Satisfying Finale! Cold Vengeance - Ryland & St. Clair 3 - by Nancy Mehl

 

About the book:

When a renowned crime podcaster vanishes without a trace, former FBI behavioral analysts turned private investigators River Ryland and Tony St. Clair are called upon to track her down. As they wade through the evidence she left behind, they unearth a startling connection--she may have discovered the existence of an unknown serial killer, and he will stop at nothing to carry out a deadly plan.

As the pair delves deeper, they soon find themselves the target of a relentless enemy determined to silence them. With their lives--and hearts--on the line, can they confront the evil that threatens them before it consumes them both?

USA Today bestselling author Nancy Mehl brings her Ryland & St. Clair series to an explosive close with a pulse-pounding story where the stakes are high and silence is deadly.

My review:

This was another fascinating investigation as River and Tony try to find a missing cold case podcaster while not sure who they can trust, including the person who hired them!  They actually look into a bunch of cases she was investigating to see if she had gotten too close to the truth and if possibly any of them could be the reason she disappeared.  Then there's the overarching threat of the serial killer who tried to kill River and Tony and who still wants to finish the job.  We get glimpses into what he's thinking throughout the story, which ratchets up the suspense.  We see the romance develop a little more between River and Tony and they grow closer as he helps her meet with and forgive her father for his abandonment.  There were also some touching moments between River and her mother as her Alzheimer's progresses and she does some healing of her own from her husband's abandonment.  Some themes done beautifully are forgiveness, how much God loves us and trusting God no matter what.  There are some really great conversations throughout the book exploring these topics.  The suspense was exciting and there were some twists.  I highly recommend this book and suggest reading the first two for more context!

I received this book free from the author.  I was not compensated for this review.  All opinions are my own.

Fascinating Debut! ' Until Our Time Comes' - by Nicole M. Miller

 

About the book:

American horse trainer Adia Kensington is living her dream of working at the famous Janów Podlaski stables in Poland, where they breed the best Arabian horses in the world. But her plans to bring the priceless stallion Lubor to the US are derailed when the German army storms into her adopted country in 1939. Little does she know this is just the beginning of six long years of occupation that will threaten her beloved horses at every turn.

Major Bret Conway is at Janów Podlaski under the guise of a news reporter, but his true mission is intelligence gathering for the British. That and keeping Adia safe, which is harder and harder to do as she insists they must evacuate 250 horses to save them from being stolen, sold, or eaten by the invading forces. What follows will test their physical, mental, and emotional strength, as well as their faith in God, humankind, and each other.

Drawn from true events of World War II, this epic story of escape, capture, resistance, and love from debut novelist Nicole M. Miller will thunder into your heart like a herd of beautiful horses across a raging river.

My review:

It was fascinating to see all these people endured to save their beloved horses and the legacy and lineage of the Arabian line.  Adia was an amazing and brave woman to do all she did in this story, determined, altruistic and self-sacrificing.  She was always taking care of animals and orphans.  Bret, too, was incredibly brave to spy right under the noses of the Nazis and the Russians.  He also was very protective of Adia and an orphan boy, even when it made his life harder.  There was a lot of suspense in the story as danger was around every corner and part of the story had them trying to track down runaway horses while trying to evade soldiers.  There was some romance and a little bit about faith as Bret and Adia struggle to understand God's plan in the horror they're enduring.  There were also some hard scenes as it's shown what the situation was like while living in an occupied country but mostly the story was hopeful as they looked to a brighter future.  I enjoyed learning about a new aspect of WWII.  I definitely recommend this book!

I received a free copy of this book from the author.  I was not compensated for reviewing this book.  All opinions are my own.

Wonderful Southern-Infused Romance! 'Her Part to Play' - by Jenny Erlingsson

 

About the book:

When Adanne accepts a last-minute job as a makeup artist for a movie filming in her small Alabama hometown, all she wants is a steady paycheck to keep her family's legacy alive. But the money hardly seems worth having to face the actor who got her fired from her last job in Hollywood.
 
After turning his life over to God and enduring a messy breakup, John Pope is ready to start rebuilding his career. Imagine his surprise when the woman called in to cover for his usual makeup artist is a quiet but feisty newcomer on the set--and definitely not a fan.
 
Sparks of tension--and could that be attraction?--fly between them. Can these star-crossed lovers find their way to happiness? Or will the bright lights of Hollywood blind their eyes to what's right in front of them?

My review:

This was a wonderful story about an actor trying to make a fresh start and a woman who finds that he might just be a changed man from the jerk she knew before.  I liked seeing John slowly convince Adanne that he truly was changed and I loved the southern food and places that she introduces him to as she starts to trust him.  I was incredibly hungry when reading this book!  The romance was sweet and I liked the juxtaposition of Hollywood, which can be very surface, with Adanne's determination to keep her family's community center alive and her parent's legacy going.  She had deep roots and family and community around her yet felt like she had to do it all herself and didn't like asking for help.  John was struggling to make a real difference and not get caught up in the media and toxic relationships he had before.  They both needed to discover God's plan for their lives and I liked seeing their faith grow throughout the story.  This was a very satisfying romance and I highly recommend it!

I received this book free from Revell.  I was not compensated for this review.  All opinions are my own.

           The Author

1. 

   Emilie Hendryx of EAH Creative

   Jenny Erlingsson

   Jenny Erlingsson is an author and speaker of Nigerian descent. After 12 years working in junior high and women's ministry, she moved with her family from Alabama to Iceland. When she's not running after her four kids or ministering alongside her husband, she...

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