TITLE:  Pelican Point (Hope Harbour #4)
AUTHOR:  Irene Hannon
DATE:  2018
PUBLISHER: Revell
STARS: *****

A crumbling lighthouse is not part of the inheritance Army doctor Ben Garrison expects to claim when he journeys to Hope Harbor. Fresh out of the service, he wants only to unload the tower of bricks, decompress from years of treating battlefield trauma, and prepare to launch his civilian career.

Hope Harbor Herald editor Marci Weber has other ideas. She may not be a Hope Harbor native, but the small Oregon seaside town has become home--and she's determined to save the Pelican Point landmark.

Sparks fly as the two go head to head over the fate of the lighthouse. But when they start to cooperate, a different kind of fire ignites. And as they work together, might Hope Harbor heal the hearts of these two romance-wary souls?

Hope Harbour is a dream destination for me, as author Irene Hannon skillfully paints a picture of this Oregon seaside town in sweeping shades of pastels. Its inhabitants care for one another; its beauty feeds and soothes the soul. I think I want to live there!

On this my fourth visit to Hope Harbour, I met serious Ben and feisty Marci and quickly fell in love with both characters. Each has valid reasons to be wary of romance, but the attraction between them is instant and powerful. As they struggle with their pasts and future plans, I rooted for them all the way.

The mysterious and wise Charley once again plays in important role in helping guide the young couple, aided by his feathered friends, Floyd and Gladys. Such fun! I love the touches of whimsy in these stories. Trouble does come to the paradise of Hope Harbour, and when it does, faith becomes even more crucial to all involved.

Pelican Point charmed me from beginning to end, and it earns five stars. Highly recommended.  I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
 

TITLE:  Beneath the Surface (Dive Team Investigations #1)
AUTHOR:  Lynn H. Blackburn
DATE:  2018
PUBLISHER: Revell
STARS: *****

After a harrowing experience with an obsessed patient, oncology nurse practitioner Leigh Weston needed a change. She thought she'd left her troubles behind when she moved home to Carrington, North Carolina, and took a job in the emergency department of the local hospital. But when someone tampers with her brakes, she fears the past has chased her into the present. She reaches out to her high school friend turned homicide investigator, Ryan Parker, for help.

Ryan finds satisfaction in his career, but his favorite way to use his skills is as a volunteer underwater investigator with the Carrington County Sheriff's Office dive team. When the body of a wealthy businessman is discovered in Lake Porter, the investigation uncovers a possible serial killer--one with a terrifying connection to Leigh Weston and deadly implications for them all.

Wow! What a ride! The intricate plot and thrilling danger in this story kept me reading without pause until the satisfying end. The villain? I guessed once, well maybe three times, but was still surprised at the outcome.

Leigh and Ryan are both appealing lead characters, struggling with their faith because of heartbreak. They’ve resisted the strong attraction pulling them close for years, thanks to Leigh’s brother’s protective demands. But big brother Kirk cannot protect Leigh from the danger stalking her, so homicide investigator Ryan steps up to find the culprit—at least he tries. Faith plays a crucial role in this story in a realistic and compelling way. I could identify with the questions plaguing both Ryan and Leigh, and their efforts to deal with the unanswerable resonated in my heart and mind.
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While the plot twists kept me guessing, the supporting cast kept me enthralled. No cardboard characters here; I’m already anxious for the next book in this series.

Beneath the Surface is the best romantic suspense I’ve read this year, and it easily earns five stars. Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

TITLE:  Only a Breath Away
AUTHOR:  Julianna Desmond
DATE:  2018
STARS: *****

As the daughter of a lighting technician and a costumer, Madalina (“Madi”) Pavel grew up in the shadows of the famed Metropolitan Opera House in New York. To fulfill her twelfth birthday wish, her parents dressed her in a beautiful gown and positioned her beneath the spotlight at center stage. Young Madi poured her all into an aria, blissfully unaware the opera’s general manager listened from a seat in the darkened theater. Now 26, after extensive training and traveling the world, Madalina is the coloratura soprano understudy for the Met Opera who seeks the breakout role of a lifetime. 

