Seems like the latest trend these days for group or team building activities is what is called Locked Rooms. A crime has been perpetrated within the confines of a locked room. The groups task is to find out what happened, solve the crime and answer all the questions of the crime scene. Seems like everyone these days thinks because they watch enough television crime shows, they can solve it as quickly as a 60 minute episode. But we all know that is not the case.

In Murder in the Dog Days by P.M. Carlson, Maggie Ryan is once again called out to a crime scene involving a reporter who at the last minute decided to forgo the plans with his family and finish up on a story while they all headed out to a summer picnic. Unbeknown to them, when they returned, they find Dale Colby, Olivia's colleague dead in a pool of his own blood in a locked room. So what happened? Who did it? What was the motive? Is this going to be the last of such murders?

Fans of P.M.Carlson's series, Maggie Ryan, will undoubtedly love this one. This is the 6th book in the series and takes Maggie back into what she does best, piecing together clues and trying to figure out just who did it. Readers will be tasked to do the same and hopefully figure it out before the end. Since this was my first time picking up a Maggie Ryan book, I wasn't sure what to expect. The one thing I can tell you is that readers are supposed to know more about Maggie as I am sure the subsequent novels invite the reader into a more in depth knowledge of her techniques and her own history that brings her to solve each of these cases. For me, this one just didn't make me want to finish it all in one sitting. It was a kind a book I could put down for a bit, and pick it back up and try to re-engage in the plot line and crime solving. For me, that's not a good sign.

I did receive Murder in the Dog Days by P.M. Carlson compliments of Crum Creek Press and Partners in Crime Tours. This book was 274 pages which if the story doesn't maintain the readers attention enough to keep them wanting to finish, it means elements are missing. The need to care for the characters or victim. I really wanted this one to work for me, because I love the idea of a woman detective with the stomach to handle to gore but also the intelligence and ability to handle dealing with the people she is likely to encounter. For me, this just have those. I would rate this one a 3.5 out of 5 stars in my opinion. It may be that one needs to read the previous 5 to understand more than I seemed to be getting out of this one and even took the entire day off of work to sit down and read it. Unfortunately it just didn't keep my attention and thus the reason for my rating.

For more information about Murder in the Dog Days, P.M. Carlson or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Murder in the Dog Days by P.M. Carlson

To read more reviews on Murder in the Dog Days, please visit the following Partners in Crime Book Tour participants.

| Murder in the Dog Days by P.M. Carlson

Murder in the Dog Days

by P.M. Carlson

September 1-30, 2017 Book Tour

Synopsis:

On a sweltering Virginia day in 1975, reporter Olivia Kerr, her husband Jerry Ryan, his very pregnant sister Maggie and her family decide to have a beach picnic. Olivia invites her colleague Dale Colby and his family to join them. At the last minute, Dale decides to stay home to pursue an important story. But when the beach-goers return, they find Dale lifeless in a pool of blood inside his locked office.
Police detective Holly Schreiner leads the investigation, battling Maggie—and demons of her own.

Don't Miss These Great Reviews:

"An ingeniously plotted, fair-play, locked-room mystery, one of the best we've encountered." — Tom and Enid Schantz, The Denver Post
"A dandy locked room murder…The investigation is a dangerous one… [the] solution both surprising and satisfying" — A Suitable Job for a Woman
"A satisfying, fast-paced whodunit that also explores a range of social issues, especially the violence of war and its aftermath." — Cynthia R. Benjamins, Fairfax Journal
​“[Maggie Ryan] has been a role model for women since the beginning and I loved watching her merge marriage and children with her talent for solving mysteries!” — Margaret Maron

Book Details:

Genre: Traditional Mystery
Published by: The Mystery Company / Crum Creek Press
Publication Date: April 2014
Number of Pages: 271
ISBN13: 978-1932325379
Series: Maggie Ryan and Nick O'Connor #6
Purchase Links: Amazon  | Barnes & Noble  | Smashwords  | Goodreads 

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Read an excerpt:

