Synopsis

 

Love and danger spar in this thrilling romantic suspense novel in which hands push Marie Jessica (“MJ”) Goodrich from a rural roadway into an icy creek. The clock is ticking for her pleading friend on the other side of the ravine.

Running from flashbacks of a life-altering attack in Afghanistan, MJ takes refuge with her mother, managing Peach Blossom Orchard. But peace is elusive in a rural Oklahoma town full of secrets.

After losing his wife and children in a fatal car crash, Josh Rivers doubts he deserves a second chance at love. He can’t believe his bad luck when MJ, the woman who plagues the nightmares of his military service in Afghanistan, shows up in his hometown. She claims a driver ran down and abducted her friend Kelsey. Frustrated with the county sheriff’s investigation, MJ and Josh partner to follow clues that lead to a kidnapper who demands a bizarre ransom.

With danger increasing for everyone MJ loves, will the clock run out before they solve the mystery? Find out how MJ and Josh—swirling in a whirlwind of mystery and suspense—lean on their mutual faith to find answers, courage, forgiveness, healing … and wholesome romance.

If you like to read Christy Barritt and Colleen Coble, you’ll love Into the Fog, a keep-you-up-at-night clean romantic suspense novel that launches the Peach Blossom Orchard series.

 

 

Amazon

 

 

Review

 

This romantic suspense novel had me on the edge of my seat from the first page. The author’s description of the fog has many meanings that became clearer as I read more of the book.

MJ and Josh happened to be in the same village in Afghanistan when a bomb went off. He saved MJ, but she didn’t recognize him until she heard him humming the song he hummed when trying to keep her focused on staying alive. They both have scars from the war in the form of PTSD. It doesn’t help that they are both in situations that are not of their choosing. MJ is there to assist her mother, whose memory is failing. Josh has taken over his dad’s garage but has flashbacks that make it hard to concentrate at times. Despite their reluctance to get to know one another, they find that they work well together and maybe even have a bit of romantic attraction.

The mystery of what happened to Kelsey kept me guessing throughout the book. There was more to her than just her disappearance. What was she hiding? Or who was she hiding from? You can’t hide very well in a small town where everyone knows your business, no matter how much you keep to yourself.

The story kept me engaged with plenty of action. There are also several suspicious characters. Some are red herrings, and others are not.

I believe this is going to be a series, and I look forward to venturing back into this small Oklahoma town.

We give this book 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Karen Randau authors fast-paced stories with intricate plots, lots of action, and a dash of romance told from the point of view of a female amateur sleuth. She lives in the mountains of Arizona with her multi-generational family.

 

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THE LOVE AND HONOR SERIES

 

by

 

HALLEE BRIDGEMAN

 

 

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HONOR BOUND

September 2022, 384 pages

 

You can’t override the heart

 

It may seem odd to seek peace by moving to a war-torn African country, but for medical missionary Dr. Cynthia Myers, it provided a way to escape a shallow life of unearned wealth, a philandering fiancé, and a father now square in the public eye as vice president of the United States. At least here she knows her work and life have meaning. But all that is thrown into chaos when she fails to save the life of a local warlord’s mortally wounded son.

As part of the Army Special Forces A-Team on a mission to capture and subdue the warlord, Captain Rick Norton is compelled to use deadly force to save Cynthia’s life. Enraged at the violence she witnessed and riddled with guilt that men died because of her, Cynthia doesn’t want to like anything about Rick and his team–but an unexpected attraction is taking hold.

With two members of his team badly injured and rebels in hot pursuit, Rick will have to draw upon all his strength and cunning to get her out alive . . . because he’s beginning to think that, despite their differences, they just may be able to make a life together.

 

 

 

WORD OF HONOR

October 2022, 384 pages

You can’t outrun the past

FBI Special Agent Lynda Culter is investigating an ecoterrorist organization in the Alaskan wilderness when she and her partner are taken captive and he’s murdered before her very eyes. The only person who can identify the key players, Lynda gets assigned to take part in a joint operation in Istanbul to take the organization down.

As a woman in a Muslim country, she’ll find it much easier to move around undetected with a fake husband. Unfortunately for her, the one assigned to play the role is none other than Army weapons specialist Bill Sanders–the man who crushed her heart in college.

With a cargo bay’s worth of hurt and baggage between them, these two consummate professionals must play their parts perfectly if they hope to stop those responsible for bombing oil pipelines, which has killed innocent civilians and threatened to destabilize the oil markets. Protecting Lynda becomes Bill’s primary focus–but love long buried has a way of resurfacing at the most inopportune times.

 

 

 

 

HONOR’S REFUGE

November 2022, 352 pages

You can’t give up on love

When she was just five years old, Melissa Braxton watched her father take her mother’s life and suffered the pain of separation from her sister, Lola. Melissa grew up with a strong desire to help those stuck in abusive relationships. It’s why she became a therapist and opened a domestic abuse shelter.

After losing a leg to a gunshot wound in the line of duty, Phil Osbourne has felt like a man without a purpose–until he hears Melissa’s story and decides to use his Special Forces contacts to track down her missing sister, the wife of a Colombian cartel teniente. He knows what he discovers will break Melissa’s heart. What he doesn’t realize is that helping the women reunite will bring the cartel down on them like the category 5 hurricane striking Miami.

