Once Upon a Wardrobe by Patti Callahan

Once Upon a Wardrobe
by Patti Callahan

ISBN-13: 9780785251729
Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Harper Muse
Released: October 19th 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Megs Devonshire is brilliant with numbers and equations, on a scholarship at Oxford, and dreams of solving the greatest mysteries of physics.

She prefers the dependability of facts—except for one: the younger brother she loves with all her heart doesn’t have long to live. When George becomes captivated by a copy of a brand-new book called The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and begs her to find out where Narnia came from, there’s no way she can refuse.

Despite her timidity about approaching the famous author, Megs soon finds herself taking tea with the Oxford don and his own brother, imploring them for answers. What she receives instead are more stories . . . stories of Jack Lewis’s life, which she takes home to George.

Why won’t Mr. Lewis just tell her plainly what George wants to know? The answer will reveal to Meg many truths that science and math cannot.


My Review:
Once Upon a Wardrobe is set in 1950 in England. The scenes mostly focused on Megs gathering stories from C.S. Lewis about events in his life that contributed to the story "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe." These were then told to her brother, who understood their importance more than Megs, the logic one. There were also scenes of her talking with a literature major about the importance of stories (specifically, fairytales). He felt that Meg's maths and physics may explain the universe, but stories give soul-soothing meaning to the cold, hard facts. Not a whole lot of time was actually spent developing the family relationships or, really, any characters except C.S. Lewis and maybe Megs. It seemed more of a philosophical debate than about these specific people. I didn't really feel attached to the characters (though that's just as well since the brother didn't get a happy ending).

There was no sex or bad language. Overall, this was an interesting way to learn more about how different events in C.S. Lewis' life may have influenced his Narnia stories.


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 Pickwick Murders by Heather Redmond

The Pickwick Murders
by Heather Redmond

ISBN-13: 9781496734280
Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Kensington
Released: October 26th 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
London, January 1836: Just weeks before the release of his first book, Charles is thrilled by an invitation to join the exclusive Lightning Club. But his initiation in a basement maze takes a wicked turn when he stumbles upon the corpse of Samuel Pickwick, the club's president. With the victim's blood literally on his hands, Charles is locked away in notorious Newgate Prison.

Now it's up to Kate to keep her framed fiance from the hangman's noose, but she's forced instead to puzzle her way through a fiendish series of baffling riddles sent to her in anonymous poison pen letters. With the help of family and friends, she must keep her wits about her to corner the real killer--before time runs out and Charles Dickens meets a dead end...


My Review:
The Pickwick Murders is a mystery set in 1836 in London. It's the fourth in a series. You don't need to read the previous book to understand this one, and this book didn't spoil the previous mysteries. However, minor characters from the previous mysteries do show up in this one.

Vivid historical and setting details were woven into the story, creating a distinct sense of the time and place. The author tried to stay true to what is known about Charles Dickens' career and lifestyle in his early twenties (minus the being thrown in prison part, which didn't really happen). The main characters were interesting and acted realistically. I cared about what happened to them.

However, there were a couple of tales that were thrown in that had nothing to do with the main story. Kate also had to solve a series of riddles rather than work on solving the main whodunit mystery, which was frustrating for her and soon felt like filler to me. Once Charles friends got down to investigating, they solved the mystery pretty quickly. Though a realistic ending, it wasn't a very satisfying one. The people behind the evil weren't really punished.

There was one use of British bad language. There was no sex. Overall, I'll probably keep on reading the series because of the wonderful, accurate historical detail, so I guess I'd recommend this book to fans of historicals.


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.

Hiding His Holiday Witness by Laura Scott

Hiding His Holiday Witness
by Laura Scott

ISBN-13: 9781335554628
Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense
Released: October 26th 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
A frantic call from a witness whose Colorado safe house is breached sends US marshal Slade Brooks to Robyn Lowry’s side at Christmastime. But when he reaches her, she doesn’t remember him—or the crime she witnessed. With the trial just days away, someone won’t stop until Robyn’s dead. And while she might recover her memory in time, keeping Robyn alive long enough to testify is Slade’s hardest mission.


My Review:
Hiding His Holiday Witness is a Christian romantic suspense novel. It's the fourth book in a series but works as a stand alone. The suspense was created by the attacks on Robyn and the uncertainty about if she'll remember witnessing the crime in time for the trial. The first half was pure suspense: attack, run, attack, run. There was little character development since Slade didn't want to tell her anything she couldn't remember, and she had total amnesia. He admired how she dealt with this situation, though, and she was attracted to her hunky protector. It wasn't until the last half that she started remembering things and they finally tried to figure out how their location kept getting leaked to the bad guys. In my opinion, this was more like a template for a romantic suspense that needed some filling out with character development. The action was there, but a few times people did things that didn't make sense to me and the characters didn't really engage me. 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.

Murder at Mallowan Hall by Colleen Cambridge

Murder at Mallowan Hall
by Colleen Cambridge

ISBN-13: 9781496732446
Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: Kensington Publishing
Released: October 26th 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Tucked away among Devon's rolling green hills, Mallowan Hall combines the best of English tradition with the modern conveniences of 1930. Housekeeper Phyllida Bright, as efficient as she is personable, manages the large household with an iron fist in her very elegant glove. In one respect, however, Mallowan Hall stands far apart from other picturesque country houses...

The manor is home to archaeologist Max Mallowan and his famous wife, Agatha Christie. Phyllida is both loyal to and protective of the crime writer, who is as much friend as employer. An aficionado of detective fiction, Phyllida has yet to find a gentleman in real life half as fascinating as Mrs. Agatha's Belgian hero, Hercule Poirot. But though accustomed to murder and its methods as frequent topics of conversation, Phyllida is unprepared for the sight of a very real, very dead body on the library floor...


My Review:
Murder at Mallowan Hall is a mystery set in 1930 in England. Much of Phyllida's past is a bit of a mystery, but she had many of the characteristics of Poirot, including a love of order and logic. She noticed many details that the police missed, and she gathered information from the servant's observations. She passed on information to the police as she came across it, and she was eventually able to puzzle out whodunit. I guessed what was going on before Phyllida, though my main suspect was slightly off. Historical details were woven into the story (mostly about Agatha Christie and housekeeping at the time). Phyllida held very modern views about homosexuality and even lectured others from her morally superior position. Though she's a bit arrogant, I enjoyed the main characters and the mystery kept me puzzling out the clues.

There was occasional use of bad language. There were no sex scenes. 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.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Jane Austen Investigates: The Burglar's Ball by Julia Golding

Jane Austen Investigates: The Burglar's Ball
by Julia Golding

ISBN-13: 9781782643456
Paperback: 192 pages
Publisher: Lion Hudson Ltd.
Released: October 22nd 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Join young budding detective Jane Austen in her second investigation to uncover a devious diamond thief at the glitziest, most scandalous ball of the year! These events will later inspire "Sense and Sensibility."

When the headmistress invites her past favourite pupil to attend their end of term ball, Cassandra brings her younger sister, Jane, along too. Cassandra plunges into the feverish excitement of preparing for the biggest event of the year – the dresses, the dances and the boys expected from the neighbouring school.

Feeling rather excluded, sharp-witted Jane unearths the reason for the fuss – the headteacher wants to impress a rich family returned from India as the school is at risk of going bankrupt. Jane also befriends the dancing master’s assistant, a former slave, called Brandon, who is as quick to notice things as she. At the ball, a diamond necklace is stolen from a locked room and they are propelled into a race to uncover the burglar and save Brandon from gaol.

With the ever-present Austen spirit, Jane with notebook in hand, boldly overcomes the obstacles to finding the truth.


My Review:
The Burglar's Ball is a delightful mystery set in 1789 in England with a 13-year-old Jane Austen as the amateur detective. I would've loved her as a kid, and I thoroughly enjoyed the story as an adult, too. Jane used modern wording and was a realistic 13-year-old girl, so younger readers will feel at home with her. She's spunky, determined, loyal, and has a sense of humor. This book is the second in a series, but it can be read as a stand-alone and didn't spoil the previous mystery.

The mystery was clue-based, and whodunit was guessable from the clues. Jane made good friends that helped her to accomplish her goal of proving who was at fault rather than the foreign, young man who was blamed. She had good ideas about where to look, what questions to ask, and what was going on. The historical details about manners and customs were deftly woven into the story, were briefly explained when needed, and didn't slow down the pacing. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd highly recommend this enjoyable 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.

A Surprise for Christmas and Other Seasonal Mysteries by Martin Edwards

A Surprise for Christmas and Other Seasonal Mysteries
by Martin Edwards

ISBN-13: 9781464214813
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press
Released: October 12th 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from Goodreads:
A Postman murdered while delivering cards on Christmas morning. A Christmas pine growing over a forgotten homicide. A Yuletide heist gone horribly wrong. When there's as much murder as magic in the air and the facts seem to point to the impossible, it's up to the detective's trained eye to unwrap the clues and neatly tie together an explanation (preferably with a bow on top).

Martin Edwards has once again gathered the best of these seasonal stories into a stellar anthology brimming with rare tales, fresh as fallen snow, and classics from the likes of Julian Symons, Margery Allingham, Anthony Gilbert and Cyril Hare. A most welcome surprise indeed, and perfect to be shared between super-sleuths by the fire on a cold winter's night.


My Review:
A Surprise for Christmas and Other Seasonal Mysteries is a collection of Christmas-themed, short story mysteries that were first published between 1933 and 1963. Many of the stories were clued-based puzzles where the detective gathered clues and gave the solution. A few were from the murderer's viewpoint, so we're told how they did it and see how they're discovered. And, of course, there were some stories where we're told the action as it happened but they weren't puzzles for the reader to solve. I've read a couple of these mysteries before, but I enjoyed all of them. There was no sex. There was some bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting collection of short story mysteries.

The stories include:
The Black Bag Left on a Doorstep by Caharie Louisa Pirkis
The Hole in the Wall by G. K. Chesterton
Death on the Air by Ngaio Marsh
Persons or Things Unknown by Carter Dickson
Dead Man's Hand by E. R. Punshon
The Christmas Eve Ghost By Ernest Dudley
Dick Whittington's Cat By Victor Canning
A Surprise for Christmas by Cyril Hare
On Christmas Day in the Morning by Margery Allingham
Give Me a Ring by Anthony Gilbert
Father Christmas Comes to Orbins by Julian Symons
The Turn-Again Bell by Barry Perowne


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.

Dear Santa by Debbie Macomber

Dear Santa
by Debbie Macomber

ISBN-13: 9781984818812
Hardcover: 272 pages
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Released: October 19th 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Lindy Carmichael isn't feeling particularly joyful when she returns home to Wenatchee, Washington, for Christmas. The man she thought was the one has cheated on her with her best friend, and she feels unappreciated in her graphic design job. Lindy's mother, Ellen, suggests an old tradition that might lift her daughter's spirits. Reading through a box of childhood letters to Santa and reminiscing about what she'd wished for as a young girl may be just the inspiration Lindy needs. With Ellen's encouragement, she decides to write a new letter to Santa. Little does Lindy know that her wishes will unfold before her in unexpected ways. And, thanks to some fateful twists of Christmas magic, Lindy ultimately realizes that there is truly no place like home for the holidays.


My Review:
Dear Santa is a holiday romance. Lindy asks Santa to bring her a new best friend, a perfect boyfriend, and success at work. Santa (who was an actual character) tells her that she'll get her wishes. Much of the story was watching a romance unfold alongside Christmas fun with family and friends. The only problem was that Lindy discovered that she couldn't have all three wishes at once and must choose what she wanted most.

The characters were sweet and kind. Except for The Choice at the end, there wasn't really any set-backs or points of conflict to create suspense. Just a fun read about a "perfect" Christmas. My main problem was that Santa had God-like abilities. I kept expecting God to be thanked for the blessings, but Santa got the credit and even appeared in person to help Lindy make the right choices. I know the title says it's a Santa story, but the book description said the letter was to herself and an "exercise in gratitude." It's not. It's a wish list written to Santa. Anyway, 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.

Heirs of Falcon Point by Traci Hunter Abramson

Heirs of Falcon Point
by Traci Hunter Abramson,
Sian Ann Bessey,
Paige Edwards & A.L. Sowards

ISBN-13: 9781524417796
ebook
Publisher: Covenant Communications
Released: October 11th 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
In the early days of World War II, the Lang family lost everything. Eighty years later, it’s time to take it back.

The Nazis have taken control of Austria, and wealthy widower Leopold Lang faces a difficult decision: join the ranks of the foreign power that has taken over his homeland or flee with his children to safety. Leopold makes his choice—but too late. His family is ripped apart, never to be reunited. But decades later, fate brings together the descendants of this broken dynasty in the place where it all began—Falcon Point.

