn’t have landed in an unladylike heap on the boardwalk. And what about the half-truth she told the handsome stranger who came to her aid? The stranger she never expected to see again?
Thad Alexander Evanson should have been paying closer attention to the boardwalk, rather than the newfangled automobile motoring down the street. Had he been more astute, a collision with the beautiful parcel-laden stranger might never have happened. And if it never had happened, he wouldn’t have told a partial-truth he figured wouldn’t matter.
Before long, Emilie and Thad are arranging to meet for a noonday meal each weekend in Missoula under the guise of different names. But what happens when their true identities are revealed? When half-truths are exposed? Could God have a plan even in the midst of a tangled web of lies?
“But it’s not all right to lie. No, but it can be necessary. It’s never necessary.”
Love in Disguise by Penny Zeller is such a light, fun historical fiction book, yet it speaks to serious issues. I was very pleased to find this novel next on my list, a nice break from more serious reading. Zeller had me laughing out loud quite often over the antics of her characters from the early 1900s. “Being proper-like with a dash of rebellion wasn’t for the faint of heart.” “Lord, I reckon this is an odd request, but might I become invisible?“ Also, repeated imagined quotes from Emilie’s mother had me in stitches.
Themes that keep this novel from being “fluff” writing are finding faith in God, second chances, and true love. Also, telling the truth. Fortunately for the readers, the lack of truthfulness and its consequences drive the story with the necessary conflict.
I changed my rating of this book from four to five stars after considering how much I loved the feels from the story. I loved getting to know Thad and Emilie, as well as Morris and Vera. The novel has a prairie romance feel to it, similar to When Calls the Heart. I was surprised, pleased, and amused by some of the secondary characters at the book’s conclusion.
Readers who enjoy Westerns, Historical fiction, or who enjoy books by Janette Oke or Jen Turano will want to pick up this Penny Zeller offering.
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I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
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Notable Quotables:
“Reflecting on things I have no control over will most certainly not bring me peace of mind.”
“Displeasing as all get out to the Lord when we aren’t truthful. Even when we think we have acceptable reasons for dishonesty.”
Lying is an awful thing. It erodes trust faster than the weather changes here in Montana.
“Pray? She hadn’t prayed since the day she prayed that the Lord would save…”
My Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Magnificent!! Just What the Dr Ordered!
About the Author
Penny Zeller is known for her heartfelt stories of faith and her passion to impact lives for Christ through fiction. While she has had a love for writing since childhood, she began her adult writing career penning articles for national and regional publications on a wide variety of topics.
Today Penny is a multi-published author of several inspirational books. She is also a homeschool mom and a fitness instructor.
When Penny is not dreaming up new characters, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters, camping, hiking, canoeing, reading, running, cycling, gardening, and playing volleyball.
She is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Agency and loves to hear from her readers at her website www.pennyzeller.com and her blog, random thoughts from a day in the life of a wife, mom, and author, at www.pennyzeller.wordpress.com.
More from Penny
In Love in Disguise, the two main characters, Emilie and Thad, are both fond of pie a la mode. It plays a prominent part in the book, especially during Emilie and Thad’s courtship. My inspiration behind the dessert? My aunt’s famous, old-fashioned pie a la mode recipe, which is a family favorite.
Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions 