Targeted Montana Witness by Sharon Dunn

Book description:

 On the run from unknown enemies…

staying hidden is their only chance for survival.

After being attacked in her workplace, Jillian Welch fears the worst—the mobsters behind her fiancé’s murder have found her. Uncertain of her safety in witness protection, she turns to Sheriff Luke Mayfair for help. But clues point to an obsessed fan of Jillian’s anonymous nightly podcast as her assailant. Now with potential threats all around, Jillian and Luke must seek refuge at Luke’s family farm. But when the continued ambushes escalate to attempted murder, they must expose the culprits before they get to Jillian first.

From Love Inspired Suspense: Courage. Danger. Faith.

My review:
   My favorite genre' is Christian suspense, and one of my favorite tropes is Witness Protection. So this book is right up my alley.

I really enjoyed the book. There was a lot of action and suspense, and some great chase scenes - I always enjoy those in a suspense novel. The bad guys always seemed a step ahead. which added to the suspense. 

Loved the two main characters. Jillian was determined to help people even if it put her in danger, and Luke did his dead level best to protect her, knowing she was going to leave. 

Dunn also wove a great faith aspect into the story, which I always appreciate in a Christian novel. 

And the book had a great ending that made reading the book worthwhile. I was hoping for that kind of ending, so I was quite satisfied with the end. 

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:

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

Standing Watch, Dakota K-9 Unit #3 by Terri Reed

 

Book description:

To protect an innocent witness…

a K-9 must sniff out a killer.

When K-9 task force officer Zach Kelsey’s estranged wife is attacked at a Mount Rushmore observation deck, he and his K-9, Amber, are quick to come to her rescue. He discovers not only that Eden, a park ranger, is carrying his child, but that she saw her coworker’s murder. As the only witness to the crime, Eden has no choice but to accept Zach’s protection. But with a ruthless killer ramping up his vicious attacks, they must put their differences aside to catch the murderer…before Eden becomes his next target.

From Love Inspired Courage. Danger. Faith.
My review:
  This is the third book in a 9-book series by multiple authors. The first book came out in April, and the last one will come out in December. 

  I read and enjoyed the first two books in this series, and have been looking forward to reading this one. Each book has its own plot, but there is a main plot running through the whole series that involves gun smuggling. 

 Standing Watch was an awesome read. I do enjoy romance, and second chance romances are one of my favorites. In this book, the couple is still very much in love, but are separated because Zach doesn't want kid....due to childhood trauma. 

I really liked Zach and Eden......and Tyler and Amber - their cat and dog. Zach is determined to protect his wife and unborn child, while wrestling with the idea of being a father. Eden still loves Zach, though she doesn't understand why he doesn't want kids. 

There is a lot of suspense in the book as the bad guy tries to get to Eden, as she and Zach try to stay safe. You have a pretty good idea who the bad guy is, but he is relentless and there are some nail biting moments as it looks like he will succeed. 

I loved the ending of the book. The author resolved the suspense and romance parts of the story very well, and left me wanting to read the next book, due out in July. 

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.

You can write to Terri at P.O. Box 19555 Portland, OR 97280 or visit her online at www.terrireed.com or email her at terrireed@sterling.net

                                                                       Book #1

Book #2

Book #4, Coming July 1

An Unexpected Grace, The Jewels of Kalispell #3 by Tracie Peterson and Kimberley Woodhouse

Book description: 

Can unexpected grace lay the foundation for a second chance at love?

After a decade away, Parker Bennett returns home with a traveling troupe to perform a play based on Uncle Tom's Cabin at the Kalispell Opera House. Parker has relished his life on the road, but being home awakens long-buried emotions when he encounters his first love, Johanna St. John. He can't help but wonder if there might still be a place for him in her heart.

Widowed for three years, Johanna devotes all her time to a demanding toddler, an injured father, and a successful millinery business. After the loss of her husband, she desires to move on, but reconnecting with her past love leaves her unsure of what lies ahead. Both committed to God's distinct calling on their lives, Johanna and Parker struggle to see how their futures can unite, and when strange things start happening around town, their second chance at a life together seems more unlikely than ever.

