ARC Review: A Zoom with a View by Jess Cannon

A Zoom with a View
Author: Jess Cannon
Publication: Dutton (May 5, 2026)

Description: A fiction debut filled with heart and humor, A Zoom with a View will make you want to move to Blue Oak—if only the annual Fourth of July festivities didn't end with a dead body.

Leo can't believe she's back in Blue Oak. Her small, quirky Texas hometown feels suffocating after trying to make it big as an English professor in New York—especially due to her strained relationship with her overly hair-sprayed mother, Karina. But with Leo’s career in academia in shambles, at least she's able to work as a photographer for her godmother's real estate business. And her best friend, Emily, is around to help her navigate through the mess—and maybe force her to reconnect with her old high school boyfriend, Mack.

But while at work, Leo makes a grisly discovery at one of her godmother's properties: the dead body of rival real estate agent and social media influencer Chaz. Even worse, Leo and Emily have been secretly running a snarky Reddit page making fun of Chaz’s cringe-inducing advice and duck-faced selfies. When someone she loves is accused of the murder, Leo finds herself flung headfirst into a dangerous investigation, teaming up with a local detective who is a lot more attractive than she remembered when they were both teenagers. Meanwhile, Karina has been acting stranger and stranger, as if all her hair hides a big secret. . .

My Thoughts: Leo is back in her hometown of Blue Oak, Texas, where she needs to find a new start after failing to find a tenure position in a college English Department. She'll be working for her godmother's real estate company taking photos and managing the business's social media accounts. 

Leo wasn't eager to come home. She has a very difficult relationship with her mother who runs the local beauty shop. And she isn't all that eager to catch up with her high school classmates. She's glad to be able to spend some in-person time with her best friend Emily as opposed to their online friendship as they are moderating an online group that is following a former high school acquaintance who is trying to make his name as a social media influencer. Chaz runs a fitness center, is a rival real estate broker, and runs his own church. 

When Leo and Emily go to one of their new real estate properties, they discover Chaz's body. The local sheriff is sure that Leo's godmother Kay murdered him, but his deputies including another of Leo's classmates is actually willing to investigate and is willing to have Leo help him with the ins and outs of social media. 

This was an interesting mystery with quite a few twists and turns and quite a few viewpoints too. It seems Leo's mother has a secret life of her own. And Leo has to explore her feelings about her hometown and about old friends who might be romantic interests. 

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

Audiobook Review: Born in Fire by Nora Roberts

Born in Fire
Author: Nora Roberts
Narrator: Fiacre Douglas
Series: Concannon Sisters Trilogy (Book 1)
Publication: Brilliance Audio (June 10, 2008)
Length: 9 hours in 6 minutes

Description: #1 New York Times bestselling author Nora Roberts presents the first novel in the Irish Born Trilogy—featuring three modern sisters bound by the timeless beauty of Ireland.

Margaret Mary, the eldest Concannon sister, is a glass artist with an independent streak as fierce as her volatile temper. Hand-blowing glass is a difficult and exacting art, and while she may produce the delicate and the fragile, Maggie is a strong and opinionated woman, a Clare woman, with all the turbulence of that fascinating west country.

One man, Dublin gallery owner Rogan Sweeney, has seen the soul in Maggie’s art, and vows to help her build a career. When he comes to Maggie’s studio, her heart is inflamed by their fierce attraction—and her scarred past is slowly healed by love…

My Thoughts: Maggie Concannon is a glass artist. She is the oldest of Thomas Concannon and Maeve Concannon. Her parents have had a bad marriage with Maeve always blaming Maggie who was conceived outside of marriage for ruining her life. She has spent most of it hating Maggie and complaining about everything. Maggie doesn't understand why her parents have stayed together, but their marriage has convinced her to never marry. 

Rogan Sweeney is a Dublin gallery owner who has fallen in love with Maggie's work. He convinces her to let him manage her career and promises to make her rich. Maggie needs the money to fulfill the promise she made to her father when he died. She promised to take care of her sister and her mother. 

She uses the money she earns after her first big show to buy her mother a house and car and to hire a companion for her to get her out of her sister Brianna's bed and breakfast. Brianna still visits her frequently, but Maggie would like to have her out of her life.

Rogan falls in love with Maggie and being a stubborn man isn't going to let Maggie's fears of an unhappy marriage stand in his way. It takes a while for Maggie to be convinced that she can have a happy marriage despite all the garbage her mother has dumped on her all her life. 

I loved the setting. I loved the information about glass art and loved Maggie's talent for it. Rogan reminded me a bit of Roarke from Roberts' In Death series. He's gorgeous and a successful businessman who fights for what he wants. 

I bought this one from Chirp November 12, 2024. You can buy your copy here.

Book Review: Hide in Plain Sight by Marta Perry

Hide in Plain Sight
Author: Marta Perry
Series: The Three Sisters Inn (Book 1)
Publication: Love Inspired Suspense; Original edition (August 7, 2007)

Description: Book one of The Three Sisters Inn: Danger awaits the Hampton sisters in quiet Amish country.

SHE COULDN'T TURN HER BACK ON HER FAMILY IN THEIR TIME OF NEED.

So when her sister was injured, financial expert Andrea Hampton traded the big city for Amish country to help turn her grandmother's house into an inn.)

But life with the Plain People took a treacherous turn when a string of accidents and pranks threatened her family. Someone didn't want the secrets the old house harbored to come to light. Trusting anyone—even the handsome carpenter who seemed so genuine—was a battle for Andrea, but her life depended on her ability to find the truth…

My Thoughts: This Christian romantic suspense title stars Andrea Hampton who has left Amish country behind to try to find security in her job in Philadelphia and Calvin Burke who has given up city life and his law practice to find his faith and make furniture in Amish country.

When Andrea learns that her younger sister was hurt in a hit-and-run accident and rushes to be by her side, she is drawn back into the life she thought she had left behind forever. Her grandmother and the injured Rachel are in the beginning of setting up their family home as a B&B which Andrea thinks is a bad idea. 

Andrea isn't alone in her thinking. Her grandfather's partner is his real estate agency thinks it is a bad idea. So does the owner of the other local B&B who is trying to sabotage the startup. There have been attempts at theft and various acts of vandalism. Worst of all for Andrea is that her grandmother's financial situation is much less robust than she had believed. 

Andrea is torn between the needs of her family and her own need for financial security after an unstable childhood. Her determination to return to her life in Philadelphia hampers any hope of romance with Calvin who is just as adamant about not returning to a life that hurt his soul. The attraction between the two of them is strong though and grows stronger as they investigate to determine who wants to harm her grandmother's new business. 

Fans of Christian romantic suspense will enjoy this story. 

Favorite Quote:

He couldn't will himself into finding peace and joy in the everyday things of life. That only happened when he forgot the effort and simply lost himself in what he was doing. 

I bought this one July 17, 2009. You can buy your copy here.

