I’m so excited to share with you today Stephenia H. McGee’s latest novel, The River Queen!
From The Back Cover
River pirates, a stolen steamboat, and a deadly chase down the Mississippi—but falling in love might be the real adventure.
When river pirates attack and steal his steamboat, Emmett Carter barely escapes. Rescued and transported to a magnificent world of glitz and showbiz aboard a flashy showboat, Emmett is immediately captivated by something more than recovering his lost inheritance—The River Queen’s beautiful, but quirky, songbird.Anola Flynn, the star singer on The River Queen, is struggling to keep the business running as attendance dwindles during the 1923 season. With her dreams of saving the family legacy—and the only life she’s ever known—slipping away, she forges an alliance with Emmett to keep her family afloat.Now, to outsmart the gangsters chasing them, Anola and Emmett must wade through a dark current of deception and betrayal to save not only their dreams, but everyone they care about, from sinking deeper into the Mississippi River.
Click here for more info and to get a copy for yourself!
What Did I Think? 🤔
All aboard the River Queen! This is a fun and quirky adventure and I enjoyed everything about it. I especially liked the variety of characters that really make the story unique, especially Anola, the fun, adventurous and kind of naive showboat girl with her ability to always look on the bright side and of course, poor Emmett, the account who finds himself attacked by pirates and thrown overboard his own ship! Overall, the book has it all, mystery, romance, pirates and a dash of danger/suspense! I was given this book in exchange for my honest review – all opinions are my own
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
About The Author
Stephenia H. McGee is a multi-published author of stories of faith, hope, and healing set in the Deep South. She lives in Mississippi, where she is a mom of two rambunctious boys, writer, dreamer, and husband spoiler. Her novel The Cedar Key was a 2021 Faith, Hope, and Love Readers’ Choice award winner. A member of the ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) and the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution), she loves all things books and history. Stephenia also loves connecting with readers and can often be found having fun with her Faithful Readers Team on Facebook. For more on books and upcoming events and to connect with Stephenia, visit her at http://www.StepheniaMcGee.com.
Giveaway!!
You have 1 day left to enter this amazing Release Day Giveaway!! Here’s the link and good luck!
It’s been a long time (several months!) since I have posted on here because my reviews mostly have been on Social media, Goodreads and retail sites, but I am going to be more diligent about posting them here too. So to start off my return to blogging, I am thrilled to share with you Forged in Love by Mary Connealy!!
The Bookish Details
Book: Forged in Love
Author: Mary Connealy
Genre: Historical Romance
Release date: February 28, 2023
When sparks begin to fly, can a friendship cast in iron be shaped into something more?
Mariah Stover is left for dead and with no memory when the Deadeye Gang robs the stagecoach she’s riding in, killing both her father and brother. As she takes over her father’s blacksmith shop and tries to move forward, she soon finds herself in jeopardy and wondering–does someone know she witnessed the robbery and is still alive?
Handsome and polished Clint Roberts escaped to western Wyoming, leaving his painful memories behind. Hoping for a fresh start, he opens a diner where he creates fine dishes, but is met with harsh resistance from the townsfolk, who prefer to stick to their old ways.
Clint and Mariah are drawn together by the trials they face in town, and Clint is determined to protect Mariah at all costs when danger descends upon her home. As threats pursue them from every side, will they survive to build a life forged in love?
First, I LOVE the cover! It is absolutely gorgeous. I love how strong and confident Mariah (the main character) looks. Second, Mary Connealy is a go-to author for me because I love the humor she adds to her books and how most of the time, there is even a dash of suspense and this book didn’t disappoint me. From the moment you start the story, you are thrown into a stagecoach robbery and you can feel the despair Mariah felt during the robbery and the anguish and then joy that Clint felt when he found Mariah still alive. From there, you walk with these characters as they try to get on with life after tragedy, being drawn together by these events that have plagued the town – all while dodging the ever growing danger for Mariah, because the DeadEye Gang never leaves a witness alive.
