No Place To Hide by Lisa Harris

Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.       Isaiah 41:10


Hi Readers!
I am so excited to show you my latest "Must Read" for 2018 and the first "Must Read" for July!
It is a small (almost pocket-sized) book from the Love Inspired Suspense collection. This collection is comprised of several books that come out each month by various authors and this month, I had the pleasure to read No Place To Hide by one of my favorite authors, Lisa Harris!

I would recommend this book to anyone who:

• Likes to read any books by Lisa Harris
• Likes to read books by similar authors Lynette Eason, Dani Pettrey and Irene Hannon
• Likes to read any of the "Love Inspired Suspense" books
• Wants to check out a book that would a "quick read" (because it is a smaller book - at only 219 pages)
• Want to check out a new author
• just wants to read an awesome new book! 

So here is the story, 

Ellie Webb is the only witness to her father's murder. However, there was not enough evidence to convict the person that she knows killed her father - so she decided to disappear. Now three months later, Ellie has finally found a place where she can blend in and no one would ever find her... Or so she thought.  While Ellie is walking through the tight community of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, She receives a strange phone call from her aunt who informs her that the cartel know where she is and that she needs to leave - now! Oddly enough, when she gets off the phone with her aunt, she notices some members of the cartel coming in her direction. She is terrified and runs in the opposite direction and straight into a old friend of hers... Ryan Kendall. 

Ryan was sent to Rio de Janeiro for one purpose, to extract Ellie and bring her safely home to the US. However, he was not expecting to get shot at during their first meeting. With the threat of the cartel closing in, Ryan does his best to convince Ellie to return to the States with him, because they have a safe house set up for her, but she refuses because she needs to get to the Amazon to meet with a doctor who has the evidence against the cartel that she's been looking for. However things don't go as planned and they are captured by the cartel once they land near the Amazon. Will they be able to escape? and if they do, what is worse? to die in the hands of the cartel or to get lost or bitten by something poisonous and die alone in the Amazon? 

What did I think? 
So as I said before - this book is part of the Love Inspired Suspense collection and though the book is small, it is not a novella. It is meant to be a stand alone book even though it is part of a collection of books. I especially like how the action starts on the very first page and does not stop until the end (which is incredibly surprising!) I also liked everything about Ryan and Ellie. how they interacted with each other, how they supported each other and how Ryan was willing to give up his life to save Ellie's if it came down to it. And although they were captured by the cartel, there is no graphic violence or anything of that nature in the book. Overall I loved the book and will have to keep my eyes out for the Love Inspired Suspense books (and of course, more books from Lisa Harris)  I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars *****


So Readers, if you want to check out more of the Love Inspired Suspense collection - here is the link!
https://www.harlequin.com/shop/brand/love-inspired-suspense.html

And if you want to check out more books by Mrs. Harris, here is the link to all the amazing books she has written. (I personally recommend the Nikki Boyd Files)
http://www.lisaharriswrites.com/books/



Happy Reading :)

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a honest review. All opinions are my own. Special thanks to Mrs. Lisa Harris and Harlequin books for sending me this book. 

Lone Witness by Rachel Dylan

She is the only witness to a brutal crime. Now she can't outrun the target on her back.

Hey Readers,

I cannot believe that we are about halfway through 2018 and I have not even made it through half of my “Must Read” list!  There are just too many amazing books and not enough time in the day. That being said, I want to tell you about my latest “Must Read”  Lone Witness by Rachel Dylan.  It is a Lawyer/Law Enforcement romantic suspense novel and a definite "must read" - I would recommend this book if:

• You like to read books by similar authors Irene Hannon, Dani Pettrey and DiAnn Mills.

• You read the first book in the Atlanta Justice Series.

• You like to watch shows like Law and Order or Chicago Justice.

• You want to check out an amazing new series.

• You just want to read a great new story that keeps you on the edge of your seat until the very last page.