Book & Audio Review: Royal Valentine by Jenn McKinlay

Royal Valentine
Author: Jenn McKinlay
Narrator: Sara Young
Series: A Museum of Literature Romance (Book 1)
Publication: JMO Ink (January 4, 2022); Dreamscape Media LLC (February 2, 2022)
Length: 114 p.; 3 hours and 13 minutes

Description: Molly Graham doesn't believe in love at first sight or fairy tales. She's been burned too many times before. But when she stumbles across a very handsome British professor, Albert George, seeking refuge in her office during the Museum of Literature's Valentine's Day gala for the opening of their Austen exhibit, she can't help but be drawn to the fellow introverted academic. Together, they ghost out of the event and embark upon a monthlong love affair. Just as she’s rethinking her stance on happily ever afters, he disappears.

Afraid something bad has happened, she searches for him only to discover there is no Albert George affiliated with the university. She's been played for a fool. But when she travels to England to return the Jane Austen exhibition materials on loan from the Whitmore Estate, Molly is introduced to Earl Whitmore and his grandson Lord Insley - or, as she knows him, Albert George. She is shocked and dismayed to discover she’s fallen in love with a viscount in line to be an earl.

Although he had to leave her unexpectedly, he hasn't been able to forget her, and he wants to win her back. But she refuses to be taken in twice. He’ll have to channel his inner Fitzwilliam Darcy to prove to her that love conquers all.

My Thoughts: This was a fun, contemporary romance novella. Molly Graham works at the Museum of Literature. She and her best friend Bri are constantly bemoaning the lack of suitable men in their lives. Bri challenges Molly to "aim high" in her next romantic venture.

When Molly meets Albert George hiding out at a museum gala, she's smitten. But she thinks he's a a poor, British graduate student. They spend a whirlwind month catching all the sites in New York City before he disappears on her leaving her heartbroken.

They meet again when she is tasked with returning the Jane Austen Exhibit items to Earl Whitmore in England. She discovers that her Albert George is actually Viscount Isley and heir to the earldom. Molly is heartbroken again because her one bottom line on relationships is that there by no lying. Al lied to her about who he was. Molly's own insecurity about the differences in their lives and lifestyles is also a barrier for her.

It takes some straight talking before the two of them can have their "happily ever after."

Favorite Quote:

I didn't laugh, because when Bri makes up her mind about something, she can be as stubborn as a mustard stain.

I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: Just Another Love Song by Kerry Winfrey

Just Another Love Song
Author: Kerry Winfrey
Publication: Berkley (August 2, 2022)

Description: Two high school sweethearts get a second chance at their perfect ending in this charming new romance by Kerry Winfrey, author of Very Sincerely Yours.

Once upon a time, Sandy Macintosh thought she would have her happily ever after with her high school sweetheart, Hank Tillman. Sandy wanted to be an artist, Hank was the only boy in town who seemed destined for bigger things, and they both had dreams to escape town together. But when Sandy’s plans fell through, she stayed in their small town

Fifteen years later, Sandy runs a successful greenhouse while helping her parents with their bed and breakfast. Everything is perfect…until Hank rolls back into town, now a famous alt-country singer with a son in tow. She’s happy with the life she’s built by herself, but seeing Hank makes her think about what might have been. There aren’t enough cliché love songs in the world to convince Sandy to give Hank another chance, but when the two of them get thrown together to help organize the town’s annual street fair, she wonders if there could be a new beginning for them or if what they had is just a tired old song of the past.

My Thoughts: JUST ANOTHER LOVE SONG was an engaging contemporary romance with moments of laugh-out-loud humor. 

Sandy Macintosh and Hank Tillman had a sweet high school romance. They both had plans to leave Baileyville and make their marks on the larger world. Sandy had her art and Hank had his music. But when finances kept Sandy at home, she broke up with Hank so that she wouldn't hold him back. Her break-up broke both their hearts and threw Sandy into depression.

Encouraged by her friends, she came out of it determined to make a happy life for herself in Baileyville. She owns a successful greenhouse, helps her parents with their B&B, and volunteers for just about everything in town. She tries to convince herself that she's happy, but still loves Hank.

Hank, who went off to build his music career, has married, divorced and has a young son. He is also a successful musician. Now, he's come back home, ostensibly so that his son can spend time with his parents, but he also wants to see if he can rebuild his relationship with Sandy.

The story was filled with Sandy's reticence to risk her heart and Hank's persistence. There were lots of funny moments and some that were quite emotional and touching. 

Fans of contemporary romance with enjoy this wonderful story. 

Favorite Quote:

What I do know is that I spent way too long picking out my outfit tonight before going with a red gingham dress that I was hoping would say, "vintage Americana," but might be saying, "repurposed tablecloth from an abandoned picnic."

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

Book Review: Brotherhood in Death by J. D. Robb

Brotherhood in Death
Author: J. D. Robb
Series: In Death (Book 42)
Publication: Berkley (February 2, 2016)

Description: In this thrilling novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling In Death series, Lieutenant Eve Dallas finds herself in the middle of a conspiracy when she investigates the disappearance of a former U.S. Senator.

Just as Dennis Mira is about to confront his cousin Edward about selling the West Village brownstone that belonged to their grandfather, he gets a shock: Edward is in front of him, bruised and bloody...and then everything goes black.

When Dennis comes to, Edward is gone. Luckily Dennis’s wife is a top profiler for the NYPSD—and a close colleague of Lieutenant Eve Dallas. Now Eve is determined to uncover the secrets of Edward Mira and learn what enemies he may have made in his long career as a lawyer, judge, and senator. A badge and a billionaire husband can get you access to places others can’t go, and Eve intends to shine some light on the dirty deals and dark motives behind the disappearance of a powerful man, the family discord over a multimillion-dollar piece of real estate...and a new case that no one saw coming.

My Thoughts: This is the 42nd In Death book but, in the internal chronology, only about three years have passed since Eve and Roarke first met. Eve (and Roarke) have made massive changes since the first book. Because Eve is the viewpoint character, we see her changes more closely. In this episode, Eve is called in when her friend Dr. Mira's husband is struck from behind in a house he inherited from his grandparents. He had come there to, very reluctantly, confront his cousin who inherited half the house and was determined to sell it despite the promises they made to their grandfather to keep it in the family.

Dennis Mira's cousin Edward is missing. This doesn't seem like Eve's kind of case since she is a murder cop but Dr. Mira is a friend and Eve has quite a crush on Dennis Mira who is a thoroughly nice man. When investigating Edward, she quickly learns how different he was from his cousin. They are quickly led to a number of women that Edward, very much married, had seduced in just the past year which leads Eve to think about marriage and fidelity. She knows she would not look the other way if Roarke chose to stray.

The case quickly turns to murder when Edward is found hanging from the chandelier in the foyer of his grandparents' house. He was beaten and tortured before his death. Because of the nature of the torture, focus turns to the crime being a result of some sexual relationship gone wrong which helps Eve's focus. 

I will say that the identities of the murderers were known pretty early in the story and the focus shifted on finding them before they could kill their next target. What made this story particularly interesting to me was that Eve had much more sympathy for the murderers than she had for the victims. However, her job was to stand for the victims no matter how unlikable or how unpleasant they were while they were alive. Also, the nature of the crimes committed by these men brought back memories of her own abused childhood. It was good to see the support network that she has built over the past three years. There's Roarke, of course, but there is also Dr. Mira and her partner Peabody who know her story. 