Julian Rhodes is the owner/manager of Harmonia, a popular Manhattan breakfast bistro frequented by the Met staff and performers. While Julian depends on their patronage, he secretly finds the opera tediously boring. He devotes all his energies into making his restaurant a success, but when he meets the beautiful coloratura soprano, Julian begins to rethink his priorities. 

Can a romantic relationship survive between a workaholic business owner and a promising opera singer? When Madalina is offered a fabulous career opportunity, their love is put to the test. Are Julian and his beautiful coloratura soprano meant to be, or are they destined to part ways? 

Opera? Not my first choice in music, but as a fan of this author, I couldn’t wait to learn about the life of an opera performer. Julianna Desmond, a.k.a. JoAnn Durgin, always includes interesting snippets of background information to broaden both story and reader. Only a Breath Away is no exception. Even without the enjoyment of the romance, this story gave me a new appreciation for the discipline, strength and commitment needed to perform the art of opera.

But of course, romance does carry the story. Madi is admirable in her dedication and lack of ego, and while Julian’s work ethic matches Madi’s, his generosity toward those in need touched my soul. His is truly a worthy hero but thankfully not a perfect man. Not sure what it says about me, but the scene where Julian receives a well-deserved lecture is one of my favorites.

The supporting cast of this story are so well-defined, I feel as though I would know them from a distance. Kat and Chaz, especially, won my heart, and I hope to read more of their story soon.
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The faith message, as in all this author’s books, is clearly presented. Only a Breath Away hits all the right notes, and it earns five stars. I received this book as a gift; all opinions are my own.

TITLE:  In Places Hidden (Golden Gate Secrets #1)
AUTHOR:  Tracie Peterson
DATE:  2018
PUBLISHER: Bethany House
STARS: ****

On her way to San Francisco to find her brother, Caleb, who went missing three months ago, Camriann Coulter meets Judith and Kenzie, who both have their own mysteries to solve in the booming West Coast city. The women decide to help each other, including rooming together and working at Kenzie's cousin's chocolate factory.

Camri's search for her brother, an attorney, leads her deep into the political corruption of the city--and into the acquaintance of Patrick Murdock, a handsome Irishman who was saved from a false murder charge by Caleb. Patrick challenges all of Camri's privileged beliefs, but he knows more about what happened to her brother than anyone else. Together, they move closer to the truth behind Caleb's disappearance. But as the stakes rise and threats loom, will Patrick be able to protect Camri from the dangers he knows lie in the hidden places of the city?

Camri makes an interesting heroine. Her whole aim in travelling to San Francisco is to find her missing brother, a task she hopes will be quick and easy so she can return to her life in Chicago. An educated, outspoken proponent of higher learning and the women’s suffrage movement, she tends to speak before thinking and often regrets what she’s said. Her heart is kind, though, and she soon realizes how “uneducated” people often know much more than she does about real life.

Enter Patrick, a friend of Camri’s missing brother, Caleb, who knows more than he admits. Patrick helps educated Camri about life for poor immigrants, and his sister Ophelia brings the point home in a most poignant way.

This story is more than a romance. I learned much about the seamier side of early San Francisco and the power of corrupt people. As Camri and Patrick’s faith grew stronger in the face of much pain and danger, they encouraged my own trust in God. I enjoyed In Places Hidden, and award it four stars.
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Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

TITLE:  A Borrowed Dream (Cimarron Creek #2)
AUTHOR:  Amanda Cabot
DATE:  2018
PUBLISHER: Revell
STARS: ****

Catherine Whitfield is sure that she will never again be able to trust anyone in the medical profession after the town doctor's excessive bleeding treatments killed her mother. Despite her loneliness and her broken heart, she carries bravely on as Cimarron Creek's dutiful schoolteacher, resigned to a life without love or family, a life where dreams rarely come true.

