Without Warning ~ Review

Without Warning
Elite Guardians #2
By Lynette Eason

When Daniel Matthews and his restaurants become targeted on a single night Katie Singleton and the Elite Guardians Protection Agency are hired by his teenage niece. Someone seems determined to shutdown A Taste of Yesterday and ruin or kill Daniel.  The question is who has a grudge against the former marine and is this a case of business competition that has gotten out of hand?

Riley Matthew's fear of losing her uncle are enough to convince Katie to take the job and the rest of the Elite Guardians are willing to back her up. The list of potential suspects is short and each new attack becomes more dangerous.  If they're not careful Daniel might not be the only victim in this deadly game.

This second book in the Elite Guardians series is as intense as the first - Always Watching.  This time the story focuses mainly on Katie Singleton and the past that she is trying move beyond.  The time has come to face her demons especially if she hopes to save Daniel and Riley from the threat that has disrupted not only their lives but their peace of mind.  And when someone close to the Guardians is struck down this case becomes personal.

Lynette Eason has yet again brought to life characters of depth, heroes who are damaged and hurting, people one can relate to.  If you like suspense you'll want to read this newest addition to the Guardians series, but be warned if you read the sneak peek of book 3 you will be left on a precipice whose path has just run out (in other words ~ WOW what a peek to keep the reader in suspense).  It is not necessary to read the first before reading this one - though there is a little background info that will make a few aspects of the story easier to follow, but there is no reason one can't read the first book at a later date.

I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher Revell in exchange for my honest review.

If you'd like to learn more about book 1 Always Watching read my review here,

About the Book:

Intensity. Skill. Tenacity.

The bodyguards of Elite Guardians Agency have it all.

Katie Singleton, a partner with the Elite Guardians Protection Agency, stumbles upon her next assignment quite by accident. Spotting blue lights at a familiar restaurant, she stops to investigate, only to discover that owner Daniel Matthews has become the target of someone who will go to any lengths to put him out of business.

Daniel might be concerned, but he's not convinced that a bodyguard--and a female one at that--is necessary. A new attack and his niece's urgings are enough to make him reconsider. He and Katie must figure out who's behind the intimidation and threats--before a would-be killer strikes again.

At Love's Bidding ~ Review

At Love's Bidding
By Regina Jennings

Miranda Wimplegate has never crossed anyone and she's not about to start to do so now, but something about Wyatt Ballentine just brings out the worst in her and she's only just met him! But when Miranda didn't stop her grandfather from auctioning off the wrong painting she is determined to help him right the wrong and save her family from ruin.

All Wyatt has ever wanted was to be accepted by his family and own the action barn that he has worked at most of his life. But when some upper-class Bostonians buy the whole business sight unseen he is left in a quandary.  It's obvious the Wimplegates have no idea what they have gotten themselves into and the auction barn is no place to add a touch of genteel refinement.

It's obvious a new arrangement must be worked out if the Wimplegates hope to recover their investment - and where is the portrait that was rumored to be hidden away in this rural Missouri town? Time is against them in their search, but perhaps Miranda will find something of greater value in the Ozarks.

This is a delightful book that deals with the difficult issue of dementia in the elderly. But overall I highly recommend this book if you are looking for a historical fiction that will leave you with a feel-good frame of mind.  Perfect for an afternoon read.

I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher through TBCN/BookFun in exchange for my honest review.  

About the Book:
After helping her grandfather at their Boston auction house, Miranda Wimplegate discovers she's accidentally sold a powerful family's prized portrait to an anonymous bidder. Desperate to appease the furious family, her grandfather tracks it to the Missouri Ozarks and makes an outlandish offer to buy the local auction house if they promise not to sell anything until he arrives. 

Upon their arrival, however, they discover their new business doesn't deal in fine antiques, but in livestock. And its manager, ruggedly handsome Wyatt Ballentine, is frustrated to discover his fussy new bosses don't know a thing about the business he's single-handedly kept afloat. Faced with more cattle than they can count--but no mysterious painting--Miranda and Wyatt form an unlikely but charged partnership to try and salvage a bad situation getting worse.

About the Author:
Regina Jennings is a graduate of Oklahoma Baptist University with a degree in English and a history minor. She is the author of A Most Inconvenient Marriage, Sixty Acres and a Bride, and Caught in the Middle, and contributed a novella to A Match Made in Texas. Regina has worked at the Mustang News and First Baptist Church of Mustang, along with time at the Oklahoma National Stockyards and various livestock shows. She now lives outside Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, with her husband and four children and can be found online at www.reginajennings.com.