The nature of the case provides unique stress to Eve but so does Roarke's plan to redo her home office. He had created a duplicate of the apartment she lived in before they met and now he feels that it is time for a change. Eve was caught by surprise by the idea and it takes a while before she figures out why. This creates some tension between Eve and Roarke for a time. 

I loved this story and this opportunity to catch up on the lives of characters who are so real to me that I wouldn't be at all surprised to meet them on the street some day.

Favorite Quote:

"Could I what?"

"Forgive that. I mean, it's never going to happen, but hypothetically if, say, Roarke and I lost our minds for one wild night and had hot. crazed sex involving many multiple orgasms, then came to our senses and begged your forgiveness. Owned it, you know? Could you forgive us?"

Eve drove in silence a moment. "Well, it would be hard. It would be work, but marriage is work. So's partnership. I think I could. It would take time and that work, but I think I could forgive both of you. After I boiled you in big vats to make it easier to peel the skin, very slowly and carefully, off your bones while I danced to the music of your agonized screams. Then I made you watch while I fashioned people suits out of your skin for a couple of sparring droids I would then beat into rubble that I'd bury along with your quivering, skinless bodies in unmarked graves. After that," Eve said with a considering nod, "I think I could forgive you."

I bought this one in 2016 and read it right away. I chose to reread it now because I saw that Nora Roberts' publicist was pulling quotes from this one on their Facebook page. You can buy your copy here.

Book Review: Naked in Death by J. D. Robb

Naked in Death
Author: J. D. Robb
Series: In Death (Book 1)
Publication: Berkley (July 1, 1995)

Description: In the year 2058, technology completely rules the world. But for New York City Detective Eve Dallas, one irresistible impulse still rules the heart: passion…

Eve Dallas is a New York police lieutenant hunting for a ruthless killer. In over ten years on the force, she's seen it all—and knows her survival depends on her instincts. And she's going against every warning telling her not to get involved with Roarke, an Irish billionaire—and a suspect in Eve's murder investigation. But passion and seduction have rules of their own, and it's up to Eve to take a chance in the arms of a man she knows nothing about—except the addictive hunger of needing his touch.

My Thoughts: This story begins with Eve - Lieutenant Eve Dallas of the NYPSD - dealing with the aftermath of a case when she killed an addict just after the addict has sliced up and murdered a three-year-old child. Before she can go into Testing, she's called in for a Code Five case.

Licensed Companion Sharon DeBlass has been murdered with an illegal firearm. This is a political hot potato because her grandfather is Senator DeBlass. The Senator is a strong right-wing conservative against legal prostitution, the gun ban, professional mothers and all sorts of other realities in the United States in 2058. He also has a great deal of influence with her superiors in the NYPSD. 

As Eve begins to investigate, with the help of her former partner Ryan Feeney, she learns that one of the last people to see Sharon was Roarke. Roarke is a mysterious billionaire with no first name and no past that anyone can find. She certainly doesn't expect to be powerfully attracted to the mysterious Roarke. And he wasn't looking for her either. 

When Sharon's death is only the first with two more following - also licensed companions but not having anything else in common - Eve along with an assist by Roarke has to find out why someone wanted them all dead and stop him before he kills again. 

I liked the way the worldbuilding was woven into the story without long info-dumps. I liked the way the characters were introduced with just enough information to begin to get to know them. I loved the beginning of the romance between Eve and Roarke who were remarkably alike despite outward appearances. 

Favorite Quote:

God, what a face, he thought. All those angles and expressions, all that emotion and control. Just now she was fighting off showing both surprise and pleasure as the taste of the wine settled on her tongue. He was looking forward to the moment when the taste of her settled on his.

I bought this one in 1995 and read it the first time then. You can buy your copy here.

Book & Audio Review: The Rose Garden by Susanna Kearsley

The Rose Garden
Author: Susanna Kearsley
Narrator: Nicola Barber
Publication: Sourcebooks Landmark (October 4, 2011); Audible Studios (October 4, 2011)
Length: 448 p,; 12 hours

Description: A riveting and romantic journey through time, The Rose Garden drops a modern woman into the middle of a historical fiction novel when she's thrown back to 18th century Cornwall—only to find that might just be where she belongs.

After the death of her sister, Eva Ward leaves Hollywood and all its celebrities behind to return to the only place she feels she truly belongs, the old house on the coast of Cornwall, England. She's seeking comfort in memories of childhood summers, but what she finds is mysterious voices and hidden pathways that sweep her not only into the past, but also into the arms of a man who is not of her time.

Soon Eva discovers that the man, Daniel Butler, is very, very real and he draws her into a world of intrigue, treason, and love. Inside the old British house, begins to question her place in the present, she realizes she must decide where she really belongs: in the life she knows or the past she feels so drawn towards.

A brilliant escape that gives one woman the chance to time-travel and find her place in British history, The Rose Garden presents Susanna Kearsley's signature combination of romance and fascinating historical fiction at its very best.

My Thoughts: This was another engaging time travel romance by an author who is a star in the genre. Eva Wells is rather lost after her beloved sister dies. She is determined to take her ashes to a place where they were both happy. She ends up in Cornwall with people who made her childhood happy.

She finds that things are different in many ways. The farm is in trouble and the place isn't quite what she remembered. Then she finds herself hearing voices and traveling back in time to the same house in 1715. 1715 is a time of political unrest. Queen Anne has died, and George I and James Stuart are rival claimants for the throne. She meets Daniel Butler who is a free trader and supporter of James Stuart.

She also finds herself falling in love with a man from a time which is not her own. She gets involved with him, and he accepts her presence without question. Together they have to deal with a constable who really hates him and who is eager to arrest him for his support of James Stuart.

I enjoyed this story and loved the characters. It was a great romance and an interesting look at British History. The narrator did an excellent job expressing the emotion of the story. 

Favorite Quote:

"I would argue 'tis never the place, but the people one shares it with who are the cause of our happiest memories. That is why we find that having lived them once, we never can recapture them."

I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.

Book Review: Mariana by Susanna Kearsley

Mariana
Author: Susanna Kearsley
Publication: Sourcebooks Landmark (April 1, 2012)

Description: The next book from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Susanna Kearsley, Mariana is a story of incredible romance traveling in time from modern day England to a haunted Gothic past.

When Julia Beckett moves into a beautiful old farmhouse, she soon discovers she's not alone there. She encounters haunting remnants of a beautiful young woman who lived and loved there centuries ago. Julia finds herself transported into 17th-century England, and into the world of Mariana.

Each time Julia travels back, she becomes more enthralled with the past... until she realizes Mariana's life is eclipsing her own. She must lay the past to rest or risk losing the chance for happiness in her own time.

With heartbreaking romance, escapist fantasy, and powerfully drawn characters, Kearsley takes you on a time-traveling journey you'll never forget.

My Thoughts: Julia Beckett fell in love with a house when she was five and on a family vacation. She saw it again at 22 and again at nearly 30. She's grown up, become a successful illustrator, and inherited a packet from a great aunt. She is finally able to buy the house that had been calling to her for years.

