Across the Ages

Author: Gabrielle Meyer

Series: Timeless #4

Publisher: Bethany House

Release Date: November 5, 2024

A journey through time with a sweet romance and endearing characters.

It’s not easy living in both 1727 and 1927 but Caroline has been dealing with falling asleep in one time and waking up in another for a while. Not sure if there is anyone else like her until she finds a letter from her mother that gives small details of her own experiences with time travel. She travels to the last location she knows her mother might have been at to see if she can find some answers in 1727. While in 1927 she deals with different struggles as the daughter of a preacher and Prohibition hitting the country.

Across the Ages is a great back and forth, time-slip novel that is full of mystery, suspense, romance and great characters. I loved the back-and-forth timelines and how Caroline was affected with each of her time travels. Caroline loved her family and wanted to be all she needed to be for each and every one but with all she had to deal with traveling from time to time it was hard. Also being alone in dealing with travel through time made it harder to connect with others. I enjoyed the tension it created at times and helped me want to keep with the story. This is a great, clean read that fans of Meyer’s writing will not want to miss.

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

The Queen’s Cook

Author: Tessa Afshar

Series: Queen Esther’s Court #1

Publisher: Bethany House

Release Date: November 19, 2024

A delightfully engaging read that left me thinking about the story long after I turned the final page.

In ancient Persia, Roxannah, the daughter of a Persian lord wants to help her Jewish friends but it’s not that simple. In order to of help to her friends and also her family, Roxannah finds the royal physician, Adin, to get employment in Queen Esther’s kitchen. As she rises in the ranks she gets the eyes of others, some in a good way and others not as much. She quickly earns the trust of Queen Esther and soon they become friends. Being involved in the day to day workings of the kitchen gives Roxannah a unique place, hearing things many others might not and when she uncovers a plot in the castle she has to do whatever she can to help Esther continue her reign unharmed.

Tessa Afshar has crafted a masterpiece with The Queen’s Cook! I couldn’t put this one down!! I loved the way Roxannah was the kind of character that I connected to instantly and couldn’t stop reading until I saw if there was a happy ending. The story had a quick flow with plenty of tension that will keep readers wanting more. I felt transported back in time and space to ancient Peria as I read this one and loved the feeling of being in such a time with these characters. This is the first book in a new series and I have a feeling it is just the start of a fantastic new series.

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

A Truth Revealed

Author: Tracie Peterson

Series: The Heart of Cheyenne #3

Publisher: Bethany House

Release Date: November 5, 2024

A faith-filled clean read that will be perfect for fans of historical romance.

Laura Evans has returned home after college and tries to reconnect with her father, not an easy task. Laura has a strong faith and doesn’t want to let anything change that, her father on the other hand has contrasting views to her own. Wilson Porter has been working to help the Shoshone people even with the delays from the government making his job much harder. Wilson encounters severe troubles causing his faith to be shaken. Laura tries to help Will not lose his faith with all he is going through and together they grow closer and try to determine if they can move forward or if all they have faced will be more than they can overcome.

A Truth Revealed was a breath of fresh air, I loved the story of Laura and Will. There was a unique dynamic between Laura and her father and then Laura and Will that helped the pace of the story and kept me intrigued. There were a few slow parts throughout but not enough to make me not want to finish the book. Laura is a good female protagonist and one that I found myself routing for to have a happy ending. For a historical romance this one is well written and enjoyable that fans of this genre will not want to miss.

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

The Seaside Homecoming

Author: Julie Klassen

Series: On Devonshire Shores #3

Publisher: Bethany House

Release Date: December 3, 2024

The third book in the Devonshire Shores series is a great story of sisterhood and the strong bonds they hold.

Claire Summers has been living in Scotland since becoming estranged from her family. She feels her chances of finding a husband and making a life for herself are slipping further away with each day. One day she sees an ad from someone looking for “a respectable female partner” and wonders if it is an answer to prayers or just another wrong turn she has taken over the years. When she leaves and her family learns she hasn’t been seen with her aunt in a while, her sisters go to find her and hope that even with the time apart their sisterly bond will overcome for their reunion.

The Seaside Homecoming is the perfect read during the holiday season, drama, tension, romance, and even more written right the right moments. I enjoyed the moments between Claire and each character she interacted with throughout the story. There were a few slow moments but overall the story was a quick and enjoyable read. Historical fiction has to be well written in order to not slip away unnoticed with all the options out there to read. This one hit about mid-range for me, it was full of good moments but also a few slow moments making it for a fairly balanced read. I would recommend this book to those that enjoy historical fiction with a touch of romance.

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

A Healing Touch

Author: Suzanne Woods Fisher

Publisher: Revell

Release Date: October 1, 2024

Suzanne Woods Fisher is a master when it comes to writing entertaining and endearing characters and stories that readers will think about long after the final page.

Ruth is a rare doctor that still does house calls, and when she does, she treats her patients for more than just physical, she pays attention to what they might need emotionally too. Her skill set comes in handy when a patient, Bee, is diagnosed with breast cancer and then her assistant leaves Ruth for another calling. Ruth does all she can to help treat her patients but must come to the realization that it will take more to truly heal, a true healer.

Suzanne Woods Fisher has written a beautiful tale that addresses so many issues that will connect with many different readers. Not only does she tackle cancer but also a grieving widow, foster system and much more. Each issue is written with deep emotion connecting me to the characters and story. Ruth is a character that I wanted to see come out happy and safe by the end of the story. I devoured this book and was sad when it ended all too soon. This book left me inspired and sitting afterwards thinking about the story and all the lessons throughout. I recommend this book to those that enjoy Amish Fiction but also just a flat out good story.

