Book Review: FINAL RESORT by Dana Mentink

Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense  

Published: February 5, 2013

Format: Paperback (224 pages)      

ISBN: 9780373445264         

Series: Treasure Seekers

Origin: Publisher through NetGalley (egalley)

***Though the publisher provides the free book, I offer the opinion.***

My Look:

Ava Stanton has suffered too much loss in her life, from losing her mother to suicide—while she was still in her young teen years, and at the same time, losing her healthy father to an accident—leaving him a paraplegic with a host of health issues.  Now, as an adult, Ava faces the soon-to-be loss of her impoverished, winter resort home, Whisper Mountain.  

Through all of this turmoil, Ava has known only one constant in her life, her mother’s brother, Uncle Paul.  

She can remember her parent’s arguing over Uncle Paul, and Ava’s dad still carries a firm dislike for this man.  It wasn’t that Ava was ignorant to Uncle Paul’s wayward nature of get rich quick schemes, owing and borrowing money from everyone and anyone, and the not-so-honest way he will manipulate things toward his favor; she knew his exploits quite well.  However, his optimism and infectious smile was something Ava could always count on and that meant the world to her. 

So, why was she on a deserted mountain road of the winter wonderland that she once called home, despite the winter storm warnings?   Ava was here at Uncle Paul’s request, of course. His message about his “purl”, although he used that term about everything he ever chased.

Finally, Uncle Paul arrived, but he wasn’t himself.  

Ava’s selling the resort really saddened him, but she tried to get him to understand.  She can’t afford to keep it.  However, yet again, he’s coming into money.  It’s big this time.  Not wanting to hurt him, she simple restated that she had to sell.  Maybe since it was worth more in painful memories than cash, she figured he’d understand.  

Suddenly, a snowmobile arrives on scene.  His face was hidden, but his intention was clear. Someone was about to run them down! Uncle Paul pushed Ava out of its path, but Uncle Paul didn’t get away.  

Meanwhile, Luca Gage left his sister and was skiing toward old memories of a high school crush, when he saw a snowmobile driving at increasing speed toward a couple.  The woman landed with a thud and the man was abducted.  There was only one he could save, and his gut knew exactly who it was.  

Once skiing these slopes with pure abandon, she became different and weighted with loss and pain.  It doesn’t seem her pain ever stopped.  Luca knew her former home was on the market, and he was charged with checking into a possible purchase for his father.  Since the Gage property, Gold Summit, was next to Whisper Mountain to acquire it would make sense. However, from what he knew, it would take a whole lot of money just for modernization.   

He was not going to let her die up here on this mountain.  

Both of them were on thin ice, now, and as it breaks, his emotions reheat, cracking his heart’s protective barrier.    

 

My Take:

FINAL RESORT is a thrilling ride of suspense and romance! 

Luca Gage is a hero whose heart hunts for the treasure that he’s never found, as he finds worldly treasures he doesn’t need.  His strong faith brings him through, and he believes enough for two.

Ava Stanton is a strong woman, but to her, prayers aren’t answered and bad things still happen.    Faith doesn’t mean much to her, and to find someone who actually still believes is disorienting.  

In fact, she sometimes sees the world in have and have not, and the Stantons were always on the have not list.

Dana Mentink’s hero and heroine are opposites in life, faith and socioeconomic factors, but their personalities complement.  His family brought him stability while her unstable family brought challenges to bear. Abandonment left her brokenhearted, and she’s not prepared for love. However, she must learn to ask for and accept help, but he must accept her need to do things herself.  Can they make it work?     

FINAL RESORT by Dana Mentink is a standalone title.  However,  you’ll want to read more of this author’s titles including  DANGEROUS MELODY (Love Inspired Suspense 2012), LOST LEGACY (Love Inspired Suspense 2012), ESCAPE FROM THE BADLANDS (Love Inspired Suspense (2012), BURIED TRUTH (Love Inspired Suspense 2011), TURBULENCE (Steeple Hill 2011), and BETRAYAL IN THE BADLANDS (Steeple Hill 2010). Or check out other books by this author!

 

Book Review: TRACKING JUSTICE by Shirlee McCoy

Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense  

Published: January 2, 2013        

Format: Paperback (224 pages)      

ISBN: 9780373445202            

Origin: Publisher through NetGalley (egalley)

***Though the publisher provides the free book, I offer the opinion.***

My Look:

Police detective Austin Black and his tracker dog, K-9 partner—Justice— arrive on scene. In fact, they were the first responders.

For Austin, it’s never about just routine.

A missing child call doesn’t become easier and the fact that some of those missing never go home never gets old either. These worried mothers and hurting families’ bruise his heart every time and leave more than a few sleepless nights ahead. However, this worried mother was just as determined to be there for her missing son, Brady, as Austin was on finding him. She’s even brought out a coat for when he is found. The more time spent on trying to deter her brings a higher possibility that Brady’s trail will grow cold. Caving in to those beautiful, pained eyes, Austin couldn’t turn her down and couldn’t let Brady down either.

She accompanies him but with an understanding that his first priority is to find Brady, and if she can’t keep up, he’ll radio for her escort back and keep on going forward. She’s more than happy with this deal.

Meanwhile, to Eva Billows, nobody was moving fast enough!

She last saw her son at her midnight check and everything was fine. Brady was asleep. At two, Eva heard Brady’s call, and she found his window open and Brady gone. This detective and his bloodhound are the only hope she has of finding her son and knowing how he’s been taught to stay away from strangers, Eva knows Brady might not respond to the detective. Brady is cold, scared, and in trouble, and if he is out in those woods, she needs to be out there too.

Guilt overtook Eva. Tonight, Brady had been quiet, but he didn’t say much with her prompting either. Figuring he was getting sick, she left him alone and didn’t insist he talk to her about what was bothering him. His sitter hadn’t mentioned anything, but she did say he seemed subdued.

However, Detective Austin Black gave her start, when he started asking her about the dog. Eva had heard about Slade’s dog, but at the mention of that crime and her son’s kidnapping in the same breath dread roiled within her. 

What did a police trained dog and Brady have in common? Why would anyone take her son?

 

My Take:

TRACKING JUSTICE pumps up the adrenaline and tightens the romance! 

Shirlee McCoy’s hero, Austin Black, has a past that pulls him into his job. Tracking is his life, and he’s already found out the hard way that many women couldn’t share in that. They want him for birthdays and events, but his work didn’t always allow that. Sure, he has a casual date, now and then, but he keeps his distance. His job choice excludes him from the life and family that he wants, although he wished he knew that before he restored his old Victorian house.

In the meantime, single mother, Eva Billows, tries hard to keep Brady’s life stable, something she never had growing up. Brady’s father is the one major mistake in her life, but Brady was not a mistake. Her son is her world. Early on Eva decided she’d rather parent alone then allow Brady to suffer from any relationship mistakes she would make.

TRACKING JUSTICE puts together a hero and heroine with rocky pasts that keep them alone, reminding each that love and family is just a dream. However, they must learn to trust themselves and each other when the stakes are high.

Standalone title, TRACKING JUSTICE, is book one of the continuity series Texas K-9 Unit. You’ll want to read the upcoming books in this mini-series: DETECTION MISSION by Margaret Daley (Feb 2013), GUARD DUTY Sharon Dunn (Mar 2013), EXPLOSIVE SECRETS by Valerie Hansen (Apr 2013), SCENT OF by Terri Reed DANGER (May 2013), LONE STAR PROTECTOR by Lenora Worth (June 2013)!

Also, you’ll want to read Shirlee McCoy’s other Love Inspired reads including NAVY SEAL RESCUER, UNDERCOVER BODYGUARD (Love Inspired Suspense April 2012), THE LAWMAN’S LEGACY (Love Inspired Suspense January 2012), and PRIVATE EYE PROTECTOR (Love Inspired Suspense November 2011).

 

BETRAYAL ON THE BORDER

by: Jill Elizabeth Nelson              

Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense  

Published: November 27, 2012        

Format: Paperback (224 pages)      

ISBN: 9780373445165           

Origin: Publisher through NetGalley (egalley)

***Though the publisher provides the free book, I offer the opinion.***

My Look:

Ex-Army ranger and current apartment house maintenance worker, Maddie Jameson knew any assassin could get her any day.  However, today’s job was to be the easy kind of thing on a usual kind of day.  

Maddie’s instincts told her today was going to be anything but normal, once she realized what she’d had seen.  

However, she barely had time to react when two male figures opened the door.  On the good side, that bomb hadn’t been planted in this room, as she feared, but it was somewhere.  The bad thing was that Maddie figured today just might be her last.   It didn’t take long for her to confirm she was made, and if she survived this battle, Maddie had to go to ground. 

The news told her where the bomb did go off. A car bomb killed the reporter.  Had Chris found her?  Did he lead them to Maddie? 

This reporter was the reason that her whole unit died in Rio and her heart died too—grief over her fellow rangers, mixing with guilt and anger to consume her.  She knew the treasonous embed traded their coordinates for accolades and led them all to slaughter.

Maybe she still felt too much cause her mind became numb.  

After Maddie spoke to the police, she took a bag and cash.  They’d soon find out all about Maddie and they’d connect her to the dead reporter, in quick order.  Her army training and her gut feelings always planned ahead for a day like this.  It wasn’t the first, and it certainly wouldn’t be the last.  

She was the last one still breathing and someone feared her connecting the dots.  

How little did they know? She was as damaged as the day was long. Her memory was as defective as a crashed hard drive.  Everything was gone but minor images, only flashes really, and these taunted her.  

After winding down false routes and vehicles, Maddie made it to the lot.  This car was the only thing left of her brother and it the one thing Maddie counted on for saving her life.   She engaged the engine remotely and waited.  It didn’t blow.  She was one passed test closer to her escape.  However, the car lurched and this action wasn’t by her remote.  