Almost as soon as she moves in, she begins seeing a man on a gray horse, hears legends of a Green woman who haunts her house, and finds herself slipping out of the present into the life of a young woman named Mariana who lived in the 1600s. This terrifies her and makes her think she's losing her mind, but her brother who has become a Vicar reassures her and lets her open her mind to the possibility of reincarnation.

As Julia spends more time as Mariana she comes to know Richard de Mornay who is the Lord of the Manor. She is also forced to live with her abusive uncle, his beaten wife, and sister-in-law. As an orphan who was forced to flee London because of the plague, she has no other options. Her relationship with Richard has to be kept secret. 

Meanwhile, Julia is making friends in the present. Vivien is the local barkeeper. Her next-door neighbor is Geoff de Mornay who is very rich and a descendant of Richard's. She also meets Iain Sumner who is Geoff's best-friend from his Cambridge days and who is currently a farmer and gardener. 

Julia also meets Vivien's Aunt Freda who is Geoff's housekeeper and who seems to know a lot about what Julia is going through. Julia becomes almost obsessed with Mariana's life and spends more and more time in the past. None of her research in the present gives her any information about Richard and she knows little more about Mariana than she can find on her tombstone. 

I loved this story which was beautifully written and intriguing. I will admit that I was surprised at the ending which didn't go at all the way I thought it would. I'm not really a fan of time travel but Kearsley's books are exceptions. I love the way the present and past are woven together.

Favorite Quote:

"The past can teach us, nurture us, but it cannot sustain us, The essence of life is change, and we most move ever forward or the soul will wither and die."

I bought this one December 29, 2012. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: Buried Cold Case Secrets by Sami A. Abrams (Blog Tour)

Buried Cold Case Secrets
Author: Sami A. Abrams
Publication: Love Inspired Suspense Larger Print; Original edition (December 28, 2021)

Description: Recovering her missing memories

could be the key to solving a murder

Searching for her best friend’s remains could help forensic anthropologist Melanie Hutton regain her memories of when they were both kidnapped—unless the killer gets to Melanie first. For her safety, Melanie must rely on Detective Jason Cooper, who still blames her for his sister’s death. Can Jason set the past aside to solve the cold-case murder…and shield Melanie from the same fate?

My Thoughts: This suspense story from the Love Inspired line stars Dr. Melanie Hutton and Detective Jason Cooper. Now a forensic anthropologist, Melanie has come back to town hoping to finally find out who kidnapped her and her best friend Allison fifteen years earlier and to try to recover Allison's body.

Jason Cooper was Allie's older brother and the object of Melanie's teenage crush. He has never forgiven Melanie for surviving and escaping when his sister did not. But Melanie doesn't remember those two days when she was held captive and beaten. But her amnesia and the PTSD she also suffers from don't relieve her guilt that she left her best friend behind. 

But someone is really, really unhappy that Melanie is back to try to uncover secrets. First, she's attacked while jogging. Then her apartment is fire bombed. There are more attacks because Melanie is determined to do her job which puts her out in public. Jason has been assigned and then self-assigns himself to keep Melanie safe. He gradually gets over his anger at her and begins to remember the young woman he was falling in love with.

The attacks don't stop with both Melanie and Jason getting injured numerous times throughout the story. Each injury, each attack, makes Melanie more determined to find out what her brain has suppressed and makes Jason fall in love with her more. 

There are lots of possible suspects and another murder to add to the tension and twists of this story. It was action-packed and fast-paced. Fans of Christian Romantic Suspense will especially enjoy this story. 

Favorite Quote:

Jason's attitude change the other night had thrown her. She'd prayed for years he's put aside his anger and assumptions, and talk to her. Why his questions about starting over had shocked her, she had no clue. She'd asked God, and He had delivered.

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley as a part of the Harlequin Winter Blog Tour. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: Little Girl Gone by Amanda Stevens (Blog Tour)

Little Girl Gone
Author: Amanda Stevens
Series: A Procedural Crime Story (Book 1)
Publication: Harlequin Intrigue; Original edition (December 28, 2021)

Description: Nothing matters more to her when a child's life is at stake.

Special agent Thea Lamb returns to her hometown to search for a child whose disappearance echoes a twenty-eight-year-old cold case—her twin sister's abduction. Working with her former partner, Jake Stillwell, Thea must overcome the pain, doubt and guilt that have tormented her for years and denied her a meaningful relationship. For both Thea and Jake, the job always came first…until now.

My Thoughts: This was an excellent romantic suspense title. FBI agent Thea Lamb returns to her home town to support her mother when a child is abducted from her home. This disappearance echoes the disappearance of Thea's twin when they were four years old. No trace of her sister Maya has ever been found. That disappearance is likely why Thea joined the FBI and specializes in child abductions. It also has a lot to do with why Thea and her mother are estranged. 

FBI Agent Jake Stillwell and his team are assigned to the case of finding little Kylie Buchanan. Jake and Thea were once involved, but a promotion for Jake separated them. Neither was willing to ask the other anything that would keep them together, but that doesn't mean that they have forgotten each other. 

This was a very atmospheric title. From the local scenery to the town, things are eerie. Both Thea and Jake have "feelings" that might be paranormal if either believed in that sort of thing. There are also a number of suspicious characters around including Kylie's abusive and sociopathic father, a creepy next door neighbor, and an old flame of Thea's mother who has recently been released from a tough Florida prison and is looking to even the score. 

I enjoyed the mystery and really liked both Thea and Jake.

Favorite Quote:

They were too alike, she and Jake, and that had become an insurmountable obstacle. The each had things in their past they didn't want to talk about. Dark things that had turned both of them into scarred, wary loners.

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley as a part of the Harlequin Winter Blog Tour. You can buy your copy here.

Book & Audio Review: The Kinsman Universe by Ilona Andrews

The Kinsman Universe
Author: Ilona Andrews
Narrator: Samantha Cook
Series: Kinsman
Publication: NYLA (March 8, 2019); NYLA (December 31, 2018)
Length: 7 hours and 15 minutes; 188 p.

Description: This is an anthology edition of the Kinsmen Universe, which includes SILENT BLADE, SILVER SHARK, plus a new short story, and three original illustrations.

Family is everything. Talent is power. And revenge is sweet.

In a distant, future world Kinsmen-small powerful groups of genetically and technologically advanced families-control vast financial empires. They are their own country, their own rulers, and their only limits are other Kinsmen. The struggle for power is a bloody, full-contact sport: in business, on the battlefield...and sometimes in the bedroom.

Silent Blade

Old hatreds die hard. Old love dies harder.

On the planet Rada, Meli Galdes' family is of minor rank, and were relying on her marriage to Celino, the razor-smart, ruthless leader of the powerful Carvanna empire. When he abruptly breaks their engagement, he ruins her family and guarantees that Meli will never marry, as no suitor will oppose the rich and influential Carvannas.

But Meli has a rare, secret, lethal-and valuable-talent. As a melder of energy, she's capable of severing anything in her path. So she 'leaves' her family and trains to become one of the best and most lethal of assassins, all the while covertly guarding her family's interests. Now she's ready to quit; but she has one more assignment.

To kill the man who ruined her life.

Silver Shark

Claire Shannon is a killer...and her weapon is her mind.

