I am a Christian, a retired teacher, a mother and a grandmother. I love to read and I love the Lord Jesus Christ! Unless otherwise specified ,all visual illustrations are from the YOU VERSION APP of the Bible.
This first book in LIsa Harris’s new U.S. Marshals series will definitely leave you wanting more. As U.S. Marshals Madison James and Jonas Quinn race across the states in the Pacific Northwest in search of an escaped felon, my heart raced right along with them. Each time that they thought they had Barrick in a trap, I cheered, only to sigh with resignation when he escaped again. He was one smart prisoner! But Madison and Jonas were ready for his wily ways and they gave me chills with how perceptive and clever they were in their pursuit of the escaped killer. I was delighted that I learned so much about the U.S. Marshals and that I could actually picture the beautiful forest land that they were trapped in, attempting to find the felon who was like the Road Runner in the cartoons, always one step ahead of them. The author did an outstanding job of describing the setting! Fans of romantic suspense will really love this action adventure story! Disclaimer Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
A clean book with lots of action, some of it very intense. So, I would rate it PG-13. Photo from the author’s website at lisaharriswrites.com
This is a lovely story about a young woman who needs to learn to trust again and the sheriff in a small town who helps her along the way. Tess Harper lives alone with her toddler daughter who has Down’s Sydrome. Being the parent of a special needs daughter is a challenge, but being alone in that frightening world is even more so. The author expresses perfectly how fiercely protective Tess is of her daughter and of her heart. When Sheriff Anson Curry enters their lives, it’s like exploding stars. Little Hannah just eats up his love and attention and Tess is gradually swayed to begin trusting him. I thoroughly enjoyed this Christmas story of love and acceptance, even in the midst of great trials. The author did an amazing job of characterization and her plot moved along at exactly the right pace to keep me engaged. The events evoked tears, anger, happiness…all the expected moods for a romance with just the right dab of conflict. Fans of Christmas romances will love this book, especially the portrayal of a little girl looking for her perfect circle. Disclaimer Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
I would rate this book PG-13 because it does have extramarital sex included, although the salient details are not there. Author Bio: Makenna Lee is an award-winning romance author living in the Texas Hill Country with her real-life hero and their two children. Her oldest son has Down syndrome and taught her to appreciate the little things, and he inspired one of her novels. As a child, she played in the woods, looked for fairies under toadstools, and daydreamed. Her writing journey began when she mentioned all her story ideas, and her husband asked why she wasn’t writing them down. The next day she bought a laptop, started her first book, and knew she’d found her passion. Now, Makenna is often drinking coffee while writing, reading, or plotting a new story. Her wish is to write books that touch your heart, making you feel, think, and dream. She enjoys renaissance festivals, nature photography, studying herbal medicine, and usually listens to Celtic music while writing. She writes for Harlequin and Entangled Publishing and believes everyone deserves a happy ending.
First, a warning…you can’t read this book without a few tears, or at least I couldn’t. The puppy mills portrayed were so very sad, but not as heart-wrenching to me as the situation that Constance and Rhett are in. Constance is trying to work through the emotional problems caused by a devastating loss and the resulting depression. Rhett owns a gym called Semper Fit (clever name) in which he pours all of his frustrations from PTSD into intense, extreme exercise routines. Both main characters find out that you cannot run from your problems, and since this is a romance, they both eventually find solace in each other. The getting there to understanding that they are better together is told masterfully in this wonderfully written romance. There is lots of emotion between the humans in the story as they interact with each other, and there are also plenty of emotional scenes between humans and dogs. My heart went out to the dogs being rescued by Constance’s sister Sunny. Those scenes were so realistic that I wanted to jump into the page and help the pups myself. Since both of the main characters are injured in their hearts and their heads, it may take a dog to actually rescue them…the best part of the story was finding each other! Disclaimer Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
Rated PG-13 because of contentElysia Whisler was raised in Texas, Italy, Alaska, Mississippi, Nebraska, Hawai’i and Virginia, in true military fashion. Her nomadic life has made storytelling a compulsion from a young age. She doubles as a mother, a massage therapist and a CrossFit trainer and is dedicated to portraying strong women, both in life and in her works. She lives in Virginia with her family, including her large brood of cat and dog rescues, who vastly outnumber the humans.