Here is the story,

Prosecutor Sophie Dawson is on the top of her game. She recently joined the White Collar Crime Unit of the Fulton County District Attorney’s office and is working on a case against a bank manager who has been stealing from his clients and charging exorbitant fees on transactions in a way that was not clear to his clients that they were being charged. Tired and hungry after finishing up some closing arguments from a previous case, Sophie decides to stop at a local convenience store for a snack. Unfortunately while there, she witnesses a double homicide. When she identifies the murderer in a line up, it turns out to be Ricky Wade - the younger brother of Juan Wade, who is the head of the most notorious gang in Atlanta.  Although shaken up by the experience, she does not think that her life is in danger because she is only an eye-witness and it would be too much of a risk to harm without making Ricky look guilty. However that theory is proven false when she is attacked while getting into her car, thankfully Cooper Knight was watching out for her and was able to stop the attacker before he killed her. (Cooper was her security detail - hired by her father without her knowledge) Then they discover that someone put a hit out for Sophie so she is not allowed to leave her house. Even though her boss and co-workers seem to think she cannot handle her case load, Sophie is determined to dig deeper in the Shelton case. (the above mentioned bank manager case) There is just something about the numbers in the documents that the bank gave her to review that do not make sense.
Cooper Knight had met Sophie once, before becoming her bodyguard - but he has heard how stubborn and determined she can be. He admires her pursuit for justice, he just prays that it does not get her killed. After the first two attacks on Sophie, Cooper is tightening the circle of people who know where she is and recommends that she works from home. Even though she has limited resources, he knows that Sophie will be able to find the evidence she needs to get a guilty verdict. Strangely enough though, he wonders if she is not only being targeted by Juan Wade's gang but also  by someone who does not want her looking into the banks records. Could the CEO of the bank be in on the corruption?
Danger creeps behind every wall and shadow, Will Sophie be able to be the star witness they need her to be?
And what will happen when a trusted friend betrays them all?



What did I think?
I thought the book was AMAZING! I have never read any books by Rachel Dylan, so I was extremely excited by how awesome the book was. It is a part of the Atlanta Justice series however I read it as a standalone and did not have any issues following the story. The characters are great, I LOVE how they don't just talk about their faith -  they actually live it out. I really liked that Sophie and her dad have a great relationship. So many books right now ether trash talk the parents or the characters don't really care about their parents. The plot itself was fantastic, it starts on the first page and then - just when you thought that nothing else could happen because the story is coming to an end... BOOM there is a major plot twist. I won't say anymore because I don't want to post spoilers. Overall I think the book was awesome and am very excited for the third book that is scheduled to come out in early 2019!!!  I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars *****



Readers,
if you want more information about this book or this amazing author, here is the link:
https://www.racheldylan.com/category/books/

  

Here is the book trailer if you want to check it out! 

Happy Reading:)

 I would like to thank Bethany House for allowing me to read and review this book in return for a free copy and I was not asked to write a favorable review, Just a honest one.

The Orphans Wish by Melanie Dickerson

 "I want to make my fortune, to prove I am not just a poor orphan foreigner"...

Hey Readers,

Happy first day of Summer!
I wanted to take a second to show you my latest "Must Read" for this month, The Orphans Wish by Melanie Dickerson! The really cool thing about this series of books by Mrs. Dickerson is that she takes fairy tales such as Aladdin, Snow White or Rapunzel and intertwines bits of those stories into her books without the magic or sorcery that is typically in fairy tales. :)

I would recommend this book if you:

• Like to read any books by Melanie Dickerson,

• Like to watch TV shows like Once Upon a Time,

• would like to read a romance novel full of courage, loyalty and friendship,

• Just want to check out a new book!

