Scandal Above Stairs by Jennifer Ashley

Scandal Above Stairs by Jennifer Ashley ISBN-13: 9780399585531 Paperback: 320 pages Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime Released: July 3, 2018

Source: Review copy from the publisher.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Priceless artwork has gone missing from the home of a wealthy baronet, and his wife stands to take the blame. When Kat's employer asks for help in clearing her friend's name, Kat trades her kitchen for the homes of Mayfair's wealthiest families.

Soon antiques are disappearing not only from the extravagant households of connoisseurs and collectors, but from the illustrious British Museum. As the thefts increase in frequency, Kat encounters her friend Daniel McAdam, who has set himself up in a pawnshop on the Strand as a seedy receiver of stolen goods. When a man is murdered in the shop, Kat must use all of her wits to see that the thieves are caught and justice is done.


My Review:
Scandal Above Stairs is a mystery set in May 1881 in England. This is the second book in the series. While the characters did refer to events that happened in the previous novel, they did not spoil whodunit. You do not need to read the previous novel to understand this one.

The mystery was a clue-based puzzle. The main characters did a good job of spotting things that were going on and coming to the correct conclusions based on the clues. The mystery had several layers--who was stealing things, who killed the first victim, and so on. They ended by uncovering who was behind the whole scheme.

The main characters were interesting and likable. Kat learned more about Daniel's mysterious past. The historical details, especially those about cooking, were woven into the story better this time. There was no sex. There was occasional use of bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable 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.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Murder, She Reported by Peg Cochran

Murder, She Reported by Peg Cochran ISBN-13: 9780525479666 ebook Publisher: Alibi Released: July 31, 2018

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Manhattan, 1938. Tired of being trapped in the gilded cage of her family’s expectations, Elizabeth Adams has done what no self-respecting socialite would think to do: She’s gotten herself a job. Although Elizabeth’s dream is to one day see her photographs on the front page of the Daily Trumpet, for now she’s working her way up as the newsroom’s gal Friday.

When veteran reporter Ralph Kaminsky needs a photographer to fill in for a last-minute assignment, Elizabeth jumps at the chance. At the Waldorf Hotel, Elizabeth is tasked with tracking down the season’s “It girl,” Gloria DeWitt, who will be making her society debut. Working her own connections to New York’s upper crust, Elizabeth manages to land an exclusive interview with Gloria.

Then Gloria’s stepmother is shot dead in a Waldorf bathroom, placing Elizabeth at the scene of a headline-worthy scandal: “Murder of a Society Dame.” Now Elizabeth will have to get the scoop on the killer before her good name gets dragged through the gossip columns—or worse. .


My Review:
Murder, She Reported is a mystery set in 1938 in New York. The author included interesting historical and setting details. Elizabeth was observant and able to put clues together better than anyone else. Yet she was a little slow in doing so. I realized the significance of certain information (and so correctly guessed whodunit and why) several chapters before she did, though I grant that she was sleep deprived.

Though usually likable, Elizabeth seriously let a friend down. She initially was concerned about a friend who desperately needed a job. Elizabeth even knew of a job opening that would be perfect for her. But Elizabeth was more interested in solving the mystery because it would benefit her career and social life and so forgot about her friend. Not nice.

Also, despite the fact that the handsome detective asked Elizabeth to contact him with any information about the case, she decided to confront a person she thinks is a double murderer. By herself. And without telling anyone where she is and why she thinks this person is a murderer. This made no sense for a normally intelligent gal. I felt like this was forced to create some suspense. Despite this, overall, I'd recommend this mystery as it was interesting.

There was no sex. There was a minor amount of bad language.


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.

Thief of Corinth by Tessa Afshar

Thief of Corinth by Tessa Afshar ISBN-13: 9781496428660 Paperback: 368 pages Publisher: Tyndale House Released: July 3, 2018

Source: Review copy from the publisher.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
After years spent living with her mother and oppressive grandfather in Athens, Ariadne runs away to her father’s home in Corinth, only to discover the perilous secret that destroyed his marriage: though a Greek of high birth, Galenos is the infamous thief who has been robbing the city’s corrupt of their ill-gotten gains.

