I have loved every book I have ever read by this author and this one did not disappoint. In fact this was one of my all time favorites. It was so interesting to read about the young women who went to the Appalachian mountains to become midwives and others spent their summers helping as Frontier Nursing couriers. Piper was from a rich family but knew that she was missing something so she volunteered as a courier. Here she learns that money is not everything. This was very inspirational. I could not put this down. I received a copy of this book from the author for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
I give this book a five out of five stars.
In 1933 Louisville, Kentucky, even the ongoing economic depression cannot keep Piper Danson’s parents from insisting on a debut party. After all, their fortune came through the market crash intact, and they’ve picked out the perfect suitor for their daughter. Braxton Crandall can give her the kind of life she’s used to. The only problem? This is not the man–or the life–she really wants.
When Piper gets the opportunity to volunteer as a horseback Frontier Nursing courier in the Appalachian Mountains for the summer, she jumps at the chance to be something other than a dutiful daughter or a kept wife in a loveless marriage. The work is taxing, the scenery jaw-droppingly gorgeous, and the people she meets along the way open up a whole new world to her. The longer she stays, the more an advantageous marriage slips from her grasp. But something much more precious–true love–is drawing ever closer.
Bestselling author Ann H. Gabhart invites you into the storied hills of Eastern Kentucky to discover what happens when one intrepid young woman steps away from the restrictive past into a beautiful, wide-open future.
I read this series in a strange way and don’t recommend doing it. I started with the last book and ended with the first book in the series. I recommend starting with the first book. I enjoyed the story line but I got a bit confused about some of the characters through this whole series. I liked how the main character becomes more self reliant as the series progresses. I liked the suspense though it seemed to end abruptly. I received a copy of this book from Celebratelit for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
I give this book a four out of five stars.
About the Book
Book: Cleansed by Death
Author: Catherine Finger
Genre: Thriller/Suspense/Mystery
Release Date: June 2016
Haunted by an evil presence she can’t quite grasp, Police Chief Josie Oliver finds herself drawn into the crosshairs of a vicious serial killer. Fighting for her marriage, faith, and fate, Chief Josie is confronted by an Adversary that only God can conquer–if she decides to let Him in.
Catherine Finger loves to dream, write, and tell stories. Recently retired from a wonderful career in public education, she celebrates the ability to choose how to spend her time in a new way during the second half of life. So far, she chooses to write books, ride horses, serve others, and generally find her way into and out of trouble both on the road and at home. She lives in the Midwest with a warm and wonderful combination of family and friends.
Capsized by Death, the fourth novel in her Jo Oliver Thriller series, was released by Elk Lake Publishing in December, 2019. Anchored by Death, the third of her Jo Oliver novels, was a Bronze Medal winner at the 2018 Independent Publisher Book Awards; a 2018 Selah Awards finalist; and a finalist for the National Indie Excellence Awards. Her second Jo Oliver Thriller, Shattered by Death, was a finalist in the International Book Awards and the National Indie Excellence Awards. Catherine and her novels have been featured on radio stations, blogs, and in numerous articles—all posted at www.CatherineFinger.com.
Catherine loves to interact with her readers at www.CatherineFinger.com Follow her on Facebook at Catherine Finger, Author, and on Twitter at CatherineFinger@BeJoOliver.
More from Catherine
Welcome to our Jo Oliver Thriller series Celebrate Lit Tour!
Cleansed by Death, the first book in the series of four novels, began with an idea to write a book about strong women struggling with life, love, and loss while embedded in traditional male roles. I wanted to show real women dealing with difficult internal and external struggles and create tension for my readers. Playing with the question of whether such challenges make our characters better—or bitter—added depth and twists to my story.
It took a long time to get this story to the point of releasing it into the world. I stopped writing it twice, shelving it for about a year each time. Every summer as I percolated over the story, I read it cover to cover and realized I still loved both the voice and the bones of the story. Adding the faith piece in a way that felt authentic and edgy was the frosting on the cake and it happened as a half vision, half spiritual warfare experience in Jo Oliver’s head and heart. This experience developed her unique brand of conversation with God as she understands Him and added a spiritual dimension to my stories.
My Midwestern roots showed themselves with reckless abandon in this debut—becoming a cornerstone of future installments. As I write this kick-off note to you, I sit in front of my computer facing a wilderness scene that features prominently in this story. Writing in the midst of the corona virus leads me back to some of my favorite places for comfort—the woods and lakes of Wisconsin.