A Lady in Defiance ~ Review

A Lady in Defiance
Romance in the Rockies #1
By Heather Blanton

She knew what life held for her, but in a moment everything changed including where she would call home. A tragic accident cost Naomi Miller her husband. A dream lead her to Defiance, Colorado. Now she and her sisters are determined to bring God to Defiance, there's just one problem and his name is Charles McIntyre.

Defiance is Charles McIntyre's domain - the mine, the saloons, and the women.  But he wants more - he wants to bring greatness to the town of Defiance.  But to bring in the changes he wants Defiance needs to be gentled and cleaned up.  The newly widowed Naomi Miller and her sisters are just who Charles needs.  And he's up to the challenge that Naomi represents and he's willing to challenge her beliefs too.

Evil has staked its claim and there is only one thing that break its hold.  Can Naomi, Rebecca, and Hannah bring God's love to those who most need it?

This is not a sugar coated story that ends with a happily ever after ride into the sunset, but there is the promise of hope for tomorrow and the gift of God's love and forgiveness to all who seek it out.

I was provided a copy of this book through TBCN/BookFun in exchange for my honest review.

About the Book:
Charles McIntyre owns everything and everyone in the lawless, godless mining town of Defiance. When three good, Christian sisters from his beloved South show up stranded, alone, and offering to open a "nice" hotel, he is intrigued enough to let them stay...especially since he sees feisty middle sister Naomi as a possible conquest. But Naomi, angry with God for widowing her, wants no part of Defiance or the saloon-owning, prostitute-keeping Mr. McIntyre. It would seem however, that God has gone to elaborate lengths to bring them together. The question is, "Why?" Does God really have a plan for each and every life? Written with gritty, but not gratuitous, realism uncharacteristic of historical Christian romances, A Lady in Defiance is edgy Christian fiction that gives a nod to both Pride and Prejudice and Redeeming Love. Based on true events, it is also an ensemble piece that deftly weaves together the relationships of the three sisters and the rowdy residents of Defiance.

About the Author:
I love Christian Western Romance because this is the genre that lets me write about strong, pioneer women and men who struggle to find God and then live out their faith in real ways. Romance is always a strong element in my stories because it is such a beautiful gift from God, and a perfect reflection of how he loves us: sacrificially and lavishly. My stories aren't preachy or cheesy, but I hope they are inspirational, heart-warming, realistic, illuminating, and glorifying to God. Like good old fashioned Westerns, there is always justice, a moral message, American values, lots of high adventure, unexpected plot twists, and more than a touch of suspense. I am a huge researcher, as well, and you will find hints of historical romances inspired by true stories in my novels!

I grew up in the mountains of Western North Carolina on a steady diet of Bonanza, Gunsmoke, and John Wayne Westerns. My most fond childhood memory is of sitting next to my daddy, munching on popcorn, and watching Lucas McCain unload that Winchester! I love exploring out West, especially ghost towns and museums. I've walked parts of the Oregon Trail, ridden horses through the Rockies, climbed to the top of Independence Rock, and even held an outlaw's note in my hand.

"I believe Christian fiction should be messy and gritty, because the human condition is ... and God loves us anyway." -- Heather Blanton

To Soar on Eagle's Wings ~ Review

To Soar on Eagle's Wings
Snowy Range Chronicles #1
By Renee Blare

One disaster after another could sum up this book, but you'd miss everything that comes between.

Rachel's love of the lonely mountain vistas provides the soothing her soul desires.  But her family can't see it, all they see is the danger she is placing herself in by going into these remote regions.

Meanwhile the entire Fitzgerald family is hurting from a tragedy that has driven a wedge into its very structure. As they work to move beyond the pain they are living with Rachel's first love has come back to the area and she has hopes for a future.  But Steve has reservations about where he and Rachel have a future as he wrestles with the demons of his own past.

Can they work past their differences and trust in the Lord so that they are able To Soar on Eagle's Wings?

Fans of romance novellas will enjoy this offering from Renee Blare.  Romance, danger, fears of the past, and shifting family dynamics all set in the beauty and wonder of a wooded mountain region.

I was provided a copy of this book through TBCN/BookFun in exchange for my honest review.

