Pride and Practicality by Pepper Basham

Pride and Practicality
by Pepper Basham

ISBN-13: 9780840717719
Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Released: November 3, 2026

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Thomas Bridges, the new rector of St. Groves, has a simple plan: gain the support of local wealthy parishioners to finance a boarding school for the orphans of St. Groves. With his stellar reputation and good heart, everything seems to be working well, even if he has to avoid his mother's matchmaking with the eligible ladies of the town. But his plans are rerouted when the "lost" sister of Lord Ravenscross returns and she happens to be the same woman in which he shared a secret and unexpected kiss eight months before.

Arianna Reeves has returned home a secret heiress, trying to redeem her past. With money to spare, a desire to earn back the favor of those she loves, and a hope of being useful she not only puts herself in harm's way to help the children of St. Groves but creates an "anonymous benefactress" to support Thomas Bridges' plan. However, their mutual attraction threatens to not only defrock Thomas but also ruin all their best-laid plans for the children.

When a man from Arianna's past comes to St. Groves with a plan to expose Thomas and Arianna's secret, their future together seems impossible.


My Review:
Pride and Practicality is a lust-motivated romance set around 1814 in England. However, the main characters were very modern in their attitudes so it didn't feel true to the period. I mean, Arianna rudely told off Thomas' uncle (whom she needed to impress to marry Thomas) and thought this would be the way to win him over. She was rude to a lot of people due respect and felt justified. Anyway, Arianna at least didn't try to hide that she'd made the choices that led to her ruin, but she also proudly refused to try to repair her reputation. She wouldn't even take a companion with her when visiting the rough sections of town and brothels. Rather than learning from her past, she actually encouraged Thomas to kiss her and welcomed it.

Thomas viewed himself as so much more morally pure than his fellow clergymen, yet he fell in lust at first kiss (taken in a dark garden with a woman he didn't know, which may have started accidently but sure didn't end that way). When he met Arianna again, he was constantly thinking about kissing her, nearly kissing her in public (thus making their reputations worse), then kissing her every chance he got, including in a dark closet. By the end, he's willing to give up his calling as a rector so he can bed her. He knows so little about her and has no plans for how he can support her (as he doesn't know she's rich), but that didn't matter.

And don't tell me he loved her: he helped her by sending her off to a compassionate rich woman and never followed up to find out if she made it or how she was doing. When they met again, he didn't try to find out much about what had happened (like who her seducer was, which caused problems later). She had no respect for him. She wouldn't follow his advice, no matter how sensible, and would stubbornly fight with him for no real reason. He'd just think about how that passion would be in the bedroom. Her own brother warned him she'd always be stubbornly defying him but, hey, the making up afterward would make it worth it! Seriously? This is a "Christian" book? No wonder we have so many divorces.

There were no sex scenes (though plenty of passionate kissing 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.

Montana Christmas Target by Terri Reed

Montana Christmas Target
by Terri Reed

ISBN-13: 9780369784551
ebook: 208 pages
Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense
Released: October 27, 2026

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Sculptor Fiona Halverson is shocked to stumble upon her ex-fiancé’s murder—just before a masked attacker attempts to abduct her. She’s rescued by FBI Special Agent Bryce Springs, who is investigating a counterfeit ring that points directly to Fiona’s art gallery. Forced to flee from a dangerous crime boss during a brutal blizzard, Fiona and Bryce must uncover how her gallery became part of a criminal operation—and prove her innocence. Facing armed adversaries and the treacherous storm, they’ll risk everything to expose the truth.


My Review:
Montana Christmas Target is a Christian romantic suspense. Fiona agreed to marry a man that encouraged her sculpting and sold her art, but she broke it off when she found him with another woman. Worse, she's now discovered that he stole money from her and used her to enable a counterfeit bill operation. If she wasn't so clearly a target of bad men trying to kidnap her, Bryce would assume she was in on it. Instead, she's willing to help him get information from her business computers to track down the bad guys. He had to keep her safe and free while working with other law enforcement to stop the head of the counterfeit ring.

Fiona was repeatedly attacked and even kidnapped, but she never stopped trying to get free while thwarting the bad guys. Bryce admired her character and beauty, but his job always came first, which broke up a past relationship. She appreciated that he risked his life to protect and help rescue her. Still, she doubted her judgment after trusting such a manipulator as her murdered ex-fiancé. The main characters were engaging, interesting, and reacted realistically to events. There was no bad language or sex. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable suspense.


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

A Scheming in Parliament by Erica Vetsch

A Scheming in Parliament
by Erica Vetsch

ISBN-13: 9780825448638
Paperback: 312 pages
Publisher: Kregel Publications
Released: August 1, 2025

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Sir Bertrand Thorndike is tasked with investigating the halls of Parliament from the inside. With his new position as a member of the House of Commons, he has access to the power brokers of English government. His tactic is to listen and learn, careful not to reveal his true motives, and he’s quickly inducted into the mysterious Theban Club.

Miss Philippa Cashel's mission, the Princess Charlotte Eleos School for Women in Need, is thriving with donations, and the students are learning skills to help them earn their livings in honorable ways. But when a dear friend's past is revealed by blackmail, Philippa must wrestle with the question, Is it ever right to do the wrong thing?

Bertie's and Philippa's missions collide when Bertie uncovers a dangerous plot involving vulnerable women. He and Philippa join forces against the corruption threatening England's government.