One Constance slammed on her brakes. Steam rose from the street as rain gurgled through the ditches. She killed the engine, stepped into the pattering droplets and scanned the shoulder of the road. Nothing there but the remains of a goose carcass. “Where are you, boy?” Constance gave a low whistle. It hadn’t been her imagination. The picked-over goose only made her more certain she’d seen a dog, weaving through the foggy afternoon air like a phantom. A lost dog, with his head bent against the rain as he loped along the muddy ditch. Constance whistled again. Silence, but for the sound of rain hitting the trees that lined the road. “Maybe I’m just tired.” She’d done a lot of massages today, which made her feel wrung out. Constance almost ducked back into the van, but halted. There he was: a white face with brown patches, peeking at her from behind a bush. “Hey, boy.” Constance squatted down, making herself smaller, less threatening. The dog watched, motionless. Constance drew a biscuit from her coat, briefly recalling the cashier’s amusement at the grocery store today when she’d emptied her pockets on the counter, searching for her keys. Five dog biscuits had been in the pile with her phone, a used tissue and the grocery list. “Dog mom, huh?” the elderly cashier had said. “Something like that.” More like dog aunt, to all of the rescues at Pittie Place. Her sister, Sunny, had quite the brood. Constance laid the biscuit near her foot and waited. A moment later, the bush rustled and the dog approached. He had short hair and big shoulders. He got only as close as he needed to, then stretched his neck out for the prize. As he gingerly took the biscuit, Constance noted a droopy abdomen and swollen nipples, like a miniature cow. So. He was a she. Constance inched toward her. The dog held on to the biscuit, but reared back. Constance extended her fist, slowly, so the mom could smell her. “You got puppies somewhere?” The dog whimpered, but crunched up the biscuit. “Where are your puppies?” The dog whimpered again. Her legs shook. Her fur was muddy, feet caked with dirt. She had blood on her muzzle— probably from the dead goose. By her size and coloring, Constance decided she was a pit bull. Constance rose up, patted her thigh and headed toward her van. She slid open the side door, grabbed a blanket and spread it out, but when she turned around, the dog was several yards away. Her brown-and-white head was low as she wandered beneath a streetlamp, the embodiment of despair in the drizzle that danced through the light. Constance followed, slipping on the leaves that clogged the drainage ditch. The dog glanced once over her shoulder, but her pace didn’t quicken. Constance decided her calm demeanor was working, keeping the dog from fleeing. And let’s be honest: the biscuit hadn’t hurt. Chances were, the dog would be happy to have more as soon as she got wherever she was going. “Let’s see where you’re headed, then. Show me if you’ve got a home.” Constance followed her across the road, around the curve and down the narrow lane. Frogs popped like happy corn all over the slick street, but the chill of the oncoming winter slithered through Constance’s blood. She followed the dog for a good quarter mile. Even before she hooked a left down the unpaved road hidden behind the trees, Constance had figured out that the mama was headed to one of the handful of empty places that sat decomposing on the hundred or so acres the Matteri family owned. Constance paused only long enough to squelch the sizzle of anger that bubbled up inside before she pressed on, determined to know if the dog was a stray or a neglected mother from Janice Matteri’s puppy mill. Constance took the same turn and watched as the dog neared the abandoned house up ahead. Nobody had lived there in years. It was only a matter of time before it became condemned. The dog bypassed the crumbling porch of the old colonial and went around back. Constance knew little daylight was left, and she hadn’t brought a flashlight. She broke into a trot, clutched her coat tighter around her and didn’t slow until the dog came back into view. Constance followed her, her heart thumping harder with each step. The dog passed the rusted chain-link fence and disappeared over a rise in the property, near an old shed so overgrown with trees it was only recognizable by a pale red door. Just as she reached the hill, Constance heard a squeak. The sort of high-pitched noise that echoes from everywhere and nowhere all at once. Another squeak came. And another. She crested the hill and saw the dog slink inside the shed door. Constance got to the shed and pushed inside. The dog had reached her destination: a battered old mattress, three shades of brown, lying a few feet inside. The mewls, now loud and hungry, came from a shredded section of the mattress. Constance narrowed her eyes. At first, she counted only two bobbing, brown heads, but as she drew closer there was a third. Then a fourth. The last one didn’t move nearly as much, just sort of waded on his stomach. The