Avonna

Book Tour/Feature Post and Book Review: Cold Light of Day by Elizabeth Goddard

Cold Light of Day

by Elizabeth Goddard

February 20 – March 17, 2023

Virtual Book Tour

Hi, everyone!

Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for COLD LIGHT OF DAY (Missing in Alaska Book #1) by Elizabeth Goddard on this Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tour.

Below you will find a book synopsis, my book review, an excerpt from the book, the author’s bio and social media links, and a Kingsumo giveaway. Enjoy!

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Book Synopsis

Police Chief Autumn Long is fighting to keep her job in the quiet Alaska town of Shadow Gap when an unexpected string of criminal activity leaves her with a wounded officer, unexplained murders, and even an attack on her own father. Despite her mistrust of outsiders, she turns to Grier Brenner, a newcomer who seems to have the skills and training Autumn needs to face this threat to her community.

Grier is in Alaska for the same reason so many others are–to disappear–when Chief Long enlists his help. He emerges from the shadows and proves his mettle, but his presence in her life could be a deadly trap for them both. If his secret is exposed, all will be lost. And he’s not sure even Autumn could save him.

As the stakes rise and the dangers increase, Autumn and Grier must rely on each other to extinguish the deadly threats.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61140802-cold-light-of-day?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=LZwgN1MnY2&rank=1

Cold Light Of Day

Genre: Romantic Suspense
Published by: Revell
Publication Date: February 2023
Number of Pages: 336
ISBN: 9780800742041 (ISBN10: 0800742044)
Series: Missing in Alaska, 1

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My Book Review

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

COLD LIGHT OF DAY (Missing in Alaska Book #1) by Elizabeth Goddard is a fast-paced Christian romantic suspense and the first in a new series set in small town Alaska. Shadow Gap’s police chief and a mysterious newcomer are enveloped in a crime spree that could cost them everything.

Police Chief Autumn Long is trying to prove herself and keep her job after taking over after her father’s disability retirement, but a crime wave is enveloping their small town. When she witnesses a newcomer to town rescuing a woman from drowning, she wonders why he rejects the attention gained by his rescue.

Grier Brennan is trying to stay under the radar and to himself, but his background will not allow him to let a person drown and he gets tangled up in all the activity happening around the attractive police chief. As bullets fly and the body count grows, Grier reluctantly joins forces with Autumn to find the killer.

Autumn and Grier investigate the murders and discover their pasts have entangled them with the same enemies in this crime wave and could be the death of them both.

The action and investigation plot lines that tie Autumn and Grier together were exciting and fast paced throughout. The stakes continue to rise and kept me turning the pages. The Alaskan wilderness itself is integral to the intensity of the story and provides both beauty and danger. Autumn and Grier are strong characters and believable in their situations, but I had a harder time connecting them as a romantic couple, especially since Grier does not reveal his secret until much to late in the plot for me to believe Autumn could trust him romantically. It is a Christian romantic suspense, but I really did not feel romantic elements pulling these two together. The balance of this story is much more slanted to the suspense and police investigation than a romance. There are mentions of faith and prayer which I did not feel interfered with the flow of the story. I enjoyed this start to the Missing in Alaska series and would be interested in reading more.

Overall, a good start to the series with an exciting suspense plot.

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Excerpt

ONE

Southeast Alaska

August

A^{utumn Long had no plans to give up without a fight,}

even though it might be killing her a little every day. As the bush plane sank lower, her view of the gla cier spilling into the valley behind a forest exploding with reds, oranges, and browns fell away. Lofty mountains on each side of the fjord filled her vision.

“Hold on, Chief. We’re almost there.” Pilot Carrie James flew her bush plane straight up the Lynn Canal—one of the longest, deepest fjords in the world. The snowcapped Kaku han Mountains rose lofty on the right, the Chilkat Range near Haines to the left. And across from Haines to the west—Glacier Bay National Park.

Autumn ignored the mounting dread she felt and focused her thoughts. She had better get her act together and earn back the trust of the city council and the people she swore to protect in the small town of Shadow Gap, one of many communities dotting the Inside Passage of the Alaska Panhandle.

She’d stayed overnight in Anchorage for a meeting that left her drained to her bones. She’d taken an Alaska Airlines flight to and from Juneau, and now Carrie was delivering her up to the northernmost part of the Panhandle. Wearing her brown bomber jacket and a headset, sitting in the cockpit of her Helio Courier—the ultimate bush plane—Carrie was a bush pilot poster child.

The plane flew lower, following the Chilkoot Inlet until Carrie banked east, flying over the Lewis Inlet that branched off. “That’s why I’d better say this before I lose the chance.” Autumn wasn’t sure she wanted to hear it.

Carrie angled her head toward Autumn and arched a brow. “I know you didn’t ask for my opinion.” Carrie looked forward again. “But you didn’t do anything wrong. Out here we take care of our own. The land is harsh. Brutal in ways the lower forty-eight can’t imagine. We have to watch out for each other, and that’s all you’ve ever done for the people of Shadow Gap.”

“Yeah, well . . . thanks, Carrie.” Tell that to Wally. He’d had it out for her from the first day she took her position as police chief.

Carrie waved a hand in mock incredulity. “Shadow Gap isn’t even classified as a town, much less an organized borough, so who needs a city council anyway?”

Or a police department, some might say.

Autumn cracked a smile. “Glad to know at least some people still want me around.”

Despite the many limitations of a small-town budget, they’d at least equipped their chief and three officers with loaded Ford Police Interceptor SUVs. After all, her officers were trained to carefully collect and preserve evidence as well as to tend a wounded moose in the road. They had to know how to do it all in small-town Alaska. Because, yeah, she thought of Shadow Gap’s community of 1,252 people as a town. Shadow Gap was just outside of the Haines and Skagway Boroughs. Alaska didn’t have counties, so there were no sheriffs.

Best of all—or worst of all, depending on which side of the law you were on—Shadow Gap had lost their Alaska State Trooper. Not enough crime to support one or budget to afford one if there was enough crime.

Autumn had nothing to complain about, except the results of her trip to Anchorage left a—

“What’s that?” Carrie drew Autumn’s attention to the water. “Someone’s out there, floating in Lewis Inlet. I saw hands wav ing, signaling.”

“Have you got—”

“Here.” Carrie handed off binoculars.

“Fly in close, Carrie. I want to get a better look. We have to help if we can.” Autumn peered through the binoculars and struggled to find what she was looking for, instead only captur ing the deep, dark waters. Then . . . “I see the hands. But, oh no, whoever is out there is going under.”

“But look! Someone’s swimming out to them. So maybe there’s a chance.”

“They won’t last long. Those waters are cold.” Autumn adjusted the binoculars, searching, searching . . . there. “I see what looks like the rescue swimmer.” Was that . . . Grier? “How close can you land?”

“Close enough. Once on the water, I can angle in closer.” “If he can get to the woman, we’ll take them both the rest of the way to get help.”

Because there was no way the woman wasn’t going to suffer from hypothermia in these temps, unless she had on the ap propriate attire. Same for Grier.

Come on, Grier . . . save the girl.

Shadow Gap needed a hero. A ray of hope shot through her, and though maybe she shouldn’t have the thought, it popped into her head all the same. She didn’t mind that a town hero would take the attention away from the police chief’s long list of transgressions.

Though, if she were choosing heroes, she would have chosen a longtime resident over an outsider—or as the locals liked to call them, cheechakos, and meant in a negative way. She wouldn’t go so far as to use that term for this particular man. Grier had shown up in Shadow Gap a few months ago to fish in the Shadow Gap Salmon Derby. A tourist who decided to stay. Wasn’t the first time and wouldn’t be the last.

Autumn dropped the binoculars as Carrie skillfully landed the plane on the water. The pontoons smoothly connected, and Carrie guided the plane, heading toward where they’d last seen the woman in need of a rescue.

Her struggle could well be over.

Please don’t drown . . . don’t die. But Autumn didn’t see her anywhere. A fist squeezed her heart.

***

Author Bio

Elizabeth Goddard is the USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of more than 50 novels, including Cold Light of Day and the Rocky Mountain Courage and Uncommon Justice series. Her books have sold nearly 1.5 million copies. She is a Carol Award and Reader’s Choice Award winner and a Daphne du Maurier Award finalist. When she’s not writing, she loves spending time with her family, traveling to find inspiration for her next book, and serving with her husband in ministry. For more information about her books, visit her website at www.ElizabethGoddard.com.

Social Media Links

ElizabethGoddard.com
Goodreads
BookBub – @ElizabethGoddard
Instagram – @elizabethgoddardauthor
Twitter – @bethgoddard
Facebook – @ElizabethGoddardAuthor

Purchase Links

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | Baker Book House

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KINGSUMO GIVEAWAY

https://kingsumo.com/g/7dgvg8/cold-light-of-day-by-elizabeth-goddard

Feature Post and Book Review: If a Poem Could Live and Breathe: A Novel of Teddy Roosevelt’s First Love by Mary Calvi

Book Description

A fact-based romantic speculative novel about Teddy Roosevelt’s first love, by Mary Calvi, author of Dear George, Dear Mary.

Studded with the real love letters between a young Theodore Roosevelt and Boston beauty Alice Lee—many of them never before published—If a Poem Could Live and Breathe makes vivid what many historians believe to be the pivotal years that made the future president into the man of action that defined his political life, and cemented his legacy.

Cambridge, 1878. The era of the Gilded Age. Alice Lee sets out to break from the norms of her mother’s generation. Women are fighting for educational opportunities and exploring a new sense of intellectual and personal freedom. Native New Yorker, Harvard student Teddy Roosevelt, is on his own journey of discovery, and when they meet, unrelenting currents of love change the trajectory of his life forever.

If a Poem Could Live and Breathe is an indelible portrait of the authenticity of first love, the heartache of loss, and how overcoming the worst of life’s obstacles can push one to greatness never imagined.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60784584-if-a-poem-could-live-and-breathe?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=wZ69vLLdhJ&rank=1

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My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

IF A POEM COULD LIVE AND BREATHE: A Novel of Teddy Roosevelt’s First Love by Mary Calvi is a speculative historical fiction based on Theodore Roosevelt’s first love and marriage to Alice Lee. This is a beautiful young love story based on actual letters. Set in the Gilded Age, two young people are discovering themselves, their possibilities, and their love.

In 1878, Alice Lee is fighting the strictures of her mother’s generation. It is a time when women are fighting for educational opportunities and intellectual freedom. Alice wants to be able to receive advanced education in the newly opened women’s annex at Harvard, but her mother has other plans for her as she is a beauty many eligible and wealthy young men are interested in.

Harvard student, Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt is finding a world of opportunities with his new friends. He has survived a childhood plagued by asthma and has grown into a young man who wills himself to fight through his asthma attacks and enjoy everything life has to offer. When he attends a weekend away with one of his Harvard classmates, he finds himself in the presence of the most beautiful young girl he has ever seen and instantly falls in love for the first time in his life. He is determined to make her fall for him too.

This is such a beautiful story of young, first love. Due to this time in history, societal expectations play a large role in their friendship and then courtship. The book is written in “The Present” with Teddy on his ranch in the Badlands after the death of his wife and “The Past” with their meeting through first year of marriage until Alice’s death. The letters between Alice and Teddy give the readers a look into their relationship with Ms. Calvi giving the readers a well-researched and realistic look at the culture and mores of 1878-1885 New England society. Alice had my heart from the start with her love of education and freedom of choice and that Teddy accepted that in her and stood up for her ideas and beliefs in public made me appreciate him even more. Although Alice and Teddy’s love story was just a short period in his overall lifetime and he refused to discuss it after his return from the Badlands, he honored that relationship in action with the freedom from societal norms he allowed their daughter, Alice.

I highly recommend this bittersweet and yet beautiful young love historical fiction romance.

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About the Author

MARY CALVI is an author of historical fiction. Her upcoming book, IF A POEM COULD LIVE AND BREATHE: A NOVEL OF TEDDY ROOSEVELT’S FIRST LOVE, is based on never-before-published love letters to and from Roosevelt, which Calvi researched and transcribed from the originals. The publication is set for Valentine’s Day 2023 (St. Martin’s Press). Her in-depth research for her debut book, DEAR GEORGE, DEAR MARY: A NOVEL OF GEORGE WASHINGTON’S FIRST LOVE is the basis of a Smithsonian Channel documentary, airing now. Calvi is a 14-time New York Emmy® award-winning journalist, the morning news anchor for WCBS-TV, and national anchor for Inside Edition Weekend.

Social Media Links

Website: https://www.marycalvi.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MaryCalviTV/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/marycalvitv?lang=en

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/mary-calvi

Friday Feature Author Interview with Elise Cooper: The Syndicate Spy by Brittany Butler

Book Description

“Sacrifices must be made; battles will be lost. It is always this way in a quest for change.”