Bruised yet not quite broken, Melissa and Phil battle the storm and the cartel, calling on strength they didn’t know they had to escape death, save the innocent, and–just maybe–find healing in each other’s arms.

 

 

 

Baker Publishing Group * Amazon * Hallee Bridgeman’s Website

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Review of Honor Bound – Book 1

 

There is nothing like living in the middle of a jungle in the middle of nowhere and then having to run for your life. Ok, most of us would not like to live like that, but for Captain Rick Norton, this was a routine day. Dr. Cynthia Myers may enjoy her career working as a doctor in said jungles, but I’m pretty sure she would prefer not to run anywhere.

Cynthia was having a crisis knowing who she was and where she should be in life. To try and resolve her ideas, she takes a job in the jungles of Africa, helping women give birth to healthy babies and maybe assisting with a few other minor health issues. She doesn’t expect the local warlord’s posse to roll into her village and expect her to save a dead man. Lucky for her, a special forces team was nearby tracking the warlord and his men, trying to end that regime. It was divine fate that they were there and could save her from these men. However, that wasn’t necessarily a good thing because where there is one, there will be more. What follows is an action-pack escape out of the jungle to an embassy in the country over a span of about 24 hours. I was on the edge of my seat, wondering how they would make it out alive.

Obviously, they do make it out of the jungle and to the embassy, and much to Cynthia’s surprise, her father, is there. Apparently, he is now the Vice President. I can’t even imagine what it would be like to have a father that high up in politics and the danger that you could be in from those trying to harm him. Cynthia is a bit of a rebel and does not want to be drawn into that spotlight again after a disastrous event that led up to her departure to Africa. Sometimes, you just don’t get a say in some events. The upside to her recent experience is that she is hyper-vigilant and notices things aren’t right. Another intense situation unfolded, which left my heart racing for the second time in a short period.

Things calm down from here, but these intense situations have drawn Cynthia and Rick together, and sparks are flying between the two. But will it last? Cynthia is a pacifist and abhors guns. I can’t blame her; I’m not wild about guns, either. But sometimes, they serve a purpose, and it is knowing when those situations arise and that sometimes there are no other options. Rick leads a special forces team, and it is who he is. Both believe in a higher being, but can they resolve their differences?

This book really got my heart pumping during the first half. Once things calmed down, I became invested in the budding relationship between Rick and Cynthia. I liked that they took it slow and didn’t rush into anything. However, her pacifism gave her some unrealistic ideas, and trying to make Rick bend to her way of thinking was rather immature for someone in her early 30s. This dynamic helped keep the story interesting and created a new conflict that needed to be resolved.

There are many supporting characters from Rick’s special forces team, and they add drama and humor to the story. I found myself intrigued by these men and was happy to see that at least two of them get their own story in this series. I can’t wait to pick those up and see how things continue. I liked their dry wit during stressful times in the jungle, but deep down, they all had each other’s back and were a family. They were going to do whatever it took to ensure that everyone left Africa alive and in one piece.

I enjoyed this book and give it 5 paws up and look forward to the next two in this series.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hallee Bridgeman is the USA Today bestselling author of several action-packed romantic suspense books and series. An Army brat turned Floridian, Hallee and her husband finally settled in central Kentucky, where they have raised their three children. When she’s not writing, Hallee pursues her passion for cooking, coffee, campy action movies, and regular date nights with her husband. She is an accomplished speaker and an active member of several writing organizations.

 

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Three Romantic Suspense Novellas

 

by

 

Lynette Eason, Lynn H. Blackburn, & Natalie Walters

 

 

Christian / Suspense / Romance / Novellas

Publisher: Revell

Pages: 368 pages

Publication Date: November 1, 2022

 

Scroll down for the Giveaway!

 

 

 

 

Get ready for triple the excitement, intrigue, and romance with three heart-stopping stories from your favorite romantic suspense authors!

 

In On the Run, Lynette Eason introduces you to IT Specialist Daria Nevsky, a highly skilled FBI agent with the ability to hack any computer. She must go on the run to find out who wants her dead–and Dr. Ryker Donahue refuses to let her do it alone.

 

In Deadly Objective, Lynn H. Blackburn throws physical therapist Emily Dixon and Secret Service Agent Liam Harper into an impossible situation. They don’t know why the vice president’s son seems to be in the crosshairs of a killer, but they’ll sacrifice anything to keep him safe.

 

In Caught in the Crosshairs, Natalie Walters pits former Army PSYOPS officer Ari Blackman against his colleague, CIA officer Claudia Gallegos, when Claudia is implicated in the murder of a Saudi prince. Can he prevent a coup that would put America at risk?

 

 

 

 

 Baker Publishing Group

 

Amazon * Baker Book House * Christianbook.com

 

Other Baker Publishing Group Affiliates

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have read books by all three of these authors, and they never disappoint. This is true with this new book which includes three novellas that tie to other series that they write. I am always impressed by authors that can pack action and romance into a shorter story that doesn’t leave you wanting more. Ok, well, sometimes you want more, but everything is nicely wrapped up within that novella.

