Book Review - Noble: The Story of Maakah

The second book in the King David’s Brides series by Mesu Andrews is Noble: The Story of Maakah. This one focuses on the third wife the Bible lists during his reign in Hebron. The Geshurite princess sent as a treaty bride to David has been trained all her life in the ways of royalty. Her mind is sharp and calculating, always putting the good of the kingdom before herself, relying on the wisdom of her royal parents and the priestesses of her goddess. David ben Jesse, however, is in passionate pursuit of God’s own heart. He already has two wives, one more than he ever intended, and does not plan to take this opinionated heathen princess as his third. But circumstances bring out the protector in David, prompting Ahinoam and Abigail to embrace Maakah and all of them to seek God’s wisdom for her future.

Andrews has an incredible talent for taking the information given to us in the Bible and reputable historical documents, then using fiction as necessary to bring life to characters easily overlooked in the Old Testament writings. With remarkable skill for crafting fully immersive stories so rich that one can easily believe her characters’ thoughts and feelings are her own, she wrestles with some intense topics. In Noble, that means struggling with betrayal, clarifying the difference between royalty and nobility, exploring some of the challenges people would have faced in the process of letting go of their idols and embracing Yahweh, and the elephant in the room that is the fact of David taking multiple wives. While it was a common practice among royalty at the time, it is expressly forbidden in the Law, as we read in Deuteronomy 17. How then does one handle the fact that this God ordained king who so passionately pursued God’s heart did not only break the law, but did so repeatedly? It is a very charged issue, and rightly so. The fact remains that we do not really know the answer to that. Andrews handles it carefully and prayerfully, as is well expressed in her excellent Note to Reader and Author’s Note sections, both of which are treasure troves of information and insight. Though it is not a topic that should be glossed over, one should not miss the exquisitely addressed differences between thinking and acting royally as opposed to having a noble heart and mind. This is the gold in the purse of Noble, a treasure beyond jewels, and one that is timeless.

Noble: The Story of Maakah, the second book in the King David’s Brides series by Mesu Andrews, is available now from your favorite local bookseller or online:

Baker Book House    Christian Book    Amazon    Barnes & Noble    Walmart

I received an ARC of this book. It did not influence my review. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Book Review - The Voice We Find

When I received the review copy of this book, I quickly realized I had not yet read the first two books in the Fog Harbor Romance Series. While I am happy to report that The Voice We Find can be read as a standalone, I am also quite glad I took the time to binge read all three books in order last week. It makes certain things a bit sweeter to have the greater context. I also thoroughly enjoyed each intricately woven storyline and the tapestry they weave together. Nicole Deese has created these characters lovingly, with great depth. I convinced my soul sister to read along so we could shoot texts back and forth the way we did when we parallel watched Gilmore Girls and When Calls the Heart, and my favorite from her has been, “Tell me I’ll always love Chip.” I will resist the urge to tell you what I told her, as I recommend finding out for yourself.

The Voice We Find is, like every other Nicole Deese I have read, an experience with dear friends. Sophie Wilder is a brilliant stage actress whose star has fallen and must drag her disgraced self back to a home and trauma she has spent years avoiding. August Tate is still trying to find his footing in a world upended by tragedy, which is compounded by soul crushing shame. It is Chip that brings Sophie and August together with a business proposition that is like nothing either has ever imagined. While Sophie struggles to find her voice, August struggles to find his sister’s lost hearing, and Gabby struggles to be heard as she embraces the challenges of her new normal and meets them head on with grace and grit. The Voice We Find will have you cheering for beloved characters, rooting for the downfall of the villains, and searching out your own Twilight Theater experiences. The lessons learned by each are worth carrying close to the heart and the romance fermenting between Sophie and August will have you feeling just a bit tipsy with bliss!

The Voice We Find, the third book in the Fog Harbor Romance series from Nicole Deese, releases on April 15, 2025 and is currently available for preorder from your favorite local bookseller or online:

Baker Book House    Christian Book    Amazon     Barnes & Noble    Walmart

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for allowing me a copy to read and review. All opinions expressed here are my own and are completely genuine.

