Falcon by Ronie Kendig | RE:View

High powered action fraught with deception and propelled by secrets. Falcon isn't for the faint of heart!

Salvatore "Falcon" Russo is a time bomb waiting to explode with pent up emotion. Lieutenant Cassandra Walker may be the very person to set that time bomb ticking.

When Raptor, a Special Forces team, finds themselves stuck in between lies and more lies, they band together only as brothers-in-arms can. No one is who they say they are and Raptor becomes tired of deception at every turn. Dealt blow after blow, they are forced to place their trust in Cassandra, though Falcon still feels the sting of her lies from years before.

Action that keeps you glued to the page. Emotion that drives you to finish chapter after chapter. Characters that draw you in with their complexity and realness. One surprise after another. You will not be able to put this book down!

Ronie Kendig does it again with Falcon, the third book in her Quiet Professionals series after Raptor 6 and Hawk. I had high expectations for this book - not only because I'm a die-hard Kendig fan, but because Falcon is such an intriguing character and I was desperate to find out what would happen! I wasn't disappointed. From page one I was hooked to the story and enjoyed the ride through the various perspectives that Kendig seamlessly weaves together. Seriously people - you will not be able to stop reading!

As I say with every book I read by her, go Ronie Kendig and never go back ;) I'd highly recommend Falcon (as I would the rest of this series) to fans of action, adventure, emotion-packed characters, and incredible writing. Basically, you can't go wrong.

Rating: 5*

Purchase: Falcon: (The Quiet Professionals)


Book Description
(from Ronie's Website)

Special Forces operator Salvatore “Falcon” Russo vowed to never again speak to or trust Lieutenant Cassandra Walker after a tragedy four years ago. But as Raptor closes in on the cyber terrorists responsible for killing two of their own, Sal must put his life—and the lives of his teammates—in her hands.

Despite his anger, Cassie is ill-prepared for his resistance and the fallout when she must protect the one asset who can end the attacks.

As allies become enemies and hostiles become unlikely partners, Raptor fights for its very existence.

  _______________

I received a free copy of this book for review purposes, but was under no obligation to read the book or post a review. I do so under my own motivation and the opinions I have expressed in this review are honest and entirely my own.

Mary Hamilton + GIVEAWAY | New Novel News

See No Evil 
by Mary L. Hamilton

Published May 12, 2015
HopeSprings Books/Chalfont House Publishing
Purchase: See No Evil (Rustic Knoll Bible Camp #3) (Volume 3)

Steven Miller guards a dark secret.

Dad drilled into Steven that blindness should never be used as an excuse. So when Steven finds an old triathlon medallion among Dad's belongings, he's inspired to follow in his footsteps. Maybe it'll quiet the guilt he's carried since Dad's death three years ago.

While Steven continues his triathlon training during his final summer at camp, a serious illness keeps Rustic Knoll's beloved Nurse Willie from managing her clinic. When Steven teams up with his friend Claire to encourage Willie's recovery, his feelings for Claire grow beyond friendship.

But his buddy, Dillon, has started down a dangerous path that Steven knows all too well. Can he keep his friend from falling into that sin without exposing his own past?

Get to know Mary...

What are the names of your pets? If you don't have any, what would you name your pets?
Rudy. I kept trying to find a different name because I didn’t like Rudy. But every idea I came up with, I’d look at him and realize, he’s a Rudy. As in Valentino. He’s a lover.

What's one chore you hate doing?
I’ve vowed to hire a cook before I hire a maid. I hate the planning most, but when my husband and I were searching online for a new home, he commented that one didn’t have any pictures of the kitchen. I said, “No kitchen! That’s the one!” Alas, we’re still trying to find that house without a kitchen.

What’s one thing you must have/do in the morning?
I don’t exercise every morning, but if I’m going to do it, it has to be in the morning. Immediately after getting out of bed is best—getting the body moving before the brain figures out what’s happening. If exercise doesn’t happen in the morning, it’s not going to happen.

