Rachel McCalla: Twin Threat Christmas

By Kelly Bridgewater

Back Cover Copy:

Separated twin sisters are reunited at Christmas in these two connected novellas  

One Silent Night 

Framed for murder and on the run from her kidnappers, Vanessa Jackson secretly hides her infant son in a safe place and flees for a wooded cabin. There she finds her childhood friend Eric Tomlin—a man she must trust with her life…and her family's future. 

The Danger in the Manger 

Alyssa Jackson is shocked to find a baby in her Christmas manger. But the message on the infant's T-shirt tells Alyssa the child must be her nephew. Alyssa believes her twin sister, presumed dead for years, is still alive. With the help of handsome police officer Chris Jensen, Alyssa goes on a dangerous search for the truth to reunite her family for Christmas.

My Review:

I really enjoyed how Rachel McCalla framed this book. It was different than most books. She wrote the two short stories to go hand in hand. To begin, I followed the story of Vanessa where they captured the villain. Then we are transported a little bit back in time to start Alyssa’s story. Both of the stories were handled well and the transition was smooth. I hope Rachel McCalla writes more stories like this.

As for the heroines of Vanessa and Alyssa, I liked both of them. I’m really glad they finally got their happy endings with Eric and Chris (Not get mad. It is a Love Inspired Suspense book, and the writers are required to have a happy ending, so there!) The strength in the twins is evident in every decision they make. The heroes allow the women to reach for the stars and help them along the way. Just the way a partner should be.

The setting was vaguely mentioned but that was okay; I never felt like I was floating around in space. There were enough details to draw you in with allowing your imagination to roam the wilderness.

The spiritual aspect of holding on to hope and trusting in God to see his promise through is amplified with each girls’ story. Something I struggle with on a daily basis. I have been waiting a long time for my writing to be acknowledged, so I understand the struggle of waiting on God.

In short, Rachel McCalla’s Twin Threat Christmas is a unique story written in the form of two shorter novellas. I really enjoyed the suspense and twist with human trafficking. I will be recommending this story to my friends.

Rachel McCalla’s Writing Bio:

Rachelle McCalla plays with words like some kids play with fire. When she's not writing, she can be found digging deep research holes, setting up ideas like lightning rods to catch the next big bolt to shoot from the sky. Please use caution when picking up her books, as some may emit dangerous sparks.

Where to connect with Rachel McCalla:

Author’s Personal Website

Facebook

Goodreads

Where to purchase Twin Threat Christmas:

Amazon

Barnes and Nobles

Christianbook

The idea of two short novels interlinked by twins was a unique and interesting twist to a full length novel. Does it entice you enough to go read the book? Why or Why not?

Hope White: Covert Christmas

By Kelly Bridgewater

Back Cover Copy:

DIAGNOSIS: AMNESIA 

A man has been shot and left for dead on Echo Mountain, and Search and Rescue K-9 handler Breanna McBride wants answers. With no memory, all the injured man can recall is that his first name is Scott, and that someone wants him silenced. Scott knows better than to depend on strangers, yet he finds himself falling for his captivating protector. And although Breanna won't rest until she helps him piece together the rest of his past, she vows to ignore the attraction between them. But as they close in on the truth, she becomes the killer's next target. Now the pursuers will stop at nothing to ensure the pair is six feet under by Christmas. 

My Review:

Covert Christmas has everything a good short romantic suspense should have. A loving hero, a thoughtful heroine, a great setting, and tons of mystery and adventure. Covert Christmas gripped me from the first scene where Scott ran through the woods and fell down with Breanna watching from a tree.

I truly enjoyed spending time at the Echo Mountain Resort. I love places in the middle of the nowhere with no neighbors. This story took place during Christmas, so it sparked an interest in me. Plus, I love the image of the lodge wrapped in Christmas lights on the cover with the ground covered in snow. It was inviting. While the image showed a cold winter scene, the story never felt like it was the middle of winter. Scott even gathered samples of the water in a stream nearby. If it was the middle of winter, wouldn’t the water be a little hard to find. Might have frozen over. None of the characters really complained about the cold as they traveled around in the outdoors.

