Notable author: Karen Witemeyer

 

This author is not a new one to me, but is definitely notable. I first ran across her books back in June of 2021. Her book Stealing the Preacher sounded good and amusing, and I decided to order it. It is the second book in The Archer Brothers Series, so I bought it and #1, The Short Straw Bride on eBay. I loved both books, and started buying everything she had in print at that time, and have bought everything she has written since. And I have loved everything she has written.

There are a couple of other books in The Archer Brothers Series, but they do not appear in paperback by themselves. Archer Brothers #3, A Cowboy Unmatched is in The Match Made In Texas anthology, which includes stories from three other authors. An Old Fashioned Christmas includes two stories about the Archer Family. There are also a few other anthologies that Karen is part of. 

  She has a Facebook group called "The Posse", in which she interacts regularly with her readers. (click on link) I like it when an author does that. There are a few authors I have emailed and never heard back from, and I am still in the stage where I love it when an author answers an email, comments on one of my reviews, and interacts on social media with their readers.

   Karen's most memorable books - and her best - in my opinion, is the Hanger's Horsemen Series. It is a three book series about a group of guys who are in the military, and are so sickened by the military's brutal attack on Indians, they leave the military and go around helping people out of tough situations. The first book was controversial, and should not have been. It opened with the massacre of Indians - an actual event that happened. Karen received an award from the Romance Writers of America, and they took it back. There were claims that she glorified the massacre - which she did not. People left scathing reviews of the book - most by those who did not read the book. More about that in a blog post I did In Defense of an Author. (And my review of that book here.)That was very hard on Karen, and is something that will most likely bother her for years.

  Most of her books have some element of suspense, humor, and romance. I consider her an excellent author, and she is definitely one of my favorites. She is an author not afraid to put Christian content in her books, something I appreciate. In addition to her full length novels, she has novellas that are available in e-book form, and are also in anthologies with novellas by other authors. She also did a Christmas book last year that has three stories in it, one being a retelling of The Christmas Carol.

Her most recent release was a humorous shorter story titled "In Her Sights." It is the first book in The Pink Pistol Sisterhood Series, a series revolving around a pink pistol passed on to different single women. My review of that book is here.

The next release by her is one that intrigues me. It is due out in June, and is titled Fairest of Heart, #1 in Texas Ever After. It is kind of a modern retelling of Snow White, and sounds really good. If I understand right, the whole series will be based on similar stories.

Though I have only been reading her books for close to two years, she has quickly become one of my favorite authors, and is one I highly recommend. 

About Karen:

Voted #1 Reader's Favorite Christian Romance Author of 2019 by Family Fiction Magazine, bestselling and Carol and Christy Award-winning author Karen Witemeyer offers warmhearted historical romance with a flair for humor, feisty heroines, and swoon-worthy Texas heroes. She makes her home in Abilene, Texas, with her husband and three children. Learn more about Karen and her books at karenwitemeyer.com.

New and Notable Author: Pepper Basham

 Pepper Basham was a new author to me until last year. I kept seeing people raving about and recommending her books in a Christian fiction group I am in, especially her book The Mistletoe Countess. Back in July, I had the opportunity to review one of her books, so I went for it.

I realized a couple of chapters into The Heart of the Mountains that it was a sequel. I set it aside and ordered Laurel's dream, the first book. It is set in 1918 in the Appalachians. Way up in the Appalachians where superstitions , prejudice, and rivalry abound. I enjoyed both books, and was amused and fascinated by what life was like in that area and time period. The author lives in the Appalachians, and sets a lot of her books there.

I waited until closer to Christmas to read The Mistletoe Countess. I am not sure it was intended to be a series...but maybe it was....but it is #1 in The Freddy and Grace Mystery Series. It is set in the year 1913. And man...what an amazing and entertaining read. Grace's sister was to marry Lord Frederick Percy at Christmas, but events transpired that led to Grace being his Christmas bride instead. Lord Frederick (Freddy) is a serious, austere kind of individual. Grace is not. She is flighty, funny, apt to jump in without thinking, and very apt to get into scrapes....much to her husband's dismay and frustration. That book was followed by The Cairo Curse in February of this year, and that was a book that was as good, if not better than the first. There is a third book due out in December, The Juliet Code.

