Happy Friday! I hope you’ve had a great week! I can’t believe it’s already time for another First Line Friday linkup hosted by Hoarding Books, but I’m so excited to feature Patricia Bradley’s newest release, Obsession.

“The January warm spell had definitely ended in South Mississippi.”

Obsession by Patricia Bradley

The Basics

Title: Obsession

Author: Patricia Bradley

Release Date: February 2, 2021

Series: Natchez Trace Park Rangers (Book 2)

Genre: Christian Romantic Suspense

My Rating: 4 Stars

From the Back Cover: Natchez Trace Ranger and historian Emma Winters hoped never to see Sam Ryker again after she broke off her engagement to him. But when shots are fired at her at a historical landmark just off the Natchez Trace, she’s forced to work alongside Sam as the Natchez Trace law enforcement district ranger in the ensuing investigation. To complicate matters, Emma has acquired a delusional secret admirer who is determined to have her as his own. Sam is merely an obstruction, one which must be removed.

Sam knows that he has failed Emma in the past and he doesn’t intend to let her down again. Especially since her life is on the line. As the threads of the investigation cross and tangle with their own personal history, Sam and Emma have a chance to discover the truth, not only about the victim but about what went wrong in their relationship.

My Thoughts

This book kept me guessing all the way through – I couldn’t put it down! Sam and Emma are forced to reconcile after a rocky past when they are thrown together to investigate two crimes: someone shooting at Emma seemingly to disrupt her work, and someone stalking her. As they are drawn deeper into the web of danger and secrets, it appears that the two crimes are connected, and may also be linked to Emma’s twin brother’s disappearance ten years ago.

I love the unique setting of Natchez Trace National Park! It lends itself to unique situations and puts the spotlight on park rangers, a lesser-known branch of law enforcement. I really enjoyed Emma and Sam’s relationship; the pacing felt authentic and developed naturally as they began to trust each other again after a broken engagement. It was just the right amount of romance to complement the suspense. The way the chapters from the stalker’s perspective were woven in made it hard to guess his identity at first, but gave enough insight to keep me on edge wondering how he would pull off his plans. I highly recommend this book to fans of romantic suspense, especially to readers who enjoy authors such as Natalie Walters, Lynette Eason, and Lisa Harris.

Now it’s your turn! Please share the first line of the book you’re reading in the comments below. Don’t forget to head to Hoarding Books to see what first lines other bloggers are sharing, or to share your own!

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

Happy Friday! Another week has already come and gone… and that means it’s time for another First Line Friday. Today, I’m joining the linkup hosted by Hoarding Books and sharing the first line of Network of Deceit by Tom Threadgill.

“How long could a human being scream?”

Network of Deceit by Tom Threadgill

The Basics

Title: Network of Deceit

Author: Tom Threadgill

Series: Amara Alvarez (Book 2)

Genre: Christian Suspense

My Rating: 5 Stars

From the Back Cover: After her rescue of nearly fifty kidnapped children made international headlines, Amara Alvarez gets what she’s worked for: a transfer to San Antonio’s Homicide Division. But reality sets in quickly when her first case, the suspicious death of a teenager at a crowded local water park, plunges her life into chaos.

As the investigation moves forward, Amara finds herself stalked online by cybercriminals who uncover her personal life in frightening detail. With few leads, she’s forced to resort to unconventional methods to find the killer and prevent her first murder investigation from ending up in the cold case files.

Tom Threadgill is back with another riveting page-turner featuring the detective who is willing to put everything on the line to see justice served and lives protected.

My Thoughts

Detective Amara Alvarez is back after her debut in Collision of Lies! During her first investigation as a member the Homicide Division of the San Antonio PD, she finds herself in the crosshairs of a group of hackers with some big secrets to hide. Amara is one of my favorite fictional law enforcement characters and reminds me of another one of my favorites, Raleigh Harmon. She is smart, tenacious, and has great instincts. I loved how the author’s writing style created the feeling that the reader is joining Amara in the investigation, piecing the evidence together alongside her.

In this book, we learn more about Amara’s family and get to see how her job affects her daily life. I especially loved the banter between her and Starsky – I can’t wait to see how their relationship progresses in potential future books! From the suspense to the character development, everything about this book felt authentic and made it hard to put down. I highly recommend this book (and series!) to fans of mystery and suspense.

Now it’s your turn! Please share the first line of the book you’re reading in the comments below. Don’t forget to head to Hoarding Books to see what first lines other bloggers are sharing, or to share your own!

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

Happy Friday! If you are looking for a fantastic book to get lost in this weekend, look no further than When Twilight Breaks by Sarah Sundin. I am so excited to be featuring this stunning historical romance for today’s edition of First Line Friday, the weekly linkup hosted by Hoarding Books.

