Beyond the Tides

Author: Liz Johnson

Series: Prince Edward Island Shores #1

Publisher: Revell

Release Date: August 3, 2021

Johnson returns to PEI in her new series and fans will not be disappointed!

Meg Whitaker’s mother’s health has been deteriorating for several years and when her father decides he needs to stay home to be with her, she is shocked to learn he is going to sell his lobster fishing business. Meg never had an interest in the business and loves her profession as a teacher, but when she learns he is going to sell it to the one person who single handedly crushed her dreams of attending an Ivy league university, she decides to convince her dad to sell to her to keep it in the family.

Oliver isn’t proud of his past and he is now trying to make an honest living so that he, his mom, and his younger brother can keep their home. After working for the Whitaker’s lobster fishing business for years, he can’t believe that Mr. Whitaker has selected him as the individual to buy his business. After scraping and saving to make the down payment, the one thing he didn’t expect was Meg to try to buy it first.

Meg’s dad arranges a solution that neither finds appealing yet must do if they want the business. During lobster season, the two must work together to operate the business and then he will make his decision on who will buy it. Although cut from different cloths, they begin to find similarities and that they need to rely on each other for more than just the business.

Leave it to Liz Johnson to find two polar opposite personalities that can’t stand one another and put them in a situation that makes them confront their past to discover the truth. There is a lot to unpack in this first series installment and I can’t wait to see how the others play out. I’m guessing that it will be a trilogy that show cases Oliver and his two brothers set in the beautiful coast of Prince Edward Island. Johnson does such a great job of descriptive scenery that readers will feel they are walking through town or tasting the sea air while about the Pinch.

Readers will fall in love with Meg and Oliver’s story and enjoy watching the romance slowly develop as well as both characters arc to their intended storyline. Both characters are stubborn, but as iron sharpens iron, they bring out the best in each other.

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

The Me You See

Author: Jill Williamson

Series: Riverbend Friends #3

Publisher: Focus on the Family

Release Date: August 3, 2021

The next installment in the Riverbend Friends series gives us a look into the life of Izzy and the struggles she faces. A great read for young adult females to connect with and relate to.

The third installment in the Riverbend Friends series picks up with the story of Izzy. Izzy has a lot put on her by her parents; while they are at work, she ends up being the caregiver for her brother, Sebastian. Izzy spends any free time she has making cupcakes and posting them to her Instagram account. During winter break, she feels more alone than ever with her friends gone and all the time she must spend at home taking care of her brother. When school starts back up and Zac, a senior she has had a crush on for a long time, starts showing interest in her and texting her, she feels like things are going her way. Her friends aren’t sure about Zac and Izzy just wants to be with him and have her friends be happy for her, is that too much to ask?

This has been a great year for good, clean young adult books. The Riverbend Friends series has been a great addition for young girls to read and enjoy. The newest installment adds value to the series with a great story, that just might be my favorite of the series. Izzy’s story resonated with me more than the others; there was more tension, and the stakes were higher for her with what she had to deal with. I don’t want to spoil anything, but this story will be much more intense with heavier issues than the previous. I think that is what made it my favorite as the stakes were higher which made me more invested in what was going to happen with the characters. We still got to see the other friends and what was happening in their world which is nice to build on that with each new novel. This book is perfect for young girls aged 12 to 16 that will show them the value of friendships and trusting your gut feelings when something doesn’t feel right it probably isn’t.

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

Provenance

Author: Carla Laureano

Publisher: Tyndale House

Release Date: August 3, 2021

Such a fun redemption story set in the high altitude of Colorado.

Kendall Green is an interior designer with a specialty in historic preservation who is in high demand for her work. However, most people don’t know her past; she was abandoned in Denver as a little girl and shuffled through the foster care system. Once she aged out of the system, she chose a path and never looked back. Returning from a business trip in Europe, she opens a letter addressed from the town of Jasper Lake, Colorado. Her grandmother passed away and she has been named the sole heir of her property. Surprised that she had a family member who knew who she was, yet overjoyed this could be just what she needs to finally purchase her Southern California property and take her business to the next level.

Upon arrival in Jasper Lake, Kendall meets young mayor Gabe Brandt. She discovers that the town is close to ruin due to previous flooding disasters and a developer wants to build a new resort but needs her property for the lake front access. Gabe wants to try to save the town without the resort and has tried multiple ways, but nothing has worked. He hopes that he can sway Kendall to keep the property so that the resort plans cannot move forward. However, she has no interest in doing that until she sees the five historic houses on the lot. Will Gabe be able to convince Kendall to help save the town? Can Kendall stomach the demolition of such unique houses even if it saves her business?

