Protecting the Baby by Jodie Bailey

Protecting the Baby
by Jodie Bailey

ISBN-13: 9781488238628
Audiobook, Unabridged
Publisher: Harlequin Audio
Released: June 30, 2026

Source: audiobook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from Goodreads:
When a dangerous assailant trespasses on his ranch in the middle of the night, K-9 Officer Eli Blackwood must act quickly to outwit a kidnapper targeting his neighbor and her baby. Protecting veterinarian Carly Mayor and the infant she’s become guardian to means going off the grid and hiding out at his grandfather’s cabin. But who is after baby Ariel…and does it have to do with the mysterious deaths of her parents? Chased through the Colorado wilderness by deadly gunmen, Carly and Eli must work together to survive.


My Review:
"Protecting the Baby is a Christian romantic suspense. Eli lost his pregnant wife in an accident and is reluctant to love again. Carly's dear friends were both murdered within months of each other, leaving her as the guardian of their young baby. Someone wants guardianship of the baby so they can access her secret inheritance, but someone's also trying to kidnap the baby--why? Eli and his protection K9 not only protected Carly and the baby but worked to uncover what's going on. He also worked with his team to solve a ongoing case of a pregnant girl who's been kidnapped as the last in a series of kidnapped pregnant girls that have been found murdered after giving birth.

The suspense came from the danger to Carly and the baby as well as the looming deadline on finding the missing girl in time. Eli and Carly asked good questions, and Eli did a good job of protecting Carly. They fell in love as they spent time together. They'd already become good friends as neighbors, but the danger brought them closer together as they dealt with past and present hurts. Both trusted in God and prayed for help. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable suspense.

The narrator of the audiobook did a good job of saying the text in a way consistent with the text (with surprise if surprised, etc.), and it was easy to follow who was talking and what was going on. She read the story in a way that immersed me in the story and easily kept my interest. 5 stars.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

The Bachelor Spy by Pepper Basham

The Bachelor Spy
by Pepper Basham

ISBN-13: 9798891513693
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Barbour Fiction
Released: July 1, 2026

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Stephen Blake's life goal is to protect people, especially those closest to him, but war in 1915 England doesn’t follow any rules. When Blake is informed that a noted German spy may have taken up residence at Havensbrooke Hall—his cousin Lord Astley’s estate, which is being used as a convalescent war hospital—he’s sent there to uncover the plot.

Lady Grace Astley has become a force to be reckoned with while Frederick is out on the war front. With Havensbrooke as a hospital, she’s shocked by the devastation the war is bringing home; but ever hopeful, she is determined to help these weary soldiers find some relief. However, not everything is as it seems inside Havensbrooke. Precious items soon start disappearing. . .and not just the kind that are worth a lot of money.

Through a case of mistaken identity, a comedy of errors, a kidnapping, and a race for time within the crumbling subterranean passageways beneath Havensbrooke, can Blake and Gracie work together to root out the criminals, thieves, and spies before time runs out?


My Review:
The Bachelor Spy is a Christian romance set in 1915 in England. This is the 5th book in a series. You can probably understand it without reading the previous books. However, it did spoil the whodunit and climatic scenes of all of the previous books, so you might wish to read the series in order. This novel had very little mystery to it. Three things were stolen from the house, and the thief of two items almost immediately confessed to Grace. Then Blake happened to overhear the other culprit explain to someone why he needed the stolen drawing. Blake's trying to figure out who, out of two women, is the German spy. He kept thinking through the exact same list of evidence for why one was the more probable, but he didn't do much more than listen in on conversations until new evidence made the German spies obvious. So it's not really a story about uncovering clues, and the main suspense was in the prologue and the fight scenes at the end.

The series originally appealed to me because the author poked gentle fun at unrealistic clichés in novels compared to reality. However, this story didn't do that. The heroine who doesn't realize she's pregnant theme? Grace is 5 months pregnant and has more reason than most to be very large at this point (though she isn't). She didn't know she was pregnant until Blake delicately suggested she get examined by a doctor. And, of course, Grace assumed this meant she must be deathly ill. The whole story was full of over-the-top clichés.

Blake was in love with Evie, a fellow British spy, which was the romance. Complete with kissing for a long time right when they both agreed how vital it was that they immediately stop the bad guys who were escaping. I also wondered why the bad guys waited until that moment to hand over their vital intelligence to their handler when the woman had a hidden radio set, and so on. Anyway. It's fun enough if you already like the characters.

