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First Line Friday — The Year of Jubilee

25 Nov

Happy Friday! Are you shopping today or enjoying a lazy day fueled by turkey? I prefer my shopping either online or without crowds, so I am not a big Black Friday fan. I am spending the day with family and in between fun, a good book. One that is in the Kindle queue is an anticipated read, The Year of Jubilee by songwriter Cindy Morgan. It’s a coming of age novel set against the backdrop of the South in the 1960s. It won’t officially release until April 2023, but thanks to NetGalley I have an early copy. Can’t wait to read it!

Here’s the first line:

There are some moments in your life you don’t forget.

The Mockingbird family has always lived peacefully in Jubilee, Kentucky, despite the divisions that mark their small town. Until the tense summer of 1963, when their youngest child, Isaac, falls gravely ill. Middle sister Grace, nearly fourteen, is determined to do whatever it takes to save her little brother. With her father and mother away at the hospital, Grace is left under the loving but inexperienced eye of her aunt June, with little to do but wait and worry. Inspired by a young teacher’s mission for change, she begins to flirt with danger―and with a gifted boy named Golden, who just might be the key to saving Isaac’s life. Then the unthinkable happens, and the world as she knows it shifts in ways she never could have imagined. Grace must decide what she believes amid the swirling, conflicting voices even of those she loves the most.

From gifted songwriter Cindy Morgan comes this lyrical, tender tale of a girl standing at the threshold of adulthood, learning the depths of the human heart and the bonds of family that bend, break, and bind together over and over again.

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First Line Friday — Caught In The Crosshairs (from Targeted)

18 Nov

Happy Friday! Today I am featuring Caught in The Crosshairs by Natalie Walters, the final story in the novella collection Targeted. This book is perfect if you are looking for romantic suspense for your holiday reading — it is full of fast-paced action and of course some serious romantic chemistry. Each novella is hard to put down, so when you start one make sure you have some time set aside.

Here’s the first line:

“Only six Thursdays left.”

Get ready for triple the excitement, intrigue, and romance with three heart-stopping stories from your favorite romantic suspense authors! 

In On the Run, Lynette Eason introduces you to IT Specialist Daria Nevsky, a highly skilled FBI agent with the ability to hack any computer. She must go on the run to find out who wants her dead–and Dr. Ryker Donahue refuses to let her do it alone.

In Deadly Objective, Lynn H. Blackburn throws physical therapist Emily Dixon and Secret Service Agent Liam Harper into an impossible situation. They don’t know why the vice president’s son seems to be in the crosshairs of a killer, but they’ll sacrifice anything to keep him safe.

In Caught in the Crosshairs, Natalie Walters pits former Army PSYOPS officer Ari Blackman against his colleague, CIA officer Claudia Gallegos, when Claudia is implicated in the murder of a Saudi prince. Can he prevent a coup that would put America at risk?

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First Line Friday — Deadly Objective (from Targeted)

11 Nov

Happy Friday! Today I am continuing to spotlight the romantic suspense novella collection Targeted. Today’s first line comes from Deadly Objective by Lynn H. Blackburn. I hope to begin this one today!

Here’s the first line:

Emily Dixon nodded at the Secret Service agent standing post inside the front door of the vice president’s home.

Get ready for triple the excitement, intrigue, and romance with three heart-stopping stories from your favorite romantic suspense authors! 

In On the Run, Lynette Eason introduces you to IT Specialist Daria Nevsky, a highly skilled FBI agent with the ability to hack any computer. She must go on the run to find out who wants her dead–and Dr. Ryker Donahue refuses to let her do it alone.

In Deadly Objective, Lynn H. Blackburn throws physical therapist Emily Dixon and Secret Service Agent Liam Harper into an impossible situation. They don’t know why the vice president’s son seems to be in the crosshairs of a killer, but they’ll sacrifice anything to keep him safe.

