Genre Reviews

Fighting Edge by Margaret Mizushima

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Fri, 04 Sep 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Fighting Edge
by Margaret Mizushima

ISBN-13: 9798892426701
Hardcover: 336 pages
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books
Released: September 8, 2026

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
A routine welfare check becomes a nightmare when Deputy Mattie Walker finds a young mother dead and a hysterical toddler, possibly the only witness to a brutal crime. Before the investigative team can start piecing together what happened, Mattie discovers another criminal act in Timber Creek.

During a traffic stop for speeding, Mattie observes a nervous driver and a teenage passenger frozen with fear. A quick sweep of the car with her K-9 partner, Robo, reveals a dangerous mix of drugs and suspected human trafficking, providing Mattie with grounds to arrest the driver. After she places the teenager in protective custody, the sheriff’s department hands the case over to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.

As the team gathers evidence and information, Mattie’s husband, veterinarian Cole Walker, notices suspicious activity during ambulatory calls at dog kennels, indicating yet a third crime lurking in the shadows. What begins as isolated incidents quickly reveals a chilling truth: Organized crime has infiltrated their rural mountain community.

Every clue leads to more questions, and each answer brings them closer to greater danger. Can Mattie and her law enforcement partners shut down this criminal ring before it claims more victims?

My Review:
Fighting Edge is a K9-detective mystery. It's the 11th in a series. You can understand this book without reading the previous ones, and this book didn't spoil the previous mysteries.

It's a clue-based mystery. There was suspense, especially near the end, due to danger to the good guys and the trafficked teens. The main characters were likable and complex, and they reacted realistically to events. They came across as real people, and I cared about what happened to them. Mattie and Robo (her talented k9) and the sheriff’s department worked to solve the murder and uncover the possible human trafficking group. Mattie struggled with fulfilling her family responsibilities while also doing her job.

The crime scenes were not described in gory detail. There were no sex scenes. The was occasional use of bad language. Overall, I'd highly recommend this interesting mystery.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Texas Cold Case Murder by Laura Scott

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Wed, 02 Sep 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Texas Cold Case Murder
by Laura Scott
Emily Sutton-Smith (Narrator)

ISBN-13: 9781488239045
Audiobook, Unabridged: 203 pages
Publisher: Harlequin Audio
Released: Aug. 25, 2026

Source: audiobook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Texas Ranger tech specialist Nina Dobson is determined to uncover the truth about her identity and her birth mother’s unsolved murder when she suddenly comes under gunfire. The danger intensifies as she discovers her uncle dead, forcing her to flee. Desperate for assistance, she reaches out to Texas Ranger Jackson Woodlow. With threats emerging from every direction, Jackson instantly assumes the role of protector. Together, they delve into Nina’s mysterious family past, each clue drawing them further into peril. Can they outsmart a killer who wants a secret to stay buried?

My Review:
Texas Cold Case Murder is a Christian romantic suspense. Nina was adopted as a baby after her mother was found murdered and never identified. Using a DNA family-finding service, she connected with an uncle with a criminal past. He said her mother's death was his fault but he'll only answer her questions in person. Yet he has just been murdered when she arrives, and now hit men are after her, too. Is it related to a drug-related case where her team will be called on to testify or is it about her mother's murder?

Nina and Jackson investigated, uncovering clues and interviewing people. The suspense came from the ongoing attacks on them. The main characters were engaging and reacted realistically to events. Nina liked and trusted Jackson, but he's known for dating casually so she's wary. He's admired her for some time. Now that he's a Christian, he has not dated at all but hopes that Nina will someday show an interest in him.

Jackson prayed briefly before every meal, often asking for guidance on solving the case and for safety. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable suspense novel.

The narrator of the audiobook did a good job of saying the text in a way consistent with the text (with surprise if surprised, etc.) and it was easy to follow who was talking and what was going on. She read the story in a way that easily kept my interest.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Hunting an Arsonist by Jessica R. Patch

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Sun, 30 Aug 2026 17:38:48 +0000

Hunting an Arsonist
by Jessica R. Patch
Lisa Larsen (Narrator)

ISBN-13: 9781488239014
Audiobook, Unabridged: 367 pages
Publisher: Harlequin Audio
Released: Aug. 25, 2026

Source: audiobook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Forensic mechanic Helena Rutherford is investigating a serial arsonist targeting young women when her own house is set ablaze, trapping her inside. Officer Trevor Slate and his K-9 partner, Lark, arrive just in time to save her from the flames. But the discovery of her missing best friend’s bones among the ashes upends everything, drawing them into a puzzling cold case. With a dangerous killer on their tail, Helena and Trevor must unravel the mysteries of both cases before she becomes the next victim.

My Review:
Hunting an Arsonist is a Christian romantic suspense. When he was a young teenager, Trevor's mother ran into a burning home in an attempt to rescue his sister. His mother ended up with debilitating COPD. As penance for not running in himself, he's dedicated his life to caring for her and works with an arson detection K9 to solve arsons. Helena feels like no one could love her because she loves working as a forensic mechanic and isn't traditionally 'girly.' She and Trevor worked on three cases: the ongoing series mystery of the kidnapped pregnant girls, the serial killer arsonist case they had been working on, and the cold case of Helena's missing best friend.

Helena and Trevor actively investigated the cases, uncovering clues using their skills and interviewing suspects. They sifted through the evidence until they discovered the truth. The suspense came from the attacks on Helena and other women. The main characters were engaging and reacted realistically to events. Trevor didn't believe he deserved a loving relationship or life outside of caring for his mother, so he struggled to embrace a relationship with Helena even though he admired and cared for her. Helena had trouble believing he genuinely cared for her, especially as he gave mixed signals. They had to work through these hurts to find love.

Trevor believed that his mother would go to heaven, and both Trevor and Helena believed in God. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable suspense novel.

The narrator of the audiobook got into the story, reading the story in a dramatic way. She did a good job of saying the text in a way consistent with the text (with surprise if surprised, etc.) and it was easy to follow who was talking and what was going on.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Murder in Blackfriars by Jennifer Ashley

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Fri, 28 Aug 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Murder in Blackfriars
by Jennifer Ashley

ISBN-13: 9798217187058
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Berkley
Released: August 11, 2026

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Kat Holloway’s beau, Daniel McAdam, has always had a past shrouded in mystery. He knows nothing about his origins, only that a kind man rescued him from the streets all those years ago. So when a man claiming he knows where Daniel comes from turns up dead moments before meeting with them, Daniel goes on the hunt for the killer. Kate's determined to figure out who Daniel truly is and where he came from. She'll do whatever it takes to protect the man she’s come to love. The quest takes Kat and Daniel deep into the East End, where they face dangerous foes from Daniel’s rugged past.