Grace had to trust God with Frederick's life (as he was near the war front) and her own. There were no sex scenes nor any bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this novel to fans of the series who don't mind clichés.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

A Bitter Cut by Anna Lee Huber

A Bitter Cut
by Anna Lee Huber

ISBN-13: 9780593955284
Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Berkley
Released: June 23, 2026

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
July 1833. Lady Darby and her dashing husband, Sebastian Gage, are settling into their newly renovated home at Bevington Park in Warkwickshire with their young daughter. With the breach between them and Sebastian’s father recently healed, they've agreed to help host a country house party for friends and family to share in their joy. Kiera is also anxious to help promote a match between her brother, Trevor, and the woman he’s fallen in love with, inviting her family to join them. However, Kiera swiftly discovers that the would-be bride’s family is not without their detractions. Her brother is unpleasant. Her mother is abrasive. And her father—the prosperous industrialist Jeremiah Birnam—is brusque, discourteous, and, at times, downright rude.

So when Mr. Birnam’s female secretary is found murdered with Birnam standing over her body, many are content to allow him to take the blame. Kiera and Sebastian aren't certain that he did it, and in spite of his bluster and boorish behavior, they can’t let an innocent man be hung for another’s crime. Unfortunately, Birnam believe's he was the true target, and he certainly has enemies. As Kiera and Sebastian slowly inch their way closer to the truth, Kiera begins to fear that the price of solving the crime may mean sacrificing her brother’s future happiness.


My Review:
A Bitter Cut is a mystery set in 1833 in England. It is the 14th book in a series. It can be read as a standalone and didn't spoil previous mysteries. The main characters were complex, well-developed, and acted realistically. Historical details were woven into the story without slowing the pacing.

Kiera and Sebastian (and his father) investigated the murder while hosting a house party that would end with a ball. They're pressured to solve the mystery before the ball but without offending any of the politically powerful guests. Add in that the people who knew why Portia might have been murdered were either not telling the truth or not talking at all (hiding scandalous secrets). They asked questions and followed up on leads, but that provided clues with minimal context until a break in the case near the end.

There were no sex scenes or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this historical mystery.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Scent of Hope by Susan May Warren

Scent of Hope
by Susan May Warren

ISBN-13: 9780800746063
Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Revell
Released: June 2, 2026

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Sheriff's daughter Harley Tatum hates injustice, as it hits particularly close to home. Her trauma-riddled past made her vow never to return to Copper Mountain, where she lost her family and was abandoned by the man she loved. But when she receives a call that the drug dealer responsible for so much of her pain is at large, she decides to return to Alaska for one final chance at justice.

The last person Jericho Bowie expected to see in Copper Mountain is the woman he abandoned years ago. When Harley needs his heroic avalanche dog, Orlando, to track down a drug lord, Jericho realizes he has a chance to redeem his mistakes. As they navigate the treacherous Alaskan mountains, tentative feelings grow yet again, but their mission quickly turns defensive as the hunted becomes the hunter.


My Review:
Scent of Hope is a Christian romantic suspense. Jericho and Harley both lost their parents when a plane flown by his father went down in bad weather. Jericho left for the military, and Harley left to become a detective. After her brother died from an overdose of drugs supplied by a family involved in distributing drugs, she's determined to stop them from harming more people. They reconnected when the sheriff asked each to join him in tracking these men down. Jericho has been running a SAR dog training school. He and his scent-tracking dog were struggling after an avalanche training session turned tragic.

Jericho and Harley cared for each other and were best friends since they were kids. Yet they had so much painful history and bad interaction patterns in their relationship that they just kept replaying the hurtful beliefs that had come to define them. They also both felt that obtaining justice and keeping the people they loved safe depended on their abilities, and they already knew that didn't always work out. They learned to trust God and gain a new heart that allowed their relationship to start anew, too.

The main characters were complex, realistic people, and I cared about what happened to them. The suspense was created by relationship tensions, bad weather, and bad guys trying to kill them. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this suspenseful novel.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Peril on the Ranch by Lynette Eason

Peril on the Ranch
by Lynette Eason

ISBN-13: 9781488238475
Audiobook, Unabridged
Publisher: Harlequin Audio
Released: May 26, 2026

Source: audiobook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from Goodreads:
When an infant is abandoned on her ranch, foster mother Isabelle Trent will do anything for the child—even put her own life on the line. She might not know who left the little girl, but it’s clear someone’s after her and will kill to reach their target. With Isabelle’s ranch hand, Brian “Mac” McGee, at her side, can she survive long enough to protect the baby?


