Facing the Enemy by DiAnn Mills

DiAnn Mills new book, Facing the Enemy, is another fantastic novel of inspirational romantic suspense that takes the reader on a fast-paced journey through murder and child abductions.

I have never been a big fan of first-person point-of-view books so when I started reading Facing the Enemy I was a little disappointed when I found it was written in the first-person POV. However, by the end of a few chapters, I actually fell in love with the way Ms. Mills gave us Risa's POV for a couple of chapters and then Gage's POV for a couple of chapters. She let us know in the chapter heading as to who's POV we were reading. To me, I actually felt I was able to get to know each character quicker and a little better.

The characters, FBI Special Agent Risa Jacobs and FBI Special Agent Gage Patterson were very well crafted. They both had issues but I loved the way Ms. Mills allowed them to work through them. Their stories involve their faith, grief, and in the end, forgiveness. 

The storyline involves some murders that seem to intertwine with each other taking the reader on a fast-paced roller coaster ride. So you might want to wait to start this book when you have plenty of time to sit down and read because I guarantee you won't want to put it down. It is a standalone book due to release on September 5, 2023 (preorder here), and let me tell you it is a must-read book if you enjoy clean romantic suspense. I would highly recommend it.

On a 5 Star Scale - I give it 5 Stars.

I would like to thank the author, DiAnn Mills, for my copy of Facing the Enemy. I received my copy for free with no expectation of a positive or negative review.  The opinions are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR. Part 255.

Smiles & Blessings,

Facing the Enemy by DiAnn Mills is due to release this Fall. You can pre-order your copy now.
 

Under Fire by Lynn H. Blackburn

From the Back Cover:

THEY'LL PROTECT THE PRESIDENT IF IT'S THE LAST THING THEY DO...AND IT JUST MIGHT BE.

USSS Special Agent Zane Thacker has landed his dream assignment protecting the president of the United States. When the president plans a fundraiser at the exclusive estate of a political supporter in Raleigh, Zane is thrilled to be working again with Special Agent Tessa Reed, his best friend--and the woman he desperately wishes could be more.

Though Tessa almost lost everything, she battled her demons and came out on the other side healthy and healed. But when her role as the liaison between the Raleigh office and the president's protective detail wrenches her past back into the present, her greatest failure threatens to come to light. 

Zane refuses to let Tessa go through this alone. But can he stand by the woman he loves and protect the president from a mounting threat at the same time?

My Review:

When given the opportunity to read and review Under Fire by Lynn H. Blackburn I couldn't resist it. It is the third and final book in her "Defend and Protect" series. However, it can be read as a stand-alone book.

The story's main characters are US Secret Service Agent Tessa Reed and US Secret Service Agent Zane Thacker who is attached to the president's detail.  The president plans to attend a fundraiser at the private estate of one of his friends in Raleigh. Tessa is assigned to the Raleigh office and is given the presidential fundraiser to oversee the security. Tessa and Zane have a past and are now best friends even though he really would like to take their relationship further. The relationship between characters grows as the story progresses and we soon find out why Zane has a key to Tessa's house which tracks back to a very deep dark secret from her past that actually ties into the situation they now find themselves in...someone is threatening both Tessa and the president.

I love Ms. Blackburn's characterization in all of her books. From the first page to the last her characters pull me in and transport me on their journey with plenty of nail-biting suspense, twists and turns, and plenty of tension. Under Fire was no different and kept me guessing until the very end.

One thing that puzzled me was the epilogue. Now, most epilogues that I have read tied up the book's romantic suspense storyline. However, in Under Fire, the epilogue appears to be setting up another book or storyline and that part left me wondering a little as to what it all meant.

All in all, I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good romantic suspense novel with great characterization.

I give this book 5 Stars.

I would like to thank Revell Books and NetGalley, for my copy of Under Fire. I received my copy for free with no expectation of a positive or negative review.  The opinions are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR. Part 255.

Smiles & Blessings,

 

The Light of Sound by Sarah Sundin

In my opinion, Sarah Sundin is one of the greatest novelists of WWII fiction. Her newest novel, The Sound of Light just released on 02/07/2023 and it is a sure winner!

Set in Denmark in the early 1940s, we follow the lives of Dr. Elsebeth Jensen (Else for short) an American physicist working in Copenhagen, and Baron Henrik Ahlefeldt an aristocrat who has taken on an alias of Hemming Andersen so he can aid in the Danish resistance against the Germans. Both end up working for the resistance.

I found the book a little slow for me in the beginning but it picked up its pace and I found I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. I think part of the reason I found it slow is that Ms. Sundin used Danish words throughout and in the beginning, I flipped to the back of the book to find the pronunciation and meaning of the foreign words. In time I didn't need to do that so the journey through the pages picked up. I do appreciate the glossary and pronunciation guides Ms. Sundin included. I have read some books where a glossary wasn't provided and I had to look up the words for their meanings on the internet.

Ms. Sundin's characters were well-developed and multi-layered which brought them true to life on the page. I found myself glued to the edge of my seat at times and I loved watching the relationship between Else and Hemming grow.

If you are a fan of historical fiction and especially books set during the WWII period I would highly recommend picking up a copy of The Sound of Light.

