Tuesday, September 10, 2024

The Way of the Brave by Susan May Warren

Series: Global Search & Rescue #1
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Revell
Released: January 1, 2020
347 pages
About the Book:

Former pararescue jumper Orion Starr is haunted by the memory of a rescue gone wrong. He may be living alone in Alaska now, but the pain of his failure--and his injuries--has followed him there from Afghanistan. He has no desire to join Hamilton Jones's elite rescue team, but he also can't shirk his duty when the call comes in to rescue three lost climbers on Denali.

Former CIA profiler and psychiatrist Jenny Calhoun's yearly extreme challenge with her best friends is her only escape from the guilt that has sunk its claws into her. As a consultant during a top-secret mission to root out the Taliban, she green-lighted an operation that ended in ambush and lives lost. When her cathartic climb on Denali turns deadly, she'll be forced to trust her life and the lives of her friends to the most dangerous of heroes--the man she nearly killed.

Her skills and his experience are exactly what's needed to prevent another tragedy--but in order to truly set Orion free from his painful past, Jenny will have to reveal hers. They'll have to put their wounds behind them to survive, but at what cost?
 

My Rating & Thoughts:    ⭐⭐

The main character, Jenny, is climbing Denali with a couple girlfriends when they get separated from their group and Orion, Hamilton, and Jake set out to find them. There were so many climbing terms and equipment referenced that I am not familiar. In addition to so much snow, and quite a few of close calls. I was not a fan of the setting or descriptions. However I did like the characters and wanted to see them overcome their personal demons and find peace. There was one scene that made me pretty uncomfortable with the physical actions happening, even though nothing happens it felt like too much. I did enjoy the faith discussions between the characters, there were some Christians and others who were not. Book ends on a cliffhanger and I want to know more about some of the characters we've met. I will be continuing the series.

Favourite Quote: 
“God doesn't guarantee that we won't have trouble. But he does say that he is with us in our suffering. And ultimately he has a plan that, despite the hurt, can be used for our good.”
(I purchased my copy of this book; opinions expressed 
in this review are my honest opinion and completely my own.)

Other books from this author that I have reviewed:   

   

Take A Chance on Me - Christiansen Family #1

Nothing but Trouble - PJ Sugar #1

Double Trouble - PJ Sugar #2

Point of No Return - Missions of Mercy #1

You Don't Have to be a Star - Montana Fire Prequel

If Ever I Would Leave You - Montana Rescue Prequel

Wild Montana Skies - Montana Rescue # 1

Rescue Me - Montana Rescue #2 

A Matter of Trust - Montana Rescue #3

Troubled Waters - Montana Rescue #4

Storm Front - Montana Rescue #5

Wait for Me - Montana Rescue #6

Flee the Night - Team Hope #1

Escape to Morning - Team Hope #2

Friday, September 6, 2024

Target Acquired by Lynette Eason

Series: Lake City Heroes #2
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Revell
Released: August 20, 2024
281 pages
About the Book:

Tough-as-nails Kenzie King has finally earned her place as a tactical medic on a SWAT team. But not everyone on the all-male team accepts her. Rumor is, she didn't get the position because of what she could do but because of who she knew. Which means she has to work harder and longer than anyone else to prove herself.

Cole Garrison is a man with deep faith who is finally ready to settle down and build a family of his own--if he can find the right person, that is. Kenzie sure has set off his interest meter, but trouble seems to follow in her wake. Since she joined the team, someone has begun to ambush and pick off team members, one by one.

It's all hands on deck to discover the culprit and end the killing. Can Kenzie and Cole put aside their differences and work together as a team? Or will their budding attraction be snuffed out by a sniper's bullet?



My Rating & Thoughts:    

Much to my surprise I was more invested in the 1947 sections than the present day. I felt for Eliza and what she was going through and wanted to know what happened to get her from here to what we knew about her in the present day. Kenzie is the only female on an all male SWAT team and one member in particular isn't happy about her position. When threats seem to be targeted to Kenzie is this member behind them or someone else? I enjoyed the suspense elements but was frustrated with the constant because I'm a woman I'm not accepted. I was also overwhelmed by the number of characters and trying to keep track of who everyone was. I was thankful for the cast of characters list at the beginning of the book. I did figure out who the villain was before it was revealed and was very proud of myself for figuring it out before the team. I liked the characters together but felt like a lot of the feelings happened off the page or in the background. I will continue the series as I'm curious about a couple other characters.

