Book Recommendation - Millstone of Doubt

 

When it comes to Regency romance, I need not look any further than Erica Vetsch. Her stories are fun - with humor and banter woven in, as well as including wonderful characters and typically a good mystery that has me turning pages and asking "whodunit" until the big reveal. This book was among my favorites of hers so far. I enjoyed the character development, the plot and the faith thread immensely. Here's a little bit about the book:

Regency London's detective duo is back on a new case--and this one is going to be a killer Caught in the explosion of the Hammersmith Mill in London, Bow Street Runner Daniel Swann rushes to help any survivors only to find the mill's owner dead of an apparent gunshot.

Even though the owner's daughter, Agatha Montgomery, mourns his death, it seems there are more than a few people with motive for murder. But Daniel can't take this investigation slow and steady. Instead, he must dig through all the suspects as quickly as he can, because the clock is ticking until his mysterious patronage--and his job as a runner--comes to an abrupt and painful end. It seems to Daniel that, like his earthly father, his heavenly Father has abandoned him to the fates.

Lady Juliette Thorndike is Agatha's bosom friend and has the inside knowledge of the wealthy London ton to be invaluable to Daniel. She should be in a perfect position to help with the case. Still, her instructor in the art of spy craft orders her to stay out of the investigation. But circumstances intervene, dropping her into the middle of the deadly pursuit.

When a dreadful accident ends in another death on the mill floor, Daniel discovers a connection to his murder case--and to his own secret past. Now he and Juliette are in a race to find the killer before his time runs out.

This book releases September 20, 2022, wherever books are sold. For additional information, check out the following links:

Erica Vetsch's website: https://www.ericavetsch.com/

Erica Vetsch's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/EricaVetschAuthor

My full 5-star review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4775845512

Book Recommendation - Fallout

 

Carrie Stuart Parks is in a league of her own when it comes to inspirational suspense. While many authors draw you in with nail-biting and intense page turning, Ms. Parks whets your appetite with mystery and intrigue, draws in some real life history and events, adds dogs and art to each and every story, and creates characters with more quirks than  usual. This book was no different. Here's a little bit about the book:

Samantha Williams’s carefully crafted life is about to be demolished as thoroughly as her art classroom when a careening SUV smashes into the school.

In the dusty farming community of LaCrosse, Washington, art teacher Samantha Williams manages to save her students when an SUV crashes into the school. Her car isn’t so lucky. Oddly, her purse—containing her driver’s license, credit cards, and other identification—is missing from the wreckage, forcing her to rely on the kindness of strangers. Never one to trust easily, Samantha is thrust into a world far different from her simple life of jigsaw puzzles, children’s books, and lectures at the library.

One of the strangers who befriends her is a reporter from Spokane who is in town investigating two sets of skeletal remains that were recently discovered. When authorities discover that the driver in the school accident was shot before the crash, Samantha quickly becomes enmeshed in strange events, which turn ominous with the discovery of blackmail, murder, an abandoned town, and a secret government project.

Samantha has long tried to forget the tragedy of her past, but the links here can't be ignored. Yet these are secrets that others are determined to keep buried, and they’ll use any means necessary to stop Samantha’s search for truth.

This book releases September 13, 2022, wherever books are sold. For additional info, check out the following links:

Carrie Stuart Parks' website: http://www.carriestuartparks.com/

Carrie Stuart Parks' facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/carriestuartparks123

My full 4-star review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4690886627#

Book Recommendation - Worthy of Legend

 

When I want to enjoy a historical romance that includes mystery and intrigue as well as spiritual depth, I know I can count on Roseanna M. White. Her Secrets of the Isles series has followed  a group of friends - some of the nobility and others not - to the Scilly Islands, off the coast of Cornwall. The islands are filled with legends - many based in fact - that have brought many a treasure hunter to their shores. This series tells some of those tales. This final installment in the series includes the legend of King Arthur and the sinking of Lyonesse together in a way that is altogether believable. This book ties up the series nicely and brings closure to the characters. I also enjoy any book that includes a dog and there's a delightful puppy included in this one as well. 

Here's a bit about the book:

After a summer of successful pirate-treasure hunting, Lady Emily Scofield and her friends must hide the unprecedented discoveries they've made, thanks to the betrayal of her own family. Horrified by her brother, who stops at nothing to prove himself to their greedy father, Emily is forced to take a stand against her family--even when it means being cut off entirely.

