Series recommendation: Hunt Brothers Search and Rescue by Jessica Ashley

 I discovered  this author last year when I ran across the first book in her Coastal Hope Series. I bought the other four books as they came out, and loved the whole series. The Hunt Brothers were introduced in the final book of that series, Perilous Healing, being cousins of the main male character in that book, Silas. 

Now an interesting thing about the book titles in this series: Those are not the brother's names - though they are their nicknames/call signs.  The book titles are the names of the guy's dogs. 

Bravo came out in February, and features Bradyn

Echo features Elliot. The paperback just came out, and the ebook is due out April 28. I love it when it happens like that.😃

Romeo is due out June 30, and features Riley

Tango features Tucker, and is due out August 25.

Delta features Dylan, and is due out October 27. 

Two of the brothers are twins. I think it is Dylan and Tucker. 

Here are the blurbs for the two books I have read so far: 

Their love is a risk neither can afford—but it might be the only thing worth fighting for.

Bravo:

Former Special Forces Operative Bradyn Hunt may have left battlefields behind for his family's Texas ranch, but he’s still fighting—now as the head of Hunt Brothers Search & Rescue. He and his team tackle the toughest missing persons cases, reuniting families and seeking answers.

Kennedy Smith has been on the run for years, living under different names and never getting attached. Her latest hiding place is as a ranch hand at the Hunt family’s property, figuring there’s no safer place than among a group of Army veterans. But she didn’t count on falling for Bradyn, the quiet, determined leader who just rolled back into town.

Just as she considers staying, her past catches up. The danger she fled is at her doorstep, and now Bradyn is in the line of fire. Kennedy must decide—keep running or fight for the only man she’s ever trusted. But the secrets she’s kept could destroy them both.

A pulse-pounding romantic suspense about trust, redemption, and the kind of love that refuses to let go—even when the past threatens to destroy it. Will they survive the firestorm, or will her secrets bring everything crashing down?

A soldier tormented by the past. A woman with no memory. A love neither of them saw coming.

Elliot "Echo" Hunt carries the weight of his past, haunted by the one person he couldn’t save. When he finds an injured woman on his ranch, he rescues her without hesitation—only to realize she looks eerily like the one he couldn’t protect.

Echo: 

"Jane Doe" wakes with no memory, no identity—just an overwhelming sense of connection to the man who saved her. The attraction between them is undeniable, yet Elliot, scarred by his past, keeps her at arm’s length, terrified of what a second chance at love could cost.

As the danger surrounding Jane intensifies, so does their bond. With every passing day, their hearts grow closer, but secrets from her past threaten to tear them apart.

As Elliot faces his greatest fears, he must decide if he’s willing to trust in God’s plan for a love that might heal them both—or risk losing it forever.

Dive into a gripping tale of love, redemption, and unshakable faith. Get your copy of Echo and experience a heart-pounding Christian romantic suspense story that will leave you breathless!

I just read Echo yesterday, and it was an awesome read. I always enjoy a good amnesia story, and the female is a Jane Doe for most of the book.

The author excels at creating great and likable characters, and she is not afraid to weave  strong Christian themes and truths in her books, while keeping them clean and completely free of bad language. In Echo, I related a bit to Elliot. Three years previous, a tragedy happened and he has been struggling with his faith, and has not been to church since. (No tragedy in my case...politics has caused my struggles, and I do go to church.)

I have enjoyed both books, and am looking forward to reading the others. But yikes....the end of June for the next one. Sigh.

About the author:

A USA Today bestselling author of over sixty novels, Jessica recently felt her faith pulling her in a new direction. Now, her focus is inspirational romantic suspense with characters who fight to find their faith in even the darkest of moments, because, as she has learned, it's then we should lean on God the most.

She lives in Texas with her husband and homeschools her three kids. She is an Army veteran and has written multiple bestsellers since debuting in 2016.

                                                Book 3, coming June 30

Book #4, coming August 25

Book #5, coming October 27

A response from Tyndale Publishing on cursing

 I have blogged many times about one of my pet peeves: cursing in Christian fiction. And I have blogged a couple of times about Tyndale Publishing putting bad language in books by a fairly new author, Ryan Steck.

There is a new book coming out from them that is also  military type book by a new author: Silent Horizons by Chad Robichaux. Now normally, I would just buy the book, but I don't trust Tyndale. So I emailed them this morning, pointing out the issues with the Ryan Steck books, and asking if this book was going to have the same kind of language. 

I got an email that didn't answer that question, but defended the cursing, and I am more disgusted with the company after reading it. Now it IS a polite response, and they even offered a free book....but.....

The response: 

Hello Mark,

Thank you for taking the time to express your concerns about this title.  I will pass along your feedback to our acquisitions and editorial teams. I understand that this book was not what you expected or wanted when you selected it. I am sorry that you were disappointed with this purchase. 

Our goal for this series is to target a broader audience of readers who come to us with a different perspective and life experience. Though open to faith-leaning content, they perhaps haven’t read Christian fiction before or don’t even know that it is a category of fiction. They don’t bring the same personal convictions to their reading choices as some long-time readers of Christian fiction.  