In the near future, Earth’s oil reserves are depleted. Nations grapple to find an alternative energy source. Terrorists race for control over world resources. And the Syndicate―a conglomerate of allied intelligence agencies―struggles to maintain peace.

Syndicate operative Juliet Arroway and her best friend, Mariam, a progressive Saudi princess, are tasked with hunting down terrorists and putting an end to the global energy war, the same mission that cost Juliet’s father his life. But when multiple terrorist attacks result in devastating losses, including the death of Juliet’s longtime boyfriend, and the Syndicate begins to suspect that Mariam’s family is somehow involved, Juliet must rise above her heartbreak to discover the truth.

In her quest, Juliet is paired with Graham―a dashing yet arrogant FBI agent―and embarks on a dangerous journey toward love and survival as they race to obtain the formula that could solve the energy crisis. But when peace demands a stunning betrayal, Juliet must decide how much she is willing to pay for the success of her mission. Brilliantly weaving fact and fiction, Butler tells a story seldom told―how female heroics can change the course of war.

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Elise’s Thoughts

The Syndicate Spy by Brittany Butler is an intriguing story that allows readers a glimpse into the espionage world. A former CIA operative, Brittany uses her personal experience to take readers on a thrilling ride.

Brittany Butler spent nine years as a targeting officer within CIA’s Directorate of Operations, Counterterrorism Center. Both at Langley and on temporary assignments in the Middle East, Brittany spearheaded operational efforts to achieve some of the most sensitive foreign intelligence objectives abroad. She uses her first-hand knowledge of targeting methodologies to recruit spies along with extensive field experience to discover and apprehend terrorists abroad.

As a staunch advocate for women’s rights in the Middle East, Brittany has worked for human rights campaigns in Afghanistan to protect and promote the rights of disenfranchised Afghan women and girls.

She tries to incorporate her feelings into the novel. The story takes place in the future where the Earth’s oil reserves are depleted. Nations grapple to find an alternative energy source. Terrorists race for control over world resources. And the Syndicate, a conglomerate of allied intelligence agencies, struggles to maintain peace.

Both heroines, Juliet Arroway, and her asset, Saudi Princess Mariam, are trying to hunt down the Islamic terrorists responsible for many murderous attacks. A member of Mariam’s family is suspected as the main instigator of the war and terrorist attacks. Juliet is paired with FBI agent Graham in the task to obtain the formula that could solve the energy crisis.

This is a story of deception, double-cross, heroism, and female empowerment. Both Juliet and Mariam are independent, self-assured, and self-sufficient women trying to change the culture of how women are treated.

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Author Interview

Elise Cooper: Did your professional experience influence the story?

Brittany Butler: I really feel passionate about women’s rights in Afghanistan. My last assignment was in the Pakistan-Afghanistan division where I worked for about three years. I saw all the abuses of the Taliban. I now volunteer for an organization called, Women for Afghan Women. They provided funds for shelters there. One of the Afghan women I became friends with has worked for the US military and intelligence community quite a bit, becoming a translator. I wrote the novel as fictional to go into the moral dilemma of espionage with internal struggles.

EC: It seems to be you have the same uphill struggle J. A. Jance went through, writing in a man’s world?

BB: I looked at a statistic. Out of 127 spy authors only two were female. I thought about changing my name or just putting my initials, to hide the fact I was a woman. But I want to showcase the female perspective, so I do not want to hide behind a different identity. I also wanted to point out in the book that doing this type of job many women feel they cannot espouse femininity.

EC: You have in your book strong women?

BB: The Afghan woman who is my friend showed strength, even after so much hardship. They did not want to be victimized, but wanted to educate themselves, to have a better future for their children, and to be given opportunities to work. I decided to write a story that showcased a powerful Arab woman, Mariam. I also wanted to change the narrative about female intelligence officers. We do not use our bodies and sex to obtain information. We use our brains, tradecraft, with the same training and skills as our male counterparts. Twenty years in this war and the country is back to where it was, regarding the women there.

EC: How would you describe Juliet, the intelligence officer?

BB: Strong, feisty, has her own mind, reckless, independent, and a former Army Ranger turned spy. She grieves the loss of her father and is determined to end the energy war that cost her boyfriend and father’s life. She is also passionate and becomes frustrated as I did with ending these wars, while trying to achieve something.