With gun in hand, Maddie was combat ready.  They must have figured two car bombs in one day could get them caught, and so, they improvised to put an end to Maddie’s life.  The voice was familiar but these characters would use anything to get her, especially since the car was still careening toward her.   As close to shooting as she could get, Maddie realized the voice and face matched perfectly.   If this wasn’t deadly real, this could be the poignant moment. The driver by no means was friendly and could just as easily kill her the way he did everyone else.   

Meanwhile, Chris Mason had been threatened with death two times in one day.  

These jokers messed up with the car bomb, but Maddie had incredible aim.  She could take him out in seconds.  Sadly, she hated him enough to do just that, but he needed Maddie. Whether or not she realized it, she needed him too.   As the only two survivors from the Rio operation, they were in a precarious position. Maddie didn’t turn traitor but there was no missing the fact that she believed he did. With so much that she didn’t know mixed with so much that he didn’t understand, there was only thing for certain, Chris and Maddie were more valuable dead than alive. And like it or not, to stay alive, these two would have to stay together.

Chris didn’t find that as appalling as Maddie would.  He knew that her brain injuries destroyed much of her memories, but she really did believe he was a murderer.  Now Madeline Jerrod, a.k.a. Maddie Jameson, held both of their lives in her capable hands.

Between his investigative skills and her military training, could they find out who was behind the massacre and who was the man with juice stateside who wanted them gone, without dying?  

 

My Take:

Jill Elizabeth Nelson puts romance on the line, along with truth and justice in BETRAYAL ON THE BORDER!

This author pits past against present, leaving the characters and readers exposed and vulnerable while the suspense and romance builds to a climatic ending.  Maddie’s too busy blaming herself for her unit’s demise because she had developed feelings for the only man who she believed could have betrayed them, but she never thought much past her hurt to find his motive lacking.  Even now she found him appealing, but she won’t trust him or herself.  

Meanwhile, Chris Mason kept his distance from Maddie, until now.  He’s been trying to find out who on their team turned traitor and trying to keep his traitorous heart in check.  His growing feelings were established in Rio, but he can’t get involved with one of his stories. Been there. Done that. And it didn’t end well. Shouldn’t he be happy Maddie thinks of him as a traitor?  

BETRAYAL ON THE BORDER by Jill Elizabeth Nelson is a standalone title, but you’ll want to read this author’s other titles including  LEGACY OF LIES (Steeple Hill 2010), CALCULATED REVENGE (Steeple Hill 2010), WITNESS TO MURDER (Steeple Hill 2009), and EVIDENCE OF MURDER  (Steeple Hill 2009). Or check out the other books by this author!

CHRISTMAS STALKING

by: Margaret Daley              

Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense  

Published: October 30, 2012        

Format: Paperback (224 pages)      

ISBN: 9780373445127  

Series: Guardians, Inc.         

Origin: Publisher through NetGalley (egalley)

***Though the publisher provides the free book, I offer the opinion.***

My Look:

All wasn’t business as usual for Winnie’s Winfield’s assistant.  In fact, Ellie St. James wasn’t her real assistant, but this charade wasn’t Ellie’s idea, in the first place.  Harold Jefferson hired her through Guardian’s Inc, and what he say’s goes—for now.  

Being a bodyguard isn’t an easy job, but when the target of your watch doesn’t even know you’re her bodyguard, the job gets even harder.  Now, she stood in front of Harold Jefferson trying to explain why she went into full combat mode, pulled her Glock on Colt Winfield, and wrestled with him on the floor, and why this all happened in front of her client who wasn’t to know about this arrangement.   She had threaded her way out of the sticky situation, through evasive maneuvers, but now, her gun sat in Winnie’s safe unavailable for her mission.

Though displeased with the situation but also understanding of it, Harold Jefferson still refuses Ellie’s  request to level with her client but did consent to bring Ellie another weapon. Still, it wasn’t her finely tuned usual friend and ally like her weapon, but it will have to do.

However, Ellie wondered.  

Could these threats be more personal in nature instead of being about Winnie’s company, Glamour Sensations, going public or her new line of products, Endless Youth? 

The next evening Colt and Winnie Winfield must be told everything, when someone cuts through the estate’s fence to steal the guard dogs and may still be on the property, but Ellie’s first unwanted guest is one major problem.

As if she’s a meal time ticket a mountain lion’s stare cuts through Ellie to combine with his striking pose, this cat creates a problem that has her pinned in place.   Thanks to Colt the predator leaves, but is another two-legged one still stalking this property?  Or is the next predator already close to home?

My Take:

CHRISTMAS STALKING elevates suspense and kicks adrenaline and romance into high gear!

Margaret Daley creates a satisfying romance with two parties who are reluctant participants but who are bound together by necessity and held together by love.  While Ellie St. James comes to care about Winnie like a grandmother, Winnie’s grandson, Colt, loves Winnie like a mother.  Winnie Winfield raised Colt and he’ll fiercely protect her, but he’s willing to give Ellie the lead in most situations, knowing she’s more qualified.  However, all things are just not negotiable.  Meanwhile, Ellie St. James is a heroine with a military background and that background only adds to her built-in trust issues. Without much family to call her own, she’s been able to take care of herself, but will she ever be able to let another take the lead?  Not to mention, this heroine and hero both have put work at the forefront of their lives leaving little room for much else.  Does either want anything to change?