Our team has heard countless stories of readers who have walked away from Christian retail and Christian fiction because they say it failed to honestly represent the situations and struggles; they’ve faced. This is especially true of men who have recently or are currently serving in the military and makes up a significant portion of the readership for this genre. We specifically asked for permission and guidance from our executive team in offering content that allowed some instances of more realistic language from our characters, especially those who may not be Christians--if it serves a purpose, to simply to represent their world in a more authentic way. While I understand that you may disagree with the strategy or philosophy that we’ve taken with this book, know that our sincere goal is to connect with new readers who may have never been exposed to any Christian content in the novels they read. 

We are happy to offer you a copy of one of the following books as a replacement for the book you purchased.  Please respond to the e-mail and let a customer service representative know your preference. 

A novelization of one of the Kendrick films, Overcomer or Lifemark 

Under a Cloudless Sky by Chris Fabry 

Rule of Law by Randy Singer

 Again, thank you for your feedback. 

Charlie

Customer Service Representative

  OK, my first two thoughts:
#1. We are talking fiction. Fiction is not real. Fiction is often unrealistic. So you don't need bad language to make something more realistic that isn't realistic in other ways. I mean seriously...so many Christian suspense novels are about a couple falling in love while on the run from a killer or while trying to solve a crime. Is that realistic?😀

#2. Christianity is not realistic. I could write a long time about that, but I will say this: The one true God sent his only son as a baby who grew up to die on a cross for our sins and rose the third day. That is not realistic in the least. 

#3. You want to draw non-Christians to Christianity by using words in a book that Christians should not be using? Doesn't make sense.

#4. Here you have a Christian publisher that publishes and sells a lot of Bibles....yet they see nothing wrong in ignoring what that Bible says when it comes to the language in recent books. Stuff like how we should talk, about not offending our Christian brothers and sisters...etc. 

   I have struggled in areas for years, and in more recent years have really been struggling with my faith, mostly because of politics and political Christians.  I like it when a book has a character struggling with their faith. In fact, I just read a book yesterday where the main male character had been struggling with his faith for three years because of a tragedy, and had not been in church for three years. (Echo, Hunt Brother Brothers Search and Rescue Book #2 by Jessica Ashley.) It was an amazing read and not one improper word in it. And all of the main male characters in the series are former military.

 Sex scenes would probably make a book more realistic these days. I hope that Tyndale never goes there, but there is such a thing as a slippery slope.

 And I don't want to come across as some perfect Christian. I am not. My faith has about been shattered, and I am barely hanging on some days by a thread. But that doesn't make bad language in a Christian book by a Christian author and publisher OK. 

I am not sure what to do about buying and reading Tyndale fiction books at this point. If I but one with the kind of language in that are in Ryan Steck's novels, I am going to be frustrated and wanting my money back. 

I did suggest that if they are going to do the bad language, they should indicate on the book, or make a special imprint where authors can curse to their heart's delight. 

There are others bothered by it, and some who will defend it. I have a theory, and there is no way to prove that theory: I believe most, if not all, Christians who defend bad language in Christian fiction read a lot of non-Christian fiction. I know of two Christian fiction authors that I read who defended it, and I know both of them read a lot of secular fiction. And I am not knocking that. I just think they are so used to cursing in books that it doesn't phase them if it appears in Christian fiction. Now me...I only read Christian fiction, and one reason is to avoid that kind of language. 

The last secular fiction novel that I read was a Nicholas Sparks book I somehow got to review 5 years ago. 

I did reply to Tyndale, asking again about the book, and politely saying what I thought of their "realistic" reasoning. We will see what they say to my suggestion. But I have a feeling I may have to boycott their books, or email them about any book I am interested in to check on the language.

I have said it before, and I'll say it again: Bad language does NOT belong in a Christian book. There is no reason or excuse for it. We are inundated with it all around us, and it is pathetic that a Christian publisher doesn't care about offending long time faithful readers in their attempts to be more "realistic". 

Shattered, Erin Delaney Mysteries #1 by Nancy Mehl

 

Book description:

Was this the last thing she'd ever see? Would she be able to make things right before it was too late?

"God . . ." was all she got out before he lunged toward her.

Grappling with the aftermath of a tragic incident that altered her life, ex-police officer and bestselling mystery author Erin Delaney finds solace in the tranquility of a cabin nestled deep in the Smoky Mountains. But her restful stay is shattered when cries pierce the night, hinting at a lurking presence haunting the woods. When local police chief Adrian Nightengale seeks her help with a carefully arranged murder scene, she is thrust back into the world of crime solving. As they delve into the investigation, Erin's intuition reveals chilling truths about the killer's motives and strategically perfected methods.

Joined by the enigmatic Kaely Quinn-Hunter, a former FBI behavioral analyst, Erin not only embarks on a quest to stop the merciless serial killer, but also confronts the revived ghosts of her past. In a race against time, Erin must defeat her own demons while outmaneuvering a cunning killer or risk becoming the next victim in this deadly game of cat and mouse.

Shattered Sanctuary is a clean, Christian, thrilling suspense novel set in the Smoky Mountains, full of police investigations, haunted woods, eerie threats, and ominous evidence. For fans of high-stakes suspense, Lynette Eason, and Elizabeth Goddard.

My review:

This is an author who just seems to get better with each book and series, and this book is one of her best, in my not-so-humble opinion. There is so much to like about the book.

