Deception ~ Review

Deception
Javin Pierce #6
By Ethan Jones

Javin Pierce is tasked with retrieving a nuclear scientist from Iran before Iran can develop an atomic bomb. But the operation takes a wrong turn forcing Javin to work with Mossad operative Yael to recover a second Iranian scientist. When they get assistance from a Qatari Prince via an aide - support that comes with a price. Qatar needs someone found, someone with terrorist ties who betrayed the prince.

During the operation, Javin receives news that shakes his world. And what's worse, this operation is about to cost him more than he ever expected. Betrayal is never welcomed, and when the costs become personal, Javin is a man to be reckoned with.

Deception is the sixth book that features Javin Pierce, an agent with CIS. Javin has an intensity that can be unstoppable, and when those who mean the most to him are in danger, you had better watch out if you are behind it. Intense action set in the Middle East, what's not to like? And the most unlikely individuals could be just the allies Javin needs. Can you trust your enemies with your life? Javin is about to discover who he can trust and who is ready to betray him.

An excellent new offering from Ethan Jones, filled with high-action suspense that does not sacrifice clean reading to achieve it. Highly recommended reading.

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:

When friends betray you, turn to your enemies...

After a brush with death in his recent operation and news of a devastating personal tragedy, spymaster Javin Pierce struggles to keep focus. With no time to recover, he's sent on his next mission: stop a nuclear scientist helping Iran develop an atomic bomb, without leaving a trace. On top of this, he's ordered to partner with the same Mossad operative who tried to kill him.

Twice.

The closer the odd team gets to the truth, the more they realize their own friends have betrayed them. With nowhere to turn but to his sworn enemies, Javin must forge an alliance that comes at a terrible cost.

The final blow: His partner is kidnapped; the fight becomes personal.

Alone, betrayed, and with more than his own life on the line, will Javin be able to save his partner and prevent an all-out war between Iran and the United States?

Let the Ghosts Speak ~ Review

Let the Ghosts Speak
By Bryan Davis

Justin Trotter seems like your average hard-working individual. But as we get into the book, we learn that he and his twin sister Justice were sent from England to France following the execution of their father and their mother's disappearance. The book appears to be a journal of Justin's life in Paris and addressed to his mother.

Justin has become friends with Marc Noël, a young man of means who insists that Justin join a party that his mother is hosting in a soon to be destroyed abandoned schoolhouse. Reluctantly Justin agrees, the deciding factor being his infatuation with Marc's sister Francine. It is an invitation Justin may regret for the rest of his life accepting.

Let the Ghosts Speak is a tad slow at the opening, but all too soon, the tone shifts as the party Justin is invited to becomes a meeting of the most interesting characters and is highlighted by murder. And due to an unfortunate chain of events, Justin finds himself the prime suspect. And the only individuals who believe in Justin's innocence are four beings who have come back from the grave.

Let the Ghosts Speak is one book that will keep you from putting it down. As the story progresses, the suspense continues to climb. Doubt is cast on several as to being the potential killer. But can Justin trust his own memories of events when he is speaking and listening to ghosts? Do they genuinely have his best interests at heart? Or are they figments of a mind teetering on the very edge of sanity?

Those who are familiar with Bryan Davis's previous works are in for something different from him. This is a standalone book that is easy to get into and has a clearly defined ending. There is not a dragon present in this work, and it has a contemplative thread through it that speaks to the reader as plainly as the ghosts talk to Justin. All too often, we are blind to what we don't want to see, we allow our heart and mind to not see the truths that others see clearly. Highly recommended enjoyable reading and, in my opinion, perhaps the author's best work to date, at least of the books I've read.

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:

Supernatural suspense set in 1860 Paris.

In nineteenth-century Paris, Justin Trotter, an immigrant from England, is making his way as a book translator while paying for his blind twin sister's care. One evening, Marc Noël, Justin's well-to-do friend and fellow thespian, invites him to a masquerade party at an abandoned schoolhouse. Justin hopes this will be an opportunity to get to know Marc's lovely though sharp-tongued sister, Francine.

At the event, Justin meets four ghostly strangers—two adults and two children—who warn him that the party guests are in danger and must leave at once. True to their prediction, a murder takes place, and Justin is the prime suspect. He escapes and becomes a fugitive, hiding in the Paris catacombs.

