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.