EC: How would you describe FBI Agent Graham?

BB: He deals with a lot of the same pitfalls as Juliet. He is loyal, protective, brash, brave, bold, powerful, and strong.

EC: The relationship between Juliet and the hero, FBI Agent Graham?

BB: They can push each other’s buttons. Juliet is guarded and likes to avoid attachment. I drew this from my own relationship with my husband. The dynamic is that he is supportive and empowering. His love for me allowed for me to be who I am, which is the same case with Juliet. This made me feel more secure which is how I wrote their relationship, to do the difficult work. Juliet and I are accepted for who we are.

EC: What about the Arab asset, Mariam?

BB: Strong, a feminist, defiant, reckless, and courageous. She uses the same tactics as her male counterparts, just like me, but is judged in a more severe way.

EC: How would you describe the Islamic terrorists?

BB: They are vindictive, Chauvinists, evil, violent, not empathetic, and egotistical.

EC: A scene in the book reminded me of the Khost bombing where many CIA people were killed?

BB: Yes, it mirrored the operation in 2009. This had a tremendous impact for my decision to leave after my good friend, Darren LaBone died there. We worked together as case officers in Jordan. He felt bad he was not there for his wife and three-year-old girl. We were desensitized from the danger, until this happened. Regarding that scene, my dad died while writing the book, so I drew my personal grief from his and Darren’s death.

EC: What is the Syndicate Organization based upon?

BB: I mirrored it on what the CIA does in terms of working with foreign liaisons. We operate as a conglomerate of allied intelligence agencies. We work hand in hand together. We share information from sources.

EC: The scene between the Saudi Royalty, Salmon and Aziz,-what does it represent?

BB: Trying to find ways that unite people versus what divides them. There was a quote in the book, “We all worship the same G-d. Why can’t we unite on that fact.” Salmon wants to continue to achieve economic growth and prosperity for the Saudis through cooperation. Aziz has the alternate viewpoint, to maintain monopolies on all energy sources, to wage the Jihad War.

EC: Next book?

BB: My next book will involve Russia and China. Mariam is waging a war in support of the Feminists, based on what is happening in Iran. She needs the Syndicate’s help, but they are intimidated by her accumulative power. There is no title and release date.

THANK YOU!!

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BIO: Elise Cooper has written book reviews and interviewed best-selling authors since 2009. Her reviews have covered several different genres, including thrillers, mysteries, women’s fiction, romance and cozy mysteries. An avid reader, she engages authors to discuss their works, and to focus on the descriptions of their characters and the plot. While not writing reviews, Elise loves to watch baseball and visit the ocean in Southern California, with her dog and husband.

Blog Tour/Feature Post and Book Review: Emperor by John Fullerton

Hi, everyone!

Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for EMPEROR by John Fullerton on this Black Tide Book Tour.

Below you will find a book description, my book review and the author’s bio and social media links. Enjoy!

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Book Description

Can ex-NSA agent Ava stop the Emperor’s war plans before he kills millions – and her?

There’s a new Cold War…and it’s about to erupt into World War Three.

Emperor Qin – absolute ruler, dictator for life – has one task before he succumbs to brain cancer, and it means war. Can ex-spy Ava stop him in time to save millions – and survive?

Qin will ‘unify’ China by ordering the conquest of Taiwan, a democratic nation of 23 million people just 100 miles off the mainland, a pledge the Chinese Communist Party has made every year since the 1949 Revolution.

But there’s a leak, a flood of state secrets.

They land in the lap of the former NSA analyst in Washington DC. Ava Shute hasn’t sought the material. On the contrary, she’s a most reluctant recipient.

One thing keeps Ava going: the prospect of a nuclear Armageddon. The clock is ticking as Chinese agents hunt Ava down with orders to kill.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63922170-emperor?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=sm0ySMxfMw&rank=1

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My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

EMPEROR by John Fullerton is a twisted espionage thriller that immerses you in a fictional and yet realistic game of politics, propaganda, and spies from the point of view of the Chinese Supreme Leader Qin and American former NSA analyst, Ava Shute. This is a standalone novel.

Qin is the type of totalitarian leader most westerners picture as the leader of China. Qin is isolated, ruthless, and even with a brain tumor able to outwit any opposition. Before his tumor kills him, the legacy he wants to leave is the reunification of China and Taiwan.

