Suspenseful! 'The Targeted' - Secrets to Keep 3 - by Cara Putman

 

About the book:

Can she protect her gym students before her past catches up?

When Chloe Ainsworth's older sister reappears after fourteen years, she brings with her the news that Chloe's abuser is back in town. Chloe is a coach at her childhood gym and fiercely protective of her young gymnasts. She won't allow them to suffer the way she did, but she's desperate for an ally—one who can help her make her case.


Law student Dare Shepherd works at the local legal clinic, where he meets Chloe and hears her out. He believes her case but can't get the clinic director on board. As he learns more about her story, he finds himself bound by a deepening personal care for Chloe.


They band together in search of answers, and suddenly the stakes skyrocket. It's clear they're onto something, but will they be able to find the answers before it's too late?

My review:

I really enjoyed this suspenseful story that kept me on the edge of my seat!  The stakes felt higher in this kind of story so I was even more on edge than in a different type of suspense because I kept worrying about what the coach was going to do and whether the girls were going to be safe.  Chloe also had a lot going on in her life, from her sister suddenly showing up to her mom's possible Alzheimer's diagnosis to trying to decide if she was going to start law school to deciding she wants to sue the coach who abused her and trying to figure out the steps she needs to take.  It felt like a lot and I wasn't even the one living it!  It was interesting to see behind the scenes at the law clinic as she and Dare tried to figure out what steps to take.  Besides their mutual interest in the law, they both had a strong faith and actually prayed together at one point; there were other mentions of prayer and depending on the Lord for strength or remembering He was good even in the hard times.  They were drawn to each other but were still trying to keep a professional distance because of the lawsuit.  I appreciated how respectful Dare was and that he wanted to make sure she felt respected with everything she had been through.  There were different suspenseful things happening in the story, from her sister disappearing again to creepy things happening to a murder.  One thing I got frustrated with was her lack of worry about her safety sometimes.  I kept wanting to yell, "lock the door!"  Even though this was book three, it worked pretty well as a stand-alone.  I'm looking forward to reading those.  I recommend this book if you like suspense!

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

Charming - 'Miss Beth Bettencourt' - by Eva Marie Everson

 

About the book:

It's 1962 in Bynum, Georgia, and Beth Bettencourt's world is turned upside down when she wakes to a man snoring in the guest bedroom.

She's home alone; her parents are traveling abroad, grieving her twin sister's unexpected death. Instead of accompanying them, Beth stayed in Bynum to tend to her kindergarten and closely guard her own heart.

A beautiful and beloved member of the community, Beth is an unusual specimen for her time as she nears thirty and remains unmarried. She holds deep-seated unforgiveness toward her twin, Elise, who ran off with Beth's beau. To make matters worse, Elise took their grandmother's ring, which had been promised to Beth.

But now a stranger enters her home and her world. David Patrick Martin seems ready to break down her walls of indifference and find the core of Miss Beth Bettencourt. But can he be trusted with Beth's past, her present, and more importantly, her future?

My review:

This was such an interesting story about a strong Southern woman who's been deeply hurt and is stuck in her life after being betrayed by her sister and soon-to-be fiance.  I couldn't imagine dealing with that betrayal and humiliation or how scary it must have been to wake up to hear someone snoring in your house when you're supposed to be alone!  She was calm and just did what needed to be done; she had that kind of personality but could also be funny and witty.  Then she decided to help David (Marty) which led to getting to know him and what a great guy he really was.  I admired her for helping him and standing her ground when gossip began to fly.  I absolutely loved her family's maid, Molly.  She was an older black woman with plenty of sass and whom Beth treated like family.  Pretty much any conversation Molly had with anyone made me smile as you weren't sure what she'd say next.  I liked that we were told the story from the three perspectives of Beth, David and Molly.  Marty was fascinating because he so multi-faceted.  He was handy and knew engines and could fix them, paint, cook, pray and read what a person was like.  He could also talk about feelings and hurts and encouraged Beth to forgive and let the hurts go.  He had a strong faith and helped reawaken Beth's own.  There was a little bit of romance as you see Beth and Marty start to fall for each other.  I also guessed at but liked the twist as there was a secret someone was keeping.  This story was just a fascinating slice of Southern culture in the 60s that showed what a difference one person could make in another's life.  I highly recommend it!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author.  I wasn't compensated for this review.  All opinions are my own.

Witty Rom-Com Hits All the Right Notes! 'Brewed Awakening' - by Pepper Basham

 

About the book:

Daphne dreams of Mr. Darcy. Finn serves up pints and rock music. Can opposites attract when a tea shop princess meets her pub-owning rival? Perfect for fans of Courtney Walsh and Emma St. Clair.

