Review: Southern Storm by Terri Blackstock

Series: Cape Refuge #2
Genre: Mystery/Suspense
Publisher: Zondervan
Released: August 27, 2003
363 pages

About the Book:

First a dead stranger. Now a missing Police Chief.
Did Chief Cade run off to elope . . . or has he met with foul play?

The body in the morgue had no ID. No one knew who he was or where he came from when he walked out in front of Cade's car. And when Cade learns he had a gunshot wound before he was struck, finding his identity becomes even more urgent.

Then Cade vanishes. Authorities discover the victim's name, and the woman Cade was last seen with turns out to have been the dead man's wife.

Speculation abounds about Cade's relationship to the woman and his part in the victim's death. His disappearance makes him look even more suspicious.

But Blair Owens doesn't believe the rumors. Something has happened to Cade, and she's determined to find him. Saving Cade's life will take faith in a God whom Blair has always doubted---but he may be her only hope.

My Rating & Thoughts:    ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Police Chief Cade hits someone on his way to a scene and while investigating what happened he disappears. Readers know he was kidnapped, but events happen that make those around him question if he just ran off because of the opening scene. Only Blair doesn't believe and begins investigating on her own. I was with Blair and trying to piece the puzzle clues together to figure out who was involved in the kidnapping and what was their motive. In the midst of the disappearance of Cade other events are happening with characters we met in book one. I enjoyed listening to this story and am intrigued to know what's going to happen next in the Cape Refuge community. The main characters have some life changes possibly coming up.

(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:   

   

Aftermath

Smoke Screen

Catching Christmas

If I Run - If I Run #1

If I'm Found - If I Run #2

If I Live - If I Run #3

Never Again Good-bye - Second Chances #1

When Dreams Cross - Second Chances #2

Blind Trust - Second Chances #3

Broken Wings- Second Chances #4

Cape Refuge - Cape Refuge #1

 

Review: The Inn at Walker Beach by Lindsay Harrel

Series: The Barefoot Sisterhood #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Blue Aster Press
Released: September 21, 2021
300 pages

About the Book:

A dream years in the making becomes reality with the inaugural meeting of The Barefoot Sisterhood...

Jenna Wakefield has been through a lot in her twenty-seven years—losing her mother, becoming a teen mom, and battling depression, just to name a few. And working a dead-end job, barely paying her bills, and fighting unrequited feelings for her boss aren’t exactly part of the life she always imagined.

With her six children grown and her husband constantly traveling for work, Elise Griffin finds herself utterly without purpose for the first time ever at age sixty-three. But “retirement” isn’t as wonderful as it might sound—it gives her far too much time to think about the affair her husband had a year ago ... the one she’s never told anyone about.

When both women are invited into the mysterious Barefoot Sisterhood and asked to help restore an old beachside inn for a good cause, they find themselves supported and encouraged in new and exciting ways. This inspiration leads to dream seeking ... and new romance as well.

Discover what happens when women give each other the space to finally dream—and in doing so, make the world a better place.

My Rating & Thoughts:    ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I loved the concept of the sisterhood, women of varying ages getting together and supporting one another through tough times and to pursue their dreams. The main two characters are of two different generations. Jenna is a 27-year told single mom to a 10-year-old, and feels like she constantly lets others down. Elise has been married for 40 and is her life has been focused on raising her kids but now that they are grown she's trying to find her place. Her marriage isn't what everyone thinks, and she is tying to figure out how to move forward. I was invested in these two characters and was rooting for both to succeed with their dreams and find happiness and contentment. I didn't like the story would jump days in-between scenes, especially when something happened and I wanted immediate follow-up but instead got told after the fact of what happened rather than experiencing them in the moment. Another challenge was to keep all the characters straight and their connections to each other as majority of the community seems to be related. I would pick up any sequels to this book if any were to be released.

Favourite Quote: 

“Don't be so intent on getting somewhere else - or on merely surviving - that you lose yourself along the way.”

(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:   

   

The Secrets of Paper & Ink
The Heart Between Us

One More Song to Sing 

Review: When Twilight Breaks by Sarah Sundin

Genre: Historical Romance
Publisher: Revell 
Released: February 2, 2021
348 pages

About the Book:

Evelyn Brand is an American foreign correspondent determined to prove her worth in a male-dominated profession and to expose the growing tyranny in Nazi Germany. To do so, she must walk a thin line. If she offends the government, she could be expelled from the country—or worse. If she does not report truthfully, she'll betray the oppressed and fail to wake up the folks back home.

Peter Lang is an American graduate student working on his PhD in German. Disillusioned with the chaos in the world due to the Great Depression, he is impressed with the prosperity and order of German society. But when the brutality of the regime hits close, he discovers a far better way to use his contacts within the Nazi party—to feed information to the shrewd reporter he can't get off his mind.

As the world marches relentlessly toward war, Evelyn and Peter are on a collision course with destiny.

  

My Rating & Thoughts:    ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Evelyn is a journalist working for the American News Service in Germany. She is fiercely independent and must work to prove herself in a male dominated profession. She meets Peter while on an assignment to interview American students studying in Germany. She has had bad experiences with men and tries hard to keep Peter at arm’s length. Over time they become friends and slowly learn to trust one another. Events happen that require Evelyn to depend on Peter. I really enjoyed watching the relationship develop between Peter and Evelyn. The beginning started a bit slow for me, but as I got to know the characters, I became more invested in the story and was hooked to know how it would end. I loved the determination of Peter and how he treated Evelyn. I really liked these characters. Because I read this after reading Until Leaves Fall in Paris and The Sound of Light it was fun to see characters I knew from those books mentioned in this one.

Favourite Quote: 

“Don't you know that God makes us strong? He didn't create us to be completely independent but interdependent. That's why he gave us families. That's why he gave us friends. That's why he gave us himself.”

(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:   

   

The Sound of Light

Until Leaves Fall in Paris

A Distant Melody - Wings of Glory #1

A Memory Between Us - Wings of Glory #2

Blue Skies Tomorrow - Wings of Glory #3  

Review: Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie

Series: Hercule Poirot #10 
Genre: Mystery/Suspense
Released: 1934
266 pages

About the Book:

Just after midnight, a snowdrift stops the famous Orient Express in its tracks as it travels through the mountainous Balkans. The luxurious train is surprisingly full for the time of the year but, by the morning, it is one passenger fewer. An American tycoon lies dead in his compartment, stabbed a dozen times, his door locked from the inside.

One of the passengers is none other than detective Hercule Poirot. On vacation.

Isolated and with a killer on board, Poirot must identify the murderer—in case he or she decides to strike again.

  

My Rating & Thoughts:    ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I listened to this as an audiobook and I am glad I did because I would have really struggled to figure out some of the character names. I have read this book quite a numbers of years ago and have seen the movie, but I did not remember anything about how it ended. I was invested trying to figure out who was guilty, but while I did pick up on some of the clues, there were quite a few I missed. I was surprised by the ending.

(I purchased my copy of this book; opinions expressed 

in this review are my honest opinion and completely my own.)