CHRISTMAS STALKING is about the love of family and the common bonds that keep us all tethered, but it’s also about learning to trust, trusting too much, trusting too fast, and trusting too soon. 

Margaret Daley’s CHRISTMAS STALKING is a standalone title, but you’ll want to read the other titles in the Guardian’s, Inc Series:  HIDDEN IN THE EVERGLADES (Love Inspired September 2011), PROTECTING HER OWN (Love Inspired Suspense June 2011), and CHRISTMAS BODYGUARD  (Love Inspired Suspense December 2010). Or check out the many other books and series titles by this author!

THE DIAMOND SECRET

by: Lenora Worth              

Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense  

Published: August 7, 2012        

Format: Paperback (224 pages)      

ISBN: 9780373445004            

Origin: Publisher through NetGalley (egalley)

***Though the publisher provides the free book, I offer the opinion.***

My Look:

Another day came to a close at Carlisle Collectibles, and Esther Carlisle tallied up the meager receipts ready to greet the evening.  

Carlisle Collectibles is a labor of love she’s inherited from her father, Jefferson Carlisle.  When Esther’s mother died, Jefferson raised her and supported them through the antique shop, and now that he is gone, Esther is following in his tradition.  After all, she owes it to him to care for it the way he did, but she has puzzled over his mind before death.    He was always obsessed over a mythical jewel, but in the end, it was all he spoke about. 

Jefferson Carlisle wasn’t much on speaking to feelings and he barely communicated much beyond the lore of antiques.  When Esther was younger she’d get lost in his tales and relish at least this type of closeness that they shared.  It wasn’t that she thought her father had no feelings, but he spoke around such things.  For a growing girl who needed to know she was loved, it was hard that he never said it.  Although, it was the lore she connected with as a child; Esther began to resent it as a young lady.  Sometimes, she even thought he’d rather go looking for something that never existed than be with her. 

She locked the door and was startled by the customer wanting entry.  He was a persistent man who wouldn’t take no for an answer.  Nevertheless, his Irish accent captivated her and she let him in.

Cullen Murphy had yet to figure out how he was going to tell her enough without telling her too much, but he was inside the store and laid out why he was there.  He wanted the Levi-Lafitte chocolate diamond, and it was clear this beautiful woman didn’t even think it was real. It seemed just the mention of this left her with a sour attitude, but as much as he would love to explore why that was, he kept in line with his mission.  As suspected, his admission to knowing and corresponding with her father, set Esther on her heels and he offered to show her Jefferson’s letters.   She still refused to let him search the store and all but escorted him to the door.

Unfortunately, she left him no choice.  Cullen simply had to manhandle her—for her own good.

They had company and these men wouldn’t care about how pretty and smart this woman appeared, they’d shoot first and toss the store looking for the gem.  He kept shoving her toward the back, ignoring the terror in her eyes and the anger in her voice.  Her stubborn streak would get them both killed, if he didn’t act.  Picking her up just as the bangs erupted, he took away her phone and brought her back further into the shadows, as the smashing of glass sounded. 

 

My Take:

In THE DIAMOND SECRET, Lenora Worth weaves a stunning romantic suspense inside a dangerous treasure hunt!

Lenora Worth captures the flavor of New Orléans and creates a good “bad” boy character in Cullen Murphy.  He’s dealt with a treacherous past but his wanderlust isn’t exactly what it appears to be.  He is hiding more than one secret and fears what Esther will think of him upon knowing the truth.  Keeping his distance is proving harder than he could have imagined and his sense of duty gains complications.  Meanwhile, Esther is giving over her life to her father’s dream in much the same way her father did to raise her, but she’s having a hard time realizing that there was more to her father than she imagined.  She’s jealous over his trust of a total stranger before her, but her emotions over this stranger is nothing she expects, since she’ll get hurt once he gets what he wants.  His promise doesn’t mean much because he’s a life long wanderer who’s ready for the next great find.

Sometimes, it takes a stranger to find the truth, but danger can be nearer than you think inside this story of greed, betrayal, and freedom. 

THE DIAMOND SECRET is a standalone title, but you’ll want to read Lenora Worth’s other Harlequin titles including THE LIFE OF RILEY (Harlequin Super Romance November 2012), ONCE IN A BLUE MOON  (Harlequin Next March 2012), and THE RELUCTANT HERO  (Love Inspired December 2011)!

THE DOCTOR’S DEFENDER

by: Terri Reed              

Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense  

Published: October 2, 2012        

Format: Paperback (224 pages)      

ISBN: 9780373445080            

Origin: Publisher through NetGalley (egalley)

***Though the publisher provides the free book, I offer the opinion.***

My Look:

Dr. Brenda Storm put the pink bakery box on her desk.  