My Review:
Murder in Blackfriars is a mystery set in 1884 in London, England. This is the 9th book in the series. Street-raised, clever Daniel became incompetent in this book. A man offered to tell him information about his past. Daniel paid him but basically said, 'I need my girlfriend to tell me if you're telling the truth or not, so don't tell me anything until we can meet with her.' There was no reason why he couldn't have heard the information right then. Of course, the fellow was killed before telling the information.

Kate never met him but assumed he was a kind, well-meaning fellow and they should solve his murder. Even though the fellow said that it was seeing Daniel's teenaged son that brought the connection to mind, Kate assumed his information must be about when Daniel was a toddler. She also treated Daniel like a child, forbidding him from doing anything dangerous, though it was fine for her to do the same dangerous activity.

Kate was just so arrogant. She kept thinking about how she ought to tell various cooks how to make their food better. Though there was no reason for her to be involved and her presence could be used against Daniel, she insisted on confronting a criminal overload in his own home and not only insulted him but told him what he ought to do. Um, are you insane? How did that make anything better?

Most of the story was about Kate getting her food stand going and dealing with her daughter moving away for a while. Much of the investigation was handled by others while Kate suggested things to look into. It didn't feel much like a mystery but rather a historical fiction following the lives of all the characters from previous books.

Historical details were woven into the story. There was no sex. There was occasional use of of bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this historical to fans of the series as we finally do learn the mystery of Daniel's past.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Vanished in Montana by Jenna Night

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Sun, 23 Aug 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Vanished in Montana
by Jenna Night

ISBN-13: 9781335919144
Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense
Released: August 25, 2026

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from NetGalley:
While delving into a mother-and-daughter disappearance, true crime podcaster Julia Crane receives an ominous threat at knifepoint: Stop the investigation or else. Narrowly rescued by Deputy Max Lone, Julia is more determined than ever to solve the ten-year-old cold case, now with the military veteran by her side. But as the new partners track down clues, the relentless attacks by unknown assailants go from dangerous to life-threatening. With dwindling hope that the missing victims are alive, can Julia and Max uncover the truth?

My Review:
Vanished in Montana is a Christian romantic suspense. Julia does true crime podcasts, yet she picked a case that no one's sure that a crime even happened. A mother and daughter at a homeless shelter were finally able to afford a home, but then they disappeared, leaving their things behind. Julia announced on her podcast that she was going to look into the case and where she was staying (so potenial informats can find her), but then she's attacked and told to not investigate. Deputy Max saved her and decided to spend his down time helping her solve the case. Julia's able to get some people to talk that hadn't in the past and uncovered what happened, passing on information to the detective in charge of the case. However, she didn't figure out whodunit until the final ambush exposed the culprits.

Max and Julia came to care for each other as they spent time together. The suspense came from repeated attacks on them, at first in warning and then to kill. Max had a military background and police training but didn't act like it. Instead of using a gun holster, he kept putting his gun in his waistband or on the truck's seat (while driving in a way that could make it slide off). He also had no faith in his aim to the point that he avoided taking a shot when the bad guy was exposed because Julia was nearby. But then he rammed his truck into the car that Julia was in, like that was safe. Anyway, they story was interesting even if a few bits were insonsistant.

Both Julia and Max were Christians who leaned on their faith to deal with life's struggles. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable suspense novel.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

The Reluctant Healer of Halifax by Terrie Todd

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Fri, 21 Aug 2026 12:00:00 +0000

The Reluctant Healer of Halifax
by Terrie Todd

ISBN-13: 9798891514027
Paperback: 256 pages
Publisher: Barbour Fiction
Released: August 1, 2026

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Three days ago, Pearline Campbell's family was whole and Oliver Hamilton had come home from the war. But disfigured and shellshocked, Oliver ended their relationship. Then came Thursday, December 6, 1917, when the Halifax harbor was leveled by a tremendous explosion. Her parents are dead, her brother is missing, and her sister refuses to speak. Pearline must open her home to needy orphans, including an unidentified baby. Where can she find the strength for each new day as misery grips the city?

My Review:
Halifax is a historical set in 1917 in Halifax, Canada. As the only healers were minor characters, I'm not sure what the title's referring to. Anyway, this was the story of the explosion of a ship full of munitions in the Halifax harbor. The main characters managed to be everywhere interesting and learned about all of the details of the explosion, so it's basically a history lesson seen through a fictional frame. Pearline's home was far enough away from the harbor that it suffered minimal damage, so she took in orphans from the disaster while looking for her missing family.

Oliver has known Pearline for years and loves her, but his pride can't handle the pity and disgust he's sure he'll receive from people due to damage to his face and a missing eye. He broke off their unofficial engagement for her own good, so she won't feel embarrassed by him (though he claimed it's because she won't be able to handle the sight). He woefully underestimated Pearline time and again, and he kept making decisions for her (mostly, keeping distressing information from her) because he thinks she can't handle it. She kept forgiving him and hoped he'd finally come back to her. As even his own mother was exasperated with him, it's hard to call this a romance even if he did come to appreciate Pearline's emotional strength and integrity.

There was no sex or bad language. The ongoing gore was only minimally described, with the focus more on how people were impacted by what they witnessed. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting historical.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

The Heiress and the Woodsman by Christine Hill Suntz

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 12:00:00 +0000

The Heiress and the Woodsman
by Christine Hill Suntz

ISBN-13: 9798400507984
Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Tyndale Fiction
Released: August 11, 2026

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Canada, 1837. Charlotte is determined to hold onto her family’s crumbling estate—the last vestige of their former place in Toronto society before her mother’s death and her father’s financial ruin. But when her missing brother Simon is suspected of aiding a political rebellion, Charlotte heads north to find him before his impulsive decisions ruin what’s left of their family’s standing and break her ailing father’s heart.

Joshua has worked tirelessly to carve a home from the wilderness for the younger brother he was forced to leave behind, only to learn his first harvest is nearly worthless and his brother has been sold into an indenture Joshua can’t afford to redeem. When a stranger offers him work tracking down a settler in the bush, he’s desperate enough to agree.

Nothing has prepared Charlotte for the challenges of surviving the wilderness. When Joshua comes to her aid, she offers to pay him for guidance through the bush. Though he knows a spoiled city girl will slow him down, he can’t refuse the money. As Charlotte and Joshua face the dangers of travel through rough terrain, admiration and friendship grow, even as class divides and hidden truths complicate their bond. But when they are caught in the crossfire of rebellion, they must decide if the futures they’ve fought for are truly their hearts’ desire—or if something unexpected awaits.

My Review:
The Heiress and the Woodsman is a romance set in 1837 in Toronto, Canada. Charlotte's been slaving away to keep the family estate running with the help of one elderly servant after her father lost their fortune. It's her duty to preserve the estate for her brother, the future heir. A neighbor says he'll claim her brother is a rebel so he'll be arrested and hanged. Her brother's off homesteading in a remote area, so impulsive Charlotte headed off with a poorly drawn map to find her brother, determined to get him to return with her. Joshua needed the money and was homesteading in the same area, so he agreed to guide her to her brother--and make sure she survived to see her home again.