My Review:
A Scheming in Parliament is a Christian romance set in 1816 in England. This is the second book in a trilogy about Philippa and Bertrand and continues their story. While it can be read as a standalone, I'd recommend reading the trilogy in order.

Philippa had to deal with the challenges of running a mission to help prostitutes learn a skill and find a job in another trade. One woman that took refuge there had been drugged, abused, and barely managed to escape the men forcing her into sexual slavery. Bertrand acted as a spy in the House of Commons to discover who was managing to pressure other MPs to vote his way. He joined the men's club at the center of the scheming and discovered how the blackmail was carried out.

They worked together to uncover information and then rescued some people who were being held captive. Philippa enjoyed the respect that Bertrand showed her, but her reputation was already iffy so I was disappointed that he risked her reputation (if she'd been recognized) several times. The ending, where Philippa's determined to never marry in one scene and agreed to a pretend engagement in the next, left me surprised by the sudden change. However, overall, it was an enjoyable story with engaging characters.

Historical details were woven into the story. There was an ongoing theme of everyone asking themselves, "Is it ever right to do the wrong thing?" Which is a little odd for spies to be asking, as obviously they think their job is justified, but hey. Philippa explained to several woman about God's forgiveness through Christ. There were no sex scenes 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.

A Thieving at Carlton House by Erica Vetsch

A Thieving at Carlton House
by Erica Vetsch

ISBN-13: 9780825448621
Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Kregel Publications
Released: September 1, 2024

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
The Prince Regent has asked Sir Bertrand Thorndike to head an investigation into stolen royal jewels. It's the perfect chance for Bertie to step out of his brother's long shadow. His superior, the Duke of Haverly, wants him to form his own team. However, Bertie must change his persona along with his role, reforming his rakish reputation.

Philippa Cashel escaped a life as one of society's best-known courtesans and now devotes her time to helping other women in dire straits. Her hope is that laboring hard enough at her charity work will allow her to feel worthy of God's forgiveness of her past. So when Sir Bertrand Thorndike approaches her about becoming an agent of the Crown, she is skeptical. Why her? She's focused on getting her school for underprivileged women up and running, not on cloak-and-dagger skullduggery.

But when two of Philippa's rescued girls are accussed of stealing the jewels, Philippa risks partnering with Bertie to find the loot and stop a killer.


My Review:
A Thieving at Carlton House is a Christian romance set in 1816 in England. Philippa and Bertrand have shown up as secondary characters in previous trilogies, and now characters from those stories make appearances in their trilogy. However, you can understand this story without reading the other stories since the author provided the needed background information.

Philippa was forced to earn her keep as a courtesan when her father, an Earl, cast off his mistress, her mother. She's never forgiven him, but her half-sister offered her a way out of that life and supports her efforts to create a charity school to help other prostitutes learn a skill and gain a placement in another trade. Due to her past, she didn't feel worthy of God's love. She came to accept and give forgiveness.

Bertrand enjoys spying but felt out of his depth acting as a detective. The servants at Carlton House won't talk to him, leaving him with very few clues. He treated Philippa with the utmost respect, like a lady, making her wonder if his reputation wasn't accurate. They worked together to solve the case and start the charity, supporting each other's talents. Historical details were woven into the story. There were no sex scenes 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.

Missing in New Mexico by Kathleen Tailer

Missing in New Mexico
by Kathleen Tailer
Caroline Turner Cole (Narrator)

ISBN-13: 9781488240218
Audiobook, Unabridged: 288 pages
Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense
Released: Sept. 29, 2026

Source: audiobook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Sheriff Joaquin Fuentes stumbles upon a desert car crash in New Mexico, rescuing Luann St. John from the smoking wreckage—but this was no accident. Someone sabotaged her vehicle to stop her from uncovering the truth about a twenty-year-old plane crash tied to her father’s disappearance and diamond smuggling accusations. As danger closes in, Joaquin is determined to protect Luann, even as they’re hunted at every turn. The truth could clear her father’s name—or drag Joaquin and Luann into a deadly grave.


My Review:
Missing in New Mexico is a Christian romantic suspense. Joaquin was abandoned by his wife, who divorced him and left him and their daughter behind. Luann has wondered for 20 years if her father abandoned her mother and her, stealing diamonds and fleeing the country. The loving father she remembers would have contacted them if he was still alive. Convinced that her father was forced by the true thief to board a small plane that later crashed, she traveled to the crash area to find out the truth. As soon as she started asking questions about the crash, someone started trying to kill her and Sheriff Joaquin became involved.

The main characters were engaging and reacted realistically to events. The suspense came from the attacks on Luann, from car crashes to arson to shooting. Joaquin was attracted by her beauty and determination to find the truth. She appreciated that he was willing to protect her even to the point of potentially dying to save her. They came to care about each other as they spent time investigating what happened to her father. They were both Christians and asked God for guidance and protection. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable suspense novel.

The narrator of the audiobook did a good job, making it easy to follow who was talking and what was going on. She used different voices for the different characters and narrated the story in a way that allowed me to become immersed in the 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.

Fatal Pattern by Kate Angelo

Fatal Patter
by Kate Angelo

ISBN-13: 9780800746643
Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Revell
Released: September 15, 2026

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
A stalker attacks forensic psychologist Dr. Tori Crew at knifepoint, shattering the strong independence she's built since her parents' unsolved murder. Forced into an off-the-books criminal investigation, Tori must push her expertise—and her fiercely guarded heart—to the breaking point as a killer's pattern emerges.

