Poison

Title: Poison
Series: Bloodlines Trilogy
Author: Jordyn Redwood
Publisher: Kregel Publications
Published: January 23, 2013
Pages: 312
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Keelyn Blake is still haunted from the tragedy five years ago when her stepfather took her family hostage, raving about Lucent, a being who forced him to commit unspeakable acts. Some of the family made it out alive, the rest didn’t. Now, Lucent is back and this time he’s no hallucination. He kidnapped Keelyn’s niece and despite the fact that she’s estranged from her sister, Raven, she feels compelled to save what little family she has left. If only that was the end of it.

Lee Watson was there the day Keelyn’s life changed forever and even being the best hostage negotiator the FBI has couldn’t stop a madman from taking the lives of his family. For years he’s lived with the guilt of not being able to stop the standoff that day and trying to bury his past as deep as he can. He now must also protect his fiancé and face the possibility of having a ready-made family, something he never wanted. All while trying to keep his past buried when it seems like someone’s determined to dig it back up again.

As people who were involved in that fateful day start dying under mysterious circumstances, Keelyn and Lee fight to stay alive and together, but Keelyn knows lee’s hiding something and that secret could be the very thing that tears them apart. Also, with Raven missing and Keelyn targeted by a killer, Raven’s daughter faces foster hood and Lee faces losing the woman he loves. But in order to keep her he may just have to tell her his deepest secret.

Will Keelyn be able to forgive her stepfather for what he did? Will Lee tell her his secret or will he lose her? Will Lee end up loving Raven’s daughter or will he give up everything to not have a ready-made family? Where is Raven? Who is killing everybody and why? What are they using? Will Keelyn and Lee be able to solve this before the body count rises too high?
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Having read Jordyn Redwood’s first novel, the first in this series, and not loving it, I started this book not quite knowing what I would get. I was hoping for a better suspense than I got last time and I got it. This suspense is actually really good. It seems like this author took the constructive criticism to heart and jumped leaps and bounds ahead of what I thought was coming. This book is an amazing second novel and a really good well-rounded suspense novel.

The best part about this book was the fact that it kept me on my toes. I never knew, until the end, who really did it because a character was innocent or manipulated one chapter and the next completely ruthless and a murderer. It was exciting and gave this novel an edge. This author is great at surprising me and her medical expertise shines through in the snippets of hospital scenes we get. This book was significantly better than her first and is actually one that I can say is a favorite.

Because of this author’s struggle to establish a solid romance and mystery in her novel last time, I appreciated the fact that this was already an established relationship and instead of seeing this couple fall in love we get to see them grow stronger from the trouble they go through. That was a nice refreshing change from the normal suspense novel. I think this style suit her right now and I think she will do fantastically next time with a romance.

The concept of this book is amazing, yet completely believable. It seems like given the right circumstances something like this could happen. I also gained some knowledge about a horrible little bug that seems to thrive where I live, the black widow spider. Her use of them was genius and the reasons the characters had were just plain maniacal at some points and misguided in others. The characters that were suspects were realistic and had many facets to their character adding much to this story.

This author caught my attention with her first book and captured my heart with this one. This was a great suspense not just for a beginner but for any suspense author. I look forward to reading more from her and am excited to see how she’s going to end this series. This author’s improvement astounded me and solidified my belief that she is a fantastic author and is going to be here for a long time. This book comes highly recommended.

Overall, this is a fantastic book. The suspense is unique and keeps you on your toes. The improvement this author showed amazes me and makes me a huge fan. I highly recommend this on to people who love suspense novels. This book probably isn’t best for younger readers, but adults definitely and teens maybe. I give this book a four out of five.

* I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for this review. All opinions expressed are my own.*

Vanished

Title: Vanished
Series: Private Justice
Author: Irene Hannon
Publisher: Revell
Published: January 1, 2012
Pages: 336
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Reporter Moira Harrison was lost in a dark thunderstorm, when a lone figure appeared in front of her headlights. She slammed on her brakes but hears the sickening thump against her car. Then a man opens her door and tells her he saw everything and promises to call 911. When she wakes up after passing out, she realizes that the man didn’t call the police and the person she hit is gone. She’s determined to find that person. If only she can get someone to believe that this happened.

