IF THE BOOT FITS by KAREN WITEMEYER

Publishing date 12/3/24

IF THE BOOT FITS by KAREN WITEMEYER is the second novel in her Texas Ever After series. I really enjoy the way this authot writes delightful love stories, this one having a hint of Cinderella, with great characters and a solid Christian message, that, like this one, often  have the odd villain, a nasty secret and plenty of suspense to keep you guessing!

The story takes place in 1889 at the Three Cedars Ranch in Palo Pinto County, Texas, where Samantha Dearing lives with her cattle baron father and her younger brother Clinton. She has come home from finishing school in Boston where she was sent by her father after her mother’s death. She is furious with her father for sending her away and also for arranging  a ball in her honour, to which he has invited some of the wealthiest bachelors, and she feels he wants to “auction her off to the highest bidder”…..

Asher Ellis is furious with Eli Dearing for chasing his beloved stepmother, Mama Bess, and his brothers out of their home after his father died. He is doing a bit of illegal reconnaissance when he leaves his boot behind!……

I am not going to tell you any more for fear of spoiling things for you.

I cannot recommend this most enjoyable read highly enough.

I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Bethany House Publishers. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

BITTER AND SWEET by RHONDA McKNIGHT

Publication date 11/6/24

BITTER AND SWEET by RHONDA McKNIGHT is a dual timeline novel, written in beautiful prose, that takes us through the joys and griefs of three generations of an African American family from Georgetown  Carolina, starting with Tabitha Cooper in 1915, and ending with her great great granddaughters, Mariah and Sabrina in the present day, who have come to Georgetown at their grandmother’s request to restore Tabby’s Meats & Sweets to its former glory. The depth of the author’s character analysis is outstanding. I particularly like the way she expresses their strong and practical faith in God…..

A strong sense of the strength of family and other relationships, hard work, restoration, and unconditional love is mixed with that of grief, betrayal and hardship.

I cannot recommend Bitter and Sweet highly enough as a most enjoyable and inspirational read.

I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Thomas Nelson. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

WHILE THE CITY SLEEPS by ELIZABETH CAMDEN

Publication date 13/2/24

WHILE THE CITY SLEEPS is the first novel in the Women of Midtown series by ELIZABETH CAMDEN. It is a most enjoyable read and I cannot wait for the next one! The characters and their emotions are beautifully portrayed and so is life in New York City in the early 20th century, especially the lives of those who work the night time shifts like Lieutenany Jonathan Birch, who keeps the city safe at night,  amd Dr Katherine Schneider, who is a qualified dentist and finishes work at  Parker’s Painless Dentistry at midnight,……

The story starts in 1913 with Jonathan walking Katherine home through Times Square to her rooms at the Martha Washington Hotel, bringing her gifts of delicious Italan treats. For Jonathan his whole life is the police fotce, but he hides a secret which could cost him his job and the beautiful Katherine, with whom he is desperately in love…..

With bombs going off at various strategic places, Katherine’s life is endangered when the newspaper runs with information she has brought to the police that a patient let slip when under the effects of laughing gas…..

We come across people like Katherine who has a loving and supportive  family and tends to see the nest in everyone, as opposed to Jonathan and Sean Gallagher, who come from sad and violent family backgrounds. …

I cannot recommend this novel highly enough for the great story, unforgettable characters, and subtle Christian message.

I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Bethany House Publishers. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

ONE WRONG MOVE by DANI PETTREY

Publication date 6/2/24

ONE WRONG MOVE by DANI PETTREY is not only a fast paced and chiiling thriller, but it is also an inspirational novel with a strong Christian message of redemption, the importance of choices made, forgiveness and second chances. The unforgettable characters, some with their  less than happy childhood and young adult years, show how the Lord restores those who put their trust in Him…

The plot is well laid out as former FBI forensic expert, Andi Forester, teams up with former conman Christian O’Brady and his partners in the family P I business,  to solve one gallery  heist after another, in which the criminals seem to be playing a game with them. Christian’s brother, Deckart,  teams up with FBI analist Harper Grace, Andi’s best friend, to solve Anne Marlowe’s murder and to  clear Andi’s name with the Bureau…..

All very exciting - and there is also some great romance….

I am not going to tell you any more for fear of spoiling things for you.

I cannot recommend One Wrong Move highly enough as an all round enjoyable read.

I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Bethany House Publishers. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

UP FROM DUST by HEATHER KAUFMAN

Publication date 23/1/24

UP FROM DUST by HEATHER KAUFMAN  is biblical fiction at its best. It is the story of Martha of Bethany, her early life with her widowed father, her studious younger brother Lazarus, and her handful of a younger sister, Mary. The author describes the life and customs of the time, and her analysis of the characters’ emotions draws one right into the story.

Part two of the novel takes us into Martha and her siblings’ friendship with this amazing carpenter, Jesus of Nazareth, who sees each one of them individually and relates to them where they are at. The biblical stoies are well told against the background of their friendship and the political climate of the times.

I like the way Jesus becomes real to each one of them and how they are never the same after meeting Him and experiencing His unconditional love and seeing the miracles He performs. …..

This novel, with its biblical truth, reflects the story of our walk with the Lord as we come to know Him as our Friend, Saviour and Deliverer…….

I cannot recommend Up From Dust highly enough.

I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Bethany House Publishers. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

COLD THREAT by NANCY MEHL

Publication date 23/1/24

COLD THREAT is the second novel in the Ryland & St. Clair series by NANCY MEHL, but it can easily stand alone. I am really enjoying this series and cannot wait for the third and final book. Not only is Cold Threat exciting and literally “unputdownable”, but there is a strong Christian message flowing through it that really spoke to my heart! 

As we see the serial killer “righting wrongs” in his own delusional and diabolical way, we see how people in law enforcement like Dan, Tony and River, are committed to bringing justice in an evil world. As Tony’s mother, Beth, says to River ,“I believe bringing justice is a high calling. I thank God for people like Ray and Tony. And you.” And speaking of the words in Philippians chapter four verse eight, she adds,  “defending those who have been hurt by evil - bringing justice - is the enbodiment of that scripture”.

Tony St.Clair and River Ryland have left the FBI where they worked as trained profilers and are now in partnership in St Louis as private investigators. They both experienced trauma at the hands of the Salt River Strangler, which has affected them badly. We also see that he has not given up on his pursuit of River…..

Tony’s father, Ray, is determined to prove that the latest murder in Burlington  was committed by a copycat and not by the “Snowman”: whose first murder was committed in Des Moines twenty four years ago. Two of the more rescent murders in Burlington have the same MO and Ray has asked Tony and River to do a profile for him so that he can catch the murderer before there are any more victims. It is particularly important as it is December and heavy snow is predicted, making the conditions perfect for the man who has been dubbed the “Snowman.”……

I like to see how River enjoys family life with Tony’s parents, how she is growing in her faith and is even learning to forgive her parents for her messed up childhood. In fact the subject of dysfunctional family life plays a big part in the story.

I cannot recommend this enjoyable and riiveting read highly enough.

I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Bethany House Publishers. The opinions in this review are completely my own.