Nine ~ Review

Nine

By Rachelle Dekker

Someone feels that Lucy needs to escape. There is just one problem Lucy doesn't know anything about the world out there. And the world is dangerous enough when you aren't being hunted by the very people you are trying to escape from.

Zoe Johnson knows she shouldn't get involved, but there is something about Lucy that is just drawing her in. She can't leave someone so innocent, so naive to figure it all out on her own. Though Lucy's few details about herself seem a tad far-fetched. 

But all too soon Lucy's claims have seemingly become reality and now Zoe is on the run. But who is after them, after Lucy and why?

But Lucy is more than she appears and what she doesn't know or remember could get all of them killed.

Nine is a story about choice versus programming. What makes a person a person? When does one's humanity end and all that is left is a living, breathing tool? These are the questions that, to my mind, define this book. 

I really enjoyed this new offering from Rachelle Dekker. The genre is considered suspense but this is such an inadequate classification as there is so much more to this book. Yes, it most definitely has moments of suspense but there is a depth to it as the various characters are faced with a decision. Can a person programmed to obey any and all orders change? Can a person disconnected from their humanity overcome everything they have ever known to make a choice of their own? Can love restore what should have been? 

Something about this book, while totally different reminds me of Jill Williamson's Replication: The Jason Experiment. Can someone, programmed for a single purpose, be something more? In my opinion, this book delves into this question, examines it, and answers it in an interesting and entertaining manner. Would I recommend it? Yes, I would. Though not considered science fiction or fantasy I feel fairly certain that those who enjoy these genres might enjoy this title as well.

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:

Zoe Johnson spent most of her life living in the shadows, never drawing attention to herself, never investing in people or places. But when a wide-eyed, bedraggled teenager with no memory walks into the diner where Zoe works, everything changes. Now, against her better judgment, Zoe, who has been trying to outrun her own painful memories of the past, finds herself attempting to help a girl who doesn't seem to have any past at all. The girl knows only one thing: she must reach a woman in Corpus Christi, Texas, hundreds of miles away, before the government agents who are searching for her catch up to them.

Award-winning author Rachelle Dekker throws you into the middle of the action and keeps the pressure on in this page-turning story that, asks Are we who the world says we are--or can we change our story and be something more?

The Edge of Belonging ~ Review

The Edge of Belonging

By Amanda Cox

Ivy Rose Lashly outwardly seems to have a perfect life - loving parents, attentive fiancee, and a great job. But appearances can be deceiving - and her life is about to start unwinding after her grandmother's death. Ivy Rose needs to know her past; she feels that her worth depends on what she does not know. 

Harvey James exists but doesn't truly live, at least, not until he finds a newborn abandoned near the highway bypass he called home. Finding this baby awakens a feeling in him that forces him to step out of what he knows and into the unknown.

These two stories, set approximately twenty-four years apart, are integral to one another. Told in alternating chapters, the reader is on a journey of discovery. Who are Ivy and Harvey? And how do they fit into each other's stories? 

The Edge of Belonging is a journey of the heart and the mind as two very different people try to discover where they belong in the world. Both are so much more than the events that shaped their lives. But realizing one's worth is harder than it seems. Random comments, rumor, and innuendo have lasting impacts and often not in the way one means. But hurting wounded hearts are easily deceived by the lies they hear. This book is a story about the power of family, friendship, and love. Some stories need to be told, and this is just such a one. If you are looking for a good read, this is one book you do not want to miss. Would make an excellent book club selection.

I was provided a complimentary copy with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.   

About the Book:

When Ivy Rose returns to her hometown to oversee an estate sale, she soon discovers that her grandmother left behind more than trinkets and photo frames--she provided a path to the truth behind Ivy's adoption. Shocked, Ivy seeks clues to her past, but a key piece to the mystery is missing.

Twenty-four years earlier, Harvey James finds an abandoned newborn who gives him a sense of human connection for the first time in his life. His desire to care for the baby runs up against the stark fact that he is homeless. When he becomes entwined with two people seeking to help him find his way, Harvey knows he must keep the baby a secret or risk losing the only person he's ever loved.

In this dual-time story from debut novelist Amanda Cox, the truth--both the search for it and the desire to keep it from others--takes center stage as Ivy and Harvey grapple with love, loss, and letting go.

Something Worth Doing ~ Review

Something Worth Doing

By Jane Kirkpatrick

Abigail "Jenny" Scott wants to do something with her life, but 1852 meant she was under the rule of her father and her future husband whoever he may be. Abigail wants to make her own choices, to determine her own path. But few options were available to women, not if they wanted to be seen as respectable members of society.

