Another Way Home

I received a copy of Another Way Home by Deborah Raney from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Sometimes God’s ways are not at all what we expect … and exactly what we need.
Grant and Audrey are adding grandchildren to their family left and right, but middle daughter, Danae, and her husband, Dallas Brooks, have been trying for years with no baby in sight.

Though Danae is ready to consider adoption, Dallas will not even discuss it. Despairing of ever having a family of her own, Danae decides to pour her passion and energies into volunteer work with a newly opened women’s shelter in town. Looking for a good cause to fill her lonely days, she never expects to give her heart to the hurting women she meets there. She’s finally learning to live her life with gratitude, but then heart-wrenching events on Thanksgiving weekend threaten to pull the entire Whitman clan into turmoil—and leave them all forever changed.

This was a very hard book to put down.  I hadn't ready any of Deborah Raney's other books and this one reminded me of some of Karen Kingsbury books.  Deborah did a really good job of making the Whitman family very real and easy to relate to.  I love how they all got along and learned from each other through all of life's ups and downs.

The Five Times I Met Myself

I received a copy of The Five Times I Met Myself by James L. Rubart from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.


What if you met your twenty-three year old self in a dream? What would you say?
Brock Matthews' once promising life is unraveling. His coffee company. His marriage.
So when he discovers his vivid dreams—where he encounters his younger self—might let him change his past mistakes, he jumps at the chance. The results are astonishing, but also disturbing.
Because getting what Brock wants most in the world will force him to give up the one thing he doesn't know how to let go of . . . and his greatest fear is it's already too late.

I have read several of James L. Rubart's books and have enjoyed every one of them.  This one was no different.  It truly made me wonder if I could go back and talk to my younger self would I want to and what would I say if I could?  Would it make me a different person if I did?  It also makes me wonder if I'm making the most of the life I have today.

Too Blessed to Be Stressed Cookbook

I received a copy of Too Blessed to Be Stressed Cookbook by Debora M. Coty from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Feeling overwhelmed by life's daily demands? Could you use some encouragement and inspiration in the kitchen? The Too Blessed to Be Stressed Cookbook to the rescue! Each of the 100-plus recipes can be prepared in 20 minutes or less, plus you'll encounter some fabulous tips and suggestions as well as funny foodie quotes, scripture selections, humorous stories of cooking misadventures, and more, along the way. Recipes are arranged into 4 categories--Heart-Healthy, Soul-Fed, Time-Wise, and Company-Happy--and are accompanied by appealing full-color photographs. You'll cheer as you soak up the joy Debora M. Coty brings into your life and home!

I really enjoyed the recipes and Debora's stories that she shared along with them.  There are several recipes that I can't wait to try.

Seeking the Star

I received a copy of Seeking the Star by Traci Borum from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
One December night, in the sleepy Cotswold village of Chilton Crosse, a drifter named Ben collapses on George and Mary Cartwright’s snow-covered doorstep. As Christmas cheer spreads throughout the village with a Dickens-themed festival, Mary nurses Ben back to health, but she becomes curious about the secrets he seems to carry.

On Christmas Eve, one of Ben’s secrets accidentally comes to light, forcing him to confront the darkness of his past and to rediscover the faith he once knew.

This was a good book with a great message.  George and Mary finds Ben passed out on their doorstep a few days before Christmas.  Without knowing anything about Ben they welcome him into their home and nurse him back to health.  As the days go on Ben finds their village feeling more and more like somewhere he belongs.  Ben has secrets that he's not sure he wants anyone to find out.  Can he continue to stay in the village without anyone finding out about his past?

The Fruitcake Murders

I received a copy of The Fruitcake Murders by Ace Collins from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Fruitcakes never die…but people do!

As Christmas 1946 draws near, thirty-something marine officer-turned-homicide detective Lane Walker has his hands full. Three men with seemingly no relationship to each other have been murdered, including the powerful District Attorney. The only connection between the crimes? The weapons: twenty-year-old unopened fruitcake tins manufactured by a company that is no longer in business. While some foods may be to die for, fruitcake isn't one of them! This heaping helping of murder will be no easy task for Walker, and he certainly doesn't need the determined and feisty Betsy Clayton, the political reporter for The Chicago Herald, getting in the way. Employing witty dialogue and historical accuracy, The Fruitcake Murders offers equal parts murder, mystery, and mayhem in a perplexing whodunit set in the days just after World War II.

This was a book that kept me guessing until the last page.  Having three people murdered buy an unopened fruit cake tin is definitely a different way to go.  Can Walker and Clayton find out who's behind the murders before the killer strikes again?

All Is Calm, All Is Bright

I received a copy of All is Calm, All Is Bright by Colleen Coble from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
All Is Calm
Brendan Waddell needs a place to recuperate. Lauren Everman needs a place to hide. It's going to be an unexpectedly romantic Christmas at Bluebird Ranch.
Brendan Waddell has always considered Bluebird Ranch a little piece of heaven: an idyllic ranch that pairs abused children with abused horses, run by one of his old Marine buddies. Now, recovering from an on-the-job injury, Brendan thinks the ranch is the perfect place to spend Christmas healing up.
When Lauren Everman was a seventeen-year-old foster kid, Bluebird Ranch was the safest place she knew. Now it's the perfect hideout for a woman on the run. As the witness to a murder, Lauren needs somewhere to lie low, and her skill with horses means she'll be able to lend a hand with the troubled kids at Bluebird—without answering too many questions.
Lauren's rich hair, high cheekbones, and dark eyes immediately get Brendan's attention—but so does her secretive behavior. This Special Ops Intel man knows a woman on the run when he sees one, and he's not about to let her put Bluebird Ranch at risk.
But as Brendan and Lauren get to know each other, their suspicions evaporate and romance starts to sizzle. But this would-be couple has more to worry about than each other—there's a killer on the loose who wants Lauren kept quiet.
All Is Bright
A romantic, Christmas wedding at her seaside hotel gives Delilah a chance to shine with her unique gifts. But will her light be snuffed out before the bride and groom say “I do”?
As manager of the Tidewater Inn, Delilah Carter has been planning a spectacular Christmas wedding for her friends at the grand hotel overlooking the ocean. While picking up still more twinkly lights and some last-minute groceries for the reception dinner, a huge truck runs her off the freezing, wet roads into the dark night. Her car stops just short of an enormous tree and the truck speeds off into the night. Delilah escapes with her life and has almost convinced herself the whole thing was an accident, but then she begins to receive threatening phone calls. With the wedding just hours away, she's distracted and anxious. Then Sheriff Tom Bourne stops by the inn and volunteers to help.
Tom has always had a soft spot for Delilah, and he's determined to protect her. But he is pulled away by a bizarre Christmas stunt that has the neighborhood reeling, and Delilah is attacked again.
Will Delilah have to cancel the Christmas wedding at Tidewater Inn? And will Tom's protection be enough to save Delilah from the shadowy figure looming in the background?