puppies had cocoa-colored fur and black muzzles. Eyes open. The ones that moved didn’t really walk, just stumbled into each other, like drunks. Mama dog curled around them and they all wiggled toward her abdomen. Constance knelt down next to the mattress and watched the suckling puppies. She decided they were about two weeks old. The air in the shed smelled of sour milk, poop and urine. She dug out another biscuit and reached, slowly, her hand in a fist to protect her fingers, her gaze on the mama for any sign she was upset, such as pinned ears, bared teeth or a raised ridge of fur down the back. The energy around the mom and her pups was calm, to the point of exhausted. Constance had certainly helped with enough of Sunny’s dogs over the years to know. She offered the biscuit and the mom took it. With her mouth busy, Constance carefully touched the smallest puppy, who shook so hard the tremble came from deep inside, beneath his skin and fur, straight from his bones. Constance rose slowly and did a quick search of the vicinity for more puppies, which turned up nothing but trash, vermin and an old orange crate, which she brought over to the mattress. Now to see if Mom was going to accept help. Though daylight was precious, Constance waited until the pups were done suckling before she offered a third treat. “Let’s go back to my place,” Constance said as Mom accepted the biscuit. “My sister has a rescue for critters, just like you. And I help her all the time. You’ll be safe there. Does that sound okay?” While Mama crunched, Constance reached for the two pups closest to her and, keeping an eye on Mom the whole time, she lifted them and settled them in the crate. Mom’s chewing quickened, so Constance acted fast, lifting the last two pups swiftly but carefully. She rose to her feet, crate in her arms. The mother dog was on her feet almost ahead of her, pointing her muzzle at the crate and whining. Constance knew the mom would follow her anywhere she took those pups, but she also lacked any signs of aggression, almost as though she knew that this was their only chance. Or as Pete, owner of Canine Warriors and Constance’s longtime childhood friend, would put it, “You just got something about you, Cici. Everybody trusts you. People. Dogs. The damn Devil himself.” Constance headed back to her van, chasing the sunset. As expected, the mother followed. Once to the vehicle, Constance opened the van and set the crate full of pups next to the blanket she’d spread out earlier. The mama dog leaped in after them. Constance slid the door closed, settled behind the steering wheel and let out a great sigh. Mission accomplished. She edged down the long, lonely road. The rain pattered on the windshield and the scent of dirty puppies hit her nose. She’d take them home tonight and get them settled in, see how they reacted to a new environment, then text Sunny in the morning. Constance had worked with enough dogs, and people, to know that introducing another new person this evening was bad news. Let Mama get used to Constance first, and get some good food and rest, before she was moved to Pittie Place. Tonight, at least, this girl and her babies belonged with Constance.
What a delightful and light-hearted Christmas romance! WIth the holidays approaching, Catherine’s friend Denise convinces her to go on a European cruise with her. After all, Catherine’s two children are busy leading their own lives, Catherine has a serious health issue to deal with after the holidays, and Denise really is a god friend. Also on the cruise are sisters Sophie and Sierra. Sierra is married but her husband reneged on the cruise at the last minute, so hypochondriac Sophie decides to travel with her sister. The cruise is all that they dreamed of, and all that I could dream of, too, if I had been along. Sumptuous meals, beautiful port cities with Christmas shopping all along the way. Plus, Trevor is on the cruise, the chocolate king of Cupid’s Chocolates. Of course, there is lots of matching up in couples, lots of drama, lots of romance and plenty of Christmas. My favorite part was the slide show presented by Sophie and Sierra’s brother at their family celebration. Seriously, this was like watching a Hallmark movie or living right in the scenes with the characters. The whole book was that realistically portrayed! The characters were three-dimensional and the plot was extremely well-written with no loose strings left at the end. (Or should I say missing Christmas tree bulbs?). Anyway, this was one of the best Christmas books that I have read and I highly recommend it for those who love the holiday and the romance that it brings. And if you don’t love the holiday, you will enjoy this book because it’s that good, even for Scrooges! Disclaimer Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
Clean, romantic readCheck our information about the author at Shelia’s Place
I hope that you will check this book out and purchase it today! It will really lighten your mood! At least, it did mine…no electionnews, just good, clean fun.
