Calling on the Matchmaker by Jody Hedlund

Calling on the Matchmaker
by Jody Hedlund

ISBN-13: 9780764241963
Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Bethany House
Released: December 12, 2023

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
1849 St. Louis. Haunted by the death of her sister, Finola Shanahan has resolved that she's not worthy of a family of her own and commits to spending her days caring for immigrants in the slums. Unwilling to consider marriage, Finola has perfected the ability to sabotage the relationships her parents arrange for her. At wit's end, her father calls upon the local Irish matchmaker, who pairs her with successful wagonmaker Riley Rafferty. After her usual tricks fail, Finola quickly realizes she can't outsmart or outwit the dashing, determined, and daring man.

A candidate in the St. Louis mayoral election, Riley is confident a union with the wealthy Shanahan family will help solidify his chances of winning--and even more assured he and Finola can make a difference together. When a cholera outbreak begins to take St. Louis by storm, they must navigate a burgeoning attraction and growing danger testing all they know about love and sacrifice.


My Review:
Calling on the Matchmaker is a romance set in 1849 in St. Louis. Frankly, the matchmaker was the best part of this story. He was a good judge of character and compatibility and was quite the schemer, but with a good intentions and sense of humor. Plus he had a good information network, so he knew people well. He knew what to do and say to keep Finola and Riley working on their issues and relationship when they wanted to give up.

Riley felt like he'd pressured his first wife into marriage and had gotten physically intimate too quickly, so he was determined to never pressure a woman into marriage if she had reservations about it. Ah, oh, Finola had reservations. Her inattention at a critical moment led to her toddler sister dying in an accident, and she's so guilt-stricken that she feels she must do penance the rest of her life and never feel happy again. Plus it surely proves she'd be a horrible mother, so she's determined to become a nun. Riley did use kissing to convince her that maybe she didn't want to be a nun after all, but he always stopped before things could move too far.

The main characters were likable and reacted realistically to events. Riley was thoughtful in how he treated Finola, respected her knowledge about the needs of the immigrants, and supported her work among them even when it was dangerous. They shared a passion for helping improve the lives of the immigrants. Historical details were woven into the story and gave a sense of what life was like at that time.

The Christian element was Finola learning that God forgives if we ask and to not to mistake her own inability to forgive herself with God's unforgiveness. There was no sex or 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.

The Secret of the Lady's Maid by Darcie Wilde

The Secret of the Lady's Maid
by Darcie Wilde

ISBN-13: 9781496738035
Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: Kensington Books
Released: December 26, 2023

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Rosalind Thorne’s quick wits and discretion have proved invaluable to London’s haut ton. Success has at last brought her financial stability and a new home, which she shares with her best friend, Alice Littlefield. But now trouble has infiltrated Rosalind’s sanctuary.

Alice has formed a tender attachment to Amelia, the maid in their employ, and her affection is returned. But before meeting Alice, Amelia was involved with Cate Levitton, daughter of a well-respected family. The scandalous liaison caused the Levittons to banish Cate to the house of her widowed cousin. Amelia has no expectation of seeing Cate again—until she stumbles upon her in the marketplace, looking deathly ill.

The women bring Cate to their home with the help of Bow Street officer Adam Harkness, who deduces that Cate’s sickness may in fact be arsenic poisoning. But who had motive, or means? Rosalind works to discover the truth. She also knows that both her blossoming relationship with Adam and her increasing independence would be frowned upon by society. Poison, politics, jealousy and jewel thieves combine in Rosalind’s most complex case yet.


My Review:
The Secret of the Lady's Maid is a mystery set in 1820 in England. This is the 7th 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.

I'm feeling confused by how this ended. Adam's storyline was his struggle to make a big choice: do what he thought was right (arresting two criminals, one of whom was a Bow Street informant) and losing his job or letting his Bow Street friends deal with their mutual case without him. He made his decision but then never carried through on it one way or the other. It just kind of was forgotten as Adam got caught up in Rosalind's case.

Also, criminals walked free. With two women in Rosalind's case, the idea seemed to be that since they're oppressed women and were sorry they were caught, Rosalind and Alice (and Adam) would just overlook what they did as they felt the legal punishment was too severe for the crime. I still wanted them to have some negative consequences for their actions, but both end up in better circumstances than before.

This was a clue-based puzzle mystery. Rosalind asked good questions and collected information, but it took her the longest time to figure out how Cate was poisoned when I figured that out very quickly. Whodunit was guessable, and I guessed correctly long before Rosalind. Historical details were woven into the story. However, Rosalind kept waffling between wanting Adam and preferring to keep her social status and independence. While there were no sex scenes, there was plenty of intense kissing in private. There was occasional 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.

Undercover Baby Rescue by Maggie K. Black

Undercover Baby Rescue
by Maggie K. Black

ISBN-13: 9781335597823
Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense
Released: December 26, 2023

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
A dangerous organization is kidnapping and trafficking newborns—and Officer Justin Leacock’s nephew is their latest victim. To save the stolen baby, Justin will have to go undercover as a married couple with his former fiancée, Detective Violet Jones. Except finding the boy isn’t enough; they have to prove he's the kidnapped child. Now they must outwit the kidnappers on their tail and survive the icy wilderness, too.


My Review:
Undercover Baby Rescue is a Christian romantic suspense novel. Justin feels like he needs to fix everything, so he's always involved with his family's messes. He didn't want to drag his wonderful fiancée, Violet, into his chaotic life, so he called things off. While Violet liked Justin, she wished he'd actually open up about what was worrying him. Since he'd never asked for help before, she agreed to go undercover with him to try to save his nephew. As they worked together, they also worked through the issues that broke their relationship up and learned how to truly be a team.

The main characters were engaging and reacted realistically to events. The suspense came from the attacks by the bad guy and the danger created by the weather and terrain. Justin supported and admired Violet. He came to realize that he needed to ask others--and God--for help rather than just trying to fix things on his own. Both Justin and Violet grew as people through the events in the story. They prayed to God for help with the situation. 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.

Seed on the Wind by Rex Stout

Seed on the Wind
by Rex Stout

ISBN-13: 9781803364841
Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Hard Case Crime
Released: December 12, 2023

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
The lawyer, the jeweler, the art critic, and the oil-company man: Lora Winter has had a child with each of them. But when one of these men drives up to her house with a fifth man in the car, Lora runs to hide. This extraordinary novel's many desperate characters resort to kidnapping a baby, blackmailing another of the fathers, and possibly even murdering a baby (though Lora refuses to consider abortion). Rex Stout wrote this novel in 1930.


My Review:
Seed on the Wind is fiction set in the 1920s to 1930. There was no mystery and no romance (the sex was about pleasure or making babies). Whatever the point of this story was, I totally missed it. Lora was the point-of-view character, but she had little personality and felt fairly passive to me, not thinking through the consequences of her actions and then desperately trying to deal with them. There was no "psychological jigsaw puzzle" as there was no puzzle and certainly no focus on a crime (for example, a baby was kidnapped by a relative but promptly retrieved by Lora). There was no suspense, only mild curiosity at best. The characters weren't even interesting to me. I felt I was sold a crime and was given one of the most boring books I've recently read.

The story started at the end, when Lora's first lover showed up and threatened things with her current, comfortable life. Then we go back in time to explain how the man who's currently supporting her met her and got her pregnant. Then we go back to how the previous man (and father of one of her children) met her, and so on back to the beginning. She was mistress to only one man at a time, but she didn't love these men and basically was a prostitute, using her body to support herself and her children.

While there was plenty of sex, the focus was more on the participant's attitudes than physical descriptions of the act. There was a fair amount of bad language.