Mystery and intrigue swirl as the ghost of Joan of Arc and other martyrs guide Justin on a lonely journey to prove his innocence and protect his sister from an abusive caretaker. Who really committed the crime? Marc? Francine? A ghost? And does seeing these ghosts mean he is going insane? Maybe he really is the murderer after all.

There is only one way to find out, let the ghosts speak as they reveal the mysteries within Justin's mind.

Breach of Trust ~ Review

Breach of Trust
Atlanta Justice #3
By Rachel Dylan

Mia Shaw has just lost one of her best friends to a brutal act of violence and she is determined that the guilty party pays for what he has done. There is just one problem Noah Ramirez doesn't believe that his friend is guilty of the crime and he will do what is necessary to find the evidence to prove David McDonald innocent. The first step is getting Mia to have an open mind to the possibility that the wrong man is being charged.

Chase Jackson was Mia's friend and she can't understand why anyone would kill him. And when she is asked to take over the case he was working on at the time of his death she can think of no better way to honor him. But things aren't adding up in the case and something more is going on behind the scenes than it appears. But getting to the truth may find Mia facing a fate similar to Chase's. Can Noah help keep her safe, clear his friend, and help Mia discover the truth of Chase's case before it is too late?

Breach of Trust is the third book in the Atlanta Justice series and it is just as page-turning as the previous two books. If you have not yet read the other books that is fine as this book can easily be read as a standalone title. There are plenty of twists to keep you guessing to who the guilty party is and there are plenty of potential suspects. And I will admit that the identity of the killer with definitely well hidden until it was revealed. If you are a fan of romantic suspense but want something a bit longer than Love Inspired Suspense this is perfect for you. Sit back and get caught up in a case that will keep you reading well into the night.

About the Book:

When an Open-and-Shut Murder Case Gets Complicated,

Can She Overcome Her Need for Justice?

Corporate litigator Mia Shaw suffers the shock of her life when she finds her colleague and friend brutally murdered. Grief-stricken and furious, Mia vows that she will do anything to make the killer pay.

The man accused of the murder is a friend of security tech guru Noah Ramirez, but the evidence just doesn't add up. To save his former ATF partner, Noah needs to convince Mia that the real killer is still on the loose.

Mia soon has more to worry about than the criminal prosecution. She is tasked with taking over her friend's last case and learns he was hiding dark secrets about his client. She thinks she may have stumbled upon corporate espionage that has turned deadly, but she has no idea of the danger involved. Her only ally is Noah, despite their difference of opinion about the killer's identity. Can Noah win Mia over to his side and protect her from ever-growing threats?

The Runaway Bride ~ Review

The Runaway Bride
The Bride Ships #2
By Jody Hedlund

Arabella Lawson is fleeing the life that she knew and the marriage she doesn't want. The Bride Ships offer her the chance at a new life away from the pain and fears of the past. But can she find the life she seeks - one to which she is accustomed to or will she be forced to accept the first offer of marriage that comes her way?

Pete Kelly has regrets but he is no longer the young man who left his family behind in anger all those years ago. He is a changed man and he credits this change of heart to the Lord and natives who saved his life. Pete is determined to get a wife from one of the ladies who has come over on the bride ship. When he sees Arabella he knows that she is the one for him even though he is of a lower class. Unfortunately, he isn't the only suitor seeking Arabella's hand and the man seeking it is someone Pete has had conflicts with in the past.

The Runaway Bride is the second book in the Bride Ships series and while it can be read as a stand-alone title, it is best read as part of a series. The main characters from the first book A Reluctant Bride are secondary characters whose story is more fully developed. This book deals with prejudice against the indigenous peoples who called the area home, against lower classes, and women's abilities and rights. The setting is Vancouver Island in Canada in 1862 with brief flashbacks to Arabella's life in England.

I like how Arabella slowly changes and in several cases the catalyst to change is her care and concern for others. Her biggest obstacle to change is her desire to reclaim her place as a gentlewoman of society. Overall a good and satisfying read perfect for fans of historical fiction who don't want just fluff. Jody Hedlund's fans won't be disappointed in her newest offering and will be waiting for this summer's release of the next book in the series. A perfect book club selection.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.



About the Book:

Haunted by mistakes in her past,

will she ever again

trust her heart to another?

Wealthy Arabella Lawrence flees to British Columbia on a bride ship still wearing the scars of past mistakes. One of the few single women in the boomtown, she immediately has suitors, but she is determined not to find herself trapped again by a poor choice.

