To Love a Falcon

Author: Nancy C. Williams

Publisher: Celebrate Lit

Release Date: November 7th, 2023

A fabulously written historical fiction novel that kept my attention and had me entranced with these characters and what they were going through!

Katya Morozov is an aircraft mechanic in Russia waiting for her fiancé, Mikhail to return so they can start their life together. When she gets an assignment sending her to the remote area around Siberia, she fears she will never see her love again. Katya and her father have been secretly helping protect persecuted Christians and she doesn’t know the threats that await her because of it. When she meets Yuri Sokolov, a test pilot, she is immediately attracted to him, but she will not betray her word to Mikhail, who she doesn’t know has already been killed because of his faith. Katya meets a mysterious woman in the woods who gives her strength in her faith when she needs it most to endure the hardships she is about to face.

Normally a historical fiction novel set in Russia is one I would pass on, not something that usually holds my interest. I picked this one up and could not put it down. Nancy Williams has done a fabulous job of crafting a story that not only held my interest on a topic I normally don’t pick up, but she also had me caring deeply about these characters and what they were going through. I couldn’t wait to see if Katya would survive with others going against her and if the spark between her and Yuri would develop into something more. This is a book with heart, faith, and a great message. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a story that will pull at their heartstrings and leave them sitting satisfied from a well-written story.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Havoc

Author: Ronie Kendig

Series: A Breed Apart Legacy #1

Publisher: Sunrise Publishing

Release Date: October 17, 2023

Ronie Kendig has blown it away with Havoc! She quickly pulls readers into the story with strong characters, both with two legs and four.

Crew Gatlin loved his time in the Army working with MWD, military working dogs, and training the stray, Havoc to be an MWD also. That is until a landmine cost him a leg and the rest of his time in the military. After rehab, he takes a job with A Breed Apart, which helps reunite him with Havoc who he thought he would never see again. Their first assignment for the company is to work as a K-9 team on a television drama. Crew wants nothing to do with the show or those involved in it, but he takes the assignment and is quickly taken in by the main stuntwoman for the show, Vienna Foxcroft. Foxcroft has a history in entertainment with her mom being a famous movie star and her father involved in politics. She has wanted to be involved in acting but not the star, so her past with MMA gives her the opportunity to do just that. When she gets her first look at Crew and Havoc, she immediately knows her life is about to get complicated. As the cast and crew head overseas for part of the shoot, things get intense when they come under attack and Crew and Havoc are put the test to try and save the woman he has just met but is already head over heels for.

Ronie Kendig has written another fantastic military thriller. I read this one without realizing it went along with a previous serious and have now added that series to my to-be-read pile. I immediately fell in love with both Crew and Havoc the second they came on the page. The connection Crew had with his four-legged friend pulled at the heartstrings and even though Havoc is a dog, the way he is written made me fall in love with him too. Ronie Kendig is a fantastic author in writing books that are very deep and full of authentic writing. Her love for military working dogs is well known and the way she writes these animals into the story makes it easy for the writer to forget they are reading about a four-legged hero and not a human. The story is a super fast read, I couldn’t put it down until I finished, and I was left thinking about the story long after the last page. I recommend this book to those that love action, suspense and a great touch of romance.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

The Lost Boys of Barlowe Theater

Author: Jaime Jo Wright

Publisher: Bethany House

Release Date: October 10, 2023

This might just be Jaime Jo Wright’s best book yet. I tend to say this about the last several of her books, but she does get better with each novel!

In 1915, Barlowe Theater was under construction and takes the life of Greta Mercy’s oldest brother. Greta has been left in charge of her siblings after the death of her parents. Now her youngest brother has gone missing after he and friends break into Barlowe theater and Greta must work with the local police to find the secrets of the theater.

Decades later Kit Boyd is now dealing with her own problems with Barlowe Theater when her best friend disappears while they are filming an episode of a ghost-hunters show. Evan Fisher is the skeptic that tries to disprove the ghost-hunter and he joins in with Kit to help solve the secrets of Barlowe Theater and they quickly become close as they try to solve the mysteries that have plagued her hometown.

