From A Distance by Tamera Alexander

 

Elizabeth Westbrook is in Colorado Territory competing for a job working for a newspaper. Her goal is to be a woman photo journalist. Elizabeth will do anything to get the job. Including scaling mountains. Elizabeth is desirous of capturing the Mesa's with her camera but she needs an escort. Daniel Ranslett would be the perfect escort but he refuses. Daniel values his solitude and no woman is going to talk him into escorting her through treacherous terrain. Will they be able to work out a deal between them?

I enjoyed this story very much. It has sat languishing on my Kindle for far too long. I asked my daughter's mother-in-law to make me a sign for a jar for my To Be Read books. 

She didn't think I could fill it up! So here is my TBR and this is the first book I picked out of it to read. Let's see how many I can get through.

Back to FROM A DISTANCE. I enjoyed the developing relationship between Elizabeth and Daniel. I liked how outspoken Elizabeth was and I really liked her relationship with the former slave that was helping her with her photography. Daniel had demons of his own to work through and I liked how he came to care for both Elizabeth and Josiah. I did feel that the ending was a little rushed, but alas, a book cannot go on forever and needs to be wrapped up at some point. This was a sweet read with a little suspense and danger thrown in. I enjoyed it.

Lost Cause

 

The Lost Lake Locators have been hired by an elderly client to find a lost artifact. When former sheriff Abby Day shows up on the island their client lives on she is greeted by a mansion that is in disrepair. The front door is wide open but nobody seems to be home. Then detective Burke Ulrich shows up. Abby and Burke have worked together before. There is an attraction there, but neither are in a place to act on it. Abby has no need in her life for controlling people and Burke is very controlling. Burke has trust issues where women are concerned so there is no way he would act on his attraction for Abby. Can these two work together to find out the secrets of a buried past or will they both let down the people that count on them the most? 

I loved the creepiness of when Abby first arrived on the island. Fog, mansion in disrepair, nobody around. So perfectly creepy! I liked Burke and Abby's characters. I liked as they opened up to each other their ability to become vulnerable. I loved that even though Abby wasn't close to the Lord she was still willing to help and comfort someone by praying for them and with them. The spiritual lessons learned throughout the story are always much appreciated and real to life. I'm looking forward to the rest of the Lost Lake teams stories! 

Out Of Time by Irene Hannon

 

Cara is an historical anthropologist on sabbatical to collaborate in the translation of some historical journals. Natalie's family has had the journals for years. Written in a vanishing language, Natalie is one of the only people left that can translate the journals into english. But will Cara's plan to translate be thwarted before they even start? When she arrives at Natalie's secluded home all kinds of emergency vehicles are there. What caused Natalie, who is normally healthy, to have a dizzy spell? With mysterious lights in the woods, a reclusive grounds keeper wandering around, will Cara be safe while on sabbatical? And what about Natalie's doting nephew Steven and the local Sheriff Brad? Will either of those men capture Cara's eye? 

Out Of Time was an exciting read! The pace was fast and the mystery was intriguing. The suspects were crawling out of the woodwork! I found it interesting that the author revealed who the bad guy was way before the book ended. But it gave the reader a look into the person's reasoning and showed how the others were duped into never suspecting who it was. I enjoyed the romance that developed. I also enjoyed the interaction that Cara had with her brother Jack and sister Bri. They still have their monthly get-togethers and still keep in close contact even though Jack and Bri have significant others of their own. Out Of Time was an exciting read and a great ending to the Undaunted Courage series. Check out my reviews of those here: Into The Fire and Over The Edge. 

Seven Seconds by Bethany Klassen

 

Clayton is a rising young star on the PBR tour until an accident sidelines him and could potentially ruin his career. Alinda helps out at her family resort and does part-time work at a local coffee shop. Alinda knows she needs to steer clear of Clayton. He is not a believer and Alinda must protect her heart from the charming bull-rider. Can a 7-second bull ride be the means by which the Lord brings Clayton to himself? 

This was such a sweet story. I had all of the feels while reading it. I felt excitement and nervousness each time Clayton got on a bull. I've watched the PBR and so I could vividly imagine each scene. I got teary in several places as a character was going through something tough or emotional. I got all warm and squishy inside as Clayton and Alinda came to care for each other. And I felt victory when the Lord won out over sin! I love reading sweet romances that don't have a lot of angst or drama. I especially love to read a Christian romance that doesn't shy away from sharing the gospel. I definitely recommend Seven Seconds as a feel-good read that will touch your heart and maybe even change your soul. 