Surprised by the package, she looked at the card, but the signature was illegible.  According to the front of the card, she was being properly thanked for something.  The white iced cakes with cute sprinkles and decorations reminded her of a child’s cake, but this surgeon didn’t have many pediatric patients.

Gary, who was one of Heritage Hospital’s finest security guards, was staring at the cake like a prize so Brenda proffered one to him and then to her unwanted office guest, Dr. Sam Johnson.  

With little reluctance the guard took a bite, bid them goodbye and was content with his choice, but Sam Johnson had yet to eat or leave.  Sadly.  Wasn’t he getting tired of his advances being turned down? She had surely grown tired of his persistence.  Moments later, Gary returned looking gray and needing help. Brenda went quickly through a list of issues that he may be presenting and heart attack was her best educated guess.  As he spilled to the floor, Brenda pushed past Sam and began CPR while Sam called in the code for reinforcements to arrive.  

However, it didn’t matter.  Gary didn’t make it.

When it’s discover the security guard died from poison, a poison that was meant for Brenda, the hospital hires Trent Associates and obtains a protection specialist to accompany the doctor.  However, Brenda doesn’t want a bodyguard, and she didn’t want her bodyguard to be a handsome man.  

Meanwhile, Kyle Martin meets his client and isn’t surprised by her announcement that she didn’t need or want him around.  Many clients have felt that same way and many more would. While this pretty doc was easy on the eyes, he’d still just do his job and walk on to the next, once the matter was closed and the threat was neutralized.  Though he did appreciate the many layers he discovered in their brief first meeting.  She was a strong, capable, beautiful woman and a successful surgeon who seemed to want no man’s business in hers, but she tried to act tough.  Kyle saw her vulnerability close to the surface and understood it. 

They’d made it through her workday and went to her apartment.   She changed and he came to appreciate the curves she hid under the lab coat but that matter took a backseat, once her doorbell sounded.  

Dr. Storm wasn’t expecting company.

 

My Take:

Terri Reed’s romantic suspense shines in THE DOCTOR’S DEFENDER!

This author creates two believable romance reluctant characters that have very different lives and neither wants any long-range entanglements.  

However, Kyle Martin has strong faith and Dr. Storm’s science based mind has regulated faith to the unexplained and not for her.  While Brenda tries to understand how in the face of danger Kyle’s faith doesn’t falter, she finds herself needing something she never really understood, and her desire to find it brings her closer to the man who will leave as soon as he can.  Kyle begins to thaw as he witnesses the doctor’s life and marvels at the lives she’s touched, but he feels her pain when a cancer diagnosis touches her family.  Soon, he is not able to deny what is building between them as she starts wanting to understand his faith.   

These two characters fight through danger, family pain, and fear of intimacy—together.

THE DOCTOR’S DEFENDER stands alone, but you’ll want to catch up with Terri Reed’s other Protection Specialist Miniseries titles including THE INNOCENT WITNESS (Love Inspired Suspense July 2011), THE SECRET HEIRESS (Love Inspired Suspense January 2012), and don’t miss her next Protection Specialist title coming in 2013!

A CHRISTMAS HOPE

by Joseph Pittman

Publisher: Kensington

Published: September 25, 2012

Format: Paperback (256 pages)

ISBN: 9780758276957

Series: Linden Corners

Origin: Publisher through NetGalley (eGalley)

***Though the publisher provides the free book, I offer the opinion.***

My Look:

Nora Rainer pulled into Linden Corners feeling as if there was any other place she’d rather be and there was one in particular but that wasn’t an option.  She returned to where she was raised to give her son, Travis, a stable place to live with a grandmother who loved him.  Nora knew his missing-in-action father left him along with her, and Greta Connors could help her son heal.  It would hopefully be a two-way exchange, since her husband and Nora’s father passed away awhile ago.  However, this was a no-win proposition for Nora.  The town she left for better things including a law career and a family is the place she returns to as a failure.  A horn sounded as she neared her mother’s driveway.  

Brian Duncan beeped just before impact, but a beautiful red mustang took the hit, resulting in a large dent. Gerta Connors had been a real friend to him and his charge, after Annie’s death, but one look at the woman whose car he just charged into and there was no doubt here stood her daughter, Nora Rainer with her son Travis.  Though the accident was her fault, Nora gave out a piece of her mind anyway.  He understood.  He was just starting to find his way out of a loss and Gerta did mention she was going through one of her own.   Brian did understand pain.

Thomas Van Diver moved back to Linden Corners with a goal.  Thomas needed to find his past, not that he actually lost it but he has lost a lot.  Once, a long time ago, Thomas lived in the beautiful farmhouse near the windmill, the same windmill that was built by the Van Diver ancestors, and during his tender young years, Thomas believed they’d always live there. However, when he was just five, some things happened that changed his life, forever. Thomas maybe didn’t understand the war and why people fought it, but he certainly did understand the government told his father to go there, and he did know Lars Van Diver never came home. The day was as clear to him as the sky was now when his mother’s grief overtook her.   Soon, she and Thomas were leaving the farmhouse and moving in with his mother’s family.  During this tender age, anger gripped Thomas but during his old age longing took its place. His wife, Missy, started out trying to find Thomas’s past but her illness brought that search to a halt. Now, he must complete Missy’s mission by Christmas Eve and only when he finds Nora Rainer does Thomas finds hope that this mission isn’t impossible.