This is definitely one of the best books she’s written and that is hard to say, because I LOVE all of her books, but I really liked the characters in this story – how strong Mariah was, even when life was hard for her(especially being a blacksmith when it was a man’s profession) and how Clint was a French Chief in the middle of a western town (which is hilarious reading about how he works so hard on a dish called Soupe De Poulet and the town’s people are like… why can’t you just call it chicken soup??) . Overall, I rate it 5 stars and I want to stress that this is one adventure you aren’t going to want to miss! Can’t wait for book two in the series!!
About the Author
Mary Connealy (www.maryconnealy.com) writes “romantic comedies with cowboys” and is celebrated for her fun, zany, action-packed style. She has sold more than one and a half million books. She is the author of the popular series Brothers in Arms, Brides of Hope Mountain, High Sierra Sweethearts, The Kincaid Brides, Trouble in Texas, Lassoed in Texas, Sophie’s Daughters, and many other books. Mary lives on a ranch in eastern Nebraska with her very own romantic cowboy hero.
More from Mary
The Inspiration
I started plotting this novel when I found out that Wyoming was the first state (then a territory) in the Union to grant women the right to vote. Then I discovered it wasn’t just the right to vote; all sorts of other rights were given to women as well, like the right to run for elected office or be appointed to office. In fact, the first woman justice of the peace in the U.S. was from Wyoming. This inspired me to have one of my heroines be the second justice of the peace in the country.
As I continued my research, reading about all that went on in Wyoming was fascinating. They became a territory in 1868—with women voting—and yet they weren’t allowed statehood for another thirty years. With other states being granted statehood in only a few years, why was this? Because the U.S. government refused to let Wyoming in unless they took the vote away from women.
Because Wyoming adamantly refused to strip the vote from women, year after year they were denied statehood. When they finally did get it, the state’s women maintained their right to vote because Wyoming would not budge on the issue. The whole history of this was great reading.
So I wrote a three-book series called Wyoming Sunrise in which all my heroines play against the normal, conventional female roles of the day.
Now, what job could I possibly think of that wasn’t traditionally for women? How about Mariah who happens to be a blacksmith? And while I’m writing against stereotypes, I created a man named Clint who runs a diner. That wasn’t too unusual, for lots of diners were run by men back in the day. Yet not many of them were talented chefs trained in high-class restaurants in New York City. Clint is an excellent chef. Of course, an excellent chef in a small Wyoming town is kind of wasted on folks who prefer fried chicken and beef stew.
Clint makes chicken and beef, but he calls his dishes weird names and makes them unusually delicious. Meanwhile, Mariah is working over a hot forge for long hours every day. When her father and brother are killed in a stagecoach holdup, she becomes the only blacksmith in town.
There’s some resistance to her doing such a masculine job, but even among those who disapprove, well, they’ve got a broken wagon wheel or a hole in their kettle and it’s either let Mariah fix it or go without. Mariah is allowed to be a blacksmith out of pure necessity.
My second book, The Laws of Attraction, has a female justice of the peace, while the third, Marshaling Her Heart, features a tough lady rancher. I write westerns, and honestly, writing about tough, feisty lady ranchers like Becky the Rancher comes naturally to me. Writing about a blacksmith and a judge, however, presents more of a challenge.
Mariah, who survived the stagecoach holdup, learns that the robbers believe she might know something that will reveal their identity, and she needs to be silenced. Clint tries to protect her and finds himself stepping between her and a murderous gang of outlaws.
Through it all, love finds them, and they begin to forge a life together.
Thanks for stopping by! Hope you check out the book and if you do, let me know what you think!
Happy Reading! 🙂
>>Special thanks to Mary Connealy, Celebrate Lit, Net Galley and Bethany House Publishers for allowing me to read and review this book – all opinions are my own.
I’m so excited to be able to share with you Carrie Stuart Parks latest masterpiece, Fallout which released today!! This book was filled with twists and turns and it almost impossible to put down, but I’ll tell you more in a bit. So without further ado, let’s get started.
The Bookish Details
Book: Fallout Genre: Christian Mystery/Romantic Suspense Release date: Today, September 13th 2022! Author: Carrie Stuart Parks Publisher: Thomas Nelson
From The Back Cover
Her carefully crafted life is about to be demolished.
After a difficult childhood, Samantha Williams craves simplicity: jigsaw puzzles, lectures at the library, and the students she adores in her role as an elementary school art teacher in the dusty farming community of LaCrosse, Washington.