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

Lone Wolf

Author: Gregg Hurwitz

Series: Orphan X #9

Publisher: Minotaur

Release Date: February 13, 2024

The next installment in the Orphan X series is a not to be missed thriller!

Evan Smoak was once known as Orphan X and worked as a black ops agent for the government. When he had enough, he left the program and set out on his own to help those who needed him and his special set of skills. His latest mission finds him helping a little girl who has lost her dog. This is not the usual mission Evan agrees to go on but helping this girl turns into one of the biggest jobs he has ever had to tackle. Set out to find an assassin known as the Wolf, who is hunting Evan, might just be more than he can survive.

The Orphan X series is a great read for readers that are fans of The Grey Man, Bourne Society and other types of books and movies. They are all full of action, suspense and Evan getting out of impossible scenarios. In Lone Wolf, I enjoyed Evan having to slow things down a little to help the girl find her dog and the way that lead into a much bigger and harder problems for him to solve. There was still plenty of interaction between him and Joey, which is always a fun dynamic for the story. There was also more twists and surprises in this one than some of the previous installments. Overall this is a great addition to the series that fans of Hurwitz will not want to miss.

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

Deadly Revenge

Author: Patricia Bradley

Series: Pearl River #3

Publisher: Revell

Release Date: November 5, 2024

A good finish to a romantic suspense series that fans of Bradley’s writing will enjoy.

Jenna Hart came back to her hometown of Pearl Springs and became a deputy just as city officials are in the bullseye of a killer. The town itself has problems of its own. Decades ago, a construction company took over land that belonged to others and now someone is coming after revenge. When the former mayor of Pearl Springs is up for a spot in the US Senate and in danger, Jenna gets help from Agent Maxwell Anderson who she used to work with at the Chattanooga Police. The attraction that they once had for each other comes back quickly as they work on this new case tracking down a killer.

This is the third book in the Pearl River series and a good finish up to a fun romantic suspense series. Patricia Bradley has made a name for herself as a top romantic suspense author in the Christian fiction market. These stories are enjoyable but predictable. The romance was nice but didn’t make me swoon. The tension was probably the nicest part of the story, it was tight and enough to keep my interest. All of those are enough to make this a good story, not a great one. Fans of the series will enjoy it as it wraps up the

storyline.

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

Unforgotten

Author: Shelley Shepard Gray

Publisher: Revell

Release Date: November 5, 2024

Amish fiction with lots of romance and characters that will pull at the heart strings of readers.

Bethanne Hostetler has lived in the Amish community all her life and even after seven years she is haunted by memories of her past and the death of Peter Miller. Bethanne’s cousin, Candace comes back into her life with a stalker on her tail and Bethanne is thrust back into the past trauma she faced. Jay Byler was Peter’s best friend and still hates what happened, especially with Bethanne and wants her to see him in a better light one day. All of them get tied up in the danger with Candace’s stalker and Officer Ryan Mulany is assigned to protect Candace, but when the job becomes more than that keeping a professional distance becomes almost impossible.

Unforgotten is the type of book that will appeal to readers that enjoy Amish fiction, but not necessarily other readers. If you do not want to read about Amish life and happenings then this is not the book for you. The story has a nice flow until the ending, which felt a little rushed. Bethanne is a good protagonist that will have readers wanting to see her come out safe by the end of the story. There wasn’t much to this story that stuck out to me as remarkable, making it good, not great. I do think the story had potential; it just fell flat for me. Readers that are fans of Amish Fiction will enjoy this one as a good clean read.

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

Drop Dead Sisters

Author: Amelia Diane Coombs

Series: The Finch Sisters #1

Publisher: Mindy’s Book Studio

Release Date: November 1, 2024

An intriguing story that is a start to a new series full of unforgettable characters, crazy wit and a tight storyline.

Remi Finch and her sisters haven’t gotten along in years, in fact, they haven’t spent much time in the same room to avoid conflict. All of that is going to come to an end when their parents plan a family reunion trip. Remi is hesitant but willing to reconnect, but as they get together trouble erupts with a dead body at the campsite for the family. With the mystery of the dead body, the sisters quickly bond and try to solve what has happened.

Drop Dead Sisters is a very unique and fun story with lots of tension between the sisters causing the story to flow quickly and keep my attention. These sisters have a dynamic that many will be able to relate to as they read through the pages. There were moments throughout where the main character seemed to slow the progress of the story that had me skipping a few pages to get to the good moments. Once past these slow moments, the story did flow quickly and had me very interested in what was going to happen. This is the first in a new series and with more to come I am interested in what other situations the sisters might find themselves in. Readers that enjoy a different kind of mystery will enjoy this one.

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

Tea with Elephants

Author: Robin Jones Gunn

Publisher: Revell

Release Date: October 15, 2024

A fun contemporary read that is full of adventure, friendship and amazing faith filled moments.

It’s been almost 20 years since Fern and Lily met volunteering at a center in Costa Rica and ever since they have remained close friends. When they get the chance to go on an African Safari together, they jump at the opportunity to get back out and see what the world has to offer them. The last 20 years has been hard on both of them and being out in the wild and connecting with their faith and each other is a little harder than when they were young.

Tea with Elephants is a great contemporary read, full of all the great adventure moments one would come to expect from a book like this. I loved the way Gunn brought readers right into the thick of the African wilds with all the exotic animals and the glory that comes with being in the presence of God’s greatness. Both Fern and Lily have a lot going on in their lives and have to be able to work through it in order to return from this trip better than when they started it. I enjoyed the way they struggled with decisions they had to make and the fact that it wasn’t too easy and expected that would have made me roll my eyes at the way it was written. This is the first book by Robin Jones Gunn I have read, it was well written and enjoyable making her a new author to add to my shelves. I would recommend this book to readers that enjoy contemporary adventures in an exotic setting.

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