Book recommendation - US Marshals series

 

When looking for romantic suspense novels that are clean and faith-based, I don't need to look any further than Lisa Harris. Her recent US Marshals series is one of my favorites of hers. This series follows Jonas Quinn and Madison James, 2 US Marshals who have been partnered together through some pretty exciting adventures. There are a couple of ongoing story arcs - Madison is trying to figure out who murdered her husband 5 years ago - and there is a romance brewing between Madison and Jonas. If you only read one of the stories, you'll miss the full story arcs of these 2 items, but each main story stands alone. The Catch is the final installment and it releases April 5, 2022. There will also be a novella that ties the US Marshals to a prior series of the author, Nikki Boyd. As another favorite series of hers, I look forward to reading that connection as well!

Here's a bit about the books:

The Escape:

US Marshals Madison James and Jonas Quinn are thrust into a high-profile case when they are called on to transport two prisoners across the country on a private plane. But when the plane experiences engine trouble en route from the Pacific Northwest to Colorado, the pilots crash-land the aircraft deep in the heart of the sprawling Salmon-Challis National Forest.

When Madison and Jonas regain consciousness, they find both pilots and one prisoner dead--and one fugitive on the run. They'll have to negotiate the rugged and remote backcountry through Idaho, Wyoming, and Colorado while tracking a murderer who is desperate to disappear--and will do anything to stop them.

This high-octane game of cat-and-mouse from bestselling and award-winning author Lisa Harris will have your heart pumping as you try to catch a fugitive with nothing to lose

The Chase: 

US Marshal Madison James may not be sure who shot her three months ago, but she does know one thing--it's time to get back out into the field. When her partner, Jonas Quinn, receives a message that a federal warrant just came in on a man connected to a string of bank robberies, Madison jumps at the chance to get back to work. What she and Jonas find is a bank robbery in progress that's gone wrong--and things are about to get worse.

For these bank robbers, it's never been just about the money. It's about taking risks and adrenaline rushes, and getting caught is not part of the game. When the suspects escape, Madison and Jonas must hunt them down and bring them to justice before someone else--someone close to them--gets hurt . . . or worse.

From Seattle to the San Juan Islands, bestselling author Lisa Harris takes you on a nonstop chase where feelings are complicated and failure isn't an option. 

The Catch:

After a harrowing attempt on a judge's life at the courthouse, Deputy US Marshals Madison James and Jonas Quinn are tasked with finding a missing woman and an endangered child in connection to the murder of the judge's wife. What seems like a fairly straightforward case becomes hopelessly tangled when the marshals discover that the woman they are searching for is in witness protection and the Amber Alert put out for the missing child has put two lives in danger.

Madison and Jonas are forced into a race to find the woman and the child before the men who want her dead discover her location. And in a final showdown that could cost her everything, Madison will come face-to-face with the person who murdered her husband.

USA Today bestselling author Lisa Harris concludes her thrilling US Marshals series with this breathless tale of secrets kept, lies exposed, and ultimately, justice prevailing.

The Escape and The Chase are available now and The Catch is out on April 5th wherever books are sold  Point Blank, the novella that ties this series to the Nikki Boyd series is part of the Heroes in the Crossfire novella collection, which comes out June 1, 2022. Here's a bit about that one:

From USA Today Best-selling author, Lisa Harris, comes a novella that brings together fan-favorite characters from two of her series—Nikki Boyd, her husband Tyler, and Jack Spencer from her best-selling Nikki Boyd Files Series, and Madison James and Jonas Quinn from her more recent US Marshal Series. When one of Nikki’s teammates is killed during a routine training exercise at a shoot house, deadly secrets are revealed as evidence of murder surfaces. Now, the remaining team is caught up in a highly personal case that pulls them into a tangled web of deception as they race to find a killer.

If you enjoy romantic suspense, this is a series you won't want to miss! See links below for some additional information:

Lisa Harris's website: http://www.lisaharriswrites.com/

Lisa Harris's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorLisaHarris

My Full 5-star review for The Catch: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4089846102?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1

Book Review - All That it Takes

When it comes to contemporary stories with ALL the feels, along with depth, faith and humor, I have to look no further than Nicole Deese. Her contemporary romance novels have such intricate story lines and character development that I forget that I'm reading a romance novel. This book, dealing with heavy topics like abortion, single parenthood and feelings of isolation, delved in with grace and compassion. And a bit of humor sprinkled in. I went from laughing out loud to openly weeping as I read this one. 