All three stories are action-packed from start to finish and feature strong women who know how to get the job done. All three feature different branches of the government – CIA, FBI, and Secret Service – and it is intriguing to see how they all act and react the same, yet sometimes differently, too. Love can be found right under their noses, and despite trying to fight it, reality sinks in, and each woman accepts that the man in front of her is the right one for her.

While I don’t want to play favorites, I think my favorite story was Deadly Objective by Lynn Blackburn. Something about this pairing of a physical therapist and Secret Service agent and the tense situations they endured touched me. Perhaps it was the teen that they were protecting from himself and others.

That isn’t to say that On the Run by Lynette Eason didn’t grab my attention, with Ryker expanding his patient care beyond the hospital walls. Daria was a smart cookie on top of that, and despite her upbringing with a mob father, she runs the straight and narrow.

Caught in the Crosshairs has a swoony analyst, Ari, who has women fawning all over him no matter where they go. Perhaps that is why he has the playboy and James Bond nicknames. That doesn’t stop Claudia from getting her man, both in the field and in love.

These are perfect for reading over lunch or before you turn out the light…but you might have difficulty putting the book down!

We give this book 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lynette Eason is the USA Today bestselling author of Life Flight and Crossfire, as well as the Danger Never Sleeps, Blue Justice, Women of Justice, Deadly Reunions, Hidden Identity, and Elite Guardians series. She is the winner of three ACFW Carol Awards, the Selah Award, and the Inspirational Reader’s Choice Award, among others. She is a graduate of the University of South Carolina and has a master’s degree in education from Converse College. Eason lives in South Carolina with her husband and two children.

 

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Lynn H. Blackburn is the award-winning author of Unknown Threat and Malicious Intent, as well as the Dive Team Investigations series. She believes in the power of stories, especially those that remind us that true love exists, a gift from the Truest Love. Blackburn is passionate about CrossFit, coffee, and chocolate (don’t make her choose) and experimenting with recipes that feed both body and soul. She lives in Simpsonville, South Carolina, with her true love, Brian, and their three children.

 

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Natalie Walters is the author of Lights Out and Fatal Code, as well as the Harbored Secrets series. A military wife, she currently resides in Texas with her soldier husband and is the proud mom of three. She loves traveling, spending time with her family, and connecting with readers on Instagram and Facebook.

 

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Receives a paperback copy of 

 

TARGETED,

 

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Synopsis

 

Secrets can protect what the truth will destroy.

Elidor MacKenzie has a gift she can’t return—the ability to absorb the joy, pain, and suffering of others. She’s spent her life running from what she considers her curse. Now, her best friend is dead, and she alone holds the key to an archaeological discovery that could destroy a culture. With newfound inner peace, Elidor has returned home to make amends and guard the secret revelation. But greed-driven scavengers have followed her. Once again, the energies of Joshua will stir the hurricane, with her at the deadly center.

Jules never got over Elidor. Twenty years and a famous journalism career later, he’s back in Joshua—and so is his first love. If his heart can stand the torture, he’ll risk reviving their relationship. But saving Elidor from herself and the secret she won’t give up may be the death of them both.

With Jules by her side, Elidor is determined to outrun the scavengers, guard the secret, and renew their love. But fate is coming after her, and there’s nowhere the couple can hide.

 

 

Amazon

 

Read for Free via Kindle Unlimited

 

 

Review

 

This is the third book in the MacKenzie series that features each sibling in this family. While this is a series, you can read out of order, but I never recommend that only because you get to know the characters and will understand certain references to previous books a bit better.

Elidor is the baby of the family and an empath. Because her mother died when she was young, she never really understood her gift or how to control it, and this was harder around her family, especially when they were grieving for her mom. The loss of a friend on a dig has her heading back to Joshua to see her family and her sister, Magpie, get married. While there, she runs into Julian, her first love and perhaps only love. On top of this, she has people after her because she and her friend discovered a hidden burial site but refuse to divulge the location leaving it to the Apache people and not the government to take for their own benefit.

The book spans about a week, but there is a lot of action packed into the pages. I enjoyed watching the story unfold and the second chance at romance between Elidor and Julian. The descriptions of the scenery and town drew me in, and I felt like I was there with the characters. I liked the multiple points of view between Elidor and Egan. Egan is not one of the good guys, but his POV helps us understand his motivation and what drives him to seek answers from Elidor.

This book was also a fun look back at what is happening with Elidor’s siblings and father. This is a quirky small town, yet the sense of the community is strong.

I don’t know if there will be any more books in this series, but if there are, perhaps it will be to give their dad his story with his new girlfriend, Annette. I feel like there is more to their story than what we have learned so far.

We give this book 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Brenda Whiteside is the author of suspenseful, action-adventure stories with a touch of romance. Mostly. After living in six states and two countries—so far—she and her husband have decided they are gypsies at heart, splitting their time between Central Arizona and the RV life. They share their home with a rescue dog named Amigo. While FDW is fishing, Brenda writes.

 

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DANGEROUS BEAUTY

 

by

 

MELISSA KOSLIN

 

 

Fiction / Christian / Romance / Suspense

Publisher: Revell

Pages: 352 pages

Publication Date: September 6, 2022

 

 

Scroll down for the Giveaway!

 

 

 

 

What is the price of freedom?

