To Write a Wrong by Jen Turano

by | Aug 27, 2021 | Books, Historical, Humor, Mystery, Romance

MY REVIEW:

To Write a Wrong is Jen Turano’s latest entertaining  and humorous romantic historical mystery novel. Its pages abound with numerous quirky characters that includes a delightful heroine, a dashing hero, and some absolutely loathsome villains. What could be better than that for an evening’s enjoyment?

Featuring Miss Daphne Beekman of the Bleecker Street Inquiry Agency who is also secretly a famous mystery author who writes under an assumed male moniker, the tale begins when the agency is hired by another famous mystery writer Mr. Herman Henderson who has received death threats from an unknown person. Daphne is sent to pose as Herman’s secretary during a house party at his country estate and from that point on it is anybody’s guess what might happen next.

As in all of Turano’s novels there is quite a bit of dialogue, especially between the featured couple. I did find that to be a bit tiresome during one evening but I suppose it was just my own mood because when I picked the book back up the next day, I was no longer annoyed by the abundance of conversation.

The story moved along at a good pace with plenty of amusing accidental incidents interspersed with numerous suspicious characters as well as enough plot twists and red herrings to keep the best detective confused. As always secrets were revealed and the case was solved to everyone’s satisfaction.

To Write a Wrong is one more example of why Jen Turano’s books are so popular. Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy. To borrow and alter a famous commercial “You can’t read just one!”

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by the author and Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Miss Daphne Beekman is a mystery writer by day, inquiry agent by night. Known for her ability to puzzle out plots, she prefers working behind the scenes for the Bleecker Street Inquiry Agency, staying well away from danger. However, Daphne soon finds herself in the thick of an attempted murder case she’s determined to solve.

Mr. Herman Henderson is also a mystery writer, but unlike the dashing heroes he pens, he lives a quiet life, determined to avoid the fate of his adventurous parents, who perished on an expedition when he was a child. But when he experiences numerous attempts on his life, he seeks out the services of the eccentric Bleecker Street Inquiry Agency to uncover the culprit. All too soon, Herman finds himself stepping out of the safe haven of his world and into an adventure he never imagined.

As the list of suspects grows and sinister plots are directed Daphne’s way as well, Herman and Daphne must determine who they can trust and if they can risk the greatest adventure of all: love.

Read an excerpt HERE.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Named one of the funniest voices in inspirational romance by Booklist, Jen Turano is a USA Today bestselling author, known for penning quirky historical romances set in the Gilded Age. Her books have earned Publishers Weekly and Booklist starred reviews, top picks from Romantic Times, and praise from Library Journal. She’s been a finalist twice for the RT Reviewers’ Choice Awards and had two of her books listed in the top 100 romances of the past decade from Booklist. She and her family live outside of Denver, Colorado. Readers can find her on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and at jenturano.com.

The Yes Dare: a Pies Books & Jesus Book Club by Kathleen Y’Barbo

by | Aug 27, 2021 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Second Chance Romance

MY REVIEW:

The Yes Dare is Kathleen Y’Barbo’s latest addition to her Pies, Books & Jesus Book Club series. In this delightful novel, Coco Sutton has been encouraged by her best friend to read a book called The Yes Dare. When she finally opens it, the book’s author encourages her to say yes to the first thing she is asked to do. That is how she becomes the new person in charge of the annual Cow Chip Toss Festival. Say what? Yes, Ms. Y’Barbo can certainly come up with some quirky characters as well as placing perfectly normal characters into outrageous situations. Such fun!

To make things even more difficult, Coco must spend way too much time with her ex-husband Ryan. Since his betrayal of their vows, it hurts too much to be around him and she has been unable to forgive him for his actions. Ryan has never loved anyone but Coco and is determined to win her back. With so many others working to get them back together, even their college student sons, how can anything go wrong?

I absolutely loved reading The Yes Dare. The plot moves quickly and is filled with plenty of twists, surprises, and humor but at the same time it manages to convey a strong faith filled message of forgiveness.

I voluntarily reviewed a digital copy of this book provided by the author. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Have you ever wished for a second chance to fix something you’ve messed up or for the courage to say yes to something that just may change your life? Sometimes saying yes to the last thing you want can mean saying yes to exactly what you need.

Ryan “The Rocket” Sutton’s winning streak is legendary makes him the undisputed best quarterback in the NFL. However, thanks to one dumb mistake, he’s a failure as a husband to Coco, the only woman he’s ever loved. When a judge’s mistake in divorce paperwork means Coco is still his wife, Ryan makes up his mind to fix what he ruined. Ryan’s game plan doesn’t count on an internationally famous movie director’s camera crew following him as he competes for Coco’s love.