So here is the story

Ala ad'din was orphaned when he was about 5 years old.  A "Street Rat" as he was called by some - and he would still be on the streets if it weren't for the grace he was shown by Priest when he was spared the punishment for stealing. Priest took Aladdin (because Priest could not say his name correctly, it was changed from Ala ad'din to Aladdin) from his home in the Holy Land to live in the town of Hagenheim. Shortly after he arrived in Hagenheim, Aladdin had the opportunity to meet the Duke's daughter, Lady Kirstyn who was a couple of years younger than he was and he was positive that she was an angel!  The two of them became best of friends and were inseparable while they were kids, especially after Aladdin saved Lady Kirstyn’s life. Now that they are older, Aladdin wants to leave Hagenheim so that he can make his fortune and hopefully become worthy enough to marry Lady Kirstyn.
Lady Kirstyn's heart felt like it was ripped out of her chest the day that Aladdin decided to leave. She begged him to stay but understood that he felt like he had to leave so he could find his way in the world and then he would no longer be seen as a "Street Rat".  However several days after Aladdin left, Lady Kirstyn was betrayed by someone close to her and kidnapped while attending a festival with her family.  Will she be able to escape? Will her family or Aladdin find her before it is too late?
Meanwhile Aladdin feels blessed on his journey, because shortly after he left Hagenheim, he met with and saved a merchant from Luneburg who was being robbed. Herr Kaufman was so thankful for Aladdin and Sir Sigmund that he invited Aladdin to live with him and become his steward. Seeing this as an amazing opportunity and a way to earn his fortune, Aladdin goes to live with Herr Kaufman and after a short time became an amazing steward. But all that changed when he hears that Lady Kirstyn was kidnapped months prior and no one has seen her since. He takes leave from his job and searches high and low for her for months until the trail is too cold and it appears that Lady Kirstyn was killed. Aladdin feels like his heart has been torn in too because he never once told Lady Kirstyn that he loved her… Was it too late to save her?  Wouldn’t he know in his heart if she really was dead?


So, what did I think?

So ask I mentioned before, this is Mrs. Dickerson's version of the story of Aladdin and though the book is part of her Medieval Fairy Tale series - it's written to be read as a stand-alone. So I know that typically you should not judge a book by its cover, but I love the cover of this book! The colors, the script for the title and the overall Arabic design - give the book an adventurous feel and it absolutely beautiful. Unfortunately although the book was good and the plot was very well written - it's not one of my favorite books that Mrs. Dickerson has written.  I feel like there were too many flashbacks from when Aladdin and Lady Kirstyn were younger and it caused the story to lag a bit in the middle, However it did pick up towards the end of the book and I loved it when I could I see a piece of the fairy tale intertwined into the story.
Overall, the characters were great and the plot engaging, I give the book 4 out of 5 stars ****



If you would like to check out this book or any of Mrs Dickerson's other books, Here is the link!
http://melaniedickerson.com/my-books.html


Happy Reading! :)

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. 

Blind Betrayal by Nancy Mehl

"You'll be fine," He said slowly, "Just keep your head down."






Happy Memorial Day Readers! Just want take a moment to thank all our Veterans and those who are currently serving in the military. I know that freedom is not free, so I want to thank you for all that you have given and are giving to this great country.
So I wanted to introduce to you the next book on my May 2018 "Must Read" list - Blind Betrayal by Nancy Mehl. Blind Betrayal is a Romantic Suspense novel full of twists and turns that will leave you guessing until the very last page.
I would recommend this book if you:

• Have read any of Nancy Mehl's other books. 
• Like to read books by similar authors Sandra Orchard, Lynette Eason and/or DiAnn Mills.
• Like to watch TV shows such as Blue Bloods and NCIS. 
• Like to read Romantic Suspense novels
• Just want to check out an amazing new book!

