Tag: Christian Romantic Suspense

First Line Friday

First Line Friday #348 | Imminent Danger by Tara Grace Ericson

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. I’m reading Imminent Danger, a romantic suspense novel by Tara Grace Ericson. I used to read a lot of romantic suspense, but this is the first I’ve read in a while.

Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

 

What’s the book nearest you, and what’s the first line?

Kaylie was always afraid, but she'd never quit running.

About Imminent Danger

He’s desperate to protect this single mom and her daughter, but what if he’s putting them at an even bigger risk?

Kaylie Richards will do anything to protect and provide for her daughter. Which is why she works herself to the bone cleaning houses during the day and writing late into the evening. She doesn’t know anything about the mysterious single man she cleans for. But it wouldn’t matter, anyway. He’s just another client and she can’t afford anyone getting too close.

Anthony (Tank) Olson knows he’s not a warm and cuddly guy. Most people steer clear when they see him. So when Kaylie and her adorable toddler crash into his orbit, Tank keeps expecting them to run. Instead, he finds himself wrapped around the little girl’s finger and longing to win the approval of her mother.

When Kaylie’s past finds her, she runs to the only place she can think of–the safety of a giant of a man she knows instinctively can protect her family.

Tank steps in without a second thought, but will the dangers of his own work bring more risk to the ladies who have quickly taken up residence in his heart?

Find Imminent Danger online at:

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Share your first line in the comments, and happy reading!

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She’d done all the right things. Gone to church, studied His word, prayed ... everything.

Book Review | Mountain Abduction Rescue by Darlene L Turner

Mountain Abduction Rescue starts with a bang and the pace doesn’t let up until the last page. Park warden Hazel Hoyt is a solo mother working in Micmore National Park, Alberta, on the trail of a serial arsonist while her son is camping in the park with his scout troop.

She encounters the arsonist, and discovers he knows her family—her father is the regional park supervisor. She also encounters Mitchell Booth, her best friend’s older brother and first crush.

Sibling’s best friend is of my favourite romance tropes, so that’s a win!

Mitchell has recently returned to the area and now leads the local fire crew. He rescues Hazel, helps her find her son’s scout troop, and stands up for her when her father arrives. Now it’s a race to find her son before the firebug does.

Maybe I’m a little slow, but I was surprised when the missing children turned out to have been abducted. The title should have been a big fat hint that the story was going to feature and abduction and a rescue in the mountains. The thought of missing children providing a fair dose of tension. Adding in an abduction ramped that up and kept me reading.

I liked the fact the novel had a clear spiritual thread.

I understand some people read Christian fiction because they don’t want to read books full of sex and violence, but I think there should be something more in a Christian novel. As such, I loved the reminder that God loves us in spite of our doubts. (Given what we see of Hazel’s father, it’s no surprise she has doubts and believes she’s not good enough for God.)

As with all Love Inspired Suspense, Mountain Abduction Rescue was a short Christian romantic suspense read (again, the clue is in the series name). This made it a quick read, as there was nothing to distract the characters (or the reader) from the central suspense plot. Love Inspired novels might not have the depth of plot or characterisation of longer novels, but they consistently deliver fast-paced low-angst romantic suspense with a strong faith arc.

Mountain Abduction Rescue by Darlene L Turner delivers a fast-paced romantic supsense novel featuring the sibling's best friend trope. #ChristianRomance #BookReview Share on X

That’s exactly what this reader is looking for, and Darlene L Turner delivers.

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

About Darlene L Turner

Darlene L TurnerDarlene 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:

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About Mountain Abduction Rescue

 

A wildfire threat…

becomes a missing person search.

A serial arsonist is out for revenge in the Canadian Rocky Mountains—and kidnaps park warden Hazel Hoyt’s son and his camping troop. Now Hazel must team up with the man who broke her heart, firefighter Mitchell Booth, to find the missing boys as wildfires blaze around them. But someone has no intention of letting the pair get off the mountain alive…

Find Mountain Abduction Rescue online at:

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

Love at first sight was never on my radar because I only thought it to be a result of a lack of impulse control.

