VINES OF ENTANGLEMENT by Lisa Carter

Laura Mabry's life didn't turn out the way she dreamed. She's now raising her son alone, after her husband’s death and running her little shop called Tapestries Needleworks.  While out one evening running her dog on the Greenway Trail close to her house, her dog sniffs out a dead body.  If that's not trauma enough, the policeman they send to the scene is none other than Jon Locklear; the only man Laura's ever loved and hated.  Jon has spent a lot of years trying to purge Laura from his mind.  Now he finds himself trying to protect her and her son.  Truth and lies, murder and mayhem are all apart of Mimosa Grove, North Carolina.  Can they unravel the truth and figure out whose behind the murders before Laura and her son become the next victims?

Vines of Entanglement is the perfect title for this story.  You'll find within its pages, lies, deceit, anger, hatred and murder but you'll also find love, encouragement, hope, forgiveness and a God who is with you through everything.  The characters were very complex and fully fleshed out.  I did get a bit frustrated with Laura and Jon, but like us, they had to learn some hard lessons.  The author did a good job keeping you guessing who was behind all the treachery, which I always enjoy.  A quote about the book from the author’s website sums it up very well, “No matter how fast you run, the past has a way of catching up with you.”  If you enjoy romantic suspense, loaded with twists and turns, I recommend Vines of Entanglement.

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

For more information about this book or other books by Lisa Carter, I encourage you to visit her website at www.lisacarterauthor.com.

 

COAST GUARD COURTSHIP by Lisa Carter

Braeden Scott is a coast guard officer who loves his carefree lifestyle and his sailboat: 'The Trouble with Redheads'.  He's recently been assigned a post in a quaint little town on the Eastern Shore of Virginia.  It's an assignment he's not looking forward to, until he meets up with Amelia Duer.  Amelia has sacrificed a lot for her family; caring for her dad, keeping the family business going, as well as parenting her nephew, Max.  She's set aside her dreams for their sake.  When Braeden and Amelia first meet sparks fly.  She knows what coasties are like and she is not getting involved again.  Braeden knows red heads are trouble, as his boat name implies.  Marriage is not for him.  But as Braeden spends more time with Amelia, he begins to realize there is more to her than meets the eye.  He begins to picture hearth and home with this special lady.  He also begins to see why she loves this little village and the folks in it so much.  As Amelia spends time with Braeden she begins to see how Braeden cares and interacts with her and Max; his kind, gentle and teasing ways make her think that dreams maybe can come true.  She begins to realize he's not like the other coasties.   But troubled waters lie ahead.  Will their faith and relationship be strong enough to see them through?

I thoroughly enjoyed this story.  I felt like I was by the sea and could hear the waves crashing against the shore.  The folks you'll meet quickly find their way into your heart.  Braeden was my favorite kind of hero.  A self-confident guy with a heart of gold, yet not perfect.  Amelia was likable but very frustrating.  She had some real issues with self-esteem and fear, but as frustrating as Amelia was, I could totally understand why she was like that and easily relate to some of the things she dealt with.  I thoroughly enjoyed the interaction and romantic tension between Amelia and Braeden.  There were plenty of sigh-worthy moments.  Max is a boy who will definitely win your heart with his antics.  The story is a great reminder that we need to have faith instead of fear; trust that God knows best.  Alright then, grab your deck shoes and suntan lotion and sail away to Virginia's Eastern Shore and see for yourself, what the Coast Guard Courtship is all about.

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

For more information about this book or other books by Lisa Carter, I encourage you to visit his website http://www.lisacarterauthor.com/

A HEART'S DISGUISE by Colleen Coble

Sarah Montgomery's life will never be the same. Her fiancé, Rand Campbell, was killed in the war (or so she thought). She smiles and goes about her daily life but her heart is empty and so is her faith. Her father is dying and requests that she marry Ben Croftner because he would like to see her settled before he dies. Sarah thinks Ben is handsome but he's not Rand. After much contemplation, she agrees to marry Ben to please her father. Ben thinks he's won and he will finally have Sarah for his own. But Ben knows something Sarah and the rest of the town folks don’t. What will happen when the supposedly dead Rand shows up very much alive?

This was a good start to what will be a serial series of six installments. It's an updated version of her earlier work. This story takes place in Wabash, Indiana just after the civil war. You'll find within its pages, love, loss, betrayal and even danger. You get a feel for what it must have been like being home and thinking you've lost a loved one but not really knowing for sure. How do you move forward? Poor Rand didn't know what he was going to find when he finally returned home and then he finds out he was betrayed by a friend. I will say, that I felt like some of Rand’s reaction toward Sarah was a little too strong and just didn't seem to fit with my perception of him. A Heart's Disguise is only a little over a hundred pages so it's a quick read but it does make you want to grab the next installment right away to find out what happens next.

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

For more information about this book or other books by this author, I encourage you to visit her website at  http://colleencoble.com/

AN OCTOBER BRIDE by Katie Ganshert

Emma Tate wants to fulfill her dying fathers wish of walking her down the aisle. Having ended her relationship with her fiance, she's not sure how she'll do that. Then she runs into her long time good friend, Jake Sawyer. He suggests that he could fulfill the roll of her husband and gives her a ring. When they announce their engagement, her parents are thrilled. As they move forward planning an October wedding, they begin to experience a few problems; the Bunco Babes, small town gossip but mainly their true feelings for each other. Will they follow through with their fake wedding for the sake of Emma's father or will it become something real?

What a great story. I loved getting to know Emma and Jake and all the secondary characters. The story itself was really cute and one that was hard to put down because the town and people are so endearing. You'll experience with Emma the emotions of knowing your father has cancer. You'll find yourself smiling when Emma finds out what Patty learned at Bunco. Although this was a novella, it was completely satisfying. I would, however, have loved this to be a full-length novel. This is the third book I've read by this author and have really come to love her easy writing style. She paints realistic characters that just capture your heart, and that, along with witty dialog, makes her stories top-notch and ones that I would highly recommend, including An October Bride.

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

REDEMPTION IN BIG FORK LAKE by Mary L. Ball

Robert Turner was quite a party guy until a car accident lands him in the hospital.  Soon he meets up with a fella who steers him in the direction of AA and brings him back to the Lord where he finally begins to turn his life around.  Because of the influence of old friends, he moves away for a completely fresh star, where he finds a job as a reporter with the local paper.  While conducting an interview up at Big Fork Lake, he takes notice of a beautiful girl named Belle.  Things seem to be going pretty well.  Belle is a sweet gal who loves the Lord and finds Robert very interesting.  After a time, Robert shares with Belle about his past, or at least most of it.  When the part left unsaid comes to light, it drives a wedge between them.  Forgiveness is not easy.  Can Belle look beyond Robert's past and see Robert for the man he is today?

Redemption in Big Fork Lake is a tale about the challenge of turning your life around and dealing with the struggles and emotions of being a recovering alcoholic.  You got a good sense of what that might be like. The story also dealt with honesty in a relationship, forgiveness and reliance upon the Lord, all of which I appreciated.  I enjoyed getting to know Belle and Robert as well as all the secondary characters.  They seemed very realistic although there were a couple of places where I felt the reaction of the characters felt unnatural to me.  I do know that everyone reacts to things differently, so it may have been just me.  That being said,  I enjoyed my return visit to Big Fork Lake,  it was a very enjoyable story with likable people and a good message.

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

For more information about this book or other books by this Mary L. Ball, I recommend you visit her website at: http://www.marylball.com/