Christmas Vendetta by Valerie Hansen

Christmas Vendetta
by Valerie Hansen

ISBN-13: 9781335554703
Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense
Released: November 30th 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Sandy Lynn Forrester's Christmas holiday takes a terrifying turn when someone breaks into her home and attacks her roommate thinking it's her. But no one will protect her from her ex-husband except for her old childhood neighbor and friend, ex-cop Clay Danforth. Clay has his own problems, as he's just been set up by corrupt cops and accused of stealing drugs from the evidence locker. With their enemies working together, they'll have to stick together to survive.


My Review:
Christmas Vendetta is a Christian romantic suspense novel. It's the fourth book in a series but works as a stand alone. Sandy's abusive ex-husband is out to kill her for putting him in prison. Clay, a friend from her childhood whom she had a crush on, saves her but has enemies of his own among the police force. He suspected several were corrupt cops, but they framed him for theft of drugs from the evidence locker, ruining his reputation. Sandy and Clay go on the run as their enemies spread lies and attack them.

The suspense stayed high through as the action was nearly constant from beginning to end. Things wrapped up very quickly, with the bad guys acting in ways which exposed the truth, allowing the good guys to quickly straighten everything out. The main character were developed as the story progressed. They renewed their friendship from the past, recognizing how they've changed and admiring and caring about the other to the point of being romantically attracted. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this exciting 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.

A Counterfeit Suitor by Darcie Wilde

A Counterfeit Suitor
by Darcie Wilde

ISBN-13: 9781496720887
Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: Kensington
Released: November 30th 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Among the ton of Regency London, one breath of scandal can be disastrous. Enter Rosalind Thorne, a young woman adept at helping ladies of quality navigate the most delicate problems. It is every mama’s dearest wish that her daughter marries well. But how to ensure that a seemingly earnest suitor is not merely a fortune hunter? Rosalind is involved in just such a case, discreetly investigating a client’s prospective son-in-law, when she is drawn into another predicament shockingly close to home.

Rosalind’s estranged father, Sir Reginald Thorne—a drunkard and forger—has fallen into the hands of the vicious scoundrel Russell Fullerton. Angered by her interference in his blackmail schemes, Fullerton intends to unleash Sir Reginald on society and ruin Rosalind. Before Rosalind’s enemy can act, Sir Reginald is found murdered—and Fullerton is arrested for the crime. He protests his innocence, and Rosalind reluctantly agrees to uncover the truth, suspecting that this mystery may be linked to her other, ongoing cases.

Aided by her sister, Charlotte, and sundry friends and associates—including handsome Bow Street Runner Adam Harkness—Rosalind sets to work. But with political espionage and Napoleon loyalists in the mix, there may be more sinister motives, and far higher stakes, than she ever imagined.


My Review:
A Counterfeit Suitor is a mystery set in 1819 in England. This is the fifth book in the series. You don't need to read the previous books to understand this one, and this one didn't spoil the previous mysteries.

This was a clue-based puzzle mystery. Rosalind (and those helping her) asked good questions and collected information. Rosalind was clever, but most of the people involved either lied to her or tried to misdirect her. Whodunit was guessable near the end but wasn't obvious. The characters were interesting and reacted realistically to events. The author clearly researched the manners and etiquette of the time. Historical details were usually woven into the story, but she still sometimes simply told information about historical differences.

There was no sex. There was some 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.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Under Pressure by Sara Driscoll

Under Pressure
by Sara Driscoll

ISBN-13: 9781496735041
Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: Kensington Books
Released: November 30th 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Diamonds are no one’s best friend when the jewels in question are smuggled conflict gems. FBI handler Meg Jennings and her Labrador K-9 partner, Hawk, have undertaken many search-and-rescue missions, but this case has an unusual twist. A Philadelphia syndicate is importing diamonds from war-torn African nations and selling them with fake certificates to Stateside dealers. Agent Finn Pierce of the Organized Crime Program is embedded with the syndicate, but being caught with a wire or tracking device would mean instant execution. If Meg, her partner Brian Foster, and their dogs can track Pierce to a deal location, they can break the smuggling chain while maintaining Pierce’s cover.

With the syndicate monitoring every move, it’s a risky operation with more players than Meg and Brian first assumed—on both sides of the law. And when one of their own gets caught in the line of fire, the team embarks on a desperate rescue mission, knowing that mere seconds are all that separate life and death.