Book Review | No Matter What by Jennifer Carr

Those of you who regularly read my reviews know I rarely gush about the books I’ve read. I suspect that’s partly because I read so mush fiction: it takes a lot to come up with a concept or content I find gushable (that’s a word, right?)

No Matter What by Jennifer Carr has got me gushing.

The main character, Jess, has a gift: she can read the emotions of others with remarkable accuracy. It’s never explained if this is a well-honed sense of empathy or whether it’s some kind of supernatural gift, and it doesn’t matter.  It’s a fascinating concept, and one I can’t remember reading before (which is always a great start).

It’s not perfect. The cover is underwhelming, I’m not a fan of whine or growl to describe the way characters speak, and there were aspects to the plot which broke all the “rules”. It also involves something close to the “love at first sight” trope, which is not one I usually enjoy.

Having said that (and without wanting to give any spoilers), part of what kept me engaged was the unexpected—the aspects which broke all the rules.

Jess is a fascinating character.

Her “gift” is even more pronounced when she touches people, so she likes to keep physical contact to a minimum. As a result, she’s never had a proper boyfriend … something her roommate, Stacy, wants to change. She’s  intelligent—as the story opens, she’s teaching college-level psychology and about to defend her PhD thesis.

The novel is written in first person, mostly from Jess’s point of view.

I think this is a definite strength, although I know some readers struggle with first person. I love it, because it allows the reader to get inside the character’s head. With Jess, this means we get first-hand insight into her gift as she meets and reacts to new people.

This gift and the compelling yet believable way it is portrayed dragged me straight into the plot and didn’t let go. I was totally on board with the instant attraction between Jess and Bryan, even when I realised Jess wasn’t a Christian and the two were therefore unequally yoked.

However, that paved the way for something I’d love to see more of in Christian fiction—a believable come-to-Jesus conversion scene for an adult main character. Yes, I know they’re hard to write, so I do love it when an author achieves the almost-impossible and brings a Christian and a non-Christian together in a way that rings true.

I thought I had a perfect plan for my life, and now I was hearing that God actually had a better plan than the one I’d concocted.

I also loved the fact that Jess was clearly then discipled as a Christian by her pastor’s wife. No, we didn’t see this on the page (this is romantic suspense fiction, not how-to-disciple-a-new-believer nonfiction), but it was clearly part of her character journey.

And at the end, that’s what No Matter What was about. Yes, there are suspense elements and there are some puzzles to solve, but that’s not the core of the story. The core of the story is about character change: how the author shows characters change as they come to know Jesus, with the unwritten implication that He can do the same for us.

Because He loves us. No matter what.

And, despite what some might see as many faults, that’s why I’m left gushing about No Matter What.

Thanks to Jennifer Carr for providing a free ebook for review.

About Jennifer Carr

Jennifer CarrHaving always enjoyed books, writing, and daydreaming, Jennifer wanted to know what it would feel like to combine the three and write a book. Once she started writing, everything changed. Within a matter of months she had multiple projects started and found a love for writing in a way she never knew was possible. Married to her childhood best friend and the mom of a creative daughter, Jennifer enjoys baking, reading romance novels, and living the quiet life on a farm in Alabama.

Find Jennifer Carr online at:

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About No Matter What

Bryan Carsen, a member of the United States Cyber Force, and Jess Hayley, a brilliant profiler with a unique set of skills, are about to set off to live a life they never knew they ever wanted. Two complete strangers, Bryan and Jess find themselves on a roadtrip rescue mission to save a best friend, finding love on the way. But instead of a happily ever after, Bryan stumbles upon a covert hacking operation inside his unit that upends the future he had planned.

When Jess finds herself the recipient of a mysterious box of evidence related to Bryan’s investigation she knows everything she holds dear is about to be threatened. Jess turns to the only person she knows she can trust, but can she trust that her heart won’t become the next casualty?