Book Review - Serial Burn

It has been burning for a while now. Serial Burn is the third book in the Lake City Heroes series from Lynette Eason, and friends of the heroes have hoped for a bit of accelerant on the sparks flying between Jesslyn and Nathan. They both know a thing or two about fire; one claimed the lives of her family when she was a child, leading her to pursue a career that would allow her to someday find the person who killed her parents and sisters. He holds his fire related secret close, along with the guilt and shame burned on his soul. Their personal tragedies and perceptions are a wall of flames between them and should stay that way. But when fires start popping off around Lake City and someone starts targeting Jesslyn, things heat up in a way neither of them expects.

Jesslyn is not the only one well versed in fire, as Lynette Eason pens a well researched novel that engulfs the reader. Her knowledge allows the story to flow in a way that keeps the reader from tripping over technicalities and allows maximum enjoyment of the fast paced action paired with the slow burn romance. And of course, relatable characters are a keystone of an Eason novel, especially since we have been friends of the heroes for two books already and are fired up for the next. So, if those things are your jam, I recommend getting into Serial Burn. But if you can’t stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen!

Serial Burn, the third book in the Lake City Heroes series by Lynette Eason, is available now from your favorite local bookseller or online:

Baker Book House        Christian Book        Amazon     Barnes & Noble        Walmart

Thank you to the author and publisher for allowing me a copy to read and review. All opinions expressed here are my own and are completely genuine.

Book Review - When Stars Light the Sky

The latest release from Elizabeth Camden is a heartrending tale set in the turbulent years preceding America’s entry into World War I as German immigrant Inga Klein finds herself invited to the position of secretary to the American ambassador in Berlin. Her first formidable foe? Chief diplomatic counselor Benedict Kincaid. Her task? Smooth relations between her benefactor and Benedict. With a great sense of humor, an awareness of others’ needs, and more intellect than she credits herself, Inga finds a way to turn Benedict’s world on its ears. But it is the sticky situation of citizenship that knocks them both for a loop. Convincing the kaiser’s people to allow Inga to evacuate with the American contingent takes a lot of acting that has the potential to set Inga and Benedict on an irreversible course. With the demise of political relations and removal of the American representatives from Germany comes consequences of a political and personal sort they must unravel delicately.

In the second book of her Women of Midtown series, Elizabeth Camden sweeps us across the ocean and back on a tide of simmering tensions. We are carried along as nations choose sides, negotiating and hobnobbing to solidify relations personally and politically, pulled deep into the machinations of man when faced with war. Camden’s descriptions allow the reader to sit back and be fully immersed in life with Inga, Ambassador Gerard, Benedict, and the rest of the American contingent in Berlin. It is an achingly beautiful take on opposites attract theme for which I heartily recommend a box of tissues.

When Stars Light the Sky by Elizabeth Camden, book 2 of her Women of Midtown series, is available now from your favorite local bookseller or online:

Baker Book House    Christian Book    Amazon    Barnes & Noble    Walmart

Thank you to the author and publisher for allowing me a copy to read and review. All opinions expressed here are my own and are completely genuine.

Christmas in July and Book Review - Christmas in Chestnut Ridge

There is a very good reason why Christmas in July is a thing. By now, all the strategies to stay near the air conditioner and limit heat sources inside the house have settled into daily routine. The thrill of summer has tamped down to a state of perpetual exhaustion from all the excitement with which we burst into the season and my mind is starting to drift from how much I love sundresses to how much I miss my sweaters and boots. Thankfully, Great American Family and Hallmark have come through with Christmas in July to pick me up out of my funk and give me a cup of cheer to get me through! Part of my CiJ routine also includes checking out all the exciting upcoming Christmas novels from those authors who are synonymous with the season. You know I can’t wait to get my hands on the latest tome of the most wonderful time of the year from Melody Carlson and Nancy Naigle. That’s why I am so excited to present to you my review of Christmas in Chestnut Ridge, Nancy’s upcoming release!

