The Light of Stars by Jenelle Hovde

The Light of Stars
by Jenelle Hovde

ISBN-13: 9798400502934
Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Tyndale Fiction
Released: July 14, 2026

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
When Kitty Grenville’s grandfather announces her engagement to Sebastian Sinclair, she’s appalled. She barely remembers the boy she met once as a child—and now he’s a man tied to the East India Company, the very organization that tore her and her brother from their mother and home in Hyderabad years ago. Unwilling to relinquish her dream of a love match or her passion for astronomy, Kitty is determined to refuse the marriage and find freedom in her own way.

Sebastian Sinclair carries the weight of duty and regret. To atone for past sins, he complies with his grandfather’s orders to return to England, fulfill a long-standing betrothal, and defend the maligned East India Company before Parliament. Though Kitty makes her disinterest clear, Sebastian is drawn to her intellect and spirit.

As Kitty navigates her first London season, her opinion of Sebastian begins to shift—especially when he shields her from scandal. When he’s abruptly called back to India, Kitty stuns everyone by marrying him and going with him, hoping to escape her grandfather’s control—and to find her mother.

But the challenges that await in India are greater than imagined. Together, Kitty and Sebastian must confront the legacy of family and empire—and decide if a marriage born of obligation can grow into a love strong enough to endure.


My Review:
The Light of Stars is a Christian romance set in 1814 in England and India. I had to keep reminding myself of just how very young and sheltered Kitty was. She's the daughter of a British man and a Muslim princess whose father ruled an area in India. When her father died (from the illness going around? or murdered due to politics?), the grandfather took her and her brother from the harem and raised them in England. Kitty deeply resented the East India Company for this, though I couldn't see how they were at fault. She idealized what life as a Muslim princess in India with her mother would have been like. Her main objections to Sebastian seemed to be that he didn't declare undying love for her, that he worked for the hated East India Company, and that he got to live in India and knew more about it than she did.

She wanted true love or her independence to pursue astronomy. Though Kitty's warned by several people that her behavior could cause a sandal, she publicly favored a suitor who's mainly interested in her money when people knew she's intended to marry Sebastian. She naively believed the man's flattery only to learn that the image she'd built up of him was an illusion and it's Sebastian that's been supporting her and trying to give her the things her heart desires.

Sebastian believed he could help guide East India Company in respecting the local workers while still making a profit for the British in India. Yet men that he respected were sure that there was more corruption and abuse than he's aware of. Both Kitty and Sebastian had to face reality and hard choices as secrets were uncovered. The characters were likable, and historical details were woven into the story that brought the setting alive. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting historical 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.

Conspiracy by Colleen Coble

Conspiracy
by Colleen Coble

ISBN-13: 9780840714671
Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Released: July 7, 2026

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Just as wildlife veterinarian Paradise Alden begins to envision a future with Blake Lawson, the ghosts of her past return with a vengeance. The murder of her parents has shadowed her for fifteen years, but a new threat brings the cold case into the terrifying present. A trained leopard--a chilling embodiment of Paradise's deepest fears--is now stalking her.

Haunted by resurfacing memories, Paradise, Blake, and her newfound brother, Drew, follow a trail of clues that leads them into a web of dark family secrets. The deeper they dig, the more shocking the connections become, linking their families to a dangerous conspiracy that someone is still willing to kill to protect.

Paradise, Blake, and Drew must race to expose a murderer who has remained hidden for fifteen years, but this time, they are the ones being stalked. If they can't unmask the killer, the past will destroy both the fragile future Paradise and Blake are trying to build and the family she has finally found with her brother.


My Review:
Conspiracy is a Christian romantic suspense. This is the third book in a series and continues the story of the main characters in the previous books. Drew, Paradise, and Blake asked questions, found clues, and made connections regarding the deaths of Drew's and Paradise's parents. Two of the bad guys were pretty guessable as the clues built up, and they weren't a surprise to Paradise's group, either. While I didn't guess the main whodunit until the critical clue was uncovered, I did wonder at this person's behavior shortly before the reveal. This killer made a mild attempt to misdirect the investigation but did so by pointing them toward two major clues, one of which prompted Paradise to remember the truth. Basically, the killer needlessly exposed themselves, and I don't quite understand why (though the killer had plans to disappear, and I suppose killers aren't required to be logical).