Scott and Breanna had to learn the hard lesson of allowing others to help them in the hard challenges of life. Luckily, White created Scott and Breanna to fall in love and lean on each other during the struggles in the fight for their lives. The romance was slow going but that is the way I like my romantic suspense to be. It makes the ending where everything seems happy a lot more believable. If the couple starts feeling emotions for each other on their first encounter, I don’t trust the romantic journey through the story. Yes, emotions can be question, but I hate when characters start planning their futures together on page one.

Overall, Hope White’s Covert Christmas is an interesting adventure story set at a resort, filled with bullets and sparks flying across the page. I would recommend this short read to fans of Lynette Eason, Irene Hannon, Colleen Coble, and other writers of the romantic suspense genre.

Hope White’s Writing Bio:

Accused of being an eternal optimist, Hope began spinning tales of intrigue and adventure when she was in grade school. She wrote her first book when she was eleven -- a thriller that ended with a mysterious phone call the reader never heard!

Hope is an RT Reviewer's Choice nominee for Christmas Haven (2011), and she received the Cataromance Reviewer's Choice Award for Best Love Inspired Suspense two years in a row for Safe Harbor (2013) and Small Town Protector (2012).

When not dreaming up inspirational tales, she's usually hiking in the Cascade Mountains, enjoying a fine cup of tea with friends, or hiding out in a movie theatre.

How to connect with Hope White:

Author’s Personal Webpage

Facebook

Goodreads

Where to purchase Covert Christmas:

Amazon

Barnesand Nobles

Christianbook

What is the ratio between romance and suspense do you like to see in a romantic suspense novel?

Sharon Dunn: Wilderness Target

By Kelly Bridgewater

Back Cover Copy:

A WANTED WOMAN 

Clarissa Jones is running for her life. Though she has no idea why her ex-boss wants her dead, the killers at her heels are very real. Deep in the Montana woods she finds what seems like the perfect hideout, in Ezra Jefferson's survival training school. The ex-military outdoorsman has the skills and training to keep her safe…but only if she'll lower her defenses enough to let him help. When her attackers close in, Ezra's protection and Clarissa's fierce determination are all that will keep her alive—while the growing bond between them gives her a reason to fight to survive.

My Review:

I enjoy Love Inspired Suspense books. They are short and sweet, yet pack a punch of mystery while not taking too much time to read. I refer to them as day books.

In Sharon’ Dunn’s book, Wilderness Target, Ezra and Clarissa make quite a pair. First, Ezra started out seeing Clarissa as a city girl who wouldn’t know her way around the great outdoors, but Clarissa surprises him. I really enjoyed getting to know and spend time with Clarissa. She is a strong, determined heroine who doesn’t want others to pay for the mistakes she has made in her life. As for hero’s, Ezra was really not one of my favorite. He seemed very underdeveloped. Ezra knew a lot about the outdoors, but as a wife of a survival fanatic, some of the survival tips seemed off to me.

Clarissa and Ezra moved through the pages of the book, trying to outrun the external conflict. While Dunn kept the reader on the run with their imagination, I would have liked to have been a little more surprised who the bad guy was. It appeared to be just a big chase scene through the mountains and woods, begging from one shelter to the next.

The romance between Clarissa and Ezra was not too my taste either. Way too fast and way too cheesy. Sorry!

Overall, Sharon Dunn’s Love Inspired Book, Wilderness Target, kept me rushing through the book with all the hurried action, but the villain was introduced in the first chapter. Even though Clarissa was a strong and determined heroine any woman could admire.

Sharon Dunn’s Writing Bio:

Sharon Dunn first fell in love with mystery and suspense about the time she read Nancy Drew mysteries in the fifth grade. Her country school library had a whole collection of them with pink covers. She began taking herself seriously as a writer when her oldest son was born. About twenty years and three babies later, she is an award winning author of not only humorous mysteries but romantic suspense novels. Her first book in the Ruby Taylor mysteries Romance Rustlers and Thunderbird Thieves was a finalist for the Romantic Times Inspirational Book of the Year. The second book in that series Sassy Cinderella and the Valiant Vigilante was voted Book of the Year by American Christian Fiction Writers. Her first book in the Bargain Hunters series garnered a second place award from ACFW for Book of the Year. Her education makes it look like she couldn’t decide what she wanted to be when she grew up. She had degrees in Film Production and History with lots of English and theater classes thrown in the mix. About everything she studied contributed to her becoming a better writer in one way or another.