There is nothing quite like a fun, contemporary romance with lots of friction between the two main characters and even more tension surrounding them. Throw in a redemption story aspect and you’ve got yourself a signature Carla Laureano novel. I loved going back to Colorado in this series with a nod to the Solid Grounds Coffee Company (be sure to give a shout out when you spot it). I was kind of hoping for Brunch at Bittersweet Café one day, but maybe it will show up in the future.

Kendall was a difficult character to get to know. She shuts everyone out (even the reader at times) with her feelings because she has been hurt so badly in the past. She has no memory of what happened and has felt abandoned all her life. Interestingly enough, she finds it easier to confide in Gabe about her past and tells him more than anyone else she has met. I loved seeing her transformation throughout the story and discovering the power of being an adopted child of God.

Gabe is a fixer and wants to have a hand in solving every problem he encounters. He has difficulty sitting back and letting other people figure things out, even God. So, to see him become humble in this book was really intriguing. I loved the supporting characters and hope that there might be a couple future installments with their stories (fingers crossed!)

The romance wasn’t forced in the story, and frankly I got a little worried if it was even going to play out, but I think readers will be quite satisfied with the conclusion! I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Hostile Intent

Author: Lynette Eason

Series: Danger Never Sleeps #4

Publisher: Revell

Release Date: August 3, 2021

Another fantastic installment in the Danger Never Sleeps series! Lynette Eason has done it again with Hostile Intent; her writing puts her on a whole new level with this series. No better time for readers to discover one of the very best in romantic suspense!

After entering the Navy shortly after high school, Ava Jackson has spent several years honing her skills, but finds herself having to take an early discharge when her mother falls ill and needs her. Her father is gone after disappearing while deployed. Ava spends as much time as she can at the care facility with her mother, refusing to let her die alone. One night after a visit, Ava is attacked in the parking lot. Her friend and FBI agent, Caden Denning, shows up just in time to fight of her attacker and save Ava. After a little research, they discover that Ava is tied up without her knowledge in the murders of three families. This killer has a plan with Ava is at the center of it and nothing is as it seems.

Just when you think Lynette Eason can’t get any better, she comes along with a new book that blows the others away. Hostile Intent is her newest and best yet. I loved Ava and her relationship with Caden, they made the perfect couple for a great romantic suspense read. I was recently asked what point in a book gets me; the answer was the moment my heart rate goes up a few notches. That happened at several moments throughout this book. I will say I figured out one of the twists before it was revealed, but not in a way that made the book any less enjoyable, it played out in a really great way. The last third of the book was on fire, I couldn’t put it down until I knew what was going to happen to the characters I was so invested in.

Honestly, I have nothing negative to say about this book. I was taken in by the characters and the trouble they faced and felt a deep connection to them as they battled the odds to come out in the end having survived all they faced. What makes a great romantic suspense for me is the connection, if I can connect with the characters, I care more about the story than the other way around. This series found a way to connect me with each of the individual characters in the troubles they faced and want to find out more about them and what they were going through. I recommend this book to fans of Eason and lovers of romantic suspense. Even though this is the fourth in a series It could be read and enjoyed as a standalone. I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

The Hand on the Wall

Author: Maureen Johnson

Series: Truly Devious #3

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Release Date: October 20, 2020

The third book in the Truly Devious series brings more mystery, more teen drama, and a satisfying conclusion!

Ellingham Academy has had its share of bad luck. First, the kidnapping and murders in the 1930’s when it was opened and now more murder mysteries. Stevie Bell has one goal, to solve the murders, both past and present. She uses her detective skills to piece together what happened in the past and how it relates to the trouble at the school while she is there as a student. Not only is she trying to solve the murders, but she is also trying to find missing student, David Eastman. A major snowstorm hits the academy trapping them inside, giving Stevie the time and resources to hopefully solve one of the biggest mysteries ever.

Let me start with the positives, this was a great mystery with a complex story line tying in the past with the present. Lots of smaller storylines that needed closure which all got tied up by the end in a satisfying way. Stevie is a fun and compelling protagonist that kept me engaged in the story and eager to see if she was going to pull of solving a case no one else had ever been able to solve. While it might have seemed a little uncertain that a teenager could pull it off, Maureen Johnson wrote this series in such a way that everything was believable.

There were very few negatives for me, but the first was David. He was a little whinny here and just got on my nerves at times. The other part, which is one of the same criticisms I had in the second book, was the character of Vi. When this character was on the page the pronouns them/they were used. I get that this is a part of society now but when reading that it took me out of the story; I had to go back and reread to determine if it was talking about one character or multiple characters. This was really my only big problem with the book, the concept was great, the other characters were fantastic, and I loved the overall story. While this story is geared towards Young adults, there is a lot of adult language, which makes me hesitant to recommend to that group of readers. I do recommend this to readers that enjoy mystery, suspense and solving crimes with the characters.