There is a leak of Qin’s military plans and Ava Shute is the recipient of the information. The informant wishes to remain secret and have their information released to the press rather than government agencies so that it cannot be buried. With Chinese agents out to shut down the leak permanently, Ava must trust an old acquaintance from her NSA past with her life.

This is such a great thriller. It does not rely on fast action scenes to carry the story, although they are there, it is more of game of political chess. There are in depth descriptions of military equipment and maneuvers beside the examples of types of espionage which show a voluminous amount of research and knowledge. While the plot keeps you on the edge of your seat about whether there will be a world war or not, whether the leaker will be unveiled or not, or if Ava will survive, the author brings the reader to a brilliantly executed, twisted, and yet believable climax. Sorry, no spoilers here. You have to read this book.

I highly recommend this espionage thriller!

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Author Bio

John Fullerton worked briefly during the Cold War as a ‘contract labourer’ for Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service, also known as MI6, an episode that fired up his interest in fictional espionage. He failed spectacularly in his efforts as a farmer in Zimbabwe and as a trainee financial manager in Cape Town.

All told, he’s lived or worked in 40 countries as a journalist and covered a dozen wars. For 20 years Fullerton was employed by Reuters as a correspondent and editor with postings in Hong Kong, Delhi, Beirut, Nicosia, Cairo, and London.

His latest thriller, Emperor, was published in 2022. He has an MA with distinction in Buddhist Studies and was appointed a Fellow of the Royal Literary Fund at Roehampton University in 2006/7.

He lives in Scotland.

Social Media Links

Website: https://johnfullertonauthor.scot

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/johnfullertonauthor.scot

Twitter: https://twitter.com/fictionarrative

Purchase Link

https://www.bookgoodies.com/a/B0BPGCB3JF

Book Review: Under Pressure by Sara Driscoll / Jen J. Danna

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

UNDER PRESSURE (An FBI K-9 Novel Book #6) by Sara Driscoll is another exciting fast paced crime thriller/FBI procedural featuring FBI canine handler Meg Jennings and her K-9 Labrador partner, Hawk. These books can easily be read as standalone books due to the unique crime case plots, but the core characters and their relationships continue to evolve in each book, so I feel they are best read in order of their release.

FBI canine handlers Meg Jennings and Brian Foster are paired together to help with an FBI Organized Crime case investigating the smuggling of conflict “blood” diamonds by the mob in Philadelphia. The FBI has an agent embedded in the syndicate, but he would be killed if he was caught with a wire or tracking device. Meg and Brian will use their dogs, Hawk and Lacy to track the agent to criminal locations while keeping the agent’s identity a secret.

As the investigation heats up, Meg is identified as law enforcement and she barely escapes an attempt on her life with the help of Hawk. At the same time, McCord is using his journalistic skills on the same investigation and it becomes a race for the entire team to find him when he does not check in on time.

I really enjoyed this addition to the series and catching up with all the recurring main characters. The information on conflict diamonds was well researched and interesting. The use of Hawk and Lacy when a wire or tracking device could not be used was unique and I wonder if that was pulled from an actual case. The action is continually fast paced and the tension high throughout with the dog tracking the FBI embedded agent and the race to rescue McCord at the climax. It is always great to check back in on the lives of Meg and Webb and Cara and McCord and of course all the dogs. I was also very glad that Brian was able to return with a healed Lacy.

I highly recommend this crime thriller/FBI procedural and the entire series!

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Author Bio

A scientist specializing in infectious diseases, Jen works with a cutting-edge research group on multiple national and international COVID-19 clinical trials. After a day battling microscopic pathogens, she enjoys spending her evenings taking on hostage takers and serial killers.

With Ann Vanderlaan, she writes two series. Under Danna and Vanderlaan, they craft suspenseful crime fiction with a realistic scientific edge. Their five Abbott and Lowell Forensic Mysteries include DEAD, WITHOUT A STONE TO TELL IT; NO ONE SEES ME ’TILL I FALL; A FLAME IN THE WIND OF DEATH; TWO PARTS BLOODY MURDER; and LAMENT THE COMMON BONES.

Under the joint pseudonym of Sara Driscoll, they write the FBI K-9s mysteries series, starring search-and-rescue team Meg Jennings and her black lab, Hawk. The series includes LONE WOLF, BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE, STORM RISING, NO MAN’S LAND, LEAVE NO TRACE, and UNDER PRESSURE. The seventh book in the series, STILL WATERS, will release in December 2022.