Born on a planet torn by war for over 300 years, Claire is a soldier: a psycher, with the ability to read, control, and destroy the minds of enemy psychers and to infiltrate the biological network where they battle to death.

When Claire's faction loses the war, she barely escapes extermination from both sides, as her talent brands her as too dangerous to society. By so-deeply burying her ability that she avoids detection, Claire is instead deported to Rada as a refugee, where she must find work to remain. She finds a job as personal assistant to Venturo Escana, a premiere kinsman; one of Rada's most wealthy entrepreneurs—and most powerful psychers.

She thought she had left war behind, but now she must hide her skills and her growing feelings from Venturo...and this battle might just cost her everything...

A Mere Formality

The leader of the fierce Reigh people expires during an intergalactic summit, putting 30 million colonists' lives and livelihoods in jeopardy. When the new heir to the Reigh throne, Lord Nagrad, demands restitution, the phrase "'a life for a life" turns the intergalactic calamity into an arranged marriage contract between Lord Nagrad and sharply intelligent diplomatic analyst Deirdre Lebed... and the negotiation of terms becomes anything but formal!

My Thoughts: This anthology contains two novellas and a short story. All three stories are paranormal romances with strong females and intriguing males. 

The first story (SILENT BLADE) tells about the romance between Meli Galdes and Celino Carvanna. They were betrothed when Meli was ten and Celino was sixteen. Meli spent years learning all she could about Celino in order to be a perfect wife for him. Celino spent those same years building his empire and hating that his marriage meant a lack of freedom for him.

When he breaks the engagement when Meli is sixteen, he does more than break her heart. He throws Meli's family into severe economic distress and makes it impossible for Meli to ever marry. She leaves her family and becomes an assassin - primarily killing people who want to do her former family harm.

When her father via her brother asks her to murder Celino, she thinks this would be the perfect end to her career. But meeting him again reminds her how much she loved him and gives her an idea for a better plan. 

SILVER SHARK tells the story of Claire Shannon and Venturo Escana. Claire was a soldier, a psycher, who used her psychic abilities to help her country fight against a rival country. When her country loses the war, she is sent into exile to another planet. She needs to hide her psychic abilities because that planet isn't letting psychers in. Claire remakes herself as a mild-mannered, psychic null office assistant and gets a job with Venturo Escana who runs a security company.

When one of her fellow refugees gets into trouble that could lead to deportation, she needs to take down the blocks she has on her psychic abilities to get into the datanet and change some incriminating information. While in the datanet, she meets Venturo who is also there because of the activity Claire and her fellow invaders have begun. 

They get out without getting caught, but Venturo becomes determined to find the woman he met in the datanet and Claire becomes equally determined to keep her secrets even though she is falling in love with Venturo. 

Then one of her co-conspirators in the data breach is caught and Claire needs to get help from Venturo, but she has to reveal her secrets to get it. 

A MERE FORMALITY is a short story about peace negotiations after a war. Deirdre Lebed is a talented diplomatic analyst who knows a lot about the Reigh. But when the Reigh leader dies at a banquet put on by her side, she doesn't expect that, besides a hefty ransom, the new leader of the Reigh will also demand that she marry him.

All of the stories were entertaining. Samantha Cook did a good job narrating them. 

Favorite Quote: 

Fatima sneered. "You have no ambition. In the next life, you'll be reborn as a teakettle."

I bought this one but it contains stories I bought in 2011 and can't find. You can buy your copy here.

Book Review: Forgotten in Death by J. D. Robb

Forgotten in Death
Author: J. D. Robb
Series: In Death (Book 53)
Publication: St. Martin's Press (September 7, 2021)

Description: In the latest novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling series, homicide detective Eve Dallas sifts through the wreckage of the past to find a killer.

The body was left in a dumpster like so much trash, the victim a woman of no fixed address, known for offering paper flowers in return for spare change—and for keeping the cops informed of any infractions she witnessed on the street. But the notebook where she scribbled her intel on litterers and other such offenders is nowhere to be found.

Then Eve is summoned away to a nearby building site to view more remains—in this case decades old, adorned with gold jewelry and fine clothing—unearthed by recent construction work. She isn’t happy when she realizes that the scene of the crime belongs to her husband, Roarke—not that it should surprise her, since the Irish billionaire owns a good chunk of New York. Now Eve must enter a complex world of real estate development, family history, shady deals, and shocking secrets to find justice for two women whose lives were thrown away…

My Thoughts: Eve is called to the scene of the murder of a homeless woman knows to the cops of the area as a woman who offered paper flowers to people in return for some spare change. She was also known to write down infractions - rule breaking - and bring them to the attention of the police. 

As Eve investigates the woman's death - Alva Quirk by name - she is called to another scene. Bones of a woman and fetus were found in the demolition of a building site that Roarke's company is rehabbing. Since Dr. DeWinter - forensic anthropologist - has to do her magic to identify that woman, Eve is concentrating on Alva.

She brings in Roarke to help identify her since her ID is bogus. Medical examination indicates that she had likely suffered abuse in her younger years which causes a resonance with Eve's own past. While identifying who murdered her now, Eve is also determined to find and bring down the person who abused her in the past. 

Both sites where bodies were found belong to, or belonged to, the Singer family who had a connection with a Russian mobster that went back decades. As Eve looks into the Singer's business dealings, she gets much closer to solving both crimes.

I enjoyed this episode in the long-running In Death series even though it lacked some of the banter between Eve and Peabody and Eve and Roarke that were hallmarks of earlier books. It was still an engaging and intense episode.

Favorite Quote:

Rolling, she reversed their positions, then just turned her cheek to his chest. She could hear his heartbeat, feel it.

It soothed and calmed and helped her believe everything could be all right. At least here. At least now.

I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: The Lady Has a Past by Amanda Quick

The Lady Has a Past
Author: Amanda Quick
Series: Burning Cove (Book 5)
Publication: Berkley (May 4, 2021)

Description: Beauty and glamour meet deception and revenge in this electrifying novel by New York Times bestselling author Amanda Quick

Investigative apprentice Lyra Brazier, the newest resident of Burning Cove, is unsettled when her boss suddenly disappears. Lyra knows something has happened to Raina Kirk, and tracks down her last known appearance at an exclusive hotel and health spa. The health spa is known for its luxurious offerings and prestigious clientele, and the wealthy, socialite background Lyra desperately wanted to leave behind is perfect for this undercover job. What Lyra lacks in investigative experience she makes up for in gut instinct, and her gut isn’t happy that she’s saddled with a partner by Luther Pell, Raina’s dangerous lover, who wants to bring in someone with more experience to help.

Instead of the suave, pistol-packing private eye she expected, though, Simon Cage is a mild-mannered antiquarian book dealer with a quiet, academic air, and a cool, remote gaze. Lyra suspects that Simon is much more than what he seems, and her instincts are confirmed when they arrive at the spa and pose as a couple: Simon has a unique gift that allows him to detect secrets, a skill that is crucial in finding Raina.

The unlikely duo falls down a rabbit hole of twisted rumors and missing socialites, discovering that the health spa is a façade for something far darker than they imagined. With a murderer in their midst, Raina isn't the only one in grave danger—Lyra is next.

