Gathering Shadows a Fantastic Read!!

Gathering Shadows
Nancy Mehl

Book Summary: Wynter Evans is a promising young reporter for a television station in St. Louis, but even a bright future doesn't take away her pain over the disappearance of her brother nine years ago. So when she stumbles across a photograph of a boy with an eerie resemblance to him, she can't pass up the chance to track him down. With research for work as her cover, she sets out with one of the station's photogs for the place where the picture was taken: the town of Sanctuary. Almost as soon as she arrives, she meets the town's handsome young mayor, Rueben King, and together they begin to uncover long held secrets that could tear the small town apart and change everything Wynter thought she knew about her life. As the truth of her family's past hides in the shadows, it's clear someone will stop at nothing to keep the answers she's searching for hidden forever--even if the cost is Wynter's very life.

Review: The beginning cinched it for me. I was immediately drawn in with the kidnapping of Ryan! I really liked the mystery of Wynter’s brother and who sent her the newspaper clippings. I hope to see Zac in another story. He was a great addition. There were so many memorable events and situations spread throughout the story it made the story more engrossing. It all ended up with a fantastic finally that was worth the wait. I enjoyed the relationship between Reuben and Wynter. The secondary characters like Wynter’s dad and Esther were a tremendous addition that made each part of the book they were in more treasured. The suspense throughout the story was perfectly timed enough to make me jumpy. I am waiting for the next book in this series.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Bethany House Publishers for allowing me to read and review this book in return for a free copy and I was never asked to write a favorable review by anyone.

A Glimpse at Dear Friends

Bluebonnet Brides: A Butterfly Palace Short Story

Colleen Coble

Book Summary: Escaping a forced engagement, Elli sought refuge in an arranged, mail-order marriage. Her betrothed is a Texan named Nathan White. As she glimpses her future husband and his darling niece at the train station, she instantly knows her risk will prove the best decision she's ever made. Nathan White never took an interest in marriage until he became the guardian of four-year-old Hannah. He’s arranged a mail order wife to love and care for his orphaned niece. But his mind changes when he first sees the beautiful Elli Korpela. After a glorious wedding ceremony in the gardens of a place called Butterfly Palace—the grandest estate Elli's ever seen—a peaceful beginning takes a disquieting turn. An intruder brutally attacks Elli. Nathan intervenes, but the devil escapes unidentified, leaving Elli to face two chilling possibilities: either the attack was arranged by strike workers in Nathan's employ or her shadowy past followed her across the sea. As the danger mounts, Elli and Nathan must face their enemy together, fighting for their newfound marriage—and for their lives.

Review: I love revisiting previous characters and this novella is just the right touch of tying up loose ends and bringing us back in touch with beloved characters. I liked Nathan from Butterfly Palace and grew to really like his character in Bluebonnet Brides. The mystery was a nice touch to keep me off center to the changes being made in the lives of Hannah and Nathan. Hannah has grown into a nice young girl and it was great to see how wonderful Belle has become. I hope that Belle someday gets her own story. I fully appreciate the glimpse into these characters through this short story. No big surprises other than how dear the characters are.
I would like to thank Book Look Bloggers and Thomas Nelson Fiction for allowing me to read and review this book in return for a free copy and I was never asked to write a favorable review by anyone.

Adrenaline Rush!

Silenced
Dani Pettrey

Book Summary: A relaxing day of rock climbing takes a disturbing turn when Kayden McKenna's route brings her face-to-face with a dead climber. Is it a terrible accident or something darker? When the case is handed to overburdened sheriff Landon Grainger, he turns to Jake Westin for help. With Jake's past now revealed, he's ready to use his talent for investigation again--but he could never prepare for where the mystery will take him. Kayden's climbing expertise soon leads her and Jake to the realization that the death was no accident. And worse, it seems the killer is onto them. When strange things begin happening in Yancey, Jake is terrified that once again his world may put someone he loves in danger. But the truth is far worse than he could ever imagine. 

Book Review: This was a suspense filled story that kept clicking with the other in the series. I am now set up for the next book and can’t wait!! I found Kayden to be a little cold at times and not as easy to identify with. She was driven and determined, traits easy to understand. The distance she kept from everyone was less believable when you read the other about the other family members. These things were not overly consuming when the mystery was tangled web of intrigue!!! It was fast paced and well written the page flew by. My heart was beating so fast as the end drew near. I really liked Jake, he is a great character!. The climbing angle was interesting but more a diversion to the real underbelly of the story. Without spoiling the ending it was worth the read and set in motion the next installment.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Bethany House Publishing for allowing me to read and review this book in return for a free copy and I was never asked to write a favorable review by anyone.

