Embers in the London Sky by Sarah Sundin

Embers in the London Sky
by Sarah Sundin

ISBN-13: 9780800741853
Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Revell
Released: February 6, 2024

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
As the German army invades the Netherlands in 1940, Aleida van der Zee Martens escapes to London to wait out the Occupation. Separated from her three-year-old son, Theo, in the process, the young widow desperately searches for her little boy even as she works for an agency responsible for evacuating children to the countryside.

When German bombs set London ablaze, BBC radio correspondent Hugh Collingwood reports on the Blitz, eager to boost morale while walking the fine line between truth and censorship. But the Germans are not the only ones Londoners have to fear as a series of murders flame up amid the ashes.

The deaths hit close to home for Hugh, and Aleida needs his help to locate her missing son. As they work together, they grow closer. But with bombs falling and continued killings, they may be running out of time.


My Review:
Embers in the London Sky is a Christian romance set in 1940, mostly in England. Aleida's abusive husband is ashamed that their son lacks fingers on one hand. As many rich families fled from the Netherlands, he sneaked his son away and gave him to an English family to take with them. Aleida escaped to England, but she didn't know who had her child. She agreed to work for the department handling sending children (including refuge children) into the country in hopes of finding her son. Hugh didn't have permission to tell her story, but he helped as he could. He also struggled to hide his asthma while reporting from areas burning from German bombs. He fought for the right to report on bad events, not just positive ones.

The main characters were complex, engaging, and I cared about what happened to them. Aleida and Hugh supported each other and built each other up. Then Hugh said something unthinking that triggered Aleida into feeling like he was controlling, like her dead husband. They both had to realize that they'd reacted wrongly to the situation. Concerning Theo, I thought it odd that Aleida didn't anticipate being asked and had trouble thinking of how to prove that she's Theo's mother.

Aleida learned to stop trying to control every detail of her life and trust that God loves her and is in control. 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.

Of Love and Treason by Jamie Ogle

Of Love and Treason
by Jamie Ogle

ISBN-13: 9781496479662
Hardcover: 400 pages
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers
Released: January 1, 2024

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Rome, AD 270. In the wake of the emperor’s marriage ban, rumors swirl that there is one man brave enough to perform wedding ceremonies in secret. A public notarius and leader of an underground church, Valentine believes the emperor’s edict unjust and risks his own life for the sake of his convictions. But as his fame grows, so do fears for his safety.

Iris, the daughter of a Roman jailor, has been petitioning various gods to heal her, but this quest has put her father in deep debt. Her last hope rests in Valentine and his God, but the danger of associating with people labeled a threat to the empire is great. Still, as Iris's new friends lead her to faith in God, Iris is drawn to Valentine and they both begin to hope for a future together. But instead Valentine, Iris, and everyone they love must fight for their lives...and wrestle with trusting a God who can restore sight yet does not always keep His followers from peril.


My Review:
Of Love and Treason is set in 269-270 AD in Rome. I thought a novel would be a fun way to learn about Valentine only to learn that he might not have even existed and the little that's recorded is conflicting. The author has done a lot more research than me, but this story didn't even seem to match the various legends beyond Val was a Christian leader who prayed that a blind daughter of a judge or jailor would see again when they presented it as a test.

Val was portrayed as such a thoughtful, kind, and courageous man that it was hard to read the scenes of him being tortured and martyred. (While not highly graphic, we do get a rundown of the various torture devices, how they're used, and how much pain Val was in during his ordeal.) I loved the Christian message: the cost of standing firm and reaching out to unbelievers during a period of persecution and how Iris struggled with how God is real and good because He gave her back her sight, but how can she trust a God that doesn't always protect His followers?

