Category: Book Review

25 May 2020

Book Review | Carolina Breeze (Bluebell Inn Romance #2) by Denise Hunter

When the tabloids publish pictures of up-and-coming actress Mia Emerson in what looks like a compromising position with her (married) leading man, Mia escapes Hollywood for the Bluebell Inn in North Carolina. After all, it’s the week of what was to have been her honeymoon, before her fiance broke it off.

Mia chose the Bluebell Inn for her honeymoon because her deceased grandparents used to own the building. She’s delighted to find the Inn’s library includes her grandmother’s journal, where she discovers unknown stories about her family history … including a missing jewel that is supposed to be hidden in the inn.

Meanwhile, Levi is hiding his own secrets. The inn is facing financial problems, something he’s been hiding from his sisters, who co-own the inn. If there really is a missing jewel and Levi could find it, then their financial problems would be over …

What follows is a Christian romance that’s more complex than many, as both Mia and Levi need to get past the lies and half-truths in their pasts to allow for a possible future together. I found it had to put the novel down once I’d started, because the characters and their situation was so compelling. As with many romances, there was an obvious answer … but what seems obvious to the reader isn’t so obvious for the characters.

Carolina Breeze is the second book in Denise Hunter’s Bluebell Inn Romance series, following Lake Season. You don’t have to read Lake Season first (I didn’t), but Carolina Breeze does contain a couple of spoilers for Lake Season. If that’s going to bother you, read Lake Season first.

Recommended for fans of contemporary Christian romance.

Thanks to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

About Denise Hunter

Denise Hunter is the internationally published bestselling author of more than 30 books, including “The Convenient Groom” and “A December Bride” which have been made into Hallmark movies. She has appeared on the The 700 club and won awards such as The Holt Medallion Award, The Carol Award, The Reader’s Choice Award, The Foreword Book of the Year Award, and is a RITA finalist.

Denise writes heartwarming, small-town love stories. Her readers enjoy the vicarious thrill of falling in love and the promise of a happily-ever-after sigh as they savor the final pages of her books.

In 1996, inspired by the death of her grandfather, Denise began her first book, writing while her children napped. Two years later it was published, and she’s been writing ever since. Her husband says he inspires all her romantic stories, but Denise insists a good imagination helps too!

When Denise isn’t orchestrating love lives on the written page, she enjoys traveling with her family, drinking good coffee, and playing drums. Denise makes her home in Indiana where she and her husband raised three boys and are currently enjoying an empty nest.

Find Denise Hunter online at:

Website | Facebook

About Carolina Breeze

A jilted bride. A struggling innkeeper. And a romantic mountain getaway that changes everything.

Rising Hollywood star Mia Emerson is looking for a safe place to land in the wake of a public breakup and celebrity scandal, and she finds it in the lake town of Bluebell, North Carolina—the location of her canceled honeymoon. She wants nothing more than to hide and wait for the tabloids to die down.

Soon after her arrival at the Bluebell Inn, Mia meets Levi Bennett, who runs the inn along with his two younger sisters. Drawn to one another from the start, Mia trusts Levi to keep her location from the press, and Levi confides in Mia about the precarious financial state of the inn—a secret he’s been keeping from his sisters.

When Mia and Levi discover an old journal that hints at a rare diamond necklace hidden in the inn, they set off on a treasure hunt to find the long-lost heirloom. What they don’t expect to surface are feelings they thought were safely locked away. Mia and Levi must decide if falling in love again is too big a risk—or if it will uncover a treasure of its own instead.

You can find Carolina Breeze online at

Amazon | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong

And don’t forget to click here to check out my Amazon shop for my top picks in Christian fiction!

18 May 2020

Book Review | A Mosaic of Wings by Kimberly Duffy

Christian Historical Romance with a Unique Setting

Nora Shipley is a woman ahead of her time, and a unique heroine. She doesn’t want to marry the man her stepfather has chosen for her (and no surprise there. He’s a misogynistic boor). She wants to go back to university and complete her master’s in entomology (yes, the study of insects). First she’ll need to win a scholarship … which means spending six months in India.

While I like butterflies and understand the importance of honeybees, I’m not a fan of other insects. And I definitely share Nora’s feelings about cockroaches. What captured my interest in A Mosaic of Wings was the Indian setting, and this was definitely the strength of the novel for me. These chapters showed the beauty of India, and something of the culture—both good and bad.