But when an SUV crashes into the building where she teaches, her entire world is upended. Samantha manages to keep the children safe, but her car isn’t so lucky. Oddly, her purse—with her driver’s license, credit cards, and other identification—is missing from the wreckage.
After authorities discover that the driver in the accident was shot seconds before the crash, Samantha quickly becomes entangled in increasingly strange events that have her constantly looking over her shoulder.
Samantha has long tried to forget the tragedy of her past, but the twisting connections she discovers between the murdered driver, a deadly secret government project, and an abandoned town can’t be ignored. Those involved are determined to keep these secrets buried, and they’ll use any means necessary to stop Samantha’s search for truth.
Ready for an edge of your seat adventure? Then grab your copy today by clicking here!
What Did I Think?
I’ve read almost all of Carrie Stuart Park’s books and this is by far my favorite! From the very first moment I met Samantha Williams and read about her saving her students from a car that ran into her classroom, I was hooked. And then finding out that she’s missing part of her childhood, and a government agency is now out to silence her because they think she knows vital information and will stop at nothing to keep her silent didn’t help me put the book down! (I will caution you, I really had a hard time stopping once I started, LOL) I loved all the twists and turns and edge of your seat suspense that fills every chapter and I also really liked how relatable the characters were. Both main characters, Samantha and Dutch, had flaws and quirks and I especially liked reading about how Samantha randomly quoted Dr. Seuss. Overall, this is one of the best books I’ve read this year and definitely recommend it! I give it 5 out of 5 stars and would give it more if I could!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
About The Author
Carrie Stuart Parks is Christy, Carol, and Inspy award-winning author, an award-winning fine artist, and internationally known forensic artist. Along with her husband, Rick, she travels across the US and Canada teaching courses in forensic art to law enforcement as well as civilian participants. She has won numerous awards for career excellence. Carrie is a popular platform speaker, presenting a variety of topics from crime to creativity.
Connect with her on Facebook or Instagram, and don’t forget to sign up for her email by clicking here.
Thanks so much for stopping by, I hope you have a very blessed and bookish day!
Happy Reading 🙂
Special thanks to Carrie Stuart Parks and Thomas Nelson for allowing me to read and review this book – all views and opinions are my own.
I hope you have had a wonderful Summer so far, I know I have! I’ve been blessed with several travel adventures and when I wasn’t traveling, I was finding lots of bookish adventures. My latest adventure was when I read Elizabeth Goddard’s new book and I cannot WAIT to tell you about it! So without further ado, let me take you to the mountains of Montana.
The Bookish Details
Book: Critical Alliance
Author: Elizabeth Goddard Genre: Christian Mystery/Romantic Suspense Release date: July 5th, 2022
From The Back Cover
Mackenzie Hanson’s special set of skills opened the door to a successful career as a professor of cybersecurity at a Michigan university, allowing her to put her criminal past behind her. But when a long-ago partner in crime delivers a cryptic message about her father’s tech company being under cyberattack, she heads for Montana to secure exposed assets, close security breaches, and hopefully save lives.
Diplomatic Security Services special agent Alex Knight is back home in Montana to decompress from a mission gone wrong. But even as he’s trying to relax, he’s drawn into another mystery, complete with suspicious deaths, lethal threats, and whispers of espionage that all have one thing in common–a beautiful cybersecurity expert with a dark past.
When the situation turns deadly, Alex and Mackenzie will have to work together to find the answers they need–before someone silences Mackenzie for good.
Click Here to find out more info and to get a copy for yourself!
What Did I Think?
This book is AMAZING!!! Once I started it, I couldn’t put it down. I found that there was just the right amount of suspense to keep you on the edge of your seat and it all lead up to an explosive ending. The characters are also written very well and I would have to say that my favorite was definitely Mackenzie. She is an amazing woman who has worked hard to overcome a huge mistake she made in the past; however, her past has finally caught up with her. That’s not even the worst part! The worst thing is that the figure from her past isn’t just targeting her, but also her family and her family’s business. With the help of special agent Alex Knight, Mackenzie decides to dive back into the cyber criminal world to defeat an unseen enemy, but was she able to do it in time, or will her past finally defeat her? Just one more thing, I absolutely loved all the technical terms that the author includes in the story, because it made the story more realistic. Overall, I wish I could give this book more then 5 stars, because I would give it like 10. Definitely a must read!!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
About The Author
With over one million books sold, Elizabeth Goddard is the USA Today and Publisher’s Weekly bestselling, award-winning author of over fifty romance novels and counting, including the romantic mystery, The Camera Never Lies –a 2011 Carol Award winner. Four of her six Mountain Cove books have been contest finalists. Buried, Backfire and Deception are finalists in the Daphne Du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery and Suspense, and Submerged is a Carol Award finalist.