In Caught in the Crosshairs, Natalie Walters pits former Army PSYOPS officer Ari Blackman against his colleague, CIA officer Claudia Gallegos, when Claudia is implicated in the murder of a Saudi prince. Can he prevent a coup that would put America at risk?

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First Line Friday — On The Run (From Targeted)

4 Nov

Happy Friday! I am off on another road trip and there’s nothing better than to take along not 1, not 2, but 3 different stories! In my case I am traveling with Targeted, a novella collection by Lynette Eason, Lynn H. Blackburn, and Natalie Walters. All three authors are my favorites. I can’t get enough of their unique brand f romantic suspense. Today and the following two weeks I am featuring the first line from each novella. Hope it piques your interest!

Here’s the first line from On The Run by Lynette Eason.

Daria Nevsky slammed the door of there Ford F-150 truck and tucked her jacket under her chin to ward off the chill of the November wind.

Get ready for triple the excitement, intrigue, and romance with three heart-stopping stories from your favorite romantic suspense authors! 

In On the Run, Lynette Eason introduces you to IT Specialist Daria Nevsky, a highly skilled FBI agent with the ability to hack any computer. She must go on the run to find out who wants her dead–and Dr. Ryker Donahue refuses to let her do it alone.

In Deadly Objective, Lynn H. Blackburn throws physical therapist Emily Dixon and Secret Service Agent Liam Harper into an impossible situation. They don’t know why the vice president’s son seems to be in the crosshairs of a killer, but they’ll sacrifice anything to keep him safe.

In Caught in the Crosshairs, Natalie Walters pits former Army PSYOPS officer Ari Blackman against his colleague, CIA officer Claudia Gallegos, when Claudia is implicated in the murder of a Saudi prince. Can he prevent a coup that would put America at risk?

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First Line Friday — Where The Blue Sky Begins

28 Oct

Happy Friday everyone! I am excited to share a new-to-me author today, Katie Powner. She isn’t new to the Chrisian Fiction scene, but Where The Blue Sky Begins will be my first novel to read by her. The buzz is strong with this book; I cannot wait!

Here’s the first line:

Eric Larson had never seen such a sorry excuse for a town.

Sometimes the hardest road of all is the road home.

When confident and handsome Eric Larson is sent to a rural Montana town to work in the local branch of his uncle’s financial company, he’s determined to exceed everyone’s expectations, earn a promotion, and be back in Seattle by the end of summer. Yet nothing could prepare him for the lessons this small town has in store.

At forty-six years old, eccentric and outspoken Eunice Parker has come to accept her terminal illness and has given herself one final goal: seek forgiveness from everyone on her bucket list before her time runs out. But it will take more courage than she can muster on her own.

After an accident pushes Eric and Eunice together, the unlikely pair is forced to spend more time with each other than either would like, which challenges their deepest prejudices and beliefs. As summer draws to a close, neither Eric nor Eunice is where they thought they would be, but they both wrestle with the same important question: What matters most when the end is near?

Katie Powner is an award-winning author who lives in Montana, where cows still outnumber people. She writes contemporary fiction about redemption, relationships, and finding the dirt road home. Katie is a mom to the third power (biological, adoptive, and foster) who believes every child deserves a loving family. Visit http://www.katiepowner.com.

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First Line Friday — Deception

21 Oct

Happy Friday! This weekend I am relaxing! I’m looking forward to some time around the fire pit or in front of the fireplace with a hot beverage (Swiss Miss Dark Chocolate Cocoa is my guilty pleasure), and a book in my hand! I’ve got nothing on the agenda except watching the leaves change color and hopefully seeing some frolicking deer. I have taken along Deception by Patricia Bradley, a must-read author of romantic suspense. I am about 25% into the book and really enjoying the many twists she has set forth so far.

Here’s the first line:

Today was not a good day to die.

