Review of BLACKBERRY BEACH by Irene Hannon

On March 26, 2021 By vickleaIn Book ReviewLeave a comment

Every trip to Hope Harbor is magical and uplifting and this book surely proved that. This is the story of Zach Garrett, the owner/operator of The Perfect Blend coffee shop in town. Happy in his new life and his escape from the demands of his previous career, Zach is not looking for any kind of relationship. When Katherine Parker comes to town for a vacation from her career, there is an instant attraction to Zach, but both know it can’t go anywhere since she is there briefly and he isn’t seeking a relationship. The way their attraction progresses really made this story for me. Everything was a natural progression, without any kind of forced “gotta bring this to a close” kind of plot. There were some twists and some challenges that were unexpected. There was also a sub-plot when Zach’s aunt Stephanie, newly retired from her career, comes to visit and meets Zach’s part-time barista Frank. I really enjoyed visiting Hope Harbor again, a place where everything is described so realistically that I can put myself right there with the characters. The characters themselves fairly jumped off the page and talked to me. In fact, I found myself giving advice to Katherine and Stephanie as I read the book and was happy that they took that advice sometimes. The author knows how to tell a story that draws you in, and that is the magical part of Hope Harbor. I may not be at a beach, but I felt like I was, enjoying the views and the moments of quiet and reflection that her characters were enjoying. I highly recommend this clean Christian fiction to anyone who needs some positivity in their lives! Although this is part of a series, it can be read as a standalone, as can any of the Hope Harbor books. But I’m betting that once you have read one, you will want to read all of them just to get that happy feeling that these books give you.
Disclaimer
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell via Netgalley as part of the Revell Reads Blogger Program. 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.”

*No warnings here because this is a Christian fiction suitable for all who love clean romance. Rated G.*

Coming on April 6th, but pre-order NOW!

*Photo and accompanying bio (below) from the author’s website at* http://www.irenehannon.com

Irene Hannon is a bestselling, award-winning author who took the publishing world by storm at the tender age of 10 with a sparkling piece of fiction that received national attention.

Okay…maybe that’s a slight exaggeration. But she was one of the honorees in a complete-the-story contest conducted by a national children’s magazine. And she likes to think of that as her “official” fiction-writing debut!

Since then, she has written more than 50 romantic suspense and contemporary romance/women’s fiction novels. She is a seven-time finalist for and three-time winner of the RITA award—the “Oscar” of romance fiction—and a member of the Romance Writers of America Hall of Fame. She has also received a Career Achievement award from RT Book Reviews for her entire body of work. In addition, her books have won a Daphne du Maurier award, two Carol awards, three HOLT Medallions, a National Readers’ Choice award, a Retailers Choice award, three Booksellers’ Best awards and two Reviewers’ Choice awards from RT Book Reviews. She is also a two-time Christy award finalist.

Irene, who holds a B.A. in psychology and an M.A. in journalism, juggled two careers for many years until she gave up her executive corporate communications position with a Fortune 500 company to write full time. She is happy to say she has no regrets!

In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, gardening and singing. A trained vocalist, she has sung the leading role in numerous musicals, including “South Pacific,” “Brigadoon,” “Oklahoma” “The King and I” and “Anything Goes.” She is also a soloist at her church.When not otherwise occupied, Irene and her husband enjoy traveling, Saturday mornings at their favorite coffee shop and spending time with family. They make their home in Missouri.

Purchase Links for this amazing book:

Only 10 more days until this awesome and uplifting book can arrive for your reading pleasure. Plan a visit to Hope Harbor today and enjoy the sights and the positivity for yourself!