About the Book:

Spring’s in the air. While the sun shines in Timber Springs, snow falls on the Snowy Range, and trouble’s brewing in the meadows. The areas new game warden, Steve Mitchell launches his first wildlife investigation of the season but the trouble follows him—straight to town. Rachel Fitzgerald’s on Spring Break. Or at least she’s trying. Between paperwork, and harassing phone calls, she may as well have stayed in her classroom. So much for relaxation. A "chance" meeting with her brother’s old roommate offers her weary soul a shred of hope, but she discovers love, like life, isn’t easy. He talks with the wisdom of the Lord but rejects the future. She wants to soar with the eagles but walks alone. And trusting God proves to be more of a challenge than ever before…


About the Author: 

Raised in Louisiana and Wyoming, Renee started writing poetry in junior high school and that, as they say, was that. After having her son, a desire to attend pharmacy school sent her small family to Laramie and she's been counting pills ever since. While writing's her first love, well, after the Lord and her husband, she also likes to fish and hunt as well as pick away on her classical guitar. Nestled against the Black Hills with her husband, crazy old dog and ornery cat, she serves the community of northeastern Wyoming as a pharmacist and pens her Christian stories, keeping them interesting with action and intrigue, of course. She loves to interact with readers and invites you check out her website, blog, and social media.

Website: http://www.reneeblare.com/ 

Blog: https://reneeblare.wordpress.com/ 

Group Blog: http://diamondsinfiction.blogspot.com/

The Principle and Power of Kingdom Citizenship ~ Review

The Principle and Power of Kingdom Citizenship
By Dr. Myles Munroe

Have you ever wondered about what it means to be part of the Kingdom of God?  We have lost, over the years, what Jesus meant. We have interpreted the words of Jesus through the murky lens of our western culture.  Instead we need to throw out what we know and relearn the rights and duties of our kingdom citizenship.  The Bible is our way to knowledge about the heavenly kingdom of which we have a claim.

Humanity's failure began with the first sin.  One simple command do not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil destroyed humanities access to the only outpost (colony) of Heaven on Earth. Charged with the management of God's creation we failed, but through the sacrifice of God's Son we've been offered a second chance. A chance to reclaim our citizenship in Heaven, but we've distorted this chance.

This book offers you a guide to be sure you understand what it means to be a citizen. And you will see the importance of living every minute as an ambassador of the Kingdom.  This book offers some interesting insights that you will want to explore.

I was provided a copy of this book through TBCN/BookFun in exchange for my honest review.

About the Book:
Discover How to Live as a Citizen of God’s Unshakable Kingdom!
Are you ready to experience life on a new, supernatural level? Then it’s time to take your place as a royal citizen in God’s unshakable Kingdom.

For too long, too many followers of Christ have lived beneath their Kingdom inheritance. They are saved and set-up for eternity in Heaven, but they continue to live defeated and unfulfilling lives on Earth.

In Dr. Myles Munroe’s final book before graduating to eternity, he presents the biblical blueprint for what it looks like for you to live as an empowered Kingdom citizen.

You will learn how to:
• Identify and access your royal rights as a citizen of God’s Kingdom • Exercise your authority as an ambassador of Christ in your sphere of influence • Change atmospheres around you with the climate of Heaven

The Kingdom is not just about going to Heaven one day after you die...it is about walking in the purpose and power of Heaven today while you are still living on Earth!

About the Author:
Dr. Myles Munroe is global leader, professional consultant, leadership coach, mentor, international motivational speaker, business and corporate trainer, spiritual leader, government advisor, educator, master teacher, media host and bestselling author. He is one of the outstanding leaders of our generation. He was selected as one of the Top 20 voices of influence in the world by GT Magazine survey and he has positively impacted millions of lives around the world. Dr. Munroe is also founder and senior pastor of Bahamas Faith Ministries International and chairman of International Third World Leaders Association empowering millions to discover their personal purpose and develop their true potential. He and his wife, Ruth, have two children.

The Painter's Daughter ~ Review

The Painter's Daughter
By Julie Klassen

She thought she had found the man she would marry, until he left her behind to follow his dream. When Wesley Overtree left a brief hurried message saying he was traveling to Italy, Sophie Dupont found herself in an impossible position.

And Wesley's younger brother may be her only way to escape scandal and ruination. But can she tie her future to Captain Stephen Overtree, a man she has only just met, when her heart belongs to his brother?  And is the promise of a marriage that is "in name only" enough to bind her to this brooding man known for his black moods?

Time is short and Sophie's choices are few when a woman's reputation is everything.  A scandal, a period of isolation, or a loveless marriage ~ she has hours to decide the future she will call her own. But can she live with the decision she is about to make?

