Saturday, October 14, 2023

Review: True Devotion by Dee Henderson

Series: Uncommon Heroes #1
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Tyndale House
Released: Jan. 1, 2000
329 pages
About the Book:

Kelly Jacobs has already paid the ultimate price of loving a warrior; she has the folded flag and the grateful thanks of a nation to prove it. Navy SEAL Joe “Bear” Baker can't ask her to accept that risk again—even though he loves her. But the man responsible for her husband's death is back; closer than either of them realize. Kelly is in danger, and Joe may not get there in time.













My Rating & Thoughts:    ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I was hooked from the first scene. I loved the characters of Kelly and Joe. Their debate about moving beyond friends to something more and what was best for the other person felt real and understandable. The pacing of the story kept me invested and intrigued to know where it was going to go. I did not like Charles and was wishing Kelly would stay away from him, but I did like his son Ryan. There were some scary moments that had me asking if they would make it out of the situation uninjured? Kelly has been through a very difficult time period in her life that affected her relationship with God, but we see her realize this and work to improve her relationship with God. She was a character that was easy to root for. I hurt for her at times, but also cheered and smiled for her at other times. I really enjoyed listening to the audio narration of this book.

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

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Thursday, October 12, 2023

Review: The Fifth Avenue Story Society by Rachel Hauck

Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Released: Feb. 4, 2020
378 pages
About the Book:

An invitation to join The Fifth Avenue Story Society gives five New York strangers a chance to rewrite their own stories.

Executive assistant Lexa is eager for a much-deserved promotion, but her boss is determined to keep her underemployed.

Literature professor Jett is dealing with a broken heart, as well as a nagging suspicion his literary idol, Gordon Phipps Roth, might be a fraud.

Uber driver Chuck just wants a second chance with his kids.

Aging widower Ed is eager to write the true story of his incredible marriage.

Coral, queen of the cosmetics industry, has broken her engagement and is on the verge of losing her great grandmother’s multimillion-dollar empire.

When all five New Yorkers receive an anonymous, mysterious invitation to the Fifth Avenue Story Society, they suspect they’re victims of a practical joke. No one knows who sent the invitations or why. No one has heard of the literary society. And no one is prepared to reveal their deepest secrets to a roomful of strangers.

Yet curiosity and loneliness bring them back week after week to the old library. And it’s there they discover the stories of their hearts, and the kind of friendship and love that heals their souls. 


My Rating & Thoughts:    ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐


This was a reread for me and I was invested in the characters this time through just as much as I was the first time.

The book starts out by introducing the reader to five separate characters. Each character has their own storyline and are strangers to one another with the exception of two (who have a strained past). They each receive a mysterious invite to the story society. No one know who sent the invite or why them. I loved that the story was told through each character's point of view, this allowed me to really get to know them, and it was easy to follow the switch between points of view. I enjoyed each one of the characters and was invested in getting to know them and see them embrace this friendship opportunity. Each character comes from a different background and age group, but a friendship is formed during their Monday night meetings and impacts their everyday lives. The healing that these individuals go through as they learned to open up, be vulnerable, and grow was inspiring. I recommend this book.

Favourite Quote: 
“If we love when it's easy, it's of no credit to us. Anyone can love when it's easy. But if we love when it's hard, then we are all the better. We gain what we cannot see.”
(I purchased my copy of this book; opinions expressed 
in this review are my honest opinion and completely my own.)

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Monday, October 9, 2023

Review: Hope Between the Pages by Pepper Basham

Series: Doors to the Past #2
Genre: Dual-timeline
Publisher: Barbour Publishing
Released: April 1, 2021
252 pages
About the Book:

Clara Blackwell helps her mother manage a struggling one-hundred-year old family bookshop in Asheville, North Carolina, but the discovery of a forgotten letter opens a mystery of a long-lost romance and undiscovered inheritance which could save its future. Forced to step outside of her predictable world, Clara embarks on an adventure with only the name Oliver as a hint of the man’s identity in her great-great-grandmother’s letter. From the nearby grand estate of the Vanderbilts, to a hamlet in Derbyshire, England, Clara seeks to uncover truth about family and love that may lead to her own unexpected romance.









