book review

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Burning Rivals is aptly named, because I don’t know when I’ve read a book with characters more against each other than this one! The tension and the stakes are super high for the truth to be found and the bad guy discovered, and you won’t be expecting it.

Burning Rivals is a really fun story. It shows off how naturally beautiful Alaska can be, even with Phillips’ signature high-stakes action taking the foreground. Between bad guys appearing from every angle and fires and Nature’s fury throwing her hat in the ring, there’s a lot happening, and I enjoy that.

There’s unfinished business in this story, though, and it felt as if it’s a bit more than usual for this series. I really hope there are answers in the next book, because I want to know everything.

So if you like fast-paced adventure stories with a few twists and plenty of sizzle, Burning Rivals could be the perfect summer story for you.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

One Last Stand is a book of epic proportions! This novel truly has it all: spies, royalty, terrorists, betrayal, and much, much more – and those elements come at you hard and fast, putting you through a wringer of emotions.

As a reader, I’m okay with that. The extreme measures of the plot make for an exciting story, and I’ll take all that excitement. I love the way that Warren follows action scenes with thoughtful growth mixed with romance and blends the whole thing with a spiritual journey. I found myself nodding along as Shep grew to new plateaus and cheering for London when she faced hard truths.

Susan May Warren’s character universe has gotten quite large, and loyal readers are going to love One Last Stand. She’s hidden Easter eggs throughout the story, and finding them is such fun! I enjoy catching up with favorite characters from previous novels, and these secret treasures made this book even better.

Which is hard to do, because One Last Stand is the kind of story that stays tucked away inside you long after you turn the last page. Hidden behind the explosions and terror plots are quiet revelations of truths – the kind that whisper to your soul and make you feel stronger, just like Shep and London, for having joined them on their journey. So don’t delay – get your hands on a copy of One Last Stand and prepare for the ride of a reader’s lifetime.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Just when I think Susan May Warren has hit the pinnacle of her writing journey, she proves me wrong and writes a book even better than the last, and that’s definitely the case with Fireproof! From the opening scenes to the much-needed cooldown at the end, this book is hot.

And I don’t say that lightly – or in only one way; because Warren pushes the limits all around with Jade and Crispin. From the basis of the plot – hello, can anything be more intense than a search for a missing nuke? – to the way that they keep jumping out of airplanes and into wildfires to their very nicknames – Crispy? – Fireproof is, well, on fire.

But that’s a really, really good thing. Warren knows exactly when to lighten the moment, so the suspense isn’t overwhelming, but it does sizzle a good bit, because she’s the master of hunky heroes. What’s better than a clean, hopeful, suspenseful book about people determined to do the right thing at all costs?

Fireproof is one of those books that you’ll read in a single sitting because there’s no putting it down once you’ve turned the first page, and I was all in. I flew through this one – it was that good. This marriage of Warren’s story universe and Lisa Phillips’ Last Chance County world is a perfect one. I hope that they find more ways to collaborate, and if they do, I’m first in line to pre-order.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Roseanna M. White is the master of stories written with depth, emotion, and loads of fun – and Christmas at Sugarplum Manor is the perfect example of this!

Because the main characters of this play don’t always see that fun. It’s too easy to look only at the circumstances that surround you and how they might wall you in, which makes learning to look beyond them even more special. Can Lady Mariah see the gift in her unique ability to share joy with sugar? Can Lightbourne overcome his feelings of inadequacy over not being born to the station he’s been given? Can Gyldenkrone see that responsibility is only better when it’s served with love? Can Louise put aside her grief and hope for a promising tomorrow? I found myself highlighting section after section of White’s lyrical prose, as lessons were learned in perfectly given realizations.

It’s easy to forget the true wonder of Christmas in our American traditions of decorations and wrappings that take so much time and attention, but Christmas at Sugarplum Manor highlights that inherent joy. Even though each character has his or her own set of problems, Mariah sets out to remind them of the true meaning of Christmas, and I love how White goes about making this happen.

From Nutcracker-inspired plays to sugary treats and gorgeous decorations, this book has all the traditional trappings of Christmas – but it’s so much more than that. It has love and hope, vengeance and forgiveness, humbleness and drama and tragedy and redemption. In other words, Christmas at Sugarplum Manor the perfect story for the holiday season.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Wow! Before We Were Us tops my list of favorite Denise Hunter books! This tragic drama meets sweet romance hits all the right notes for a thoughtful but light summer story.

I love the way that Hunter brings out the best in these characters. She keeps the story moving with dramatic action but flashes back to more tender times, showing the evolution of their relationship and how they grew – not just together, but into more mature people – over the course of the summer. This ratchets up the stakes in their romance and will keep the pages turning – I couldn’t wait to find out what happened!

While I love romantic stories, it’s really the characters that are the draw for me here. Lauren and Jonah are both realistic people who have known heartache before. They’ve been burned in multiple ways and are leery about walking into a situation where they might get hurt – and who wouldn’t be? That the scenario is so relatable is what makes the story so exciting.

It doesn’t hurt that it’s set in gorgeous New Hampshire, either. At times the setting becomes almost like a minor character – and it’s one I love.

So if you’re a fan of sweet romance you’re going to want to grab Before We Were Us now. It’s the kind of story you’re going to love reading – and you’ll be pondering Lauren and Jonah’s situation long after you turn the last page.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Lynette Eason heads off in a new direction in Target Acquired, and it’s a winner! Written with a historical plotline that influences the present, this new novel is a double-header, and I love this new style.

I don’t know if there’s enough of that former arc to call it a dual-timeline story – probably not – but it is enough to make the historian in me sit up and take notice. I love the way that Eason added a mystery to the past, giving us more bad guys, more things to figure out, and a more intricate plot.

I loved both parts. I love the way the heroine in the past stood up for herself in a time when that wasn’t easy, and I love the way that Kenzie tried hard to do the right thing when everything was stacked against her. I enjoyed seeing how her personal past made who she is and also how she grew past the flaws inherent in that history. She’s a cool leading lady.

Eason has created a really fun cast of characters in this series. I love reading about courageous people who are all in for their friends, and this Lake City Heroes series is comprised of exactly that. Eason doesn’t usually include history in her books, but by doing so here, these enjoyable characters became even more real.

I didn’t think the Lake City Heroes series could possibly improve, but Target Acquired is even better than the first book – and that’s saying something. Don’t sit on this novel – it’s a great summer read.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Buckle up, because One Last Promise is one crazy ride – and you’re gonna be in it until the very end! Susan May Warren is a genius plotter – or maybe a maniacal, genius plotter? – but either way, she knows how to put her characters through the ringer and to bring them out the other side with you cheering them on, and that’s exactly what she does in One Last Promise.

Only there will be a few unforeseen twists and turns along the way, along with some glorious truths, a few really bad guys, and some lines we should all have embroidered on pillows.

I love the way that Tillie is just full of surprises. Every time I thought I had her measure something new popped out! Figuring out who she really is was a lot of fun.

Moose was even more so. He’s big, he’s helpful, he’s humble, and he wants to hold things together for the people he loves. Seeing him fall deeper into grace is a wonderful thing – he’s a new favorite character for me.

But the action? It’s not all about helicopters and explosions in this one – though, of course, One Last Promise has those, too. Warren plumbs new styles of heart-stopping action in this story, and you’re going to love it.

So put One Last Promise on your TBR list and make sure you’re all caught up on the Alaska Air One Rescue series, because this book has it all: romance, drama, suspense, survival, action, and some really, really bad guys – and you’re not going to want to wait a minute longer than necessary to get reading. It’s definitely a top read of 2024 for me.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.