My review:
  **If you are not familiar with this series, the Jewels of Kalispell are historical buildings/businesses in Kalispell, Montana, that are still standing and being used today. This third book is about the Kalispell Opera House. 

 The dynamic writing duo of Peterson and Woodhouse has done it again. This was a truly awesome read. And for a guy whose favorite genre' is Christian suspense, that is saying a lot. 

Of course all of these authors' books have a villain, so there is always a bit of a suspense. And they created a great villain in James, greedy and evil brother-in-law of the widowed Johanna. I kind of felt bad for him at times. It wasn't his fault the authors created him to be the villain of the story. :)

And the story....great plot, and great and likable main characters. Who doesn't love a second chance romance? And this one was a great one. There was the struggle of Johanna to reconcile still loving her first love, while still loving her deceased husband, and Parker, who had never stopped loving her. 

The authors wove a great story around the opera house and theater troupe, adding in romance, Biblical truths, hope, and threads of suspense. All of that combined with some history resulted in a great read that could be held up as a standard of Christian fiction. This book did not just entertain, it made me think on Bible truths and God's will. 

I cannot end this review without mentioning Marvella, the judge's wife, matchmaker extraordinaire, and a very amusing and colorful character who was in all the books. She was awesome, and I loved the ending of the book where she got credit for all of her successful matches. 

I loved this series, and this final book was a great conclusion to this awesome trilogy.

Special thanks to the authors 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 authors:

Kimberley Woodhouse is an award-winning, bestselling author of more than forty fiction and nonfiction books. Kim and her incredible husband of thirty-plus years live in Colorado, where they play golf together, spend time with their kids and grandkids, and research all the history around them. You can connect with Kimberley on her website, KimberleyWoodhouse.com.

Tracie Peterson is the bestselling author of more than 100 novels, both historical and contemporary, with more than 6 million copies sold. She has won the ACFW Lifetime Achievement Award and the Romantic Times Career Achievement Award. Her avid research resonates in her many bestselling series. Tracie and her family make their home in Montana. Learn more at TraciePeterson.com.

Check out the rest of the series:

                            Book #1

Book #2

Echoes of Darkness by Darlene L Turner

Book description:

 A serial killer stalks a small town, and a police officer must face her family’s dark past to catch him.

The sleepy community of Kenorapeake Falls in northern Ontario seems like somewhere Constable Oaklynn Brock can finally outrun her violent past. That is, until she’s assigned to investigate a series of suspicious deaths. She can’t reveal that she knows how serial killers think because she grew up with one. Yet the eerie similarities between these murders and those committed by her father, known as the Suicide Slayer, hint at a copycat in their midst. But why here and why now?

Caleb Greene of the Canadian Watchers Squad, a special task force, has his own reasons to be wary of working alongside Oaklynn. But with rumors of a local cult known as the Light Paragons gaining power, the stakes are too high to refuse.

As they explore connections between the killings and cult, Oaklynn and Caleb are forced to confront old secrets…and a terrifying new threat. Someone is watching Oaklynn’s every move. They know exactly who she is and what she might be capable of. And soon her biggest fear isn’t just having her past exposed, but that a killer will turn whatever days she has left into a living nightmare…  

My review:
  I have read several of this author's mass paperback suspense novels for Love Inspired Suspense, a Christian imprint of Harlequin. I don't know that I have read all of hers - there are a ton of Love Inspired Books on the market. This book is also from Love Inspired Suspense, but it is Turner's first trade paperback novel. And is one I have been looking forward to.

 Turner came up with a great cast of characters, and at the top are the two main characters: Oaklynn and Caleb. Against her wishes, she is paired to investigate the case with him. This is romantic suspense, so you can figure out what happens there. :)

There are also a lot of other great characters, especially Caleb's interesting family with their wide variety of talents and expertise. I am hoping we see more of them.

Excellent plot. The daughter of a serial killer who is a cop living under a different name, a killer who is killing people the same way her now dead father did, and who is targeting Oaklynn with threats and other things. 

I thought I knew who the killer was right away, and pretty much stuck with that a lot of the book. Then the author did something - probably intentionally - that made me suspect someone else. It turns out my first guess was correct. 

