book review

This post contains affiliate links that support this blog at no cost to you. Thanks for using them.

Susan May Warren has done it again! One Last Chance is a riveting tale of sorrow, suspense, and redemption.

You can’t get much more beaten down than Axel Mulligan – unless you’re Flynn Turnquist. Drowning in regret, it’s only the hope of making a difference in the future that keeps them going. That very sense of purpose turns them both into the heroes that we readers love to see striding across the pages, saving lives while they save the day. Axel and Flynn do both in turn, but not without high cost to themselves.

It’s that very struggle to determine what the best course of action is, what the right thing to do is, that makes you want to cheer each of them on. Axel’s the kind of hunky, hurting hero you want to sooth, but with Warren dribbling out his sad backstory, you’re not sure whether you’d rather clobber the villain or the author!

And that’s the rub: it’s that very ability to draw you into the story and make you feel a part of the action that sets Warren’s novels apart from the rest. She creates the kind of novels that you can’t possibly put down, but how dare she put these loveable characters in such distress?

That’s exactly why you need One Last Chance on your TBR list. It’s the perfect summer story, where you can enjoy a fast-paced adventure, whether you’re reading beside the pool, with your book club, or in an Alaskan forest.

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

This post contains affiliate links that support this blog at no cost to you. Thank you for using them.

Put on your fireboots because Flashover is a race against time and you won’t be able to stop once you turn the first page. From rescuing animals to solving murder and healing past hurts, Sophie and Houston are racing for their lives – literally. They can’t catch a break as every action they take to help or heal is thwarted by the bad guys – of which there are far too many.

I love Sophie’s determination to move forward despite the hurts, even when it means that she really should slow down and heal. Houston, too, has been hurt far more than he can imagine, yet if they can work together, they might be the perfect team. Who else needs the reminder to forgive that person who hurt you in the past? I sure do.

With non-stop action and realistic, loveable characters, Flashover is a great addition to the Chasing Fire: Montana series.

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

This post contains affiliate links that help to support this blog. Thank you for using them.

Wow, Susan May Warren has the most amazing imagination ever – and it shows up in a big way in her latest novel Flashpoint! – and that’s exactly what you get when you combine the entertainment industry, a novice firefighter, and an arsonist with a mega grudge.

I love the way that Warren combines fun characters with deep lessons and nonstop action. Emily and Spencer are both trying to move on from the trauma of their past, but their current troubles keep throwing it all back in their face. The way that this forces them to look below the surface of the pain to pull from the deeper lessons underneath is something that is relevant to all of us.

In true Warren fashion, the action never stops – and it ratchets higher and higher throughout the story! This makes for a perfect blend of mystery, suspense, depth, and danger.

So really, if you like action stories, love stories, or any kind of fun story with meaning, what are you waiting for? Put Flashpoint on your TBR list now – and if you’ve never read a Susan May Warren story before, you’re in for a treat.

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

This post contains affiliate links that support this blog. Thank you for using them.

Jerusha Agen is releasing a new book in her Guardians Unleashed series, and you don’t want to miss Lethal Danger!

Jazz has been alone for most of her life, so she’s surprised when both her uncle and the hunky new security guard reach out to her. Hawthorne Emerson, chart-topping mystery writer masquerading as a security guard, can’t help being suspicious of the accidents that keep happening at the fair – and he really wants to keep Jazz safe before he leaves town. Navigating their confusing feelings won’t be easy – but neither will finding the killer before one of them becomes the next victim.

These two really made me crazy! They clearly weren’t communicating, but they also had really deep-seated issues, and I couldn’t figure out how Agen was going to resolve them. She kept me guessing right to the wire, which is the best kind of story!

I really liked how the main characters started to work through their issues, too. The spiritual lessons that accompany the action in this story are good ones – Jazz and Hawthorne understand their problems rather suddenly, but then it is a book, after all – that revolve around trust, forgiveness, and redemption, and those are relevant to us all.

Lethal Danger is a really fun story that would be perfect to discuss with friends over a dish of ice cream or corndogs, if you want to go with the fair theme. Don’t miss this great beach read that will keep you guessing all the way through!

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

This post contains affiliate links that help to support this blog. Thank you for using them.

Kim Vogel Sawyer just released The Songbird of Hope Hill, and it’s a sweet tale of redemption and hope that you’re sure to enjoy. While you can’t get much deeper than prostitution and the hate with which people take sides over it, Sawyer’s story shows the redeeming qualities of God’s love. Hope is threaded through the story as Birdie learns just how much Jesus loves her.

I enjoyed trying to figure out the story’s twists and turns before Sawyer revealed them, and she got me with several. Trying to figure out the backstory of each character and just where they might be headed was fun.

I think this novel could prompt great discussions for book clubs. It can definitely prompt digging into the theology of the story. If you like sweet stories with unforgettable characters and a strong moral lesson, The Songbird of Hope Hill is definitely the book for you.

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

This post contains affiliate links that help to support this blog. Thank you for using them.

Riot packs a powerful punch in every way! Not only does the MWD Riot grab your emotions, but the story will cause a riot with your emotions as you go on this grief-stricken journey towards healing with Paisley and Danger.

The beginning of this book was hard to read! Danger and Paisley were each in mourning for different things, which was still so strong and new and real that they weren’t ready to look beyond it. All the usual sparks and fun tension took on new depths, so when the bad guys came calling, the stakes were super high!

I loved that. I felt like I had to be on Danger and Paisley’s side even though I didn’t know their full stories yet – but I wanted to. Those stories dribbled out as the story progressed, never fast enough to satisfy my curiosity but always keeping the pages turning fast. Actually, I think Paisley needs her own origin story – so I’d love it if you could get right on that. I need to know more.

Paisley’s drive to right a wrong at any cost and Danger’s need to protect his family makes this a must-read story. The constant action and right-versus-wrong superhero feel of Riot elevates it to one that deserves a place on your bookshelf.

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

This post contains affiliate links that support this blog. Thank you for using them.

Wow! Trapped in Yosemite gutted me in the best kind of way. It’s been a long time since I really cried while reading a book, but this one did me in – and it’s a suspense story!

Mentink keeps the tension high throughout the whole book – not just the suspense, either, but romantic tension and worries about main character Stella and her daughter’s well-being. There’s a lot happening in these pages, and Mentink handles it all with ease. The natural disasters keep the danger levels high even without the killer, who keeps turning up like a bad penny. When you factor in the trauma that Stella and Von are still dealing with, you’ll be crying, too.

Part of the reason that Trapped in Yosemite got to me so much is because that trauma includes lost babies. That’s hard, and it isn’t something you just bounce back from. Mentink handled it all really well, but if that’s something that’s too much for you, this might be a book to shelve for now.

Otherwise, get your copy of Trapped in Yosemite and stock up on tissues and chocolate. You won’t be putting this one down – though you might need a hug by the end.

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