 

Liliana Vela hates the term victim. She’s not a victim, she’s a fighter. Stubborn and strong with a quiet elegance, she’s determined to take back her life after escaping the clutches of human traffickers. But she can’t stay safely in America–unless the man who aided in her rescue is serious about his unconventional proposal to marry her.

Meric Toledan was just stopping at a service station for a bottle of water. Instead, he becomes the key to Liliana’s rescue. If he can keep his secrets hidden, his wealth and position afford him many resources to help her. But the mysterious buyer who funded her capture will not sit idly by while his prize is stolen from him.

 

 

 

Amazon | Baker Book House | Christianbook

 

Other Revell Affiliates

 

 

Praise

 

“Do not start this book until you have the time to read it in one gulp. This is a really fresh twist on a marriage of convenience with the potential for pages of suspense. The hero and heroine are each hugely compelling, and I just wanted to protect them both. It’s also a sweet story of the healing power of hope. Highly recommend this novel for those who adore romantic suspense with a fresh twist.” —Cara Putman, award-winning author of Flight Risk and Lethal Intent

 

“Koslin brings the underworld of human trafficking to life in a gripping yet redemptive plot.” –Booklist

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We are not bound by our circumstances; life is what we make of it.

This tale is one of courage, strength, love, and understanding. Liliana has all of these in spades, and it shines throughout the book. Yes, she may have arrived in the US under some harsh conditions, but she doesn’t let this bring her down. Meric has his own demons he is battling that make it hard for him to recognize that life doesn’t have to be mired in the past.

This book addresses a difficult topic, trafficking. This happens more than we probably realize, and possibly in our own neighborhoods and cities. However, we see that there are people out there that try and stop this from happening when they can. Meric just happened to be in the right place at the right time and was able to extract Liliana from a potentially harmful situation. His actions at the beginning and throughout the book reflect the type of man he is. But these are also his weaknesses because he saw Liliana and fell in love with her beauty right away. But because of his own history, he holds himself back, knowing that Liliana needs to heal from her ordeal. But holding back sends mixed signals, and if I were in Liliana’s shoes, I know that I would be confused as she was.

Liliana is more formidable than Meric gives her credit for. She is not afraid of much and is willing to fight for what is right. She dives head first into helping rescue other trapped women so they don’t endure a fate that might be worse than death. I was in awe of her character and wondered if I could do the same if I were in her shoes. I think Meric’s past held him back, and while he wanted Liliana to heal, it was apparent that he had his own issues that he wasn’t addressing, and it took nearly the entire book to fully understand his position.

The story encompasses approximately a month, but a lot happens during that time; it kept me wondering what could possibly happen next for these characters. Will they stop others from trafficking women? Will they stay safe and away from harm? The story is like an onion, and each chapter peeled back layers of the characters and the various situations. The various characters will either endear you to them or despise them.

I was surprised at the number of characters that thought Meric was holding Liliana captive. She was free to roam about as she pleased, which was not the case for some others we discover later in the book. Their hearts might be in the right place, but they couldn’t have been further from the truth.

This book may not be for everyone, but I enjoyed it and look forward to this author’s next book.

We give this book 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Melissa Koslin is a fourth-degree black belt in and certified instructor of Songahm Taekwondo. In her day job as a commercial property manager, she secretly notes personal quirks and funny situations, ready to tweak them into colorful additions for her books. The author of Never Miss, Melissa lives in Jacksonville, Florida, with her husband, Corey.

 

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TWO WINNERS:

 

Each receives copies of Dangerous Beauty and Never Miss

 

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Synopsis

 

Love and danger spar in this thrilling romantic suspense novel in which hands push Marie Jessica (“MJ”) Goodrich from a rural roadway into an icy creek. The clock is ticking for her pleading friend on the other side of the ravine.

Running from flashbacks of a life-altering attack in Afghanistan, MJ takes refuge with her mother, managing Peach Blossom Orchard. But peace is elusive in a rural Oklahoma town full of secrets.

After losing his wife and children in a fatal car crash, Josh Rivers doubts he deserves a second chance at love. He can’t believe his bad luck when MJ, the woman who plagues the nightmares of his military service in Afghanistan, shows up in his hometown. She claims a driver ran down and abducted her friend Kelsey. Frustrated with the county sheriff’s investigation, MJ and Josh partner to follow clues that lead to a kidnapper who demands a bizarre ransom.

With danger increasing for everyone MJ loves, will the clock run out before they solve the mystery? Find out how MJ and Josh—swirling in a whirlwind of mystery and suspense—lean on their mutual faith to find answers, courage, forgiveness, healing … and wholesome romance.

If you like to read Christy Barritt and Colleen Coble, you’ll love Into the Fog, a keep-you-up-at-night clean romantic suspense novel that launches the Peach Blossom Orchard series.

 

 

Amazon

 

 

Excerpt

 

The sight of an opaque wall of fog stopped her legs and tightened her neck muscles. We could get lost in there. Fall off the bridge into the creek. She shuddered, massaged the scar on her abdomen, circled her head to loosen the muscles.

She hadn’t realized the town of Peach Blossom experienced such unsettling weather when she moved from Phoenix last month. Tornadoes, yes, but not impenetrable fog.