Austin Goddard is a newcomer to Cimarron Creek. Posing as a rancher, he fled to Texas to protect his daughter from a dangerous criminal. He's managed to keep his past as a surgeon a secret. But when Catherine Whitfield captures his heart, he wonders how long he will be able to keep up the charade.

Dreams play an important role in this story, making it title appropriate. Catherine’s nightmare, which begins the story, seems to be more than “just a dream,” but she has no idea what to make of it. Another character experiences a similar dream, but without the nightmare aspect. I’ve had some mysterious dreams in the past and found this aspect of the story intriguing, not uncomfortable. Eventually the meanings become clear, and both dreamers decide they were gifts from God—not necessarily pleasant, but gifts nonetheless.

Catherine is easy to admire, especially her strength and compassion as she deals with her students. She’s obviously extremely intelligent as shown by her ability to read medical books and use the information correctly. Her one failing is the inability to forgive the doctor who treated (mistreated) her beloved mother. The way God worked through circumstances felt realistic, and I enjoyed her journey to wholeness and freedom.

Austin shows his heroism by leaving everything familiar in order to protect his daughter from an evil man and yet daring to risk all by caring for those in need. His secrets were kept for the best reasons, but secrets have a way of revealing themselves eventually. How he responded to evil and to abused people impressed me.

There is violence in this tale; I had to remind myself of the setting when I became angry at the law for being unable to protect children from abuse. I’m sure the story is true to its era. I enjoyed A Borrowed Dream and award it four stars. If you enjoy historical novels with clearly defined good and evil characters, you’ll enjoy this book.
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Disclaimer: I was given an advanced copy by the publisher. All opinions are my own.

TITLE:  Roundabout
AUTHOR:  JoAnn Durgin
DATE:  2018
STARS: *****
At 17, Jensen Callahan fled her small hometown of Justis, Texas, the night her daddy was murdered. From the wrong side of the tracks, and with lingering suspicions but no answers, Jensen found a safe haven with a kindly Christian widow in Houston. Thirteen years later, Jensen finally feels settled and content as a faithful TeamWork Missions volunteer and the office manager for Doyle-Clarke Catering. When Sloan McClain walks into the office to hire the caterers for the West Texas Independent Cattlemen’s Association annual dinner, her carefully guarded life is thrown into turmoil. One meeting is all it takes for Jensen to know the tall, dark, and devastatingly handsome cattle rancher--her first love and the boy she left behind in Justis--still holds her heart. 

As his late father’s only child and heir, Sloan McClain now operates the family's thriving ranch and controls their vast oil interests and mineral rights. But for all his many blessings, Sloan's days are empty and incomplete without a wife to share his life and raise a family. He's never forgotten Jensen Callahan, the long-legged, golden-eyed blonde beauty he'd dated against his father's wishes. He'd loved her, and no woman since has compared. After Jensen disappeared, he'd vowed to find her and bring her home one day, but each time he’d gotten close, she'd managed to slip away again. Sloan refused to accept the heartbreaking possibility that she never wanted to be found, never wished to return. 

All Sloan wants is a second chance with his first love, but he understands Jensen desperately needs closure about what happened to her father that fateful night in Justis. Together they begin to work toward finding answers as they renew their tentative and fragile relationship. But once they discover the truth, will it set them free or tear them apart forever? 

Roundabout is the ninth book in JoAnn Durgin’s Lewis Legacy series, so while I enjoyed getting to know Jensen and Sloan, it was also a treat to revisit some of the “older” TeamWork members. Every one of the Lewis Legacy books promises revisits with old friends and meeting fascinating new ones. And Roundabout delivers.

Beautiful Jensen’s insecurities made her relatable, and as usual, Ms.Durgin created a complex, intriguing character. Speaking of characters, Jensen’s quirky and unreliable car is almost a character to itself. Sadie’s antics made me chuckle more than once.
Sloan is a swoon-worthy hero, unrelenting in his gentle pursuit of the girl he’s loved for years. There really is something about a cowboy—especially one who is grounded in his faith. Faith played a vital part in Sloan and Jensen’s renewed relationship, but it also created some heart-warming miracles for others in this story.
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Roundabout is a well-rounded story, so much more than a romance, and it earns five stars. Recommended! 