This story just didn't feel realistic. For one thing, the author kept forgetting things she'd previously said. Like Joshua got down from his wagon, then suddenly he's back in the driver's seat. The author also had unrealistic things happen, like Joshua carried Charlotte in his arms while climbing a ladder. I read an Advanced Reader Copy, so some of this will hopefully be fixed in the final book.

Finally, I just didn't bond with the main characters. Charlotte played her role of thoughtless damsel in destress to the hilt. Charlotte gave away all of the food Joshua had for the winter and constantly put his life in danger with her impulsive stunts, yet that's easily forgiven. Probably because he wanted to be a hero to someone. And he's a gifted woodworker, but instead he focused on raising crops (very poorly) and didn't even realize that he needed to keep some seed for his own use rather than buying seed and flour back at a higher price.

To top it all off, Charlotte did come into money at the end, but Joshua--while claiming he'll be the one person to put her first--refused to let her spend her money on improving their life once they got married. He was determined to keep on slaving away as a failing farmer rather than use his woodworking gifts or her money. Pride! I know, people who make mistake after mistake without learning much deserve love, too, but it's not what I care for in a romance. There was no sex or bad language.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

In Too Deep by Susan May Warren and Tari Faris

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 21:24:59 +0000

In Too Deep
by Susan May Warren
and Tari Faris

ISBN-13: 9780800747619
Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Revell
Released: June 30, 2026

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Weeks after the first Roosevelt treasure cache was discovered, the Grand Canyon has become a madhouse. Reckless treasure hunters swarm the park and a young college student dies. For Dr. Meg Lewis, the chaos hits close to home. She came to the park to stitch up cuts and wrap sprains—not dive back into a world of live-or-die medical drama that triggers her panic attacks.

Ranger Director and widower Noah Wilde, has spent years keeping everyone at arm's length, terrified that loving again will only lead to grief. He's not about to let any more deaths happen on his watch.

When another group becomes trapped in the dangerous Tapeats cave system, Noah assembles a rescue team with Meg as medical officer. But what they find underground isn't an accident. Someone has turned the caves into a death trap—and now the rescue team itself is the target.

As floodwaters rise and the cave ceiling collapses, their enemy hunts them. With no communication and innocent lives hanging in the balance, Meg must push past her past to figure out how to save lives and Noah must find a way out.

My Review:
In Too Deep is a Christian romantic suspense. It's the second in a series but works as a standalone. Noah felt like he had to be in control as if everything depended upon him. He had to lead the rescues, and surely his wife and unborn baby wouldn't have died in a car accident if only he'd been driving. Meg loved healing people, forming relationships. But she froze during life-or-death situations as a young child and similar medical situations trigger her old panic attacks. When she's forced to deal with emergency situations in the field, she reconsiders a job offer in a research position. Though Noah can help Meg stay calm in medical emergencies, he acts on his attraction to her only to pull back, driving Meg to distraction with his hot/cold act.

Between volence due to the gold rush, young people needing rescue, storms, eathquakes causing cave-ins, medical emergencies, and attacks, the suspense stayed high throughout the story. The characters were complex, realistic people, and I cared about what happened to them. Once Noah and Meg came to realize that God's in control so the situations didn't depend solely on them, they both were able to accept risks that used to overwhelm them. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this suspenseful novel.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

City of Promises by Victoria Thompson & Ellen Thompson

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Fri, 07 Aug 2026 12:00:00 +0000

City of Promises
by Victoria Thompson
and Ellen Thompson

ISBN-13: 9780593816516
Hardcover: 336 pages
Publisher: Berkley
Released: July 28, 2026

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Famed former police detective turned private investigator Frank Malloy and his wife, Sarah, come to Gideon Bates desperate for legal guidance. The Malloys’ adopted daughter, Catherine, a burgeoning star of the stage, has announced her engagement to a man she barely knows. Catherine has recently gained access to her trust fund, and Sebastian Talbot appears very eager to marry her as quickly as possible.

As Gideon and his wife, Elizabeth, investigate, it becomes all the clearer that Talbot may not be who he says he is. As a former con artist herself, Elizabeth suspects one may be in their midst. Undeterred by her pregnancy, she must pull out all the stops to save another woman from ruin.

My Review:
City of Promises is a historical set in 1920 in New York City. This is the 8th book in the series, and it also included the characters from the Gaslight Mysteries, 20 years later from their timeline. Catherine has grown up, become a famous actress, and she let slip that she had inherited money. A con man has her convinced she's found true love, and no one thinks she believe them if they simply confirm he's a con man (which Elizabeth does) and tell her. So Elizabeth set up this overly complicated "con" where another woman catches the con man's attention to divert him from Catherine.

While I enjoyed the fun story, it seemed like the characters lost focus on what they were about at times. We got a funny sequence about Elizabeth trying out to play in films. Elizabeth could have just asked various actresses about how much film actresses made, or, really, that whole section could have been removed without anyone noticing. It ended up playing no role in the actual "con." Also, her brother Jake was an experienced con artist, yet he kept getting distracted mooning over the married woman playing the rich widow decoy. Mother Bates somehow changed from a strong suffragist to drinking gin (during prohibition and behind her son's back) to calm her nerves.

The historical details were woven into the story to create a sense of the specific time and place and brought the story alive. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this entertaining historical novel.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Rodeo Witness Protector by Sami A. Abrams

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Sun, 02 Aug 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Rodeo Witness Protector
by Sami A. Abrams

ISBN-13: 9781488238895
Audiobook, Unabridged: 208 pages
Publisher: Harlequin Audio
Released: July 28, 2026

Source: audiobook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from NetGalley:
While stopping an attack near the rodeo grounds, bullfighter and part-time deputy Daniel Sinclair is stunned to see his high school sweetheart attempting to save a stabbed undercover deputy. As a witness now in possession of crucial evidence about a narcotics investigation, new rodeo doctor Annie Davis needs Daniel’s protection—for her and her missing four-year-old daughter. And the stakes only grow higher when the girl’s babysitter is found murdered and the recovered child refuses to speak. To safeguard the targeted family, can Daniel uncover who is behind it all before a drug ring silences them for good?

My Review:
Rodeo Witness Protector is a Christian romantic suspense. Deputy Daniel was once unable to save a child and now feels like he can't be trusted to watch over any child. When his high school sweetheart returns to town with an adopted 4-year-old, he finds that both mother and daughter need his protection. Not only did Annie testify against a fellow doctor who was illegally selling drugs, but she was just handed evidence by a dying undercover agent who was trying to uncover a drug dealer ring that used the rodeo and carnival circuit. Local law enforcement worked to figure out the evidence while Daniel helped protect Annie and her daughter.

The suspense came from the attacks on Annie and her daughter and trying to find the daughter when she went missing. The main characters were engaging and reacted realistically to events. Annie and Daniel got to know each other again as they spent time together and quickly renewed their friendship. Daniel and Annie prayed for guidance and safety. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable suspense novel.