After being forced to kill an FBI agent gone rogue in self-defense while working in the violent crimes unit for the Investigative Services Branch, ranger Madison Thorn is comfortable with her move to the fraud and cyber division. At least numbers don’t lie. So she’s less than thrilled when a white-collar crime investigation in Natchez, Mississippi, turns violent. She could also do without being forced to work with former-childhood-enemy-turned-infuriatingly-handsome park ranger Clayton Bradshaw.

When a woman who looks just like Madison is attacked on the same night Madison’s grandfather is shot, it becomes clear that there is something much bigger going on here and that Madison herself is in danger. Madison and Clayton will have to work together—and suppress their growing feelings for one another-if they are to discover the truth before it’s too late.

USA Today bestselling and award-winning author Patricia Bradley closes out her popular Natchez Trace Park Rangers series with this complex story of family secrets, mixed motives, and learning to trust.

USA Today best-selling author, Patricia Bradley is the recipient numerous awards, including an Inspirational Readers’ Choice Award in suspense, a Selah winner, was a Carol and a Daphne du Maurier finalist. Her romantic suspense novels include the Logan Point series, the Memphis Cold Case Novels, and the Natchez Trace Park Rangers. She is now hard at work on the second book in her new Pearl River series set in the Cumberland Plateau area above Chattanooga. The first book in the series, Counter Attack will release in mid-2023.

She has conducted writing workshops for American Christian Fiction Writers, the Mid-South Christian Writer’s Conference, the KenTen and Scrivener retreats (where she was the keynote), the Memphis American Christian Fiction Writer group, and the Bartlett Christian Writers group. 

She and her two cats call Northeast Mississippi home–the South is also where she sets most of her books, and when she has time, she likes to throw mud on a wheel and see what happens.

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First Line Friday — The Lady’s Mine

14 Oct

Happy Friday! Today’s First Line Friday features The Lady’s Mine by Francine Rivers. Rivers is a favorite of my book club and we will be discussing this novel later in the month. I started it a few days ago and am really enjoying it. The characters are capturing my heart and I love the 1870s California mining town setting. Have you read this book yet? Let me know what you thought.

Here’s the first line:

Bleary-eyed and aching, Kathryn braced herself again as the stagecoach rattled over a stretch of rough road.

1875. When Kathryn Walsh arrives in tiny Calvada, a mining town nestled in the Sierra Nevadas, falling in love is the farthest thing from her mind. Banished from Boston by her wealthy stepfather, she has come to claim an inheritance from the uncle she never knew: a defunct newspaper office on a main street overflowing with brothels and saloons, and a seemingly worthless mine. Moved by the oppression of the local miners and their families, Kathryn decides to relaunch her uncle’s newspaper—and then finds herself in the middle of a maelstrom, pitted against Calvada’s most powerful men. But Kathryn intends to continue to say—and publish—whatever she pleases, especially when she knows she’s right.

Matthias Beck, owner of a local saloon and hotel, has a special interest in the new lady in town. He instantly recognizes C. T. Walsh’s same tenacity in the beautiful and outspoken redhead—and knows all too well how dangerous that family trait can be. While Kathryn may be right about Calvada’s problems, her righteousness could also get her killed. But when the handsome hotelier keeps finding himself on the same side of the issues as the opinionated Miss Walsh, Matthias’s restless search for purpose becomes all about answering the call of his heart.

Everyone may be looking to strike it rich in this lawless boomtown, but it’s a love more precious than gold that will ultimately save them all.

New York Times bestselling author Francine Rivers continues to win both industry acclaim and reader loyalty around the globe. Her numerous bestsellers include Redeeming Love, A Voice in the Wind, and Bridge to Haven, and her work has been translated into more than thirty different languages. She is a member of Romance Writers of America’s coveted Hall of Fame as well as a recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). Visit Francine online at http://www.francinerivers.com and connect with her on Facebook(http://www.facebook.com/FrancineRivers) and Twitter (@FrancineRivers).

