Friday, October 29, 2021

Deadly Target, Rocky Mountain Courage #2 by Elizabeth Goddard

Book description:
 

This cold case has suddenly warmed up.

She only hopes they won't get burned.

Criminal psychologist Erin Larson's dreams of a successful career come to a screeching halt when she nearly loses her life in a boating accident and then learns that her mother tried to commit suicide. She leaves her job to care for her mother in Montana. At least there Erin is able to produce her podcast, which focuses on solving missing persons cold cases.

Nathan Campbell's father was investigating such a case when he was shot, and now Nathan needs to enlist Erin's help to solve the case. She's certainly good at what she does. The only problem? She's his ex.

As the two dig deeper, it becomes clear that they, too, are being targeted--and the answers to their questions are buried deep within the past Erin struggles to explain and longs to forget.

My review:

   The idea of cold cases being investigated and solved intrigues me, and that is the main plot of this book.

  Deadly Target starts off with action by the third page. The suspense, action, and drama doesn't stop until the exciting conclusion. The author came up with a very intricate plot that had me constantly wondering where the story was going, who the bad guys were, and why the two main characters were constant targets.

 There were some definite surprises, especially when Goddard tied everything was tied together and secrets of the past of Erin and her mother were finally revealed. 

 The romance angle was well done. As much as the average reader enjoys it - even this confirmed bachelor - the idea of a man and woman involved in mystery and suspense falling in love and having a happily ever after is not realistic. Both books in this series, and at least a couple other books by the author have couples that had previously been in a relationship with each other. As enjoyable as the boy meets girl and they try not to be murdered while falling love stories are, the kind of romance in Deadly Target is much more realistic. Nathan and Erin had had a relationship some years before, which was ended by her just when he was ready to propose. The reason she broke up finally is revealed later in the book, while the reader is kept in the dark about that.

  So, this book has it all for romantic suspense lovers: great plot, constant action and suspense, and a very well done romance. It is all enough to have kept me on the edge of my seat and reading in one sitting until I got to the great conclusion of the book. Goddard has again delivered a great quality Christian suspense novel that is sure to ensure her niche in the Christian book market.

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


About the author:

Elizabeth Goddard is the USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of more than 50 novels,


including Present Danger, Deadly Target, and the Uncommon Justice series. Her books have sold over 1 million copies. She is a Carol Award winner and a Daphne du Maurier Award finalist. When she's not writing, she loves spending time with her family, traveling to find inspiration for her next book, and serving with her husband in ministry. For more information about her books, visit her website at www.elizabethgoddard.com.

 Deadly Target is available from Revell Publishing, part of the Baker Publishing Group.



                                                                         Book #1



Tuesday, October 26, 2021

Christmas at Cranberry Cove, Cranberry Cove Series #3



Book description:


 Ryder Langston retires from commercial fishing and manages Blake Sloan's supply stores. When the owner of the inn in Cranberry Cove hires a new executive chef, Ryder is intrigued by the tall woman with ebony hair who hides a dark family secret.

Juliette Duplay must flee from her French roots and her past when a family member turns against her. She'd like to blend into the American culture but can't escape danger even in the small community of Cranberry Cove.

Can Ryder and Juliette unravel the mystery in time to celebrate Christmas at Cranberry Cove? 


My review:

   I have enjoyed this series, and love the setting of the stories. It makes me want to move to the fictional town. Living near a lighthouse would be a definite plus.

  This book caught my interest immediately and I was happy to review it. #1 it is in this series. #2 It is a Christmas book. #3 I love the cover. Sometimes you CAN judge a book by its cover.

  Christmas at Cranberry Cove centers on Ryder, who had cameo appearances prior to this book, and Juliette, a new character and chef at the inn. This novel, as with the other two, is more of a cozy mystery with no intense scenes.

 It was definitely an enjoyable read. There is a lot of talk about food in the story, so I felt perpetually hungry throughout. The author did put one of the recipes at the back of the book, which was cool. I enjoyed the slowly developing romance, and hoped for the good guys to win.

 The book had a somewhat surprising turn at the end, which I wasn't sure I liked 100%, yet it did give Ryder the opportunity to do what he wanted to do with his life, so all is well that ends well.

 Another great read from this author.

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


About the author:

An award-winning author, June Foster is also a retired teacher with a BA in Education and  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 provided a rich source of information for her novels. June enjoys writing 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 the path to live godly lives.

Check out her website at JuneFoster.com


                                                                        Book #1



Book #2




Friday, October 8, 2021

Since You've Been Gone by Tari Faris


Book description:

With her vision and his know-how, this thing just might work . . .


Leah Williams is back in the quaint town of Heritage, Michigan, and ready to try again to make her business a success. But blank slates are hard to come by, and a piece of her past is waiting for her there. Heir to the Heritage Fruits company, Jonathan Kensington is the guy who not only made Leah's past difficult, but he also seems determined to complicate her present as well.

In order to avoid forcing a buyout of Leah's building, Jon will have to strike a compromise. Can the two of them work together? Or will their troubled past set the tone for their future?


My review:

   I rarely review books that are contemporary romances, but this one sounded good, and I like to try out new authors.

  This is actually the third book in a series, and characters from the previous two books along with references to events appear in this one.

  I did enjoy the book, enough that I will most likely read the first two at some point. The setting and the idea of restoring heritage.

  There was some bouncing back and forth between something that happened between the two main characters six months ago and the present, and that was a bit distracting to me from the main plot of the book......but that is a personal observation.

 The two main characters were both likable, though at times I wanted to smack them both and tell them to get on with it.......

 I typically read suspense novels, but there is a bit of suspense in any book of this kind. You know the couple is going to get together eventually, but it is fun waiting it out til it happens and how it happens.

 This was a fun and enjoyable read, and I recommend to anyone looking for a bit of a lighter read. 

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


About the author:


Tari Faris is the author of You Belong with Me and Until I Met You. A member of American Christian Fiction Writers and My Book Therapy, she is the projects manager for My Book Therapy, writes for learnhowtowriteanovel.com, and is a 2017 Genesis Award winner. She has an MDiv from Asbury Theological Seminary and lives in the Phoenix, Arizona, area with her husband and their three children. Although she lives in the Southwest now, she lived in a small town in Michigan for 25 years. Learn more at TariFaris.com.

 Since You've Been Gone is available from Revell Publishing, part of the Baker Publishing Group.


                                                                            Book #1



Book #2