Ex-detective turned private eye Cal Burke is skeptical when Moira comes to him with her story, but with her reporter background and genuine composure, he thinks she’s telling the truth. He starts investigating and doesn’t find much until Moira realizes who that man was in the rain. Once that happens, Cal and Moira start uncovering secret after secret that wasn’t supposed to be discovered and it could lead to their demise.

As they work side-by-side in this bizarre case, they start to fall for each other. But, Cal isn’t ready to fall in love again after losing his wife and Moira isn’t ready to lose her heart again after being cheated on. However, despite their resolve to not fall in love, they just can’t seem to stay away from each other. They’re trying to catch a killer but, just when they discover love again, they might be his next target.

Will Moira and Cal be able to find out who did it and why or will the killer be just too good at what he does? Will their search put them in the killer’s sights or are his sights focused to tightly on perfection to notice? Will Moira and Cal risk love again or will they miss out on what could be the best thing ever? Why did that person jump in front of her car? Will Cal be able to keep Moira safe or will this be the second time he loses someone close to him?
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Irene Hannon is one of my favorite suspense authors. She always manages to keep me riveted and never lets me get bored reading her books. This book was no different. It started out very intense and definitely action packed. It also kept my attention throughout the course of the book and the romance seemed to progress naturally throughout the storyline.

The mystery surrounding this book is intense. You never fully know what happened until the very end and it definitely kept me guessing. Also, the reason this happened and why completely makes sense and I loved how the author portrayed the “bad guy” as more misguided rather than evil and someone to be pitied not hated. I think this is this author’s best yet.

The romance was definitely this author’s best. Before her romances kind of lacked, well, romance and it took a back seat to the suspense. This one wasn’t like that. The romance was prevalent throughout the book and I genuinely felt that this couple really did feel attracted to each other. I didn’t feel disappointed or jilted with this romance and it was actually really good considering it had to compete for time with the suspense. Definitely this author’s best.

The storyline was complicated yet easy to follow and kept me on my toes. Though I wasn’t given much of a chance to guess who that mystery man was, I spent the whole time trying to figure out why he did it and how he did it. It was a huge mystery and I loved it. I loved the new perspective and I loved how the answers weren’t really clear until the end of the book. This was a solid storyline that I loved and highly recommend.

This author captured me from her days as a Love Inspired author and ever since then I have tried to read every one of her books. Over time she’s gotten better and I constantly grow to love her more. I highly recommend this author and particularly this book. I’m convinced this is her best yet and am excited to see where this series will go. I can’t wait to read the rest of this series and the rest of her books. If you haven’t read any of this author’s books I highly recommend that you do.

Overall, a great suspense book and the best this author has written. I highly recommend this book to fans of her or fans of suspense. This book is great for adults and maybe teens, but not really much younger than that. I give this book a four out of five.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for this review. All opinions expressed are my own.*

A Flight of Fancy

Title: A Flight Of Fancy
Series: The Daughters of Bainbridge House
Author: Laurie Alice Eakes
Publisher: Revell
Published: October 1, 2012
Pages: 344
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Cassandra Bainbridge is somewhat of a bluestocking. She loves reading and has a fascination with hot air balloons. Her fascination with them rules her life, except when she’s around one man. Her passion for him has sparked some less then ladylike thoughts and actions. It’s a shame he has an extreme dislike for her other passion, balloons. When an accident happens leaving her with massive scars and barely able to walk Cassandra calls off he engagement feeling like it’s God’s punishment for the liberties she and her fiancé have taken.

Geoffrey Giles has become the new earl of Whittaker by force after his brother dies leaving him with everything. It’s a role he doesn’t want and he knows that Cassandra doesn’t want it either. After she gets burned and calls of the wedding, Geoffrey goes home to lick his wounds and stop a revolt of the Luddites, the people threatening to take down all his family, and other families, have worked for. But he still needs to convince Cassandra that he still loves her scars and all and he can’t be in two places at once.