My Take:

A CHRISTMAS HOPE by Joseph Pittman is a story where three sets of lives in the midst of loss, change, and uncertainty come together to meld the past with the present and bring hope for the future.

Joseph Pittman’s characters aren’t perfect and everyone has something that they need to keep hidden—pain, mystery, emotions, but these characters are willing to help another and put their own turmoil aside.  Some welcome the chance to forget their own problems while others do it at a great cost to them or their family, but in the end, it’s worth it to them.  Some wishes still come true while other wishes fade away only to make you wonder if you wanted what you had all along. 

Although A CHRISTMAS HOPE, is a standalone novel, you’ll want to check out his other Linden Corners title,  A CHRISTMAS WISH (Kensington reprint October 2012).

NAVY SEAL RESCUER

by: Shirlee McCoy              

Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense  

Published: September 4, 2012        

Format: Paperback (224 pages)      

ISBN: 9780373445042            

Origin: Publisher through NetGalley (egalley)

***Though the publisher provides the free book, I offer the opinion.***

My Look:

After Catherine Miller’s prison release, she just wanted to be left alone and enjoy he time she had left with the sickly woman who raised her.   However, there were some in Pine Bluff who wanted to haunt Catherine until the say she died.  Catherine was still considered “The Dark Angel of Good Samaritan”.  To many still believe that she kills sick victims at the hospital.  

It didn’t matter the state cleared her of all charges, apologized for her wrongful imprisonment, and arrested the real murderer.  In her small town, much of the population still thought her guilty.  She took all the ribbing, whispers, vandalism, and torment but she ignored it all—for the most part.  All that really mattered to Catherine was Eileen.  

Not her natural mother but her mother just the same, Eileen was always there for Catherine even through the prison ordeal and she never lost faith in Catherine.  Although, Catherine knows that those four years behind bars stole more from Eileen than from Catherine.   Eileen was a feisty, healthy woman, when a jury declared Catherine guilty, but Eileen is now a frail cancer victim having chemo treatments and looking more and more near death daily. Catherine knows her time with Eileen will come to its inevitable end, but she wants to make every minute count.  The last thing she needed was Eileen coming home from treatment and seeing the vicious red-painted graffiti all over the porch.   Frantically, she worked to cover up the paint with more paint when a figure emerged from tall weeds.  

Darius Osborne has battled back from his injuries in Afghanistan and works for a friend in the security industry who practically demands Darius takes a vacation.  Not putting up too much of a fight, Darius decides to stay on the property he purchased but never had time for.  He’s made some improvements and is making more until he jumps at the high-pitched squeal.   Another scream emerges and instincts kick in gear for the former Navy SEAL who rushes toward the sound.  

This damsel in distress comes with a major reputation, one that he knows she’s not guilty of.  

The marks surrounding her neck is his first indicator that someone wants her dead, but she’s trying to dismiss the attack and dismiss him at the same time.  

Darius understands her strong facade and he even accepts that her prison term changed her. However, Darius is not one to walk away from a lady in trouble and whether Catherine Miller likes it or not, he’s going to make sure she’s safe because she wants nothing to do with the local sheriff’s office. Who could blame her? Four years ago, they gathered evidence to prove her guilty of murder.  

He needs a way to get through to her and he finds it. It was obvious the love she felt for the woman who raised her and he wasn’t above showing her that ignoring what happened today would put Eileen in danger too. 

However, when the attacks become more dangerous, Darius wasn’t all that sure who Catherine needs to get away from more—him and his feelings or her and her fear of feeling, or whoever is trying to killer her.    

 

My Take:

NAVY SEAL RESCUER by Shirlee McCoy is a romantic suspense with a chilling end!

Shirlee McCoy created a down and out heroine without much left to lose.  Catherine Miller lost her freedom, her fiancé, and her faith, but she’s about to lose the only family connection she’s ever had.   Feeling cheated even more by Eileen’s illness, Catherine can’t even begin to feel that God is listening to her but she has accepted that her life will be as solitary as solitary confinement had been.   That’s just fine.  She can do without anymore pain.  

Meanwhile, Shirlee McCoy’s hero is a force unto himself.  

Darius Osborne has suffered as well.  His father abandoned them, and his mother passed away before he was even a teenager.  Afterward, he was in and out of foster care.   He found a life in the military and lost that life and a limb while inside Afghanistan, and his fiancée found love without him while he was gone.  Darius has also accepted that his life would be solitary, but not by choice.  To him, circumstances, always fell in that direction but his faith has grown through adversity and his heart stayed open.  

These two characters come together in a story about family ties, relationships, and betrayal.

