To Disguise the Truth - Jen Turano

 

"Considering she'd once shot the man sitting across from her, Eunice Holbrook was beginning to get the sneaking suspicion her past had finally caught up with her."  And thus, the adventures of Eunice Holbrook, as she's currently known, and Arthur Livingston, the man she shot, begin anew.  Eunice has started a new life for herself in New York, and enjoys running the Bleecker Street Inquiry Agency, completely separated from her past.  Arthur is on a mission to find the woman he promised to protect, and ensure she is given the land and legacy that is rightfully hers.

I think this is my favorite Turano series so far - I love the quirky, unusual, female characters banded together at the Inquiry Agency.  I love the banter between the main characters.  And I love having a centralized series so that the characters continue to have their stories move forward even when they're not the main character.  I'm really going to miss this group of women, and the men who've managed to be interesting enough to hold their own with them.

My only small issue with this story is how neatly and easily the "mystery" resolves, but it's not meant to be a suspenseful book, it's definitely a romance, and as such, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

4 stars, and I loved this whole series!

You can find To Disguise the Truth HERE.
You can find the author HERE.

I received a digital copy of this book, via NetGalley, from the publisher, in exchange for my honest review.

Sunrise - by Susan May Warren

 

Dodge Kingston has been gone from his family ranch for a long time, and probably wouldn't have returned now, except for the fact that his father is in the hospital.  With an offer in the wings, a strained relationship with his father, and an unknown status with his high school sweetheart, adding in disaster after dangerous disaster, what will he choose for his future?

This was a fairly typical storyline for this author: lots of dangerous, life-or-death situations, a harsh environment, pasts that need dug up in order to move forward, and big decisions to be made.  I really enjoyed the Alaskan component of the story; the terrain and character of the land played such a big part in shaping the story and the characters.  The side characters, especially, were rooted in Alaskan culture and the lifestyle and gave a good picture of the wildness of the land.

The one issue I took with this story was that the relational drama of the main characters seemed to take precedence over what would have likely been forefront in their minds in reality.  They seemed to care more about their romance than their friends and family in danger.

I give this book 3.5 stars: engaging, high action, good elements of faith, but too much unrealistic drama.

You can find Sunrise HERE.
You can find the author HERE.

I received a digital copy of this book, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.

In Search of a Prince - Toni Shiloh

 

Bri Bayo knows that any time her mother makes time to meet her for lunch, there's something big to talk about.  She does not expect to find out that she's a princess to an African country, and that her grandfather, whom she's never met, is asking her to come because he's dying, and she will need to decide if she's willing to become queen.  She needs to learn about the country, she needs to learn the language, and on top of it all, the royal council determines that she needs to be married to take the crown.  

This book did a lot of things well that I haven't seen in a lot of books lately.  I really felt like I was experiencing a new nation with Brielle, a new culture, a new language, new expectations.  I loved how steeped in faith the characters - they spent time in prayer, not only for themselves, but for each other.  Having friends who pray for you and seek God's direction for you, in confirmation of what you're sensing from your own time with God. It's rare to see friends and companions lean into that so thoroughly in fiction books.  I also loved seeing Bri develop a relationship with her grandfather, heal her relationship with her mother, and learn about her father through his country.

There were a few loose ends in the story, but that just leaves me hoping for a sequel!
4 stars

You can find In Search of a Prince HERE.
You can find the author HERE.

I received a digital copy of this book, via NetGalley, from the publisher, in exchange for my honest review.

Much Ado About a Latte - Kathleen Fuller

 

In Much Ado About a Latte, readers return to Maple Falls, where restoration of the town businesses continues.  Anita works hard at the Sunshine Diner, even while dreaming of opening her own coffee shop in town.  Unbeknownst to her, Tanner Castillo, her high school tutor, has dream of his own - of owning the Sunshine Diner and making it into a coffee bar/diner combination.  While pursuing their dreams secretly, their friendship grows with the chance of more - but can either aspect of their relationship sustain the secrets and competition?

While I love this town, and the storylines about updating the town and its businesses, this second installment didn't appeal to me as much as Hooked on You. The stories didn't feel flushed out, so the conclusion felt a little illogical.  Why did Tanner end up working in a diner when he was obviously intelligent and driven in high school? Where did Anita get her dream of a coffee shop? There was no build up of her dream or experience; it didn't seem to tie into her passions, it was just a way to prove herself to her parents. There also wasn't a great explanation of how the two businesses were going to work together; it just somehow conveniently tied the end up in a rosy ending.

I enjoy these characters, and I will continue to look forward to the series, but this one was only 3 stars for me.

You can find Much Ado About a Latte HERE.
You can find the author HERE.

I received a digital copy of this book, via NetGalley, from the publisher, in exchange for my honest review.

The Girl Who Could Breathe Underwater - Erin Bartels

 

Kendra grew up spending glorious summers at Hidden Lake with her grandfather, and her best friend Cami.  Years have passed since she's been to the cabin; she has published a novel, her grandfather has passed away, and nobody has heard from Cami in too long.  She returns with questions, and the answers may be harder than anyone expected.

This novel left me feeling conflicted.  There were much harder topics broached than the description hinted at - topics that may catch readers off guard.  But necessary topics to be discussed.  Kendra's past that she tries to reconcile in her heart and mind, the topics that she wrote about in her book with thinly disguised characters, while shocking, are handled well in the writing.  Kendra doesn't brush them aside.  She doesn't immediately feel healed. Her relationships are not immediately hunky dory.  She struggles with her own role in what happened to her, and whether she could have prevented any of it.  She struggles with forgiveness.  

While all of these struggles were more realistic maybe than other novels have attempted, as a Christian-published novel, I would have liked to have seen more hope, or counseling, or growth.  It doesn't need to wrap up neatly, because real life isn't like that, but there seemed to be no resources outside of Kendra's own strength and resolve to move forward.

I give this book 3 stars; I can't fault the writing, but it was not really my cup of tea, and the description led me to expect a very different book.

You can find the author HERE.
You can find The Girl Who Could Breathe Underwater HERE.

I received a digital copy of this book, via NetGalley, from the publisher, in exchange for my honest review.