When Abigail gains a teaching position in the Oregon Territory, most assume that she'll soon give it up for marriage, after all that is the duty of every woman. When a family situation arises Abigail finds herself marrying sooner than she expected. But Ben Duniway is a good match for Abigail and most importantly he doesn't see her as a way to increase his landholdings. 

Though they don't see eye to eye, Ben encourages Abigail and her efforts to make a better life for not only herself but other women, as well. In a day when women, like children, were expected to be seen and not heard, Abigail was an exception. She championed the cause of women. She sought to see equality become the norm in how women were seen. She fought to make a better world for her daughters, and their daughters. She advocated for giving women the vote, having an equal share in making decisions, to become something more, to control their own lives.

Something Worth Doing shares the harsh realities of life on the frontier. Civilization came but it was a hard-fought effort by the men and women who settled there. The efforts were fought by both though women were considered too fragile to have an opinion on matters of politics or finances. But they were responsible for any and all debts that her husband may have accrued. This is Abigail's story, a story that is America, a story that has helped shape the world that we know today. Life was not easy but nothing worth having is easy, it takes work, and the very act of doing sometimes is enough to start a change.

What I most like about Jane Kirkpatrick's books is that they are based on the lives of real people, people who made a difference just by living their lives. Were they perfect? No, but they lived their lives as best they could. The people in Jane's books are relatable in that though they lived in a different era and century the issues and challenges of life are not so different from what we face today. The challenge to find one's place in the world and to meet and conquer the trials that come. Something Worth Doing should be the goal of everyone who lives. The something doesn't have to be momentous it can be a small act of kindness, a meal well made, or a book shared. Some fiction is good and some is excellent and this falls in the excellent category. 

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:

In 1853, Abigail Scott was a 19-year-old school teacher in Oregon Territory when she married Ben Duniway. Marriage meant giving up on teaching, but Abigail always believed she was meant to be more than a good wife and mother. When financial mistakes and an injury force Ben to stop working, Abigail becomes the primary breadwinner for her growing family. What she sees as a working woman appalls her, and she devotes her life to fighting for the rights of women, including their right to vote.

Following Abigail as she bears six children, runs a millinery and a private school, helps on the farm, writes novels, gives speeches, and eventually runs a newspaper supporting women's suffrage, Something Worth Doing explores issues that will resonate strongly with modern women: the pull between career and family, finding one's place in the public sphere, and dealing with frustrations and prejudices women encounter when they compete in male-dominated spaces. Based on a true story of a pioneer for women's rights from award-winning author Jane Kirkpatrick will inspire you to believe that some things are worth doing--even when the cost is great.

Two Reasons to Run ~ Review with Giveaway

Welcome to the Takeover Tour for 

Two Reasons to Run by Colleen Coble, 

hosted by

JustRead Publicity Tours!

Two Reasons to Run

Pelican Harbor #2

By Colleen Coble

Jane Hardy's life has never been in more turmoil or more complicated. The son she thought had died is alive and now 15 years old. Her father has been lying to her for years. The man she had started to feel something for, Reid Dixon, has been withholding the truth about who he and Will are. Her best friend has been diagnosed with MS. And she is the new chief of police. Add to that she is working overtime following the betrayal of one of her officers and the murder of another. Yeah, Jane has more than a full time life and it is just about to get even messier.

Keith McDonald's email to his mother was just a precaution, but when he turned up missing Jane finds herself with a potential situation on her hands that could be devastating to the entire region. Worse Keith contacted Reid about what he knew. Can Jane work with Reid to safeguard what she holds most dear while dealing with his betrayal? With no evidence how can they get to the truth they seek?

Reid never meant to hurt Jane. But Will's safety was his top priority and it still is. He's unsure how to obtain Jane's forgiveness, much less the feelings they were starting to have when the truth came out. At least they have Will to keep the hope of a second chance alive. 

Soon the investigation takes a personal turn and the threat comes home for Jane and Reid. Can they keep Will safe and still stop the threat of sabotage aboard the oil rig just off their coast? Or will they lose everything?

Two Reasons to Run is the fast-paced non-stop action sequel to One Little Lie that doesn't let the reader down. The book picks up shortly after the conclusion of the first book. One is drawn to Jane as she struggles to make sense of what her life is and what it could have been. Her relationship with her father is noticeably strained but she still needs her father, especially with Will's safety in question. Get ready for some unexpected twists and a future that is in doubt as the clock ticks down. "Who?" and "Why?" are the questions they need answers to and they need them now...