The Vanishing Stair

Author: Maureen Johnson

Series: Truly Devious #2

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Release Date: December 10, 2019

The second book in the Truly Devious series picks up right where the first left off with even more mystery, intrigue and action keeping me glued to the page.

Ellingham Academy was established in 1936 but quickly became the site of an unsolved murder and kidnapping. Years later, amateur sleuth Stevie Bell is determined to solve the case. When she is invited to the school, she hopes to figure out the clues no one else has been able to, that is until one of her classmates is murdered and another goes missing. Her parents have her come home, but she is willing to do anything to get back to the school and the mystery. When Senator Edward King, an unlikely source, helps her get back to the academy she is reunited with his son David, who lied about who he was to her when they first met. Now Stevie has bigger problems to worry about than David and his father: where did the murderer hide? What does the riddle mean? And how does it all tie together?

I am falling in love with the Truly Devious series. Stevie is a feisty protagonist that is fun to follow along on her adventures solving mysteries. There were nice twists and turns that I enjoyed, especially the way Stevie made it back to Ellingham. There is more depth for Stevie and most of the characters that brings the story to a higher level. My only real complaint for this one would be when a scene involved Vi, the way the pronouns were they/them just confused me. I’m not saying I have a problem with that issue, but not having encountered this issue in person. I just got confused with what was happening. Were we talking about multiple characters? Or just one? I know that it is becoming more common and I’m sure it will be more explained to me in the future. Any other scene was engaging, fun and full of tension that kept me glued to the page until the very end. New clues brought about answers to some of the questions while leaving some unanswered to be a solved in the next installment. I ended up starting this series with book four without realizing it and once I finished, I had to dive into the first three in the series. These are great books that I recommend to those that enjoy mystery, thrills, and adolescent angst.

Truly Devious

Author: Maureen Johnson

Series: Truly Devious #1

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Release Date: January 16, 2018

A fun and exciting tale of mystery, murder, cold cases, and an exclusive academy for gifted students to come and learn makes for an engaging read that was just plain fun.

Albert Ellingham always wanted to give back to others and show that learning is best when viewed as a game. He established Ellingham Academy in the foothills of Vermont for the best and brightest. It wasn’t long after the school was opened before disaster struck, Albert’s wife and daughter were kidnapped and sent clues as riddles by someone calling himself Truly Devious. Years later, Stevie Bell, a true crime obsessed teen makes her way to Ellingham Academy; she wants to finish out her school years there but also solve the mystery of what happened all those years ago. Just as Stevie is starting to figure out the mystery, Truly Devious returns bringing death back to Ellingham Academy. Murders from both past and present collide in this fantastic start to a wonderful series.

I have to say that I started this series out of order, I read the fourth book not realizing there were three previous novels in the series. I loved the fourth so much I had to start at the beginning. Truly Devious is the start of a magnificent series; Stevie Bell is a fun and engaging protagonist as a modern-day Sherlock to seek out the answers no one else has been able to find. Stevie along with her new housemates turn the story into a game of Clue, who did it, how and why. So many questions to answer, only some are answered in this edition of the series, my guess is all will be answered by the end of the series. The mystery of what happened in the past and how it ties into the present time is what kept me glued to the page. Stevie has a tenacity about her and the way she won’t give up until the case is solved makes her a precocious yet engaging character. Her relationship with the others in the house is a high point that made me relate to her even more; going to a new school is hard, what makes it even harder is going to the school to solve a murder no one else has been able to solve for decades. Even though not all the answers were wrapped up at the end, I was satisfied with the conclusion but left thirsty for more. I can’t wait to see what the next in the series has in store. I recommend this for those that love Young Adult mysteries with lots of twists and turns. My only negative would be the little adult language used throughout, not a lot but enough to make me hesitant to recommend to younger readers.

Unthinkable

Author: Brad Parks

Publisher: Thomas & Mercer

Release Date: July 27, 2021

A fantastic thriller that I absolutely couldn’t put down! Fast, fun, thrilling, and so much more to entertain readers with the unthinkable!

