I have read and enjoyed Irene Hannon’s books in the Steeple Hill line for several years but they were all fairly typical romantic fiction. Then along came her Heroes of Quantico series and took her writing to a new level. Each new volume got just a little bit better. Her new offering, Fatal Judgment, first book in the Guardians of Justice series, meets or exceeds the standards set by the previous series.
With a suspenseful plot that could be taken from current news events, superb character interaction, a touch of humor, surprises around every corner, and of course romance, Fatal Judgment kept me turning the pages until the very end. Spiritual content was subtle but particularly evident in the character of Liz Michaels.
For those who enjoy their romance mixed with a little crime and suspense, Fatal Judgment might just be the book for you.
This book was provided for review by Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
Available January 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Fatal Judgment is the first novel in the new romantic suspense series “Guardians of Justice” by acclaimed author Irene Hannon, who has been recognized with accolades including RITA and Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice awards.
Author Dee Henderson has praised Hannon’s latest book, saying, “Fatal Judgment is Irene Hannon’s storytelling at its best. I enjoyed every minute.”
In Fatal Judgment, U.S. Marshal Jake Taylor has seen plenty of action during his years in law enforcement. But he’d rather go back to Iraq than face his next assignment: protection detail for federal judge Liz Michaels. His feelings toward the coldhearted workaholic haven’t warmed in the five years since she drove her husband–and Jake’s best friend–to despair . . . and possible suicide.
As the danger mounts and Jake gets to know Liz better, he’s forced to revise his opinion of her. And when it becomes clear that an unknown enemy may want her dead, the stakes are raised. Because now both her life–and his heart–are in danger.
Full of suspense and romance, Fatal Judgment is a thrilling story that will keep you turning the pages late into the night.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Irene Hannon is the author of more than 25 novels, including the CBA bestsellers Against All Odds, An Eye for an Eye, and In Harm’s Way. Her books have been honored with the coveted RITA Award from Romance Writers of America, the HOLT Medallion, the Daphne du Maurier award, and the Reviewer’s Choice Award from Romantic Times BOOKreviews magazine. She lives in Missouri.
Although she has some reservations, Charlotte accepts an assignment to pose as a governess for Daniel Wilmot’s children in order to discover any information that will discredit him. Her desperate need to support her handicapped sister and aunt plus the opportunity to become an actual reporter are just too much of a temptation. She quickly finds that Daniel is an honest and honorable man and also finds herself caring more and more for him and his children. As the story progresses, Charlotte’s conscience torments her as her editor increases the pressure to give him evidence for a scandal involving Daniel. Charlotte finds herself caught up in a web of lies and loses any hope of a future with Daniel. Will she ever be able to make up for her deception?
Despite many negative reviews I have read about Love on Assignment, I actually enjoyed it. The author presents a good case for the importance of truth, forgiveness, and God’s love for his children. The plot moved at a steady pace with plenty of drama, humor, romance, and secrets to keep it interesting. At some times the plot may have been a little predictable but the author managed to throw in enough surprises to redeem it. I would recommend Love on Assignment to those who enjoy historical romance.
This book was provided for review by BookSneeze.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
While Charlotte is focusing on uncovering sordid information on columnist Daniel Wilmot, her heart leads her into uncharted territory.
During the summer of 1900 Charlotte Hale, a native Newporter and secretary for the Rhode Island Reporter, accepts an undercover assignment as temporary governess to Daniel Wilmont’s children in order to secretly gather evidence against him. As he helps her rediscover God, Charlotte learns that Daniel is an honorable man. They unexpectedly fall in love despite their different backgrounds and social positions. Charlotte soon realizes she must defend Daniel against the forces set against him—a willful student with a romantic crush and the newspaper editor determined to destroy his reputation.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Cara Lynn James is the author of Love on a Dime. She’s received contest awards from Romance Writers of America and the American Christian Fiction Writers. She resides in Florida with her husband Jim.
Melody Carlson has once again proven her skill when it comes to confronting difficult teen issues with honesty and discretion. Never Been Kissed is an up close and personal account of Elise’s experiences in a new school. As the daughter of a struggling single mom, Elise lacks many of the advantages enjoyed by some of her classmates and is also somewhat naive compared to several of them. Her desire to belong seems to be realized when she is apparently accepted by a group of Asher’s friends, but she quickly finds that they have turned on her. Clandestine romantic emails from Asher lead her to believe he cares for her even though he urges her to ignore him at school. Clues abound that something is amiss but in her naivete Elise fails to catch on. Subsequent serious accusations open her eyes nearly too late to salvage her reputation.