Homicide Detective Blade St. James has been Tori's friend and protector since childhood. Haunted by his own past of parental abandonment, Blade is determined to build a stable life and find the peace that always seems just out of reach. But when Tori's life is threatened, his protective instincts shift into overdrive. As they are plunged deep into a conspiracy with roots in her past, the boundary of their friendship blurs as danger closes in and their hearts reveal a truth they can no longer deny. Can they unmask the sophisticated serial killer before they become the final, fatal piece in the pattern?


My Review:
Fatal Pattern is a Christian romantic suspense. It's the second book in the series. Even though this book had different main characters than the first book, I felt like I was missing a lot of information because I hadn't read it. For example, the main criminal of the first book was killed while in prison. I only knew of one criminal in that case (whom Tori and Blade had just interviewed in prison, the interview cut short due to a lockdown). I assumed he was dead until they went to talk with him again! Also, people and the author kept commenting about how Tori and Blade's shared past gave them a close bond but this past wasn't described until near the end. Anyway, I'd recommend reading these books in order.

While there was suspense from repeated attacks by Tori's stalker, the pacing felt slow. The author included a lot of unnecessary details, like a description of every car Blade drove around. When they interviewed a prisoner who knew about the death's of Tori's parents, he talked about how interested he was in fractals. They dismissed his comments as delay tactics. Then Blade saw a fractal painting during another interview (about a murder), and Tori dismissed it as a distraction. After yet another interview where fractals were mentioned, they finally caught on. Basically, it just seemed like they didn't catch on to significant things very quickly.

The main characters were complex, well-developed, and likable. Tori and Blade worked well together since they'd known each other for many years. It took events and some nudges from friends before they realized that they cared about each other romantically and not just as close friends. They also had to work through their childhood traumas as the current events brought up things that started in their pasts. They worked together to interview people, look at crime scenes, and make profiles to solve the current killings and the cold case of her parents' murders. In the process, they peeled back how deep the corruption in the area had gotten (which is an ongoing part of the series).

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

K-9 Prime Target by Cindi Myers

K-9 Prime Target
by Cindi Myers
Steve Campbell (Narrator)

ISBN-13: 9781488240256
Audiobook, Unabridged
Publisher: Harlequin Intrigue
Released: Sept. 1, 2026

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Videographer Liam Davis is hired to film promotional material for a ski resort with the focus on Olympic medalist Nina Rose. She's currently a ski patroller there, and he once had a brief relationship with her. When she begins receiving threatening notes, Liam is determined to keep her safe since no one else seems to take the threat seriously. Nina is determined to maintain normalcy. Her stalker ruined her life once and she vows to avoid a repeat. Plus, her K-9 Sky is always watchful. But when Nina’s worst nightmare materializes, will her protectors Liam and Sky be enough to keep her alive?


My Review:
K-9 Prime Target is a romantic suspense. Nina survived a serious physical attack by a stalker fan. He was sent to prison, but he's just been released. Now she's receiving notes that sound just like him. Because they don't sound threatening, no one takes her seriously except Liam--who saw the lead up to the past attack--and her fellow ski patrol pals. Liam tried to protect her and backed her up when people didn't take her seriously, but he also suspected that maybe one of her other admirers may be mimicking the stalker.

The main characters were likable and reacted realistically to events. The suspense came from the escalating threat of the stalker. Liam helped Nina feel safe (at least when he was around) and he helped provide moments of normalcy and pleasure. They had a physical relationship when they last were together and soon resumed that relationship. There was one minimally described sex scene and repeated references to making love after that. There was no bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this suspense.

The narrator of the audiobook did a good job, making it easy to follow who was talking and what was going on. He used different voices for the different characters and narrated the story in a way that allowed me to become immersed in the 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.

In These Hills by Tamera Alexander

In These Hills
by Tamera Alexander

ISBN-13: 9781496475626
Hardcover: 416 pages
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers
Released: September 8, 2026

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
1905. Josephine Dunham is running for her life. After a women’s suffrage rally in Atlanta turns deadly, she buys a one-way ticket on the first train out and lands in rural Tennessee. There, Dodge Coburn—a rough-edged stranger with undeniable appeal—begrudgingly offers her a ride to Lynchburg, a speck of a town where Josephine hopes to disappear.

Battered and desperate, Josephine has little to say when Dodge delivers her to Miss Mary Bobo’s Boarding House. Hoping to work in exchange for room and board, she soon discovers the only job matching her skills is at Jack Daniel’s Distillery, an irony not lost on a suffragist committed to prohibition.

Dodge is skeptical of Josephine’s claim that she’s on the run from an abusive husband. But between running Jack Daniel’s cattle farm and raising his young niece, he has little time or inclination to press her. When Josephine’s convictions and compassion draw him in, Dodge begins to consider marriage, while Josephine must face a world far more complicated than the principles she’s held to.

As Jack Daniel’s Distillery gains national recognition, Josephine’s secrets resurface. In a place where whiskey making takes time but justice is too often hurried, Dodge and Josephine must decide what—and who—they’re willing to risk everything for.


My Review:
In These Hills is a romance set in 1905 in Tennessee. Josephine's parents and twin brother worked to help others, but her brother was murdered and her parents died soon after, leaving her alone in the world. She's found purpose in the women's suffrage movement only to be attacked in an alley by the mayor's son who wants to teach her a lesson. She hits him then can't find his pulse. She certainly won't get justice even if it was self-defense. With unexpected help, she manages to get to a town remote enough that she hopes no one will hear the news about her. She believes that alcohol is responsible for men abusing women, so she's not sure how to handle the kindness of whiskey-maker Jack Daniel, who offers her a job as his office manager. Dodge keeps an eye on her, not fully trusting her, but he has a cattle crisis to deal with along with raising his dead sister's daughter.