The attraction that has led them astray too many times is still there and it makes it difficult for Cassandra to hold to her convictions. The more Geoffrey tries to convince her that he still loves her the more Cassandra doesn’t believe him, but danger keeps thrusting then together despite the fact that they try to avoid each other. Cassandra just wants to fly in her balloons and read some books, Geoffrey just wants Cassandra in his life as his wife.

Can Geoffrey convince Cassandra that he loves her as she is or will Cassandra lose the best thing to happen to her? Will Cassandra convince Geoffrey that balloons aren’t so dangerous or will Geoffrey forbid her to ever fulfill her dream of riding in one? Will Cassandra be able to believe that her scars don’t make her ugly or damaged but beautiful in her strength?
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I was actually really excited about this book. Having read two other books by this author, I was excited to see what else this author could do. I was a little disappointed in this book. Compared to her other series this story really wasn’t as good. The idea that you would break up an engagement because of some kissing and because of some scars is kind of ridiculous. If you loved somebody, would you give them up because of an accident?

The storyline was a little unrealistic to me. The Luddite revolt and everything that went with it seemed probable and I could see that happening, but Cassandra’s view of her romance with Geoffrey is strange. The feelings of inadequacy would arise after you’ve been burned so bad you can barely walk, but I feel like the Cassandra went a little melodramatic on me by saying it was God’s punishment for their actions, actions that were considered scandalous back then but now are just part of most relationships. I feel like if Cassandra wasn’t so adamant that that was God’s way of saying that they were bad for each other and instead it was more about the fact that she felt inadequate to be the wife he needs now, it would’ve greatly improved the story.

The romance was a typical Christian genre romance. Not much passion or many intimate moments between the characters. The romance lagged at times and during certain points of the book it actually took a back seat to the trouble with the Luddites. The ending of the romance, however, was really sweet and filled in a lot of missing pieces to the puzzle and touched me, but overall this isn’t a romance that will be remembered for years to come.

The suspense element was also typical of this kind of book and was really easy to figure out. I didn’t want to but I figured it out before a quarter of the book had gone by. However, you don’t pick up the book for the suspense you pick it up for the romance, so this suspense was a nice surprise though an easy surprise to guess. It adds a bit of tension to the book and adds a little mystery for people who aren’t avid suspense readers. The suspense, though easy to figure out, was an added plus to this book and added some distraction from a lackluster romance.

This author made me a fan with her first book with Revell and I was excited for this one. Though, it was a little disappointing, this book isn’t much different than most historical romances in the Christian market and for those of you who enjoy that, you’ll probably love this book. I do intend to still read more by this author. I’m still a fan and probably will be for a while. I loved her midwives’ series and hope she returns to something more similar to that.

Overall, a good average Christian romance, but it can leave the reader wanting more. I recommend this for anyone who likes a complex romance without too much passion. This book is perfect for adults, but I think teens could read it as well. I give this book a three out of five.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell in exchange for this review. All opinions expressed are my own.*

Eyes of Justice

Title: Eyes of Justice
Author: Lis Wiehl
Series: Triple Threat
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Published: April 3, 2012
Pages: 320
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Cassidy, Allison, and Nicole fight or justice every day, Cassidy as a crime reporter, Nicole with the FBI, and Allison as a federal prosecutor. Together they’ve dubbed themselves the Triple Threat and a force to be reckoned with. But, they’ve never faced a case so full of painful roads and dark alleys. They race to find the culprits to a friends murder before the killer decides to find them too.

After they find out that the police have a fellow cop in custody, some new evidence points to someone else and they’re determined to find him and bring him to justice. The Triple Threat women don’t know who to trust other than close friends and a new unexpected ally, a quirky private investigator named Ophelia. Together they start to engage in a deadly cat-and-mouse game that could leave them all dead.

As the killer gets closer to home with every day and closer to picking off the Triple Threat gang one by one, the Triple Threat also gets closer and closer to finding out who this mysterious person really is and his vendetta towards them. With a little help from friends and a lot of skill and badge pulling, they start connecting dots that were never meant to be noticed let alone be connected.