Julie Klassen's books always have this undercurrent of someone having a secret with which they have to come to terms with.  The Painter's Daughter is no different and in fact there are several characters who seem to be guarding secrets - some of which will be revealed in a most shocking turn of events.

Readers who enjoy historical fiction set in the Regency period will love delving into this book.  Fans of Jane Austen will be thrilled at the references to her work in this book.  And if you want to know which one you'll have to read the book for yourself.  An enjoyable book that will fill a long afternoon or week-end with page-turning diversion.

I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher through TBCN/BookFun in exchange for my honest review.


About the book:

Sophie Dupont, daughter of a portrait painter, assists her father in his studio, keeping her own artwork out of sight. She often walks the cliffside path along the north Devon coast, popular with artists and poets. It's where she met the handsome Wesley Overtree, the first man to tell her she's beautiful. 

Captain Stephen Overtree is accustomed to taking on his brother's neglected duties. Home on leave, he's sent to find Wesley. Knowing his brother rented a cottage from a fellow painter, he travels to Devonshire and meets Miss Dupont, the painter's daughter. He's startled to recognize her from a miniature portrait he carries with him--one of Wesley's discarded works. But his happiness plummets when he realizes Wesley has left her with child and sailed away to Italy in search of a new muse. 

Wanting to do something worthwhile with his life, Stephen proposes to Sophie. He does not offer love, or even a future together, but he can save her from scandal. If he dies in battle, as he believes he will, she'll be a respectable widow with the protection of his family.

Desperate for a way to escape her predicament, Sophie agrees to marry a stranger and travel to his family's estate. But at Overtree Hall, her problems are just beginning. Will she regret marrying Captain Overtree when a repentant Wesley returns? Or will she find herself torn between the father of her child and her growing affection for the husband she barely knows?

About the Author:

Julie Klassen loves all things Jane--Jane Eyre and Jane Austen. She worked in publishing for sixteen years and now writes full time. Three of her novels have won the Christy Award for Historical Romance. Her book, The Silent Governess, was also a finalist in the Minnesota Book Awards, ForeWord Reviews Book of the Year Awards, and Romance Writers of America's RITA Awards. Julie is a graduate of the University of Illinois. She and her husband have two sons and live near St. Paul, Minnesota. Visit www.julieklassen.com for more information.

The Witnesses ~ Review

The Witnesses
By Robert Whitlow

Time doesn't dim the horrors of war, occasionally the memories can be pushed away and ignored but they are there waiting to be reopened.  And the time has come for Franz Haus to relive his past - which the reader is shown through alternating scenes set in both America present day and Germany of the 1920's through the 1940's.  The present day scenes alternate between Parker House and his grandfather Frank.

Parker House's future as a lawyer is on the rise.  His job may not pay as much as his friends but he finds satisfaction in what he is learning and achieving. Parker finds that he has an uncanny intuition that allows him to see things differently than others. His unique perspective is an asset in the courtroom, though he is only a background player at this early stage in his career.

With his grandfather's secret and painful past coming to light Parker finds himself caught up in something that he never expected. And the inheritance that he has come into from his grandfather may be the only thing that will save them from the danger they find themselves facing.

Those who are familiar with the writing of Robert Whitlow won't be disappointed with his newest work.  If you have never read any of Whitlow's works in the past this is an excellent book with which to start.  This is, simply put, a reading experience not to be missed.  This is a book that crosses the genre lines so that one can't pin it down, limiting it.  Law, family, romance, friendship, mystery and self-discovery this book offers all this and more without feeling forced or contrived.  Sit back and escape to North Carolina with a new friend or two.

I was provided a copy of this book through BookLook bloggers in exchange for my honest review.


About the Book:

Young lawyer Parker House is on the rise—until his grandfather’s mysterious past puts both of their lives in danger.

Parker House’s secret inheritance is either his greatest blessing . . . or his deadliest curse. The fresh-faced North Carolina attorney shares his German grandfather’s uncanny ability to see future events in his mind’s eye—a gift that has haunted 82-year-old Frank House through decades of trying to erase a murderous wartime past.

While Parker navigates the intrigue and politics of small-town courtroom law, Frank is forced to face his darkest regrets. Then, a big career break for Parker collides with a new love he longs to nurture and the nightmares his grandfather can no longer escape. Sudden peril threatens to shatter not only Parker’s legal prospects but also his life and the lives of those dearest to him.

Two witnesses, two paths, an uncertain future.