Josephine came to snap judgments about practically everyone she met, and she kept assuming the worst about Dodge despite the way he helped her. Josephine did grow as she got to know people and learned that some issues aren't as clear-cut as she thought. If you like 'justice wins out despite all odds' endings, this isn't one of those stories.

The characters were interesting, acted realistically, and I cared about what happened to them. The historical details were woven into the story and brought the setting to life in my imagination. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting novel.


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

Texas Cold Case Murder by Laura Scott

Texas Cold Case Murder
by Laura Scott
Emily Sutton-Smith (Narrator)

ISBN-13: 9781488239045
Audiobook, Unabridged: 203 pages
Publisher: Harlequin Audio
Released: Aug. 25, 2026

Source: audiobook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Texas Ranger tech specialist Nina Dobson is determined to uncover the truth about her identity and her birth mother’s unsolved murder when she suddenly comes under gunfire. The danger intensifies as she discovers her uncle dead, forcing her to flee. Desperate for assistance, she reaches out to Texas Ranger Jackson Woodlow. With threats emerging from every direction, Jackson instantly assumes the role of protector. Together, they delve into Nina’s mysterious family past, each clue drawing them further into peril. Can they outsmart a killer who wants a secret to stay buried?


My Review:
Texas Cold Case Murder is a Christian romantic suspense. Nina was adopted as a baby after her mother was found murdered and never identified. Using a DNA family-finding service, she connected with an uncle with a criminal past. He said her mother's death was his fault but he'll only answer her questions in person. Yet he has just been murdered when she arrives, and now hit men are after her, too. Is it related to a drug-related case where her team will be called on to testify or is it about her mother's murder?

Nina and Jackson investigated, uncovering clues and interviewing people. The suspense came from the ongoing attacks on them. The main characters were engaging and reacted realistically to events. Nina liked and trusted Jackson, but he's known for dating casually so she's wary. He's admired her for some time. Now that he's a Christian, he has not dated at all but hopes that Nina will someday show an interest in him.

Jackson prayed briefly before every meal, often asking for guidance on solving the case and for safety. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable suspense novel.

The narrator of the audiobook did a good job of saying the text in a way consistent with the text (with surprise if surprised, etc.) and it was easy to follow who was talking and what was going on. She read the story in a way that easily kept my interest.


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.

Hunting an Arsonist by Jessica R. Patch

Hunting an Arsonist
by Jessica R. Patch
Lisa Larsen (Narrator)

ISBN-13: 9781488239014
Audiobook, Unabridged: 367 pages
Publisher: Harlequin Audio
Released: Aug. 25, 2026

Source: audiobook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Forensic mechanic Helena Rutherford is investigating a serial arsonist targeting young women when her own house is set ablaze, trapping her inside. Officer Trevor Slate and his K-9 partner, Lark, arrive just in time to save her from the flames. But the discovery of her missing best friend’s bones among the ashes upends everything, drawing them into a puzzling cold case. With a dangerous killer on their tail, Helena and Trevor must unravel the mysteries of both cases before she becomes the next victim.


My Review:
Hunting an Arsonist is a Christian romantic suspense. When he was a young teenager, Trevor's mother ran into a burning home in an attempt to rescue his sister. His mother ended up with debilitating COPD. As penance for not running in himself, he's dedicated his life to caring for her and works with an arson detection K9 to solve arsons. Helena feels like no one could love her because she loves working as a forensic mechanic and isn't traditionally 'girly.' She and Trevor worked on three cases: the ongoing series mystery of the kidnapped pregnant girls, the serial killer arsonist case they had been working on, and the cold case of Helena's missing best friend.

Helena and Trevor actively investigated the cases, uncovering clues using their skills and interviewing suspects. They sifted through the evidence until they discovered the truth. The suspense came from the attacks on Helena and other women. The main characters were engaging and reacted realistically to events. Trevor didn't believe he deserved a loving relationship or life outside of caring for his mother, so he struggled to embrace a relationship with Helena even though he admired and cared for her. Helena had trouble believing he genuinely cared for her, especially as he gave mixed signals. They had to work through these hurts to find love.

Trevor believed that his mother would go to heaven, and both Trevor and Helena believed in God. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable suspense novel.

The narrator of the audiobook got into the story, reading the story in a dramatic way. She did a good job of saying the text in a way consistent with the text (with surprise if surprised, etc.) and it was easy to follow who was talking and what was going on.


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.

Vanished in Montana by Jenna Night

Vanished in Montana
by Jenna Night

ISBN-13: 9781335919144
Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense
Released: August 25, 2026

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from NetGalley:
While delving into a mother-and-daughter disappearance, true crime podcaster Julia Crane receives an ominous threat at knifepoint: Stop the investigation or else. Narrowly rescued by Deputy Max Lone, Julia is more determined than ever to solve the ten-year-old cold case, now with the military veteran by her side. But as the new partners track down clues, the relentless attacks by unknown assailants go from dangerous to life-threatening. With dwindling hope that the missing victims are alive, can Julia and Max uncover the truth?