The setting: I only visited Tennessee once - Gatlinburg - but I love the area. So I really liked the setting for the book.

The characters: Erin was a great main character, as was Adrian. I loved the fact that the author brought Kaely Quinn Hunter from the Kaely Quinn series into this series. It made the story all the more interesting. And I am guessing a romance will develop between Erin and Adrian at some point. Romance takes a back seat and is a very slow burn in Mehl's last few series.

The plot: Amazing and genius...especially when Erin and Kaely started looking for a pattern. Very cool, if one can use that work for a psychopath's methods. And again, adding Kaely to the series was a genius move on Mehl's part. The way she had she and Erin work together made the book all the more interesting.

I feel the last few series this author has written lean more towards being thrillers. Her earlier books that were simply suspense/mystery were great reads, but she has surpassed those with her more recent series, and has become an amazing author. This book is proof of that.

There is a lot of talk about God in this book. Kaely is a Christian, and Erin is very skeptical of God and Christianity. I love how the author worked the Gospel into the discussions between Erin and Kaely, and did not pull any punches. And it only added to the story.

Lastly, the humor. I'll try not to give spoilers, but Erin and Kaely patronize a couple of businesses that are all about Dolly Parton. I was reading the book at work (I am allowed when not busy), and was chuckling out loud. Good thing the ER waiting room was empty.

My favorite line in the whole book: "I feel like I am in a Dolly Parton nightmare."

This was an amazing and masterful story, and I cannot wait to read the other books in the series.

Special thanks to the author for an copy of this novel. I was under no obligation to provide a review and the thoughts contained herein are my own. 

About the author:

Nancy Mehl lives in Missouri, with her husband Norman, and her puggle, Watson. She's authored over fifty books and is currently at work on a new FBI suspense series for Bethany House Publishing. 

All of Nancy's novels have an added touch - something for your spirit as well as your soul. "I welcome the opportunity to share my faith through my writing," Nancy says. "It's a part of me and of everything I think or do. God is number one in my life. I wouldn't be writing at all if I didn't believe that this is what He's called me to do. I hope everyone who reads my books will walk away with the most important message I can give them: God is good, and He loves you more than you can imagine. He has a good plan especially for your life, and there is nothing you can't overcome with His help." 

You can find out more about Nancy by visiting her Web site at: www.nancymehl.com. She also is active on the Suspense Sisters: www.suspensesisters.blogspot.com and on FaceBook!

                                                        Coming October 2025

Crimson Sands, Task Force SEAR Book One by JJ Samie Myles

Book description:

 He trusts her with his life, but not with his heart.

Bible Smuggler Dakota Kimani is fearless in spreading the Gospel. When her friends are abducted by a Somali terror organization, she will do anything to rescue them—even reach out to the one man she wronged and vowed to never again contact.

Former Marine Raider Keith McCord isn't one to look the other way when innocents are slaughtered. So yeah, he agrees to help the woman who ripped out his heart. With a team of trusted operators, he infiltrates Somalia and finds himself waging war on terror and old feelings.

“No plan survives contact with the enemy” proves true when the hostage rescue turns dicey. The terrorists' tactics are aggressive and shrewd, leaving Keith questioning the loyalty of his teammates and allies. Meanwhile Dakota wrestles with a dark secret that threatens to destroy the tenuous bond she and Keith have reforged.

Death breathing down their necks, Keith and Dakota are in a fight for their lives, their faith, skills, and trust in each other pushed to the breaking point.

My review:
  This is the author's second published book. She wrote one of the books in the multi-author series, A Breed Apart: Legacy. I have been curious what her first book in her own series would be like, and it was an amazing read. 

  Crimson Sands is not a light read. Most of it takes place in Somalia, and there is open persecution of Christians by Islamic radicals. There is nothing overly graphic in the book, but it does bring home the reality that not all Christians around the world have it as easy as we do in the U.S.

  But even with some heavier stuff like that in the book, there is also some humor and banter between the team mates. Goats play into that humor a couple of times. 

  Dakota (female - I'll never get used to it being used for females) - and Keith were great main characters. They had had a relationship eighteen years prior, and had not seen each other since. There was a lot of conflict between them, and also between Keith and his brother that had to be resolved and forgiven.

 There is pretty much non stop action, drama, and suspense for much of the book. Rescuing imprisoned Christians from Islamic radicals intent on killing them is not an easy task, and Myles does a terrific job on portraying what that might be like, along with authentic weapons and military actions and methods. 

I really enjoyed the book, and am looking forward to more in the series. Myles has created some great characters, and it is evident she is already a pro at spinning a great story around those characters. 

Special thanks to the author for an advance e-book copy of this novel. I was under no obligation to provide a review and the thoughts contained herein are my own. 

About the author:
JJ Samie Myles Growing up in the beautiful east of Switzerland, JJ Samie Myles spent her childhood chasing adventures and crafting stories with her vivid imagination. Curious what the big wide world has to offer, she became a travel agent and later a missionary, collecting enough writing-inspiration for a lifetime. Now she shares her passion for thrills and God’s grace through her suspense and faith-filled stories.

Crimson Sands will be released on March 19. 

Check out her other book, Riot, the third book in the Breed Apart: Legacy Series.

