Book Tour/Feature Post and Book Review: Her Every Move by Kelly Irvin

Her Every Move

by Kelly Irvin

Tour February 8 – March 5, 2021

Hi, everyone!

Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review on the Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tour for HER EVERY MOVE by Kelly Irvin.

Below you will find a book synopsis, my book review, and excerpt from the book, the author’s bio and social media links and a Rafflecopter giveaway. Good luck and enjoy!

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Book Synopsis

He’s a cop trying to stop a serial bomber. And she’ll stop at nothing to clear her own name.

When a deadly bomb goes off during a climate change debate, librarian and event coordinator Jackie Santoro becomes the prime suspect. Her motive, according to Detective Avery Wick: to avenge the suicide of her prominent father, who was accused of crimes by a city councilman attending the event.

Though Avery has doubts about Jackie’s guilt, he can’t exonerate her even after an extremist group takes responsibility for the bombing and continues to attack San Antonio’s treasured public spaces.

As Jackie tries to hold her shattered family together, she has no choice but to proceed with plans for the Caterina Ball, the library system’s biggest annual fundraiser. But she also fears the event provides the perfect opportunity for the bomber to strike again.

Despite their mistrust, Jackie and Avery join forces to unmask the truth—before the death toll mounts even higher.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54287703-her-every-move?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=AIzqOIBIzd&rank=1

Book Details

Genre: Suspense
Published by: Thomas Nelson
Publication Date: February 9, 2021
Number of Pages: 352
ISBN: 0785231900 (ISBN13: 9780785231905)

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My Book Review

RATING: 4.5 out of 5 Stars

HER EVERY MOVE by Kelly Irvin is an edge-of-your-seat Christian romantic suspense by a new to me author that I could not put down.

A bomb goes off at a library sponsored climate change debate in San Antonio.

Jackie Santoro, librarian and event coordinator loses her best friend in the bombing and yet still becomes a prime suspect due to her family’s past. Detective Avery Wick has doubts about Jackie’s guilt, but he also cannot exonerate her.

As the bombings continue around the city, Jackie is forced to continue with the plans for the annual Caterina Ball which funds the cities’ libraries for the year. Avery and Jackie know this event could be the next target for the bomber and they must work together to unmask the bomber before the death toll rises even further.

I was completely wrapped up in the chase for the bomber. Ms. Irvin’s pacing and plot development kept me on the edge-of-my-seat as each twist and new suspect emerged. While the bomber was on my list of suspects, the ending was still handled well and was satisfying. Avery’s handling of his long-time friend’s mental health decline added not just suspense, but also empathy to the story.

I loved that the protagonist, Jackie Santoro is a librarian and all the references to her life-long love of books and libraries. She is a strong heroine protagonist who follows her beliefs and feelings in her personal life as well as her professional one. Avery Wick is a detective, who while hardened by his years of seeing the worst of humanity on his job still has empathy for others. Their relationship evolves over the investigation and chase for the bomber at a realistic pace. The secondary characters are fully fleshed and add to the depth of the story without being just placeholders.

This is a Christian romantic suspense so there are no sex scenes in this romance, but the romance between Jackie and Avery grows realistically throughout. This book did have more inclusion of religious beliefs and prayer than other Christian romantic suspense books I have read, but the inclusions are not gratuitous.

I recommend this book for an exciting romantic suspense read and I will be checking out more of this new-to-me author’s work.

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Excerpt

A steady stream of patrons stood and edged toward the center aisle. A low murmur swelled to the sound of hundreds of people all talking at once. Soon they’d be in front of Jackie, impeding her progress from the parking garage and on the narrow, one-way downtown streets of San Antonio.

“Great job, Jackie. Looks like your boss was wrong.” Sandoval’s constituent services director, Tony Guerra, sauntered up the aisle toward her. “Climate change opponents can coexist amicably in the same space. And so can city manager and city council staff.”

“Thanks, but it took a whole host of partners to make this happen. And it’s not over yet.” Jackie stuck her hand on the door lever that would release her to the Tobin’s massive lobby.

