Endless Mercy by Tracie Peterson; Kimberley Woodhouse

Endless Mercy
by Tracie Peterson;
Kimberley Woodhouse

ISBN-13: 9780764232503
Paperback: 364 pages
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Released: January 5th 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Madysen Powell has always been a forgiving person, but when her supposedly dead father shows up in Nome, Alaska, her gift for forgiveness is tested. With the recent loss of her mother, she searches for answers, leaning on Granny Beaufort, a neighbor in town, who listens with a kind heart. Still, Madysen is restless and dreams of performing her music around the world. The arrival of a traveling show could prove just the chance she needs, and the manager promises more than she ever dreamed.

Daniel Beaufort arrives in Nome, searching for his own answers after the gold rush leaves him with only empty pockets. Still angry about the death of his loved ones, he longs to start fresh but doesn't have high hopes until he ends up helping at the Powell dairy making cheese. Drawn to the beautiful redhead with big dreams, will the promise of fame and a crush on another man take her from him before he even has a chance?


My Review:
Endless Mercy is a Christian romance set in 1904 in Alaska. It's the second book in the series, but you don't need to read the previous book to understand this one. However, it does continue the story of the entire family. Since there were so many point of view characters, the reader knew much more than each character. This could have been a story about Madysen choosing between a man offering her presents, flattery, and life as a star on the stage or the man who showed his love for her through his true friendship and helpful, hard work. Yet we know from the beginning that one is a con man who intends to use and abuse her, so it was more of a horror/suspense of, "don't do it!"

The family was full of grief, turmoil, and change, which was part of the reason why Madysen was tempted to leave rather than stay and struggle with forgiving those that hurt her. Daniel was angry at God and needed to work through why God allows bad things to happen. The characters were well-developed and reacted realistically to events. I cared about what happened to them. Though Madysen and Daniel said some hard words to each other, it was done out of caring and ultimately built the other person up. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I 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.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Crime of the Ancient Marinara by Stephanie Cole

Crime of the Ancient Marinara by Stephanie Cole ISBN-13: 9780593097816 Paperback: 304 pages Publisher: Berkley Books Released: January 26th 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from Goodreads:
Nell Valenti is settling into her role of transforming the Villa Orlandini into a superb farm-to-table cooking school, and the time has finally come for a full taste test run. But when Chef Orlandini prepares to reveal his top secret marinara recipe for the first time to a group of American gastro-tourists, Nell realizes she might have bitten off more than she can chew.

Nell begins to suspect that one of the tourists is actually a private detective sent to spy on her by her overprotective father, and the fussy foodies are noisy and disrespectful from the very start of the Marinara Mysteriosa workshop. Even worse, when one visitor appears to be poisoned by the famous marinara recipe, Nell will have to work fast to uncover a killer and keep a lid on bad press before her fresh start is spoiled for good.


My Review:
Crime of the Ancient Marinara is a cozy mystery. This novel is the 2nd in the series, and this story didn't spoil the whodunit of the previous book. You don't need to read the previous novel to understand this one, but you may wonder why Nell likes Pete so much since he mainly acted stressed and jealous in this book.

Nell was often in awkward or mildly humorous situations (situational humor), but she didn't come across as incompetent. She felt like she had to solve the murder to save her job and the school. It was a clue-based mystery, and Nell poked around people's rooms and asked questions to find clues. Frankly, I thought whodunit was pretty obvious from the start, though there were two others who acted suspicious who also could've done it. I still don't like that Nell withholds evidence from the police. She could have taken a picture of the evidence for her own use rather than taking the original from the scene.

There were no sex scenes. There was occasional use of bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting 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.

The Vanishing at Loxby Manor by Abigail Wilson

The Vanishing at Loxby Manor by Abigail Wilson ISBN-13: 9780785232957 Paperback: 336 pages Publisher: Thomas Nelson Released: January 26th 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Haunted by the assault she’s kept hidden over the past four years, Charity Halliwell finally has a chance to return home to the quaint village she left more than five years before and the happy life she wants so badly to reclaim. All she needs is time with her old friends and an opportunity to find a governess position, and she can leave the fear and guilt behind. But the family who agrees to her yearlong visit turns out to be a far cry from the one she thought she knew, particularly when her friend disappears and the one man she made certain would not be at the house is forced to return--the only gentleman who ever held a piece of her heart.