My Review:
Vanished in Montana is a Christian romantic suspense. Julia does true crime podcasts, yet she picked a case that no one's sure that a crime even happened. A mother and daughter at a homeless shelter were finally able to afford a home, but then they disappeared, leaving their things behind. Julia announced on her podcast that she was going to look into the case and where she was staying (so potenial informats can find her), but then she's attacked and told to not investigate. Deputy Max saved her and decided to spend his down time helping her solve the case. Julia's able to get some people to talk that hadn't in the past and uncovered what happened, passing on information to the detective in charge of the case. However, she didn't figure out whodunit until the final ambush exposed the culprits.

Max and Julia came to care for each other as they spent time together. The suspense came from repeated attacks on them, at first in warning and then to kill. Max had a military background and police training but didn't act like it. Instead of using a gun holster, he kept putting his gun in his waistband or on the truck's seat (while driving in a way that could make it slide off). He also had no faith in his aim to the point that he avoided taking a shot when the bad guy was exposed because Julia was nearby. But then he rammed his truck into the car that Julia was in, like that was safe. Anyway, they story was interesting even if a few bits were insonsistant.

Both Julia and Max were Christians who leaned on their faith to deal with life's struggles. 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.

The Reluctant Healer of Halifax by Terrie Todd

The Reluctant Healer of Halifax
by Terrie Todd

ISBN-13: 9798891514027
Paperback: 256 pages
Publisher: Barbour Fiction
Released: August 1, 2026

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Three days ago, Pearline Campbell's family was whole and Oliver Hamilton had come home from the war. But disfigured and shellshocked, Oliver ended their relationship. Then came Thursday, December 6, 1917, when the Halifax harbor was leveled by a tremendous explosion. Her parents are dead, her brother is missing, and her sister refuses to speak. Pearline must open her home to needy orphans, including an unidentified baby. Where can she find the strength for each new day as misery grips the city?


My Review:
Halifax is a historical set in 1917 in Halifax, Canada. As the only healers were minor characters, I'm not sure what the title's referring to. Anyway, this was the story of the explosion of a ship full of munitions in the Halifax harbor. The main characters managed to be everywhere interesting and learned about all of the details of the explosion, so it's basically a history lesson seen through a fictional frame. Pearline's home was far enough away from the harbor that it suffered minimal damage, so she took in orphans from the disaster while looking for her missing family.

Oliver has known Pearline for years and loves her, but his pride can't handle the pity and disgust he's sure he'll receive from people due to damage to his face and a missing eye. He broke off their unofficial engagement for her own good, so she won't feel embarrassed by him (though he claimed it's because she won't be able to handle the sight). He woefully underestimated Pearline time and again, and he kept making decisions for her (mostly, keeping distressing information from her) because he thinks she can't handle it. She kept forgiving him and hoped he'd finally come back to her. As even his own mother was exasperated with him, it's hard to call this a romance even if he did come to appreciate Pearline's emotional strength and integrity.

There was no sex or bad language. The ongoing gore was only minimally described, with the focus more on how people were impacted by what they witnessed. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting 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 Heiress and the Woodsman by Christine Hill Suntz

The Heiress and the Woodsman
by Christine Hill Suntz

ISBN-13: 9798400507984
Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Tyndale Fiction
Released: August 11, 2026

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Canada, 1837. Charlotte is determined to hold onto her family’s crumbling estate—the last vestige of their former place in Toronto society before her mother’s death and her father’s financial ruin. But when her missing brother Simon is suspected of aiding a political rebellion, Charlotte heads north to find him before his impulsive decisions ruin what’s left of their family’s standing and break her ailing father’s heart.

Joshua has worked tirelessly to carve a home from the wilderness for the younger brother he was forced to leave behind, only to learn his first harvest is nearly worthless and his brother has been sold into an indenture Joshua can’t afford to redeem. When a stranger offers him work tracking down a settler in the bush, he’s desperate enough to agree.

Nothing has prepared Charlotte for the challenges of surviving the wilderness. When Joshua comes to her aid, she offers to pay him for guidance through the bush. Though he knows a spoiled city girl will slow him down, he can’t refuse the money. As Charlotte and Joshua face the dangers of travel through rough terrain, admiration and friendship grow, even as class divides and hidden truths complicate their bond. But when they are caught in the crossfire of rebellion, they must decide if the futures they’ve fought for are truly their hearts’ desire—or if something unexpected awaits.


My Review:
The Heiress and the Woodsman is a romance set in 1837 in Toronto, Canada. Charlotte's been slaving away to keep the family estate running with the help of one elderly servant after her father lost their fortune. It's her duty to preserve the estate for her brother, the future heir. A neighbor says he'll claim her brother is a rebel so he'll be arrested and hanged. Her brother's off homesteading in a remote area, so impulsive Charlotte headed off with a poorly drawn map to find her brother, determined to get him to return with her. Joshua needed the money and was homesteading in the same area, so he agreed to guide her to her brother--and make sure she survived to see her home again.

This story just didn't feel realistic. For one thing, the author kept forgetting things she'd previously said. Like Joshua got down from his wagon, then suddenly he's back in the driver's seat. The author also had unrealistic things happen, like Joshua carried Charlotte in his arms while climbing a ladder. I read an Advanced Reader Copy, so some of this will hopefully be fixed in the final book.

Finally, I just didn't bond with the main characters. Charlotte played her role of thoughtless damsel in destress to the hilt. Charlotte gave away all of the food Joshua had for the winter and constantly put his life in danger with her impulsive stunts, yet that's easily forgiven. Probably because he wanted to be a hero to someone. And he's a gifted woodworker, but instead he focused on raising crops (very poorly) and didn't even realize that he needed to keep some seed for his own use rather than buying seed and flour back at a higher price.