Colleen Coble does not disappoint with this book and one can only wonder where this series will go in the next book. Highly recommended if you want suspense that keeps you reading into the wee hours of the day. Fans of Romantic Suspense you have a new book to add to your tbr list. 

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.

I read this book and thoroughly enjoyed it but I also obtained an audio version of it via Libro.fm (an alternative to Audible) and enjoyed listening to the narration by Devon O'Day though I did listen to to it at 1.5 playback speed (better fit in my opinion for the suspense driven action). So if you are a fan of audio over text this is an excellent option to explore.

About the Book: 
Title: Two Reasons to Run
Series: The Pelican Harbor Series book 2
Author: Colleen Coble
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Release Date: August 4, 2020
Genre: Inspirational Romantic Suspense

She’s got plenty of reasons to run.
But what if she stays?

A lie changed her world.

Police Chief Jane Hardy is still reeling from the scandal that rocked her small-town department just as she took over for her retired father—the man who wrecked her life with one little lie. Now she’s finally been reunited with her presumed-dead fifteen-year-old son, Will, and his father, documentarian Reid Dixon.

A crisis looms.

When a murder aboard the oil platform Zeus exposes an environmental terrorist’s plot to flood Mobile Bay with crude oil, Jane and Reid must put their feelings for each other behind them and work together to prevent the rig from being sabotaged.

A killer targets her son.

Then the terrorist puts her son Will’s life on the line. Protecting him could be the common ground they need . . . but then ghosts from the past threaten to ruin Jane and Reid for good.

She’s got plenty of reasons to run. 
But what if she stays?

The second book in a gripping new series from 
USA TODAY bestselling romantic suspense author Colleen Coble.

Purchase Links*:
 Goodreads |Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Book Depository | Christianbook | Audible  | Libro.fm

About the Author:

Colleen Coble is a USA TODAY bestselling author and RITA finalist best known for her coastal romantic suspense novels, including The Inn at Ocean’s Edge, Twilight at Blueberry Barrens, and the Lavender Tides, Sunset Cove, Hope Beach, and Rock Harbor series.

Connect with Colleen online:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Giveaway (1) winner will receive a print copy of 

One Little Lie plus Two Reasons to Run! 

(see JustRead website for details)

Be sure to check out each stop on these tours for more chances to win. 

The full tour schedule is linked below. 

The giveaway begins at midnight on September 17, 2020, and will last

through 11:59 PM EST on September 24, 2020. 

Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of the close of the giveaway and

given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of the prize. 

US only, void where prohibited by law or logistics. 

For the giveaway rules, policy, and

to enter the tour-wide giveaway click

JustReads Tour Page

Follow along with at JustRead Tours for the full list of stops!

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Minutes to Die ~ Review

Minutes to Die 

Homeland Heroes #2

By Susan Sleeman

FBI Agent Kiley Dawson's CI has been killed just moments after revealing that a terrorist attack is imminent. With only a few words to go on, stopping the coming devastation seems nearly impossible, but the RED Team doesn't know the meaning of impossible. 

ICE Agent Evan Bowers has tracked down evidence of smuggled terrorists. Terrorists that came prepared to carry out an attack. But with no way to identify the suspects, the chance of stopping them has dramatically dropped. Calling in what he's found brings the RED Team into his investigation - an investigation he is determined to be a part of. Now he just needs to convince the lead agent to keep him on - not an easy sell given the history he and Kiley share. One in which her former partner was killed under his leadership, and she lays the blame squarely on his shoulders.

But time is short, and to accomplish what they need to will require working through their discomfort. Can the two work together long enough to stop the coming attack that is rumored to be bigger than 9/11? Or will the lack of online or dark web chatter work to their detriment? And what about the growing attraction between Kiley and Evan? Will the mistakes of the past prevent them from having a future? 

The clock is ticking down... 

Minutes to Die is an excellent sequel to Seconds to Live that readers who are fans of Romantic Suspense will enjoy diving into this draw you in action from page one. Minutes are slipping away as the few clues that are known are too vague to pinpoint an exact location or mode of attack. If you want keep you up all night suspense this is the book you want to move to the top of your tbr pile. And when you add in Kiley's childhood issues that take on a new meaning as the threat draws nearer you have an intense read in your future.

Tick, tick, tick...

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations - all thoughts expressed are my own.