Piers Cavanagh was branded a coward when he failed to show up for a duel he arranged. He had his reasons, but disclosing them would hurt far more than life as a social outcast. With the mysterious disappearance of his sister, the strange nightly occurrences in the ruins of an old abbey, and the uncomfortable whispers of a secret organization, Piers must work with the last person he ever thought he would get the chance to speak to again—the girl whose heart he had no choice but to break.


My Review:
The Vanishing at Loxby Manor is a Christian romance (with a mystery) set in 1816 in England. Frankly, I want to know what happened to the maid that was sent for help in the prologue and who should've quickly returned with that help. Instead, she's mysteriously never talked about again even though her absence set off a complex sequence of events that deeply impacted people years later. But ignore that since it's otherwise a very good book.

Charity was assaulted several years ago (which was described very vaguely and as not having 'taken everything'). She feels like she can't trust men or welcome their attentions now and is ruined, though no one knows about it. She's very distressed when her friend, Pier's sister, insists on going out alone at night and completely disappears. She's determined to uncover what happened and find her friend. She works with Piers, the man she used to want to marry and learns to trust again. He has his own ruined reputation to deal with, called a coward because he won't to explain why he missed a duel. Both find renewed friendship and healing as they uncover all of the secrets of the past.

The characters were complex, reacted realistically to events, and I cared about what happened to them. The mystery was complex, and the main characters asked good questions about what was going on. As clues and truths about the past and present were uncovered, several people died as people attempted to get free of the deception and evil that entrapped them. Piers and Charity built each other up, worked well together, and based their romance on a long-standing friendship. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I highly recommend this enjoyable romance and 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.

Claw & Disorder by Eileen Watkins

Claw & Disorder by Eileen Watkins ISBN-13: 9781496722980 Paperback: 256 pages Publisher: Kensington Released: January 26th 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Expert groomer Cassie McGlone knows how to handle even the feistiest of felines, but their owners are a different tale! Around the quaint town of Chadwick, New Jersey, are two families in need of Cassie's help. Wealthy perfectionist Gillian Foster is orchestrating the restoration of her family's nineteenth century home and wants her purebred Himalayan, Leya, boarded at Cassie's Comfy Cats. Meanwhile, the elderly Tillmans are in dire straits, hoarding possessions and a clowder of cats in their run-down house. Perhaps Cassie can persuade the couple to surrender a few of their furry friends. Unfortunately, neither task is cut and dried...

Mrs. Tillman is mysteriously asphyxiated in the night, and suspicion falls on her husband--and their cats. Meanwhile, the Fosters host a banquet for the local historical society, and when one of their guests falls gravely Gillian is convinced someone is out to get her. After a second death occurs, it's clear a killer isn't pussyfooting around. Now it's up to Cassie to get these houses in order before disaster pounces again.


My Review:
Claw & Disorder is a cat-themed cozy mystery. It's the fifth book in a series. You don't need to read the previous books to understand this story, and this book didn't spoil the previous ones.

This was a clue-based puzzle mystery. Cassie asked questions and passed on possible clues and scenarios to the detective, who followed up on them. Neither of the mysteries were that difficult to guess, but they were more difficult to prove. The main characters were likable, interesting people who reacted realistically to events. When Cassie was not caring for the cats or solving mysteries, she spent time with her boyfriend and a new hobby of his...along with fending off an aggressive woman interested in him.

There were no sex scenes. There was a minor amount of bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable cat-related 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.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Mrs. Jeffries Demands Justice by Emily Brightwell

Mrs. Jeffries Demands Justice by Emily Brightwell ISBN-13: 9780593101063 Paperback: 304 pages Publisher: Berkley Books Released: January 26th 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Inspector Nigel Nivens is not a nice man or a good investigator. In fact, he's terrible at his job and has always done everything he can to make life difficult for Inspector Witherspoon. But even his powerful family can't help him after he maliciously tried to hobble Witherspoon's last homicide investigation. He's been sent to a particularly difficult precinct in the East End of London as penance.