The narrator of the audiobook did a good job, making it easy to follow who was talking and what was going on. She used different voices for the different characters and narrated the story in a way that allowed me to become immersed in the story.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

A Lady's Handbook to Gadgets and Guile by Angela Bell

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 12:00:00 +0000

A Lady's Handbook to Gadgets and Guile
by Angela Bell

ISBN-13: 9780764242144
Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Bethany House
Released: July 7, 2026

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
London, England, 1895. Ambulatory wheelchair user Margaret Kingsley secretly crafts gadgets for the Daughters of Genius Society, a covert team of lady inspectors disguised as harmless bluestocking spinsters. While her fellow inspectors gallivant about London solving crimes, Margaret has been perfectly content assisting from the sidelines--until her expertise is needed to infiltrate the domain of London's most prolific inventor, Alvan T. Harrison.

Charles Noble sacrificed his career as a musician to support his family after his father's stroke. Now he balances ledgers as a secretary by day and tends his disabled father by night, until taking a temporary job as event coordinator for a famous inventor commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of his mechanical empire. As strange occurrences surface, Charles's event planning collides with Margaret's case, and the pair must investigate the inventor's legacy while attraction sparks between them.

My Review:
A Lady's Handbook to Gadgets and Guile is a fantasy romance supposedly set in 1895 in England. The author made little effort to explain how things worked. Margaret and her father were geniuses, so of course their inventions worked. Somehow. Just don't look to hard. Some of the inventions made no sense: a steam-engine-powered vacuum? Do you actually understand how steam engines work, author? And the umbrella that could lift multiple people didn't appear to have a power source. Even people's attitudes and the technology available to everyone reflected much more modern times, so it didn't feel remotely historical to me.

Charles really saw Margaret and thought her beautiful and smart. His own father had struggles due to a stroke, so Charles understood her situation somewhat and honestly didn't feel like a life spent with her would be a burden. It's a sweet, fun romance that developed as they worked to solve the mystery. Well, the patent thief was pretty obvious. It was more about collecting the evidence needed to prove the case in a court of law.I liked their relationship.

The author spent a lot of time developing how Margaret suffered a severe injury to her back which left her in constant pain. Sometimes she's too tired to do anything, other times she could carefully dole out her energy. Her back also spasmed painfully when compressed (like a corset), after certain movements, etc. This sounds like a 'you can't push through it' injury that restricts what you can do. Yet, of course, we have her wearing a corset as a disguise (like the self-powered wheelchair doesn't give her away!) and still able to function. These back spasms were so bad it took up to an hour just to get out of bed, yet by the end she's doing things that would hurt a fully able-bodied woman with a great back. No real consequences beyond now being able to wake up to hanky-panky with her husband rather than an hour of pain getting out of bed. I wish that's the way things worked.

Margaret worshiped God with music when in pain. Both she and Charles found soul-healing in music and trusted God. There was no sex or bad language.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Fugitive Manhunt by Sharee Stover

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 22:02:15 +0000

Fugitive Manhunt
by Sharee Stover
Mac Fowler (Narrator)

ISBN-13: 9781488238826
Audiobook, Unabridged
Publisher: Harlequin Audio
Released: July 28, 2026

Source: audiobook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
After a prison break, K-9 officer Lizzie Reynolds is ready to join the search for the criminals—but one of the escapees finds her first and ambushes her. She’s rescued by Deputy US Marshal Walker McCane, her high school crush, and they’re forced to work together to find the fugitives. Soon they realize that one of the prisoners has a personal vendetta against Lizzie. As they face persistent attacks, Walker and Lizzie must rely on each other to survive a dangerous game with a convict who wants to complete his deadly plan.

My Review:
Fugitive Manhunt is a romantic suspense. Lizzie worked with her team to solve an ongoing case of a pregnant girl who's been kidnapped, the last in a series of kidnapped pregnant girls that have been found murdered after giving birth. She interviewed some people, but this is the ongoing mystery that will be solved at the end of the series. She and her tracking K9 also helped search for a bunch of prison escapees, though this seemed to consist of walking a hiking trail in the search grid rather than asking the dog to start at the site of the escape and then track people. One of the escapees kept trying to kidnap Lizzie, so Walker, a US Marshal, tried to protect her while they figured out who's behind it. Lizzie was grabbed multiple times, so the suspense not only came from the attacks but from her needing to free herself.

Lizzie and Walker were both manipulated by a friend in high school and thought the other wasn't interested in a relationship. As they worked together and finally talked about it, they found that they still liked each other. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable suspense novel.

The narrator of the audiobook did a good job of saying the text in a way consistent with the text (with surprise if surprised, etc.), and read the story in a way that easily kept my interest. It was easy to follow who was talking and what was going on because she not only gave each character their own tone of voice but their own speech mannerisms as well.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Ambushed in Yosemite by Kellie VanHorn

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Sun, 26 Jul 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Ambushed in Yosemite
by Kellie VanHorn

ISBN-13: 9781335919069
Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense
Released: July 28, 2026

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Park ranger Skylar Jansen’s morning hike turns into a nightmare when she witnesses a man burying a body—and then the killer chases her through the wilderness. She’s saved by Special Agent Bode Tucker, a devoted single dad, who suspects a serial killer is at work. Soon it becomes clear that the killer may be connected to the cold case disappearance of Sky’s father. With targets now on both of their backs, they team up to investigate, but outrunning danger could be beyond their reach.

My Review:
Ambushed in Yosemite is a Christian romantic suspense. Skylar is the perfect damsel in distress, and I mean this in the nicest way as we are, after all, reading a suspense novel and most women aren't kick-ass law enforcement. Skylar's an average, kind woman with low self-worth and confidence. She often got in trouble because she didn't trust her own judgment. (The serial killer knows my name, where I live, and I don't really feel safe sleeping in my canvas-sided cabin, but the experts think I'll be safe with the police officer on guard outside, so, okay....) She's too trusting that people know what they're doing and are telling the truth. She had extremely good luck, though, in being matched with a serial killer that liked to play games rather than just kill his victim.

However, I can't imagine how Bode became a detective. The killer kept literally telling him the clues he needs, and Bode still couldn't figure out what was so blaring obvious. He did eventually figure it out when an evidence tech told him who the fingerprints belonged to, but the killer had to explain it to Skylar as he tied her up. Bode's also constantly running into known danger (as in, he knows it's a trap) because he can't stand leaving a loved one tied up as bait for even a moment. Sweet, but not generally a successful strategy. Some things just didn't make sense, like they knew that Skylar's phone had been used by the killer, and it's crime scene evidence at the very least. Yet she picked it up and just started using it again. Huh?