New and notable author: Jorgia Yates

  I have not done one of these posts for a while, and decided I needed to after reading a new author today. 

 Her books came up as a suggestion a few months ago, but there was one problem: There were none published yet. She did have a free prequel out for signing up for her newsletter, but I had not read it yet since it wasn't on Goodreads - I keep track of books for my reading goal there.

However, book one in paperback came out before the e-book for a change, and I ordered it as soon as I saw it was available. It arrived today, so I decided to read the free prequel. I loved it, and then read the first book in the series, Collision Course. It was even better. Here is the plot:

Serve his country or rescue his wife?

Federal Air Marshal Reese Donovan has sacrificed everything he loves to keep another 9/11 from occurring again.

After living apart from his wife, Verity, for a year, the last thing he expects is harrowing news that will force him to examine where his loyalty lies.

While he’s been busy keeping the skies safe, Verity narrowly escaped a deadly explosion.

To add insult to injury, the trauma has left her suffering from selective amnesia.

Verity believes she and Reese are still happily married.

With his wife depending on him to fill in critical memories before the bomber strikes again, Reese must lie to Verity while placing his faith in the private security team he holds responsible for widening the cracks in his marriage.

Unsure of who he can trust, and with time running out, Reese will face his greatest fear.

Prevent a terrorist attack or save the woman he still loves.

Buckle in with Reese and Verity for an explosive start to a high-octane Christian Romantic Suspense series where nothing is what it seems, love can be lethal, and any day could be your last...

Here is my review I posted for it on Amazon, Goodreads, etc:

Awesome debut novel. I love security type suspense novels, and am looking forward to reading more in this series. There was so much to like about this book. Reese and Verity were great and likable main characters. The fact that they were had been separated for a year and were getting a divorce, and only he remembered that was a great part of the plot - I do like a good amnesia story.
I liked the Hightower team, and the author did a great job on the interactions between them, and the friction between Reese and the team because of him being so suspicious.

And the suspense was top notch. Especially the airplane scene towards the end of the book. That scene shows this author has the skills to write great suspense.

Ever since I ran across this author, I have been eagerly waiting to read this book. And I am impressed.

I highly recommend her books, and am looking forward to the second book, Lethal Deceit, coming in June. 

Link to get the free prequel, Covert Risk:  https://www.jorgiayates.com/subscribe.html#/

About the author:

Jorgia Yates writes swoony Christian Romantic Suspense with protective heroes and courageous heroines who constantly find themselves in sticky situations they need to shoot or smooch their way out of.\

After meeting as two awkward teenagers in the nineties, Jorgia married the man her soul loved, and they have been blessed with two cherished children on the spectrum.

Due to pesky physical disabilities, Jorgia is limited in what she can do outside the home, so she lives vicariously through her characters' exciting adventures.

                                                             Coming in June: 

Waylaid, Windy City Westons Series #1 by Jerusha Agen

Book description:

 Someone wants to kill her. She wants the killer to finish the job.

Spring Weston will do anything to rise in the ranks of pro cycling and prove she isn’t the one failure of the five Weston siblings. Anything except cheat. When she learns of doping on her cycling team, she’s determined to uncover the truth. But she can’t if she’s dead.

Sergeant Torin Cotter may not be the hero the public thinks he is, but he recognizes fear when he sees it. When he takes over the investigation of the collision that landed Spring in the hospital, he’s compelled to protect her from whatever danger she’s in, even though he knows he might fail. Again.

Spring’s faith in God isn’t enough to help her face the living nightmare she awakened to after the accident. But neither she nor the handsome sergeant see the greater threat that’s coming until it’s too late.

If they’re going to survive, Spring and Torin will not only have to confront their worst fears—they’ll have to find a reason to live.

Waylaid is the first installment in the thrilling Windy City Westons series that features five siblings who encounter danger and love in the city of Chicago. (Each book can stand alone or be read as series installments.)

My review:
  I loved this author's first series, Guardians Unleashed, which was totally awesome. I have been looking forward to this first book in her new series, very curious what it would be like. 

 This is going to be a totally different series. This one is about siblings, which I really like, and the setting is totally different. 

 I liked the two main characters a lot. Spring is a complex character that has issues that she deals with poorly, but you can't help but like her. Torin is an emotional basket case, still struggling with the shooting of his wife a few years prior. 

And then there are the other four Weston siblings. Man, could five siblings be any different than these five?
Robert: the oldest brother, psychiatrist, quiet, serious, and the voice of reason, though his reason doesn't seem to include God.
Victoria: one of Spring's physical therapists. Christian, trying to do the right thing
Patricia: consistently late, very flighty, seems stuck on herself, but cares about her family.
Henry (Hank): the youngest sibling. He only makes a brief appearance at the end of the book, so not a lot is said about him, other than the fact that he is thinking about doing something to disappoint their dad.

 Speaking of their dad....what a pompous arrogant jerk. He seems to only care that his kids follow him into the medical field. Which Spring did not. 

 Anyway, what a great read. There is tons of suspense.....especially  the rehab center scene that takes up a lot of the book - I won't give spoilers away - but the author outdid herself on that ordeal. And there is a big surprise on a bad guy that I never saw coming. 