My main problem was that the main characters just didn't act realistically. Iris was under threat of being sold to her father's superior officer to be raped, beaten, and maimed. He was initially a serious threat, then suddenly Iris came out of hiding and went about in public with no thought to the threat. The evil man knew Titus cared for her yet didn't have someone follow him as he repeatedly went to visit her hiding spot. In another case, Val was threatened with death and warned to leave Rome that day, but his pride kept him there because his church needed him. Hello, he won't be there to teach them if he's dead, now will he? Val's supposedly in hiding but would go out in public both at night and during the day to help his doctor host. He also barged into the clinic when unknown people were present. And so on. It's like he had a death wish. Then, at the end, a lot of people we know and like were unexpectedly killed. The ending felt rushed and wasn't very satisfying.

There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I might recommend this to Christians who want to know what it was like for a Christian to live in Rome under persecution.


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.

Dangerous Texas Hideout by Virginia Vaughan

Dangerous Texas Hideout
by Virginia Vaughan

ISBN-13: 9781335597878
Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense
Released: January 23, 2024

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
When her daughter is the only witness able to identify a group of bank robbers, single mom Penny Jackson knows their lives are in danger. When the FBI agent guarding them is killed, it's clear these men will do anything to keep Missy quiet—permanently. Disappearing to a small Texas town was supposed to be safe, but when the criminals track them down, police chief Caleb Harmon becomes their only hope for survival and one of the few people Penny'll trust.


My Review:
Dangerous Texas Hideout is a Christian romantic suspense. Penny will do anything to protect her daughter, who's now in danger because she's the critical witness in a bank robbery case. No matter where they went to hide, the bad guys found them. Caleb and the others in the case were busy looking for who was leaking their location and trying to protect Penny and her daughter. The suspense came from the repeated attacks on Penny and her daughter. Penny's dead husband was an abuser, so she liked that she felt safe and admired around Caleb. His mother abandoned him as a tween, so Caleb admired that Penny was so devoted to her daughter (plus Penny's pretty). One thing I didn't get was why Caleb was convinced Penny couldn't someday come back to visit him if she and her daughter went into witness protection. The girl was only in danger until the trial was over, so they could come back afterward. Caleb and Penny got married almost immedately after they stopped the attacker, so that was a pretty rushed stranger-to-married timeline.

The main characters were enagaging. Penny learned that she could trust that God is good and in control even when bad things are happening. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable romantic suspense.


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

Celebrating Tina by Sara Blackard

Celebrating Tina
by Sara Blackard

ISBN-13: 978-1954301122
Paperback: 164 pages
Publisher: Sara Blackard
Released: March 1, 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Tina West has spent her life feeling like she stood on the outside, but since taking a job at Stryker Security, life seems to be turning for the better. Tina never imagined when she took a job as a nanny she’d end up training for search and rescue. Yet, when her boss shows up with a retired military dog and the opportunity to train with him, Tina snatches up the chance to help those who are lost. Maybe she could find meaning in a life that left her with nothing but a bruised heart and a tarnished picture of family.

Since his father’s murder, Milo Bishop has worked hard to make sure his mom and brother were provided for. He joined the police force straight out of high school, took night classes so he could move up to investigator, and put his life on hold until his brother graduated from college. But when he is rescued on Thanksgiving Day by Tina West, his well-laid plans take a sharp detour.

Then a series of kidnappings threaten to ruin the holidays. Can Tina and Milo find the abducted children before it’s too late?


My Review:
Celebrating Tina is a romantic suspense. It's part of a series but works as a standalone. Tina grew up in foster care and felt like she didn't have a family or really belonged anywhere. She knew Milo when they were younger and had a crush on him. Milo's dad died when Milo was a teenager, so he's super-responsible. He's so busy between his job as a police detective and caring for his mother and irresponsible younger brother that he had no time for romance.

Tina's out training with her Search and Rescue K9 when she's diverted to find Milo, who's had a skiing accident. Then he invited her to join his family for a Christmas event, and a child's abducted. More children were abducted over the next few days, and Tina used her K9 to track each child but was too late to save them. The suspense came from the danger to the children and the need to find them quickly. Tina's the one to finally figure it out and call Milo in. I liked that he respected her abilities and supported her. They generally worked well together, and I could understand why they were attracted to each other. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting romantic suspense.