Christmas in Chestnut Ridge picks up where Naigle left off the story of friends Natalie and Sheila from Chestnut Ridge series book 1, And Then There Was You. There is enough backstory built in to avoid feeling redundant, but to allow the reader to pick right up with Christmas in Chestnut Ridge. Sheila is off kilter with the approach of the holiday season; her best friend has moved to a small mountain town several hours away, and her mother has been moved to a memory care facility. When Natalie invites Sheila to join her in Chestnut Ridge, it takes just a little bit of effort to pull her into the joy of the season. But it’s more than wrapping paper and bows when a little bit of flirting with the handsome fire chief becomes more than it was supposed to. The people of the small town work their way into Sheila’s life over the course of her stay, none more than Tucker, and she finds herself genuinely wondering if what she has sought for years is what will truly bring her joy.

Nancy Naigle writes small town charm like nobody’s business, and her books are written for the screen. Reading Christmas in Chestnut Ridge took me right to the cozy mountain town; I cast the movie in my mind as the characters were introduced and their relationships developed. I could smell the pine and taste the hot chocolate, the pecan snowball cookies, the chamomile tea. Naigle’s descriptions, character development, and relationships are on point. She writes complex relationships with authenticity, which allows the reader to relax into the story and simply enjoy. Christmas in Chestnut Ridge is an easy addition to your seasonal reading list… even when you’re only dreaming of the season!

Christmas in Chestnut Ridge by Nancy Naigle is scheduled to release October 8, 2024, and is available for preorder from your favorite local bookseller or online:

Amazon                    Barnes & Noble                Walmart

Thank you to the author and publisher for allowing me a copy to read and review. All opinions expressed here are my own and are completely genuine.

Book Review - Sandcastle Inn

Irene Hannon brings us back to Hope Harbor in Sandcastle Inn, the tenth book in her series. This installment brings us into the lives of veterinarian Matt Quinn and Vienna Price, a career driven go getter in limbo. In the wake of personal tragedy, Matt finds himself on a working vacation, unprepared for the amount of work it will take to help his sister Kay with her coastal B&B in need of renovation. He desperately needs a contractor and an advisor who is skilled in revamping boutique properties with an image problem. As usual, Hope Harbor delivers in spades, bringing Vienna into his orbit in a way that catches them both off balance.

Sandcastle Inn is a love letter from Hannon to anyone struggling with grief, shame, and family strife. She does not dance around the issues, and though it reads as fiction, she packs a great deal of truth and hope in the storyline. There is no doubt the longtime residents of Hope Harbor we have grown to know and love are patiently guiding forces along the way: Bev, Charley, Father Murphy and Reverend Baker, Floyd and Gladys. Their roles in this book feel like they were written just for this specific storyline, but anyone who has read any of the nine books before will feel the same way about each one. Hannon writes with such familiarity that this is not the first time I have caught myself longing for a vacation to this fictional seaside town, dreaming of a cookie from the jar on the counter at Bev’s Book Nook or tacos and a word of wisdom from Charley. If you are looking for the perfect beach read, your search is over!

Sandcastle Inn by Irene Hannon, the tenth in her Hope Harbor series, is available now from your favorite local bookseller or online:

Baker Book House    Christian Book    Amazon    Barnes & Noble    Walmart

Thank you to the author and publisher for allowing me a copy to read and review. All opinions expressed here are my own and are completely genuine.

Book Review - Fatal Witness

Well, I don’t know how I missed the inaugural release of the latest series from Patricia Bradley, but somehow Counter Attack got right by me. This means I started her Pearl River series with Fatal Witness, which just released. It was written so that I do not feel like I missed anything by starting with the second book, but also so I am inspired to read Counter Attack next!