Find No Matter What online at:

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There is evil in the world, and sometimes what protects pacifists are soldiers willing to meet that violence with equal violence.

Book Review | Honor Bound by Hallee Bridgeman

Captain Rick Norton is leading his team an unspecified mission in the fictional Katangela, Africa, when two of his team are injured and need immediate medical attention. Doctor Cynthia Myers runs an obstetrics clinic in a remote village in Katangela, and travels to other villages as well. But her life, as well of the lives of those around her, are in danger after she fails to save the life of the son of the local warlord. Rick arrives with his team in time to chase off the warlords.

Rick and Cynthia didn’t hit it off immediately.

In fact, the opposite was almost true, with each seeing the other as closed-minded (perhaps in the same was as Elizabeth and Mr Darcy didn’t immediately hit it off with each other). Rick is gun-happy American Army, while Cynthia is a politician’s daughter who prefers to look for a peaceful solution.

I’d like to be able to say the story ended with them both finding the strengths in each other’s views, but it felt more like Rick rode roughshod over Cynthia until she agreed with him. Okay, so she shouldn’t have given him the “Army or me” ultimatum either, so there were faults on both sides.

I found the writing itself slipped into telling a little too often for my tastes, and it wasn’t always clear (for example, I initially thought the introduction showed Rick’s men attacking the village under gunfire, not local warlords). I also didn’t enjoy the casual racism or sexism, which none of the characters called out. This made me wonder if they didn’t notice, or didn’t care. Either way, I was left wondering if the characters held the same views.

That didn’t endear me to the characters.

I think my main problem was that the story focused more on the politics and the action than on the relationship to the point where I wasn’t entirely convinced by the relationship between Rick and Cynthia. Yes, I believe they fell for each other, but there’s enough of an element of Stockholm Syndrome that I’m not convinced it will last … and that’s not a good way to end a romance, especially not in the Christian market.

This is the first book in the Love & Honor series. Fans of fast-paced suspense from authors like Ronie Kendig will enjoy Honor Bound.

Thanks to Revell and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

About Hallee Bridgman

Hallee BridgmanHallee Bridgeman is the award winning and USA TODAY bestselling author of several action-packed romantic suspense books and series. An Army brat turned Floridian, Hallee settled with her husband in central Kentucky, where they have raised their three children. When she’s not writing, Hallee pursues her passion for cooking, coffee, campy action movies, and regular date nights with her husband. Above all else, she loves God with all of her heart, soul, mind, and strength; has been redeemed by the blood of Christ; and relies on the presence of the Holy Spirit to guide her.

Find Hallee Bridgman online at:

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About Honor Bound

It may seem odd to seek peace by moving to a war-torn African country, but for medical missionary Dr. Cynthia Myers, it provided a way to escape a shallow life of unearned wealth, a philandering fiancé, and a father now square in the public eye as vice president of the United States. At least here she knows her work and life have meaning. But all that is thrown into chaos when she fails to save the life of a local warlord’s mortally wounded son.

As part of the Army Special Forces “A-Team” on a mission to capture and subdue the warlord, Captain Rick Norton is compelled to use deadly force to save Cynthia’s life. Enraged at the violence she witnessed and riddled with guilt that men died because of her, Cynthia tries to hold on to her anger–but an unwanted attraction is taking hold.

With two members of his team badly injured and rebels in hot pursuit, Rick will have to draw upon all his strength and cunning to get her out alive . . . because he’s beginning to think they just might overcome their differences and be able to make a life together.

Find Honor Bound online at:

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Read the introduction to Honor Bound below:

First Line Friday

First Line Friday | Week #254 | Explosive Christmas Showdown by Darlene L Turner

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. Today I’m sharing from Explosive Christmas Showdown by Darlene L Turner, a Canadian Christian romantic suspense author (It’s too early for Christmas stories. I know, yet here we are).

Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

Someone in your office will die today.

What’s the book nearest you, and what’s the first line?

