by admin | Jan 31, 2015 | Books, England, Historical, Regency, Romance, Suspense
MY REVIEW:
Back in the days when I was much younger and probably before there was a distinct genre known as Christian Fiction, I loved what was then called Gothic Romance novels. As the general market became filled with more and more content that I found offensive, I began to limit my reading to Christian fiction only and pretty much forgot how much I enjoyed those old Gothic novels. During the past year or so, I have been delighted to find a few authors who are writing books with that Gothic atmosphere but with clean plots and usually even a strong message of faith. “The Secret of Pembrooke Park” is one of those books and it surpassed all my expectations.
When Abigail Foster’s family suffers a financial setback, they are offered the opportunity to move to the manor of a distant family member. Feeling somewhat responsible for the financial loss, Abigail moves in to set things in order while her father takes care of business and her mother and sister remain in London to prepare for the season, hoping her sister will find a well-to-do husband. The mysterious manor has been abandoned for eighteen years and it appears that its residents left it suddenly, however no one in the area will even discuss what might have happened. Rumors of a secret room filled with treasures plus warnings about the former owner reach Abigail but most of her questions remain unanswered.
“The Secret of Pembrooke Park” is filled with mystery, suspense, secrets, a romantic triangle, and several surprises. The abandoned manor was the perfect setting for all the mysterious happenings. Although there were quite a few clues dropped during the course of the narrative, many of them could have pointed to more than one suspect so I was never quite certain who it was – at least until the actual revelation. I loved finding out what the true “treasure” was!
I enthusiastically recommend “The Secret of Pembrooke Park”, especially to those like me who enjoy Gothic romance. Julie Klassen is on my top 10 list and her books like this one have kept her there.
This book was provided for review by the Readers Only Group of the Book Club Network.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Abigail Foster is the practical daughter. She fears she will end up a spinster, especially as she has little dowry, and the one man she thought might marry her seems to have fallen for her younger, prettier sister.
Facing financial ruin, Abigail and her father search for more affordable lodgings, until a strange solicitor arrives with an astounding offer: the use of a distant manor house abandoned for eighteen years. The Fosters journey to imposing Pembrooke Park and are startled to find it entombed as it was abruptly left: tea cups encrusted with dry tea, moth-eaten clothes in wardrobes, a doll’s house left mid-play…
The handsome local curate welcomes them, but though he and his family seem acquainted with the manor’s past, the only information they offer is a stern warning: Beware trespassers drawn by rumors that Pembrooke Park contains a secret room filled with treasure.
This catches Abigail’s attention. Hoping to restore her family’s finances–and her dowry–Abigail looks for this supposed treasure. But eerie sounds at night and footprints in the dust reveal she isn’t the only one secretly searching the house.
Then Abigail begins receiving anonymous letters, containing clues about the hidden room and startling discoveries about the past.
As old friends and new foes come calling at Pembrooke Park, secrets come to light. Will Abigail find the treasure and love she seeks…or very real danger?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
JULIE KLASSEN worked in publishing for sixteen years (first in advertising, then as a fiction editor) and now writes full time. Three of her books, The Maid of Fairbourne Hall, The Girl in the Gatehouse, and The Silent Governess have won the Christy Award for Historical Romance. The Maid of Fairbourne Hall and The Girl in the Gatehouse also won a Midwest Book Award and The Silent Governess was a finalist in Romance Writers of America’s RITA awards.
She graduated from the University of Illinois and enjoys travel, research, BBC period dramas, long hikes, short naps, and coffee with friends. She and her husband have two sons and live near St. Paul, Minnesota.
by admin | Jan 23, 2015 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Law Enforcement, Romance, Suspense
MY REVIEW:
Hidden Agenda by Lisa Harris, the third installment of the Southern Crimes series completes the series with answers to questions posed in the two earlier novels. Readers will quickly discover what really happened to Hunt brother Michael who apparently died in an explosion. If anyone guessed (or hoped) from the subtle hints in Fatal Exchange that the next book would feature Michael, then they have an adventure in store.
Michael’s grieving family believe that they buried him after a deadly explosion several months earlier. An undercover police agent, Michael’s luck has run out and he is just hours from real death at the hands of the leader of the drug cartel he has infiltrated. His hope of escape is nearly gone when he is rescued by none other than the son and daughter of that very man. What ensues is a breath-taking story as the trio flee from both the cartel and Michael’s own police department who seem to believe he has gone rogue. Is it possible that Olivia’s father will stop at nothing, including the deaths of his own children?