My Review:
Under Pressure is a K9 suspense. This book is the sixth in a series, but you don't need to read the previous books to understand this one. This book didn't spoil any previous mysteries.

The main characters were likable, interesting, and reacted realistically to events. The suspense came from the danger involved with taking on a powerful crime syndicate and the potential for them to discover how the FBI was busting their deals. Tracking the deals also turned out to be more challenging than they expected. I kind of wondered why Hawk, who had a personal reason to remember the scent of a certain violent criminal, seemed oblivious (and useless) when his owner later tried to track that man by sight.

There was some bad language. There were no sex scenes. Overall, I'd recommend this suspenseful novel.


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

Mrs. Jeffries and the Midwinter Murders by Emily Brightwell

Mrs. Jeffries and the Midwinter Murders
by Emily Brightwell

ISBN-13: 9780593101087
Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: Berkley
Released: November 16th 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Harriet Andover had no intention of dying young like her siblings, but Harriet is strangled inside her mansion with a house full of resentful family and a friend.

The last thing Inspector Witherspoon wanted was a complicated murder case just a week before Christmas. The room where Harriet's body was found was locked from the inside and she had the only key in her pocket. He soon discovers that Harriet's own husband and grown stepchildren are not overcome with grief and neither is her friend.

Mrs. Jeffries and the household have no intention of letting their inspector down and learn that Harriet's sister may have died from foul play as well. As the clues mount, this dedicated band of sleuths will not rest until they've delivered a stocking full of coal to a crafty killer.


My Review:
Mrs. Jeffries and the Midwinter Murders is a historical mystery set in England in the 1890's. It's the 40th 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. This was a clue-based puzzle mystery, and there were enough clues for a reader to figure out whodunit. The story wasn't heavily historical, though there were enough details to provide a historical feel.

This wasn't one of the best in the series. We got a lot of filler, from repetition when Mrs. Jeffries thinks over the clues each night to the author giving extensive biographies on each character and telling us about them rather than showing their personalities in their interactions. Not surprisingly, whodunit was pretty easy to figure out. There was no sex. There were a few uses 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.

Every Word Unsaid by Kimberly Duffy

Every Word Unsaid
by Kimberly Duffy

ISBN-13: 9780764235658
Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Released: November 2nd 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Augusta Travers has spent the last three years avoiding the stifling expectations of New York society and her family's constant disappointment. As the nation's most fearless--and reviled--columnist, Gussie travels the country with her Kodak camera and spins stories for women unable to leave hearth and home. But when her adventurous nature lands her in the middle of a scandal at the worst possible moment, she's forced to leave America entirely.

Arriving in India, she expects only a nice visit with childhood friends, siblings Catherine and Gabriel, and adventures that will further her career. Instead, she finds herself facing a plague epidemic, confusion over Gabriel's sudden appeal, and the realization that what she wants from life is changing.

As she grows closer to friends, old and new, and allows their words of truth to heal parched places, she pictures a new future. But will she take her chance to finally stop running?


My Review:
Every Word Unsaid is a Christian romance set in 1897 mostly in India. When Augusta's family became rich, she longed for the life they had before, when she was valued rather than a failure at the required social graces. She rebelled by periodically running off to see the world and writing about her adventures for a lady's magazine. Yet her family's hurtful words still follow her, making her feel worthless and like she'll never belong. When she visits her childhood friends in India, though, she realizes that some people do value her. Still, she struggled to believe their healing words over the hurtful ones.

Her childhood best friend, Gabriel, is now a handsome man. He still supports her and builds her up. He loves her even though he struggles with the fear of losing his loved ones like he did his parents. He knows Augusta's impulsiveness and love of adventure, though, so he doesn't let himself hope she'll stay.

This is a story about how past hurts shape our futures if we listen to the lies and hurtful words. How we find our worth in God, not in how others view us. The main characters were complex, reacted realistically to events, and I cared about what happened to them. There were no sex scenes or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting and enjoyable historical.


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.

After She Falls by Carmen Schober

After She Falls
by Carmen Schober

ISBN-13: 9780764239298
Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Released: November 2nd 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Strong-willed Adri Rivera always dreamed of becoming a professional mixed martial artist, but then she fell in love with a man who smashed everything to pieces. When their tumultuous relationship finally comes to a head, Adri flees with their young daughter to her small hometown in the mountains of Pennsylvania. There, she must face the people she left behind and put her broken life back together as a single mother.

