Book Review - Never Miss

It is one thing when a sniper rescues someone else's mark. It is another thing entirely when the two find that their stories intersect in an unexpected way. Add in a terrorist organization in possession of weaponized Ebola, bent on relieving Mother Earth of her parasitic occupants, and you get Melissa Koslin's explosive debut novel, Never Miss. Kadance and Lyndon hurdle through one obstacle after another, all while struggling with whatever may or may not be blooming between them. She is a former sniper in hiding from her family, an elite marksman with skills beyond compare. He is a socially awkward genius without a family. It's a perfect storm brewing intense emotions for two individuals who are logical to a fault.

Koslin breaks into the Christian romantic suspense genre with a solid premise and some highlight- worthy quotes. The story moves from one event to the next at breakneck speed, keeping with the timeline established, but sometimes leaving the reader wondering, "What just happened here?" I look forward to seeing what she comes up with for her next novel.

Never Miss by Melissa Koslin is available now from your favorite local bookseller or online.

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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 - At Lighthouse Point

Suzanne Woods Fisher takes us back to peaceful Three Sister Island in her latest release, At Lighthouse Point. Blaine, the youngest of the three sisters, has returned home upon graduation from the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu and is ready to make her fine dining dreams for Camp Kicking Moose come true. She’s also ready to prove to her family that she has outgrown her baby-of-the-family identity, if only they can see it. But Three Sisters Island also changed while she was away; getting used to those changes is going to take some peace, some patience, and a whole lot of determination. While Blaine learned some valuable lessons in Paris, the Grayson family still has a lot to learn about themselves and about each other.

The Three Sisters Island series was new to me when I found At Lighthouse Point, but I am glad that I waited until I was able to read the first two books and really get to know the Grayson family before diving into the most recent release. Fisher has created a family that is truly lovable, flaws and all, as well as supporting characters with personalities as big as the frantic Atlantic. Although, At Lighthouse Point is written well enough that it could be read on its own, I recommend enjoying the entire series from your favorite spot on the beach, poolside, or in your hammock this summer.

At Lighthouse Point by Suzanne Woods Fisher is currently available from your favorite local bookseller or online:

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

Book Review - Present Danger

Elizabeth Goddard starts her latest series with a crash-bang and doesn't stop until the entire mystery is unraveled. Following up her Uncommon Justice series with Rocky Mountain Courage, Goddard fires hard right from the start of Present Danger. The plane crash and missing artifact are just the beginning of the dangers surrounding Detective Jack Tanner and USFS Special Agent Terra Connors. Their shared history and traitorous chemistry certainly don't help ease the stress of their investigation, and the question of who can be trusted is a tricky one at best.

It was nice to revisit some of our friends from Uncommon Justice, and I have to admit that I read Present Danger while making a list of characters whose stories I would like to follow through the remainder of the series. Divulging that list just might merit a spoiler alert, though, so I'll have to keep that information to myself. (I really hate spoilers and would never do that to you!) I can safely say the preview of book 2 reveals that Goddard's series will follow a pattern I hoped to pursue. On that note, I recommend you check out Present Danger for yourself and let me know if you agree!

Present Danger by Elizabeth Goddard is currently available from your favorite local bookseller, or online:

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

Book Review - Blackberry Beach

Irene Hannon says Hope Harbor is where hearts heal... and love blooms. Blackberry Beach, the seventh Hope Harbor novel, stays true to that motto as Katherine Parker and Zach Garrett tend to the wounds of their hearts, while love blooms in spite of the challenges ahead of them. Katherine, weary of what Hollywood takes as the price of fame, slips into Hope Harbor under the radar to try to find some peace and direction for her future. Zach is happy and settled into his new life in Hope Harbor, but the two most important relationships in his life are missing. Hannon gives us a delightfully beachy romance built around these issues and a handful of other delightful characters, including the surprisingly insightful Charley and a seagull couple who teach the local residents about the joy of partnership.

When reviewing series books, I like to read the entire series. Somehow, I managed to miss this tidbit before beginning this seventh-in-the-series book. It reads well as a stand-alone, but I look forward to reading the first six. Hope Harbor is a lovely town with lovable characters and is sure to have many more enjoyable stories to share.