I enjoyed seeing Nora develop as a character and make some difficult choices.

The novel wasn’t overtly Christian, but Nora’s responses to her most difficult choices were definitely based on a Christian world view—even when those choices contradicted the decisions made by some of the Christians she met.

I didn’t enjoy the US-based scenes nearly as much.

That was mostly because of stepfather Lucius, although partly because of Nora’s mother. She was a frustratingly weak character who seemed to spend her time either ill in bed, or arranging social events her daughter wanted no part of. She was such a vapid character that I sincerely wondered if she was being drugged by Lucius (she wasn’t, but that would have been the most logical explanation for much of her behaviour).

Lucius is plainly set up as the antagonist and has no redeeming features except for loving Nora’s mother. Well, he says he does. He certainly doesn’t act as though he does. Mind you, the same could be said of Nora’s mother’s attitude towards Nora. As a result, while Nora’s difficulties with Lucius drove most of the novel’s conflict, I didn’t find it entirely believable. Lucius tries to force Nora to do something, saying she gave her word. Fine. She did, and she is a woman who seeks to keep her word. But I don’t think she needs to keep her word when he has so plainly not kept his.

Overall, this is a novel about choices and freedom.

Some people have more choices than others. It’s also about how sometimes we have to make a choice that might not be the easiest choice for ourselves, but is the right choice for others.

Thanks to Bethany House Publishers and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

P.S. If you read or have read A Mosaic of Wings and you’re as horrified by Sita’s predicament as Nora is, then I encourage you to check out the Dignity Freedom Network and their work rescuing jogini girls in India. Yes, this practice is still going on despite having been outlawed in 1988.

About Kimberly Duffy

Kimberly Duffy enjoys writing historical fiction that takes readers back in time and across oceans. Her books often feature ahead-of-their-time heroines, evocative settings, and real-life faith. When not writing or homeschooling her four children, she enjoys taking trips that require a passport and practicing kissing scenes with her husband of twenty years. A Long Island native, she currently resides in southwest Ohio.

Find Kimberly Duffy online at:

Website | Facebook | Instagram

About A Mosaic of Wings

It’s 1885, and all Nora Shipley wants, now that she’s graduating from Cornell University as valedictorian of the entomology program, is to follow in her late father’s footsteps by getting her master’s degree and taking over the scientific journal he started. The only way to uphold her father’s legacy is to win a scholarship, so she joins a research expedition in Kodaikanal, India, to prove herself in the field.

India isn’t what she expects, though, and neither is the rival classmate who accompanies her, Owen Epps. As her preconceptions of India–and of Owen–fall away, she finds both far more captivating than she expected. Forced by the expedition leader to stay at camp and illustrate exotic butterflies the men of the team find without her, Nora befriends Sita, a young Indian girl who has been dedicated to a goddess against her will.

In this spellbinding new land, Nora is soon faced with impossible choices–between saving Sita and saving her career, and between what she’s always thought she wanted and the man she’s come to love.

Find A Mosaic of Wings online at:

Amazon | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong

11 May 2020

Book Review | For Love and Country by Candace Waters

For Love and Country isn’t a typical novel.

It’s more historical fiction with romantic elements rather than a pure romance. It’s from a Christian fiction publisher, but it’s more Christian-lite. There’s very little that’s overtly Christian, but also no on-page violence or sexual content.

The story moves in fits and starts. The first three chapters move relatively slowly as they introduce Lottie, her fiance, and her background. But the story then skips ahead, sometimes days or weeks at a time and that felt a little off, as though something was missing. The writing is solid but not spectacular, but it’s a compelling story and I found it hard to put down (which is saying something, given my current attention span. Thanks, lockdown and quarantine).

Lottie is one of the most original characters I’ve come across.

She’s a child of wealth and privilege, in that her father owns a Detroit motor company. On that basis, it’s not altogether surprising that Lottie is interested in cars and engines. What is perhaps surprising is that she’s prepared to give up her lifestyle and her fiance to serve in the WAVES—Women Accepted for Voluntary Emergency Service.

For Love and Country by Candace Waters is a must-read for fans of World War II fiction from authors such as Sarah Sundin and J'nell Ciesielski. #BookReview #ChristianFiction Share on X

I’ve read various novels about women serving in World War I and II, but I think this is the first I’ve read about the WAVES. I enjoyed the historical aspects, especially watching Lottie’s challenges in working in a male-dominated field. But I also enjoyed Lottie’s personal journey, her realisation that we do get to make choices in life and how those choices can change us.