Desperate to keep him safe, Ariadne risks her good name, her freedom, and the love of the man she adores to become her father’s apprentice. Her unusual athletic ability leads her into dangerous exploits. But when the wrong person discovers their secret, Ariadne and her father find their future—and very lives—hanging in the balance.

When they befriend a Jewish rabbi named Paul, they realize that his radical message challenges everything they’ve fought to build, yet offers something neither dared hope for.


My Review:
Thief of Corinth is a Christian romance set in first century Greece. It included brief encounters with Paul during his stay in Corinth. Ariadne's broken family has left her bitter and longing for other's approval. When her father falls into deep debt, she helps him rob a corrupt man. But when Paul's teachings sway her father against stealing, Ariadne discovers it's not as easy to stop thieving as to start. I didn't quite understand how, after Paul said that stealing is never acceptable, her family so easily concluded that God wanted Ariadne to steal from another evil man. They even drew other Christians into the scheme. But, hey.

The characters acted realistically, were likable, and grew as people. Historical and cultural details were woven into the story. Ariadne was determined to have her own way in some things, and she wasn't the only one who got hurt as a result of her actions. Her family had to learn to forgive each other for past hurts. Ariadne also struggled with how to love one's enemies. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I recommend this enjoyable 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.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Cottage by the Sea by Debbie Macomber

Cottage by the Sea by Debbie Macomber ISBN-13: 9780399181252 Hardback: 352 pages Publisher: Ballantine Books Released: July 17, 2018

Source: Review copy from the publisher.

Book Description from Goodreads:
Annie Marlow has been through the worst. Rocked by tragedy, she heads to the one place that makes her happy: Oceanside in the Pacific Northwest, the destination of many family vacations when Annie was a teenager.

Once there, Annie begins to restore her broken spirit, thanks in part to the folks she meets: a local painter, Keaton, whose large frame is equal to his big heart--and who helps Annie fix up her rental cottage by the sea; Mellie, the reclusive, prickly landlord Annie is determined to befriend; and Britt, a teenager with a terrible secret. But it is Keaton to whom Annie feels most drawn. His quiet, peaceful nature offers her both comfort and reprieve from her grief, and the two begin to grow closer.

Then events threaten to undo the idyll Annie has come to enjoy. And when the opportunity of a lifetime lands in her lap, she is torn between the excitement of a new journey toward success and the safe and secure arms of the haven--and the man--she's come to call home.

In this heartwarming tale, Annie finds that the surest way to fix what is damaged within is to help others rise above their pain and find a way to heal.


My Review:
Cottage by the Sea is a heartwarming story with several sweet romances. Annie lost her entire family in a tragedy that left her adrift in grief and with survivors guilt. She returns to Oceanside because it's a place where she feels closer to the happy memories of her family. She reaches out to several other hurting souls in the community--a neighbor who is afraid to leave her house, a gentle giant who has been rejected and teased his entire life, a teenager with an abusive step-father, and others. Since we're dealing with hurting people, these relationships have their ups and downs as people sometimes reacted out of fear of future hurt. Still, Annie finds unexpected love and healing in the process.

The romances grew as people did life together--planting a garden, doing animal rescues, fixing up the yard, and such. There were no sex scenes. There was occasional use of bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable story.


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.

River to Redemption by Ann H. Gabhart

River to Redemption by Ann H. Gabhart ISBN-13: 9780800723644 Paperback: 336 pages Publisher: Revell Released: July 3, 2018

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Orphaned in the cholera epidemic of 1833, Adria Starr was cared for by a slave named Louis, a man who stayed in Springfield, Kentucky, when anyone with means had fled. A man who passed up the opportunity to escape his bondage and instead tended to the sick and buried the dead. A man who, twelve years later, is being sold by his owners despite his heroic actions. Now nineteen, Adria has never forgotten what Louis did for her. She's determined to find a way to buy Louis's freedom.


