by admin | Apr 24, 2015 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Mystery, Romance, Suspense
MY REVIEW:
I have been an avid fan since I read my very first book by Colleen Coble. To date, I have read most, if not all of her novels with intentions to do so if I happened to miss any of them. I can honestly say that “The Inn at Ocean’s Edge” may just be the best one yet.
In “The Inn at Ocean’s Edge”, Coble weaves a story with so many unique twists and turns that one could easily get lost along the way. I loved the way she launched yet another surprise just when I thought I had everything all figured out. As always, the story is beautifully written with complex relationships that are challenged by traumatic circumstances but often tempered by faith and forgiveness. The pages are filled with action, drama, danger, romance, and suspense with an added plus of a baby orca that plays a major role in the story.
“The Inn at Ocean’s Edge” is a fine example of why Colleen Coble’s books have a permanent spot on my have-to-have book list. This is one not-to-be-missed novel for lovers of Christian romantic suspense.
This book was provided for review by LitFuse Publicity.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Claire’s visit to a luxury hotel in Maine awakens repressed memories, threatening all she holds dear.
In 1989, Claire Dellamare disappeared from her own fourth birthday party at the Hotel Tourmaline on the island of Folly Shoals, Maine. She showed up a year later at the same hotel, with a note pinned to her dress but no explanation. Nobody knows where Claire spent that year—and until now, Claire didn’t even know she had ever been missing.
But when Claire returns to the Hotel Tourmaline for a business meeting with her CEO father, disturbing memories begin to surface . . . despite her parents’ best efforts to keep them forgotten.
Luke Rocco lost his mother under equally mysterious circumstances—at the same time Claire disappeared. After a chance encounter reveals the unlikely link between them, Claire and Luke set out together to uncover the truth about what happened that fateful year.
With flashbacks swimming just beneath her consciousness and a murderer threatening her safety, Claire’s very life depends on unscrambling her past . . . even if her family refuses to acknowledge it. Someone—maybe everyone—is hiding something from Claire Dellamare, and it will cost her everything to drag the truth out into the light.
Learn more and purchase a copy at the Thomas Nelson website.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
USA Today bestselling author Colleen Coble has written several romantic suspense novels including “Tidewater Inn,” “Rosemary Cottage,” and the Mercy Falls, Lonestar, and Rock Harbor series.
Find out more about Colleen at http://www.colleencoble.com/.
Someone—maybe everyone—is hiding something from Claire Dellamare, and it will cost her everything to drag the truth out into the light. Colleen Coble’s new book, The Inn at Ocean’s Edge, is a must-read for mystery and suspense readers. As Claire and Luke put together the pieces of a decades-old mystery, they discover that some family secrets refuse to stay buried. And some passions are worth killing for.
Celebrate the release of The Inn at Ocean’s Edge by entering to win a Kindle Fire and RSVPing to her May 5th author chat party!
One grand prize winner will receive:
- A Kindle Fire
- A copy of A Heart’s Disguise
- A copy of A Heart’s Obsession
- A copy of The Inn at Ocean’s Edge
Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on May 7th. Winner will be announced May 8th on Colleen’s website. Plus be sure to clear your calendar on the evening of May 5th because Colleen is hosting an author chat party on Facebook to celebrate her A Journey of the Heart series and the release of The Inn at Ocean’s Edge! RSVP here!
RSVP today and spread the word—tell your friends about the giveaway via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on May 5th!
by admin | Apr 9, 2015 | Books, Mystery, Romance
MY REVIEW:
“Deception on Sable Hill” is the second book in Gray’s A Chicago World’s Fair Mystery series. Featuring Eloisa Carstairs whose story began in the first book of the series, “Secrets of Sloane House”, this book introduces some new characters but the reader will also recognize a few familiar faces along the way. This narrative is set against the backdrop of the World’s Fair where a killer is preying on young society women and somehow Eloisa has found herself right in the middle of the mystery.
Eloisa carries a secret of her own. Although an innocent victim, her secret could destroy her reputation as well as her chances for an acceptable marriage. She has managed to keep her secret to herself until she met Detective Sean Ryan. Although Sean can never hope to have a relationship with Eloisa because they are on different levels of society, he has determined to protect her at all costs.
Easy to relate to and realistic characters paired well with an imaginative plot that had plenty of twists and surprises to keep me on my toes. I was firmly convinced that the killer was one person but I was 100% wrong about that. I was actually relieved because as the story progressed I began to like the person I suspected. In fact, I am in hopes that this particular person will play a major role in the next book of the series. I am not naming names because that could lead to spoiling another’s fun.
I enjoyed everything about “Deception on Sable Hill” except for the fact that it was over much too soon and I will be impatient at the wait for the next installment. I enjoy everything by this author, no matter which genre she writes.
