Standoff at Christmas by Margaret Daley

Christmas was yesterday, but for me, I could read a Christmas book every day of the year! My latest Christmas read was Standoff at Christmas by one of my favorite authors, Margaret Daley. This book is the fourth book in her "Alaskan Search and Rescue" series.

The story is about Rachel Hart who works in the office at the Port Aurora Fishery in Port Aurora, Alaska, and K-9 officer Jake Nichols from Anchorage, Alaska. Jake returns home, with his injured search dog, Mitch, to Port Aurora for Christmas and to recuperate from a near death accident. 

When Jake arrives home, he gets reacquainted with Rachel who was his best friend from childhood. Shortly after arriving home, Rachel's aunt is brutally murdered and attempts are soon made on Rachel. Instead of a nice quiet vacation, Jake soon finds himself involved an investigation into strange goings on at the fishery. Will he be able to keep Rachel and her other aunt safe? Will he be able to survive himself. If they do survive, will their friendship remain intact or will their relationship evolve into something more?

I love Margaret Daley's work and especially her LoveInspired Suspense novels. Her characters are believable and always draw the reader into their stories. Standoff at Christmas, was true to her work and I loved it! . I would highly recommend picking up a copy of this wonderful book. If you can't fine it in your local stores, you can always order it on line.

On a 5-Star Scale = 5 Stars!!!!! 

I would like to thank Margaret Daley for my copy of Standoff at Christmas. I received my copy for free in order to read it and give my honest review, which I have done.

Smiles & Blessings,

Whispers in the Reading Room by Shelley Gray

Once again I have discovered an author who is new to me and I can honestly say I thoroughly enjoyed her work. Shelley Gray's Whispers in the Reading Room is her third book in "The Chicago World's Fair Mystery Series". Since I enjoyed this book so much I hope to go back and read the other two books in the series, Secrets of Sloane House and Deception on Sable Hill.

Whispers in the Reading Room is the story of Lydia Bancroft, a librarian at the Lincoln Lending Library in Chicago, Illinois. Lydia is engaged to Jason but finds herself intrigued with a tall, dark and handsome gentleman who visits the library on a regular basis. The gentleman is Sebastian Marks, a mystery man who speaks nary a word at first. But if Lydia has her way, she will find out more about this mysterious man.

In time, Lydia and Sebastian become friends but there is still a shroud of mystery around Sebastian that Lydia wants to peel away. She hears that he is wealthy and that he is involved in a business in the worst part of town. She still wants to know more but will she be hurt in the process?

Lydia is a great character that by all society's standards should rest in the fact that she is engaged to Jason. After all, since her father's death, she and her mother have become almost penniless and marrying Jason should elevate them back up to society's standards, or will it? 

Lydia just can't curb her curiosity about Sebastian and wants to learn more about the mysterious gentleman. She decides she wants to visit Sebastian's club but soon finds herself a suspect in a murder.She has to decide who she can trust and who Sebastian really is. Is he a wealthy gentleman that people have wrongfully accused of being a man who should be feared or is he truly a gentleman who has been misunderstood?

I loved the mystery surrounding Sebastian and grew to like his character more and more as his past was revealed.

This book is a wonderful historical novel filled with intrigue, mystery and romance. I would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a historical mystery filled with romance.

On a 5-Star scale - 4 1/2 stars!

I would like to thank Litfuse Publicity and Zondervan for my copy of Whispers in the Reading Room. I received my copy for free in order to read it and give my honest review.

Smiles & Blessings,

The Golden Braid by Melanie Dickerson

I have always been a fan of fairy tales and Melanie Dickerson has a wonderful gift of retelling fairy tales. In The Golden Braid, Ms. Dickerson gives us the retelling of the story of Rapunzel and she does it remarkably well.

When the story begins, almost nineteen year old Rapunzel is living with her mother Gothel in the village of Ottelfelt in the Holy Roman Empire. But a young man proposes to Rapunzel and while she tells him "no", her mother decides they must move once again to the larger city of Hagenheim. Rapunzel gets excited as her dream is to learn how to read and she feels she may be able to learn in a larger city.

Their journey becomes treacherous and Rapunzel finds herself being rescued by Sir Gerek, a knight. Later down the road Sir Gerek finds himself being rescued by Rapunzel. He promises to repay her by teaching her to read.

As the story progresses, Rapunzel discovers a mystery surrounding her life that could possibly change it forever. Ms. Dickerson has created a wonderful world to place Rapunzel in and weave aspects of the original fairy tale. I truly enjoyed this retelling.

If you love historical romances set during the Medieval time period, or retelling of fairy tales, or just enjoy a good clean read I would suggest you pick up a copy of The Golden Braid. While it is listed as a book for young adults, I believe adults will enjoy it just as much.

On a 5-Star Scale -  4 1/2 Stars!

I would like to thank Litfuse Publishing Group and Thomas Nelson for my copy of The Golden Braid. I received my copy for free in order to read it and give my honest review, which I have done.

Smiles & Blessings,