First Line Friday — Last to Fall

20 Feb

Happy Friday! Today I am featuring Last to Fall, the final book in Lynn Blackburn’s romantic suspense series, Gossamer Falls, that releases on March 17. I am so excited to read this book — Mo and Bronwyn have been favorite characters of mine since the beginning of the series. I can’t wait to find out what happened years before to make them enemies and to see how Blackburn will achieve an HEA for them. Not to mention all the great twists and turns and dangerous situations she will inflict on them. 😉

Here’s the first line:

Whoever said blood was thicker than water hadn’t know about the Pierce family.

She’s caught in a deadly game. He’s the only one who can help her win. 

Bronwyn Pierce has poured everything into The Haven, her family’s exclusive mountain resort in Gossamer Falls. But when financial discrepancies surface and the numbers suggest something far darker than simple mismanagement, she’s forced to call on the one person with the skills to help her: Mo Quinn, a former Army intelligence officer, her first love, and the last person she ever wanted to trust again.

Mo has spent years avoiding the woman he once loved and the secrets that tore them apart. But when Bronwyn calls, he can’t walk away–especially when it’s clear someone wants her gone for good. As they dig deeper into the treacherous motives behind a blackmail scheme, their proximity reignites long-buried feelings neither of them are ready to face. And when the evidence points to an unexpected culprit, Mo faces an impossible choice: trust the proof in front of him or trust his heart.

Lynn H. Blackburn loves writing romantic suspense because her childhood fantasy was to become a spy, but her grown-up reality is that she’s a huge chicken and would have been caught on her first mission. She prefers to live vicariously through her characters and loves putting them into all kinds of terrifying situations while she’s sitting at home safe and sound in her pajamas!

Unknown Threat, the first book in her Defend and Protect series, was a 2021 Christy Award finalist, and her previous titles have won the Carol Award, the Selah Award, and the Faith, Hope, and Love Reader’s Choice Award.

Lynn lives in South Carolina with her family. You can stay up-to-date by signing up for her newsletter at her website and following her on social media @LynnHBlackburn.

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Book Review — The Bitter End Birding Society

18 Feb

I have loved every book I have read by Amanda Cox, so it’s hard to choose a favorite. But I believe that my most recent read, The Bitter End Birding Society, is now my favorite. I loved everything about it! It’s my book club’s February selection — can’t wait to discuss it.

Hometown hero Ana Leigh Watkins ventures to Bitter End, Tennessee, to help her great-aunt get her house ready to sell. Bitter End seems an ironic place for Ana to refresh her weary spirit, but she’s desperate for respite from her community’s attention and unwarranted admiration. While on a hike in Roan Mountain, a ragtag group of amateur bird watchers take her under their wing—a little against her will. However, she quickly warms to these genuine souls seeking solace in the great outdoors.

But when Ana’s adventures in Bitter End lead her to a severed branch of her family tree—one that involves the forbidden love between a moonshiner’s daughter and a preacher’s son—what began as a quest to study Appalachian birds becomes a transformative journey that binds together two women who, though they live on the same street, have been estranged for sixty years.

Immerse yourself in the lyrical prose and layered plotting of award-winning novelist Amanda Cox as she offers up an engaging story of finding belonging, reconciliation, and new beginnings in the most unexpected places.

Before becoming a stay-at-home parent, Amanda Cox spent her time counseling children, families, and individuals through life’s challenging moments. Now she uses those same skills to develop layered characters and stories, bringing them on a journey of hope and healing. A journey she hopes her readers experience in their own lives as they read.

A few of her favorite things are the sanctuary of the great outdoors, the feeling of pen on paper, the sound of her children’s laughter, and exploring new places with her husband of 18 years. (Oh, let’s not forget good fiction and good coffee. She’s addicted to both.) You can stay connected with her latest writing updates at http://www.amandacoxwrites.com. You can find her on social media by searching Amanda Cox Writes.