This series just gets more enjoyable for me with each book. This is a series that you will want to read in order to understand each of the characters in this town. I love Bernie, Mac and all the rest. I love the small town vibe. The mystery was interesting and I love what Bernie goes through to solve it. I did not put this down till I finished it. I received a copy of this book from the author for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
I give this book a five out of five stars.
Bernadette Butler has a penchant for solving murders while keeping her ear low to the ground listening to gossip while on her mail carrier route.
Bernie tries to deliver a return to sender package and a certified letter to a local man and finds him dead.
When the death turns up suspicious, Bernie uses her amateur sleuthing skills along with the gossipy help of the Front Porch Ladies to cross reference who exactly in their small southern town stamped out the victim.
I loved the suspense and the romance in this book. I loved Audra and Carter and how they each had had some problems when they were younger and worked them out. These characters had known each other and had begun to become friends. I enjoyed not being able to figure out who was starting the fires. I received a copy of this book from the author for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
I give this book a five out of five stars.
Publisher Description
Beautiful shore, dangerous season~ Summer tourists flock to the shore of Lake Superior—beautiful clean blue water, historic lighthouses, and thick pine forest. Audra Blair, a young single mom, is no longer going to work for someone else during the brief summer tourist trade. She has bought an old Victorian near the lakeshore and has opened “Audra’s Place,” a coffee shop-bakery in the mornings. And in the evenings a carry-out pizza shop. Her future and her little girl’s hinges on its success. She is the sole support of her child, not wanting to have contact with the man who abandoned her when she told him she was expecting six years ago. But someone in town is dangerously unhappy and begins setting booby traps that explode into flame. Targeting people close to Audra and Carter.
Memorial Day, the first weekend of the all important summer tourist season, begins with an unwelcome bang. At a local highway convenience store, new Sheriff Carter Harding is on scene, pumping gas when the dumpster behind the store explodes. No one is hurt but Carter must investigate and quickly. The tourist season is the life-blood of little Winfield—nothing must make tourists stay away.
Carter grew up here and his wild youth follows him-in spite of his spotless record in law enforcement in another department in the state. Many, especially Audra’s uncle, question whether he has reformed. More booby-trap fires push Carter to question whether he is really sheriff material. And as he’s drawn to Audra, her uncle does whatever he can to undermine Carter. Can Audra and Carter break free of the past and have a future together? And will Carter crack the case before someone is severely injured or dies?
This was an enjoyable read. I love these quick suspense stories. I love a story with amnesia and life on a ranch. Ashlee and Bree are twins and you are not sure til the end who is who. I loved the twists and turns. I received a copy of this book from Celebratelit for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
I give this book a five out of five stars.
About the Book
Book: Texas Twin Abduction
Author: Virginia Vaughan
Genre: Inspirational Romantic Suspense
Release Date: June 2, 2020
This twin’s past is a blank…
And she might not have a future.
Waking up in a bullet-ridden car with a bag of cash and a deputy insisting she’s his ex-fiancée, Ashlee Taylor has no memory of what happened—or of Lawson Avery. But with her twin missing and someone hunting her down, she must trust him with her life. Can Lawson save her and her sister—even as Ashlee’s forgotten secrets become an inescapable trap?
Virginia Vaughan is a multi-published author of inspirational romantic suspense. Blessed to come from a large, southern family, her fondest memories include listening to stories recounted by family and friends around the large dinner table. She was a lover of books even from a young age, devouring gothic romance novels and stories of romance, danger, and love. She soon started writing them herself. A former investigator for the State of Mississippi, Virginia utilizes her criminal justice background with her love of writing to transform words into powerful stories of romance and danger.
More from Virginia
Thanks for joining me for a brand new adventure. TEXAS TWIN ABDUCTION is the first book in my new Cowboy Lawmen series and it’s a departure from what I normally write. I love writing about cops and serial killers so when my editor first suggested the cowboy/western theme, I was hesitant. I’m a city girl at heart so this was so far out of my comfort zone! But I couldn’t resist for long. After all, who doesn’t love a cowboy? Thankfully, I found a way to merge what I loved—law enforcement, FBI, US Marshals—with the cowboy/family themed books my editor wanted to see by making my group of hero brothers a family of law enforcement types with ties to the family ranch. The best of both words. Score!
