“Serpent of Moses” by Don Hoesel
“Secretly Smitten”
There’s a secret in Grandma Rose’s attic-a forgotten set of dog tags belonging to her first love. But David Hutchins was killed in action and never returned to Smitten. How did the dog tags end up in the attic?
When a book is really well written, you fall in love with the characters. You’re not ready to say goodbye to them when you turn that last page, and no matter how long the book is, it’s just not enough. The genius of the Smitten series is that you don’t have to. Because each story is set in the same town among the same cast of characters, you continue to learn about the previous story’s main character and how their lives are progressing all while meeting new ones. The same may be said of some book series, but with Smitten you don’t have to wait around for the next book to be published – you have it in your hand! If you find yourself wanting to share a recipe or invite a certain character over for dinner like I do, this is a major advantage – and you’ll want to befriend the women in this book.
While the stories are romantically dramatic, you won’t need your tissue box to read this book, but you will need your funny bone. I appreciated the drama and the sweet notes written into the plot, but even more than that, there are real life lessons inherent in this book: things that all women struggle with at one time or another. Are we worthy of love? How do you forgive a major hurt? I’m working for a good cause – and so the rules don’t apply to me, right?
I can’t wait to meet the next cast of Smitten characters.
I received a free copy of Secretly Smitten from LitFuse Publicity in exchange for an honest review.
“Scraps of Evidence” by Barbara Cameron
Tess has taken some ribbing from her fellow officer, Logan, for her quilting hobby. He finds it hard to align the brisk professional officer he patrols with during the day with the one who quilts in her off-time. Besides, he’s been trying to get to know her better and he’d like to be seeing her during those couple nights a week she spends with her quilting guild.
Then one afternoon Tess and Logan visit her aunt in the nursing home and she acts agitated when Tess covers her with the story quilt. Aunt Susan seems to be communicating a message to them about Tess’s uncle. There’s a story behind this quilt, they realize, one that may lead them to a serial killer. Will they have a chance to have a future together or will the killer choose Tess for his next victim before they find him?
I love a good mystery, and a romantic mystery is the very best. Scraps of Evidence is the story of two detectives trying to solve a murder committed by a serial killer who’s gotten just a bit too personal. I really liked the premise. There were sparks between the love interests, caring cops hurt by the crimes they try to prevent and solve, a long-cold murder to solve.
While a great mystery, this one wasn’t very suspenseful for me. I rarely guess the ending of a story, but I nailed this one in the very beginning. The coolest twist to the story for me was the way that the quilt was used in the end. Like many other books in the series, quilting is a therapeutic hobby for the leading character, but the quilt has another purpose in this one, and that was a complete surprise.
The romance was a bit choppy, as well. While I liked each aspect of it, there didn’t seem to be a clear, smooth resolution to the issue of partnering cops dating. One minute they were fighting it, and the next they were good with it – and working hard to solve the mystery while the sparks flew.
Despite that, I enjoyed the story. The idea of finding justice for a friend long dead was appealing, and the characters were likeable and fun – just the kind of people I’d like for neighbors.
If you like to read solid mysteries with friendly characters and vibrant settings, check out Scraps of Evidence.
Read other reviews on this bloggy hop or purchase your own copy now.
“Safe in His Arms” by Colleen Coble
“Rosemary Cottage” by Colleen Coble
Amy came to Rosemary Cottage to grieve, to heal, maybe even find love. But there’s a deadly undertow of secrets around Hope Island . . .
The charming Rosemary Cottage on the beach offers Amy Lange respite she needs to mourn her brother, Ben. She’s even thinking of moving her midwife practice to the Outer Banks community. It’s always been a refuge for her and her family. She also wants to investigate Ben’s disappearance at sea. Everyone blames a surfing accident, but Amy has reason to wonder.
Coast Guard officer Curtis Ireland has lost a sibling too. His sister, Gina, was run down by a boat, leaving him to raise her infant daughter. If anyone knew who little Raine’s father was, Curtis could lose his beloved niece. Yet he can’t help being drawn to Hope Beach’s new midwife, Amy. He even agrees to help her investigate what happened to both Ben and Gina.
Can two grieving people with secrets find healing on beautiful Hope Island? Or will their quest for truth set them at odds with each other . . . and with those who will go to any length to keep hidden things hidden?