Where to connect with Sharon Dunn:

Author’s Personal Website

Where to purchase Wilderness Target:

Amazon

Barnesand Nobles

Christianbook

Do you enjoy Love Inspired Suspense books? Why or Why not?

Lillian Duncan: Deadly Communication

By Kelly Bridgewater

Back Cover Copy:

Improving communication skills is never easy. In this case, it could be murder!

Maven Morris is a speech-language pathologist on medical leave–or as she likes to put it: out to pasture. When she’s offered a lucrative position by one of the community’s most powerful men to help his traumatic-brain-injured daughter improve her communication skills, Maven discovers deadly secrets behind the iron gates of the mansion.

Now, she must find the courage to seek justice no matter who gets hurt–even if it’s her.

My Review:

I, personally, had never read anything by Lillian Duncan before, but when Pelican group offered all their e-books for free during Lent, I jumped on the chance and downloaded twenty books for free. I downloaded all of the books by Lillian Duncan because there covers drew me in. I was excited to jump into these suspense books.

The main character in Deadly Communications is Maven, an elder lady who is on medical leave from being a speech pathologist from the local school. While it is very common to make the lead heroine or hero in a mystery book young, Duncan goes against the norm and makes Maven more mature. I enjoyed that aspect of her character because she has more life experience, and right away, I trusted what Maven would say or do.

As for the faith in the book, Duncan does a good job at allowing Maven to wrestle with the idea of God. Duncan does not jump right in with the mature Maven, fully trusting God with her life. She has doubts and isn’t afraid to share those struggles with her friends. The tone isn’t preachy. It allowed me to question and empathizes with Maven. I believe all believers have been down the same track some time in their lives.

While all the conflict occurs in Ella’s head, I still wondered if the incident in the first chapter would make an appearance in the story. Did someone threaten Ella if she told what she saw? It kept me wondering, tugging me along for the entire book.

Duncan was a Speech Pathologist herself, so she used her area of experience to create a character in Maven. From the research and the skills Maven tried to get Ella to talk, it rang true with the character. Duncan introduced me to the inner workings of a speech pathologist without too much jargon. I followed along and wasn’t confused by the plot line. 

Overall, I will be trying more of Lillian Duncan's books as I find time to read them. 

From Duncan's Amazon's Author Page

Lillian Duncan’s Writing Bio:

Lillian Duncan lives in Ohio with her husband, four parrots, one Jack Russell, and a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel that she's thinking about renaming Clifford since he keeps growing and growing and....

Her website (www.lillianduncan.net)describes her books as Stories of Faith mingled with...murder and mayhem. She writes the type of books she loves to read--suspense with a touch of romance. Depending on her mood, some books have more romance than others.

She's been a Speech Pathologist for over thirty years. Whether as an educator, a writer, or a speech pathologist, she believes in the power of words to transform lives, especially God's Word.

Where to connect with Lillian Duncan:

Personal Website

Goodreads

Where to purchase Deadly Communication:

Amazon

Barne sand Nobles

PelicanBook Group

What is your opinion on a suspense novella?

Janice Cantore: Drawing Fire

By Kelly Bridgewater

Back Cover Copy:

One case from her past defines homicide detective Abby Hart.

With a possible serial killer stalking elderly women in Long Beach, California, Abby’s best lead is Luke Murphy, an irritating private investigator who saw a suspect flee the scene of the latest homicide. When Abby discovers that the most recent victim is related to the governor, she’s anxious to talk to him about a cold case that’s personal to her—one Luke is interested in as well.

As she learns more about the restaurant fire that took her parents’ lives years ago, Abby discovers why Luke is so invested in finding the ones responsible. The more they uncover, though, the more questions they have. Can Abby find peace without having all the answers?

My Review:

I have become a fan of Janice Cantore’s police procedural romantic suspense when I read Accused, the first book in her Pacific Coast Justice Series. I love how Janice Cantore uses her knowledge from working on the police force to create a realistic look into all the drama and struggles that occur for the men and women who serve our local communities. Drawing Fire gives readers a ride along for the hunt to bring justice to a cold case.