Although this is the fourth book in the series, I read it as a standalone and understood the plot and was able to catch up quickly on who the characters were and the roles that they played. Taking place both in the U.S. and Canada, the basic tale is one of a RCMP detective, Liam Bearsmith, who had fallen in love with a witness in protection two decades previously and now sees her, follows her and the action really begins. It seems that Kelly and Liam have a daughter named Hannah who is married to a computer hacker names Renner. The plot got very unbelievable at times, with a gang called the Imposters determined to capture Renner and get a master key that he had discovered. The cutest character, by far, was the infant named Pip who is Hannah and Renner’s daughter, and thus Liam’s granddaughter whom he has just met. There are numerous other characters, members of Liam’s team, who jump into action to assist him. Again, many of the scenes during rescues and hostage-taking were far-fetched, but they were still entertaining. It was a fast-paced Christian romantic suspense with plenty of action to go along with the tons of characters. I I didn’t even try to keep the characters straight; I just kept reading to find out the ending. I knew that it would all be okay, but I didn’t know how that was going to be possible since one character would get out of trouble and another would fall into a trap. I liked the settings, rural and very Canadian wilderness like. Fans of clean romantic suspense who enjoy constant action will enjoy this book. Disclaimer Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Harlequin via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
This is a completely clean romantic suspense.About the author: Maggie K. Black is an award-winning journalist and self-defense instructor. She’s lived in the United States, Europe and Middle East, and left a piece of her heart in each. She now makes her home in Canada where she writes stories that make her heart race.
Excerpt, CHRISTMAS WITNESS CONSPIRACY by Maggie K. Black
He turned and walked toward the restaurant, so quickly and firmly she couldn’t have grabbed his hand again if she’d wanted to. She followed him up the stairs and across the deck—the empty deck with its picnic tables inches deep in snow. He reached for the door, found it unlocked and pushed it open. They stepped into the restaurant. It was empty and dark. Chairs were stacked upside down on empty tables. As the door clicked shut behind them, a young man in a thick beard stepped out from behind it and pressed the barrel of a gun to the side of Liam’s head. “Down on your knees.” The voice was low and mean. His face was lost in shadows and the click of the gun was unmistakable. “You’re about to learn what happens to someone who tries to lie to Bill Leckie, and it ain’t going to be pretty.” “You tell Bill, I didn’t cross him,” Liam said calmly, raising his hands, “and I await his apology when he figures that out. Now, tell me, what exactly does Bill think I’ve done?” Then, before the man could even formulate an answer, Liam struck, apparently more interested in distracting his attacker long enough to get the upper hand than hearing what he had to say. Kelly watched as Liam spun toward the gun-wielding man, grabbing the weapon before he could even fire and slamming him into the wall. She felt a gust of wind and heard the door slam and click shut again. She blinked. Liam had disarmed his attacker, thrown him out and locked the door behind him, without even breaking a sweat. Then she felt Liam’s strong hand on her shoulder, guiding her and the still-sleeping baby underneath a table, sheltering them with his body. “Stay here,” Liam whispered, his voice urgent. His face was just inches from hers. Worry flooded his eyes. “It’s an ambush. That guy won’t be alone and just because I was able to catch him off guard doesn’t mean the others won’t put up more of a fight.” Not to mention the guy he just locked outside would be trying to get back in, no doubt. “There are other doors to this place, but we’d have to go through the kitchen or down the hallway, both of which are risky. This is an easier place to defend. Whatever Bill thinks I’ve done, he won’t want his goons hurting you or the baby. He’s got way too much honor than to allow a woman or child to get hurt on his watch, and has probably already told his attack dogs to leave you alone. I’m the one they’re after. I’ll get you out of here. Just promise me, if you get a clear path to escape, just take Pip and go, okay? Don’t wait for me and don’t look back.” Before she could answer, his hand slid to the side of her face. His lips brushed over her forehead. Then he rolled back out into the room and leaped to his feet, knocking a table in front of Kelly and Pip’s hiding space as he did so, further shielding and protecting them. “Like I told Bill, I have a woman and baby with me!” he shouted to the seemingly empty room. He tucked the gun he’d lifted into his belt. “If you’re Bill’s men you’ll know full well that hurting innocent women and children is against his code. Whatever his problem is, it’s with me, not them. And no weapon fire, please. The kid’s asleep and Bill won’t want you making things loud and scaring her