My Rating & Thoughts:    ⭐⭐⭐⭐


This is a dual-timeline story featuring Sadie in 1915 and her great-granddaughter, Clara, in the present day. I quickly fell in love with Sadie and was immediately sucked into her story, then we meet Oliver and I loved him just as much if not more. The way he treated Sadie and stood up for what he felt was right made me adore him. I did not get as connected to the modern day characters as I did to the historical characters. Even though I knew what was going to happen to Oliver before it happened, I teared up when reading about it. I would have liked to know a bit more about Sadie's life when she initially opened the bookstore. She was a great character and I loved seeing her strength to overcome. There were lots of book discussions and a heavy bookstore/library theme throughout that I just adored. The descriptions were so wonderfully done that I felt like I was right there seeing it for myself. I struggled to understand the uncle's malice toward Clara and the bookshop, and why the family knew so little about Sadie's background. Overall though I really enjoyed my read through this book.

Favourite Quotes: 
“The best way to manage the real world is to keep a firm hold on an imaginary one.”

“Some of our greatest losses lead us to choices that God uses for bigger things than we could have ever imagined.” 

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

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Wednesday, October 4, 2023

Review: Into the Fire by Irene Hannon

Series: Undaunted Courage #1
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Revell
Released: October 2, 2023
400 pages

About the Book:

As a former smokejumper, arson investigator Bri Tucker knows her way around fires. But after a mysterious blaze takes the life of a former colleague, Bri inherits a curious puzzle from him that raises questions about several fiery deaths. Someone, however, doesn't want her picking up where he left off in search of answers.

When she teams up with ATF Special Agent Marc Davis to solve the puzzle, the danger escalates. But will they manage to track down the person behind the mysterious deaths before their budding romance--and maybe even their lives--go up in flames?








My Rating & Thoughts:    ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Bri is a fire investigator assigned to investigate a fire that killed a recently retired but well-respected fire investigator. The fire doesn't appear to be arson, but Bri is suspicious of the circumstances. Marc from ATF is called in to assist in the investigation. Marc and Bri are instantly attracted to one another, but neither is looking for a relationship at this time. They keep things professional while they work on this case. It appears to be accidental, but Bri's gut is telling her there's more going on than appears. Can they figure out before they are forced to close the case? I was intrigued and shocked when it was revealed who the killer was. My shock wasn't only because of who it was but when and how it was revealed. Great job at keeping me on my toes! Too bad Marc and Bri still had no idea. I liked getting to know these characters, seeing them interact and support one another through trying times. I also really enjoyed the secondary characters and hope that Bri's siblings are featured in the coming books of this series. The grandma was a great spiritual influence for Marc. I enjoyed this read and following characters that worked together to solve the puzzle left them.  

Favourite Quote: 

“You cannot always wait for the perfect time. Sometimes you must dare to jump.”

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

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Monday, October 2, 2023

Review: Greater Love by Robert Whitlow

Series: Tides of Truth #3
Genre: Legal Fiction 
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Released: March 29, 2010
387 pages
About the Book:

As the storm clouds gather, Tami does her best to weather the growing turbulence in every area of her life.

She's just accepted a job with a law firm but now wonders if she made the right decision. She has two strong men vying for her heart--and is about to lose them both if she can't determine which one is right for her.

And Tami's new case is anything but simple. When she first meets her prospective client, she immediately knows the rough young teen is lying, guilty...and utterly terrified of something beyond the charges she's facing. What she doesn't realize is just how far reaching the effects of the case will go. Or how close to home the deadly results will hit. For by the time the storm breaks, someone close to Tami will have paid the ultimate price.

Through it all, Tami will experience greater sacrifice, greater friendship, and greater love than she's ever known.



My Rating & Thoughts:    ⭐⭐⭐


There were parts I really enjoyed and parts that frustrated me. The book really focuses more on Tami's personal life than her law career. It starts slow and gives a lot of everyday detail with the actual case not starting until the 50% mark. I liked Tami and seeing how she turned to God to direct her path. Julie was entertaining as always and kept Tami on her toes. I did not like that the women preacher from book two was carried over into this one and how outspoken she was to some and not taking into account the way she came across to others. I really enjoyed Tami's interaction with Mrs. Fairmont and the witness Tami was to her. I was very interested in Jessie and her situation, I wish it would have played a larger role in the book and wrapped up a bit better rather there were some questions left unanswered.

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

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