The Deadly Shallows By Dani Pettrey

The Deadly Shallows

by Dani Pettrey

Publisher: Bethany House

Series: Coastal Guardians

ISBN: 9780764230868

What could be better than one of your favorite authors asking you to review their book? Not much! I was thrilled when Dani asked me to be on her launch team. She sent me her book and goodies for review.

Summary:

A deadly attack.
A stolen weapon capable of immense destruction.
A painful secret that threatens to tear two hearts apart.

CGIS Agent Noah Rowley is rocked to the core when several of his valued team members come under fire on his Coast Guard base. He and his remaining team race to the scene and end the attack, but not before innocent lives are lost. Furious and grief-stricken, he vows to do whatever is needed to bring the mastermind behind the attack to justice.

Stunned by the ambush, Coast Guard flight medic Brooke Kesler evacuates in a helicopter carrying the only surviving gunman. The gravely wounded man whispers mysterious information to Brooke that immediately paints a target on her back.

As Brooke and Noah race to uncover answers, emotions between them ignite. Noah struggles to protect Brooke at all costs and to conceal the secret that prevents him from becoming what he longs to be--the right man for her.

Everything is at stake as a horrifying truth emerges. . . .

The attack wasn't the end game. It was only the beginning.

My Review:

I know we're not supposed to pick favorites, but too bad. The Deadly Shallows is my favorite book in this series.

I usually start out talking about the storyline or the characters, but something that is incredibly powerful in Dani's books is she's not afraid of her faith being shown through her characters. It's not done in an "in your face" kind of way, but in a way that feels very true to the characters. Her characters pray out loud and give God the honor He is due. So, so good!

While this story is mostly about Brooke and Noah, I really enjoyed that it was about the entire team. Caleb and Austin get a lot of page time and I enjoyed getting to know both sets through the story. While each of the characters has their own struggles they work well together and respect each other.

There were a couple of storylines going on in the book that certainly keeps the reader on their toes. I guess bad guys don't know to let the team finish one crime before a new one starts. Good thing is, they've got a great group of people working together. I loved seeing them have each others' back and work cohesively. The suspense of the story had me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end.

Now we just need a story for Logan and Emmy! And I'm ready for it!!

About the Author:

Publishers Weekly and #1 Amazon bestselling author, Dani Pettrey has sold nearly 800,000 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).

She researches murder and mayhem from her home in Maryland. For more information about her novels, visit danipettrey.com.

Distant Stars By Kassandra Garrison

Distant Stars

by Kassandra Garrison

Publisher: Self Published

ISBN: 979-8986124711

It's always great getting to know new authors! I was happy to receive a request from Kassandra to review her ebook. She sent it to me for my review.

Summary:

Will Rutledge needs a fresh start. After aging out of the foster care system, he and his brother, Kane, have nothing but each other. Maybe that’s why he agreed to his brother’s insane plan to kidnap a millionaire’s daughter for ransom. With his brains and his brother’s muscle, what could go wrong?

Enter Hannah Cole. When her brother died, her family was left shattered. No amount of money could fill the hole in her home… not even if her dad has plenty of it. Hannah thought she knew darkness after a year of living with grief. That is, until she finds herself thrown into the trunk of a car and crying out to God for the first time since her brother died. 

Hannah and Will soon find themselves in close quarters, fighting the feelings they are developing for one another despite both their situation and seemingly insurmountable differences. Plans start to unravel and the two risk begging the question: 

Are some stars just too far apart to collide?

My Review:

I really was hooked with how the story started. I felt so bad for brothers Kane and Will. Their rough start is evident from the beginning. As the full story begins to unfold it's clear these guys are going to be making some poor decisions.

Things definitely go haywire and we get to see the true nature of each brother when the plan they have, which includes Hannah, ends up spinning out of control. The story is a good example of how kids in the foster care system struggle with feeling loved or cared for. It was a good glimpse into the mentality of how hard things can be for these kids.