A Story That I Have Been Waiting For!!!

Chateau of Secrets
Melanie Dobson

Book Summary: A courageous young noblewoman risks her life to hide French resistance fighters; seventy years later, her granddaughter visits the family’s abandoned chateau and uncovers shocking secrets from the past. Gisèle Duchant guards a secret that could cost her life. Tunnels snake through the hill under her family’s medieval chateau in Normandy. Now, with Hitler’s army bearing down, her brother and several friends are hiding in the tunnels, resisting the German occupation of France. But when German soldiers take over the family’s château, Gisèle is forced to host them as well—while harboring the resistance fighters right below their feet. Taking in a Jewish friend’s baby, she convinces the Nazis that it is her child, ultimately risking everything for the future of the child. When the German officers begin to suspect her deception, an unlikely hero rescues both her and the child. A present day story weaves through the past one as Chloe Sauver, Gisèle’s granddaughter, arrives in Normandy. After calling off her engagement with a political candidate, Chloe pays a visit to the chateau to escape publicity and work with a documentary filmmaker, Riley, who has uncovered a fascinating story about Jews serving in Hitler’s army. Riley wants to research Chloe’s family history and the lives that were saved in the tunnels under their house in Normandy. Chloe is floored—her family isn’t Jewish, for one thing, and she doesn’t know anything about tunnels or the history of the house. But as she begins to explore the dark and winding passageways beneath the chateau, nothing can prepare her for the shock of what she and Riley discover… With emotion and intrigue, Melanie Dobson brings World War II France to life in this beautiful novel about war, family, sacrifice, and the secrets of the past.

Book Review: This is a book that sticks you! I spend days after finishing this book wishing there was more to read of it. I loved the moving back and forth between World War II and present day. I loved both the stories. I never wanted either to end. It was a spectacularly written, very believable and such a tender story of redemption. I once read a book similar in nature but this story fulfilled everything that other story could not. It was a private wish of mine to read a story developed as Melanie Dobson did. I laughed, I cried and I lived every moment of the story. I can not thank the author enough for writing this moving piece of fiction that was thread around the true events of World War II and the beauty of God within those horrific events. Gisele’s story was wrapped in the gospel of Christ who is greater than any tragedy man can think up. I love secret tunnels and rooms. A mystery of how things really were versus what people tell. These are the things that make a good mystery.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Howard Books for allowing me to read and review this book in return for a free copy and I was never asked to write a favorable review by anyone.

A Classic Mystery

Death by the Book
Julianna Deering

Book Summary: With Farlinford Processing and the family's good name safe again following the events in Rules of Murder, Drew Farthering wants nothing more than to end the summer of 1932 with the announcement of his engagement to Madeline Parker. Instead, he finds himself involved in another mysterious case. The family lawyer has been found dead in a Winchester hotel room, skewered through the heart by an antique hat pin with a cryptic message attached: Advice to Jack. Evidence of secret meetings and a young girl's tearful confession point to the man's double life, but what does that have to do with the murder of a physician on the local golf course? Nothing, it would seem. Nothing except for another puzzling note and the antique hat pin affixing it to the doctor's chest. Soon the police make an arrest in connection with the murders, but Drew isn't at all sure they have the right man. Could the killer be one of his society friends, or is it someone much closer than that?

Book Review: I will confess that I started with this book. I heard all the hype from the first in the series and was interested. I found the book to be easy to get into and the main characters of Drew, Nick and Madeline were likable and fun to get to know. It was obvious I came into the series late, but enough details were given about the first book, but not so much to spoil reading it. I liked Madeline’s aunt who was a great catalyst for the author to use to explain to those who joined the party late, like myself some of the background. This new mystery was a real puzzle. The entire book was well written and had an authentic historic British feel to it. While I enjoyed the book very much as a mystery I did not feel a tremendous suspense that anyone was truly in danger except for people that were introduced as peripherally. It was easy to read, but it was not till the last 10 pages that the mystery twisted to become exciting. Yes, it had a tremendous Agatha Christie feel to it at times, but the suspense was not that intense.

I would like to thank Bethany House Publishing for allowing me to read and review this book in return for a free copy and I was never asked to write a favorable review by anyone.