Here is the story, 

U.S Marshall Casey Sloane and her partner Doug have been assigned to escort Valerie Bennett to Washington D.C because she needs to testify before the Grand Jury. Because of the sensitive nature of their case and the importance of Valerie's testimony - Casey and Doug are joined by EJ Queen, a Marshall from Washington D.C and Casey's old partner. As they wait in a hotel in St. Louis for their flight, they hear an explosion and discover that their headquarters were bombed in an attempt to silence their witness. They hear from their Chief, but the connection is bad and he was injured in the blast - all they know is that there is a change of plans and they are to get Valerie to a safe house so that the FBI can retrieve her and take her the rest of the way to Washington D.C.
Casey is having a hard time being around EJ because of all the mixed emotions that keep threatening to come to the surface. She wanted to forget her time in Washington and it seems that EJ keeps trying to bring it up.  She is determined to work with him to keep their witness safe because that is their job but that does not mean that she has to make small talk in the process.
EJ asked for this assignment because he wanted to work with Casey again, so he is surprised by Casey's reaction to his presence on her team. It should be him who is annoyed and angry with her because she walked out on their team and his best friend. So even though she seems to be avoiding him, EJ is determined to break through this wall that Casey seems to have set up. As they arrive at the safe house they find out that it may not as safe as their Chief thought it was because it appears as if the witness has been sending text updates to the people she is testifying against. As danger closes in, will EJ, Casey and Doug be able to survive this assignment or will their witnesses betrayal prove fatal for them all?



So what did I think?
OK, so Blind Betrayal is the third book in the Defenders of Justice series and it was AMAZING! Even though this book is part of a series, it could definitely be read as a standalone. I love that she mentions previous characters such as Mercy and her husband Mark from the first book in the series (Fatal Frost, another fantastic book). So a word of warning, the plot has a lot of unexpected twists that really make the book hard to put down so it could lead to some loss of sleep☺. Overall, I love the characters and the action and I am really hoping for another book in the series! I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars ***** and on the Emoji scale ☺


So if you want to check out this book or any of the other amazing books in the series, here is the link!
http://nancymehl.com/



Happy Reading :)

  I would like to thank Bethany House for allowing me to read and review this book in return for a free copy. I was not asked to write a favorable review, Just a honest one.

Storm Front by Susan May Warren

"We're not going to panic. We're not going to assume the worst. We're going to hang on to what we know - that God is good."







Hey Readers!
Happy (belated) Mothers Day to any moms out there and a special shout-out to my mom who (in my opinion) is the best mom ever!!! 
I cannot believe it's been a month since I have added a book to our "Must Read" list! I forgot how busy I get in the summer (and summer has not even started yet!) But now that school is about finished, we can look forward to enjoying the lazy days of summer... sitting on a lounge chair with a cup of ice cold lemonade, an exciting book and a bottle of sunscreen :) Unfortunately not all of us can enjoy doing nothing this summer, but if you have some free time and are looking for a new book to read during those (hopefully) quiet summer afternoons, check out the first book on my May 2018 "Must Read" list Storm Front by Susan May Warren.
I would recommend this book if you:

• have read the previous books in the Montana Rescue Series or any other books by Susan May Warren.
• like to read books by similar authors, Irene Hannon and DiAnn Mills.
• want to read a story full of drama, suspense, faith and a bit of romance. 
• want to check out a new author.
• just want to read a amazing new book!

First, I want to say that this is book 5 in the Montana Rescue series, so there are events referenced in this book that occurred in previous book, but I cannot say which ones... don't want to give any spoilers 😉

So here is the story,
Brette Arnold is excited to be the photographer/blogger for the Vortex Storm Chasers. The more that she hears from the leader of their group, Jonas - the more she finds herself eagerly looking forward to the next storm. She discovered that the adrenaline of trying to capture the perfect picture of the storm kept her mind of her ever increasing health issues. But even though her new job is exciting, Brette did not expect the storms they were chasing to become so deadly. When the group finds out that an F-4 tornado was sighted and touched down in Duck Lake MN, they immediately head over there since that is where Jonas's family lives and his younger brother is among the missing. Brette is determined to do anything to help Jonas find his brother... But she did not realize that by offering her help, she was volunteering to work with Ty Remington, the guy that she ran away from about a year before...