About Explosive Christmas Showdown

A bomber brings terror to Christmas

as the presents go tick…tick…boom.

With criminal investigative analyst Olive Wells at the center of a bomber’s dangerous game, she’ll do anything to catch the culprit—even work with her ex-fiancé and his K-9 detector dog. But with the Christmas rampage drawing ever closer, Zac Turner’s convinced the attacks are personal. Can they piece together their ties to the bomber…before another gift explodes?

You can find Explosive Christmas Showdown online at:

Amazon | BookBub | ChristianBook | Goodreads

Click here to check out what my fabulous fellow FirstLineFriday bloggers are sharing today.

And you can click here to check out my previous FirstLineFriday posts.

Share your first line in the comments, and happy reading!

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

Book Review | Critical Alliance by Elizabeth Goddard

Mackenzie Hanson is on a date when she sees a face from her secret past—Julian Abel.

Julian is then hit by a car and she finds a business card in her pocket … a message from Julian which sends her home to Montana in time to find her brother dead in his home. There she meets her sister, now the CEO of the family IT business, and Alex Knight, who she met three years ago when she was approached then rejected for a role in a secret three-letter agency.

Yes, it’s a fast-paced start with a lot of characters introduced and a lot of complex information shared very quickly. This did make it difficult to follow the plot at first … although perhaps that’s to be expected with a romantic suspense story about cybercrime.

Critical Alliance was an odd mix of too much information and not enough.

There were scenes that seemed to speed past and I was left feeling as though valuable information was missing. There were other scenes where things were spelled out that didn’t need to be (e.g. I think most suspense readers know what Interpol is).

Once I got into the cybercrime element of the plot (and had worked out who all the characters were), the plot did start to make sense. The suspense element was fast-paced and compelling, with enough real-world relevance to make it just a little scary.

The faith element was good—not so much as to be preachy, but written so it felt integrated into the characters (sometimes the Christian elements can feel tacked on, and sometimes they’re so subtle as to feel almost invisible). Critical Alliance struck this balance well.

The romance aspect was also well done. The novel takes place over a very short timeframe (days), and I’ve never been a fan of instalust in Christian fiction, so I appreciated the fact Mackenzie and Alex had previously met, even it they hadn’t spent much time together. It made their attraction feel a little more reasonable.

Critical Alliance is the third and final book in the Rocky Mountain Courage series.

That explains why I thought it introduced too many characters too quickly – they were probably characters from the previous books in the series, which I would have known if I’d read one or both of Present Danger or Deadly Target.

Critical Alliance by @BethGoddard is a solid Christian romantic suspense, but I do recommend reading the rest of the series first. #BookReview Share on X

Overall, Critical Alliance is a solid Christian romantic suspense, but is probably best read as part of the series.

Thanks to Revell and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

About Elizabeth Goddard

With over a million books sold, Elizabeth Goddard is the USA Today bestselling, award-winning author of over fifty novels and counting, including the romantic mystery, THE CAMERA NEVER LIES–a 2011 Carol Award winner. Four of her six Mountain Cove books have been contest finalists. Buried, Backfire and Deception are finalists in the Daphne Du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery and Suspense, and Submerged is a Carol Award finalist. A 7th generation Texan, Elizabeth graduated from North Texas State University with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and worked in high-level software sales for several years before retiring to fulfill her dreams of writing full-time.

Find Elizabeth Goddard online at:

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About Critical Alliance

Mackenzie Hanson’s special set of skills opened the door to a successful career as a professor of cybersecurity at a Michigan university, allowing her to put her criminal past behind her. But when a long-ago partner in crime delivers a cryptic message about her father’s tech company being under cyberattack, she heads for Montana to secure exposed assets, close security breaches, and hopefully save lives.

Diplomatic Security Services special agent Alex Knight is back home in Montana to decompress from a mission gone wrong. But even as he’s trying to relax, he’s drawn into another mystery, complete with suspicious deaths, lethal threats, and whispers of espionage that all have one thing in common–a beautiful cybersecurity expert with a dark past.