In the charming mountain town of Wisteria, North Carolina, Daphne Austen clings to tradition like cream to a scone. She's built her life--and her late grandmother's tearoom, Tea Thyme--around all things English: delicate china, Jane Austen novels, and the comforting predictability of routine. The only thing threatening her perfectly ordered world? The loud, aggravatingly handsome Brit opening a pub next door.

After his ex-wife broke his heart and his business partner nearly destroyed his career, Finn Dashwood packed up his six-year-old daughter and left England behind. He's looking for a fresh start, and the last thing he needs is a fussy, tea-obsessed neighbor criticizing his every pint and playlist. It doesn't matter that she's ridiculously kind (to everyone else) and that his daughter is utterly fascinated by her. Finn's heart is not open to being broken again.

But disagreements turn into prank wars and then a competition when a high-profile wedding needs a last-minute caterer. The townsfolk are thrilled--Wisteria hasn't seen this much excitement since the county fair lost a goat.

When the wedding demands both sweet and savory fare, Daphne and Finn are forced to put down their swords and pick up their serving trays. Between burnt pastries, brewing tempers, trending hashtags (#SipsAndSpats, anyone?), and one very adorable little girl, rivalry soon gives way to reluctant friendship--and maybe something that feels suspiciously like chemistry.

Can a tea shop princess and a pub owner with a past mix their lives as seamlessly as clotted cream and jam . . . or will their differences keep them steeped in rivalry forever?

My review:

This was such a cute story! Where do I begin?  I loved the witty banter and not just between Finn and Daphne.  There were a lot of fun social media comments with funny hashtags from different people in the community and that really made the small town come alive and feel like everyone truly knew everyone.  Daphne and Finn were so cute together; besides the banter they invented mouth-watering recipes and had amazing chemistry.  I seriously wanted to try the food!  It sounded so good and I keep thinking about it, lol.  Finn and Daphne struggled to trust and open their hearts to each other as they were both protecting themselves from past hurts and Finn especially had his little girl to consider as well.  She was adorable and it was so sweet to see Daphne bonding with her, especially when she gets bullied for having a scar from her cleft lip surgery and Daphne finds words that show her her worth comes from God.  I liked that we're shown people who aren't all perfect-looking and another example of that was Daphne's brother, Jack, who has prosthetic legs.  Besides the romantic comedy, there was also some action as a hurricane is coming nearby and there's a worry about flooding.  Daphne prays and tried to trust God during all of this.  You really see the community come together during this time.  The faith element is on the lighter side in the story as it's mentioned they both attend church and a few other things.  Overall, this story was picture-perfect.  Swoon-worthy banter (and hero) with adorable daughter, amazing food and a quirky community that brings to mind Gilmore Girls.  I really hope there's a sequel!

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

'Secrets of the Desert Rose' - by Marilyn Turk

 

About the book:

Three Women. Two generations. Their friendship survived the war. Their secret survived even longer.

Monique and Audrey, one French and one British, grow up in French Algiers on the coast of the sparkling Mediterranean Sea. Best friends, they keep each other’s secrets into adulthood when World War II changes their world and Algiers sides with the Hitler-based Vichy government. Audrey joins Charles DeGaulle’s resistance army, the French Foreign Legion, while Monique stays to work in the underground resistance aiding the Allied invasion of North Africa.

In present day, American born great-granddaughter Nicole, a graduate student in archaeology, goes to North Africa for an internship. The now centenarian Monique (Mimi), debilitated by a stroke, urges her to find the Desert Rose. Nicole finds different types of desert roses, but none are the right one until she stumbles onto information that hints the desert rose might not be a flower after all. While Sami, her instructor in Algiers, helps her find the desert rose, he also has to protect her from people who want the heirloom ring Nicole wears which has its own secret.

Will Nicole find the secret before it’s too late?

My review:

This was an interesting dual-timeline story that really made French Algiers come alive!  I could picture the sights and hear the sounds as Nicole gets to finally travel there and experience the place Mimi told her stories about.  I liked following Nicole and Sami from place to place as they explore but I thought there would have been more research or investigation to her quest.  Monique and Audrey's stories were interesting as they both want to help win the war but in different ways.  They experienced a lot of excitement and challenges.  I really enjoyed learning about what was going on during World War II in this part of the world and how they were affected.  Monique had a close family that faith was a big part of while Audrey had distant parents and struggled to understand Monique's faith.  There didn't seem to be much character development; it felt like Monique and Audrey were the same people they were when they were kids.  This was more of an action story where it felt like the three ladies were always on the go.  I was also surprised by a twist and felt like there wasn't really any closure or big reveal to a secret or to what's next for Nicole.  There was some romance.  Overall, this was an interesting story and a very interesting setting I enjoyed learning more about.

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