Ty Remington, a member of the PEAK rescue team - has been in love with Brette Arnold from the moment he first laid eyes on her and it broke his heart that she left him without saying goodbye. Now that he found her again, he is shocked at how different Brette is from the way she was a year ago. He knew that she had some major health issues, but he was not prepared for her super-short hair or how thin she looked. He tries to show her that it does not matter what the sickness has done or taken away from her, that she is still priceless to him and to God. However no matter what he does, she seems determined to push him out of her life and face her battles alone. Anyway, right now his focus has to be on finding and rescuing the tornado survivors. As a member of the PEAK rescue team, he is tasked with going out to search not only for the missing teenagers but also their Team Leader Chet King. Tyler feels now more then ever, that he has to prove himself not only to Brette, but also to his team because of an incident that happened in the past. Will Tyler's lead be enough to locate the remaining survivors or will it be too late?

Will Brette ever let Tyler past her emotional defenses?
Will her fears keep her from having a relationship with the one person she wanted one from the most?


So what did I think? 
As I mentioned before - Storm Front is the 5th book in the Montana Rescue series. I read the book as a standalone but I know that I would have enjoyed it more if I had read the previous books(they all connect)  The story line is good and the plot grabs you from the beginning of the book. It was awesome how the author wrote about each character in a way that you can see not only their good attributes but also their weaknesses - which is not something you find in a lot of books. My favorite characters were Brette and Tyler. I really enjoyed reading about their struggles and accomplishments, especially how they held on tight to their faith, even when the world was crumbling down around them.  Overall I would rate this book at a 4 out of 5 Stars **** and on the emoji scale 😊


If you want to check out this series or any of Susan May Warren's other books: Here is the link!
http://www.susanmaywarren.com/novels/

Happy Reading :)

I would like to thank Revell , A division of Baker Publishing Group for allowing me to review this book in exchange for a free copy, I was not required to write a favorable review, just an honest one.

A Borrowed Dream by Amanda Cabot

 There is no such thing as an impossible dream...








Hi Readers!
I just wanted to take a quick second to show you my first April 2018  "Must Read".. A Borrowed Dream by Amanda Cabot! This Historical Romance novel takes place in a small town in Texas called Cimarron Creek in the year 1881. I would recommend this book if you:

• Like books written by Amanda Cabot
• Like to read books by authors such as Mary Connealy
• Like to watch Hallmark movies ( because the plot within this book would be an awesome Hallmark Movie) 
• Just want to check out a new book! 

So here is the story, 
Catherine Whitfield is unsure if she will ever trust anyone in the medical field after what happened to her mom. Because of her moms recent death, Catherine finds her self heart broken and lonely. She is trying not be bitter but has decided that dreams rarely ever come true. She figures that the only way she will see Paris is in the dream that she has had multiple times. Despite her circumstances, Catherine is determined to do well as the town's only school teacher and that is why she is a bit annoyed when Austin Goddard, a newcomer to Cimarron Creek lectures her about the medical care he believes one of her students should be receiving.  As if she would ever allow that horrible doctor near any of her students.  However Austin's daughter - Hannah has her a bit worried. Hannah is a young girl who does not act her age. When all her classmates are playing outside, she just sits in the classroom by herself .  Catherine is determined to help Hannah break out of this melancholy attitude, even if it means working with her very handsome but recently widowed daddy.

Plastic Surgeon Austin Goddard knows that his daughter's school teacher - Miss Whitfield  is wrong about not sending a doctor to check on her injured student, But he is unsure how to help.  He has never seen such anger directed at those in the medical profession before.  But who was he to judge her? Especially when Austin and his daughter are hiding from a criminal who wanted him to alter the appearance of his very noteworthy  face so that the police would not be able to recognize him . Austin knows he did the right thing by refusing to assist the criminal but he still worries that someone will be able to find him and his daughter.  Because of his secret though, he has to keep his distance from Miss Whitfield - especially since he is falling in love with her. But is there anyway he can change her mind about doctors or when she finds out who he really is - will it be too late?