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

A Winter by the Sea by Julie Klassen

A Winter by the Sea
by Julie Klassen

ISBN-13: 9780764234286
Paperback: 448 pages
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Released: December 5, 2023

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
When the Duke and Duchess of Kent rent neighboring Woolbrook Cottage for the winter, the Summers sisters are called upon to host three of the royal couple's male staff in their seaside house. But they soon realize they've invited mysterious secrets and the sweet possibility of romance into their home.

Meanwhile, Emily Summers approaches a local publisher in hopes of fulfilling her dream of becoming an author. When he turns her down, his dashing competitor promises to consider her novel if she will first write a new Sidmouth guidebook for him. Emily accepts and begins researching with the help of the Duke of Kent's handsome private secretary. But a surprise visitor from her past shows up at Sea View, leaving Emily torn between the desires she used to hold dear and her budding dreams for the future.


My Review:
A Winter by the Sea is a Christian romance set in 1819 in England. Emily still longs to marry Charles, a long-time family friend. She thought he was going to propose until he suddenly distanced himself from them two years ago, after the hushed up scandal attached to her oldest sister. He's visiting Sidmouth with his parents and renewed his attentions to Emily--especially after he realized his rival James was interested in her. James supported Emily's desire to be a writer and backed her up in times of conflict. He admired her as she was. But he's not in a position to marry. Charles is a good friend and her dream man, but his parents don't approve of her and her family. She started to question if she still wanted to marry Charles now that she's experienced a man approving of her just as she is.

Historical details were woven into the story and brought it alive in my imagination. The characters were engaging, varied, and acted in realistic ways. I cared about what happened to them, including people staying at Sea View. They faced challenges and grew in character. There was no sex or 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.

Sniffing Out Murder by Kallie E. Benjamin

Sniffing Out Murder
by Kallie E. Benjamin

ISBN-13: 9780593547359
Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Berkley
Released: December 5, 2023

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
After deciding that life as a teacher wasn’t right for her, Priscilla found inspiration for her first children’s book in her three-year-old bloodhound’s nose for truth, and so The Adventures of Bailey the Bloodhound was born. After the book’s massively pawsitive response led Pris to move back to her hometown of Crosbyville, Indiana, to continue the series, she’s surprised by how things have changed in the town, but even more so how they haven’t.

Pris is frustrated to discover that newly elected school board trustee Whitney Kelley—a former high school mean girl—is intent on making Crosbyville more competitive by eliminating “frivolous spending” on the arts and social programs, including Pris and Bailey’s beloved pet-assisted reading program. A minor altercation between them isn’t anything unusual, but after Bailey sniffs out Whitney’s body in a bed of begonias, Whitney's sister accusses Pris and Bailey of the crime. Pris is determined to clear her name by finding the real killer.


My Review:
Sniffing Out Murder is a cozy mystery. Priscilla's extremely insecure and cared a great deal what others thought about her. Add in that she's very clumsy (at least in the first half of the story), and she's flushing in anger or blushing in embarrassment in nearly every scene. When she found the body, she regretted not taking the time while waiting for the police to arrive to primp and put on more makeup. She didn't spend it looking for clues, either. Bailey, the dog, was the one who kept finding clues, which she passed on to the police along with the town gossip she "happened" to hear.

Whodunit was one of my initial two suspects. I was certain of that person when Pris' best friend gushed a major clue to Pris, yet neither recognized it was a clue. They never figured it out. The killer decided to kill Pris and confessed everything to her at that time. At least Pris managed to save herself.

The author tended to omit needed description or gave it too late. For example, Pris found the body and looked around in panic like she couldn't see if the killer was nearby. Only we later learn that the maze hedge was only 3 foot tall and she could pretty easily see and hear that the maze was empty. I'm confused about what Pris looks like. We're only told that she has grey eyes and dark, curly hair. Since the author made such a point that she had a very visible, bright red blush that traveled up her neck and into her face, I assumed she was fair skinned. However, her hair stylist implied she had "Black hair" and her aunt is dark skinned (which could mean anything from someone who tans dark to an ebony skin).

I don't care about fashion, so I wasn't very interested in a mystery hinging on knowledge about fashion designers and such along with discussions about what clothes she should wear, like to impress a date she didn't really care for. She even invited her true crush to join them on their date. She later initiated a kiss with one man and led him on then encouraged a kiss from her crush while everyone thought she was dating the first man. Hmm. Anyway, not really my type of story. I also fail to see how her middle grade mystery (which read like a board book for young readers) became a best seller. The cozy had no sex and only 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.

The Juliet Code by Pepper Basham

The Juliet Code
by Pepper Basham

ISBN-13: 9781636096940
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Barbour Fiction
Released: December 1, 2023

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Frederick and Grace Percy finally make it to Italy to enjoy a delayed honeymoon and explore the beauties of the historic city of Venice. To their surprise, their friend, Detective Jack Miracle, is also in the city, investigating a series of thefts of the Juliet paintings, including one owned by millionaire Laraby Covington. Laraby's holding a house party where he's featuring another Juliet painting and wants them there. These Renaissance paintings feature Shakespeare’s tragic heroine and three of the paintings hold a secret code to find a hidden treasure. As Freddie and Grace are pulled deeper into the mystery, can they use their wits to stop the thieves before it’s too late.?


My Review:
The Juliet Code is a Christian mystery set in 1914 in Venice. This is the third book in a series, and you can understand it without reading the previous books. However, this book did spoil both events and the mystery in the previous books, so it's best to read them in order.

Grace is full of enthusiasm and a lively imagination fueled by books. She gets a thrill from adventure, and I love how resourceful she is in the face of unexpected adventures. Frederick's finally getting into being a sleuth and actually put together many of the clues before Grace did. She figured out the secret code leading to the treasure, though. Anyway, they were working with Detective Jack, so he mostly led the questioning and detecting. Frederick and Grace spent a lot of time mooning over each other (as it is their honeymoon) and having fade-to-black bedroom scenes.

It was a fun romp, but I had the ghost whodunit figured out before even Grace (who had all of the clues) and the same with Laraby's stunt. The ending got confusing, partly because the author switched from the known names for the characters to their true names and relationships. The scenes were so poorly described that the 'suspenseful' ending just left me confused. It felt like the author forgot how she initially described the place, nor did the scene seem possible.

Grace and Fredrick learned to trust God with each other's safety. There was no bad language. There was implied married sex. Overall, I'd recommend this fun mystery, but I hope the end is rewritten to make more sense as it was hard to follow.


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.

Bulletproof Barista by Cleo Coyle

Bulletproof Barista
by Cleo Coyle

ISBN-13: 9780593197592
Hardcover: 352 pages
Publisher: Berkley
Released: November 14, 2023

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from NetGalley:
Only Murders in Gotham, the smash-hit streaming program, is famous for filming in authentic New York locations and using real New Yorkers as extras. For its second season, they’ve chosen to spotlight the century-old Village Blend and its quirky crew of baristas. Shop manager and master roaster Clare Cosi is beyond thrilled, especially when her superb bulletproof coffee lands her a craft services contract for the production.

Madame, the eccentric octogenarian owner of the landmark shop, reveals an old kinship with the star of the show, comedian Jerry Sullivan. Now a Hollywood legend, Jerry frequented the Blend during his early years performing in Greenwich Village comedy clubs. But the past may hold more than nostalgia for Jerry. Suspicious accidents begin plaguing his shoot. Then a real bullet is fired from a stage gun, and Clare becomes convinced something sinister is afoot. While Jerry’s production moves to exciting new locations, Clare keeps the coffee flowing—and her investigation going—even as a murderer lurks in the wings.


My Review:
Bulletproof Barista is a cozy mystery. This novel is the 20th in the series. You don't need to read the previous novels to understand this one, and this story didn't spoil the whodunit of the previous books.

Clare was the one primarily investigating the accidents since she had access to the set and the people as her company was providing the beverages and snacks. She asked good questions, and she's good at noticing things and considering possibilities. Whodunit was guessable, but the needed clues didn't come until nearly the end. Clare even managed to get full proof through her cleverness. Suspense was created from the danger to those on the set, as anyone could be a target.