There was no sex or bad language. Despite the unrealistic elements, it was a sweet romance in that it gave hope that a man who wasn't that good at his job and a woman who wasn't very discerning could not only survive but end up happily matched.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

A Fatal Crossing by Tom Hindle

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 12:00:00 +0000

A Fatal Crossing
by Tom Hindle

ISBN-13: 9798217185740
Paperback: 464 pages
Publisher: Dutton
Released: July 28, 2026

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
November 1924. The Endeavour sets sail from Southampton carrying 2,000 passengers and crew on a week-long voyage to New York. When an elderly gentleman is found dead at the foot of a staircase, and the ship's captain is ready to declare it a tragic accident. But James Temple, a strong-minded Scotland Yard inspector, is certain there is more to this misfortune than meets the eye.

Ship's officer Timothy Birch agrees to investigate, and the trail quickly leads to the theft of a priceless painting. Its existence is known only to its owner and the dead man. Temple and Birch's search for the culprit is hurried as just days remain until they reach New York and more bodies are added to the count.

My Review:
A Fatal Crossing is set in 1924 on a death boat. Er, cruise ship. I had so many problems with this book, but the first is that I read mysteries to see justice done. Every bad person in this story (murderer, thief, or just looking away when a rule was broken or crime committed) walked away free, no justice done, and with a pile of bodies left in their wake.

The characters weren't likable, either. The British police officer was rude, mean, and disdainful toward everyone, even the captain of the ship. Ship officer Birch seemed incompetent from the beginning, and he's stupid. For example, a knife taken from the restaurant was found in the room where the painting was stolen and became evidence. Birch later had a sharp object pressed against his side by someone who would never have been allowed in the restaurant (his earlier conclusion) but he thinks the object must be that same knife. Logic need not apply. Birch also repeatedly said he'd report this or do that but then we skip ahead and he hasn't.

The mystery made no sense. It started with the premise that a famous painter who only painted landscapes was rumored to have painted a portrait. An artist thinks he's found the painting even though an experienced art dealer didn't think it was anything special. But the artist is going to try to sell the painting--which few art buyers think even exists--at a big art show everyone's going to. People found out about it and practically everyone tried to steal it with the intent of then selling it at the art show. Um, first, stolen property can't be sold openly! Second, even the owner would have to explain how he got the painting and have art experts examine the painting and decide if it's a fake or not. Third, we find out that the painting was taken out into pounding rain so bad that one couldn't see where they were going. It had to have gotten wet, which would destroy a watercolor painting, then it was stored in a place (which I guessed!) and in a way that would have prevented it from drying out properly, thereby ruining the painting even if it was an oil painting. But not only is the stolen painting not an actual portrait but it's in perfect condition. Sigh.

Finally, our detectives were stupid. The police officer took one look at the body in the morgue and concluded he must have been pushed off the top of the steps, hit his head, and died. I could think of several other ways the man could have a head wound on the back of his head and be found at the base of the stairs. Later, the police officer accepted that his theory of whodunit was wrong and gave up because he couldn't think of anything else to ask or do. I'm thinking, um, here's a long list of questions you never asked and clues you never followed up on. Birch even tasked a porter with looking into a matter only to completely forget to follow up with the fellow. This was a long, frustrating read.

At about 80%, I came up with a scenario which fit all of the clues and would have been a satisfying, classic mystery. I knew it wasn't the author's solution, which turned out to be so convoluted and unbelievable I thought, 'well, of course no one would guess this.' I did guess the twist in the last 10%. Ruined the whole story. And the ending was left open-ended as to if that action led to the hoped for result.

There was a fair amount of bad language. There was no sex. Go read a classic mystery and leave this on the shelf.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

The Cloak and Dagger Club by Jackie McMahon

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Sun, 19 Jul 2026 12:00:00 +0000

The Cloak and Dagger Club
by Jackie McMahon

ISBN-13: 9798217189557
Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Berkley
Released: July 14, 2026

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
London, 1930. Lucy Hubbard is on the cusp of achieving her dreams. With her first mystery novel debuting with strong sales and glowing reviews, she's been invited by Horace Hazelmoor, the king of crime fiction, to join his elite group of writers—the Cloak and Dagger Club.

Thrilled at the opportunity, Lucy finds herself swept up into Horace's glamorous world at the Ritz hotel. She's even willing to put up with the inconvenient presence of her former fiancé, Frank Murray, the club's rising star who is on track to eclipse Horace as Britain's most popular crime writer.

But when Horace is found with a knife in his back, Frank is the police's prime suspect. Despite their complicated history, Lucy knows he's not capable of murder. With suspects galore and the danger rising, these two mystery writers must race to solve the crime—and fight their lingering feelings for each other.

My Review:
The Cloak and Dagger Club is a romance set in 1930 in England. Frank and Lucy met as children, became best friends, and fell in love. Lucy supported Frank's writing, but when he made it big as a published crime novelist, he neglected his now-fiancée in his craving for the praise and approval that he'd never gotten from his abusive father. Lucy broke up with him and wrote her own best-selling mystery novels. Three years later, they meet again at a crime writer's club meeting, investigate a murder, decide they're still in love, and we end with the details of their wedding. This is romance genre. While the characters were engaging and mildly developed, the mystery simply existed to help us get to know the characters better.

While some of this might be fixed by the final version (as I read an Advanced Reader Copy), I wasn't particularly impressed with the mystery aspect. Yes, there were clues, but it was a pretty simple mystery. Lucy was observant, but she failed to put clues together and only solved the crime because whodunit was convinced Lucy had it figured out and basically prompted her to reason it out. Frank at least had a burst of brilliance in which he put clues together and came to rescue Lucy.

Anyway, the main problems: One, the workers at the hotel where the victim lived had motive, means, and opportunity, but Frank and Lucy immediately decided the murderer must be someone from the writer's club. No one, not even the police, once suspected the barman who could have easily done the whole thing. Two, the police don't appear to do any detective work beyond providing time of death and a mention that both poison and a knife were involved. The detective simply harassed Lucy to pressure her into accusing Frank. Three, even though it was extremely obvious when the poisoning occurred, that death took some time, and that the knife didn't kill the victim, Frank and Lucy asked for alibis for when the death occurred. This was meaningless information.

They also spent most of their investigation digging up secrets on their fellow club members in the hopes of finding a motive. This should have messed up their friendships but somehow everyone's the best of friends by the end. Somehow along the way people forgot to even question how the knife got into the victim's back, and we only learned the answer in the final few paragraphs because we're in the thoughts of that attempted murderer. But we're supposed to pass attempted murder off as okay because it was a homosexual who did it out of love to protect their partner from exposure. Hmm.

There was no sex. There was a fair amount of bad language.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

The Light of Stars by Jenelle Hovde

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 12:00:00 +0000

The Light of Stars
by Jenelle Hovde

ISBN-13: 9798400502934
Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Tyndale Fiction
Released: July 14, 2026

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
When Kitty Grenville’s grandfather announces her engagement to Sebastian Sinclair, she’s appalled. She barely remembers the boy she met once as a child—and now he’s a man tied to the East India Company, the very organization that tore her and her brother from their mother and home in Hyderabad years ago. Unwilling to relinquish her dream of a love match or her passion for astronomy, Kitty is determined to refuse the marriage and find freedom in her own way.