She liked Tony, which was a good thing since he’d asked Estrella to marry him. However, he wore his political ambitions like an obnoxious neon-pink tie.

“I have to go. I want to make sure there are no last-minute snags with the reception. Then it’s back to fine-tuning the altars for the Catrina Ball. It’s only a week away, and I’m behind because of the debate.”

“You never let up, do you? Are we still on for the Spurs game tomorrow—”

A powerful force knocked Jackie from her feet.

Her skull banged on the hardwood floor.

Sharp projectiles pelted her face in a painful ping-ping.

What’s happening?

Estrella? Tony? Bella?

Muffled screams and even her own moaning seemed strangely distant. “Estrella? Tony? Bella?”

If they answered, Jackie couldn’t hear them. She dragged herself onto her hands and knees. Glass and sharp metal pierced both. She forced open burning eyes.

Heavy black smoke shrouded the hall. Metal and debris like deadly confetti showered her. She raised her arm to her forehead to protect her face from the remnants of folding chairs and electronics.

Warm blood dripped from her nose. The acrid taste of smoke and fear collected in her mouth. Her stomach heaved. Her pulse pounded so hard dizziness threatened to overcome her.

No, no, no. Do not pass out. People need help.

Shrieking alarms bellowed.

Water, like torrential rain, poured from above. Rain, inside? Her ricocheting thoughts made no sense. Jackie shook her head. Neither the smoke nor the clanging in her brain subsided.

Sprinkler system.

The smoke had triggered the sprinklers.

Where there’s smoke there’s fire.

The old cliché ran circles in her mind like a children’s nursery rhyme.

Estrella’s mama and papa would never forgive Jackie if something happened to their sweet daughter. Mercedes and Mateo always saw Jackie as the instigator of trouble. And they were usually right.

Ignoring pain and panic, she crawled forward. Sharp metal bit into her skin. Where were her shoes?

Finally she encountered a warm, writhing body. “Tony?”

“What happened?” He struggled to sit up. Blood poured from an open wound on his scalp, his nose, and a cut on his lip. “I have to get to Estrella and Diego.”

He might have yelled, but Jackie could barely make out the words. She leaned back on her haunches. “You’re hurt. Does anything feel broken?”

“No, but I can’t hear anything.” He wiped at his face. Blood streaked his once crisply starched white shirt. “Why can’t I hear?”

“It’ll pass. We have to get everyone out.”

With a groan, Tony leaned over and vomited on the floor. He wiped his mouth with his sleeve. “Okay, let’s go.”

“Everyone out. If you can walk on your own, evacuate.” One of the contract security guards hired for the debate loomed over them. “The bomb squad is on the way. Go, go.”

“We’re fine. We’ll help get the others out.”

“Negative. Get out, there could be more bombs.”

Bombs.

***

Author Bio

Bestseller Kelly Irvin is the author of 19 books, including romantic suspense and Amish romance. Publishers Weekly called Closer Than She Knows “a briskly written thriller.” The Library Journal said of her novel Tell Her No Lies, “a complex web with enough twists and turns to keep even the most savvy romantic suspense readers guessing until the end.”

The two-time ACFW Carol Award finalist worked as a newspaper reporter for six years on the Texas-Mexico border. Those experiences fuel her romantic suspense novels set in Texas. A retired public relations professional, Kelly now writes fiction full-time. She lives with her husband professional photographer Tim Irvin in San Antonio. They have two children, three grandchildren, and two ornery cats.

Visit Kelly Irvin Online

www.KellyIrvin.com
Goodreads – kellyirvin
BookBub – @KellyIrvin
Instagram – kelly_irvin
Twitter – @Kelly_S_Irvin
Facebook – Kelly.Irvin.Author

Purchase Links

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Christianbook | Goodreads

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RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/ZjI0YmY4NGI1MjJkZDM3MDAyMmIxNWZhMzUxNTNkOjcxOA==/?

Book Tour/Feature Post and Book Review: Lethal Intent by Cara C. Putman

Lethal Intent

by Cara Putman

Tour January 11 – February 5, 2021

Hi, everyone!

