Showing posts with label PTSD. Show all posts
Showing posts with label PTSD. Show all posts

3.19.2025

Waylaid ~ Review

Waylaid
Windy City Westons #1
By Jerusha Agen

Spring Weston is a rising star in the world of cycling, and she's determined to be the best. But when she learns the truth about the team she's on, she doesn't want anything to do with it. But before she can decide what she will do, her whole life is shattered. She's the victim of a hit-and-run accident. 

Spring is officially the Weston family failure. Her father's biggest disappointment. She'll never ride a bike again. No, she's trapped by her broken body. If only the driver had killer her, then she would have at least not been left to endure her father's disgust and the pity of others.
 
Sergeant Torin Cotter has let people down too many times. He knows the feeling of such failure. When he is asked to take over the investigation of Spring's case, something just feels off to him. He can tell Spring is holding something back and that she is scared. Torin will discover the truth and do all he can to help Spring. 
 
When his own past comes into play during his investigation, Spring may offer the only hope to overcome his pain. If only he could offer her the same. But he refuses to allow himself to connect with Spring. It's all about surviving until he learns the truth about his wife. 
 
When a killer comes after Spring, Torin is determined to protect her, while Spring is more concerned about anyone losing their lives for her.   

Waylaid is the first book in the Windy City Westons series. The Weston family siblings are focused on helping Spring overcome and conquer her depression over the fallout of the hit-and-run that left her paralyzed. I found it interesting how the family dynamics played out throughout this book. They had differences when it came to matters of faith, but they were all about loyalty to one another. No one messed with one of their own without the others rallying around them. The dynamics between the Westons came across as authentic and believable. This was an excellent and engaging read that kept me up way too late reading. The suspense was way too tempting. I wanted to know who and why, and it was definitely not what I was expecting.
 
I was provided a complimentary ARC copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.

 

About the Book:

Someone wants to kill her. She wants the killer to finish the job.

Spring Weston will do anything to rise in the ranks of pro cycling and prove she isn’t the one failure of the five Weston siblings. Anything except cheat. When she learns of doping on her cycling team, she’s determined to uncover the truth. But she can’t if she’s dead.

Sergeant Torin Cotter may not be the hero the public thinks he is, but he recognizes fear when he sees it. When he takes over the investigation of the collision that landed Spring in the hospital, he’s compelled to protect her from whatever danger she’s in, even though he knows he might fail. Again.

Spring’s faith in God isn’t enough to help her face the living nightmare she awakened to after the accident. But neither she nor the handsome sergeant see the greater threat that’s coming until it’s too late.

If they’re going to survive, Spring and Torin will not only have to confront their worst fears—they’ll have to find a reason to live.

 

3.05.2025

Shattered Sanctuary ~ Review

Shattered Sanctuary
The Erin Delaney Mysteries #1
By Nancy Mehl 

Erin Delaney has cut herself off from everyone who she used to know. Guilt and PTSD have controlled her since an on-the-job incident changed her life. She's now a former police officer and a best-selling author. But joy is missing and hope is nonexistent. When her online friend, Kaely Quinn-Hunter, a former FBI behavioral analyst, invites her to spend time at a secluded cabin, Erin doesn't jump at the chance, but she does agree to come.  

The cabin is secluded and has a somewhat disturbing past, a past that makes for some unsettling moments which add to the suspense. But the real problem comes when Erin and Kaely are drawn into a case involving a potential serial killer. Rest and relaxation and deep discussions are no longer their only focus. 
 
At the behest of local police chief Adrian Nightengale, Erin and Kaely put their skills to work. Can they stop a killer before he, or she, strikes again? Their lives and the community of Sanctuary depend on them outsmarting the killer. 

This is the first book in the Erin Delaney Mystery series, and it is packed full of suspense. With a winter storm bearing down on them, time is a luxury they don't have. There are some difficult issues that are tackled in this book, but they are handled in a compassionate manner. Hurting people need to heal, and sometimes it isn't easy for them to ask for or accept help. Excellent reading and I look forward to the next book in the series.
 
I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.
 
About the Book:

Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Release Date: March 18, 2025
Genre: Christian Mystery and Suspense Romance

When she finally finds peace, she must confront her tragic past to stop a serial killer.

Grappling with the aftermath of a tragic incident that altered her life, ex-police officer and bestselling mystery author Erin Delaney finds solace in the tranquility of a cabin nestled deep in the Smoky Mountains. But her restful stay is shattered when cries pierce the night, hinting at a lurking presence haunting the woods. When local police chief Adrian Nightengale seeks her help with a carefully arranged murder scene, she is thrust back into the world of crime solving. As they delve into the investigation, Erin’s intuition reveals chilling truths about the killer’s motives and strategically perfected methods.

Joined by the enigmatic Kaely Quinn-Hunter, a former FBI behavioral analyst, Erin not only embarks on a quest to stop the merciless serial killer, but also confronts the revived ghosts of her past. In a race against time, Erin must defeat her own demons while outmaneuvering a cunning killer or risk becoming the next victim in this deadly game of cat and mouse.

Order before March 18, 2025, for this preorder deal at BakerBookHouse.com: Visit https://bakerbookhouse.com/products/598730 for 40% off, free US shipping, and a bonus signed bookplate and bookmark while supplies last.