Happy Friday! We’re getting ready for a big snowstorm to hit here in Maine tomorrow – sounds like a good day to stay in and read! Today, I’m linking up with Reading is My Superpower for First Line Friday and featuring Life Flight by Lynette Eason.

“Today was not going to be the day they died – not if she had anything to say about it.”

Life Flight by Lynette Eason

The Basics

Title: Life Flight

Author: Lynette Eason

Publication Date: January 4, 2022

Series: Extreme Measures (Book 1)

Genre: Suspense

My Rating: 4 Stars

My Review

Lynette Eason has done it again! She is one of my favorite suspense authors, and I can already tell I’m going to love this new series! Penny is an engaging heroine, bold enough to fly her chopper into a storm and fight to defend herself, as well as caring and compassionate toward her friends, family, and patients. Her unique friendship with Julianna and Grace adds depth to the story – I can’t wait to read more about them in the rest of the series. Penny and Holt’s relationship develops authentically and doesn’t overshadow the suspense. I saw their point of conflict toward the end of the book coming from a mile away, but it makes sense and works well in the story.

Life Flight is full of action, twists, and turns, as Penny and Holt race to find the killer before he finds them. I highly recommend this book for fans of the suspense genre, especially authors like Susan May Warren, Natalie Walters, and Lynn H. Blackburn!

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 Reading is My Superpower 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’m joining the First Line Friday linkup hosted by Reading is My Superpower, where participants share the first line of the closest book. Today I’m sharing from a new release by one of my favorite authors, Erin Bartels. Her fourth book, The Girl Who Could Breathe Under Water, is a evocative novel about the power of memory and the roles we play in each other’s stories.

“The summer you chopped off all your hair, I asked your dad what the point of being a novelist was. He said it was to tell the truth.

Ridiculous.”

The Girl Who Could Breathe Under Water by Erin Bartels

The Basics

Title: The Girl Who Could Breathe Under Water

Author: Erin Bartels

Publication Date: January 4, 2022

Genre: Contemporary Women’s Fiction

My Rating: 4 Stars

From the Back Cover:

The best fiction simply tells the truth.
But the truth is never simple.

When novelist Kendra Brennan moves into her grandfather’s old cabin on Hidden Lake, she has a problem and a plan. The problem? An inflammatory letter from A Very Disappointed Reader. The plan? To confront Tyler, her childhood best friend’s brother–and the man who inspired the antagonist in her first book. If she can prove that she told the truth about what happened during those long-ago summers, perhaps she can put the letter’s claims to rest and meet the swiftly approaching deadline for her next book.

But what she discovers as she delves into the murky past is not what she expected. While facing Tyler isn’t easy, facing the consequences of her failed friendship with his sister, Cami, may be the hardest thing she’s ever had to do.

Plumb the depths of the human heart with this emotional exploration of how a friendship dies, how we can face the unforgivable, and how even those who have been hurt can learn to love with abandon.

My Review

I have loved Erin Bartels’ books since her debut, We Hope for Better Things. She is a must-read author for me, but this book was a little different from what I was expecting. I know that she does not shy away from tough topics, but this book had some dark and heavy moments. At one point in the middle I wasn’t sure if I wanted to finish it, but I’m glad I did! It definitely was redeemed by the end.

One of my favorite parts of the book is the author’s writing style. Her descriptions of lake life in Michigan make me feel like I am right there with Kendra and Cami on a hot summer day, and her beautiful prose lets us into the hearts and minds of her characters. Kendra’s story of confronting her past and discovering the truth through her writing is one that will stick with readers long after the last page. There is a bit of romance in the story as well, and while it isn’t the main focus, it does provide a lightness and sweetness to an otherwise heavy book. The Girl Who Could Breathe Under Water is a powerful story of overcoming abuse and tragedy, hope, healing, and forgiveness that fans of the author will enjoy.

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 Reading is My Superpower 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.

Happy Friday! I’m linking up with Carrie at Reading is My Superpower for First Line Friday and sharing the first line of the closest book. Today I’m sharing from The Winter Rose by Melanie Dobson.