My Review:
River to Redemption is a Christian historical set in 1845 in Kentucky. It was partly inspired by a true event. During the 1833 cholera epidemic, a slave named Louis was left in charge of several businesses in Springfield, and he also nursed the sick and buried the dead. In gratitude, the town collected money to buy and free him when his owner died years later.

The fiction was worked around this: An orphaned girl is taken in by a young widow. She's partly raised by the slaves that helped her during the cholera epidemic, so she believes in freeing all slaves. She's the one who suggests raising funds to free Louis. Her suitor owns slaves, so she's conflicted about marrying him. A charming drifter also makes her question what she really wants in her future. We also have the love story of the woman who took her in and the new, widowed pastor.

The characters acted realistically and were likable and complex. Interesting historical details were woven into the story. The Christian themes were to "pray believing" and to look for the good things even during times of sorrow. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable 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.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Loving Lieutenant Lancaster by Sarah M. Eden

Loving Lieutenant Lancaster by Sarah M. Eden ISBN-13: 9781524405250 Paperback: 256 pages Publisher: Covenant Communications Released: June 1, 2018

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from Goodreads:
Orphaned as a child, Arabella Hampton was the unwanted and unloved charge of a cruel aunt and neglectful uncle. The only light in her young life was the kindness of the Jonquil family, and she clung to the childish dream of someday living with them at Lampton Park. Now, years later, that opportunity is presented to Arabella in a most unexpected way: she is to be the lady's companion to the dowager countess. As she takes up residence at the estate, the young woman soon finds that life at the Park is far more complicated than she imagined. The lines of her position are blurred, and she is neither family nor servant. So when the countess plans a grand house party, Arabella is content to hide in the shadows. But one gentleman sees her there.

Lieutenant Linus Lancaster has retired from the navy and is not looking for love, especially when he finds himself entangled in his sisters' scheme to trap him into finding a wife at a house party at Lampton Park. Yet amid the festivities, he's impossibly drawn to the dowager's quiet companion, Arabella. Their regard for each other is undeniable, but they are haunted by their pasts. Can the two find a way to bridge their two worlds?


My Review:
Loving Lieutenant Lancaster is a Regency romance set in 1816 in England. It's the fourth book in the series, but you don't need to read the previous books to understand this one. Arabella was orphaned when a small child and grew up feeling unwanted. She longs to be a part of a loving family but expects to spend her life on the outskirts, never really belonging anywhere. Linus had to leave his sisters when he was young and joined the navy with his brother. He watched his brother die in battle and still grieves. He's come home but hardly knows his sisters. He must eventually take his place running the family estate, but it was something he was never trained to do.

I like that the story shows how our upbringing can shape how we view ourselves and others. Arabella and Linus were both kind, caring people who were drawn to those characteristics in the other. Linus drew Arabella out and helped her engage with others. Arabella helped Linus find the courage to face his future and his grief. But since both have other suitors, they're uncertain if they're just friends or if the other also desires a future together. The historical details about the politics, social manners, and such were woven into the story. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd highly recommend this 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 House at Saltwater Point by Colleen Coble

The House at Saltwater Point by Colleen Coble ISBN-13: 9780718085827 Hardcover: 352 pages Publisher: Thomas Nelson Released: July 3, 2018

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through BookLook Bloggers.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Ellie Blackmore is making a name for herself as a house flipper. But when her sister Mackenzie disappears, Ellie can’t focus on anything but uncovering what happened. Her only clue is the bloodstain on the deck of Mackenzie’s boat. Ellie knows her sister isn’t on the best of terms with her ex-husband, Jason, but he wouldn’t kill her—would he?

Coast Guard intelligence officer Grayson Bradshaw believes Mackenzie faked her own death after stealing a seized cocaine shipment. The problem is convincing Ellie.