My Thoughts: In this return to Burning Cove, Lyra Brazier is an apprentice private investigator on her first case. She was sent by Raina Kirk to interview a woman who was afraid of her husband. She walks into the back yard to see him trying to drown her. She stops him with a well-placed three iron but Mrs. Adlington wanted to be sure and clubbed him again while Lyra was going out front to get the police.

Lyra's first day wasn't what she was expecting and the rest of the week wasn't much better. On her second day of work, she learns that Raina has developed an urgent need to leave town to take care of some personal business and Lyra was suddenly in charge of Kirk Investigations.

Meanwhile, Simon Cage runs into trouble while authenticating a rare book using his paranormal talent. When he gets out of there, he decides he needs a vacation complete with a lounge chair, an ice cold martini, and maybe a fast woman looking for a no-strings affair. Since he sometimes works for Luther Pell, he decides Burning Cove is the right spot for his vacation.

Lyra and Simon soon get involved in he investigation to locate Raina and the clues lead them to Labyrinth Springs and Guppy's House of Beauty. Their cover is to be newlyweds on their honeymoon. With Lyra's talent for getting anyone to talk to her and Simon's ability to get impressions from objects, their investigation and problems quickly escalate.

Raina has been kidnapped but not as a usual part of the blackmail scheme centered on the resort. Now someone is cleaning up and leaving a trail of bodies behind. One of them is almost Lyra. 

I really liked Lyra who is smart and savvy and just a little lost as she is changing her life goals. She knows she won't be picked by her father to run his shipping business and needs another career. Simon is also great. I liked his secrets and his growing need for Lyra. 

The story had a great 1930s setting, lots of great dialog, and a fast-paced and exciting plot.

Favorite Quote:

"Sooner or later you'll talk," Lyra growled in an exaggerated movie villain voice. "Everybody does."

"To you?"

"Yep. The hard part is making them stop."

He had the horrifying feeling she was right.

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

Audiobook Review: Dark Light by Jayne Castle

Dark Light
Author: Jayne Castle
Series: Harmony (Book 5)
Narrator: Joyce Bean
Publication: Brilliance Audio (August 26, 2008)
Length: 8 hours and 33 minutes

Description: Reporter Sierra McIntyre is determined to find out who is kidnapping homeless retired Ghost Hunters off the streets of Crystal City, and more importantly, why. When her search for answers leads her to interview the new Guild Boss, John Fontana, she's ready with her questions.

Despite her paper's ridiculous tabloid headlines, Fontana has kept an eye on Sierra's reporting and knows she's on to something. To uncover the conspiracy within his own organization, Fontana proposes....marriage.

Realizing they need to work together to get what they each need, the pair marries to keep up appearances. She's a psychic and can tell he's a trustworthy fellow. His psychic power to radiate a rare dark light saves her from trouble. But this marriage of convenience might turn into something more.

My Thoughts: Sierra McIntyre is determined to find her true passion in life. After all, she comes from a family of overachievers. Right now, she's working for a tabloid and on the case of the disappearance of some retired ghost hunters. In her quest for answers, she gets an interview with the new head of the Ghost Hunters/ John Fontana is aware of Sierra's reporting and is also wondering about the missing ghost hunters and about a new drug that's commonly used by ghost hunters.

Fontana proposes a marriage of convenience to give them an excuse to work together even though he is secretly going for the more permanent and socially acceptable Covenant Marriage. Sierra has just dumped a fiancé and isn't looking for marriage at all. But she agrees to Fontana's proposal.

Their first night in Fontana's home doesn't end as either of them expect. A group of men try to break in and set the house on fire. There is an escape in the basement to the catacombs built by the aliens who are long gone. But only trained and prepared ghost hunters with tuned amber would ever take that escape route. Add in Sierra's claustrophobia and more bad guys in the catacombs and you don't have anyone's idea of a proper honeymoon. 

When Fontana almost burns himself out eluding the bad guys, Sierra is left alone with him in a vast underground jungle. 

Well, she's alone except for her dustbunny Elvis and his white, rhinestone-studded cape. I loved Elvis with his unique fashion choices and his liking for peanut butter and banana sandwiches. I also liked that people at Sierra's office made him a flying machine from a flat box and helium balloons. 

The story is exciting as Fontana and Sierra figure out what happened to the missing ghost hunters and fall in love along the way. There lots of great dialog between the two main characters. And who doesn't love a cute, fluffy dustbunny?

Favorite Quote:

She was intensely, intimately aware of him in a way she could not explain.

There was nothing nervous or fidgety about Fontana. You got the feeling that it would require, at the very minimum, a volcanic eruption right here in his office to catch him by surprise. Even then, you would probably discover that he had contingency plans for such an event.

I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.

Book Review: Wild Sign by Patricia Briggs

Wild Sign
Author: Patricia Briggs
Series: Alpha and Omega (Book 6)
Publication: Ace (March 16, 2021)

Description: Mated werewolves Charles Cornick and Anna Latham must discover what could make an entire community disappear--before it's too late--in this thrilling entry in the #1 New York Times bestselling Alpha and Omega series.

In the wilds of the Northern California mountains, all the inhabitants of a small town have gone missing. It's as if the people picked up and left their possessions behind. With a mystery on their hands and no jurisdiction on private property, the FBI dumps the whole problem in the lap of the land owner, Aspen Creek, Inc.--aka the business organization of the Marrok's pack.

Somehow, the pack of the Wolf Who Rules is connected to a group of vanished people. Werewolves Charles Cornick and Anna Latham are tasked with investigating, and soon find that a deserted town is the least of the challenges they face.

Death sings in the forest, and when it calls, Charles and Anna must answer. Something has awakened in the heart of the California mountains, something old and dangerous--and it has met werewolves before.

My Thoughts: This episode of the Alpha and Omega series has Charles and Anna along with Colin Taggart traveling to the mountains of California because some people who had been squatting on land owned by the Pack have disappeared. This story finally tells us more about Bran's mate Leah who has been a side character in a number of the stories in this series and in the Mercy Thompson series too. 

It has always been sort of a mystery how Bran came to mate Leah and bring her back home to the Pack. Charles's mother died giving birth to him which put a barrier between Bran and Charles since Blue Jay Woman was Bran's mate and the love of his life. Since Charles was so young, he doesn't know Leah's story. Neither she nor Bran have ever discussed it though everyone can see that the mating wasn't a love match. 

The FBI comes to Anna and Charles and asks for their help since the disappearance of the town has come to their attention. They want to propose some sort of alliance with the werewolves - but not an official one. They are hoping that sharing the information they have about the town will ease relations.

Bran isn't interested in an alliance but he does want to know what happened in the Wild Sign settlement. He sends Charles who is his enforcer and who is a werewolf who uses Native American magic along with Anna who is an Omega wolf and Tag who is in danger of going berserker and who is somewhat resistant to magic. 

They travel to the town meeting some Sasquatches along the way and discover an empty town. Evidence suggests that the inhabitants were mostly white witches who were hiding from black witches. But there is something else magical going on. Apparently the people had made some sort of bargain with, in Anna's words, a "creepy primordial god." 