Today is my turn on the Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tour for the new Christian Romantic Suspense LETHAL INTENT by Cara C. Putnam. This is a legal/medical romantic suspense mash-up that kept me turning the pages.

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 Rafflecopter giveaway. Enjoy!

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Book Synopsis

If they expected silence, they hired the wrong woman.

Caroline Bragg’s life has never been better. She and Brandon Lancaster are taking their relationship to the next level, and she has a new dream job as legal counsel for Praecursoria—a research lab that is making waves with its cutting-edge genetic therapies. The company’s leukemia treatments even promise to save desperately sick kids—kids like eleven-year-old Bethany, a critically ill foster child at Brandon’s foster home.

When Caroline’s enthusiastic boss wants to enroll Bethany in experimental trials prematurely, Caroline objects, putting her at odds with her colleagues. They claim the only goal at Praecursoria is to save lives. But does someone have another agenda?

Brandon faces his own crisis. As laws governing foster homes shift, he’s on the brink of losing the group home he’s worked so hard to build. When Caroline learns he’s a Praecursoria investor, it becomes legally impossible to confide in him. Will the secrets she keeps become a wedge that separates them forever? And can she save Bethany from the very treatments designed to heal her?

This latest romantic legal thriller by bestseller Cara Putman shines a light on the shadowy world of scientific secrets and corporate vendettas—and the ethical dilemmas that plague the place where science and commerce meet.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52610690-lethal-intent?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=Zl6G3fSMwO&rank=1

Lethal Intent

Genre: Mystery/Suspense
Published by: Thomas Nelson
Publication Date: January 12, 2021
Number of Pages: 336
ISBN: 0785233318 (ISBN13: 9780785233312)

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My Book Review:

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

LETHAL INTENT by Cara C. Putnam is a new legal/medical romantic suspense mash-up. This book is a listed as a Christian romantic suspense, but it has only subtle references to belief and prayers and the romance subplot is what I call a cozy romance due to the fact that there are no sex scenes. The story is easily read as a standalone and only loosely tied to other female heroines in Ms. Putnam’s legal romantic suspense books.

Caroline Bragg has landed a new job as the legal counsel for a new medical start-up, Praecursoria. They are in FDA human testing for a cutting-edge genetic therapy, CAR T to save children with leukemia which has reoccurred or not responding to previous treatments. While learning the new technology for her job, people tied to the company begin to die in what are believed to be accidents, but Caroline receives an email from one of the dead that has her starting to investigate and places her in the sights of a killer who refuses to be stopped.

Brandon Lancaster is facing his own problems when the government changes the laws regarding is group foster home, Almost Home. As he works to come up with a new plan, his feelings for Caroline become deeper, but she has learned he is a major investor in Praecursoria and appears to be backing away. When Brandon needs Caroline the most will the secrets she keeps break them apart?

I loved the suspense in this story and was riveted to the pages. The legal questions of experimental technology, the ethics of having a loved one be a major investor in a company you work for and the large amount of money and potential profit involved in this type of company. The technology and legal aspects of the story were clearly written and did not slow the story. The twists and turns kept me guessing throughout.

Caroline and Brandon were both strong, intelligent and committed main characters and Ms. Putnam brought the intersections of their different problems together nicely. This is a couple just starting to commit and the romance is a cozy romance with no sex scenes even behind closed doors. I also enjoyed the scenes where Caroline turned to her friends for support and advice, who are characters from other books.

I highly recommend this Christian romantic suspense and author!

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Excerpt

Caroline shifted in the high-backed chair. The massive conference room table made her feel more petite than usual. Quentin Jackson, the man propelling Praecursoria through its rapid growth, vibrated with energy as he studied her.

“We are on the cusp of amazing developments and a transition from the lab to trials. We have a few CAR T-cell therapies in early stages now with more in our pipeline.”

She racked her mind for the importance of T cells, and he gave a hearty laugh.

“Don’t worry if the science overwhelms you. We’ll have you up to speed in no time. All you need to know right now is that T cells are one of the two cells that make up white blood cells. The treatments we’re working on could be the difference between life and death for young cancer patients. We need your legal expertise and quick mind to synthesize the science with the map to market.”