It has been a CRAZY summer so far (which is why I haven’t written anything in a while), but with my job, my family and things at my church, it’s been a little hectic. I’ve found time to read in between my busyness (praise the Lord for my e-books on my phone!!) and I am very excited to be able to share with you another Love Inspired Suspense by my friend, Darlene L. Turner! So without further ado, I would like to show you Fatal Forensic Investigation – let’s go!
The Bookish Details
Book: Fatal Forensic Investigation
Author: Darlene L. Turner Genre: Romantic Suspense Release date: June 28, 2022
From The Back Cover
Remembering a serial killer’s face… could be deadly
While interviewing the Coastline Strangler’s only surviving victim, forensic artist Scarlet Wells is attacked and left with amnesia. Now she’s his next mark and has no choice but to work with constable Jace Allen to unlock the criminal’s true identity trapped in her mind. Will they be able to recover the hidden memory and hunt down the killer before he strikes again?
Click Here to find out more info and to get a copy for yourself!
What Did I Think?
Darlene L. Turner has done it again! Starting from the very first chapter, you are sucked into this story about forensic artist, Scarlet Wells who is trying to find the identity of a serial killer called the Coastline Strangler. Within the first chapter she finds a HUGE lead and as soon as she is able to get a detailed sketch of the killer, he attacks her and she ends up with amnesia! Talk about frustrating! To be so close to solving the case and then “poof” it’s gone and you are basically at square one. The rest of the book is filled with unexpected twists and turns, that keep you guessing with every page. I loved all of the characters and I especially loved reading about Scarlet’s thought process as a forensic artist. This gave me a really cool inside look on how a forensic artist thinks and how their ability to remember the tiniest details, can help solve a case. Overall, I would rate this book 5 out of 5 stars and it’s definitely one I would read again. 🙂
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
About The Author
Darlene L. Turner is an award-winning author and lives with her husband, Jeff in Ontario, Canada. Her love of suspense began when she read her first Nancy Drew book. She’s turned that passion into her writing and believes readers will be captured by her plots, inspired by her strong characters, and moved by her inspirational message. You can connect with Darlene at www.darlenelturner.com where there’s suspense beyond borders.
Thank you so much for stopping by!
I hope you’ll check this book out and if you do, don’t forget to tell me your thoughts!
Happy Reading 🙂
>>Special thanks to Darlene L. Turner and Love Inspired Suspense for allowing me to read and review this book – all views and opinions are my own.
I am THRILLED to be able to share with you my Social Media friend’s debut book, Counterfeit Love!! I meant Crystal Caudill at a Christian Fiction Readers Retreat and I remember her talking about how she wanted to be a writer, so when I heard that she finished her first book and it was getting published, I had to join her launch team! So without further ado, let me show you Counterfeit Love – Let’s go!
The Bookish Details
Book: Counterfeit Love Author: Crystal Caudill Genre: Historical Fiction Release date: March 15th 2022
From The Back Cover
Can this undercover agent save the woman he loves–or is her heart as counterfeit as the money he’s been sent to track down?
After all that Grandfather has sacrificed to raise her, Theresa Plane owes it to him to save the family name–and that means clearing their debt with creditors before she marries Edward Greystone. But when one of the creditors’ threats leads her to stumble across a midnight meeting, she discovers that the money he owes isn’t all Grandfather was hiding. And the secrets he kept have now trapped Theresa in a life-threatening fight for her home–and the truth.
After months of undercover work, Secret Service operative Broderick Cosgrove is finally about to uncover the identity of the leader of a notorious counterfeiting ring. That moment of triumph turns to horror, however, when he finds undeniable proof that his former fiancée is connected. Can he really believe the woman he loved is a willing participant? Protecting Theresa and proving her innocence may destroy his career–but that’s better than failing her twice in one lifetime.