TITLE:  Return to Walhalla
AUTHOR:  Laura Hodges Pool
DATE:  2018
PUBLISHER: Firefly Southern Fiction
STARS: *****

When financier Penny Ruskin returns to Walhalla, South Carolina, she has one purpose—to settle her grandmother's estate and sell the Victorian house she grew up in. Not an easy task with the downturned economy. When she loses her job in the state capital, what other choice does she have but to stay in Walhalla until she finds work? She can only hope it won't take long. 

Walhalla is Tommy McAllister's life. Between his family's feed-and-seed store and the bank he's vice president of, he's stretched thin trying to survive the recession. But when a girl he hasn't seen since high school breezes back into town, he's ready to push himself even further to help her feel at home—and convince her to stay. He reaches out to Penny, but the last thing she wants is to be trapped in a small town that holds painful memories—one dark secret in particular. 

The town matchmaker and bank manager, Miss Betty, a motherless teen Emma who lives down the lane from Penny, and the church ladies of Walhalla's First Baptist add both heartwarming and challenging moments to Penny's life. 

With the past dogging Penny's steps, dredging up painful memories she's tried to outrun, relatives threaten the future she has begun to hope for…But somewhere deep inside her, a spark of hope remains. Tommy isn't the only one praying for a miracle. 

Disclaimer: I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher.

I love small towns, and I love to read stories set in small towns. Quirky characters, a comforting ambiance, and easy friendships draw me into these appealing settings. A huge Victorian house, almost a character in itself, completes the perfection. Return to Walhalla is an exquisite example of my favorite kind of story, with the small-town setting enhancing its loveliness.

But Penny doesn’t agree. She’d much rather be in a big city. Her painful secret twists her memories of Walhalla and its charms into dark chasms of misery, and avoidance is her only defence. When she’s forced to return in order to settle her beloved grandmother’s estate, her faith is stretched as her plans for a quick settlement fall apart.

Tommy is a worthy hero with secrets of his own but a loving family and strong support system. His uncertainties endeared him to me, and I cheered him on in his quest to help Penny, one way or another.
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I thoroughly enjoyed this sweet story of faith, love, and forgiveness. Its characters linger in my memory like a delicious, tall glass of sweet tea. Return to Walhalla earns five stars. Highly recommended.

TITLE:  Troubled Waters
AUTHOR:  Susan May Warren
DATE:  2018
PUBLISHER: Revell
STARS: ***

Billionaire Ian Shaw can have everything he wants--except a happy ending. Or at least that's what it feels like with his fortune recently liquidated, his niece, Esme, still missing, and the woman he loves refusing to speak to him. In fact, he doubts she would date him even if they were stranded on a deserted island.

Despite her love for Ian, Sierra Rose knows he has no room in his life for her as long as the mystery of his missing niece goes unsolved. The only problem is, Sierra has solved it, but a promise to Esme to keep her whereabouts secret has made it impossible to be around Ian.

When the PEAK chopper is damaged and Sierra lacks the funds to repair it, Ian offers a fundraising junket for large donors on his yacht in the Caribbean. But the three-day excursion turns into a nightmare when a rogue wave cripples the yacht and sends the passengers overboard. Shaken up and soaked to the bone, Ian finally has a chance to test his theory when he and Sierra do indeed find themselves washed up on a strange, empty shore.

It will take guts and gumption for the PEAK team to rescue the duo. But it will take a miracle to rescue Ian and Sierra's relationship.

I expected to enjoy this book, and parts were good. The pace was intense, the action well-written…but there were problems. The two main characters, Ian and Sierra, continued to wrap themselves in their own fears and self-absorption rather than being honest with one another, so much that there were many times I wanted to Gibbs-slap the backs of their heads.