Her mother’s cellar promised protection from tornadoes. This kind of fog was just… well, it felt like a colony of killer bees swarmed inside her stomach. That reminded her to find someone to help move the bees from the attic to the orchard to pollinate the trees rather than buzz her awake every morning.

Another glimpse of the murkiness that obscured the bridge increased her tension. Kneading the scar didn’t help, so she shifted from worrying about fog and Africanized bees to stretching exercises. She’d learned not to let her muscles seize up when she served in Afghanistan with the Army Rangers a few years back, the worst and the best time of her life.

The thought almost had her grabbing the abdominal scar again. Almost. She needed to break that habit now that she was making a new life for herself.

With a deep breath, she stood tall on her right leg—all five-feet-six-inches of her—and stiffened her core, placed her hands on her hips, raised her left leg at a ninety-degree angle. “Rotate out,” her physical therapist had instructed while she recovered at Walter Reed Hospital. “Draw a circle in the air with your knee.”

Having repeated the exercise on both legs, still without Kelsey, she moved on to lunging stretches with a side bend, her dark ponytail slapping her face, wisps sticking to her lip balm. Engrossed in how good it felt to stretch her hips, glutes, and hamstrings, she startled when Kelsey stopped smack-dab in front of her and said, “Sorry I’m late.”

The woman’s red puffy eyes didn’t match her chipper tone.

MJ recognized Kelsey’s clothes from her last trip to Walmart: purple sports cap, a purple long sleeve top, and black capri running pants with a purple stripe down the side. Kelsey always matched. Unlike MJ, who straightened her orange running top over the phone wedged into the waistband of her blue running capris.

Kelsey rolled her head before draping a manicured hand on top to stretch her neck to the left, then to the right. “It’s been a rough morning. Ghosts from days past.” She aimed her face upward and sniffed the air, forcing a smile that showed even white teeth.

“I love Oklahoma, don’t you? Your mom’s orchard smells so good.”

MJ grinned, her chest puffing with pride about her mother’s business.

This could be an opportunity to find out where Kelsey lived, giving MJ someone to visit occasionally. She tried yet again to coax the info out of Kelsey. “It sure does. You’re not even a little out of breath when you get here, so I assume you don’t live far. Can you smell it from your house?”

“Nice try. Like I’ve said before, I don’t tell people where I live.” Annoyance had sharpened Kelsey’s tone. “But since I’ve been running this route ever since I arrived in Peach Blossom a few months ago, the distance is easy for me. Having someone to run with is an answer to prayer.”

MJ smiled but had to squelch the jealousy of God answering someone else’s prayers when he couldn’t bother with hers.

With her first step to the left, MJ again grimaced at the fog. She glanced at the less soupy air behind them and hoped she could talk Kelsey into changing their usual route.

“You must be tired of going the same way every day.” MJ tried to ease the anxiety in her voice. “What do you say about going that way instead? There’s a dirt lane I’ve been wanting to explore.”

Something sparked in Kelsey’s eyes that looked as uneasy as MJ felt. “I’ve been that way. Never, never again.” She took off toward the bridge—and the stomach rumbling fog in their tiny farming community outside Tahlequah, the home of the Cherokee Nation.

MJ hurried to catch up to her mysterious friend. “What’s down there that you didn’t like?”

“Nothing I want to talk about.” Kelsey picked up her pace.

They settled into a steady, if not rushed, rhythm down the middle of the road since they heard no cars and rarely saw them that early. MJ tried again for a more personal connection.

“Have you met any interesting men since you moved here?”

Kelsey harrumphed. “I’ve met men, sure. I have no interest, not because I don’t like men, but now isn’t the right time for a relationship or dating. You?”

“Nah. I’ve stayed away from men since …” She didn’t know how to describe what she’d been through or why no man would want her, so she let the sentence hang. Her stint in Afghanistan had ended in tragedy, followed by months of rehab at Walter Reed. Then she had fought for her management spot in the good-old-boys network of a Phoenix bank. Relief had washed over her when her sisters called to announce MJ was the best of the three of them to move to Peach Blossom to help their mother operate her orchard business.

“Since what?” Kelsey’s blond ponytail slapped her prominent cheekbones when she swung her head toward MJ. Her striking green eyes bore into MJ as she waited for an answer.

“Now who’s sticking her nose where it doesn’t belong?” MJ interrupted the ensuing silence by apologizing. “That was rude. The truth is, I don’t have time for men either. My mom is showing signs of dementia, so I moved here to help handle her peach business, but I’m more of a gofer than a manager. It isn’t a brilliant use for my MBA, but it’s better than what I was doing.”

“Hmm.” Kelsey squinted ahead, returning MJ’s attention to the approaching wall of fog and the possibility of falling off the bridge.

“Maybe we shouldn’t go in there.” MJ’s shoulders and gut tightened. She slowed her pace and grabbed Kelsey’s elbow to guide her toward the grass beside the road. “I never saw fog like this in Arizona. Did you experience it wherever you’re from?”

Kelsey shook her arm from MJ’s grasp. “I don’t tell people where I’m from, but I’ve seen plenty of fog. If you’re not used to it, I can see why it might scare you. I’ll see you tomorrow.” She stretched her long legs and sprinted away.

MJ stopped, confused. “I didn’t say I wouldn’t go.” Despite that, the reprieve eased the stiffness in her neck and shoulders.