My Impressions:

My book club loves a story with well-developed characters whose struggles are true-to-life. Amanda Cox is one of our favorite authors because she consistently introduces us to relatable characters that we grow attached to. You know the ones — characters that become friends. The Bitter End Birding Society has several that captured my heart. The novel takes place in the Appalachian mountains of Tennessee. The story is told from a present day perspective that has been influenced by the 66 year old tragedy told through flashbacks. Ana has come to Bitter End to escape her present life as much as to discover her family history. There are others in Bitter End who want to escape the pain of their past as well. But ignoring the past does not make it go away. The characters in the book struggle with identity, guilt, and a sense of helplessness that their past experiences engendered. As they join together to form the loosely organized birding society, they find the answers they search for and the peace that comes from reconciling the hard things of life with the hope for a different future. I liked that not everything is tied up with a neat bow — life is still uncertain, yet it is secure. The author draws more than a few analogies from nature, especially the various birds the group encounters. I love that there is emphasis on the care and provision of God in all aspects of life. The spiritual thread is very strong, but naturally woven throughout the narrative. This book is never preachy.

The Bitter End Birding Society is a book that stayed with me long after the last page was read. It was a quiet yet powerful story that I won’t soon forget. I can’t wait to talk about it with my book club.

Highly Recommended.

Great for Book Clubs.

Audience: Adults.

(I purchased the ebook from Amazon. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

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Top 10 Tuesday — Bucket List Books!

17 Feb

Happy Tuesday! Today’s TTT topic is books for the armchair traveler. Isn’t it great that a book can transport you to another place and time? I love it when a book makes me feel I am really there. I also love to add places to my travel bucket list after reading a book. I have had great experiences visiting places I first traveled to while reading — Alaska, the Shetland Islands in Scotland, Yellowstone, Zion National Park. Today I am listing a few books that make me want to get up out of my armchair and really experience in person their settings. Will I be able to go everywhere on my list? Probably not, but these books really make me want to! (I have 3 books set in Washington State — looks like I should really plan a visit.)

For more books for armchair travelers, please visit That Artsy Reader Girl.

Top Bucket List Books

Beyond The Sound And Sea by Amanda Cox — the Outer Banks, NC

Heirlooms by Sandra Byrd — Whidbey Island, WA

Hope Harbor by Irene Hannon — the Oregon Coast

My Heart Belongs on Mackinac Island by Carrie Fancett Pagels — Mackinac Island, Michigan

The Road to Paradise by Karen Barnett — Mt. Ranier National Park

The Secrets of Paper And Ink by Lindsay Harrel — Cornwall

Shadows of Lancaster County by Mindy Starnes Clark –Lancaster County, PA

Storm Warning by Elizabeth Goddard– the Washington Coast

Where The Fire Falls by Karen Barnett — Yosemite National Park

Where Trees Touch The Sky by Karen Barnett — Redwood National Park

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Happy Release Day — Deadly Currents

17 Feb

A very happy release day to Elizabeth Goddard! The third book in her Hidden Bay romantic suspense series, Deadly Currents, is now available. You do not want to miss this fast-paced novel filled with legend and lore surrounding a ghost ship. Find out more below.

Investigative journalist Cressida Dane arrives in Hidden Bay after a worldwide journey to finish her late father’s manuscript on shipwrecks. As she tries to discover the story behind the “ghost ship” Specter’s Bounty, her only lead is a name her father left behind–Evelyn Monroe. As Cressida uncovers more about the ship, she quickly realizes that her research has placed her in the crosshairs of dangerous forces.

County detective Braden Sanders is in Hidden Bay for one reason–to get his niece lifesaving medical treatment. To do that, he is assigned to protect Cressida from a revenge-driven enemy. Together, Braden and Cressida dig deeper to discern the myth from the facts surrounding the Specter’s Bounty. 

But more is brewing under the surface than they could ever imagine. Entangled in secrets, they must unravel the past before the current sweeps away their future.

Elizabeth Goddard is the PW, ECPA, and USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of over sixty novels, including the Missing in Alaska and Rocky Mountain Courage series. Her books have sold more than 1.5 million copies. She is a Christy Award, Carol Award and Reader’s Choice Award winner and a Daphne du Maurier Award and HOLT Medallion finalist. When she’s not writing, she loves spending time with her family, traveling to find inspiration for her next book, and serving with her husband in ministry. For more information about her books, visit her website.

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Book Review: Deadly Currents

16 Feb

Don’t miss out on the thrilling conclusion to Elizabeth Goddard’s Hidden Bay series. Deadly Currents is filled with betrayal, intrigue, and a ghost ship! Find out all about it below.

Investigative journalist Cressida Dane arrives in Hidden Bay after a worldwide journey to finish her late father’s manuscript on shipwrecks. As she tries to discover the story behind the “ghost ship” Specter’s Bounty, her only lead is a name her father left behind–Evelyn Monroe. As Cressida uncovers more about the ship, she quickly realizes that her research has placed her in the crosshairs of dangerous forces.

