An Unexpected Grace by Tracie Peterson & Kimberley Woodhouse

An Unexpected Grace
by Tracie Peterson &
Kimberley Woodhouse

ISBN-13: 9780764239014
Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Bethany House
Released: May 20, 2025

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
After a decade away, Parker Bennett returns home with a traveling troupe to perform a play based on Uncle Tom's Cabin at the Kalispell Opera House. Parker has relished his life on the road, but being home awakens long-buried emotions when he encounters his first love, Johanna St. John. He can't help but wonder if there might still be a place for him in her heart.

Widowed for three years, Johanna's husband's father is determined to marry her despite her repeated and clear . devotes all her time to a demanding toddler, an injured father, and a successful millinery business. After the loss of her husband, she's unsure of what lies ahead. Both committed to God's distinct calling on their lives, Johanna and Parker struggle to see how their futures can unite.


My Review:
An Unexpected Grace is a Christian romance set in 1905 in Montana. This is the 3rd book in the series but can be read as a standalone. Ten years before, Parker went to seminary, intending to marry Johanna and become a preacher in Kalispell when he finished. Without consulting anyone, he quit school and accepted a position as an actor in a travelling acting troupe, mainly performing Shakespeare. He expected Johanna (whom he knew felt called to marry a preacher) to happily marry him--love is enough!--and create their family on the road. She's shocked. That wasn't what she agreed to, and she called off their engagement.

When he returns 10 years later, he's growing tired of traveling, misses his family, and realizes that fame hasn't presented him with the opportunities to present the Gospel that he'd expected. Johanna's still wonderful, and her daughter's charming. He once again made his decisions about his future without consulting anyone, which made things hard on Johanna, who loved him but thought a relationship meant she'd have to join his traveling lifestyle with a toddler and a father who needed her help.

At the same time, Johanna's dead husband's brother was determined to marry her despite her repeated and clear statements that she would never marry him and didn't trust or like him. He's determined to force her into accepting him, either from financial need or to stop his threat of accusing her of being a poor mother and so take her daughter from her. Happily, Johanna asked for help from the Judge (her friend) and had friends in the community. The villain descended into insanity, determine to kill those she loves--like that would convince her. The end got a little far-fetched. Also, the villain's ability to prevent Johanna from learning of her inheritance (which he wanted) seemed unrealistic to me.

The romance was predictable but enjoyable. The villain thought himself very clever but was illogical and stupid. I liked Johanna, but I was exasperated that Parker didn't learn from the past and discuss with Johanna his changing feelings about life as a traveling actor. Johanna trusted God despite the hard things happening to her family. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this book to fans of the series.


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.

Dead Or Alive by Bill Kitson

Dead Or Alive
by Bill Kitson

ISBN-13: 9781805730958
Kindle: 272 pages
Publisher: Joffe Books
Released: May 13, 2025

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.


Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Two dead bodies, locked in a disused mortuary in the basement of a hospital that shut its doors over twenty years ago. The victims have been shot in the head, execution style, leaving no evidence and no solid leads for DI Mike Nash to go on.

The deeper Nash digs, the more he realizes that these bodies are tied to a dark history of crime and betrayal, and a past case with more loose ends than Nash cares to remember. It’s not long before a third body surfaces. This time the scene’s awash with DNA, belonging to a man who died decades ago. Now Nash must face the chilling possibility that his oldest adversary is behind it all, watching and waiting to take his own brand of deadly vengeance .


My Review:
Dead Or Alive is a police detective mystery. It's the 18th book in a series and ties up loose ends from a previous mystery, but it can be understood even if you haven't read any of the other books (like me). Nash heads a team of detectives, and they solve a series of crimes (thefts of oil, cars, jewelry) while working on several murders that appear to be linked. The story focused mostly on the investigation (asking questions, following up leads, etc.) rather than on developing the characters or the setting. There were some scenes from the point-of-view of the bad guys, so the reader has more idea of what's going on than the detectives. It's not really a puzzle for the reader, just reading to discover how Nash and his team will solve the crimes.

There was a minor amount of bad language. There were no sex scenes (though there were several references to couples sharing a bed or finding comfort in each other). Overall, I'd recommend this mystery to fans of action-focused detective 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.