In The House Of The Lord by Debbie Viguie

 

Let the parties begin!!! Cindy and the girls are headed to a secluded, undisclosed (per Genie) place to have Cindy's bachelorette party. The guys are headed to Vegas with Kyle (Cindy's brother) as the entertainment planner. Do we really think that either of these parties are going to be without mishap or mayhem? 

Cindy and her group soon find out that they are not alone in the mansion that Genie chose for their gathering. They are soon battling unseen forces and hidden rooms. Kyle has planned a weekend of misery for more than half of the men in the group. Actually at least three of those men would like nothing better than to get rid of Kyle...permanently! Will they all survive their weekend of supposed fun?

So much happens in this one! Switching back and forth between the two parties heightened the suspense as we would leave one party at a crucial moment and jump to the other party in the midst of their own crisis. As always there was humor sprinkled throughout the dialogue that lightened the suspense a bit. This one definitely seemed to have more of a spiritual slant to it, which I'm not mad about. As always I loved all of the characters. Martin! I cannot wait for the last book in the series. The final wrap-up. FOREVER comes out in December I believe. I don't think it will be the end of Cindy and Jeremiah's story, but it will be the end of the Psalm 23 Mysteries. I think there are many spin-offs so I am guessing that they will appear in others. Hang on y'all, I think that we are going to be in for quite a roller-coaster of emotions in the next book! 

I Will Dwell by Debbie Viguie

 

Not much longer and Cindy and Jeremiah will be married. But in the meantime Cindy has acquired a stalker that is ramping up his interest in her. Also a couple of Jeremiah's family members need his help. Once again their lives are in danger and the group becomes more determined to protect those they love. 

Always a 5 star review for this series! I always think well it can't get much better than the last one and always the author surprises me and has me once again unable to put the book down! This had me on the edge of my seat practically the whole time I was reading it! At one point Cindy has a meltdown and I felt every bit of her emotions because they do seem like they can't catch a break. Cindy and Jeremiah are just realizing all of their differences in their faiths. As they navigate those issues along comes the visit from Jeremiah's family and Cindy's stalker. So much danger and so much excitement. As I said, definitely an un-put-downable book! I can't wait for the next one which is supposed to come out sometime this month! I hope soon! If you haven't read this series I would definitely recommend it! Read it and then let's talk!!!

Hidden Legacy by Christina Rost-RELEASE DAY!!

 

ABOUT THE BOOK:

When Emersyn Zucker meets Lucas Bennett, it’s love at first sight. But both harbor family secrets, and their blossoming romance soon gets tangled in a web of deception.

After uncovering her great-grandfather’s connection to a clandestine society known as H & G, Emersyn begins to question everything she’s ever known. Should she embrace the society or distance herself from her family ties and renounce her great-grandfather’s legacy? And if she joins H & G, how would Lucas react to her secret double life?

The mysterious disappearance of a century-old Bible forces Emersyn to choose where her true loyalties lie, because if the ancient text falls into the wrong hands, the consequences could be deadly.

Thrust into the treacherous world of treasure hunting, Emersyn and Lucas embark on a perilous journey where secrets abound—and trust is a luxury Emersyn can’t afford.

Release Day August 5th!

Get your copy today: 

Click here to order your copy of Hidden Legacy today!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Christina Rost is an award-winning author, mother to three amazing children, and is married to her high school sweetheart. While she currently resides in Oklahoma City, she’s lived all over the US, a few years in the UK, and loves to travel. When she isn’t spending time with her family or writing you’ll find her chatting over coffee and perusing antique stores for tattered books.

MY REVIEW:

I loved Emersyn and Lucas's characters! They were both sweet even though they were holding secrets from each other and their families. I feel like they both grew throughout the story. The mystery was exciting and truly had my pulse pumping several times with the danger the characters faced, but also in those steamy kisses they shared! The story kept me turning the pages to find out how everything turned out. It was an exciting read. There were some spiritual aspects to the story, enough for the reader to know that Emersyn and Lucas were both people of faith and that their kisses, while steamy, didn't go any further than they should. I think this book could be read without reading the first in the series, but then you would miss some of the character significance in Hidden Legacy. So go grab Best Seller and read it and then dive into this one. I don't think you will be disappointed in either!