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First Line Friday — The Premonition at Withers Farm

7 Oct

Happy Friday! I have a great book to share today to kickstart any spooky reading you have planned for October. The Premonition at Withers Farm by Jaime Jo Wright looks to be a shiver-y good read! I started it yesterday (I was able to snag an early copy from NetGalley), but it’s not available for sale until next week. Can you say pre-order?! Get your copy as quick as you can!

Here’s the first line:

When death came to visit, no one ever prepared tea and cookies.

The voices of the past cannot stay silent forever.

In 1910 Michigan, Perliett Van Hilton is a self-proclaimed rural healer, leaving the local doctor convinced she practices quackery. It doesn’t help that her mother is a spiritualist who regularly offers her services to connect the living with their dearly departed. But when Perliett is targeted by a superstitious killer, she must rely on both the local doctor and an intriguing newcomer for assistance.

In the present day, Molly Wasziak’s life has not gone the way she dreamed. Facing depression after several miscarriages, Molly is adapting to her husband’s purchase of a peculiar old farm. A search for a family tree pulls Molly deep into a century-old murder case and a web of deception, all made more mysterious by the disturbing shadows and sounds inside the farmhouse.

Perliett fights for her life, and Molly seeks renewed purpose for hers as she uncovers the records of the dead. Will their voices be heard, or will time forever silence their truths?

Daphne du Maurier and Christy Award-Winning author, Jaime Jo Wright resides in the hills of Wisconsin writing suspenseful, mysteries stained with history’s secrets. Jaime lives in dreamland, exists in reality, and invites you to join her adventures at jaimewrightbooks.com!

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First Line Friday — Sunburst

23 Sep

Happy Friday! I am on my last day of vacation with a final day in Edinburgh. I wrote this post two days before we boarded our plane to London, so I’m crossing my fingers that I have had a wonderful trip! 😉 Today I am sharing the second book in Susan May Warren‘s Sky King Ranch series, Sunburst, which is on my TBR list. My book club loved book one, Sunrise, and some members have read this one too and given it high marks. Let me know if you’ve read it and what you thought.

Here’s the first line:

Ranger wasn’t here to get into trouble, but wow, she was pretty.

When former Navy SEAL and lifelong bachelor Ranger Kingston is called upon to take part in a rescue mission to save his brother Colt, who has been kidnapped by terrorists in Nigeria, he is shocked to find among the hostages a woman he knows and could never forget.

Noemi Sutton was attempting to return a young girl to her family in Boko Haram territory when she and the girl found themselves taken hostage, along with several others. 

And while Ranger Kingston may be able to get the hostages away from their captors, he’ll need Noemi’s help if he ever hopes to get out of Nigeria alive.

Her solution? Pose as husband and wife. But when her uncle discovers the union, he insists on a traditional Nigerian wedding–binding Noemi to a man destined to break her heart. Worse, she’s discovered the real reason she was kidnapped, and anyone around her is bound to be caught in the cross fire. Including her so-called new husband.

She’ll need to figure out a way to leave the man she loves if she wants to save his life.

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Top 10 Tuesday — Fall TBR

20 Sep

I can’t wait until it is Fall here in the sunny South. High temperatures are still in the mid-80s where I live, but we have had a hint of cool-ish air in the mornings. Not enough to declare it is sweater weather, but it’s promising. 😉 I have a lot of great books on my TBR list spanning a number of genres. There should be something on my list to pique everyone’s interest!

For more Fall TBR Lists, head to That Artsy Reader Girl.

Fall TBR List

Concrete Evidence by DiAnn Mills

Crossfire by Lynette Eason

Dangerous Beauty by Melissa Koslin

Deception by Patricia Bradley

The Lady’s Mine by Francine Rivers

A Night to Remember by Danny and Wanda Pelfrey

The Premonition at Withers Farm by Jaime Jo Wright

A Stranger’s Game by Colleen Coble

Turn to Me by Becky Wade

Where The Blue Sky Begins by Katie Powner

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