Basham writes both historical and contemporary, and does both exceedingly well. My favorite contemporary novel of hers is When You Look At Me, the second in the Pleasant Gap Series. (There are only two books, is that technically a series?) Not only was it a great read, but I really liked one of the main characters, Henry, the male protagonist. I didn't get the book to review, but I did leave a short review on Goodreads. And it made my day when the author commented on my review:

My review:

"This is the 4th book I have read by this author, and by far the best. It is unusual for an author to write a male character like Henry: shy, quiet, unsure of himself...especially around women, not comfortable around many people, etc....yet he turned out to be an awesome character and just the right guy for Julia.

I am a guy, but an emotional guy...so I found my eyes watering a lot through this book as Julia's pain from what happened came through, and how Henry helped her heal. This was an emotional read, but man was it a great read."

Why haven't I read this author's books before last week??

Her comment: 

MARK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you so much for your perspective here! It means a LOT!

Confession: I still find it very cool when an author comments on one of my reviews, or interacts with me in some way. (There are a few that I emailed who have never replied). And by the way, I read that book before I read The Mistletoe Countess and The Cairo Curse, so they may have taken the place of it being the best one of hers I had read. Another confession: I read her Pleasant Gap 2 book series and 3 book Mitchell's Crossroads on Kindle Unlimited, then bought all 5 books in paperback. :)

Pepper is an author described as "a best-selling author who writes romance peppered with grace and humor", and that does describe her books. I love her writing style, her characters, and the humor she sprinkles throughout her books. I really can't say enough good about her books. She is an author I am glad I discovered, and wish I had discovered sooner.

Her newest book is Authentically Izzy, a book I have not read yet. From what I understand of it, is letters between the a woman and her cousin. The idea doesn't appeal to me, but I have yet to be disappointed by one of her books, so I will most likely read it at some point.

The next book coming out by her is Positively Penelope due out the first of August.

She is an author I highly recommend, If you give her books a try, you will definitely not be disappointed.

About the author:

I wrote my first story when I was a nine year- old, freckled-faced tomboy in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains (my earlier writings wouldn’t have been considered “books”, more like short stories). Coming from a long line of oral storytellers, weaving a good yarn seemed a typical part of my life.  It wasn’t until I finished college, had two children, and a full-time job before I began to study the ‘craft’ of writing (you know when I had plenty of time).

My music-director turned pastor husband took his first senior pastor position eight years ago, moved the 6 of us to Tennessee, where we added our fifth and final kid to the Basham crew. And now we’re in Asheville, NC. Yep, we love the Blue Ridge Mountains.

So…now I’m an older, freckled-faced mommy enjoying life, learning to write, and laughing often.  My mom says that I must have a small bit of insanity because I don’t realize how stressed I ought to be.

I’m also a speech-language pathologist who spends her time hanging out with kids who have social communication and language difficulties! It’s a challenge and a blessing – and constantly teaches me about the importance of thinking outside the box!

Check out her website.

The Mercy Tree by Sharlene MacLaren

Book description: 

 It’s 1955, when scandalous affairs are never talked about, divorce is rare, a wife is a “homemaker” more often than not, and every Christian home displays its family Bible front and center. Certainly, a well-respected pastor in the conservative city of Muskegon, Michigan, would never be caught in the middle of a heinous secret that could ruin his career and break up his beautiful marriage and family. Or would he?

When Henry Griffin was stationed in occupied Japan in the mid-1940s, he met Rina Hamada, a Japanese woman who fell head over heels for him. Despite having a young wife and baby daughter waiting at home in the States, Henry had too much to drink one night, and one thing led to another… He knew it was wrong. He struggled with guilt and expressed his resistance, but she professed her love and continued to pursue him.

Now, ten years later, a letter from Japan arrives and threatens to upend Henry’s world. What to do and how to tell his wife are just the beginning of his troubles. Tough questions about faith, redemption, and preserving his reputation bring us here, under the shade of The Mercy Tree.