Will the Triple Threat gang be able to catch the killer before he gets to them or will they only see who he is with their last breath? Who is it? Is the killer someone they know or is it someone completely unrelated? Will the Triple Threat end up losing their jobs over nothing or will they catch the real killer before it’s too late?
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I haven’t read anything by this author before and was a little concerned that wouldn’t be able to read this book as a stand-alone. Thankfully, that wasn’t an issue. What was was the slow start and lack of realism as far as the jobs went. The characters seemed too keen on pulling rank and showing badges to get where and what they want. It seemed a little unrealistic and odd to me.

There definitely was a slow start to this book. It started out with a murder but dead end after dead end inhibited the story and crippled the end result. However, once the story picked up it never let up which is a perfect quality in a suspense/thriller novel. The author was fantastic at creating suspense and making the reader be put on the edge of their seats but I just wish that it had been through out the story and not just the second half.

The suspense was very suspenseful and thrilling and the author didn’t give very many clues as to who the murderer was making the guessing practically impossible and somewhat of a surprise, making it a huge plus for me. However, I think the way it was executed was a tad bit bland but the reasons the killer had for his murders were original and something that I haven’t really read before, but the premise of the story is a lot better than the actual story.

I felt that the characters lacked depth as well. One of their best friends was murdered and they cry and sob for the first half and then the second comes and nothing. The friend isn’t given much of a second thought and it was a huge letdown because of how close they supposedly were to each other. Also, there was an emotional gap between the women and any male in the women’s lives. Almost like they didn’t want them to know how they really feel. It was definitely strange considering one of them is married.

I’m sure this author is a good author, but I didn’t get to see it in this book. I may read more from tis author but I probably won’t jump at the opportunity. The only thing that saved this book was the suspenseful thrilled aspect in the book and even that was subpar in my opinion. I read so many books in this genre and because of that feel that book needs to be at it’s best for me to really like it. Unfortunately, this book didn’t really hit the mark for me, but maybe it will for you.

Overall, it’s an exciting thriller suspense but isn’t totally original in its execution and it can be boring due to the lack of action in the beginning and the lack of emotional connections between the characters. I recommend this book for fans of Lis Wiehl and for beginners in the genre. I give this book a two and a half out of five.

*I received this complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher though their Booksneeze blogger program. All opinions expressed are my own.*

The Guardian Duke

Title: The Guardian Duke
Author: Jamie Carie
Series: Forgotten Castles
Publisher: B & H Books
Published: February 1, 2012
Pages: 320
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Lady Alexandria Featherstone’s parents have been missing for a year now and the king has officially declared them dead. However, Alex doesn’t believe they’re dead. With a feeling that she would know if they were dead and a guardian coming to get her, she makes the decision to strike it out on her own and try and follow her parents’ trail.

Gabriel, the Duke of St. Easton, has a problem, unexplained sudden deafness. He also has to be a guardian to an independent young woman who is determined to find her parents. After exchanging letters with Alexandria, he soon realizes that he’s falling in love with a woman that he’s never even seen, let alone met. Just as soon as he makes this realization, he has to chase her across England and Ireland as she tries and unravel the mystery of her parents’ location.

As the chase continues, Gabriel gets more determined to find and Alex becomes more determined to run from him. With the difficulty of finding someone who seems to be one step ahead of him, Gabriel’s search is more difficult by the day. But he’s not giving up, in fact, the more she runs the more he wants to find her and the more he falls in love with her.

Will Gabriel find Alex before something happens to her or will she give him the slip before he can find her? Will Alex finally stop running long enough to realize that Gabriel just wants to help or will she keep running from him? Will Alex’s parents be alive when she finds them, if so will they be in danger, or will they be dead? Will Gabriel’s hearing come back or will he live the rest of his life living in silence?
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After reading a book that ended in a cliffhanger and an unfinished ending, the last thing I wanted was another book like it. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what happened. This book ended with an unfinished ending that left me unsatisfied and hooked me at the same time. Jamie Carie created a frustratingly great book that made me want to read more of the adventures of Gabriel, Alex, and Alex’s parents.

The descriptions in the book are what you can expect from this author. She describes the landscapes and events, making you feel like your there along with the character. She also describes the affliction of Gabriel that makes you happy when he is and your heart breaks when his does. The descriptions definitely make the book and draws you in and doesn’t release you until the last page.