::WINNER::

Kristy Cambron was on the blog last week talking about her new release A Sparrow in Terezin and she was kind enough to offer a singed copy as a giveaway! I loved getting to read through all of your comments and am excited to announce the lucky winner...

Rebecca Bell

Contact me using the form to the right >> so we can get your book to you!

Thanks everyone! Make sure to leave a comment to enter this giveaway AND don't forget, Susanne Dietze is also offering a giveaway from last week's post which you can see here.

Susanne Dietze + GIVEAWAY {Writer Wednesday}

A little bit about Susanne...

Susanne Dietze began writing love stories in high school, casting her friends in the starring roles. Today, she writes in the hope that her historical romances will encourage and entertain others. A pastor’s wife and mom of two, she loves fancy-schmancy tea parties, travel, and curling up on the couch with a costume drama and a plate of nachos. You can visit her on her website, www.susannedietze.com.

How to connect with Susanne...

Website: www.susannedietze.comBlog: Tea and a Good Book ~ www.susannedietze.blogspot.com 
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13657688.Susanne_Dietze
Facebook: Facebook.com/SusanneDietzeBooks
Twitter: @SusanneDietze
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Susanne-Dietze/e/B00O3MR63A/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_4

Author Interview | Susanne Dietze

You and Writing

Tell us a little bit about yourself: How did you start writing? What has kept you writing?
...I think I wrote fiction the moment I could hold a pencil. As a preschooler, I wrote a note to my parents telling them I’d run away to China. Growing up, I wrote to entertain myself, but somewhere along the way God turned it into a ministry.


Your Writing

Tell us a little bit about your book or what you’re working on currently? Why did you write it?
...Love’s Reward is a novella in Barbour’s The Most Eligible Bachelor Collection, a 9-in-1. I’m so honored to be included among the other authors! In my story, set in 1886 San Francisco, a rich man offers a monetary reward for the capture of a shy architect’s heart—but the game is on for every female in town except a charity-minded miss who won’t compete for the bachelor’s affections. Just his bank account.

What is one take-away from your book that you hope readers identify with?
...Selling my novella was the fulfillment of a lifelong dream, but writing it was not quite a fairy tale experience. I had a medical issue that turned out to be fine, but at the time, I was tested for autoimmune disease and cancer. I worked on Love’s Reward while waiting for those test results. “Love is love’s reward” (by Dryden) was already set as the theme of the story: the greatest prize of a relationship with God is Jesus Himself, and the reward of our relationship with another is that relationship. Waiting for my test results was agonizing; however, I believe God was teaching me to trust Him with my unknowable future, to dwell close to Him on my journey without questioning the destination. While the particulars of my experience were far different than my characters’, I got to go through the process of trusting Jesus with my journey as well as with my destination, right along with them.
...I hope that others might find encouragement if they are experiencing something difficult, and maybe even look around to see what God is doing in their lives right now. Experience the moment fully in appreciation of all He’s done and is doing.

Writing

When you write, what is your overall intention with your stories? 
...My hope is to encourage and entertain readers. I believe God can use fiction to minister to His children, if He wishes. Sometimes when we read, we see ourselves in a story’s characters or situations, and when that happens, we may feel less alone or inspired to act. If He used something I wrote for that purpose, I’d feel blessed, but I’d also be delighted if my story provided someone a bit of escapist entertainment, too.

What advice would you give to aspiring authors for writing and/or publishing?
...Writing toward publication is a joyful privilege, but it’s also hard work. One author I know wrote her first proposal, not even a book, and sold it right away; another author’s journey took fifteen years, multiple novels, and multiple rejections first. It’s important to remember that rejections are a big part of writing. Many times rejections have more to do with timing or the market than an author’s skill or craft. That said, cultivating a teachable spirit is important, too. Strive to improve by taking classes, reading books, and learning from those with more experience.

You

If you had to choose one type of food, what kind would it be?
...Oh my, this is a difficult question, but as a Californian I am pretty attached to Mexican food. Enchiladas, chimichangas, tostadas…Ok, now I’m hungry. If I could have occasional outings to an Indian place for a dish of Malai Kofta, garlic naan and some cucumber raita on the side, however, I’d be set.