Review of PRESENT DANGER by Elizabeth Goddard

On March 22, 2021 By vickleaIn Book ReviewLeave a comment

The first book in a new series is always exciting, but this one was especially so since it has a beautiful setting and characters that are complex and who react in an expected and totally human way. Starting with a plane crash and a pilot who stumbles away and disappears, this book is non-stop action with lots of mystery that just keeps building. Detective Jack Tanner is working in Montana after giving up his job as an FBI Special agent and ends up working with US Forest Service Special Agent Terra Connors when the two of them unexpectedly find a dead body. Since the two of them have a past that ended with a split, their interactions were very interesting, bringing simmering romance into all of the suspense. The plot was intriguing and intellectually stimulating to me. I had never really heard about archeological artifacts being stolen and trafficked, but that is really what is going on in this complicated and well-written book. There are many characters, but all are necessary as they add to the mystery one at a time and build up what becomes a satisfying resolution. The twists were surprises to me and the pacing was perfect. All of the chapters just flowed one into another so it was hard to stop reading since I really wanted to know what was going to happen and who the villain was. My favorite part of the book was the description of the scenery, because each new place the characters went was described with intricate detail so that I could place myself into that scene. My favorite character was Terra’s brother Owen, a wounded war veteran who is a real “horse whisperer” and a true hero. Of course, I loved the mounting suspense and the interaction between the characters. It seemed that Terra was destined for danger, but I enjoyed watching how she got herself out of those encounters. I particularly enjoyed knowing how the characters were working out the mystery in their minds, sharing with me what they were thinking so that I could work on the mystery myself. All in all, this was a thoroughly entertaining and delightful book and I am already looking forward to book #2 in the series.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell as part of the Revell Reads Blogger Program via Netgalley. I also received a complimentary hard copy from the author as part of her review team. 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.”
Note to my readers: I loved this book so much and want to collect the series, so I purchased my own copy from Baker Books.

First in a new series and a totally clean read suitable for all readers of Christian romantic suspense.

*Five plus stars for this amazing book!*

BIO: With over a million books sold, Elizabeth Goddard is the USA Today bestselling, award-winning author of over fifty novels and counting, including the romantic mystery, THE CAMERA NEVER LIES–a 2011 Carol Award winner. Four of her six Mountain Cove books have been contest finalists. Buried, Backfire and Deceptionare finalists in the Daphne Du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery and Suspense, and Submerged is a Carol Award finalist. A 7th generation Texan, Elizabeth graduated from North Texas State University with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and worked in high-level software sales for several years before retiring to fulfill her dreams of writing full-time. (BIO from the author’s website at http://www.elizabethgoddard.com

Available on April 6th! Pre-order now at the following purchase links:

Great book! Wonderful characters and stimulating plot! Order today and enjoy it on April 6th!

Review of UNKNOWN THREAT by Lynn H. Blackburn

On March 9, 2021 By vickleaIn Book ReviewLeave a comment

The first book in a new series is always exciting, but this book was far beyond that. It was an explosive, gut-wrenching thrill ride from beginning to end! The Secret Service agents in Raleigh, NC are being targeted and killed one by one by an unknown assailant. Faith is sent in from the FBI office to investigate and protect them, but she has more than an unknown perpetrator to deal with. She has to get past the shell-shocked agents who may or may not feel like being cooperative when their own members are being picked off. I really enjoyed the repartee between Faith and Luke, a secret service agent who has a real hang up against the FBI. I think my favorite thing about the book is that the protagonist is a strong female with unbelievable intuition and skills but also a soft side who needs to be loved just like everyone else. My favorite character was Hope, Faith’s sister, who offers timely and wise advice from her wheelchair. She does not pity herself because of her damaged body; she just moves on with life and is wiser for her choice to accept and continue in her faith in God. Faith is also dealing with a lack of belief in God, so there is that underlying theme. Damaged characters are realistic, since everyone is damaged in some way and we all have to overcome whatever obstacles life has thrown our way. That could be a theme of the book, but I think the real theme is forgiveness and hope and also finding one’s way back to God. The plot was well-developed with a lot of twists and red herrings and it winded its way to a nice conclusion. I look forward to seeing more of these characters in future books. Fans of Christian fiction and romantic suspense will want to read this book.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell as part of the Revell Reads Blogger Program. 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.”

*Totally clean Christian fiction with some intense scenes involving the murder of secret service agents. I would rate it PG.*

*Photo and info from the author’s website at* http://www.lynnhblackburn.com

Available Now! Here are your purchase links:

If you love Christian books, then this one will fit the bill for you! With action, suspense, romance and faith, it’s perfect! Buy it today!