“I’ve overseen several court trials related to patents, which should help with that process.” It had been an unforeseen aspect of her days clerking for Judge Loren. She swallowed against the lump in her throat that still welled up when she thought about his untimely death from pneumonia. A month ago she couldn’t imagine interviewing for a job somewhere else, even if a part of her knew that she should stretch her wings.

“When can you start? Today?”

She felt rooted to the chair. Everything was moving so fast. Could she really transition her experience managing clerks for a judge into managing patents and contracts for a start-up? While Praecursoria had been around for a decade as a cancer research lab, about eighteen months ago Quentin sold off its lucrative genetic testing branch to focus exclusively on the development of cutting-edge CAR T-cell therapies. Starting over that way was a bold if risky move.

She lifted her chin and forced a smile that didn’t waver. “If that’s what you need. First we have a few details to work out.”

He laughed. “I like the way you tackle issues head-on. That will be key in this role. I know how to steer the ship, and my chief scientist can navigate the research, but you’ll keep us on the legal straight and narrow.” He tapped his pen against the legal pad in front of him. Then he picked up her résumé and named a salary that pressed her against the chair. “There will be performance bonuses tied to the successful conclusion of trials. We want to look into stock options as well. That will be one of your assignments in conjunction with HR.” He slapped his hands on the table and she jumped. “My enthusiasm gets away from me sometimes.” He shrugged but never wavered as he examined her. “Let’s start with a field trip. The best way for you to understand why we’re doing this work and research is to show you.”

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Author Bio

Cara Putman is the author of more than twenty-five legal thrillers, historical romances, and romantic suspense novels. She has won or been a finalist for honors including the ACFW Book of the Year and the Christian Retailing’s BEST Award. Cara graduated high school at sixteen, college at twenty, completed her law degree at twenty-seven, and recently received her MBA. She is a practicing attorney, teaches undergraduate and graduate law courses at a Big Ten business school, and is a homeschooling mom of four. She lives with her husband and children in Indiana.

Social Media Links

CaraPutman.com
Goodreads: caraputman
BookBub: @CPutman
Instagram: caracputman
Twitter: @Cara_Putman
Facebook: Cara.Putman

Purchase Links

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | ChristianBook.com | Goodreads

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RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/ZjI0YmY4NGI1MjJkZDM3MDAyMmIxNWZhMzUxNTNkOjcxNQ==/?

Release Blitz/Feature Post and Book Review: Lock & Load by Freya Barker

Hi, everyone!

Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review on the Buoni Amici Release Blitz for LOCK & LOAD (PASS Series Book #3) by Freya Barker.

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

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Book Description

Juggling two jobs is nothing new for registered nurse, Hillary Glenwood, she’s been doing it for most of her adult life. She has an objective she intends to meet. But, just months before reaching her goal, she witnesses a violent attack outside her apartment that rattles her determination.

However, her carefully controlled life runs completely off the rails when she recognizes the new neighbor coming to the rescue.

As a hacker, Radar Jansen hasn’t always used his expertise in the most respectable ways until he came to work for PASS Security. Normally his time is spent behind a computer, but that doesn’t mean his skills end there.

When—walking his dog one night—he sees a familiar woman rushing into a dangerous situation, his training kicks in.

With Hillary’s safety compromised, the keyboard warrior puts on his real life armor to shield the woman who is fast becoming his only focus.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55922737-lock-load?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=crtqvFJAkc&rank=45

Title: Lock&Load (Pass, #3)

Author: Freya Barker

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Release Date: January 25, 2021

Models: Josh Sargent and Morgan Boyd

Image: JW Photography

Hosted by: Buoni Amici Press, LLC.

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RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

LOCK & LOAD (PASS Series Book #3) by Freya Barker is a fast-paced romantic suspense and is the third book in the world of PASS Security. This book has characters from the previous books due to the fact that they all work together, but they are easily read as standalones.

Hillary Glenwood is working two jobs; an Emergency Room RN at the local hospital and she also works at the Veterans Homeless Shelter so she can keep to her plan of paying off all her student loans. One night as she is coming home from the hospital, she witnesses and attempts to stop a violent attack. The attackers run off when they see not only Hillary, but a man running towards them.