County detective Braden Sanders is in Hidden Bay for one reason–to get his niece lifesaving medical treatment. To do that, he is assigned to protect Cressida from a revenge-driven enemy. Together, Braden and Cressida dig deeper to discern the myth from the facts surrounding the Specter’s Bounty. 

But more is brewing under the surface than they could ever imagine. Entangled in secrets, they must unravel the past before the current sweeps away their future.

Elizabeth Goddard is the PW, ECPA, and USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of over sixty novels, including the Missing in Alaska and Rocky Mountain Courage series. Her books have sold more than 1.5 million copies. She is a Christy Award, Carol Award and Reader’s Choice Award winner and a Daphne du Maurier Award and HOLT Medallion finalist. When she’s not writing, she loves spending time with her family, traveling to find inspiration for her next book, and serving with her husband in ministry. For more information about her books, visit her website.

My Impressions:

Elizabeth Goddard has been a must-read author since her first book. Her books always deliver a suspense-filled plot with very satisfying HEAs. Her latest book Deadly Currents, the final book in the Hidden Bay series, brought it all — intrigue, betrayal, long-held secrets, sunken treasure, and ghost ships! It’s a wild ride from the first page to the last. I loved returning to Hidden Bay, the out of the way location on the Washington coast. Goddard does a great job of making the reader feel the incoming sea mists, hear the crashing waves, and savor the incredible views of the area. The book certainly makes me want to visit the Pacific Northwest now. The plot involves legend and lore surrounding a ghost ship. Journalist Cressida is in the area trying to finish her late father’s history of sunken ships. But someone really doesn’t want her to uncover what her father was researching. Local police detective, Braden, has more than just an interest in solving an attack on Cressida. He has secrets of his own. The two make an interesting team — there certainly is chemistry between them. But distrust and hidden motives may sink their romance before it begins. The puzzling mystery kept me turning the pages. And I did not see the ending coming! That’s a big plus in my book. Faith threads are very strong, but not preachy in any way. The struggles that the characters face will resonate with any reader.

For those who like fast-paced plotting, sweet romance, and a strong faith-filled message, Deadly Currents is a great choice. If you haven’t read the first two books in the series, you are in for a wonderful binge-reading treat!

Recommended.

Audience: Adults.

(Thanks to NetGalley for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

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First Line Friday — The Text

13 Feb

Happy Friday! Only one week to go until the Read, White, And Blue Book Festival taking place in Perry, Georgia. If you are anywhere within driving distance of this great event, you need to check it out. Luncheon speaker, Becky Wade, will be joined by 40 fabulous authors for a day filled with bookish fun!

One of the attending authors is Julane Fisher. Julane writes both YA and MG fiction. Today I am featuring her YA speculative novel, The Text.

Here’s the first line:

Creating backdoor access to the most popular social media app, Allicio, proved more difficult than I imagined.

In a world where safety is scripted and freedom comes with terms and conditions, Rami Carlton is about to learn that the deadliest virus wasn’t the one that killed millions—it’s the one controlling the truth.

Fans of Divergent and The Maze Runner will race through this twist-packed thriller where control is the real contagion, and knowing the truth could get you killed.

They said it was for your safety. They lied. In 2048, America thrives under the Department of Safety Threats and Reinforcement—STaR—a government agency born from the ashes of a pandemic that wiped out a third of the world’s population. Through mandatory health monitors and its addictive social app, Allicio, STaR promises citizens a safe and healthy life.

But when a massive blackout shuts down the nation’s health tech, sixteen-year-old Rami Carlton is thrust into a dangerous mystery. Her mother disappears. Her phone goes dark. And someone sends her a chilling message: You’re being watched.

Teaming up with tech prodigy Finley Drake, Rami races to uncover the truth behind STaR’s perfect system. What they find is worse than they imagined: STaR isn’t just monitoring citizens. They’re manipulating them—and Rami is their next target. With her family in danger and the country in chaos, Rami has one chance to expose the truth.

Safety is mandatory. Privacy is extinct. And truth is a glitch in the system.