The romance, however, is lackluster. Actually, it’s practically nonexistent. Gabriel falls in love with Alex through a series of letters without ever meeting or seeing her, which is kind of romantic, just not very realistic. Alex has feelings for him as well, she’s just not really willing to admit it. Though the romance wasn’t really there, the feeling that there will be later on is another reason that I have to continue reading this series.

The thing that is kind of a bummer for this book is the lack of instinct in Alex. I find it hard to believe that her parents, on a secretive mission, would leave such a large trial for anyone to follow. Also, Alex tends to tell everyone who she’s looking for and why. I’m no detective, but even I know that discretion is a necessity in something like this. I’m hoping that as the books continue Alex will gain some sense about this, but have a feeling she won’t which is a huge downer for the series as a whole.

Jamie Carie charmed me with Pirate Of My Heart and placed herself on my favorite’s list. This book didn’t help her positioning on that list but it hurt it too much either. She is still a great author and I can’t wait to read more from her. The only thing I’m asking myself right now is why I waited this long to read this boook.

Overall, a good book with fantastic description, but if your looking for a book with a definite ending and romance, this book isn’t for you. I recommend this book for someone who wants an ongoing series and wants a unique romance. I give this book a three out of five.

*I received tis complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for this review. All opinions expressed are my own.*

Dying to Read

Title: Dying to Read
Author: Lorena McCourtney
Series: Cate Kinkaid Files
Publisher: Revell
Published: August 1, 2012
Pages: 320
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Cate Kinkaid’s life is well, floundering. Her social life, career, and haircut are all a mess. When she becomes unemployed, she jumps at the chance to work for her PI uncle, just until she can find a “real” job. With no experience, she begins to realize that investigative work is a little bit harder than she realized and she can’t wait to find a job she actually knows how to do.

Her first assignment is simple, determine whether a particular woman lives at a particular address. When she reaches the old, dark Victorian mansion, she’s greeted by an angry horde of gray-haired mystery readers and a dead body that held all the answers. Now her “simple” PI job is turning into a nightmare. Her uncle assured her that there was no excitement and nothing like the television, but with this job, Cate doesn’t really believe him.

Now Cate must traverse a boatload of suspects, finding her client, and trying to figure out the murder. Also, add the fact that there is a handsome man who wants to be in her life and Cate feels like a kite with no string. Care feels lost and out of control not to mention, she has no idea what she’s doing.

How is Cate going to solve a murder when she can’t even find her client? Is she going to be able to solve the murder or will she die not knowing who is the murderer? Will she open up her heart to love or will she let past experiences close her heart? Will Cate continue her search for a “real” job or will she find that enjoys being a PI?
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This book surprised me in many ways. I didn’t expect to enjoy this book quite as much as I did, nor did I expect to not guess the killer. Thankfully, I was surprised on both accounts and I ended up enjoying the beginning and ending and every part in between. Lorena McCourtney was able to capture my attention and keep me interested until the very end.

However, there did seem to be a lot of characters, and by a lot I mean too much. It was character after character that was on the edge of being hard to remember who was who. Not too mention, that almost every character was a suspect, which was great for throwing people off the scent of the murderer, but horrible for a manageable number of characters.

Another thing that I didn’t like, was the senseless romance. Her love interest came in handy for rescues and Internet searches, but other than that, the romance seemed pretty pointless. However, I do like how the author handled it. She tried to make the romance realistic and in the background, which I appreciate, and I look forward to seeing their relationship progress as the books continue, but I’m still not totally sure that it was a necessary part to add to the book.

The one thing that I really liked about this book was the fact that Cate had no idea what she is doing and only knows what she’s seen on TV, which isn’t much. It added some comedy to the book to see her inexperience, not to mention, some of the situations she gets into trying to find and help her client.

Lorena McCourtney’s book isn’t perfect, but it is an enjoyable read that’ll keep you hooked until the very last page. I definitely look forward to reading more from this author and I will definitely read every book in this series that I can get my hands on. This book got me hooked and I can’t wait to see what trouble Cate’s going to get into next.