“I don’t understand!” Donna Colby cried out. Her self-control cracked. She reached toward Holly in appeal, tears starting. “It was bolted! How could anyone—even if Dale let them in, they couldn’t bolt it again after they—”
“Yes, Mrs. Colby.” Holly broke in, firm and reassuring, to deflect the outburst. “We’ll check into it. You can depend on it.”
‘Thank you,” said Donna with a little choking sound.
“Now, what did you do when you realized the door was bolted?”
“Well, he usually takes a nap. I thought maybe he was asleep.” Donna Colby was trying to revert to her numbed monotone again, but a tremor underlay her words. “Then Maggie went to look in the window and came running back in and said hurry up, we had to get the door open. So she did, and—” She stopped. The next part was the unspeakable, Holly knew. Donna Colby turned her face back to the pink flower on the back of the sofa, tracing the outline with a forefinger. “All that blood,” she murmured. “I just don’t… Why?”
“I know, Mrs. Colby.” Holly tried to keep her voice soothing in the face of the incomprehensible. A husband and father lay twisted in the den. Why? Tell me why. And the others, so many others. A flash of reds at the back of her eyes. A blue-green stench. A tiny whispered beat, ten, eleven. Twelve. No more. Hey, cut the bullshit, Schreiner. Just get the details. Ain’t no time to wonder why, whoopee we’re all gonna die. Holly flipped to a new page, keeping her voice colorless. “What did you do when you got the door open?”
“We all ran in—I don’t remember, it was so—I couldn’t—the blood. Maggie went to him. Sent Olivia to call an ambulance. Told me to keep the kids out, take them to the kitchen.”
Holly noted it down. This Maggie sounded like a real take-charge type. “Okay. And then what?”
“I don’t remember much. She made me leave, take care of the kids.”
“What was she doing?”
“I don’t know. There was so much…” The word escaped Donna and she stared at Holly in mute terror before finding it again, with an almost pitiful triumph. “Confusion. The men came back. Maggie will tell you,” she added hopefully, trying to be helpful. All her life, probably, being nice had kept her out of trouble. But now she’d hit the big trouble, and Holly knew that no weapons, even niceness, could help now.
* * *
Excerpt from Murder in the Dog Days by P.M. Carlson. Copyright © 2017 by P.M. Carlson. Reproduced with permission from P.M. Carlson. All rights reserved.

 

Author Bio:

P.M. Carlson taught psychology and statistics at Cornell University before deciding that mystery writing was more fun. She has published twelve mystery novels and over a dozen short stories. Her novels have been nominated for an Edgar Award, a Macavity Award, and twice for Anthony Awards. Two short stories were finalists for Agatha Awards. She edited the Mystery Writers Annual for Mystery Writers of America for several years, and served as president of Sisters in Crime.

Catch Up With Our Author On: Website , Goodreads , Smashwords, & Twitter !

Tour Participants:

Giveaway:

This is a rafflecopter giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours for P.M. Carlson. There will be 1 winner of one (1) Amazon.com Gift Card AND 5 winners of one (1) eBook copy of MURDER IS ACADEMIC. The giveaway begins on September 1 and runs through October 1, 2017.

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Gladden the Heart

This was a difficult review to consider writing because when I get to a novel that I struggle to maintain focus on and dream of how much longer it would take to finish it so I can move on to something else, I have to take a step back and ask myself a few questions. What can I remember that I have read so far? Is it simply too much to take it for a reader at the beginning of a novel? Do I care what happens to any of these characters? Am I simply distracted from reading because of other things going on around me, that is pulling my focus away? Then I can answer these questions quite honesty and give an honest review. That answer to all of them is "No." I hate when that happens especially when you have read the authors other novels and you really enjoyed them. It was not the cause unfortunately for me in this one.

This novel is part of an ongoing series, Amish Turns of Time, and this one is book 5. I can be honest and say, I have not read any of the previous novels so I can't say whether doing so would have made me enjoy the premise behind this one any better. I have read previous novels that were part of a series and could follow along until I get the just of what is going on with the characters. In this case, I honestly couldn't care about any of them.

It involves two very different set of people living amongst one another, an Amish Order and the Methodists which are close neighbors to one another. Those readers who are familiar with Amish fiction, understand that they are very faithful and committed to their religious beliefs. They try to keep those in the community from being affected by those outside their faith, and in this case with the Methodist preacher who comes to stage tent revivals, a few of the Amish are a bit curious like the main character, Susana who occasionally peeks into the tents to see just what all the fuss is about. Her Amish boyfriend, Adam is making plans to marry Susana and doesn't want to see her dabbling in the other faiths, no matter how curious she is. When her favorite cousin Noah suddenly has spells in which is preaches without remembering any of it, not only is Noah's wife Phoebe at bit concerned, but also the entire Amish community who like to believe that all their preachers come from being chosen in the community not just those who suddenly have the ability.

I received Gladden the Heart by Olivia Newport compliments of Barbour Publishing and Net Galley. In accordance with the new FTC Guidelines for blogging and endorsements, you should assume that every book reviewed here at Reviews From The Heart was provided to the reviewer by the publisher, media group or the author for free and were received, unless specified otherwise. For me, this entire novel really never connected. It felt like bits and pieces of two very different parts of the book were spliced together. The beginnings and endings of each set of circumstances seemed disconnected and choppy and thus for me, I had a difficult time truly caring for any of the characters. The spells that Noah continues to have increase in frequency and I can understand why those in the Amish faith might fear this situation, and thus the need to keep them separated while the leaders of the community can figure out just what to do with them. Other readers might feel differently about this novel, but for me, it just fell flat and thus the need for a 2 out of 5 stars in this reader's opinion.  This just wasn't a favorite for me.