True to a romantic suspense, the story needs to start with an inciting incident and try to solve that mystery, which propels the story forward. The conflict starts in the first chapter, allowing Abby Hart and Luke Murphy’s world to collide as Abby is called to a home of a dead elder lady. The officers call this a case of the serial killer they nickname granny murder. Most romantic suspense stories wrap themselves in trying to solve the initial problem, but Cantore solves this murder pretty quickly and does not return, leaving the one suspect to take the fall for the murder without question.

The incident that drives Abby and Luke is the cold case of the Triple Seven murders. Abby is blinded by drive to seek justice and revenge for her parents’ death. Similarly, Luke is determined to hunt for a young runaway named Nadine who ran away from home because she is pregnant. As much as the inciting incident being solved so quickly bothered me, Cantore allows Nadine to get beaten up, but there is no mention of what happens to her pregnancy. Along the same lines, the first sixty percent of the story is back-story and catching the reader up on all the research that Luke and Abby have personally done on the Triple Seven Murders. It was slow going. I kept waiting for something exciting to happen, but it didn’t. Once Luke went on a run and got shot at, the story started to take off and moved like a suspense book, but it was about sixty-five percent in.

Cantore created Luke and Abby to be practically equal foils. While Luke is a private investigator, Abby Hart is a homicide investigator. Both of them have lost significant people in their early life. Both of them have had mentors who helped them settle in their final career choices. Cantore does a good job at showing the readers how Abby and Luke think, but I feel disconnected between how Abby and Luke actually feel. Cantore tells us how they feel, not show the readers. One of the favorite aspects of the book was the laid back romance. Abby is engaged to someone else, but she wonders about Luke. Luke can’t stop thinking about Abby. It was nice to see the guy falling for Abby, which breaks tradition because most books have the girl falling in love first. Even with the difficulties of the plot, I still like the characters of Abby and Luke.

Writing is what can make or break a story.  As for the dialogue, Cantore does allow words to flow naturally and reflect the attitude of Abby and Luke. The story world of Long Beach, California, is not described that well. It appears to be an afterthought for Cantore, not an important element to tie the reader to the story. Lastly, I never doubted Cantore’s expertise into the police world. Abby and the other officers treaded through this world naturally. I enjoyed this peek into the world of police work.

Drawing Fire has no questionable content that conservative readers of any age would question. The last thirty percent of the book would bring a great story to the romantic suspense genre. I just wished Cantore would weave in all the back-story while working hard to solve the cold case of her parents’ death while having complications to the serial killer and finding Nadine. Abby and Luke were never in any harm until the last third of the book. It was an original idea with using Abby as the victim and the investigator on the sly, but the story is not predictable. I had no idea who the actual bad guy was until Cantore revealed it at the last minute. If you can sludge through the first part of the book, the last part is more of Cantore’s style, which is evident in her other books. I truly enjoyed her first five books, but this one is not her usual writing style.

Overall, Janice Cantore’s Drawing Fire uses her vast knowledge in police work to bring three mysteries to the table with wounded characters on the path for justice but tells the story of leaving justice and revenge to God.

This review first appeared on The Christian Manifesto where I am an Assistant Editor and a Featured Reviewer.

Janice Cantore’s Writing Bio:

Taken from Cantore's Amazon Author's Page

A retired Long Beach California police officer of 22 years (16 in uniform and 6 as a non-career officer), Janice Cantore worked a variety of assignments, patrol, administration, juvenile investigations and training. During the course of her career in uniform Janice found that faith was indispensable to every aspect of the job and published articles on faith at work, one for a quarterly newspaper called "Cop and Christ", and another for the monthly magazine "Today's Christian Woman".

With retirement Janice began to write longer pieces and several novels were born. Janice is excited and honored to now be a part of the Tyndale Publishing House family. Accused, the first installment in her new suspense offering, The Pacific Coast Justice Series, was released February 1, 2012 and kicked off a brand new chapter in her writing career. In addition to suspense and action, her books feature strong female leads. Janice writes suspense novels designed to keep you engrossed and leave you inspired.

Where to connect with Janice:

Author’sPersonal Website

Facebook

Goodreads

Where to purchase Drawing Fire:

Amazon

Barnesand Nobles

Christianbook

Your local Favorite bookstore

What aspect of police procedurals draw you into the story?