 I loved the faith element in the book. Spring is a Christian, but very angry and bitter towards God because of what happened to her. I get the idea that only she and Victoria are Christians, so there is a little tension between the siblings because of that. (Hank may be..as I said, not much info is given about him so far). 

 The book had a great ending that left me wanting more of this family and series. I am looking forward to the next book, Wasted, which will be about Victoria. Coming waaaay out in October. 

Special thanks to the author for an advance e-book copy of this novel. I was under no obligation to provide a review and the thoughts contained herein are my own.

About the author: 
Jerusha Agen imagines danger around every corner, but knows God is there, too. So naturally, she writes romantic suspense infused with the hope of salvation in Jesus Christ.

As a child who spent most of her days with a book in-hand or creating her own, Jerusha has always had a tremendous love of stories. She has long seen the world in terms of story—God’s story for humanity and the smaller stories of individuals that make up that bigger story of life itself. This fascination with story seemed to mean that she was destined for a life of telling stories herself. She followed the obvious start on that path by obtaining a B.A. in English with a Creative Writing Emphasis.

Then God took Jerusha on an unexpected twist in her life story and gave her the opportunity to work in the film industry. Jerusha wore many hats for films in the local independent film industry, from production and personal assistant, to script supervisor, camera operator, and producer. But her favorite roles in the film biz were easily that of directing and screenwriting.

God gradually worked in Jerusha’s life to bring her out of the film industry and back home to her original dream of writing novels. She can’t imagine a better way to earn a living than to spend time creating stories with the ultimate Storyteller and Creator.

In between writing and reading scary romantic tales, Jerusha enjoys curling up with her two little cats and three very big dogs to watch movies. Her favorite movies, like her favorite books, tend to have plenty of suspense and romance.

When she manages to be pried away from movies and books, Jerusha’s other favorite activities include cross-country skiing in beautiful Midwest winters, baking and eating decadent desserts, drawing, and painting.

Waylaid will be available March 27.

Look for Wasted October 2025.

Trained to Protect by Terri Reed

Book description:

 Protecting a witness could be a deadly mission for this K-9 team.

K-9 officer Tarren McGregor never imagined that a cartel would find its way to Texas’s South Padre Island—or target his best friend’s sister. But when Julia Hamilton witnesses and prevents the kidnapping of a teen girl, Tarren knows that trouble is soon to follow. Because Julia didn’t just protect the girl—she saw the abductor’s face. Now she’s marked for murder, and it’s up to Tarren and his K-9 partner to keep Julia safe from the human traffickers in pursuit…even if it means putting themselves in the line of fire.

From Love Inspired Suspense: Courage. Danger. Faith.

My review:
   Some books have a slow buildup to action and suspense, but this one just takes off from the first page with an attempted kidnapping, and never lets up until the very end. 

  I really liked this book. Suspense is my favorite genre', and this author did a great job on that aspect of the book as she always does, with a lot of drama and action thrown in. But I loved the characters and their relationships and interplay. There is a lot of discussions about "tropes" in Christian fiction, and the trope in this one was best friend's little sister.

 Tarren, the hero of the story, has been best friends with Julia's brother, Jeremy, since 1st grade, so Tarren has always steered clear of Julia in the romance department. To make things worse, her brother is now her boss. 

And don't forget Raz, Tarren's K-9 partner. I am not a fan of dogs at all, but I do enjoy these K-9 suspense novels.

Throw in a drug cartel that consists of some very bad guys, kidnapped girls, and a lot of gun fighting, and this turned out to be an excellent read. 

Special thanks to the author for an advance copy of this novel. I was under no obligation to provide a review and the thoughts contained herein are my own.

About the author:
Award winning, multi-published author Terri Reed found solace from a chaotic childhood in the pages of books that took her far away to different realms and realities. When she discovered Christian fiction, she also discovered her own story telling voice. Now she writes books of heart-warming romance and heart-pounding suspense infused with faith. Her romance and romantic suspense novels have appeared on Publisher's Weekly top ten and Nielsen BookScan top hundred lists, and have been featured in USA Today. She's a member of the Honor Roll of Romance Writers of America. Her books have finaled in Romance Writers of America RITA contest, National Readers' Choice Award, Inspirational Reader's Choice Award, and the American Christian Fiction Writers Carol Award. One of her romance novels was adapted into a Hallmark movie for Christmas 2019. Terri resides in the Pacific Northwest with her college-sweetheart husband. When not writing, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends and running the agility course with her Australian shepherd.

Check out her website for more about Terri and her books: www.terrireed.com 

If you sign up for her newsletter, there is a free ebook download here. 

Break My Fall, Gossamer Falls #2 by Lynn H Blackburn

Book description:

 She's determined to make an impact in her community.

He's determined to make sure she lives long enough to do it.

Dr. Meredith Quinn always planned to return to Gossamer Falls to practice dentistry. Now that she's back home, she's made it a point to offer clinics to children and adults in nearby underserved areas. Unfortunately, those same areas are known to harbor drug traffickers, and Police Chief Grayson Ward suspects that local law enforcement is looking the other way.

After too many losses, Grayson has closed off his heart. But with Meredith in his life, he feels his walls crumbling, leaving him exposed and vulnerable. To keep her alive, he must keep her close, but that makes it impossible for him to retreat and rebuild.