Julane Fisher is the author of the award-winning Sour Lemon Series. Sour Lemon and Sweet Tea is a humorous portrayal of life before cell phones and social media, emphasizing positive family values. Her latest novel, The Text, explores a near future where technology not only governs citizens, it controls them. Julane lives in north Georgia with her husband, twin boys, and their two mischievous Labrador retrievers. Be the first to know when she releases a new novel and sign up for her newsletter by visiting http://www.julanefisher.com.

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Mini-Book Review — The Vanished

12 Feb

The Vanished combines a decades-old mystery with modern-day suspense as main characters Janae and Carter investigate the threats surrounding a disputed painting. It is no secret that the Nazis plundered the artwork of Europe, many pieces lost forever. But one masterpiece makes its appearance in small town Virginia. I loved the historical detail and the law surrounding lost artwork, as the two main characters bring their expertise to the case. There are lots of twists and turns and secretive goings-on behind the scenes in this romantic suspense novel, and although this one started a bit slow for me, the action ramps up towards the end, making the novel a page-turner. This book is good for those who love their mystery full of history.

Recommended.

Audience: Adults.

(I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

Janae Simmons left the small town of Kedgewick, Virginia, ten years ago to pursue her legal career and never looked back–until a professional mistake leads her to her grandmother’s historic carriage house and to the town where her past threatens to find her. The quiet streets echo with her grandfather’s sterling reputation, one that conflicts with fresh questions that claw at Janae, launching her on a reluctant journey to unearth his secrets. When her new job at a local law firm doesn’t live up to expectations, she wonders if coming home was the right decision.

Carter Montgomery starts his art preservation career with the only job he can get–director at the Elliott Museum of Art. At least Kedgewick is a nice enough town to provide him and his nephew with a safe place to grieve the loss of Carter’s sister. But Carter’s calm days disappear when an elderly woman claims two paintings in the museum’s collection were stolen from her family during World War II.

Carter enlists Janae’s help to unravel the legal labyrinth of art ownership, and the peaceful facade of Kedgewick morphs into a hot bed of secrets. When an attorney turns up dead and Janae uncovers another painting, what began as a simple legal issue spirals into a race against time. As the web of intrigue tightens, the duo must confront a looming question: What dark truths lie beneath the surface, waiting to be exposed?

The award-winning, best-selling author of more than 35 books, Cara Putman graduated college at 20 and completed her law degree at 27. FIRST for Women magazine called Shadowed by Grace “captivating” and a “novel with ‘the works.’” Cara is active at her church and a full-time Clinical Associate Professor on business and ethics to undergraduate and graduate students at Purdue University’s Krannert School of Management. Putman also practices law and was a second-generation homeschooling mom for twelve years. Putman obtained her Master’s in Business Administration from Krannert and her J.D. from George Mason University Antonin Scalia School of Law. She serves on the executive board of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), an organization she has served in various roles since 2007. She lives with her husband and four children in Indiana. You can connect with her online at: caraputman.com.

Spotlight on Romantic Suspense/Thriller — Eye of The Mind

11 Feb

Eye of the Mind JustRead Blog + Review Tour

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for Eye of the Mind by Sara Davison, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About The Book

Eye of the Mind

Title: Eye of the Mind
Author: Sara Davison
Publisher: Independently Published
Release Date: December 17, 2025
Genre: romantic suspense (with thriller elements)

She can’t picture his face.
But he knows hers.

Firefighter Jules Adler suspects her blind date with Officer Dante de Marco will not go well. When she witnesses a violent crime, the night goes from bad to worse fast.

Dante, the police sketch artist, is tasked with getting enough details from her to draw the killer. If only Jules could visualize the man’s face.

She and Dante are forced to spend a lot more time together than either would like, trying desperately to come up with a likeness. The problem is, with a ruthless psychopath closing in, that time is about to run out.

For fans of fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat suspense, slow-burning romance, humor, and deep issues of faith.

Excerpt

Dante rested his fingers on the report. “It says here that you witnessed a murder.”

She swallowed. “I did.”

He glanced at the paper. “At eight-forty-five last evening?”

“That sounds about right.”

“Weren’t we…”

“On a date then? Technically, yes. When you left to go to the men’s room, I stepped out into the alley running alongside the building to get some air. I planned to come back in and tell you I was leaving, except that, before I could, I heard a woman scream. I came out from behind a dumpster to see that man…” Her voice broke, and she pressed a fist to her mouth.