Anna, Cole, and Tess have never met, each relying on fractured pieces of information to understand their Austrian heritage. But when unforeseen opportunities draw these Lang cousins to Falcon Point, they soon discover that it won't be easy to claim the coveted property and the fabled treasure hidden within. Unfortunately, someone with a much darker heritage is determined to eliminate the Lang family once and for all and claim their property for himself.


My Review:
Heirs of Falcon Point is a romantic suspense novel. It started with Karl in 1940 as he and his two younger sisters escape from an evil SS officer and get separated in the process. The story then skipped forward to present day and followed three descendants--one from each original child--as they discover each other and their right to claim Falcon Point. However, the descendent of the evil Nazi wants to retain control of the property and hires assassins to take them out.

The suspense was high throughout, especially in the historical section as they were constantly on the run. While all of the main characters were feisty and fought back, one was better trained for this task. Luckily, each descendent reconnected with a romantic partner from the past or met someone new who was willing to help support and protect them. These romantic partners supported their main character, built them up, and were smart and caring. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I recommend this enjoyable and 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.

Waiting on Love by Tracie Peterson

Waiting on Love
by Tracie Peterson

ISBN-13: 9780764232404
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Released: October 5th 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Elise Wright loves her Great Lakes life onboard her father's ship, the Mary Elise. As cook, Elise can keep an eye on her father and the grief he bears, fulfilling a promise to her late mother. But in doing so, she may forfeit love and a family of her own.

Trying to forget his own guilt over a wrong decision while captaining another ship, Nick Clark hires on as the Mary Elise's first mate, quickly bonding with the attractive cook over their common struggles.

When a rough new sailor makes an inappropriate pass at Elise, her father believes it was a misunderstanding and offers a second chance. But other odd behavior raises Nick's suspicions. Just as clues to the sailor's unsavory past start to stack up, an even more immediate danger swells up around them. Forced to confront their greatest fears, Nick and Elise will have to rely on their faith and each other to see them through.


My Review:
Waiting on Love is set in 1872 on the Great Lakes. This book is the third in a series, but it's basically a stand-alone. Historical details about life on a freight ship and the development of the Great Lakes area were woven into the story and provided a distinct sense of time and place. The main characters were complex and grew throughout the story. Elise and Nick spent time together and got to know each other. They shared interests, especially their love of life on ship. Elise, her father, and Nick looked to God for peace during danger and studied the Bible. The father's belief in God's power to transform people was why he gave a trouble-maker a position on his boat. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable historical romance.

That said, I felt like they didn't react realistically to this trouble-maker. At first, yes, but when it's clear that he's violent and hates everyone on the crew, and Elise suspects that he might have committed murder? I'd at least be very wary and tell my father about it immediately. She boarded a ship that would isolate them from help and forgot to tell her father for days. No real proof, so they keep him on. Huh? They knew he was a poor crewman; that's reason enough. Later, Nick saw a wanted-for-murder poster that looked just like the crewman but with a different name. He didn't tell the police because he couldn't prove he was the wanted man. Huh? The police want to know where possible suspects are. They're not asking people to prove anything. Nick did tell the father/captain, who also didn't report the crewman because he felt there wasn't enough proof. Hm. Just seems odd and like they didn't take the danger seriously.


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.

A View Most Glorious by Regina Scott

A View Most Glorious
by Regina Scott

ISBN-13: 9780800736415
Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Revell
Released: October 5th 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Headstrong Coraline Baxter has worked all her life to be more than the spoiled socialite others expect. When her fellow suffragettes in Tacoma, Washington, suggest that she should climb to the top of Mount Rainier to prove that a woman can do anything, she resolves to do it. And if she can climb Mount Rainier, her mother promises to stop pressuring her to get married to the wealthy Cash Kincaid. All Cora needs is a guide to get her to the top of the mountain.

Nathan Hardee may look like a mountain man, but he once ruled the halls of high society. He left all that behind after his father broke under financial pressure from Kincaid. To best Kincaid now, Nathan agrees to guide Cora up the mountain.

Climbing Rainier will require all of Cora's strength and will lead her and Nathan to rediscover their faith in God and humanity. These two right a wrong and may just discover that only together is the view most glorious.