They must form a partnership, tentative though it is. But there’s no question they’re both still keeping secrets–and that lack of trust, along with the dangerous criminals out for their blood, threatens their hearts, their faith, and their very survival.
Combining rich history, danger, suspense, and romance, Crystal Caudill’s debut novel launches this new historical series with a bang. Fans of Elizabeth Camden, Michelle Griep, and Joanna Davidson Politano will be thrilled to find another author to follow!
Click Here to find out more info and to get a copy for yourself!
What Did I Think?
Wow, WOW!! This book is one of the best Historical Fiction novels I’ve read all year! From the very first page, I was hooked. This book has everything – romance, faith, humor and just enough suspense to keep you intrigued until the very last page. I loved Theresa’s determination to defend her livelihood and was both amazed and encouraged by her character throughout the story. I also enjoyed reading about Theresa and Broderick’s relationship and LOVED seeing them grow closer to God and to each other. Another thing I really liked, was all the historical details and facts that the Author included, because this really made the story more realistic.
As an avid Fiction reader, I can tell you that there are some books that when you finish them, you immediately start thinking about the next book on your TBR pile; however, there are other books that when you finish, you just pause like, “WOW! That was AMAZING!!” (and you kind of regret finishing it so quick, because you didn’t want it to end and now you have to wait for the next book!! ) and this was definitely one of those books! I would highly recommend this book to anyone and give it 5 out of 5 stars and cannot WAIT for the next book (do I really have to wait until next year!?!)
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
About the Author
Crystal Caudill is a tea-drinking, book-hoarding, history nerd. Her award-winning stories are ripe with history, danger, love, and hope. When not writing, Crystal can be found playing board games with her husband and boys, caregiving for loved ones, hiding in a book, drinking copious amounts of hot tea, or connecting with readers. You can connect with her at www.crystalcaudill.com or by joining her newsletter crew at bitly.com/CaudillNews.
Thank you so much for stopping by! I hope you check this book out and if you do, don’t forget to leave me a comment with your thoughts!
Happy Reading
>>>>Special thanks to Crystal Caudill, Netgalley and Kregel Publications for allowing me to read and review this book – all views and opinions are my own.
I am so sorry that I haven’t posted much, but I have been very busy with family stuff and my job, but I am so excited to be a part of a Celebration tour with Celebrate Lit! (I haven’t been a part of one in a while!) So without further ado, let me share with you Dana Mentink’s latest book, Death Valley Double Cross.
The Bookish Details
Book: Death Valley Double Cross Author: Dana Mentink Genre: Inspirational Suspense Release date: February 22, 2022
From the Back Cover
A killer seeking revenge will stop at nothing to get it… Pilar Jefferson is shocked to learn that her supposedly deceased father is alive and has been in prison—and now his ruthless former partner is after her. Fleeing on her wedding day was the best way to protect her loved ones. But now with her mother held for ransom and her ex-fiancé, Austin Duke, stumbling back into her life, can she keep everyone safe—and escape an assassin?
From Love Inspired Suspense: Courage. Danger. Faith.
Desert Justice Book 1: Framed in Death Valley Book 2: Missing in the Desert Book 3: Death Valley Double Cross Book 4: Death Valley Hideout
First, even though this is the third book in the Desert Justice series, it could definitely be read as a stand alone. This book starts in the most unexpected way as Austin Duke runs into his “runaway bride”, Pilar Jefferson; however, he finds it very strange that she doesn’t look like herself. Almost immediately, they are both attacked which forces them to go on the run together bringing along the cutest old dog! What follows is a lot of twists and turns, where it’s hard to see who the good guys are and who wants them dead. Overall, I liked the story and there were a lot of very unique elements which I loved; however, I did feel that at times the story lagged a bit – but not enough to make me lose interest in the overall plot/storyline. For that reason, I give this book 3.5 out of 5 stars and I recommend it to anyone who likes Suspense or specially, Love Inspired Suspense!
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3.5 out of 5.