Hidden Agenda can easily stand on its own but is a satisfying conclusion to the series. I personally enjoyed renewing my acquaintance with Michael’s family members and other primary characters from the previous books. Characters are strong. Some like Michael and Olivia have strong convictions and unshakeable integrity. Some others are obviously and believably evil. Harris has penned a story that could easily take place in any location in our country. Events described are those that I would rather pretend couldn’t happen in my neighborhood but are nevertheless frighteningly realistic. I liked the strong spiritual theme that wound unobtrusively throughout the story, especially the strong faith of both Olivia and her brother.
This is the perfect book for those who enjoy fast-paced romantic suspense but also prefer novels that are free from explicit violence and intimate scenes. I enjoyed the entire series and look forward to what Lisa has in store for her readers in the future.
This book was provided for review by
Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
His cover is blown. Now his enemies are on his heels and closing in.
Michael Hunt is alive–and on the run. Presumed dead by friends and family, the undercover assignment he’s been working for the past eight months has just been blown. With a hit out on his life and corruption inside the Atlanta police department, Michael finds himself hunted by both the cartel and the law. His only hope is Olivia Hamilton–the daughter of the man who wants him dead.
This nonstop chase from Christy Award-winning Lisa Harris will leave you breathless.
Praise for Lisa Harris’s Southern Crimes Series
“Readers looking for a strong female protagonist and a unique murder mystery will find much to admire in Harris’s work.”–Publishers Weekly on Dangerous Passage
“Harris takes you on a trail that leads straight to the worst kind of evil–and the lives of those who are determined to stop it.”–bestselling author Lynette Eason on Dangerous Passage
“A thrill ride from start to finish. Full of twists and turns, this exciting story will keep readers enthralled.”–RT Book Reviews on Fatal Exchange
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Lisa Harris is a bestselling author, a Christy Award winner, and the winner of the Best Inspirational Suspense Novel for 2011 from Romantic Times. She has sold over thirty novels and novella collections. Along with her husband, she and her three children have spent over ten years living as missionaries in Africa where she homeschools, leads a women’s group, and runs a nonprofit organization that works alongside their church-planting ministry. The ECHO Project works in southern Africa promoting Education, Compassion, Health, and Opportunity and is a way for her to “speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves . . . the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice” (Proverbs 31:8).
When she’s not working, she loves hanging out with her family, cooking different ethnic dishes, photography, and heading into the African bush on safari. For more information about her books and life in Africa, visit her website at www.lisaharriswrites.com or her blog at http://myblogintheheartofafrica.blogspot.com. For more information about The ECHO Project, please visit www.theECHOproject.org.
by admin | Jan 22, 2015 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Romance, Suspense
This week, theChristian Fiction Blog Allianceis introducingBlind TrustRevell (June 17, 2014)bySandra OrchardABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Sandra Orchard is a multi-award-winning author of mysteries and romantic suspense with Revell Publishing and Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense imprint. She is an active member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Romance Writers of America and The Word Guild (Canada). A mother of three grown children, she lives in Niagara, Canada with her real-life-hero husband and writes full time . . . when not doting on her young grandchildren.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Kate Adams had no idea she was carrying counterfeit money, and she can’t believe that it came from her sweet neighbor. Or that it lands her in the middle of another one of Detective Tom Parker’s investigations. Determined to prove her neighbor’s innocence, Kate stumbles into a pit of intrigue that is far deeper than a two-bit counterfeit operation–and strikes too close to home for comfort. As family secrets come to light, her world–and her budding romance with Tom–begin to crumble. To Kate, it’s clear that she won’t be safe until she uncovers all of Port Aster’s secrets. But is it too late for her and Tom?
If you would like to read the first chapter of Blind Trust, go HERE.
by admin | Jan 13, 2015 | Books, Historical, Romance, Suspense
This week, theChristian Fiction Blog Allianceis introducingSoul PainterWhiteFire Publishing (March 15, 2014)byCara LuechtABOUT THE AUTHOR:
A Word from the Author:
I never planned to be a writer. In fact, it took me a while to finish college. But I did, and here I am. And I now I can’t imagine not being a writer.
By day, I am an English Instructor at MATC, Marketing Manager for Degnan Design Builders, Inc., mother to four amazing children, wife to an eternally patient and supportive husband, and Worship Leader for Living Hope Fellowship in Sun Prairie, WI. In the evening, when I can squirrel away some quiet time, I read and write historical fiction.
I have a B.A. in English Lit. from UW Whitewater and an M.F.A in Creative Writing from Fairleigh Dickinson University in Madison, NJ.
If you have a question for me, or if you are local and would like me to stop by your book club or writer’s group, please drop me a line via the “Ask the Author” tab. I always love the opportunity to meet with others who share my love of books.
Learn more about Cara and her books on her website.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Miriam paints the future…but can she change it?
