BACKLASH by RACHEL DYLAN

Publication date 6/10/20
BACKLASH by RACHEL DYLAN is the second novel in the Capital Intrigue series, following after End Game, but both books can easily be read as stand alones. It is an exciting legal drama, full of roller coaster action which will keep you guessing right to the end.
When CIA agent Layla Karam is seconded to the DEA for a hit on the Mejia Cartel and Diego Mejia's younger brother is killed, she seems to become a target. To make matters worse, she is alao being investigated by the Inspector General's office on trumped up charges. Layla plays strictly by the book, is a committed Christian who lives out her faith and tends to think the best of everyone she works with, excepting for her ex boyfriend, Hunter McCoy who broke her heart. He is the PI who is working with the DEA to keep Layla and the other agents safe, and to look into some money that has gone missing since they got back from Honduras.
I love the camaraderie between Layla and her friends, some of whom have their own problems to deal with as well as also being targets.
The novel is fast paced, full of suspense and intrigue and has a strong message of hope and second chances. It is an exciting and worthwhile read and I highly recommend the book to anyone who enjoys this genre.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Bethany House Publishers.



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WHAT YOU SAID TO ME by OLIVIA NEWPORT

Publication date 1/11/20
Having read and enjoyed the first three novels in the series, I have been looking forward to reading WHAT YOU SAID TO ME by OLIVIA NEWPORT, and am definitely not disappointed! This author has split time story telling to a fine art! It is an enjoyable book, with real depth and a subtle Christian message.
In present time we come across Nolan Duffy, the friendly family advocate and mediator, enthusiastic cook and singer of arias, and father of Jillian Parisi-Duffy, a much sought after genealogist.
Once again their professions overlap when Nolan brings a fifteen year old delinquent home to help Jillian bring order to the hundreds of valuable old documents that overflow the dining room table. Jillian has been employed by the Matthew Ryder Foundation to find children that were stolen and sold by the wicked Judd Ryder. Jillian has no idea how to relate to Tisha Crowder with her bad attitude and really bad home life, and beats herself up every time she says anything that feeds Tisha's feeling of unworthiness. It is only when Tisha gets caught up in the sad stories in the old documents that the work becomes interesting to her.
In 1893, due to the crash in the silver price, Clifford Brandt is forced to move his family from their lovely home in Denver to Canyon Mines where they run a store that they have exchanged for their house. Their family dynamics are really shaken by their change in circumstances.
When a journal is found in the old Brandt building, the past and present are brought together. That is all I am going to tell you as far as the story is concerned.
The characters are realistically drawn and we really get to understand them by the way their thoughts and feelings are described.
It is a thought provoking and inspirational read and one I can highly recommend.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Barbour Publishing.

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LEGACY REDEEMED By ROBIN PATCHEN

LEGACY REDEEMED By ROBIN PATCHEN is the fourth novel in the Legacy series, but the book can easily be read as a stand alone. The story takes place in Nutfield and we come across many of the characters that we got to know before.
Vanessa Baker is a Serbian who was sold by her father into human trafficking
when she was ten years old. With all she has suffered at the hands of unscrupulous men, it is not surprising that trust does not come easily to her. Her main aim in life is to keep her precious seven year old daughter safe, but her lack of trust in the godly Caleb Peterson nearly costs, not only her daughter's life, but that of herself and her sister Nadia, when Abbas, a man who "owned" her in the past, comes back into her life.
This is not just an exciting suspense novel, although there is plenty to keep you on the edge of your seat, but it is a sensitively told story of redemption, forgiveness, friendship, acceptance and love. In fact it is when the Lord reminds Vanessa that she is a daughter of the most high God that we see the healing of her emotions beginning to take place.
Caleb is a godly man who is determined to keep Vanessa safe, in spite of the fact that she cannot stand him. It is only when he has heard about her past that he understands her better. I really like the way his character is portrayed.
I am not going to tell you any more for fear of spoiling the read for you.
The book is really exciting, the plot is good and there is a great Christian meassage running through the story. I highly recommend Legacy Redeemed for everyone who enjoys this genre.