Capture the Moment by Suzanne Woods Fisher

Capture the Moment
by Suzanne Woods Fisher

ISBN-13: 9780800745318
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Revell
Released: May 6, 2025

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Kate Cunningham has the opportunity of a lifetime. As a zoo photographer, she's spent years photographing animals in carefully controlled environments, but now National Geographic has dangled an irresistible prize: If Kate can snag a unique photo of a legendary bear in Grand Teton National Park, they might publish it. Kate's eager to prove herself in the wild. 

With more enthusiasm than experience, Kate soon realizes that capturing an image of this bear isn't as simple as she hoped. Fortunately, she crosses paths with Grant Cooper, a seasonal park ranger who knows the terrain--and the bears--better than anyone. His tracking skills could be exactly what Kate needs to succeed, and it doesn't hurt that he's easy on the eyes. But they're not the only ones with an interest in the park's most famous bear. An illegal hunter wants the bear as his final hunting trophy, and he's found someone willing to help him get the bear.


My Review:
Capture the Moment is a Christian romance. A lot of experienced wildlife photographers want a memorable picture of a famous mama bear in Grand Teton National Park. Kate soon realizes that she'll never get published in National Geographic if she keeps standing next to her competition, but no one knows when the mama bear is coming out of hibernation or even if she's still alive. Coop would rather be in the back country than keep a eye on photographers, though rescuing the inexperienced Kate and giving her tips is enjoyable. When Kate learns Coop knows where mama bear's den is, she asks him to take her on the difficult hike into an area the public isn't supposed to go into in order to get her prize shot. Throw in a teen boy whom Coop has to mentor, his boss's 13-year-old, very enthusiastic (about everything) daughter who keeps hanging around, and rumors of illegal hunting, and he has his hands full.

The characters were well-developed, likable, and acted in realistic ways. Though I can't believe that Kate was willing to risk damage to her beloved, expensive camera to get that critical picture without even checking that the motion sensor function on the camera worked. Or knowing that the teen girl can't stop talking or moving, that they took her along when she and Kate would have to sit in the vehicle for 2-3 hours. And I don't think the author actually knows what waders are as Kate often walked around in them like boots. But the story was entertaining. Kate and Coop got along well and built each other up. The kids found some healing in their families.

Several characters didn't believe in God but became more open to a relationship with Him through events in the story. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable, entertaining romance and park adventure.


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.

When Maidens Mourn by C.S. Harris

When Maidens Mourn
by C.S. Harris

ISBN-13: 9780451235770
Hardcover: 341 pages
Publisher: NAL
Released: March 6, 2012

Source: Borrowed from library.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Regency England, August 1812. Sebastian's plans to escape the heat of London for a honeymoon are shattered when the murdered body of Hero's good friend, Gabrielle Tennyson, is discovered drifting in a battered boat at the site of a long-vanished castle known as Camlet Moat. A beautiful young antiquarian, Miss Tennyson had recently provoked an uproar with her controversial identification of the island as the location of Camelot. Missing and presumed also dead are Gabrielle's two young cousins, nine-year-old George and three-year-old Alfred.

Still struggling to define the nature of their new marriage, Sebastian and Hero find themselves occasionally working at cross-purposes as their investigation leads from London's medieval Inns of Court to its seedy back alleys, and from grand country homes to rural enclaves where ancient Celtic beliefs still hold sway. As he probes deeper, Sebastian also discovers dark secrets at the heart of the Tennyson family, and an enigmatic young French lieutenant with a dangerous, mysterious secret of his own.

Racing to unmask a ruthless killer and unravel the puzzle of the missing children, Sebastian and Hero soon find both their lives and their growing love for each other at risk as their investigation leads to Hero's father, who is also Sebastian's long-time nemesis.


My Review:
When Maidens Mourn is a mystery set in 1812 in London. This book is the 7th in a series. You can understand it without having read the previous novels, and it didn't spoil the whodunits of the previous mysteries.

The characters were interesting, complex, and acted in realistic ways. The historical information was woven into the story without slowing the pacing. It created a distinct feeling of that specific time and place and helped bring the story alive in my imagination. Sebastian investigated by questioning suspects and witnesses. Sebastian tracked down leads and asked good questions. There were plenty of suspects, and I did not suspect whodunit. We didn't get the critical clues to whodunit until nearly the end.

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