Another great book by Colleen Coble with two stories.  Brendan and Lauren are both at Bluebird Ranch to find themselves.  Brendan feels an instant connection with Lauren but also feels that she's hiding something.  Can they each work together to keep Lauren safe?
Delilah has been mothering everyone in Tidewater Inn for years.  She's doing all she can to plan the wedding of a lifetime for Elin and Marc.  Tom is the Sheriff in town and has had a crush on Delilah but hasn't had the courage to ask her out.  When she's targeted can Tom keep her safe and let his feeling show?

Miracle Drug

I received a copy of Miracle Drug by Richard L. Mabry, M. D. from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Overcoming these odds will take more than a miracle drug—it will take a miracle.
The infection wasn’t supposed to happen, but it did. The treatment was supposed to take care of it, but it didn’t. Then Dr. Josh Pearson discovers why—his patients, including the former President of the United States, have been dosed with a different strain of the original virus, one that is universally fatal. The only chance for survival is treatment with an experimental drug, but the manufacturer might already have discarded its supply.

As if treating the President of the United States isn’t stressful enough, the situation goes from bad to worse when Rachel Moore, a nurse Josh is falling in love with, falls ill. With the nation’s eyes on him, Josh must pull off a miracle to save a man who holds a good deal of power and the woman who holds his heart.

I really wasn't sure if I'd like this book when I started it.  The more I got into it the more I liked it.  Mabry has a way of drawing you in and keep you guessing.  Dr. Josh Pearson becomes the primary doctor for the ex-president, David Madison, after the other doctor has a heart attack.  Josh is surprised and takes his responsibility very seriously, which is a good thing because Mr. Madison is fighting for his life.  Can Josh find the reason why and more importantly keep him alive?

Eve

I received a copy of Eve by WM Paul Young from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

When a shipping container washes ashore on an island between our world and the next, John the Collector finds a young woman inside—broken, frozen, and barely alive. With the aid of Healers and Scholars, John oversees her recovery and soon discovers her genetic code connects her to every known human race. She is a girl of prophecy and no one can guess what her survival will mean...

No one but Eve, Mother of the Living, who calls her “daughter,” and invites her to witness the truth about her story—indeed, the truth about us all.

Eve is a bold, unprecedented exploration of the Creation narrative, true to the original texts and centuries of scholarship—yet with breathtaking discoveries that challenge traditional misconceptions about who we are and how we’re made. As The Shack awakened readers to a personal, non-religious understanding of God, Eve will free us from faulty interpretations that have corrupted human relationships since the Garden of Eden.

Eve opens a refreshing conversation about the equality of men and women within the context of our beginnings, helping us see each other as our Creator does—complete, unique, and not constrained to cultural rules or limitations.

Another great book by WM Paul.  It took me a while to put everything together, just like Lilly did.  Lilly is found thought to be dead but is dearly hanging on to life.  John the Collector finds her and helps nurse her back to life.  She doesn't know where she's from or who she is but with John's help begins on a journey of a lifetime.

Falling Like Snowflakes

I received a copy of Falling Like Snowflakes by Denise Hunter from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
When the Christmas season finds Eden in Summer Harbor, Maine, she’s on the run from trouble. Romance is the last thing on her mind.

Riding in a bus in the thickly falling snow, Eden Davis wonders how it ever came to this—fleeing under cover of night with young Micah sleeping fitfully in the seat beside her. When a winter storm strands them in Summer Harbor, Maine, Eden wonders if what might have been the end could be a new beginning.

Beau Callahan is a habitual problem-solver. He’s recently left his job with the sheriff’s department to take over the family Christmas tree farm to save it from insolvency. But he’s flummoxed. During the busiest season of the year, he’s shorthanded. Then Eden shows up looking for work, and Beau believes he’s been rescued. Competent, smart, and beautiful, Eden’s also guarded and quiet. He soon figures out she comes with a boatload of secrets. But Beau can’t seem to help himself from falling for her.

As Christmas Eve approaches, Beau discovers he’ll do anything to keep Eden safe. But who’s going to protect his heart from a woman who can’t seem to trust again?

Loved this book!  Denise Hunter has done it again.  Eden and her son, Micah, are on the run and have car trouble in Summer Harbor Maine.  After her car breaks down and her backpack is stolen they're left with no money and no where warm to stay.  In search of work Eden finds the Callahan family, but will she be able to trust enough to get the help she needs?

The Lopsided Christmas Cake

I received a copy of The Lopsided Christmas Cake by Wanda E. Brunstetter from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Join the Hochstetler twin sisters on stage as they bumble their way through baking a cake for a charity auction in front of a live audience. The take-charge Elma and the klutzy optimist Thelma manage to entertain their audience—and attract the admiration of two bachelors, an outspoken woodworker and a shy harness maker from a neighboring Amish community. As fall leads into the Christmas season, could romance be blossoming for one or more of the Hochstetler twins? Find out in this brand new romance from New York Times bestselling author Wanda E. Brunstetter, writing with her daughter-in-law Jean Brunstetter.

This book was different than I expected.  Twins Thelma and Elma Hochstetler inherit their grandparents farm and store.  They are for the first time in their lives are on their own and running a household and business.  Even though they are twins they couldn't be more different.  Can they each use their own strength to fix up their grandparents house and keep store going?

Counting on a Cowboy

I received a copy of Counting on a Cowboy by Debra Clopton from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
After losing everything dear to her, Abby never wants to love again. But a certain cowboy spurs her to wonder if maybe love is worth the risk.

Running from a past that haunts her, Abby Knightly is drawn to the homey town of Wishing Springs, Texas, after her favorite advice columnist found love and a home there. Maybe this small town could offer hope and healing and a future for Abby too . . . if she’s brave enough to reach out and take it.

Bo Monahan isn’t interested in the new romantic destination his little town has become—or the women who might be looking at him like he’s their next Mr. Right. Between taking care of his Pops and his growing stirrup business, he isn’t looking for serious romantic commitments. But unexpectedly the young child he never knew about appears on his doorstep and Bo’s world is turned upside down.

This confirmed bachelor might not need a wife, but he sure needs a woman . . . and newcomer Abby Knightly is definitely a woman. When she comes to his rescue to help him navigate fatherhood, he slowly uncovers her own history. And suddenly Bo’s thinking maybe, just maybe, together they can help each other work through the problems of the past to create a future of their own.

This is the second in the Four of Hearts Ranch series and is just as good as the first book.  Abby is heading to Wishing Springs for a new start after losing her husband and baby.  The last thing she's looking for is romance.  When on her way into town she wrecks her car avoiding a steer in the road, she meets Bo Manahan.  Bo also isn't in he market for romance because he has enough on this plate taking care of his stir up business and his ailing grandfather.  Will they each realize that they are a perfect pair?

Drawing Fire

I received a copy of Drawing Fire by Janice Cantore from NetGalley in exchange for an honest reveiw.

One case from her past defines homicide detective Abby Hart.

With a possible serial killer stalking elderly women in Long Beach, California, Abby’s best lead is Luke Murphy, an irritating private investigator who saw a suspect flee the scene of the latest homicide. When Abby discovers that the most recent victim is related to the governor, she’s anxious to talk to him about a cold case that’s personal to her—one Luke is interested in as well.