Overall, this book is a great read but expect a lot of characters. I recommend this to anyone looking for a mystery that’s difficult to solve or anyone who just wants a good mystery. I give it’s book a three out of five.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell in exchange for this review. All opinions expressed are my own.*

Back to Resolution

Title: Back to Resolution
Author: Rose Dee
Publisher: Even Before
Released: November 1, 2011
Pages: 238
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Bay Anders has enjoyed every privilege a wealthy upbringing can bring her whole life. Despite all the luxuries in her life, the void in her soul refuses to be filled and the death of her mother doesn’t help. Before being forced to make a move to Australia, she goes on a path that will destroy her. Will her life a mess she goes looking for the father she never knew.

On her father’s island home, she realizes that she has a hazardous group of hostile locals and a mystery-her father’s disappearance. The only person who can help her find her father is a strong, aloof, and intensely magnetic man. Now Bay must fight an overwhelming attraction to him as she tries to stay focused on her goal to get to know her father.

Flynn McKenna came to Resolution island for one purpose, to hide from the world. A past filled with mistakes and a record caused him to live in seclusion and avoid women. But the arrival of a woman he can’t avoid shatters his solitary existence. He tries to resist the attraction he feels for her, but with the search for her father and the fact that he can only run so far before he hits ocean draws them together will he be able to?

Will the attraction fizzle or will it bubble over? Will Bay find her father alive or will the only time she sees him be at his funeral? Will Bay be able to fend off the developers obsessed with developing the island or will she cave under the pressure?
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I don’t fully know what I was expecting with this book, but I’m not sure this book delivered. I felt disappointed at the lack of depth in the characters as well as her lack of discretion when it came to the romance. Also, the descriptions were a little off. The author did pretty well at describing her character’s surroundings but there was just something missing that I can’t describe or fully know myself.

The romance was normally something I would enjoy. It was a passionate one that is anything but typical. However, this one wasn’t something that I did. The romance seems to be run more off the feelings of sparks and fireworks instead of a genuine emotional connection. Don’t get me wrong, there are parts where the characters connect emotionally, but the physical connection far out weighs the emotional. One of the rules of thumb of Christian romances is that you imply something that happened or would’ve happened without actually saying it, this author didn’t fully get that aspect.

One positive part of the book is the mystery. Though it didn’t get front and center, it’s a fun side mystery that ties in pretty well. I say it’s a positive because this author was actually able to detain me from figuring out the person responsible. I still figured it out but it took me most of the book to do it. I barely figured it out before the characters. Though the mystery was a little extreme and outlandish, it could happen. Maybe this author should pursue this genre instead.

The characters in this book lacked a certain depth that I never knew I needed. By the end of the book I still felt left out of the characters’ emotions and feelings and because of that, this book made me feel nothing. I couldn’t connect with any character no matter how big or small and that surprised me, I usually find at least one I can connect with. I sat there and read stone faced the entire book and to me that’s a huge disappointment.

However, possibly the most disappointing part of the story is when Bay wakes up in bed with a man and isn’t upset about that only about who she wakes up with. I think that’s when the book took a huge dive for me. To me a main character with that low of respect for her body, particularly in this genre, doesn’t endear me to her. It shocked me and I wondered how that made it past editing without some change or at least a comment. Maybe things are different in Australia. I thought I liked edgy, maybe I was wrong…

Overall, a disappointing book without a character connection between each other and the reader. A perfect book for those who love a more edgy book. I don’t recommend this for younger readers. I give this book a two and a half out of five.

*I received this book from the publisher through the bookcrash program in exchange for this review. All opinions expressed are mine.*

Love Finds You In Mackinac Island, Michigan

Title: Love Finds You In Mackinac Island, Michigan
Author: Melanie Dobson
Series: Love Finds You
Publisher: Summerside
Published: July 1, 2012
Pages: 320
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Elena Bissette’s family used to be wealthy, now they’re struggling to hold onto their livelihood and their home in Chicago. They also own a cottage on Mackinac Island in Michigan and are going to spend one last summer there before the place is officially up for sale. According to her mother, it’s their last chance to find Elena a wealthy suitor for her to marry. Even though, Elena is repulsed at the thought of marrying for money, her mother insists that Chester Darrington is perfect for her.