About the Book:

It's the intel every agent fears—terrorists have been smuggled into the country intent on unleashing the most deadly attack since 9/11. With the threat imminent, FBI Agent Kiley Dawson and ICE Agent Evan Bowers are charged with taking down this terrorist cell. The only problem, Kiley blames Evan for the death of her former partner, and she can barely be in a room with him. But with millions of lives on the line, she has no choice.

If it wasn't for a bad call Evan made, Kiley's former partner would still be alive, and Evan has to live with that guilt for the rest of his life. When he starts falling for her, the agent's death seems an impossible obstacle—but it's also the last thing he needs to think about. As the terrorist plot veers toward targeting Kiley's family, the two are pushed to the breaking point in a race to save countless lives.

Read an excerpt here

Widows of Somerset ~ Review

Widows of Somerset

Timeless Regency Collection Book 15

By Rebecca Connolly, Jen Geigle Johnson,

     and Heather B. Moore

Somerset has an abundance of young widows - women who, with the loss of their husbands, lost much more - home, financial stability, social standing, and even friends. Fortunately, Somerset has Lady Joanna Kingswood, widowed twice. Lady Joanna learned from her first marriage that she never wanted to be at the mercy of a husband's Last Will and Testamony ever again. To share her knowledge with the other young widows, she has created the Secret Society of Young Widows. But every society has rules, and these rules are of utmost importance if you are a widow. The first rule one must be a widow. Second, have an impeccable reputation is a must. Third, promise to not fall in love again...And if you get married again, make sure your future husband signs the Continuation of Care contract.

In An Heir to Spare, Lady Anna Lyndham has lost her husband. As soon as the new Lord Lyndham arrives, Anna knows she will lose her home and her identity. Her late husband somehow forgot to make provisions in his will for her future - a future shrouded in uncertainty. Which considering his determination to make her his wife would have been surprising if he hadn't ignored her after the marriage.

Ned Richards never expected to be a gentleman, but due to the death of a distant relation, he is to become the next Lord Lyndham. What he didn't expect was his late predecessor's widow. Nor the responsibility he feels towards her care. 

In The Widow of Lavender Cottage, Lillian Hunter has been widowed for 18 months. She never married for love, her husband was a good sort though his intentions were a bit lacking when it came to his will, leaving her a rundown little cottage. A cottage which she is more than willing to transform into a space to suit her sensibilities. Lillian is determined to never marry again, not willing to give up the independence she's experienced as a widow. Her life is her own so when she receives an invitation to join the Secret Society of Young Widows she is more than willing.

The one drawback to the Lavender Cottage is Oliver Wentworth. Newly landed gentry he is Lillian's new neighbor. A question about their shared fenceline brings him to the home of the widow next door, a neighbor whom he feels obligated to offer assistance to. But soon the two have a friendly relationship that finds them spending more time together than would be acceptable if Lillian was not a widow. But newly landed gentry needs help - help that Lillian is more than willing to give.

A Promise Forgotten finds Charlotte Ashford widowed. She married not for love but because her heart was broken following news that left her broken-hearted. Lord Brand Wilshore was lost but not dead as reported. Learning of Charlotte's fickle heart, upon his return, has hardened him towards her. 

As the widow of a poor vicar, she and her young daughter have no choice but to return to Somerset and the home of her childhood. Her mother, a widow too, has encountered financial hardships so home is no longer what it once was. But her best friend, Thea is determined to help Charlotte and her mother. The best way to do so? Convince Brand to get involved in helping their neighbor and childhood friend. And connect Charlotte with the Secret Society of Young Widows. 

As Brand works to help Charlotte, each interaction is a brutal reminder of what they could have had. Can he stay the course until his duty to his neighbors is discharged? Or will he fulfill the promise he made before leaving Charlotte and his heart behind for that fateful voyage to India?

As these Somerset widows traverse the perils and pitfalls of their new station in life the rules of their society are about play an important role in their futures. Can marriage as a business arrangement worked to their favor bring them the desires of their heart? Or will the promise of guaranteed provisions be the most they can hope for?

This book skillfully crafted by these three authors masterfully combine for a delightful Regency read that any fan of the genre will enjoy curling up in an out-of-the-way-corner to while away the weekend. Each story has a distinct flavor so that one does not feel as if a cookiecutter was used to create each. The characters are ones a person can connect with and empathize with as they face what life has given them to deal with. Financial hardship following the loss of a spouse is something many can relate to so though this is set during the Regency period it still has relevant issues for today. This is a book one will want to read more than once and share it with a good friend or two.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations - all thoughts expressed are my own.

About the Book:

Rules of the Secret Society of Young Widows:
    Rule 1: Be a widow.
    Rule 2: Have an impeccable reputation.
    Rule 3: Don't fall in love again.

