book review

The final book in The True Lies of Rembrandt Stone series drops tomorrow, and it’s the perfect conclusion! Here’s what Heart of Stone is all about:

Detective Rembrandt Stone doesn’t recognize himself in the mirror. Doesn’t recognize the world he’s returned to. Doesn’t even know his own name. But he knows one thing…living in this world is impossible.

Good thing he has an ally—an unexpected friend from the past. And together, they just might be able to unravel the entire mess. But first…Rembrandt will have to return to the past one final time and intercept himself before he makes a lethal mistake.

Time has outwitted him. It’s time for him to outwit time. Can he reconstruct a past he just destroyed or is there nothing left of his world to save?

There’s nothing better than a series that keeps you on your toes, and The True Lies of Rembrandt Stone does exactly that! It’s the perfect, stunning conclusion to Rembrandt Stone’s story. After five hops through time where Stone struggles to solve cold cases and fix the world around him, his story wraps up here – and it won’t happen in the way that you expect.

The True Lies of Rembrandt Stone series kicked off with a bang – it was full of action and excitement, but there wasn’t a great deal of inspirational action. That did leave room for character growth, however, and that element has ramped up more with each subsequent release until all those pieces came together with a bang in this story. I think that slow burn makes this series accessible for readers with or without their own faith: everyone who loves action-packed suspense. With a male protagonist, it’s the perfect series for men to read, and I feel like there aren’t as many of those out there. The lessons in this book aren’t just of general faith, but also those that men of faith should know.

It’s been exciting to read this series as it released, and Heart of Stone caps off the series perfectly; but it’s also been really hard to wait for the next book after finishing the prior one. If you haven’t started this series yet, now’s the perfect time – collect all six, clear your calendar for a few days, and settle in to binge read the epic adventure story of the hunky Rembrandt Stone. I can’t think of a better winter plan.

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

Are you ready to learn more about the epic adventures of Rembrandt Stone? Check out my reviews of the other books here:

Cast the First Stone

No Unturned Stone

Sticks and Stone

Set in Stone

Blood From a Stone

Right Here Waiting is the final book in the Deep Haven Collection. What’s it all about?

He lives in a world of winter.

Sled dog musher and outdoor adventurer Nick Dahlquist doesn’t mean to be a loner—he just feels at home in the woods, with his dogs, and also online in his vlogging world, where he’s amassed nearly a million viewers. But he’s just a simple guy, with simple goals—care for his dogs, teach people how to survive the cold, and run the Iditarod. Unfortunately, life turns cold when his lead dog is injured, and he’s low on funds. Good thing he has LadyJHawk to chat with. She’s become an online friend he can turn to, and he’s starting to need her more than he’d like to admit. But the last thing he wants is for some random woman to show up on his doorstep…

She doesn’t belong in his world.

Chopper pilot and Texas gal Jae Lynn Washington has been following Nick’s DogQuest videos and Get Lost in the Woods vlogs since she inherited her deceased boyfriend’s military working dog. Three years later, his encouragement and help as online chat buddies have made her wonder if he could be more than a friend. What if she moved to Deep Haven? Would that be considered stalking, even if she had a bonafide job on the Crisis Response Team?

But she’s determined to try…

When Jae shows up in Deep Haven—and on Nick’s doorstep—he’s not at all the man she met online. The last thing she’ll do is tell him she’s really LadyJHawk. And when Nick is tapped to train the Crisis Response Team, he’s pretty sure that petite, summer-loving Jae won’t last a moment in the brutal cold—a fear he pours out to LadyJHawk. As their training takes a personal turn, their chilly start begins to thaw. But is he ready to shake off his online relationship for the one in real life? And if Jae tells him the truth, will it spook him back into the woods? When a blizzard strikes, and the CRT is called out into the storm, it might be too late…

Right Here Waiting is the perfect conclusion to the Deep Haven Collection! I love the way that this book snuggles into the winter season and really revels in it. Warren and Aleckson make winter an exciting character that makes pushes the others to the extremes.

Nick enjoys it. Winter is his season and when he comes into his own, but this year is a bit harder. This dichotomy sets up Nick’s struggle and gives him the opportunity to shine. That’s also how Jae meets him – and winter presents a unique set of challenges for her, too.

While I personally love winter, and so am opposite of Jae in some ways, I could really identify with her refusal to ask for help. I love her independent streak and have been known to take that too far, as well. The lessons that both Nick and Jae need to learn in Right Here Waiting are relevant and applicable to many of us – and that makes the story all the more fun.

Right Here Waiting is a book you don’t want to wait for – get it on your TBR pile and into your hands today. It’s the perfect blend of winter adventure and steamy romance.