Artist Dani Collins remembers nothing about the early years of her life. She does not remember the parents who died when she was young, only growing up with Uncle Keith and always staying under the radar. But Dani has a grandmother who has not given up trying to find her, and a photo that was not supposed to be published is just the thing Mae Richmond needs to put her on the right track. Unfortunately, it is also the clue the killer needs to find Dani and Uncle Keith. Coming home means walking right into the line of fire and the protection of Mae’s neighbor, Russell County K-9 officer Mark Lassiter. Together, Dani and Mark race to unveil her memories and unravel the mystery before it is too late.

Bradley combines her trademark procedural precision with a hefty dose of romantic tension and an undeniable faith thread to bring this story of artist Dani Collins to life. The frustration of not being quite able to tickle the identity of the man who murdered her parents from her repressed memories, and of barely staying one step ahead of him as he seeks to silence her, keeps the reader engaged from the first word to the last. With a beautiful setting and well crafted support characters, Bradley had given us the gift of binge-worthy romantic suspense.

Fatal Witness, the second book in the Pearl River series by Patricia Bradley, is available now from your favorite local bookseller or online:

Baker Book House        Christian Book        Amazon        Walmart        Barnes & Noble

Thank you to the author and publisher for allowing me a copy to read and review. All opinions expressed here are my own and are completely genuine.

Book Review - Double Take

Lynette Eason kicks off her Lake City Heroes series with the tense and twisty Double Take, which released January 9 from Revell. Lainie’s fiancé died the night she had to defend herself against his attempt to murder her. After a year and a half of working through the physical and mental fallout, she’s doing pretty well. At least, she was doing alright until the dead man made another attempt on her life. When James, brother of her good friend and also her secret childhood crush, lands in her hospital for care after getting shot on the job, Lainie has to admit it wouldn’t hurt to have him on her side as someone who looks just like her dead fiancé is targeting her. Together, Lainie and James work to unravel the mysterious stalker’s plan and to help mend the damaged relationships in James’s family. Eason writes all of this with great skill, drawing the reader in for the duration and creating characters you’re sure to respond to strongly, for better or for worse.

Double Take, book 1 of the Lake City Heroes series by Lynette Eason, is available now from your favorite local bookseller or online:

Baker Book House     Christian Book     Amazon            Walmart            Barnes & Noble

Thank you to the author and publisher for allowing me a copy to read and review. All opinions expressed here are my own and are completely genuine.

Book Review - Letter from Belleau Wood

Letter from Belleau Wood is the seventh Covington Chronicles book by Mary Lou Cheatham. I read it as a standalone book and feel like Ms. Cheatham crafted her details carefully to fill in any blanks I might have missed by jumping straight into the end of the series. This story is told through the eyes of a young woman named Trudy who grew up loving the neighbor boy and he grew up loving her. The days of childhood with Trudy, her brother Will, and Jeremy together from sunup to sundown are a thing of the past as the three go separate ways for school. But if love was as easy as knowing, that distance would not have led Trudy and Jeremy apart. As they come of age on the cusp of the Great War, it is letters that hold them together with their loved ones. And it is one letter from Belleau Wood that changes everything. Cheatham explores these interactions as the youths grow through war and the Spanish flu pandemic to find who they are and who they are meant to be.

There is a certain level of comfort to the locations in Letter from Belleau Wood, sprinkled throughout the state of my childhood. Though things had changed by the time I attended camp at The W and 4-H events at A&M (now State) I felt a special bit of connection to those places. I couldn’t help wondering if Trudy and her roommates ever saw Mary, the Callaway ghost who kept my camp mates and me awake and always alert. Trudy’s stop at the country store with her papa reminded me of going with my daddy for Coke & peanuts and Moon Pies. Even those who don’t have a strong connection to Mississippi will feel swept into the setting.

Thank you to the author for granting me a copy to read and review. All opinions expressed here are my own and are completely genuine. 