The story is a quick read and the events that happen are even quicker. I don't want to give away too much since they'd be spoilers, but I've never been a fan of the "l" word being spoken within a couple of days and definitely not under these circumstances. That was probably the biggest part of the story I wasn't a fan of.

I did appreciate the forgiveness and redemption in the story and the faith that is shown throughout the story, especially in the lives of such young people. That's certainly refreshing! We need more of that in YA books these days.

About the Author:

Kassandra Garrison has always been a book lover. After earning her Bachelor's in Business Administration, she decided to follow her lifelong dream and share her stories with others by writing her first novel, The Influencers. She currently lives with her husband and high school sweetheart, Joseph, along with their daughter, Nora. In her free time, she enjoys baking, drinking coffee, and taking her rescue dogs on walks.

Heirlooms By Sandra Byrd

HEIRLOOMS

by Sandra Byrd

Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers

ISBN: 978-1496426871

 

As a big fan of Sandra Byrd, I was super excited when she invited me to review her new book as an ebook ARC. Of course, I said yes and she sent me her book for review!

Summary:

Answering a woman’s desperate call for help, young Navy widow Helen Devries opens her Whidbey Island home as a refuge to Choi Eunhee. As they bond over common losses and a delicate, potentially devastating secret, their friendship spans the remainder of their lives.

After losing her mother, Cassidy Quinn spent her childhood summers with her gran, Helen, at her farmhouse. Nourished by her grandmother’s love and encouragement, Cassidy discovers a passion that she hopes will bloom into a career. But after Helen passes, Cassidy learns that her home and garden have fallen into serious disrepair. Worse, a looming tax debt threatens her inheritance. Facing the loss of her legacy and in need of allies and ideas, Cassidy reaches out to Nick, her former love, despite the complicated emotions brought by having him back in her life.

Cassidy inherits not only the family home but a task, spoken with her grandmother’s final breaths: ask Grace Kim—Eunhee’s granddaughter—to help sort through the contents of the locked hope chest in the attic. As she and Grace dig into the past, they unearth their grandmothers’ long-held secret and more. Each startling revelation reshapes their understanding of their grandmothers and ultimately inspires the courage to take risks and make changes to own their lives.

Set in both modern-day and midcentury Whidbey Island, Washington, this dual-narrative story of four women—grandmothers and granddaughters—intertwines across generations to explore the secrets we keep, the love we pass down, and the heirlooms we inherit from a well-lived life.

My Review:

If you love stories that bind women together, Heirlooms will be good for your heart. It makes you reflect on the sweet friendship you have and family that's not always blood family.

Helen is a woman of substance and character. I liked her immediately. She's suffered loss, but when it comes time to help another, she's all in. I enjoyed getting to know Eunhee. I felt that the author did an incredible job of portraying the Korean culture that she came from. She gave me a deep sense of passing important family traditions on to the next generation.

I loved how their granddaughters in this split time story are best of friends as well! Cassidy has had a lot of loss in her life as well (and I'll just say here for the record I'm not a fan of her dad and even less so of her stepmom who we thankfully never have to meet). When you talk about life not going as planned, Cassidy has had her lion's share of it. Grace ends up living with her - reminiscent of Helen and Eunhee - and it was sweet to watch them support each other. As a gardener, I appreciated all of the flowers and gardening references throughout the story!

The story also shows us in many ways how important community can be, especially during hard times. The author does an incredible portrayal of characters are differently abled: autism and Down syndrome. It was incredible to see the ripple effect a baby's life had on three generations. The author handled the subject matter with deftness and sensitivity.

I appreciated how Eunhee's life as well as their neighbor Johanna's glorified the Lord without bombarding Helen over the head with their faith. They lived it out for her to see. It certainly made an impact in the best of ways!

Altogether a very satisfying story that will stick in my heart for a long time!

