Death Valley Double Cross by Dana Mentink

by | Mar 29, 2022 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Love Inspired, Romantic Suspense

MY REVIEW:

My first introduction to the books of Dana Mentink was through her Love Unleashed contemporary romance series. I enjoyed her writing as well as her humor in those books and was a bit surprised when asked to review one of her Love Inspired Suspense novels. What a versatile author! She is an expert when it comes to suspense. I think I have managed to read a copy of every one of her LIS books since and have never been disappointed.

Death Valley Double Cross takes readers back to Furnace Falls for yet another exciting, nonstop. action-packed, suspense filled tale. An unexpected encounter with the man she left at the alter is just the beginning of a life threatening experience for Pilar Jefferson. One surprise after another and more twists than one can imagine follow Pilar and Austin as they attempt to stay one step ahead of the person who will do anything to find the hidden money from an old robbery. Working together is awkward but there is no other choice.

A story of second chances, forgiveness, and faith, Death Valley Double Cross offers a chance to catch up with old friends from the previous books of the series and make a few new ones. Easily a standalone, this book is even better after reading the others.

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

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Book: Death Valley Double Cross

Author: Dana Mentink

Genre: Inspirational Suspense

Release date: February 22, 2022

Click here to get your copy!

A killer seeking revenge will stop at nothing to get it…

Pilar Jefferson is shocked to learn that her supposedly deceased father is alive and has been in prison—and now his ruthless former partner is after her. Fleeing on her wedding day was the best way to protect her loved ones. But now with her mother held for ransom and her ex-fiancé, Austin Duke, stumbling back into her life, can she keep everyone safe—and escape an assassin?

From Love Inspired Suspense: Courage. Danger. Faith.

Desert Justice

Book 1: Framed in Death Valley
Book 2: Missing in the Desert
Book 3: Death Valley Double Cross
Book 4: Death Valley Hideout

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Dana Mentink is a USA Today and Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author as well as a two time American Christian Fiction Writers Carol Award winner, and a Holt Medallion winner. She is the Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author of over fifty titles in the suspense and lighthearted romance genres. She is pleased to write for Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense, Harlequin Heartwarming and Poisoned Pen Press. You can connect with Dana via her website at danamentink.com, on Facebook, YouTube (Author Dana Mentink) and Instagram (dana_mentink.)

MORE FROM DANA:

I remember standing on the edge of the lookout and gazing into the wonder that is Artist’s Palette in Death Valley. Artist’s Drive, which takes you to this breathtaking view, rises above Badwater Basin (the lowest spot in North America) and then meanders along twisting canyons and hills until it brings you to this popular tourist stop. The premier view is a place called Artist’s palette. It’s a sprawling pocket of color, hues of rose, ochre, green and gold tucked in the rippling landscape and teased to life by the desert sun. Isn’t that just like God? To lead us to surprises and wonders that await us in a sometimes hostile world? Every day we spent in Death Valley held a surprise, from the rocks that move mysteriously across the sands to the towering twists and turns of 20 Mule Team Canyon. There are only two things to do with a wonderous place like that…enjoy the divine bounty, and write a novel set there so others can come along!

I hope you will enjoy this third installment in the Desert Justice series. The first is Beckett’s story and then we had quiet cowboy Levi’s adventure. Now it’s brash pilot Austin’s turn. Will he get his happy ending after being dumped at the altar and wrecking his shoulder in an accident? Turn those pages and come with me to Death Valley to find out!

BLOG STOPS:

 

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, March 29

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 29

Daysong Reflections, March 30

Texas Book-aholic, March 30

Lighthouse academy, March 31

Inklings and notions, March 31

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, April 1

Betti Mace, April 1

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 2

Pause for Tales, April 2

For Him and My Family, April 3

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, April 3 (Author Interview)

deb’s Book Review, April 4

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, April 4

Locks, Hooks and Books, April 5

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, April 6

Life, Love, Writing, April 6

Bigreadersite, April 7

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, April 7

Bizwings Blog, April 8

For the Love of Literature, April 8

Blogging With Carol, April 9

HookMeInABook, April 9

Simple Harvest Reads, April 10 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Paula’s Persuasion, April 10

Blossoms and Blessings, April 11

Sodbuster Living, April 11

Labor Not in Vain, April 12

Through the fire blogs, April 12

GIVEAWAY:

To celebrate her tour, Dana is giving away the grand prize package of the first three books in the series (Paperback for U.S. Only) and a $50 Amazon gift card!!

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/1c112/death-valley-double-cross-celebration-tour-giveaway

Her Darkest Secret by Jessica Patch

by | Mar 25, 2022 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Psychological Thriller, Romance, Suspense

MY REVIEW:

Author Jessica R. Patch has seriously upped her game with the first book in her latest series, Strange Crimes Unit, South Division. Most readers might want to avoiding reading Her Darkest Secret right before bedtime or when home alone at night. This intense novel is more than a little creepy and could create nightmares for those who are sensitive.