After spending most of her adult life as a football wife and mother to twin sons, fashionista Coco Sutton is learning how to be single and fabulous. Emphasis on Fabulous. The sports trophies, memorabilia, and heavy masculine wood furniture in the home she used to share with Ryan have been banished to the attic, and her home is now a cozy haven of plush candle-scented comfort. She’s got big plans that include owning a boutique or maybe an art gallery, but she never planned to take on the biggest challenge of her life: staying single. Then her best friend gives her a copy of a book called The Yes Dare, and all her plans are turned upside down.

From a Hollywood movie to the local spring event formerly known as the Cow Chip Toss Festival and a country crooner with a crush on Coco, will Ryan dodge the obstacles to win back the only woman he ever loved?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

KATHLEEN Y’BARBO is a Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author of more than one hundred books with two million copies of her books in print in the US and abroad. A tenth-generation Texan and certified paralegal, she is a member of the Texas Bar Association Paralegal Division, Texas A&M Association of Former Student and the Texas A&M Women Former Students (Aggie Women), Texas Historical Society, Novelists Inc., and American Christian Fiction Writers. She would also be a member of the Daughters of the American Republic, Daughters of the Republic of Texas and a few others if she would just remember to fill out the paperwork that Great Aunt Mary Beth has sent her more than once.

Kathleen and her hero in combat boots husband have their own surprise love story that unfolded on social media a few years back. They make their home just north of Houston, Texas and are the parents and in-laws of a blended family of Texans, Okies, and three very adorable Londoners.

To find out more about Kathleen or connect with her through social media, check out her website at www.kathleenybarbo.com.

The Cryptographer’s Dilemma by Johnnie Alexander

by | Aug 27, 2021 | Books

MY REVIEW:

I did not realize until I reached the end of The Cryptographer’s Dilemma that it was based on a true case during World War 2. I loved the fact that such an enjoyable tale had such a strong element of history embedded within its pages. That is why I love historical fiction so much. I want to know about the people involved in our past, not just the facts.

Eloise’s talent as a Naval cryptographer captured the notice of the FBI who enlisted her help in solving a case involving several odd letters. Assigned to work with agent Phillip Clayton, she quickly realizes that he is not at all happy about his assignment but is determined to fulfill her duty as best as she is able.

I enjoyed traveling across the U.S. with Phillip and Eloise as they searched for answers. It was fun observing how Eloise interpreted  hidden messages within the letters and how the pair of them put the clues together to find the traitor. I also enjoyed getting to know both characters as little by little their backgrounds were revealed and I learned what made them react the way they did. The romance that developed between them was subtle which allowed the meat of the story to take precedence.

The plot of The Cryptographer’s Dilemma moved along at a steady pace with bits of action and danger inserted at just the right points. The identity of the traitor was fairly obvious early on but the methods and actual process of apprehension kept me involved until the very end. A side story involving Eloise and her estranged father also reached a satisfying conclusion.

Another excellent offering from Johnnie Alexander, The Cryptographer’s Dilemma is a book that lovers of World War 2 history should love.

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by Celebrate Lit. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Book:  The Cryptographer’s Dilemma

Author: Johnnie Alexander

Genre: Historical Christian Fiction

Release date: August, 2021

Click here to get your copy!

A Code Developer Uncovers a Japanese Spy Ring

Full of intrigue, adventure, and romance, this new series celebrates the unsung heroes—the heroines of WWII.

FBI cryptographer Eloise Marshall is grieving the death of her brother, who died during the attack on Pearl Harbor, when she is assigned to investigate a seemingly innocent letter about dolls. Agent Phillip Clayton is ready to enlist and head oversees when asked to work one more FBI job. A case of coded defense coordinates related to dolls should be easy, but not so when the Japanese Consulate gets involved, hearts get entangled, and Phillip goes missing. Can Eloise risk loving and losing again?

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Johnnie Alexander creates characters you want to meet and imagines stories you won’t forget in a variety of genres. An award-winning, best-selling novelist, she serves on the executive boards of Serious Writer, Inc. and the Mid-South Christian Writers Conference, co-hosts Writers Chat, and interviews other inspirational authors for Novelists Unwind. Johnnie lives in Oklahoma with Griff, her happy-go-lucky collie, and Rugby, her raccoon-treeing papillon. Connect with her at www.johnnie-alexander.com and other social media sites via https://linktr.ee/johnniealexndr.