That primordial god is still looking for people that he can turn into walkers to recruit people to his service and he uses music to attract his victims. Anna is especially musical herself having been in college for music when she was first turned into a werewolf. Charles is also quite musical. Their playing and singing in the settlement attracted the god known as the Singer in the Woods to Anna.

It was creepy that the Singer in the Woods could attract with music and could also remove memories or bring long-buried memories to the forefront of a person's mind. Anna relives a time when she was captive and hunted in the Chicago Pack that Charles rescued her from and she also goes back to age seventeen before any of the werewolf stuff had ever happened to her. Both episodes caused both Anna and Charles a lot of pain since Anna forgot about her mate bond with Charles.

The part of the story involving the black witches and the "assisted living facility" where one of Charles's old enemies was now being held and tortured was interesting and also creepy especially since some of the witches were Hardesty witches. Members of that family have had roles in other books in the series.

This was an intriguing story that kept me reading late into the night. I'm sure I'll be rereading it often. It also had me visiting YouTube to hear some of the musical selections that were mentioned in the story. 

Favorite Quote:

But the song Leah had hummed lingered in Anna's ears, along with a nagging sense of unease because of the unfinished story. It felt important. There had been five years between the day someone had happened upon Leah's starving family and when Bran and someone else had rescued her.

Rescued her from what?

I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: A Highlander Is Coming to Town by Laura Trentham

A Highlander Is Coming to Town

Author: Laura Trentham
Series: Highland, Georgia (Book 3)
Publication: St. Martin's Paperbacks (September 29, 2020)

Description: The third book in the Highland, Georgia romantic comedy series from Laura Trentham, A Highlander is Coming to Town, full of love, laughs...and highlanders!
You better watch out. . .

Holt Pierson is dreading Christmas. His parents absconded to Florida for the season and left him to handle the family farm which will be his one day―whether he wants it or not. Driven by duty, Holt has always followed the path expected of him. But lately, he’s been questioning what he wants and where he belongs. Will assuming the responsibility of the Pierson farm make him happy or is there something―or someone―else out in the wider world calling to him?

To Claire Smythe, the Scottish lead singer of a touring band, Highland, Georgia, is the perfect place to hide . . .until a very handsome and deeply curious Holt begins to ask all the questions Claire doesn’t want to answer. As Holt draws Claire out from under and into the fabric of small-town life, can Claire put the past behind her and embrace the unexpected gifts of the season―including the new and lasting love?

My Thoughts: This contemporary romance stars Claire Smythe and Holt Pierson.

Claire is in hiding and trying to decide about her future. When she turns 25 right after Christmas she will inherit shares in her family's company which is a whiskey distillery. Doing so will force her to return to Scotland and her parents and will put her right in the middle between her father and her cousin's goals for the company. She is a poor little rich girl who was raised more by the family lawyer than by her parents. 

Holt Pierson is a lifelong resident of Highland, Georgia. He is an only child and works at his family farm. He likes his life but is now feeling lonely since his parents have semi-retired and taken off in an RV to travel. Holt is feeling lonely and a bit envious of his friends who are finding love and marriage.

Claire is working for an elderly woman and living in her house after spending some time as the lead singer of a Scottish rock band. Claire keeps running into Holt, usually when she is having problems, and Holt becomes fascinated with her. 

This was a nice, fast-paced story with engaging characters. 

Favorite Quote:

She was trapped. It was scary and thrilling. She'd always had an out. An escape route. She had run away from complications more times than she could count, starting with her parents.

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: The Vanishing by Jayne Anne Krentz

The Vanishing
Author: Jayne Ann Krentz
Series: Fogg Lake (Book 1)
Publication: Berkley (January 7, 2020)

Description: From New York Times bestselling author Jayne Ann Krentz comes a gripping new romantic suspense trilogy fraught with danger and enigma. 

Decades ago in the small town of Fogg Lake, The Incident occurred: an explosion in the cave system that released unknown gases. The residents slept for two days. When they woke up they discovered that things had changed—they had changed. Some started having visions. Others heard ominous voices. And then, scientists from a mysterious government agency arrived. Determined not to become research subjects of strange experiments, the residents of Fogg Lake blamed their “hallucinations” on food poisoning, and the story worked. But now it has become apparent that the eerie effects of The Incident are showing up in the descendants of Fogg Lake.…

Catalina Lark and Olivia LeClair, best friends and co-owners of an investigation firm in Seattle, use what they call their “other sight” to help solve cases. When Olivia suddenly vanishes one night, Cat frantically begins the search for her friend. No one takes the disappearance seriously except Slater Arganbright, an agent from a shadowy organization known only as the Foundation, who shows up at her firm with a cryptic warning.

A ruthless killer is hunting the only witnesses to a murder that occurred in the Fogg Lake caves fifteen years ago—Catalina and Olivia. And someone intends to make both women vanish.

My Thoughts: Jayne Ann Krentz begins a new paranormal suspense story with THE VANISHING. Some years ago an accident in the small California town of Fogg Lake caused the people living there and their descendants to develop paranormal powers. Catalina Lark and Olivia LeClair had always been taught not to let anyone know about their powers.

Now, after Catalina was outed by a former boyfriend, she and Olivia have opened an detective agency that investigates people. Their work is helped by their ability to see auras and Catalina's ability to get brief glimpses of the future. When Olivia goes missing, Catalina needs to call in some help.

Slater Arganbright is sent from the shadowy organization known as the Foundation because he needs Catalina for a different task. But Catalina is only focused on finding Olivia and it soon becomes apparent that their goals are the same.

Slater is looking for someone who killed noted collectors of paranormal artifacts which may lead to a hidden lab which was built to weaponize paranormal powers. The government shut down the labs years ago but there are still those looking for the things that were discovered and willing to murder anyone who gets in their way.

Slater and Catalina have both had difficulties with relationships before they met each other. However, each has what the other needs and a relationship begins between them. The relationship does take a backseat to discovering who kidnapped Olivia and solving the mysteries that surround Fogg Lake and the missing lab.

This was an entertaining paranormal suspense story. I liked the characters and the banter between them. I can't wait to read the rest of the series.

Favorite Quote:

Catalina sniffed. "Can't say I blame them. How far do you trust Gwendolyn Swan?"

"Define 'trust,'" Slater said.

"Excuse me? I sense deep cynicism and a jaded view of human nature."

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from the publisher. You can buy your copy here.

Book Review: Through the Evil Days by Julia Spencer-Fleming

Through the Evil Days
Author: Julia Spencer-Fleming
Series: Fergusson/Van Alstyne Mysteries (Book 8)
Publication: Minotaur Books; Reprint edition (November 4, 2014)

Description: In Through the Evil Days, New York Times bestselling author Julia Spencer-Fleming raises the stakes for Russ and Clare, putting their new marriage, their unborn child, a missing teen, and their very own lives on the line.

On a frigid January night, Chief of Police Russ Van Alstyne and Reverend Clare Fergusson are called to the scene of a raging fire. The extent of the tragedy isn't known until the next day, when the charred remains of a man and woman are recovered―along with evidence showing they were shot execution style.

The last thing Russ needs are two potential homicides. He's struggling with the prospect of impending fatherhood, and his new wife is not at all happy with his proposal for their long-delayed honeymoon: a week ice-fishing at a remote Adirondack lake.