As she learns more about the restaurant fire that took her parents’ lives years ago, Abby discovers why Luke is so invested in finding the ones responsible. The more they uncover, though, the more questions they have. Can Abby find peace without having all the answers?

I love Janice Cantore's books.  She has a way of drawing you in and inspiring you at the same time.  Abby's parents were murdered when she was six and all her life she's wanted to find the killers and bring them to justice.  She becomes a homicide detective so that she can help other people who've suffered like she has.  While working on a murder case she crosses paths with Luke Murphy, a private investigator, who also has a connection to her parents murder.  Luke's uncle worked at Abby's parents restaurant and died because he helped save Abby.  Luke and Abby start working together to solve the Triple Seven murder case.  Can they find all the answers they've been looking for all their lives?

Made With Love

I received a copy of Made With Love by Tricia Goyer and Sherry Gore from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
A Dash of Love, a Pinch of Hope, and a Whole Lot of Good Cooking

Lovina Miller should be thrilled. Pinecraft, Florida, has everything a young Amish woman could ask for: sun, sand, volleyball games, and evening singings in the park. But Pinecraft lacks the one thing Lovina desperately wants—a pie shop of her own. She longs for a place to gather with the community and serve the treat she loves.

A young carpenter named Noah Yoder strolls into her life and offers a way to make her dream come true. But before Noah and Lovina can build a shop—and a life—together, they must each face heartaches from the past. Is their new love stronger than their regrets?

I really enjoyed this book.  It was a great story about Lovina an Amish woman who has a dream about opening a pie shop.  Her mother only wants one thing for her and her 4 sisters - for them to get married and have children.  Lovina finds the perfect place for a pie shop along with the perfect person to help her get the place ready.  Noah has a shady past that he's trying to make right.  Will helping Lovina with her pie shop be enough to recover his reputation?

Midnight on the Mississippi

I received a copy of Midnight On The Mississippi by Mery Ellis from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Midnight on the Mississippi begins the new Secrets of the South Mysteries from bestselling author Mary Ellis. These complex crime dramas follow an investigator’s quest to make the world a better place…solving one case at a time.

New Orleans—Hunter Galen, a stock and securities broker, suspects his business partner, James Nowak, may be involved in embezzling their clients’ money, but he’s reluctant to jeopardize their friendship based on suspicion alone. After James turns up dead, Hunter realizes his unwillingness to confront a problem may have cost James his life.

Nicki Price, a newly minted PI, intends to solve the stockbroker’s murder, recover the missing millions from the client accounts, and establish herself in the career she adores. As she ferrets out fraud and deception at Galen Investments, Hunter’s fiancée, Ashley Menard, rubs Nicki the wrong way. Nicki doesn’t trust the ostentatious woman with an agenda longer than the Mississippi River. Ashley seems to be hiding something, but is Nicki’s growing attraction to Hunter—a suspected murderer—her true reason for disliking Ashley?

As they encounter sophisticated shell games, blackmail, and murder, Nicki and Hunter’s only option is to turn to God as they search for answers, elude lethal danger, and perhaps discover love along the way.

I really enjoyed this book.  For a while I didn't see how what Nicki was doing was helping to find James Nowak's killer.  It seemed like Hunter and Nicki were just having fun getting to know each other and spending time together.  Of course them getting to know each other and their families helped to find out what James had been up to before his death.  Will Nicki's inexperience help or hinder Hunter's case?

Forever Yours

I received a copy of Forever Yours by Andrea Boeshaar, Gina Fields, Joyce Livingston, Kim O'Brien and Kathleen Y'Barbo from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Enjoy the rollercoaster ride five modern couples take on the road that leads them back into a love that was meant to be. The ex-wife reads his work of fiction for an eye-opening revelation. The missing fiancée is returned to her home. A desperate wife gets one last Christmas with her husband before they divorce. The busy housewife wakes up to the drift occurring in her marriage. The low-key mom suddenly encounters her son's high-profile dad.

This was a good book of short stories.  I really liked how each woman was able to overcome and find her true self along with the love she so wanted.   It reminded me that love is hard work but also worth it in the end.

Someday Home

I received a copy of Someday Home by Laruaine Snelling from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The sprawling lake home Lynn Lundberg built with her husband has been an epicenter of joyful family life, from summer holidays spent around the water, to cookies baked in the kitchen with grandchildren in the fall. But since her husband's sudden passing two years ago, Lynn has been lost in the grief and solitude she feels without him at home. She doesn't want to sell the big family place, but she can't exist there on her own much longer.

After hearing of a new way of living--where single women share responsibilities as housemates--Lynn thinks she's found the answer to her prayers. Soon she meets two ladies with whom she could begin this journey. Angela Bishop, a successful real estate agent accustomed to the finer things in life, has just been jilted by her husband of twenty-five-years. Judith Rutherford, who has devoted her adulthood to caring for her ailing father, must leave the only home she's known now that he has passed.

These three women seek a place to grieve, to laugh, and to be renewed. But coming from such differing circumstances, will the new challenges they face undo their plans? Or will they begin a friendship to see them through the years to come in this SOMEDAY HOME?

This was a a really good book.  I liked how the three women dealt with their own issues and were still able to learn to live together.  They each had unrealized dreams that until they got together didn't know they could come true.  Living in the same house taught them each more about themselves than they ever thought.

In Your Embrace

I received a copy of In Your Embrace by Amy Miles from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
A man without hope. A woman with a grave diagnosis. A man weighed down by tremendous guilt. Each will learn that all things happen for a reason...even when it costs them everything. How would you find the faith to carry on? Life has not been kind to Timothy Lewis these past few years. With the sudden loss of his first love and a construction business barely staying afloat during the recession, Timothy will be the first to admit that faith isn’t exactly at the top of his priority list. When a direct hit from a hurricane rocks the Outer Banks, Timothy is forced to face not only the demons of his past but also a potential of a future that leaves him terrified. Hannah Green has a big heart and that tends to get her in trouble far more than she’d like to admit. After her aunt and uncle offer her free room and board for the summer at their fixer upper bed and breakfast on the beach, Hannah finds herself caught in the mother of all storms. The devastation left in the wake of the hurricane rocks her world, leaving her faith and health in the balance. Draven Young hates coming back home. There are too many bad memories, too little to do and far too many ex-girlfriends who would like to get their hands on him. When his father forces him to do some community service at the local hospital or risk losing his monthly allowance, Draven will discover that although terrible things happen to good people, there is a reason for everything.
Such a good book!  Three lost people looking for something..what they really don't know.  Hannah has been told what to do by her parents all her life.  When she has the chance to help her aunt and uncle with their fixer upper bed and breakfast she jumps on it.  Timothy has lost everything he loves.  When he meets Hannah and sees how she jumps to help everyone he's amazed.  Draven has been trying to drink away the guilt, but no matter how hard he tries it doesn't work.  Can God bring these three lost people together to help them each find what they're looking for?