For more information about Gladden the Heart, Olivia Newport or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Gladden the Heart by Olivia Newport

You can find Olivia Newport on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

Home At Last

You can't seem to go anywhere where race is not an issue. From our latest president to the news reports, race is an issue where is simply shouldn't be. All it is is a matter of skin tone and that is all. Yet in this final novel in the Chicory Inn series by Deborah Raney, the lone wolf of the Whitman family, Link finds love where he might least expect it. Tucked quietly away in the Coffee's On Bakery, Link is attracted to Shayla Michaels. I guess one could say it was love at first sight, but as most romance stories go, theirs will not be one that goes smoothly.

Shayla has a lot of things she would rather keep buried, secrets from her past that have earmarked her for a different future than one she might have imagined long ago. Since her parents married years ago, her mother, a white women of some affluence married Mike, a black man and with it came a separation between the families. Shayla's mother's family refused to acknowledge the relationship and left her and Mike to struggle and find a way to make it in the world. Even when a terminal cancer diagnosis was revealed, her parents still refused to budge. After watching her mother suffer needlessly in that regards, Shayla believes that the colors should not mix despite how one might feel differently. Of course, growing up under those stereotypes is bound to make one a bit hardened to it all.

That is why Link is determined to show her that love can transcend any barriers including race, and he is willing to overlook everything that Shayla tosses his way to discourage any attempts at a future for them both. She even has a younger niece, Portia, a wonderfully articulate and precocious five-year-old, that will undoubtedly be one she must care for the rest of her life while her father, Shayla's brother remains locked up in prison. But can love be that easy to accept when one has had to deal with these issues her entire life or will love be the one thing that saves them all and provides a way to change the world or just their part in it, one step at a time?

I received Home At Last by Deborah Raney compliments of Litfuse Publicity and Abingdon Press. This novel gives you an idea of what it is like dealing with all the stereotypes people of color must deal with without having the ability to change things or walk away from it. I love that Deborah Raney took this risk in making this a part of the Whitman story and conveys to us all that love really is the best gift of all. There are discussion questions that conclude the novel that makes for a great book club find and for me, this one was worth 4 out of 5 stars in my opinion. I love that you don't even realize that Shayla is a different color until you are well into the story and that is what love is all about, it never takes that into consideration when it unites people together.

For more information about Home At Last, Deborah Raney or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Home at Last by Deborah Raney

You can find Deborah Raney on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

About the author:

Deborah Raney's novels have won numerous awards including the RITA, National Readers' Choice Award, HOLT Medallion, the Carol Award, and have three times been Christy Award finalists. She and her husband, Ken Raney have traded small-town life in Kansas-the setting of many of Deb's novels-for life in the city of Wichita.

Find out more about Deborah at http://deborahraney.com.

You can read more reviews on Home At Last by visiting Litfuse Publicity's Book Tour Page.


Conclude Deborah Raney's Chicory Inn novels with the final book, Home at Last, a story of acceptance, trying to overcome differences, and love. Everything changes for bachelor Link Whitman one icy morning when a child runs into the street and he nearly hits her with his pickup-and then the girl's aunt Shayla enters Link's life. Can Shayla and Link overcome society's view of their differences and find true love? Is there hope of changing the sometimes-ugly world around them into something better for them all?

Join Deborah on Thursday, March 23, for a live author chat party in her Facebook group with fun prizes to be won! Click the graphic below for more details and to RSVP. Hope to see you there-bring a friend or two who loves to read!

Home At Last

You can't seem to go anywhere where race is not an issue. From our latest president to the news reports, race is an issue where is simply shouldn't be. All it is is a matter of skin tone and that is all. Yet in this final novel in the Chicory Inn series by Deborah Raney, the lone wolf of the Whitman family, Link finds love where he might least expect it. Tucked quietly away in the Coffee's On Bakery, Link is attracted to Shayla Michaels. I guess one could say it was love at first sight, but as most romance stories go, theirs will not be one that goes smoothly.

Shayla has a lot of things she would rather keep buried, secrets from her past that have earmarked her for a different future than one she might have imagined long ago. Since her parents married years ago, her mother, a white women of some affluence married Mike, a black man and with it came a separation between the families. Shayla's mother's family refused to acknowledge the relationship and left her and Mike to struggle and find a way to make it in the world. Even when a terminal cancer diagnosis was revealed, her parents still refused to budge. After watching her mother suffer needlessly in that regards, Shayla believes that the colors should not mix despite how one might feel differently. Of course, growing up under those stereotypes is bound to make one a bit hardened to it all.

That is why Link is determined to show her that love can transcend any barriers including race, and he is willing to overlook everything that Shayla tosses his way to discourage any attempts at a future for them both. She even has a younger niece, Portia, a wonderfully articulate and precocious five-year-old, that will undoubtedly be one she must care for the rest of her life while her father, Shayla's brother remains locked up in prison. But can love be that easy to accept when one has had to deal with these issues her entire life or will love be the one thing that saves them all and provides a way to change the world or just their part in it, one step at a time?

