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, Contemporary Fiction, Romance
MY REVIEW:
From their very first somewhat explosive encounter, PJ McKinley and Cole Evans are destined to strike a few sparks but not only the romantic kind. They soon learn that they are in competition to be awarded a historic home and both of them are depending on winning because neither can afford to finance their dream without it. When the owner decides to give them a year in the house as co-tenants to prove which of them deserves to win, the stakes are raised and it is open season. As any reader of romantic fiction can guess, the setting is perfect for a romance between the competitors. PJ and Cole find themselves helping each other out and even liking each other despite their rivalry.
PJ and Cole are both endearing characters who think they have something to prove to themselves or others but really just need to turn it all over to the Lord. The story moved at a perfect pace with just the right amount of drama, humor, and surprises along the way. Of course the romantic tension was just right also. I liked the way PJ and Cole’s attitudes changed during the course of the book and the examples of self-sacrifice shown by both of them.
You can never go wrong with a novel by Denise Hunter and I suggest that readers grab “The Wishing Season” as well as the other Chapel Springs novels.
This book was provided for review by the BookLook Blogger Program
of Harper Collins Christian Publishing..
ABOUT THE BOOK:
She daydreams of whipping up sauces and soufflés in her own restaurant. His heart is set on helping foster children. Both dreams are at stake. So are their hearts.
With grand plans to open her own bed & breakfast in Chapel Springs, PJ McKinley can’t afford the most crucial part: the brick and mortar. But when the owner of a local historic home announces a contest and promises her property to the worthiest candidate, PJ makes a fervent wish and tosses her name into the hat.
Cole Evans is cool, confident, and successful, but he’ll never forget his roots. He’s thankful for how far he’s come and knows his life could have turned out drastically different. If he can win the stately old mansion, he’ll turn it into a home for children aging out of the foster system.
When the eccentric house owner narrows the entries down to only two applicants, she extends the contest, giving PJ and Cole one year to prove which one of them can make the best use of her beloved home. As the pair competes in close proximity, something deeper than rivalry sparks between PJ and Cole. And in this battle, they’re likely to lose their hearts.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Bestselling novelist Denise Hunter has received the Holt Medallion Award, Reader’s Choice Award, Foreword Book of the Year Award, and is a RITA finalist. She lives in Indiana with her husband and their three sons.
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.