There was a minor amount of bad language. There were no graphic sex scenes; any sex was fade-to-black style after they started to kiss. 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.

From an Unknown Sender by Traci Hunter Abramson, Sian Ann Bessey

From an Unknown Sender
by Traci Hunter Abramson,
Sian Ann Bessey

ISBN-13: 9781524424602
Paperback: 256 pages
Publisher: Covenant Communications
Released: November 21, 2023

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
After spending a busy holiday season putting drug smugglers behind bars, CIA operative Cole Bridger is looking forward to spending a quiet Christmas in Vienna with his girlfriend and fellow operative, Isabelle Roberts. But when Isabelle is tasked with investigating a string of suspect financial transactions and redirects a suspicious package to a museum in Amsterdam, she inadvertently places Cole’s cousins in the crosshairs of a drug smuggling ring.

Lars and Marit have no desire to be drawn into the deadly dealings of the criminal underworld, but when Lars’s sister, Tess’s, life is placed in danger, they willingly join Cole and Isabelle in their efforts to uncover the mastermind behind the drug smuggling ring. Unfortunately, the two couples’ involvement does not go unnoticed. And though each step brings them closer to the truth, they also reveal a startling picture of greed and corruption at the center of a dangerous organization that will stop at nothing to retrieve what it has lost.


My Review:
From an Unknown Sender is a romantic suspense. This is the 2nd novel featuring Cole, Lars, and their girlfriends, but it works as a standalone. Lars and Marit continued to get along well, enjoy their time together, and add to the team when Cole and Isabelle involved them in a case. Isabelle felt guilty about getting them involved and like Cole only invited her along for her help in solving the case. She questioned the strength of their romantic relationship, but she was willing to accept his word when he said that he desired to spend time with her as his girlfriend, too. So they're making progress. He also trusted her abilities as an agent and helped her accept that things rarely go as planned in fieldwork.

So the main characters were likable, skilled, and brave. There was plenty of suspense as the bad guys were willing to kill anyone getting in the way of their drug smuggling business. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable suspense 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.

City of Betrayal by Victoria Thompson

City of Betrayal
by Victoria Thompson

ISBN-13: 9780593440605
Hardback: 320 pages
Publisher: Berkley
Released: December 5, 2023

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
A year has passed since Elizabeth Bates ran her last con. Life has been simpler, although not nearly as exciting, but she has thrown herself into working to get the 19th Amendment ratified by thirty-six states to become the law of the land. Since every other Southern state has already rejected the amendment, it seems unlikely Tennessee will be an exception . . . but it's their only hope, so the suffragists descend on Tennessee for the final battle.

Elizabeth’s ability to interact with difficult men and to persuasively explain all the advantages of allowing women to vote—all skills she perfected as a grifter—have made her a valuable member of the team. But she would never have expected the lengths to which some would go to keep the vote out of women's hands.


My Review:
City of Betrayal is a historical set in August 1920 in Tennessee. This is the 7th book in the series. While you don't need to read the previous books to understand this one, the author did assume the reader had some familiarity with the main characters. So, there was no con. Elizabeth's father was working a relatively uncomplicated con in the background. It's mostly where she sent the names of anti-suffrage legislators to get some level of revenge since she had no time to participate in a con. I do hope that we get back to the cons in the future, though this was plenty suspenseful to make an exciting story.

The historical details were woven into the story to create a vivid sense of the specific time and place and brought the story alive in my imagination. Elizabeth, Gideon, and his mother joined the suffragists in Tennessee, thinking the vote would be over in a few days. But the battle to sway the votes stretched on for days and nights. Knowing cons, they were able to spot and stop a lot of the underhanded tactics used by the anti's. I was immersed in the story, uncertain of winning the vote and worried that yet another pledged "for" legislator would betray the suffragists. If you don't already know the details, don't look them up, just read this book.

There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this educational and suspenseful 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.

A Twisted Skein by Sally Goldenbaum

A Twisted Skein
by Sally Goldenbaum

ISBN-13: 9781496729439
Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Kensington Books
Released: Nov. 28, 2023

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Izzy Perry’s Sea Harbor Yarn Studio is heating up, thanks to an upcoming fashion benefit. The show will feature hand-knit garments, and enthusiastic knitters flock to the shop for supplies to create runway-worthy pieces. Yet Seaside Knitter Birdie is enjoying flocks of a different kind, thanks to a rekindled interest in birdwatching, a hobby she enjoyed with her late husband. Along with a small group of passionate birders, she often spends weekend mornings looking for warblers, or keeping watch for gannets and grebes. It’s a lovely, special time—until Birdie stumbles upon a fellow birder’s body.

At first, it appears to be an accidental fall, but an autopsy soon reveals that the victim died before hitting a granite boulder. When police discover a clue linking the victim to one of the Seaside Knitters, the web of suspicion grows. Before the knitters have cast off the final rows on their runway projects, they’ll have to unravel secrets and ties strong enough to bind friends and neighbors together.


My Review:
A Twisted Skein is supposedly a cozy mystery. At least in the Advanced Reader Copy, the mystery was never fully explained. It's the 17th novel in a series, but you can understand this story without reading the previous books.

There was so much that was never explained, like how the victim died. We're simply told that he was murdered. Near the end, they finally started asking people relevant questions, like who knew about the secret place where the murder happened and who might have known or guessed the victim would be there. But anything important that they learned wasn't told to the reader so that everyone in the story knew whodunit while the reader was left in the dark until after the arrest was made. And we never learn some of the 'hidden from the reader' things like the name of the mysterious hiker, which shocked our detectives.

Whodunit confessed to motive in general terms, but we never learned details about how (especially how someone could murder a healthy, relatively young man when whodunit must have made noise getting to the secret spot). So many details were glossed over, like how someone could so easily commit a series of financial crimes or what happened to the kid who was arrested.

Much of the story was knitting filler and about how the murder impacted the community. Though why people were terrified about possibly being the next victim baffles me since everyone knew it was a targeted killing, not a random one. The main characters got to know every detail about the victim's life, finding many people with possible motives. Then they simply dismissed many of them because they didn't feel like this person was lying and that person would have known they'd be a suspect, so of course they wouldn't do it. Hmm.

There was no sex or bad language. I'd recommend this book to fans of the characters--what's next in their lives?--but not mystery lovers.


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.

That Others May Live by Sara Driscoll

That Others May Live
by Sara Driscoll

ISBN-13: 9780593197882
Hardcover: 352 pages
Publisher: Kensington Books
Released: November 28, 2023

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
There are situations that fill even the most seasoned FBI K-9 handlers with shock and horror. Meg Jennings is preparing for another work day when she gets words of a catastrophic scene in downtown Washington, D.C. Part of a twelve-story condo building has collapsed, and the rest of the structure could soon follow. Every search-and-rescue worker and K-9 team is needed on-site immediately to find survivors—and assess the casualties.

Putting aside her fears for her firefighter fiancé, who’s already inside the unstable building, Meg turns to the task at hand. If anyone is still alive within the rubble, she and Hawk, working alongside other K-9 teams, must find them. Every hour, every moment counts—and a wrong move could trigger a deadly chain reaction for those buried beneath. But beyond the present danger is a deeper threat, as evidence indicates that this wasn’t a random tragedy, but an act of domestic terrorism.


My Review:
That Others May Live is a K9 suspense. This book is the 8th in a series, but it works as a stand-alone. The author wanted to write about what rescue personal go through when working a horrific building collapse. Most of the story involved Meg and the K9 team searching the fallen building wreckage while Todd, the firefighter/paramedic, first worked with those clearing what remained standing. While this was interesting, the building fell in a way that few people could survive and many of the remains were only identifiable through DNA (and it didn't get any more graphic than that). It's nitty-gritty depressing.