Bram Sinclair, Earl of Telford, is fascinated with tales of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table--an interest he's kept mostly hidden for the last decade. But when a diary is unearthed on the islands that could lead to a secret artifact, Bram is the only one able to piece the legends together.

As Bram and Emily seek out the whereabouts of the hidden artifact, they must dodge her family and a team of archeologists. In a race against time, it is up to them to decide what makes a hero worthy of legend. Is it fighting valiantly to claim the treasure . . . or sacrificing everything in the name of selfless love?

Fans that sign up for the author's newsletter also get a bonus chapter to this book! This book releases on September 13, 2022 wherever books are sold. For more information, check out the following links:

Roseanna M. White's website: https://www.roseannamwhite.com/

Roseanna M. White's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/RoseannaMWhite

My full 5-star review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4690893036

Book Recommendation - Fostered

 

As a CASA who is always looking for good continuing education books to read, this book popped out to me as one that I would really be interested in. It is written by a woman who grew up in foster care, and is now married and a foster mom. She overcame her obstacles and healed from her trauma by the grace of God and I knew that I wanted to hear her story. Honest about where she came from and owning up to her own bad decisions that took her further down that road, Ms. Petersen readily points to her relationship with God as being what saved her - physically, emotionally and spiritually. This book is one I'd recommend to anyone who works with or around foster youth or simply wants to know more. 

Here's a little bit about the book:

If you’re wondering if God can truly move in the life of someone with all the odds stacked against her, look no further than Tori Hope Petersen.

Tori grew up in the foster care system, a bi-racial child in a confusing and volatile world. Growing up with a mentally ill mother and living in twelve different foster homes, nothing was in her favor. And yet, even with a miniscule chance of graduating college and a great risk of being homeless, jobless, and on drugs, Tori overcame every negative stereotype and assumption that attacked her identity. 

However, Tori will tell you she did not overcome. Christ did. In the face of the storm, Jesus made a way for Tori to find profound hope, deep faith, renewed purpose, and a loving family, too.  After so many years of being on one side of foster care as a child, Tori is now on the other side as a foster mom, adoptive mom, and biological mom. On top of that, she was crowned as a Track and Field All-American and named Mrs. Universe 2021, a platform she now uses to pursue her passion for foster care reform, adoption advocacy, and help for vulnerable populations.

If you want to hear the true tale of an unlikely overcomer, this book is for you. If you want to learn more about the foster care system from a former foster youth’s perspective, this book is for you. If you want to better dwell in the reality of your own spiritual adoption by our Heavenly Father and better understand the orphan and the widow that He loves dearly, this book is for you. Ultimately, if you want to remember who God is, and what He can do through the most unlikely of people, Fostered is for you.

This book releases August 30, 2022, wherever books are sold. For more information, check out the following links:

Tori Hope Petersen's website: https://www.torihopepetersen.com/

Tori Hope Petersen's Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/torihopepetersen/

My full 5-star review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4923575150

Book Review - Dead Sea Conspiracy

 

Jerry B Jenkins has long been a prominent name within the Christian fiction genre and has made quite a name for himself in the industry. He has written quite a few wonderful books and I've read and enjoyed many of them. This book is the first dual timeline book of his that I've read and as that is a favorite genre of mine, I was thrilled with the premise of this one. The characters and dialogue in this one fell a bit short for me, though the plot and story-line were still very good. I believe I would have enjoyed this one more if I'd read book 1 in the series first. Here's a bit about the book:

In this thrilling adventure, archaeologist Nicole Berman is about to discover the key to unifying three major religions—if a dangerous enemy doesn't stop her first.

Archaeologist Nicole Berman is the first woman to be awarded a permit to lead a dig in Saudi Arabia. Nicole believes what she hopes to discover has the power to to rewrite world history. She assembles a team that will ultimately surprise - and in some cases - betray her. 

In a parallel storyline, readers are launched back to ancient Ur where young Abram is sent to learn from his forebears, who tell him firsthand stories of being on the ark during the Great Flood. 