Vying for her hand are two very different men. Lieutenant Richard Drummond is a gentleman in the Navy and is held in high esteem. Peter Kelly is the town’s baker and has worked hard to build a thriving business. He and Drummond not only compete for Arabella’s affections, but clash over their views of how the natives should be treated in the midst of a smallpox outbreak.

As Arabella begins to overcome her fears, she discovers someone in dire need–a starving girl abandoned by her tribe. Intent on helping the girl, Arabella leans on Peter’s advice and guidance. Will she have the wisdom to make the right decision or will seeking what’s right cost both her and Peter everything?

Lake Season ~ Review

Lake Season
Bluebell Inn #1
By Denise Hunter

Molly Bennett has a crush on bestselling author Nathaniel Quinn, his true identity is a mystery, but his words speak to her, give words to her feelings.  And since her parents' death, Molly has been living with the guilt of not making time for their last conversation. She along with her older brother Levi and her younger sister Grace has taken on their parents' dream of turning their home into a Bed-and-Breakfast.  Putting their plans on hold they plan on making a name for the Bluebell Inn located in Bluebell, North Carolina.

Adam Bradford is sure once his identity gets out all his fans will be disappointed in him, after all, he isn't athletic like his dad, uncles, and cousins. Writing isn't a manly occupation and his father was more than a little disappointed in his chosen career as a writer of fiction. He is nothing like his heroes and he just can't let his identity get out. And his fears of inferiority are starting to have an effect on him in the form of writer's block. But when he seeks lodging at the Bluebell Inn he thinks Molly's vitality just might be the inspiration he needs.

Thinking that their new guest might help determine where to start her search for the writer and intended recipient of a long lost letter, Molly approaches Adam with her find. Adam is drawn to the letter and the story that it hints at. A love lost, a misunderstanding, did Lizzie and Benjamin get their happily-ever-after or were they forever parted with words of anger?

This is a book that is told in two eras - the present and the past (the 1960s). As these two stories work closer together the reader won't see what is coming. Not to give anything away but it is an ending that will appeal to those who hope for a satisfying conclusion. The threads that tie this book together are family, trust, honesty, and hope. This is the first book in the Bluebell Inn series that follows the Bennett siblings as they navigate their world following their parents' death and their opening of the inn. This promises to be a delightful series for those looking for a few hours of bookish escape.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher via Amazon's Vine Program with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.


About the Book:

When their parents die in a tragic accident, Molly Bennett and her siblings pull together to fulfill their parents’ dream: turning their historic Bluebell, North Carolina home back into an inn. The situation would just be temporary—three years at the most—then they would sell the inn and Molly could get back to chasing her own dreams.

Adam Bradford (a.k.a. bestselling author Nathaniel Quinn) is a reclusive novelist with a bad case of writer’s block. Desperate for inspiration as his deadline approaches, he travels to the setting of his next book, a North Carolina lake town. There he immediately meets his muse, a young innkeeper who fancies herself in love with his alter ego.

Molly and Adam strike up an instant friendship. When Molly finds a long-lost letter in the walls of her inn she embarks on a mission with Adam to find the star-crossed lovers and bring them the closure they deserve. But Adam has secrets of his own. Past and present collide as truths are revealed, and Molly and Adam will have to decide if love is worth trusting.

Flight Risk ~ Review

Flight Risk
Cara Putman

Savannah Daniels is a successful lawyer who has worked hard to make a name for her practice. The one failure that has broken her is her marriage that failed, a marriage that she never wanted to leave. But 9/11, work, and betrayal brought it down. The only good thing she got out of it was Addy Jo, a niece that she loves and who needs her when life at home just gets to tough.

When Savannah's ex, Dustin Tate, becomes the feature of an exposé, she has to wonder if she ever truly knew him. But regardless she'll be there for her niece. When Dustin and one of the others named in the exposé are on an outgoing flight that crashes Savannah finds herself having to deal with Dustin face-to-face for Addy's sake. Dustin claims that he has evidence that the allegations against him are false. 

Jett Glover is committed to the truth and he puts in the research behind every story he puts his name to. He stands behind the exposé he wrote. After all, he'd never want to put someone through what he went through when his father was the victim of a false newspaper report. But when those named in the exposé start dying he fears that his story may behind it.

Savannah's current case is soon entangled with the downed plane and Jett's exposé but trust isn't something she is willing to give after Dustin's betrayal. But someone seems to be targeting her too so working together to get to the truth is something she has to do.