Their journalist friend and others at his newspaper gathered information about why the building might have fallen--bad design? terrorism? The last third of the story was uncovering what happened and the arrest of the bad guys. It felt to me like the author got her collapsed building research down, started writing the book, then couldn't figure out a good reason why someone would destroy a luxury apartment building full of people. So she went with: the bad guys were gullible, illogical, and believed a lie (which, however unlikely, wasn't actually proven to be a lie). There was no point in trying to understand their motive because it made no sense to logical, sensible types.

I was shocked when one of the FBI boss characters went so far as to say he hated conspiracy theorists, implying that anyone who believed one is illogical and potentially dangerous. Oh, so it's somehow logical to group together and vilify people with a wide variety of beliefs and personalities? And Meg's fiancé jumped from 'I know a fellow firefighter who's gullible' to actively considering if that person might have been the terrorist. Hmm. Being gullible usually makes one a victim, not a violent murderer.

Anyway, the main characters were generally likable, interesting, and reacted realistically to events. The high suspense came from the danger to everyone working the building collapse site. There was some bad language. There were no sex scenes.


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.

Undercover Christmas Escape by Terri Reed

Undercover Christmas Escape
by Terri Reed

ISBN-13: 9781335597755
Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense
Released: November 28, 2023

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
The assignment was infiltrate an office Christmas party and gather information to take down a drug cartel. However, DEA agent Duncan O’Brien and deputy US marshal Sera Morales encounter more than they were expecting when masked thieves crash their undercover operation and abduct Sera, who narrowly escapes. Can Duncan and Sera work together, despite their competitiveness and hidden attraction, to capture a merciless drug lord?


My Review:
Undercover Christmas Escape is a romantic suspense. While Sera and Duncan managed to survive, I saw no evidence that they or their team was actually competent. Their main goal was to capture a drug lord, so Sera had a tracking device to slip onto this man when he visited a party. Another criminal crashed the party instead, and they want him, too. Sera put the tracker on her sister, who was a member of this crime gang who stole something the drug lord wanted. You'd think this tracker would be followed by multiple sources as it's so important, but, no, only by a handheld tracker, which Sera stole when setting off on her own. On multiple occasions, this elite team knew where one or both of the bad guys were going, but instead of calling in others and capturing the bad guys, somehow they always ended up outnumbered and on the run. Each top bad guy apparently handled his own crimes personally and showed up repeatedly with their 2-3 favorite bodyguards. They knew the odds and had many opportunities, but, no.

So many smaller details were odd, too. Sera used a sharp knife to remove a long sleeve sweater to expose a wound (hard not to cut someone that way!) when she was in a fully furnished house with a first aid kit at her side. Why not use scissors? At one point, she put the tracker on herself and accidently left the device showing her location behind in plain sight of the bad guys, but she never once wondered if that might be why the bad guys always knew exactly where she was. The bad guys initially wore masks but then used their actual names when talking to each other during the crime. And so on.

Sera was very impulsive with a high risk tolerance. Duncan was normally a careful planner but felt it was up to him to keep her from getting killed. She didn't want help, yet Duncan kept forcing her to accept his leadership. Sera's irritated that he's always right. Neither had time for relationships. Yet suddenly both decided they're madly in love with each other. Hmm. I just don't see Sera putting up with Mr. Knight to the Rescue for very long as she didn't like the role of damsel in distress.

Both Sera and Duncan were Christians and prayed for help. There was no sex or bad language. It may have been exciting, but this whole story 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.

The Dead Hand by Judith Cutler

The Dead Hand
by Judith Cutler

ISBN-13: 9781448311323
Hardcover: 240 pages
Publisher: Severn House
Released: November 7, 2023

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
June 1861, Victorian England. Housekeeper Harriet Rowsley and her husband and interim estate manager Matthew act as the hosts while his lordship is ill and the trustees are seeking for his heir. A house full of academics should imply calm and quiet, but much to housekeeper Harriet's dismay some of the guests at Thorncroft House have problems with the estate's unconventional practices. But Harriet won't let their patronising opinions get in the way of running the household as it was entrusted to her. She and her husband seem to have things under control until a series of dangerous accidents occur around them and then a worker is found murdered. With a house now full of suspects, Harriet and Matthew have to find out who is causing chaos and why.


My Review:
The Dead Hand is a mystery set in 1861 in England. It's the third book in a series, but it works as a standalone and didn't spoil the previous mysteries. The police did the investigating, solved the mystery, and explained the solution after arresting the culprits. Matthew and Harriet told the police about any clues that they found and that others told them about. While they had strong suspicions of wrong-doing, they were too busy to actively investigate beyond making a few suggestions. It was a clue-based mystery, and whodunit was guessable. Yet some characters did things that didn't quite make sense or seem fully realistic to me, not to mention the number of people that easily got positions where they could do mischief.

The characters were varied, engaging, and reacted realistically to events. The historical details were woven into the story and brought the setting and time period alive in my imagination. There were no sex scenes. There were a few uses of bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting historical novel with a 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 Penguin Book of Murder Mysteries

The Penguin Book of Murder Mysteries

ISBN-13: 9780143137535
Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Penguin Classics
Released: November 21, 2023

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Writer and anthologist Michael Sims sought the unfamiliar, the unjustly forgotten, and little-known gems by writers from outside the genre. This historical tour of one of our most popular literary categories includes stories never before reprinted, features rebellious early “lady detectives," and spotlights former stars of the crime field—Austrian novelist Auguste Groner and prolific American Geraldine Bonner among them.


My Review:
The Penguin Book of Murder Mysteries is a collection of 13 short stories about murder and attempted murder. The stories were written from the early 1800s to early 1900s, mostly set in England. The Introduction was an odd, rambling treatise that went on for 4% of the book, and I'd recommend skipping it. Some of the author bios were nearly as long as their story, and the stories were so short that none were puzzle mysteries.

Only about 5 stories really fit the genre of "murder mystery," with actual crime-solving, clues, and justice. Several of the stories didn't have a murdered victim. Only a few had a detective (amateur or professional), and even those stories were usually solved by a chance happening. Sometimes the criminal was not found or wasn't arrested. Once, there wasn't even a crime, just a mystery solved by chance (though I do like that one and have read it before).

Some stories seemed more about ethics than justice. For example, an innocent man committed suicide because he couldn't prove he didn't murder someone. Another story talked about the ethics of providing a confessed murderer what he needed to commit suicide. Overall, this collection wasn't really what I expected from the title and I didn't really care for it. There were only a few uses of bad language. There was no sex.


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 the Highland Castle by Helena Dixon

Murder at the Highland Castle
by Helena Dixon

ISBN-13: 9781837900633
ebook: 238 pages
Publisher: Bookouture
Released: Nov. 17, 2023

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Winter, 1935. Lightly dusted with snow and nestled on the edge of a sweeping Scottish loch, Finnglach Castle looks positively magical. Kitty Underhay, her husband Matt and their beloved dog Bertie have been invited to celebrate the new year with a Hogmanay party. A spiritual medium at the party warns of danger to their host, Lord Barlas. Shortly after midnight, a shot rings out across the grounds. Lord Barlas has been murdered, the gun is missing, and few have an alibi. With the snow-covered castle completely cut off, and a killer in their midst, Kitty and Matt need to work fast to find the culprit before someone else ends up as dead. Can she, Matt and Bertie sniff out the treacherous culprit in time for haggis and whisky or will they find themselves skating on dangerously thin ice?


My Review:
Murder at the Highland Castle is a mystery set in 1935 in Scotland. This is the 14th book in the series. You can understand it without reading the previous stories, and it didn't spoil any of the previous mysteries.