Radar Jansen is an ex-hacker, now computer expert for PASS Security. While Radar is a genius on a computer, he is not as talented in the romance department. When he sees a familiar woman running towards danger, his training kicks in and he runs to protect and assist.

As the agents of PASS and the FBI work to find the killers of multiple people and work to uncover the motive, they keep discovering Hillary is tangentially connected to several of the dead and Radar begins to fear for her safety. As their relationship grows so does the danger. Will Radar and his friends from PASS be able to catch the killers and protect Hillary?

I enjoyed Hillary and Radar’s romance, but not as much as I usually do a Freya Barker romance. I just never got a feeling of believability with Radar, who kept switching from alpha to beta. I did like Hillary’s feistiness and backbone. The suspense plot of the book was intense, an interesting premise and the killers were surprising. The sex scenes are explicit, but not gratuitous.

Overall, a good romantic suspense read, just not my favorite of the series.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55922737-lock-load?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=ZbQVA21Le6&rank=1

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About the Author

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”, and Finalist for the 2017 Kindle Book Award with “From Dust”, 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!

Social Media

Facebook: http://bit.ly/FreyaFacebook

Twitter: http://bit.ly/FreyaTwitter

Instagram: http://bit.ly/FreyaInstagram

Web: http://bit.ly/FreyaWeb

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/FreyaGoodreads

Newsletter: https://www.subscribepage.com/Freya_Newsletter

Bookbub: http://bit.ly/FreyaBookBub

Buy Links

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2VNPbof

iBooks: https://apple.co/3lYL9E7

Nook: https://bit.ly/2VRyqIx

Kobo: https://bit.ly/3mWaxeR

Universal: https://books2read.com/u/bw7N

Release Blitz/Feature Post and Book Review: Surviving Faithful by Anna Bishop Barker

Hi, everyone!

Today I am part of the Release Blitz from Buoni Amici Press for this short, but intense romantic suspense. I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for SURVIVING FAITHFUL (The Faithful Book #4) by Anna Bishop Barker.

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

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Book Description

Can a broken former bad boy and a lonely small-town vet really work?

Kyle Valentine left Faithful, Tennessee because there was nothing for him there. In one nightmarish moment all he had was taken.

But Faithful never left him. It was as much a part of him as the marrow in his bones.

He spent three years on the water and on the run from his grief.

Then this dead wife told him to go home.

~~~~

Veterinarian Olivia Hudson was just a small-town girl with simple needs. She had the prerequisite three wishes.

She wanted a makeup that covered her freckles. She needed people to stop feeding their dogs chicken bones. She craved a decent man who would love her, only her, beyond all reason and rational thought.

None of those wishes was coming true.

Until a mountain of a man with tattoos and a deliciously dirty mouth landed at her front door, and things started looking up.

~~~~

But who was leaving the dead cats on her lawn?

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/searchutf8=✓&q=+anna+bishop+barker

Title: Surviving Faithful

Author: Anna Bishop Barker

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Release Date: December 10, 2020

Hosted by: Buoni Amici Press, LLC.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/34JAVRp
Start the series: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D4G7ZSX

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My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

SURVIVING FAITHFUL (The Faithful Series Book #4) by Anna Bishop Barker is a short romantic suspense which is part of The Faithful series by a new to me author. It can easily be read as a standalone, but I loved the author’s writing and will be going back to read the previous books.

Kyle has been away from Faithful for three years running from the death of his wife and unborn baby. But then he hears her voice telling him to go home.

Veterinarian Olivia Hudson is a small-town girl who just wants a man of her own, who will love her above everyone and all else. She just does it see it happening in Faithful, Tennessee, but her roots, home and practice are here. Then Kyle returned to Faithful.

Olivia and Kyle are thrown together when Olivia’s home is violated by an unknown stranger. Kyle vows to protect her until they find out who would want to hurt her.