Overall, For Love and Country is a must-read for fans of World War II fiction from authors such as Sarah Sundin and J’nell Ciesielski.

Thanks to Howard Books and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

About For Love and Country

When Lottie Palmer runs away the day before her wedding to join the Navy WAVES program, she not only leaves behind a fiancé, but also the privileged lifestyle that she has known as the daughter of one of the most important manufacturers in Detroit’s auto industry. Spurred by a desire to contribute meaningfully to the war effort, Lottie pours all of her focus and determination into becoming the best airplane mechanic in the division, working harder than she’s ever worked before.

Her grit impresses her handsome instructor, Captain Luke Woodward. But when the war ramps up and she is assigned to Pearl Harbor she must fight her growing feelings for Luke and navigate her role as one of the only female mechanics among a group of men, all while finding out what it means to be your own hero.

Illuminating the story of a woman who sets out to make a difference in the world by following her heart, Candace Waters draws on her extensive research, transporting us from Detroit to New York, and San Diego to Pearl Harbor during the tumultuous time of World War II.

Find For Love and Country online at:

Amazon | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong

Read the introduction of For Love and Country below:

4 May 2020

Book Review | Stay With Me (Misty River Romance #1) by Becky Wade

Eighteen years ago, Genevieve was one of five miracle children who survived days trapped in rubble in San Salvador, after an earthquake hits the during their junior high mission trip. Now, she’s an online celebrity, a famous author of Bible studies for women. And she’s hiding a prescription drug addiction that could destroy her career, and wondering what secrets her family is hiding. Because there is definitely something, if the anonymous letter she received is any indication.

But she knows something has to change after she wakes up in a stranger’s house with no memory of how she got there. But she can’t go to rehab. That would mean the end of her career. And there is also the question of how her parents will react, especially her overprotective mother.

Sam Turner is an Australian American who owns his own coffee shop and is a big advocate of healthy eating and healthy lifestyles. (Okay, so the one thing I’m not convinced about is a man who voluntarily eats kale, but there you go.) Anyway, Sam agrees—against his better judgment—to help Genevieve detox.

Stay With Me is a strong romance with excellent characters. It’s strong Christian fiction, because faith is central to both Genevieve and Sam’s lives. But the real strength is the way it deals with Genevieve’s addition, an issue that’s rarely discussed in Christian fiction, and the subtle warning against putting other Christians—especially Christian leaders—on pedestals.

Stay With Me by @BeckyWade is a great start to a new series, a Christian novel that isn't afraid to ask tough questions about faith and life. #BookReview #ChristianRomance Share on X

Stay With Me is a great start to a new series, a Christian novel that isn’t afraid to ask tough questions about faith and life. Recommended.

Thanks to Baker Publishing and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

About Becky Wade

Becky is the Carol and Christy award winning author of heartwarming, humorous, and swoon-worthy contemporary inspirational romances.

During her childhood in California, Becky frequently produced homemade plays starring her sisters, friends, and cousins. These plays almost always featured a heroine, a prince, and a love story with a happy ending. She’s been a fan of all things romantic ever since.

These days, you’ll find Becky in Dallas, Texas failing to keep up with her housework, trying her best in yoga class, carting her three kids around town, watching TV with her Cavalier spaniel on her lap, hunched over her computer writing, or eating chocolate.

You can find Becky Wade online at:

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter

About Stay With Me

A mysterious letter alluding to a secret in her parents’ past brings Genevieve Woodward back to her Blue Ridge Mountains hometown, but she’s also in need of a break from a high-profile career that has left her dangerously burned out and concealing a powerful secret of her own. When she wakes inside an unfamiliar cottage to find the confused owner staring down at her, she can no longer ignore the fact that she needs help.

Sam Turner has embraced his sorrow and his identity as an outsider. The solitary, disciplined life he lives on his historic farm is the life he’s chosen for himself. The last thing he wants is to rent his cottage to a woman as troubled as she is talkative. Yet, he can’t force himself to turn her away right when she needs him most.

As Genevieve researches her family’s history and her and Sam’s emotions deepen, they will have to let go of the facades and loneliness they’ve clung to and allow light to illuminate every hidden truth.