Kitty and Matt were asked to attend the party, posing as distant relatives, in hopes that they could determine who's sending Lord Barlas threatening notes and causing near-fatal "accidents." They discreetly asked questions and observed the other guests. This was a clue-based mystery. I had whodunit narrowed down to two people before whodunit tried to kill someone at the end and confessed. I'm not sure there were enough clues to be certain before then, though one did seem more likely than the other. Kitty and Matt were likable characters with an interesting setting and mystery. There was no bad language. There were no sex scenes. 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.

To Spark a Match by Jen Turano

To Spark a Match
by Jen Turano

ISBN-13: 9780764240218
Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Released: November 14, 2023

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
After five unsuccessful Seasons on the marriage mart, Miss Adelaide Duveen has resigned herself to the notion that she's destined to remain a spinster forever--but that will allow her to concentrate on her darling cats and books. However, when she inadvertently stumbles upon Mr. Gideon Abbott engaged in a clandestine activity during a dinner party, Adelaide finds herself thrust into a world of intrigue that resembles the plots in the spy novels she devours.

Former intelligence agent Gideon Abbott feels responsible for Adelaide after society threatens to banish her because of the distraction she caused to save his case. Hoping to return the favor, he turns to a good friend--and one of high society's leaders--to take Adelaide in hand and turn her fashionable.

When danger surrounds them and Adelaide finds herself a target of the criminals in Gideon's case, the spark of love between them threatens to be quenched for good--along with their lives.


My Review:
To Spark a Match is a romantic comedy set in 1888 in New York. It's the second book in the series, but it works as a standalone. This is my favorite series by this author. Adelaide isn't that interested in fashion and society, so she's allowed her well-meaning mother to dress her in unflattering dresses. Gideon feels he owes her for a mishap that nearly causes her social ruin, so he gets his fashionable female friend to correctly dress her and both use their influence to return her to society's favor. Woven into this is Adelaide's love of spy novels merging with Gideon actually being an independent spy/undercover detective. She's thrilled to be living a spy novel as she helps Gideon with his current case, but he's worried for her safety.

The characters got into funny situations, adding light-hearted comedy to the events. Some of it was Adelaide's tendency to get into awkward situations, but mostly it was her unconventional way of dealing with unexpected situations. The main characters were kind, engaging people. Gideon and Adelaide got to know and care about each other as they spent time together. Their attraction was based on admiration of each other's character, looks, and how they enjoyed the same types of things. Some details about the time period and setting were woven into the story. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd highly recommend this humorous 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.

Of Jasmine and Roses by Jill E. Warner

Of Jasmine and Roses
by Jill E. Warner

ISBN-13: 9781524421588
Paperback: 256 pages
Publisher: Covenant Communications
Released: November 14, 2023

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Orphaned as a child, Anna Beasley was raised alongside her titled cousin in the high Society of the ton. But part-Indian Anna knows better than anyone that appearances trump social grace, even to those who raised her. After the loss of her inheritance, she runs away to work as a governess. Then she meets a man who makes her feel seen and accepted for the first time. Aspiring politician William Thaxton had no intention of falling in love with a governess. But as William gets to know Anna better, he can’t help falling in love with her despite her uncertain social status, dark skin, and mixed heritage. They must navigate intolerance, cruelty, and William’s own ambitions.


My Review:
Of Jasmine and Roses is a romance set in 1837 in England. I liked the first part, where Anna and Will spent time together and became close friends. Yet even there, it seemed like Will didn't consider that his spending time alone with her (as an 11-year-old doesn't really count as a chaperon) could be used against Anna when everyone was looking for reasons to hate her. And I do mean hate: a neighbor hates her because she looks Indian, the vicar called her a viper, the servants were outright mean, and even her family largely wished she didn't exist.

I'd understand people of that time thinking Anna inferior due to her darker skin and the fact she's a female, but almost everyone was openly rude and cruel to her. I was also surprised that 'polite society' was outright rude to their hostess at the house party and even the servants didn't follow their mistress's orders when it came to her daughters.

Anna felt she must deserved the cruelty since so many people acted that way, so Will's kindness strongly drew her. An accident happened that made no sense (Why not fix the badly wobbly stool as no one can afford to have an accident? Why keep a horse known to be uncontrolable and violent in the main stables, especially with guests around? Why would a stablehand not make doubly sure that the horse was secure in that stall? And so on.). Anna was in no way responsible as she was one of the few people doing exactly what she was ordered to do, but everyone viciously blamed her. Will betrayed her to save his own feelings.

Anna's told that other's will never accept her if she won't accept herself, yet that issue was never resolved. Will was forgiven his betrayal the moment he said "I love you." They don't address how Anna feels like she doesn't belonged anywhere or how they'll deal with racism in the future. The author made such a big deal about these issues that I wanted them dealt with, not just dropped. 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.

I Heard a Fly Buzz When I Died by Amanda Flower

I Heard a Fly Buzz When I Died
by Amanda Flower

ISBN-13: 9780593336960
Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Berkley
Released: November 14, 2023

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
August 1856. The Dickinson family is comfortably settled in their homestead on Main Street. Emily’s brother, Austin Dickinson, and his new wife are delighted when famous thinker and writer Ralph Waldo Emerson comes to Amherst to speak at a local literary society and decides he and his young secretary, Luther Howard, will stay with the newlyweds. Emily has been a longtime admirer of Emerson’s writing and is thrilled at the chance to meet her idol. She is determined to impress him with her quick wit, and if she can gather the courage, a poem. Willa Noble, the second maid in the Dickinson home and Emily's friend, encourages her to speak to the famous but stern man.

His secretary, Luther, flirts the Dickinson sisters. Willa does not know if Luther truly cares for one of the Dickinson girls or if he just sees marrying one of them as a way to raise himself up in society. Miss Lavinia, Emily’s sister, appears to be enchanted by Luther; a fact that bothers Emily greatly. Then Luther turns up dead in the Dickinson’s garden. It seems that he was poisoned. Emily and Willa set out to find answers in order to save the Dickinson family reputation and stop a cold-blooded fiend from killing again.


My Review:
I Heard a Fly Buzz When I Died is a mystery set in 1856 in Massachusetts. This is the 2nd in a series. This story didn't spoil the first one. You can understand the story without reading the first novel, though Willa's relationship with her policeman will make more sense if you've read the first story.

Willa's gaining confidence in investigating, and she mainly did this by observing people and overhearing conversations. Emily's much more direct in her questions as she's used to getting her own way. They asked questions, poked around, and found clues. It's a clue-based puzzle mystery. Whodunit was guessable, and though I guessed correctly, I wasn't sure until nearly the end. Historical details about the time and the Dickinson's lives were woven into the story and brought it alive in my imagination. The main characters were interesting and likable.

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

Knowing You by Tracie Peterson

Knowing You
by Tracie Peterson

ISBN-13: 9780764237447
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Released: November 7, 2023

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from Goodreads:
Budding artist May Parker is captivated by the Japanese exhibits at the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition and longs to know more about her mother's heritage--which her mother refuses to speak of because of the heartache she left behind in Japan. Wanting to experience more of the exhibits, May works colorizing photographs as a Camera Girl--but her curiosity leads her into danger when a suit of samurai armor becomes the target of an elusive art forger.

After ten years apart, May is reunited with her childhood friend Lee Munro, a police detective assigned to keep a watchful eye on the exposition. Their friendship immediately begins to blossom with hints of something more, but when they become entangled in a dangerous heist involving the samurai armor and their love is threatened, can they overcome the odds against them?


My Review:
Knowing You is a Christian romance set in 1909 in Seattle, Washington. Interesting historical details about the Expo and the prejudices of the time were woven into the story. The main characters were likable and behaved realistically. The story was mostly about May's cultural heritage. She had a (white) America father and a Japanese mother, but her mother refused to talk about Japan due to bad memories. Despite this and the bullying she received for her Asian looks, May's obsessed with learning more about Japan. May spent much of her free time at the Japan exhibit and took detailed pictures and sketches of the samurai armor so she could paint it. One picture captured a known art forger studying the armor, and Detective Lee saw this picture. Can he arrest the forger before he steals the armor and replaces it with a copy?