About the Author:

After earning her first rejection at the age of thirteen, bestselling author Sandra Byrd has now published fifty books. Sandra's delighted to kick off her new historical romance series with Tyndale House Publishers, Victorian Ladies, with Lady of a Thousand Treasures. The three-book Victorian Ladies series follows her historically sound Gothic romances, Daughters of Hampshire, launched with the bestselling Mist of Midnight, which earned a coveted Editor's Choice award from the Historical Novel Society. The second book, Bride of a Distant Isle, has been selected by Romantic Times as a Top Pick. The third in the series, A Lady in Disguise, was published in 2017. Check out her contemporary adult fiction debut, Let Them Eat Cake, which was a Christy Award finalist, as was her first historical novel, To Die For: A Novel of Anne Boleyn. To Die For was also named a Library Journal Best Books Pick for 2011, and The Secret Keeper: A Novel of Kateryn Parr was named a Library Journal Best Books Pick for 2012. Sandra has published dozens of books for kids, tweens, and teens, including the bestselling The One Year Be-Tween You and God Devotions for Girls. She continued her work as a devotionalist, with The One Year Home and Garden Devotions, and The One Year Experiencing God's Love Devotional. Please visit www.sandrabyrd.com to learn more or to invite Sandra to your book club via Skype.

The Songs That Could've Been By Amanda Wen + GIVEAWAY

The Songs That Could Have Been

by Amanda Wen

Publisher: Kregel

Series: Sedgwick County Chronicles

ISBN: 9780825447693

I loved book one in this story, not realizing it was part of a series! The author's debut novel, Roots of Wood and Stone was exceptional so there was NO way I was passing up book two for review. This book was sent to me from the publisher.

Summary:

After a devastating tailspin in her late teens, Lauren Anderson's life is finally back on track. Then a chance meeting with Carter Douglas, her first love and the man who broke her heart, threatens to throw her well-balanced world out of control.

Now a TV meteorologist, Carter is determined to make amends with Lauren. After all, she still owns his heart. But his old demons are forcing him toward the same decision he faced in the past. Is he courageous enough to make a different choice this time around? 

When Lauren's elderly grandmother, Rosie, begins having nightmares about a man named Ephraim--a name her family has never heard before--a fascinating and forbidden past love comes to light. As Lauren and Carter work to uncover the untold stories of Rosie's past in 1950s Wichita, they embark on a journey of forgiveness and second chances that will change their lives--and Rosie's--forever. Along the way they'll learn that God wastes nothing, his timing is perfect, and nothing is beyond his grace and redemption.

Click here to read an excerpt.

My Review:

What an incredible story! I wasn't sure if the author could come close to her debut novel (the first book in the series), but she sure did!

This book was actually a quick read, but because of my traveling I didn't have the spare time I'd hoped for so don't let the dates fool you.

I was so unexpectedly drawn into the story of the past and loving it more than I could've possibly imagined. Actually the present day story takes up a good part of the beginning of the book. When the past begins to slide in, it's incredible how it unfolds.

Getting to know Lauren better in this story was wonderful. I didn't realize she was going to get her own story after the first book. Now I want to go back and see if I can notice certain things about her in that book in comparison to this one. Her storyline, as well as Carter's (her old flame), are powerful in speaking to addictions.

I loved that God is shown as the One who heals, if a person will allow it. That whole part of the story for them was just beautiful - and honestly difficult, messy, and confusing. Because that's how life can be sometimes.

And then there's Rosie's story. I'm actually not going to say too much about this storyline because even a little bit will give too much away. Let me just say, it made me cry. The first book made me cry and I truly didn't think it was going to happen again, but this part of the story knit its way into my heart. As I got to the end and thought I was safe from tears, the author built it up so much that how it unfolded let the dam unleash. It was touching and poignant. Needless to say, I love how the author writes in the past.

Don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed the "present" characters, but just like book one, the "past" couple is the one who stole my heart and made me an emotional mess! I absolutely loved it!

ENTER THE GIVEAWAY!

You can enter this book giveaway HERE!

About the Author:

Amanda Wen is an award-winning writer of inspirational romance and split-time women’s fiction. She has placed first in multiple contests, including the 2017 Indiana Golden Opportunity Contest, the 2017 Phoenix Rattler Contest, and the 2016 ACFW First Impressions Contest. She was also a 2018 ACFW Genesis Contest finalist. Wen currently lives in Wichita, Kansas, with her husband and three children. This is her first book. To find her blog and short stories, visit www.amandawen.com. Readers can also follower her on Facebook (@AuthorAmandaWen), Twitter (@AuthorAmandaWen), and Instagram (@authoramandawen).