Find Stay With Me online at:

Amazon | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong

And don’t forget to click here to check out my Amazon shop for my top picks in Christian fiction!

27 April 2020

Book Review | Flight Risk by Cara C Putman

Attorney Savannah Daniels is working on a legal case for Mnemosyne, a new form of black box for aircraft. Journalist Jeff Glover is working on the piece that might earn him a Pulitzer, an expose of a famous sportsman and his dodgy holidays to Thailand with three other men. Their paths intersect because one of the men Jeff is investigating is Savannah’s ex-husband … and the father of her niece. Savannah finds herself in the middle of the mystery when a plane crashes with the sportsman on board … as well as a Mnemosyne box.

Yes, the plot is more complex than most. There are plenty of twist and turns, and a few red herrings. How did the box get on the aircraft? Is Susannah’s husband the dodgy scum Glover’s article implies? Is there a conspiracy, or is it all a series of odd coincidences? Questions. Lots of questions. Even better, the questions and answers all make sense in the end (unlike some suspense novels where the big reveal is tied to a logical impossibility).

Flight Risk is my favourite kind of romantic suspense novel, one that grabs you from the get-go and doesn't let up. It's one of Cara Putman's best. #BookReview #ChristianFiction Share on X

Flight Risk was my favourite kind of romantic suspense novel, one that grabs you from the get-go and doesn’t let up. I’m usually a fan of character-driven fiction. This was more plot-driven, but in a way that was totally compelling. It’s another must-from a top Christian romantic suspense author—I think it’s one of Cara Putman’s best.

Thanks to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

About Cara Putman

As a preteen Cara Putman watched lawyers change legislative opinions at an important legislative hearing in Nebraska. At that time, she wondered if she became an attorney if people would give her words the same weight. An honors graduate of the University of Nebraska Lincoln, George Mason University School of Law and Krannert School of Management at Purdue University, Cara has turned her passion for words into award-winning stories that capture readers. Her legal experience makes its way into her stories where strong women confront real challenges.

The award-winning author of more than 25 titles, Cara writes legal thrillers, WWII romances, and romantic suspense because she believes that no matter what happens hope is there, waiting for us to reach for it.

When she’s not writing, Cara is an over-educated attorney who lectures in law and communications at the Krannert School of Management at Purdue University and homeschools her children. She and her family live in Indiana, the land of seasons.

You can find Cara Putman online at:

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest

About Flight Risk

Savannah Daniels has worked hard to build her law practice, to surround herself with good friends, and to be the loyal aunt her troubled niece can always count on. But since her ex-husband’s betrayal, she has trouble trusting anyone.

Jett Glover’s father committed suicide over a false newspaper report that ruined his reputation. Now a fierce champion of truth, Jett is writing the story of his journalism career—an international sex-trafficking exposé that will bring down a celebrity baseball player and the men closest to him, including Savannah’s ex-husband.

When Jett’s story breaks, tragedy ensues. Then a commercial airline crashes, and one of Savannah’s clients is implicated in the crash. Men connected to the scandal, including her ex, begin to die amid mysterious circumstances, and Savannah’s niece becomes an unwitting target.

Against their better instincts, Jett and Savannah join ranks to sort the facts from fiction. But can Savannah trust the reporter who threw her life into chaos? And can Jett face the possibility that he’s made the biggest mistake of his life?

You can find Flight Risk online at:

Amazon | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong

Read the introduction to Flight Risk below:

And don’t forget to click here to check out my Amazon shop for my top picks in Christian fiction!

20 April 2020

Book Review | Border Breach by Darlene L Turner

Kaylin Poirier is a border patrol officer on the US/Canadian border with a particular passion to stop the import of illegal drugs after her brother died. Kaylin knows something is off when she stops a suspicious-looking van on the border and finds the driver has a photograph of her. But she doesn’t expect to become a target after the van crosses the border illegally …

Hudson Steeves is a police constable assigned to work with Kaylin to find the missing van, which belonged to a local florist. He’s attracted to her, but she’s not a Christian. And some of the things she says and people she knows point to an unexpected history.

This is Darlene L Turner’s debut novel, from Love Inspired Suspense.

LIS books tend to be plot-driven and fast-paced, and Border Breach is no exception. It’s a fast read with plenty of action that barely gives the reader a chance to draw a breath as Kaylin and Hudson overcome their initial animosity and agree to work together to find the person behind the drugs entering the country and circulating through the schools (I did guess the evildoer’s identity early on, but my logic turned out to be 100% wrong!).

