Michelle Shocklee: The Women of OakRidge

By Kelly Bridgewater

In the hills of Tennessee, two women work at a Manhattan Project site during World War II and uncover truths that irrevocably change their lives in this captivating new story from award-winning Southern fiction author Michelle Shocklee.

1944. Maebelle Willett arrives in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, eager to begin her new government job and send money home to her impoverished family. She knows little about the work she will be doing, but she’s told it will help America win the war. Not all is what it seems, however. Though Oak Ridge employees are forbidden from discussing their jobs, Mae’s roommate begins sharing disturbing information, then disappears without a trace. Mae desperately attempts to find her but instead comes face-to-face with a life-altering revelation—one that comes at significant cost.

1979. Laurel Willett is a graduate student in Boston when she learns about the history of Oak Ridge, Tennessee, where thousands unknowingly worked on the atomic bomb. Intrigued because she knows her Aunt Mae was employed there, Laurel decides to spend the summer with her aunt, hoping to add a family connection to her thesis research. But Mae adamantly refuses to talk about her time in the Secret City. Mae’s friends, however, offer to share their experiences, propelling Laurel on her path to uncovering the truth about a missing woman. As Laurel works to put the pieces together, the hidden pain and guilt Mae has tried so hard to bury comes to light . . . with potentially disastrous consequences. 

 

My Thoughts:

The Women of Oak Ridge by Michelle Shocklee is a unique look into the Manhattan Project during World War II. Most students who have studied World War II have learned about the Manhattan Project, but never heard about a little town that helped create the atomic bomb. Readers will enjoy how Shocklee takes the stories of characters who actually worked and dealt with the issues there and brought it to the forefront of their knowledge. The characters' struggle and defeat were realistic and harrowing. Mae's story will keep readers' guessing and wondering what really happened. I couldn't read fast enough. I really want to know what happened. Why did it affect her so much? What happened to her? Shocklee laid out a wonderful story, and I felt engrossed in the plot. This story reminded me a lot of her story The Tulip Tree, that I absolutely loved and still think about today. I recommend this story and hope others love it as well as I did.

I received a complimentary copy of The Women of Oak Ridge of Michelle Shocklee from Tyndale Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Purchase The Women of Oak Ridge

Michelle Shocklee: All We Thought We Knew

 By Kelly Bridgewater

She was so sure she knew her family’s story . . . Now she wonders if she was wrong about all of it.

1969. When Mattie Taylor’s twin brother was killed in Vietnam, she lost her best friend and the only person who really understood her. Now, news that her mother is dying sends Mattie back home, despite blaming her father for Mark’s death. Mama’s last wish is that Mattie would read some old letters stored in a trunk, from people Mattie doesn’t even know. Mama insists they hold the answers Mattie is looking for.

1942. Ava Delaney is picking up the pieces of her life following her husband’s death at Pearl Harbor. Living with her mother-in-law on a secluded farm in Tennessee is far different than the life Ava imagined when she married only a few short months ago. Desperate to get out of the house, Ava seeks work at a nearby military base, where she soon discovers the American government is housing Germans who they have classified as enemy aliens. As Ava works to process legal documents for the military, she crosses paths with Gunther Schneider, a German who is helping care for wounded soldiers. Ava questions why a man as gentle and kind as Gunther should be forced to live in the internment camp, and as they become friends, her sense of the injustice grows . . . as do her feelings for him. Faced with the possibility of losing Gunther, Ava must choose whether loving someone deemed the enemy is a risk worth taking, even if it means being ostracized by all those around her.

In the midst of pain and loss two women must come face-to-face with their own assumptions about what they thought they knew about themselves and others. What they discover will lead to a far greater appreciation of their own legacies and the love of those dearest to them.

 

My Thoughts:

All We Thought We Knew by Michelle Shocklee combines the world of World War II and the Vietnam war. This is definitely a unique and different perspective. I have not read many stories about the Vietnam war. My uncles do not like to talk about it, so I know they do not want to share the horrors that they had to endure. I know this was the Hippie era where there were many protests across America and college campus. But other than that, I really did not know much about this time period. I would have liked to see more of a justification for Mattie not wanting her brother and friend, Nash, to join the Marines to go fight in Vietnam. It was covered, but slightly. I wanted a little more depth to this aspect of the novel. This is a timeslip novel, so there is two time periods that depend on each other in order to solve the mystery by the end of the story. A little bit of romance in both periods. A horse farm as the setting and a camp in other. Shocklee does a wonderful job at bringing the settings to my imagination. Overall, All We Thought We Knew by Michelle Shocklee ventures into the Vietnam War Era and ties a thread to the World War II era. From heroic characters to characters with doubts, Shocklee invites readers into a world of questioning why readers believe what they believe. It is okay to dive deeper to cement pre-conceived ideas.

I received a complimentary copy of All We Thought We Knew by Michelle Shocklee from  Tyndale Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating:  3.5 out of 5 stars

Purchase All We Thought We Knew

Lynn Austin: Waiting for Christmas

By Kelly Bridgewater

In this hope-filled Gilded Age Christmas novella from bestselling author Lynn Austin, the year is 1901 and the hustle and bustle of the holidays is descending on New York’s Fifth Avenue.

For the first time in her privileged life, Adelaide Forsythe won’t be swept up in it. She couldn’t be happier about the prospect of a quieter Christmas. That’s not to say her transition from Miss to Mrs. has been without challenge. Though she doesn’t regret marrying for love instead of wealth, she can barely light the hearth or cook more than burnt toast. She feels woefully unprepared to run her own household.

Then, on the first Sunday of Advent, winter winds bring change through two unlikely means: a young orphan boy, hiding near Adelaide’s front steps, and a seasoned housekeeper who seems too good to be true.

The boy, Jack, claims he isn’t an orphan at all and is desperate to reunite his family. Adelaide and her husband Howard work tirelessly to solve the riddle of Jack’s story, while Adelaide’s new endeavors open her eyes to a world beyond her past experience―and all the challenge and possibility it holds. As Christmas approaches, small glimmers of wonder light the way toward the answers Adaleide seeks and the most miraculous gift of all.

 

My Thoughts:

Waiting for Christmas by Lynn Austin is a continuing story of All My Secrets. Austin titles the four parts of the story to go along with the Christmas Advent Candles. This is a feel good Christmas story. I love the heart of Adelaide, and how she wants to help Jack. Even so far as to travel to a less-than-desirable places in New York City. At first, Howard wants to give Adelaide a life that she is accustomed too, but as she keeps purchasing slight things, he feels the purse strings tightening a little more and more. Eventually, Howard as a change of heart. Adelaide and Howard are trying to make a better Christmas for "not an orphan" Jack. All the resources Adelaide and Howard use to try to help Jack pursue his Christmas wish is a delight to watch. The plot was nicely handled and made me want to grab a cup of cocoa and turn on the Christmas music while reading the story. This novella will look nice on my shelf with all her other books. I recommend fans of Lynn Austin's stories or anyone who loves a good historical feel-good Christmas story pick up this story. I believe you will not be disappointed.

I received a complimentary copy of Waiting for Christmas by Lynn Austin from Tyndale Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Purchase Waiting for Christmas

Connie Mann: The Crown Conspiracy

By Kelly Bridgewater

She’s a master at spotting a forgery . . . and knowing how to create one. But can she solve a decades-old mystery?

The media spotlight is the last thing art thief and forger Sophie Williams needs. But when one of three long-missing royal portraits turns up in Germany at her best friend’s art gallery, the spotlight is exactly what she gets. Since the tragic deaths of Princess Johanna of Neuhansberg and her two children forty years ago, the whereabouts of these portraits have been unknown . . . and the timing of their reappearance—just days before a new prince’s coronation—reignites questions surrounding the infamous accident.

Then Sophie’s best friend vanishes, and a rumor about hidden treasure connected to the paintings’ surfaces, seemingly confirmed by a cryptic message on the back of the first canvas. Convinced that finding the other two portraits will lead to her friend, Sophie begins a twisty investigation that pits her against other ruthless treasure hunters, a handsome who seems to dog her trail at every turn, and a mysterious group that offers help, wearing an emblem identical to one on the painting.

From Germany’s grand castles and soaring cathedrals through the Alps to the canals of Venice, Sophie must choose her allies carefully if she hopes to find the portraits, rescue her best friend—and perhaps save a throne—before time runs out.

 

My Thoughts:

The Crown Conspiracy by Connie Mann thrills a non-stop chase with a number of paintings through Europe. This is the first book by Mann that I have ever read, and I was delighted to read all the non-stop action without any romance. I enjoyed how the story kept having the characters run from one place to another. I do enjoy the mystery clues written on the back of the pictures. Suspenseful novels are a great way to pass time as readers flip through the pages. Mann does a wonderful job at having a handful of villains chasing the women who are the heroes of the novels. I enjoy how Mann takes a group of women, some who are nuns, and have them helping chasing and fighting the bad guys. I love the scenery of being in Europe. Since I have never been, it was nice to have the characters running through churches and canals in Venice as they run for their lives. If readers love stories that feature characters that will return in upcoming novels and love plenty of non-stop action, then this is a good book to enjoy.

I received a complimentary copy of The Crown Conspiracy by Connie Mann from Tyndale Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating:  4.5 out of 5 stars

Purchase The Crown Conspiracy

Patricia Raybon: Truth Be Told

By Kelly Bridgewater

Denver's newest detective. A garden's deadly secrets.

On a lovely June night in 1924, amateur detective Annalee Spain is mingling bravely at a high-class political fundraiser in the lush backyard garden of famed political fixer Cooper Coates, one of the wealthiest men in Denver's Black neighborhood of Five Points. When Coates’s young daughter discovers a pretty stranger dead in her father’s garden shed, Annalee is thrust onto the baffling new case just as she’s reeling from another recent discovery―a handwritten letter, found buried in her own garden, that reveals the identity of her mother.

Not ready to face the truth about her hidden past, Annalee throws herself into solving the mystery of the young woman’s demise. With the help of her pastor boyfriend Jack Blake, her orphaned buddy Eddie, and her trustworthy church friends, Annalee follows the clues to three seemingly disconnected settings―a traveling carnival set up downtown, a Black civic club, and a prestigious white seminary on the outskirts of Denver. Intriguing advice also comes from a famous, real-life Denver visitor. But is Annalee on the right track or just running in circles, fleeing from conflicts racing in her heart?

In a taut, heart-gripping narrative driven by secrets, romance, and lies, Annalee must unravel a case with higher stakes than she imagined―one where answers about a lovely woman's death point to truths and tensions still throbbing today.

 

My Thoughts:

Truth Be Told by Patricia Raybon may take place in Denver, Colorado in 1924, but I believe the story could be ripped from the headlines today. I loved how she does take a murder mystery, which is one of my favorite genres, and wraps it in a timely historical element. I love the chapter openings with Sherlock Holmes’ quotes. Conan Doyle’s character is one of my favorite literary characters. I love the character of Annalee Spain. She is proud, determined, and does not let little things get her down. Especially in this book, Raybon has put her to the test a number of times, and Annalee keeps on trudging toward justice for the dead young black woman. I love how kind she is to everyone no matter their skin color or race. The plot is nicely handled with plenty of moments of watching Annalee as she tries to question others and solve the case. One of my favorite aspects is the budding romance between Annalee and Jake Drake. It has developed nicely over the three books. Overall, Truth Be Told by Patricia Raybon is a delightful mystery that I will own on my bookshelf.

I received a complimentary copy of Truth Be Told by Patricia Raybon from Tyndale Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating:   4.5 out of 5 stars

Purchase Truth Be Told 

Steven James: Fatal Domain

By Kelly Bridgewater

When the past scratches its way into the present, it can leave deep scars.

A series of cryptic clues leads Department of Defense redactor Travis Brock to suspect that a grim chapter from his past is not yet over. With the help of his eidetic memory and his newly formed team, he must unearth the truth and stop a terrorist group from stealing one of the military’s most highly guarded technological breakthroughs. With it, the group plans to commit a daring act of espionage that could upend the work of one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical firms and impact millions of people worldwide.

In a high-stakes story of action and intrigue that reaches from a refugee settlement in Uganda to the shores of the Potomac in Washington, DC, shattering secrets from the past will be revealed, loyalties tested, and intimate betrayals brought to light as Brock is forced to decide how to forgive what he cannot forget.

From a novelist that Publishers Weekly has called a “master storyteller” comes an intricate and taut thriller that will have you guessing until the final page.

 

My Thoughts:

Fatal Domain by Steven James takes readers for a wild ride. It was nice to see Travis Brock back in action again. James does a wonderful job at creating action that does not give the reader time to put the book down. I wanted to keep on reading. I needed to know what happened next. Who knows if Travis Brock will be the next Patrick Bowers, but I enjoy watching him try to explore life, relationships, and the job while trying to stay alive. Human Trafficking is talked about in the story, but James does not explore the dark side of it and show the horrors of it to the readers. The story centers around a bad group of people and how much they want to bring harm to the American people. The worst part of the plot is that it is timely and could happen at any time. A very relevant story to our culture today. Overall, Fatal Domain is the type of story that I gravitate toward. Plenty of action that I did not want to do anything else but finish the story. I really hope there are going to be more Travis Brock’s stories.

I received a complimentary copy of Fatal Domain by Steven James from Tyndale Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating:  4.5 out of 5 stars

Purchase Fatal Domain

Janice Cantore: One Final Target

By Kelly Bridgewater

Two wounded heroes shattered by tragedy and paralyzed by guilt and must find their footing and work together to catch a killer.

A warrant service in the San Bernardino Mountains goes horribly wrong when an IED blast kills four police officers. Devastated by the loss of her team, the lone survivor, Long Beach sergeant Jodie King, struggles with her guilt and grief, especially as the case remains open with no clear leads or suspects. Weeks after the explosion, Jodie retires from the police department and returns to the mountain bomb site seeking peace and resolution . . . only to find herself in the crosshairs once again.

Sam Gresham just happens to be in the right place at the right time when shots are fired at Jodie. The newest detective for the county sheriff’s department, Sam is assigned to work the IED, his first case back after his own traumatic loss. While Sam sees an opportunity to help Jodie heal from her lingering scars, Jodie hopes fresh eyes will bring new insight to the investigation. Because after this latest shooting, one thing seems clear: Jodie has always been the intended target—and the threat may be much closer to her than anyone wants to admit.

Janice Cantore delivers another pulse-pounding contemporary romantic suspense novel about overcoming grief and learning to trust again.

 

My Thoughts:

One Final Target by Janice Cantore is a police procedural novel filled with many twists and turns. The plot is predictable and unoriginal. Romance. Someone wanting to hurt a cop that wants to seek revenge. The difference is that Cantore used her knowledge of the inner workings of the police force to strengthen the characters’ personalities. I did enjoy getting to know the heroine and the hero. They were brave, strong, and determined. Romance is part of the plot, but honestly, just the way I like it, as a side-note. Not the entire focus of the couple. A Cantore novel is adventurous, realistic, and filled with danger. This time around, Cantore showed how computer hacking could ruin someone’s life and throw the crime scene into a world of hurt. It is scary to think of technology like this. Overall, One Final Target by Janice Cantore will capture fans’ of police procedurals and romantic suspense novels. Plenty of action just like fans of Cantore’s other stories have come to expect.

I received a complimentary copy of One Final Target by Janice Cantore from Tyndale Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating:  4 out of 5 stars

Purchase One Final Target

Lynn Austin: All My Secrets

 By Kelly Bridgewater

Bestselling author Lynn Austin returns with a luminous work of historical fiction set amid the opulence of Gilded Age New York, where three generations of women in one family must reckon with the choices they have made and their hopes for the future.

New York, 1898. The only thing more shocking than Arthur Stanhope III’s unexpected death is the revelation that his will bestows his company—and most of the vast fortune that goes with it—to the nearest male heir, leaving his mother, wife, and daughter nearly impoverished. His widow, Sylvia, quickly realizes she must set aside her grief to ensure their daughter, Adelaide, is launched into society as soon as the appropriate mourning period passes. If Sylvia can find a wealthy husband for Addy before anyone realizes they’re practically destitute, there will be little disruption to the lifestyle they’re accustomed to.

Sylvia’s mother-in-law, Junietta, believes their life could use a little disruption. She has watched Sylvia play her role as a society wife, as Junietta once did, despite what it cost them both. Junietta vows to give her granddaughter the power to choose a path beyond what society expects.

But for Addy to have that chance, both mother and grandmother must first confront painful truths about their own choices. Only in bringing their secrets to light can they hope to reshape their family inheritance into a legacy more fulfilling than they ever dared dream.

 

My Thoughts:

All My Secrets by Lynn Austin is a reminder of the bad results of holding grudges and allowing God’s forgiveness to come into a family and change each individual lives. Three different women joined together by blood, but three different life’s paths make them realize how close and important they are actually to one another. The plot was organized into three different perspectives from each individual woman. Current time of 1898 and back to the past to hear the older women’s stories. A little bit of romance. A little bit of learning about the harsh realities of life outside their cushy wealthy lives. The heroines were defined, unique, yet Austin did a wonderful job at allowing them to change from the characters at the beginning of the book to the end except for the matriarch of the family. She already had the transformation, but she wanted to share it with her daughter-in-law and granddaughter. The story was written well, and the plot captured my attention, and I couldn’t wait to see how the story ended. Overall, All My Secrets by Lynn Austin is a   story that will capture the reader’s attention and make them question any slight grudges they may be holding in their lives. I will own a copy of this novel to put in my library.

I received a complimentary copy of All My Secrets by Lynn Austin from Tyndale Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating:  4 out of 5 stars

Purchase All My Secrets

Melanie Dobson: The Wings of Poppy Pendleton

By Kelly Bridgewater

In this compelling new time-slip mystery, a little girl goes missing from her family’s castle in the Thousand Islands of New York. Eighty-five years later, a journalist teams up with a woman living on Koster Isle to find out what happened to Poppy, once and for all.

1907. On the eve of her fifth birthday, Poppy Pendleton is tucked safely in her bed, listening to her parents entertain New York’s gilded society in their Thousand Islands castle; the next morning, she is gone, and her father is found dead in his smoking room.

1992. Though Chloe Ridell lives in the shadows of Poppy’s castle, now in ruins, she has little interest in the mystery that still captivates tourists and locals alike. She is focused on preserving the island she inherited from her grandparents and reviving their vintage candy shop. Until the day a girl named Emma shows up on Chloe’s doorstep, with few possessions, save a tattered scrapbook that connects her to the Pendleton family. When a reporter arrives at Chloe’s store, asking questions about her grandfather, Chloe decides to help him dig into a past she’d thought best left buried. The haunting truth about Poppy, they soon discover, could save Emma’s life, so Chloe and Logan must work together to investigate exactly what happened long ago on Koster Isle.

 

My Thoughts:

The Wings of Poppy Pendleton by Melanie Dobson took my breathe away. I love how she creates a pathway that readers might think be the solution to the missing Poppy, but then Dobson threw another twist into the story. I love how "Poppy" has a redemption plotline. The modern, Chloe, character took in a little girl with no question asked. Dobson does a wonderful job at bringing readers into the setting. I would have loved to visit this castle and roam the expansive setting. The hidden passages filled with jewels was never really explored. I would have loved to have seen Chloe stubble across a pathway with many of the jewels left by Amelia. The two timelines mixed and mingled nicely. I kept flipping through the pages of the story. I could not wait to see what happened to Poppy and what this has to do with Chloe. The historical mystery and the contemporary mystery wrapped nicely at the end of the story. I LOVED this story, and I can't wait to have a physical copy on my bookshelf.

I received a complimentary copy of The Wings of Poppy Pendleton by Melanie Dobson from Tyndale Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Purchase The Wings of Poppy Pendleton

DiAnn Mills: Facing the Enemy

By Kelly Bridgewater

For the past five years, FBI Special Agent Risa Jacobs has worked in the violent crimes against children division of the Houston FBI. She’s never had reason to believe there’s a target on her back . . . until now.

When the long-awaited reunion between Risa and her brother, Trenton, ends in tragedy, Risa is riddled with guilt, unable to cope with the responsibility she feels over his death. On leave from the FBI, Risa returns to her former career as an English teacher at a local college, only to see her past and present collide when one of her students, Carson Mercury, turns in an assignment that reads like an eyewitness account of her brother’s murder, with details never revealed publicly.

Alarmed by Carson’s inside knowledge of Trenton’s death, Risa reaches out to her former partner at the FBI. Special Agent Gage Patterson has been working a string of baby kidnappings, but he agrees to help look into Carson’s background. Risa and Gage soon discover their cases might be connected as a string of high-value thefts have occurred at properties where security systems were installed by Carson’s stepfather and children have gone missing. There’s a far more sinister plot at play than they ever imagined, and innocent lives are in danger.

 

My Thoughts:

Facing the Enemy by DiAnn Mills features two mysteries that come around and tie together into one eye opening ending. Mills does a wonderful job at diving into a story that uses a writing assignment and missing babies and ties them together. The writing assignment was my favorite part. As a budding author, it felt unique and different. The plot did capture my attention and did not let go. As for the budding romance between Gage and Rise, it seemed a little over the top. Yes, the heroine and the hero have a past, but personally, I wanted a little deeper of a relationship before they dove into their budding feelings. Mills did a wonderful job at crafting a world that keeps the readers actively involved in the plot. The element of the missing babies tugged at my heartstrings. I could not imagine how awful it would feel to have your baby stolen from you when the baby was under three months old. Overall, Facing the Enemy by DiAnn Mills has some unique, yet original plot ideas; however, the romance was not what I expected. More backstory that leads to the growing romance.

I received a complimentary copy of Facing the Enemy by DiAnn Mills from Tyndale Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Purchase Facing the Enemy 

Jennifer L. Wright: The Girl from the Papers

 By Kelly Bridgewater

 Inspired by one of America’s most notorious couples, Bonnie and Clyde, Jennifer L. Wright delivers a riveting tale set during the public enemy era of the Great Depression.

Beatrice Carraway has dreams. Although she’s aged out of the childhood pageant circuit, she’s intent on carrying her talents all the way to the big screen―if only she can escape the poverty of West Dallas first. But as the Great Depression drags the working class further and further under, Beatrice struggles just to keep herself, her mother, and her younger sister afloat. After a string of failed auditions, she feels defeated.

And then in walks Jack Turner. Though Beatrice is determined to pull herself up by her bootstraps, Jack has decided on a different path out of the gutters. It isn’t long before Beatrice is swept into an exciting and glamorous life of crime beside the man she loves. Keeping one step ahead of the law, she sees her dreams of fame come true when her name and picture are plastered in newspapers across the country. Yet as their infamy grows, the distance between them widens. While Jack begins seeking bigger payouts and publicity, Beatrice starts to long for a safe, quiet life and something deeper to fill the emptiness in her soul. But when the danger of Jack’s schemes ratchets up, Beatrice fears her dreams―and her future―will end up going down in a hail of bullets.

 

My Thoughts:

The Girl from the Papers by Jennifer L. Wright is a Bonnie and Clyde retelling. One of my favorite aspects was the internal dialogue of the main heroine. She wonders if she is ever good enough to be loved. I can completely relate. But through the help of Allie who shows her who God is and how much he loves her just the way that she is, the heroine begins to understand that God will love her no matter what she has done or will do. The plot moves at a fast pace and will hold the imagination of the readers. Wright does a wonderful job at showing why the heroine stayed with Jack even as he kept doing the horrible things that he did. Made it more easy to empathize with her plight. Their romance is more of a need to fill the hole in the heroine's heart. The setting and descriptions were nicely explained and shown to the readers. The synopsis made me want to read the story, but Wright's take at the heart issue really kept me glued to the active storyline. Overall, The Girl from the Papers by Jennifer L. Wright moves the heart, but shows a delightful story while doing it. I recommend this story.

I received a complimentary copy of The Girl from the Papers by Jennifer L. Wright from Tyndale Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Purchase The Girl from the Papers

Cathy Gohlke: Ladies of the Lake

By Kelly Bridgewater

After two young women’s deep bond is torn apart, what will it take to bring them together again? In The Ladies of the Lake, the beloved author of Saving Amelie and Night Bird Calling returns with a transformative new historical novel about the wonder and complexities of friendship, love, and belonging.

When she is forced to leave her beloved Prince Edward Island to attend Lakeside Ladies Academy after the death of her parents, the last thing Adelaide Rose MacNeill expects to find is three kindred spirits. The ‘Ladies of the Lake,’ as the four girls call themselves, quickly bond like sisters, vowing that wherever life takes them, they will always be there for each other. But that is before: Before love and jealousy come between Adelaide and Dorothy, the closest of the friends. Before the dawn of World War I upends their world and casts baseless suspicion onto the German American man they both love. Before a terrible explosion in Halifax Harbor rips the sisterhood irrevocably apart.

Seventeen years later, Rosaline Murray receives an unsuspecting telephone call from Dorothy, now headmistress of Lakeside, inviting her to attend the graduation of a new generation of girls, including Rosaline’s beloved daughter. With that call, Rosaline is drawn into a past she’d determined to put behind her. To memories of a man she once loved . . . of a sisterhood she abandoned . . . and of the day she stopped being Adelaide MacNeill.

 

My Thoughts:

Ladies of the Lake by Cathy Gohlke is a heartwarming story of best friends during pre-World War II and how life gets in the way. Gohlke does a fabulous job at diving into the hurts of Dot and Rosaline and making them realistic for the readers. Readers will enjoy the simpleness of the times, but the turmoil of the looming war that will tear the world and their friendship apart. Gohlke is one of my favorite writers at taking deeply hurting characters and allowing the readers to empathize with their plight. The plot idea with friends and their struggles is nothing new. While the concept is not original, the story is still told in an informative and entertaining way that kept me glued to the pages. The writing style flows nicely, filled with the descriptions of the setting and the personality of the characters. Overall, Ladies of the Lake by Cathy Gohlke is a nicely handled coming of age story with heartache flowing from the hearts of the characters. I recommend this for fans of Gohlke’s other stories and fans of a good story. Also, Rachel Hauck has a story entitled The Best Summer of Our Lives released in June 2023.

I received a complimentary copy of Ladies of the Lake by Cathy Gohlke from Tyndale Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating:  4.5 out of 5 stars

Purchase Ladies of the Lake 

Steven James: Broker of Lies

 By Kelly Bridgewater

The man who knows all our secrets has a secret of his own.

When Travis Brock, a high-level Pentagon redactor with an eidetic memory, finds a clue to solving the tragic arson that took his wife from him, he risks everything to find the truth—and chances losing himself in the process.

With a terror attack looming on the horizon and a pair of assassins on his tail, Brock drops off the grid and joins forces with a disavowed Homeland Security operative. Together they race to stop the attack before Brock is neutralized by the people he trusts the most.

From critically acclaimed, bestselling novelist Steven James comes a smart, wire-tight, and emotionally resonant thriller that asks just how far across the line we might go to see justice carried out.

My Thoughts:

With Broker of Lies, Steven James creates a terrorist threat story with unique characters. One of my favorite things of this story is that Travis Brock is not a detective or ex-military. He is an average Joe who steps up when the time comes. Nothing really special about him. But the skill that he does have is important to the solving of the terrorist plot. The heroine is a woman of many disguises. She has been trained to slip in and out of dangerous situations. She is brave and a little risky. For the plot, the first twenty percent of the novel is laying the groundwork for the character’s jobs and the background, so it is pretty boring. As a reader, I don’t think we needed all of that information. But once you reached past that part, then the action kicked into gear and the terrorist plot was woven through the story as the heroine and the hero tried to escape the ultimate destruction. Plot twist ends the story, so I wonder if there will be a second novel or not. Overall, Broker of Lies by Steven James is different than his widely-poplar Patrick Bowers series, but it does have plenty of action to keep readers flipping through the pages late into the night. I definitely want to see if there is a second book.

I received a complimentary copy of Broker of Lies by Steven James from Bethany House Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating:  3.75 out of 5 stars

Purchase Broker of Lies

Stephanie Landsem: Code Name Edelweiss

By Kelly Bridgewater

“What I am looking for—what I desperately need, Mrs. Weiss—is a spy.”

Adolf Hitler is still a distant rumble on the horizon, but a Jewish spymaster and his courageous spies uncover a storm of Nazi terror in their own backyard.

In the summer of 1933, a man named Adolf Hitler is the new and powerful anti-Semitic chancellor of Germany. But in Los Angeles, no-nonsense secretary Liesl Weiss has concerns much closer to home. The Great Depression is tightening its grip and Liesl is the sole supporter of two children, an opinionated mother, and a troubled brother.

Leon Lewis is a Jewish lawyer who has watched Adolf Hitler’s rise to power—and the increase in anti-Semitism in America—with growing alarm. He believes Nazi agents are working to seize control of Hollywood, the greatest propaganda machine the world has ever known. The trouble is, authorities scoff at his dire warnings.

When Liesl loses her job at MGM, her only choice is to work with Leon Lewis and the mysterious Agent Thirteen to spy on her friends and neighbors in her German American community. What Leon Lewis and his spies find is more chilling—and more dangerous—than any of them suspected.

Code Name Edelweiss is based on a true story, unknown until recent years: How a lone Jewish lawyer and a handful of amateur spies discovered and foiled Adolf Hitler’s plan to take over Hollywood.

 

My Thoughts:

Code Name Edelweiss by Stephanie Landsem promises to be an interesting take on the Nazi’s during World War II, but on American soil. Even in the heart of Hollywood. The cover is fascinating, and the writing is top-notch. My imagination flew away with the characters as they struggled through this trying time in the world’s history. Readers are introduced to Liesl who is brave, cunning, and intelligent right from the first chapter. Liesl wants what is best for her children, brother, and mother, so she is willing to do basically anything to make sure their basic needs are met. Liesl has a pretty harsh background that makes readers empathize with her plight. Similarly, the readers are introduced to “Thirteen” and watch his interactions with other characters and the setting. Readers will discover his backstory as they read the story. Landsem did a wonderful job at crafting the Hollywood world of the late 1930’s. It was nice to be “walking” through the sets and watching the actors walk through the lots. While Landsem did deliver what she promised, the plot does get a little dry in the middle of the story when Liesl is tasked to do somethings. Even though this did happen, it did not take away from my enjoyment of the story. I learned something new about the Nazi’s terror on the American soil. Overall, Code Name Edelweiss by Stephanie Landsem is a different World War II story, which I love the idea and enjoyed the execution of the plot.

I received a complimentary copy of Code Name Edelweiss by Stephanie Landsem from Tyndale Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating:  4 out of 5 stars

Purchase Code Name Edelweiss

Brian Andrews and Jeff Wilson: Dark Fall

By Kelly Bridgewater

When a remote Peruvian village is reduced to ash in seconds, the Shepherds face a horrific question: Is this the work of a man-made weapon of unthinkable power, or is God raining down judgment from above, as some believe?

As the recently installed leader of the Joshua Bravo team, Jedidiah Johnson shifts into covert operation mode to follow rumors of a new energy-based weapon able to incinerate a target—even a human target—with no warning. With the assistance of the CIA, Jed’s team deploys to Hong Kong to extract the Chinese scientist who helped develop the weapon.

What the Shepherds learn from Dr. Zhao confirms their worst fears: The weapon is real and has disappeared from the testing facility where it was held. With help from the Watchers, Jed discovers that Victor, the leader of the Dark Ones, has the weapon and intends to use it to wreak untold damage and destabilize the faith of millions. But as Jed and his team race the clock to find and disable the weapon, Victor begins to unfold secret plans for another attack . . .

And this target is much closer to home.

 

My Thoughts:

Dark Fall by Brian Andrew and Jeff Wilson follows the harrowing tale of the Shepherds who see the interaction with the demon world. While on a life saving mission, they are trying to find out what the weapon is and how to stop it before it destroys much of mankind. The action is definitely a moving target as the story progresses. My favorite part is the last thirty percent of the novel where the main climactic moment of the whole series come to a head. With plenty of action and movement, Wilson and Andrews will take readers on a ride through the demonic world and understand the overarching power of God and how he can defeat all of them. THe storyline was different, yet familiar to readers of spiritual darkness like Frank Peretti, but they allow soldiers who are trained in armed forces to deal with this type of evil. Overall, Dark Fall by Andrews and Wilson had enough action to keep this suspense loving reader actively involved, but it also forces me to wonder how deep my faith is. A great question to ponder.

I received a complimentary copy of Dark Fall by Brian Andrews and Jeff Wilson through Tyndale Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Purchase Dark Fall

Janice Cantore: The Code of Courage

 By Kelly Bridgewater

Detective Danni Grace has never met a police officer who wants to face a scenario where pulling the trigger on another person is the only option. When the worst does occur and there's a police-involved shooting, it leads to riots and calls to disband the entire police force in La Rosa, Danni's hometown.

After fifteen years on the force, Danni has had enough. Injured in the line of duty when a protester throws a chunk of concrete at her and shaken by the vitriol being shown to the police, Danni realizes for the first time that she's lost her passion for the job.

While she's on a leave of absence, though, a community activist in La Rosa is shot and a fellow officer is blamed for his murder. Taking on this case means stepping back into a job Danni's not sure she can do anymore . . . and working closely with her ex-husband, Gabriel Fox, an investigator for the city prosecutor's office. Danni will need to tap into her code of courage to uncover the truth, prevent another injustice, and uphold her oath to serve and protect. 

My Thoughts:

Code of Courage by Janice Cantore is a story that is ripped from the cities that have gone "woke's" headlines. No police. Cantore has taken a viewpoint of a cop who has their hand-tied behind their backs because of "woke' politics. The story is realistic with the internal hurts and betrayal by those who should be backing the police, not forcing them to stay away from internal investigations. The plot does show the incapilities and worsening of society when the police force is not allowed to control and protect the citizens. This is a wonderful novel to give to anyone who says the police force should not be in place. On the other hand, there is a little romance, but it is from Danni and her ex-husband as they struggle with was their divorce the correct thing to do a couple of years ago. Cantore does include a faith struggle for Gabe, her ex-husband, as he tries to come to terms with why Danni's father claimed the faith as his own. Overall, Code of Courage was an interesting take on the current 'woke' reactions to no police force in our community. With enough details to keep any reader flipping through the pages.

I received  a complimentary copy of Code of Courage by Janice Cantore from Tyndale Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Purchase Code of Courage