Review of FACING THE DAWN by Cynthia Ruchti

On March 3, 2021 By vickleaIn Book Review2 Comments

*A completely clean Christian read, but it does deal with some difficult topics*, *so I would rate it PG.*

*I would definitely give it more stars if I could.*

Goodness! This is the first book ever that I had to put away for a few hours after certain chapters and just let it settle in my mind before I could continue reading. The depths of emotion in this novel were real, in the book and in my mind as I read. Mara is almost a single mother, in that her husband is in Uganda on an extended missions trip, providing water for the needy in Uganda. Mara has problems with two of their children: Dylan who is on probation, with Chelsea who isn’t trying very hard to graduate, but not with Jeremy, the pre-teen who just loves his mom and is empathetic to her loneliness and stress. When the unthinkable and unimaginable happens, Mara has to dig deep just to survive. The author writes so well that I put myself right into the middle of the story and was feeling what Mara felt. I was as thankful as Mara when her best friend Ashlee shows up, having moved to town recently and is there for just the right time. It is Ashlee, a widow who has been through grief, who understands Mara’s anger, resentment and feelings of unworthiness. Sol and Logan are neighbors who pitch in to help out and Mara is overwhelmed with the circumstances and the aid that she receives. The book was so realistic that I wanted to just reach into the pages and give Chelsea and Dylan a good shake and an “in your face” lecture. With well-written dialog between the various characters and an extremely well-developed plot, this book was the first book that I have read by this author, but it will definitely not be the last. I enjoyed every minute that I spent getting to know Mara, her family and her friends. By the end of the book, I even considered her my friend, too. With the themes of resilience, forgiveness, acceptance and love for others, this book was one of the best that I have read that included a difficult topic. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to feel hopeful and faithful when not much is going the way you expected.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell via the Revell Reads Blogger Program. I was not required to write a positive review. 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.”

*Info and photo from the author’s web site at* https://cynthiaruchti.com

This wonderful book just published yesterday. Here are the purchase links:

Review of THE MOONLIGHT SCHOOL by Suzanne Woods Fisher

On February 19, 2021 By vickleaIn Book Review6 Comments

This was an extremely well-researched and well-written book based on the life of Cora Wilson Stewart, a pioneer for a literacy campaign for adults in Kentucky. The main character in the story, Lucy, Wilson.is from a wealthy family that lives in Louisville, Kentucky. When her father springs a surprise new bride on her, he also tells her that he and Hazel that it would be a great idea for her to become an assistant to her Aunt Cora in Rowan County, a backwoods area that is totally different from anything that Lucy has ever experienced. As a retired teacher, I thoroughly enjoyed the scenes in the school room and all of the references to how hard a teacher had to work. The characterization was spot on as was the local jargon, including a special glossary at the beginning of the book. I chuckled aloud when Lucy was expected to mount a horse and ride into the “holler” to meet the local families and find out how people really lived in the most rural areas of the county. I could easily imagine myself in most of the scenarios of the book, so the author did a magnificent job of painting a realistic environment for the action to occur. When Cora has the idea to have moonlight schools to help the adults become literate, Lucy, like me, was not convinced that such a plan would work.The entire book is about relationships in this rural county, how people help each other and how they survive there. It is also about how Lucy’s father had escaped the environment, set up a prosperous lumber business and never looked back. My favorite character was Brother Wyatt, a singing preacher, who captures the minds of the backwoods people with his dedication to helping them in whatever way he can. I loved the entire story and would highly recommend it to anyone who wants to read a book based on fact with a lot of fictional and enjoyable elements included.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the Revell Reads Blogger Program. 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.”

*Bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher maintains a wonderful web page at* http://www.suzannewoodsfisher.com

Available NOW! Purchase Links:

I cannot recommend this book highly enough! From the glossary to the Afterword, I was educated, entertained and enticed by the story of THE MOONLIGHT SCHOOL.

