Happy First Line Friday! For today’s linkup with Reading is My Superpower, I’m featuring one of my favorite books in the suspense genre so far this year!

“Dr. Peter Chesterfield watched his chief resident cut a three-millimeter patch of flesh and muscle away from the boy’s forehead above the eyebrow.”

Elysium Tide by James R. Hannibal

The Basics

Title: Elysium Tide

Author: James R. Hannibal

Publication Date: June 7, 2022

Genre: Contemporary Suspense

My Rating: 5 Stars

From the Back Cover:

Dr. Peter Chesterfield is one of the Royal London Hospital’s top neurosurgeons. He is also a workaholic, ordered by his boss to take a week off to attend a medical symposium at the luxurious Elysium Grand on the island of Maui. While there, Peter pulls a woman with a skull fracture from the water. Though he is able to revive her in the ambulance, she eventually dies in his arms, leaving him with only one clue to what happened to her: the word “honu.”

Increasingly obsessed with discovering the cause of his patient’s death, Peter becomes entangled in an ongoing investigation of a brazen luxury auto theft. He also becomes a source of deep irritation to detective Lisa Kealoha, who has jurisdiction over the case. But when the two join forces, they begin to uncover a destructive plot that runs far deeper than either of them could have imagined. And if they’re not careful, they’re both going to end up dead.

Award-winning author James R. Hannibal whisks you away to the deadly beauty of Hawaii for a story of greed, violence, and justice that will leave you breathless.

My Review

In Elysium Tide, James R. Hannibal gives readers a glimpse into Hawaiian culture along with a fantastic police procedural/murder mystery. There are plenty of twists, turns, and bad guys to keep you guessing all the way through! The multilayered plot and unique characters make this compelling story almost impossible to put down. As a neurosurgeon, Peter is not the typical main character you would expect in a suspense novel, but he is the perfect complement to Lisa, the tough-as-nails detective trying to prove she is more than the sum of her past mistakes.

I absolutely love the author’s writing style – fast-paced and detailed, with just the right amount of wit and dry humor. There isn’t much romance to speak of, but the ending leaves that door open and sets the characters up for a possible sequel. This book is the perfect summer escape to Hawaii, and definitely one for the keeper shelf! Fans of Tom Threadgill, Cara Putman, Natalie Walters will especially enjoy the story.

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 First Line Friday! For today’s linkup, hosted by Reading is My Superpower, I’m featuring a book I already know is going to be on my Top 10 list for 2022!

Four Years Ago…

“Ranger wasn’t here to get in trouble, but wow, she was pretty.”

Sunburst by Susan May Warren

The Basics

Title: Sunburst

Author: Susan May Warren

Series: Sky King Ranch (Book 2 of 3)

Publication Date: June 7, 2022

Genre: Contemporary action/adventure romance

My Rating: 5 Stars

From the Back Cover:

When former Navy SEAL and lifelong bachelor Ranger Kingston is called upon to take part in a rescue mission to save his brother Colt from terrorists in Nigeria, he is shocked to find among the hostages a woman he could never forget.

Noemi Sutton was attempting to return a young girl to her family in Boko Haram territory when she and the girl found themselves taken hostage, along with several others. And while Ranger Kingston may be able to get the hostages away from their captors, he’ll need Noemi’s help if he ever hopes to get out of Nigeria alive.

Her solution? Pose as husband and wife. But when her uncle discovers the union, he insists on a traditional Nigerian wedding–which would bind Noemi to a man destined to break her heart. Worse, the trouble they’re fleeing has found them–again. It’s clear anyone around Noemi is bound to be caught in the cross fire. Including her potential new husband.

She’ll need to figure out a way to leave the man she loves if she wants to save his life.

My Review

What an incredible story! Susan May Warren takes us on a wild ride from Key West, to Africa, and finally back to Alaska. This book introduces us to the second Kingston brother, Ranger. His calm, collected demeanor and his warrior heart make him the perfect match for Noemi, with her vibrant, colorful personality. Their banter and chemistry leaps off the page, and you can’t help but feel their pain, doubts, and triumphs right alongside them. Marriage of convenience is one of my favorite tropes, and I absolutely loved the way it played out in this book!