The one problem with such a fast-paced approach is that it can sometimes feel like the character development is lacking. Kaylin and Hudson have plenty of personal history as individuals and together. There’s almost too much history for such a short novel—but I’d much rather read a book and wish it could have been longer than the opposite!

I particularly enjoyed the fact the novel was set in Canada, as that provided a new perspective on the war against drugs.

A solid debut, recommended for romantic suspense fans.

Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a free ebook for review.

About Darlene L Turner

Darlene L. Turner is an award-winning author and lives with her husband, Jeff in Ontario, Canada. Her love of suspense began when she read her first Nancy Drew book. She’s turned that passion into her writing and believes readers will be captured by her plots, inspired by her strong characters, and moved by her inspirational message.

Find Darlene L Turner online at:

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter

About Border Breach

When drugs are smuggled across the border …

It’s their duty to stop the culprits … at any cost.

Forming a joint task force, Canada border officer Kaylin Poirier and police constable Hudson Steeves have one objective: take down a drug-smuggling ring trying to sell a new lethal product. But when the smugglers come after Kaylin and Hudson, this mission becomes more than just a job. Can they live long enough to solve the case?

Find Border Breach online at:

Amazon | Goodreads | Kobo

13 April 2020

Book Review | The Joy of Falling by Lindsay Harrel

Eva Jamison lost her husband eighteen months ago.

He and his brother drowned while diving. She was a talented florist, but hasn’t worked since Brent died. Instead, she volunteers at his favourite, lives off the proceeds from the fitness centres he co-founded, and mourns. When a chance telephone call offers the opportunity to raise money for Brent’s favourite charity, Eva is keen to help. But that requires help …

Angela Jamison hasn’t had time or energy to mourn her husband.

Instead, she works two jobs to support their three children, and tries to cope with her moody teenage daughter. She doesn’t have the time or energy to think or grieve, let alone train for an ultramarathon or travel halfway around the world to New Zealand’s South Island. And there’s the money … money she doesn’t have.

Two sisters in law, united by a common grief, and brought together by a unique opportunity—to run an ultramarathon in beautiful New Zealand. The Joy of Falling by Lindsay Harrel #BookReview #JoyofFalling Share on X

Two sisters in law, united by a common grief, and brought together by a unique opportunity.

It’s a great premise, and while it did not motivate me to run any distance, the characters somehow managed to confince me that running an ultramarathon for 155 miles around the South Island was a great idea. (Hint: it’s a noble objective, and the scenery is fantastic, but I prefer to tour via a car, thank you very much.

I’ve visited many of the New Zealand settings from The Joy of Falling, and I definitely enjoyed those parts of the book. It’s great to read about a familiar setting, and especially to see it through the fresh eyes of visitors. Being in a new country gave the women (and the children) a chance to rediscover themselves.

The writing was excellent.

The story is a sensitive examination of grief from different perspectives. It’s also a story of discovery and making choices and finding the blessings in life, even in the hard times. It’s not an overtly Christian story, but the underlying themes and values are definitely Christian, and the overall tone is straight out of the Bible: be joyful always … even when it’s hard.

Thanks to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

About Lindsay Harrel

Lindsay Harrel is a lifelong book nerd with a B.A. in journalism and M.A. in English. She lives in Arizona with her young family and two golden retrievers in serious need of training. Lindsay has held a variety of jobs, including curriculum editor for two universities, medical and business writer, and copywriter for a digital marketing agency. Now she juggles stay-at-home mommyhood with working freelance jobs, teaching college English courses online, and—of course—writing novels.

When she actually has time to do other things, she loves to sing, read, and sip passion iced teas from Starbucks. She loves to watch God work in ordinary lives to create something extraordinary, and she writes to bring hope to those who may have lost it along the way.

You can find Lindsay Harrel online at:

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter

About The Joy of Falling

Eva and Angela must learn to live again. One step at a time.

It has been fifteen months since Eva and Angela lost their thrill-seeking husbands in a scuba diving accident. Both women are trying to navigate their way through the grief, but neither one is making much progress. Angela is barely making ends meet, angry at her husband for leaving her to raise three children on her own. Meanwhile, Eva is stuck, unable to move forward after losing the love of her life and her source of inspiration.