My review:
  I have read only a handful of this author's books, and have enjoyed each one that I read. I discovered her Hearts of Honor Series last April - a Civil War Trilogy - and loved it. I was happy for the chance to review this, her newest book.

 I liked the characters in this book. A lot. There is Henry, pastoring a church and thinking his one fall into immorality 10 years ago is never going to see the light of day.....until that comes back to bite him in the butt. Then there is Nora, finding out 10 years after the fact about her husband cheating on her, and now she is left dealing not only with that revelation, but the surprise from Japan that is a result of that fall into immorality.

 And then of course there is Emiko, the innocent in all of it.

 The author handled the subject of adultery, the fallout, and topics of forgiveness, hate, and prejudice very well. I feel she did a great job of portraying what life was like during that time period, and what the reactions and fallout could be like of a preacher confessing to a sin 10 years before.

 This was a great and enjoyable read that was full of Biblical truths and grace. Sometimes in a book like this, the adulterer's actions are almost glossed over and the spouse expected to just lie down and take it. That wasn't the case with this story.....and though fictional, it was amazing how Nora came to forgive her husband and love a little boy she never thought she could.

I was provided a copy of this book for review purposes. All opinions in this review are my own.

About the author:

Born and raised in west Michigan, Sharlene attended Spring Arbor University. Upon graduating with an education degree in 1971, she taught second grade for two years then accepted an invitation to travel internationally for a year with a singing ensemble. In 1975, she returned to her teaching job and then married her childhood sweetheart. Together they raised two lovely daughters, both of whom are now happily married and enjoying their own families. Retired in 2003 after 31 years of teaching, “Shar” loves to read, sing, travel, and spend time with her family, in particular, her wonderful, adorable grandchildren!

A Christian since age 16 and a lover of the English language, Shar has always enjoyed dabbling in writing. She remembers well the short stories she wrote in high school and watching them circulate from girl to girl during government and civics classes. With the teacher’s back to the class, some girl would whisper from two rows over: “Pass me the next page.” 

In the early 2000s, Shar felt God’s call upon her heart to take her writing pleasures a step further and after writing for six years, finally landed a contract to publish her first faith-based novel titled Through Every Storm. Now, with more than 20+ published novels, she daily gives God all the glory. 

Over the years, Shar’s books have reaped awards and nominations in several categories such as the “American Christian Fiction Writers Book-of-the-Year”, “Road to Romance Reviewer’s Choice Award”, “Inspirational Readers’ Choice Award”, and the “Retailers’ Choice Awards” to name a few. In addition, Interviews and Reviews voted one of her recent novels, A Love to Behold, “Book of the Year for 2019”.

In early 2020, Her Rebel Heart, released. It is the first in a three-book series titled Hearts of Honor. This marks her second Civil War series.

Shar does numerous countrywide book-signings and has made several television and radio appearances. She loves to speak for community organizations, libraries, church groups, and women’s conferences. In her church, she enjoys involvement in women’s ministries, and regularly attends Bible studies and other events. She and her husband Cecil live in Spring Lake, Michigan with their beautiful white collie, Cody.

Check out her website at CharleneMacLaren.com

The Mercy Tree is available from Whiter House Publising.

Thanks to the author for the review copy.

Notable author: Kimberley Woodhouse

  Kimberley Woodhouse is another author who is definitely not new to me, but is very notable. And she is the author I know the most about, and is one of three authors I have met in person. She and Tracie Peterson were in Sugarcreek, Ohio on a book tour for a series they wrote together, so I took a trip over there to meet them.

  Back in 2011, I was reviewing books for Broadman and Holman, and reviewed her first two books that were suspense co-written with her daughter Kayla, No Safe Haven.  (I did an interview with Kayla in 2015, and you can find it here.) I loved both books. With the exception of an anthology of 4 books she did with Ronie Kendig (another awesome author), she has been writing historical fiction since. Until her most recent book. I credit Kimberley with giving me a love for historical fiction. My favorite genre' is Christian suspense, but I really liked her books and had interacted with her on social media by then, so I started reading everything she wrote, and she got on my favorite authors list.