The Cactus Creek Challenge

I received a copy of The Cactus Creek Challenge by Erica Vetsch from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Anything he can do, I can do better. At least that was what Cassie Bucknell thought before she pinned on Ben Wilder's badge and took to patrolling the streets of Cactus Creek, Texas. Cassie has been in love with Ben since primer school, but Ben treats her like a little sister. When they are picked to swap jobs for a month as part of the annual Cactus Creek Challenge in their Texas hometown, the schoolhouse is thrown into an uproar, the jail becomes a temporary bank vault, and Cassie and Ben square off in a battle of wills that becomes a battle for their hearts.

I normally don't like books set in the 1800's but this was a really good book.  I think it had a lot to do with the main men characters were very supportive of women changing places and proving themselves as able to do 'men's work'.  The Cactus Creek Challenge in the past has been about men switching jobs for a month and seeing who could do the job the best.  This year the challenge had been changed up a bit.  2 men and 2 women were chosen to switch places with each other.  Cassie Bucknell, the town teacher, and Ben Wilder, the town Sherif, trade places along with Carl Gustafson, the livery stable owner, and Jenny Hart the bakery owner.  Can the each make it through the month without making a fool of themselves?

Married 'til Monday

I received a copy of Married 'til Monday by Denise Hunter from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

With a big anniversary party in the works for her parents, Ryan will pretend to be Abby's husband for just one last weekend.

Ryan McKinley has tried to move on from his ex-wife, Abby. He’s sulked, he’s gotten angry, and ultimately he bought her dream house. Big mistake. Living alone in the massive 2-story has only made him miss her more. When her parents call him out of the blue about their anniversary party in Summer Harbor, Maine, Ryan believes God has dropped a golden opportunity straight in his lap.

Abby McKinley never exactly told her parents about the divorce. A strained relationship with her dad has culminated in a distant relationship with her parents, but she’s finally succumbed to her mom’s pressure to make the drive for their 35th-anniversary party.

Then Ryan shows up on her doorstep, looking as devastatingly handsome as ever. When he insists he’s going to Seabrook, with or without her, Abby knows she can’t say no. Her parents still think they’re married and now Ryan knows it too. Besides, he only wants to check in with his best friend from college—her cousin Beau, who just lost his dad. It’s just a one-week road-trip with the man who broke her heart. What could possibly go wrong?

This was a great book.  I was disappointed to find out this is the 4th book in the Chapel Springs Romance series and I haven't read the first two books.  Denise Hunter does a great job of telling the story from both Ryan and Abby's point of view.  How could two people love each other so much but not be able to make their marriage work?  I was really glad to find out that Abby finally was able to let other people know about her past and get help to work through her pain.

Jaded

I just finished Jaded by Verina Denman the first book it the Mended Heart Series.

As a child, Ruthie was shunned by the local congregation. Thirteen years later, Ruthie’s heart begins to stir when an attractive single preacher arrives. But their relationship is bitterly opposed—unearthing a string of secrets which threaten to turn the church, the town, and her world upside-down.

Jaded is the rare novel that is both love story between a woman and man ... and God and His church. Plunging deep into the waters of shame, forgiveness and restoration, it will resonate with every woman who’s experienced a loss of heart ... and a thirst for hope.

This is a really good book.  Ruthie is born and raised in Trapp a small town in West Texas.  Like all small towns news travels fast.  When the town's new minister, Dodd Cummingham, moves to town everyone starts talking.  Not only is he younger and expected he moves in with his mom and younger brother.  Ruthie catches is eye from the beginning and the more she sees him the less she wants to.  Ruthie's family has been shunned from the church and most everyone in the town.  She's been ignored and talked about behind her back so much she has a negative attitude about everything.  Dodd befriends Ruthie's cousin JohnScott and soon has him baptized.  This puts a huge strain on Ruthie and JohnScott's relationship.  Will exposing the town's secrets bring the town together or break it more apart?

Murder Freshly Baked

I received a copy of Murder Freshly Baked by Vannetta Chapman from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

When delicious baked goods become lethal, a trail of poetry leads to sweet-toothed killer.


Don’t taste it
Don’t share it
Just throw it away
If you try my bakery pie
You won’t live to see another day

The Amish Artisan Village of Middlebury, Indiana, might be the last place you would ever expect to find a murderer, but Amber has been managing the Village for decades, and there’s nothing she hasn’t seen. Or so she thought.

When poetic notes begin appearing around the bakery, warning that some of the pies have been poisoned, Amber is as confused as she is concerned. Who poisons pies? And more to the point, who leaves poems of warning after they’ve done it? When Amber decides to help the police track down the sweet-toothed saboteur, she enlists the young Hannah Troyer for another round of Amish-style detective work.

Meanwhile, an attractive, older Englischer is preying on the single women of the Village, dating several of them at a time and generally alarming everyone who cares about the Amish girls’ hearts. It’s going to be a long summer in Middlebury.

Can Amber and Hannah help the police before the Poison Poet strikes a target? Both women will need to draw on their faith to preserve the peaceful community they’ve built in Middlebury . . . and protect the hearts and health of the girls who work in the Amish Artisan Village.

This is the 3rd book in An Amish Village Mystery series.  Amber is once again pulled into a mystery at the Amish village that she manages.  This time a murder isn't what starts out the strange happenings.  Bad poetry and tainted pies are what are being found in the village shops.  Amber gets emails, from the 'pastry poet' as he/she becomes known, and is told to humble herself in front of the village.  Can Amber and her partners in solving crimes, Hannah, Pam and Tate help to find the guilty party before someone gets hurt?

Justified

I received a copy of Justified by Varoma Denman from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

In a small Texas town ruled by gossip, Fawn Blaylock believes others are justified in condemning her untimely pregnancy. Stifled by guilt, she yearns for grace while the local football coach treats her with gentle respect.

Justified perfectly captures the rhythm and romance of life in a small town, telling the unforgettable story of a woman searching for renewal, a man looking beyond what others see, and a community torn between judgment and love. It is the unforgettable story of broken dreams, second chances, and relentless hope.

Fawn Blaylock finds herself pregnant and homeless.  Her parents kick her out as soon as they find out about the baby.  Growing up she was given everything she ever wanted except for love from her parents.  She is offered a shack with the best view Fawn's ever seen.  She sees this as her chance to prove she can make it on her own.  Fawn gets a part time job at the local feed store helping with the books.  While at the feed store she begins to re-connect with her high school history teacher JohnScott Picket.  The more Fawn talks to JohnScott the more she realizes he's treating her with respect.  Respect is not something Fawn is used to receiving.  Will he help her to realize she's worth more than she realizes?

Falcon

I received a copy of Falcon by Ronie Kendig from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Special Forces operator Salvatore “Falcon” Russo vowed to never again speak to or trust Lieutenant Cassandra Walker after a tragedy four years ago. But as Raptor closes in on the cyber terrorists responsible for killing two of their own, Sal must put his life—and the lives of his teammates—in her hands. Despite his anger, Cassie is ill-prepared for his resistance and the fallout when she must protect the one asset who can end the attacks. As allies become enemies and hostiles become unlikely partners, Raptor fights for its very existence.

