First Line Friday — Buried in Shadows from Whiteout by Dani Pettrey and Lynette Eason

27 Feb

Happy Friday! I am so excited for Whiteout, the novella collaboration between Dani Pettrey and Lynette Eason, the masters of romantic suspense! I have an early copy, so I am sharing the first line from Buried in Shadows by Dani.

Here’s the first line:

Her breath bursting in her lungs, Cassie Parker readied to take a step, her bare foot hovering over the wooden floorboard.

Brace yourself for double the suspense in these snowbound adventures as an avalanche forces two couples to face down their enemies in a ski resort shut off from the outside world. 

In Buried in Shadows by Dani Pettrey, Cassandra Parker arrives at her best friend’s destination wedding, praying her stalker hasn’t tracked her to Colorado. Also part of the wedding party is Sheriff Joel Brunswick, the man she stunned by leaving at the altar to hide a dangerous truth. When an avalanche strands their ski group in an abandoned lodge, it becomes chillingly clear that Cassandra’s stalker has followed her . . . and he’s willing to kill to make her his. 

In Snowbound Secrets by Lynette Eason, Dr. Maya Sullivan fully intends to escape her past and finish planning a retreat for military veterans at the ranch she’s inherited. Unfortunately, her plans go sideways when an avalanche traps her in a Colorado ski resort. An unexpected reunion with her high school crush forces her to confront past wounds, but she soon realizes someone is targeting her, and their search for a shadowy enemy becomes a matter of life and death. 

A gripping romantic suspense novella collection from bestselling authors Lynette Eason and Dani Pettrey featuring second-chance romance, trapped together forced proximity, military and law enforcement heroes, a small-town destination wedding, and snowbound survival at a Colorado ski resort.

New York Times and award-winning, best-selling author, Lynette Eason writes for Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense line and for Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. Her books have hit the New York Times, Publisher’s Weekly, CBA and ECPA bestseller lists and have won numerous awards such as the prestigious Carol Award, the Selah, the Daphne, the IRCC award and more. Lynette is married, has two children, and lives in South Carolina.

Publishers Weekly and #1 Amazon bestselling author, Dani Pettrey has sold nearly one million copies of her novels to readers eagerly awaiting the next release. Dani combines the page-turning adrenaline of a thriller with the chemistry and happy-ever-after of a romance.

Her novels stand out for their “wicked pace, snappy dialogue, and likable characters” (Publishers Weekly), “gripping storyline[s],” (RT Book Reviews), and “sizzling undercurrent of romance” (USA Today).

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If You Liked . . . The Bitter End Birding Society

26 Feb

I absolutely loved The Bitter End Birding Society by Amanda Cox. I think it’s my favorite of all her books, and that’s saying a lot! If you haven’t read it, put it on the top of your TBR. If you have read it and liked it as much as I did, or you enjoy character-driven novels and/or books with a strong sense of place, check out a few more book recommendations.

The Light on Horn Island by Valerie Fraser Luesse

Just when her life comes crumbling down, she discovers secrets that could shape her future–and heal her past. 

When Edie Gardner’s life in New York falls apart, her grandmother Adele “Punk” Cheramie coaxes her back to tiny Bayou du Chêne, Mississippi. Edie spent many happy summers there, a stone’s throw from untamed Horn Island, where she once found love. Can she now demystify the island’s strange new light?

Punk and her colorful friends introduce Edie to the Trove, a fascinating gallery and antique shop. Like Horn Island’s light, The Trove has appeared out of nowhere. Its proprietor, with a gift for discerning his customers’ needs, gives Edie a Victorian parlor game that asks players a series of personal questions, which is harmless fun at first. But Edie and her grandmother’s circle find that the game has a way of uncovering secrets, including a heartbreak that has haunted one of the women for decades. Banding together, this Southern sisterhood is determined to find answers that will bring healing, hope, and happiness–and maybe explain the transcendent illumination of a wild and windswept barrier island.

A Place to Land by Lauren K. Denton

Violet Figg and her sister Trudy have lived a quiet life in Sugar Bend, Alabama, since a night forty years ago that stole Trudy’s voice and cemented Violet’s role as her sister’s fierce and loyal protector. Now Trudy spends her days making sculptures from found objects and speaking through notes written on scraps of paper, while Violet runs their art shop, monitors bird activity up and down the water, and tries not to think of the one great love she gave up to keep her sister safe.

Eighteen-year-old Maya knows where everyone else belongs, but she’s been searching for her own place since her grandmother died seven years ago. Moving in and out of strangers’ houses has left her exhausted. After seeing a flyer on a gas station window for a place called Sugar Bend, Maya chooses to follow the strange pull she feels and finds herself on the doorstep of an art shop called Two Sisters.