When she was young, Lee protected her from bullying even though his own parents despised Asians. So May and Lee were already close friends, and they realized how much they meant to each other as they spent time together. Lee's parents objected so strongly that they threatened to disinherit him if he married May, so he debated how to honor his parents when he knew their prejudice wasn't biblically based. And they quote Scripture at each other over the topic.

This book was the third in a series, but it can be read as a stand-alone. However, it spoiled the main events of the previous books. May and Lee were both Christians who prayed to God and read their Bibles for guidance. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable historical romance.


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

The Warsaw Sisters by Amanda Barratt

The Warsaw Sisters
by Amanda Barratt

ISBN-13: 9780800741716
Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Revell
Released: November 7, 2023

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
On an August morning in 1939, sisters Antonina and Helena Dąbrowska send their father off to defend Poland against the looming threat of German invasion. The next day, the first bombs fall on Warsaw, decimating their beloved city and shattering the world of their youth.

When Antonina's beloved Marek is forced behind ghetto walls along with the rest of Warsaw's Jewish population, Antonina joins a network of women risking their lives to shelter Jewish children. Helena finds herself drawn into the ranks of Poland's secret army, joining the fight to free her homeland from occupation. But secrets threaten to tear the sisters apart and the cost of resistance proves greater than either ever imagined.


My Review:
The Warsaw Sisters is a tragedy about Warsaw and all that its people lost in 1939-1945. The focus throughout was on the death and destruction and on what was happening on the Warsaw level more than about the sisters. Most chapters were full of one of the sisters thinking about what had happened to Warsaw since the last date/chapter or what she remembered from before the war or what she'd someday remember about the preset moment. It's a lot of thinking and introspection with only a few scenes with suspenseful action.

For the first part of the story (about 100 pages), the sisters were hard to tell apart. Helena worked for a German as a secretary and was pretty passive. Antonina loved a Jewish man that she knew would never propose to her, but she was flattered by his friendship. Once the Jews were forced into a ghetto, she foolishly risked her life to get in to see him and he told her to stop trying to see or write to him (for her own safety). She decided she hated him for rejecting her. Then she did the same thing to her sister, letting her think she was rejecting Helena while it was done to keep her safe. Antonina started housing smuggled Jewish children on their way to safety, but it felt like she did it to feel better about herself. There's only a couple of scenes with the children, though. Then we shifted focus to Helena running messages for the Polish hidden army, especially during its fight to free Warsaw.

Antonina had sex outside of marriage and had to deal with the results. About two-thirds of the way into the story, the sisters finally thought about God beyond their habitual church attendance. Antonina didn't think God cared about her before and certainly not after she felt like a sinner, but she did have a moment in a church where she felt God's presence. Helena couldn't see how God could be present amidst so much suffering. She briefly talked to a priest about it and finally decided God was present. Jesus wasn't really mentioned. There were no graphic sex scenes. There was no bad language. We're told in detail about the horrors done by the Germans, so the violence is somewhat graphic.


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 Not-So-Distant Love by Heidi Kimball

A Not-So-Distant Love
by Heidi Kimball

ISBN-13: 9781524424480
Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: Covenant Communications
Released: October 24, 2023

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Lady Charlotte Darrington’s path in life is clearly laid out before her: she will select a suitable husband, marry, and one day inherit her father’s Scottish dukedom. But a growing restlessness has her desperate for a bit of freedom before her all-too-certain future closes in. When the opportunity to travel to America arises, Charlotte leaps at the chance and soon finds herself across the Atlantic in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Her American hosts and their friends couldn’t be more welcoming—all except one. The insufferable Dr. Galloway captures her eye—and her ire.

Life has made Dr. Alec Galloway wary of everyone, including the self-important Lady Charlotte Darrington, who thinks herself above Pittsburgh society. He makes no qualms about voicing his disapproval of Britain’s archaic peerage system, or of a certain peeress herself, though he never intended for his brusque opinions to reach her ears, sparking a conflagration neither could have foreseen. Yet as Charlotte gains insight into Alec’s wounded past, she offers him something that changes everything—her friendship. Despite Alec’s determination to keep everyone at bay, she slowly erodes his defenses, allowing him glimpses of a future he never imagined. Soon he must decide whether to face his past fears and grasp a second chance at love or risk losing Charlotte forever.


My Review:
A Not-So-Distant Love is a romance set in 1835 in Pittsburgh. Alec publicly insulted Charlotte when they first met, and they constantly argued for weeks after that. But Charlotte liked that he didn't try shut her up when she talked about things like politics, and she wanted to to heal his hurting heart. She's careless of her reputation. She pushed a passionate kiss on him when alone in his house and intensely kissed him in public spots where they could be seen. She's certain God brought her across an ocean because Alec's her soul mate, even when Alec wasn't falling in line with her desires. Several people gave the advice of basically 'don't hold back, enjoy falling in love!' even when Alec had no intention of leaving Pittsburgh. Bad advice, in my opinion.

Alec felt so strongly that he was supposed to be a doctor in Pittsburgh that he ignored his wife's strong desire to stay in her hometown. When she died, he felt such guilt over not being a better husband that he decided to never marry again. He knew that marriage took effort and love could end in a broken heart due to sudden illness or accident. He tried to control his life so he'd never face heartbreak and guilt again. He learned to give his fears to God instead.

The historical setting was more of a backdrop than realistic. For example, it never made sense that Alec acted like the pig he injured was his to do with as he wished (to eat or make into a pet) when it belonged to someone else. He would have known how important a pig could be in terms of food or income. While there were several detailed scenes of Charlotte and Alec intensely kissing, there were no sex scenes. There was no 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.

Capturing Hope by Angela K Couch

Capturing Hope
by Angela K Couch

ISBN-13: 9781636096919
Paperback: 256 pages
Publisher: Barbour Fiction
Released: November 1, 2023

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
After her lavish home is confiscated, her father executed, and her mother flees back to her native Germany, hope is something of which Nadia Roenne feels little--even if it is the meaning of her name. Her beloved Poland has fallen to the Nazis. It isn't until an American photographer sacrifices his escape from Poland for a Jewish family, that she finds her purpose. Together they use every resource and connection they have to save others.


My Review:
Capturing Hope is a Christian romance set in 1939 in Poland. Nadia was raised to think herself as above others, but she's lonely because even her parents don't seem to love her. David feels responsible for a relative's death when he was young, and he's determined to get Nadia to safety after her father makes him promise to help her escape Poland. They're more aware than most about Hitler's hatred for Jews, so David gives his seat on an escape plane to a Jewish family and Nadia's inspired to do the same. As bombs fall on Warsaw and David captures the truth on film, Nadia can't abandoned those left orphaned...especially the Jews. Every time David finds a way to escape, Nadia ends up sending those in more danger in their place. As they spend time together, David comes to love the increasingly kind and caring Nadia, and Nadia appreciates his courage, kindness, and sacrificial character. They're better people for knowing each other.

The main characters were engaging and reacted realistically to events. Historical details were woven into the story. There was plenty of suspense due to the dangers from the invasion. David was a Christian. Nadia questioned if God cared about them and life after death. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this 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.

The Peasant King by Tessa Afshar

The Peasant King
by Tessa Afshar

ISBN-13: 9781496458261
Hardcover: 384 pages
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers
Released: November 7, 2023

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
When her mother, the Persian king's famous senior scribe, is kidnapped, Jemmah and her sister must sneak undetected into enemy territory to rescue her. But infiltrating their adversary's lands proves easier than escaping them. Fleeing through dangerous mountain passes, their survival depends on the skills of a stranger they free from prison: a mysterious prince named Asher.