Book one in this new series, TEXAS TWIN ABDUCTION, begins with my hero, little brother Lawson Avery, in a quandary. All he ever wanted out of life was to run his family’s Texas ranch, but his ex-fiancée Ashlee’s final words to him as she skipped out on their wedding was that his desire for the simple life made him unambitious and unworthy of her love. Her words broke him, sending him searching for something more meaningful to do with his life, eventually winding up as a deputy in the sheriff’s office. But, despite law enforcement being in his blood, Lawson finally realized that life wasn’t for him and made plans to return to the ranch. However, his plans are sidetracked when he finds Ashlee unconscious on the side of the road in a bullet-ridden car with no memory of him or their past together. When it becomes clear that someone wants her dead, Lawson steps in to act as her protector. But will digging into the mysteries of her past cost him the future he still longs to have with her?
I hope you enjoy this book and this brand new series! Look for the next book—older brother US Marshal Miles Avery’s story—coming in TEXAS HOLIDAY HIDEOUT this October.
I really enjoyed reading these four Amish stories of romance. What I really enjoyed was that each of the four stories was of finding love in a different age group. Some of the characters were young and others were of the older generations. This was very enjoyable. I needed to learn about each character and how they fell in love. I received a copy of this book from Zondervan through Netgalley for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
I give this book a five out of five stars.
Publisher Description
Four sweet and funny Amish love stories, spanning four different generations. Love comes at all times and for all ages!
Young Love—When Fern was diagnosed with a chronic illness in her early twenties, she knew it would limit her abilities to be a good Amish wife. And with Dan, the object of her affection, in a serious relationship, there didn’t seem much point in dating. But Dan is now single, and he seems to be taking notice of Fern. She’ll need a strong dose of courage to talk down the fear her illness has brought on if she ever wants to pursue her dreams.
Long-Awaited Love—When Everett left ten years ago, Jemima’s love quickly turned to hate. But when they arrive back home at the same bus station on the same day, they discover some old flames aren’t put out so easily. Can they move past the forces that pulled them apart ten years ago, or are some hurts too much to overcome?
Second-Chance Love—Benjamin and Lora Beth both lost spouses not long into their young marriages and connect over letters, exchanging recipes and commiseration as their now-grown children try to coddle them. They’re only in their forties, for heaven’s sake! The letters quickly reveal a deep friendship . . . or could it be more? When you’ve already had a great love, how do you learn to fall in love again?
Never Too Late—Jerald is a committed old bachelor. He loves nothing more than good Amish food and giving his best friend’s wife, Regina, a hard time. When people have asked—and believe him, people have asked—he’s always said he’ll marry when he finds the right woman. It’s just never happened in his seventy years. Until he tastes the best blueberry pie and discovers the woman behind it: Regina’s best friend, Elva.
I love reading stories about the folks in the Appalachian mountains. This book did not disappoint. I did not want to put this book down. I cried a lot throughout this book. Worse is a great character. She had some problems but she works these out. You root for her at all times. This was the first book I read by this author and I hope it will not be my last. I received a copy of this book from Revell for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
I give this book a five out of five stars.
From BookBub
When Worie’s Appalachian Mountain community is ravaged by disease in 1877, she’s left responsible for a growing number of abandoned children. Facing poverty, Worie fights to become a caring mother for all by channeling God’s unconditional love.featured on BookBub on June 02, 2020
Publisher Description
Worie Dressar is 17 years old when influenza and typhoid ravage her Appalachian Mountain community in 1877, leaving behind a growing number of orphaned children with no way to care for themselves. Worie’s mother has been secretly feeding a number of these little ones on Sourwood Mountain. But when she dies suddenly, Worie is left to figure out why and how she was caring for them.
Plagued with two good-for-nothing brothers–one greedy and the other a drunkard–Worie fights to save her home and the orphaned children now in her begrudging care. Along the way, she will discover the beauty of unconditional love and the power of forgiveness as she cares for all of Momma’s children.
Storyteller and popular speaker Cindy K. Sproles pens a tender novel full of sacrifice, heartache, and courage in the face of overwhelming obstacles.less
I have always loved Murder She Wrote and I love reading the books that are based on the tv show. These are well written and follow the characters wonderfully. I especially love the ones that take place in Cabot Cove. This was a well done story that takes place in a hotel during a monumental snow storm. I look forward to reading the next book. I received a copy of this book from edelweiss for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
I give this book a five out of five stars.