Review of OBSESSION by Patricia Bradley

On February 12, 2021 By vickleaIn Book Review2 Comments

*A totally clean read, rated PG because of content*

A fast-paced and intriguing mystery involving a Natchez Trace ranger who is also an historian and her former fiancé who is a law enforcement ranger. Emma doesn’t like it when Sam is assigned to investigate the case after someone shoots at her in the park early one morning. But since Sam is tasked to keep her safe, Emma just has to suck it up and go along with his constant presence. Unfortunately, there is someone else who has Emma in his sights, someone who is totally obsessed with her. Sam can’t keep her safe unless he can figure out what his really happening and the twists and turns in this book are rampant. I enjoyed meeting Emma and Sam and how they interacted with each other. It was apparent from the beginning that Sam was still smitten with Emma, but Emma wanted nothing to do with him. There are several layers of mystery here, including the disappearance of Emma’s twin brother Ryan and the death of Ryan’s girlfriend Mary Jo. The historical part of the story deals with a cemetery for slaves and that in itself was interesting. I loved how the deeper Emma dug into the cemetery, the more that was revealed from past mysteries and the more intrigue about the present. The story was complex but not hard to follow since the clues to the killer were clearly laid out. I did not guess the perpetrator because there were a lot of red herrings, but I did understand all of the clues once the identity was revealed. My kind of mystery! This book gave me just the right amount of chills and thrills and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good mystery. Although the book is part of a series, it can definitely be read as a standalone and it is a good, clean read!
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the #RevellReadsBloggerProgram 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.”

*Information about the author can be found on her website at* http://www.ptbradley.com

This book is available NOW! Purchase Links:

Review of ALL THAT WE CARRIED by Erin Bartels

On January 6, 2021 By vickleaIn Book Review3 Comments

*The cover is just as beautiful as the book itself.*

*Five big stars for this wonderful book. Rated G.*

Oh, my! I don’t even know where to start with this amazing book! I would give it more than five stars if I could because it had me pondering, imagining, and crying at times, too. What a wonderful story of a broken relationship between two siblings who take a hike together in order to try to reconnect. If things could go wrong on the hike, they did and both Olivia and Melanie are left wondering what they were thinking when they chose to go on this trip. The characters were so very realistic that I could see myself in Olivia, the sister who just had to organize everything down to the last detail. The story also included Christian beliefs, why we believe what we do. This story had me doing some deep diving into my own beliefs as I read the story of the two sisters coming to terms with what they believe and why. I really enjoyed reading about the character of Josh, a young man who always seemed to be there to rescue them right at the moment when they needed him. Definitely a picture of Jesus! And then there was Justin. He was a young man who was so needy and whose needs were met in the most miraculous of ways! I can’t say more without spoiling the story for others, but I highly recommend this book for all who want to read a tale of two sisters, a hiking trail and their journey to the truth.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell. 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.”

Photo and bio from author’s webpage at http://www.erinbartels.com

ERIN BARTELS is the award-winning author of We Hope for Better Things—a 2020 Michigan Notable Book, winner of the 2020 Star Award from the Women’s Fiction Writers Association in both the debut and general fiction categories, and a 2019 Christy Award finalist—The Words between Us—a 2020 Christy Award finalist—and All That We Carried (coming January 2021). Her short story “This Elegant Ruin” was a finalist in The Saturday Evening Post 2014 Great American Fiction Contest. Her poems have been published by The Lyric and The East Lansing Poetry Attack. A member of the Capital City Writers Association and the Women’s Fiction Writers Association, she is former features editor of WFWA’s Write On! magazine and current director of the annual WFWA Writers Retreat in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Erin lives in the beautiful, water-defined state of Michigan where she is never more than a ninety minute drive from one of the Great Lakes or six miles from an inland lake, river, or stream. She grew up in the Bay City area waiting for freighters and sailboats at drawbridges and watching the best 4th of July fireworks displays in the nation. She spent her college and young married years in Grand Rapids feeling decidedly not-Dutch. She currently lives with her husband and son in Lansing, nestled somewhere between angry protesters on the Capitol lawn and couch-burning frat boys at Michigan State University. And yet, she claims it is really quite peaceful.