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

The Dog Across the Lake by Krista Davis

The Dog Across the Lake
by Krista Davis

ISBN-13: 9780593436974
Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Berkley
Released: January 2, 2024

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Holly Miller is looking forward to her Oma's upcoming birthday and family reunion. Enjoying an early morning on her terrace, she spots a reddish-gold pooch across the lake and is shocked to find the very same dog smiling at her in bed when she wakes up the next morning! Trixie and Twinkletoes appear to accept this cute stranger, but Holly doesn’t know to whom he belongs.

Oma thinks the dog looks familiar, and it turns out the wayward pooch belongs to Holly’s cousin Josh. Holly knew her cousin well as a child, but she hasn’t seen him in over a decade. He’s camping with his girlfriend across the lake. Holly returns the cute dog to Josh’s campsite twice, but the second time, Josh and his girlfriend are nowhere to be found. Instead, a guest of the Sugar Maple Inn is dead in their tent. Now it's up to Holly and Trixie to suss out a sneaky killer.


My Review:
The Dog Across the Lake is a cozy mystery. It's the 9th book in a series. You don't need to read the previous books to understand this story, and this book didn't spoil the previous ones.

There's a bit of family drama as Oma's children and grandchildren arrived to celebrate her birthday. The mystery was clue-based though not really a puzzle mystery. I actually did guess whodunit long before Holly, but it wasn't based on the clues that Holly was collecting. Holly asked questions and observed people. She tended to jump to conclusions until further information made her doubt those ideas. The characters were interesting and engaging. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this fun 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.

Double Take by Lynette Eason

Double Take
by Lynette Eason

ISBN-13: 9780800741198
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Revell
Released: January 9, 2024

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from Goodreads:
Detective James Cross has been honorably discharged from the Army Criminal Investigation Division due to wounds sustained when an IED blew up near him. Now with the Lake City Police Department, he's rooming with this good buddy and partner, Cole, while he figures out his family dynamics.

Physician Assistant Lainie Jackson is eighteen months out from an attempted murder perpetrated by her ex, which ended when she managed to grab the weapon and shoot him. When he appears to have survived and is back to finish the job he started, Lainie insists it's not possible. But someone keeps trying to kill her, and she keeps seeing his face.

Together, Lainie and James must work together to find out who, exactly, is after her and why he wants her dead. And failure is not an option.


My Review:
Double Take is a romantic suspense. Lainie feels like a victim and a door mat. Her family's a mess, with her mother having a mental illness and her siblings wanting nothing to do with their parents. She wanted a normal family so badly that she initially overlooked how her fiancé started to treat her. When she dumped him, he tried to kill her. She's finally recovering from that trauma when she suddenly sees Adam again. She's certain it must be someone who looks like him, only, every trace of his death is being erased. Why? Who is this man, or is it possible Adam actually survived?

James' father refused to talk with him after James became a police officer, so he had his own family problems to work through. He and his partner investigated Lainie's case while keeping her safe. The high suspense came from the deadly danger to Lainie. The main characters were capable, likable people who reacted realistically to events. James built Lainie up and showed her that she's a fighter, not a victim. They worked well together. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this exciting story.


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

Kingdom of Beauty by Deborah Grace White

Kingdom of Beauty
by Deborah Grace White

ISBN-13: 978-1925898675
ebook: 384 pages
Publisher: Luminant Publications
Released: April 19, 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from Goodreads:
After a lifetime with a grief-stricken father and a self-absorbed brother, Felicity isn’t daunted by sacrifice. But when protecting her father means falling afoul of the curse that has swallowed the Summer Castle, and Prince Justin along with it, her own safety is not all that’s at stake. The prince’s monstrous form is the least of her concerns—the whole castle has been trapped by his pride, and his absence from the capital is driving the kingdom to ruin.