I feel this is Turner's best writing to date. Part of that may be because this is a longer book than she writes normally, and there was more time for plot and character development. Regardless, this was an amazing suspenseful read that I did not want to put down until the very last page. 

Toss in an evil cult, and you have the makings of an awesome suspense novel.

And even throughout the violence of an evil serial killer's actions, the author wove Biblical truths and hope throughout the book. 

Special thanks to the author for an 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:
Darlene L. Turner is an award-winning author and lives with her husband, Jeff in Ontario, Canada. Her love of suspense began when she read her first Nancy Drew book. She’s turned that passion into her writing and believes readers will be captured by her plots, inspired by her strong characters, and moved by her inspirational message. You can connect with Darlene at www.darlenelturner.com where there’s suspense beyond borders.

Danger In the Shadows by multiple authors

 This is a different kind of book review for me. There are ten books by ten different authors in this e-book collection. I was asked by two of the authors to review their books, the two authors I am most familiar with. There are a few of them I am not familiar with at all. 

 The two I am reviewing are Haunting of the High One by Kimberley Woodhouse, and The Hidden Legacy by June Foster. 

Haunting of the High One

By bestselling and award-winning author Kimberley Woodhouse

Twelve years have passed since Charity Waldrep’s attempt to ascend Denali ended in tragedy. It’s different this time…or is history doomed to repeat itself?

  If I understand correctly, this may be the start of a new series by Woodhouse. It was a great suspenseful read, and the author did not hesitate to share the Gospel in it. The main character, Charity, is not a Christian. She is angry, bitter, and unforgiving. Her best friend had been a Christian, and Ranger Andrew, was a Christian...and the aim of her anger. 

 Something different about this story is the ages of the two main characters. Charity is 42 for the main part of the story, and I think Andrew is 45. There is eventually a romance - these ARE romantic suspense stories after all. :)

 I thoroughly enjoyed this story. Very suspenseful and a great message also. It is a great addition to this collection. 

The Hidden Legacy (Book two in the Ford Family Ranch series)

By June Foster, bestselling author of the Cranberry Cove series

Rancher Austin Ford and veterinarian Willow Lawson confront buried family secrets and unexpected danger, testing their growing bond amid mysterious threats to their future.

  This is book two in a series. I read the first book, The Novice Ranch Hand, earlier this year. The series is about the fictional Ford family and their sheep ranch. It centers on Erika Ford. This book is about her brother, Austin, who has taken over running the Ford ranch.

 Foster has written several books, and is still a bit new to the Christian suspense genre', but she does it very well. The Hidden Legacy is more suspense than the Novice Ranch Hand, and it was also an enjoyable read. I loved the angle of Austin and Willow's dead husband - you'll have to read it to find out - and Foster played that angle out very well, adding to the suspense of the book. I really liked both characters, and the author wove the suspense, mystery, and romance all together to come up with a great suspense novel. And add to that the hunt for buried treasure....who doesn't enjoy that?

  There are a lot of great novels in this collection, and I highly recommend these two I was asked to review. 

About the authors:
Kimberley Woodhouse is an award-winning, bestselling author of more than forty fiction and nonfiction books. Kim and her incredible husband of thirty-plus years live in Colorado, where they play golf together, spend time with their kids and grandkids, and research all the history around them. You can connect with Kimberley on her website, KimberleyWoodhouse.com.

An award-winning author, June Foster is also a retired teacher with a BA in Education and a MA in counseling. She is the mother of two and grandmother of ten. June began writing Christian romance in 2010. She penned her first novel on her Toshiba laptop as she and her husband traveled the US in their RV. Her adventures provide a rich source of information for her novels. She brags about visiting a location before it becomes the setting in her next book.

To date, June has written over thirty contemporary romance and romantic suspense novels and novellas. She loves to compose stories about characters who overcome the circumstances in their lives by the power of God and His Word. June uses her training in counseling and her Christian beliefs in creating characters who find freedom to live godly lives. She's published with Winged Publications. Visit June at www.junefoster.com to see a complete list of her books.