My Review:
A View Most Glorious is a Christian romance set in 1893. It's the 3rd in a series, but it's essentially a stand-alone novel. Historical details about what Tacoma and Mount Rainier were like at that time were woven into the story and brought the story to life. The main characters were engaging, complex, and reacted realistically to events. Nathan and Cora built each other up and helped each other heal from hurts from the past. Their initial conflict was over his need for instant obedience when guiding people on the mountain and Cora's determination to not let men order her about or disrespect her intelligence. However, once she realized he wasn't going to abuse his position and that he did respect her, Cora was able to trust Nathan with her life. I enjoyed how Cora was able to use her intelligence and boldness to take down a threat to her family meant to force her into an abusive marriage.

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.

All That Is Secret by Patricia Raybon

All That Is Secret
by Patricia Raybon

ISBN-13: 9781496458384
Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers
Released: October 5th 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
In the winter of 1923, Professor Annalee Spain--a theologian at a small Chicago Bible college--receives a cryptic telegram calling her home to Denver to solve the mystery of the murder of her estranged father.

For a young Black woman, searching for answers in a city ruled by the KKK could mean real danger. Still, figuring she's learned something from reading Sherlock Holmes stories, Annalee launches her hunt for clues, attracting two surprising allies: Eddie, a relentless young white boy searching for his missing father, and Jack, a handsome Black pastor who loves rides in his sporty car, awakening Annalee's heart to the surprising highs and lows of romantic love.

With their help, Annalee follows clues that land her among Denver's powerful elite. But when their sleuthing unravels sinister motives and deep secrets, Annalee confronts the dangerous truths and beliefs that could make her a victim too.


My Review:
All That Is Secret is a romantic suspense set in Nov. 1923 in America. I was expecting Annalee to be smart, logical, and a Christian. Nope. She knows the Bible but hasn't prayed in a long time. She's more of a philosopher and doesn't follow any of Sherlock Holmes' methods. She tells herself things like, "Stop trying so hard. Let the answers find their way to you." Or when a child pointed out that Goldilocks didn't break in, Annalee's suddenly sure that her father's mysterious key must unlock something that's already open. Huh? She's very impulsive, makes foolish choices, and has scattered thoughts. The author used a lot of short, partial (poor grammar) sentences, giving it a poorly edited feel.

By 20% into the book, I wasn't even sure why Annalee had quit her good job to follow up on a cryptic message that might have to do with her father's murder. Everything seemed so disjointed that it's hard to follow what's going on or put clues together. Her thinking was hard to follow, especially since coherent ideas about the case were kept out of her thoughts until nearly the end. For example, she told someone she needed a distraction, but we're not told why or what she's looking for until her actions show her intent.

I also felt like some things that happened weren't probable for the time period. For example, the pastor knew he was picking up a single woman, and he's a single man, living alone. There's a rooming house within view of his house with rooms available. He didn't arrange a place for her to stay, though, so she ended up sleeping in his bed (with him in another room). Really?!

In the end, Annalee basically solved the mystery by happening to hide from the bad guy and overhear his confession. So many details were never explained, especially things that happened on the train. The Christian element was Annalee starting to pray again as she realized she needed God's 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.

A Deep Divide by Kimberley Woodhouse

A Deep Divide
by Kimberley Woodhouse

ISBN-13: 9780764238000
Paperback: 332 pages
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Released: October 5th 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
After being kidnapped as a child, heiress Emma Grace McMurray has seen firsthand the devastation that greed causes in the world, and she wants nothing to do with it--including her father's offering her hand in a business deal. She sneaks away to be a Harvey Girl at the El Tovar Grand Canyon Hotel, planning to stay hidden even if it means always looking over her shoulder.

Ray Watkins arrives at the hotel wanting to impress his successful businessman father so he can take on more of the family business and do something good with the profits.

Ray immediately admires Emma Grace, and though a friendship forms, she's afraid he's just like every other wealthy man she's known. Then art and jewels go missing from El Tovar and the nearby Hopi House, a mystery that pulls them in and stirs up their worst fears. When shocking revelations come to light, they'll have to question all they thought to be true.