Sebastian Sinclair carries the weight of duty and regret. To atone for past sins, he complies with his grandfather’s orders to return to England, fulfill a long-standing betrothal, and defend the maligned East India Company before Parliament. Though Kitty makes her disinterest clear, Sebastian is drawn to her intellect and spirit.

As Kitty navigates her first London season, her opinion of Sebastian begins to shift—especially when he shields her from scandal. When he’s abruptly called back to India, Kitty stuns everyone by marrying him and going with him, hoping to escape her grandfather’s control—and to find her mother.

But the challenges that await in India are greater than imagined. Together, Kitty and Sebastian must confront the legacy of family and empire—and decide if a marriage born of obligation can grow into a love strong enough to endure.

My Review:
The Light of Stars is a Christian romance set in 1814 in England and India. I had to keep reminding myself of just how very young and sheltered Kitty was. She's the daughter of a British man and a Muslim princess whose father ruled an area in India. When her father died (from the illness going around? or murdered due to politics?), the grandfather took her and her brother from the harem and raised them in England. Kitty deeply resented the East India Company for this, though I couldn't see how they were at fault. She idealized what life as a Muslim princess in India with her mother would have been like. Her main objections to Sebastian seemed to be that he didn't declare undying love for her, that he worked for the hated East India Company, and that he got to live in India and knew more about it than she did.

She wanted true love or her independence to pursue astronomy. Though Kitty's warned by several people that her behavior could cause a sandal, she publicly favored a suitor who's mainly interested in her money when people knew she's intended to marry Sebastian. She naively believed the man's flattery only to learn that the image she'd built up of him was an illusion and it's Sebastian that's been supporting her and trying to give her the things her heart desires.

Sebastian believed he could help guide East India Company in respecting the local workers while still making a profit for the British in India. Yet men that he respected were sure that there was more corruption and abuse than he's aware of. Both Kitty and Sebastian had to face reality and hard choices as secrets were uncovered. The characters were likable, and historical details were woven into the story that brought the setting alive. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting historical novel.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Conspiracy by Colleen Coble

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Conspiracy
by Colleen Coble

ISBN-13: 9780840714671
Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Released: July 7, 2026

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Just as wildlife veterinarian Paradise Alden begins to envision a future with Blake Lawson, the ghosts of her past return with a vengeance. The murder of her parents has shadowed her for fifteen years, but a new threat brings the cold case into the terrifying present. A trained leopard--a chilling embodiment of Paradise's deepest fears--is now stalking her.

Haunted by resurfacing memories, Paradise, Blake, and her newfound brother, Drew, follow a trail of clues that leads them into a web of dark family secrets. The deeper they dig, the more shocking the connections become, linking their families to a dangerous conspiracy that someone is still willing to kill to protect.

Paradise, Blake, and Drew must race to expose a murderer who has remained hidden for fifteen years, but this time, they are the ones being stalked. If they can't unmask the killer, the past will destroy both the fragile future Paradise and Blake are trying to build and the family she has finally found with her brother.

My Review:
Conspiracy is a Christian romantic suspense. This is the third book in a series and continues the story of the main characters in the previous books. Drew, Paradise, and Blake asked questions, found clues, and made connections regarding the deaths of Drew's and Paradise's parents. Two of the bad guys were pretty guessable as the clues built up, and they weren't a surprise to Paradise's group, either. While I didn't guess the main whodunit until the critical clue was uncovered, I did wonder at this person's behavior shortly before the reveal. This killer made a mild attempt to misdirect the investigation but did so by pointing them toward two major clues, one of which prompted Paradise to remember the truth. Basically, the killer needlessly exposed themselves, and I don't quite understand why (though the killer had plans to disappear, and I suppose killers aren't required to be logical).

The main characters were likable and reacted realistically to events. The suspense came from the danger from the attacks on Paradise. Blake and Paradise supported each other and worked well together. Paradise grew in her trust that God cared about her. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this exciting novel.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

A Killer on Campus by Rhonda Starnes

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Sun, 05 Jul 2026 12:00:00 +0000

A Killer on Campus
by Rhonda Starnes

ISBN-13: 9781488238680
Audiobook, Unabridged: 208 pages
Publisher: Harlequin Audio
Released: June 30, 2026

Source: audiobook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from Goodreads:
After dodging bullets twice in one evening, forensic photographer Jane Mason realizes that she’s the target of a killer who wants to hide his crimes. Reopening the investigation of her aunt’s decades-old murder has painted a target on her back, and the culprit is closing in fast. Ridge Snyder—her estranged childhood friend and a former navy SEAL—is determined to protect her from the threats and uncover the killer’s identity. But safety is fleeting as the culprit escalates the stakes, setting deadly traps at every turn. Can Jane and Ridge unearth the truth about the past, or will the killer’s final move silence Jane forever?

My Review:
A Killer on Campus is a Christian romantic suspense novel. Jane, her twin brother, and Ridge were best friends as kids, but Ridge turned down Jane's request to date in high school because he felt she deserved someone who knew how to be a good husband. He then convinced her brother to enlist as a SEAL with him, which Jane opposed and said it'd end up with her brother killed. And she was right, so she's refused to talk to or acknowledge Ridge since then. She continued to barely tolerate his help when her life was threatened and he repeatedly saved her. She also kept making it hard for him to protect her by insisting they do things her way. But he knew her well and understood what he was getting into.

Jane finally came to realize how her actions had impacted various people, putting them in danger or causing Ridge to carry a heavy burden of guilt over her brother's death. She did change her behavior, forgive Ridge, and helped Ridge to forgive himself. I understood why she decided she had always loved him: who wouldn't want to be loved and protected even when you're not being that lovable?

The suspense came from the danger to Jane and those who helped her. They also tried to solve the old mystery, though Jane only uncovered one clue. Ridge had a strong faith in God and prayed over things that concerned him and didn't just ask for help in staying alive. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable suspense novel.

The narrator of the audiobook did a good job of saying the text in a way consistent with the text (with surprise if surprised, etc.), and it was easy to follow who was talking and what was going on. She read the story in a way that easily kept my interest.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

The Spy Keeper of Marseille Roseanna M. White

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Fri, 03 Jul 2026 12:00:00 +0000

The Spy Keeper of Marseille
by Roseanna M. White

ISBN-13: 9798400501784
Hardcover: 368 pages
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers
Released: July 7, 2026

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Marseille, France, 1941. Zelie Bellerose never fit the mold of an army officer’s wife. She was too passionate in her convictions, too indifferent to societal expectations. After her husband was killed in the war, Zelie focused on securing a brighter future for her children, hoping to help free her country from the Nazi regime by helping organize a spy ring. When the spy ring's leader is imprisoned, she has to take command of France’s largest spy ring.