Justin was born to be a king, not a beast. Between the inhuman coldness he learned from his father, the humiliation of his cursed form, and his powerlessness against his hidden enemies back in the capital, laughter is the last thing on his mind. But even though she’s a prisoner, nothing seems to dampen the intruder’s maddening cheerfulness. Justin has to break his curse, and he needs someone like Felicity to do it. But as she begins to thaw the ice around his heart, he discovers her past is not what it seems.

With time running out, not just for the castle’s inhabitants, but for the kingdom of Albury, they will need more than the help of a dragon to break the curse and prevent disaster before it’s too late. But for all Felicity’s warmth and laughter, even she could never look at Justin and like what she sees.


My Review:
Kingdom of Beauty is a young adult fantasy, a retelling of Beauty and the Beast. This retelling had some depth to it and was more than just the romance angle. Justin used his magic mirror to watch what's happening in his capital, where he should be king. His Regent's following bad advice and Justin knows he could do better, but the Summer Castle is invisible to outsiders and those inside can't leave. He can't help his country until someone of worth likes what they see when they look at him, and he must also learn to value another more than himself. A hard task for someone who looks like a beast and who was brought up by his cruel father to never trust others as it makes you vulnerable.

Felicity’s used to making the best of bad situations and tended to laugh even when it wasn't really appropriate. Justin didn't like this as he never learned to laugh, let alone at himself, but at least she's able to see him as a person despite outward appearances. Felicity had to make a point about her trustworthiness because he's so quick to doubt it.

The characters were likable and grew through their experiences. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting fairytale retelling.


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.

Fragile Designs by Colleen Coble

Fragile Designs
by Colleen Coble

ISBN-13: 9780785253853
Hardcover: 354 pages
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Released: January 2, 2024

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
There’s only one thing more dangerous than family secrets. Since her police-officer husband Eric’s mysterious murder, Carly Harris has been struggling to support herself and their infant son. Her career as an antique dealer isn’t sustainable, nor is her dream of becoming a novelist. So when her grandmother proposes she and her two sisters restore the family’s large Beaufort home and turn it into a bed-and-breakfast, she gets to work on preparing for sale some old items from her great-grandmother. In the process, she uncovers a family secret that Eric kept hidden. And an heirloom that the wrong person wouldn’t hesitate to kill for.

Homicide detective Lucas Bennet isn’t his neighbor’s biggest fan, not since she broke his brother’s heart years ago. But when Carly turns to Lucas for help, believing she’s found a lost Fabergé egg that would be worth millions and that could put her family’s lives in danger, he can’t help but get involved. Soon, they’re entangled in a mystery with threads that lead all the way to the Russian mafia. Lucas has gotten in deep, and while he trusts his ability to keep Carly and her family safe, he begins to realize he misjudged Carly. As they continue working closely together, Carly and Lucas realize they may have found something more precious than gold. Yet it’s only a matter of time before Carly—or, worse, someone she loves—gets hurt.


My Review:
Fragile Designs is a Christian romantic suspense. Carly feels like she has to earn her family's love and that it's her responsibility to make her younger sisters happy after being abandoned by their father. She has been taking the blame even when she knows it's not her fault because she doesn't want her sisters to dislike their father or her husband, with the result that they dislike her. She comes to realize that her behavior isn't helping anyone, and she attempts to change.

Initially, she's thrilled to find the historic, valuable Fabergé egg and is eager to research the story behind how it came to be in her possession. But when several groups come after it and aren't afraid to kill anyone standing in their way (mainly each other), she worries for her family. They're more valuable than the millions that the egg's worth. Her neighbor, detective Lucas, helps protect them while solving who's after the egg.

The main characters were likable, complex, and reacted realistically to events. The suspense came from the danger to her family and anyone connected to or after the egg. There was also plenty of family drama adding to the mix. Lucas supported Carly in her effort to no longer take blame and guilt from her family, and he protected them all during the danger. Carly and Lucas came to admire each other's character as they spent time together. Carly hadn't the best experience with marriage while Lucas didn't feel he could find a wife able to deal with his job, so both had to overcome their reservations about marriage.

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