A Christmas Bride by Hope Ramsay (Chapel of Love #1)

Description

A season of hope . . .'Tis the season in Shenandoah Falls and the first time Willow Peterson has been home in years. But she's determined to fulfill the wishes of her recently deceased best friend and restore Eagle Hill Manor to its former glory-all in time to host the perfect holiday wedding. She just has to get the owner of the historic inn to hire her. Unfortunately, that means dealing with Scrooge himself... 

After the death of his wife, David Lyndon has a bah-humbug approach to Christmas. But as December counts down and the wedding planning is in full swing, it's harder and harder to stay immune to the charms of Willow, especially when he sees how much joy she brings his eight-year-old daughter. After a simple kiss under the mistletoe turns into something more, David is hoping he can turn the magic of the holiday season into the love of a lifetime.

• Series: Chapel of Love (Book 1)
• Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Forever (September 27, 2016)

My review: A Christmas Bride by Hope Ramsay (Chapel of Love #1)

4 Stars

A Christmas Bride is full of characters.  A whole range of them.  I love to read about them and want more of these characters.  They get into a lot of fun.  I want to go to their painting party or the wedding.

This follows A Fairytale Bride.  Where Jeff and Melissa fell in love.  Now they are planning a wedding.  Melissa is unhappy with the big wedding Jeff's family wants. It is causing a big fight.

Willow Peterson has moved back home because she is a whistle blower.  The company she worked for is saying she is a unhappy employee and ex of chairman who was dumped.  She is sueing the company to stop there fraud.

Willow tells Melissa about her friend's wedding to David Lyndon that his mother planned too.  How Natalie cried before her wedding because it was not what she wanted.  

Willow gets the idea to help Melissa have the small local wedding she wants.  She gets the idea to be a wedding planner and try and get the funding to buy David's property.

David Lyndon has a little girl.  He misses his wife who died two years ago.  He is pulled between helping his cousin have the wedding he wants, and having the big wedding with big political wedding his family wants.  David has to make some big decisions about

The setting is a small town in the blue ridge mountains of Shenandoah Falls, Virginia 

I read the first two books right after each other and wish I could read the next one already. I like Hope Ramsay

books.

I was given a ARC of A Christmas Bride from NetGalley and Forever.  In exchanged for a honest review.

Falling for the Single Dad by Lisa Carter

Finding Her Way Home

After fifteen years away, Dr. Caroline Duer is nervous about returning to her hometown. The veterinarian might be able to save stranded sea turtles, but she can't convince her dad of her good intentions. And when Caroline meets darling Izzie Clark, she encounters similar suspicion from the young girl's father. Former coast guard commander Weston Clark had his life upended by Izzie's mother. He won't go through the same pain again. But Izzie isn't the only one tumbling head over heels for the enigmatic Caroline. And if she can release the pain of the past, she just might be the missing piece Weston and his daughter have been searching for.

• File Size: 2041 KB
• Print Length: 224 pages
• Publisher: Love Inspired (September 1, 2016)

My review: Falling for the Single Dad by Lisa Carter

4 STARS

How could this book not be a winner with Lighthouses, turtles , cute kid combination.  It also has romance, forgiveness, depression and God. Which brings love and hope.

Dr. Caroline Duer has not been home for 15 years.  She has panic attacks but she is ready to face her past.  She is a veterinarian for sea animals.  She has come to set up a rescue for turtles.

Caroline stops at the library and meets Izzie Clark who demands her attention and shows her love.

Weston Clark is making a  home out of the old lighthouse for him and his daughter to live in.  He even plans to get the old light to work again.

Caroline's sister welcome her home but her father is not so welcoming.

Izzy steals the book.  She is nine.  Her father is Weston.  She finds a sea turtle and really gets attached to it fast.

The Duer family has been in a couple of other books by Lisa Carter too.

I was given this ebook to read for free by NetGalley and Harlequin and in return I agreed to give a honest review of Falling for the Single Dad.