But then Eva gets a life-changing phone call. Before Brent and Wes died, they had signed up for a race of a lifetime—an ultra-marathon in beautiful New Zealand. Eva begs Angela to run the race with her in their husbands’ place, and Angela finally agrees, hoping to finally understand her husband’s choices.

Training is exhausting, and the race is even more demanding. Their journey grows more complicated by the presence of two men—Marc is Brent’s best friend who is running the race with Eva and Angela, and Simon King is a writer who is covering their inspiring story. With every step, Eva and Angela must ask themselves questions that they haven’t had the courage to ask before. As the women literally put one foot in front of the other, they wonder: Is it possible to find their way forward in hope?

You can find The Joy of Falling online at

Amazon | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong

And don’t forget to click here to check out my Amazon shop for my top picks in Christian fiction!

6 April 2020

Book Review | Dead End (Kaely Quin Profiler #3) by Nancy Mehl

Dead End is the third book in Nancy Mehl’s Kaely Quinn Profiler series. Kaely works in law enforcement, profiling and catching serial killers. She’s also the daughter of a serial killer, something that has shaped her life and career (for better and worse). And he’s back. At least, there is another serial killer on the loose, and he’s using her father’s signatures.

The suspense aspect of the plot was excellent.

It’s obvious that Kaely’s father isn’t the killer: he’s safe in jail. So who is it? It must be someone who knows her father well, but who? I had my suspicions, and they were wrong. That made it a nailbiting read that was hard to put down.

Kaely isn’t always an easy character to relate to.

She has her strengths: she’s intelligent, dedicated, and good at her job. But those are also her weaknesses: she can’t detach from her job, and she sometimes puts her own physical and mental health at risk to break the case. She comes across as mostly normal, but that hides a lot of inner insecurities and awkwardness.

Some of that awkwardness comes through in her faith. She’s been forced to seek answers to some of the hard questions about Christianity: can God save even the vilest sinner? Does anyone ever get so far from God that they can’t be saved? Does she have to forgive her father for his sins? Yes, there were strong faith aspects, and they were a strength of the story.

The writing was generally strong, although there were a couple of annoying instances when the point of view character discovered something but the reader didn’t know what. I guess that was supposed to add suspense. It kept me reading, but it did irritate me. My view is that if we’re in the viewpoint character’s head, we should be part of the conversation and not have the salient points blurred out for us to discover later.

But that’s a minor point in an otherwise excellent romantic suspense novel.

It is the third book in the series, but can easily be read as a standalone—while there are a few references to earlier events, they are minor (and won’t spoil the earlier books if you accidentally read them out of order).

Thanks to Bethany House Publishers and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

About Nancy Mehl

Nancy Mehl lives in Missouri, with her husband Norman, and her very active puggle, Watson. She’s authored thirty books and is currently at work on a new FBI suspense series for Bethany House Publishing.

All of Nancy’s novels have an added touch – something for your spirit as well as your soul. “I welcome the opportunity to share my faith through my writing,” Nancy says. “It’s a part of me and of everything I think or do. God is number one in my life. I wouldn’t be writing at all if I didn’t believe that this is what He’s called me to do. I hope everyone who reads my books will walk away with the most important message I can give them: God is good, and He loves you more than you can imagine. He has a good plan especially for your life, and there is nothing you can’t overcome with His help.”

You can find Nancy Mehl online at:

Website | Suspense Sisters | Facebook

About Dead End

When a body is discovered in a field in Iowa, the police uncover fourteen additional corpses ranging from 20 years old to recent. The remains point to a serial killer with an MO the authorities have seen before–Ed Oliphant, a man who has been in prison for over 20 years . . . and is Special Agent Kaely Quinn’s father. After several failed interview attempts to discover if Ed has been training someone to be a copycat killer, the police turn to Kaely in St. Louis.

Kaely promised herself she would never step foot in her hometown or set eyes on her father again. She’s always refused to confront her past, but if she wants to prevent any more deaths, she must come face-to-face with the man she’s hated for years.

As more bodies are discovered, Kaely races against time and her own personal turmoil to uncover the killer. Will this most personal case yet cost Kaely her identity and perhaps even her life?

Find Dead End online at:

Amazon | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong

And don’t forget to click here to check out my Amazon shop for my top picks in Christian fiction!