The main characters were likable and reacted realistically to events. The suspense came from the danger from the attacks on Paradise. Blake and Paradise supported each other and worked well together. Paradise grew in her trust that God cared about her. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this exciting 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.

A Killer on Campus by Rhonda Starnes

A Killer on Campus
by Rhonda Starnes

ISBN-13: 9781488238680
Audiobook, Unabridged: 208 pages
Publisher: Harlequin Audio
Released: June 30, 2026

Source: audiobook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from Goodreads:
After dodging bullets twice in one evening, forensic photographer Jane Mason realizes that she’s the target of a killer who wants to hide his crimes. Reopening the investigation of her aunt’s decades-old murder has painted a target on her back, and the culprit is closing in fast. Ridge Snyder—her estranged childhood friend and a former navy SEAL—is determined to protect her from the threats and uncover the killer’s identity. But safety is fleeting as the culprit escalates the stakes, setting deadly traps at every turn. Can Jane and Ridge unearth the truth about the past, or will the killer’s final move silence Jane forever?


My Review:
A Killer on Campus is a Christian romantic suspense novel. Jane, her twin brother, and Ridge were best friends as kids, but Ridge turned down Jane's request to date in high school because he felt she deserved someone who knew how to be a good husband. He then convinced her brother to enlist as a SEAL with him, which Jane opposed and said it'd end up with her brother killed. And she was right, so she's refused to talk to or acknowledge Ridge since then. She continued to barely tolerate his help when her life was threatened and he repeatedly saved her. She also kept making it hard for him to protect her by insisting they do things her way. But he knew her well and understood what he was getting into.

Jane finally came to realize how her actions had impacted various people, putting them in danger or causing Ridge to carry a heavy burden of guilt over her brother's death. She did change her behavior, forgive Ridge, and helped Ridge to forgive himself. I understood why she decided she had always loved him: who wouldn't want to be loved and protected even when you're not being that lovable?

The suspense came from the danger to Jane and those who helped her. They also tried to solve the old mystery, though Jane only uncovered one clue. Ridge had a strong faith in God and prayed over things that concerned him and didn't just ask for help in staying alive. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable suspense novel.

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 easily kept my interest.


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 Spy Keeper of Marseille Roseanna M. White

The Spy Keeper of Marseille
by Roseanna M. White

ISBN-13: 9798400501784
Hardcover: 368 pages
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers
Released: July 7, 2026

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Marseille, France, 1941. Zelie Bellerose never fit the mold of an army officer’s wife. She was too passionate in her convictions, too indifferent to societal expectations. After her husband was killed in the war, Zelie focused on securing a brighter future for her children, hoping to help free her country from the Nazi regime by helping organize a spy ring. When the spy ring's leader is imprisoned, she has to take command of France’s largest spy ring.

Marcel Laurent was a renowned concert pianist before joining the French army and being sent to a POW camp. Freed in a prisoner exchange by a wealthy businessman with ties to the Resistance, Marcel agrees to spy for Alliance by conducting a youth orchestra, gathering intelligence from patrons. Marcel’s weekly radio broadcasts introducing the orchestra’s performances give him the perfect cover to send coded messages over the airwaves.

As Zelie and Marcel grow closer through their shared love of music, she begins to rely on him. But betrayal from within Alliance puts everything they’ve fought for at risk.


My Review:
The Spy Keeper of Marseille is a Christian romantic suspense set in 1941-1942 in France. Zelie's very believable as a woman who could run a spy ring primarily made up of men. We got to see how she developed the spy ring, learning from mistakes so they could do things better ways and grow the number of people involved. However, though we're repeatedly told how vital her work is, we're never really shown how the information they discovered led to a military victory or something like that. Given the repeated empasisis on how she's so vital and must not be captured, it made no sense that, at the end, she stayed behind to personally oversee the evacuation of their central command when others could do it and they knew that Nazis were on the way. It did lead to an enjoyable, exciting ending, but I still don't like it when authors have their heroines inexplicably do something stupid to create that ending.

That said, the characters were well developed, complex people. They acted realistically, and I cared about what happened to them. Vivid historical and setting details were woven into the story, creating a distinct sense of the time and place. Marcel was uniquely able to support Zelie in her role and ecouraged her through his music and words. He showed her love without expecting (though hoping for) romantic love in return.

Both characters learned that God had a bigger view than theirs and to trust Him during difficult, confusing events. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable historical romance.


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.

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.