April showers bring May flowers – or so they say. Do you have a favorite flower? If so, why is it your favorite?
...I love roses and find them pretty easy to care for, perhaps because my mom has so much success with roses and I just copy what she does. Of my ten rosebushes, the Yellow Peace ones are my favorite because they have such pretty pink and tangerine streaks in the petals, and they smell like candy. That might sound weird, but oh, they are delightful.

________________________________

I am so thrilled to have my dear friend Susie on the blog today. To be celebrating her first release is amazing! We got the chance to meet - and ride a plane together - to my first ACFW conference and have enjoyed catching up on FB and via email ever since. It's amazing hearing how you've struggled through health issues as well as just figuring out the hard road to publishing, but it's so great to celebrate with you now on this release! Thanks so much for sharing with us here Susie! Can't wait for what's next for you :) 

::WINNER::

I loved having the amazing Kariss Lynch on the blog last week (if you missed her interview check it out here). She offered a copy of her book as a giveaway and we've got a winner...


Carol Smith


But don't worry, if you didn't win this, check out Kristy Cambron's giveaway of A Sparrow in Terezin from Monday here. And leave a comment here to enter to win the collection Susie's novella is featured in, The Most Eligible Bachelor.

Kristy Cambron + GIVEAWAY | New Novel News

A Sparrow in Terezin
by Kristy Cambron

Published April 7, 2015
HarperCollins Christian Publishing (Thomas Nelson)  
Purchase:  A Sparrow in Terezin (A Hidden Masterpiece Novel)

Bound together across time, two women will discover a powerful connection through one survivor's story of hope in the darkest days of a war-torn world.

Present Day—With the grand opening of her new art gallery and a fairytale wedding just around the corner, Sera James feels she's stumbled into a charmed life—until a brutal legal battle against fiancé William Hanover threatens to destroy the perfectly planned future she’s planned before it even begins. Now, after an eleventh-hour wedding ceremony and a callous arrest, William faces a decade in prison for a crime he never committed, and Sera must battle the scathing accusations that threaten her family and any hope for a future.

1942—Kája Makovsky narrowly escaped occupied Prague in 1939, and was forced to leave her half-Jewish family behind. Now a reporter for the Daily Telegraph in England, Kája discovers the terror has followed her across the Channel in the shadowy form of the London Blitz. When she learns Jews are being exterminated by the thousands on the continent, Kája has no choice but to return to her mother city, risking her life to smuggle her family to freedom and peace.

Connecting across a century through one little girl, a Holocaust survivor with a foot in each world, these two women will discover a kinship that springs even in the darkest of times. In this tale of hope and survival, Sera and Kája must cling to the faith that sustains and fight to protect all they hold dear—even if it means placing their own futures on the line.
Get to know Kristy...

If you were a superhero, what would be your super power? I’ve been asked the question before and my heart always seems to go to the same answer… I’m not partial to heights. (Flying – you’re out.) Not interest in laser vision or reading people’s minds. I already feel invisible enough when I put food on the table in a house full of boys, so that wouldn’t be my thing either. Christ has the ability to heal and He’s our one true Savior, so all of the combined super powers left He’s got covered. The only bit of awesomeness left would be to have Jane Austen’s super power of quick wit, C.S. Lewis’ in-depth way of understanding faith, Van Gogh’s eye for color, and Walt Disney’s superlative imagination. (That’s right. The Super Power of all super powers = Creative Genius!) :)

If you were stranded on an island what are three things you couldn’t live without?
This feels like a “wishing for more wishes” kind of thing. That’s what I would have wanted, but I love the question so I’ll play along. Here goes… My three chosen things:

1) Family. All of them. It’s my answer so the entire Cambron clan only counts for one unit, and I get to include them all. :) Let the beach campfires begin.

2) A library. We’d have several copies of the Bible. Christian fiction and YA novels would be in strong supply. We’d also have survival books to keep us informed in our new plight, and of course, we’d have to have cookbooks. (Raw fish is not a favorite. It’s acceptable that we could have fire on this island, so I need to know how to cook the fish. End of story.)