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

Do you need to catch up on the other books in this series? Check them out here:

Still the One #1

Can’t Buy Me Love #2

Crazy for You #3

Then Came You #4

Hangin’ by a Moment #5

Elizabeth Goddard’s second book in her Rocky Mountain Courage series – Deadly Target– is now available! Here’s what it’s all about:

Criminal psychologist Erin Larson’s dreams of a successful career come to a screeching halt when she nearly loses her own life in a boating accident on Puget Sound and then learns that her mother tried to commit suicide. She leaves her job as a criminal psychologist to care for her mother in Montana. At least she is able to produce her podcast, which focuses on solving missing persons cold cases.

Nathan Campbell’s father was investigating such a case when he was shot, and now Nathan needs to enlist Erin’s help to solve the case. She’s good at what she does. The only problem? She’s his ex.

As the two dig deeper, it becomes clear that they, too, are being targeted–and that the answers to their questions are buried deep within the past Erin struggles to explain and longs to forget.

Deadly Target is one of those thrilling suspense stories that’s really fun to read – and you won’t be able to put it down! I love when a story is truly suspenseful, keeping me on the edge of my seat, with lots of twists and turns that keep me guessing. I don’t want it to be scary, though, and Goddard writes in such a way that it’s really not, and I think that takes skill. There’s clearly danger lurking around every turn for Erin and Nathan, but she keeps you reading faster and faster so you can find out what happens – not closing your eyes in fear. I appreciate that fine line.

Even better, though – or maybe it’s partly because of this? – but the danger that hems in the heroes isn’t your traditional type. There’s not a massive chase scene through a city, nor are they pushed over a cliff while in a truck – there’s always a twist to the action. These episodes are both creative and suspenseful, and they’ll keep you guessing.

Deadly Target really did that for me. It could be partly because I couldn’t put the book down long enough to think deeply about the plot, but Goddard kept surprising me. I had a few glimmers of what might be coming a few times, but I never had real, fleshed-out solid guesses. Mystery-suspense stories are the most fun to me when they keep me on my toes, and this book does that.

Goddard always writes the setting as if it was a character in the book, and Deadly Target is no different. I love the way that she captures the mountains, valleys, and rivers – and even the history and traffic of Boston.

I really enjoyed the hidden side of Erin. Goddard dribbled out her backstory at the perfect speed, letting you become engaged with the characters all while wanting to know more. There were surprises in Erin’s story, too, and these really came out of left field. Goddard dug into Nathan, too, giving him a big lesson to learn that I really enjoyed.

Deadly Target is a fantastic new offering in the Rocky Mountain Courage series and the suspense genre in general. This is one you don’t want to miss!

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

Do you want to know more about Elizabeth Goddard’s other books? Click here to read my review of Don’t Keep Silent.

What’s Lights Out really about? Here you go:

CIA analyst Brynn Taylor developed a new program to combat terrorism, and she invited members of foreign intelligence agencies to America to foster cooperation between countries. Now one of them, Egyptian spy Remon Riad, is missing.

Jack Hudson has been working for the Strategic Neutralization and Protection Agency (SNAP) for almost nine years and takes the lead in hunting down the missing spy. But he isn’t at all pleased to find out Brynn is involved. It’s hard to trust a woman who’s already betrayed you.

Every lead they follow draws them dangerously deeper into an international plot. Kidnapping, murder, explosions, poisoning–the terrorists will do anything to accomplish their goal of causing a digital blackout that will blind a strategic US military communications center and throw the world into chaos.

Can Brynn surrender control to a man who doesn’t trust her? And can Jack ever get over what she did to him? The fate of the world–and their hearts–hangs in the balance.

Natalie Walters created a heart-stopping ride through a terrorist threat with global implications – and this is one book you won’t want to miss! Lights Out is impossible to put down, so make sure you have a few hours to read before you get started!

I love this new cast of characters! The SNAP agency is such a fascinating group of talents and personalities, especially Kekoa. I can’t wait for his story! The way that they work together and back each other up is exactly the type of ideal teamwork that most of us dream of. It adds an element of fun and lightness to a story with a deep, dangerous vein to it. That contrast is perfectly done.

Walters plays up that contrast. Her firsthand knowledge of military maneuvers and American political workings shines through this plot, which keeps the pace fast and emotions high as events unfold at lightning speed. I enjoy the way that she keeps the story moving all while dropping more clues to Jack and Brynn’s backstory. She plays up their romantic tension really well, too.

Lights Out is really a killer intro to Natalie Walters’ SNAP Agency series! It’s perfect for fans of suspense, political intrigue, and romantic action-adventure. Don’t wait for this book – it’s a wonderful fall read!