awake.” He sounded so calm and in control, as if he was the only person there who really understood what was going on. Kelly slid Pip’s car seat into the corner against the wall, sheltering it with her body and praying God get back in, no doubt. “There are other doors to this place, but we’d have to go through the kitchen or down the hallway, both of which are risky. This is an easier place to defend. Whatever Bill thinks I’ve done, he won’t want his goons hurting you or the baby. He’s got way too much honor than to allow a woman or child to get hurt on his watch, and has probably already told his attack dogs to leave you alone. I’m the one they’re after. I’ll get you out of here. Just promise me, if you get a clear path to escape, just take Pip and go, okay? Don’t wait for me and don’t look back.” Before she could answer, his hand slid to the side of her face. His lips brushed over her forehead. Then he rolled back out into the room and leaped to his feet, knocking a table in front of Kelly and Pip’s hiding space as he did so, further shielding and protecting them. “Like I told Bill, I have a woman and baby with me!” he shouted to the seemingly empty room. He tucked the gun he’d lifted into his belt. “If you’re Bill’s men you’ll know full well that hurting innocent women and children is against his code. Whatever his problem is, it’s with me, not them. And no weapon fire, please. The kid’s asleep and Bill won’t want you making things loud and scaring her awake.” He sounded so calm and in control, as if he was the only person there who really understood what was going on. Kelly slid Pip’s car seat into the corner against the wall, sheltering it with her body and praying God would protect Pip from realizing they were in danger. Then Kelly crouched up onto the balls of her feet and looked out through gaps in the chairs and fallen table that barricaded her from view. As she watched, two more men, of varying heights, wearing plaid jackets and with full-length beards, stepped out of the shadows. Liam had been so convinced that Bill would protect them and he’d been wrong. Lord, please keep us safe. She watched as Liam raised his badge high. “I’m Liam Bearsmith!” he shouted at the approaching men. “RCMP. Stand down! Now! Or I’ll arrest you for assaulting an officer.”
This is the second book in the Pelican Bay series, and although I had no difficulty understanding the plot or the relationships between the characters, I wish that I had read the first book already in order to get the back story in Jane and Reid’s relationship. That being said, this book definitely left me wanting more of their story, especially the interference that Lauren is threatening to their discovery of each other. I enjoyed how the plot was complicated and woven around various characters. My favorite character was Will, a young man with a practical head on his shoulders who wants the best for both of his parents, regardless of whether they stay together or not. Jane is a strong and fierce heroine while Reid is not as strong but is a real brainiac who figures things out and has passed this trait on to his son. All of the characters work together to attempt to stop an attack on an oil platform that will also threaten the Gulf. This is a winning series, with an intense and intriguing plot and characters that are realistic and relatable. Disclaimer Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
A clean Christian romantic suspense with some intense action. Rated PGPhoto and bio from author’s website at Colleen Coble
Jonie Smitley was called to be a missionary from a young age and this book is the testimony of her life there. She spent time in Iraq, Afghanistan, Italy during the Covid-19 outbreak, Ecuador, and many other places. Basically, she traveled wherever and whenever she was needed, waiting for God’s call. I was fascinated with her close walk with the Lord and how she witnessed to His grace and love in each chapter. The love and dedication that she feels forward the Lord is portrayed in each chapter, with true stories of reaching out to those who need God in their lives. She definitely shows that she has a heart for serving God and the willingness to follow through. Her courage and love and skill are a wonder to behold. This is a very fast read, with short chapters and an amazing true story in each. Christians who want to feel uplifted and encouraged as well as challenged to serve will enjoy this book. And non-Christians can learn from its pages what unselfish devotion is like. I purchased my copy of this book from Amazon. I was not required to write a positive review.
The opinions expressed are my own. I am happy to say that my daughter Hope is a personal friend of Jonie’s and is part of Jonie’s prayer team when Jonie is on the missions field. So, although I have never met this remarkable woman myself, I have heard many times to pray for Jonie because she is headed out again to do God’s work.
This is a totally clean read that is good forall audiences.
Please note that I am aware that there are various grammatical and spelling errors in this book. However, take it as a testimony of a dedicated Christian, one devoted to going to work for God no matter the cost, and enjoy the book! I know that I did!