Nate Lovejoy is a stay-at-home dad while his wife, Jenny, works as a partner in the law firm they both used to be at. When she made partner before he did, it was decided he would stay home and raise the kids. His life revolves around the kids and housework making him feel important to very few. When he is kidnapped by a secret society, their futuristic billionaire leader, Vanslow DeGange, tells him that if he doesn’t kill his wife she could be responsible for the death of billions. It is unthinkable to Nate that anyone could ask him to kill someone, let alone his wife. Jenny is working on a lawsuit against a power company in Virginia, which is the reason he is asked to kill her. It doesn’t take long for all he is being asked to not line up, as there is more to DeGange than Nate is told, and it is hard for Nate to know what to believe.

This was the first novel I have read by Brad Parks and I have to say it did not disappoint. I found myself flying through the pages unable to put it down. The story was original with a very unique plot that kept me intrigued all the way through. Just when I thought I knew how it was going to play out, a nice little twist was added that gave me a smile. It is always satisfying when an author can sneak a good twist in there that I didn’t see coming. This is the kind of book that had those twists, and it was so nice to find a new author that was able to surprise me like that. Both Nate and his wife Jenny had a great storyline, and I enjoyed the back and forth between them to see how each of their storylines played out.

This is the kind of story that can suck you in and keep you from accomplishing much of anything else, it transports you to a different place and takes you away from the stress of the world. I recommend this book to readers that love a great psychological thriller with all the right twists in all the right places.

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

If It Rains

Author: Jennifer L. Wright

Publisher: Tyndale House

Release Date: July 6, 2021

Don’t let the dust fool you about what’s inside!

Kathryn Baile, her older sister, and father have been working hard trying to survive the drought in Oklahoma during the great depression. Aside from being born with a club foot, everything was going great until her father married an outsider from Indiana named Helen. Then everything started going downhill when the drought began and the dust came. Kathryn never like Helen, but at least she had her sister, Melissa; until the day came that Melissa married into the wealthiest family in the county. Now Helen has managed to convince her father to travel back to Indianapolis to stay with her father, who is a doctor that can help Kathryn with her foot. Kathryn reluctantly agrees to leave her beloved Oklahoma and soon disaster strikes against their travels. Kathryn must rely on new unconventional travel companions and sheer will to complete her journey.

Melissa Baile just married into the wealthiest family in the county and hopes that she will be able to help her family as well as others. But she discovers that the reason this family is so wealthy is due to their treatment of the other residents. When she tries to help others, she is scathed by those she helps and punished by her own husband. But her will to do good can’t be outdone and she goes behind to husband’s back to help those in need, even if it cost her life.

Although this novel is set in the dust bowl, there is so much more going on than just the historical aspect to the story. Granted, I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the historical accuracy played out across the pages from the dugouts to the dusters and the jackrabbit roundups to the government paying ranchers for their cattle and then doing what had to be done. And to top it off is how Washington wanted to portray the dust bowl compared to what it was.

Outside of the historical perspective, the redemption story of both sisters played out beautifully. Melissa had always had faith but had hers put firmly to the test. Kathryn had trouble believing until she realized what unconditional love was. Both stories were different yet intertwined. I loved so many of the supporting characters throughout this novel as well. Probably my two favorites were Mr. Hickory and Bert the photographer. Both brought a different perspective to what we see in history as the Dust Bowl.

I want to dive so much deeper, but then I feel that I would be giving a bit much away and want others to discover this wonderful book just like Dorothy discovered Oz. I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Escape from the Everglades

Author: Tim Shoemaker

Series: High Water #1

Publisher: Focus on the Family

Release Date: July 6, 2021

A fantastic thriller for young adults that is fierce, gripping, and full of more suspense and less fluff, making for a wonderful read!

Parker Buckman is the son of a park ranger stationed in the Everglades, a place full of danger both in the water and out of it. When Parker ends up mauled by an alligator and almost dies, he can’t help but see it as a place full of death. The only thing he wants is to get out while he still has a chance. His dad puts in for a transfer, but before they can leave, a friend goes missing. Parker knows can’t leave until he helps find her. Together with his friends, they search high and low throughout the Everglades and discover alligators aren’t the only monsters they are facing.

The first thing I have to say about this book is WOW!! There was so much suspense and action I felt like I was getting a workout as my heart rate got high at times. I loved the action and suspense, especially for a young adult. The next thing that made it such a great read for me was the fact that it was clean, there was no language, it never got too graphic and I will feel completely comfortable letting my eleven-year-old son read this one. So many young adult novels out there are filled with content that I just don’t feel comfortable exposing my kids to. I am grateful for authors that have figured out how to write a great thriller for young adults without filling it with language or content I wouldn’t approve of them reading. This was definitely an adventurous read with the alligator attacks and drama on land. Both boys and girls will love this one I believe, something there for everyone to enjoy. I recommend this to readers that enjoy a high suspense read with very little fluff to fill the pages, great characters and a storyline that is riveting.

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