Witness Pursuit by Hope White (Echo Mountain #5)

Description

GUARDING THE WITNESS

When Cassie McBride discovers a dead body in a rental cabin, she quickly becomes the killer's next target. Now the upbeat, chatty property manager is under the personal protection of police chief Nate Walsh—the living embodiment of the strong, silent type. Nate's tragic past has taught him that a cop falling for a pretty witness can lead to disaster. Dogged at every turn by the murderer, Nate must stay focused and not let his growing feelings for Cassie interfere with his duty. If there's any hope for Cassie—or a future for them—it's going to take all Nate's skill to not only keep her safe…but to keep her alive.

• Series: Echo Mountain
• Mass Market Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Love Inspired (September 6, 2016)

My review: Witness Pursuit by Hope White  (Echo Mountain #5)

4 STARS

This is the fifth book in Echo Mountain series and the second book that I have read in the series. It can stand alone but there are a lot of familiar characters to see again.

Witness Pursuit is a good clean Christian read.  It has lots of drama, suspense, action and prayer.

Cassie McBride has a job getting cabins ready for the next renters.  When she is running late she finds a dead

woman in the cabin and a dog in the closet.  Cassie calls 911 and while she waits she sees a man walk up to the cabin with a shovel. Cassie takes the dog and runs away without purse of keys.

Cassie is the youngest of the McBrides.  She dreams of getting away to travel.  She is also a chatterbox.

Police Chief Nate Walsh knows Cassie.  In fact her older brother is a good friend of his. He is really concerned about her.  He plans to protect her.

Cassie goes from one dangerous event to another as she is targeted.  Know one knows why they are after her.

I want to read the first three books of the series someday soon.

I was given the Witness Pursuit to read for free from NetGalley and Harlequin.  In return i agreed to give a honest review of Witness Pursuit.

Stepping into the Prince's World by Marion Lennox

Description

Falling for the secret prince

Claire Tremaine accepted the post as sole caretaker of a gorgeous island after a professional betrayal left her life in tatters. It's the perfect place to heal, until her solitude is interrupted by a gorgeous solider who's shipwrecked on her shores!

Raoul breaks down Claire's barriers with his kindness and kisses, but she's stunned when he's revealed as Prince of Marétal. She believes they can't be together…until Raoul whisks Claire to his palace! She's stepped into the prince's world—but can Claire capture this prince's heart?

• File Size: 2155 KB
• Print Length: 256 pages
• Publisher: Harlequin Romance; Large Print edition (September 1, 2016)

My review: Stepping into the Prince's World by Marion Lennox

4 STARS

Cute romance.  Has a lot of fairytale items in just the right amount. The Prince Raoul doesn't tell her right off he is a Prince. A grand ball with the dress to go with it.  Raoul has  to make some tough choices.

Somethings are expected but anough surprises to make the story fresh and its own.  I enjoyed the story.

Claire Tremaine is a character that is going through some tough times again.  She comes from nothing and makes it as a lawyer.  People her whole life has judged her because of things she had no choice on instead of how far she has made it.  What she can and has done herself.

Claire risks her life to save Raoul.  A stranger who ship wrecked off the island she is care taking by herself.

The second part of the story takes place in Raoul's country.  Which changes the story a lot.

I was given this ARC to read for free from NetGalley and Harlequin.  In return I agreed to give a honest review of Stepping into the Prince's World.   Now I am going to buy another book by Marion Lennox that looks good to read.

Secrets and Lies by Shirlee McCoy (Rookie K-9 Unit #5)

EXPECTING—AND IN DANGER

Attacked in her classroom, widowed teacher Ariel Martin's only thought is for her unborn child. When her student's brother, rookie K-9 officer Tristan McKeller, and his faithful dog save her life, she can't thank him enough. She knows Tristan won't rest until she's safe, but she doesn't want him or his police colleagues digging into her dangerous past. After all, the only person who would want to hurt her is dead…or is he? With her and her child's life on the line, she'll have to trust Tristan with her secrets if she wants to finally get the fresh start she's been desperately seeking.