30 March 2020

Book Review | Before I Called You Mine by Nicole Deese

Before I Called You Mine is the story of Lauren, a single elementary school teacher who wants to adopt an orphan from China.

This means staying single, because the adoption agency only allows children to go to single mothers or to couples who have been married more than two years. Single hasn’t been a problem until she meets the substitute teacher across the hall …

In some respects, Before I Called You Mind is a typical contemporary romance novel with a unique application of the “decides to remain single, then meets Mr Perfect” trope. But setting the novel against a backdrop of international adoption introduced a whole bunch of questions, many of them uncomfortable. One of the characters says of a child adopted internationally:

“Leaving the only place she’s ever called home, and the only people who’ve ever cared for her, is a traumatic event. That’s a fact, not an opinion … She won’t know the language, the food, the sounds, the smells.”

International adoption rips a child from everything familiar—their country, their culture, their language, even their name (yes, the main character planned to change her child’s name). That bugged me. What psychological message does that send to a child, that not even their name is theirs and has value? It smacks of a nineteenth-century white saviour complex, where the missionaries converted the natives and changed their names to “Christian” names. I’d hoped we’d got beyond that, but comments about “dark chocolate, almond-shaped eyes” suggested we haven’t.

When I started the novel, I was in two minds about international adoption.

I read plenty of stories about how the US foster care system is crying out for qualified carers. Why choose international adoption when there are thousands of disadvantaged and needy children in the US?

The author herself has adopted internationally, but says the purpose of the novel isn’t to persuade readers to adopt a child from overseas. Rather, it’s to challenge us to find the hard thing that God’s asking us to partner with Him in. Do I think it met that objective? No. But was it a good story? Mostly.

Lauren is torn between her desire to adopt internationally, and her attraction to Joshua … who also happens to be the son of the education expert who inspired many of Lauren’s most successful teaching methods. The family is everything Lauren’s family isn’t—friendly, loving, Christian.

There were times when I didn’t have a lot of sympathy for Lauren and her predicament.

She complains about her family, then insults her mother and wonders why they don’t have a great relationship. She has been working towards adopting an orphan from China for two years, and had been considering it for three years before that, yet had never bothered to learn any Mandarin, or anything about Chinese food or culture.

Before I Called You Mine by @NicoleDeese is a well-written story with great characters and plenty of conflict. It's memorable, and will definitely make you think. #BookReview #ChristianFiction Share on X

At the same time, I could empathise with Lauren. She’d been earnestly seeking God and was convinced He placed the idea for international adoption on her heart and brought her into contact with people who could encourage and support her in that journey. Then God throws Joshua in her path, and she starts second-guessing herself. It made fascinating and compelling reading.

Overall, this is a well-written story with great characters and plenty of conflict. It’s memorable, and will definitely make you think.

Thanks to Bethany House and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

About Nicole Deese

Nicole Deese is an award-winning author who specializes in humorous, heartfelt, and hope-filled novels. When not working on her next contemporary romance, she can usually be found reading one by a window overlooking the inspiring beauty of the Pacific Northwest. She currently resides with her happily-ever-after hubby, two sons, and a princess daughter in Idaho.

Find Nicole Deese online at:

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

About Before I Called You Mine

Lauren Bailey may be a romantic at heart, but after a decade of matchmaking schemes gone wrong, there’s only one match she’s committed to now–the one that will make her a mother. Lauren is a dedicated first-grade teacher in Idaho, and her love for children has led her to the path of international adoption. To satisfy her adoption agency’s requirements, she gladly agreed to remain single for the foreseeable future; however, just as her long wait comes to an end, Lauren is blindsided by a complication she never saw coming: Joshua Avery.

Joshua may be a substitute teacher by day, but Lauren finds his passion for creating educational technology as fascinating as his antics in the classroom. Though she does her best to downplay the undeniable connection between them, his relentless pursuit of her heart puts her commitment to stay unattached to the test and causes her once-firm conviction to waver.

With an impossible decision looming, Lauren might very well find herself choosing between the two deepest desires of her heart . . . even if saying yes to one means letting go of the other.

Find Before I Called You Mine online at:

Amazon | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Kobo | Koorong

And don’t forget to click here to check out my Amazon shop for my top picks in Christian fiction!

16 March 2020

Book Review | The Duke’s Refuge (Leeward Island #1) by Lorri Dudley

I’m a big fan of Regency romance, especially Christian Regency romance.