To top it all off, Charlotte did come into money at the end, but Joshua--while claiming he'll be the one person to put her first--refused to let her spend her money on improving their life once they got married. He was determined to keep on slaving away as a failing farmer rather than use his woodworking gifts or her money. Pride! I know, people who make mistake after mistake without learning much deserve love, too, but it's not what I care for in a romance. 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.

In Too Deep by Susan May Warren and Tari Faris

In Too Deep
by Susan May Warren
and Tari Faris

ISBN-13: 9780800747619
Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Revell
Released: June 30, 2026

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Weeks after the first Roosevelt treasure cache was discovered, the Grand Canyon has become a madhouse. Reckless treasure hunters swarm the park and a young college student dies. For Dr. Meg Lewis, the chaos hits close to home. She came to the park to stitch up cuts and wrap sprains—not dive back into a world of live-or-die medical drama that triggers her panic attacks.

Ranger Director and widower Noah Wilde, has spent years keeping everyone at arm's length, terrified that loving again will only lead to grief. He's not about to let any more deaths happen on his watch.

When another group becomes trapped in the dangerous Tapeats cave system, Noah assembles a rescue team with Meg as medical officer. But what they find underground isn't an accident. Someone has turned the caves into a death trap—and now the rescue team itself is the target.

As floodwaters rise and the cave ceiling collapses, their enemy hunts them. With no communication and innocent lives hanging in the balance, Meg must push past her past to figure out how to save lives and Noah must find a way out.


My Review:
In Too Deep is a Christian romantic suspense. It's the second in a series but works as a standalone. Noah felt like he had to be in control as if everything depended upon him. He had to lead the rescues, and surely his wife and unborn baby wouldn't have died in a car accident if only he'd been driving. Meg loved healing people, forming relationships. But she froze during life-or-death situations as a young child and similar medical situations trigger her old panic attacks. When she's forced to deal with emergency situations in the field, she reconsiders a job offer in a research position. Though Noah can help Meg stay calm in medical emergencies, he acts on his attraction to her only to pull back, driving Meg to distraction with his hot/cold act.

Between volence due to the gold rush, young people needing rescue, storms, eathquakes causing cave-ins, medical emergencies, and attacks, the suspense stayed high throughout the story. The characters were complex, realistic people, and I cared about what happened to them. Once Noah and Meg came to realize that God's in control so the situations didn't depend solely on them, they both were able to accept risks that used to overwhelm them. 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.

Rodeo Witness Protector by Sami A. Abrams

Rodeo Witness Protector
by Sami A. Abrams

ISBN-13: 9781488238895
Audiobook, Unabridged: 208 pages
Publisher: Harlequin Audio
Released: July 28, 2026

Source: audiobook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from NetGalley:
While stopping an attack near the rodeo grounds, bullfighter and part-time deputy Daniel Sinclair is stunned to see his high school sweetheart attempting to save a stabbed undercover deputy. As a witness now in possession of crucial evidence about a narcotics investigation, new rodeo doctor Annie Davis needs Daniel’s protection—for her and her missing four-year-old daughter. And the stakes only grow higher when the girl’s babysitter is found murdered and the recovered child refuses to speak. To safeguard the targeted family, can Daniel uncover who is behind it all before a drug ring silences them for good?


My Review:
Rodeo Witness Protector is a Christian romantic suspense. Deputy Daniel was once unable to save a child and now feels like he can't be trusted to watch over any child. When his high school sweetheart returns to town with an adopted 4-year-old, he finds that both mother and daughter need his protection. Not only did Annie testify against a fellow doctor who was illegally selling drugs, but she was just handed evidence by a dying undercover agent who was trying to uncover a drug dealer ring that used the rodeo and carnival circuit. Local law enforcement worked to figure out the evidence while Daniel helped protect Annie and her daughter.

The suspense came from the attacks on Annie and her daughter and trying to find the daughter when she went missing. The main characters were engaging and reacted realistically to events. Annie and Daniel got to know each other again as they spent time together and quickly renewed their friendship. Daniel and Annie prayed for guidance and safety. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable suspense novel.

The narrator of the audiobook did a good job, making it easy to follow who was talking and what was going on. She used different voices for the different characters and narrated the story in a way that allowed me to become immersed in the 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.

A Lady's Handbook to Gadgets and Guile by Angela Bell

A Lady's Handbook to Gadgets and Guile
by Angela Bell

ISBN-13: 9780764242144
Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Bethany House
Released: July 7, 2026

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
London, England, 1895. Ambulatory wheelchair user Margaret Kingsley secretly crafts gadgets for the Daughters of Genius Society, a covert team of lady inspectors disguised as harmless bluestocking spinsters. While her fellow inspectors gallivant about London solving crimes, Margaret has been perfectly content assisting from the sidelines--until her expertise is needed to infiltrate the domain of London's most prolific inventor, Alvan T. Harrison.

Charles Noble sacrificed his career as a musician to support his family after his father's stroke. Now he balances ledgers as a secretary by day and tends his disabled father by night, until taking a temporary job as event coordinator for a famous inventor commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of his mechanical empire. As strange occurrences surface, Charles's event planning collides with Margaret's case, and the pair must investigate the inventor's legacy while attraction sparks between them.


