HEALING HER HEART by Laura Scott

Dr. Gabe Allen makes it a point never to date someone he works with, and for good reason!  That really hasn't been a problem until he met Larissa Brockman.  Larissa is an ER nurse whose faith and gentle kindness appeal to Gabe.  When he helps her out after an accident, they find they are really drawn to each other.  Can two people who have deep wounds find healing in each other?

This was a great little story.  I enjoyed my visit to Crystal Lake and meeting the folks there.  The hospital is certainly a busy place and sometimes even dangerous.  Gabe was such a nice guy.  You could see what Larissa saw in him.  Larissa had experienced things that caused her to have an inner strength and a strong faith, or so she thought, until it was tested.  Forgiveness isn't easy and it's something, I'm sure, each one of us, at some point, has struggled with.  This story held my interest and I thoroughly enjoyed the author's easy writing style.  My only complaint would be that I felt the ending, though great, was a bit abrupt.  However, it is noted by the author that this novella was written to introduce the reader to the characters of Crystal Lake, which it did.  I look forward to reading a Soldier's Promise as well as other works by this author.

Print Length: 70 pages
ASIN: B00CSBQ5YO

For more information on this book or the author's other books I encourage you to visit her website at http://www.laurascottbooks.com/

A TIME TO HEAL by Fayla Ott

Rachel Collins feels like God has turned His back on her. First it was the loss of her parents who served as missionaries and then she lost her sister and brother-in-law. Now all she has left is their child, Brooke, who is like a daughter to her because she has been caring for her since she was an infant. Suddenly after two years, Luke Myers (Brooke's uncle) shows up at her door. Luke had no idea his brother had a child until two days ago. Rachel knows that the Myers family has money and is sure they will use it in order to gain custody of Brooke. Luke wants to help Rachel keep Brooke and thinks he has the perfect solution. But the solution brings with it some unexpected problems. Will Luke find the strength to wait on the Lord? Will Rachel discover that the Lord is still there for her even in the midst of pain?

A Time to Heal is a wonderful story of the power of love. It keeps you engaged from beginning to end with it's true-to-life characters and snappy dialog. I liked the fact that Luke and Rachel's relationship wasn't easy but experienced problems and difficulties you and I might face in our own relationships. I appreciated how Luke handled himself throughout the story. Although he made mistakes, he always tried to honor the Lord. Rachel was someone you could relate to. I mean, who hasn't been hurt by the circumstances of life. Her heart had had all it could handle, until Luke entered her life. A couple of quotes I highlighted along the way were, "being a Christian doesn't mean the roads we are called to travel will be without road blocks and railroad crossings" and "remember, whether you love Him or not, He loves you. And whether or not you want to accept it, He is in control." Good things to keep in mind. Fayla Ott is a new author to me, but I will be watching for future books.

YOU CAN'T HIDE by Wendy Davy

Cara Dalton has never done anything adventurous in her life until she decides to surprise her brother by joining him in Columbia. Now her life is in danger because a ruthless drug runner believes she witnessed a murder. Her brother entrusts Cara to his best friend and partner, Gage McKenna. Gage is an undercover agent who is recovering from a life-changing injury inflicted on him by the same man who is after Cara. Knowing the danger she's in, Gage reluctantly agrees to keep her safe at his remote island home. They both find themselves not only fighting a growing attraction for each other but also fighting the ruthless drug runner who will stop at nothing to silence them both!

You Can't Hide had me hooked from the very beginning and didn't let me go until the last page was turned. It was like watching an intense movie where you find yourself wringing your hands and taking quick breaths. All the characters were fully fleshed out, including the ruthless drug runner. Gage is a tough yet gentle, closed-off hero. Cara is a sweet heroine who also has a bit of sass. It made for a wonderful combination and I loved the chemistry between them. I also liked how the author showed that even though bad stuff happens to us, God is still there watching out for us. I must say, Jonas, Cara's brother, was a great guy too and I would love to see him featured in his own story! Page-wise this looks like a smaller-type book but story-wise it's a full-length, edge-of-your-seat, can't-put-it-down tale you won't want to miss! It's definitely going on my keeper shelf.