Man, just when I think Jaime Jo Wright can’t get any better, she comes out with another hit that is hard to put down and gives me chills long into the night. The back-and-forth mystery and the way it all came together at the end gave me goosebumps. Wright has become a favorite of mine with her time-slip novels and the spooky stories that are free of gore or any foul language. It is so rare to find a book that is clean and not filled with anything questionable, especially when dealing with ghosts and things of that nature. I would recommend this book to anyone that is looking for a spooky mystery that is clean and without any material that is unsavory. One of the few books I wish I could give more than 5 stars.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Counter Attack

Author: Patricia Bradley

Series: Pear River #1

Publisher: Revell

Release Date: May 16, 2023

One of Patricia Bradley’s best books yet and a great start to her newest series!

Alexis Stone moves back to be with her grandparents in Tennessee after being wounded trying to catch the Queen’s Gambit Killer. She is only there a short time when her grandfather asks her to become the interim sheriff while he recovers from heart surgery. The Queen’s Gambit killer follows Alexis to Pearl Springs, and she is going to have to fight harder than ever in order to stop him. She has help from Nathan Landry, her high school sweetheart she hasn’t seen in years. Together they must work to stop the killer and see if the feelings they once had for each other are still there.

This book was very good but also predictable, I was able to figure out the twist long before it was revealed. So many romantic suspense books are the same, still enjoyable but predictable. Patricia Bradley is great at writing clean romantic suspense that many will enjoy. This series started out great and I enjoyed the interactions between Alexis and Nathan even if their romance was a little rushed. The small-town Tennessee setting was great and when the serial killer followed her it did bring the story up another notch. I recommend this book to anyone that enjoys a clean well written romantic suspense.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Countdown

Author: Lynette Eason

Series: Extreme Measures #4

Publisher: Revell

Release Date: August 1, 2023

The final book in the Extreme Measures series gives readers a fantastic ending to a fun and explosive series!

Raina Price has been working as a flight paramedic as she tries to run from her past. She changed her name and left everyone she loved to try and keep them safe. She had spent time in juvie and met several friends who she now works with and would do anything to help her. Raina loves to help people but is always looking over her shoulder for the stalker that almost took her life. US Marshal Vincent Corelli ends up helping Raina through a strange turn of events and quickly falls for her and promises to do anything and everything he can to keep her safe. She tells him about her past and together they work to solve the mystery of who is after her and stop them from hurting anyone else.

The Extreme Measures series from Lynette Eason is one of her very best, the writing is superb and the way the characters find themselves in danger and work through it will suck readers in. The suspense and danger the characters found themselves in was top notch, the romance aspect flowed beautifully, and I felt completely connected with the characters and what they were going through. I often find myself bored with romantic suspense and the way the stories can all end up the same, but Lynette Eason is an exception to this because her writing is so well done and the way she puts these characters in situations that make the reader care for them but also finds the reader on the edge of their seat is amazing. This was a fantastic edition to the series, and I am sad to see it come to an end. I recommend this to readers of romantic suspense, even though it is the fourth in the series it could be read as a standalone.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Cold Pursuit

Author: Nancy Mehl

Series: Ryland & St. Clair #1

Publisher: Bethany House

Release Date: July 11, 2023

A great romantic suspense that is clean, action packed, and as chilling as it is thrilling!

River Ryland can’t get over the case that went wrong and left her with PTSD. After leaving the FBI, she moves to be near her mother who has dementia and her partner, Tony, comes with her to open a private investigation firm. The local sheriff sends them a grieving mother who wants answers for what happened to her son who disappeared years ago. River and Tony know they have to help this mother find closure even with the case being cold. The more they investigate the case, the more danger they find themselves in with a murderer not wanting anyone to find out their secrets.

Nancy Mehl starts her new series off with a bang! This series is looking to be a great one if the next follow the path of this one. River was a great main character, the dynamic she had with her mother really hit me and made me feel for her. She dealt with so much and had to be strong for her mother and now the new client they are trying to help. Seeing her vulnerable with her mother really made her a better character and I loved the way that aspect of the story was written. This book follows the same formula as most romantic suspense stories but still a very enjoyable read. I recommend this book to readers that enjoy clean romantic suspense reads.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

The Thursday Murder Club

Author: Richard Osman

Series: Thursday Murder Club #1

Publisher: Penguin

Release Date: September 3, 2020

Overall a fun, but different, kind of mystery.