When the situation turns deadly, Alex and Mackenzie will have to work together to find the answers they need–before someone silences Mackenzie for good.

You can find Told You So online at:

Amazon | BookBub | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong

Read the introduction to Critical Alliance below:

Faith is stepping forward without knowing the destination.

Book Review | Sunburst (Sky King Ranch #2) by Susan May Warren

It’s been a while since I’ve read one of Susan May Warren’s romantic suspense novels, even though it’s how I first discovered her writing. I’d forgotten how much I enjoy them,

A good portion of the novel takes place in Nigeria.

I enjoyed the opportunity to experience the country and the culture through the eyes of Noemi Sutton. Noemi is the only daughter of a Nigerian princess and a US Navy SEAL who teaches English as a second language. She is working in Nigeria when she and her companions are kidnapped and held prisoner.

Ranger Kingston, a navy SEAL from Alaska, first meets Noemi in Key West where he’s training and she’s on holiday. They meet again after Noemi is one of a group kidnapped in Nigeria. One of the other captives is Colt, Ranger’s brother, who was providing security as they travelled.

They are rescued by a team which includes Ranger, but Ranger and Noemi are separated from the rest of the rescue party while trying to locate Blessing, a young girl who was captured with them. Ranger is injured during their escape, so Noemi does the only thing she can thing of—she takes him to her uncle’s compound in the south of the country. Unfortunately, the only way to get there alive is to pretend that she and Ranger are married.

I’ve always enjoyed a good marriage of convenience story.

I’ve read a lot of good historical novels with this plotline (mail order brides spring to mind), but rarely come across a compelling setup for a contemporary.

Sunburst does this, and does it well. Noemi’s uncle insists on hosting a traditional Nigerian wedding, and it was fun to read about all the traditions and preparation. The seamless introduction of different aspects of Nigerian culture elevated Sunburst above most other romantic suspense novels.

The humour in their situation also helped balance the suspense.

And there was plenty of suspense. While Noemi is attracted to Ranger—and he seems to be attracted to her—she’s convinced their relationship won’t last. She’s also convinced that the events leading up to her kidnapping could put Ranger and his family in danger, so she’ll have to leave for both their sakes …

Sunburst by Susan May Warren is a solid Christian romantic suspense whose Nigerian location and heroine elevate the novel above the ordinary @SusanMayWarren #ChristianFiction Share on X

Overall, Sunburst is a solid Christian romantic suspense novel with a Nigerian location and heroine that elevates the novel above others in the genre. Recommended for fans of romantic suspense, especially those who like different settings.

Sunburst is the second book in the Sky King Ranch series, following Sunrise. The third book, Sundown, is due out later this year. Sunburst did a good job of setting up the final story, so I’ll look forward to reading it.

Thanks to Revell and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

About Sunburst

When former Navy SEAL and lifelong bachelor Ranger Kingston is called upon to take part in a rescue mission to save his brother Colt, who has been kidnapped by terrorists in Nigeria, he is shocked to find among the hostages a woman he knows and could never forget.

Noemi Sutton was attempting to return a young girl to her family in Boko Haram territory when she and the girl found themselves taken hostage, along with several others.

And while Ranger Kingston may be able to get the hostages away from their captors, he’ll need Noemi’s help if he ever hopes to get out of Nigeria alive.

Her solution? Pose as husband and wife. But when her uncle discovers the union, he insists on a traditional Nigerian wedding–binding Noemi to a man destined to break her heart. Worse, she’s discovered the real reason she was kidnapped, and anyone around her is bound to be caught in the cross fire. Including her so-called new husband.

She’ll need to figure out a way to leave the man she loves if she wants to save his life.

Find Sunburst online at:

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About Susan May Warren

Susan May WarrenSusan May Warren is the USA Today bestselling author of nearly 90 novels with more than 1.5 million books sold, including the Global Search and Rescue and the Montana Rescue series, as well as Sunrise and Sunburst. Winner of a RITA Award and multiple Christy and Carol Awards, as well as the HOLT Medallion and numerous Readers’ Choice Awards, Susan makes her home in Minnesota.