To many parents, Never Been Kissed may seem to have inappropriate subject matter for their daughters. However, at a time when my local news is reporting one high school with over ninety pregnancies and one doctor in that area reports treating pregnant girls as young as ten, my opinion is that our children are already being exposed to much more than parents realize. Never Been Kissed is one attempt to warn these teens about the dangers of inappropriate behavior and helps to point them in the direction of a Savior who can help guide them through the pitfalls around them. My daughter is now grown but I plan to pass on my copy of Never Been Kissed to a friend with a teenage daughter. I believe this is one book that both mothers and daughters should read and discuss.
This book was provided for review by Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Bestselling Author Explores Teen Trend of “Sexting”
Melody Carlson helps teens understand the harsh realities of “sexting” in her latest touching and thought-provoking YA-fiction novel.
Readers will be encouraged to value purity regarding their bodies.
All Elise wants is to have her first kiss before she turns sixteen. Is that so bad? But when a friend’s poor advice and the powers of electronic technology combine, Elise heads down a dangerous road. She is accused of “sexting” and gets kicked out of school. But is she really the one to blame?
This powerful and realistic story from beloved author Melody Carlson shows teen girls the impact of their choices when it comes to respecting themselves and their integrity. Honest and relevant, Never Been Kissed will make girls laugh, cry . . . and think.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Melody Carlson is the award-winning author of over two hundred books, several of them Christmas novellas from Revell, including her much-loved and bestselling book, The Christmas Bus. She also writes many teen books, including Just Another Girl,Anything but Normal, the Diary of a Teenage Girl series, the TrueColors series, and the Carter House Girls series. Melody was nominated for a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award in the inspirational market for her books, including the Notes from a Spinning Planet series and Finding Alice, which is in production as a Lifetime Television movie. She and her husband serve on the Young Life adult committee in central Oregon. Visit Melody’s website at www.melodycarlson.com.
It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old…or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!
You never know when I might play a wild card on you!
***Special thanks to Sarah Reck, Web Publicist, Hachette Book Group for sending me a review copy.***
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Michael Phillips has been writing in the Christian marketplace for 30 years. All told, he has written, co-written, and edited some 110 books. Phillips and his wife live in the U.S., and make their second home in Scotland.
Widowed at 34, amateur harpist Marie “Angel” Buchan realizes at 40 that her life and dreams are slowly slipping away. A summer in Scotland turns out to offer far more than she ever imagined! Not only does the music of her harp capture the fancy of the small coastal village she visits, she is unexpectedly drawn into a love triangle involving the local curate and the local duke.
The boyhood friends have been estranged as adults because of their mutual love of another woman (now dead) some years before. History seems destined to repeat itself, with Marie in the thick of it. Her involvement in the lives of the two men, as well as in the community, leads to a range of exciting relationships and lands Marie in the center of the mystery of a long-unsolved local murder. Eventually she must make her decision: with whom will she cast the lot of her future?
Product Details:
List Price: $16.99
Paperback: 464 pages
Publisher: FaithWords (January 26, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 044656771X
ISBN-13: 978-0446567718
TO READ THE FIRST CHAPTER, PRESS THE ‘BROWSE INSIDE THIS BOOK’ BUTTON:
Ronie has been married since 1990 to a man who can easily be defined in classic terms as a hero. She has four beautiful children. Her eldest daughter is 16 this year, her second daughter will be 13, and her twin boys are 10. After having four children, she finally finished her degree in December 2006. She now has a B.S. in Psychology through Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA. Getting her degree is a huge triumph for both her and her family–they survived!!
This degree has also given her a fabulous perspective on her characters and how to not only make them deeper, stronger, but to make them realistic and know how they’ll respond to each situation. Her debut novel, Dead Reckoning released March 2010 from Abingdon Press. And her Discarded Heroes series began in July 2010 from Barbour with the first book entitled Nightshade.
This is the second book in the series.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Step into the boots of a former Marine in this heart-pounding adventure in life and love. Colton “Cowboy” Neeley is a Marine trying to find his footing as he battles flashbacks now that he’s back home. Piper Blum is a woman in hiding—from life and the assassins bent on destroying her family. When their hearts collide, more than their lives are at stake. Will Colton find a way to forgive Piper’s lies? Can Piper find a way to rescue her father, trapped in Israel? Is there any way their love, founded on her lies, can survive?
If you would like to read an excerpt of Digitalis, go HERE.
Learn more about Ronie and her books on her Website.
MY REVIEW:
If you like intense, action and suspense filled books that feature members of elite special ops forces and the women strong enough to love them, then Digitalis is probably one book you don’t want to miss.The second book in the Discarded Heroes series, Digitalis features former marine Colton Neeley aka “Cowboy” and Piper Blum, a sales clerk Colton just can’t resist. Afraid Piper will reject him if she learns of his true occupation and his unpredictable and devastating flashbacks, Colton is unaware that Piper has some heavy duty secrets of her own. When their worlds collide, the intensity of the story escalates.