Book Review - Into The Fire

Irene Hannon’s latest release has all the good stuff of a well written romantic suspense novel. There’s the intelligent and determined arson investigator who is trying to solve a puzzle before anyone else dies while fighting her own demons from the past. And there is, of course, the sensitive but keen ATF Special Agent who is assigned to work with her and must then work out what to do with the feelings he develops for her. There are some wonderfully supportive family members and then there is the foe. The one who killed arson investigator Bri Tucker’s former colleague, leaving her to solve a puzzle she can’t even seem to decipher. And the one who is causing a series of really crummy events to keep Bri off balance when she needs to be able to focus. Of course, Special Agent Marc Davis is messing with her balance a bit in a different sort of way. If only they could wrap up their joint investigation so they can focus on the heat building between them. Hannon’s storyline lights up intrigue you will struggle to contain in Into the Fire.

Into the Fire, the first book in Irene Hannon’s Undaunted Courage series, is available now from you favorite local bookseller or online:

Baker Book House            Christian Book            Walmart            Amazon

Thank you to the author and publisher for allowing me a copy to read and review. All opinions expressed here are my own and are completely genuine.

Book Review - Voice Of The Ancient

From the very beginning, with the four cousins hiding above and spying on the proceedings as the nation of Israel waits with bated breath for lots to be cast and a king to be called forth, Voice Of The Ancient moves furiously and eloquently through the bloody beginning of Saul’s reign. Zevi, Gavriel, Avidan, and Shalem are cousins on the cusp of manhood when the new king’s ragtag volunteer army is called up for battle and the pact of their blood brotherhood is put to the test. With two of them meant for the life of a soldier, the others must decide who they are and who they are meant to be in the eyes of the One Who Sees. And the One Who Sees has a plan beyond their rebellion. For Avi, that includes crossing paths with a young boy who is mistaken as his missing cousin and who is not actually a boy, but a woman in disguise for the sake of her treacherous journey to the safety of family she has never known. As Avidan and Keziah search for his missing cousin and her family, they learn together to listen to the Voice Of The Ancient for guidance.

Connilyn Cossette writes this coming of age story filled with turmoil and hope in a message about value and redemption from the One who gives both. I tried so hard to read it slowly and savor every detail, but was captivated from page one and finished it in a day. Connilyn has a great knack for truly immersing the reader in the lives of her characters. I am particularly fond of the longstanding relationships built throughout the course of her novels, which could be read enjoyably as standalone stories, but have a richness in the familiarity that has been developed through generations as I have read each of her novels.

Voice Of The Ancient, book 1 of The King’s Men series, by Connilyn Cossette is available now from you favorite local bookseller or online:

Baker Book House        Christian Book            Barnes & Noble            Amazon

Thank you to the author and publisher for allowing me a copy to read and review. All opinions expressed here are my own and are completely genuine.

Book Review - Blind Trust

As the third book in the SNAP Agency series by Natalie Walters, Blind Trust deals with characters we already know and care for from previous novels. Lyla Fox and Nicolás Garcia are no strangers to us or to each other, after years of working together through intense situations. The SNAP Agency team works together elegantly, almost seamlessly, except that Lyla takes risks with her life Nic would rather not take. Apparently he values her more than she values herself. When a case puts Lyla in the crosshairs, the hardest part of keeping her alive just might be getting her to accept that her life is worth more than the truth. And she means more to the team than she realizes.

Walters has a way with conspiracy. And intrigue. And danger and romance. Blind Trust is a showcase of that talent. This book goes fast and would be a quick and easy read if it didn’t require some serious mental sorting through the murky waters of money laundering and secret government arms deals. I love the way she writes the relationship between Lyla and Nic, too. It moves at a believable pace, with the kind of interactions that show the depth of their connection. As with the rest of the SNAP Agency series, Walters delivers a novel worth cozying up and enjoying.

Blind Trust, SNAP Agency series book 3, by Natalie Walters is available now from your favorite local bookseller or online:

Baker Book House            Christian Book            Barnes & Noble            Amazon

Thank you to the author and publisher for allowing me a copy to read and review. All opinions expressed here are my own and are completely genuine.