My Review:
Peril on the Ranch is a Christian romantic suspense. Isabelle and her husband ran a ranch (on land given to them) where they raised foster kids in a healing environment. He died, but she's still dedicated to raising the kids on the ranch. Mac lost his wife and baby in a car accident. In his grief, he left his job as a police officer and worked various jobs to save enough money to buy his own ranch. He's her new ranch hand, and he admires the way she cares for the kids. The kids help heal his heart. His response? To see if Isabelle would give up her ranch and foster kids to join him in his dream. Umm. Fellow, you like her for certain reasons and then want her to give those things up? Mac was a nice guy who protected Isabelle and the kids, but that nonsense just annoyed me. Happily, Isabelle had some insight into his issues and helped him get several of his relationships back on good ground (including with God).

The suspense came from several attempts by the abandoned baby's father to kidnap his child rather than try to legally claim the baby. He couldn't believe that his behavior was criminal. Someone else also had evil intentions toward Isabelle, though I can only conclude he was insane. His scheme made no sense and would have never gotten started, let alone succeeded, in real life. While Isabelle and the kids carried the story well and Mac ended up a good match for her after an epiphany, I found the suspense-ending so unbelievable that I was left feeling unimpressed. There was no sex or bad language.

The narrator of the audiobook did a good job of saying the text in a way consistent with the text (with surprise if surprised, etc.) and spoke in a way that kept my interest. It was easy to follow what was going on. However, the 'voice' for some of the less frequently speaking characters sometimes changed. For a little bit, most of the male characters had higher-pitched voices than the women and they acquired a nasal accent. That was a little confusing.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Survival in the Mountains by Carrie Stuart Parks

Survival in the Mountains
by Carrie Stuart Parks

ISBN-13: 9781335957795
Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense
Released: May 26, 2026

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Rescuing a woman from a burning car crash near his mountain cabin immerses undercover Fish and Game officer Joshua McGregor in a dangerous plot. But all Bethany can remember is being deliberately run off the road. Soon killers are hunting both of them through the unforgiving Idaho wilderness, and the discovery that Bethany’s identity has been erased has them grasping for answers. Now they must avoid treacherous traps and unexpected enemies…while trying to trust each other. But when the truth about Bethany's past proves even more dangerous than they imagined, can she and Joshua protect innocent lives—and save their own?


My Review:
Survival in the Mountains is a Christian romantic suspense. Joshua lost his family in a tragedy, so he choose a dangerous job as an undercover officer in a remote area to try to stop some suspected crime in the area. He saved Bethany when someone ran her off the road, but she couldn't remember much about the last few weeks or anything about the last hours. They started to retrace the research that led her to visit a previously unknown relative in the mountains when things got worse. Someone's erasing her identity, claiming that her house isn't hers, not to mention trying to kill her. I liked that Bethany's clever when she had to escape bad guys, and Joshua and Bethany worked well together. I cared about what happened to them. However, the reason the bad guys needed to kill her was a little hard to believe.

The main characters occasionally prayed. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting novel.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

The Hidden Gate by Marlene Chase

The Hidden Gate
by Marlene Chase

Hardcover: 257 pages
Publisher: Guideposts Books
Released: January 1, 2020

Source: Borrowed from the library.



Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Meredith Bellefontaine has recently reopened her late husband's investigation agency with her best friend and retired juvenile court judge, Julia Foley. Despite the anxiety that comes with starting a new business, leaving the comfort of her job as president of the historical society in Savannah, and recovering from a near-fatal heart attack. Meredith truly believes that this is God's next step for her life.


My Review:
The Hidden Gate is a mystery. Meredith and Julia investigated a case that Meredith's dead husband appears to have been investigating while also trying to learn more about a local family for a historical society. A local woman also hired them to find her mother, who deliberately disappeared from her life. Since the reader also gets the viewpoint of the hiding mother, we learn why she left. She knows what happened to the girl that disappeared years ago and fears retaliation. While Meredith did do some following up on leads and talking with people, the first case was basically solved by finding the hiding woman.

Since we know more than the investigators, the story read more like a romance (as Meredith literally ran into a love interest) and a historical (with the ongoing story of a white daughter of a prejudiced plantation owner befriending the black, hired help's daughter). There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting historical/mystery.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.