St. Alban's Church is still in turmoil over the Reverend Clare Fergusson's news that she's five and a half months pregnant―but only two and a half months married. Worried her post-deployment drinking and drug use may have damaged the baby, she awaits the outcome of the bishop's investigation into her "unpriestly" behavior: a scolding, censure, or permanent suspension.

Officer Hadley Knox is having a miserable January as well. Her on-again, off-again lover, Kevin Flynn, has seven days to weigh an offer from the Syracuse Police Department that might take him half a state away. And her ex-husband's in town―threatening to take custody of their kids unless Hadley pays him off with money she doesn't have.

When Hadley discovers that the dead couple fostered an eight-year-old girl who was a recent liver donee, the search for the killer takes on a new and terrible urgency. With no access to immunosuppressant drugs, transplant rejection will kill the girl in a matter of days.

As a deadly ice storm downs power lines and immobilizes roads, Russ and Clare search desperately for the truth about the missing child, but the hunters will become the hunted when they are trapped in the cabin beside the frozen lake and stalked through the snowbound woods by a killer.

My Thoughts: Russ and Clare are set to go on their honeymoon - in January, at a remote rural cabin with no electricity or running water - to go ice fishing. They are also carting along a lot of "baggage." Russ has just learned that the town council will be making a decision in a week about whether or not to disband the police department and contract services from the State Highway Patrol. Clare has been given an ultimatum by her bishop. He wants her to resign for "unpriestly" behavior. She is also dealing with the fact that she was still using drugs and alcohol when she became pregnant and the baby could be facing significant issues. Even worse, she and Russ had agreed to not have children before she found herself pregnant and Russ isn't dealing at all well with it.

Throw in arson, two executed people in the house before it was burnt, and a missing eight-year-old girl who has just had a kidney transplant and needs her immuno-suppresant drugs or she will die and the story gets filled with drama and tension. Mikayla's mother has lost custody of her because of her drug use. When the police go to search for her, they find that she is gathering pharmaceuticals used in making crystal meth. She flees before they can find out if she has Mikayla.

Meanwhile, the storm of the century bringing snow, ice, falling trees, downed power lines, and collapsed cell towers is bearing down on the region. And Russ and Clare attract the attention of bad guys who send them fleeing from their shelter in the height of the storm.

While Clare and Russ are dealing with their issues, Kevin Flynn and Hadley Knox are also dealing with theirs. Hadley's ex-husband has shown up demanding money, threatening to take her children back to California, and threatening to expose her secrets. And Flynn is still dealing with his love for Hadley and also a job offer in Syracuse.

This was a fast-paced and tension-filled story. Many characters are faced with difficult decisions and police work has to go on while they are troubled. The ending leaves a number of plot threads dangling and I can't wait for the next book to tie them off.

Favorite Quote:

"I don't think one broken leg in ten years as chief actually sets a precedent," Russ said.

"Still, we're glad you came." Clare wanted to get the subject away from "officer down,"before they started showing each other their bullet scars. "I'd expect a trooper, not a lieutenant."

"Oh, Mrs. Van Alstyne. I wouldn't have missed this for the world." 

I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.

Book Review: One Was a Soldier by Julia Spencer-Fleming

One Was a Soldier
Author: Julia Spencer-Fleming
Series: Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne Mysteries (Book 7)
Publication: Minotaur Books; First edition (April 10, 2012)

Description: On a warm September evening in the Millers Kill community center, five veterans sit down in rickety chairs to try to make sense of their experiences in Iraq. What they will find is murder, conspiracy, and the unbreakable ties that bind them to one another and their small Adirondack town.

The Rev. Clare Fergusson wants to forget the things she saw as a combat helicopter pilot and concentrate on her relationship with Chief of Police Russ Van Alstyne. MP Eric McCrea needs to control the explosive anger threatening his job as a police officer. Will Ellis, high school track star, faces the reality of life as a double amputee. Orthopedist Trip Stillman is denying the extent of his traumatic brain injury. And bookkeeper Tally McNabb wrestles with guilt over the in-country affair that may derail her marriage.

But coming home is harder than it looks. One vet will struggle with drugs and alcohol. One will lose his family and friends. One will die.

Since their first meeting, Russ and Clare's bond has been tried, torn, and forged by adversity. But when he rules the veteran's death a suicide, she violently rejects his verdict, drawing the surviving vets into an unorthodox investigation that threatens jobs, relationships, and her own future with Russ.

As the days cool and the nights grow longer, they will uncover a trail of deceit that runs from their tiny town to the upper ranks of the U.S. Army, and from the waters of the Millers Kill to the unforgiving streets of Baghdad.

My Thoughts: Clare has come back from her service in the National Guard with nightmares and an addiction to the many drugs that helped her get through her time in Iraq. She is in denial about her problems and she is spending a lot of time combining her drugs with alcohol and pretending everything is all right. When Will Ellis, one of her parishioners who came back a double amputee at age 19, is having issues, she agrees to attend a Vets support group if he will. There they meet Dr. George Stillman, Officer Eric McCrea, and Tally McNab. It is a small town and there are lots of connections. Trip Stillman was Russ's doctor and also treated Will. Eric works in the police department with Russ. Each of them came back wounded though Will's is the only visible injury. And all are having trouble coping with the return to civilian life.

When Tally dies, an apparent suicide, Clare doesn't want to believe that she took her own life despite Russ's investigation which supports the suicide verdict. Clare and Russ are at odds over this conclusion which just adds more stress as they are in the lead-up to their wedding.

As Clare and the rest of the support group begin looking into Tally's death, they are led to, first, a missing million dollars in cash that Tally and her husband probably brought back from Iraq. An investigator from the Army's financial division is on Tally's trail but isn't conducting her investigation as Russ thinks it should be done. He becomes suspicious of her but is willing to let the Army take over since the crime isn't in his jurisdiction.

But the theft of a million is only the tip of the iceberg of a much larger financial crime that leads to Opperman who is a long-time enemy of Russ's and who Russ believes got away with the murder of his two partners (A FOUNTAIN FILLED WITH BLOOD).

Much of the plot in this one revolves around the problems the support group brought back with them from war. Tally's suicide, Clare's addiction, Will's suicide attempt, Trip's traumatic brain injury, and Eric's anger management issues all play roles in this engaging and twisty thriller.

This was a fast-paced and emotional thriller. I love the relationship between Russ and Clare. They are both strong people who become better and stronger together.

Favorite Quote:

"Why do you want to get married? I mean, other than the sex thing."

"There has to be more than sex?" He grinned. "It's not because I'm chomping at the bit to be the preacher's husband, I can guarantee you that." She laughed a little. He ran his hands up her arms and rested the on her shoulders. "I want to be married because I like those easy-to-understand, boring definitions. Husband. Wife. I want to be married because life is short, and I want to spend whatever I have left of it with you, every day, every night. I want to be married so that everything I have and everything I am is yours, and everything of  you is mine. And I want to be married so I can lay you out on the dining room table if I feel like it and have you six ways from Sunday in the middle of the afternoon and if one of your parishioners walks in on us, it's tough titties for them."

She started laughing.

I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.