When Elena goes to secret hiding spot late one night she meets a handsome laborer named Chase. Chase is everything she wants in a husband. He’s kind, smart, and interested in the things she is. She and Chase begin to meet at her favorite spot, an old abandoned lighthouse, and she can’t help but begin to wonder what a life with him would consist of.

With her mother constantly trying to marry her off to the first wealthy man that comes knocking and society always finding something to gossip about, Elena feels like an actress in her own home and the lighthouse is the only place she can be herself and get closer to God. She now feels like she can be herself around Chase and can’t help but to start to fall in love with him, but he’s not rich, at least she doesn’t think so. Marriage to Chase wouldn’t help her family’s financial woes, but marriage to Chester would. She now must choose between her duty to help her family and her want to marry someone who loves her.

Will Elena choose love over obligation or will she cave under her mother’s will? If she does marry Chester will he view her like Chase views her or will she just be arm candy? If she marries Chase how will her family dig out from the debt that was procured?
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Elena’s story is something that I believe everybody can relate to at some point in their lives. No matter how much or why you feel trapped, the author’s portrayal of Elena’s story and her feelings resonate to the core. The fact that author makes the character relatable because of how well she portrays the struggle that Elena feels shows just how well this author can capture emotions and paste them on paper. Whether or not you’ve experienced the feeling of being trapped yet, this author has a gift for making you feel what the characters feel, all with a few words.

Another thing this author is great at is description. She took a tiny village that I had never heard and made me want to travel to a place I had no desire to go to before, Michigan, just so I can explore this island that’s lost in time. She vividly describes the island in such detail that I feel like I could describe it to you like I’ve been there myself. Also, the passion that Elena has for the little island adds to the intensity of how beautiful this island really is and adds to my desire of visiting this gorgeous island. This has got to be one of my favorite parts of this book.

One of the things that wasn’t one of my favorites about the book, was the romance. I did enjoy it, though. It’s a typical Christian genre romance, so it’s an innocent romance where the romance really doesn’t include a lot of intimate gestures like kissing, hugging, etc. These aren’t my favorite, however, I do believe that if done correctly can be some of my favorites, this is one of them. The way the author wrote the romance wasn’t particularly different than a lot of authors, but the thing that made this romance special was the way it was portrayed and blended into the story, making this a memorable one.

The faith aspect in this book was something that tends to be sorely overlooked and often barely mentioned in other books, this one isn’t filled a lot with mentions of faith, but definitely mentioned a lot more than a lot of other books I’ve read. It was an aspect that I missed more than I realized. It was refreshing to have a Christian author actually write about God, something that’s becoming harder and harder to find.

My opinions of this book when I first started it probably weren’t too high. I wasn’t expecting a terrible book, but neither was I expecting a book of the caliber that I got. Because I was slightly surprised at how much I enjoyed this book, I’m now a fan of Melanie Dobson and look forward to trying to get my hands on any new books by her.

Overall, a great short read that will stay in your mind for a while. Perfect for fans of the Love Finds You series and those who love a good historical fiction. I give this book a four out of five.

*I received this book, through The Christian Manifesto, from the publisher in exchange for this review. All opinions expressed are my own.*

The Discovery

Title: The Discovery
Author: Dan Walsh
Publisher: Revell
Released: April 1, 2012
Pages: 352
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After Michael Warner’s grandfather dies and leaves him his estate, he settles in to write his first novel. Within the confines of the old home is a secret hidden inside an unpublished manuscript that his grandfather left for him to find. As he delves deeper into a story filled with intrigue and spies, Michael discovers something that not only changes the past but the future as well.

Michael finally learns the secrets that have plagued his family for years and has to now decide on what to do with that information.
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I don’t really know what I was expecting from this story, but what I got wasn’t it at all. This book is suspense and intrigue woven into a gentle historical romance. The takes a while to pick up but once it does, hold on. Your about to go on a gut twisting nail biting adventure that permanently alters your view of WWII.