“Take your time. It’s okay.” Dante said the words by rote, the way he’d been taught and the way he’d said it to a hundred witnesses before. This situation was so unlike any he’d been in, though, that he could barely get them out, with shock and self-recrimination sending currents of white-hot pinpricks stinging across his flesh.

Jules hadn’t left without talking to him. While he was still in the pub, she’d been just outside the building, witnessing a man murdering a woman in cold blood. If he hadn’t been such a jerk to her, she wouldn’t have even been there. None of this would have happened.

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

Also Available

About The Author

Sara Davison

Sara Davison is the author of numerous romantic suspense series. A finalist for more than a dozen national writing awards, including the Christy Award, Davison is a HOLT Medallion, Cascade, and two-time Carol Award winner for romantic suspense. She lives in Ontario with her husband, Michael. Like every good Canadian, she loves coffee, hockey, poutine, and apologizing for no particular reason. Get to know Sara better and subscribe to her short, monthly newsletter at ontheedgesuspense.com.

Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a paperback copy of Eye of the Mind plus a $25 Amazon card!

Eye of the Mind blog tour giveaway JustRead Tours

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight February 10, 2026 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on February 17, 2026. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US/CAN only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

JustRead Publicity Tours

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Top 10 Tuesday — The Love Boat!

10 Feb

Happy Tuesday! Today TTT bloggers are celebrating all things romance with a Love Freebie! After many years of creating these posts it is a bit daunting to come up with something fresh. Today I am featuring romance novels — contemporary, historical, and suspense — that have part or whole of their settings on boats. You know, The Love Boat! 😉 Extra points for those whose characters cement their love on the open seas. Come aboard, they’re expecting you!

For more Love Freebie fun, please visit That Artsy Reader Girl.

Top Ten Books with Love Boats!

The Choice by D. L. Wood

The Glass Bottom Boat by Laura Thomas

The Indigo Heiress by Laura Frantz

Love Overboard by Shannon Sue Dunlap

The Magnolia Duchess by Beth White

The Mayflower Bride by Kimberly Woodhouse

Midnight on The Scottish Shore by Sarah Sundin

The Mistletoe Countess by Pepper Basham

The Pirate Bride by Kathleen Y’Barbo

Stranded by Dani Pettrey

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Book Review: Taking A Second Shot

9 Feb

Leslie Kirby DeVooght is an up-and-coming contemporary romance author you need to check out. With 3 novels published in 2025, she is well on her way to an impressive book list. She writes sweet romance with plenty of sass — something I love! Discover more about her third novel, Taking A Second Shot, below.

Can he convince her that he’s playing for keeps?

Struggling professional soccer player Rainey Allen has come to her grandparents’ small town in Georgia to train—certainly not to coach kids. But when a grief-stricken little boy gets excited about playing with her, she can’t refuse. Even if his uncle is Scott Wilcox, the source of Rainey’s worst preteen memory. Once on track to be a professional athlete himself, Scott is grappling with his new life as the high school baseball coach and guardian of his orphaned nephew. But as playing soccer puts the light back in Henry’s eyes, old wounds begin to heal. When Rainey gets her big break, will she give up on her dreams…or leave behind the family who stole her heart?

Leslie Kirby DeVooght writes women’s fiction inspired by romcoms, coastal Georgia, and fried okra! While Leslie and her family live in Jacksonville, Florida, they often visit her hometown of St. Simons Island, Georgia, where she loves to go for long walks on the beach. A graduate of Florida Southern College and Mercer Law School, Leslie is always revising her life from prosecutor to judge to PTA president to author of happily-ever-afters.

My Impressions:

Taking A Second Shot by Leslie Kirby DeVooght is the perfect choice for those who love sweet romance. This Love Inspired title is a quick read perfect for a weekend getaway. Especially good for soccer or baseball moms between games! But if you don’t have an athletic bone in your body, don’t let that keep you from picking up this book. There is so much more than sports just as the main characters Rainey and Scott discover. Really, any career would have worked for these two driven people. Fully committed to their paths, they often lose sight of what is really important, even when it is right in front of their noses. The banter between the two is great which adds to the chemistry they strive to deny. I loved that the two had people in their lives offering guidance and a healthy push towards each other. 😉 Spiritual threads are strong, with emphasis on discerning what God has planned versus what we think is logical or correct.

Sweet and sassy, Taking A Second Shot is the HEA you are looking for.

Recommended.

Audience: Adults.

(I purchased this book from Amazon. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

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