THE KILLING OF LUTHER DUNN by Sharon Balts

Luther and Sigrid Dunn don’t have much of marriage. He is always leaving her alone to care for their two girls as well as the farm while he’s off running his stage business, among other things. When Luther’s stage is robbed and he goes missing, she hires Tom, an orphan from town, to help her out. Sigrid is angry and bitter toward her lying, cheating husband. She’s doesn't even mourn when they believe they've found his body. She is determined to go on and raise the girls and take care of the farm on her own. Sigrid finds it’s tougher than she anticipated and reluctantly accepts help from her neighbor, Jake Kearney. Jake takes Tom under his wing and shows him what to do. He’s good with the girls too, including his niece (Suzie) whom he’s raising on his own. Jake knows of Luther’s unfaithfulness and doesn’t understand how any man could do such a thing to a woman like Sigrid. He finds himself attracted to her and soon realizes why. As Jake works to help Sigrid with the farm and the children, he finds he’s also slowly chipping away at the wall around her heart. She’s growing very fond of Jake, Tom and Suzie. But she’s just not sure she can trust Jake. What if he turns out to be like Luther. Luther’s murder is still unsolved and it seems like Jake is not telling her everything. Will she soften her heart and learn to trust this man who’s helped her in so many ways? And what will happen when she learns the truth about Luther?

The Killing of Luther Dunn is an unforgettable tale, packed with unforgettable characters. Sigrid, who was Norwegian, was spunky and full of backbone yet a loving woman who only wanted a loving relationship with a man. Jake stole my heart right from the start, a strong, principled man, but far from perfect. I loved his sense of humor! Jake and Sigrid's relationship was funny, touching and loaded with tension. This story had multiple layers and was so intertwined that it made you want to keep reading to find out what would happen next and how it would all work out. One verse that came alive was Proverbs 21:2, “Every man’s way is right in his own eyes, but the Lord pondereth the hearts.” So many times we do things that seem right and good but what is our motive? That’s a tough question and it causes the reader to examine their own heart. There are several Norwegian characters and I loved that the author wrote their voices as if they were speaking English with their Norwegian accent. For me, it really added depth and authenticity to the story. I've read all of Sharon Balts’ books and I think this is her best yet! I highly recommend The Killing of Luther Dunn. Don’t you just love that title? Well wait ‘til you read the story!

*This complimentary copy was provided by the author and Tate Publishing in exchange for an honest review*

Paperback: 310 pages
Publisher: Tate Publishing (May 7, 2013)
ISBN-10: 1622956281
ISBN-13: 978-1622956289

For more information about Sharon Balts and her other books, I recommend you visit her website at http://www.inspired2author.com/

FUGITIVE by Shirlee McCoy

Laney Jefferson had a terrible childhood. Logan Randal was there for her and helped her escape that situation. Now thirteen years later, she’s a widow and visiting her husband’s cabin to clean it up and get it ready to sell. Imagine how shocked she is to find Logan Randal at her door, injured and handcuffed. Logan was falsely accused and on the run trying to prove his innocence. Laney doesn’t know what to think, except that Logan was there when she needed him, so she’s determined to be there for him. Logan is determined to keep Laney uninvolved, until a situation arises that causes them both to be on the run. As they fight to prove Logan’s innocence they are also fighting their strong attraction for one another. Someone wants to keep the past buried. Will they find out who it is before it’s too late? Can they fully trust God for their future, whatever that may be?

Fugitive is a good, solid romantic suspense. The author keeps you turning pages with the different situations that arise. Situations that are sometimes tense. The characters are very real and likable people, except of course, the bad guys and you really aren’t supposed to like them anyway. I loved the relationship between Logan and Laney. You truly felt the tension between the two of them and understood the difficulty of their relationship. I loved how the author reminds us that we can cast our cares on Him and He will sustain us. Though we may question His purpose when we are in painful situations, He is faithful. That’s encouraging because we all go through painful times. Though this is part of the Heroes for Hire series I didn’t feel lost. I’d like to read some of the others in that series.

*This complimentary copy was provided by Harlequin through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

Mass Market Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: Love Inspired (May 7, 2013)
ISBN-10: 0373445377
ISBN-13: 978-0373445370

UNDENIABLY YOURS by Becky Wade

Meg Cole returns home to Whispering Creek Ranch after her father dies, to take over the leadership of Cole Oil.   One thing she wants to do is dissolve her father’s Thoroughbred racehorse farm.  She gives Bo Porter six months to complete the task.  Bo Porter has poured everything into the Thoroughbred farm he built with Meg’s father.  He should be angry with the woman who is trying to, not just take away his job, but destroy his dream.  Instead he finds himself very attracted to Meg and wanting to protect her from people who want to take advantage of her.  Meg finds that when she’s with Bo, he gives her a strength and peace she hasn’t experienced since her father’s death.  Both have a deep faith and a desire to following God’s leading.  Meg has a hard time with trusting people thanks to a very painful past experience.  Bo’s praying she learns she can trust him with her heart as well as everything else.  But what will happen when something comes up that causes Meg to doubt Bo?  Is their love and faith strong enough to survive it?