This book was provided for review by the BookLook Blogger Program of Harper Collins Christian Publishing.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
The World’s Fair is nearing its end, but the danger in Chicago lingers.
It’s mid-September of 1893 and Eloisa Carstairs is the reigning beauty of Gilded Age Chicago society. To outsiders she appears to have it all. But Eloisa is living with a dark secret. Several months ago, she endured a horrible assault at the hands of Douglass Sloane, heir to one of Chicago’s wealthiest families. Fearing the loss of her reputation, Eloisa confided in only one friend. That is, until she meets Detective Sean Ryan at a high-society ball.
Sean is on the outskirts of the wealthy Chicago lifestyle. Born into a poor Irish family, becoming a policeman was his best opportunity to ensure his future security. Despite society’s restrictions, he is enamored with Eloisa Carstairs. Sean seethes inside at what he knows happened to her, and he will do anything to keep her safe-even if he can never earn her affections. .
Eloisa longs to feel normal again in the midst of the danger surrounding the Chicago World’s Fair, but a killer is on the loose. In the last month, three debutantes have been accosted in the city by an assailant wielding a stiletto. As the danger in the city increases, and as Eloisa’s and Sean’s romance blossoms, they both realize they want to be seen as more than how the world views them. But will they catch the killer before all their hopes come tumbling down?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Shelley Gray is the author of The Heart of a Hero series. Her Amish novel (written as Shelley Shepard Gray), The Protector, recently made the New York Times best seller list. A native of Texas, she earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Colorado and taught school for ten years. She and her husband have two children and live in Southern Ohio. Visit her website at Facebook: ShelleyShepardGray Twitter: @ShelleySGray
by admin | Mar 9, 2015 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Medical, Mystery, Romance, Suspense
MY REVIEW:
I have always enjoyed the medical suspense novels of Hannah Alexander so I was delighted to have the chance to review “Hallowed Halls”. Although a bit different than the previous novels I have read by this author, it had all the elements that have kept Hannah Alexander near the top of my “must read” list.
Populated with characters that want to step off the page, the story developed naturally with a nice blend of drama, suspense, romance, and humor. One thing I particularly liked was that the characters were not static. One character in particular was perfectly detestable at the beginning but circumstances brought him around and he ended up being a fairly nice guy at the end. I loved Joy’s somewhat quirky mom and Tressa was a perfect addition to the tale.
“Hallowed Halls” is another great medical mystery by this author team and is a not-to-be-missed story of faith, reconciliation, and redemption. Take my advice and pick up a copy soon. I have already purchased “Dandelion Moon”, the next book of this series and cannot wait to find time to read it.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author
in exchange for my unbiased review.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
When Dr. Joy Gilbert is fired by a grieving boss who wants more from her than she’s willing to give, she returns to her tiny hometown of Juliet, MO to find her ex-fiance still single, her once-strong and independent mother struggling in every way. Before she can make a move, however, the back door of her car bursts open and Tressa, her former employer’s fifteen-year-old daughter, clambers out, refusing to return home to either of her divorced, embittered parents.
Zack Tyler, director of Juliet Hospital’s ER, is stunned to see the woman he still loves has returned to town, apparently unbroken by the rejection of her former employer. That same employer, Weston Cline, told Zack last year that Joy wanted to spread her wings and take the job Weston offered her in a suburb of Kansas City. Zack would have expected to see her heartbroken, in tears, but all she’s worried about is her mother’s health and Tressa’s rebellion. To help her financially, Zack hires her to work in the ER, but the minute he does that, he knows he’s in for another wild ride of the heart.
When Tressa first begins having blackouts, she’s relieved that they take place when she’s alone. If she’s not careful, she’s afraid Joy will feel the need to tell her parents, who will insist she return home. But more and more often, the blackouts hit, and she’s in grave danger before Joy and Zack can discover what is causing them, and what caused the deaths of her brother, her father’s baby brother, a great grandfather…how many unexplained deaths will her family have to endure?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
HANNAH ALEXANDER is the pen name for the writing collaboration of husband and wife Cheryl and Mel Hodde. They chose the name “Hannah Alexander” to incorporate their two names into one. They have read that Hannah means “her hope is in the Lord,” and Alexander means, “servant of mankind.”
by admin | Feb 26, 2015 | Books, England, Historical, Mystery, Romance
MY REVIEW:
Recently I have had the pleasure of reading several Christian novels with the Gothic romance style I loved so much when I was younger and before I discovered Christian fiction. In my opinion this genre has been rather sparse in Christian fiction until just lately and I am so happy to once again indulge in a bit of deliciously dark reading with no fear of encountering offensive material. “Mist of Midnight” fits perfectly into that category and in my opinion Sandra Byrd has nailed it.