Don’t get me wrong, this is NOT a graphic or gruesome story. BUT the idea of a stalker/killer who leaves nursery rhymes and a goose feather with his victims is definitely not normal. On the surface Her Darkest Secret is what the title says – dark, but as we Christians know, darkness is overcome by the light. This story is all about how that light overcomes the darkness.

A second chance romance plays a minor role in this awesome tale of forgiveness and redemption. I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of this book and can’t wait for the next installment.

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

ABOUT THE BOOK:

When a cold-case serial killer returns, FBI special agent Fiona Kelly has one last chance to stop him before he claims the prize he’s always wanted—her.

The sight of a goose feather at a murder scene modeled after a children’s poem is enough to make FBI special agent Fiona Kelly’s blood turn to ice. Almost two decades ago, a feather was left with her sister’s body—and with every subsequent victim of the Nursery Rhyme Killer. Now he’s back. Only this time, his latest gruesome murder is a message to the only one who ever got away: Fiona.

Finding “Rhyme” is an obsession that’s fueled Fiona’s career—and destroyed her marriage to fellow FBI agent Asa Kodiak. Now Fiona and Asa have to put their past tensions aside and work together one last time. But Rhyme is watching, and catching this killer may force Fiona to reveal her biggest, darkest secret…the one only he knows.

Coming June 2022! But you can read it in March 2022 in paperback exclusively through Walmart!

Preorder now!

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.

Counterfeit Love by Crystal Caudill

by | Mar 25, 2022 | Books, Historical, Romantic Suspense

MY REVIEW:

Although I am a booklover who enjoys most genres of Christian fiction, my top two favorites are historical and suspense. It is indeed a special bonus when a historical romance includes a suspense filled plot as this book does. Counterfeit Love is the debut novel by author Crystal Caudill. I am excited to announce that I will now be adding yet another author to my must read list. How will I ever keep up?

Counterfeit Love met all my requirements for a good book. Its plot moves along at a steady pace with more than enough twists and surprises to keep me turning those pages. Characters are strong and realistic with believable reactions to their circumstances. The romance seems natural and progresses at a convincing speed. The author is unafraid to tackle difficult subjects and does so with grace. Interesting historical facts played an essential role in the story and added to its interest.  

I also liked the authenticity of the faith aspect of the story. It was easy to relate to both Theresa and Broderick’s struggles. Faith, forgiveness, and redemption are major themes woven seamlessly throughout the plot.

I thoroughly enjoyed Counterfeit Love and look forward to the next installment of the Hidden Hearts of the Gilded Age series.

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

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Can this undercover agent save the woman he loves–or is her heart as counterfeit as the money he’s been sent to track down?

After all that Grandfather has sacrificed to raise her, Theresa Plane owes it to him to save the family name–and that means clearing their debt with creditors before she marries Edward Greystone. But when one of the creditors’ threats leads her to stumble across a midnight meeting, she discovers that the money he owes isn’t all Grandfather was hiding. And the secrets he kept have now trapped Theresa in a life-threatening fight for her home–and the truth.

After months of undercover work, Secret Service operative Broderick Cosgrove is finally about to uncover the identity of the leader of a notorious counterfeiting ring. That moment of triumph turns to horror, however, when he finds undeniable proof that his former fiance is connected. Can he really believe the woman he loved is a willing participant? Protecting Theresa and proving her innocence may destroy his career–but that’s better than failing her twice in one lifetime.

They must form a partnership, tentative though it is. But there’s no question they’re both still keeping secrets–and that lack of trust, along with the dangerous criminals out for their blood, threatens their hearts, their faith, and their very survival.

To read an excerpt of Counterfeit Love click here.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Crystal Caudill is the author of “dangerously good historical romance,” with her work garnering awards from Romance Writers of America and ACFW. Counterfeit Love is her debut published novel.

Caudill says that reading and writing are part of her soul and have been since she first held a crayon. While she considered writing to be an escape from challenges and struggles and a way to keep her sanity, Caudill would come to recognize that God used it as a teaching tool. “The stories came through my fingertips, but they were marked with His fingerprints,” she shares.

As she delved into history and crafted her own stories of hope through danger, Caudill would answer the call to pursue writing as a career after her first writer’s conference. “My stories are still filled with danger, struggle, and history, but they are also permeated with the hope and love of Christ. I hope they are dangerously good. Good for the heart and for the soul.”

She is a stay-at-home mom and caregiver, and when she isn’t writing, Caudill can be found playing board games with her family, drinking hot tea, or reading other great books at her home outside Cincinnati, Ohio.

Find out more at crystalcaudill.com or find her on Facebook (@crystalcaudillauthor) and Instagram (@crystalcaudillauthor).

You can also join fellow readers in Crystal Caudill’s Reading Friends group on Facebook. 

GIVEAWAY:

 

The Element of Love By Mary Connealy

by | Mar 15, 2022 | Books, Historical, Romance, Western

MY REVIEW:

The Element of Love is the first novel in Mary Connealy’s latest series, The Lumber Baron’s Daughters. The series features three sisters who have left their home at their mother’s urging to find husbands in order to protect their late father’s estate from a cruel and greedy stepfather.