I just love Ronie Kendig and The Quiet Professionals books.  The Raptor Team works best together under stress.  They have their differences but will risk their lives to save each others and all innocent people around them.  Falcon focuses on Sal Russo and Cassie Walker and how they need to face their past and future together.  Sal and Raptor work together to stop cyber terrorists who plan to destroy everything.

Hooked

I received a copy of Hooked by Allen Wolf from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Desperate to find a soulmate in New York City, Shawn goes on one awkward date after another until he encounters the alluring Violet. He starts dating her, but his autism prevents him from understanding she's actually a prostitute. Drawn in by his kindness, Violet appreciates Shawn's quirky nature but conceals what she does after dark.

This comedic tale of two misfits takes a dramatic turn when they are forced to make life altering choices. Their only hope for a future is to discover the courage that comes from loving someone deeply.

This wasn't what I was expecting when I picked the book.  Shawn as autism and it has been hindering is dating life.  He lives with this Grandmother and knows she won't be around to help take care of him for ever.  He's made it is goal to find a wife.  After going on several dates that don't go anywhere he sneaks into an after work party and meets Violet.  What Shawn doesn't understand is she is a prostitute.  Shawn and Violet bond over coffee.  Will they have a future together?

Whenever You Come Around

I received a copy of Whenever You Come Around by Robin Lee Hatcher from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Just when Charity’s wild imagination failed her, a flesh-and-blood hero walked into her life.

Best-selling author Charity Anderson returns to her hometown of Kings Meadow to defeat a bad case of writer's block. She imagines she’ll spend a lonely summer writing and then return to her home in Boise. She soon finds herself caring for Buck Malone, a wilderness guide—and the object of her unrequited teenage crush. But what else can she do? Her dog Cocoa caused the accident that left Buck with a broken ankle and wrist, taking him off the trail for weeks of prime tourist-season work.

Buck and Charity have gone different ways since high school, and at first it seems they have little in common. Buck loves the simple, low-key life he's made for himself in the mountains of Idaho, and she’s a woman accustomed to the faster, bustling pace of the city. But spending so much time together has Buck hoping to change her mind about staying in the small town she thought she'd left behind for good.

It’s a summer for discovering that young love is a spark not soon extinguished.
This is a great book about overcoming your past and opening your heart for what God has in store for the future.  Charity has been running away from her past and everything that reminded her of it.  When her house suffers damage from a flood and needs extensive repairs she returns to her hometown for the summer.  She tries to lock herself in her parents house so she can work on her next book.  Her first day in town she runs into Buck Malone, an old classmate, and her dog causes him to break his right ankle and wrist.  She reluctantly offers to take care of Buck but soon finds herself looking forward to spending time with him.  Will she be able to face her past and embrace her future?

Falling Like Snowflakes

I received a copy of Falling Like Snowflakes by Denise Hunter from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Riding in a bus in the thickly falling snow, Eden Davis wonders how it ever came to this—fleeing under cover of night with young Micah sleeping fitfully in the seat beside her. When a winter storm strands them in Summer Harbor, Maine, Eden wonders if what might have been the end could be a new beginning.

Beau Callahan is a habitual problem-solver. He’s recently left his job with the sheriff’s department to take over the family Christmas tree farm to save it from insolvency. But he’s flummoxed. During the busiest season of the year, he’s shorthanded. Then Eden shows up looking for work, and Beau believes he’s been rescued. Competent, smart, and beautiful, Eden’s also guarded and quiet. He soon figures out she comes with a boatload of secrets. But Beau can’t seem to help himself from falling for her.

As Christmas Eve approaches, Beau discovers he’ll do anything to keep Eden safe. But who’s going to protect his heart from a woman who can’t seem to trust again?

Taken

I received Taken by Dee Henderson from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Abducted at the age of sixteen and coerced into assisting the Jacoby crime family, Shannon Bliss has finally found a way out. She desperately wants to resume some semblance of normal life, but she also knows she has some unfinished business to attend to. She has enough evidence to put her captors behind bars for a very long time.

When Shannon contacts private investigator and former cop Matthew Dane to help her navigate her reentry into society, she quickly discovers that gaining her freedom doesn't mean her troubles are over. For one thing, her brother is the leading candidate in the race for Illinois governor, and news of her escape will create a media frenzy. For another, the ransom her family reportedly paid years earlier appears to have been a scam; no one knows what happened to the money. And then there's the fact that Shannon's escape involved faking her own death. If the Jacoby family learns she is still alive, they'll stop at nothing to silence her.

If justice is to be done, and if Shannon's life is ever to get on track again, Matthew will need to discover exactly what happened to her--even if it means stirring up a hornet's nest of secrets.

What a good book that I'd love to see a follow up book to.  Shannon has spent the last eleven years in captivity.  When she finally is fee she seeks out Matthew Dane because he's been through this before.  Matthew's daughter Becky was abducted when she was young and Matthew was there to help her recover and adapt to a normal life.  Shannon hopes to use Matthew's police background and history with abducted women to help her find a new normal.  Together they help FBI and local police bring down the Jacoby family.

A Love Like Ours

I received an copy of A Love Like Ours by Becky Wade from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Scarred from his military days, cowboy Jake Porter is content being alone...until his old friend Lyndie starts tearing down the walls he's built.
Former Marine Jake Porter has far deeper scars than the one that marks his face. He struggles with symptoms of PTSD, lives a solitary life, and avoids relationships.

When Lyndie James, Jake's childhood best friend, lands back in Holley, Texas, Jake cautiously hires her to exercise his Thoroughbreds. Lyndie is tender-hearted, fiercely determined, and afraid of nothing, just like she was as a child. Jake pairs her with Silver Leaf, a horse full of promise but lacking in results, hoping she can solve the mystery of the stallion's reluctance to run.

Though Jake and Lyndie have grown into very different adults, the bond that existed during their childhood still ties them together. Against Jake's will, Lyndie's sparkling, optimistic personality begins to tear down the walls he's built around his heart. A glimmer of the hope he'd thought he'd lost returns, but fears and regrets still plague him. Will Jake ever be able to love Lyndie like she deserves, or is his heart too shattered to mend?

Chasing Sunsets

I received a copy of Chasing Sunsets by Karen Kingsbury from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Growing up in a comfortable home, Mary Catherine wanted for nothing. Though she loves her wealthy parents, their lifestyle never appealed to her. Instead, Mary Catherine pursues meaning through charity work, giving away a part of herself but never giving away her heart.

Mary Catherine lives in Los Angeles with her roommate, Sami, and volunteers at a local youth center with coach Tyler Ames and LA Dodger Marcus Dillinger. Despite Mary Catherine’s intention to stay single, she finds herself drawing close to Marcus, and their budding romance offers an exciting life she never dreamed of. That is, until she receives devastating news from her doctor. News that alters her future and forces her to make a rash decision.