Although NAVY SEAL RESCUER stands alone, you’ll want to catch Shirlee McCoy’s other Love Inspired reads including UNDERCOVER BODYGUARD (Love Inspired Suspense April 2012), THE LAWMAN’S LEGACY (Love Inspired Suspense January 2012), and PRIVATE EYE PROTECTOR (Love Inspired Suspense November 2011)!

INTERVIEW: KATHI MACIAS, author of THE DELIVERER

INTERVIEW: KATHI MACIAS, Author of THE DELIVERER (Freedom Series #3)

Q: While this is the third and final book in the Freedom Series, I’m sure there are people who are just learning about it. Would you please share what prompted you to write these books on such topic as relevant and difficult as human trafficking?

I was finishing up my previous fiction series for New Hope Publishers (the Extreme Devotion Series, dealing with the persecuted Church around the world) when Andrea Mullins (the publisher at New Hope) asked me what topic I wanted to tackle next. We discussed a few possibilities, and then she suggested human trafficking. I was aware of it and thought it was terrible but had no idea how widespread it was. I agreed to do some preliminary research and get back to her. When I discovered there are more than 27 million people held in various forms of human trafficking (sexual slavery, forced labor or military conscription, involuntary donation of body parts/organs) and that many of them are children (including an estimated 100,000—300,000 MINORS held in sexual slavery in the US today!), I was horrified. I was also convinced that I had to do everything possible to help educate others about this widespread horror and to call them to join the fight. Not only have I now written/released the Freedom Series on human trafficking, but I’m speaking on it everywhere/every chance I get.

Q: What was your original objective in writing these books, Deliver Me From Evil, Special Delivery, and The Deliverer? And, what are you hearing back from people who have read the books? How are they taking action?

Originally my plan was to see the books alert readers to this horrific crime and, hopefully, challenge them to get involved in fighting it some way. That seems to be happening, but on such a larger scope than I had imagined. The response from readers is overwhelming! Pastors have written to say they are challenging their entire church to get involved on some level, and I’m being invited to speak all over the country on this topic. I am thrilled to see the Light being shined in this terrible darkness at last! As for specific actions, pastors and civic leaders are inviting me (or others in this ministry) to come and speak to their congregations/groups to help educate them on this massive tragedy. Readers tell me they are posting about my books all over the net to help snag people’s attention. I’m getting invitations to speak on radio and TV as well. I’ve also been contacted by readers who are getting involved in setting up safe houses for rescued victims, which is a huge need. I was even contacted by the Department of Homeland Security and invited to participate in group conference calls on the topic. Overall, I’m thrilled at the way God is using these books to help sound the alarm and to “rescue the perishing.”

Q: It seems there is always someone in your books who is an intercessor. Why is that important for you to include?

This is vital to me, and as you said, I almost always include an intercessor in my novels. I know there were intercessors in my own life who prayed me through some incredibly dangerous and difficult times, and I appreciate those heroes of the faith more than I can express. Highlighting their importance in my books accomplishes two things: it enables me to honor those faithful intercessors who often get no recognition in this world, and it also calls others to get involved in intercession as well.

Q: You write books as you often call them, parables with a purpose, on topics such as human trafficking, the persecuted church, illegal immigration, and your Christmas 2012 book is about homelessness. Some might call you an advocate. Why is it important for Christians, and the church as a whole, to discuss these issues?

You’re right that I call my novels “parables with purpose,” because I believe Jesus is our example and that’s what He told to His followers—parables with purpose. He didn’t just tell them “nice stories” to entertain them. He told stories that would grab them right where they lived, and then challenge them to change their hearts, their minds, and their lives. The Church has always been at the forefront of serious social change, leading the charge to abolish slavery for instance, and leading the charge on these other issues is right where the Church needs to be now. The first step is to discuss the issues, to make people aware of them, and then to call them to action. I believe gripping fiction is one of the most effective ways to do that.

Q: Will you give us a glimpse, a taste of things to come — without getting too far ahead — of what’s in store for your next series and books on the horizon?

In addition to the 2012 Christmas novel, Unexpected Christmas Hero, dealing with homelessness in America, I will be releasing a new series starting in January. The first of the three novels is called The Moses Quilt, and it deals with a contemporary interracial romance, set against the background of a quilt that tells the story of the courageous, faith-filled woman known as Harriet Tubman. A contemporary novel dealing with the issue of abortion will follow, with the first woman doctor in America, Elizabeth Blackwell, as our backdrop heroine. The final book will be built around the much beloved Fanny Crosby, as we deal with the issue of people with disabilities. That series is from New Hope Publishers, but I also have a book releasing in the Spring of 2013 from B&H Publishers called Last Chance for Justice. It’s part of the multi-author Bloomfield Series, and I’m very excited about it.

Q: You also write a devotional blog. Can you tell us what the focus is and where we can find it?