I received Home At Last by Deborah Raney compliments of Net Galley and Abingdon Press. This novel gives you an idea of what it is like dealing with all the stereotypes people of color must deal with without having the ability to change things or walk away from it. I love that Deborah Raney took this risk in making this a part of the Whitman story and conveys to us all that love really is the best gift of all. There are discussion questions that conclude the novel that makes for a great book club find and for me, this one was worth 4 out of 5 stars in my opinion. I love that you don't even realize that Shayla is a different color until you are well into the story and that is what love is all about, it never takes that into consideration when it unites people together.

For more information about Home At Last, Deborah Raney or where you can preorder a copy of this book today that is due out in February of 2017, please click on the links below:

Home at Last by Deborah Raney

You can find Deborah Raney on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

You can read more reviews on Home At Last by visiting Abingdon Press' website. 

There Will Be Stars

"In the world it is called Tolerance, but in hell it is called Despair...the sin that believes in nothing, cares for nothing, seeks to know nothing, interferes will nothing, enjoys nothing, hates nothing, finds purpose in nothing, lives for nothing, and remains alive because there is nothing for which it will die. ~ Dorothy Sayers"

I sat here for quite some time, wondering how I can put into words what Billy Coffey's newest novel, There Will Be Stars is, without giving it away. I'm probably sure of one thing, after I write this review and publish it, think on it some more, will probably wish I had written something else. I always do when it comes to Billy's novels and that my friend, is what makes his novels so unique! I guess, I'm still wondering what genre it might fit into, because for some it will be one thing, and for others something else. I think people will all take something very different away from this novel, and that is what makes Billy Coffey's writing style so unique and almost ethereal in a sense. It takes you someplace, you're not sure you want to go, kinda of like hearing that strange noise at night, and you don't really want to know what it is, but you have to see for yourself if it is something or simply nothing at all.

There Will Be Stars in a novel from the Mattingly Series of novels Billy began writing about and as he places a disclosure at the beginning, these can be read in any order, but this one takes place a few years after  In the Heart of the Dark Wood. I love to read them in the order he has written them, and then I make in fact go back and read them in a different order. This is the story not only of Bobby Barnes, the main character in this novel but those who he is interconnected with. Not only those who play a role in this novel, but those who he speaks with in getting from the beginning to the end of this story.

Bobby Barnes is the town's drunk. He runs a automotive repair shop in the small town of Mattingly, Virginia, one in which everyone knows your business, often without your permission, because it is that small and everyone is connected in some unique way that can only be explained by the mind of the writer of the novel. People have been saying for some time, that Bobby will one day drink himself to death, either by consuming so much or by getting behind the wheel. Bobby might have a different opinion on that one. He works better when he has had a few even though he rarely gets much done. Perhaps he drinks to forget, perhaps he drinks simply because that is all he has known, and to do something different, might just throw him for a spin he isn't willing to take. Whatever the issue, this is the story of how Bobby defines those very moments in something I have a hard time describing. All I know is that you have to experience it to understand it and that my friend, is why you need to read this novel.

I received There Will Be Stars by Billy Coffey compliments of Thomas Nelson Publishers for my honest review and I did not receive any monetary compensation aside from a free copy of this novel in exchange for my honest and personal opinion. How to describe what this novel is about is like mixing Groundhog Day with the Twilight Zone. There are six people who are about to find out what heaven or hell is like based on their own perceptions of where they are in life and how they see the events that are coming to them all. In fact, all I know is that Billy Coffey can spin a tale that will have you second guessing yourself all the way to the very end and make you want to reread it to see if you might have missed something along the way. For me, this is a definite sign of a truly talented writer, and for me, this one rates up there with something Stephen King might have written! Well worth again another 5 out of 5 stars! Keep em coming Billy Coffey, keep em coming! A reader's discussion guide is included at the conclusion and would make for one great novel for book clubs to take a poke at!

For more information about There Will Be Stars, Billy Coffey or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

There Will Be Stars by Billy Coffey

You can find Billy Coffey on Facebook to stay up to date on all his latest novels.

To see more reviews on There Will Be Stars, please visit Thomas Nelson Publisher's website. 

Mattingly Series Novels by Billy Coffey 

When Mockingbirds Sing

The Devil Walks in Mattingly

In the Heart of the Dark Wood

The Curse of Crow Hollow

There Will Be Stars

The Spy House

4 men from various military forces from the around the world, are found brutally killed behind a locked and sealed door underground. Sounds a bit like some math or science puzzle but that is precisely behind the premise behind Matthew Dunn's latest novel The Spy House, the fifth book in the Spycatcher series. I have truly loved this entire series that takes readers into the life of William Cochrane, (think of Jason Bourne or Ethan Hunt) who has at this point been asked to leave the MI6 and CIA after serving so many years for both organizations. He has become a bit of a liability that they can't control.