The story begins with an action-filled, unique escape that is both exhilarating and humorous. No one but the imaginative Connealy would conceive such a plan. From there the sisters move on with their plan and end up traveling with a band of missionaries. Despite their obviously advanced skills in certain areas, the sisters are woefully inexperienced with the basic homemaking abilities usually common in women which of course leads to a few chuckles.

I always enjoy books by this author and The Element of Love was no exception. It was a fun story yet had more than enough danger and tense moments to keep in interesting. Although Laura was the featured sister, her two siblings played a major role also. Her relationship with pastor Caleb was tangled as each held their own secrets close.

Each character was well developed and I enjoyed watching their interactions. I loved how their dependence on the Lord influenced their actions and consequently influenced others around them. It was fun trying to guess which of the men the sisters encountered might be the love interests of the other two sisters.

As always I recommend The Element of Love as well as all other books by Mary Connealy. If you haven’t read any of her books, try this one and get in at the beginning of a series. I guarantee you won’t be sorry.

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:

She mixed danger, desperation, and deception together. Love was not the expected outcome.

With their sharp engineering minds, Laura Stiles and her two sisters have been able to deal with their mother’s unfortunate choice in husband until they discovered his plans to marry each of them off to his lecherous friends. Now they must run away–far and fast–to find better matches to legally claim their portion of their father’s lumber dynasty and seize control from their stepfather.

During their escape, Laura befriends a mission group heading to serve the poor in California. She quickly volunteers herself and her sisters to join their efforts. Despite the settlement being in miserable condition, the sisters are excited by the opportunity to put their skills to good use. Laura also sees potential in Caleb, the mission’s parson, to help with gaining her inheritance. But when secrets buried in Caleb’s past and in the land around them come to light, it’ll take all the smarts the sisters have to keep trouble at bay.

Read an excerpt HERE.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Mary Connealy (www.maryconnealy.com) writes “romantic comedies with cowboys” and is celebrated for her fun, zany, action-packed style. She has sold more than half a million books. She is the author of the popular series Brothers in Arms, Brides of Hope Mountain, High Sierra Sweethearts, Kincaid Brides, Trouble in Texas, Lassoed in Texas, Sophie’s Daughters, and many other books. Mary lives on a ranch in eastern Nebraska with her very own romantic cowboy hero.

 

Until Leaves Fall in Paris by Sarah Sundin

by | Mar 12, 2022 | Books

MY REVIEW:

Two young Americans have chosen to remain in Paris despite the fact that the Nazis have taken over the city. Luci Girard has left her beloved position with the Paris Ballet in order to buy her good friends’ English book shop, hoping to save it for them until the occupiers leave. Widower Paul Aubrey is the wealthy owner of an automobile manufacturing company but is forced to build trucks for the enemy. Their friendship grows each time Paul brings his daughter Lucie to the bookstore. Unknown to the other, each of them is playing a small part in the French resistance, a dangerous occupation if their secrets became known to the wrong people.     

In Sarah Sundin’s latest novel, Until Leaves Fall in Paris, readers have a chance to step into the lives of people living in Paris during the days leading up to the second World War. The pages are filled with danger, action, mystery, romance, secrecy, and dependence on God to pull them through the dangerous times. It is a look at the never ending games of cat and mouse as the French people attempted to survive.

As always, this author managed to offer hope in the midst of overwhelming evil. Her excellent plot and wonderful characters drew me into her story and held me captive until the very end. If you enjoy historical fiction with a WW2 setting, Until Leaves Fall in Paris would be a very good choice as would any of Sundin’s other novels.

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

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Paris, 1940

When the Nazis march toward Paris, American ballerina Lucie Girard buys her favorite English-language bookstore to allow the Jewish owners to escape. The Germans make it difficult for her to keep Green Leaf Books afloat. And she must keep the store open if she is to continue aiding the resistance by passing secret messages between the pages of her books.

Widower Paul Aubrey wants nothing more than to return to the States with his little girl, but the US Army convinces him to keep his factory running and obtain military information from his German customers. As the war rages on, Paul offers his own resistance by sabotaging his product and hiding British airmen in his factory. But in order to carry out his mission, he must appear to support the occupation–which does not win him any sympathy when he meets Lucie in the bookstore.

In a world turned upside down, will love or duty prevail?

Read an excerpt here.

Purchase a copy here.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Sarah Sundin is the bestselling author of When Twilight Breaks and several popular WWII series, including Sunrise at Normandy, Waves of Freedom, Wings of the Nightingale, and Wings of Glory. She is a Christy Award finalist and a Carol Award winner, and her novels have received starred reviews from Booklist, Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly, and have appeared on Booklist‘s “101 Best Romance Novels of the Last 10 Years.” Sarah lives in Northern California. Visit www.sarahsundin.com for more information.