Paperback: 178 pages
Publisher: White Rose Publishing (July 12, 2013)
ISBN-10: 1611163234
ISBN-13: 978-1611163230

For information about this book or other books by Wendy Davy, I encourage you to visit her website at http://www.wendydavy.com/

NOT HER TYPE by Lisa Crane

Nick Rodgers works for Cooper Security. He's happy his best friend Travis and his wife, Brooke found love and happiness. Now he's waiting for the Lord to send him a good Christian girl to love. One he can have a home and family with. Logan Callahan is a writer who finds herself the victim of a stalker. Her publicist hired Cooper Security to protect her. Nick is immediately drawn to Logan but is wounded trying to protect her. They are forced to flee to a friend's remote cabin. It's there that Logan asks Nick about his faith. Nick is delighted to share that with her, however, he also finds himself sharing a strong attraction. As the attraction between them grows, so does the temptation. Nick is having trouble keeping his mind on something other than Logan and how she feels in his arms. Logan is having trouble understanding why Nick is behaving the way he is.

This was a wonderful follow-up to Not His Type. I am so glad that Travis and Brooke are so much a part of this story. Brooke's humor and wit shines through as they help Travis' best friend, Nick, through troubled waters. Nick is really a great guy. Strong and loving with a gentle type spirit. Logan is strong and independent yet had a real sweetness about her. She also had spunk. Watching them struggle with their attraction was amusing. There was a lot of chemistry between them but not quite as much as Brooke and Travis. Not Her Type is laced with humor, drama and was just plain fun to read. Snappy dialog and fun-loving characters make for a great story. The door is wide open for a third book which I will be watching for. You can read this as a stand alone but I strongly suggest you read Not His Type first.

Print Length: 300 pages
ASIN: B00D03489I

STRANDED by Dani Pettrey

Darcy St. James is a reporter.  When her friend Abby contacts her and asks for her help, Darcy agrees.  When Abby vanishes from the cruise ship they are working on, Darcy doesn’t buy the story the crew is telling everyone.  Something is very wrong.  After asking questions around, she finds that Abby isn’t the only person to have disappeared.  Gage McKenna and his family own and operate Last Frontier Adventures.  This summer they signed on with a cruise ship line to lead interested passengers on adventure excursions.   Imagine the surprise when Gage finds Darcy working on the ship.  She was hired as a journalist to cover the adventure excursions.  It’s been awhile since Darcy and Gage have seen each other but the emotional pull is still very strong.  Darcy fills Gage in about her missing friend and all she’s found out.  Feeling he must protect her, Gage reluctantly helps her.  As they try to put the pieces together, they discover a whole lot more than they bargained for.

I thoroughly enjoyed this installment in the Alaskan Courage Series.  Stranded finds us aboard a cruise ship where people, mainly women, seem to just vanish.  After watching Darcy and Gage in Shattered, (book 2), I was anxious to read their story.  Gage is one of those great flawed heroes.  You could easily understand why he felt the way he did.  Darcy was a woman of great faith and strength.  Her genuineness really shined through.  It was neat to catch up with all the McKenna’s. Piper and Landon are very involved in the story as well as Kayden and Jake.  It was nice to learn more about Jake and I certainly hope we’ll be seeing him and Kayden in the next book.  There were twists and turns and you’re not really sure just who’s involved until the end.  One thing I appreciated was how the Gospel message was woven into the story in a way that felt very natural.  We see throughout the story how sometimes God uses the difficulties in our life to bring us to Him and that even if we turn away from Him, He is still there with us.  Although you could read this as a stand-alone, this is one series I recommend you read in order.  That way you get all the background of everyone involved.  Looking forward, with great anticipation, to the next installment!

Paperback: 352 pages

Publisher: Bethany House Publishers (September 1, 2013)

ISBN-10: 0764209841

ISBN-13: 978-0764209840

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

For more information about this book or the author’s other books, I encourage you to visit her website at http://www.danipettrey.com/

HIDE AND SEEK by Lynette Eason

Erica James works as a skip tracer in hopes that one day it will help her find her kidnapped daughter, Molly.  Though it’s been three years, she refuses to give up.  She gets a tip about a girl that might have been involved in the kidnapping.  That’s where she meets Max Powell.  He’s a former policeman turned private investigator.  He’s looking for his sister, Lydia, who happens to be the girl they suspect of being involved.  As Erica and Max work together to find the truth, they find themselves very attracted to each other.  But how can anything come of it when they are opposite sides?  Besides, the kidnapper is determined to remain unknown and will stop at nothing to keep it that way, including murder.