Olivia and Kyle were such memorable characters with tangible, combustible chemistry. Ms. Barker has written dialogue and sex scenes that bring them to life. The banter between these two was entertaining and made for light breaks from their serious personal issues and the suspense. The romance is quick, but believable because we are dealing with mature characters. The suspense plotline in the story was tragic, but predictable. (Some may be triggered by the scene with a mutilated animal.)

I was impressed with this new to me author. Usually a shorter novel lacks depth, fully fleshed main characters and/or a satisfying plot, especially when you are trying to have a new romance and a suspense storyline all in approximately 150 pages, but this story was perfect.

I can highly recommend this romantic suspense for a quick, intense, satisfying read.

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About the Author

I was born in Kentucky and raised in Florida, so I am a southerner through and through. Since I was old enough to pick up a book, I have been a voracious reader. I wrote the usual poetry and short stories in high school, and I kept the dream of writing in the back of my heart until opportunity and encouragement helped me to realize that dream.

I live in Tampa with my kids, grandkids, dogs, various other livestock, and way more books than is strictly healthy.

Hot Romance.

Suspense.

Humor & heart.

Grown up stories for grown up people. This is what I write. There’s also food, music, dogs, the occasional geek reference, and quite possibly an inappropriate joke. There will likely be dead bodies as well.

Three random facts about me:
1. I was bitten by a shark when I was 14.
2. I have read War and Peace. (When I get to the afterlife, I am demanding that week of my life back. Sorry, Tolstoy.)
3. It is my sincere belief that any situation can be improved by eating some cheese.

My life philosophy is guard your inner peace and read dirty kissing books.

Social Media Links

Newsletter: https://www.subscribepage.com/annabishopbarker

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

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annabishopbarker/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mamabear7158

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16200327.Anna_Bishop_Barker

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2ZKrmRl

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/anna-bishop-barker

Blog Tour/Feature Post and Book Review: A Heart Redeemed by Dawn Brower

BLOG TOUR: November 13 – November 19

A Heart Redeemed

The Everyday Heroes Series World

By Dawn Brower

Hi, everyone!

Today I am excited to be sharing my Feature Post and Book Review on this blog tour for A HEART REDEEMED (The Everyday Heroes Series World) by Dawn Brower. This is my first time reading a romantic suspense written by this author and set in this world started by K. Bromberg, but it will not be my last.

Below you will find a book blurb, my book review, an about the author section and the author’s social media links. Enjoy!

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Book Blurb

Paige Morris has secrets…

Her life has been filled with darkness for too long. After a terrorizing experience with her daughter’s father she makes necessary changes. Redemption isn’t always possible, but she hopes in time she’ll achieve hers. When she is asked to foster a little girl whose parents were murdered she automatically agrees.

Alexander “Lex” Foster is battling demons of his own…

He has witnessed a lot of awful things in his life, but the gruesome murder he’s assigned to investigate tops the list. The little girl he finds cowering in a cupboard breaks his heart. Solving the case becomes his top priority. What he doesn’t expect is his instant attraction to the foster mother who takes in the victim’s daughter.

Deception, murder, and inescapable passion…

What could go wrong? As Paige and Lex grow closer, so does the killer. After several disturbing messages Lex moves in to protect the girls. Ensuring their safety is his priority. He cannot afford any diversions; however, his growing desire for Paige may be his undoing. When the psychopath makes his move he might be too late to save them.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54310864-a-heart-redeemed

Get your copy today on your Kindle and KindleUnlimited – books2read.com/AHeartRedeemed

***

My Book Review

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

A HEART REDEEMED (The Everyday Heroes Series) by Dawn Brower is a new romantic suspense set in K. Bromberg’s Everyday Heroes Series world. This is my first time reading a book written by this author and set in this world, but it will not be my last.

Eight-year-old Mila Gallo waited until her parents went to bed to sneak into the kitchen to take the cookies her mom told her she could not have. When she hears a noise on the stairs, she hides in a kitchen cabinet and hears a stranger kill her father.

Alexander “Lex” Foster discovers Mila the next morning curled in the cabinet and it breaks his heart. He vows to discover Mila’s parent’s killer. He delivers the silent Mila to her emergency foster placement and is surprised by his instant attraction to the foster mother. What Lex does not know is that the killer’s job is not done until Mila is dead, too.