The Heart Of The Mountains By Pepper Basham

The Heart of the Mountains

by Pepper Basham

Publisher: Barbour Books

Series: My Heart Belongs in the Blue Ridge

ISBN: 978-1636093253

When the author asked me if I'd read an ebook ARC of her book for review, I agreed. I didn't realize it was part of a series (par for the course with me), but I was happy to read it. I hadn't read anything about it so had no clue about the story and it was a wonderful surprise.

Summary:

Can True Love Weather a World of Differences?

To escape marriage, Cora Taylor runs away from her home in England to join her brother in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, but not even her time as a nurse in the Great War prepares her for the hard landscape and even harder lives of the mountain people. With the help of Jeb McAdams, a quiet woodcarver, who carries his own battle scars, she fashions a place for herself among these unique people. But the past refuses to let go, and with dangers from within and without, can hearts bruised by war find healing within the wilds of the mountains?

My Review:

Oh my word, let me take a moment to have a contented sigh...

This story was so unexpectedly wonderful! I had read some early reviews and was afraid the hype wasn't going to stand up to my highfalutin opinions. Well, let me tell you, the story exceeded the hype. Is that even possible? For me, yes!

I don't know if this love story would be considered a slow burn, but if so, I'm here for it!

Poor Cora, maybe not poor Cora. I think initially, with her baptism into the life in the Blue Ridge Mountains I was worried for her, but that lady has spunk! She is worth her weight in gold! She had a lot to prove to the mountain people, that was for sure.

And then there's Jeb who is dealing with a LOT! As you read and get to know him, you can almost feel the weight of the world (or his little corner of it) on his shoulders. There's just such a steadiness, strength, and calmness in him that even soothed me!

Of course, this story wouldn't have been nearly as "fun" without all of the rumors (ahem Imogene - who needs to be put over someone's knee), hidden people, and running for their lives. The storyline gives the reader of such a deep sense of how these people see the world and what a tight knit community they are, albeit a rather rigid one with how they see flat landers such as Cora. Like her, I wondered what beauty Maple Springs would really have, but as readers we begin to see it unfold like she does over time. We even come to love the people and their ways... mostly.

If you love, love, love a good and sweet love story, look no further. I'm NOT a fan of super quick falling in love, but the way the author wrote Cora & Jeb, it was the most natural thing in the world. There is a gift in her writing to be able to convince me to believe in it! You'll want to be sure to have a fan because even the small things will have you near to swooning.

And the faith that comes through and is lived out throughout the story is a bright spot, although it comes in the midst of so much hardship. God's plans and His timing and woven beautifully throughout the story with the characters who live out their faith. I loved how it was written into it.

I'm looking forward to the rest of the story and hope in book three that Imogene will have a "come to Jesus" moment for all of her naughtiness. And I'm talking about a grown woman by the way. lol I still have to go back to read book one, but don't feel like I missed out on anything by reading out of order.

About the Author:

Pepper Basham is an award-winning author who writes romance peppered with grace and humor with southern Appalachian flair. Both her historical and contemporary novels have garnered recognition in the Grace Awards, Inspys, and ACFW Carol Awards. Her historical romance, The Thorn Healer, was a finalist in the 2018 RT Awards. Her historical romance novels, My Heart Belongs in the Blue Ridge and The Red Ribbon, and her contemporary novels, the Mitchell's Crossroads and Pleasant Gap series, showcase her Appalachian heritage, as well as her love for humor and family. She currently resides in the lovely mountains of Asheville, NC where she is the mom of five great kids, a speech-language pathologist to about fifty more, and a lover of chocolate, jazz, hats, and Jesus. 

You can learn more about Pepper at her website http: //www.pepperdbasham.com or connect with her on FB, IG, or Twitter