Both Ellie and Grayson want truth, but truth—and family—is often more complex than it first appears. From international terrorism to the peaceful lavender fields of Puget Sound, The House at Saltwater Point is a thrilling race to uncover the truth before it’s too late.


My Review:
The House at Saltwater Point is a Christian romantic suspense novel. It's the second book (and third story) in the series. While it can work as a stand-alone novel, this book continues Shauna and Zach's story--the search for her missing siblings--in addition to Ellie and Grayson's story.

Grayson had to deal with learning he's adopted at the same time he's tracking down the theft of a seized cocaine shipment and a known terrorist. He knows who took the shipment, but Ellie refuses to believe her sister could be involved. She also struggled with her guilt over her youngest sister's death when Ellie was still a child. Ellie and Grayson ended up working together to discover what happened to Ellie's sister. I cared about what happened to the main characters, and they reacted realistically to events. The suspense mainly came from knowing that Mackenzie needed immediate medical care--if she survived--and from the danger to the town that they uncovered while searching for her.

The main characters prayed a couple "God, help me" type prayers at the very end. Ellie also realized that God could heal the broken places but she hadn't let him. 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.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Darkwater Secrets by Robin Caroll

Darkwater Secrets by Robin Caroll ISBN-13: 9781683700685 Paperback: 272 pages Publisher: Gilead Publishing Released: July 17, 2018

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
The Darkwater Inn stands tall and proud in the French Quarter, the hub of New Orleans. Bourbon Street is bustling, and general manager Adelaide Fountaine has her hands full with a hotel at capacity. But she is shocked when a body is found: a hotel guest stabbed with a kitchen knife.

Detective Beau Savoie, Adelaide's childhood friend, is on the case. As Beau digs into the victim's past, he unearths a shocking connection between Adelaide and the murdered guest. Beau is hurt that his friend--the woman he's quietly loved for years--kept the truth from him. To make matters worse, the stress of the investigation has sent Adelaide right into the comforting arms of her coworker Dimitri.


My Review:
Darkwater Secrets is a novel about how secret traumas affect our lives. It's not really a mystery as I easily and correctly guessed who committed the murder (and why) very shortly after the murder occurred. While the detective did follow up obvious leads and was able to get forensic results nearly instantly, the mystery was solved by the murderer confessing at 66% into the story. After that, it was simply a matter of dealing with the non-mystery relationship problems that had developed and healing from past trauma.

Gorgeous Adelaide had no desire to date (and for good reason), but both Dimitri and Beau secretly love her. It's not really a romance novel, though. I liked the characters and cared about what happened to them. However, the story had a lot of filler. For example, several conversations were basically repeated (since the good advice was rejected the first time or two). Also, the sentence structure was often poor, creating sentences that were confusing or unintentionally funny.

One main character was a Christian, while other characters practiced voodoo. There was no sex or bad language.


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 Hope of Azure Springs by Rachel Fordham

The Hope of Azure Springs by Rachel Fordham ISBN-13: 9780800734732 Paperback: 304 pages Publisher: Revell Released: July 3, 2018

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Seven years ago, orphaned and alone, Em finally arrived at a new home in Iowa after riding the orphan train. But secrets from her past haunt her, and her new life in the Western wilderness is a rough one. When her guardian is shot and killed, Em, now nineteen, finally has the chance to search for her long-lost sister, but she won't be able to do it alone.

For Azure Springs Sheriff Caleb Reynolds, securing justice for the waifish and injured Em is just part of his job. He's determined to solve every case put before him in order to impress his parents and make a name for himself. Caleb expects to succeed. What he doesn't expect is the hold this strange young woman will have on his heart.


My Review:
The Hope of Azure Springs is a Christian romance set in 1881 in Iowa. Many of the characters dealt with grief over losing loved ones. Em was separated from her sister when they rode the Orphan Train, and she has endured 7 years of poverty and loneliness. Many of the locals lost children in a sickness that swept the area. Caleb lost his brothers in the Civil War. Throughout the story, they learned from each other how to grieve and find joy again.