I just love Karen Kingsbury's books!  This is the second book in the Angels Walking series and I can't wait until the next one.  Marcus Dillinger has a calling to help the kids in LA.  He and his teammate Tyler convert an old warehouse into a youth center for area kids.  During the open house Marcus becomes a target for the area gangs.  Taylor's girlfriend Sami and her roommate Mary Catherine help out at the youth center and with the help of the local police department start a new Last Time In program for troubled youth.  As the programs are making a difference in the community Mary Catherine gets the worst news of her life.  Will she make the worst decision of her life?

Vinnie's Diner

I received a copy of Vinnie's Diner by Jennifer Allee from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
What if you were given one night to review your entire life? Would you like what you see?

When a freak accident leaves Allie stranded in the middle of the desert, she’s thankful to still be alive. Or is she?
She’s rescued from the wreck by Vinnie, owner of a roadside establishment filled with people who shouldn’t be there. Or is it Allie who doesn’t belong? Standing at the window, she recalls important events from her past and watches as EMTs pull her own body from her mangled vehicle. Suddenly, it becomes clear this is no ordinary pit stop.
In Vinnie’s Diner, Allie embarks on a harrowing journey of self-discovery, literally facing her demons and making the ultimate decision…between life and death.

This was a good book that pulls you in from the beginning.  Allie's in a car accident that ends her up with Vinnie in his Diner.  Her waitress is Norma Jean and the cook is an older Elvis.  Will she be able to face her past even though she's mastered the art of hiding from it?

Finding Me

I received a copy of Finding Me by Kathryn Cushman from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
After her father's death, Kelli discovers a shocking secret: She has a family she's never known. She may want answers, but are some doors better left shut?

What would you do if you learned your life was a lie?
All her life, Kelli Huddleston has been told the story of a fire--a fire that killed her mother and two siblings when she was an infant. After her father's death though, she uncovers evidence of a different story, including clippings about a boat accident that killed a young father and his infant daughter. And Kelli quietly realizes the story of her life has been a fiction.

How far would you go to discover the truth?
Armed with only a few pictures of what she thinks might be her family, Kelli crosses the country to Tennessee, determined to uncover the truth about what happened over twenty years ago in a small southern town. When the trip threatens to open doors to the past better left shut, and her plans for the future are jeopardized, Kelli is faced with an agonizing choice that will change her life forever.

Wow just wow.  Kelli finds out that her dad wasn't who she thought he was and neither was she.  After her dad and stepmother die she finds out that she has a brother, sister and mother that are living in Tennessee.  She drives to their home town in a search for her family that she didn't know she had.  In the process of finding them she finds herself.

From the Start

I received a copy of From the Start by Melissa Tagg from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Kate writes romance movie scripts for a living, but she's stopped believing "true love" is real. Could a new friendship with former NFL player Colton Greene restore her faith?
Kate Walker used to believe in true love and happily ever after. While her own love life may have left her brokenhearted, it hasn't kept her from churning out made-for-TV romance movie screenplays...until a major career slump and a longing to do something meaningful send her running back to her hometown of Maple Valley.

Permanently sidelined by an injury, former NFL quarterback Colton Greene is temporarily hiding out in a friend's hometown to avoid the media and the reminders of all he's lost. Maple Valley seems like the perfect place to learn how to adjust to normal life. The only trouble is he's never really done normal before.

While Kate plays things safe and Colton is all about big risks and grand gestures, they both get what it's like to desperately need direction in life. An unexpected project gives them both a chance to jumpstart their new lives, but old wounds and new dreams are hard to ignore. Starting over wasn't part of the plan, but could it be the best thing that's ever happened to them?

This was a really good book that sucked me in from the very beginning.  I've read several books about football lately and I'm not a big fan of the sport.  I loved that both Kate and Colton had histories that they didn't want to face but were able to work together to heal.  Each finding what they were meant to do with their lives.

Together With You

I received a copy of Together With You by Victoria Bylin from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Ryan thought hiring Carly Mason as nanny was a key move in reconnecting with his children, but will the attraction between them send his plans into chaos?

Sometimes the most unexpected love can be exactly what a heart needs...
When a Lost Child warning blares over the mall's PA system, Carly Mason finds the little girl playing with a stuffed rabbit. Something about Penny Tremaine is different. An ex-social worker, Carly recognizes that the child suffers fetal alcohol effects, and a piece of Carly's past suddenly confronts her. Never again will she become personally involved with a client. The risks are far too great. But something about Penny--and Penny's handsome father--tugs at Carly's heart.

Dr. Ryan Tremaine is trying to put his life back together. With his ex-wife remarried and on a trip far away, his two teenage sons and Penny are living under his roof full time. Ryan has put his faith in his Sink-or-Swim list, a plan to reconnect with his children. The first step: recruit Carly Mason to be Penny's nanny.

Ryan never anticipated being so drawn to Carly, an attraction Carly seems to fight as much as he does. Could Carly be the missing piece that helps his family stay afloat, or will their blossoming romance only complicate things further?

Ryan and Carly couldn't be more different.  Carly's from a small town and was raised with a strong Christian background.  Ryan was raised by a very strong willed and demanding father who expected him to follow in his footsteps.  Can Carly help Ryan loosen up and learn to love his children - flaws in all?

Hand Me Down Husband

I received a copy of Hand Me Down Husband by Rosanna Huffman from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Suzanne said she'd never marry a widower. Mitch promised he'd never marry again. But that was before they met each other.
High school teacher Suzanne Bloomer has buried herself in her job at New Vision Christian School in Farmersburg, Ohio. But she’s none too pleased when widower Mitch Sanderson leaves his fields mid-harvest to fill a teacher/principal position at the school. She knows better than to trust a Sanderson, and she’s determined not to be tricked by one again.

When Mitch’s persistent kindness starts to confuse Suzanne’s feelings for him, she remembers that she is even less interested in a hand-me-down husband than she is in wearing secondhand clothing. Neither has Mitch forgotten his late wife’s plea that he never remarry. His children certainly haven’t. Will their faith in God and trust in each other be enough to overcome the odds and build a life together?

This was a good book.  Based on the title I felt sure that Suzanne and Mitch were going to fall in love but it seemed to take forever.  They both grew up in Farmersburg Ohio just several years apart.  When they both end up working at New Vision Christian School they seem drawn to each other from the start.  Suzanne didn't have a good home life growing up and has a very bad view of herself.  Can Mitch show her that she's worth so much more?

The Inn at Ocean's Edge

I received a copy of The Inn at Ocean's Edge by Colleen Coble from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A vacation to Sunset Cove was her way of celebrating and thanking her parents. After all, Claire Dellamore's childhood was like a fairytale. But with the help of Luke Elwell, Claire discovers that fairytale was really an elaborate lie . . .

The minute she steps inside the grand Inn at Ocean's Edge, Claire Dellamare knows something terrible happened there. She feels it in her bones. Her ensuing panic attack causes a scene, upsetting her parents. Claire attempts to quiet her nerves with a walk on the beach, to no avail. She's at too great a distance to make out details, but she believes she witnesses a murder on a nearby cliff. When local police find no evidence of foul play, they quickly write off the "nervous" woman's testimony as less than credible.