• Series: Rookie K-9 Unit
• Mass Market Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Love Inspired (August 9, 2016)

My review: Secrets and Lies by Shirlee McCoy  (Rookie K-9 Unit #5)

4 Stars

This is the 5th book in the series.  Some big clues about the overall mystery is learned in this book.  So one you won't want to miss.  Somethings in this book I could guess were going to happen way before revealed.  The reason why they happened I did not guess.

There was plenty of drama, action, danger and romance.  There were a lot of good people that stepped up to help when they saw a reason to.

Ariel Martin is eight months pregnant.  She has moved back to small town after living in Las Vegas, NV.  She is teaching summer school.  Her ex-husband asked her for a divorce before she found out she was pregnant.  She is all alone in the world.

K-9 officer Tristan McKeller is raising his 14 year old niece after his parents died.  He is one of the rookie police officers that was kept on after graduating to help solve all the murders in the small town.

Ariel is alone in the school waiting for Tristan for his sister's parent teacher meeting.  When someone else comes in and starts shooting at her.  Tristan and his K-9 dog chased the guy away.  That is not the only time someone tries to kill her.  

I can't wait to read the next book in the series.

I was given this ebook to read for free by NetGalley and Harlequin.  In return I agreed to give a honest review of Secrets and Lies.

Beauty and the Bodyguard by Lisa Childs (Bachelor Bodyguards #4)

Description

Can this bachelor bodyguard save his true love from mortal danger…on her wedding day?

Bride-to-be Megan Lynch has just learned her ex, presumed dead marine Gage Huxton, is alive after surviving enemy captivity. But before she can break up with her fiancé, gunmen storm her wedding and take hostages! Megan will do anything to stay alive—for herself and a second chance with Gage. But there's more terror to endure before she can say yes to the dress—and her dream groom!

What do the gunmen want? Gage works double time to unravel the mystery and save the beauty who still holds his heart. As the wedding crashers open fire, Gage puts his life on the line to protect Megan and convince her of his love.

• File Size: 2178 KB
• Print Length: 288 pages
• Publisher: Harlequin Romantic Suspense (August 1, 2016)

My review: Beauty and the Bodyguard by Lisa Childs (Bachelor Bodyguards #4)

4 Stars

Beauty and the Bodyguard is definitely a romantic suspense novel.  Glad that I only read about the wedding and not there. Did a good job of keeping secrets.  Plenty of drama, action and romance. One major love scene.

Megan Lynch is getting married to her friend Richard.  While she is getting ready her ex-boyfriend that she thought was dead comes in the room.  She is shocked.  Megan is a librarian.  Her father is in charge of local FBI office.

Gage Huxton is now a bodyguard.  He has been assigned to guard a bride.  He does not expect to see Megan the girl who broke his heart as the bride. He refuses to guard her till he notices the guys with guns.

Why is strangers with guns coming to Megan and Richard's weddings?  Penny the wedding planner has bad feelings about this wedding.  She thinks Megan is wrong to marry Richard.

Most of this book is set in the wedding chapel in Chicago.  

I like this romance by Lisa Childs and plan to go buy more of her books to read.

I was given this ebook to read for free from NetGalley and Harlequin.  In return I agreed to give a honest review of Beauty and the Bridegroom.

Fatal Vendetta by Sharon Dunn

DEADLY SHOWDOWN

While reporting on a fire, Montana TV journalist Elizabeth Kramer is abducted—and saved only by the heroics of rival reporter Zachery Beck. But her kidnapper returns, taunting her, luring her to danger and making her relive a past she never put to rest. Elizabeth doesn't like asking for help, but this time she can't stay alone and stay alive. And Zach knows how to evade danger. When tragedy thrust him into the public eye, he changed his identity to remain hidden. Protecting Elizabeth means stepping out of the shadows…but as her stalker closes in for a deadly showdown, it's a risk Zach has to take.

• File Size: 3675 KB
• Print Length: 224 pages
• Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense (August 1, 2016)

My review: Fatal Vendetta by Sharon Dunn

4 STARS

Fatal Vendetta is full of suspense, action, mystery I did not want to put the book down.  You were never sure who to trust. Full of danger, faith and a clean read.