Truthfully, I never thought I’d become a fan of military themed novels but Ronie Kendig has changed my mind. Her books teem with the type of action and suspense that keep me turning the pages, unwilling to stop reading until I know how things are resolved. Although fiction, the threats and crises in each story could easily be seen in current news. Digitalis is very well written with realistic characters and a perfectly paced plot. Dialogue and character relationships seem genuine. A strong message of faith is woven into the story in a natural and unobtrusive manner.
To reveal much more would spoil the story. Take my word for it, this is one book and series you don’t want to miss. I can’t wait for the next volume myself.
Although Amish fiction is not my favorite genre, I always enjoy novels by Suzanne Woods Fisher. The Search was not a disappointment, in fact it may be Fisher’s best book yet. I like the way her books are character and plot driven and that the Amish life is a natural part of the story without demanding attention.
The Search contains everything I expect from a good book. It is well written with intriguing and realistic characters, has a well paced plot with a bit of mystery, humor, conflict, and of course, romance. While Bertha was not the primary character, I thought that she stole the show. Her habit of getting words mixed up reminded me so much of my late grandmother that I smiled often. It was also a pleasure to see the way Bess matured as the story progressed. The story featured more than one point of view but was never confusing. A strong message of faith, forgiveness, and restoration runs throughout. Several plot twists and unexpected developments kept me turning the pages. The Search is a well crafted novel and I highly recommend it.
Fifteen years ago, Lainey O’Toole made a split-second decision. She couldn’t have known that her choice would impact so many.
Now in her mid-twenties, she is poised to go to culinary school when her car breaks down in Stoney Ridge, the very Amish town in which her long-reaching decision was made, forcing her to face the shadowed past.
Bess Reihl is less than thrilled to be spending the summer at Rose Hill Farm with her large and intimidating grandmother, Bertha. It quickly becomes clear that she is there to work the farm–and work hard. The labor is made slightly more tolerable by the time it affords Bess to spend with the handsome hired hand, Billy Lapp. But he only has eyes for a flirty and curvaceous older girl.
Lainey’s and Bess’s worlds are about to collide and the secrets that come to light will shock them both.
“Beautifully written, ‘The Search’ is a skillfully woven story that takes readers through unexpected twists and turns on the long country road toward truth. Fans both old and new will find themselves immersed in this heartwarming–and surprising–tale of young love, forgiveness, and coming to grips with the past.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
In no particular order, Suzanne Woods Fisher is a wife, mother, writer, lifelong student of the Bible, raiser of puppies for Guide Dogs for the Blind, a gardener and a cook…the latter two with sporadic results.
Suzanne has loved to write since she was a young teen. After college, she started to write for magazines and became a contributing editor for Christian Parenting Today magazine. Her family moved to Hong Kong for four years, just as the internet was developing, and she continued to write articles in a 44-story high-rise apartment, sending manuscripts 7,000 miles away with a click of a key.
After returning from Hong Kong, Suzanne decided to give her first novel a try. For four and a half months, she worked on an antediluvian computer in a cramped laundry room. She didn’t even tell her husband what she was up to. When the novel was completed, she told her family at dinner one night that she had written a book. “That’s why there’s no food in this house!” said her slightly insensitive sons.
Undaunted…Suzanne found a small royalty publisher for that book and wrote three more (all earned multiple awards). With help from an agent, she now has numerous books under contract with Revell. Also look for Suzanne’s Amish non-fiction, Amish Peace: Simple Wisdom for a Complicated World, a non-fiction book of stories and examples about the Old Order Amish, as well as Amish Proverbs, and coming in Spring of 2011, look for Amish Values for Your Family. The Choice and The Waiting are the previous books in the Lancaster County Secrets Collection.
Writing, for Suzanne, is a way to express a love of God and His word. With every book or article, she hopes readers get a sense of what faith really looks like in the daily grind. She hopes they realize that life can be hard, but God is good, and never to confuse the two.
Suzanne can be found on-line at: www.suzannewoodsfisher.com
Suzanne Woods Fisher’s latest installment of the Lancaster County Secrets, The Search, is just out and to celebrate Suzanne is hosting The Search iPad Giveaway!
One Grand Prize winner will receive an iPad Prize Package worth over $500 and includes:
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Fatal Judgment is the first novel in the new romantic suspense series “Guardians of Justice” by acclaimed author Irene Hannon, who has been recognized with accolades including RITA and Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice awards.
Irene Hannon is the author of more than 25 novels, including the CBA bestsellers Against All Odds, An Eye for an Eye, and In Harm’s Way. Her books have been honored with the coveted RITA Award from Romance Writers of America, the HOLT Medallion, the Daphne du Maurier award, and the Reviewer’s Choice Award from Romantic Times BOOKreviews magazine. She lives in Missouri.
, is just out and to celebrate Suzanne is hosting The Search iPad Giveaway! 
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