Sunday, October 27, 2013

DANGEROUS PASSAGE by Lisa Harris


Avery North is a detective in Atlanta, Georgia. She was investigating the death of an unidentified girl when they find another young girl dead. They discover that both girls have a tattoo on their shoulder of a magnolia. Because of that they suspect it's the work of a serial killer. Jackson Bryant is the medical examiner who is trying to help Avery solve the crimes. In trying to answer questions, Jackson discovers evidence that sends the case in another direction. One that was quite unexpected. As Avery and Jackson work together they also discover their relationship is much more than just a working one. Both have suffered deep pain and aren't sure they want to put their hearts on the line again. Can they put their trust in the only one who is unchangeable, even in the most painful changing moments?

Dangerous Passage was overall a good romantic suspense. It started off strong and pulls the reader in but I must admit that it seemed to lag a little in the middle. The last half of the book things started to pick up and the last quarter was especially good. There was a particular twist along the way that I didn't expect and was very surprised by it. You'll have to read the book to find out what it is. I enjoyed the characters. Avery was strong and capable but struggling with several things in her life. Jackson was a great guy. As a couple, they blended well together although I didn't fully feel the chemistry between them. They don't really spend a lot of time together which may be why I felt that way. I did enjoy the secondary characters. Avery's father and her partner, Mitch, in particular. I appreciated the message that God doesn't change. He is always the same no matter what we believe and no matter what happens. I also appreciated the author's note at the end. Although this story had a conclusion, there are some unanswered questions that I'm guessing will be explored in Book 2, Fatal Exchange, due out in Summer 2014. It's one that I plan on reading.

Series: Southern Crimes (Book 1)
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Revell (September 1, 2013)
ISBN-10: 080072190X
ISBN-13: 978-0800721909

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

For more information about this book or other books by Lisa Harris, I encourage you to visit her website http://www.lisaharriswrites.com/Welcome.html



Thursday, October 17, 2013

CHASING NORIE by Sophie Dawson


Norie Chase is returning home to Stones Creek after finishing school and taking care of her dying aunt. She loves her father's ranch and is anxious to once again ride her beautiful stallion across the open fields. You can imagine her surprise when she suddenly finds herself pulled from her horse. Norie pulls a knife on him only to find out it's Linc Pierce, her father's new foreman. He reprimands Norie for being on a horse that is dangerous. Norie explains to Linc that that has been her horse for a long time. As they get to know each other, Linc discovers that Norie can ride, throw knives and shoot better than most men he knows, but it's things that girls just shouldn't be doing. Norie is fed-up with the way Linc is always trying to keep her from what he thinks might be harmful. Why can't he see her for who she is? A friendly challenge between Linc and Norie just might be the answer.

Chasing Norie was an extremely fun story from start to finish. I fell in love with Norie and Linc in the first book (Leah's Peace) so was anxious to hear their tale. Chasing Norie and Leah's Peace are parallel stories which is really a neat way to do a series. It's basically the same story from a different point of view. I don't think I've read stories like that before but REALLY liked it. Linc and Norie are a hoot. Their banter and antics kept me smiling and even laughing out loud sometimes. Along with the laughter though, you'll find touching moments too. There was certainly a lot of chemistry between them, which is always a plus for me. For as spirited as Norie was, she always wanted to be pleasing to the Lord, which I appreciated. One person I really liked in this story was Norie's father, Wes. I thought the way he handled things was really neat. You have to read the story to understand what I mean. I honestly hated to see this tale come to an end but I did like the ending. If you enjoy books by Mary Connealy then I think you would definitely enjoy Chasing Norie.

Series: Stones Creek
Paperback: 278 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (May 29, 2013)
ISBN-10: 1489593659
ISBN-13: 978-1489593658

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

For information on this book or Sophie Dawson's other books, I encourage you to visit her website at http://www.sophie-dawson.com/

Friday, October 11, 2013

UNSPOKEN by Dee Henderson


Charlotte Graham was once the victim of a kidnapping where she was held for four long years. Law enforcement killed her abductors and she was finally rescued. She changed her identity and tried to rebuild her life as best as she could. At no time however, did she say anything to anyone about what happened during those years. Along the way, Charlotte finds herself the recipient of an enormous inheritance from her grandfather. Some of which was in the form of old and rare coins. Bryce Bishop doesn't know Charlotte's past. He only knows she showed up in an unusual way and offered him to buy the coins. Bryce gets a call from Paul Falcon that Charlotte is who she says she is and the coins are real. Bryce is intrigued by Charlotte and they become friends. Those around Charlotte encourage the friendship. The more time he spends with her the more intrigued he is. She has made it very clear though, that she will remain single. She also struggles with her faith and is willing to turn down a sizable inheritance to keep her family safe. The more she's around Bryce the more she realizes what a good and kind man he is. But can she trust him enough to tell him the truth of what happened or will the words remain unspoken?