My Review:
A Lady's Handbook to Gadgets and Guile is a fantasy romance supposedly set in 1895 in England. The author made little effort to explain how things worked. Margaret and her father were geniuses, so of course their inventions worked. Somehow. Just don't look to hard. Some of the inventions made no sense: a steam-engine-powered vacuum? Do you actually understand how steam engines work, author? And the umbrella that could lift multiple people didn't appear to have a power source. Even people's attitudes and the technology available to everyone reflected much more modern times, so it didn't feel remotely historical to me.

Charles really saw Margaret and thought her beautiful and smart. His own father had struggles due to a stroke, so Charles understood her situation somewhat and honestly didn't feel like a life spent with her would be a burden. It's a sweet, fun romance that developed as they worked to solve the mystery. Well, the patent thief was pretty obvious. It was more about collecting the evidence needed to prove the case in a court of law.I liked their relationship.

The author spent a lot of time developing how Margaret suffered a severe injury to her back which left her in constant pain. Sometimes she's too tired to do anything, other times she could carefully dole out her energy. Her back also spasmed painfully when compressed (like a corset), after certain movements, etc. This sounds like a 'you can't push through it' injury that restricts what you can do. Yet, of course, we have her wearing a corset as a disguise (like the self-powered wheelchair doesn't give her away!) and still able to function. These back spasms were so bad it took up to an hour just to get out of bed, yet by the end she's doing things that would hurt a fully able-bodied woman with a great back. No real consequences beyond now being able to wake up to hanky-panky with her husband rather than an hour of pain getting out of bed. I wish that's the way things worked.

Margaret worshiped God with music when in pain. Both she and Charles found soul-healing in music and trusted God. 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.

Fugitive Manhunt by Sharee Stover

Fugitive Manhunt
by Sharee Stover
Mac Fowler (Narrator)

ISBN-13: 9781488238826
Audiobook, Unabridged
Publisher: Harlequin Audio
Released: July 28, 2026

Source: audiobook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
After a prison break, K-9 officer Lizzie Reynolds is ready to join the search for the criminals—but one of the escapees finds her first and ambushes her. She’s rescued by Deputy US Marshal Walker McCane, her high school crush, and they’re forced to work together to find the fugitives. Soon they realize that one of the prisoners has a personal vendetta against Lizzie. As they face persistent attacks, Walker and Lizzie must rely on each other to survive a dangerous game with a convict who wants to complete his deadly plan.


My Review:
Fugitive Manhunt is a romantic suspense. Lizzie worked with her team to solve an ongoing case of a pregnant girl who's been kidnapped, the last in a series of kidnapped pregnant girls that have been found murdered after giving birth. She interviewed some people, but this is the ongoing mystery that will be solved at the end of the series. She and her tracking K9 also helped search for a bunch of prison escapees, though this seemed to consist of walking a hiking trail in the search grid rather than asking the dog to start at the site of the escape and then track people. One of the escapees kept trying to kidnap Lizzie, so Walker, a US Marshal, tried to protect her while they figured out who's behind it. Lizzie was grabbed multiple times, so the suspense not only came from the attacks but from her needing to free herself.

Lizzie and Walker were both manipulated by a friend in high school and thought the other wasn't interested in a relationship. As they worked together and finally talked about it, they found that they still liked each other. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable suspense novel.

The narrator of the audiobook did a good job of saying the text in a way consistent with the text (with surprise if surprised, etc.), and read the story in a way that easily kept my interest. It was easy to follow who was talking and what was going on because she not only gave each character their own tone of voice but their own speech mannerisms as well.


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.

Ambushed in Yosemite by Kellie VanHorn

Ambushed in Yosemite
by Kellie VanHorn

ISBN-13: 9781335919069
Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense
Released: July 28, 2026

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Park ranger Skylar Jansen’s morning hike turns into a nightmare when she witnesses a man burying a body—and then the killer chases her through the wilderness. She’s saved by Special Agent Bode Tucker, a devoted single dad, who suspects a serial killer is at work. Soon it becomes clear that the killer may be connected to the cold case disappearance of Sky’s father. With targets now on both of their backs, they team up to investigate, but outrunning danger could be beyond their reach.


My Review:
Ambushed in Yosemite is a Christian romantic suspense. Skylar is the perfect damsel in distress, and I mean this in the nicest way as we are, after all, reading a suspense novel and most women aren't kick-ass law enforcement. Skylar's an average, kind woman with low self-worth and confidence. She often got in trouble because she didn't trust her own judgment. (The serial killer knows my name, where I live, and I don't really feel safe sleeping in my canvas-sided cabin, but the experts think I'll be safe with the police officer on guard outside, so, okay....) She's too trusting that people know what they're doing and are telling the truth. She had extremely good luck, though, in being matched with a serial killer that liked to play games rather than just kill his victim.

However, I can't imagine how Bode became a detective. The killer kept literally telling him the clues he needs, and Bode still couldn't figure out what was so blaring obvious. He did eventually figure it out when an evidence tech told him who the fingerprints belonged to, but the killer had to explain it to Skylar as he tied her up. Bode's also constantly running into known danger (as in, he knows it's a trap) because he can't stand leaving a loved one tied up as bait for even a moment. Sweet, but not generally a successful strategy. Some things just didn't make sense, like they knew that Skylar's phone had been used by the killer, and it's crime scene evidence at the very least. Yet she picked it up and just started using it again. Huh?

There was no sex or bad language. Despite the unrealistic elements, it was a sweet romance in that it gave hope that a man who wasn't that good at his job and a woman who wasn't very discerning could not only survive but end up happily matched.