This book releases August 23, 2022 wherever books are sold. Check out the following links for additional information:

Jerry B. Jenkins's website: https://jerryjenkins.com/ 

Jerry B. Jenkins's facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/jerry.b.jenkins

My full 3.5 star review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4888569898?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1

Book Recommendation - Love and the Dream Come True

 

When looking at contemporary romance as a genre, with gritty down-to-earth characters with real flaws and real growth and development, I look no further than Tammy Gray's works. In this State of Grace series, she also included some humor, which made these books some of my favorites of hers. Fans of the series will be glad to see Cameron finally get his story told. He's been a significant minor character in the first 2 books of the series, so this is a series I would recommend reading in order. If you've read the first 2 books, you know Cameron is a musician. That can make him a bit moody and made him a bit unlikeable to me in the first 2 books (which is surprising since I'm a singer), but he redeemed himself in this book.

 

Here's a bit about the book:

Four years after getting the biggest break of his life, Cameron Lee's music career has taken a nosedive, leaving him two options: become a sellout or give up on his lifelong dream. He reluctantly returns home for his sister's wedding, hoping to avoid his past and find his love for music again.

Single mom Lexie Walters has suffered her fair share of tragedies and setbacks, but she has finally scraped together the money to achieve her dream of going into business with her cousin as an interior designer. When Lexie's life is at an all-time high, she runs into her teenage crush, Cameron Lee.

Lost in the emotional turmoil of failure, Cameron is immediately drawn to Lexie and her infectious smile and optimistic spirit. Moreover, he adores her mouthy, no-holds-barred daughter. But fantasies only last so long, and soon Lexie and Cameron must face the real world, the one fraught with heartbreak, disappointment, and questions that sometimes can only be answered by a leap of faith.

This book releases August 2, 2022 wherever books are sold. For additional information, please check out the links below:

Tammy L Gray's website: http://www.tammylgray.com/

Tammy L. Grays' Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/tlgraybooks

My full 5-star review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4833988803

Book Recommendation - When Stone Wings Fly

 

One of my favorite storytelling methods is a dual timeline story. I really enjoy seeing how history impacts the present and this type of story is good at helping us to see that, and showcases how decisions made by our ancestors impact us in modern times. This story follows Rosie McCauley in the past timeline and Kieran Lucas, Rosie's great-granddaughter, in the present. Kieran seeks out Rosie's story as it is part of her own personal history, of which she has very little understanding. This book was a very enjoyable story set in a familiar-to-me backdrop of the Great Smoky Mountains. The mountains were a favorite vacation spot for my family as I was growing up, and so it was fun to "see familiar sights" in both the past and the present in this way. 

Having been a park ranger in the past, author Karen Barnett has several books that take place in our nation's national parks and this one was a lovely addition to that listing. One thing I'd not been aware of is that unlike some of the older parks, The Smokies was not public land prior to the park's acquisition, but rather, much of the land was owned by individuals who lived with fantastic views each day. This story tells of one such family whose land was purchased by the park and how that impacted them and their future generations. This story-line was riveting, with both  mystery and romance, character growth and development, and a solid message of faith. Here's a little bit about the book:

Uncovering a long-lost family story is the only way to bring her grandmother peace

Kieran Lucas’s grandmother is slipping into dementia, and, when her memory is gone, Kieran’s last tie to the family she barely knows will be lost forever. Worse, Granny Mac is being tormented by flashbacks of her mother’s death and the loss of their home.

In 1931, Rosie McCauley’s Smoky Mountains home is threatened by the Tennessee Great Smokies Park Commission as they create a new national park. But Rosie vows the only way they’ll get her land is if they haul her out in a pine box. When a compromise offers her and her disabled sister the opportunity to stay for her lifetime, it seems too good to be true.

Ornithologist Benton Fuller arrives to conduct a bird survey for the park and the two form a tenuous bond. But their friendship broadens a rift between her and the other mountain folk who are suspicious of any government connections. Then the discovery of an illegal still in the woods near her cabin leads to a violent clash between sides that could destroy them all.

Eighty-five years later, Kieran heads back to Great Smoky Mountains National Park to find answers to her great-grandmother’s mysterious death and bring peace to Granny Mac before it’s too late. Park Historian Zach Jensen may be the key to locating both the answers and a precious family heirloom. But just as in the past, Kieran’s needs clash with government regulations. Will Zach block her from recovering what she needs and solving this family mystery?

This one released on June 14, 2022 and it's one I can give a solid recommendation for. Be sure to check it out!

For more information, check out the following links:

Karen Barnett's website: https://karenbarnettbooks.com/

Karen Barnett's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/KarenBarnettAuthor

My full 5 star review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4786362526?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1