You’ll have an inkling of who should fall in love with whom from the very first chapter of this book – but they won’t. Better yet, you’ll fall in like with them, and you’ll keep turning those pages because you want good things for them – and they’re not readily forthcoming. You won’t get bored, though, because you won’t be able to predict all the twists and turns in this story, which is what master storyteller Colleen Coble planned all along.
You won’t care that you can’t figure it out, because you’ll keep thinking that you have. You’ll be able to piece a few bits of information together, sure that you’re on the right trail, only to have another mudslide come along and wipe out half of your supposition. You’ll have to start all over again with the new information that the sliding mud uncovered, but that’s okay – you’ll be excited again to be on the trail of the answer.
With each page turned, your heart will become just a bit more attached to Hope Beach and its occupants. With each patient of Amy’s you’ll pray for a safe delivery and for Curtis to come home after another daring sea rescue. You’ll want Raine to be safe and for Heather’s motives to come to light and for someone to tell the lovebirds to get with it already and see the Cupid flying about overhead.
You’ll want to – but you can’t.
They’re only characters in a book.
Only you forgot that.
It’s that good.
Click here to read other reviews on this bloggy hop or here to purchase your own copy now.
Learn more about Colleen: http://colleencoble.com/
“River’s Call” by Melody Carlson
I received a free copy of River’s Call from Glass Road in exchange for an honest review.
“The Return of Cassandra Todd” by Darrel Nelson
Cassandra Todd—part of the popular crowd and friends with those who taunted him in high school—re-enters Turner Caldwell’s life unexpectedly. With her son in tow, she begs for his help in eluding her abusive husband. Entangled in the dangerous situation, Turner is forced to rely on every survival skill he learned back at a youth camp. But will it be enough?
The premise of this book is fascinating. Frog-turned-prince stumbles across the girl on whom he once had a secret crush, a girl who was friends with all of the most popular kids in high school. The same popular kids who tormented him both cruelly and endlessly. Now she’s the helpless one and he has the power to choose whether to help her – or not. Only this time, the consequences aren’t only humiliation, but life and death. Would you help a person in this position? It’s easy to say that yes, we would help anyone who is in grave danger, but what about someone who once helped to make your own life miserable? What about if helping meant putting your own life on the line?
The setting was exquisite. As a former camp counselor and director, I love being outside, and Nelson painted beautiful pictures of nature in this book. The descriptions of the Colorado forests were made even more majestic by the simplicity of Turner’s usual motel home. From extreme survival skills to cave camp-outs and man-killing mudslides, you’ll want to become a scout after reading Cassandra Todd.
The suspense level is riveting. You won’t be able to predict a single move in Cassandra Todd. You’ll continually readjust your assumption, being sure that you know what’s going on, but you’ll have misjudged it each time. The obvious assumption is never right, and that’s both rare and exciting. The Return of Cassandra Todd is both fascinating and totally unpredictable.
Few books can claim that they have it all, but The Return of Cassandra Todd does: danger, suspense, spiritual lessons, life choices, romance, and adventure. It won’t matter which one of these is your favorite; Cassandra Todd will reel you in.
I received a free copy of The Return of Cassandra Todd from Glass Road Media & Management in exchange for an honest review.
“Return to Me” by Lynn Austin
After decades of exile, the prophesies are coming true–King Cyrus has declared the Jews may return to Jerusalem. Iddo, a priest, is sure this is a sign of God’s renewed favor. For too long they’ve remained in Babylon, and many, including Iddo’s sons, are losing the faith that sets them apart. And so only a few choose to leave everything to return–return to their home and their God.
“Resurrect” by David Stephens
Book 1 in the ResurrectTrilogy.
Preventing his burning fighter from crashing into a neighborhood, Navy Commander Josh Logan ejects … too late.
Critically injured, he’s offered a new life and mission exploit highly classified military technology to stop a global cataclysm. The price? He’ll be dead to everyone he knows.
He wakes in a city hospital with a genetically enhanced body and no identity. With the help of his brilliant, Neuro ICU nurse, and guided by nothing but a voice, he must infiltrate the military-industrial complex to develop the world’s most powerful weapon … to protect humanity?