But just what can a man do now after this has become who he is? He contracts out his work now so he doesn't have to answer to anyone but that also means that he isn't provided with the creature comforts he was used to in order to accomplish his goal. This mission takes on a bit of a personal nature when Will learns that the man they are accusing of being guilty is his mentor and best friend. There is no possibility that the blame that they are placing on him is true and besides taking on this contract, he is also taking on the personal responsibility to oversee the investigation.

This has all come to a culmination when an Israeli Ambassador to France is killed in cold blood by what some believe is a Hamas sniper in a Paris square. Israel wants to retaliate, but they lack the facts to connect these crimes to Hamas with 100% certainty. They have given the U.S. two weeks to provide the hard cold facts in this matter, before they launch their own mission against those they believe responsible and if they do so, it will put the U.S. in a position to choose what side they will support. A matter that could potentially led the entire world into a third world war. Now it's a race against time for Will to provide the answers but likely all could espionage thrillers, there are those that wish to prevent that from happening and soon the body count not only begins to rise, but becomes personal in nature to Will as well.

I received The Spy House by Matthew Dunn compliments of William Morrow, a division of Harper Collins Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation, aside from a free copy of this book, in exchange for my honest review. This truly falls into the lines of such notable authors as Ian Fleming and John LeCarrè, so fans of their literary works will love this entire series. Some readers might take offense to the profanity used in this novel, so with that being said, I wanted to disclose that about the novel. It strikes me as odd how this novel came out just before the terrorists strikes in Paris and helps you understand the dark undercover work that our nations leaders use to help prevent things like this from happening, but they can't always prevent. I love that Matthew Dunn writes from the experience as a former MI6 officer and thus brings that sense of realism to his series. For me this one rates a 4 out of 5 stars in my opinion.

For more information about The Spy House, Matthew Dunn or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

The Spy House by Matthew Dunn

You can find Matthew Dunn on Facebook to stay up to date on all his latest novels.

To read more reviews on The Spy House, please visit William Morrow's website. 

• Series: Spycatcher (Book 5)
• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow; First Edition edition (October 20, 2015)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0062309498
• ISBN-13: 978-0062309495
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 1.1 x 9 inches

A Heart's Promise

Sometimes the hardest choice is the one our heart wants to make but our mind convinces us that it simply isn't for us. Emmie Croftner, knows all about bad choices. It wasn't enough to be born into a family where her older brothers pretty much dictated the way life would be lived and that she would spend her time serving their needs. To call them ruthless would be an understatement, and that is why she probably fell so hard for Monroe. Not only did she need the kind of attention and perceived love he was offering, but in a way it was an escape from her brothers. Perhaps if she had listened to her head more than her heart, her life would be different.

Instead, she learns that her marriage to Monroe was real. He was previously married to another woman and he had a child with her. So when Monroe died, Emmie was left with nothing, except being a child thanks to Monroe. Her only hope would be heading to Fort Laramie and staying with her sister in law Sarah to escape the looks and rumors she was now at the center of.

She just never expected to meet a man just as sweet as Monroe had appeared, but this time instead of listening to her heart, she is listening to her common sense. One that reminds her that all men are alike, that no matter how smooth talking they might be, how kind, they only have one thing in mind, and as much as she would love to give in, she isn't about to take that chance with Isaac. She'd rather be alone for the right reasons, than with someone for all the wrong reasons.

I received A Heart's Promise by Colleen Coble compliments of Thomas Nelson Publishers and Litfuse Publicity for my honest review. Aside from a free copy of this book, I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions contained here are strictly my own. This is the 5th book in the Journey of the Heart Series, and I can't wait to see how it will all end up. Emmie is struggling to find her way among the women at the Fort and believes that she will find herself facing similar circumstances once the women find out about her past. One woman in particular will go to great lengths to ensure Emmie stays away from Isaac, a man she intends on marrying. Such a beautiful story of hope, renewal and forgiveness that has been the theme of this series from beginning to end. I'd rate this one a 4 out of 5 stars.

For more information about A Heart's Promise, Colleen Coble or where to pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

A Heart's Promise by Colleen Coble

You can find Colleen Coble on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest books.

To read more reviews on A Heart's Promise, please visit Litfuse Publicity's book tour page. 


Will the promise Emmie makes to her friend mean the end to her dreams of a future with Isaac? Find out in book five, A Heart's Promise, of Colleen Coble's A Journey of the Heart series. Emmie Croftner let Isaac Liddle go to avoid telling him about her past. But Isaac remains determined to win Emmie’s heart and hand. Can she live happily without Isaac?

Take a day off and head to the beach with a new giveaway from Colleen: five books (books one–five in Colleen's A Journey of the Heart series) and a beach bag to tote your new books in!

 

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A copy of A Heart's Promise
• A Lands' End beach tote
• A copy of A Heart's Betrayal
• A copy of A Heart's Disguise
• A copy of A Heart's Obsession
• A copy of A Heart's Danger

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on July 31st. Winner will be announced August 3rd on Colleen's website.