Asher is not who the world believes he is. Despite his royal blood, he has had to climb his way out of poverty to forge success from nothing. A manufacturer of some of the best weaponry in the East, Asher has only one goal: to destroy his father. But following his escape from prison, Asher is irresistibly drawn to Jemmah's willingness to face fear and discomfort for those she loves.

Jemmah must convince Asher to give up everything he has worked for, all for the sake of a higher purpose he's not sure he believes in. The fate of the Persian empire—and possibly the Judean people—hang in the balance.


My Review:
The Peasant King is biblical fiction set in the 8th year of Cyrus' reign over the Persians and is set in Persia, Media, and Babylon. It follows the events in "The Hidden Prince" but works as a standalone and doesn't spoil that book. There's suspense as they faced danger from traveling in hard terrain during bad weather, from a bunch of bad guys who want to harm them, and from war. Cyrus has skilled and loyal soldiers, but he's not rich enough to supply his army with good weapons and armor. When Jemmah travels to free her mother from the Medes, God leads them to help a skilled weapons-maker with a grudge against Cyrus' enemies. Asher wants his weapons to go to someone who'll win, though, not to mention someone who can pay.

Asher was never acknowledged by his royal father, and his mother remained a slave in a nomadic tribe. Though free, he never belonged. He's drawn to Jemmah's willingness to face fear and discomfort for those she loves. Asher helped Jemmah face a traumatic fear from her past and made her feel appreciated, and she helped him open up to love and faith. They worked well together.

Jemmah's learned through hard experience that God is in control even when it doesn't look like it. She can see God's hand in their encounter with Asher, but his heart must change to one of faith if he's ever going to help them. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd highly recommend this enjoyable historical novel.


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

Kingdom of Love by Tracie Peterson

Kingdom of Love
by Tracie Peterson

ISBN-13: 9781636097176
Paperback: 448 pages
Publisher: Barbour Publishing
Released: November 1, 2023

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
From bestselling author Tracie Peterson come 3 unique historical novels, rereleased for old and new fans alike. Liberty and love--even life itself--are fragile commodities those living in medieval England. Will God's love and power triumph in the lives of these three courageous women? Arianne is finally finding love and kindness in an arranged marriage until her past overpowers the castle gate and threatens to take her hostage. Helena must escape a savage stepbrother and devious stepsister, and try to enter thick walls of safety...for herself and her heart. Mary, a physician's daughter, brings life and health to others at the threat of her own safety. Will a shining knight come to her rescue?


My Review:
Kingdom of Love is a collection of three romance novellas set in medieval England. The first two stories were set during Henry III's rule. The second one continued the first story. The first felt staged and the second was melodramatic. Arianne was proactive in working to save others, but the men around her didn't warn her of danger so she made some bad assumptions. It felt staged because she was easily captured, easily escaped, and just as easily was recaptured, repeat. The men knew that they would surrender the moment she was captured but delayed fighting the enemy when they had the upper hand and repeatedly left her vulnerable to recapture. Anyway, her husband was a kind man who valued her in word and action, and they got to know each other before falling in love. Arianne learned to trust God for her salvation and safety. Overall, nice.

Helena was melodrama. When faced with a situation she didn't want to deal with, she usually fainted. She loved a man 11 years older than her who saw her as his best friend's little sister. When she was nine, he was exiled as a murderer. She loyally didn't believe him guilty and pined for him even though she didn't know if he was still alive. Yet she apparently knew him so little that she didn't realize that she'd fled from her abusive stepfamily to his brother's castle. And when they mentioned the full name of her love, she had no idea they meant her beloved. Yet she instantly recognized him after 11 years apart. He mentioned that he'd changed and shouldn't they get to know each other, but she passionately declared her undying love. He'd come to know God and was kind to and protective of her. He was flattered by her strong support and liked her beauty and lovely singing voice. Overall, it was ok.

The third story was set during the bubonic plague in England under Edward III. Mary was taught healing by her physician father but also to despise religion. She wondered how people could believe in a God who allowed so much death. She ended up helping sick monks who explained why God might let this happen. The knight protected and supported Mary. They both cared about the orphaned children, so they took some with them. This shared caring for the children brought them close. The knight changed his attitude from 'enjoy life while you're alive' to believing in life after death for those who believe in Christ. Interesting historical details were woven into the story. I liked this story the best of the bunch.

There was no bad language or sex scenes (though married sex was implied).


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 Penwood Manor by Antony Barone Kolenc

Murder at Penwood Manor
by Antony Barone Kolenc

ISBN-13: 9780829455540
Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: Loyola Press
Released: October 24, 2023

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Xan and Christina embark on an Easter journey to Harwood Abbey, where they reunite with their old friends, Lucy and Joshua. When a brutal murder occurs at nearby Penwood Manor, all evidence points to Laurence, a Crusader recently returned from the Holy Land. Unconvinced of the man’s guilt, Xan and his friends must act swiftly to solve the crime.

Who could have committed such a horrible killing? Is Laurence tormented by demons, or is he haunted by some other secret? And will Xan be forever changed by the choice Lucy and Christina present to him?


My Review:
Murder at Penwood Manor is a middle grade mystery set in 1187 in England. This was the fifth book in a series. It can be read as a stand-alone, but some of the relationships between the characters and organizations weren't entirely clear. For example, why was Christina or Father Philip traveling with Xan and his uncle? It might be easier to follow if read in order. Also, be warned that this book ended with a cliff-hanger: will Xan marry the girl he proposed to or the one that he's long cared for? Yes, a 14-year-old boy is not only running a merchant business but going to get married by the end of this book. And there's another cliff-hanger, but I won't spoil that one.

Xan asked some good questions after the murder was discovered. But then he got sidetracked into looking into who had motives rather than first narrowing it down to people who could have done it. I guessed whodunit about halfway through and the gathered clues kept pointing in that direction, but there were other possibilities to keep readers guessing. It seemed like the adults who didn't believe Laurence killed the man were a little dense not to suspect, though. Everyone seemed a little dense, actually. Christina thought it should be obvious how she felt toward Xan even though she told him that she wasn't going to marry. Mixed signals, honey.

Interesting historical details were woven into the story, but some things were only lightly explained. I suspect more details about the abbey and how those worked were given in previous novels, but some of that needed to be repeated here to better understand the events of the story. The theme of the story was envy and the stupid things people (including Xan) do due to envy. Xan frequently prayed to God to guide him in his decision-making. The 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.

Children of the Shadows by Erica Vetsch

Children of the Shadows
by Erica Vetsch

ISBN-13: 9780825447150
Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: Kregel Publications
Released: October 10, 2023

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Someone is preying upon the street children of Regency London. They seem to think no one will notice when urchins go missing--and even if they are noticed, who will care? Detective Daniel Swann and his colleagues investigate the missing children. But with recent revelations about his past and an unexpected, complicated inheritance to deal with, this is a terrible time to dive back into the seedy underbelly of the crime world. Nevertheless, he's still a Bow Street runner on the case, searching shadowed alleys and coal-drenched streets to find the missing.

But the tangle of expectation and the dynamics of power cannot be easily ignored, even if there are children in danger. When Daniel's past threatens to overwhelm his future, he will need a miracle and the help of his friends to both apprehend the villain and unravel his tangled family web. And it may be that his new responsibilities demand that he leave the children of the shadows to their terrible fate--or lose everything.


My Review:
Children of the Shadows is a Christian mystery set in 1816 in England. This is the 3nd book in the series, and it didn't spoil the previous mysteries. However, you at least need to read the previous book to understand the romance as Juliette and Daniel were told they must stay apart for various reasons. The little time they had together was usually spent kissing. I was sad that Juliette had little to do in this story except fret about her future.