Find Susan May Warren online at:

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

"God is teaching me a valuable lesson ... I need to rely on Him more."

Book Review | Lethal Cover-Up by Darlene L Turner

Canada Border Services Agency border patrol officer Madison Steele was adopted as a child, and has recently reconnected with her birth sister … when her sister is murdered. And the murder appears to be tied up with smuggling and dodgy pharmaceuticals. Police constable Tucker Reed is in charge of the investigation, which means he’s working with Madison, the girl who dumped him in high school when he became a Christian.

The novel started with a bang, and the setup was excellent. Madison is still antagonistic towards Christianity, so that meant the novel was going to have an interesting faith arc (and it did, which is always a bonus). However, I didn’t think we needed the added complication of Tucker’s medical diagnosis, and it would be great to read a suspense novel which didn’t involve dirty cops.

While the writing didn’t always shine, the suspense was solid, with plenty of puzzles to work out around the rumours of medical misdoings and dodgy drugs. The pace was fast, and the novel was an easy read with a satisfying ending.

Lethal Cover-Up by Darlene L Turner is solid romantic suspense, with plenty of puzzles around medical misdoings and dodgy drugs. #BookReview #ChristianFiction Share on X

I didn’t enjoy this as much as I enjoyed her previous two novels, Border Breach and Abducted in Alaska, but it was still a solid romantic suspense novel, and I will look forward to next novel.

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

About Darlene L Turner

Darlene L TurnerDarlene 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 Lethal Cover-Up

Some secrets are dangerous…

But uncovering the truth could be deadly.

Border patrol officer Madison Steele knows her sister Leah’s fatal car crash was no accident. Someone’s willing to kill to cover up a pharmaceutical company’s deadly crime of distributing tainted drugs. Now they are after Madison to tie off loose ends. But with her high school sweetheart, Canadian police constable Tucker Reed, at her side, can Madison expose the company’s deadly plan before she becomes the next victim?

Find Lethal Cover-Up online at:

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

If it wasn’t gunmen out to get them, it was Mother Nature. They couldn’t catch a break.  

Book Review | Abducted in Alaska by Darlene L Turner

Hannah Morgan is a border patrol officer with the Canadian Services Border Agency in Yukon. She’s on patrol when a small boy appears in the snow … followed rapidly by a man with a gun. She soon discovers the boy has escaped from a gang kidnapping children as child labor.

Layke Jackson is a police officer on loan from Alberta. He volunteered to investigate child labor smuggling, but the investigation becomes personal when he discovers his half-brother’s son is one of the kidnapped children.

Abducted in Alaska starts with a literal bang, and the pace doesn’t let up.

Hannah, Layke, and small Gabe try to evade the kidnappers, but the gunmen keep finding them. It became obvious early on that there was a leak in law enforcement. Unfortunately, I picked this up a long time before Hannah or Layke worked it out. While I like working out who-dun-it before the big reveal, I also like the law enforcement professionals to pick up clues faster than I do.

Abducted in Alaska is from Love Inspired Suspense, which means that as well as the snow-filled Alaskan setting, it has a developing romance (nicely done) and a strong faith element.

Hannah is a Christian who thanks God whenever something good happens, and prays when she needs help (two excellent habits for all of us to seek to emulate!). Layke is not a Christian, but is challenged by Hannah and Gabe’s faith. Overall, Abducted in Alaska is a solid romantic suspense with plenty of emphasis on the suspense and action.

An enjoyable read for romantic suspense fans.

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

About Darlene L Turner

Darlene L TurnerDarlene 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 Abducted in Alaska

Protecting a child…

could cost them their lives.

Saving a boy who has escaped his captors puts Canadian border patrol officer Hannah Morgan right into the path of a ruthless child-smuggling ring. Now with help from police constable Layke Jackson, she must keep the child safe. But can they rescue the other abducted children and bring down the gang…all while protecting a little boy and keeping themselves alive?