Blackberry Beach by Irene Hannon is available now from your favorite local bookseller or online:

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

Book Review - The Shell Collector

I would like to preface this review by saying that I want to grow up to be just like Maeve, the wise and caring surrogate grandmother figure and the shell collector of Nancy Naigle's latest tale of the intersection between grief and survival. Amanda and her young children are still struggling through the grief of their heartbreaking loss when they move into the fixer-upper bungalow on Whelk's Island. And although her children are the first to meet their shell collecting neighbor, they are hardly the only ones to benefit from the way Maeve rolls in like the tide to bring new joy to those around her. Maeve's own learning experiences with heartache and her gentle pull allow Amanda to open up and begin the process of learning to be who she is in this life after loss. Her experience in life and razor sharp intuition are a bountiful source of insight. Her care for the people around her is great, and I absolutely adore the way Naigle uses these relationships to express the precious treasure our elderly neighbors have to offer, if we will only open ourselves to the gifts that surround us.

Romance, restoration, and a fair amount of serendipity enter the story through Paul. Another Whelk's Island newcomer. A man who knows his own grief and struggle. And another beneficiary of Maeve's interest. The relationship between Amanda and Paul is a tenderly crafted element that shines beautifully to further illustrate our shell collector's ability to know true beauty when she sees it.

The Shell Collector by Nancy Naigle is available for pre-order now and releases May 11, 2021. Order now from your favorite local bookseller or online to get your sweet hands on this homey little tome as soon as it releases!

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

Book Review - The Paris Betrayal

I learned a very valuable lesson from The Gryphon Heist and Chasing the White Lion: When James R. Hannibal releases a new book, jump on it like it's a live grenade in a crowded square. This lesson served me well when Hannibal was looking for a street team for his upcoming release and I digitally raised my hand. *pick me! pick me!* And I did NOT embarrass my nephews in a public place when I was notified that I had been chosen, but they might tell you a different story. Speaking of a different story, I'll outline my conclusion for this one and then tell you how I got there. Are y'all ready for this?

I could tell you that I was hooked between Hannibal and Betrayal, but that would be judging a book by its cover. That made me want to read the synopsis, and that, my dears, was the hook in the nose. After an op in Rome goes sideways, Ben Calix returns to Paris to find himself under attack. His Company contacts have him pegged persona non grata. This is severance. The Director has closed the door on him, and Ben has no reasoning for what is happening. But one man is on the prowl and ready to scoop Ben into the folds of his own organization. Jupiter is poised and ready to welcome Ben with open arms, and the antidote to a plague of his own engineering.

The thing about Ben Calix, is that he knows he hasn't done anything to deserve severance. This is a set-up, and if he has been fed bad intel then he needs to find the right information and find a way to get it to the Director. Because it's the right thing to do, even if it is no longer his job. The action hits like a strike to the solar plexus followed by a series of rubber bullets to the kneecap and topped off with a KA-BAR hilt to the temple, but no worries, since you'll shake it off and beg for more. Why? Because Ben needs to push through to the answers and deliver them to the man who turned his back on Ben, but can still save the world.

You wouldn't know that the majority of the writing for The Paris Betrayal, including the threat of pandemic, was done before our world faced its own pandemic. I appreciate the work James R. Hannibal did to frame this masterpiece respectfully in light of what we've all experienced over the past year, but there's also no denying that our pandemic experiences make Jupiter's plot even more terrifying. And make you crave Ben's success maybe more than ever.

The Paris Betrayal by James R. Hannibal releases May 4, so you can preorder now to receive your copy as soon as it becomes available. Also, check out the super awesome preorder giveaway from James R. Hannibal, for all you super awesome preorder-ers!

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

Book Review - Miriam's Song

 There are a handful of authors who come to mind when I think of biblical fiction; Jill Eileen Smith, author of series like The Wives of King David and Wives of the Patriarchs, is high on that list for a very good reason. Smith has a knack for taking women who are briefly mentioned in the history of our faith and making them feel real to our generation. She does this once again in Miriam's Song, walking us through the life of the woman we tend to think of as Moses's sister without realizing what her reality may have looked like.

From the time of her famous brother's birth, throughout her life in Egypt and the time of their deliverance from the hands of Pharaoh, Miriam serves her people and her God with all that is in her. Still, her heart aches for more. He speaks to her in dreams, but she longs to meet Him face to face the way that He meets with Moses. The delicate handling of this complex situation is what singles Jill Eileen Smith from the crowd and makes Miriam's Song a must-read.

Miriam's Song is available now from your favorite local bookseller or online from the following:

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