Caleb initially thinks Em is very plain and treats her like a sister, but he finds healing as he tries to bring joy and playfulness back into her life. The story was basically about the characters getting to know each other and learning to care about each other.

Sheriff Caleb had a deputy but did everything by himself, like search for a missing person whose life was in danger. I found that odd. I was also surprised that the sheriff kept riding off with Em in the saddle in front of him. Mainly because that's hard on the horse, but also because they were alone. Then he takes a girl he's courting out alone on a picnic with her riding in front of him. Are there no other horses in that town or public places to picnic? There were several minor things like this that didn't seem accurate to the historical period. Still, the realistic, caring characters made for an enjoyable story.

There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable 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.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Dead Drift by Dani Pettrey

Dead Drift by Dani Pettrey ISBN-13: 9780764212970 Paperback: 352 pages Publisher: Bethany House Publishers Released: July 3, 2018

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from NetGalley:
Seven years ago, operative Luke Gallagher vanished to become part of an elite team set on capturing a deadly terrorist. When Luke returns to face those he left behind, their help becomes his only hope of stopping his target's latest threat of an attack that would shake America to its core.

Private investigator Kate Maxwell never stopped loving or looking for Luke after he disappeared. But she also never imagined he left her or his life by choice. Now he's back, and together they must unravel a twisting thread of secrets, lies, and betrayal, all while on the brink of a biological disaster. Will they and their love survive, or will Luke and Kate become the terrorist's next mark?


My Review:
Dead Drift is a Christian romantic suspense novel. It's the fourth book in a series. It's not really a stand-alone novel as main characters from the previous novels have point-of-view roles in this one and there are two cases being investigated that are a continuation from events in the previous book(s).

Two characters worked on solving the cold case of their sister/friend while the rest focused on stopping the latest threat by the terrorist who was revealed in the last book. The suspense came from trying to stop the deadly terrorist plot while avoiding assassins (as Luke and Kate are now on a hit list). Luke and Kate still cared for each other and enjoyed working together, but Kate needed to forgive Luke for disappearing on her for so many years. She has to decide if she can trust him with her heart again.

Luke struggled with some of the things he'd done in the past under orders but decided to seek forgiveness and draw closer to God. While not frequent, the characters prayed to God when they had concerns (not just "God, save us" emergency prayers). 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.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Blood on the Tracks by Martin Edwards

Blood on the Tracks by Martin Edwards ISBN-13: 9781464209697 Paperback Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press Released: July 3, 2018

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from Goodreads:
A signalman is found dead by a railway tunnel. A man identifies his wife as a victim of murder on the underground. Two passengers mysteriously disappear between stations, leaving behind a dead body.

Trains have been a favourite setting of many crime writers, providing the mobile equivalent of the "locked-room" scenario. Their enclosed carriages with a limited number of suspects lend themselves to seemingly impossible crimes. In an era of cancellations and delays, alibis reliant upon a timely train service no longer ring true, yet the railway detective has enjoyed a resurgence of popularity in the twenty-first century.

Both train buffs and crime fans will delight in this selection of fifteen railway-themed mysteries, featuring some of the most popular authors of their day alongside less familiar names. This is a collection to beguile even the most wearisome commuter.


My Review:
Blood on the Tracks a collection of 15 short story mysteries published in the late 1800s up to the 1950s. Most of the stories were from the detective's point of view and were tales of old cases, cases where the detective quickly figured out whodunit but still needed to catch the criminal, or stories where the detective found clues, put them together, and solved the crime. There were two ghost stories, and a couple stories from the murderer's point of view. Not all of the stories were about murder. And trains--while always mentioned--didn't play a large role in several of the stories. There was no sex. Most stories contained no bad language, but five stories had one to five uses of bad language. Overall, I enjoyed the interesting detectives and mysteries. I'd recommend this collection.