Paige Morris is a second-grade teacher and has become a foster parent available to traumatized children. Paige is hoping by helping other children, it will make up for her slow response in separating herself and her daughter from an abusive relationship. Paige feels she will never be interested in a relationship again until Lex shows up at her door with Mila in his arms.

After several disturbing incidents, Lex moves in with Paige and the girls to protect them. Paige and Lex’s attraction turns into more even as the killer plans to finish his job. Will Lex be able to protect them all and save Mila?

I enjoyed Paige and Lex finding each other when they both never thought a relationship was possible for them. Paige and Halie had been through a lot and their backstory really fleshed them out and made you want them to find happiness and made them perfect for helping Mila heal. Lex is a hero that is handsome, but also intelligent and loving. There is no secret of the killer’s identity and the plot itself is not new and was predictable, but the author filled the story with characters that felt realistic and you want to follow them until the HEA.

This is a quick and entertaining romantic suspense.

***

About the Author

USA TODAY Bestselling author, DAWN BROWER writes both historical and contemporary romance. There are always stories inside her head; she just never thought she could make them come to life. That creativity has finally found an outlet.

Growing up she was the only girl out of six children. She raised two boys into productive young men. There is never a dull moment in her life. Reading books is her favorite hobby and she loves all genres. You can find out more about her books both contemporary and historical on her website www.authordawnbrower.com/.

Social Media Links

Facebook – www.facebook.com/AuthorDawnBrower

Instagram – www.instagram.com/1DawnBrower/

Twitter – www.twitter.com/dawnab33

Book Tour/Feature Post and Book Review: Two Reasons To Run by Colleen Coble

Two Reasons To Run

by Colleen Coble

Tour September 21 – October 23, 2020

Hi, everyone!

Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review on the Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tour for Colleen Coble’s TWO REASONS TO RUN (Pelican Harbor Book #2). This is the second book in the Pelican Harbor trilogy. The mystery/suspense in each book is unique to that book, but the characters’ personal lives progress and carry over from each previous book. I feel these books are best read in order.

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

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Book Synopsis

A lie changed her world.

Police Chief Jane Hardy is still reeling from the scandal that rocked her small-town department just as she took over for her retired father—the man who wrecked her life with one little lie. Now she’s finally been reunited with her presumed-dead fifteen-year-old son, Will, and his father, documentarian Reid Bechtol.

A crisis looms.

When a murder aboard the oil platform Zeus exposes an environmental terrorist’s plot to flood Mobile Bay with crude oil, Jane and Reid must put their feelings for each other behind them and work together to prevent the rig from being sabotaged.

A killer targets her son.

Then the terrorist puts her son Will’s life on the line. Protecting him could be the common ground they need . . . but then ghosts from the past threaten to ruin Jane and Reid for good. She’s got plenty of reasons to run. But what if she stays?

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48856368-two-reasons-to-run

Genre: Christian Romantic Suspense
Published by: Thomas Nelson
Publication Date: September 8, 2020
Number of Pages: 352
ISBN: 0785228489 (ISBN13: 9780785228486)
Series: Pelican Harbor #2
Purchase Links:Amazon | Barnes & Noble | ChristianBook.com | Goodreads

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My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

TWO REASONS TO RUN (Pelican Harbor Book #2) by Colleen Coble is the second action packed Christian romantic suspense/mystery in this trilogy series. The small coastal town of Pelican Bay’s Chief of Police Jane Hardy is a 5’2” strong, determined and justice driven spitfire who also happens to be a survivor of a cult. While the suspense/mystery is unique and solved in each book, Jane and all the main characters’ personal stories carry over and are a large part of the story. I feel the books in this trilogy should be read in order.

Chief of Police Jane Hardy is now firmly in control of her small-town police department after taking over from her retired father and surviving the scandal from “One Little Lie”. While she has been happily reunited with her fifteen-year-old son Will, who she believed dead, she is still coming to terms with the betrayal she feels from his father, Reid.