I was beyond delighted when I was invited to review Debbie Macomber’s new Christmas book since I love her books, especially the Christmas ones that I look forward to each year. The story of Everly and Asher is an old as time, and so well-written that I laughed, I cried and I rejoiced as I read. Just the feelings I wanted as the holiday approaches! Everly is a real estate executive who is tricked into going on an Amazon River cruise. There she meets naturalist Asher, a young man dedicated to telling everyone about all of the mysteries of the Amazon. I laughed aloud at some of the escapades that Everly got into. She may have been a very capable real estate mogul, but she was definitely out of her element in the wilds of the Amazon. It was amusing to read about Asher’s attempt to thwart her getting seriously injured while also teaching her about the place he loved so much. The conflict comes when the two fall in love and they have no idea to believe that their love can continue since they live worlds apart. I always enjoy how Ms. Macomber resolves the conflict and I think that her readers will recognize her fine hand in this wonderful Christmas story. It’s all about family, love, talents and compromise. Fans of romance and Debbie Macomber will thoroughly enjoy this story. And, bonus! I learned a lot about the Amazon, too! Disclaimer Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
Rated G for all audiences who enjoy romancePhoto and bio from author’s website at Debbie Macomber
Lisa Jewell’s latest book is the story of misfits in society, the story of desiring acceptance and love, the story of betrayal and lies and deception, and the story of secrets. It is a multi-layered story told from the point of view of three main characters. Cat Fours, the wife of Roan and mother of self-centered Georgia and spoiled Josh, is a woman who knows something is wrong but chooses to ignore it rather than confront. Saffyre Maddox is a teen who was abused as a young child and is still suffering from that physical assault. She sat under the therapy of Roan Fours, but since he didn’t cure her, she has decided to stalk him. The final narrator was the most unreliable but also the most interesting. Owen Pick is a complete misfit, a thirty something who has yet to find his place in the world. Fired from his job as a geography professor, Owen lives with Tessie, a relative who seldom interacts with him. Owen is part of an online group known as the incels, a group of involuntary celibates, something that I had never heard of before and I’m not sure that I want to know more about them now. Dark! Very dark! When Saffyre disappears, Owen is naturally the first suspect and is picked up, questioned and finally charged. Owen continues to declare his innocence, Cat continues to turn the other way and refuse to acknowledge that evil may exist under her roof, and Saffyre is still missing. This is not really what I would call a thriller, but rather a psychological family drama. It was thought-provoking throughout, especially at the end, when I closed the book and continued to reflect on the deceptive appearances that are a central theme. Who is in my life who wears one face and hides the real person inside? I really enjoyed this book, but not with a happy feeling at the end. The book is too dark with multi-faceted themes to leave me with contentment at the end. However, it left me with a lot to ponder. Fans of Lisa Jewell and psychological mysteries will really enjoy this fast-paced book. Disclaimer Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
Very entertaining but extremely dark content and themes, so not recommended for teens. Mature audiences only! Photo from the author’s website at Lisa Jewell
This was a superb addition to the Brenda Novak Silver Springs series! With many of my favorite characters poised to take part in the story of Dallas and Emery, I was mesmerized by the way the story was intricately woven around the town and people of Silver Springs. Emery is a wounded young woman who is invited to stay at the ranch with Aiyana while she finds her bearings again. There, she meets Aiyana’s sons, most importantly Dallas. Emery has some healing to do, but so does Dallas and it takes the whole novel before the two of them figure out how to go about it. I particularly enjoyed the details about Aiyana’s wedding to Cal and how helpful her sons were determined to be. Family working together and supporting each other was a main theme of the book. Another theme was forgiveness and just letting things go so you can move on with your life. I was outraged at how Emery had lost her job through no fault of her own, but I also liked how she ended up handling the whole situation. I also enjoyed seeing Susan and her bakery in the story this time as she was one of my favorite characters previously. For her to play a role in Emery’s decision to forgive was like icing on the cake. This book can be read as a stand alone, but I highly recommend that you read the series so that you are familiar with all of the characters and the many positive vibes from living in a small town like Silver Springs. Disclaimer Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the Mira via Netgalley. I also purchased my own autographed copy via the Brenda Novak Reader Boxes. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
Highly entertaining romance. Rated a hard PG-13 for content as there are some definitely “hot and spicy” bedroom scenes. Nothing was too graphic, though, so if you enjoy a good romance with some bedroom antics, then this is the book for you! I really enjoyed it and I have been called a “prude” by more than one person. I got to meet Brenda in 2019 at an event in Hopewell. Here I am with my son and Brenda in the middle. She is just as friendly and sweet as she looks! For more information about her or her books, go to Brenda Novak. And if you want to join her Facebook group, go to Facebook with Brenda Novak.This is book seven in the series, but it can be read as a standalone.
Available on Tuesday, October 13th wherever books are sold. Purchase Links:
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