Lynette Eason: No Place to Hide

By Kelly Bridgewater

Back Cover Copy:

It's not every day you see your childhood friend and one-time crush on national news. Jackie Sellers just wishes it were under different circumstances. She can't believe that Ian Lockwood is wanted in connection with a terrorist plot, and she's determined to find him and help him clear his name. But she's not the only one looking. The FBI wants him captured. The bad guys want him dead. Ian just wants to stay alive long enough to save thousands of innocent lives.

My Review:

Lynette Eason is one of my favorite romantic suspense author. Every time she has another book coming out, either from Revell or Love Inspired Suspense, I purchase the book and devour the story within hours. I even met Lynette Eason once at a writing conference. Such a nice lady. So approachable. As for No Place to Hide, it fulfills my expectations for a top-notch ride of a chase with no end in sight.

As we all know, characters make or break a story. The characters of Jackie Sellers and Ian Lockwood grab my attention from the first scene where Jackie is breaking into Ian’s house. The story takes off with a car chase through town and keeps moving, tightening the noose around the character’s neck as they sink faster and faster, hoping for a resolution. Ian is an intelligent God-fearing man with a background in Tae Kwon Do, which he uses a lot to be Jackie’s knight-in-shining armor. As for Jackie, she doubts God because she believes he abandoned her. While there is not mention of any change for Ian, Jackie finally rests her trust in God. The discussion of God felt natural and not preachy. Just like the popular saying, “there are no atheists in a foxhole.” Jackie relies on God when she is in trouble and finally sees God’s hand in her life. The characters brought depth to such a spine-tingling problem.

Eason’s writing proves why she is still a best-selling suspense writer. She uses the correct amount of prose and dialogue to show the backstory and allows the readers to follow the flow of the high conflict moments without getting lost. The dialogue matches the personality of Ian and Jackie, allowing me to feel like I am sitting in the car or hotel room, running for my life. The unique setting of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade feels realistic and important to accomplishing the terrorist act on American soil. It is creative and well-researched. This story could be labeled a thriller because of the terrorism element, but I still enjoyed it.

A good story must have tension, and a romantic suspense must have two types of tension. Romance and external conflict. The conflict threatening Jackie and Ian’s life is a number of external events that allows Jackie to find solace in God. The story jumps right into a conflicting moment, propelling the rest of the story into action. The tension moves at a great pace just like I want a romantic suspense to do. It is a page-turner, and I could not put the book down. On the other hand, the romantic tension is not really the forefront of the story’s dilemma, which is how I like romantic suspense. As a reader, I knew Ian and Jackie had a past, and it is hinted at a couple of times, but it did not distract Ian and Jackie from running for their lives and using their vast knowledge to save themselves and others. Conflict, either romantic, internal, or external, is essential to any good story. 

As always, Eason’s No Place To Hide concludes another great series. This story is for any age. I would allow my ten-year-old niece to read this book. Nothing is really inappropriate or scary for her to imagine. I would recommend everything Eason writes to anyone who enjoys mysteries, thrillers, suspense, or romantic suspense. This book proves why she is at the top of her game.

Always thrilling, romantic suspense author Lynette Eason finished her Hidden Identity trilogy with a harrowing defeat against terrorism while sparking a renewed interest in first love and reminding the reader to lean on God through the difficulties life throws at us.

I received a complimentary copy of No Place to Hide from Revell Publishing and the opinions stated are all my own.

This post first appeared on The Christian Manifesto where I am the Assistant Editor and a Featured Reviewer.

Lynette Eason’s Writing Bio:

Lynette Eason is the best selling, award winning author of the Women of Justice Series, the Deadly Reunions series and the soon to be released Hidden Identity Series. She writes for Revell and Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense line. Her books have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists. She has won several awards including the 2013 Carol Award for WHEN A HEART STOPS in the Romantic Suspense category. Lynette teaches at writing conferences all over the country. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and Romance Writers of America (RWA).

Where to connect with Lynette Eason:

From Eason's Website "About Lynette" Section

Author’s Personal Webpage

Facebook

Where to purchase No Place to Hide:

Amazon

Christianbook

Barnesand Nobles

At your favorite local bookstore

What is your favorite part of Lynette Eason’s writing?