It’s Friday – and that means it’s time for First Line Friday, hosted by Hoarding Books! I’m so excited to be sharing the first line from Susan May Warren’s upcoming release, Ford – the third book in her epic adventure series featuring the Marshall family!

“If Ford didn’t get his head in the game, they were doomed.”

Ford by Susan May Warren

This book starts off with plenty of action and doesn’t let up all the way through! Keep reading for my full review.

The Basics

Title: Ford by Susan May Warren

Series: Book 3 of 5, The Montana Marshalls

Release Date: September 3, 2019

Genre: Christian Romantic Adventure/Suspense

My Rating: 5/5 Stars

From the Back Cover

Family…country…or the woman he loves…

Navy Seal Ford Marshall isn’t the kind to stand by and let a woman get hurt—especially when it involves his twin sister, RJ. So, when she makes the news, accused of sparking an international incident, he doesn’t care what it takes—he’s going to find her and bring her home.

But he might need a little help, so he calls on the woman who has had his back during the last three years—Petty Officer Scarlett Hathaway, former communications expert-turned Rescue Swimmer candidate. She’ll help him get into the country, watch his back, and…well, they might be able to have one last mission together before she leaves for a new life, a life he very much wants to be a part of now that she is off his team. Maybe he can convince her to give them a chance to kindle the spark that’s simmered between them for years.

Scarlett Hathaway isn’t sure what future she wants—not when she suddenly has to care for her little brother. Maybe she should quit the Navy and start a life with the man she can’t seem to get out of her heart. So yes, she’ll help Ford find his sister. And maybe, along the way, figure out if they have a future.

But finding RJ somewhere in the vastness of Russia with the FSB chasing them will push Scarlett beyond even her courage and make her question everything she thought she wanted…including Ford. What will it cost her to love a man who saves the world?

And when Ford is asked to choose between saving his sister, saving the world from a war, and rescuing the woman he loves…can he live with his decision?

My Thoughts

This book is intense! I don’t know how Susan May Warren does it, but her books keep getting better and better. Ford takes us on a wild ride, this time through Russia and parts of Europe. I love the way each book draws us deeper into a story that is bigger and more complex than we first thought. With new layers of the story being revealed and new characters being introduced in each book, it would help to read Knox and Tate before reading Ford. It will be time well spent getting to know the Marshall brothers!

Ford is a tough Navy SEAL, and he can take care of himself. He wants to make it his job to take care of everyone else in his life too – especially his twin sister, RJ, when she goes missing in Russia. He sets out to find her with the help of his teammate, Scarlett, but they find themselves in a little over their heads when mixed up with the CIA and FSB. As they work together to find RJ, Ford and Scarlett have to learn to trust each other, and to trust God to be their protector and guide. We also start to learn more about RJ’s story in this book. She is smart, brave, and willing to risk her safety for her country and her family. I can’t wait to dive back in to her story in upcoming books!

Susan May Warren is a master at weaving together action and suspense, intricate plots, compelling and relatable characters, and authentic spiritual lessons. I really loved Knox, but I think Ford might be my favorite book in the series so far. Of course, that could change when Wyatt and Ruby Jane come out in the next few months! 😉 This book (and this series) is a must-read for fans of suspense, thrillers, and epic adventure stories!

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

The Basics

Title: Back Roads to Belonging: Unexpected Paths to Finding Your Place and Your People by Kristen Strong

Genre: Christian Living

My Rating: 4/5 Stars

From the Back Cover: At one time or another, shifting seasons in family, friendships, employment, and communities will bring each of us face-to-face with the feeling of being on the outside looking in. Because we are made for connection, this will often lead us down one of two roads. Either we will hop on the popular but crowded highway that asks us to do whatever it takes to get noticed, or we’ll stand still, paralyzed by the fear that we’re not important, loveable, or worth other people’s time and attention.

But what if there is another way? With an understanding voice that will speak into your own circumstances, Kristen Strong walks beside you along the less traveled but more satisfying third way–the back road way–to belonging: remaining in Christ and relaxing into the unique role God has for you. Along the way, you will learn simple, doable actions that not only will help you feel and know that you belong but will welcome others in as well.

My Thoughts

The struggle to find a place to belong is something we can all relate to, and Kristen Strong meets us in the struggle in her new book, Back Roads to Belonging. She has written a beautiful guide to the back roads we travel on our way to our belonging place. Full of relatable stories, scriptural truths, and practical advice, this book feels like a heart-to-heart conversation with a friend or an older sister, guiding us on our journey.

The book is divided into three sections: Wandering (the seasons we can’t find our place and the lessons God teaches us there), Finding (where we can find belonging places around us and how to dig in where God has us), and Inviting (how we can make space for others to belong with us). I think anyone can relate to and find encouragement in this book, no matter of what season of life you’re in.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you, Revell!

The Basics

Title: State of Lies by Siri Mitchell Genre: Suspense/Political Thriller Release Date: August 13, 2019 My Rating: 4.5/5 Stars From the Back Cover: Georgie Brennan may be a world-class quantum physicist, but she grapples with life as a single mother after her husband is killed. When she receives a message from beyond the grave, it leads her to question the details of her husband’s death. As she follows the clues he left behind, her discoveries increasingly implicate those closest to her. When her father is nominated as the new United States Secretary of Defense, she must uncover the truth before his confirmation hearing—even as the same people who killed her husband are now after her. Nothing is at is seems. Lies are truth; enemies are friends. Even her child is at risk. As every possibility but one disappears, Georgie may find herself to be the antithesis of everything she’s thought herself to be.

My Thoughts

I haven’t read any of Siri Mitchell’s other books, but I’m so glad I read this one! The details and intricacy of the plot are incredible, and the author draws you deeper into the questions and intrigue in a way that makes you feel totally invested in the story. Each page seems to bring a new revelation or clue that makes it hard to put the book down! Georgie is a strong character – she’s a quantum physicist, and she is on a quest to find truth, both at her job and in her search for answers about her husband’s death. This book is marketed as Christian fiction, but there wasn’t as much of a faith element as I was expecting. It was still a clean read, without language or excessive violence. I think this book would appeal to a wide audience, from Christian fiction readers to fans of secular thrillers. It’s part suspense, part political thriller, and totally engaging, with a shocking conclusion – don’t miss it! I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.