I loved Mind Games, the first book in the Kaely Quinn Profiler series, so I was excited for the chance to read Fire Storm early! It’s coming out in a little over a week, on August 6, so I thought today would be a great time to share my review. Plus, I’m linking up with First Line Friday, hosted by Hoarding Books, and sharing the first line of this book with you! Here it is:

“He waits, hidden in the shadows of the tall stately trees that line the street.” Fire Storm by Nancy Mehl

What is he watching and waiting for? This book starts off with a bang – you don’t want to miss it!

The Basics

Title: Fire Storm by Nancy Mehl Series: Book 2 of 3, Kaely Quinn Profiler series Genre: Christian Romantic Suspense Release Date: August 6, 2019 My Rating: 4.5/5 Stars From the Back Cover: When FBI profiler Kaely Quinn’s mother is diagnosed with cancer, Kaely takes time off work to go to Dark Water, Nebraska, to help her brother care for their mother. Upon her arrival, she learns of a series of fires in the small town, attributed by the fire chief to misuse of space heaters in the frigid winter. But Kaely is skeptical, and a search for a pattern in the locations of the fires bolsters her suspicions. After yet another blaze devastates a local family, Kaely is certain a serial arsonist is on the loose. Calling upon her partner from St. Louis, Noah Hunter, and her brother’s firefighter neighbor who backs Kaely’s suspicions, Kaely and her team begin an investigation that swiftly leads them down a twisted path. When the truth is finally revealed, Kaely finds herself confronting a madman who is determined his last heinous act will be her death.

My Thoughts

This is the second book in the series about Kaely Quinn, an FBI profiler/behavior analyst. Kaely is definitely one of the most intriguing heroines I’ve read about in a suspense novel for a long time! The situations she faces in this book, including getting involved in a case outside of her jurisdiction while she’s supposed to be spending time with her family, bring some of the issues she’s been facing to the forefront. She has been finding her identity in her work – in hunting down monsters – at the expense of her personal life, and instead of dealing with the trauma of her past. There is some romance in this book, but it definitely takes a backseat to the suspense. Kaely’s partner from her home FBI office, Noah, travels to be with her and help her investigate, and their growing friendship is a beautiful part of the story. The mystery and suspense are very well done; you have an idea of who the arsonist might be about halfway through, but it ends up being resolved in an unexpected way. I can’t wait to see how Kaely’s story wraps up in the third book, coming out next year! I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Basics

Title: Love and Other Mistakes by Jessica Kate

Genre: Contemporary Christian Romance

Release Date: July 30, 2019

My Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

From the Back Cover: Natalie Groves once had big dreams. But soon after her fiancé, Jeremy Walters, inexplicably broke off their engagement and left town, her father was diagnosed with cancer. Now tasked with keeping her family afloat, Natalie’s grand plans have evaporated . . . and God feels very far away.

Fast-forward seven years, and Jeremy is back in Charlottesville with an infant son and years of regrets. When his niece, Lili, lands on his doorstep in need of a place to stay, Jeremy needs help—and fast.

An internship opening finally presents Natalie a chance at her dream job, but she needs a second income to work around it—and the only offer available is Jeremy’s. They could be the solutions to one another’s problems, provided they don’t kill each other in the process. When they join forces, sparks fly. But they both know there’s a thin line between love and hate . . . and that love will turn out to be the best decision—or the biggest mistake—of all. 

My Thoughts

This book wasn’t quite what I was expecting. I had heard it described as a romantic comedy, and although there were some funny moments, it dealt with some pretty heavy issues. There were a lot of storylines and characters introduced at the beginning of the book, which was a little confusing at first. Everything did end up coming together and making sense, but it felt like there were so many stories going on, we didn’t get much detail about any of them.

Some of the side characters were actually my favorites: Lili and Nick’s friendship was really well written, and baby Olly provided some fun moments too. The overarching themes of forgiveness and finding your worth and purpose were what redeemed the book for me. Overall, I enjoyed it and I will read the next book in the series when it comes out next year!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.