Some of her books I consider most notable: Her Mayflower Brides books. That is a series Barbour books did with multiple authors. Kimberley wrote four books for that series. I enjoyed all four, but my favorite is The Express Bride. It is not about a woman who got married really fast (haha), but is about a woman who worked for the Pony Express, something that has always fascinated me.

The other most notable to me is the Heart of Alaska Series she co-wrote with Tracie Peterson, and one of those was the book they were touring for when I met both authors. (I think the first one.) She did another series with Peterson titled Treasures of Nome. They have another series starting in May, 10 days before my birthday :), The Hearts Choice, #1 in The Jewels of Kalispell Series. Kimberley has another series (just her) starting in September: The Secrets Beneath, #1 in Treasures of the Earth Series, a series that has something to do with dinosaurs. 

She went back to suspense this month with the release of 26 Below, an awesome story revolving around cyber security. I loved the book, and was happy to see it is the first in a series, so there will be more. She lost her father a couple months ago, and didn't get the word spread about her new and upcoming books. I thought this was awesome: Several - and I mean several - did a cover reveal of The Secrets Beneath, and also spread the word about 26 Below. I follow several authors on Facebook who did it, and I am sure some did it who I do not follow. I thought it was amazing in what is probably somewhat of a competitive market. We can't buy everyone's books.

One thing that has impressed me with this author is the research she does for her books. She puts a lot of historical facts in her books, and I have learned a lot from her books. I have Googled things - such as how long it would take to get from one town in Arizona to the Grand Canyon by train. I learned about the Kolb brothers who took daring photographs in the early 1900's from her Secrets of the Canyon Series.

Christian fiction sometimes gets a bad rap. I remember people in my church I grew up in referring to the Christian novel as if it was barely a step above Playboy....not much of an exaggeration. There are a lot of Christian novels that have a lot of fluff - which is fine, we need fun and laughter - but there are also a lot that have a great Christian message, and that we can learn a lot from. Kimberley Woodhouse is one of those authors, and all of her books have some kind of Biblical teaching, often something that she was recently studying in the Bible.

 It is difficult for me to pick a favorite author, as I have so many favorites and they write different genre's....plus, it may sound weird, but I hate to try to pick a favorite. But Kim is one who is way, way up there. 

Kim has a stuffed crocheted chicken named Moe that she takes along on many of her adventures. And I will just leave it at that😀

Kimberley has two kids: Joshua and Kayla, both married. Kayla gave birth to Kim's first grandchild last year.  Kimberley's husband is a pastor, and they are currently pastoring a church in PA. And not only is she a great author, she is an awesome lady who interacts a lot with her readers. If you have not read anything by her, you are truly missing out.

Kimberley Woodhouse (www.kimberleywoodhouse.com) is an award-winning, bestselling author of more than 30 fiction and nonfiction books. Kim and her incredible husband of 30-plus years live in the Poconos, where they play golf together, spend time with their kids and grandbaby, and research all the history around them.

After The Shadows, Secrets of Sweetwater Crossing #1 by Amanda Cabot

 

Book description:

A brighter future awaits--if she can escape the shadows of the past

Emily Leland sheds no tears when her abusive husband is killed in a bar fight, but what awaits her back home in Sweetwater Crossing is far from the welcome and comfort she expected. First she discovers her father has died under mysterious circumstances. Then the house where the handsome new schoolteacher, Craig Ferguson, and his son are supposed to board burns, leaving them homeless. When Emily proposes turning the family home into a boardinghouse, her sister is so incensed that she leaves town.

Alone and broke, her family name sullied by controversy, Emily is determined to solve the mystery of her father's death--and to aid Craig, despite her fears of men. The widowed schoolmaster proves to be a devoted father, an innovative teacher, and an unexpected ally. As they work to uncover the truth, they just may find the key to unlock a future neither could have imagined.

My review:
  I tend to try new authors now more than I used to. This book was the second book I have read by this author, having read and reviewed a Christmas novella of hers eleven years ago. I had the opportunity to review this book, and decided to go for it.

  A good sign you like a book, is if you immediately look up their other books after you finish it.....and that is exactly what I did.