The tables have turned and the reporters are the story.  Elizabeth Krammer a tv journalist in Montana is abducted.  Only fellow reporter Zachery Beck. notices and rescues her.  Now they become the story.  Both are hiding there own secrets.

Elizabeth and Zachery are competitors.  They are both trying to help each other. to figure out who keeps going after them and why.  They also have to dodge there fellow reporters.

Elizabeth because of being raped while at college does not believe she can ever marry.  Now someone is after her.  

I admire both Elizabeth and Zach.  They have gone through trials and keep going and helping each other.  They also decide that they will never harass someone who does not want to talk to reporters.

Lot of nail biting watching these two getting in and out of danger over and over again..

I was given this ebook by NetGalley and Harlequin. to read for free.  In return I agreed to give a honest review of Fatal Vendetta.

Love Blooms on Main Street by Olivia Miles (Briar Creek #4)

Description

Fans of Jill Shalvis, Susan Mallery, and RaeAnne Thayne will love the fourth book in Olivia Miles's Briar Creek series.

Love is always in season . . .

Florist Ivy Birch fantasizes about the day a man will surprise her with a beautiful bouquet of flowers. Especially if that man happens to be Brett Hastings. One stolen kiss at her best friend's wedding and Ivy can't get the sexy ER doctor out of her head.

In the small town of Briar Creek, you can't avoid anyone for very long. Not that Brett has been trying to avoid Ivy. He just can't afford to let anything distract him from his work-not again. So when a hospital fundraiser throws them together, love is the last thing on his mind. But with her quick wit and sweet laugh, soon the one woman he's tried to keep at arm's length is capturing his heart...

• Series: The Briar Creek Series (Book 4)
• Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Forever (July 26, 2016)

My review: Love Blooms on Main Street by Olivia Miles  (Briar Creek #4)

4 STARS

I like the characters, the town, the pace and drama.  Didn't like all the content about eating and taking medicine for diabetes.  Yes I was feeling guilty at times reading. Also there are love scenes.

Ivy Birch keeps day dreaming about a kiss months before.  How Brett will call her or ask for a date. But he never does.  Ivy owns her own florist shop.  She also kept the secret from almost everyone that she is a diabetic. 

Ivy is involved with her town and has good friends.  Her twin brother and his wife care for her and worry about her health.  They had a rough time growing up.

Brett Hastings is a emergency doctor recently working in Boston.  He has come back home to Briar Creek for a temporary job.  He needed a break from fast pace,  He does not plan to get involved and stay in town.

Brett tells Ivy that. They both plan to stay away from each other but kept getting thrown together. Finally they stop trying.

Some of the things I could tell where the story was heading but it was still a good ride getting there. 

There are a lot of other characters that we get involved in there lives from previous books and hopefully from future ones too.

 I was given a ARC to read for free from NetGalley. .   In return I agreed to give a honest review of Love Blooms on Main Street.

I would love to go back and read the books in the series that I missed reading.  Also will look forward to new ones by Olivia Miles.

Deadly Fate by Heather Graham (Krewe of Hunters #19)

Description

www.TheOriginalHeatherGraham.com

Alaska—the final frontier? 

When Clara Avery, an entertainer working on the Fate, an Alaskan cruise ship, goes to nearby Bear Island, she comes across a scene of bloody mayhem. She also comes across Thor Erikson, who will soon be a member of the FBI's elite paranormal unit, the Krewe of Hunters.

Thor's been sent from the Alaska field office to investigate several grotesque killings, with the dead posed to resemble the victims of notorious murderers. The prime suspect is a serial killer Thor once put behind bars. The man escaped from a prison in the Midwest, and all the evidence says he was headed to Alaska…

Thor and Clara share an unusual skill: the ability to communicate with the dead. Their growing love—and their contact with the ghosts of the victims—brings them together to solve the case…and prevent a deadly fate of their own!