Jen is also the author of the NYPD Negotiators thriller series, starring Gemma Capello with her Hostage Negotiation Team colleagues and first responder family. The series includes EXIT STRATEGY and SHOT CALLER, with the third book in the series, LOCKDOWN, coming soon.

Jen lives near Toronto, Ontario with her husband, two daughters, and four rescued cats, and is a member of the Crime Writers of Canada. You can reach her through her contact page or by email at jenjdanna@gmail.com.

Feature Post and Book Review: Igniting Vic by Freya Barker

Hi, everyone!

Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for IGNITING VIC (On Call Book #8)(Police and Fire Operation Alpha) by Freya Barker.

Below you will find a book description, my book review, the author’s bio and social media links. Enjoy!

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Book Description

Victoria “Vic” Paige thought she was firmly back in the saddle since returning to her job as a firefighter after a three-year hiatus. These past twelve months with her new crew at Station 3 have rebuilt her confidence. That is until they are called to a motel fire where she stumbles onto the scene of a murder, which has her shaken to the core. But a pair of calm blue eyes and the deep composed voice of the first detective on the scene restores her equilibrium.

As a recent transplant from the Denver PD to the smaller Durango force, Detective Bill Evans is enjoying the slower pace. So when he is called to a motel fire, he doesn’t expect it to be the first in a series of gruesome murders, bringing back unwelcome memories. The only high point is finding the familiar, beautiful, blond-haired firefighter on the scene. Despite the heavy workload inevitable with a difficult case like this, he’s determined not to let that stroke of good luck go to waste.

However, when the killer turns the investigation personal, Evans finds himself reconnecting with his former partner, Quint Axton, as he scrambles to keep those he cares about safe.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63255718-igniting-vic?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=dpLKxEly24&rank=1

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My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

IGNITING VIC (On Call Book #8)( Police and Fire: Operation Alpha) by Freya Barker is another exciting romantic suspense and wonderful new couple in the On Call series. While some characters crossover between books, they can be easily read as standalones, but this book does follow the sister and family from Watching Trin, book #7 so I would suggest reading that book first. I have read the entire series and always look forward to Ms. Barker’s mature, intelligent, and sexy heroes and heroines.

After one year back on the job, Victoria “Vic” Paige is feeling secure with her new firefighter crew after a three-year hiatus caring for her father. When they are called out to a motel fire, Vic discovers a horrific murder scene.

Durango Detective Bill Evans is called to investigate the murder. The scene is reminiscent of a gruesome serial killer case he solved while on the Denver PD, but that killer is sitting in prison for life. While the crime is terrible, Bill is glad that he will get to interact with Vic, the beautiful, but intense firefighter who discovered the body. When another victim is found, the police know they will have to stop this killer because he won’t stop on his own.

While Vic is dealing with her father’s declining health and the unwanted attention of a co-worker, Bill is working overtime with all hands-on deck, but both are still finding time to get to know each other. When the killer threatens those close to Bill, he scrambles to find the killer and keep them all safe.

Another wonderful romantic suspense in this On Call series! The serial killer suspense plot and investigation is well paced with an ever increasing sense of dread and a climax that had me glued to the page. Vic and Bill are a mature H/h who believe they are good with their lives where they are at, but as they get to know each other, they find they compliment each other and can rely on each other. The sex scenes are explicit, but not gratuitous and have a believable feel as both are older and know what they want. I started reading this romance and fell right into the story and did not stop until the end.

I highly recommend this gripping romantic suspense, the entire series, and any of this author’s books!

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Author Bio

USA Today bestselling author Freya Barker loves writing about ordinary people with extraordinary stories.

Driven to make her books about ‘real’ people; she creates characters who are perhaps less than perfect, each struggling to find their own slice of happy, but just as deserving of romance, thrills and chills in their lives.

Recipient of the ReadFREE.ly 2019 Best Book We’ve Read All Year Award for “Covering Ollie, the 2015 RomCon “Reader’s Choice” Award for Best First Book, “Slim To None”, Finalist for the 2017 Kindle Book Award with “From Dust”, and Finalist for the 2020 Kindle Book Award with “When Hope Ends”, Freya continues to add to her rapidly growing collection of published novels as she spins story after story with an endless supply of bruised and dented characters, vying for attention!

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