(I received an ARC of this book from Revell; opinions expressed 
in this review are my honest opinion and completely my own.)

Thursday, September 5, 2024

A Token of Love by Carrie Turansky

Genre: Dual-Timeline
Publisher: Bethany House
Released: September 3, 2024
379 pages

About the Book:

In 1885 London, Lillian Freemont embarks on a treacherous journey to reunite with her long-lost niece who was abandoned at the Foundling Hospital eight years ago. Fueled by her sister's plea and armed with the gold token that identifies her niece, Lillian teams up with investigative reporter Matthew McGivern to expose the grim reality of the shadowed streets of London. As Lillian and Matthew unravel the mystery of Alice's disappearance, their partnership blossoms into one of shared purpose and undeniable attraction. 

In present-day London, Janelle Spencer finds herself unexpectedly running the Foundling Museum. When filmmaker Jonas Conrad arrives to document the museum's history, their collaboration takes a surprising turn as they uncover articles from the past that shed light on a haunting connection to the present. As Janelle becomes caught between exposing the truth and protecting the museum's reputation, she must decide if she can risk everything for love and justice.
 

My Rating & Thoughts:    


Dual timeline story set in 1885 and present day London, England. Deals with various aspects of human trafficking in both storylines. I very quickly got invested with the characters and the search taking place on the 1885 timeline. It took me longer to connect with the characters in the present-day timeline for some reason. I would have been happy if it had been completely ser in 1885. Each time I entered a chapter set in the present, I wanted the other timeline. I did enjoy that the present-day timeline provided answers to what happened to the characters from the past. It provided good closure for the characters.


Favourite Quote: 
“Praying for guidance is always the right response, no matter how desperate we may feel.”
(I received an ARC of this book from Bethany House through NetGalley; opinions expressed 
in this review are my honest opinion and completely my own.)

Wednesday, September 4, 2024

Saltwater Cowboy by Christy Barritt

Series: Saltwater Cowboys #1
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Publisher: River Heights
Released: September 16, 2020
354 pages
About the Book:

When a mysterious woman washes up in Cape Corral, a wild horse sanctuary off North Carolina's coast, law enforcement officer Levi Sutherland is determined to figure out if she's connected with the crimes recently plaguing the island. The problem is, she can't remember anything . . .













My Rating & Thoughts:    


I absolutely loved the setting of this story. An island with wild horses roaming free, yes, please. The story opens with Dani being shot and left for dead. She is found but now has amnesia, can they figure out who shot her and why? Will she regain her memories? The mystery kept me invested and guessing what would happen. I did enjoy meeting the various island residents and was intrigued by the mystery, but I wasn't rooting for the romance. It felt too rushed based on the situation with Dani not having any memories. There were a few side characters that I'd like to spend more time with and see if the romance I suspect will happen or not.

(I purchased my copy of this book; opinions expressed 
in this review are my honest opinion and completely my own.)

Other books from this author that I have reviewed:   

Random Acts of Fraud (A Holly Anna Paladin Mystery #5)
Random Acts of Outrage (A Holly Anna Paladin Mystery #6)

Edge of Peril (Fog Lake Suspense#1)

Hidden Currents (Lantern Beach Mysteries #1)

Flood Watch (Lantern Beach Mysteries #2)

Storm Surge (Lantern Beach Mysteries #3)

Dangerous Waters (Lantern Beach Mysteries #4)

Perilous Riptide (Lantern Beach Mysteries #5)

Deadly Undertow (Lantern Beach Mysteries #6)

Tides of Deception (Lantern Beach Suspense #1)

Shadow of Intrigue (Lantern Beach Suspense #2)

Storm of Doubt (Lantern Beach Suspense #3)

Clean Getaway (Squeaky Clean Mysteries #13)

Clean Sweep (Squeaky Clean Mysteries #14)

Half Witted (Squeaky Clean In-Between #1)

Ready to Fumble (The Worst Detective Ever #1)

Reign of Error (The Worst Detective Ever #2)

Safety in Blunders (The Worst Detective Ever #3)

Join the Flub (The Worst Detective Ever #4)

Blooper Freak (The Worst Detective Ever #5)

Flaw Abiding Citizen (The Worst Detective Ever #6)

Gaffe Out Loud (The Worst Detective Ever #7)