My Review:
A Deep Divide is a Christian romance set in 1905 at the Grand Canyon. Emma ran away when her father auctioned her off as a way to merge businesses. She later discovers he was murdered that very night. She's afraid that the murderer will force her to marry him and then kill her. Ray was a self-centered, rich young man until he nearly killed a boy due to reckless driving. God changed him, and now he wants to use his wealth to help others...but his father has no intention of giving money away.

Historical details about what the Grand Canyon and the Harvey Girls were like at that time were woven into the story and brought the story to life. The main characters were engaging and reacted realistically to events. Ray's kindness and humility slowly won Emma over to agree to spend time getting to know him. This included a hike into the canyon and time at the Hopi house. Emma and Ray shared interests and values and were a good personality match. Emma's also dealing with indications that someone has nearly found her, adding suspense.

Emma's attracted to the grace-giving God that Ray and her new friends at El Tovar believe in. She learned Bible verses to help her deal with her fear. 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.

Redemption by Traci Hunter Abramson

Redemption
by Traci Hunter Abramson

ISBN-13: 9781524417529
Paperback: 314 pages
Publisher: Covenant Communications
Released: September 20th 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Gage Stewart has spent five years trying to overcome his past. Once an abused and troubled teenager, he has worked tirelessly to move beyond the fateful day he was manipulated into holding a group of teenagers hostage. Now, with a new identity and a college degree in criminal psychology, he accepts an unlikely job teaching others what to do during mass shootings.

At the hotel where his class is held, Gage is immediately drawn to Skyler Prescott, the daughter of the wealthy hotel owner. Gage and Skyler quickly discover a shared desire for normalcy, and their easy friendship soon develops into something more. A night out ends in horror when a gunman opens fire in the crowded venue, and it seems like the real killer wanted to make Gage the scapegoat for the shooting. Little do they know that the attack was little more than a publicity stunt to draw out the real target: presidential candidate Senator James Whitmore. Gage must now work with the very men who ended his own life of crime before it began—the Saint Squad.


My Review:
Redemption is a romantic suspense novel. This is the 11th book in a series, and it referred back to events in a previous book (I assume "Lockdown"). It can be read as a standalone, though.

The first part of the novel mainly developed the friendship, which grew into romance. Gage and Skyler felt comfortable with each other and had shared interests. Each withheld some information about themselves that would potentially change the relationship. When this information came out, Skyler just avoided Gage rather than asking why the people who clearly knew his past didn't seem concerned by it. Plus he'd already risked his life to save people during a shooting, so I'd have thought she'd question rather than completely reject him. Poor guy. Gage just wanted to create a new, useful life and was very likable. But Skyler just kept holding Gage to unclear-to-him standards, like asking her to spend time with him didn't count as a date. Maybe realistic, but I didn't like her as much because of it.

I also thought the father acted out of character at the end, and his reason didn't even justify his actions. Anyway, the romance quickly wrapped up after Gage told her what she'd already heard before. Maybe Gage looked more appealing after her father's unreasonable actions.

The shootings were suspenseful and provided Gage a chance to prove himself a hero. Gage and Skyler went to church with the Saint Squad a few times. There was no sex or bad language. I liked most of the story, but the ending (after the suspense was wrapped up) just didn't work for me.


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.

Labyrinth of Lies by Irene Hannon

Labyrinth of Lies
by Irene Hannon

ISBN-13: 9780800736187
Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Revell
Released: October 5th 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
When the daughter of a high-profile businessman disappears from an exclusive girls' boarding school, police detective Cate Reilly is tapped for an undercover assignment. It doesn't take her long to realize that beneath the veneer of polish and wealth, things are not as they seem at Ivy Hill Academy. But the biggest surprise of all? The only man she ever loved is also working at the school.

Zeke Sloan has never forgotten Cate, but now isn't the best time for their paths to cross again. When their two seemingly disparate agendas begin to intertwine--and startling connections emerge among the players--the danger escalates significantly. But who is the mastermind behind the elaborate ruse? And how far will they go?


My Review:
Labyrinth of Lies is a Christian romantic suspense novel. It's the second book in a new series, but it works as a stand-alone novel. The main characters were engaging, complex people who reacted realistically to events. I cared about what happened to them. The suspense was created by the increasing level of physical danger to Cate and Zeke. They shared information that each found when investigating their different cases. They both still loved each other, but Zeke had to explain why he'd chosen undercover work over marriage to Cate in the past and rebuild her trust in him. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable, 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.