When a paid informant is found shot in an alley, Nivens thinks that if he can crack the case, he'll redeem himself and have a much-needed chance at impressing his superiors. But there's one big problem with his plan--Niven's distinct antique pistol is found at the scene of the crime and even more evidence is uncovered that links the Inspector to the murder.

Despite their mutual dislike for Nivens, Mrs. Jeffries and Inspector Witherspoon know the man isn't a cold-blooded killer. Now they'll just have to prove it...


My Review:
Mrs. Jeffries Demands Justice is a historical mystery set in England in the 1890's. It's the thirty-ninth book in a series. You don't need to read the previous books to understand this one, and this book didn't spoil the whodunit of the previous books. The story wasn't heavily historical, though there were enough details to provide a historical feel. The characters were engaging and realistic, though not highly complex. It's a clue-based puzzle mystery. The main characters asked good questions and followed up on leads. There were enough clues for a reader to figure out whodunit even before Mrs. Jeffries. There was no sex. There was some bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable 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.

Marion Lane and the Midnight Murder by T.A. Willberg

Marion Lane and the Midnight Murder by T.A. Willberg ISBN-13: 9780778389330 Hardcover: 352 pages Publisher: Park Row Released: December 29th 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
In the heart of London, secret tunnels that exist far beneath the city streets. There, a mysterious group of detectives recruited for Miss Brickett’s Investigations & Inquiries use their cunning and gadgets to solve crimes.

Late one night in April 1958, a filing assistant for Miss Brickett’s named Michelle White receives a letter warning her that one of their own is about to commit a crime. She goes to investigate and is murdered by a killer she can’t see—her death the only sign she wasn’t alone. It's clear that the person responsible must also work for Miss Brickett’s, making everyone a suspect.

Almost unwillingly, Marion Lane, a first-year Inquirer-in-training, finds herself being drawn ever deeper into the investigation. When her friend and mentor is framed for the crime, to clear his name she must sort through the hidden alliances at Miss Brickett’s and secrets dating back to WWII.


My Review:
Marion Lane and the Midnight Murder is a mystery set in 1958 in an England filled with clockwork gadgets. The story started off with two characters who were not the main character, and I didn't find the story interesting until Marion became the point of view character. This happens quickly enough, but I think I would've liked it better if the story had just started with her. Anyway, Marion has been recruited because of her mechanical skills, but she spent most of her time investigating (so may end up as a detective). She worked with her friend and a detective who's investigating the murder. They listened to gossip, uncovered secrets (including doing things that could get them fired), spied on people, and put together clues to discover what's going on and whodunit.

The main characters were interesting and likable, but not developed very much. It's more of a suspense than a puzzle-mystery, with physical danger to those investigating. While the locked-room mystery aspect was fully explained, a critical element (how it all began) didn't make sense. Even Marion questioned why the World War II secret hadn't simply been destroyed (rather than hidden), and given the answer provided her, one has to question why it still hasn't been destroyed at the end. I also found it odd that these recruits--skilled professionals in their 20s--were being treated (and acted) like teenagers...except for the frequent drinking of alcohol. However, the overall story was an enjoyable, lively mystery with some clockwork fantasy thrown in. There was no sex. There was a fair amount bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting 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.

Dreams of Savannah by Roseanna M. White

Dreams of Savannah by Roseanna M. White ISBN-13: 9780764237478 Paperback: 400 pages Publisher: Bethany House Released: January 5th 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Cordelia Owens can weave a hopeful dream around anything and is well used to winning the hearts of everyone in Savannah with her whimsy. Even when she receives word that her sweetheart has been lost during a raid on a Yankee vessel, she clings to hope and comes up with many adventurous tales of his eventual homecoming to reassure his mother and sister.

Struggling for months to make it home alive, Phineas Dun returns to Savannah injured and cynical, and all too sure that he is not the hero Cordelia seems determined to make him. Matters of black and white don't seem so simple anymore to Phin, and despite her best efforts, Delia's smiles can't erase all the complications in his life. And when Fort Pulaski falls and the future wavers, they both must decide where the dreams of a new America will take them, and if they will go together.