Here's a bit about the book:

When the ever-cautious Val Locklier moves cross-country with her son for a secure job, everything she'd planned unravels within the first week. After Val reluctantly agrees to rent an apartment from her best friend's brother, an unexpected chance at an elite filmmakers' mentorship ignites fresh hope for a dream career. But as Val's community begins to expand, so do her insecurities, especially those heightened by her growing attraction to a certain friendly landlord. 

Pastor Miles McKenzie returns home from a short-term mission trip to discover that not only does he have an intriguing new tenant living upstairs, he's also been reassigned to a local ministry on life support. Disillusioned and restless, he distracts himself by throwing his energy into a host of new projects--not the least of which is pursuing Val--without stopping to consider the future. 

As Val struggles to stop hiding behind the camera and Miles wrestles with shattered expectations, they'll find that authentic love and sacrifice must go hand in hand.

As part of the author's launch team, I was able to get some "behind the scenes" looks and I'm happy to pass along to you the visual cues I got. Here are some looks at visuals for the main characters of this book - Val and Miles. Some descriptions are to the side of their pictures:

Characteristics: Intelligent, gentle, creative, compassionate, kind, researcher by nature, steadfast, slow-to-speak/slow-to-anger, mindful/thoughtful, selfless, dependable, reliable, responsible, nurturer. 

Struggles: Insecurity over physical differences/limitations, doesn’t like to ask/recieve help, fear of the unknown, fear of not being seen as competent, underestimates her strengths, prone to overthinking/anxiety

Characteristics: Adveturous, spontaneous, determined, charming, good sense of humor, sacrificial, generous, kingdom-minded, servant hearted, bold, affectionate, DIY-lover, outdoorsy, loves travel and new experiences

Struggles: Being still, patience, easily bored, holds a grudge, impulsive

This book releases on April 5, 2022 wherever books are sold. It's one I can solidly recommend regardless of genre of choice and will easily be one of my top reads for this year! For more information, check out the links below:

Nicole Deese's website: https://www.nicoledeese.com/

Nicole Deese's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/nicoledeeseauthor

My full 5-star review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4273955090
 

Book Recommendation - The Souls of Lost Lake

 

When I'm in the mood for a dual timeline that has a bit of everything - some creep-tastic suspense, a little romance, an intense mystery that spans generations, some spiritual truth, and ALL the feelings, I know I don't need to look any further than Jaime Jo Wright. This one is among my favorites of hers and will definitely be one of my top reads of 2022. Here's a little bit about the book:

Wren Blythe has long enjoyed being among the Northwoods, helping her father with programming at a youth camp. But when a little girl in the area goes missing, an all-out search ensues, reviving the decades-old campfire story of Ava Coons, the murderess, who still roams the woods. Joining the search, Wren stumbles upon the Coons cabin ruins and a rotting porcelain doll. But even more terrifying is seeing her name etched on the doll's foot like a sinister omen.

In 1930, Ava Coons has spent the last ten years carrying the mantle of mystery since she emerged from the forest as an eight-year-old girl, spattered with blood, dragging a logger's axe. She has accepted she'll never remember what happened to her family. When a member of the town of Tempter's Creek is murdered, rumors spread that Ava's secret is more malicious than previously imagined.

Both women discover that to save the innocent, they must face an insidious evil.

Sounds amazing, no? Believe me, it is!

One thing that Ms. Wright and I have in common is the recent loss of a parent. I lost my dad in December of 2020 and she lost her mom a few months later. There's a scene in this novel that I'm convinced was a mirror of her experience in that loss and it totally gutted me. While I often find myself tearing up during sad scenes in novels, this one wrecked me and left me sobbing. The emotional intensity was legit. If you've faced a recent loss (or maybe not so recent even), just be aware there is a gut-wrenching loss that takes place in this book. There is also a theme of missing children and mental health issues - which were handled very well, but could be triggers for some. This book brought out all the feelings. There was a happy-ish ending in both timelines - and the twists were ones that I definitely did not see coming! This was an excellent story and one I'd definitely recommend! This one releases April 1, 2022, wherever books are sold!

Some additional links for digging deeper:

Jaime Jo Wright's website: https://www.jaimewrightbooks.com/

Jaime Jo Wright's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/JaimeJoWright

Jaime Jo Wright's Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/jaimejowright/

My full 5-star review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4115866833