TITLE:  Murder is No Accident (Hidden Springs Mystery #3)
AUTHOR:  A.H. Gabhart
DATE:  2017
PUBLISHER: Revell
STARS:  ****

Young Maggie Greene may be trespassing in the old, empty Victorian mansion on a quiet street in Hidden Springs, but all she wants is some private time in the magnificent tower room to write her stories. Certain she'll be in trouble if caught, she hides when a realtor shows up. But someone else is in the house too, someone even more worried about getting caught. When Maggie finds the realtor's body at the bottom of a flight of stairs and the other person gone, Deputy Sheriff Michael Keane is called in. He assumes the realtor's death is a tragic accident--until a second person is found dead in the house. When Maggie is threatened, Michael must catch the murderer before anyone else dies.

Even though this is the third installment featuring the small town of Hidden Springs and its Deputy Sheriff Michael Keene, the real star of Murder is No Accident is Maggie Greene. She’s the one who hears the first death. She gets the threatening phone call. She has to protect her little brother. So while Michael eases into the mystery, Maggie is at its epicenter.

I have read all three of Ms. Gabhart’s Hidden Springs mysteries, and this is the most suspenseful by far, due to the involvement of fifteen-year-old Maggie. She is a worthy heroine, trying to do the right thing but unsure exactly what that means—especially when her young brother is threatened. Her budding relationship with Anthony felt realistic and added sweetness to the story.

As in the other two books, secondary characters add a lot of color to the town and its stories. As far as a faith element, there was very little, but the story does have a Christian worldview. One thing I wished for in this series was a good description of Michael Keene. He is described as “handsome,” but after reading three books about him, I still cannot picture him. Maybe I missed that part.
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Murder is No Accident is a good read, one I could recommend to any age, and it earns four stars. I was given a copy of this book by the publisher. All opinions are my own.

TITLE:  Honeysuckle Cove Secrets
AUTHOR:  Mary Manners
DATE:  2017
PUBLISHER: Sweet Dreams Publication
STARS:  ****

Peyton Foster harbors a secret…from the day he first stepped into her life she’s loved Luke Maddox. Though she thought they’d developed a lasting friendship, events surrounding her mother’s death chased him away. It’s all for the best, since Peyton’s passion as proprietor of A Whisper in Time proves the perfect complement to her shyness—a much better fit than her former misguided schoolgirl attraction to Luke.

Luke Maddox feels a connection with Peyton Foster from the first moment their paths cross. But when he settles in Honeysuckle Cove, a past riddled by years traversing the foster care system leaves him longing to fit in, leading him to take part in a foolish school dare that costs him Peyton’s friendship. Haunted by the mistake, he searches for a way to mend the past and find a way back to Peyton’s heart. When a break-in at A Whisper in Time causes their paths to once again cross, Luke must make a choice—bare his heart and face the consequences, or allow the only woman he’s ever loved to slip away.

Honeysuckle Cove Secrets is a short story at a little more than fourteen thousand words. For such a brief story, Honeysuckle Cove Secrets includes all the necessary elements, including a great opening scene. The mystery of who would break into Peyton’s store and the reason why foreshadows another secret to be revealed, and that impressed me.

Even without an overt faith element, this is a sweet romance, a pleasant way to spend an hour or two in Honeysuckle Cove. As such, it earns four stars. Disclaimer: I received a copy of this story as a gift, and all opinions are my own.

TITLE:  Words of Grace: A Coloring Book Devotional
AUTHOR:  Jacqui Grace, Dee Arrand
DATE:  2016
PUBLISHER: Bethany House
STARS:  ***1/2

God's Word wasn't meant to be dry and stale, but sometimes we rush through devotions on our way to something else. Bring new energy to your time in God's Word by incorporating beauty and creativity! This coloring book devotional will help you focus your attention and calm your soul. 

The theme of grace is front and center in this exciting new travel-sized coloring book from Jacqui Grace. Each page includes Scripture, brief devotional thoughts, and images to color. 

As a gentle tonic for the busyness and complexity of your life, let this book inspire you creatively while it reconnects you with the God who created you and knows your every need.