But Luke Elwell, home on leave from the Coast Guard, has reason to believe Claire. Years ago when his mother went missing, Luke's father suspected she'd been murdered. He died never having convinced the police to investigate. So when an employee of the grand hotel doesn't show up for work, Luke steps in to help Claire track down the missing woman.

I'm a big fan of Colleen Coble and she's done it again.  This was a very intricate story line.  It was very hard to put down right up to the last page.  It's amazing how one lie can tie 3 families lives in knots and cause so much heartache.

Dancing with Fireflies

Dancing with Fireflies book 2 in the Chapel Springs Series by Denise Hunter.

Jade returns home to Chapel Springs after years of protecting her fragile heart. Then along

comes Daniel, making her long to dance again.

Growing up in the mid western river town of Chapel Springs,Indiana, Jade McKinley felt like a weed in a rose garden. When she left, she thought she’d never look back. Now, pregnant, alone, and broke, she has no other choice but to return.

The mayor of Chapel Springs, Daniel Dawson, has been an honorary member of the McKinley family for years. While his own home life was almost nonexistent, Daniel fit right in with the boisterous McKinley family. He’s loved Jade for years, but she always thought of him as a big brother. Now that she’s back, his feelings are stronger than ever.

As Jade attempts to settle in, nothing feels right. God seems far away, she’s hiding secrets from her family, and she’s strangely attracted to the man who’s always called her “squirt.” Returning home may prove more difficult—and more wonderful—than she ever imagined.

Another good book in the Chapel Springs series.  Jade has always danced to the beat of her own drum and is the flower child of her family.  She leaves Chapel Springs and moves to Chicago to follow her dream of playing guitar.  Things don't go as she plans and now she's back with a big secret.  She begins to depend on her honorary big brother Daniel Dawson.  Will she have the future she seeks?

Barefoot Summer

Barefoot Summer book 1 in the Chapel Springs Series by Denise Hunter.

Madison's heart has been closed for years. But one summer can change everything.
In the years since her twin brother's drowning, Madison McKinley has struggled to put it behind her. Despite the support of her close-knit family and her gratifying job as a veterinarian in their riverside town, the loss still haunts her.

To find closure, Madison sets out to fulfill her brother's dream of winning the town's annual regatta. But first she has to learn to sail, and fast.

Beckett O'Reilly knows Madison is out of his league, but someone neglected to tell his heart. Now she needs his help--and he'll give it, because he owes her far more than she'll ever know.

Madison will do anything--even work with the infamous Beckett O'Reilly--to reach her goal. And as much as she'd like to deny it, the chemistry between them is electrifying. As summer wanes, her feelings for him grow and a fledgling faith takes root in her heart.

But Beckett harbors a secret that will test the limits of their new love. Can their romance survive summer's challenges? And will achieving her brother's dream give Madison the peace she desperately seeks?

This was a good book and I'm looking forward to the rest of the series.  The McKinley family lives in Chapel Springs Indiana and are pillars of the community.  Madison's twin brother Michael died when they were seventeen.  Madison has a problem opening her heart for anyone since his death.  Beckett O'Reilly is a 'bad boy' that has liked Madison for years.  Can they work together to get Michael's boat ready for the annual regatta?

Elementary My Dear Watkins

Elementary My Dear Watkins Book 3 in the A Smart Chick Mystery series by Mindy Starns Clark.
When someone tries to push Jo Tulip in front of a New York train, her ex-fiance, Bradford, suffers an injury while saving her—and the unintentional sleuth is thrown onto the tracks of a very personal mystery.
Jo’s boyfriend, Danny Watkins, is away in Paris, so she begins a solo investigation of her near–murder. What secret was Bradford about to share before he took the fall? And when Jo uncovers clues tied to Europe, can she and Danny work together in time to save her life?

This was a great book to end a wonderful series.  It kept me guessing the more I got into the story.  I love how Alexa, Mrs. Bosworth and Jo all got to know each other and find a love that they all needed.  I also was glad to see Jo stand up to her parents and that they finally realized all they had put her though.

Blind Dates Can Be Murder

Blind Dates Can Be Murder book 2 in A Smart Chick Mystery series by Mindy Starns Clark.

Blind dates give everyone the shivers…with or without a murder attached to them. Jo Tulip is a sassy single woman full of household hints and handy advice for every situation. Her first romantic outing in months is a blind date—okay, the Hall of Fame of Awful Blind Dates—but things go from bad to worse when the date drops dead and Jo finds herself smack in the middle of a murder investigation.

With the help of her best friend, Danny, and faith in God, Jo attempts to solve one exciting mystery while facing another: Why is love always so complicated?

Another great book and I look forward to the next one.  Jo can solve any household problem but can't seem to help herself in the love department.  When they say love is blind it sure is for Jo.  The one she should be with lives next door and she doesn't even realize it.  Will she figure it out in time?

A Killer Among Us

A Killer Among Us Women of Justice book 3 by Lynette Eason.
What happens when the hunter . . . becomes the hunted?

Kit Kenyon is a first-rate hostage negotiator. Noah Lambert is a good detective with excellent instincts. These new partners have hardly had time to get used to each other when they are thrown into a grisly murder case. As evidence mounts up and more victims are found, Kit and Noah realize they are on the hunt for a serial killer. The problem is, he may be hunting one of them too.

With nail-biting suspense, clever plot twists, and a hint of romance, A Killer Among Us is the latest thriller from Lynette Eason.

This is the last book in the Women of Justice series.  I think it was the best of the three.
Kit Kenyon and Noah Lambert are paired together against Noah's wishes.  He had lost a female partner in the past and didn't want to go through that again.  They get involved in a murder case that turns out to be a serial killer on the lose.  As they continue to investigate they realize the killer is after them also.  Can they catch the killer before he catches them?

Don't Look Back

Don't Look Back Women of Justice book 2 by Lynette Eason.
One man lives to see her dead--the other is fighting to keep her alive.

Twelve years ago, forensic anthropologist Jamie Cash survived a brutal kidnapping. After years of therapy, she has made a life for herself--though one that is haunted by memories of her terrifying past. She finally lets herself believe that she can have a close relationship with a man, when signs start appearing that point to one frightening fact--her attacker is back and ready to finish the job he started all those years ago.

Can she escape his grasp a second time? And will she ever be able to let down her guard enough to find true love?

Filled with heart-stopping suspense, gritty realism, and a touch of romance, Don't Look Back pulls you into its twists and turns to hold you there until the very last page.

I have really enjoyed this series so far and look forward to the next book.
Jamie Cash lived through being kidnapped and beaten eighteen years ago.  She's finally works her way through college and landed a great job she loves.  While working on a murder case she figures out that a serial killer is on the lose.  The killer is also the same person who kidnapped her and he's after her again.  Can she catch him before he gets her again?

Too Close to Home

Too Close to Home (Women of Justice Book 1) by Lynette Eason.
The FBI has a secret weapon. But now the secret's out.

