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.
Following an anonymous tip about a gun-trafficking ring, patrol officer Jenna Morrow arrives in small-town North Dakota—and narrowly escapes the bomb that detonates in her car. Rescued by rancher Clay Miller, Jenna and her K-9 partner, Augie, take refuge at his remote property to continue her investigation. But even when she’s under Clay’s protection, an unknown assailant continues to threaten Jenna, making it clear someone wants her dead…and it’s personal. As the killer closes in, Jenna and Clay must unmask an attacker who won’t stop until a long-awaited revenge is complete.
Product Details
ISBN-13:9781335957214 Publisher:Harlequin Publicationdate:08/26/2025 Series:Dakota K-9 Unit , #6 Pages:208
My Thoughts
Jenna Morrow is a patrol officer on assignment trying to find gun runners when her life is threatened repeatedly by an unknown assailant. Taking refuge at Clay Miller’s ranch, Jenna thinks she will be safe there, but ends up having the danger follow both her and Clay. With her trained K-9 on the job and constantly vigilant for anyone threatening her, Jenna has a better than average chance of catching the perpetrator, but she is thwarted at every turn by surprise attacks against friends and even Augie, her dog. The action is fast-paced and non-stop, with pulse pounding scenes of danger and suspense. The characters were dynamic and relatable as the protagonists discovered feelings for each other that they were afraid to voice due to their pasts. I enjoyed the well written plot, but the characters are what kept me reading because I was invested in their happy ending and their solving the mystery of the attacker who just wouldn’t quit. With twists, red herrings and great clues throughout the book, this is a must read for those who enjoy romantic suspense and guessing games. I voluntarily received a complimentary copy of this book via BookFunnel. I also purchased my own copy. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions expressed are my own.
Love Inspired Suspense, Rated PG
About the Author
Publishers Weekly Bestselling Author, Jessica R. Patch has penned over 27 novels and is known for her dry wit and signature twists whether she’s penned a romantic suspense or a dark, twisty thriller. When she’s not getting into fictional mischief with her characters, you can find her cozy on the couch in her mid-south home reading books by some of her favorite authors, down the street at the Mexican restaurant, or collecting recipes to amazing dishes she’ll probably never cook. Sign up for her newsletter “Patched In” at www.jessicarpatch.com and receive a FREE short thriller.
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I really enjoy a good romantic suspense book and when it’s a Love Inspired book, that is even better because faith becomes a focus of the characters as they work to resolve their problems. This is the second book in a series, but it is the first one that I have read by this author so I can attest to the fact that it can be read as a standalone. The main characters are Mara Castillo and Levi Duke. Levi has partnered with Mara’s brother Seth to purchase a failing ranch in the desert outside of Las Vegas. Furnace Falls is not a paradise by any means but Levi and Seth hope to turn the ranch around and raise horses. Unfortunately, before Seth can even arrive, he is seriously injured and in a coma, leaving Mara to fill in the gaps on the ranch. I really enjoyed how responsible Levi was, to Seth and to Mara and to his own obligations. I read intently as Mara’s character developed from one who was bitter about what she has had to give up into one who accepts things the way they are. The plot is complicated by the fact that Mara’s sister Corinne disappeared about five years earlier and now it seems that Mara has received a text from her. So, in addition to finding out what happened to Corinne, visiting her seriously injured brother in the hospital, dealing with her feelings for Levi and working on the ranch, Mara is trying to discover the secrets that seem to be threatening her life. There were surprising twists along the way to the end of the story and a lot of back-and-forth romance between Levi and Mara. The suspense never let up and the romance was a light one, in the background but always there. The animals were my absolute favorites of the story! There was Banjo the intuitive dog, a kitten named Tiny whom Banjo seems to adopt as his own and a Rabbit living under the porch. Plus, of course, there were lots of horses on the ranch. I enjoyed the story, the characters, the themes of family and persevering and the intrigue of a good mystery. 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.”
A clean romantic suspense that can be read by all who enjoy a good mystery and a light romance.Four stars foragood book that left me wanting to know more about the characters and the storyPhoto from the author’s website at http://www.danamentik.com
About the Author
Dana Mentink is a national bestselling author. She has been honored to win two Carol Awards, a Holt Medallion, and a Reviewer’s Choice award. She’s authored more than thirty novels to date for Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense and Harlequin Heartwarming. Dana loves feedback from her readers. Contact her at www.danamentink.com
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.”
Ryker Tillman was willing to give his life for his country in Afghanistan. Now, with his own security country, he is willing to lay down his life for the lives of pregnant Olivia Habush and her toddler son Aaron. Olivia knew that her husband was working for some really bad guys, but she had no idea that after Tim died, his legacy would be danger for her and Aaron. Pursued by the relentless killers from Blake-Moore, Olivia has nowhere to turn until Ryker shows up and rescues her. All of the action was like a movie rolling in my head, with one heart-stopping scene after another. Ryker called in his buddies from the war, the Callahans and Duncan. They offer a little comic relief and a lot of help to Ryker and Olivia. Throughout the book, no sooner do she and Aaron get out of danger than a fresh group of mercenaries shows up to force her to give them something that supposedly Tim left with her. The ride through this book was wild and fast-paced, but best of all, it was all a totally clean ride, with no expletives or graphically described violence. My only criticism is that the book was such a fast read that I was surprised when it ended. That’s not to say that I didn’t like the conclusion; I just didn’t want it to end! 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.”