I would definitely recommend reading the series in order, as characters and plot lines from previous books are woven into this story. The next book can’t come soon enough! If you enjoy books full of adventure, suspense, and second chance romance, don’t miss Sunburst!

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! It’s another First Line Friday – today I am linking up with Reading is My Superpower and featuring Among the Innocent by Mary Alford.

“He drove by the house again. The second time today. All because of her.”

Among the Innocent by Mary Alford

The Basics

Title: Among the Innocent

Author: Mary Alford

Publication Date: June 7, 2022

Genre: Romantic Suspense

My Rating: 4 Stars

From the Back Cover:

When Leah Miller’s entire Amish family was murdered ten years ago, the person believed responsible took his own life. Since then, Leah has left the Amish and joined the police force. Now, after an Amish woman is found murdered with the same MO, it becomes clear that the wrong man may have been blamed for her family’s deaths.

As Leah and the new police chief, Dalton Cooper, work long hours struggling to fit the pieces together in order to catch the killer, they can’t help but grow closer. When secrets from both of their pasts begin to surface, an unexpected connection between them is revealed. But this is only the beginning.

What will it mean for Leah–and Dalton–when the full truth comes to light?

My Review

What an action-packed, nail-biting take on the suspense genre! This was the first of Mary Alford’s books I have read, but it won’t be the last. I loved the unique twist of a suspense novel centered on an Amish community and a small town police department. Leah is a strong, smart heroine who has taken the tragedy of her past and used it for good, although her past comes back to haunt her in this book. Unbeknownst to her, she and Dalton are connected through that tragedy ten years ago… now that the killer is back, they are thrown together as they race to put an end to his twisted plot once and for all. Full of likable characters, a fast-paced plot, and plenty of surprises to keep you guessing, this book will delight fans of DiAnn Mills and Nancy Mehl!

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! The book I’m featuring for today’s First Line Friday linkup is the perfect summer read. Bless Your Heart, Rae Sutton by Susannah B. Lewis is a delightful story full of southern charm!

“There was nothing to see but bottomland on the thirty-minute drive from Huntsville to Whitten.”

Bless Your Heart, Rae Sutton by Susannah B. Lewis

The Basics

Title: Bless Your Heart, Rae Sutton

Author: Susannah B. Lewis

Publication Date: May 24, 2022

Genre: Christian Contemporary Women’s Fiction

My Rating: 4 Stars

From the Back Cover:

Sometimes what your life is missing is an eccentric group of older ladies to take you under their wing . . .

When Raeley Ann Sutton’s mama passes away and leaves her the house where she grew up, Rae can’t imagine how the little old place might restore her broken life. Mourning the recent loss of her marriage, she takes the house and settles back in tiny, “one-horse Whitten” with her fourteen-year-old daughter, Molly Margaret, and their overweight dog.

There she’s embraced by her mother’s close-knit circle of friends, the Third Thursday ladies: Mrs. Fannie, Mrs. Dora, and Aunt Maxine. Though almost half their age and far less confident of positive outcomes, Rae joins their ministry-slash-book-club-slash-gossip circle and allows the women to speak wry honesty and witty humor into her tired heart. As a new career and a new romance bring their own complications, Rae relies on the unlikely family she’s found and begins to wonder if her future holds more hope than she ever could have imagined.

My Review

Bless Your Heart, Rae Sutton is the perfect book to enjoy on a summer afternoon, on the front porch with a glass of sweet tea! It’s full of southern charm, humor, and heart. The delightful characters will find their way straight to your heart, from Rae and her daughter to the Third Thursday ladies who become Rae’s stand-in mother figures. They add both lighthearted and heartfelt moments, and give the story richness and depth. I loved the way Rae’s faith grew so authentically – it felt natural and not preachy or cheesy. The themes of restoration and redemption hit just the right notes! I would recommend this book to fans of authors like Lauren K. Denton, and I can’t wait to read what Ms. Lewis writes next!

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.