A local mother has reported her son missing when he does not return from the giant oil rig in the bay. She gives Jane an email from her son that suggests there is a terrorist plot against the oil rig and he believes he is in danger. But with no other leads and no body, Homeland Security drops the case.

Reid uses his job as a journalist/documentarian to gain access to the rig. He and Jane find the missing man dead and tied under the oil rig. As Jane and Will move forward in the investigation, they receive threats that if they continue, their son Will’s life in on the line.

I loved this book as much as the first which of course makes me anxious for the third. I believe this author does a great job of balancing an intriguing investigation, building suspense and dealing with all the characters’ personal lives in this small town which comes to life in her worldbuilding. Jane is a complex character dealing with her past in the cult, her development of her current spiritual beliefs and her relationship with Reid. All the secondary characters are fully fleshed and realistic. Though there is faith-based dialogue, it never felt out of character or like you are being preached at.

I highly recommend this Christian romantic suspense/mystery and author.

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Excerpt

Was anyone watching?

Keith McDonald sat at the computer and glanced around the oil platform’s rec room, but the dozen or so workers were engrossed in watching the final game of a Ping-Pong match. He hesitated,

then hovered his cursor over the Send button. Clenching his teeth, he sent the emails. Maybe it was nothing, but if anyone could decipher the recording, it was Reid Dixon.

The back of his neck prickled, and Keith looked around again. The room felt stifling even with the AC cooling it from the May heat. He jumped up and headed for the door. He exited and darted into the shadows as two men strolled past. One was his suspect.

Keith stood on a grating suspended three thousand feet over the water and strained to hear past the noise of machinery. The scent of the sea enveloped him, and the stars glimmered on the water surrounding the oil platform that had been his home for two years now.

“Scheduled for late May—”

A clanging bell drowned out the rest of the man’s words.

“Devastation—”

The other fragment of conversation pumped up Keith’s heart rate. Were they talking about the sabotage he feared, or was he reading more into the words than were there? He couldn’t believe someone could be callous enough to sabotage the oil platform and destroy the coast on purpose. He’d seen firsthand the devastating effects from the Deepwater Horizon catastrophe. And what about the people living on the platform? Deepwater Horizon had killed eleven people and injured another seventeen.

He had to sound a warning and stop this, but he had no real evidence. If Reid Dixon blew him off, who would even listen? Maybe Homeland Security would pay attention, but who did he even call there? He could tell them about the pictures threatening Bonnie, but what did that prove? They might just say she had a stalker and he was chasing shadows.

He couldn’t say they were wrong.

He sidled along the railing, and the breeze lifted his hair. A boat bobbed in the waves far below, and in the moonlight, he spotted a diver aboard. Must be night diving the artificial reef created by the concrete supports below the platform. He’d done a bit of it himself over the years.

For an instant he wished he were gliding carefree through the waves without this crushing weight of conscience on his shoulders. When he was sixteen, life was so simple. School, girls, football, and good times. He’d gone to work at the platform when he was nineteen, after he’d decided college wasn’t for him.

It had been a safe place, a good place to work with fun companions and interesting work.

Until a few weeks ago when everything turned sinister and strange. He’d wanted to uncover more before he reported it, but every second he delayed could mean a stronger chance of an attack.

If an attack was coming. He still wasn’t sure, and he wanted a name or to identify the organization behind the threat. If there was a threat. Waffling back and forth had held him in place. Was this real, or was he reading something dangerous into something innocent?

Though he didn’t think he was overreacting.

He turned to head to his quarters. A bulky figure rushed him from the shadows and plowed into his chest, driving him back against the railing. The man grabbed Keith’s legs and tried to tip him over the edge.

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Author Bio

Colleen Coble is a USA TODAY bestselling author and RITA finalist best known for her coastal romantic suspense novels, including The Inn at Ocean’s Edge, Twilight at Blueberry Barrens, and the Lavender Tides, Sunset Cove, Hope Beach, and Rock Harbor series.

Social Media Links

ColleenCoble.com, Goodreads, BookBub, Instagram, Twitter, & Facebook!

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