Marcel Laurent was a renowned concert pianist before joining the French army and being sent to a POW camp. Freed in a prisoner exchange by a wealthy businessman with ties to the Resistance, Marcel agrees to spy for Alliance by conducting a youth orchestra, gathering intelligence from patrons. Marcel’s weekly radio broadcasts introducing the orchestra’s performances give him the perfect cover to send coded messages over the airwaves.

As Zelie and Marcel grow closer through their shared love of music, she begins to rely on him. But betrayal from within Alliance puts everything they’ve fought for at risk.

My Review:
The Spy Keeper of Marseille is a Christian romantic suspense set in 1941-1942 in France. Zelie's very believable as a woman who could run a spy ring primarily made up of men. We got to see how she developed the spy ring, learning from mistakes so they could do things better ways and grow the number of people involved. However, though we're repeatedly told how vital her work is, we're never really shown how the information they discovered led to a military victory or something like that. Given the repeated empasisis on how she's so vital and must not be captured, it made no sense that, at the end, she stayed behind to personally oversee the evacuation of their central command when others could do it and they knew that Nazis were on the way. It did lead to an enjoyable, exciting ending, but I still don't like it when authors have their heroines inexplicably do something stupid to create that ending.

That said, the characters were well developed, complex people. They acted realistically, and I cared about what happened to them. Vivid historical and setting details were woven into the story, creating a distinct sense of the time and place. Marcel was uniquely able to support Zelie in her role and ecouraged her through his music and words. He showed her love without expecting (though hoping for) romantic love in return.

Both characters learned that God had a bigger view than theirs and to trust Him during difficult, confusing events. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable historical romance.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Protecting the Baby by Jodie Bailey

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Sun, 28 Jun 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Protecting the Baby
by Jodie Bailey

ISBN-13: 9781488238628
Audiobook, Unabridged
Publisher: Harlequin Audio
Released: June 30, 2026

Source: audiobook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from Goodreads:
When a dangerous assailant trespasses on his ranch in the middle of the night, K-9 Officer Eli Blackwood must act quickly to outwit a kidnapper targeting his neighbor and her baby. Protecting veterinarian Carly Mayor and the infant she’s become guardian to means going off the grid and hiding out at his grandfather’s cabin. But who is after baby Ariel…and does it have to do with the mysterious deaths of her parents? Chased through the Colorado wilderness by deadly gunmen, Carly and Eli must work together to survive.

My Review:
"Protecting the Baby is a Christian romantic suspense. Eli lost his pregnant wife in an accident and is reluctant to love again. Carly's dear friends were both murdered within months of each other, leaving her as the guardian of their young baby. Someone wants guardianship of the baby so they can access her secret inheritance, but someone's also trying to kidnap the baby--why? Eli and his protection K9 not only protected Carly and the baby but worked to uncover what's going on. He also worked with his team to solve a ongoing case of a pregnant girl who's been kidnapped as the last in a series of kidnapped pregnant girls that have been found murdered after giving birth.

The suspense came from the danger to Carly and the baby as well as the looming deadline on finding the missing girl in time. Eli and Carly asked good questions, and Eli did a good job of protecting Carly. They fell in love as they spent time together. They'd already become good friends as neighbors, but the danger brought them closer together as they dealt with past and present hurts. Both trusted in God and prayed for help. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable suspense.

The narrator of the audiobook did a good job of saying the text in a way consistent with the text (with surprise if surprised, etc.), and it was easy to follow who was talking and what was going on. She read the story in a way that immersed me in the story and easily kept my interest. 5 stars.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

The Bachelor Spy by Pepper Basham

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 12:00:00 +0000

The Bachelor Spy
by Pepper Basham

ISBN-13: 9798891513693
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Barbour Fiction
Released: July 1, 2026

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Stephen Blake's life goal is to protect people, especially those closest to him, but war in 1915 England doesn’t follow any rules. When Blake is informed that a noted German spy may have taken up residence at Havensbrooke Hall—his cousin Lord Astley’s estate, which is being used as a convalescent war hospital—he’s sent there to uncover the plot.

Lady Grace Astley has become a force to be reckoned with while Frederick is out on the war front. With Havensbrooke as a hospital, she’s shocked by the devastation the war is bringing home; but ever hopeful, she is determined to help these weary soldiers find some relief. However, not everything is as it seems inside Havensbrooke. Precious items soon start disappearing. . .and not just the kind that are worth a lot of money.

Through a case of mistaken identity, a comedy of errors, a kidnapping, and a race for time within the crumbling subterranean passageways beneath Havensbrooke, can Blake and Gracie work together to root out the criminals, thieves, and spies before time runs out?

My Review:
The Bachelor Spy is a Christian romance set in 1915 in England. This is the 5th book in a series. You can probably understand it without reading the previous books. However, it did spoil the whodunit and climatic scenes of all of the previous books, so you might wish to read the series in order. This novel had very little mystery to it. Three things were stolen from the house, and the thief of two items almost immediately confessed to Grace. Then Blake happened to overhear the other culprit explain to someone why he needed the stolen drawing. Blake's trying to figure out who, out of two women, is the German spy. He kept thinking through the exact same list of evidence for why one was the more probable, but he didn't do much more than listen in on conversations until new evidence made the German spies obvious. So it's not really a story about uncovering clues, and the main suspense was in the prologue and the fight scenes at the end.

The series originally appealed to me because the author poked gentle fun at unrealistic clichés in novels compared to reality. However, this story didn't do that. The heroine who doesn't realize she's pregnant theme? Grace is 5 months pregnant and has more reason than most to be very large at this point (though she isn't). She didn't know she was pregnant until Blake delicately suggested she get examined by a doctor. And, of course, Grace assumed this meant she must be deathly ill. The whole story was full of over-the-top clichés.

Blake was in love with Evie, a fellow British spy, which was the romance. Complete with kissing for a long time right when they both agreed how vital it was that they immediately stop the bad guys who were escaping. I also wondered why the bad guys waited until that moment to hand over their vital intelligence to their handler when the woman had a hidden radio set, and so on. Anyway. It's fun enough if you already like the characters.

Grace had to trust God with Frederick's life (as he was near the war front) and her own. There were no sex scenes nor any bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this novel to fans of the series who don't mind clichés.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

A Bitter Cut by Anna Lee Huber

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 12:00:00 +0000

A Bitter Cut
by Anna Lee Huber

ISBN-13: 9780593955284
Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Berkley
Released: June 23, 2026

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
July 1833. Lady Darby and her dashing husband, Sebastian Gage, are settling into their newly renovated home at Bevington Park in Warkwickshire with their young daughter. With the breach between them and Sebastian’s father recently healed, they've agreed to help host a country house party for friends and family to share in their joy. Kiera is also anxious to help promote a match between her brother, Trevor, and the woman he’s fallen in love with, inviting her family to join them. However, Kiera swiftly discovers that the would-be bride’s family is not without their detractions. Her brother is unpleasant. Her mother is abrasive. And her father—the prosperous industrialist Jeremiah Birnam—is brusque, discourteous, and, at times, downright rude.