Kelsey yelled over her shoulder as she disappeared into the fog. “It’s okay. I’m in the mood to be alone with my thoughts. See you tomorrow.”

“Don’t run in the middle of the road, okay?” An image of the bridge flashed through her brain. “Stay on the grass.”

Kelsey shouted something that MJ didn’t understand.

As she shifted toward the dirt path she’d mentioned to Kelsey, a silver sedan passed, followed by a black tow truck. Seconds later, brakes screeched, a woman screamed, and something crashed against metal.

“Kelsey!” She ran toward the narrow bridge that spanned Kingfisher Creek. “Please, God, don’t let anyone hurt her.” She couldn’t fail another friend. “Please let her have switched to running on the grass beside the road.”

Penetrating the fog, she lost her bearings and tapped her foot to find the grassy area at the edge of the road. Stinky body odor approached from behind. Bony hands clamped her arms like a cold vise and dragged her across the pavement until her legs pumped in mid-air. The fingers let go. Her body took a bumpy roll down a wet slope that knocked the air from her lungs. Grass and pebbles tore her sleeves, skinned her elbows. She tasted blood. Struggled to inhale. Landed in icy water from her knees down. When she tried pushing up, her arms were too weak to hold her.

In the distance, Kelsey pleaded. “No, please. My leg…” Something muffled her next words.

Blackness moved into the edges of MJ’s vision. Far-off male voices echoed gibberish. She wanted to yell to Kelsey that everything would be okay, but she knew nothing was okay.

 

 

About the Author

 

Karen Randau authors fast-paced stories with intricate plots, lots of action, and a dash of romance told from the point of view of a female amateur sleuth. She lives in the mountains of Arizona with her multi-generational family.

 

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Shielding Her Son (West Investigations)
Romantic Suspense
4th in Series
Harlequin Intrigue (July 26, 2022)
Mass Market Paperback ‏ : ‎ 256 pages

 

Synopsis

 

She thought she’d escaped her past…

Has it caught up with her?

Erika Powell has lived in hiding for years to protect her son from his wealthy, tyrannical grandfather. Wary of strangers, she’s suspicious of James West, who’s renting a neighboring cabin, despite their sizzling chemistry. But when attempts are made on Erika’s life, James fears he may have endangered her—because the undercover PI’s investigation of Erika may have led someone dangerous right to her.

 

 

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From Harlequin Intrigue: Seek thrills. Solve crimes. Justice served.

Discover more action-packed stories in the West Investigations series. All books are stand-alone with uplifting endings but were published in the following order:

Book 1: Pursuit of the Truth
Book 2: Missing at Christmas
Book 3: Christmas Data Breach
Book 4: Shielding Her Son

 

About the Author

 

K.D. Richards was born and raised in the Maryland suburbs just outside of Washington, D.C. A writer since a young age, after college Kia earned a law degree and worked as an attorney and legal instructor for fifteen years but never stopped writing fiction. She currently splits her time between Toronto and Maryland with her husband and two sons.

 

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Giveaway

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

 

 

 

PROMISE OF THE HEART

 

Author: Susan Berry

 

Pages: 203

 

Genre: Clean Romance

 

 

Synopsis

 

After a distasteful first meeting and a rocky start to their romance, Maggie Kinsley has been happily married to Desmond for the last eleven months. And although she was often alone when he traveled for business, she rather enjoyed how he passionately greeted her when returning home.

So when he received a letter naming him as executor of a property that belonged to a deceased family friend and had to leave for a few weeks, Maggie should have been content as she kissed him goodbye. But there was something about the whole thing that made her uneasy. Why was Desmond so evasive with her when she asked him about the previous owner. And why had he insisted she not tell anyone of his plans to stay on the property? Maggie soon found the answers to her questions were more than just a woman’s intuition, but rather something that not even her wildest, darkest fears could have foreseen.

“I so enjoyed the long-awaited final book to the trilogy the author so lovingly created. Maggie’s story has a wonderful ending, and she’ll be in my heart and mind for a long time.” – Amazon

 

 

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Excerpt

 

A shaking of the car startled her, as did the feeling of Desmond’s arms around her as he’d opened the door and lifted her from the seat. Now cradled in his embrace, she lost whatever control she had left. Her hands clenched the front of his shirt as she buried her head in the soft fabric. She wanted to crawl inside his skin. To get lost in the protection it offered. The warmth of his arms soon soothed her. When she loosened her grip on him, she realized he was crying too. She wiggled free and stood in front of him. With her open palm, she wiped his face, then kissed his lips. She lingered there for a moment, needing to ground herself to have any hope of gaining control over her own fractured emotions. Again, she put her hand to Desmond’s face, only this time she left it there. “Are you okay?”

 

 

 

 

 

Review

 

While billed as a clean romance (which it is), this felt like more of a romantic suspense novel.

This is a shorter book, but there is plenty of action within the pages. Maggie has some major issues going back to her childhood. I think that she would benefit from some therapy that I don’t think she ever received after witnessing her mother’s death as a child. Her sister, Jilly, doesn’t seem to have the same issues and is a major source of support for Maggie. Jilly can be a bit self-absorbed, and her timing is crazy since she keeps interrupting romantic moments between Maggie and her husband Desmond.