Will she be the one who finally helps him emerge from isolation? Or will this force of nature leave him shattered?

My review:
   This is the third series by this author, and she excels at coming up with great uniquely characters, and having awesome entertaining banter and conversations between them. I admit to wishing I could join the fictional characters around their firepit. And I love the closeness of the families in this series, and how protective Meredith's brother and cousin are of her. 

  The suspense and plot were top rate in this one. Why the bad guys are after Meredith is pretty obvious, and even an idea of who, but it is still suspenseful and makes for a page turner. 

 Meredith and Grayson made awesome main characters. I loved their interplay as he was determined to keep her safe while trying his best not to give into his attractions. He thought that he had a good reason to avoid relationships, but obviously that had to change. 

The book had a very dramatic and climatic ending. You know something is going to happen at the wedding....and I'll just leave it at that.

Loved the book, and am looking forward to Mo and Bronwyn's story, and finding out why they can't stand each other and refuse to speak to each other. 

Special thanks to the author for an advance e-book copy of this novel. I was under no obligation to provide a review and the thoughts contained herein are my own.

About the author:
Lynn H. Blackburn is the award-winning author of Never Fall Again, as well as the Dive Team Investigations and Defend and Protect series. She loves writing swoon-worthy Southern suspense because her childhood fantasy was to become a spy, but her grown-up reality is that she's a huge chicken and would have been caught on her first mission. She prefers to live vicariously through her characters by putting them in terrifying situations while she sits at home in her pajamas. She lives in Simpsonville, South Carolina, with her true love, Brian, and their three children. Learn more at LynnHBlackburn.com.

Break my Fall will be available March 18

                                                               Book #1

  

Author interview: Robin Patchen

Intro: 

Robin Patchen is still a somewhat new to me author. The first book I ran across of her, didn't appeal to me....much to my shame. And I even admitted that to her. 😀 Then I ran across Innocent Lies, the 4th book in her Nutfield Saga, and it caught my eye. It was an amazing book, and I w started reading all of her books in print at that time (May 2022). Then I realized this was an author whose books I wanted to own in paperback, so I started buying her backlist and everything new. 

She has three series out currently:
#1 The 10 book Nutfield Saga, including a Christmas book with three stories in, published this past year. 

#2. The 11 book Coventry Saga Series.

#3. The Wright Heroes of Maine. This currently has 5 books out, including a prequel, with 5 more on the way. And in my not so humble opinion, this is her best series so far. My little sister, who used to be too squeamish to read suspense, said the first one was one of the best books she ever read. (Link to buy that here.)  I just read the 5th book, Protecting You at the beginning of this month, and it was amazing. 

She has quickly become one of my favorite authors, and graciously agreed to an interview. I sent her the questions, and she answered them and sent them back.

 Without further ado, here is my interview with bestselling author, Robin Patchen. (Author bio at the end.) 

1. Robin, I just finished reading Protecting You, #5 in the Wright Heroes of Maine Series – which was awesome by the way. This is my favorite of your three series, and I would say the first book, Running to You, is my favorite book of yours.

Do you have a favorite book and series you wrote, or is it like kids – you can't pick a favorite?

It is hard to pick a favorite. I think they’re all “favorites” for different reasons. For instance, I love Generous Lies, book 3 in the Nutfield Saga, because it deals with a teenage boy who gets addicted to drugs. Our son dealt with addiction, so I feel a special connection to Garrison as he fights for his son. I love A Mountain Too Steep for a similar reason—it tells the story of a car accident my other son and my nephew were in. (Though all the other suspenseful moments in that book are completely fictional.) I looked forward to writing Legacy Redeemed for years, and when it was finished, I felt such a huge sense of accomplishment. I was very proud of that book, which had a lot of heavy themes. I love Inheritance of Secrets because of all the snow. And then there’s Running to You, a favorite not only because the story is unique compared to other storylines, but because it was so much fun to write. 

2. Tell some of your likes and how you spend time when not writing?

I love to travel. I’ve always said I want to visit every place in the world, twice. Haven’t quite done that yet, but I’ll be crossing Hong Kong and The Himalayas off my bucket list this spring when my husband and I visit my son, his wife, and our two grandsons (one of whom we haven’t met yet—he was born February 12). When I’m not traveling or writing, I help facilitate Bible study at my church, have fun with my small group friends, cook, and work puzzles. 

3. Why do you write Christian suspense, and what kind of impact do you hope your writing has on your readers, especially in terms of their spiritual lives?

I write Christian fiction because I can’t imagine anyone trying to live their lives without God. I write suspense because it’s so much fun to put people through terrible danger and see how they react. I might be a tiny bit sadistic—but only with fictional characters. 😉

4. Tell us a little about your writing process. Where do you get ideas, character names, plots?

I’m laughing because, after thirty books, I’m not sure I have a process. I get the seed of an idea, and then I just keep asking myself questions about it until it starts to grow. Then I take that tiny story-seedling to my brainstorming group, and together, we turn it into a plot. I use lots of great resources to help, like Susan May Warren’s Story Equation, John Truby’s The Anatomy of Fiction, and Blake Snyder’s Save the Cat. I use the Enneagram website to help build personalities and various name-generating and baby-name websites to figure out what to call these random people.  I do a lot of wrestling with it, a lot of praying, a lot of second-guessing myself until I’m somewhat sort of happy with it. I never know how the climax is going to play out, and no matter what I plan, it never happens that way, so I’ve given up trying to see all the way to the end. A bunch of work goes into planning a novel. And then I have to write the thing. 