Author bio: Laura Scott is honored to write for the Love Inspired Suspense line, where a reader can find a heartwarming journey of faith amid the thrilling danger. She lives with her husband of twenty-five years and has two children, a daughter and a son, who are both in college. She works as a critical-care nurse during the day at a large level-one trauma center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and spends her spare time writing romance. Visit Laura at http://www.laurascottbooks.com.
A thud woke Olivia from a sound sleep. Had someone fallen? She pried open her eyes and peered at the cheap alarm clock on the nightstand.
Two in the morning. She glanced down at Aaron who was curled next to her. The noise hadn’t woken him.
Another thud and a muffled shout sent fear spiking through her body. What in the world was going on?
She slid out of bed, steadying herself with a hand on the wall. Her bladder urged her toward the bathroom, but before she could take a step, she heard a sharp report.
A gunshot?
No! Please, Lord, help us! She bent over and scooped Aaron into her arms, although she wasn’t sure where to go or what to do. Where was Ryker? Duncan? Mike?
She had no weapon of any sort. Not that she’d know what to do with one anyway. There was a bathroom within the suite, so she went inside, locked the door and glanced around, her thoughts whirling.
The Blake-Moore Group must have found her. Again. She wanted to cry, to rant and scream in frustration, but forced herself to swallow the cries burning the back of her throat.
Think. Think! Her gaze landed on the toilet. The motel hadn’t been updated in years, and the toilet tank was similar to the one she had at home, with a heavy ceramic cover on it.
“Mommy?” Aaron raised his head, rubbing at his eyes. “Shh. We have to be quiet.” Olivia set him down in the bathtub, the safest place she could think of. “Stay here, okay?”
“I don’t wanna.” His lower lip trembled and she was very much afraid that he’d begin wailing at any moment.
She lifted her heart in prayer. God, please protect us! “Mommy?” Her son lifted his arms toward her, his gaze begging.
“Shh. Please, Aaron. I need you to be quiet. We don’t want the bad guys to find us.” She hated scaring him but was more worried about what would happen if he cried loud enough to draw attention. She quickly lifted the heavy porcelain cover off the tank and held it over her head, positioning herself behind the door.
If anyone came inside, she’d whack him over the head, hopefully with enough force to knock him unconscious.
Time passed in slow motion. The noises coming from the main suite area concerned her. What if something happened to Mike and Duncan?
To Ryker?
Her heart squeezed painfully in her chest and her arm muscles quivered beneath the weight of the toilet tank lid. She blinked back tears, trying to convince herself that Ryker would survive.
That they would all survive.
“Olivia? Are you in there?” Ryker’s familiar voice made her knees go weak.
Thank You, God!
“Yes, we’re in the bathroom.” She lowered the lid of the toilet tank and moved out from behind the door. After getting the tank cover back in place, she opened the door, grateful beyond belief to see Ryker standing there. “What happened? Is everyone all right?”
“Yeah, but we need to hit the road.” His face was drawn into tight lines, his gaze grim. “Now.”
“They found us?” Silly question, since she knew they must have. “How?”
Ryker slowly shook his head. “They must have followed us. I didn’t see them, but they must have had a line on our vehicle. Get your things together.”
“Okay.” She didn’t need to be told twice. She quickly used the bathroom, then carried Aaron back into the bed-room. Her zebra bag was in the main living space, and she only had the one set of clothes, so there wasn’t any-thing to grab other than Aaron’s plastic lion and toy plane.
When she stepped into the suite, she stopped abruptly, her gaze landing on the two men dressed in black lying on the floor. One of them was bleeding badly; the other didn’t show any signs of blood.
As a new fan of Amish fiction, I really enjoyed this sweet and well-paced book. Although this is the third book in a series, I had no problems reading it as a standalone. The basic plot is one about deception, trust and forgiveness. Caleb Miller is an Englischer who comes to a little Amish lakeside camp in Maine in order to find some stolen coins and clear his brother of theft. There he plans to work as a groundskeeper and handyman while he searches for the coins. He meets Rose Allgyer, the niece of the owners, who has taken over the responsibility of the camp for the summer while her aunt and uncle seek medical treatment. Rose is prickly like a thorn and Caleb has an endearing personality that is hard not to like. I really enjoyed the interaction between these two main characters who were from two different worlds. Rose suspects that Caleb is hiding a secret and is not easily persuaded to enjoy his attentions since she recently had her heart broken. Nevertheless, the courtship between the two is engaging and so sweet! There is strong character development that led me to easily like the family and enjoy Caleb’s attempts to fit in there. I have never read this author’s books before, but I did enjoy this one so much that I will definitely look for her books in the future. Fans of pleasant, clean Amish fiction 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 totally clean read and suitable for all readers who enjoy a light, sweet romance!
About Carrie Lighte: Carrie Lighte enjoys traveling to Amish communities across the United States and she hopes to visit a few in Canada soon, too. When she isn’t writing, reading or researching, she likes to hike, kayak and spend time at the beach.
Vickie's Book Nook and Meditation Corner 