Sabotaged

I've had the delight to read almost all of the novels in Dani Pettrey's Alaskan Courage Series and am only missing out on one. In her fifth book, Sabotaged, readers will get the chance to see if sparks will fly between Reef McKenna and Kirra Jacobs. They have been interested in one another since childhood but never actually got together but more like on one another's last nerve. It seemed like a romance that should have been destined from the beginning but things just keep them apart.

When Kirra's Uncle Frank, is threatened with blackmail, he abruptly leaves the Iditarod race when his only daughter Meg has been abducted. Knowing the Frank is the only way to make their plan a reality, he warns his niece Kirra how dire the situation can be if any police are called in to help. Since Kirra is stationed at the Iditarod as part of the Search and Rescue team, she is alarmed when Frank goes missing late at night when he should have checked in. Knowing she can't leave things to chance she hopes she can find him before the severe storm moves in. She just wasn't expecting Reef to prevent her from going alone. Knowing that great minds prevail in highly stressful situations, it will be a race against time to find the people responsible for Meg's kidnapping, and to figure out what role Frank is playing in all of this before it's too late.

I received Sabotaged by Dani Pettrey compliments of Bethany House Publishers and Pulse Point Design for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions contained here are strictly my own. This has been such an adrenaline laced series from the first novel Submerged. It is heart-racing, edge of your seat suspense that wraps around a faith filled McKenna family in the heart of the Alaskan wilderness where any situation can change at a moments notice. Not only do you have the weather posing an issue but just the vast territory that remains unexplored gives Dani quite the canvas to write this series as her gorgeous backdrop. Reminds me of the movie Cliff Hanger with Sylvester Stallone but Dani's guys are much better looking! For those that love extreme suspense, you'll definitely want to pick this one up and I'd rate it a full 5 out of 5 stars in my opinion.

For more information about Sabotaged, Dani Pettrey or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Sabotaged by Dani Pettrey

You can find Dani Pettrey on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

You can also enter Dani Pettrey's Heart of Adventures Sweepstakes and have a chance at one of several great prizes. Details are below:

In SABOTAGED, the fifth and final book of author Dani Pettrey’s award-winning Alaskan Courage series, Kirra Jacobs and Reef McKenna experience the high stakes of Iditarod search-and-rescue when Kirra’s uncle, a musher in the race, goes missing.

Kirra and Reef put aside their differences to search for him, but what they discover is harrowing: Frank’s daughter Meg has been kidnapped, and Frank must do the kidnapper’s bidding or Meg will die.

Soon Kirra, Reef, and the entire McKenna family are thrown into a race to stop a shadowy villain who is not only threatening a girl’s life, but appears willing to unleash one of the largest disasters Alaska has ever seen.

To celebrate their epic race, Dani and Bethany House Publishers are pleased to present the HEART OF ADVENTURE SWEEPSTAKES, and your chance to win one of three marvelous prizes, all closely connected to the story.

Timeframe & Notifications: 

This giveaway starts February 2, 2015 and ends February 22, 2015 @ 11:59 pm (PST).

Entry is open to US residents only, age 18 and over. Winners will be selected Monday, February 23, 2015, and announced at DaniPettrey.com.

For more information on how to enter the sweepstakes, go to http://www.danipettrey.com/heart-of-adventure-sweepstakes/ and complete the entry box, anytime between February 2 – 22, 2015.

Breath of Spring

 Spring is a time of renewal and for new beginnings and that is just what's in store for Annie Mae Knepp. After standing up to her father, the ex-bishop of Willow Ridge, a small Amish community nestled in the heartland of Missouri. When her father conned most of the towns residents with less than reputable dealings and left to create another community called Higher Ground, he had expected Annie Mae and her sister Naomi to join him. It simply is the Amish way to honor and obey your parents, but that is not what she did. She stood her ground and refused to go. Now faced with the challenges of supporting her and her sister, she gets a job as a waitress at the Sweet Seasons Cafe.

It's something she did naturally, caring for people and seeing to their needs. In fact, the entire town is supporting her efforts and has vowed to make sure that Annie Mae and Naomi are cared for in whatever they need. Annie Mae just never figured she would find love, but God has other plans. Adam Wagler is the one person who notices more about Annie Mae than simply what's on the menu and how she caters to those who dine at the cafe. It's the little things, like how she squints when looking at the menu or trying to see small print on things and offers her a spare pair of glasses. At first Annie is offended because she thinks that they make her look worse than they do. In fact she seems to have a low self esteem since her overbearing father drove most of the eligible young men away from courting her when he was around. But that is not the case anymore and most of the young men seem to take notice of this as well. But the last thing Adam has on his mind is courting Annie but everyone else can see what he apparently can't. That he can't take his eyes off of her whenever she is around.