Included stories:
The Man with the Watches by Arthur Conan Doyle
The Mystery of Felwyn Tunnel by L. T. Meade and Robert Eustace
How He Cut His Stick by Matthias McDonnell Bodkin
The Mysterious Death on the Underground Railway by Baroness Orczy
The Affair of the Corridor Express by Victor L. Whitechurch
The Case of Oscar Brodski by R. Austin Freeman
The Eighth Lamp by Roy Vickers
The Knight’s Cross Signal Problem by Ernest Bramah
The Unsolved Puzzle of the Man with No Face by Dorothy L. Sayers
The Railway Carriage by F. Tennyson Jesse
Mystery of the Slip-Coach by Sapper
The Level Crossing by Freeman Wills Crofts
The Adventure of the First-Class Carriage by Ronald Knox
Murder on the 7.16 by Michael Innes
The Coulman Handicap by Michael Gilbert


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.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

My Heart Belongs in Galveston, Texas by Kathleen Y'Barbo

My Heart Belongs in Galveston, Texas by Kathleen Y'Barbo ISBN-13: 9781683225003 Paperback: 256 pages Publisher: Barbour Publishing, Inc. Released: July 1, 2018

Source: Review copy from the publisher.

Book Description, Modified from NetGalley:
Journey now to Galveston, Texas, of 1880...

Pinkerton agent Jonah Cahill is hired by the mysterious widow to find her lost granddaughter, rumored to be living in Galveston, Texas. Though Jonah prefers to travel alone, Mrs. Smith insists that she and her companion accompany him. Madeline Latour, investigative reporter, has been acting as Mrs. Smith’s assistant for several months, and Madeline will not allow anyone—even a Pinkerton agent—to ruin the story of a lifetime. The pair forges an uneasy truce as the investigation grows dangerous. Is there a bigger story beyond a missing girl to be revealed?


My Review:
My Heart Belongs in Galveston, Texas is Christian romance and mystery set in 1880, mainly in Texas. Mrs. Smith hires a Pinkerton detective to find her missing granddaughter and insists that he work with her assistant, who happens to be an investigative reporter that he once nearly married. They have to forgive old hurts as they spend time together while investigating.

The answer to the mystery came as no surprise as I suspected that ending from the very start. However, it was interesting to watch the characters piece the story together. The main characters were interesting and likable, though Jonah did have a tendency to accuse first and think through the facts later. The historical and setting details created a backdrop to the story.

The main characters were Christians and this guided how they interacted with people--mainly, being willing to forgive and ask forgiveness. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this fun story.


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.

Gone by Shirlee McCoy

Gone by Shirlee McCoy ISBN-13: 9781335490476 Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense Released: July 1, 2018

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from Goodreads:
FBI agent Sam Sheridan’s mission is to take down a human trafficking ring and save missing teens—until he witnesses a kidnapping. Blowing his cover, Sam rescues Ella McIntire. But she’s not safe yet. While searching for the truth about her cousin’s death, Ella came too close to a dangerous secret. And now only Sam can protect her from the men determined to silence her.


My Review:
Gone is a Christian romantic suspense novel. It's the second in a series, but it works as a standalone. There was plenty of suspense from the repeated attempts to kill the heroine. Sam is a patient, handsome hero who keeps his cool and knows how to keep Ella safe. I understand why she comes to like him.

However, she's like a deer in the headlights. When something spooked her, she panicked and acted irrationally, often dashing directly toward danger. Which made Sam's job doubly difficult. I suppose most people would act this way in real life, but I'm baffled as to why Sam is attracted to her (except her looks). At least, when not panicked, she was willing to follow directions that would keep her safe.

I was surprised that a competent, special FBI team could not anticipate what happened at the very end as I knew what was going to happen, so it felt forced to me. And not much time was spent developing the characters, so they came across as somewhat one dimensional.

The Christian element was the heroine deciding that God does have a plan even during tragic events. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, this is not my favorite novel by this author, but it was still an enjoyable fluff suspense.


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.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.