When offered a copy of this book, I gladly accepted and then anxiously checked my mailbox for its arrival. When it did, I was surprised at the small size, but then I realized it was the perfect size to take along on errands, etc.

So I bought some fine-tipped markers and eagerly began coloring. I’d tried colored pencils on another project, and the pressure required caused cramping in my arthritic hands, but the markers made coloring fun. Color eased from the tip onto the picture, and I began to realize why so many enjoy adult coloring books.

However, there are two major problems with the optimistic goal of this little book. First, unless one colors rapidly, doing one page per daily devotional is not realistic. My first coloring page required four days of spare time. But I figured that was okay; I could take my time and meditate on the simple thoughts presented for whatever time it took. Then I turned the page—and couldn’t read it, because the marker ink flowed right through, even marking the third. Big disappointment. I did try colored pencils, but as before, the pressure needed to create a smooth appearance created cramps in my hand.

Better, thicker paper would have made a big difference. As it is, I could only skim the sweet devotions all at once and then enjoy coloring the designs with markers, using a spare paper so the ink does not mar the following picture. The pictures to color are great, and I love meditating on each verse. But this book cannot be used as promoted. For this reason, I can only award Words of Grace three stars and a half stars.
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Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

TITLE:  Write Me Home (Home In You #1)
AUTHOR:  Crystal Walton
DATE:  2016
PUBLISHER: Impact Editions, LLC
STARS:  ****
He lives by his heart. She lives by her plans. Until they lose control of both. 

Returning to his hometown in the Catskills is the last thing firefighter Ethan DeLuca’s ready for. He’d rather leave memories where they belong—buried under ashes. But if he doesn’t step up to take care of Nonna, who will? Working at the camp down the road seems like the perfect solution. Until his feisty redheaded boss ends up being one fire he has no idea how to put out. 

Cassidy McAdams is on a mission. Get the camp Grandpa left her ready to sell, turn enough profit to bail Mom’s business out of foreclosure, and hightail it back to her life in New York City. With unexpected complications mounting, she can’t afford any distractions. Especially a ridiculously charming one who’s eager to rescue her at every turn. 

It’d be easier on them both to hide behind professional boundaries. But when unexplained attacks on the camp ignite a connection between them they can’t ignore, running away is no longer an option. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this story. Two damaged people—several, actually—a last-ditch effort to fix an inherited campground, and sparks flying between the reclusive firefighter and the fiery redhead make a heartwarming tale. Add in some mysterious vandalism, and the pages fly. The song that gives this book its title touched my soul; I’d love to hear it put to music.

Ethan and Cassidy’s secrets keep their dance toward romance a one-step-forward, two-steps-back number until a common goal, to bring the campground back to its former glory, creates a semblance of unison. Secrets revealed, however, could burn them both.

Redemption stories are my favorite, and Write Me Home is a great example. For that reason, I award this novel four stars. Recommended. I was given a copy of this book by the publisher.

TITLE:  Dance Over Me
AUTHOR:  Candee Fick
DATE:  2016
PUBLISHER: Bling! Romance
STARS:  *****

Danielle Lefontaine, a fledgling actress raised to the lullaby of Broadway, searches for her long-lost brother and her place on the stage, but a jealous cast member and numerous fruitless leads threaten to drop the curtain on her dreams and shine a spotlight on her longing for a place to belong. 

Meanwhile, Alex Sheridan is living his dream except for someone to share it with. When Dani dances into his life, he hopes he’s found the missing piece to his heart but fears the bright lights of the stage could steal her away. Will the rhythm of dancing feet usher in their deepest desires or leave them stranded in the wings? 

This book waited patiently on my To Be Read pile for some time, and when I needed a light-hearted escape, Dance Over Me turned out to be the perfect diversion. The story certainly contained plenty of drama, but the author’s deft touch created a wonderful mix of romance, mystery, and humor. Even without a background knowledge of dance terminology, I was carried along on the story’s delightful journey to a satisfying end.
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I was given a copy of this book by the publisher, and I’m thankful for the opportunity. Dance Over Me earns five stars. Recommended!