Chicago – 1890
Miriam watches the people jostle their way below the windows of her warehouse home, never thinking to look up at her as she paints their faces. But Miriam’s gift as an artist goes beyond a mere recording of what is: Miriam paints their futures. Only once was she wrong. One woman doesn’t match the future Miriam saw. The bright girl was supposed to grow into a respected businesswoman. Instead, Ione disappears nightly into the shadowed alley next to the cathedral with the other prostitutes. Then one night, while walking through the city fog, Miriam finds Ione broken and beaten. Miriam is forced to open her home to the stranger whose face she knows so well and open her life to change she never could have foretold. Women are missing—some found floating in the river, some never seen again. The deacon from the cathedral is the first to help. Soon Miriam’s solicitor, Michael, aids her in rejoining society so they might uncover the evil at work in the corrupt city…and awakens feelings she had never considered before. Finally engaged with the world she has so long observed, finally stirred by love and friendship, Miriam realizes the responsibility of her gifting. No longer can she just paint what will be. She must now help Ione find the future she is meant to have…and find her own along with it.
If you would like to read the first chapter of Soul Painter, go HERE.
MY REVIEW:
I almost hesitate to review Soul Painter, partially from fear of revealing too much and partially because I am not sure I have the words to adequately describe my impressions of it. I have always loved what many call “gothic romance” novels and read innumerable books by authors such as Mary Stewart and Victoria Holt back in the day before good Christian fiction became so readily available. Soul Painter has that dark and brooding atmosphere so prevalent in the best of the classic gothic novels. Many readers of Christian fiction may possibly find it too dark for their sensibilities.
Soul Painter is the story about Miriam, a reclusive heiress who has chosen to remain in an apartment above her deceased father’s warehouse that is located directly across from the neighborhood cathedral. An artist, Miriam enjoys watching the people from her window and often walks among them during the evening. The discovery of an injured prostitute one evening changes Miriam’s life as she is compelled to become involved with several other people as they endeavor to find and stop the person responsible for the attacks and disappearance of so many women from the area near the cathedral.
I thoroughly enjoyed every page of Soul Painter and was not happy to reach its end. The characters were so well developed and the author set the perfect scene for the plot. Although the crimes depicted were disturbing, they were described tactfully and without the gratuitous violence and obscenity found in many secular novels. I loved how Miriam, John, Michael, the doctor, and the pastor’s family reached out to “sinful” women and showed them the true love of Christ without judgment. I look forward to future novels by this new-to-me author. I sincerely hope I won’t have to wait too long.
by admin | Jan 10, 2015 | Books, Military, Romance, Suspense
MY REVIEW:
For some reason I cannot resist a novel by Ronie Kendig. Before I even opened “Hawk” I knew I would be in for a fast-paced and emotional ride and for a moment I thought to myself, “I’m just not up to it right now.” But I had received a copy in good faith that I would review it and because my review calendar somehow got way overloaded, I was already running behind on getting a review in. Of course all it took was one chapter (or less) and I was sucked right into the middle of the action.
Once more I found myself surrounded by men and women dedicated to the other members of their team despite the sometimes desperate circumstances they faced. In the second novel of The Quiet Professionals series, Raptor continued to be toyed with by an unknown terrorist who had somehow gained access to confidential intel.
Brian “Hawk” Bledsoe struggles with issues that date back to his childhood – issues that could send him home in disgrace if he doesn’t’ get them under control. Fekiria Haidary has a few secrets that make her actions seem suspicious but Brian cannot get her out of his mind. Fekiria has responded to Brian the same but any relationship between them is impossible. They soon find themselves involved in a fight for their own lives and the lives of others.
“Hawk” is a book that was difficult to put down once I started reading it. Just had to know what would happen next. Of course it ended with a HUGE cliffhanger so now I have to wait until the next installment to get the whole story. It is worth it though. A great book in an excellent series! I recommend it.
This book was provided for review by The Book Club Network.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Raptor’s communications expert, Staff Sergeant Brian “Hawk” Bledsoe is struggling with his inner demons, leaving him on the verge of an “other than honorable” discharge. Plagued with corrupted intel, Raptor team continues to track down the terrorist playing chess with their lives. Afghan pilot Fekiria Haidary is devastated when a systems glitch on her aircraft forces a weapons launch on a safe target. And when the deadly bombing separates Brian from the team, he must make an impossible choice: save his brothers-in-arms, or save the woman and children depending on him to survive a brutal snowstorm.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Ronie Kendig is an award-winning, bestselling author who grew up an Army brat. She married a veteran, and together their lives are never dull with four children and two dogs–a a Maltese Menace and a retired military working dog, Vvolt N629. Ronie’s degree in psychology has helped her pen novels of intense, raw characters.
Since launching onto the publishing scene in 2010, Ronie and her books have hit bestseller lists and garnered awards and critical acclaim, including:
2014 INSPY Award Finalist – Talon: Combat Tracking Team Dog 2013 HOLT Medallion Winner – Trinity: Military War Dog (Best Book by a Virginia Author) 2013 Selah Award Winner – Firethorn (Fiction – Suspense) 2013 Inspirational Reader’s Choice Award Winner – Trinity: Military War Dog (Romantic Suspense) 2012 Christy Award Winner – Wolfsbane (Contemporary Romance)
2012 Lime Award Winner – Firethorn (Suspense)
2012 Carol Award Finalist – Wolfsbane (Romantic Suspense)
Christian Retailing’s 2011 Readers’ Choice Awards Finalist – Nightshade
2011 Inspirational Reader’s Choice Award Finalist – Nightshade (Romantic Suspense)
Named one of the Top 25 Christian Fiction Suspense, Mystery, and Thriller Writers by FamilyFiction (Sept 2011)
2011 FamilyFiction Readers’ Choice Awards – 3rd place as New Favorite Author, 8th place with Nightshade for Novel of the Year.
INSPY Award Shortlist final in Mystery/Thriller (Dead Reckoning)
The Christian Manifesto’s 2010 Lime Award for Excellence in Christian Fiction (Nightshade)
Ronie’s titles include: –>DEAD RECKONING –>The Discarded Heroes series (NIGHTSHADE, DIGITALIS, WOLFSBANE, FIRETHORN) –>A Breed Apart series (TRINITY:MILITARY WAR DOG, TALON:COMBAT TRACKING TEAM, BEOWULF: EXPLOSIVES DETECTION DOG) –>The Quiet Professionals Series (RAPTOR 6, HAWK, FALCON).
Ronie’s has also written several novellas including the 7 Hours direct-to-digital novella collection (WHOLE PIECES), Central Park Rendezvous novella collection (DREAM A LITTLE DREAM), and the Denali Dreams novella collection (DARING HEIGHTS, TAKING FLIGHT).
Ronie can be found at www.roniekendig.com, on Facebook (www.facebook.com/rapidfirefiction), Twitter (@roniekendig), and GoodReads.
by admin | Jan 1, 2015 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Romance, Suspense
MY REVIEW:
Unfamiliar with the author, I took a chance and agreed to review her novel “One Among Men”. I was unsure what to expect when I began to read but soon found an honest and compelling story that grabbed my attention and held on to the very end.
Samantha Hart is a fairly new Christian with a past she would like to forget but its memories continue to plague her. She is convinced that she can never live up to the standards set by her best friend. When Samantha takes a job as resident director of an all male college dorm, she finds herself challenged on every level but her caring spirit and unshaken standards soon earn her the respect of even the most difficult resident. One particular resident, Chris Johnson, challenges Samantha in a totally different area – her heart. Strongly attracted to Chris, Samantha is uncertain whether to trust him because of the mixed messages she picks up from him.
“One Among Men” is a very well written novel that is easy to read. With plenty of drama, humor, romance, and suspense, it was difficult to put down. I enjoyed the interaction between the characters and especially liked Samantha, Chris and Preacher. I would very much enjoy another novel featuring these characters.
I can say that I am very happy that I took a chance on “One Among Men” and would certainly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good contemporary novel with a strong Christian message. I look forward to more novels by Connie Almony.
A digital copy of this book was provided for review by the author.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Her job requires she live with 500, hard-partying, college guys. She can handle the 499, but it only takes one to lead her into danger.
Samantha Hart is looking for purpose, like her missionary best friend, but is forced to take a job as the resident director of the all-male party dorm at the major state university where her prodigal past haunts her. She must avert the pitfalls of a woman in her position as well as the dangerous forces that threaten her life.
Chris Johnson, a rock guitarist, has come back to school as a music major, and finds himself in a business relationship with the ruthless supplier of an on-campus drug ring. He’s intrigued by the lady RD, while learning more about his musical gift and the God who gave it to him. Can he manage his two worlds without risking Samantha’s life?
Read an excerpt from “One Among Men” HERE.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
She’s just a suburb gal from the Baltimore-Washington megalopolis. And that’s what Connie Almony’s fiction is about, a diverse population which is truly, and beautifully, colorful.
Trained as a mental health counselor, she hopes you won’t hold that against her. Though this training helps her delve into the motivations that drive her characters, she promises not to therapize you.
Her favorite things to do include listening to awesome Christian Contemporary music (like Third Day and NeedtoBreathe) and read great stories with colorful characters while spending time with her adoring family. She loves to brainstorm with her almost thirteen-year-old daughter, who writes chapter books on the side, and share peaceful moments with her sixteen-year-old son (who’s like a gentle breeze).
The bantering style of her characters is inspired by her husband’s deep love of mischief, particularly that which craves a sharp response ;o). Still, she loves him anyway … which covers a multitude of sins. She’s been married almost twenty years and counts each one better than the one before.
See more on ConnieAlmony.com
