TITLE:  Labyrinth of Lies (Triple Threat #2)
AUTHOR:  Irene Hannon
DATE:  2021
PUBLISHER: Revell
STARS: *****

From the back cover:
When the daughter of a high-profile businessman disappears from an exclusive girls' boarding school, police detective Cate Reilly is tapped for an undercover assignment. It doesn't take her long to realize that beneath the veneer of polish and wealth, things are not as they seem at Ivy Hill Academy. But the biggest surprise of all? The only man she ever loved is also working at the school.

Zeke Sloan has never forgotten Cate, but now isn't the best time for their paths to cross again. When their two seemingly disparate agendas begin to intertwine--and startling connections emerge among the players--the danger escalates significantly. But who is the mastermind behind the elaborate ruse? And how far will they go to protect their house of cards?

My review:
Irene Hannon is one of my favorite authors; her romantic suspense novels keep me riveted to page after page until the end of the book, all while avoiding graphic violence. Labyrinth of Lies did not disappoint. The relationship Cate and Zeke shared in the past serves as an added danger to their current undercover missions. Will their anger and passion blow their covers? Or can they keep in character long enough to solve the dark secrets of Ivy Hill school?

Labyrinth of Lies utilizes a complicated plot with several points of view that give the reader insight into each character’s motivation. This added to the multi-layered storyline and made the various individuals even more realistic.
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Fast-paced and relevant with a hero and heroine one can’t help cheering on, Labyrinth of Lies earns five stars. I was given a copy of this book by the publisher; all opinions are my own.

TITLE:  The Lines Between Us
AUTHOR:  Amy Lynn Green
DATE:  2021
PUBLISHER: Bethany House
STARS: *****

From the back cover:
Since the attack on Pearl Harbor, Gordon Hooper and his buddy Jack Armitage have done “work of national importance” in the West as conscientious objectors: volunteering as smokejumpers, parachuting into and fighting raging wildfires. But the number of winter blazes they’re called to in early 1945 seems suspiciously high, and when an accident leaves Jack badly injured, Gordon realizes the facts don’t add up.

A member of the Women’s Army Corps, Dorie Armitage has long been ashamed of her brother’s pacificism, but she's shocked by news of his accident. Determined to find out why he was harmed, she arrives at the national forest under the guise of conducting an army report...and finds herself forced to work with Gordon. He believes it’s wrong to lie; she’s willing to do whatever it takes so justice will be done.

As they search for clues, Gordon and Dorie must wrestle with their convictions about war and peace and decide what to do with the shocking secrets they discover. 

My review:
When offered this book to read and review, I hesitated. War stories are not my favorite, but then I saw that it was about two conscientious objectors who become smoke jumpers in Oregon. Okay, that’s one of my favorite states, and smoke jumping sounded exciting without being too traumatizing.

As it turned out, this story will haunt me for some time. I’d thought conscientious objectors were pacifist heroes, bravely choosing to work at anything that didn’t involve harming another. The Lines Between Us showed the depth of anger, hurt and relational chasms suffered when one decided to become a CO. Shunned by co-workers and even family, these men lived with a shadow of scorn and distrust.

Gordon, a Quaker from birth, holds fast to his beliefs, until his friend Jack is injured. Enter Dorie, Jack’s sister and the woman Gordon fell in love with BW (before the war). Dorie joined the WACs, and her outrageous behavior adds a touch of humor to this deep story.
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As Gordon and Dorie work together to discover the truth behind Jack’s accident, all their long-held beliefs are challenged.
Mine were, too, since I tend more toward pacifism. In war, what is truth? What is right? Yes, I will think about the issues raised by this well-told story for a very long time. The Lines Between Us impacted me greatly and earns five stars. Recommended. I was given a copy of the book by Graf-Martin Communications and Baker Publishing Group. All opinions are my own.
 

TITLE:  A Warrior’s Heart (Brides of Laurent, Book 1)
AUTHOR:  Misty M. Beller
DATE:  2021
PUBLISHER: Bethany House
STARS: *****

From the back cover:
Brielle Durand is a key defender and hunter for her people's peace-loving French settlement in the Canadian mountains. When a foreigner wanders too near to their secret homes, she has no choice but to disarm and capture him. She won't allow another massacre like the one that killed her mother a dozen years before. But now, what to do with this man who looks at her in a strange way?

Evan MacManus was on assignment to find among the caves the mineral pitchblende that might help America win the War of 1812. Despite being taken prisoner, Evan is determined to complete his mission. But when that assignment becomes at odds with his growing appreciation of the villagers and Brielle, does he follow through on the promise he's made to his government or take a risk on the path his heart tells him is right? Either choice will spell death for someone. 

My review:
A Warrior’s Heart carries a fairy tale-like quality with its isolated village, a warrior princess, and an intriguing and possibly dangerous stranger. Set during the time of the War of 1812 but in the Canadian Rockies, the village of Laurent shines in its uniqueness.

Relationships draw me, and the one between Brielle and Evan is classic. Was she trying to kill him? Did he intend to harm her people? Secrets and past sorrows create tensions on top of tension as they strive to discover the truth. I loved the faith aspect of this story, so important in the struggle between right and wrong, hate and love.
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I need to visit Laurent again soon; it now holds a special place in my heart. A Warrior’s Heart earns five stars. Recommended! I was given a copy of this book by Graf-Martin Communications and Baker Publishing Group. All opinions are my own.

TITLE:  Yours is the Night
AUTHOR:  Amanda Dykes
DATE:  2021
PUBLISHER: Bethany House
STARS: *****

From the back cover:
Private Matthew Petticrew arrives in France as part of the American Expeditionary Forces, an arrival which a war-weary France desperately hopes will help to end the turmoil. Having faced unthinkable things on the front, he is captivated by the sound of a lullaby, sung by a voice so pure he knows he must have imagined it. But rumors sweep through the trenches like wildfire, dubbing the voice "The Angel of Argonne," a mysterious presence who leaves behind wreaths on unmarked graves and footprints in the war-pocked soil.

Raised wild in the depths of the Forest of Argonne, France, Mireilles finds her world rocked when war comes crashing into the idyllic home she has always known, taking much from her. When Matthew discovers Mireilles, three things are clear: She is alone in the world, she cannot stay, and he and his two unlikely companions might be the only ones who can get her to safety.

My review:
The title of this book is taken from the first line of Psalm 74:16, “Yours is the day, yours also the night.” Set in war-torn France, Yours is the Night contains a mesmerizing combination of nightmarish darkness and ethereal light.

Matthew and Mireilles (Mira) are the main characters, but their story wouldn’t have happened without Matthew’s unlikely companions, Englishman George, who tried to escape war by training and failing as a chaplain, and Henry, the reluctant journalist.

Plucked from the relative safety of normal life, these three young men embark on a mission to save the young woman dubbed the Angel of Argonne. Their journey together yields changes in their characters and unexpected moments of beauty.

Each person is well drawn with unique speech patterns and personalities, so I felt as though I knew them well and would recognize them if we met. Faith is a quiet yet powerful force moving each to his destiny.
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Yours is the Night is a story that lingers long after the book is closed and earns five stars. I was given a copy of this book by Graf-Martin Communications and Baker Publishing Group. All opinions are my own. Highly recommended.