I received Breath of Spring from Charlotte Hubbard compliments of Pump Up Your Book Tours and Kensington Books for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions are strictly my own. This is the fourth book in the Seasons of the Heart Series and truly is a breath of fresh spring air. I love going back to the lives of the people in Willow Ridge, the one's I've come to know as friends from Charlotte's previous novels, Summer of Secrets, Autumn Winds and Winter of Wishes. The best part of her novels is that she keeps the characters real. They aren't perfect even if their lives are simple. They deal with the same issues we all do, but they have their faith as their foundation to support them. They deal with family problems, financial challenges and problems of the heart much like we all do. That is what I believe makes you fall in love with each book in this captivating and heart warming series. For me, it was like coming  home and well deserving of 5 out of 5 stars.

For more information about Breath of Spring, Charlotte Hubbard or where to pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Breath of Spring by Charlotte Hubbard

You can also find Charlotte Hubbard on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Breath of Spring, please visit Pump Up Your Book Tour's page.

The Mirror

If you're a fan of science fiction dealing with time travel woven together with a touch of romance, history and a bit of mystery, you might just want to pick up John Heldt's Northwest Passage Time Travel Series. I've been so privileged to be a part of this journey being invited to review his latest in the series, The Mirror. This is actually book 5 in the series, and follows the journey of Katie and Ginny Smith, twins who live in the year 2020 and find themselves at the Cedar River Country Fair. Having seen most of the exhibits, rides and fair offerings, they opt to check out one final thing before heading home, a throw back to the original fair's exhibits from the 60's which include fire eaters, fortune tellers and even a vintage House of Mirrors.

They take the chance to spend some time with Marta the Magnificent who offers a look into your future for $10 using your choice of the ball, the cards, the palms of the leaves. The girls chose the ball since it seems the most legit and when Marta tells them that they will soon go on an adventure like no other, a strange, mysterious journey much closer to home. She warns them that there will be handsome young men in their future and that these men will be no ordinary acquaintances and will change their lives. She strongly cautions them that they will be gone a long time and they will only have one chance to return. If they are not careful, they may never see home again.

Marta is so panicked by what she sees for both of the twins she refunds their money when the girls begin to get worried with her prediction. Her last words of advice for the twins, "Just take the money and go. Leave the fairgrounds now and go home. I'm advising you as a mother and a person who cares about your safety. Leave immediately. Don't do anything else tonight. Just go straight home and stay there. I beg you."

But like all great stories the girls don't follow Marta's advice and make a final stop before heading home at the House of Mirrors where they step through a mirror and find themselves in 1964. Remembering Marta's warning, they know they can get back but are unsure just how. They know they will only have one shot at it, but they also know that their parents were also given the rare opportunity as well to travel back in time. They just aren't sure how long they will be in 1964 and how they will find their way back. They only know that their parents did it before following the same path to get home, but there are no mirrors around. The fair has now been boarded up and they can only hope to find out when it will be reopened and try to find the same mirror they walked through the first time to get back home. For now the journey will take them in unexpected places and allow them to see family members that have been dead for quite some time. Is there a bigger plan in store for them or will they alter history forever?

I received The Mirror by John A. Heldt compliments of the author for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for my review and the opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own unless otherwise noted. This novel is proceeded by The Mine and The Show if you want to follow the story from the beginning to see the parallel time travel adventures from their parents and grandparents. It is interesting to see how teens from a technology advanced period of history have to deal with going back to the 60's and try to fit in. Dating is much different in some aspects than it was where they came from and women dressed much more sophisticated then they do wearing dresses instead of jeans and the girls seem to be rushed to find romance and love before their time runs out. I would rate this one a 4 out of 5 in my opinion based on the fact that the girls are a bit promiscuous with their relationships and not too concerned with the consequences of their actions with the boys they encounter and for the majority of my reader base who might find this a cause for concern. I would have liked to seen them spend more time falling in love than simply sleeping with them. All in all, the novel is a wonderful blend of so many elements that the author executed so well and I love how it all worked out in the end.

For more information about The Mirror, John A. Heldt or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

The Mirror by John A. Heldt

You can also find John A. Heldt on Facebook to stay up to date with all his latest novels. 

A Season of Love

Poor Katie Kauffman has found herself in one of the worst predicaments imaginable. After returning back to Bird-in-Hand, Pennsylvania, back to the bakery she loves, she finds her best friends Lindsay and Lizzie Ann have found great Amish men to begin their courting. Katie on the other hand seems to think that she will grow old and only have the love of baking to keep her warm at nights. After finally being baptized as part of the Amish faith alongside her friends, she suddenly finds herself a bit of the odd person out. While Lindsay and Lizzie talk about wedding plans and of what type of life they envision for their families, Katie can't help but feel left out.

