Fire Mountain

Author: Dana Mentink

Publisher: Revell

Release Date: July 1, 2025

A great contemporary read with beautiful setting and issues the characters face that readers will resonate with.

Ana Leigh Watkins has been through her share of trauma lately and going to spend the summer in Bitter End Tennessee to help her great-aunt clear out her house to move to a retirement home is just what she needs. When she gets to Bitter End, she finds out her Aunt has planned a trip and is leaving Ana Leigh to handle the house details herself. While cleaning it out she meets a group of bird watchers in the mountains and finds herself enjoying the time with them and taking her mind off her past problems. Along with the solace of the group Ana Leigh also finds her share of family drama she didn’t know about and finds herself transformed by the journey she goes through in Bitter End.

Amanda Cox is a phenomenal contemporary author and I always find myself excited when she has a new release coming out. While I have loved all her books I would not say The Bitter End Birding Society was my favorite. The story itself was good and the characters were engaging, just not as much as some in the past. Ana Leigh is a great protagonist and I enjoyed the way her story played out. A few of the secondary characters were a bit much for me and tended to take me out of the story at times, which is not fun. Other than those minor frustrations, I will say it was a very enjoyable read that I can recommend to anyone who enjoys a good contemporary story.

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

The Bitter End Birding Society

Author: Amanda Cox

Publisher: Revell

Release Date: August 19, 2025

A great contemporary read with beautiful setting and issues the characters face that readers will resonate with.

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

A Dead Draw

Author: Robert Dugoni

Series: Tracy Crosswhite #11

Publisher: Thomas & Mercer

Release Date: May 27, 2025

The newest addition in the Tracy Crosswhite series does not disappoint and will leave fans aching for more from one of the best writers out there.

Tracy Crosswhite has dealt with killers and the worst of the worst without losing her cool. Now she must deal with Erik Schmidt, a sociopath worse than she has ever dealt with who is a suspect in two cold cases she is trying to solve. Schmidt has connections to Tracy’s past that are cause her haunting nightmares and flashbacks to Cedar Grove, her hometown and the death of her sister. When Schmidt gets out on a technicality, Tracy is afraid he is going to come after her and her family, something she refuses to let happen.

The Tracy Crosswhite series by Robert Dugoni is one of my very favorites. I have enjoyed all the books in the series but none have been able to compare to the first one and how amazing it was. That is until now, A Dead Draw is the closest to My Sisters Grave, and that’s saying something being Book 11 in the series. Dugoni is a fantastic storyteller and the way he ties elements together from previous books is amazing. With each additional book he has managed to make Tracy relatable to readers, especially now that she has a family and has changed courses in her career that could make her and the series slow down, instead it takes it up a notch. A lot of series get boring after a few books but Dugoni has found a way to keep the fire alive in this one and I can’t wait to see how things will continue to play out in the next book in the series.

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

The Atlas of Untold Stories

Author: Sara Brunsvold

Publisher: Revell

Release Date: June 17, 2025

This book is like a slow ride through the countryside, take your time and enjoy every page.

Chloe Vance must tell her mom some very hard news and the longer she waits the harder it is going to be. Her mom feels Chloe is not realistic in her life and wishes she could be more like her older sister, Lauren. Chloe has accepted a position as an instructor at a Christian school in Prague, a job her mom won’t be thrilled about. Hoping to soften the news Chloe invites her mom on a road trip dealing with some of their favorite books and authors. The road trip winds up being Chloe, Lauren and their mom, and with each passing mile the tensions also rise between the three of them. Just when they feel there is no common ground the sisters and their mom find a way to support each other and learn from past mistakes to try and make the future time they have together as good as it can possible be.

Sara Brunsvold is fantastic at writing a contemporary novel that hit all the right feels at all the right moments. I love when I can open a book like this and get completely lost in the story. Contemporary can be tricky, either it can be written with supreme emotion, or it can be boring and lose the attention of the readers. I have yet to have that problem with a Sara Brunsvold book and am eager to see what else she has cooked up each time I pick up a new one she has written. With characters that are full of emotion, conflict and so easy for readers to relate to it was hard to put the book down and focus on anything else until I found out if they would find a way to get along in the end. If you are a reader that enjoys a good contemporary read this is one you 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.