Book Review - Cold Light Of Day

Elizabeth Goddard kicks off her latest series, Missing in Alaska, with double barrels of action and intrigue. Cold Light of Day finds Shadow Gap police chief Autumn Long fighting for her job and ultimately her life. As suspicious deaths start to add up in an area where death is usually clearly related to the harsh landscape, details about the mysterious-but-helpful newcomer in town begin to trickle to light. There’s no reason for Autumn to trust Grier, but intuition tells her he’s the only outsider she can trust. Even when her investigation leads directly to his doorstep, she knows there’s more to the story than he is telling her - a story which implicates, but ought to exonerate him. Losing her position as chief may be more blessing than the curse it seems, and when the truth about Grier brings Autumn face to face when the mother she thought had been long dead, reality becomes stranger than fiction. Goddard has laced her boots tight to forge a path of action adventure and romance worthy of lacing up your own to follow where she goes.

Cold Light of Day, Missing in Alaska series book 1, by Elizabeth Goddard is available now from your favorite local bookseller or online:

Baker Book House        Christian Book        Barnes & Noble        Amazon

Thank you to the author and publisher for allowing me a copy to read and review. All opinions expressed here are my own and are completely genuine.

Book Review - Critical Alliance

Have you ever gotten to the big reveal in a mystery and been disappointed that you totally saw it coming? I have got to hand it to Elizabeth Goddard; I totally did not see the whodunnit coming in her final installment of her Rocky Mountain Courage series, Critical Alliance. What I did see, was the simmering love interest between the super intelligent Mackenzie Hanson and DSS Special Agent Alex Knight. And I saw how Jack and Terra from Present Danger and Nathan and Erin from Deadly Target were expertly woven into Critical Alliance to bring the trilogy full circle with friends we already know and love.

Mackenzie messed up big time as a frustrated youth and has suffered consequences far beyond the legal ramifications, as years of estrangement have kept her from her family. Driven by the need to right her wrongs, she has worked passionately to counter the measures that took her down a destructive path. All of a sudden, her youthful misadventures have dragged her back home to Montana on a mission to save her family and their lucrative tech business from a cyber criminal bent on revenge. Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, Mackenzie finds herself thrown into a situation where she must count on the one guy who won’t stay off her mind. Romance has to take a back seat to quietly and quickly putting her attacker in his place, but it is so difficult when Alex keeps being so incredibly irresistible.

Alex Knight is supposed to be on a mandatory three week vacation, but it is not easy to rest and relax when the terrible events of his most recent assignment plague his waking and sleeping hours alike. Furthermore, someone has defaced the Rocky Mountain Courage memorial again. This time, the damage is done to the his father’s memorial. Catching the vandal will be the diversion he needs. Alex finds himself with a much larger diversion when he finds the girl who got away in his own neck of the Montana wilderness, especially when he finds that she is in need of protection. Solving two separate cases that shouldn’t even be his keeps Alex entirely too busy to be sidetracked for his feelings for Mackenzie. At least it should, but how can he stifle the Mackenzie makes him feel?

I am not going to pretend that I actually sat down and read this book in one sitting. It is back to school time and our household contains one groomsman, one matron of honor, and one incredibly adorable maid of honor for a wedding that is approaching at a rate that sure does feel like warp speed. So what I can honestly tell you is that I did absolutely devour Elizabeth Goddard’s finale to her Rocky Mountain Courage series in one day. I’ll spend the next few days making up for everything I put off for the sake of this delicious binge read, but I have absolutely zero regrets.

Critical Alliance, the finale to Elizabeth Goddard’s Rocky Mountain Courage series, is available now from your favorite local bookseller or online:

Baker Book House     Christian Book    Barnes & Noble    Amazon

Thank you to the author and publisher for allowing me a copy to read and review. All opinions expressed here are my own and are completely genuine.