So when Mr. Birnam’s female secretary is found murdered with Birnam standing over her body, many are content to allow him to take the blame. Kiera and Sebastian aren't certain that he did it, and in spite of his bluster and boorish behavior, they can’t let an innocent man be hung for another’s crime. Unfortunately, Birnam believe's he was the true target, and he certainly has enemies. As Kiera and Sebastian slowly inch their way closer to the truth, Kiera begins to fear that the price of solving the crime may mean sacrificing her brother’s future happiness.

My Review:
A Bitter Cut is a mystery set in 1833 in England. It is the 14th book in a series. It can be read as a standalone and didn't spoil previous mysteries. The main characters were complex, well-developed, and acted realistically. Historical details were woven into the story without slowing the pacing.

Kiera and Sebastian (and his father) investigated the murder while hosting a house party that would end with a ball. They're pressured to solve the mystery before the ball but without offending any of the politically powerful guests. Add in that the people who knew why Portia might have been murdered were either not telling the truth or not talking at all (hiding scandalous secrets). They asked questions and followed up on leads, but that provided clues with minimal context until a break in the case near the end.

There were no sex scenes or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this historical mystery.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Scent of Hope by Susan May Warren

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Scent of Hope
by Susan May Warren

ISBN-13: 9780800746063
Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Revell
Released: June 2, 2026

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Sheriff's daughter Harley Tatum hates injustice, as it hits particularly close to home. Her trauma-riddled past made her vow never to return to Copper Mountain, where she lost her family and was abandoned by the man she loved. But when she receives a call that the drug dealer responsible for so much of her pain is at large, she decides to return to Alaska for one final chance at justice.

The last person Jericho Bowie expected to see in Copper Mountain is the woman he abandoned years ago. When Harley needs his heroic avalanche dog, Orlando, to track down a drug lord, Jericho realizes he has a chance to redeem his mistakes. As they navigate the treacherous Alaskan mountains, tentative feelings grow yet again, but their mission quickly turns defensive as the hunted becomes the hunter.

My Review:
Scent of Hope is a Christian romantic suspense. Jericho and Harley both lost their parents when a plane flown by his father went down in bad weather. Jericho left for the military, and Harley left to become a detective. After her brother died from an overdose of drugs supplied by a family involved in distributing drugs, she's determined to stop them from harming more people. They reconnected when the sheriff asked each to join him in tracking these men down. Jericho has been running a SAR dog training school. He and his scent-tracking dog were struggling after an avalanche training session turned tragic.

Jericho and Harley cared for each other and were best friends since they were kids. Yet they had so much painful history and bad interaction patterns in their relationship that they just kept replaying the hurtful beliefs that had come to define them. They also both felt that obtaining justice and keeping the people they loved safe depended on their abilities, and they already knew that didn't always work out. They learned to trust God and gain a new heart that allowed their relationship to start anew, too.

The main characters were complex, realistic people, and I cared about what happened to them. The suspense was created by relationship tensions, bad weather, and bad guys trying to kill them. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this suspenseful novel.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Peril on the Ranch by Lynette Eason

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Sat, 06 Jun 2026 21:25:18 +0000

Peril on the Ranch
by Lynette Eason

ISBN-13: 9781488238475
Audiobook, Unabridged
Publisher: Harlequin Audio
Released: May 26, 2026

Source: audiobook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from Goodreads:
When an infant is abandoned on her ranch, foster mother Isabelle Trent will do anything for the child—even put her own life on the line. She might not know who left the little girl, but it’s clear someone’s after her and will kill to reach their target. With Isabelle’s ranch hand, Brian “Mac” McGee, at her side, can she survive long enough to protect the baby?

My Review:
Peril on the Ranch is a Christian romantic suspense. Isabelle and her husband ran a ranch (on land given to them) where they raised foster kids in a healing environment. He died, but she's still dedicated to raising the kids on the ranch. Mac lost his wife and baby in a car accident. In his grief, he left his job as a police officer and worked various jobs to save enough money to buy his own ranch. He's her new ranch hand, and he admires the way she cares for the kids. The kids help heal his heart. His response? To see if Isabelle would give up her ranch and foster kids to join him in his dream. Umm. Fellow, you like her for certain reasons and then want her to give those things up? Mac was a nice guy who protected Isabelle and the kids, but that nonsense just annoyed me. Happily, Isabelle had some insight into his issues and helped him get several of his relationships back on good ground (including with God).

The suspense came from several attempts by the abandoned baby's father to kidnap his child rather than try to legally claim the baby. He couldn't believe that his behavior was criminal. Someone else also had evil intentions toward Isabelle, though I can only conclude he was insane. His scheme made no sense and would have never gotten started, let alone succeeded, in real life. While Isabelle and the kids carried the story well and Mac ended up a good match for her after an epiphany, I found the suspense-ending so unbelievable that I was left feeling unimpressed. There was no sex or bad language.

The narrator of the audiobook did a good job of saying the text in a way consistent with the text (with surprise if surprised, etc.) and spoke in a way that kept my interest. It was easy to follow what was going on. However, the 'voice' for some of the less frequently speaking characters sometimes changed. For a little bit, most of the male characters had higher-pitched voices than the women and they acquired a nasal accent. That was a little confusing.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Survival in the Mountains by Carrie Stuart Parks

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Fri, 29 May 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Survival in the Mountains
by Carrie Stuart Parks

ISBN-13: 9781335957795
Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense
Released: May 26, 2026

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Rescuing a woman from a burning car crash near his mountain cabin immerses undercover Fish and Game officer Joshua McGregor in a dangerous plot. But all Bethany can remember is being deliberately run off the road. Soon killers are hunting both of them through the unforgiving Idaho wilderness, and the discovery that Bethany’s identity has been erased has them grasping for answers. Now they must avoid treacherous traps and unexpected enemies…while trying to trust each other. But when the truth about Bethany's past proves even more dangerous than they imagined, can she and Joshua protect innocent lives—and save their own?

My Review:
Survival in the Mountains is a Christian romantic suspense. Joshua lost his family in a tragedy, so he choose a dangerous job as an undercover officer in a remote area to try to stop some suspected crime in the area. He saved Bethany when someone ran her off the road, but she couldn't remember much about the last few weeks or anything about the last hours. They started to retrace the research that led her to visit a previously unknown relative in the mountains when things got worse. Someone's erasing her identity, claiming that her house isn't hers, not to mention trying to kill her. I liked that Bethany's clever when she had to escape bad guys, and Joshua and Bethany worked well together. I cared about what happened to them. However, the reason the bad guys needed to kill her was a little hard to believe.

The main characters occasionally prayed. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting novel.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.