When missing teens begin turning up dead in a small Southern town, the FBI sends in Special Agent Samantha Cash to help crack the case. Her methods are invisible, and she never quits until the case is closed.

Homicide detective Connor Wolfe has his hands full. His relationship with his headstrong daughter is in a tailspin, and the string of unsolved murders has the town demanding answers. Connor is running out of ideas--and time.

Samantha joins Connor in a race against the clock to save the next victim. And the killer starts to get personal.

Too Close to Home ratchets up the suspense with each page even as love blossoms in the face of danger. Read this one with the lights on!

What a good book!  I found it very hard to put down and the ending was a complete surprise.  I love the Christian aspect to the mystery/crime story line.  Connor Wolfe is a SLED agent and single day trying to raise a teenage daughter.  Jenna is Connor's daughter who is lost, angry and very sad after her mothers death.  Can Connor find the killer who's terrorized his town and make the connection with his daughter in time?

Betting on Hope

I received a copy of Betting on Hope by Debra Clopton from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Maggie Hope is an advice columnist whose background leaves her with little advice to give . . . and it's beginning to show. When Maggie fills in at an interview with champion horse trainer Tru Monahan, the on-camera chemistry between them is undeniable.
Maggie's bosses know this is the opportunity she's been looking for to launch her career-and their bank accounts. In order to save her column, Maggie takes Tru up on the bet that he can teach her to ride a quick-stepping cutting horse like any cowgirl, despite the fact that she has never been on a horse. And in the meantime, she can get the scoop on the man under the cowboy hat.

Tru has been on the competition circuit for longer than he'd like, but he knows it's the only way he can afford to keep the Four of Hearts Ranch that means so much to his ailing grandfather. So when his sponsors see the opportunity for Tru's fans to get to know the star on a more intimate level, he knows he must oblige. To his dismay, Maggie not only invades his small town of Wishing Springs, but she also invades his heart, and that is something he cannot let any woman do-for her own good.

In Wishing Springs, Maggie finds what she has always been looking for: a community and a home. But when her past catches up to her, it threatens everything, even the tender hope that this town holds all of her heart's desires.

This book pulled me in from the very beginning and just kept my interest.  I've read several books of this nature and could see some of the twists before the characters did, but that didn't stop me from enjoying the book.  I'm going to be on the look out for more of Debra Clopton's books now.

The Trouble With Tulip

The Trouble With Tulip by Mindy Starns Clark is the first book in the Smart Chick series.  Josephine Tulip is definitely a smart chick, a twenty–first century female MacGyver who writes a helpful hints column and solves mysteries in her spare time. Her best friend, Danny, is a talented photographer who longs to succeed in his career...perhaps a cover photo on National Geographic?
When Jo’s next–door neighbor is accused of murder, Jo realizes the police have the wrong suspect. As she and Danny analyze clues, follow up on leads, and fall in and out of trouble, she recovers from a broken heart and he discovers that he has feelings for her. Will Danny have the courage to reveal them, or will he continue to hide them behind a façade of friendship?
I really like christian mystery books and this is a great one.  It kept me guessing as to who killed Jo's neighbor Edna Pratt.  I really liked how we were given just enough information about Simon to keep the story interesting but also wanting more.  It's a really good thing this is the first book in the series because I can't wait to continue Jo and Danny's story.

The First Phone Call From Heaven

The First Phone Call from Heaven by Mitch Albom tells the story of a small town on Lake Michigan that gets worldwide attention when its citizens start receiving phone calls from the afterlife. Is it the greatest miracle ever or a massive hoax? Sully Harding, a grief-stricken single father, is determined to find out. An allegory about the power of belief—and a page-turner that will touch your soul—Albom's masterful storytelling has never been so moving and unexpected.
Intimately following the lives of the chosen children, parents, and spouses of Coldwater whose lives are forever altered when they receive phone calls from those they are mourning... their dead loved ones. Sparking extreme media interest and frenzied support, as well as protest from those who cannot let go of the controversy of divine voices coming through man-made technology, these phone calls become the world's biggest spectacle—except to Sully Harding, who is past skepticism, and now is just downright angry with the nonsense. The sudden "miracle" is giving his young son false hope, and it's making it impossible for a non-believer like him to come to terms with his wife's tragic death; through town resources and the cooperation of his community members, he is determined to expose the phone calls as an utter hoax.

I've read several of Mitch Albom's books and looked forward to reading this one.  It was a pretty good book but I was a little disappointed.  After reading each of the other Albom's books I was left with a sense of peace and wonderment, but this one didn't do that for me.

Heaven Help Heidi

I received a copy of Heaven Help Heidi by Sally John from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Welcome to the Casa de Vida—eleven quaint bungalows located three blocks from the Pacific Ocean in tiny Seaside Village, California. Owner Liv McAlister never advertises vacancies beyond a small hand-lettered sign out front, preferring to trust that God will send the right tenant at just the right time. And He always does.

Heidi Hathaway’s life has been turned upside down. After an accident leaves her injured, unable to work, and incapable of negotiating the stairs in her multilevel oceanfront condo, she leases her home and moves into a cozy little cottage in the charming garden complex where her friend Piper lives. There she finds so much more than a place to rest and recover.

Piper Keyes knows Jared is not coming back from Afghanistan. After making it through the fifth anniversary of his death, she wonders if she’s at last ready to get on with life. She gingerly explores new avenues—photography, cooking, and buying her own boutique—and learns to open her heart again.

The most comforting thing about living at the Casa is that the women there become each other’s mentors and confidantes, learning from their own mistakes and arriving at new, healed places in their lives.

What a great book!  This is the second book in the Family of the Heart series and I hope there is another book in the works.  The ending left way too much hanging for my liking.  Heidi has an terrible car accident that brings her into Liv's complex and into a make shift family like she's never known.  Piper is still trying to get over the loss of her fiance.  Can they help each other to move on to something better?

Dobiosity

I received a copy of Dubiosity by Christy Barritt from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.


Savannah Harris vowed to leave behind her old life as an intrepid investigative reporter. But when a friend raises suspicions about two migrant workers who’ve gone missing from the sleepy coastal town Savannah calls home, her curiosity spikes.

As ever more eerie incidents begin afflicting the area, each works to draw Savannah out of her seclusion and raise the stakes—for both Savannah and the surrounding community. Even as Savannah’s new boarder, Clive Miller, makes her feel things she thought long forgotten, she suspects he’s hiding something too, and he’s not the only one. Doubts collide in Savannah’s mind: Who can she really trust?

As secrets emerge and danger closes in, Savannah must choose between faith and uncertainty. One wrong decision might spell the end…not just for her, but for everyone around her.

Will she unravel the mystery in time, or will doubt get the best of her?

This was a very good book.  There were so many plot twists that I kept second guessing who I thought was behind everything.  Savannah is trying to hide from everyone and everything.  Clive Miller comes into her life needing a place to stay.  When Savannah's best friend, Marti, attempts suicide she can't hide any longer.  The more Savannah digs the more people she finds she can't trust.  Will she find the truth and be able to move on?