TITLE:  On a Coastal Breeze (Three Sisters Island #2)
AUTHOR:  Suzanne Woods Fisher
DATE:  2020
PUBLISHER: Revell
STARS: *****
For Madison Grayson, life is good. Newly licensed as a marriage and family therapist, she can't wait to start her practice. Despite the unfortunate shortage of eligible bachelors on the island--they're all too young, too old, or too weird--Maddie feels like she's finally found her sweet spot. Not even one panic attack in the last year. Not one.

And then Ricky O'Shea drops in. Literally. Floating down from the pure blue sky, the one man in the world she hoped never to see again--the one who'd been her archnemesis from kindergarten through her senior dance--parachutes into town, landing on Boon Dock, canopy draping behind him like a superhero. Ricky O'Shea. Now Pastor Rick, the new minister on Three Sisters Island.

Time to panic.

With wit and a bit of whimsy, bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher invites you back to Three Sisters Island where family, forgiveness, and a second chance at love await.

On a Coastal Breeze welcomes you back to Three Sisters Island, a small, rugged island off the coast of Maine where loyalty and faith are honored and eccentricity is celebrated.

I enjoyed getting reacquainted with the Grayson family, Paul, his three daughters, and little Cooper. This is Madison’s story, for the most part, but as in real families, the rest of the family is involved. Cam, the elder sister, still has things to learn about redeeming the time, Blaine, the youngest, is fighting for her own identity, but Madison finally feels settled. Except for the anxiety that plagues her, especially with Rick O’Shea.

Her past relationship with Rick is shown in flashbacks, glimpses of the puzzle between them. In this story, flashbacks work. Rick makes a fantastic hero with his tall-dark-and-handsomeness enhanced by his vibrant faith. Curiosity as to what shaped him kept the pages turning, as did the challenges facing each character.
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On a Coastal Breeze is a rich feast of setting, multi-dimensional characters and realistic story lines, worthy of five stars. I look forward to the next installment of the Three Sisters Island series. I received this book courtesy of the publisher; all opinions are my own.
 

TITLE:  Standoff (Natchez Trace Park Rangers #1)
AUTHOR:  Patricia Bradley
DATE:  2020
PUBLISHER: Revell
STARS: *****

The Natchez Trace National Parkway stretches 444 miles from Nashville to Natchez, the oldest town on the Mississippi River. It's the perfect road for a relaxed pleasure drive. Unfortunately for Luke Fereday, it's also perfect for moving drugs.

Sent to Natchez to infiltrate the organization at the center of the drug ring, Luke arrives too late to a stakeout and discovers the body of his friend, park ranger John Danvers. John's daughter Brooke is determined to investigate her father's murder but soon finds herself the target of a killer who will do anything to silence her.

Luke will have his hands full keeping her safe. But who's going to keep him safe when he realizes he's falling – hard – for the daughter of the man he failed to save?

Standoff starts off with a bang, almost an accident but shrouded in desperation and mystery, and continues to weave a tangled web of suspicion, desire, and betrayal. The taut pace of this story kept the pages turning with barely an interruption.

Luke is a man of many secrets, but his past relationship with Brooke threatens not only his job but his life—and hers. Luke’s Grandma Daisy adds a touch of humor and normalcy, and the danger-filled, tentative romance between Luke and Brooke adds anticipation of love to a story laced with death.
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With many interlaced relationships, secrets and deceits, Standoff is a great read for anyone who enjoys romantic suspense and earns five stars. I was given a copy of this book by the publisher; all opinions are my own.