MORE FROM JOHNNIE:

American Traitor in WWII

Not all secret messages involve substitution codes where random letters and numbers replace the original letters and numbers. Velvalee Dickinson, a doll collector who owned a doll shop on Madison Avenue in New York City, used jargon code to pass along information to the Japanese about the U.S. ships that had been damaged at Pearl Harbor.

Here’s an excerpt from one of the letters (as originally written):

The only new dolls I have are THREE LOVELY IRISH dolls. One of these three dolls is an old Fisherman with a Net over his back—another is an old woman with wood on her back and the third is a little boy….I can only think of our sick boy these days. You wrote me that you had sent a letter to Mr. Shaw, well I want to see MR. SHAW he distroyed Your letter, you know he has been Ill. His car was damaged but is being repaired now. I saw a few of his family about. They all say Mr. Shaw will be back to work soon.

Velvalee, who the FBI nicknamed The Doll Woman, wrote this letter on her Underwood typewriter. She used the return address and forged the signature of one of her regular customers, Mary Wallace of Springfield, Ohio. Then Velvalee mailed the letter to an address in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Unknown to Velvalee, the Japanese had abandoned the Buenos Aires address as a drop point. The letter was marked “return to sender.” When Mrs. Wallace received it, she turned it in to the Post Office Director in Springfield who passed it along to the FBI.

Cryptographers determined that the letter was written in jargon code. To the casual reader, the letter is about dolls. But the intended recipient would have understood it’s about much more than that.

In this example, only one of five letters given to the FBI between February and August of 1942, cryptographers decoded the message as follows:

  • Old Fisherman with a Net over his back ~ refers to an aircraft carrier which has anti-torpedo nettings on its sides.
  • Old woman with wood on her back ~ refers to an older battleship, one made of wood.
  • A little boy plus our sick boy ~ a damaged ship.

Cryptographers believed that the words Mr. Shaw and Your were purposely capitalized and that the word distroyed was purposely misspelled to draw attention to them. Mr. Shaw referred to the USS Shaw, a destroyer (distroy + your = destroyer).

The remainder of the letter says Mr. Shaw is ill but “will be back to work soon.”

The ship was in dry dock at Pearl Harbor when the Japanese attacked. As the heroine in The Cryptographer’s Dilemma explains, “About two weeks before this letter was written, it [the USS Shaw] was undergoing repairs in San Francisco.”

In the novel, Eloise Marshall is a naval cryptographer who teams up with FBI agent Phillip Clayton, to find the person responsible for forging the signatures on the letters. Their search takes them from Washington, DC to the Springfield, Ohio, to the west coast and back again. On their journey, Eloise will confront an unexpected specter from her past and Phillip will risk his life to save hers.

BLOG STOPS:

 

Life of Literature, August 25

Where Faith and Books Meet, August 25

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, August 25

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 26

Reflections From my Bookshelves, August 26

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, August 27

Bizwings Blog, August 27

Daysong Reflections, August 27

Texas Book-aholic, August 28

A Baker’s Perspective, August 28

Inklings and notions, August 29

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 29

For Him and My Family, August 30

Simple Harvest Reads, August 30 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Older & Smarter, August 31

Mypreciousbitsandmusings, August 31

Aryn the Libraryan , September 1

Rebecca Tews, September 1

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, September 2

deb’s Book Review, September 2

Locks, Hooks and Books, September 3

Blossoms and Blessings, September 3

Mary Hake, September 3

Connie’s History Classroom, September 4

A Good Book and Cup of Tea, September 4

Sodbusterliving, September 4

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, September 5

Labor Not in Vain, September 5

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, September 6

Moments, September 6

Splashes of Joy, September 6

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 7

Pause for Tales, September 7

GIVEAWAY:

To celebrate her tour, Johnnie is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card and a copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/1161a/the-cryptographer-s-dilemma-celebration-tour-giveaway

Night Watch by Susan Sleeman

by | Aug 25, 2021 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Romance, Suspense

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for Night Watch by Susan Sleeman, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

MY REVIEW:

Although I have not read the previous books in the Nighthawk Security series, Night Watch easily stood on its own. Now that I have read it, I am determined to make the time to read the rest of the series and learn more about the courageous Byrd brothers.

As the baby of the family, Erik Byrd takes a lot of flak from his brothers and endures plenty of match-making from his mother. When Kennedy Walker shows back up in town and in danger, he finds himself determined to protect her at all costs – even if she was the one to break his heart years earlier.

With its fast-moving plot, family secrets, and enough twists and turns to keep me turning the pages, Night Watch was a riveting suspense that kept me engaged until the end. The interaction between characters was natural and I loved how the Byrd family jumped in to support Kennedy as she endeavored to prove that her mother had been murdered. Her loyalty to her sister was admirable and I was relieved when some difficult choices were resolved. Another second chance romance story, Night Watch has a strong faith message woven throughout its plot.

Night Watch is an excellent suspense novel and all fans of Christian suspense should add it to their reading list.

I voluntarily reviewed a digital copy of this book provided by Just Read Tours. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Title: Night Watch

Series: Night Hawk Security #5

Author: Susan Sleeman

Publisher: Independently Published

Release Date: August 2021

Genre: Inspirational Romantic Suspense

Everything points to suicide or accidental death…

Underwater crime scene investigator, Kennedy Walker is shocked when her mother dies and the police rule her death a suicide or an accidental overdose. Her scientist-mother was on the verge of a scientific breakthrough, and Kennedy knows her mother would never end her life, but the detective won’t listen. Kennedy moves back to her hometown and commits to finding her mother’s killer and finishing her work.

And she must prove them wrong.

Kennedy digs deeper, garnering the killer’s focus, and he puts her in his cross-hairs. She can’t give up on such an important project, so she swallows down her unease over the tumultuous breakup with Erik Byrd in college and hires Nighthawk Security, not only to protect her, but to help find her mother’s killer. It takes only one look for both of them to know their feelings for each other haven’t gone away. With so many people counting on her to complete the project, giving in to old feelings is a distraction neither she or Erik can afford, and they both need to keep watch. Especially in the darkest hours of the night, when the killer comes out to play.

PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | IndieBound | BookBub

MORE BOOKS IN THIS SERIES:

 

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Susan Sleeman is the bestselling author of over fifty novels with more than one million books sold. She writes romantic suspense novels that are clean with inspiring messages of faith . Readers love her series for the well-drawn characters and edge-of-your-seat action. She graduated from the FBI and local police citizen academies, so her research is spot-on and her characters are real.

In addition to writing, Susan also hosts TheSuspenseZone.com. She has lived in nine states but now calls Oregon home. Her husband is a retired church music director, and they have two beautiful daughters, two terrific sons-in-law, and two adorable grandsons.

To learn more about Susan’s books sign up for her monthly email that includes exclusive excerpts, giveaways, and other goodies.

CONNECT WITH SUSAN: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

TOUR GIVEAWAY:

(1) winner will receive the first four ebooks in the Nighthawk Security series!

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight August 24, 2021 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on August 31, 2021. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE

Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.

Cold Case Double Cross By Jessica Patch

by | Aug 24, 2021 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Love Inspired, Romantic Suspense

MY REVIEW:

Cold Case Double Cross is another page-turner from Jessica L. Patch. Its pages are filled with enough action and suspense to hold the attention of most readers until the very end.

Cash Ryland has convinced cold case investigator Mae Vogel to help him prove his brother’s innocence in a murder case. He believes his brother was wrongly convicted and hopes Mae can overlook their own past long enough to find the real killer. It doesn’t take very long for them to discover that someone does not want them to find the answers and their very lives are in danger.

As always, I enjoyed this latest offering from Patch that included a second chance romance blended into a riveting suspense along with a strong message of faith and forgiveness. I don’t remember ever reading a book that featured a character with dyslexia and I found his struggles with self-esteem due to his handicap to be enlightening. I love how this author manages to cram so much content into a limited number of pages.

I voluntarily reviewed a digital copy of this book provided by the author. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

They’re on a cold trail
and running out of time.

Convinced his brother was wrongly convicted of murder years ago, detective Cash Ryland’s determined to find the real killer—even if it puts him in the crosshairs. But he needs help from cold case investigator Mae Vogel, whom he mistreated in high school. Can they put their past aside to solve the murder…before the killer succeeds in silencing them for good?

From Love Inspired Suspense: Courage. Danger. Faith.

Cold Case Investigators

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Publishers Weekly Bestselling author Jessica R. Patch is known for her dry wit and signature twists. When she’s not hunched over her laptop, you can find her cozy on the couch in her mid-south home reading books by her favorite authors, watching movies with her family, and collecting recipes to amazing dishes she’ll probably never cook. Sign up for her newsletter “Patched In” at www.jessicarpatch.com.