Available NOW! Purchase Links:

I hope that you will seriously consider adding this book to your shelf because it’s beautiful inside and out.

Review of ACTIVE DEFENSE by Lynette Eason

On January 4, 2021 By vickleaIn Uncategorized4 Comments

*This is a totally clean Christian romantic suspense.*

A quick-paced and explosively good book! Hannah Fontaine has returned from the battlefields of Afghanistan where she was a compassionate and caring surgeon. Unfortunately, the war seems to have followed her back to the states since her life is increasingly in danger as the plot progresses. With kidnapping, bombs, threats to friends and total chaos in her life, Hannah accepts the help of Travis Walker, a man who owns his own security company and who is determined to keep Hannah safe. With characters from previous books in the series playing key roles in this one, it was like seeing old friends again. I really enjoyed the intricacies of the plot and the “jump off the page” realism of the characters. I felt as though I was right there in the story with Hannah, with my heart pumping and my feet running. This book was a journey into the dark world of lack of forgiveness and revenge, with a stunning reveal of the villains at the end. My favorite character was a teen named Ryker, a young man with a hard life and a big heart. The author did a masterful job of creating a story that is compelling and riveting from the first page all the way to the end. Fans of romantic suspense mixed with a thriller will really enjoy this book. It can definitely be read as a standalone, but I enjoyed the entire series.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from #Revell 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.”

*Information and photo from the author’s website at* http://www.lynetteeason.com

Available January 5, 2021! Purchase Links:

Don’t miss this new romantic suspense by a master of the genre!

Review of BURDEN OF PROOF by Davis Bunn

On November 21, 2020 By vickleaIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

This was the first book that I have read by Davis Bunn, and I was absolutely engrossed in it from beginning to end. I didn’t know what to expect at first because it seemed to combine sci-fi with mystery and thriller, so I wasn’t convinced that the combination would work. I was pleasantly surprised as this book exceeded all of my expectations. The basic premise is that Ethan uses advanced technology discovered by his sister-in-law Sonya in order to travel back in time and attempt to save his brother Adrian’s life. The whole idea for the plot seemed so wild to me, but the author not only made it work, but he made it work well, tying up loose ends and explaining the unexplainable. The Christian aspect was the story of second chances and a prodigal brother who had spent his life living for himself only to find that he had wasted it and done nothing for the brother who had sacrificed for him. I really enjoyed getting to know the three dimensional characters and all of their facets, both in the past and in their current lives. Since the time frame was dual, the author faced the challenging task of making sure that I understood exactly where the story was going and who the most important actors were. Masterful job! At the end of the story, I just wanted to immediately find another book by this author because he demonstrated such talent in plot and character development. I highly recommend this book for those who enjoy high-octane, fast-paced thrillers, with mystery and sci-fi stirred into the mix.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell. I was not required to write a positive review. 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 clean Christian read with intense action scenes.*

Available NOW! Purchase Links:

If you enjoy Christian fiction, then you will definitely enjoy this book!

Review of SOFTLY BLOWS THE BUGLE by Jan Drexler

On November 11, 2020 By vickleaIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

I loved this sweet story about the Amish in Weaver’s Creek. Elizabeth is a young widow who has a broken heart and trust issues. Aaron fought in the Civil War and was gravely wounded there. Traveling to Weaver’s Creek with Jonas after the war, Aaron feels like half a man and although he wants a “normal” life, he does not think that is a possibility for him. There is also a mystery involving a newcomer to the community named Solomon who immediately sets his eyes on Elizabeth and insists that she should marry him quickly. The story is fast-paced and engaging, with plenty of information about the Amish gentle and accepting way of life. I enjoyed the interaction between the characters and especially enjoyed the themes of redemption and a new chance at a new life. Although this is book #3 of a series, I have not read the other books and had no difficulty understanding the relationships between the characters and the plot itself. I highly recommend this book for anyone who enjoys Amish fiction, a clean read and an altogether enjoyable story.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell as part of the Revell Reads Blogger Program. I was not required to write a positive review. 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.”