5. How does your personal Christian faith influence your writing and character development?

I cannot imagine living my life without Christ, which is why most of my main characters are Christians. I believe we can and should hang onto our faith through the trials of life. I read a lot of stories where the hero and/or heroine gave up on God because something didn’t go well. I get that, and it can happen, but I like to see characters who lean into their faith when life gets hard. I love showing those examples—and trying to live that example as well. Life is hard, God is good. Both of those things are true, and when we realize God isn’t a genie who’s there to grant our every wish, the trials are easier to live with. 

6. Do you ever struggle with incorporating your faith into your writing without being preachy? How do you navigate that?

I hope my stories aren’t preachy. In Sheltering You, the heroine, Jasmine, was a very strong believer. She came from a strict household in Iraq where she had to hide her faith. All she had was a Bible—no church, no music, no internet access. Just a Bible. Her faith was based on what she read. I had a blast creating conversations between her and the hero, who grew up in an American church. I loved comparing what she’d learned from the Bible to what he’d been raised to believe—and watching them wrestle through the differences. That was probably my “preachiest” book, but I think it worked because they were talking about God, not just telling readers what to believe. 

7. Is there a character in your current series - or any of your books - that you found the most challenging to write? Why?

Probably Jasmine, whom I mention above. She was introduced in Rescuing You and was the heroine in Sheltering You. What do I know about growing up in Iraq? (Spoiler alert: almost nothing.) That book took a lot of research. And I had to differentiate her family from other Iraqi families, make it clear that how she lived wasn’t the norm. I needed her to not be free for the story—to be a sheltered captive of her family, but that’s not how most Iraqi women live. I had to delve into Islam, which also took massive research. I worried when those stories released that they would offend people. So far, I’ve had no complaints—as far as I know. (But I don’t read my reviews, so maybe I did and I’m just not aware.) 

8. OK, this is something I have wanted to ask an author, even if it might be a silly question: How did it feel the first time you saw one of your books come up on Amazon, or other retail websites, and has that feeling changed all of these books later when you see your books on those sites?

The first time I saw my name on a book on Amazon was so exciting. It all feels so real when there’s an actual buy link—almost surreal. And then people start buying, and it gets even weirder. (Of course, the sales come in slowly in the early days.) I think one my favorite early moments as a writer came when I saw my first two-star review. I thought—Oh, my goodness. Someone I don’t even know read my book! I mean, I hope it wasn’t a friend. 😉

9. Do you have any favorite books and authors you like to read and have read? Is Christian suspense your favorite genre' to write and also read?

I have so many favorite authors, both in Christian fiction space and not. I like to read general market suspense, and my favorite authors are Harlan Coben and Robert Crais. (If you read them, remember—they’re general market. The language isn’t always up to CF standards.) Christian authors… There are too many great ones to list. Misty Beller, Lacy Williams, Tracy Higley, Hallee Bridgeman, Susan May Warren, Sharon Srock, Charles Martin, Becky Wade… Gosh, I could do this all day. 

10. You have two more books slated in the Wright Heroes of Maine series: Capturing You in June, and Defending You in October (that is too long to wait!) Do you have anything in mind beyond that? 

As a matter of fact, yes! I’ll tell all the Wright sisters’ stories. Protecting You featured Alyssa; Capturing You will feature Brooklynn. Cici will be the star of Defending You. Then, I’ll tell Delaney’s and Kenzie’s stories—they don’t have titles yet. And there will be one more Wright Hero after that, but the main character is a secret. Altogether, there’ll be ten books in the series. (I am definitely intrigued - Mark)

11. Every author gets bad reviews. Do you pay much attention to reviews, and how do you handle negative ones you run across?

I have never been one to read all my reviews. I find it steals my time and can, if I come across a negative one, steal my joy. When my reader team leaves reviews, I want to know what they have to say. The first few reviews that come in on release day, I’ll skim. But after that, I pay them no mind. The only exception is when I have a book that isn’t selling as well as others in the same series or doesn’t have as high a rating. I’ll skim the low-star reviews to see if there was something I could have done differently to connect with readers. 

Thanks so much for agreeing to do this, Robin. I found your answers quite interesting, and am looking forward to more from the Wright family. Wishing you a lot of book sales, and hopefully there will be people who read this who have not tried your books, and do so. 😎

Author bio:
Robin Patchen is a USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of Christian romantic suspense. She grew up in a small town in New Hampshire, the setting of her Coventry Saga books, and then headed to Boston to earn a journalism degree. Working in marketing, she discovered how much she loathed the nine-to-five ball and chain. After relocating to the Southwest, she started writing her first novel while homeschooling her three children. The novel was dreadful, but her passion for storytelling didn’t wane. Thankfully, as her children grew, so did her writing ability. Now that her kids are adults, she has more time to play with the lives of fictional heroes and heroines, wreaking havoc and working magic to give her characters happy endings. When she’s not writing, she’s editing or reading, proving that most of her life revolves around the twenty-six letters of the alphabet. Visit robinpatchen.com/subscribe to receive a free book and stay informed about Robin’s latest projects. 