Troubled Waters is billed as Christian fiction, but faith played little to no part in the story, other than desperate cries for help, until almost the end. Then at last, Jesus was mentioned once. But the final knell, for me, came after the big rescue. Only the rich and beautiful were saved from the disaster, and no one even mentioned the loss of the crew, as though they didn’t matter. That left a sour taste in my mouth.
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I appreciated the chance to read this book, but I can only award it three stars. I was given a copy of Troubled Waters by the publisher. All opinions are my own.

TITLE:  Oath of Honor
AUTHOR:  Lynette Eason
DATE:  2017
PUBLISHER: Revell
STARS: *****

Police officer Isabelle St. John loves her crazy, loud, law-enforcement family. With three brothers and two sisters, she's never without someone to hang out with--or fight with. And she knows they'll be there for her when things get tough. Like when her partner is murdered and she barely escapes with her own life.

Determined to discover exactly what happened, Izzy's investigation sends her headfirst into a criminal organization, possibly with cops on the payroll--including someone from her own family. With her dead partner's handsome homicide detective brother Ryan shadowing her every move, Izzy's head is spinning. How can she secure justice for her partner when doing so could mean sending someone she loves to prison? And how will she guard her heart when the man she's had a secret crush on for years won't leave her side?

Wow, what a ride! Oath of Honor lives up to its rating as romantic suspense, and the high-level tension keeps the pages turning as fast as possible. The whole St. John family is high-adrenaline, and Izzy’s determination to solve her partner’s murder puts her in danger again and again. The stakes raise even higher when family loyalty comes into question.

Ryan is just as resolved to solve the murder of his brother as Izzy, but neither expected sparks of attraction. As danger increases, his fears for her increase exponentially.
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The faith element in Oath of Honor is subtle yet strong throughout the story. Just one warning: If you have high blood pressure, take this one slow! On the other hand, if you enjoy high-tension romantic suspense, you’ll love Oath of Honor. Recommended.
I was given a copy of this book by the publisher, and it earns five stars.

TITLE:  Thee Will I Cherish
AUTHOR:  JoAnn Durgin
DATE:  2017
STARS: *****

Armed with her MBA degree, Gabriella Martin is ready to face the world. She’s gained valuable experience the past year as the interim chief financial officer of her parents’ highly successful Choose Me! Christian marriage ministry, but is that what she’s destined to do the rest of her career? While she considers her options, Gabriella returns home to the beautiful Shenandoah Valley in her native Virginia. What she doesn’t count on is running into her childhood friend Harley nearly everywhere she goes, especially since he seems more ruggedly handsome and irresistibly charming than ever.

A master woodworker and furniture builder, Harley Goodwin has always been “just friends” with Gabi Martin from the time they were kids. He prays that while Gabi’s home in Meadowvale trying to figure out her future direction, he can win her heart. He might not have a fancy college degree, but he’s built a solid, flourishing career and is financially stable. But as determined as Harley is to earn Gabi’s love, she seems to suffer from the misconception that he’s dated every other eligible girl in town, and she’s the last woman standing.

During the long and hazy days of summer, can Harley convince this stubborn beauty she’s the only woman he’s ever loved and that Gabriella needs to stay in Meadowvale permanently and make a life, home, and family with him?

Whenever I pick up a book by JoAnn Durgin, I know she’ll introduce me to memorable characters, flawed, quirky, and almost always with a good sense of humor. Thee Will I Cherish met and exceeded my expectations, making me smile, chuckle and even laugh out loud. Tears flowed, too, at particularly tender points of the story.

I loved meeting the Martin family, beginning with the three sisters, Gabi, Mari, and Aubrey, who share a strong bond of love and faith. Their parents are admirable, dedicated to their unique ministry and their family.

Harley won my heart from the first meeting, with his handsome exterior and mix of pride and insecurity. His passion for woodworking reminded me of my husband and made this hero even more appealing. This quote resonated: “In the midst of chaos in our modern world, woodworking gives us a place to slow down, pay attention, and take the time to do things right.”
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Harley and Gabi’s love story touched my heart and stirred my emotions. The faith message of this romance is clear, spelling out the Good News and showing its wonderful results. Thee Will I Cherish earns five stars. Highly recommended!