I started writing a weekly devotional several years ago, in response to a request from the then newly formed group CAN (Christian Authors Network). I sent it out as a group email and had about 40 recipients then. The devotional mailing quickly grew and expanded beyond the CAN group, with countless readers signing up to receive it. I also started posting it each week on my devotional blog (http://kathimacias.com/category/devotional-2/), which is part of my primary website (www.kathimacias.com), where you will also find my “Easy Writer” blog, which is more writing-related. (You can also sign up there to receive the weekly devotional in your inbox.) Over the years the devotional has been picked up by Crosswalk, Black Christian News, Latino Christian News (I offer it in Spanish as well as English), Believe.com, Christians in Recovery, etc., so the readership has mushroomed beyond anything I ever imagined. God is amazing, isn’t He?

Q: Finally, we know you as an award-winning author, but you also enjoy speaking for women’s events, and other groups, as well. On what areas or topics do you focus your speaking presentations? How can a church or group find out more about having you speak for their event?

I speak on various topics, including the issues I address in my books, but on other topics too. One of my most requested topics is “When Passion and Purpose Collide.” That, along with several other popular topics, can be found in the speaking section of my website (http://kathimacias.com/speaking/). To see my current speaking schedule and/or to explore the possibility of having me come and speak, just go to http://kathimacias.com/speaking/speaking-schedule/ and click on the Christian Speakers Services button to make contact. You can also see some of my speaking endorsements at http://kathimacias.com/speaking/endorsements/.

For more opportunities for free copies of The Deliverer by Kathi Macias, please visit Facebook.com/CSSVBT.KathiMacias.

by: Kathi Macias

Publisher: NEW HOPE PUBLISHERS

Published: August 1, 2012

Format: Paperback (320 pages)

ISBN: 9781596693081

My Take:

My deepest thanks to Kathy Macias for visiting my blog, graciously answering my questions, and introducing fans to her latest Freedom Series title: THE DELIVERER.   Like many readers, I am already looking forward to Kathi Macias’ future books!  

I was given a complimentary copy of this book from the author in exchange for posting the author’s interview and/or book review on my blog. This blog tour is managed by Christian Speakers Services (http://ChristianSpeakersServices.com).

ZERO VISIBILITY

by: Sharon Dunn              

Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense  

Published: July 3, 2012        

Format: Paperback (224 pages)      

ISBN: 9780373444977            

Origin: Publisher through NetGalley (egalley)

***Though the publisher provides the free book, I offer the opinion.***

My Look:

After a scary fishtail into a ditch, Merci Carson and Lorelei Frank are staring at wrong end of a gun.  

Their escape from these deadly thieves comes by way of a knight on a snowmobile.   This man pulls them aboard taking Merci and Lorelei out of the line of fire, but Merci is still wondering about him.  Could they be in a different type of danger?  

Soon, Merci discovers their rescuer is Nathan McCormick, an EMT, who not only is trustworthy but who has put his life in jeopardy to save two college coeds.   Inside his cabin, Merci cares for Lorelei who hasn’t recovered from their recent trauma, but the snowstorm is growing fierce and the roads are even more treacherous.  They telephone the sheriff and sack out for the night.   The women stay in one room and the EMT stays on the sofa.  

Nathan worries with the storm this bad, those thieves could still be on the mountain, but he doesn’t want to stress Merci and Lorelei about it.  Merci has her hands full attending to her friend, and they’ve been through enough already.  He’s planning to keep watch.  

With sleep-blurred eyes and light glaring on the snow, Nathan sees a flash of purple moving toward the tree line. His instinct kicks in.  Nathan barely puts on enough outer garments for true warmth before dashing after Lorelei.  He knew she’s has demonstrated a variety of symptoms for shock over the days events, and he worries that she woke in a panic and will strand herself to death in the snow trying to flee the stuff of nightmares that put her on the run.

The light was as blinding as the snow when he hits the outside, but a blow to his head leaves him full of regret.  

To save Lorelei, he left Merci sleeping and vulnerable to whomever just made his senses begin to abandon him, as he loses the fight to stay conscious.  

My Take:

ZERO VISIBILITY by Sharon Dunn is a romantic suspense tale of surviving!

Merci must deal with absentee parents, the elements, the kidnapping of her young companion, and a budding attraction to Nathan McCormick.  Her emotional draw toward this EMT is soon eclipsed by a run for her life.  The mountain intruders aren’t the only deadly obstacles Nathan and Merci face, while trying to save Lorelei, the weather and freezing temperatures will cause them to die just as fast.  Meanwhile, Nathan is finding it difficult to cope with being back on the mountain, near his brother, and even harder to understand the feelings welling up for a woman he barely knows.  Merci’s trusting, caring and seems to be everything he wants and needs in a woman, but Nathan wonders if she’s put her trust into the wrong people in this situation, including him.  Will he be able to keep her safe from the thieves and keep her alive in the storm?

Sharon Dunn has created two strong characters with faults and tells a thrilling story about trust, learning to trust again and misplacing trust.   

Although ZERO VISIBILITY stands alone, you’ll want to read Sharon Dunn’s other Love Inspired reads including BROKEN TRUST (Love Inspired Suspense March 2012), HER GUARDIAN (Love Inspired Suspense July 2011), and DEAD RINGER (Love Inspired Suspense May 2010)!