Find Abducted in Alaska online at:

Amazon | BookBub | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong

How could he choose between his mother's life and a cause that was so close to both their hearts?

Book Review | Shatter the Silence (Harmony Grove #2) by Carol J Post

Domestic violence survivor Tia Jordan runs a women’s shelter in the small town of Harmony Grove, Florida. Everything is going well, especially when she receives the welcome news that her shelter has inherited a property from a local woman—a house that will allow Tia to expand the shelter and protect more women and children.

But this is romantic suspense, so we know things are going to turn to custard soon. First, Tia gets a call from a parole officer to say her abusive ex-husband has been granted early release from prison. Then she meets the dead woman’s grandson, who is none too impressed that he has only inherited the contents of the house, not the house itself. Finally, there is an incident after one of the shelter’s residents accidentally lets slip where she is staying, and her violent ex turns up.

That gives us plenty of potential evildoers.

The different characters (good and bad) and their conflicts added layers to the plot and gave plenty of opportunity for twists. I appreciated the complexity—my complaint about the first novel in the Harmony Grove series (Flee the Darkness) was that it was pretty obvious who the evildoer was, which meant the romantic suspense was mostly about waiting for the inevitable to happen, with little or no surprise.

Shatter the Silence was almost the opposite. While there is an understated romance, the suspense definitely took first place. And that made sense. Tia is an intelligent and capable woman, and I would have thought less of her if she’d made a silly mistake like falling too fast for the first handsome man who looked her way. As a survivor, she needed to give Jason time to prove himself, and she did.

I liked the fact the novel looked at the real-life issue of domestic violence, and how easy it can be for women (and men) to find themselves in an abusive or violent situation.

The other thing I liked was the Christian aspect.

Both Tia and Jason were Christians from the beginning, and their faith was shown by their actions in a range of low-key ways. Overall, Shatter the Silence was an excellent Christian romantic suspense novel with wounded yet believable characters and plenty of twists.

Shatter the Silence by Carol J Post is an excellent Christian romantic suspense novel with wounded yet believable characters and plenty of twists. #BookReview #ChristianFiction Share on X

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

About Carol J Post

Carol J PostFrom medical secretary to court reporter to property manager to owner of a special events decorating company, Carol’s resume reads as if she doesn’t know what she wants to be when she grows up. But one thing that has remained constant through the years is her love for writing. She currently pens fun and fast-paced inspirational romance and romantic suspense stories. Her books have been nominated for a RITA® award and an RT Reviewers’ Choice Best Book Award.

Carol lives in sunshiny Central Florida with her husband, who is her own real-life hero, and writes her stories under the shade of the huge oaks in her yard. Besides writing, she works alongside her music minister husband singing and playing the piano. She enjoys sailing, hiking, camping—almost anything outdoors. Her two grown daughters and grandkids live too far away for her liking, so she now pours all that nurturing into taking care of a fat and sassy black cat and a highly spoiled dachshund.

You can find Carol J Post online at:

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About Shattered Silence

The hidden wounds bleed the worst…

Tia Jordan almost died at the hands of an abusive, cruel husband and carries the scars, both inside and out. She is using those experiences to help other women and children find solace. Right now, her abused women’s shelter is bursting at the seams. When she learns she’s heir to a huge two-story house outside of town, she thanks God for unexpected blessings, until a grandson shows up with another will, threatening to contest hers.

For the past several months, Jason Sloan has kept his nose to the grindstone, watching his mother’s cancer treatments dwindle away his savings. When he learns the inheritance he counted on has been left to Tia and her shelter, he’s torn. With his mother and him having been forced to flee an abusive situation themselves, Tia’s cause hits too close to home. All disagreements take a back seat, though, when he and Tia find themselves working together to fight an unseen foe. But which one of them is the target?

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Read the introduction to Shatter the Silence below: