Kidnapped by Maria Hammarblad

Patricia sees a man standing in the middle of the road and swerves to avoid him. She wrecks her car and wakes up on an alien spaceship as a prisoner of Travis 152. Travis thinks she has some connection to rebel leader William. After a few days he realizes that she is innocent of any wrong doing, however, the Supreme Commander wants her brought in to face her. Travis is a very hard man that has always done what the Alliance wanted with no questions asked. That is until he falls under Patricia's spell. Now he only wants to make her happy and keep her safe. When he asks William to take care of her he agrees, but Patricia knows that the Alliance has captured Travis and she sets out to free him. Travis is glad to see her but angry that she has put herself in harm's way. Now they have to survive in order to get back to Earth. Patricia is the kind of character that you just have to like. She is sweet and compassionate to her captor Travis. It's not long before she falls for him. Travis does a complete 180 after he meets Patricia. He knows he has done bad things but only wants to keep her safe now. Supreme Commander Veronica is the kind of character that you just love to hate. She along with William and his crew a great minor players in the story. Slow at the beginning but then it took off and was one twist and turn after another. This book takes the reader through a wild ride in space. The author gives a glimpse into what could be there beyond the stars. Quite an enjoyable read on a lazy afternoon.

Kaleidoscope by Blanche Marriott

Georgios Andros has lost his passion for music. He feels that something is missing from his life. Janeen Warner is trying to get her business off to a good start and design kaleidoscopes that will be in demand. One day Georgios comes into Janeen's store Chatter Box looking for a gift for his mother. He commissions Janeen to make a one of a kind kaleidoscope for his mother for Mother's Day. After getting to know her, Georgios wants nothing more than to help her achieve success. Janeen though wants to make it on her own with no help at all. Georgios shows some of her work to friends of his and one buyer calls her. She is going to decline the offer knowing that he interfered but the buyer tells her it was her design that won him over. Georgios goes back to composing and even writes a song for Janeen. Janeen finally decides that it is not such a bad thing that Georgios wanted to help her. Janeen is very headstrong and gets insulted every time that Georgios wants to help her. Georgios loves her and just wants to make her life easier and can't understand what he does that makes her so angry with him. Each of them are hard headed in their own way but what flows out of this book is a beautiful love story. The reader can't help but feel pain for both Janeen and Georgios as they find their way to each other. This book is a wonderfully romantic tale that just makes you feel good after reading it. Very quick, easy and entertaining read.

Lost Girl by Anne Francis Scott

Allison Weathers is starting a new life in Dawson Mills. She bought a big old house and wanted to fix it up. She hired Paul Bradford to do the work on it. But before work could start Allison started getting strange feelings in the house. She confided to Paul who told her that he had seen something as a child that had stayed with him all his life. Allison tells Paul that she is trying to find out what happened to her mother. One day in town she meets Toni Harper who works at the local newspaper. She confides to Toni that she is looking into what happened to her mother and mentions that she has seen the spirit of a young boy and a dog. The boy warns her that a bad man is watching her and to be careful. Toni tells her that she would like Allison to meet her niece who has special abilities. Before they can get together though Allison is kidnapped and Paul, Toni, her niece and a reluctant sheriff have to find her before the bad man can hurt her. Allison had a hard time dealing with her husband's death. When she sees his spirit her father has her committed to a mental hospital. Now she just wants to take control of her life, but when she starts hearing things and seeing things she thinks she is going insane. Paul has been living with the knowledge that he saw a little girl years ago and she just disappeared. He believes that Allison is sensitive to the spirits and wants to help her figure out what is going on. Toni, was in a relationship with the sheriff Ray but he could not accept that her niece had special abilities. Toni, however, believes everything that Allison tells her. This is the kind of book that just builds and builds from the start. It grabs a hold of you and does not let go until it's finished. Lots of suspense and tension that will keep the heart thumping from beginning to end. The author has an excellent mix of mystery and paranormal activity to deliver an excellent book. Well worth the time to read this one.

His Brother's Baby by Blanche Marriott

David Rutland has always cleaned up his twin brother Damien's messes. So, when Gabriella Santori calls upset looking for Damien. When Damien leaves town instead of meeting Gabriella, David meets her instead. There is a ice storm and after David takes her home someone wrecks Damien's car that he is driving. He stays at Gabriella and one thing leads to another. Several months later she calls looking for Damien again to tell him that she is expecting. She is about to be evicted from her apartment and David talks to his parents and they invite her to move in with them. David had fallen completely in love with her, but fears she wants his brother. When David confesses she thinks she will not be able to trust him, but then they figure out that the baby is indeed David's and not Damien's as they thought. David is the good brother while Damien is the playboy that continually gets in trouble. David has spent his whole life cleaning up after his brother. Then he meets Gabriella and feels he is competing yet again with his twin. He wants her to forget about his brother and concentrate on him. Gabriella not having grown up with her biological father feels that Damien should have a chance to know his child. Even though she has feelings for David she is strong in her conviction. Very fast and very easy read, a sweet romance that just makes you feel good in the end. The perfect book to read in a short period of time.

All My Tomorrows by Collette Saucier

Alice's job is writing for the soap opera All My Tomorrows. Peter wants out of his contract on a prime time drama. The deal he got is to appear for a limited time on Alice's soap. She is less than enthusiastic when Peter, his agent Jack and girlfriend Winnie show up for filming. Alice has all kinds of misconceptions where Peter is concerned. He leaves to film a movie in which Alice's friend Eileen is in too. However, when Eileen invites Alice to come on location she fails to tell her that Peter will be there too. One night after getting very drunk Alice tells Peter just what she thinks of him and the next morning he sets her straight about some of things she said. After they finally have a night together another crisis on the show tears them apart, but Peter's reaction during the crisis shows Alice just the kind of man he is and that he is the kind of man she wants. Alice is very headstrong and believes what she is told about Peter. Peter never bothered to refute any of the stories told about him until it began to matter with Alice. So many things were getting in the way of Alice's happily ever after. Finally they needed a little help from their friends to find their way back to each other. Loved the story within the story too, as Alice reads a book that had been her mother's. Ms. Saucier tells a wonderful love story with a sensual flare that warms the heart. Romance at it's best delivered on a silver platter.

Heaven in your Eyes by Lori Leger

Annie's brother Red is married to Drake's sister Tiffany. The first time they met they gave each other false names. After that Drake was determined to make Annie his. However, Annie was not of like mind. Then on New Year's Eve Annie is attacked in the parking lot of her brother's club. Drake finds her and get her away from there. They realize later that Annie told her attacker that Red was her brother and he had a way of finding her. He told her that this time they would find no evidence in his truck. Drake decided that Annie needed protection and moved in with her. He tried over and over to convince Annie that he loved her but she would have no part of it. Then she is attacked and Drake gets hurt, finally she comes to realize just what he means to her. This is the fourth book in Ms. Leger's Fleur de Love series. Both Annie and Drake were in Brown Eyed Girl, Red and Tiffany's story. Annie is trying to be independent, she does not want to depend on or love anyone. She had been hurt when she was a teenager and also took her own life. Drake was nothing if not persistent and would not give up on her. Loved that Chad and Julia's story was resolved at the end. The best part about series books is revisiting characters as if they are old friends and that's just they way these books are. The stories that Ms. Leger tells give a little suspense and a lot of love they totally captivate the reader. No better way to spend an afternoon than curled up with one of this author's books.

Way Out West by Blanche Marriott

Callie has made a lot of bad choices in her life when it came to men. On the run from her biker boyfriend she takes a job as a saloon girl in Way Out West. When she misses the coach to the town she meets Rand who gives her a ride. Rand too, has had a hard time finding the woman. After his divorce, the women he dated only wanted him for his money and what he could give them. He keeps his true identity from Callie. As he had hoped she fell for the man and not the name or what he has. Then Tyler Thornton shows up in Way Out West. Rand knows he is up to no good and begins to research him. He is the brother of a man that Rand had fired. When Rand leaves to put an end to Kyle Thornton's interference in Way Out West, Tyler kidnaps Callie and forces her to help him with the brothers plan. Callie is not impressed with Way Out West but she does not want to be a quitter again and vows to see her month through. Rand loves Way Out West because it's the one place that he feels like he can be himself. Only a select few people know that he owns the town and he wants to keep it that way. From the beginning there is a spark between Callie and Rand. Their whole courtship is a throwback to old west times. A sweet romance that just makes you feel good after reading it. Fast easy read and definitely worth the time.

Loving Again by Peggy Bird

Amanda was wrongly accused of killing her boyfriend Tommy. Detective Sam Richardson believed her and helped her prove her innocence. Now Amanda is moving to Seattle from Portland to accept a residency at the best glass school in the country. They have one night together before she leaves and then because of circumstances they keep missing opportunities to visit. Then Amanda has a show and Sam travels to Seattle to surprise her. When she gets home they begin to see each other regularly, he even introduces her to his sons. Then another glass artist accuses Amanda of stealing his designs. Finally he calls to meet her and discuss a price for him to back off but he and a teacher at Bulleye Resource Center are murdered and the killer tries to set Amanda up. She tries to distance herself from Sam and deliberately keeps things from him. Then she is going to pay off the killer to keep Sam safe and everything comes to a head. Amanda is afraid that Sam will get in trouble at work because of her and omits things when they talk. Sam just wants to keep Amanda safe and out of harms way. When Sam is removed from the case his partner steps in and know that Amanda is not telling all. Very good storyline with steamy romance, some mystery and a bit of murder to keep the reader's interest all the way through. A good book to curl up with and spend an afternoon lost in it's pages.

Sleeping with the Lights On by Brenda Whiteside

Sandra thinks that her future is wrapped up in Wesley. That is until he asks her to be his personal assistant. Wesley's tenant Eva tries to warn Sandra away from Wesley, and Sandra begins to think that Eva is stalking her. Then Sandra's ex Carson comes to town and her feelings for him become all confused. Meanwhile her sister Abby's marriage hits a rocky place and Sandra wants to help her sister through it. Carson and Sandra used to write songs together and after a passionate encounter she finds out that he is really there to get her to accept a payoff and give up her royalty rights. Before he can explain, she kicks him out but he returns and they are both held hostage by Eva who professes her love for Sandra. They are rescued when Abby and her husband Gary show up to tell Sandra their big news. Fifty year old Sandra longs for her life to be complete. To her that means a job she loves and a man she loves. Things however have not been going her way. Carson has never been able to forget her and when his manager wants to write her out of Carson's life, he can't do it. Lots of quirky characters in this story, Wesley the rich sort of boyfriend, his tenant Eva and his ex girlfriend Azalea. Each lend a new facet to the storyline. However, the love and passion between Sandra and Carson can not be denied. It takes them awhile to figure things out and it's a wild ride on the way to a happy ending.