Defending the Child by Sharon Dunn

Book description:

 Caught in a mountain blizzard…

with a child to protect.

After Marielle Coleman’s foster son witnesses his mother’s murder, he becomes a killer’s next target. Escaping into a raging Montana snowstorm, Marielle and her little boy hide at a remote camp—and unexpectedly reunite with her ex-fiancé, Graham Flynn, an undercover DEA agent. Now Graham and Marielle must put aside their distrust to save the child from dangerous pursuers. But Graham’s still hiding secrets from Marielle…ones that could tie them all to a conspiracy that will end their lives.

My review:
  One of my favorite tropes in Christian fiction is reunited lovers. Years before, Graham had broken their engagement for reasons he thought best for Marielle. Towards the end of the book Graham admitted he didn't think he had fit with her because there was no long line of Christian heritage in his family as in hers. She replied that there are no grandchildren in God's family. I like that.

 I also love books with kids in, and especially when that kid is in danger and in need of protection. In this story, the bad guys are after little Ian because of what and who he had witnessed during a crime. The author did an excellent job on the suspense as the bad guy chased Graham, Marielle, and Ian all over a camp. 

Characters are an important part of a story, and this book had some very likable ones, bad guys aside. Graham, looking forward to some solitude, but setting that aside to protect his ex-fiancée and the little boy she is fostering. Maribelle, determined to protect little Ian, no matter what. And last, but not least, Ian. 

I have read several of this author's books, but this may be my favorite of the ones I have read. 

Special thanks to the author for an review copy of this novel. I was under no obligation to provide a review and the thoughts contained herein are my own.

About the author:
After 26 years of marriage Sharon's beloved husband Michael passed away in 2014. Together they had a life filled with adventure, laughter and unconditional love. She considers herself blessed to have been loved that way. She now lives with three nearly grown children, a nervous border collie and two cats.

Her love for mystery and suspense began in the fifth grade, when she found a whole set of Nancy Drew mysteries with pink covers in the school library. Sharon is the author of five humorous mysteries that were written for Christian readers. Her second book in her Ruby Taylor mystery series was voted book of the year by American Christian Fiction Writers.

Sharon has a bachelor's degree in film production and a master's degree in history. She loves old movies like Double Indemnity and anything by Frank Capra or Alfred Hitchcock. She enjoys reading all kinds of books but is partial to the nonfiction of C. S. Lewis. She loves to hear from readers. You can contact her through her Web site: SharonDunnbooks.net

Uncovering the Truth, Canine Defense #3 by Carol Post

Book description: 

A trail of threats…

and a K-9 to shield them.

When Alyssa Anderson stumbles upon her ex-boyfriend’s illegal art theft operation, she goes on the run—and narrowly escapes a drive-by shooting. With the help of her high school sweetheart, Spencer Cavanaugh, and his service dog, Apollo, Alyssa tries to stay one step ahead of her ex who will do anything to find her. When hit men are sent to her hometown, Alyssa’s life is in more danger than ever before. Can Spencer and Apollo protect her from a crime ring more sinister than they ever imagined?

From Love Inspired Suspense: Courage. Danger. Faith.

My review:
   I always enjoy the mini series that Love Inspired Suspense does. They are often by multiple authors, but this trilogy is by the same author. I don't think there is a Love Inspired author whose total book list I have read - there are a ton of Love Inspired and Love Inspired Suspense novels out there. 

 This is the third and final book in this trilogy. I admit I wasn't too crazy about Alyssa. The other two books were about her two sisters, and they were much more likable....but she did improve over the course of the story.

 Now Spencer, the male hero of the story, was completely likable. Former military with PSTD and an awesome service dog. I always like it when the hero of the story isn't perfect. I found myself YouTubing a couple songs he sang to the accompaniment of his guitar. 

The suspense and plot were well done and had me glued to the book. There was a surprise at to what was really going on. No spoilers, but it was so much bigger and worse than Alyssa thought she knew. 

There was a great ending, and the guy does get the girl. Again. :) I really enjoyed this trilogy, and this book was a great ending to it. 

Special thanks to the author for an review copy of this novel. I was under no obligation to provide a review and the thoughts contained herein are my own.

About the author:
From medical secretary to court reporter to property manager to owner of a special events decorating company, Carol's résumé reads as if she doesn't know what she wants to be when she grows up. But one thing that has remained constant through the years is her love for writing. She started as a child writing poetry for family and friends, then graduated to articles and finally novels.

Carol lives in sunshiny Central Florida and writes fun and fast-paced inspirational romance and romantic suspense. Her books have received a 2016 Royal Palm Literary Award and been nominated for a 2016 RITA® award and a 2014 RT Reviewers’ Choice Best Book Award. She is also a popular speaker, presenting workshops on a variety of craft topics. Besides writing, she enjoys sailing, hiking, camping—almost anything outdoors. Her two grown daughters and grandkids live too far away for her liking, so she now pours all that nurturing into taking care of a fat and sassy black cat and a highly-spoiled dachshund.

Check out her website: CarolJPost.com

                                                                         Book #1

Book #2