What did I think?
So this is book two in the Cimarron Creek Trilogy but it could definitely be read as a stand-alone . The  plot was engaging and the characters were great. I especially loved Catherine, Her faith and kindness even though she was going through some hard times was amazing. The only weird thing to me was the dream that Catherine had that Grace also had about the woman in Paris. But even with the dream , I still rate the book 5 out of 5 stars ***** and on the emoji scale ☺


Hey, If you want to check this book or any of her other books, Here is the link
http://www.amandacabot.com/index_files/books.htm


Happy Reading:)


I would like to thank Revell , A division of Baker Publishing Group for allowing me to review this book in exchange for a free copy, I was not required to write a favorable review, just an honest one.

Beneath The Surface by Lynn H. Blackburn

She thought that she would be safe when she moved back home... But she was dead wrong.




Hey Readers!
I am so excited to show you guys my second March 2018 "Must Read" - Beneath the Surface by Lynn H. Blackburn.  Beneath the Surface is a Romantic Suspense novel that will keep you on the edge of your seat and I can guarantee you that it will be very hard to put down.
 I would recommend this book if you:

• Like to read books by Lynette Eason and Dani Pettrey. 
• Like to read suspense novels
• Like a good mystery 
• Like to watch TV shows like CSI,
• Just want to read a great new book!

So here is the story, 

Beneath the Surface is the story of Leigh Weston, a oncology nurse practitioner who just moved into her childhood home in Carrington , North Carolina. She moved back home because she needed a change of scenery after a narrow escape from an obsessed patient. She thought she left all her troubles behind but it appears that she has landed in trouble again.  Less then a year after she moved back home, She receives a visit from homicide investigator Ryan Parker - who informs her that a body was discovered in the lake behind her house, near her dock.  As awful as that was , Leigh did not think much of it besides how tragic and horrible it was ... Until it appears that she may be next.  One morning, shortly after the body was discovered, She was halfway home from work when her brakes gave out. She tried everything to stop the car, but not even the emergency brake would work. She finally made the decision to go into a ditch - however, she did not realize just how deep the ditch was...

Ryan Parker has known Leigh since they were young. ( He was best friends with her brother) He promised her brother that he would watch out for her while he was out of the Country.  So when his dive team discovered a body in the lake behind her house, He really did not want involve her. But they needed her permission to use her dock and to see her security cameras. When he hears that she was in a car accident, His heart literally felt like it was ripped out of his chest. Thankfully, she was not injured too bad, but the news just keeps getting worse for her. When they investigated her accident ,they discovered that it was no accident that her brakes went out. It appears as if someone cut her brakes while she was at work.  The police think that Leigh's accident and the body found in the lake are two different crimes, But Ryan believes that they might be connected.  The only problem with his theory is that he can't seem to find anyone who would want to hurt Leigh - nor can he find any enemies. But when there is another attempt on Leigh's life, Ryan knows he has to hurry to find the killer because they are getting bolder and time appears to be running out for Leigh.   Will Ryan's team be able to protect Leigh and find the killer or will the killer be able to silence Leigh forever???

What did I think? 

So this is Lynn H. Blackburn's first full size novel and book one of the Dive Team Investigations series and it was awesome!  The characters each have so much personality and I loved reading about the relationship between Leigh and Ryan.  The plot was so engaging that it started on page 1 and did not stop until the very last word on page 337. It also had so many twists and turns and dead ends that it keeps you guessing until the nail biting conclusion. The book has the perfect blend of romance and suspense. I will say that although reading about the body found in the lake was gross and the condition that it was in was atrocious - There was nothing violent, descriptive or morbid ( no blood and guts) in the book. Overall I thought the book was great and am looking forward to reading book 2 which comes out this November!!! 

I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars ***** and the Emoji rating is 😎 

So Readers, if you want to check out this book or the two books that she wrote for the Love Inspired Suspense collection, Here is the link: 

http://lynnhblackburn.com/books/

Happy Reading :) 

I would like to thank Revell, A division of Baker Publishing Group for allowing me to review this book in exchange for a free copy. I was not required to write a favorable review, just a honest one.