I give this book 5 Stars!

I would like to thank Revell Books, for my copy of The Sound of Light. I received my copy for free with no expectation of a positive or negative review.  The opinions are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR. Part 255.

Smiles & Blessings,

Cold LIght of Day by Elizabeth Goddard

As a big fan of Elizabeth Goddard, I have been anxiously awaiting the release of her newest novel, Cold Light of Day which is the first book in her new series "Missing in Alaska". I must say that I wasn't disappointed.

The leading characters are Police Chief Autumn Long and Grier Brenner, a newcomer to town. I was intrigued by both of these characters from the start. They were both very well crafted, they pulled me in and didn't let me go until the very last page.

The story is set in Shadow Gap, a little town in Alaska. It is said people come to this town to disappear, as is the case for Grier. But while he would like to fade into the terrain he can't help but get involved when nefarious things start happening. He soon has the Police Chief asking for his help.

I really enjoyed Ms. Goddard's character and how she brought them to life. They carried me away from the first page and I found myself on a roller coaster that carried me deep into the night. I would have stayed up until I finished it, but I knew I needed to get at least a few hours of sleep. So I read it in two days and can hardly wait for Book 2 in the series.

If you enjoy romantic suspense novels that are fast-paced and keep you guessing I would highly recommend that you pick up a copy of Cold Light of Day.

On a Five Star scale - 5 Stars!

I would like to thank Revell Books, for my copy of Cold Light of Day. I received my copy for free with no expectation of a positive or negative review.  The opinions are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR. Part 255.

Smiles & Blessings,

 

Detecting Secrets by Sami A. Abrams

I am a huge fan of Sami A. Abrams and her Love Inspired Suspense series, "Deputies of Anderson County".  Her newest release is Detecting Secrets, which is due out this month. It is the third book in her series. The first in the series is Buried Cold Case Secrets and the second in the series is Twin Murder Mix-Up, All three books are excellent and can be read as stand-alone books.

First I'd like to say that Love Inspired, once again did an awesome job with the cover. It is actually a scene from the book.

The story centers around marriage and family therapist, Charlotte Bradley, her air-scent dog Theo, and local Sheriff Dennis Monroe. All three characters were very well created, yes, even Theo. 

Something is going on in Anderson County and Charlotte wants to get to the bottom of it before more of the pregnant girls she counsels go missing. Sheriff Morgan joins her in the search for answers and they soon find themselves in the line of fire.

Ms. Abrams never disappoints. Her characters have a depth that causes the reader to feel they know them personally. I also loved the way she wrote the character of Theo. I would almost feel she studied an air-scent dog long term in order to get his actions and mannerisms down on the written page.

All said, you can't go wrong with picking up a book with Sami A. Abrams name on the cover. I would highly recommend picking up a copy of Detecting Secrets when it hits the shelves on 02/21/2023.

On a Five Star scale - 5 Stars!

I would like to thank the author, Sami A. Abrams, for my copy of Detecting Secrets. I received my copy for free with no expectation of a positive or negative review.  The opinions are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR. Part 255.

Smiles & Blessings,

The Secret Society of Salzburg by Renee Ryan

I love a good novel set during World War II and The Secret Society of Salzburg is not just a good novel it was a GREAT novel. It was quite apparent that Renee Ryan did extensive research.

The story jumps between the 1930s and the 1940s and between  England , Austria, and Germany. It tells the story of Austrian opera singer Elsa Mayer-Braun and her friendship with sisters, Hattie and Vera Featherstone from London, England.  Vera and Elsa formed a strong bond and helped each other to extract Jewish people out of Austria

The story was inspired by true events from WWII and Ms. Ryan brought her story to life beautifully.

Ms. Ryan has created such strong,  believable characters that they almost danced right off the page. Her words were at times almost poetic and deeply touched my heart. 

If you enjoy a good historical novel set during WWII then The Secret Society of Salzburg is a must-read. I highly suggest it.

On a Five Star scale - 5 Stars!

I would like to thank the author, Renee Ryan for my copy of The Secret Society of Salzburg. I received my copy for free with no expectation of a positive or negative review.  The opinions are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR. Part 255.

FROM THE BACK COVER:

Inspired by true events, this is a gripping and heart-wrenching story of two very different women united to bring light to the darkest days of World War II.

London 1933

At first glance, Austrian opera singer Elsa Mayer-Braun has little in common with the young English typist she encounters on tour. Yet she and Hattie Featherstone forge an instant connection—and strike a dangerous alliance. Using their friendship as a cover, they form a secret society with a daring goal: to rescue as many Jews as possible from Nazi persecution.

Though the war’s outbreak threatens Elsa and Hattie’s network, their efforts attract the covert attention of the British government, offering more opportunities to thwart the Germans. But Elsa’s growing fame as Hitler’s favorite opera singer, coupled with her secret Jewish ancestry, make her both a weapon and a target—until her future, too, hangs in the balance.

From the glamorous stages of Covent Garden and Salzburg to the horrors of Bergen-Belsen,  two ordinary women swept up by the tide of war discover an extraordinary friendship—and the courage to save countless lives.

Smiles & Blessings,