• Series: Krewe of Hunters
• Mass Market Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Mira (July 26, 2016)

My review: Deadly Fate by Heather Graham (Krewe of Hunters #19)

4 STARS

Deadly Fate is the 19th Krewe of Hunters.  Heather Graham is still keeping the stories fresh.  

This is full of gore, some of it is fake but some is real.  A reality show is set up on Bear Island with a fake bloody scene to play a prank on some actors. But a real killer adds his own kill to it.  The descriptions are hard to read and imagine.  

There are some twists that you might not expect and some that you might guess.

There are some love scenes but if you want are easy to skim over.

 Clara Avery is a actress with some othAer actors that first appeared in Haunted Destiny.  Finds a deadly mess. She is on a private island in Alaska.  She is glad when she sees FBI Agent Jackson Crow. Clara finds it hard to accept that now she can see a ghost.  I would freak out too. if a ghost popped up in my room. 

Thor Erikson is a FBI Agent from Alaska.  He has a dream about a old case he worked years ago with Jackson Crow his old partner.  So when he gets a weird murder and finds that Jackson Crow is coming to work a case with him he is not surprised.

I like Heather Graham writing.  The touch of ghosts are a fun part of the story.

The setting for this book is Alaska in summer.

I was given this ebook to read for free from NetGalley and Harlequin.  In return I agreed to give a honest review of Deadly Fate.

The Secrets She Kept by Brenda Novak

Exciting, emotional, intense. The thrilling follow-up to 
New York Times bestselling author Brenda Novak's highly acclaimed The Secret Sister. The things that happen in families are always surprising and sometimes shocking! 

The rich and powerful Josephine Lazarow, matriarch of Fairham Island, is dead. The police say it's suicide, but Keith, her estranged son, doesn't believe it. 

Keith bears scars—both physical and emotional—from his childhood, but he's worked hard to overcome the past. After walking away from his mother and her controlling ways five years ago, he's built a new life in LA. He's also accumulated a fortune of his own. But as soon as he learns of his mother's death, he returns to Fairham. He feels he owes it to his grandfather to put the family empire together again—and he's determined to find his mother's killer. 

Problem is…coming home to Fairham puts him back in contact with Nancy Dellinger, the woman he hurt so badly when he left before. And digging that deep into his mother's final days and hours entails a very real risk. 

Because the person who killed her could be someone he loves…

Paperback: 384 pages

Publisher: Mira (July 26, 2016)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0778319067

ISBN-13: 978-0778319061

My review: The Secrets She Kept by Brenda Novak

4 STARS

This can stand alone but is better having read The Secret Sister.  The Secrets She Kept is a murder mystery romance.  It is full of twists you don't see and some you do.   There are plenty of secrets.  There is some love scenes.

Josephine Lazarow is a powerful rich mother of three.  She is found dead in her bathtub.  She makes lots of enemies.  The police think she committed suicide her kids do not believe that.

Keith Lazarow has not seen his mother or talked to her for five years.  That is also how long he has been off of drugs.  He has turned his life around and made his own fortune.

Nancy Dellinger has worked for Josephine for seven years.  She is not sad to see her dead.  She helped Keith years ago when he was on drugs.  She fell in love with him but he just used her.

Some of the suspects and why they are suspects part of the story line seems week but I don't want to give it away.  A lot of lives are messed up because of Josephine ego and affairs.

I never guessed where the story would take me next.

I was given this ebook to read by NetGalley and Harlequin.  In return I agreed to give a honest review of The Secrets She Kept.

Wolf Creek Wife by Penny Richards (Wolf Creek #5)

Description

A Marriage of Inconvenience!

After a storm strands her overnight in Will Slade's cabin, Blythe Granville's reputation is in shambles. The townspeople doubt that she was innocently nursing him back to health after saving his life. Now Blythe must accept Will's proposal: a marriage in name only to save her good name. But the former socialite is determined not to fall for her new husband…even if she's drawn to the gruff stranger who's vowed to stand by her, in sickness and in health.