My Review:
Dreams of Savannah is a romance set in 1861 in Georgia (and briefly in Cuba). Phineas' family owns a plantation with slaves, though his grandfather had intended to free the slaves at his death. A new law prevented the freeing of slaves. Still, Phineas went off to join the Confederate Navy to defend his home and way of life and in hopes of winning the approval of Cordelia's father. Phineas loved that Cordelia's a storyteller and how she cared for the people around her. When he's wounded, washed overboard, and presumed dead, Cordelia's pressured by her father to marry someone that doesn't respect her and only wants her fortune. Even though Cordelia's world is shattering around her, she bravely stands against the pressure to conform and for what is right.

The main characters were complex, engaging, and reacted realistically to events. I cared about what happened to them. They grew as people as they faced hardship and relationship struggles. I liked how Phineas and Cordelia admired and loved the uniqueness of each other. Events refined that love and showed that they had chosen things more desirable in a marriage partner than power and wealth. The historical details were woven into the story and brought the time period alive in my imagination. There was a lot of suspense from the danger from the war and from those tempted to mistreat Cordelia and the slaves. Blacks (both free and slaves) were major characters with fully developed backgrounds. One major character was a Christian preacher who helped to further shape Phineas' views about slavery. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd highly recommend this interesting, 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.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Active Defense by Lynette Eason

Active Defense by Lynette Eason ISBN-13: 9780800729363 Paperback: 288 pages Publisher: Revell Released: January 5th 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from Goodreads:
As a former field surgeon in Afghanistan, Heather Fontaine is used to life-or-death situations. She just didn't expect them to follow her home. When she returns from a party to find that someone has broken into her house--and threatened her friends--she assumes it is the stalker who has been following her and creeping her out. She hopes to find safety and peace of mind by leaving the city and hiding out in a small town. But trouble has followed her even there.

Luckily, a stalker isn't the only one watching Heather. Travis Walker has been secretly watching out for her for weeks. As owner of his own security agency, it's what he does. Together, Travis and Heather must figure out who wants her dead--and why--before it's too late.


My Review:
Active Defense is a Christian romantic suspense. This book is the third in a series, but it works as a standalone. Heather grew up in an abusive home and then in foster care, so she's learned to depend on herself and has trouble asking others for help. But she's worried about a seemingly harmless stalker and tells her friends about it. Then someone starts trying to kill or at least kidnap her, and she learns how to accept the help of friends...partly because they're determined to help her. Both Heather and Travis were competent and did a good job of thwarting the bad guys, but Heather had trouble figuring out who hired them. Though it wasn't obvious, I did guess it early on, but there's a good reason why Heather didn't suspect that person.

The main characters were brave, caring people who reacted realistically to events. Heather and Travis built each other (and others) up, helped each other grow and heal, and made a good team. The Christians were motivated by their belief in the value of human life. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this exciting 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.

Court of Swans by Melanie Dickerson

Court of Swans by Melanie Dickerson ISBN-13: 9780785234012 Hardcover: 336 pages Publisher: Thomas Nelson Released: January 5th 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Delia lives a quiet life as the daughter of an earl in late 14th-century England, but that peace is shattered when her seven brothers are betrayed by their stepmother and falsely arrested. With the Peasants’ Revolt threatening the peace of the kingdom, the king is executing anyone who had anything to do with the uprising. Delia is terrified her brothers will be next, the youngest of whom is only ten years old.

Delia infiltrates the palace as a sewing woman specializing in embroidery so she can be near her brothers in the Tower of London and help them escape. When she runs into Sir Geoffrey, the guard captain who arrested her brothers, she hates him—until she discovers he has been carrying food to her brothers in their prison cell. Trapped into obeying the orders of his king, Sir Geoffrey is the oldest son of an earl whose estate has been seized by the king and his treacherous advisers.

In a court where everyone is eager to backstab anyone else to get what they want, how will Geoffrey help Delia and her brothers?


