An Engagement of Sorts by Alene Wecker

An Engagement of Sorts
by Alene Wecker

ISBN-13: 9781524417642
ebook
Publisher: Covenant Communications
Released: August 9th 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
More comfortable in breeches than ball gowns, Anne Fletcher sees the freedoms she once enjoyed slowly taken from her in the name of fashioning her into an eligible young lady. When her parents try to force her into marriage, Anne makes a desperate attempt to salvage her last vestige of independence. Anne strikes a deal with her intended husband: if she cannot secure a man for herself in London, she will marry him when she returns. Her parents agree to send her to help her pregnant sister who lives in London if she agrees to finally marry some eligible man. Now she simply needs to find a way to get out of her sort-of-engagement.


My Review:
An Engagement of Sorts is a Regency romance. Unfortunately, the book wasn't what I expected from the description, and I didn't find it believable due to the inaccuracies. For example, an explosion that threw people away from a fireplace and toward the window also shattered the window, yet somehow the glass shards ended up all over the floor inside the room. A lot of odd things about that scene, like this bomb-like explosion occurred in a powder horn that her father was wearing, yet he didn't even suffer a flesh wound? Anyway.

Anne didn't defy convention so much as she was willfully ignorant of etiquette and propriety to a degree that just didn't seem believable. Granted, multiple times she deliberately tuned out what other people said then later realized it would've been good if she had listened to them. However, she seriously didn't seem to realize that there would be any problem with her wandering about a village at dawn in her nightgown and then demanding that the vicar allow her inside a room alone with him. Worse, he knew the possible consequences and didn't want to marry her, yet he let her in? All to create another scrape for her to get out of.

Anyway, Anne had an abusive family where everyone criticized her every behavior and called her silly and stupid, so she's drawn to the one man who loves her willful, bold, rude, and unpredictable behavior. She feels like every man ogles her bust or leers at her. The villain repeatedly tried to rape her, including in her own home (with plenty of people about) and in outdoor areas where he could be spotted. She's traumatized by these attacks and has nightmares, but the few people she tells either don't believe her or say that her behavior rather invites that sort of aggressive response. The whole story was about her trying to find someone who won't abuse her and will help her stop this villain from hurting other women.

I liked that the author tried to make complex characters, like a hero so disgusted with his father's behavior that he acted the exact opposite of him even though it didn't really achieve anything. But the numerous inaccuracies drained any realistic feel from the story. While I appreciated how the hero believed and supported Anne, he actually went too far with this by saying that she shouldn't change anything about herself. Is it really a good thing to discourage Anne from improving her flaws (like her temper and impulsiveness now that she finally realizes that actions have consequences)? Anyway, this was clearly not a story suited to me. While there was attempted rape, there were no sex scenes. There was no modern 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 Man Who Wasn't There by Henrietta Hamilton

The Man Who Wasn't There
by Henrietta Hamilton

ISBN-13: 9781914904684
ebook
Publisher: Agora Books
Released: August 12th 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
People who get mixed up in murder cases must expect to be bothered. And so it is for amateur sleuths Sally and Johnny Heldar late one evening. It seems cousin Tim has found himself in a bit of a pickle: his fiancée, Prue, has reneged on their engagement after becoming a suspect in the murder of her unlikeable employer. Desperate to win her back, Tim pleads with the Heldars to help clear Prue’s name. But Sally and Johnny find themselves perplexed by the Willow Walk murder. Filled with blackmail, wartime treachery and lying witnesses, the crime-solving duo have their work cut out for them.

But will they be able to help Prue… or is she more wrapped up in the case than Tim realised?


My Review:
The Man Who Wasn't There is a mystery that was written in 1956 and set in England. It's the third in a series, but it works as a stand-alone. This was a clue-based puzzle mystery. Johnny (who is helped by his wife) used logic to puzzle out the solution. They made sure that anyone who came to them with information also gave it to the police. Much of the story was interviews, so the main characters were barely developed. They're likable people, but little was told about them outside of the crime. There were several suspects that could have murdered the victim. I was able to guess whodunit near the end and even the twist before it was revealed, but I was uncertain before then. There was no sex. There were only a few uses of bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting puzzle 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 Barrister and the Letter of Marque by Todd M. Johnson

The Barrister and the Letter of Marque
by Todd M. Johnson

ISBN-13: 9780764212369
Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Bethany House
Released: August 3rd 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
As a barrister in 1819 London, William Snopes is a strong advocate who chooses to defend the poorer classes against the powerful. That changes the day a struggling heiress, Lady Malissa Jameson, arrives at his door.

In a last-ditch effort to save her faltering estate, Lady Jameson invested in the acquisition of a merchant brig, the Padget, allowed by a letter of marque from the king's regent to legally capture cargo from French traders operating illegally in the Indian Sea. Yet when the ship returns to the London harbor, it's met by constables and soldiers ready to seize its goods, accusing the sailors of piracy. And the letter proving their legality has disappeared.

Moved by the lady's distress, William Snopes cautiously takes the case. But as he gets deeper into the mystery and prepares for trial, he learns that the forces arrayed against Lady Jameson, and now himself, are even more powerful than he'd imagined.


My Review:
The Barrister and the Letter of Marque is a suspense set in 1818 in England. There were a number of point of view characters, but none of these characters were deeply developed. While there were certainly noble things about both William and the lady, they were flawed enough that I didn't really find them engaging. Neither of them had more than one good, loyal friend outside of work/home, so apparently I'm not the only one. The reader knows the scam, who's involved, and what's going on (or, at least, they should have a very good idea based on the clues they get from the bad guy viewpoint). It all seems hopelessly stacked against justice.