3) A rescue boat. Let’s be honest – not my favorite scenario to be stranded on an island without coffee. May I assume the rescue boat has a Keurig?

If you could live in a fantasy world, who’s would it be?
I’m writing a new book about the circus in 1920s America and it has my mind traveling back to the enchantment of childhood. There’s such wide-eyed wonder in the world of fantasy – whether it’s running away to join the circus, tumbling through the looking glass, or using a bit of fairy dust to soar over the rooftops of 19th century London. The fantasy of story is a world we can enter through books. If given the chance to live in one, I’d want to find a hybrid between classic fairy tales, Narnia, Never Land, Hogwarts, and Wonderland. In them, you find all the color and vibrancy of pretend worlds, but the hope and goodness of our humanity.

Kristy Cambron fancies life as a vintage-inspired storyteller. Her debut historical novel, THE BUTTERFLY AND THE VIOLIN (Thomas Nelson, 2014), was named to Library Journal Reviews' Best Books of 2014, Family Fiction's Top Ten Novels of 2014, and received a nomination for RT Reviewers' Choice Awards Best Inspirational Novel of 2014 and a nomination for the 2015 INSPY Awards for Best Debut Novel. Her second novel, A SPARROW IN TEREZIN (Thomas Nelson, April 2015), was named Library Journal Reviews' Pick of the Month (Christian Fiction, February 2015) and a Top Pick from RT Book Reviews.

Kristy is an Art/Design Manager at TheGROVEstory.com and holds a degree in Art History from Indiana University. She lives in Indiana with her husband and three football-loving sons, where she can probably be bribed with a coconut mocha latte and a good Christian fiction read.

Connect with Kristy...
Facebook: Kristy Cambron
Twitter: @KCambronAuthor
Instagram: kristycambron
Pinterest: KCambronAuthor
Web: KristyCambron.com | TheGROVEstory.com 

::WINNER::

 We've got winners from last week's New Novel News! 

Congrats to:

Holly Hearts Art  

for winning Angelhood

And....

Constance 

for winning The Lady and the Mountain Doctor!

Kariss Lynch + GIVEAWAY {Writer Wednesday}

A little bit about Kariss...

Kariss Lynch writes contemporary fiction about characters with big dreams, hearts for adventure, and enduring hope. Shaken, her first book in the Heart of a Warrior series, released in 2014. The second book, Shadowed, released in March 2015. A former freelance writer, she now works as the writer for a communications ministry in Dallas. Kariss loves ice cream and sunsets, particularly when paired together.

How to connect with Kariss...

Website: http://karisslynch.com
Blog: http://karisslynch.com/blog 
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7126750.Kariss_Lynch
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/author.karisslynch
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Kariss_Lynch
Instagram: @Kariss_Lynch
Purchase: Shadowed (Heart of a Warrior)


Author Interview | Kariss Lynch

You and Writing

Tell us a little bit about yourself: How did you start writing? What has kept you writing?
...I started writing in third grade with the story of an imaginary world and fairies named after my friends. I had to ask my teacher for more paper. I think she eventually had to give me a limit. I just couldn’t stop! The story had more to say! I kept writing in classes and wrote poetry for myself. I loved every challenge my teachers and professors threw my way. If I could try a different style or genre, I attempted it with gusto. I wanted to grow and get better, but I had a fear of sharing those stories with others. My family and a mentor finally challenged me to step out. I started with a blog and then pursued publication. Book three is currently in the editing process. My dreams never felt this good.

Do you have a favorite book or work that you’ve written? If so, why?
...I think whatever I am currently working on is my favorite. I just finished Surrendered, which will hit shelves in Winter 2016. It is the final chapter in Nick and Kaylan’s love story, though we might hear about their lives in books to come. As I explored their relationship, I had to take a hard look at what love looks like, not what culture says it is, but what the Lord says it is. I was lost in this scene as Kaylan is questioning her relationship with Nick. As I finished, I felt this heavy weight on my chest. The way I had written Nick – this Navy SEAL, a warrior, a flawed guy striving to be like Jesus – I realized the way he loves Kaylan and pursues her and the way Jesus loves me and pursues me, even when and especially when I’m unlovable. I can’t wait to share that story with readers.