When a boat rises to the surface of Little River in the middle of the night, the present and no-longer-buried past collide, and the future becomes uncertain for Maya, Violet, and Trudy. As history creeps continuously closer to the present and old secrets come to light, the sisters must decide to face the truth of what happened that night forty years ago, or risk losing each other and those they’ve come to love.

The Stories We Carry by Robin W. Pearson

A small-town bookstore owner finds herself at odds with a newcomer bent on disrupting her quiet life in this Southern women’s fiction novel by award-winning author Robin W. Pearson.

Glory Pryor has carved out a life for herself in Gilmore, North Carolina, cultivating a community around her bookstore, By the Book. While her business is a success, she carries the weight of stories of her own she’s never told anyone. She holds out hope that one day her estranged brother will turn up on her doorstep so she can finally learn where he’s been all these years. Glory’s husband Eli thinks she has her arms wrapped too tightly around the could-have-beens, and that it’s time for them to let go of the store as they head into their retirement years. Glory has different opinions on that—she’s not ready to give up the dream she’s built just yet. Then Adelle Simonette shows up with her young son, Bennett, and Glory’s carefully controlled life begins to crumble.

Newly widowed Adelle Simonette is a single mother trying to find her footing and navigate parenting her young son. Lost in her grief, one thing she’s certain of is that she needs to confront Glory Pryor and everybody who knows her because the woman’s been living a lie. Adelle thinks it’s high time Glory made things right. But Adelle’s finding it hard to tell the truth . . . and there will be no going back once she does.

In the wake of deeply personal grief and loss, two women reckon with a lifetime of silence and secrets to find a path forward toward healing, hope, and restoration.

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Book Review — Last to Fall

25 Feb

Fans of Lynn H. Blackburn do not want to miss the final installment in her Gossamer Falls series, Last to Fall. The books in this series continue to get better and better, with this one being my favorite! Find out all about it below.

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.

My Impressions:

Last to Fall is the final book in the Gossamer Falls series by Lynn H. Blackburn. I have to say I hate that this series had to end! Each successive book got better and better, and I think Last to Fall is my favorite overall. For fans of the series, this book features Bronwyn Pierce and Mo Quinn. Their stories have been hinted at in the previous novels, so I was excited to finally learn their backstory. While I generally like my romantic suspense heavy on the intrigue and danger and light on the romance, I have to say that the relationship between Mo and Bronwyn is what kept me turning the pages. Not that the mysterious goings-on weren’t page-turning. On the contrary, the nefariousness (is that a word, LOL) from both within Bronwyn’s family and external forces was great. There were rumors, innuendos, and some flying bullets that kept me on the edge of my seat. But . . . with this book being part Romeo/Juliet love story/tragedy, a best-friends-to-more-to-enemies backstory, and a redemptive story arc — let’s just say I loved the HEA that Blackburn had in store for these fun characters. All the characters from the previous two books and novella made an appearance, which I also loved. The ensemble cast made the theme of family even more powerful.

If you haven’t read this series, don’t miss one single word. You can now successfully binge-read to your heart’s joy. And Last to Fall is the icing on the cake! The copy I read contained a sneak peek at the next Blackburn series. Looks like I’ll get to visit Gossamer Falls again. Yippee!

Highly Recommended.

Audience: Adults.

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

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Top 10 Tuesday — Great First Lines!

24 Feb

Happy Tuesday! TTT‘s topic today is bookish quotes. I regularly participate in First Line Friday hosted by Carrie at Reading Is My Superpower. What a great way to introduce new books to readers! So today, I am including some of the best first lines from the past few months. I hope you find a book to pique your interest.

For more bookish quotes, please visit That Artsy Reader Girl.

Top First Lines!

I deeply regret to confirm that your son Lance Corporal Mark James Taylor died in Vietnam 1 November 1968.

All We Thought We Knew by Michelle Shocklee

Viola Chambers had always wondered at what point in the dying process a person understood they weren’t long for this world, and now she’d give anything to unlearn it.

The Bitter End Birding Society by Amanda Cox

“The sea never gives back what it claims . . .”

Deadly Currents by Elizabeth Goddard

A shrill sound pierced the night, sweeping through the house like the unearthly wail of a banshee.

Dragonfly Ashes by C. C. Warrens

Lizbeth Bennet clutched the handle of the wicker basket with hope.

The Heart of Bennet Hollow by Joanne Bischof DeWitt

No one knew that Carol Langstrom hated Christmas.

Once Upon a Christmas Carol by Melody Carlson

Natasha shifted uncomfortably on the rock floor of the icy cave, shoving her gloved hands under her armpits to keep warm.

Queen of Hearts by Heather Day Gilbert

Death had always been fashionable.

Specters in The Glass House by Jaime Jo Wright

Pandemonium has broken out in the streets of New York City.

Under The Tulip Tree by Michelle Shocklee

When I was eight, I watched my mother disappear in fading pixels.

Wicked Is The Hollow by K. E. Ganshert

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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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