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 Cloak and Dagger Club by Jackie McMahon

The Cloak and Dagger Club
by Jackie McMahon

ISBN-13: 9798217189557
Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Berkley
Released: July 14, 2026

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
London, 1930. Lucy Hubbard is on the cusp of achieving her dreams. With her first mystery novel debuting with strong sales and glowing reviews, she's been invited by Horace Hazelmoor, the king of crime fiction, to join his elite group of writers—the Cloak and Dagger Club.

Thrilled at the opportunity, Lucy finds herself swept up into Horace's glamorous world at the Ritz hotel. She's even willing to put up with the inconvenient presence of her former fiancé, Frank Murray, the club's rising star who is on track to eclipse Horace as Britain's most popular crime writer.

But when Horace is found with a knife in his back, Frank is the police's prime suspect. Despite their complicated history, Lucy knows he's not capable of murder. With suspects galore and the danger rising, these two mystery writers must race to solve the crime—and fight their lingering feelings for each other.


My Review:
The Cloak and Dagger Club is a romance set in 1930 in England. Frank and Lucy met as children, became best friends, and fell in love. Lucy supported Frank's writing, but when he made it big as a published crime novelist, he neglected his now-fiancée in his craving for the praise and approval that he'd never gotten from his abusive father. Lucy broke up with him and wrote her own best-selling mystery novels. Three years later, they meet again at a crime writer's club meeting, investigate a murder, decide they're still in love, and we end with the details of their wedding. This is romance genre. While the characters were engaging and mildly developed, the mystery simply existed to help us get to know the characters better.

While some of this might be fixed by the final version (as I read an Advanced Reader Copy), I wasn't particularly impressed with the mystery aspect. Yes, there were clues, but it was a pretty simple mystery. Lucy was observant, but she failed to put clues together and only solved the crime because whodunit was convinced Lucy had it figured out and basically prompted her to reason it out. Frank at least had a burst of brilliance in which he put clues together and came to rescue Lucy.

Anyway, the main problems: One, the workers at the hotel where the victim lived had motive, means, and opportunity, but Frank and Lucy immediately decided the murderer must be someone from the writer's club. No one, not even the police, once suspected the barman who could have easily done the whole thing. Two, the police don't appear to do any detective work beyond providing time of death and a mention that both poison and a knife were involved. The detective simply harassed Lucy to pressure her into accusing Frank. Three, even though it was extremely obvious when the poisoning occurred, that death took some time, and that the knife didn't kill the victim, Frank and Lucy asked for alibis for when the death occurred. This was meaningless information.

They also spent most of their investigation digging up secrets on their fellow club members in the hopes of finding a motive. This should have messed up their friendships but somehow everyone's the best of friends by the end. Somehow along the way people forgot to even question how the knife got into the victim's back, and we only learned the answer in the final few paragraphs because we're in the thoughts of that attempted murderer. But we're supposed to pass attempted murder off as okay because it was a homosexual who did it out of love to protect their partner from exposure. Hmm.

There was no sex. 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.

The Light of Stars by Jenelle Hovde

The Light of Stars
by Jenelle Hovde

ISBN-13: 9798400502934
Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Tyndale Fiction
Released: July 14, 2026

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
When Kitty Grenville’s grandfather announces her engagement to Sebastian Sinclair, she’s appalled. She barely remembers the boy she met once as a child—and now he’s a man tied to the East India Company, the very organization that tore her and her brother from their mother and home in Hyderabad years ago. Unwilling to relinquish her dream of a love match or her passion for astronomy, Kitty is determined to refuse the marriage and find freedom in her own way.

Sebastian Sinclair carries the weight of duty and regret. To atone for past sins, he complies with his grandfather’s orders to return to England, fulfill a long-standing betrothal, and defend the maligned East India Company before Parliament. Though Kitty makes her disinterest clear, Sebastian is drawn to her intellect and spirit.

As Kitty navigates her first London season, her opinion of Sebastian begins to shift—especially when he shields her from scandal. When he’s abruptly called back to India, Kitty stuns everyone by marrying him and going with him, hoping to escape her grandfather’s control—and to find her mother.

But the challenges that await in India are greater than imagined. Together, Kitty and Sebastian must confront the legacy of family and empire—and decide if a marriage born of obligation can grow into a love strong enough to endure.


My Review:
The Light of Stars is a Christian romance set in 1814 in England and India. I had to keep reminding myself of just how very young and sheltered Kitty was. She's the daughter of a British man and a Muslim princess whose father ruled an area in India. When her father died (from the illness going around? or murdered due to politics?), the grandfather took her and her brother from the harem and raised them in England. Kitty deeply resented the East India Company for this, though I couldn't see how they were at fault. She idealized what life as a Muslim princess in India with her mother would have been like. Her main objections to Sebastian seemed to be that he didn't declare undying love for her, that he worked for the hated East India Company, and that he got to live in India and knew more about it than she did.

She wanted true love or her independence to pursue astronomy. Though Kitty's warned by several people that her behavior could cause a sandal, she publicly favored a suitor who's mainly interested in her money when people knew she's intended to marry Sebastian. She naively believed the man's flattery only to learn that the image she'd built up of him was an illusion and it's Sebastian that's been supporting her and trying to give her the things her heart desires.

Sebastian believed he could help guide East India Company in respecting the local workers while still making a profit for the British in India. Yet men that he respected were sure that there was more corruption and abuse than he's aware of. Both Kitty and Sebastian had to face reality and hard choices as secrets were uncovered. The characters were likable, and historical details were woven into the story that brought the setting alive. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting 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.