What could be worse than returning home from the mission field of India, alone in the world after barely escaping with your life and witnessing unspeakable horrors? What if you found that home was no longer your home because an imposter had taken your place before dying and leaving everyone to believe that you are actually the imposter? That is the position Rebecca Ravenshaw found herself in and her prospects did not look at all promising. Fortunately her distant relative, Captain Luke Whitfield who had inherited everything, took pity on her and allowed her to live at Headbourne House until pertinent questions were resolved to his satisfaction.
The plot moved along at the perfect pace for a novel of this type with an appropriately dark and brooding atmosphere. Mysterious and dangerous events as well ambiguous characters who were difficult to pin down kept me invested in the story until its end. Quite a few surprises were in store along the way but I was happy with its conclusion. I particularly liked how the author adeptly wove an uncompromised message of faith into the narrative without having it overwhelm the story.
I enjoyed “Mist of Midnight” very much and look forward to “Bride of Poseidon” and “Angels of Light”, future installments of the Daughters of Hampshire series. They cannot be published soon enough for me!
This book was provided for review by the author and Howard Books.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
In the first of a brand-new series set in Victorian England, a young woman returns home from India after the death of her family to discover her identity and inheritance are challenged by the man who holds her future in his hands.
Rebecca Ravenshaw, daughter of missionaries, spent most of her life in India. Following the death of her family in the Indian Mutiny, Rebecca returns to claim her family estate in Hampshire, England. Upon her return, people are surprised to see her…and highly suspicious. Less than a year earlier, an imposter had arrived with an Indian servant and assumed not only Rebecca’s name, but her home and incomes.
That pretender died within months of her arrival; the servant fled to London as the young woman was hastily buried at midnight. The locals believe that perhaps she, Rebecca, is the real imposter. Her home and her father’s investments reverted to a distant relative, the darkly charming Captain Luke Whitfield, who quickly took over. Against her best intentions, Rebecca begins to fall in love with Luke, but she is forced to question his motives—does he love her or does he just want Headbourne House? If Luke is simply after the property, as everyone suspects, will she suffer a similar fate as the first “Rebecca”?
A captivating Gothic love story set against a backdrop of intrigue and danger, Mist of Midnight will leave you breathless.
Link to Mist of Midnight on the Simon and Schuster/Howard Books Website:
http://books.simonandschuster.com/Mist-of-Midnight/Sandra-Byrd/The-Daughters-of-Hampshire/9781476717869
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Sandra Byrd is a best-selling author and has earned Library Journal’s Best Books of the year pick twice, in 2011 for To Die For: A Novel of Anne Boleyn, and in 2012 for The Secret Keeper: A Novel of Kateryn Parr. She’s twice been a Christy Award finalist, for To Die For and for Let Them Eat Cake: A Novel. Roses Have Thorns: A Novel of Elizabeth I published April 2013
by admin | Sep 22, 2014 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Mystery, Quilts, Romance, Suspense
This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Allianceis introducingHidden in the StarsAbingdon Press (September 16, 2014)byRobin Caroll
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Born and raised in Louisiana, Robin Caroll is a southerner through and through. Her passion has always been to tell stories to entertain others. Robin’s mother, bless her heart, is a genealogist who instilled in Robin the deep love of family and pride of heritage—two aspects Robin weaves into each of her books.
When she isn’t writing, Robin spends time with her husband of twenty-plus years, her 3 beautiful daughters, 2 precious grandsons, and their character-filled pets at home—in the South, where else?
Learn more about Robin and her books on her Website.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Following an attack that killed her mother and stole her ability to speak, 21-year-old Sophia Montgomery has no choice but to accept her estranged grandmother’s offer to return to their family home. Although detective Julian Frazier is working hard on the case, Sophia unknowingly frustrates him because her inability to speak thwarts her eyewitness evidence. The fact that Julian is undeniably attracted to Sophia doesn’t help either, so Julian hides his feelings as concern for a trauma victim and focuses instead on finding the killer.
Little do they know, the clues to solving the case may be right in front of them, displayed in Sophia’s mother’s “special” quilt design. Who will realize the secret Sophia’s unwittingly been hiding in plain sight? When the truth comes to light, will Sophia find her voice again? Or will the murderer—still at large—silence her forever?
If you would like to read the first chapter of Hidden in the Stars, go HERE.
MY REVIEW:
One thing I have enjoyed about the Quilts of Love series is the sheer variety of themes among the featured books. So far I have read everything from Amish stories to Historical tales plus contemporary novels and sometimes even some mystery and suspense – all of which contain at least one romantic relationship. I have been a fan of Robin’s books since I first read some of her early Love Inspired Suspense novels. Since then she has gone on to write excellent full-length suspense novels that I make sure to obtain asap. Hidden in the Stars is Robin’s contribution to the Quilts of Love series and is a fine example of her versatility.