When she finds comfort in Jake Miller, a boy that works for her grandfather's shop as a carpenter apprentice, she finds herself attracted to him in ways she would have never imagined. She knows there isn't any possibility for them to go any further than just friends. Jake is a Mennonite while she comes from a strong and strict Amish family. They can never been anything more than just friends. However when Katie and Jake find themselves in a compromising situation, Katie's father, Robert rages out of control and ground Katie for a month. He forbids her to have anything to do with Jake even as just friends. However with Jake working with Katie's grandfather Eli on a cabinet for the bakery, it seems that there is more than fate pulling them together. Will Katie find a way to forget what can never be between Jake and herself? Or will Jake's long lost first love, Jessica be the only way out for them both?

In the conclusion to the Kauffman Amish Bakery Series, A Season of Love by Amy Clipston takes the reader in the 5th book to see how the remaining characters we've come to love and adore wrap up their lives. Lindsay Bedford returns from Virginia Beach with her GED in hand believing she can be just as smart as her sister, Jessica and finds a way to prove it. Now returning back to Pennsylvania where Katie has been caring for her ailing Aunt Rebecca who has been confined to bed rest due to complications with her pregnancy. Lindsay believes she is finally read to become Amish and in the process will see if love awaits her on the other side. Katie has to deal with her father's issues about dealing with what he believes is proper without waiting for all the facts to come in. It shows how damaging rumors and perception can be to an Amish family and must in fact cost her to be shunned. This is truly an unforgettable novel to wrap up life with the Kauffman family. You can read this one as a stand alone but trust me, you will want to go back and read them all. This is truly an exceptional ending to this series.

I received A Season of Love by Amy Clipston compliments of Barbour Publishing and Net Galley for my honest review and I have to say, I gladly give this one a 5 out of 5 stars. For more information about A Season of Love, Amy Clipston, or where to pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

A Season of Love by Amy Clipston

You can also find Amy Clipston on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest books.

To read the entire series of the Kauffman Amish Bakery Series, look for the following books at your local book retailer:

# 1 A Gift of Grace
#2 A Place of Peace
#3 A Promise of Hope
#4 A Life of Joy
#5 A Season of Love

Cowgirl Trail

Maggie Porter has grown up on the Rocking P Ranch and has come to love everything there is to about ranching, from riding horses, roping and driving cattle. As a young girl at 13, she had developed a school girl crush for ranch-hand Alex Bright because he didn't treat her any different because she was the bosses daughter.

Now that she has returned to the Rocking P as an older women, she wonders if that same crush exists and she can't wait to see Alex again. When she arrives home on the ranch, she learns Alex has been promoted as foreman, but even though her heart continues to chase after Alex, she finds out that things on the ranch aren't running as smoothly as her father would like. Maggie returns home after a long stay from helping her ill mother at the sanatorium and later attending her funeral, she finds her father isn't his usual self. She believes he is taking her mother's grief harder than she expected and learns that he has relinquished most of the ranch's task to Alex instead of being there on hand to help.

Maggie learns from Alex that most of the men are considering striking against the Rocking P, since her father has taken back some of the benefits they used to have working for him, from herding their own cattle on the ranch, to basic help in maintaining the bunkhouses and they haven't had a pay raise in ten years. Things get worse when Leo, one of the ranch hands is injured and her father refuses to help. He tells Leo that his wife will have to take him to town to see a doctor because he can't spare any men. That leaves Leo's wife, Sela to have to manage with an infant and leave her three young boys in the care of Dolores, the housekeeper. But when her father learns of this, he dismisses the boys and Sela to town because he can't afford to help them manage their family affairs on the ranch.

This places Maggie and Alex in the middle as Alex attempts to keep the men working on the ranch at least til they finish the cattle drive and they can get paid, while Maggie tries in vain to find out what is going on with the change in her father. It goes against how he has managed the ranch up to this point and if they can't reach a compromise, the ranch will fail.

In the novel, Cowgirl Trail by Susan Page Davis, the reader is transported back to Brady, Texas during the late 1800's for a look at what it takes to manage and run a large cattle ranch and how people made a living back then, either running a ranch or helping to maintain it. I feel for Maggie Porter, because as a daughter she is stuck between her loyalty to her father and toward helping the men when she feels her father is out of line. Will she be able to help them all find a compromise or will the ranch be lost along with her dreams of falling in love with Alex?

I received Cowgirl Trail compliments of Moody Publishers and Net Galley for my honest review and being a huge fan of Christian Western Romances, I absolutely loved this one. Susan Page Davis creates a different type of conflict and the way she has Maggie attempt to handle this as the only child of the Rocking P is brilliant and virtually unheard of in most western fictional books but one that works well in this one. I rate this book a 5 out of 5 stars and shows the strength that can be required of us when faced with challenging and difficult situations if we are willing to look to God for answers! This is book 5 in the Texas Trails series and one I've really enjoyed if you love westerns!!

For more information on Cowgirl Trail, Susan Page Davis or where to pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Cowgirl Trail by Susan Page Davis

You can also stay up with the latest from Susan Page Davis on Facebook.