Adri struggles to regain her independence after so many years under the oppressive influence of her ex, but a job opportunity at a local gym gives her hope that she'll be able to stand on her own two feet. The one problem? The man who offers it to her is the handsome but hardened Max Lyons--her former best friend and training partner, whom she left heartbroken years before.

As Adri dares to pursue her dream again, training for a big tournament, can she avoid the past defining her future?


My Review:
After She Falls is a Christian romance. Though I liked many things about this story, it's written in present tense, which detracted from the story in my opinion. I simply find it easier to read a novel written in the usual past tense. Since the focus of the story was on Adri training as a professional mixed martial artist and fighting in cage fights, there was violence. The author focused mainly on the fighting moves and strategies (at a level that anyone can follow) but didn't shy away from the injuries that can occur. The author also didn't make the characters perfect. It's implied that Max had casual sexual flings, and Adri wasn't married when she got pregnant. However, there were no sex scenes. There wasn't printed out bad language beyond a few uses of cr*p.

The author explored how difficult it is to leave an abusive husband. Max was still attracted to Adri. He was jealous and doubted she'd truly leave her husband since her own mother never left her abusive husband. This created a realistic tension to their relationship where attraction kept getting shattered by this lack of trust. It took advice from people who'd been there before and the influence of God (which happened slowly) to shift their relationship into healthy territory. Though nothing was left hanging, the story ended with the results of a big championship fight rather than the usual romance novel epilogue (which is fine by me). Anyway, realistic, complex characters struggling with real problems. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting novel.


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

As Dawn Breaks by Kate Breslin

As Dawn Breaks
by Kate Breslin

ISBN-13: 9780764237485
Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Released: November 2nd 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from Goodreads:
Amid the Great War in 1918 England, munitions worker Rosalind Graham is desperate to escape the arranged marriage being forced on her by her ruthless guardian and instead follow her own course. When the Chilwell factory explodes, killing hundreds of unidentified workers, Rose realizes the world believes she perished in the disaster. Seizing the chance to escape, she risks all and assumes a new identity, taking a supervisory position in Gretna, Scotland, as Miss Tilly Lockhart.

RAF Captain Alex Baird is returning home to Gretna on a secret mission to uncover the saboteur suspected in the Chilwell explosion, as Gretna's factory is likely next. Fearing for his family's safety, he's also haunted by guilt after failing to protect his brother. Alex is surprised to discover a young woman, Miss Lockhart, renting his boyhood room, but the two eventually bond over their mutual affection for his family--until Alex receives orders to surveil her.

Rose squirms beneath Alex's scrutiny while she struggles to gain her workers' respect. But when her deception turns to danger, she and Alex must find a way to put their painful pasts behind them and together try to safeguard the future.


My Review:
As Dawn Breaks is a romance set in 1918 in England and Scotland. Unfortunately, I felt like this story had so many twists that it became too confusing and unbelievable. Some things were never explained, probably because there was no believable explanation. Others were explained by Tilly's brother being such a master of disguises that even the people who knew the impersonated person didn't realize the switch. Even after reading the explanation of who did what, why, and when at the end, some explanations still made no sense and seemed forced in order to prolong the suspense. (If you want someone to stop killing people, do you wait until he's set the bombs or stop things as soon as you can?)

I also didn't feel like the romance worked. Sure, Alex was wonderful compared to the cruel bully that Rose was supposed to marry, and she loved his family. But each repeatedly assumed the worst about the other, sometimes even after the evidence indicated otherwise. Alex wouldn't even consider the truth when Rose finally told him, so she stopped talking to him. Their future marriage will have great conflict resolution skills. Not.

Finally, very little of the story was about trying to uncover and capture the bad guy. Rose was busy being afraid and being bullied by the girls that she supervised until she suddenly found her courage. The whole time, Rose knew some valuable information but didn't trust anyone enough to tell them. Alex didn't suspect the bad guys that were right in front of him and did little to uncover them. Oddly, it was the bad guys that finally clued them in to who they were and where the bombs were hidden. Go figure.

The Christian themes were that God had a good plan for Rose's life and Alex needed to forgive himself for his brother's death. 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.

Behind Love's Wall by Carrie Fancett Pagels

Behind Love's Wall
by Carrie Fancett Pagels

ISBN-13: 9781636090696
Paperback: 256 pages
Publisher: Barbour Fiction
Released: November 1st 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Two successful women, a hundred-and-twenty-years apart, build walls to protect their hearts. Modern-day Willa, a successful interior decorator, is chosen to consult for the Grand Hotel’s possible redesign. She discovers a journal detailing the struggles of a young woman, Lily—which reveals dark secrets. The renowned singer wasn’t who she pretended to be. As Willa reaches out to Lily’s descendant, a handsome and prominent landscape artist, she lets down her guard.