 I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was just so good. It had a great plot. I liked the setting, and I definitely liked the characters, main and otherwise. Craig and Emily made a great hero and heroine, Noah was a delightful and amusing character.....and even Beulah was a great addition to the cast.

  The book had a lot: There was some suspense, as Emily was determined to prove her father did not kill himself. There was prejudice against Beulah, and against Craig allowing a Down Syndrome kid in his school, and against Emily for allowing her in her house. There was of course romance, and a lot of lessons for the people of the town to learn. Not that many of them seemed willing to change their opinions. Emily and Craig had their own issues to overcome, and a past that influenced how they acted and reacted.

  Often as I read a book, I keep hoping for the climax of the story, and am impatiently urging the characters along. While reading this book, I got into it so much that I just enjoyed the flow of the book, hoping for the best for the main characters.

  This is the first book in The Secrets of Sweetwater Crossing. I am definitely looking forward to reading the other two books when they come out, and have already ordered a few books by this author on eBay. I definitely recommend this one.

I was provided a copy of this book for review purposes. All opinions in this review are my own.

About the author:

Amanda Cabot is the bestselling author of After the Shadows, as well as several historical and contemporary romance series, including Mesquite Springs, Cimarron Creek Trilogy, Texas Crossroads, Texas Dreams, and Westward Winds. Her books have been finalists for the ACFW Carol Awards, the HOLT Medallion, and the Booksellers' Best. She lives in Wyoming. Learn more at www.amandacabot.com.

After the Shadows is available from Revell Publishing, part of the Baker Publishing Group.

Thanks to Revell for the review copy.

Coming October 2023, #2 in the Secrets of Sweetwater Crossing Series: Against The Wind

Notable author: Christy Barritt

     

  I didn't really intend to do this as a weekly feature, but I am off today and just read the newest book by one of my favorite authors, Christy Barritt. She is not a new author to me, but definitely notable.

  I only recently really got into her books last February when I started reading her Lantern Beach Series. There are now 10 different series she has written that are in the "Lantern Beach Universe. (Link to the universe here.)

 I have never seen an author who writes books as fast as she does. The first Lantern Beach book came out in January of 2018. There are now 44 books in that "universe", and she has written several other books since then.

 I love all of her books I have read, but the series that impressed me the most was the Fog Lake Suspense Series. I read all 7 books on Kindle Unlimited last February. They were so good, I bought all 7 in paperback in June and read them all again.

 To give an idea of how fast this author writes: She just finished The Vanishing Ranch Series. Book #1 Forgotten Secrets, came out June 6, 2023. Book #10, Desperate Measures, came out February 23, 2023.

 And she had other books come out during that time that were not in that series.

 Her newest book, Fractured Lies, came out March 30. It is the first book in another Lantern Beach Series: Lantern Beach Exposure.

 For the most part, these are not short books. Fractured Lies comes in at 434 pages. She has definitely become an author whose books go in my Amazon cart the moment the paperback becomes available. 

And I read the books as soon as they show up.

In my opinion, Christy Barritt is one of the best Christian suspense authors out there, and her books are taking up a lot of space on my bookshelves with as many as she has out. She has several books set in the Outer Banks, which is my favorite vacation spot. In fact, her Lantern Beach books are set in the Outer Banks, though Lantern Beach is a fictional town. 

 Here is an extensive list of all of her books, as of last month. And no, I do not have all of them :)

About the author:
USA Today has called Christy Barritt’s books “scary, funny, passionate, and quirky.”

Christy, a USA Today bestselling author, writes both mystery and romantic suspense novels that are clean with underlying messages of faith. Her books have won the Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Suspense and Mystery, have been twice nominated for the Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award, and have finaled for both a Carol Award and Foreword Magazine’s Book of the Year.

She’s married to her prince charming, a man who thinks she’s hilarious–but only when she’s not trying to be. Christy’s a self-proclaimed klutz, an avid music lover who’s known for spontaneously bursting into song, and a road trip aficionado.

Christy currently splits her time between the Virginia suburbs and Hatteras Island, North Carolina. She has more than a hundred books published with over three million copies sold. Two book series are currently in development for film.