Capture the Moment

Author: Suzanne Woods Fisher

Series: National Parks Summers #1

Publisher: Revell

Release Date: May 6, 2025

A perfect romance with even more perfect settings that took my breath away.

Kate Cunningham has an amazing life working as a zoo photographer and experiencing the wonderful animals around the world. When she is approached by National Geographic to try and get a rare picture of a legendary bear found in Grand Teton National Park, she knows she can’t pass up the opportunity. There is a reason no one has ever gotten a picture of this rare bear and Kate is hoping to be the first even with the odds stacked against her. She meets Grant Cooper, a park ranger who has worked in the Tetons and knows the area which might help her succeed. The only problem is they are not the only one on the hunt for this bear and the closer they get the more danger they find themselves in.

Suzanne Woods Fisher did a fantastic job with Capture the Moment. I fully felt immersed in this story and setting and did not want to leave when the last page finished. I love national parks and the Grand Tetons are on my list of wanting to visit the first chance I get so this story only made that wish stronger. Kate was a perfect protagonist and had a driving force that pulled me into the story and the adventure she was going on in such a way I had a hard time getting anything else accomplished until I finished. This is the kind of book that will take readers far away into the parks and emotions of the characters that will hit just right. I recommend this book to readers that enjoy storybook settings, romance that has all the right feels and the start of what I hope will be a great series with many more to come.

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

The Boomerang

Author: Robert Bailey

Publisher: Thomas & Mercer

Release Date: May 1, 2025

A fast-paced thriller full of all kinds of twists and turns making for a super-fast and fun read.

Eli James has worked for the president as his Chief of Staff and seen him through all kinds of trials, including his secret battle with cancer. Just when things look bleakest, they take a turn as his condition improves, but as the president shows signs of improvement Eli finds out his daughter is now sick. At each new turn of events, he finds a crazy cover up going from the top of Big Pharma all the way through the White House and with each new piece of evidence he finds himself and his family in more danger. Only wanting to save his daughter Eli and his family flee and find themselves in a crazy war to survive.

Now this was a fun read! I enjoyed the fast-paced thrill ride with each page and new danger the characters faced. This book pulled me in and didn’t let go until the last page finished, I loved the characters, especially Eli and the love he had for his family. For me, that is what drove the story, the strong sense of family connection and protection Eli had kept me wanting to see him have a safe and successful outcome. After several reads that have been lackluster in the past few months it was nice to have this one be quick and enjoyable. So many books have become the same old same old and it is getting a little harder to find good entertaining ones. I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy the fast-paced action with great character connections throughout.

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

Two Seconds Too Late

Author: Dani Pettrey

Series: Jeopardy Falls #2

Publisher: Bethany House

Release Date: April 29, 2025

Dani Pettrey is back with a great addition to one of her best series yet.

Set in northern New Mexico at a couples retreat when a woman vanishes, Riley MacLeod is on the lookout for her along with PI Greyson Chadwick. Riley and Greyson pretend to be a couple and go to the resort looking for clues to the missing woman and end up uncovering more than they bargained for. As more clues come to light, they also find themselves in more danger. The more the two work together to find the missing woman the harder it becomes to deny the feelings they have for one another. Secrets from their past make it hard for each to trust the other fully until that might be all they have to survive.

Dani Pettrey is a fan favorite in the Christian fiction world for a good reason; her writing is a beat above most everyone else. She has a way of crafting stories that will not only pull readers in and keep them hooked book after book. Two Seconds Too Late is a great addition to her latest series and leaves the door open for more to come with these great characters. Of all her books Riley isn’t my favorite female protagonist, but Greyson ranks high on the list, there was something loveable about him and how he was portrayed. The missing woman at the resort made for good storytelling with a great setting, especially since it is close to where I live it pulled me into the story. This is one that fans of Pettrey 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.