My Review:
Behind Love's Wall is a romance set in both 1895 and 2021. The author tried to pack too much in, though. In the past, we have Lily's story, but also the story of her hotel maid and the continuation of Maude's family's story from "Maude’s Mooring." In the present day, we have Willa's story but also flashbacks and a mystery from Willa's mother's past. Both Willa and Lily didn't know who their father was and uncovered that information while on Mackinac Island. But it got downright confusing when a lot of people in the area had the same last name and some modern people had the same names as the people in the past. Just too many people and too many stories to keep track of easily.

I enjoyed Lily's story. She feared that she was going to become mentally ill like her mother and was attracted to a kind man who lost his father in a fire started by her mother. Her singing act was also under threat of being broken up. In modern day (with COVID restrictions causing difficulties), Willa fell for a super-handsome but cranky landscaper. I'm not sure why she's attracted to him beyond his looks. He's dealing with his own worries about a possible mental illness and kept flip-flopping between asking to see the journal and questioning why Willa was asking him about the journal and his ancestors (mentioned therein) right now. Especially since she should be trying to come up with a redesign that will win a contract with the Grand Hotel. The "redesign" was mostly there just so they could find the journal. There were no sex scenes 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.

Lights Out by Natalie Walters

Lights Out
by Natalie Walters

ISBN-13: 9780800739782
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Revell
Released: November 2nd 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
CIA analyst Brynn Taylor developed a new program to combat terrorism, and she invited members of foreign intelligence agencies to America to foster cooperation between countries. Now one of them, Egyptian spy Remon Riad, is missing.

Jack Hudson has been working for the Strategic Neutralization and Protection Agency (SNAP) for almost nine years and takes the lead in hunting down the missing spy. But he isn't at all pleased to find out Brynn is involved. It's hard to trust a woman who's already betrayed you.

Every lead they follow draws them dangerously deeper into an international plot. Kidnapping, murder, explosions, poisoning--the terrorists will do anything to accomplish their goal of causing a digital blackout that will blind a strategic US military communications center and throw the world into chaos.


My Review:
Lights Out is a Christian romantic suspense/mystery. I felt slightly exasperated with the romance. The whole thing started with Jack saying that he didn't trust Brynn because she betrayed him, but it turned out that all she did was choose her dream job over a budding relationship with him. Years later, they're still attracted even though he still struggled with her going into danger and wanting to spend so much time on the job. I'm not saying that it's a bad relationship, but Jack seems to love her "despite" these stress points rather than learning how to make the relationship work.

Anyway, the characters reacted realistically to events and came across as real people with genuine struggles. The suspense came from an unknown terrorist threat that they slowly uncovered (will it be in time?) and the danger that it put them in. Brynn was able to protect herself in unarmed combat. But I appreciated that, after Jack repeatedly tackled Brynn (and it really was to save her life), she finally got injured from it. I've long thought that having a large, brawny man knock a woman down would result in some injury.

Brynn didn't quite trust that God was both good and in control. She learned to "anchor" herself in God to find peace when life was out of her control. 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.

An Alleged Rogue by Sian Ann Bessey

An Alleged Rogue
by Sian Ann Bessey

ISBN-13: 9781524418991
Paperback
Publisher: Covenant Communications
Released: November 8th 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Everyone says Lord Adam Dunsbourne is a tyrant. The tales are shocking: accounts of a man who gambled away the family fortune and keeps his younger sister, Emily, captive in their home at Dunsbourne Manor. So when Adam and his sister make an unexpected appearance at a dinner party, the scandalized whispers cannot be contained. New to the town, Phoebe Hadford hears the condemning rumors and determines to do all she can to help the baron’s oppressed sister. Upon entering Dunsbourne Manor, however, she quickly discovers that all is not what she has been led to believe.

Adam, unsure of whether he can trust the intentions of his beautiful neighbor, is quickly drawn in by Phoebe’s genuine nature. But even as Adam and Phoebe’s connection deepens, a dangerous enemy from Adam’s past reemerges. For years, Adam has hunted for the man who betrayed him, not realizing he had only to wait. His foe has returned, and this time, he will threaten everything Adam cherishes most—including the woman he loves.


