Buried Wilderness Secrets by Jaime Jo Wright - A Book Review

  

If you pick up this book because you are a fan of the books published by Love Inspired Suspense or the romantic suspense genre in general,you won't be disappointed. The story is well written. The author's protagonists are very well developed, and empathy is easily felt for each of them. The romance is sweet and believable. The suspense is good, but not too difficult to solve. Even though the book is short, the author does a wonderful job of avoiding an abrupt ending.

If you are picking this book up because Jaime Jo Wright is the author, please set that thought aside. Authors, I am sure, dread being pigeon-holed as much as actors do being type-cast. Both should feel free to spread their wings and try new things. If you join Jaime Jo Wright on this flight, you won't be sorry.

I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of Buried Wilderness Secrets via Love Inspired Suspense via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Missing in Texas by Virginia Vaughan - A Book Review

  

This short book is an easy read. The investigation of a cold case involving a missing college student is suspenseful. The lead investigator keeping the case alive is a cousin to the main suspect. It seems he not only wants to clear his relative's name, but also to bring justice to the young woman presumed to be dead. Now with the help of a highly motivated FBI agent, he is hoping the case will finally be solved. The suspense portion of the story is very well-plotted and well-written. The romance portion lacks substance. If you are looking for a quick suspense read, this book may fill the bill. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of Missing in Texas from Love Inspired Suspense via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.  

Hunted for the Holidays by Deena Alexander - A Book Review

  

This romantic suspense story may be relatively short, but it is compelling from start to finish. I literally carried it from room to room with me as the Kindle text-to-speech feature read to me as I went about my daily routine, otherwise I would have accomplished absolutely nothing until I finished the last page. Shae Evans and her five-year-old daughter had been in the Witness Security Program Gracie's entire life, a life her father knew nothing of until he came banging on their door one December 23^rd evening.

Deena Alexander was able to flesh out these characters and craft a smoothly-flowing, action-packed plot in just 201 pages. She also, through the characters' thoughts and actions, demonstrates in a very authentic way how one's faith impacts how one handles the really tough times life throws one's way.

I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of Hunted for the Holidays from Love Inspired via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

Thread of Suspicion by Susan Sleeman – A Book Review

     The continued saga of the Justice Agency, a private detection/protection agency run by adopted siblings, proved to be an engaging read.  I have read books three and four in the series, and am interested in going back to read books 1 and 2.  I believe the books can be enjoyed in any order.  Book 5 comes out in March of this year. 

      In Thread of Suspicion the youngest Justice sibling, Dani, struggles to exert her independence, and to be viewed as a capable adult by both her family and their current client, Luke Baldwin.  In trying to prove Luke’s innocence in the sabotage of his company’s software, designed to protect our soldiers in harm’s way, Dani meets her nemesis, Echo, once again.  Both she and Luke’s sister are in Echo’s crosshairs, and both must rely on each of their siblings for protection.  Dani fights off the attraction she feels for Luke as she works to be in control of the situation they all have found themselves in.  Luke also struggles with these feelings as his company and his livelihood are under attack, and as he is haunted by his past. 

     Susan Sleeman keeps the romance tense, but clean.  The romance and the mystery in her books play well together, neither dominating the other.  The pace of the story keeps the reader turning pages, and not wanting to put the book down.  I would definitely recommend her books to romance and mystery lovers alike. 

     I won this book in a contest, and was under no obligation to review it.  I am grateful to Ms Sleeman for sending me the copy, and am pleased to have the opportunity to write a favorable review.  

No Way Out by Susan Sleeman - A Book Review

No Way Out by Susan Sleeman – A Book Review

     “We can’t control things around us.  Not a single one of us can.  God is in charge.”  Who could not benefit from this reminder from Dani Justice?  Most of us have struggled with guilt about things that happened that were in actuality out of our control.  Susan Sleeman tells a tale filled with suspense and surprises that not only entertains, but also illustrates the damage we can do to ourselves and our relationships when we allow pseudo guilt, the guilt we feel even when we were not responsible or when sin was not involved in an undesired outcome or tragedy.  (For more on this you may want to read Total Forgiveness by R.T. Kendall.)  Readers are reminded of the perfect peace that is available to us through trusting in the Lord and accepting His sovereignty. 

     I will confess to being a bit of a book snob.  When I first received No Way Out as part of a prize package from a Christian fiction scavenger hunt, it was not among my first reads of the thirty books that arrived in the mail.  Why?  The size and the shape, what if I took it to the doctor’s office waiting room?  Why, someone might mistakenly think I was reading a Harlequin romance!  Such reasoning will never again stop me from enjoying a truly Love Inspired story.  Thanks to the scavenger hunt I am now a Susan Sleeman fan, and look forward to reading more of her books.  I am very grateful that I just won a second of Susan’s books, Thread of Suspicion, and can’t wait to continue the saga of the Justice Agency. 

     What elements of Susan’s writing made this book such an enjoyable read aside from the valuable message?  Susan had a way of placing me in a setting, engaging all of my senses, without lengthy descriptions that cause my attention to waver.  My emotions were engaged with the characters of the story: fear, hope, disappointment, new love, doubt, relief.  The story was a roller coaster of emotions with frequent bends and curves caused by unexpected plot twists.  Surprises were still to come even in the final chapter.  The story had a mix of easily anticipated events to make prior knowledge of the genre provide a comfortable read and of unanticipated events to maintain a high level of engagement with the story.  A nice read indeed.