My Review:
Court of Swans is a romance set in 1381 in England and loosely based on the fairytale. I had thought that this was a young adult story, but the writing was more at a middle grade level. The characters were not complex or very well-developed. Delia was basically told what to do by wise adults, and at least she had the wisdom to (mostly) follow their good advice. It was the adults who investigated the mystery and proved that the brothers were innocent and who was guilty. She just had to go where she was told to go and do what she was told to do.

So the focus of the story was mainly which handsome and seemingly kind soldier should Delia trust: Sir Geoffrey, who treats her with respect and helps her with supplies for her brothers. Or Sir Elliot, who seems so taken by her beauty that he immediately offers to help her brothers escape...but who likes to grab at her and try to kiss her. Delia's main challenge was avoiding being raped by Sir Elliot. I did not find that a particularly interesting story. 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.

City of Schemes by Victoria Thompson

City of Schemes by Victoria Thompson ISBN-13: 9780593197509 Hardback: 320 pages Publisher: Berkley Books Released: January 5th 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
The Great War is over, and Elizabeth and Gideon are busily planning their wedding and welcoming home old friends now discharged from the army. One of them, Captain Archie Carstens, the son and heir of a wealthy Knickerbocker family, seems less happy to be home than Gideon had expected. While Archie was in France, he fell in love with a beautiful French woman named Noelle. He desperately wanted to propose, but he was already engaged to a girl he had known all his life back in America.

When Archie receives a letter supposedly from Noelle begging for money to help her flee the terrible conditions in France and come to America, Elizabeth is suspicious. There's no way to verify the letter is actually from Noelle, and she fears that a conman or woman might be trying to take advantage of Archie in his vulnerable state. But that's not all Elizabeth has to worry about. Vicious thug Oscar Thornton has gotten wind of her wedding announcement and realizes the woman who conned him is still alive and well. Gideon and Elizabeth have to figure out a way to help their friend while making sure their worst enemy doesn't destroy their future.


My Review:
City of Schemes is a historical suspense/mystery set in early 1919 in New York City. This is the fourth book in the series. You don't need to read the previous books to understand this one, and this book didn't spoil the previous novels. The historical details were woven into the story to create a sense of the specific time and place as well as bring the story alive.

Elizabeth is a reformed con artist engaged to marry Gideon, an honorable lawyer who refuses to lie. A man she helped con in the past tries to blackmail Elizabeth to get his money back. Gideon realizes that someone might be conning a good friend, so he asks for Elizabeth's advice. And Elizabeth wants to do something about the manipulative, self-centered woman responsible for endangering Elizabeth and making Gideon's friend miserable. So we have three cons going on, and it was very entertaining and humorous to see each of the cons being pulled off. And when things go wrong, just how will they pull everything off? Well-written, funny, wonderful story.

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

On the Run by Valerie Hansen

On the Run by Valerie Hansen ISBN-13: 9781335404954 Paperback: 224 pages Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense Released: January 12th 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
When a desperate criminal pulls a gun on her in the ER, nurse Janie Kirkpatrick is in deep trouble—until undercover cop Brad Benton saves her life. Now Janie’s a witness with a lethal enemy and on the run with a stranger. She has no choice but to trust Brad. Can they find the criminal mastermind and take down the criminals?


My Review:
On the Run is a romantic suspense novel. I liked that Janie saved Brad's life as often as he saved hers. She's brave and was willing to run into danger if it meant saving someone she cared about. Janie could be irrational, though, when it came to her dog. Brad didn't seem to mind this, so they'll probably get along fine even when not in the middle of danger. However, the story was just to...odd to seem realistic. I can somewhat understand Janie insisting on finding her lost dog even though they know the bad guys (who are trying to kill them) are nearby. But when they arrived, she stormed up the bad guys demanding to know where her dog was. Really? And even though it was obvious to anyone at that point that Brad wasn't loyal to the drug people, he still tried to go back undercover with the same group of people that he'd just betrayed. Why, when at the end, he simply needed to identify the thugs that had been after them? Also, at one point, Janie refused to consider getting on a plane (especially during a storm) even though not doing so would mean death, yet she promptly fell asleep after the plane took off. Finally, though Janie and Brad quickly came to admire each other, getting married after three or four days of knowing each other under extreme circumstances just didn't work for me.

Both Janie and Brad prayed to God for help. 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.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.