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

David James Warren’s newest installment in The True Lies of Rembrandt Stone releases tomorrow, and it’s fantastic! Here’s what Blood From a Stone is all about:

He fled the future with blood on his hands. Now, he’ll do anything to stop a killer.

Tragedy has yet again taken from Detective Rembrandt Stone everything he loves. Now, he has one last chance to get things right and stop a killer he’s been hunting across four timelines. Instead, he gets tangled in a petty crime that just might cost him his one chance at justice.

With two murders to stop, and thirty-eight lives still in the balance, Rembrandt must play his hand against time just right if he wants to win his future. Play it wrong and his life will stay shattered beyond repair.

What sacrifices will he have to make to come home to his wife and daughter?

The stakes have never been higher in the heart-wrenching, edge-of-your-seat fifth story of the True Lies of Rembrandt Stone.

The stakes have never been higher. With future kills to stop and the murderer of 38 others on the loose, can Rembrandt Stone catch the killer before the death toll rises – again? What will he have to give up personally to end this chase and reclaim his family?

I absolutely loved this new installment in the Rembrandt Stone saga! It can’t get any more heart-rending; with Stone reeling from a new death and more determined than ever to repair his family, how could a small, simple crime get in his way?

The trio of authors are masters at keeping you on the edge of your seat. I couldn’t put Blood From a Stone down and finished it in a single sitting! Really, though, this is the kind of book that will have you speeding through the pages and then ready to throw the book down in anguish because you’re not ready for it to be over – but, no, you have to find out! I was thrilled to find a sneak peak at the next book in the back because waiting for more Rembrandt Stone just isn’t an option.

Five books in, there have now been five versions of Rembrandt’s life, and honestly, it can get a bit tricky remembering which storylines fit together. The authors sneak in great clues, though, that put it all together for you if you’re stuck, and I love how seamlessly they make these work. It’s satisfying to see certain elements of his life improve over the first version, while others have gotten increasingly worse. Rembrandt Stone is understanding himself and the consequences of his choices more and more as he jumps through time, and that only makes you cheer for him louder. His newfound respect for honor and others are building him into a truly swoon-worthy hero, both inside and out.

That’s part of what makes this series so great. Rembrandt Stone is the kind of character you want on your side. He’s the one you want to call if something goes wrong and the one you want beside you if your boat sinks. He’s a caring and compassionate fixer, someone who can see through the shades of gray to the truth underneath. He cares about people and justice and wants right to win out.

David James Warren is merciless, though, and they’re not making Stone’s journey easy. He’s becoming a better man, but the situation around him keep getting worse. Can he catch the murderer and end the killing spree? Is Stone going to find a way back to his family? Or, when the stakes rise, will he lose his own sense of right and wrong? You need to add Blood From a Stone to your TBR list and find out.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the authors. All opinions are mine.

Cast the First Stone

No Unturned Stone

Sticks and Stone

Set in Stone

The fourth installment in The True Lies of Rembrandt Stone – called Set in Stone – releases tomorrow! Here’s what it’s about:

Thirty-eight women. Dead. All the in the past. All because Detective Rembrandt Stone played with fate, and somewhere in time unleashed a serial killer. He can’t undo their deaths, not anymore, but the serial killer is still at large, twenty-four years later, and now it’s personal. Especially when the evidence points to the last person on anyone’s radar: Rembrandt himself.
Now he’ll have to use the clues from his pasts to track down the killer in the present.

But the killer is onto him and puts the one person Rembrandt loves in his cross hairs. Now, Rembrandt must outwit time to save the people he loves.

Because time is playing for keeps.

Every book in the Rembrandt Stone series gets better than the one before it! Set in Stone is so faced paced it’ll make you dizzy. The twists and turns will keep you guessing – and on the edge of your seat. I absolutely devoured this book; I couldn’t put it down!

Of course, I do love time travel novels, and since this is the fourth one in the series, the time hopping has the potential to get confusing; but the authors handle this with aplomb. When Rem’s travels create changes in the story, Rem’s inner monologue walks you through it clearly and smoothly, without disrupting the plot. I appreciate this assistance in keeping all the timelines distinct, and it also adds to the drama – it ups the reader’s emotional involvement in Rem’s problematic situation.

The authors are not only smooth in plot creation but also in word choice. So very much of the story is quotable that my digital copy has ended up very colorful from where I highlighted over and over. I love when a story is not only action-packed, but also beautiful in language.

I also love that as the stakes spiral ever higher in Rem’s drama, so do his big questions and inner transformation. He starts to ask tough questions of a new variety in this one, and I like the way that the series seems to be going.

Of course, I can’t wait for the next installment so I can see if I’m right. If only I didn’t have to wait so long …

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

Click on the titles below to read my reviews of the other books in this series:

Cast the First Stone

No Unturned Stone

Sticks and Stone