The somewhat pastel colors of the cover of Hidden in the Stars might trick the reader into thinking this novel is just a sweet romance. Never fear! Robin has woven her usual brilliant suspenseful mystery complete with some dastardly characters in which a quilt plays a major role. And let’s not forget the romance. Sparks fly between Sophia, victim of a brutal attack that killed her mother and investigating detective Julian. Although both of them feel a strong attraction, they decide it is just a reaction resulting from the aftermath of such a devastating crime. Could it be true love?
I enjoyed learning a bit about ballet and gymnastic training. I also liked seeing Julian’s perspective of the investigation. Most of all, I just loved having another novel by Robin Caroll in my hands. My only complaint is that it was over too soon.
by admin | May 5, 2014 | Books, England, Historical, Mystery, Romance
MY REVIEW:
On the very first page I was pulled directly into the action that paved the way for an exciting story filled with danger and suspense, secrets galore, forbidden romance, and a quest for the family treasure. Many elements of the story brought to mind the gothic novels I loved when I was much younger and reminded me why I loved them.
Elizabeth Trelawney has endured several London seasons without securing a husband and the man her parents want her to marry frightens her. She is weary of men who are interested in her only for her family’s riches and her prime desire is to live her life under the security of her beloved Bastian Point, her grandparents’ home on the Cornwall coast. If she can only discover the family treasure quickly, she will be guaranteed to inherit.
Unfortunately, even Bastian Point is no longer the refuge she once knew. Murder and even an attempt on Elizabeth’s life are only part of the growing sense of danger that surrounds Bastian Point. In addition Elizabeth is increasingly drawn to Rowan Curnow, a man unsuitable for a woman of her station.
I loved every minute of “A Lady’s Honor” and found that the end came much too quickly. I liked both Elizabeth and Rowan and was as surprised as Elizabeth when I learned Rowan’s secret. It was also interesting knowing what the family treasure was and wondering how long it would take Elizabeth to realize it for herself. The plot was filled with several unexpected twists and a major turning point or two. One scene in particular made me want to cheer for Elizabeth.
All-in-all, “A Lady’s Honor” was quite satisfying and I look forward to future novels by Ms. Eakes.
This book was provided for review by the BookLook Blogger Program of Harper Collins Christian Publishing.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Society is concerned about her honor, but Elizabeth must realize her worth doesn’t lie in her inheritance.
In order to avoid a forced marriage to a dangerous man, Elizabeth Trelawney flees London. An unexpected stranger arrives to help her, and as they elude her pursuers across Cornwall in the night, Elizabeth realizes her rescuer, Rowan Curnow, is familiar.
Their differences in social status kept Rowan from pursuing a courtship with the lady his heart wouldn’t let him forget. Now because of dangerous smugglers and local murders, the two are plunged into a reckless alliance that rattles Rowan’s fledgling faith in God.
The closer they get to Bastian Point-Elizabeth’s true home-the more she realizes it is the only place she longs to be. Even the sight of its solid structure perched on the cliffs makes her feel safe. Elizabeth is the most likely to inherit Bastian Point if Grandfather never learns she spent the night, however innocently, with a near stranger.
As spring warms into summer, Elizabeth finds herself torn between wanting to be the perfect grandchild and her growing love for a man of whom no one will approve as a match for her, a man she knows she shouldn’t entirely trust. Unsure whether she is being foolish or following the right path, she sets out with Rowan on a quest to find the true culprit behind the local violence.
Their quest leads them to danger, and she must choose whether to follow the man she loves or cling to the safety of her family home.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
“Eakes has a charming way of making her novels come to life without being over the top,” writes Romantic times of bestselling, award-winning author Laurie Alice Eakes. Since she lay in bed as a child telling herself stories, she has fulfilled her dream of becoming a published author. To date, she has sixteen books in print with five more under contract for release over the next two years. Eight of her books have been published in large print editions, one as a Crossings Bookclub hardcover edition, and one book has been put into Braille.
A graduate of Asbury University with a degree in English and French, and Seton Hill University, with a masters degree in Writing Popular Fiction, she also writes articles in writers publications, teaches writing workshops, and gives inspirational talks.
She lives in Texas with her husband, dogs, and cats. She enjoys long walks, all too rare rainy days, and knitting—rather badly—while watching movies or listening to music.
Follow her on Twitter: https://twitter.com/LaurieAEakes
Read excerpts from her books at: http://www.lauriealiceeakes.com