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NIGHT BIRD CALLING by CATHY GOHLKE

Publication date 5/1/21
NIGHT BIRD CALLING by CATHY GOHLKE tells the poignant story of Lilliana Swope, whose experience of marriage has been horrific, with both her mother and herself having married abusive men.
Before she dies, her mother entrusts her with a ruby ring belonging to Grand Aunt Hyacinth Belvidere, together with her address in No Creek, North Carolina, and tells her to make every effort to get there.
After her mother's funeral she overhears a conversation between her father and her husband, Gerald, hearing how Gerald has decided to get rid of her without losing his eldership position in the church, and runs away with just the clothes on her back, carching a train to No Creek.
The story takes place in 1941, with the second world war in full swing in Europe and the bombing of Pearl Harbor in December of that year. Still suffering from the recession, people are pretty desperate to make a living and moonshining is rife, resulting in some fathers being in jail and unable to support their families. There are marital and racial problems, and to make things worse the KKK is very active in the area.
There are some absolutely delightful characters such as Celia Percy, avid reader and budding detective, Grand Aunt Hyacinth who is blind but who sees so much with spiritual eyes, the extremely busy and helpful Reverend Jesse Willard who is quite smitten with the beautiful Lilliana, the brave and kind Jewish doctor, Dr Vishnevsky, and then there are some who are downright nasty and vindictive, such as Ida Mae and Janice Richards, to mention just a few.
It is one of the loveliest novels I have read this year and I highly recommend it for the great story and strong Christian message. This author really shows us the heart of her characters in an understanding and sensitive way. I also love the quotations from Scripture and from Oswald Chambers.
I was given an ARC copy by Tyndale House Publishers from NetGalley. 
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TWO REASONS TO RUN by COLLEEN COBLE

Publication date 8/9/20
TWO REASONS TO RUN by COLLEEN COBLE follows One Little Lie, and I strongly advise you to read these two really great Christian suspense novels in sequence - you will not be sorry - although the book can be read as a standalone.
Jane Hardy is chief of police in Pelican Harbor. Her father, Charles Hardy, was chief of police before her. He lied to her fifteen years ago, when he helped her escape from a cult, saying that her baby son had died. This has made her wary of trusting him to tell her the truth about her mother's whereabouts.
Jane and Reid, the father of her son Will, start out with a really rocky relationship, but when Will's life is threatened after a murder at the Zeus oil rig, and Jane and Reid's investigation into the probability that something bad is about to go down there, they are drawn together.
The suspense is nail biting, the characters are well portrayed and there is a message of forgiveness and of trusting the Lord no matter what, running through the story. In fact Reid and Will's faith is pretty strong.The author has a way of bringing us right into the characters' emotions so that we feel we really know them. 
I cannot wait to see what happens in the next novel in the series and highly recommend Two Reasons To Run to anyone who enjoys romantic suspense.


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MINUTES TO DIE by SUSAN SLEEMAN

Publication date 4/8/20
MINUTES TO DIE by SUSAN SLEEMAN is a fast paced romantic thriller with a good Christian message. It kept my interest from beginning to end and had me on the edge of my chair most of the time! The characters are well defined and the plot is well worked out.
FBI agent Kylee Dawson has issues with her mother, who, after her husband's death, became neurotic about keeping her daughter out of harm's way. This has affected Kylee badly and things became worse when her partner, Olin, is shot in an operation that goes bad. When she has to work with ICE agent, Evan Bowers, who she blames for Olin's death, she is determined to keep their relationship professional, in spite of her roiling emotions.
There is so much action in this book, as we see all facets of law enforcement working around the clock to stop a terrorist attack from happening on the anniversary of 9/11. Kylee, being lead agent for the first time, feels very responsible and sometimes quite inadequate for the task.
The author has not only given us a riveting story of courage and commitment, but has also drawn us into the characters' emotions.
Minutes to Die is a really good read and one I can highly recommend to anyone who enjoys this genre.


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UNDER THE TULIP TREE by MICHELLE SHOCKLEE

Publication date 8/9/20
UNDER THE TULIP TREE by MICHELLE SHOCKLEE is a book that will really stay with you. It is an inspiring story of incredible courage in horrific circumstances, of faith, forgiveness, redemption, love and friendship. Not only do we see the awakening of Frankie Washington's strong faith in God, but we see the influence she has on others.
Lorena Leland's life changed drastically on her sixteenth birthday, the 29th October 1929, with the stock market crash. Seven years later, no longer employed at the Nashville Banner, she applies to the Federal Writers' Project to interview former slaves. When she meets the 101 year old Frankie and hears her story, it is not only a shock to hear things that were not in her school history books, but it is the beginning of a beautiful friendship. As Rena encourages Frankie to tell her story in her own words, she and her co-worker Alden Norwood, are drawn into the old lady's life, spending quality time with her in her little house in Hell's Half Acre.
We also see the effect that her job and life changing friendship with Frankie has on Rena's family. It is truly a story in which we see God changing what the devil meant for harm into something beautiful. (Romans 8:28). I cannot recommend this book highly enough.






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