Your Writing

Tell us a little bit about your book. Why did you write it?
...Nick and Kaylan return in Shadowed as Nick faces the demons of his past on a mission to catch Janus, and Kaylan comes to terms with loving a man who leaves.

...Now in California, Kaylan slowly adjusts to life in the SEAL community with new friends, new neighbors, an internship, and mysterious and threatening notes left by a ghost. When items begin to disappear from her home, Kaylan wonders if she will ever find her place in her new reality and wrestles to develop the strength for the life she desires to have with Nick.

...Nick never dreamed his work would follow him home, but now the very terrorist he stalked is threatening everything he holds dear. Nick must learn to trust God with Kaylan’s life as he and his team fight for justice and answers to his past.

...In Shaken, the characters must learn to heal. In Shadowed, they must learn to love. But will their love forever be stalked by shadows? I think readers will love meeting some of Nick’s SEAL buddies and seeing what really makes the heart of a warrior strong.

Do you have a favorite character in this work? If so, why?
...I do. I hate admitting that. They feel like my kids and it feels wrong having a favorite, but I think Logan and his little girl Molly are some of my favorite characters. Logan is a SEAL and a father and husband who just exudes confidence, leadership, and Jesus, and he knows how to have fun! I feel like he is such a voice of wisdom in the book. I know I learned a lot writing him. Molly is just sunshine and innocence. She is a sweet four-year-old who has a curious, innocent, beautiful outlook on the world, and I loved watching her shine and love those around her.

What is one take-away from your book that you hope readers identify with?
...Love is a choice. It’s never easy, but it’s always worth it.

Writing

Where do you find inspiration for your story/characters? Are they based on real life or pure imagination or both?
...My stories and characters are based on the crazy mess in my head and inspiration I see in the world around me. If I see quirks and personality traits in friends, family, or even strangers that fascinate or entice me, I create a character with those traits. In Shaken, Sarah Beth is loosely based on one of my best friends who has the most bubbly personality paired with curly blonde hair and a smile that lights up a room. You can’t help but love her. I chose Kaylan’s passion for helping people and her pursuit of dietetics because of my cousin who has a heart for helping people in third world countries use what they have around them to be healthy and learn how to feed their children. Beware! If you are in my vicinity, anything you say or do is free game for a book.

When you write, what is your overall intention with your stories?
...I think stories should entertain and take you to another place. They have been my escape and my place to dream over the years. But I want my stories to also inspire readers to dream big, have courage, and make a difference. God made you uniquely, and I want readers to find in characters the traits and actions they love and then dare to emulate those things in real life. To use the name of my current series, I want readers to have the heart of a warrior!

What advice would you give to aspiring authors for writing and/or publishing?
...You are never too young or too old to write. You have something to say and a story to tell. The key is figuring out how to do that well. When you write, close the door to what everyone else may think or say and get the story on the page. Know your audience, know what they like, and then just write without fear. That’s the second most important thing I can tell you: write without fear. The most important thing I can tell you is to trust the Lord with the journey.

You

What is a favorite memory you have of your mother?
...We were on family vacation one summer. My brother, sister, and I were in the pool and mom walked down from the condo. She didn’t like to swim, but she loved to come sit on the side of the pool and dip her feet in the water. She sat down on the side, lifted her feet up, and said, “Do you like my pretty toted paint nails?” I think the three of us burst out laughing as she immediately corrected herself. “Pretty painted toe nails, pretty painted toe nails.” We bought her house shoes that looked like furry feet with painted toenails for Christmas, and the joke and memory have never died.

If you had to choose one type of food, what kind would it be?
...Unfortunately, I have cravings for Italian food quite often. I love the flavors, pastas, bread, and salads. So bad for me, but oh so good.