I’m also a big fan of Christian fiction with international settings. So I was definitely intrigued by the setting of The Duke’s Refuge—the Caribbean island of Nevis.

The setting is beautiful, and the author does an excellent job of bringing it to life, from the beautiful sandy beaches to the tropical storms, from the sugar plantations to the horrors of slavery. (The United Kingdom outlawed the slave trade in 1807, and finally outlawed slavery in 1833.)

There is also the duke of the title.

I’m not sure if his identity is meant to remain a secret—I worked it out pretty early on, although I could see why none of the characters made the connection (calling the novel “The Duke’s Refuge” makes it pretty obvious there is going to be a duke in there somewhere, and that he’s hiding or seeking refuge). So I was sympathetic towards the duke and his problems.

I was less sympathetic towards Georgia, the heroine.

There’s an old English nursery rhyme I learned as a child:

There was a little girl who had a little curl

Right in the middle of her forehead

When she was good, she was very, very good

But when she was bad, she was horrid.

That kind of sums up what I thought of Georgia. Her character flip-flopped a lot. There were times when I really liked her, and times when I liked her a lot less. I could sympathise with Harrison, who had the same reaction. As such, it took a while before I bought into her as a character.

There were a few historical glitches.

I don’t believe there was “new money” coming from America to England in 1814. After all, it’s just two years after the War of 1812, where England attempted to regain control of America. And while it was expected that the Prince Regent would become George IV, that event didn’t occur until his father (George III) died. He was the Prince Regent, then George IV, not the two at the same time. (Equally, Prince Charles is currently the Prince of Wales, and will give up that title when his mother dies and he becomes Charles III). I found it odd that errors like this slipped in when the author made a point of discussing the historical validity of Georgia’s clothing choices (an interesting factoid!).

I also wasn’t a fan of the flashbacks—they were a heavy-handed way of sharing the characters’ personal histories. A little more subtlety would have improved the flow, especially in the first half.

Yes, this was one of those novels where I struggled through the first half.

But I found the second half moved a lot faster, and was a lot more enjoyable. This was mainly because Georgia flip-flopped less as she came to know God and herself better.

There were some strong and solid Christian messages in The Duke’s Refuge, and the faith element was a definite strength. I’m sure this will appeal to fans of Christian Regency romance from authors like Carolyn Miller.

Thanks to Wild Heart Press for providing a free ebook for review.

About Lorri Dudley

“Why I write…
I believe readers should be led on a heart journey. Romance should allow for an escape from everyday life. It should also lead us to a better understanding of the human condition and how God views us. I believe readers, like the heroines and heroes of stories, are not static creatures and can discover different aspects of themselves through empathizing with characters’ comical mishaps and dramatic misunderstandings. I believe romance novels can depict a fallible human heart that can be made whole again by a merciful creator and remind us of the hope for the same.”

Lorri Dudley has been a finalist in numerous writing contests and has a master’s degree in Psychology. She lives in Ashland, Massachusetts with her husband and three teenage sons, where writing romance allows her an escape from her testosterone-filled household.

Find Lorri Dudley online at:

Website | Goodreads

About The Duke’s Refuge

When love comes in a tempest, who knew it would wear pink?

Georgia Lennox has traded in her boyish ways for pink gowns and a coy smile to capture the eye of the Earl of Claremont. However, on the day she’s convinced the earl will propose, Georgia is shipped off to the Leeward Islands to care for her ailing father. But when she arrives on Nevis, the last thing she expects is to learn that her abrupt departure was not at her father’s bidding but that of the infuriating, yet captivating, island schoolmaster. And now her plans may well be shipwrecked.

Harrison Wells is haunted by the memories of his deceased wife and hunted by the subsequent women who aspire to be the next Duchess of Linton. Desiring anonymity, he finds sanctuary in the Leeward island of Nevis. He’s willing to sacrifice his ducal title for a schoolmaster’s life and the solace the island provides. That is until unrest finds its way to Nevis in a storm of pink chiffon—Miss Georgia Lennox.

As Georgia and Harrison’s aspirations break apart like a ship cast upon the rocks, a new love surfaces, but secrets and circumstances drag them into rough waters. Can they surrender their hearts to a love that defies their expectations?

Find The Duke’s Refuge online at:

Amazon | Apple | Barnes & Noble | Kobo