Saint-Lizier, France
September 1943

“Sunlight broke through the mist like a spotlight in Hollywood, the crimson globe guiding Grace Tonquin and the twelve children in her care.”

The Winter Rose by Melanie Dobson

The Basics

Title: The Winter Rose

Author: Melanie Dobson

Publication Date: January 11, 2022

Genre: Christian Historical Fiction

My Rating: 5 Stars

From the Back Cover:

In this gripping split-time novel, Grace Tonquin is an American Quaker woman who works tirelessly in Vichy France to rescue Jewish children from the Nazis. After crossing the treacherous Pyrénées, Grace returns home to Oregon with a brother and sister whose parents were lost during the war. Though Grace and her husband love Élias and Marguerite as their own, echoes of Grace’s past and trauma from the Holocaust tear the Tonquin family apart.

More than fifty years after they disappear, Addie Hoult arrives at Tonquin Lake, hoping to find the Tonquin family. For Addie, the mystery is a matter of life and death for her beloved mentor Charlie, who is battling a genetic disease. Though Charlie refuses to discuss his ties to the elusive Tonquins, finding them is the only way to save his life and mend the wounds from his broken past.

My Review

The Winter Rose is a powerful story of hope and healing in the midst of tragedy. The dual timelines connect a daring escape during World War II with the present day. Grace, a young Quaker woman, is dedicated to rescuing Jewish children from occupied France during the war. Her journey with the children kept me on the edge of my seat, hoping they would escape the Nazi’s grip. But that wasn’t the end of the danger for Elias and Marguerite, who came home to America with Grace. The trauma they faced during the war followed them and led to a betrayal that affected their family for generations to come.

In the present day, Addie, a young widow, is searching for healing for the man who rescued her. She thought that her search for the truth was for the benefit of her mentor, Charlie, but it turned out she needed the healing it brought as well. The two storylines were perfectly woven together in a beautiful, satisfying conclusion. With characters that steal your heart, vivid descriptions that transport you into the story, and powerful themes of redemption and forgiveness, this is a story that will stay with you long after the final page. I highly recommend this book for fans of historical fiction and authors like Sarah Sundin and Heidi Chiavaroli!

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 Reading is My Superpower 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.

Happy Friday! I’m linking up with Carrie at Reading is My Superpower for First Line Friday, where participants share the first line of the closest book. Today I’m featuring Colleen Coble’s newest release, A Stranger’s Game.

“Victoria Bergstrom almost forgot to breathe at the beauty of Georgia’s Jekyll Island.”

A Stranger’s Game by Colleen Coble

The Basics

Title: A Stranger’s Game

Author: Colleen Coble

Publication Date: January 4, 2022

Genre: Romantic Suspense

My Rating: 3 Stars

From the Back Cover:

A wealthy hotel heiress.

Even though Torie Bergstrom hasn’t been back to Georgia since she was ten, she’s happy to arrange a job for her best friend at one of the family properties on Jekyll Island.

A suspicious death.

But when Torie learns that her best friend has drowned, she knows it is more than a tragic accident: Lisbeth was terrified of water and wouldn’t have gone swimming by choice.

A fight for the truth.

Torie goes to the hotel under an alias, desperate to find answers. When she meets Joe Abbott and his daughter rescuing baby turtles, she finds a tentative ally.

The more Torie and Joe dig, the more elusive the truth seems. One thing is clear: someone will risk anything—even more murder—to keep their secrets buried.

My Review

I have been a fan of this author for years, but this book fell a little flat for me. The main characters, Torie and Joe, were likeable, and Joe’s daughter Hailey was adorable. Joe’s job training sea mammals for the Navy added a unique and interesting element to the story. However, the suspense didn’t draw me in as much as the author’s novels usually do. The ending felt rushed, and I finished the book without really understanding the perpetrator’s motives for committing the crimes. It wasn’t as satisfying as a conclusion as I would have liked. Still, that may just be my preference, and if you are a fan of this author and/or genre, I would recommend giving this book a try!

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 Reading is My Superpower 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.