The main characters did react realistically to events, but to the point it was a problem for me. Initially, the good guys have a lot of fight in them, but then they view it as hopeless. While I found it interesting to see how everything worked out, I prefer books that maintain a feeling of hope even when things are at their worst. The main characters didn't believe in God or that he might work things out for justice, but either God was at work or the good guys ended up incredibly lucky. The characters didn't thank God.

The author clearly did a lot of research on the historical details, though he still got a few minor things wrong. For example, Saturday was not a "common day of rest" in the Regency Period. Still, the details woven into the story created a vivid, distinct sense of place and time. There were no sex scenes or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this intense historical 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.

Death in Castle Dark by Veronica Bond

Death in Castle Dark
by Veronica Bond

ISBN-13: 9780593335871
Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: Berkley
Released: August 3rd 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Maybe it was too good to be true, but when Nora Blake accepted the job from Derek Corby, proprietor of Castle Dark, she could not see any downsides. She would sink her acting chops into the troupe's intricately staged murder-mystery shows, earn free room and board in the castle, and make friends with her new roommates, which include some adorable kittens.

But something sinister lurks behind the walls of Castle Dark. During Nora's second performance, one of her castmates plays the part of the victim a little too well. He's been murdered. Not ready to give up her dream gig--or to be the next victim--Nora sets out to see which one of her fellow actors has taken the role of a murderous real-life villain.


My Review:
Death in Castle Dark is a mystery novel. The mystery was clue-based, and the author included many misleading clues that needed to be sorted out. The final necessary clue didn't come until nearly the end, but I was suspicious enough of whodunit that I was saying "no, don't do that!" while Nora still hadn't figured it all out. Nora had a rather active imagination that made living in a literally dark, large castle rather spooky for her. The main characters were an interesting mix of actors, and the murder mystery show idea was entertaining. There was no sex. There was some bad language (the casual swearing use of "God"). 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.

Hostile Intent by Lynette Eason

Hostile Intent
by Lynette Eason

ISBN-13: 9780800729370
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Revell
Released: August 3rd 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from Goodreads:
Ava Jackson entered the military shortly after high school, but her mother's illness has forced her to request an early discharge. She already lost her father while deployed, and there's no way she's going to let her mother die alone. But after a visit to the nursing facility where her mother lives, Ava is attacked walking back to her car. Fortunately, FBI Special Agent Caden Denning arrives in time to help fight off her attacker.

Caden reveals to Ava that she may hold the key to the murders of three families, and he needs her help before anyone else is harmed. The hits show a pattern, and clearly the killer has an agenda. But if Caden and Ava can't discover what it is, Ava may be next on the hit list.


My Review:
Hostile Intent is a Christian romantic suspense. This book is the fourth in a series, but it works as a standalone. Both Ava and Caden were competent and did a good job of thwarting the bad guy. The suspense came from Ava being a target as well as the need to solve the complex mystery of what was going on and who was killing people before more people died. The main characters were engaging and reacted realistically to events. Ava and Caden worked very well together and finally acknowledged an attraction that had existed for a long time. 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.

The Gunsmith's Gallantry by Susan Page Davis

The Gunsmith's Gallantry
by Susan Page Davis

ISBN-13: 9781602607958
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Barbour Books
Released: June 1st 2010

Source: Rented through Kindle Unlimited.

Book Description from Goodreads:
Can the shy gunsmith and the widowed storekeeper find love when everything around them is in an uproar? Hiram Dooley has problems—women problems! His sister’s about to leave him to get married (if Sheriff Ethan Chapman ever proposes); his sister-in-law, Rose, thinks Hiram should marry her, since they’re both widowed; and the woman he truly loves, Libby Adams, is blind to his regard. The schoolmarm has a different problem—a man claiming to be her uncle came to Fergus...and then disappeared. Did her father kill him? Can the Ladies’ Shooting Club once again ride to the rescue?


My Review:
The Gunsmith's Gallantry is a humorous Christian romance (with a mystery) set in 1886 in Idaho. This is the second book in a series, but you can understand what's going on without reading the first book. The main events in the first book were not spoiled in this one. Some new men in town are causing trouble, and the town's biggest land owner is having money problems. The women of the Shooting Club work to find out what's going on and keep the town safe from the troublemakers.

The women were capable, interesting characters that supported each other despite their many differences. The light humor came from these differences, a marriage-minded widow, and other amusing situations. Libby and Hiram admired each other's character and finally felt ready to move on after grieving the death of their spouses. Hiram, Ethan, and Gert also worked together to solve the mystery, though Ethan needed some additional prompting about proposing marriage.

There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I 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 the Desert by Dana Mentink

Missing in the Desert
by Dana Mentink

ISBN-13: 9781335554444
Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense
Released: July 27th 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Who would believe that Mara Castillo's sister—missing for five years and presumed dead—suddenly sent a one-word text? Now Mara wants answers, even if it means stepping into a killer's sights with her brother's best friend, rancher Levi Duke, as her only protection. But with someone who has everything to lose is after her, uncovering a long-buried secret could save her life…or claim it.


My Review:
Missing in the Desert is a Christian romantic suspense novel. It's the second in a series, but it works as a standalone. The suspense came from repeated attacks on Mara, some more deadly than others. The people around her also got injured, increasing the suspense. Since Mara refused to stop investigating what happened to her missing sister, she agreed to allow her friends to provide protection. She says, "I'm stubborn, not stupid." Even though she did everything right, her attacker was so desperate that they kept trying anyway.

I loved the characters. Mara and Levi followed up on the clues while also trying to save Levi's ranch. Mara initially misjudged Levi's motives but changed her opinion when she saw examples of his good, caring character. Even before she admired him, she did her best to make his ranch prosper. They were a good team, especially when it came to running the ranch. She had good ideas and was willing to sacrifice her time and effort to help others. However, I found a few parts possible but not very probable, like what really happened to her sister. 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.