My Review:
An Alleged Rogue is a romance set in 1788 in England. It's not highly historical or realistic, though the author did some research about fashion and making cider at that time. The villain was able to easily create new personas that were accepted immediately into exclusive clubs or was able to forge anything without apparent effort or special equipment. He's incredibly slick and smart yet somehow made some very stupid mistakes (which allowed us to have a happy ending). Basically, this was more fairytale than realistic, but it's enjoyable.

Phoebe enjoyed things like fashion and society, but she didn't join in gossip. She saw that Emily needed help and gave her useful advice and built up her confidence even though Emily's older brother was intimidating. As she got to know the family, she was willing to learn the reasons behind their actions rather than just assume the worst. She admired Adam's hard work and integrity and supported his efforts as she could. Adam appreciated her beauty, kindness, and trustworthiness. I cared about what happened to these families, which created suspense since the villain had scammed Adam's father and intended to scam her family. 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.

Crosshairs by Patricia Bradley

Crosshairs
by Patricia Bradley

ISBN-13: 9780800735753
Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: Revell
Released: November 2nd 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Investigative Services Branch (ISB) ranger Ainsley Beaumont arrives in her hometown of Natchez, Mississippi, to investigate the murder of a three-month-pregnant teenager. While she wishes the visit was under better circumstances, she never imagined that she would become a killer's target--nor that she'd have to work alongside an old flame.

After he almost killed an innocent child, former FBI sniper Lincoln Steele couldn't bring himself to fire a gun, which had deadly and unforeseen consequences for his best friend. Crushed beneath a load of guilt, Linc is working at Melrose Estate as an interpretive ranger. But as danger closes in on Ainsley during her murder investigation, Linc will have to find the strength to overcome his fears so he can protect her.


My Review:
Crosshairs is a Christian romantic suspense. This is the third book in a series, but it works as a standalone novel. The main characters were engaging, complex, and reacted in realistic ways to events. They asked good questions as they investigated and worked well together. The suspense came from the physical danger to Ainsley since more than one person hated her enough to want her dead. There were also several mysteries that needed to be solved: Who murdered the girl? Who wanted Ainsley's relative's diaries enough to kill for them? And is a criminal that Ainsley sent to prison the one trying to shoot her?

Since we get the bad guy viewpoints, we know more about the dangers than Ainsley does. However, both Ainsley and Linc were sensible about protecting themselves. Linc realized that he needed to genuinely ask God to help him overcome his mental inability to shoot a gun so he could help protect the woman he loves. Their high school dating relationship broke down because of Linc's fears and selfishness. They worked through their past issues as they spent time together. He's changed, and Ainsley admired the man he's become. He built her up and genuinely trusted her abilities. He simply wanted to protect her with more than shouted warnings.

Ainsley came to understand that God did care about her and wanted the best for her life. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this suspenseful novel.


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

Killer Research by Jenn McKinlay

Killer Research
by Jenn McKinlay

ISBN-13: 9780593101773
Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: Berkley
Released: November 2nd 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Spring is livening up Briar Creek after a long, cold winter, and newlyweds Lindsey and Sully could not be happier. Even though the upcoming mayoral election is getting heated, everything else in town is coming up daffodils...until a body is found.

Ms. Cole, a librarian and current candidate for town mayor, is shocked when she opens her trunk to discover a murder victim who just so happens to be a guy she dated forty years ago and the founder of the baking empire Nana's Cookies. As the town gossip mill turns, a batch of rumors begins to circulate about Ms. Cole's rebellious youth, which--along with being a murder suspect--threatens to ruin her life and her budding political career. But Ms. Cole will not go down without a fight.

Has the campaign for mayor turned deadly? It is up to Lindsey, Sully, and the rest of the crafternoon pals to figure out who is trying to frame Ms. Cole for murder and why.


My Review:
Killer Research is a cozy mystery. It's the 12th in a series. You don't need to read the previous books to understand this one, and this book didn't spoil the whodunits of the previous mysteries.

The main characters were likable and interesting. The mystery was mixed into Ms. Cole's campaign efforts, and she shines amid the difficulties. This was a clue-based mystery that can be guessed before the end. Lindsey asked good questions and kept an eye out to spot clues. There were hints at whodunit with the critical clue near the end, after which Lindsey realized whodunit. I was pretty sure of whodunit from the hints, but I wasn't certain until that same critical clue. There were no sex scenes. There was one 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.