An Heir to Spare 

by Rebecca Connolly

Widowhood has changed much for Anna—Lady Lyndham—but an unconventional heir to the estate was not something she had anticipated. Nor had she anticipated that he would have no intention of forcing her out, although he has every right to. And she certainly did not anticipate finding him handsome, charming, and unfailingly generous. But Ned Richards, the new Lord Lyndham, has a world of surprises in store for her, and not anticipating them will become quite the adventure.

The Widow of Lavender Cottage 

by Jen Geigle Johnson

As a widow, Lillian Hunter has never been in love and plans to never marry again, so the rules of the Secret Society of Young Widows suit her just fine. Her days are spent attempting to transform her newly inherited Lavender Cottage into a livable space until Oliver Wentworth shows up, asking for her late husband. Anxious to establish himself as a landed gentry in Somerset, Oliver is none too pleased to discover that a widow lives alone in a tiny run-down cottage bordering his new property. The fact that she's young and attractive only adds frustration to his sense of responsibility for her. And confound her, she challenges his every attempt to help manage her affairs.

A Promise Forgotten 

by Heather B. Moore

Charlotte Ashford never thought she'd marry a vicar, and she never thought she'd find herself widowed with a young child to care for on her own. She certainly never thought she'd return to Somerset to live with her mother again, and Charlotte never thought she'd see him again. But Lord Wilshore has never forgotten her, and he has never forgotten their promise made long ago. Charlotte would love nothing more than for Lord Wilshore to forgive her, but too much heartache and too much time might make that impossible. Friendship is all she can hope for, but that hope may be dashed as well.

A Portrait of Loyalty ~ Review

A Portrait of Loyalty
The Codebreakers #3
By Roseanna M White

He was trying to save his brother and his homeland. The knowledge that he took with him has made him a target. Zivon Marin has defied the Bolsheviks and their revolution, but it has come at a steep cost. And if he is not careful, ensuring his silence could cost him even more.

Lily Blackwell sees beauty in the everyday moments of life. Fallen petals. A smile. But the Admiralty has another use for her gift - a service that her mother would disapprove of. But her father feels this secret is necessary to England's war efforts. Tweaking and manipulating photos for the country's propaganda efforts can't be wrong, not when it could save lives and help bring this war to a conclusion. 

When a passing invitation brings Zivon and a colleague to a dinner at the Blackwell home, they soon find themselves frequent guests of the Blackwells. Lily sees something in Zivon - something that makes her want to get to know this somber, serious young man. 

When tragedy strikes, Lily begins to question her role within the Admiralty. Could her work cause more harm than good? Meanwhile, Zivon's loyalty is being questioned - he fears that the very people he escaped from have found him and are seeking to once again ruin the life he has. With the evidence he had so carefully hidden lost to him, he has nothing to corroborate his claims. Can their faith sustain them through the trials that they are both facing?

A Portrait of Loyalty is able to be read on its own if you have not yet read the first two books in the series (The Number of Love and Wings of Devotion). But in my opinion it is so much better to read these books in series order as they do build upon each other. This book opens in February 1918 and ends in November 1918 with most of the scenes taking place in England and then France. I liked that some of the characters who were in Roseanna's Shadows Over England and Ladies of the Manor series also made an appearance. This story takes place during the final days of the war but also during the beginning days of the Spanish Influenza. I found it quite interesting the parallels between then and now. I highly recommend this book and this series which due to the very subject matter has emotional moments that will move the reader. This is a series that I know is one that I'll be rereading it is that good. This is my pick for the next book club selection (whenever that happens).

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:

He sees patterns in what she deems chaos.

She sees beauty in a world he thought destroyed.

Zivon Marin was one of Russia's top cryptographers until the October Revolution tore apart his world. Forced to flee to England after speaking out against Lenin, Zivon is driven by growing anger and determined to offer his services to the Brits. But never far from his mind is his brother, whom Zivon fears died in the train crash that separated them.

Lily Blackwell sees the world best through the lens of a camera and possesses unsurpassed skill when it comes to retouching and re-creating photographs. With her father's connections in propaganda, she's recruited to the intelligence division, even though her mother would disapprove if she ever found out.

After Captain Blackwell invites Zivon to dinner one evening, a friendship blooms between him and Lily that soon takes over their hearts. But both have secrets they're unwilling to share, and neither is entirely sure they can trust the other. When Zivon's loyalties are called into question, proving him honest is about more than one couple's future dreams–it becomes a matter of ending the war.