I thoroughly enjoyed Unspoken but I must say, it took me awhile to get into the story. I was probably a quarter of the way into the book before it got to the place where I felt it started getting good. It seemed like it was just a little to much detail about old coins. Once I got past that, it began to flow very nicely. I enjoyed seeing Ann and Paul again and they both played an active part in story, which I really enjoyed. Bryce was a swoon-worthy hero guaranteed to melt even the coldest of hearts. His kindness and patience toward Charlotte was awesome. Charlotte was really an interesting leading lady and one I enjoyed getting know. She was kind and very generous but only let a few people into her close circle. The interaction between Bryce and Charlotte was both fun and touching. John and Ellie played great supporting rolls. You'll find a lot of depth to the story where human emotion is concerned but also where faith is concerned. Charlotte's questions about God were completely understandable and I really liked the way Bryce answered them. Very well done. By the time I got to the end, I wasn't ready to close the book and say goodbye to these guys. I did, however, enjoy the ending. I would love to catch up with them again in say...the next book?!!!

Paperback: 448 pages
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers (October 1, 2013)
ISBN-10: 0764211714
ISBN-13: 978-0764211713

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



Tuesday, October 1, 2013

LEAH'S PEACE by Sophie Dawson


Leah Daniels is ready for a fresh start. Following the death of her father, she moves to Stones Creek, Colorado to forget all the bad memories of helping her surgeon father treat the soldiers during the war. Her cousin Sara and Ben Cuttler are giving her a hand getting settled and helping her set up a dress shop. Dr. Eli Steele came to Stones Creek after his parents rejected him because of his war scars. They felt that no sophisticated person would feel comfortable being treated by a doctor with scars. When Leah meets Eli she is stunned! For she is the one responsible for his scars. Guilt causes her to avoid him. Eli is drawn to Leah and can't figure out why she is friendly to everyone but him. When circumstances throw Eli and Leah together, in a life-changing way, they learn what it means to trust God for a peace that only He can give.

Leah's Peace was a wonderful story, filled with folks that will win your heart, well, except for a few that is! It was a story that kept me completely captivated from the first page to the very last. Eli and Leah were great and had lots and lots of chemistry, which I love. Two characters that totally captured my attention were Nugget Ryder and Pastor Noah Preston. Both were wise men of God and yet totally unconventional. You really have to read the story to see what I mean. It was also fun to get acquainted with Linc and Norie. They are a hoot and have leading roles in book 2 (which I can't wait to read). The story had a wonderful mix of playfulness and seriousness. It dealt with some serious topics like PTSD, racism, hatred, and the effects of war, just to name a few. But along with that, you'll find encouragement seeing people helping people and watching God do great things through them. This is my first book by Sophie Dawson but I can promise that it won't be my last. She is certainly a gifted storyteller. I would highly recommend this to those who enjoy historical romances with lots of character interaction. Can't wait to read Chasing Norie!

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

Series: Stones Creek
Paperback: 278 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (May 29, 2013)
ISBN-10: 1489593659
ISBN-13: 978-1489593658

For more information about this book or Sophie Dawson's other books, I encourage you to visit her website at http://www.sophie-dawson.com/

Book I've Been Reading...

Sherry's bookshelf: read

Almost Like Being in Love
Wanted: Royal Princess Miracle Bride: Royal Hearts of Mondoverde Series, Vol. 3
Her Rancher Bodyguard
Traces of Guilt
The Stronghold
Close to You
Protecting Her Daughter
The Goodbye Bride
The Rancher's First Love
Reclaiming His Past
Keeper of the Stars
Cold Shot
Mermaid Moon
Thin Ice
Buried Secrets
Murder at Black Lake
Christmas With Miss Austen
Falling Like Snowflakes
Married 'til Monday
Second Chance Hero


Sherry's favorite books »