Now I can't see anywhere that this book is part of the Hidden Justice series but it seems to go with as most of the same main characters from the other books are in this book (working with Savannah in her practice). This book can easily be read on its own as the story is contained within the covers but if you want to read it as if it is part of the series it would be book 4 chronologically. This book has a good dose of mystery and legal suspense with a medium-sized pinch of romance. If you are familiar with Cara Putman's previous works you will not be disappointed in this one. Also, it was interesting to get a glimpse into Savannah Daniels's life as she has been a background character in the first three Hidden Justice books. Overall a good read perfect for a weekend escape from the comfort of your favorite reading corner.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher via The First Editions with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.

About the Author:

Cara Putman is the author of more than twenty-five legal thrillers, historical romances, and romantic suspense novels. She has won or been a finalist for honors including the ACFW Book of the Year and the Christian Retailing’s BEST Award. Cara graduated high school at sixteen, college at twenty, completed her law degree at twenty-seven, and recently received her MBA. She is a practicing attorney, teaches undergraduate and graduate law courses at a Big Ten business school, and is a homeschooling mom of four. She lives with her husband and children in Indiana.

Connect with Cara

The Thief of Lanwyn Manor ~ Review

The Thief of Lanwyn Manor

The Cornwall Novels #2

By Sarah E. Ladd

It is 1818 and Julia Twethewey needs a distraction for her heart's been broken and going to Cornwall, England is just she needs for a change and a chance to begin again. Unfortunately for Julia her first encounter in Cornwall is being attacked in the local pub by bandits. Coming upon the scene, Isaac Blake stops the bandits from doing more than steal the few possessions Julia has in her bag.

Isaac works hard to keep Wheal Tamsen, the mine that his brother inherited, productive and profitable but there is not enough work for all those seeking work. And with Bal Tressa shutdown indefinitely, the Lambourne family is not the most loved in the area as the mining families suffer the loss of work.  This very shutdown, in Isaac's opinion, is why Miss Twethewey was targeted. Everyone knew that the Lambournes' niece was coming for a visit.  What Isaac didn't anticipate was that Julia Twethewey was about to steal his heart.

Coming to stay with her cousin as a companion during her confinement, Julia didn't anticipate becoming the the new object of her aunt's matchmaking. And Aunt Beatrice is looking not for a match of the heart but one that will elevate Julia's social and economic standing. And in her eyes the only possible suitor worthy of her designs is Matthew Blake - Isaac's older twin brother.

Noises in the night. Missing silverware. Jewelry gone. A cousin ill. With no one else to turn to Julia finds herself confiding in Isaac. And if the answers they seek aren't discovered soon all could be lost and hearts could be broken forever.

This is the second book in Sarah E. Ladd's Cornwall series and it follows the oldest daughter as she finds her way in the world.  Julia is an interesting character who comes into her own in this book. We were introduced to Julia and the Twethewey siblings in The Governess of Penwythe Hall following the death of their father. Again there is mystery surrounding the situation and a bit of romance making for an enjoyable read. Those who have not read the first book will have no problem getting into this book as it could easily be a standalone title. An excellent read and one that would lend itself well as a book club selection.

About the Book:

In Regency England an advantageous match could set up a lady for life. 

Julia knows Matthew Blake, copper mine owner and 

very eligible bachelor, is the gentleman she should set her eyes upon. 

But why can’t she steal her gaze away from 

his younger brother, Isaac?

Cornwall, England, 1818

Julia Twethewey needs a diversion to mend her broken heart, so when her cousin invites her to Lanwyn Manor, Julia eagerly accepts. The manor is located at the heart of Cornwall’s mining industry, and as a guest Julia is swept into its intricate world. It’s not long, though, before she realizes something dark lurks within the home’s ancient halls.

As a respected mine owner’s younger son, Isaac Blake is determined to keep his late father’s legacy alive through the family business, despite his brother’s careless attitude. In order to save their livelihood—and that of the people around them—the brothers approach the master of Lanwyn Manor with plans to bolster the floundering local industry. Isaac can’t deny his attraction to the man’s charming niece, but his brother has made clear his intentions to court the lovely visitor. And Isaac knows his place.

When tragedy strikes, mysteries arise, and valuables go missing, Julia and Isaac find they are pulled together in a swirl of strange circumstances, but despite their best efforts to bow to social expectations, their hearts aren’t so keen to surrender.