Publisher Description
In the latest entry in this USA Today bestselling series, Jessica Fletcher takes on an Agatha Christie-style mystery when she finds herself stranded in a hotel during a blizzard with twelve strangers and a killer in their midst….
Still staying at the Hill House hotel while her beloved home is being rebuilt, Jessica Fletcher finds herself sharing the space for a weekend with a dozen members of a wedding party who have gathered there for a rehearsal dinner. The families of the bride and groom can’t stand each other but have agreed to put aside years of long-simmering tension to celebrate the nuptials.
Unfortunately, weather forecasters underestimated the severity of a storm that turns into a historic blizzard that dumps nearly five feet of snow on Cabot Cove, leaving everyone stranded.
But the hotel guests have bigger things to worry about than bad weather conditions and potential cold feet, because a murderer has shown up ininvited–one who has vowed to take them down one by one….
It was fun and sad to read about what Mary Todd Lincoln’s sisters may have actually been like. They were a large family and the oldest girls seemed to be very close. It was sad to see all the horrors that Mary and her whole family went through. It would be interesting to know if some of Mary’s problems might have been treatable now. This book made me laugh and cry a lot. I received a copy of this book from edelweiss for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
I give this book a five out of five stars.
“A fascinating glimpse into the women of an influential family on the front lines of some of the most important moments of that indelible time.”–Booklist
The New York Times bestselling author of Mrs. Lincoln’s Dressmaker returns to her most famous heroine, Mary Todd Lincoln, in this compelling story of love, loss, and sisterhood rich with history and suspense.
In May 1875, Elizabeth Todd Edwards reels from news that her younger sister Mary, former First Lady and widow of President Abraham Lincoln, has attempted suicide.
Mary’s shocking act followed legal proceedings arranged by her eldest and only surviving son that declared her legally insane. Although they have long been estranged, Elizabeth knows Mary’s tenuous mental health has deteriorated through decades of trauma and loss. Yet is her suicide attempt truly the impulse of a deranged mind, or the desperate act of a sane woman terrified to be committed to an asylum? And—if her sisters can put past grievances aside—is their love powerful enough to save her?
Maternal Elizabeth, peacemaker Frances, envious Ann, and much adored Emilie had always turned to one another in times of joy and heartache, first as children, and later as young wives and mothers. But when Civil War erupted, the conflict that divided a nation shattered their family. The Todd sisters’s fates were bound to their husbands’ choices as some joined the Lincoln administration, others the Confederate Army.
Now, though discord and tragedy have strained their bonds, Elizabeth knows they must come together as sisters to help Mary in her most desperate hour.
Love these quick and fun , easy to read types of books. I love the characters in this series and find this author’s books hard to put down. I can’t wait to see who the murderer is and see how the romance works out. These are also usually very inspirational and the characters have learned about a God’s love. I received a copy of this book from Celebratelit for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
I give this book a five out of five stars.
About the Book
Book: Secrets Resurfaced
Author: Dana Mentink
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Release Date: June 2, 2020
When new evidence surfaces about a tragic boating accident that put her ex-boyfriend’s father in prison, private investigator Dory Winslow’s determined to look into it. But now someone’s dead set on silencing her. And working with Chad Jaggert—the father of her secret child—may be the only way to survive the treacherous truth about the tragedy that once tore them apart.Click here to get your copy!
About the Author
Dana Mentink is a two time American Christian Fiction Writers Carol Award winner, a Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice Award and a Holt Medallion winner. She is a national bestselling author of over forty titles in the suspense and lighthearted romance genres. She is pleased to write for Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense, Harlequin Heartwarming and Sourcebooks. Besides writing, she busies herself teaching third grade. Mostly, she loves to be home with Papa Bear, teen bear cubs affectionately nicknamed Yogi and Boo Boo, Junie, the nutty terrier, and a chubby box turtle. You can connect with Dana via her website at danamentink.com, on Facebook, YouTube (Author Dana Mentink) and Instagram (dana_mentink.)
More from Dana
Well, it’s been a wild ride through the Roughwater Cowboy series! Here we are at the end, with youngest brother Chad’s story. Fortunately, the rest of the clan (Mitch, Liam and Helen) are here to lend a hand when the man Chad’s father was jailed for killing comes back to life. Helping out also is Jingles the hapless dog, and a new member of the canine family, three legged Meatball. Throw in a killer on the loose and a secret child, and we’ll have a ‘hold onto your hat’ finish to this series. Thanks for coming along with me! God bless you!
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