Every Deadly Suspicion

Author: Janice Cantore

Publisher: Tyndale House

Release Date: March 4, 2025

Another fantastic police procedural by Janice Cantore!

Hanna Keyes has lived her whole life with knowledge that her father is a murderer. She is the Chief of Police in Dry Oaks, California and gets a call that her father is dying. He is given a compassionate release, and she is asked to let him live with her in his final days. Even though she never got to know him and can’t really think of him as her father, she feels led to say yes to the request. When Joe, her father arrives in Dry Oaks, not everyone is happy to see him there and things start to go from bad to worse. Joe starts making comments to Hanna that lead her to believe he might not be as guilty of murder as everyone thought. With each new piece of the puzzle more danger comes their way and Hanna isn’t sure what to believe anymore.

Janice Cantore has always been one of my favorite’s when it comes to romantic suspense; the way she writes police procedurals is one of the best. I enjoy the way she writes characters and situations that are believable and enjoyable to read about. Her stories flow with ease and I find all aspects of them more believable than most written now a days. So many books out there are not worth the time and have served to put me in a reading slump lately. It is nice to find a book that is enjoyable to read and makes me want to keep reading. I would recommend this book to those that enjoy good, clean romantic suspense thrillers.

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

Hold Strong

Author: Robert Dugoni with Jeff Langholz and Chris Crabtree

Publisher: Lake Union Publishing

Release Date: January 28, 2025

Hold Strong is a fitting name because the book had the strongest hold on me until the very last page!

Sam Carlson and his family have been hit hard by the depression. He has been working multiple jobs to help and one of his jobs is running the projector at the small town theater in Minnesota. He likes to meet his sweetheart there for some alone time. Sarah Haber is headed to college to study math that leads her to working as a code breaker for the military when the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor and Sam is sent to the Philippines. Sam is captured and ends up as a POW on the Bataan Death March. Sarah moves up the ranks and finds herself as one of the top code breakers; she intercepts a message from Japan about a convoy including the Arisan Maru ship. The Navy believe it is clear they must sink this ship, a ship containing American POW’s, including Sam. Sarah is in the middle of the biggest battle of her life and they world hoping they can have a satisfying outcome.

I used to say that my favorite genre of books was a good suspense thriller, but now I have to admit that my favorite genre is a Robert Dugoni book! It doesn’t matter what he writes it is going to be a phenomenal book. Hold Strong is a fantastic book with characters at the heart of it all and a plotline that will tug at readers heartstrings. The back and forth between Sam and Sarah was fantastic and written so well, as are all the books by Dugoni. Historical fiction is not my usual go to genre, but when it is done well it will end up as one of my favorite reads of the year, just as this one is going to be. This book was so good! Fans of WWII and historical fiction will not want to miss out on this one!

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

I’ll Tell You Everything

Author: Rebecca Kelley

Publisher: Lake Union Publishing

Release Date: January 14, 2025

An interesting back and forth between a mom and daughter and past and present.

Amy Linden loves her husband and son and working at their hotel in the mountains. She has a past though and it is coming back to the present and might ruin her future if she isn’t careful. Ramona Crawford, the daughter Amy gave up for adoption twenty years ago, shows up and wants answers about her father and what happened twenty years ago. Amy starts to tell Ramona about the summer she found out she was pregnant and then after she had her, but the more Amy talks the less Ramona believes. The longer Amy talks, the more her story changes and Ramona starts to uncover secrets that Amy would have preferred stayed hidden from the world.

I’ll Tell You Everything started out strong for me but then slowly fizzled a bit by the end. It is a good premise and storyline was solid, but it just didn’t hold up all the way through. The moments spent in the past were well done and held up the right amount of suspense and I enjoyed seeing those moments play out. Fans of psychological thrillers will likely enjoy this read and how the character development plays out, but might feel a bit let down when the suspense doesn’t carry all the way through.

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