April showers bring May flowers – or so they say. Do you have a favorite flower? If so, why is it your favorite?
...I love lilies and roses. There is something classy and beautiful, yet simple about both.

_____________________________

Thank you so much for being my guest today Kariss! I loved getting to know you better and am *SO* excited to offer a copy (or two?) of your book. I can completely relate to the desire to write, write, write and love how you say you tried different genres (I'm right there with you, I love it all!). Probably my favorite quote from today's interview is, "When you write, close the door to what everyone else may think or say and get the story on the page." Amen! And what a sweet memory of your mom - love it!

Ok, readers, don't pass up this opportunity to win a copy of Shadowed! Leave a comment below for Kariss or mention your favorite flower! I'll pick the winner (or winner's if we have enough entries for 2 books!) next Wednesday and announce it here on the blog.

::WINNER::

Congratulations to...

Susan P 

She's won a Kindle copy of The Count of Monte Cristo from my interview with Kelly Bridgewater! If you missed getting to know Kelly, check out her interview here.

Misty Beller & A.J. Cattapan + GIVEAWAY | New Novel News

Angelhood
by A.J. Cattapan

Published April 12, 2015 
Vinspire Publishing 
Purchase: Angelhood

After a tragic death, seventeen-year-old Nanette finds herself in an afterlife that is less than heavenly. Trapped between alternating periods of darkness and light, Nanette learns she’s a guardian angel, and the only way she can earn her wings is to keep her young charge, Vera, from taking her own life. Unfortunately, Nanette is missing more than just her wings. She has no tangible body or voice, either. Frustrated by her inability to reach out to Vera and haunted by memories of her old life, Nanette wants to give up, but then she sees what happens when another Guardian at the high school turns his back on his charge. The shock is enough to supercharge Nanette’s determination to save Vera and herself from the shadows that haunt them both.

This is a story in the tradition of It’s a Wonderful Life about appreciating the little things even in the midst of tragedy and recognizing God’s never-failing presence and mercy in our lives.

Get to know A.J....

What actor/actress would play you if your life was a movie?
Amy Adams. In fact, two years ago, I declared to my friends that I was going to spend the summer of 2014 in Italy, then write a book about my experiences a la Eat, Pray Love, and Amy Adams would play me in the movie version! I mean, it would be perfect, right? We’re about the same age, Amy Adams was born in Italy (I’m Italian), and we both have the name Amy. J The declaration was made tongue-in-check, but I did spend two weeks in Italy that summer, and I’m working on a spiritual travel memoir about that time period. So who knows!

What’s your favorite book?
Anne of Green Gables. I’m heartbroken over the passing of actor Jonathan Crombie who played Gilbert Blythe. He was so perfect in that role. But before I saw the movies, I read the books, starting in sixth grade. In fact, I credit L.M. Montgomery for turning me on to the idea of becoming a writer. I wanted to write a book with characters that captured my readers’ hearts the way Montgomery’s characters captured mine.

Coffee or tea?
Tea. However, my recent trips to Italy are starting to turn me into a cappuccino drinker. Nonetheless, it’s tea (a nice Earl Gray) that’s sitting by my side as I’m typing this. One of my favorite places to visit with my sisters-in-law and friends is a tea shop called Tea Lula in Park Ridge, IL. I was so excited when the tea shop owner asked if I’d do a book signing at her store! We have it planned for this July, and any folks who are in the Chicago area at that time are welcome to come. Details can be found on the events page of my website.

Website: www.ajcattapan.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/acattapan
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AJCattapan
Instagram: https://instagram.com/a.j.cattapan/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ajcattapan/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24553425-angelhood
Google+: https://plus.google.com/+AJCattapan
Amazon Author Page: www.amazon.com/author/ajcattapan

The Lady and the Mountain Doctor
by Misty M. Beller

Published April 28, 2015
Self Published
Purchase: The Lady and the Mountain Doctor (Mountain Dreams Series Book 2)