Desmond has some strange quirks about him. He is in his early 40’s while Maggie is 27, yet he tends to treat her as a child and not his equal partner. This can be seen when he makes decisions without talking them over with Maggie, especially when it affects her. But then, Maggie has her issues and doesn’t tell Desmond things about her past and other secrets that happen during the book. I don’t understand why she doesn’t trust him to understand her history or the current issues.

The suspense portion comes from an unknown person (initially) causing issues at a winery that Desmond inherited. We find out that this person thinks that they are the heir and is searching for the proof that he thinks is hidden on the property. I found this portion interesting leading up to the revelation of who this person was and what they were doing. I wondered if Mateo, an employee of the vineyard, had anything to do with the strange events.

Overall, this is a fast read. I did find Maggie annoying, and she was not my favorite character. This is apparently the third book in this series and reading the information about the first two books leads me to believe that this is a series to read in order to truly understand Maggie and what she is going through. Perhaps I wouldn’t have found her so annoying had I read the first two books…one will never know!

We give this book 3 1/2 paws up.

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Since Susan Berry was a young girl, she loved to write. Her imagination was filled with stories that she couldn’t write down fast enough. But it wasn’t until her grandmother had given her a Harlequin romance novel to occupy her time on a long, boring car ride that she fell in love with reading romance. The excitement of the characters first meeting and the dance of the heart that followed left Susan frantically turning pages. From that day on, Susan spent her free time with her beloved grandmother, reading the latest novels they’d retrieved from a used book store or the local second-hand shop. That reading eventually turned into the writing of her own romance novels. Novels filled with characters who have not yet found love but eventually find a way to overcome romantic troubles with humor, wit, and the consumption of lots and lots of chocolate.

Susan’s latest book is the clean romance suspense, Promise of the Heart.

 

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Synopsis

 

Michael Buchanan will need every bit of his extensive skill set when he appoints himself bodyguard to a woman determined not to need one in this thrilling new novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Julie Garwood.

Grace Isabel MacKenna had a hundred things to do today. Killing someone wasn’t one of them. It was supposed to be a quick visit to Boston for the Buchanan anniversary party, then on to Scotland to collect an inheritance. She checks into her hotel and then decides to go for a brisk walk. But after getting lost, she ends up with a wounded man stumbling into her arms—and his shooter coming after them both. When she fires back in self-defense, she doesn’t expect him to drop dead. After Isabel endures an interrogation by police, she is free to go, thanks to the Buchanans dispatching former Navy SEAL and now lawyer Michael Buchanan to assist her.

Isabel knows she should be grateful for Michael’s help, but since she’s harbored an extreme dislike for him for years, gratitude is difficult to muster. Michael has appointed himself her de facto guardian, and she’s stuck with him despite their constant bickering and sizzling attraction. Even when Isabel goes to Scotland to claim her inheritance, Michael follows her—but he isn’t the only thing she can’t shake. Mysterious threats against Isabel surface, and before they can deal with their growing feelings for each other, Michael and Isabel must first survive.

 

 

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Excerpt

 

Chapter One

 

Isabel MacKenna had a hundred things to do today. Killing someone wasn’t one of them.

She had such high hopes this morning when she dragged herself out of bed at the ungodly hour of five a.m. She had made detailed plans for the day that lay ahead, and she would have sailed through them if two unfortunate incidents hadn’t waylaid her. The first was an irritating inconvenience; the second, a terrifying nightmare.

Scheduled to take an early flight on a no-frills, but supercheap airline to Boston, she arrived at the airport in plenty of time to go through security. She was dressed for comfort in a pair of snug jeans and a light pink T-shirt. Her long blond hair was up in a ponytail, and she wore a Red Sox baseball cap her brother-in-law, Dylan, had given her. She checked her luggage, which was packed for a trip to Scotland the following week, and carried her backpack that held everything she would need for the next few days. It was so stuffed she was pretty sure it weighed more than she did. The first time she attempted to swing it over her shoulder she nearly did a backflip. Fortunately, once she was on the plane, another passenger helped her lift it into the overhead compartment.

She had been assigned a window seat, and she planned to go to sleep as soon as the plane took off. In hindsight, perhaps her expectations were naive. From past experience she had learned that there was never anything smooth or easy about flying, and today was no exception. Once she boarded, she was trapped, and a flight that should have taken a little under three hours ended up taking seven and a half, thanks to the fly-by-the-seat-of-their-pants airline and the mechanical problems they were sure maintenance could fix in no time at all. The captain made the passengers sit on the plane for two full hours before they were allowed to go back into the terminal to continue their wait while repairs were completed. After another grueling hour passed, they were told a relief plane was being flown in to take them to Boston. Apparently, the fix-it-in-no-time-at-all plane couldn’t be fixed.

It was a miserable flight. It began with Isabel plastered up against the window while two overly friendly college students in the seats next to her took turns hitting on her. They seemed to be in some sort of competition to hold her attention and get her phone number. One was in his seventh year at a college in Arizona. In the course of his monologue he sheepishly admitted he still didn’t have enough credits to graduate. The other one was in his third year at Colorado State and had changed his major so many times he couldn’t remember what it now was. Isabel thought maybe there was a little something extra baked into the cookies he was munching on. She was pretty sure he was stoned.