Berlin, Germany

Tuesday, March 15, 1938

“Evelyn Brand had done a crack bit of journalism, and she hadn’t even had to dress like a man to do so.”

When Twilight Breaks by Sarah Sundin

The Basics

Title: When Twilight Breaks

Author: Sarah Sundin

Release Date: February 2, 2021

Genre: Historical Romance

My Rating: 5 Stars

From the Back Cover:

Munich, 1938

Evelyn Brand is an American foreign correspondent determined to prove her worth in a male-dominated profession and to expose the growing tyranny in Nazi Germany. To do so, she must walk a thin line. If she offends the government, she could be expelled from the country–or worse. If she does not report truthfully, she’ll betray the oppressed and fail to wake up the folks back home.

Peter Lang is an American graduate student working on his PhD in German. Disillusioned with the chaos in the world due to the Great Depression, he is impressed with the prosperity and order of German society. But when the brutality of the regime hits close, he discovers a far better way to use his contacts within the Nazi party–to feed information to the shrewd reporter he can’t get off his mind.

As the world marches relentlessly toward war, Evelyn and Peter are on a collision course with destiny.

My Thoughts

If I could give this book more than five stars, I would! When Twilight Breaks is a Sarah Sundin’s best work yet. She has proven once again why she is a master storyteller and one of the best authors of WWII fiction! This story is unique among her books, as it takes place before the war and features main characters who are not members of the military. It was fascinating to read more about what life was like for Americans in prewar Nazi Germany.

Peter and Evelyn are both rich, compelling characters. With her spunk and determination, and his steady, protective nature, they complement each other so well. I felt like I was right there in Germany with them, as Peter came to realize necessity of balancing order and freedom, and Evelyn insisted on finding and sharing the truth, no matter the consequences. Their story is perfectly intertwined with the historical events of the time, full of the detail and accuracy Sundin is known for. Tension and intrigue add sparks to the story as Peter and Evelyn find themselves in danger again and again, never sure who they can trust.

Books like this one are the reason I love reading – I love the feeling of finding a story that captivates my heart and my mind, and shows me something about the world from a different perspective. I’m sure this powerful story of faith, commitment, and courage will stay with you long after the last page as it has with me.

Now it’s your turn! Please share the first line of the book you’re reading in the comments below. Don’t forget to head to Hoarding Books to see what first lines other bloggers are sharing, or to share your own!

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

Happy Friday! I am so excited about the book I’m featuring for First Line Friday today – it’s a fresh take on suspense that isn’t like anything I’ve read before! If you enjoy suspense, thrillers, or time travel, Cast the First Stone by David James Warren (a collaboration between Susan May Warren, James L. Rubart, and David Curtis Warren) should be at the top of your TBR list.

“It’s the regrets that keep me awake.”

Cast the First Stone by David James Warren

The Basics

Title: Cast the First Stone

Author: David James Warren

Series: The True Lies of Rembrandt Stone (Book 1 of 6)

Release Date: February 9, 2021

Genre: Suspense, Time Travel Thriller

My Rating: 5 Stars

From the Back Cover: One case haunts him. One chance to fix the past. One mistake could cost him everything.

Ex-Minneapolis Police Detective Rembrandt Stone walked away from a career he loved—just the price of being sure he can come home to the wife and daughter he cherishes. But he can’t shake the deep regret over a case left behind.

When his mentor, the former Chief of Homicide dies and leaves Rembrandt with a box of cold cases and a mysterious watch, he finds himself thrust into a world he recognizes—a world from twenty years ago—the same world he’s woken from in a cold sweat a hundred times. But is it a dream, or some kind of twisted reality?

If he solves the case that plagues him, and justice is finally served, will it destroy the life he loves?

My Thoughts

Cast the First Stone is a totally unique spin on the suspense genre, featuring a time traveling detective named Rembrandt Stone. The collaboration between these three fabulous authors makes for a thrilling story I couldn’t put down! I’m not usually a fan of the sci-fi genre, so I wasn’t sure how I would feel about the time travel in this book, but I am a big fan of Susan May Warren – I should have known that this book would be amazing!

Rembrandt Stone is a character that you will fall in love and root for from the first page. He is a dedicated family man, struggling with writer’s block and haunted by the cold cases he left behind when he left the police force. When he finds himself back at the scene of his first cold case, he has the chance to solve it this time… but at what cost?

These master storytellers have crafted a novel full of gripping suspense, intrigue, and flawed yet relatable characters. I can only imagine that their skill will become more apparent throughout the series as more of the time travel plot is revealed. My heart was in my throat by the ending of this book – what a cliffhanger! I am so glad there are five more books in this series and that they are all coming out this year; I’m already wishing for book 2!

Now it’s your turn! Please share the first line of the book you’re reading in the comments below. Don’t forget to head to Hoarding Books to see what first lines other bloggers are sharing, or to share your own!

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