Miriam Bryant has always dreamed of leaving the never-ending work of her family's remote mountain ranch to travel abroad as a genteel lady. She's thrilled when the opportunity finally arises, but a gruesome hunting accident crushes her plans, leaving her stranded for weeks in a mining town. The single bright spot in her disappointment comes in the form of this mountain town's newest doctor…

Fresh out of medical school, Alex Donaghue is excited to join his brother's practice and prove himself in the mining town of Butte, in Montana Territory. But the tough conditions in the mines and the brutal winter are worse than he expected. Now a mysterious lung disease is killing patients he fought so hard to cure. The single bright spot in this dreary place comes in the form of their newest patient…

But when Miriam's life is threatened by the effects of a medical tragedy, will Alex have what it takes to save the woman he's come to love? Will Miriam ever find the place God created her for, or is it too late?

Get to know Misty...

What are you reading right now? 
The Still of Night by Kristen Heitzmann. Kristen is one of my favorite authors, and I had the amazing opportunity to meet her at a writer's workshop earlier this year. What an amazing person!

Do you have a nickname? Care to share? 
One of my ongoing quirks is that I'm a bit of a Mountain Dew-aholic. Some of my friends that know me best lovingly call me "Dewey".

Would you rather go to the future or go to the past? 
Oh, the past! I would want to live out West in the 1870s (which happens to be the time period I write in the most!)

Website: http://www.mistymbeller.com/

::WINNER::

I had the lovely Caryl McAdoo on the blog last week and she offered a copy of her novel, Sing a New Song.
We've got a winner...

L. Afong

Congratulations! Contact me via the blogger contact form to the right and we'll arrange to get your copy to you :)

Buried Secrets by Irene Hannon | RE:View

One dead body. One hard-working, former Chicago homicide detective. One ex-Navy SEAL.

I don't know about you, but that sounds like a recipe for a great romantic suspense novel, and I'm happy to tell you that it is! I jumped into Irene Hannon's latest series, Men of Valor, with gusto and I was not disappointed. I enjoyed Trapped and Deceived from her A Private Justice series and was interested to see what Buried Secrets was all about.

Lisa Grant is beautiful and smart. She's got an eye toward being the best police chief the small-town of Carson has seen, and brings with her a history of crime fighting from the tough area of Chicago.

Mac McGregor is a former Navy SEAL and tough as nails. Working for County as a detective, he's all about the case until he meets Lisa. Her stunning good looks and no-nonsense attitude surprise and intrigue him. Is she really as independent and tough as she comes across?

With the case spiraling in a direction neither of them expected, Mac and Lisa are tossed together to find a killer that will stop at nothing to cover their tracks! In the midst of all this, sparks fly and Mac and Lisa realize it's more than the summers heat that's warming them up.

I enjoyed this fun read and would definitely recommend it to all fans of Irene's earlier novels as well as those who like a good romantic suspense read. Though there isn't a lot of nail-biting suspense, there is plenty of intrigue and mystery to keep you turning pages late into the night. And did I mention the romantic tension? Because there's the perfect amount of that too!

The only thing I'll say is that there was quite a bit of pointing out how "hot" Lisa Grant was. I understand why in the context, but I fond it a little off-putting initially. Nothing that mars the story or creates a bad dynamic, but I really appreciated when those terms dissipated near the middle to end of the book. It definitely didn't stop me from reading, but it did draw my attention. 

Rating: 4*
Purchase: Buried Secrets: A Novel (Men of Valor)

Book Description
(from Irene's website)

After seven years as a Chicago homicide detective, Lisa Grant has hit a wall. Ready for a kinder, gentler life, she takes a job as a small-town police chief. But the discovery of a human skeleton by a construction crew at the edge of town taxes the resources of her department. A call for assistance brings detective Mac McGregor, an ex-Navy SEAL, to her doorstep. As they work to solve the mystery behind the unmarked grave, danger begins to shadow them. Someone doesn't want this dead person telling any tales—and will stop at nothing to make certain a life-shattering secret stays buried.

_______________

I received a free copy of this book for review purposes, but was under no obligation to read the book or post a review. I do so under my own motivation and the opinions I have expressed in this review are honest and entirely my own.