Death Goes Postal by Rosemary and Larry Mild

Abner Fraume is killed by Emil Kravitz for some research work and artifacts that are worth a lot of money. However, they were not in Abner's possession. He did send his sister Edythe clues as to the whereabouts of the artifacts. So, Emil heads to America to find Abner's letters and the clues they contain. Edythe has cancer and her husband Bernie has Alzheimer's and she is worried about the bookstore they own called Olde Victorian Bookstore. She talks to their customer's Rivka and Daniel Sherman who run their mystery critique group and asks they to buy the shop. The Sherman's agree and shortly after Edythe succumbs to her illness. Things start happening around the shop and they learn from their employee Liz about the letter's from Edythe's brother and the research he did. They learn of Abner's murder and realize Emil is looking for what they have in their possession. Emil kidnaps Rivka and Daniel along with the FBI try to uncover where he has taken her and get her back. There is a lot going on in this book. People who are not who they seem to be and Daniel and Rivka they are all suspects in Abner's murder. They decide the murderer has to be one of the new members of their critique group. They don't know who to trust and each is interrogated after Liz is attacked and the bookstore is broken into. Lots of twists and turns in this story, including Abner's two children meeting for the first time. Each part of the story is tied up at the end and everything is explained in detail. Well written plot that is effortless to read. Nice way to pass time reading such an enjoyable tale that keeps you guessing from the first.

Price of Justice by Alan Brenham

Dani Mueller was Karla Engel in another life. Her daughter was raped and brutally murdered. The man who killed her was found not guilty and let go. Dani took matters into her own hands and ended the man's life. Now his family is out to get her. They terrorized her so badly that she changed her name and started a new life. Jason Scarsdale's wife was killed in an auto accident. He and his daughter Shannon are learning to live without her. Jason is a cop and is doing his best to end a pedophile ring. Dani now working as an analyst for the police department and Jason begin working on a case together. Informants die and Jason's mother in law slaps him with a custody suit. To top it all off his daughter is kidnapped and a man from Dani's past comes to end her life. To put an end to the pedophile ring Jason and his partner Harris have to bring to light corruption in the police department. There is a lot going on in this book. The heartbreaking death's of Jason's wife and Dani's daughter bring them to a mutual understanding. Not only do they have to deal with stressful work lives, but each of them have to deal with personal stresses too. Jason when he thinks he could lose his daughter and Dani when her past catches up with her. Mr. Brenham tells a story of murder, corruption and overcoming grief. It will keep the reader on the edge of their seat with an action packed plot from beginning to end.

Revenge of the Mad Scientist by Lara Nance

Lady Arabella and her father Sir John attended a ball the night before the signing of a treaty between their country of Urbannia and the country of Gandiss. At the ball Belle met the Ambassador of Gandiss. Before the ball was over Sir John had been kidnapped and Gandiss had been blamed for it. The Ambassador sent a message to Belle and told her his country was not involved. She decided along with her ward Benji and her butler Jasper to set out and find her father. The first airship they hire is struck by lightning and they have to find other transportation. The only other ship is owned by Rett Brockton who left Belle at the alter several years before. She relents and hires the Gambit to take them to Carabarras. Their journey is fraught with adventures including finding the niece of the Ambassador and Benji being made king of the Mandagol people. This book is non stop action from the first. Kidnappings, pirates and slave traders abound in the pages to make an exciting read. Somehow they seem to evade all that others try to do to them. Belle wants nothing more than to find her father and stop a world war. Rett wants to make money to pay back the Baron whom he owes big time. They are thrust together after he leaves her at the altar and she reluctantly hires him to help her in her quest. Lots of wonderful minor characters in Benji, Jasper and Armani. This is the first so called steampunk book that I have read and I have to say that I enjoyed it from beginning to end. Anyone familiar with this genre is sure to enjoy this book.

Tattoos Leather and Studs by Brenda Whiteside

Rachael's sister Shelly thinks Rachael needs to get back into dating and spice up her life. So, she sets her up with Jason, only telling Rachael that he is in maketing. When Jason arrives at Rachael's he is dressed in leather, studs and tattoos. She immediately thinks he is a bad boy and is not sure that is what she wants. They go to the concert, which she does not care for and through an incident there she is sure that he is a drug dealer. Then the lead singer, comes on to Rachael and she is thinking will the evening ever end. They wind up at the singer's penthouse where Rachael is given champagne laced with something. Jason gets the idea that she wants to stay with Lude but when he goes to leave she gets mad. Finally they talk and set some things straight. Cute little story of a blind date and what can go wrong but ends up right in the end. After seeing Jason at her apartment Rachael has a preconceived idea about him. Unfortunately circumstances on the date seem to concur. It also shows that looks can be deceiving and not in a bad way after all. Liked both of the main characters and it even had a character you would love to hate in Lude. This is a very quick and easy read and could be done in no time. It's a feel good little romance that will just make you sigh when you are done.

Dangerous Proposal by Jessica Lauryn

Alec Westwood was recruited by an organization as a hired assassin. He was 19 at the time and when it came time for his first kill he could not do it. Alec then dedicated his life to saving others by becoming a doctor. Lena Benson was engaged to Lucas Ramone and didn't want to be. She overheard Lucas talking to his father one night and knew she had to get out of there. Lena ends up in North Conway where she has an accident. She meets Alec, who sees an amulet she is wearing that is the symbol of the organization and thinks she is there to lead him into a trap. Lena thinks that Alec is working for Lucas and keeping tabs on her. Everything comes to a head at the costume ball held by Alec's parents. Then both the secrets that Lena and Alec have held since they met are revealed. There are a lot of misconceptions running through this story and each of the main characters try to find a way to deal with each other. Neither one of them can fully trust the other without coming clean about themselves. There are a lot of elements packed into the pages of this book. Things like organized crime and the Ramone family with their greed, sibling rivalry between Alec and his older brother Colin and witchcraft involving Jack who works with Lena at the daycare. All are blended into a tale that just keeps you reading and reading to see what will happen next. Enjoyable fast paced romantic suspense.

Just Out of Reach by Danette Kriehn

Natalie was beaten and verbally abused by her mother growing up. All she wanted to do was get away and live a normal life. But, when she was 14 her mother's boyfriend almost killed her and did kill her mother. After she recovered Natalie disappeared and moved to Sarasota, where she met a woman named Bernie. Bernie took her in and gave her a sense of safety and peace. After her near death experience Natalie was able to hear voices of those who passed on from violent crimes. There is a killer in Sarasota and Natalie hears from one of the victims. Jacob Riggs is an FBI agent who is taking over the case from the local chief of police. He does not believe in the paranormal but feels an attraction to Natalie. He reluctantly agrees to work with her and they determines that the murders are somehow connected to her past. Natalie is a very strong determined character. She is also very sensitive to her patients and those who contact her from beyond. Jake is dealing with not only the murders in the present time but is haunted by the murder of his sister when she was a teenager. He is not into the paranormal at all. This book is romantic suspense at it's best. The story is effortless from beginning to end, with just enough sexual tension to spice it up. It's a fast and easy read that will keep the reader at the edge of their seat as they try to figure out just who done it. Very well written book and worth the time to read it.

Last First Kiss by Lori Leger

Giselle worked for Jackson and thought of his as Satan. She referred to him like that many times. Her husband Toby could not understand her feeling and tried to change her mind. Then both Giselle's and Jackson's lives were changed in a moment. Both of their spouses were killed in an accident in which Giselle and Jackson were both injured. Jackson had fallen out of love with his wife years ago and learned after her death just how she manipulated him. Giselle sunk into a deep depression after Toby's death and Jackson and his Uncle Bill tried to help. It seemed his Uncle Bill and co-worker Carrie had known for years that Jackson was secretly in love with Giselle. It was Bill talking to Giselle about his wife's death that brought her out of the depression she was in. After that Giselle ran hot and cold toward Jackson and just when she was ready to start a relationship she learned that her husband might have cheated with Jackson's wife. Because of that she broke off her relationship with Jackson, but when he is injured she realizes that she does not want a life without him. This is the second book in the Fleur de Love series. It shows how depression can grab a hold and not let go. Giselle suffered so much after the death of her husband that she didn't want to eat, take care of herself or her children. Luckily she had good friends to pick her up and get her back on track. Jackson, was relieved when his wife passed. He learned just how she had tricked him all through their marriage and now he wants the real thing. He falls instantly in love with Mac and Lexie, Giselle and Toby's daughters. This is not only a heartbreaking story but also a heartwarming story. One that the reader will want to savor for a long time to come. Ms. Leger is a brilliant storyteller, with each book that comes through loud and clear. I would recommend this book and any other book by Ms. Leger.

Pulse and Prejudice by Collete L. Saucier

Elizabeth Bennet meets William Darcy the same time that her sister Jane meets Charles Bingley. Jane is enamored of Charles but Elizabeth is not so with Mr. Darcy. Between Bingley's sister and Darcy they conspire to end the potential romance between Bingley and Jane. Elizabeth's opinion of Mr. Darcy takes a further plunge when she learns of his interference in her sister's affairs. However, Mr. Darcy offers for Elizabeth's hand and is turned down in an instant. He writes Elizabeth a letter and explains his acquaintance with Wickham, who slandered him to Elizabeth. He also tells her that like Wickham he is a vampire. When next they meet he is afraid that Elizabeth will be frightened of him, which she is not. Wickham then takes off with her sister Lydia and Darcy goes and handles the situation. Not long after he learns from his aunt that Elizabeth still has feelings for him, so he sets out to reunite her sister Jane with Bingley and obtain Elizabeth's good favor. The timeless story of Elizabeth Bennet and William Darcy is told but this time with a twist. There is still antagonism between the two from the first. However, the story is told this time through the eyes of Darcy. How he tries to handle his affliction and his struggle with his affection for Elizabeth. Trusting her with his secret and her ability to keep that secret shows the true love between them. This is a love story like no other and even though it is taken from a classic the integrity of the book is still there just added upon by the author. Her story of vampire-ism flows very well with the rest of the book, almost like it was there from the beginning. The kind of story to curl up with on cold or rainy day, to be lost in the pure enjoyment of a really good book.

Captive by Timothy Allen Smith

Mark O'Connor has just buried his mother. The next night he and his wife Amber have tickets to the theater. Amber doesn't know that Mark intends to confront the father that deserted him and his mother. Lisa Woodward and her boyfriend Walter, also have tickets to the theater that night. Lisa would love for their relationship to culminate in marriage but Walter is not ready to commit. In the lobby Walter and Lisa and Mark and Amber have a confrontation. Before anything can be settled they are all taken captive and put in a basement room with five other people. For Mark and Amber everything is black and white with no wiggle room. Everyone else in the room sees things with shades of gray. This causes some hostility as they each try to deal with what is happening to them and try to survive. This book was a real page turner. Not only do you have the whole hostage story but along with it is a theme of prejudice and hostility by some of the captives. It shows how some people in our society today are rigid and unbending. It also shows that others have a spirit of compassion and acceptance. Though a lot of the focus of the book are on the four people already mentioned there are five others in that room each with a story of their own. Eleodora and her daughter Lena, Eleodora put her daughter before herself and trusted in her faith. Robert who abandoned his wife and son because of his gay lifestyle and who now meets his adult son in Mark. Toshia and her brother Dexter who lost their parents and at 18 Toshia became her brother's guardian. Thought provoking book that makes you wonder how you would react in the same situation. This book is very apropos for this day and time. Mr. Smith tells a masterful story that makes you want more and will have you sitting on the edge of your seat waiting for the next book.

Trespasses by Anne Patrick

Mackayla's daughter was abducted and murdered. Her husband blamed her and their marriage feel apart. She became a forensic artist helping parents find their missing children. Gabe's family was in one of the planes that hit the twin towers on 9/11. Both his wife and daughter were killed. Since then his life has been his job as an FBI profiler. Mackayla and Gabe meet because of a case in which three young women are killed and buried in the yard of a U.S. Senator. Both of them think that the Senator and his son are involved but they have to find hard evidence. Gabe witnesses Mackayla's strong faith and realizes that his has fallen by the wayside. With their jobs and current case drawing them apart, Gabe tries to find his way back to God and back to Mackayla. The second book of Ms. Patrick's Wounded Heroes series. Both of the main characters have dealt with pain and sadness in their lives. Each has dealt with it in a different way though. Mackayla was drawn closer to God, but Gabe drifted away. Through the book Gabe begins to realize his need for a comforting and loving God. Enjoyed the Biblical reference of the three Hebrew young men that were thrown in the fire. It helped Gabe when Mackayla explained that God was with the three men and He was with her during her time of sorrow. Was nice to see Sean and Kory from Kill Shot make an appearance in this one. There were no lapses in the story and seemed to flow seamlessly from beginning to end. I for one will be looking forward to the next book in the series. Ms. Patrick is a Christian fiction author definitely worth reading.

The Truth About Dandelions by Hayley Linfield

Mara's parents divorced when she was young. She lived with her mother until a homeless man killed her mother. She was then sent to live with her father and his mistress in England. But then her father commits suicide and she is shipped back to Canada to live with a distant cousin. Even though she is loved by Cousin and Auntie, damage has already been done. Mara's life is a mess and steadily getting worse. Her schoolwork is fine, but it's after her classes that she falls apart. Her life is drinking and sex and many nights she does not even know the name of the guy she has been with. Then one day she is hit by a car driven by Jack. Jack begins taking her where she needs to go and tells her that he wants to get to know her. However, Jack does not want to have sex and Mara can not understand this. She does change however, until Jack makes her mad. She then sleeps with three other guys and becomes pregnant. Now Mara has to make decisions not only to make her child happy but to make herself happy too. The story is told in present times and also through flashbacks into Mara's childhood. In the beginning of the book Mara is not a very strong character, but she changes throughout the book and really turns her life around. Jack is a quiet influence in her life and it's through meeting him that she realizes she does not want to lead the kind of life that she has been. At one point she tells Jack, “Maybe every moment of your life defines you,” I say after a pause. “Maybe you're not as simplistic as one to two weak moments.” In the end she philosophizes. Things don’t always follow logic or common sense. Bizarre things happen. People with loved ones, dependent on them, are destroyed in freakish ways; mothers, filled with beautiful music, are ripped apart by lunacy and chance; speeding subways smash into fathers, knocking the life out of them; planes fall out of skies onto frightened young women. But we go on. This is not a feel good book, however you can't help and pull for Mara to be happy in the end. An interesting read and worth the time it takes to read it.

Nice Girls Can Win by Suzanne M. Hurley

Jessie was fired, dumped and evicted all in one day. She had school loans to pay off so asks to move back in with her mother. She and her mother did not get along because she feels her mother neglected her for her art. Jessie's father left them when she was 10. Brian “Red”, moved in next door while his father was dying of cancer. He and Jessie had a tolerant relationship at best. Red caught his fiancee with his partner in a compromising position and was leery of a new relationship, just as Jessie was. Since Jessie was no longer practicing law, she decided to open a dog daycare in her mother's old studio with her mother's blessing. Red and some of his friends helped with roofing and soundproofing the studio. Jessie embarks on a journey to discover just what she wants to do with her life, which she learns when she helps one of her pro bono cases. However, she thinks Red has gotten back together with his ex fiance and doesn't know if he will be part of her life. Everything was thrown at Jessie at once and she is not sure how to cope. Then she learns things about her parents that she has to struggle to learn to forgive. Her journey was a tough one but she came through and learned to cope with everything that life handed her. Which is a good lesson for anyone to learn. The whole story is told through Jessie's words and eyes. The reader sees her vulnerability along with her strength. With help from her friends and family she begins a new and better life. Ms. Hurley is a new author for me and I enjoyed this book tremendously. I'm sure I will be looking for more entertaining books by her in the future.

A House Divided by Sydell Voeller

Rebecca and her daughter Wendy have moved back to Rebecca's hometown. A year earlier her husband was killed by a mentally disturbed fan. Now she is renting the upstairs of the home where she met her husband. The garden of the home was the site of her wedding. The house now belongs to Dr. Mark Simons. He has plans for the house, that was used for the filming of a movie in which Rebecca and her husband met. He wants to tear the house down and rebuild a halfway house on the site. Rebecca is distressed when she learns this and tells Mark that she wants to buy the house and preserve it. Mark declines her offer and goes ahead with his plans. Then he receives a threatening note, a couple of weeks later his dog is poisoned and then the guest house is burned to the ground. Rebecca has feelings for Mark but since he can not commit she decides that she and Wendy will move back to California and start over again. Both of the main characters have issues with their faith. Rebecca has lost her's after the death of her husband and Mark isn't doing things for the glory of God but looking for absolution. Each are flawed but they come together and learn that they need to put their trust in the Lord. The author keeps you guessing throughout the book, since any one of three people could have been behind Mark's troubles. Well written with a good balance between description and dialogue. The journey of Rebecca and Mark coming to true faith is well worth the time to read this book. Christian fiction readers will enjoy this book.

Brown Eyed Girl by Lori Leger

Scott “Red” McAlister has a thing for Doctor Tiffany LeBlanc. Tiffany, however, is engaged to Tanner Collins. Tanner is not a faithful man and both Red and Tiffany know this. Tiffany's childhood was one of neglect by both her parents, they were unfaithful to each other and her mother told Tiffany that is the way it's supposed to be. Finally after spending Thanksgiving with Red's family, Tiffany sees how his parents are and realizes that she can not marry Tanner after she learns of his last infidelity. Red is there for her and helps her move out of the condo that she and Tanner shared. Red is the kind of man that Tiffany wants in her life and they realize they are falling in love. After becoming engaged things start happening in Red's life. He is accused of starting a fire in his club in which a pregnant woman is killed. Red does not want the bad things in his life to reflect on Tiffany and breaks their engagement. When things calm down they reconnect and then Red decides that she needs her father in her life. He goes to see him behind Tiffany's back and she is not happy about it. This is the book with everything. There is romance, betrayal, murder, mystery and family saga thrown in for good measure. Packed from beginning to end, this is a book that you can't put down. It is a real page turner and an excellent read. The author weaves a story that is very believable with characters that you just fall in love with. Although this book is part of a series, I had no problem reading it out of order. It did, however, make me want to read the rest of the series. I will definitely read more of Ms. Leger's work. I would definitely recommend this book from this wonderful author.

Kill Shot by Anne Patrick

Kory's sister Callie is killed in what police say is a hit and run. Kory, however, believes that her sister was beaten to death. She goes to the old campground that her grandfather sold and takes a cabin with the intent of finding her sister's killer. She meets her investigator at the warehouse she is trying to sell. When she arrives she finds he has been shot and someone is still there and trying to kill her. Sean Harding is the sheriff and looking into the shooting at the warehouse. He finally gets Kory to talk to him and they set out together to find out who killed Callie and also wants Kory dead. Through all of this Kory is dealing with PTSD, from her years in the service and her tours of duty overseas. Will God's help she is trying to get her life back in order. Very strong female lead in Kory. She wants to do everything herself and has a hard time accepting help. This book gives insight into PTSD and what veteran's have to deal with in becoming and civilian again. The flashbacks Kory has show war at it's ugliest but also show another side of the people who inhabit the countries where she went. Sean is also a very strong character who wants to keep Kory safe. He does all he can to make sure she will be alright when the traumatic time is over. Each of them come to faith from different angles. Sean know's that God is who helps him through his days. Kory has to learn that even though she turned her back on God, He was still there for her. Well written Christian fiction, with a very good storyline. This book is a very good read.