Being polite to the nonstop talkers took effort, for exhaustion was pressing down on her . . . and no wonder. She had gotten only three hours of sleep the night before, and the last several weeks had been brutal, with papers due and finals to study for, not to mention packing up almost everything she owned and shipping it back home to Silver Springs, South Carolina, leaving only some of her clothes and personal items. Finally, graduation. She had hoped both of her sisters would be there for the ceremony, but Kiera, the older of the two, was in the middle of a demanding medical residency and couldn’t take time off from work to attend. Her other sister, Kate, and her husband, Dylan, were there to see her walk across the stage and get her diploma. She was on her way now to meet them at Nathan’s Bay, Dylan’s family home just outside Boston. Judge and Mrs. Buchanan, Dylan’s parents, were celebrating their anniversary, and their big family was gathering for the occasion. Isabel was happy to be invited to the festivities. The Buchanans were so warm and welcoming, and she looked forward to a week of fun and relaxation.

Then she and Kate were off to Scotland to see Glen MacKenna, the property she would soon inherit from her crusty and-she had it on good authority-horribly mean great-uncle. The land was located in the Highlands, and Isabel was anxious to see it. Kate and Dylan had given her the trip as a graduation present.

After she returned from Scotland, her plans were uncertain. Maybe the trip would give her some insight into what her future would be.

Once the plane was in flight to Boston and the incessant chattering of her seatmates had died down, Isabel rested her head against the porthole window. She was feeling horrible. She had thrown up-a couple of times, as a matter of fact-as soon as she’d rolled out of bed, and now her head was pounding. She closed her eyes and tried to sleep, but the drummer banging away on the inside of her eyelids wouldn’t let up.

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Julie Garwood is among the most critically acclaimed—and popular—romance authors around, published in thirty-two languages worldwide with forty million copies of her books in print. She is the author of numerous bestsellers, including Fast Track, Hotshot, Sweet Talk, The Ideal Man, Sizzle, Fire and Ice, Shadow Music, Shadow Dance, and Slow Burn. She lives in Kansas City.

 

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Synopsis

 

From the author of Tell Me Lies and Too Good to Be True comes Carola Lovering’s Can’t Look Away, a sexy suspense novel about the kind of addictive, obsessive love that keeps you coming back––no matter how hard you try to look away.

In 2013, twenty-three-year old Molly Diamond is a barista, dreaming of becoming a writer. One night at a concert in East Williamsburg, she locks eyes with the lead singer, Jake Danner, and can’t look away. Molly and Jake fall quickly and deeply in love, especially after he writes a hit song about her that puts his band on the map.

Nearly a decade later, Molly has given up writing and is living in Flynn Cove, Connecticut with her young daughter and her husband Hunter—who is decidedly not Jake Danner. Their life looks picture-perfect, but Molly is lonely; she feels out of place with the other women in their wealthy suburb, and is struggling to conceive their second child. When Sabrina, a newcomer in town, walks into the yoga studio where Molly teaches and confesses her own fertility struggles, Molly believes she’s finally found a friend.

But Sabrina has her own reasons for moving to Flynn Cove and befriending Molly. And as Sabrina’s secrets are slowly unspooled, her connection to Molly becomes clearer––as do secrets of Molly’s own, which she’s worked hard to keep buried.

Meanwhile, a new version of Jake’s hit song is on the radio, forcing Molly to confront her past and ask the ultimate questions: What happens when life turns out nothing like we thought it would, when we were young and dreaming big? Does growing up mean choosing with your head, rather than your heart? And do we ever truly get over our first love?

 

 

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Review

 

I enjoy books that are told from multiple points of view because you can really dig into what the character is thinking, feeling, or planning to do. The book starts off primarily from Molly’s point of view and we learn about her struggles until she and Jake have a moment when their eyes meet at a bar where his band was playing. From there it was off to the races.

Later in the book, we have a new character, Sabrina. We know she is up to no good but we don’t really know why. Until we do, then it is a “whoa” kind of moment. Sabrina is messed up is all I can say. At first, you think she deserves some pity or sympathy until the truth is revealed. The pieces really start to fall into place and we have a better understanding of the past and how it has impacted the present.

The book does flip back and forth in time so that we can grasp Molly’s relationship with Jake, her relationship now with her husband, Hunter, and how even love can’t save a relationship.

The characters are young in the “past”, 23+ and that explains a lot of their immaturity. But circumstances and situations change them as people, and while they may be more grown up in the present, there are still some secrets that need to be shared and discussions to be had if everyone is going to truly move forward.

I did enjoy this book and there is so much I want to say but it would give away a lot of the “suspense” of the plot. I don’t think this is a true suspense novel, maybe a romantic suspense story, but I think it might be more of a drama that you would see on Lifetime or a similar channel.

We give this book 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Carola Lovering is the author of Tell Me Lies, Too Good to Be True, and the forthcoming Can’t Look Away. She attended Colorado College, and her work has appeared in New York Magazine, W Magazine, National Geographic, Outside, and Yoga Journal, among other publications. Her novel, Tell Me Lies, is currently being adapted into a television series for Hulu. She lives in Connecticut with her husband and son.

 

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