Will never wanted to remarry after his ex-wife betrayed him. But now he finds himself hitched to a city girl who has no idea how to keep a house…but is somehow chiseling her way into his heart. As Blythe melts Will's crusty facade, though, they're discovering that this most unexpected union might just lead to true love.

• Series: Love Inspired Historical
• Mass Market Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Love Inspired (August 9, 2016)

My review: Wolf Creek Wife by Penny Richards (Wolf Creek #5)

4 STARS

Good clean historical romance and Christian book.  

Strong female character that at times is very strong and yet other times very young.  I really like Blythe Granville and most of her choices.  Blythe fell in love and eloped.  Later she found out that he stole her money and they were not really married,  Her family sent her away from Boston to a small town where she has two brothers and her mother.

Blythe is now a school teacher.  One day she went for a ride by herself out in the countryside and a big dog wants her to follow him.  She founds a man in the woods really sick.  Blythe gets him to his house and spends the night taking care of him.

She is rescued the next morning by the search party to find her.  Her brother and the preacher demand that Will Slade marry her.

Will never has been so sick before.  He does not want to marry again.  His first wife divorced him and left for another man.  He fell into drinking.  Will stopped drinking.  He owns the sawmill in town. Blythe's brother wants to buy it from him and no way does he want to sell to Granville. His ex-wife wants him back.

I am glad that I do not have to cook on wood stove or arranged marriages.  It is a nice look of what life might have been like at that time.

I do like Wolf Creek and would like to read the whole series someday.

I was given this ARC to read for free by NetGalley and in return I agreed to give a honest review of Wolf Creek Wife.

Heating Up by Stacy Finz (Nugget #7)

Description

Nugget, California, is remote, picturesque—and the perfect place to fall in love. Even when you're trying desperately not to…

Dana Calloway is tired of being second choice. No question she was her parents' consolation prize, and now she's placed second in the race for a guy's heart—a guy she could have sworn was The One. Is it any wonder such a normally type A person accidentally burns down her house in one distracted moment?

Cal Fire arson investigator Aidan McBride came to Nugget to do a little soul searching about his commitment phobia. But there's only one available apartment in this tiny town, and the headstrong woman who just had a house fire needs it too. Of course, there are worse things than sharing living quarters with someone so beautiful…

Dana's determined to resist her sexy new roommate, but it isn't long before Aidan realizes he doesn't have a commitment problem when she's around. And the hotter things get in their apartment, the brighter the blaze when someone finally ignites that first spark…

• File Size: 2498 KB
• Print Length: 274 pages
• Publisher: Lyrical Shine (July 19, 2016)
• Publication Date: July 19, 2016
• Sold by: Penguin Random House Publisher Services

My review:  Heating Up by Stacy Finz (Nugget #7)

4 STARS

I have enjoyed reading this series and Heating Up fits right into it.  I like the small town feel, get new characters and some new ones too. Drama, romance and a little mystery too.  Some steamy scenes from the fires and sex scenes, how steamy I don't know I skimmed them.

Aidan McBride is pretty new to Nugget CA, He is the new fireman and CAL Fire arson investigator.  He moved from Chicago.  His sister Sloan is Nugget cop.

Dana Calloway  burned her house down by for getting .   There is only one rental property that is where she needs and Aidan just signed for it.  Aiden felt bad and offered her that they could share the two bedroom house.

Dana is shy and has no real friends in Nugget.  She sells property.  She loves order in her life.  She keeps getting dumped by her boyfriends going back to the other women.

Aidan last girlfriend left him six months ago she is getting married. So Aidan lets people think they are getting closer than they are.  Aidan makes friends easily and kids love him.

I like seeing the old familiar characters and seeing what they are doing now.  You can read this alone but it helps to keep up with the different characters to read in order 

The setting is Nugget California a small mountain town.  Lots of ranches, cabins and small business.

Good small town feeling, good drama, likable characters, some mystery, some romance and a few sex scenes. 
I was given this ARC to read for free from NetGalley and in return I agreed to give a honest review of Heating Up.