About the Author
Dana Mentink is a USA Today and Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author as well as a two time American Christian Fiction Writers Carol Award winner, and a Holt Medallion winner. She is the Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author of over fifty titles in the suspense and lighthearted romance genres. She is pleased to write for Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense, Harlequin Heartwarming and Poisoned Pen Press. You can connect with Dana via her website at danamentink.com, on Facebook, YouTube (Author Dana Mentink) and Instagram (dana_mentink.)
More from Dana
I remember standing on the edge of the lookout and gazing into the wonder that is Artist’s Palette in Death Valley. Artist’s Drive, which takes you to this breathtaking view, rises above Badwater Basin (the lowest spot in North America) and then meanders along twisting canyons and hills until it brings you to this popular tourist stop. The premier view is a place called Artist’s palette. It’s a sprawling pocket of color, hues of rose, ochre, green and gold tucked in the rippling landscape and teased to life by the desert sun. Isn’t that just like God? To lead us to surprises and wonders that await us in a sometimes hostile world? Every day we spent in Death Valley held a surprise, from the rocks that move mysteriously across the sands to the towering twists and turns of 20 Mule Team Canyon. There are only two things to do with a wonderous place like that…enjoy the divine bounty, and write a novel set there so others can come along! I hope you will enjoy this third installment in the Desert Justice series. The first is Beckett’s story and then we had quiet cowboy Levi’s adventure. Now it’s brash pilot Austin’s turn. Will he get his happy ending after being dumped at the altar and wrecking his shoulder in an accident? Turn those pages and come with me to Death Valley to find out!
To celebrate her tour, Dana is giving away the grand prize package of the first three books in the series (Paperback for U.S. Only) and a $50 Amazon gift card!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
Thank you so much for stopping by! I hope you check this book out and if you do, don’t forget to leave me a comment with your thoughts!
Happy Reading
>>>>Special thanks to Dana Mentink, Celebrate Lit and Love Inspired Supense for allowing me to read and review this book – all views and opinions are my own.
It is getting late over here on the East Coast, but thankfully I found a few minutes to share the first line of the book I’m currently reading. So without further ado, my First Line Friday book is The Inheritance by Tamera Alexander!
”Mckenna Ashford climbed down from the wagon, holding firm to the belief that she’d made the right decision in coming West – as if her brother’s behavior back in Missouri had given her a choice”
First Line of The Inheritance by Tamera Alexander
From the Back Cover
Determined to tame her fourteen-year-old younger brother’s rebellious streak, twenty-three-year-old McKenna Ashford accepts her cousin’s invitation to move west and start over. McKenna arrives only to find that her cousin and her cousin’s husband have died, leaving their five-year-old daughter an orphan—and that life in Copper Creek, Colorado, is far from what she expected.
McKenna struggles with her sudden new role as the guardian of two children. Shouldering burdens beyond her years, McKenna tries to be the parent Robert needs instead of the older sister he resents. But her “untimely inheritance” challenges her resolve at every turn, while also offering a second chance to restore her sense of trust—and perhaps even her heart.
U.S. Marshal Wyatt Caradon is dedicated to bringing fugitives to justice, yet years of living on the trail have taken their toll, and he finds himself at a crossroads. He’s brought countless men to justice, but he questions what lasting good he has accomplished. When his path intersects that of young Robert Ashford, Wyatt glimpses himself, years ago, in the boy’s pride and arrogance. He also sees a boy without a firm hand in his life. His well-meant attempt to help Robert brings him face-to-face with the one situation he never wanted to encounter—and the one woman who holds the key to helping him find his future.
As McKenna struggles to let go of her independence and Wyatt considers opening his heart again, they discover an inheritance beyond imagination—but it will come at a price.
About the Author
One of today’s most popular writers of inspirational historical romance, Tamera Alexander writes novels that USA Today calls “a full on HIT!” (about A Lasting Impression) and Publisher’s Weekly describes her writing as “so vivid, one can almost hear the music resonating off of the page” (about A Note Yet Unsung). Tamera is an author and inspirational speaker whose novels have garnered or been short-listed for numerous awards.
Tamera loves living in Nashville with her husband, not far from the Southern mansions that serve as the backdrop for many of her critically-acclaimed novels.
I would like to show you to my First Line Friday for today, The Golden Braid by Melanie Dickerson!
