Happy Friday! Today I am linking up with Carrie at Reading Is My Superpower for this week’s edition of First Line Friday and featuring Cold Light of Day by Elizabeth Goddard. If this book is any indication, this is going to be a great series!

Southeast Alaska
May

“I never should have come.”

Cold Light of Day by Elizabeth Goddard

The Basics

Title: Cold Light of Day

Author: Elizabeth Goddard

Series: Missing in Alaska (Book 1)

Publication Date: February 7, 2023

Genre: Romantic Suspense

My Rating: 4 Stars

From the Back Cover:

Police Chief Autumn Long is fighting to keep her job in the quiet Alaska town of Shadow Gap when an unexpected string of criminal activity leaves her with a wounded officer, unexplained murders, and an attack on her own father. Despite her mistrust of outsiders, she turns to Grier Brenner, a newcomer who seems to have the skills and training Autumn needs to face this threat to her community.

Grier is in Alaska for the same reason many others are–to disappear–when Chief Long enlists his help. He emerges from the shadows and proves his mettle, but his presence in her life could be a deadly trap for them both. If his secret is exposed, all will be lost. And he’s not sure even Autumn could save him.

My Review

Elizabeth Goddard’s new series is off to an explosive start! Autumn Long’s job is already on shaky footing due to political pressure when a crime wave hits her small community. Alaska is an unforgiving place – the tough terrain makes it easy to go missing, and the wilderness is the perfect place to hide.

Grier knows that all too well, as he is there to hide from people in his past who want him dead. As he slowly trusts Autumn with more of his story, it turns out his past is intertwined with hers in a way neither of them could have imagined. Both their lives are on the line as danger closes in. Secrets, betrayal, and corruption all play a role in this fast-paced, wild ride of a story. I can’t wait to return to Alaska in the next book!

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! Today I am linking up with Carrie at Reading Is My Superpower for First Line Friday. The book I’m featuring this week is Roseanna M. White’s latest captivating novel, Yesterday’s Tides.

May 11, 1942
Ocracoke Island, North Carolina

“The first light of sunrise turned the water of the Pamlico Sound to gold, the clouds to rose, and the dark to morning, promising Evie Farrow that today would be just like yesterday.”

Yesterday’s Tides by Roseanna M. White

The Basics

Title: Yesterday’s Tides

Author: Roseanna M. White

Publication Date: January 24, 2023

Genre: Historical Romance

My Rating: 5 Stars

From the Back Cover:

In two world wars, intelligence and counterintelligence, prejudice, and self-sacrifice collide across two generations

In 1942, Evie Farrow is used to life on Ocracoke Island, where every day is the same–until the German U-boats haunting their waters begin to wreak havoc. And when special agent Sterling Bertrand is washed ashore at Evie’s inn, her life is turned upside down. While Sterling’s injuries keep him inn-bound for weeks, making him even more anxious about the SS officer he’s tracking, he becomes increasingly intrigued by Evie, who seems to be hiding secrets of her own.

Decades earlier, in 1914, Englishman Remington Culbreth arrives at the Ocracoke Inn for the summer, never expecting to fall in love with Louisa Adair, the innkeeper’s daughter. But when war breaks out in Europe, their relationship is put in jeopardy and may not survive what lies ahead for them.

As the ripples from the Great War rock Evie and Sterling’s lives in World War II, it seems yesterday’s tides may sweep them all into danger again today.

My Review

Yesterday’s Tides is a captivating dual-timeline story of love, sacrifice, and reconciliation. Longtime readers of Roseanna M. White will be delighted to see glimpses of characters and scenes from her previous books! Both timelines were fascinating, with the truth and connections between them unfurling at the steady pace of the tide going out, revealing a little more with each chapter.

While both heroines were compelling characters, Evie was my favorite character with her smarts, loyalty, and dedication to serving and loving the people around her. The plot was layered with espionage, adventure, and enough twists and turns to keep me guessing. I was totally surprised by the way the two storylines came together in the end! Highly recommended for fans of historical fiction by authors like Sarah Sundin and Elizabeth Camden.

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.

Hapy Friday! Today I’m linking up with Reading Is My Superpower for First Line Friday and featuring Erin Bartels’ newest book, Everything Is Just Beginning.

“I never wanted to live at my Uncle Mike’s.”

Everything Is Just Beginning by Erin Bartels

The Basics

Title: Everything Is Just Beginning

Author: Erin Bartels

Publication Date: January 17, 2023

Genre: Women’s Fiction

My Rating: 5 Stars

From the Back Cover:

It was just one of those nights. One of those crazy, impossible nights that change your life. Forever.

When guitarist Michael Sullivan gets kicked out of his band (and his apartment), landing a record deal seems an impossible dream. And nothing about Michael’s prospects points toward a better future. Until the invitation for a swanky New Year’s Eve party shows up in the mailbox. It’s addressed to his uncle, with whom he shares both name and living space, but his uncle is going out of town . . .

On the effervescent night of December 31, 1989–as the Berlin Wall is coming down, the Soviet Union is falling apart, and anything seems possible–Michael will cross paths with the accomplished and enigmatic young heir to a fading musical dynasty, forever altering both of their futures.

My Review

Every time I read an Erin Bartels novel, the only thing I know to expect is her expertly crafted storytelling. Each book has a unique plot that doesn’t fit neatly in a box, and Everything Is Just Beginning is no exception. I know next to nothing about the music scene of the 1980s and ’90s, but I was immediately invested in Michael and Natalie’s story! Bartels has a way of finding the beauty and significance in life’s everyday moments, and she shares them through her characters’ lives in a profound way. This moving story will make you laugh, cry, shake your head at the scrapes the characters get into, and root for their success. If you love a well-crafted story that is gripping from the first page, don’t miss this book!

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!