Daniel, his police partner, and his apprentice investigated the disappearing street children. They tracked down clues or had others look for certain information for them. All of the obvious clues pointed toward someone they didn't believe could be guilty. I did wonder why Daniel wasn't suspicious of the behavior of one of the culprits (who was the one I guessed). There was a very subtle clue pointing at the other culprit, but I didn't catch it at the time. Some historical details were woven into the story, but other details verged on fantasy.

The Christian element was mainly how the main characters felt that the street children were valuable and deserved help. There was no sex or 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.

Appalachian Song by Michelle Shocklee

Appalachian Song
by Michelle Shocklee

ISBN-13: 9781496472434
Hardcover: 364 pages
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers
Released: October 3, 2023

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Bertie Jenkins has spent her life serving as a midwife for her community in the Great Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee. Out of all the mothers she’s tended, none affects her more than the young teenager who shows up on her doorstep, injured, afraid, and expecting, one warm June day in 1943. As Bertie and her four sisters tenderly nurture Songbird back to health, the bond between the childless midwife and the motherless teen grows strong. But soon Songbird is forced to make a heartbreaking decision that will tear this little family apart.

Thirty years later, the day after his father’s funeral, Walker Wylie is stunned to learn he was adopted as an infant. The famous country singer enlists the help of adoption advocate Reese Chandler in the hopes of learning why he was abandoned by his birth parents. With the only clue he has in hand, Walker and Reese head deep into the Appalachian Mountains to track down Bertie Jenkins, the midwife who holds the secrets to Walker’s past.


My Review:
Appalachian Song is a Christian romance set in 1943 and 1973 in Tennessee. Walker and Reese fell in love while spending time together searching for the midwife who delivered him and for the story of why he was given up for adoption. They mostly bonded over both having been adopted. I can understand why Walker felt rejected when he learned he was adopted, but a Christian apparently feeling that he was meant to have one life but that was messed up when he was adopted just seemed strange to me. He did change his attitude, but it's not like he missed out on a better life or something.

The 1943 story was about Bertie's life with her sisters and as a midwife. She took Songbird in and protected her against her violent father. Bertie taught her about how God adopts us as his children when we confess our sins and accept Jesus and that God is our good Heavenly Father. The main characters were engaging and realistic. Interesting historical details were woven into the story to give it a distinct sense of time and place. There was no bad language or sex scenes. 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.

Skye Fall by Paige Edwards

Skye Fall
by Paige Edwards

ISBN-13: 9781524424572
Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: Covenant Communications
Released: October 23, 2023

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Isla Montjoy has a new career in nursing and a police officer boyfriend she adores―until she stumbles across proof of her boyfriend’s corruption. Determined to protect his secrets, he attacks her and leaves her for dead. But against all odds, she lives. On the run for two years, Isla’s life is far from assured as her would-be murderer doggedly tracks her across the UK, intent on silencing her forever.

On a climbing trip in the Scottish Highlands, Ben Pressley-Coombes encounters Isla, a beautiful woman who promptly pepper sprays him without warning when he startles her. After that rough start, Ben hopes never to lay eyes on her again―but fate has other ideas. Forced into an uneasy association that transforms into love, the pair soon faces a deadly threat: Isla’s relentless pursuer has discovered her hiding place. If she is to survive, she and Ben must outmaneuver the dirty cop and his treacherous plot to snare her.


My Review:
Skye Fall is a Christian romantic suspense novel. Isla tried to make a life for herself while hiding from her corrupt ex-boyfriend, but he kept hunting her to kill her. Ben's father had an accident right after Ben learned that an employee embezzled all of their business' money. Ben had to juggle all of these concerns after his father hired Isla as his homecare nurse so she could hide in the USA for a while.

The main characters were likable and reacted realistically to events. The suspense came from Isla being repeatedly attacked by her ex-boyfriend, several health emergencies, and the tension of trying to save Ben's business. Ben loved Isla's art, wanted to protect her, and decided this meant that she was the one. Isla liked that he was considerate and that she didn't feel threatened by him. However, she still had flashbacks to her ex-boyfriend knifing her when holding her, so she had trouble letting Ben hold her. She felt like she'd never get better despite all of her counselling and that Ben deserved a woman who wasn't so broken.

Isla didn't feel like God was even listening to her prayers anymore. Ben told Isla how God had been an important part of his own healing journey. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable story.


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

Hercule Poirot's Silent Night by Sophie Hannah

Hercule Poirot's Silent Night
by Sophie Hannah

ISBN-13: 9780062991638
Hardcover: 384 pages
Publisher: Berkley
Released: October 24, 2023

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
It’s December 19, 1931. Hercule Poirot and Inspector Edward Catchpool are looking forward to a much-needed, restful Christmas holiday, when they are called upon to investigate the murder of a man in a Norfolk hospital ward. Cynthia Catchpool, Edward’s mother, insists that Poirot stay in a mansion by the coast while he solves the case. Cynthia’s friend Arnold is soon to be admitted to that same hospital, and his wife is convinced he will be the killer’s next victim.

As Poirot digs into the mystery, he discovers that the murdered man was a retired post office master, and by all accounts very well-liked. The local constabulary’s investigation failed to uncover how someone could have entered a hospital room and killed him under the noses of the staff. With no obvious motive or suspect, Poirot has less than a week to solve the crime and prevent more murders, if he is to get home in time for Christmas.


My Review:
Hercule Poirot's Silent Night is a mystery set in 1931 in England. It's the 5th book in the series but the first I've read. It works as a standalone. A Scotland Yard Inspector, Edward Catchpool, takes the place of Hastings and is a competent helper as well as the one who writes about Poirot's cases. Poirot had him gather clues, either giving specific instructions or leaving him to casually pick up information for him, while Poirot asked questions elsewhere. The author has clearly read Agatha Christie's Poirot and even quoted lines from those books. This Poirot was close enough to the original to be acceptable.

This was a clue-based, puzzle mystery which held together logically despite the many twists and plentitude of information (not all of it relevant). As it turned out, Poirot and I grabbed the same clue given at the beginning so it was a matter of my seeing if my suspect could have done it and not getting distracted by others who had a motive. The main characters were engaging. The other characters were quirky and full of family drama. There were only a few uses of bad language. There was no sex. Overall, I'd recommend this to fans of complex puzzle mysteries.


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.

Crime Scene Conspiracy by Jessica R. Patch

Crime Scene Conspiracy
by Jessica R. Patch

ISBN-13: 9781335597694
Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense
Released: October 24, 2023

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Tasked to investigate a series of suspicious suicides and accidents, Texas Ranger Emily O’Connell is on a covert mission to investigate a governor’s connection to the deceased women. After her own father's betrayal and due to her job investigating state-level corruption, she doesn’t trust anyone—including crime scene cleaner Stone Spencer. But when Emily’s questioning makes her the serial killer’s next target, she must turn to ex-ranger Stone for help. With threats at every turn, outrunning a merciless villain could be the last thing they do.


My Review:
Crime Scene Conspiracy is a Christian romantic suspense. Emily's job is to uncover corruption, so she's already skeptical about seemingly upstanding, trustworthy people. After not realizing her father had lied to her and her mother for years, Emily struggled to trust anyone. Add in a case where a rich, powerful person is buying off law enforcement to hide murder as suicides and accidents, and she doesn't want to work with anyone for fear they'll betray her, too. Besides, anyone involved in the investigation is immediately in danger of dying. She's willing to work with Stone because he saved her life and became a target as well. And yet someone's still leaking information about their whereabouts and whom they suspect...

The main characters were likable and reacted realistically to events. The suspense came from many, many attempts to kill Emily and Stone and from the danger to anyone who helped them. Emily and Stone generally worked well together, but the lack of trust was a big issue that Emily realized she needed to deal with....but how? 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.