I thoroughly enjoyed Hide and Seek.  It’s one of those stories with twists and turns and a few red herring along the way.  Erica and Max are very likeable characters.  Erica had backbone but was a reasonable heroine, which I liked.  Max was a great leading man.  Strong yet tender hearted.  I think the author portrayed their feelings and emotions in a realistic way.  The author also clearly showed that though bad things happen to us, God is still right there and we can trust Him.  It’s always easy to trust God when things are going well, but will you trust Him when the bad stuff happens? One thing I appreciated was the fact that you really aren’t sure just who it is until right toward the end.

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

Mass Market Paperback: 224 pages

Publisher: Love Inspired (August 6, 2013)

ISBN-10: 0373445482

ISBN-13: 978-0373445486

For more information about this book or the author’s other books, I encourage you to visit her website at http://lynetteeason.com/books.html

DEFENDER FOR HIRE by Shirlee McCoy

Tessa Camry lost everything 5 years ago. Since then, she not only feels like someone is always watching her but someone keeps sending her little reminders of all she has lost. She’s moved around a lot but he always manages to find her. This year is different though because he seems to want dead. Seth Sinclair is a formal solider who works as a personal securities agent. He is also very familiar with heartache. When danger knocks at Tessa’s door, Seth Sinclair is there to help. The attraction is strong but both have lost so much already. Could they put their hearts at risk again? This could be a second chance at love if Tessa’s long-held secrets don’t get her killed first.

This is one of those stories that catches your attention right from the start and keeps you guessing who the bad guy is until the end. Seth and Tessa were joy to get to know. The romantic tension between the two was great! Seth had a quiet strength that gave him great appeal! Tessa had been through so much yet she still maintained a gentle spirit about her. I loved the theme of love and second chances because that can also carry over to our spiritual life as well. How many times, because of the Lord’s love for us, has He given us second chances? Isn’t that a wonderful thing? If you enjoy a story that grabs you, causes you to hold your breath several times along the way, yet also gives you a sweet love story, I recommend Defender for Hire!

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

Publisher Love Inspired (July 1, 2013)
ISBN-10 037344544X
ISBN-13 978-0373445448

For more information about this book or the author’s other books, I invite you to visit her website at http://www.shirleemccoy.com/

BY APPOINTMENT ONLY by Marianne Evans

Matt Bellinger is running for state senate and has a real heart for working hard toward bettering his community.  When he shows up at Sal’s Place to promote a bill concerning volunteerism, he meets Heather Cavanaugh.   She’s a hair stylist but also works tirelessly as a volunteer.  Though they are nothing alike, he is drawn to her spunky personality but also to her gentle yet strong faith.  He sees in her an inner peacefulness that he wants.  Since faith is unseen, Matt has a hard time accepting it but seeks to find out about the God who gives Heather such unwavering strength.  His new understanding of faith, however, is quickly challenged when a family member is diagnosed with a serious illness. Will Matt be able to hold on to his new found faith and find the inner peace he longs to possess? 

 Once again this author dishes up a heapin’ helpin’ of faith with a generous side of romance.  I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Matt and Heather.  I loved their playfulness toward each other.  It just made me smile.  The struggles that each one faced were very relatable, especially Matt.  Just like Matt, we don’t always understand why God allows certain things to happen but as the Bible states, God’s ways are not our ways.  This side of heaven we won’t understand why things happen the way they do.  But we do know that everything from God is good, even the bad things and we can trust that He is right there with us to see us through.  What an encouraging message.   It was fun returning to Sal’s Place again and getting a whiff of all the good dishes Sal is cooking up.  It made me hungry.  Jennifer is a familiar face there and she’ll be happy to take your order!  By Appointment Only is the third installment in the Sal’s Place Series and was a joy to read!

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

Print Length: 138 pages

Publisher: Pelican Ventures Book Group - White Rose Publishing (June 13, 2013)

ASIN: B00DE2L4BK

For more information on this book, as well as the author’s other books, I recommend you visit her website at http://www.marianneevans.com/