“Rapunzel, I wish to marry you.”
First Line of The Golden Braid by Melanie Dickerson
From the Back Cover
Rapunzel can throw a knife better than any man. She paints beautiful flowering vines on the walls of her plaster houses. She sings so sweetly she can coax even a beast to sleep. But there are two things she is afraid her mother might never allow her to do: learn to read and marry.
Fiercely devoted to Rapunzel, her mother is suspicious of every man who so much as looks at her daughter and warns her that no man can be trusted. After a young village farmer asks for Rapunzel’s hand in marriage, Mother decides to move them once again—this time, to the large city of Hagenheim.
The journey proves treacherous, and after being rescued by a knight—Sir Gerek—Rapunzel in turn rescues him farther down the road. As a result, Sir Gerek agrees to repay his debt to Rapunzel by teaching her to read. Could there be more to this knight than his arrogance and desire to marry for riches and position?
As Rapunzel acclimates to life in a new city, she uncovers a mystery that will forever change her life. In this Rapunzel story unlike any other, a world of secrets and treachery is about to be revealed after seventeen years of lies. How will Rapunzel finally take control of her own destiny? And who will prove faithful to a lowly peasant girl with no one to turn to?
About the Author
Melanie is the Christy award-winning author of Regency and Medieval fairy tale romances. Growing up about 50 miles from Harper Lee’s hometown in rural Alabama, Melanie wrote stories in notebooks for her friends, who passed them around in class as soon as she finished a scene. (And no, they didn’t get in trouble—much.) These stories always involved adventure, danger, and a hero and heroine falling in love, with a happily-ever-after ending. She’s been a romantic for as long as she can remember! Melanie’s newsletter sign-up is on her website, www.MelanieDickerson.com, and you can connect with her on Facebook www.facebook.com/MelanieDickersonBooks/
What are you reading this week? Would you read this book? Let me know in the comments below!
Also, don’t forget to check out what other first lines Readers and Bloggers are sharing by heading over to our host blog, Hording Books!
I am so excited to share with you today my review of Darlene L Turner’s new book, Safe House Exposed! I know I’ve told you all that I love reading Love Inspired Suspense and that is true, but this author writes some of the best ones!! So without further ado, I would like to take to you over the U.S border, into Canada, where something sinister is going on…
The Bookish Details!
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Author: Darlene L. Turner
Series: Border Patrol (Book 4) – can be read as a standalone
Genre: Mystery/Suspense
Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense
From The Back Cover
Witness protection should have kept them safe.
Instead, it left them completely exposed…
Canadian border patrol officer Emma James has only one concern after putting a crime boss behind bars: keeping her daughter safe. But witness protection has a leak, and Emma’s enemies know exactly where to find her. Now on the run with no safe haven, trusting her estranged former brother-in-law, police constable Mason James, to shield them is her only hope…
From Love Inspired Suspense: Courage. Danger. Faith.
Witness Protection is supposed to keep you safe right?!? Well, what would you do if every safe house you go to seems to be compromised? How can you keep your loved ones safe, when you don’t know where to go, or who to trust? Those are just some of the questions that Emma and Mason have to keep asking themselves because everywhere they think is safe, is somehow comprised. This book has so much packed between it’s small covers and it is almost impossible to put down – seriously, this book is amazing! It has so many twists and turns that just when you think you’ve solved the mystery, BAM! a new plot twist! The best way to describe the book is that it’s like a roller coaster, once you get started, you just can’t stop until you’ve reached the end! Overall, I would rate the book 5 out of 5 stars!
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Rating: 5 out of 5.
About The Author
Darlene L. Turner is an award-winning author and lives with her husband, Jeff in Ontario, Canada. Her love of suspense began when she read her first Nancy Drew book. She’s turned that passion into her writing and believes readers will be captured by her plots, inspired by her strong characters, and moved by her inspirational message. You can connect with Darlene at www.darlenelturner.com where there’s suspense beyond borders.
Thank you so much for stopping by! I hope you check out this book and if you do, don’t forget to leave me a comment with your thoughts!
Happy Reading 🙂
>>>>Special thanks to Darlene L. Turner and Love Inspired Supense for allowing me to read and review this book – all views and opinions are my own.
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