I absolutely love the cover of Undeniably Yours and knew I had to read it!  Becky Wade is a new author to me so I didn’t know what to expect.  What I found was a terrific story, loaded with characters that will steal your heart, a character that would steal you blind, suspense that will keep you flipping pages and a romance that will send your heart pounding!  I must say though, for me, it was a bit slow in the beginning but once it took off I couldn’t put it down.  The story dealt with some complex issues but also had a generous portion of hope and encouragement.  There probably aren’t a lot of folks who’ll read this story that would be in Meg’s position but you could totally understand why Meg felt the way she did.  Meg was a sweet girl with a generous heart who found her strength in the Lord.  Bo was the consummate, sigh-worthy hero that you just fall in love with. Strong, gentle and honorable but not perfect.  Together they were romantic dynamite!  One thing I really appreciated was the way Meg consulted the Lord before making decisions, by reading His Word and praying.  Something we should all be doing.  I also liked how she recognized how the Lord was always watching out for her through others.  It made me think of all the times the Lord sent just the right person to me at just the right time.  The suspense at the end was spell-binding and kept me glued to story ‘til the last page was turned.  If you enjoy a tale that has a little of everything, humor, romance, suspense and some nuggets of wisdom, then you will love Undeniably Yours!

*This complimentary copy was provided by Bethany House through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

Paperback: 384 pages

Publisher: Bethany House Publishers (May 1, 2013)
ISBN-10: 0764209752
ISBN-13: 978-0764209758

ONCE UPON A PRINCE by Rachel Hauck

Prince Nathaniel comes to St. Simon’s Island, Georgia for a holiday. His father is sick which means he’ll be taking over as King of Brighton sooner than expected. The last thing he’s looking for on this holiday is love but then Susanna Truitt enters his life in a most unexpected way. Susanna is a planner and likes everything laid out nice and neat. So when her boyfriend of 12 years breaks it off, she’s understandably hurt and angry. She ends up being hassled by a vagrant and the Prince comes to her rescue. She doesn’t know he’s a prince. Her spit and fire attracts him but he also sees an honest, compassionate woman. She is drawn to Nathaniel because of his kindness and integrity. But what will happen when she finds out he’s really a prince? And how can they have a future together if the Brighton law requires him to marry someone else?

This was a fun modern day fairy tale and one I thoroughly enjoyed reading. I loved getting to know Susanna and Nathaniel. Both were interesting, loveable characters loaded with personality! I also loved the setting of St. Simon’s Island. I have family that live in Brunswick so the area was familiar to me which made it even better. The story moved along at a steady pace, although a few parts got a little tied up with the political background of Brighton, but other than that you want to keep reading to find out how it all turns out. The message of totally turning everything over, including yourself, to the Lord was very well done. It’s something that’s easier said than done, especially for someone like Susanna. But, God’s way and timing are always best. The ending was great although I did have a few questions I would have liked answered. However, this is the first in a series so I’m guessing those may be brought out in the next installment, which I'm looking forward to. If you're looking for a fun, take-me-away type story then I recommend Once Upon a Prince. Don’t you just love the cover?

*This complimentary copy was provided by Zondervan through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Zondervan (May 7, 2013)
ISBN-10: 0310315476
ISBN-13: 978-0310315476

WISHING ON WILLOWS by Katie Ganshert

Robin Price is struggling. Her husband, Micah, died several years ago leaving her a son to raise and a gaping whole in her heart. She found some form of healing when her best friend, Bethany, helped her open Willow Tree Cafe`. It fulfilled a dream she and Micah shared. Though business isn't booming, her very soul is tied up in the cafe` and the folks who come through it's door. Now a developer wants to build condos where the cafe` sits which means not only losing the cafe but an important ministry that's housed next door. Ian McKay is the project manager of the Peaks condo project. He wants to make his father proud by making this project successful for McKay Development. The town seems to be wooed by his good-looks and charm, all except Robin. Both are stubborn and passionate people. As the struggle ensues, Ian sees Robin's compassion and grace but he also sees her grief. And it moves him. Robin sees a side of Ian that gives her cause to ponder that there just might be more to the man than she first thought. Will Robin and Ian stubbornly hold onto the past, or will they find that their toughest challenge of letting go, will actually be their greatest blessing?

Excellent, exceptional, emotional, encouraging, and entertaining, all come to mind when I think of Wishing on Willows. I read the whole thing in practically one sitting because I just couldn't put it down. The story was so complex in nature that it's difficult to define all the things I loved about it. The characters are so endearing and realistic. Easily relatable. The author writes in such a way that you feel every emotion of every character. To me, that's excellent writing. The message of hope rang loud and clear. Sometimes the Lord is fighting for you in a way you didn't ask for or expect. That's encouraging. I loved that Bethany and Evan were very much a part of this story. For me, that made this story exceptional. Though this story is loaded with deep emotions you will find splashes of humor right when you need them. I found that entertaining. My only wish, besides not wanting it to end, is that there would have been an epilogue. Does that mean there might be another story??? I would love to see more in this series because I have come to love Peaks and the Price family. As a side note, I would like to compliment the cover designers with how well they captured an important element of the story. Well done. Although you could technically read this as a stand-alone, I would encourage you to read Wildflowers from Winter first (also an excellent story). Wishing on Willows is on my favorites list and one I highly recommend, but be ready to have your emotions challenged! Katie Ganshert has definitely become one of my favorite authors. Great job, Katie!

Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: WaterBrook Press (March 19, 2013)
ISBN-10: 0307730409
ISBN-13: 978-0307730404

*This complimentary copy was provided by WaterBrook Multnomah through Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review*

To find out more about this author and her books, I recommend you visit her website at http://katieganshert.com/