26 Below, Alaskan Cyber Hunters #1 by Kimberley Woodhouse

Book description:

A curse.

A killer.

A chill in the air.

Temps are dropping and time is running out.

In her new role as Emergency Operations Center director for Fairbanks, Alaska, Darcie Phillips prevents disasters. But none of her training can prepare her for the terror that's coming.

As a cybersecurity specialist, Jason Myers is determined to ferret out any threats to the town he now calls home--and that includes his reckless brother and his ecoterrorist friends.

When an old woman's wild prediction--widespread destruction as soon as the Fairbanks temperature falls to 26 below--hits national headlines, neither Darcie nor Jason sees a real risk to anything but tourism. Then the bodies start dropping.

Darcie is relying on her experience and intelligence to stop a killer; Jason is relying on God to guide the way. But they'll have to work together to find the truth and prevent their Alaskan town from becoming a city of nightmares.

My review:
  Twelve years ago this month I read and reviewed my first book by Kimberley Woodhouse...a Christian suspense novel titled No Safe Haven, #1 in a two book series she co-wrote with her daughter.

  The author went on to write several historical novels since then, both solo and co-authoring.

 This is the first contemporary Christians suspense novel she has written in years, and I have been looking forward to it. (Not that I don't love her historical novels....but Christians suspense is my favorite genre'.)

 So what did I think? I loved it. The end. :)
 Just kidding, though I did love it.

  The book started out a little slow as the author introduced the main characters and laid described their job descriptions, the setting, and what they were expected to accomplish.

What I loved...

The research:
      One thing that stands out with this author, is she does a lot of research. I Google things as I read, and she is an author who I have Googled things I read in her books, and have never found a mistake. And this book.......it is obvious she researched a lot. There is a lot of computer and cyber references, and I never got bogged down. She did a great job of describing things, so I never found my eyes glazing over. I learned a lot, and I confess it also left me with eyes wide open to what could happen to our country in those areas.

The characters:
    Darcie was one screwed up individual, to be blunt....but quite likable. She was a great fit for her job, and a great person to be in charge.
   Jason was kind of messed up a bit, thanks to his brother, and added a great dynamic to the team...and was also quite likable.

   Misty, Chaz, and Simon: Though the story revolved around Jason and Darcie, those three were part of the team, and added a lot to the story via their work and interplay.
  And of course the bad guys. What is a good suspense novel without them?

  The suspense: 
    Loved the suspense aspect of the story. There was a lot happening, and the suspense got ratcheted up the further in the book I got. There were threats, attacks, warnings by the mysterious old woman......

  I admit the author let some things happen I was sure would go another way, but it is nice to be surprised. Though obviously fictionalized, I still found it fascinating to see what might happen under those circumstances, and what the response of law enforcement and cyber experts might be.

 And it made me shudder a bit to imagine what could happen in real life if we were truly attacked in those ways.

 I felt the romance was downplayed in this book more than most books of this type, but slight spoiler: there is romance. (I may pass it on to my 16 year old nephew to read, whose reply when I asked how he liked one Christian suspense book was "It was pretty good, other than the romance). 

 And as is the case with any of her books, this author is not afraid to put actual Christian content in her books, and always, always gets a good message/lesson across by way of a  great story.

  This author has written some really great historical fiction, and I have enjoyed it a lot. But I thoroughly enjoyed her return to contemporary Christian suspense. It was a great and enjoyable read. This is labeled Cyber Hunters #1, which means there must be a couple more books coming in this series. I can't wait.

 And hats off to the author for tackling cyber security, something that obviously took a lot of work and research, but resulted in a great read.

I was provided a copy of this book for review purposes. All opinions in this review are my own.

About the author:

Kimberley Woodhouse is the best-selling author of more than thirty books and novellas, including A Deep Divide, Bridge of Gold, and The Mayflower Bride, as well as the coauthor of the Heart of Alaska series with Tracie Peterson. Kimberley’s writing has earned a Carol Award, the Christian Market Novel of the Year, the Holt Medallion, and many others. A proud former resident of Alaska, she now makes her home in the Pennsylvania Poconos. Visit her at kimberleywoodhouse.com.