In a quaint, quiet little retirement community lies an unlikely group of friends that spend one day a week discussing cold case police files. But when a real murder strikes in their little community, the friends are more than excited to force their way into the investigation, much to the chagrin of the local police department. They quickly realize that they must work together to uncover the truth.

This book was full of wit, humor, and even a bit of playing detective along the way. As the first book in the series, the character development was quite fun and the situations that the poor constable and detective inspector found themselves in were quite humorous. I’m looking forward to reading the next installments!

Alligator Alley

Author: Mike Lawson

Series: A Joe DeMarco Thriller #16

Publisher: Atlantic Monthly Press

Release Date: February 7, 2023

A thriller very different than most I have read recently with some dark humor and fun twists that readers will love!

Joe DeMarco is a problem solver and when a young woman working in the Inspector General’s office is found murdered in the Florida Everglades Joe is called in to help. He gets help from one of his favorites, Emma, a retired spy with all the connections they could need to solve the murder in Alligator Alley. It doesn’t take them long to come up with suspects but what they aren’t prepared for is the suspects are FBI agents. With each new clue, they find themselves in the middle of a dark and twisted scheme that goes deeper than they could have expected.

I picked this one up after seeing it recommended by one of my favorite authors hoping to find a new series to enjoy. I’m not going to say I didn’t enjoy it, but I don’t know if I will be getting anymore of the series. The characters were good, not great; the suspense better than expected, the outcome interesting but not enough to continue on with the series. If you are looking for a quick easy read without much thinking this is a good one to pick up. If you are wanting a deep series that you can have characters that grow and change and really go deeper and will keep you thinking, this didn’t do it for me. I enjoyed what I read but not enough to recommend highly to others.

Kelcie Murphy and the Hunt for the Heart of Danu

Author: Erika Lewis

Series: The Academy for the Unbreakable Arts #2

Publisher: Starscape

Release Date: July 25, 2023

The second book in the Kelcie Murphy series is another fun magic filled story! With so many battles and relationships, there is something for everyone!

Kelcie Murphy has spent the summer away from the Academy for the Unbreakable Arts and now that it is time to go back, she has a visit from her mother warning her of coming danger. A legendary source of light and warmth in the Lands of Summer, the Heart of Danu, is going to be stolen and it is up to Kelcie and her friends to stop this from happening. Unfortunately, with every step they take, things go wrong, and Kelcie is quickly looking like the bad guy making her job even harder.

I enjoyed the first book in the Kelcie Murphy series and was looking forward to this one. I will say that the story was good, the characters developed even more from the first book and left things open for more. The one thing I did not like was the fact this is a book marketed to children and towards the end there is a character that is thrown in that is gay. My main issue with this is the fact that it is in a children’s book, there is no need for that. Had this been written and marketed to adults I wouldn’t say anything, but when it is in books for children I don’t agree. That is really my only negative aspect of the book, and it isn’t blasted all over the pages, but it is in there enough.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Blind Trust

Author: Natalie Walters

Series: The SNAP Agency #3

Publisher: Revell

Release Date: April 11, 2023

A fast-paced, suspense filled conclusion to a great series.

Lyla Fox has worked at the SNAP Agency for a long time and is known to be a bit impulsive. Her impulsive nature causes her to go full throttle when a man she put away starts sending her threats. To stay safe and stop the threats, Lyla must accept help from Nicolas Garcia. She and Nicolas have a history and her lack of concern for her safety is an issue for Nicolas, making the case even harder for both of them.

Natalie Walters does a fantastic job of wrapping up the SNAP Agency series with a bang! I loved reading about Lyla and Nicolas after getting snippets of them in the first books. All the characters in this series are great and the way they all come together to help each other made me care for each of them. The romantic tension between these two characters was spot on; I felt for them from the very beginning and couldn’t wait to see them have a happy ending.

One of the best aspects of this book was the pacing, not once did I feel bored with the storyline or find myself not wanting to continue with the story. The danger that Lyla found herself in put me on edge, but she never played the victim or waited around for someone to come and rescue her, she stayed strong and that made me love her even more. I recommend this book to readers that enjoy romantic suspense and have enjoyed the first two books in the series.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.