The book does take a while to pick up though, an that’s a problem for me. Until Michael gets about a quarter of the way through the book, the book really is something I had a hard time getting into. Also, the two story at a time thing is something I was never good at. It’s just something that’s a difficult thing to do for me. I was never a double tasker.

The romance was something that the reader really never got to see. They started dating and then the book continues three months later and they’re now in love. However, you do get to see the sacrifices and choices the characters do for love and that is one of my favorite parts. I still would’ve liked to see the attraction turn into love and not have been dropped in after that development.

One thing I have absolutely no problem with is the suspense and intrigue. The author chose the most suspenseful and interesting topic for a generation long mystery. In the author’s note, Dan Walsh says that it’s all fiction and he was running off of the “what if” of it all. If this is what the author comes up with on just “what if” I wonder what he would do if he had more to go on.

For the sake of mystery, I won’t tell the huge secret that shrouds Michael’s grandfather, but I will tell you that as soon as you find out, it’ll all make sense. All of it. Not a single piece of the life of Gerard Warner is up for question or a mystery. It’s nice to have it all completely wrapped up like this one was.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. It’s no on my favorite shelf but it was a nice read. Those who enjoy WWII based suspense they will enjoy this book. I give this book a three and a half out of five.

I received this complimentary copy of this book in exchange for this review. All opinions expressed are mine own.

Over the Edge

Title: Over The Edge
Author: Brandilyn Collins
Publisher: B&H Books
Pages: 352
Released: May 1, 2011
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Janessa McNeil’s husband, Dr. Brock McNeil, is a researcher and professor at Stanford University’s Department of Medicine. He specializes in tick borne diseases, especially Lyme disease. He’s known for his adamant denial that chronic Lyme exists, even when patients get sicker in front of his face.

In an act of revenge and a twisted sense that he’s helping Lyme patients everywhere, a man plants a diseased tick, filled with not only Lyme but three coinfections, on Janessa McNeil. After which he states his demands, convince your husband to publicly reverse his statements on Lyme, or it’ll be there daughter next.

With Janessa’s marriage on the rocks and her husband denying she even has Lyme, how is she supposed to change his mind? Particularly when he never admits when he’s wrong?
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Brandilyn Collins is very good at writing suspense novels. I became a huge fan when she wrote Always Watching with her daughter. Though, she didn’t tag-team with her daughter in this book, she did an incredible job with this book.

The author did extensive research and used her own experience with Lyme and it is very prevalent in the detail and facts about Lyme throughout the book. There is a ton of details on what Lyme does to your body as well as coinfections and and what is known as the Lyme Wars. It really delves into the trouble that most Lyme patients have an issue with, treatment. I never knew much about Lyme, let alone that it was so difficult to get properly treated. This book was a huge eye-opener on Lyme Disease.

However, despite how many facts you stuff into one suspense novel, you still have to take into account the suspense part of the novel. The suspenseful and scary part of the novel is the fact that an unknown man plants a diseased tick on you, walking past your daughter’s bedroom to do so, without leaving a trace. Now, I can understand how that would freak you out, but just in general, the suspense is weak.

The suspense is mostly on the back burner. The main chunk of the book seems to be about Janessa’s illness and convincing her husband she actually has it, not about the mystery man, though he is mentioned quite often. In my opinion a suspense book should be a majority of teeth-biting suspense. This book was disappointment in that area.

Despite that, the book is well written and the author decided to not really give you any substantial hints as to who the mystery man was until about three quarters of the way through the book. I appreciated that because it delayed my figuring it out for most of the book. But, like the last suspense book that I read, I did figure it out. I don’t really like to do that, but I think with how much I like suspense and how many I’ve read it’ll probably be a rare book when I don’t guess correctly.

The author kind of made the husband the more prevalent villain than the actual villain. Almost to the point that it was literally unbelievable. Her husband is overly harsh and cruel, but it worked wit who was portrayed to be, I just wish that he was more realistic.

Overall, this book is great if you want to learn more about Lyme and Lyme sufferers, but if your looking for a strong suspense you might want to keep looking. It’s perfect for anyone wants a medical suspense, heavy on medical and less on suspense. I give it a three and a half out of five.

I received this complimentary book for this review. All opinions expressed are my own.