It’s Friday, and you know what that means… time for another First Line Friday, hosted by Hoarding Books! Hopefully this weekend also means some quality reading time for you 🙂 Today I’m sharing the first line from One Final Breath by Lynn H. Blackburn:

It didn’t get much better than this. At least not on this side of the world, anyway.

One Final Breath by Lynn H. Blackburn

The Basics

Title: One Final Breath by Lynn H. Blackburn

Series: Dive Team Investigations (Book 3 of 3)

Genre: Christian Romantic Suspense

My Rating: 4/5 Stars

From the Back Cover: When investigator Gabe Chavez had his cover blown by an aggressive reporter, the silver lining was being able to rejoin the dive team. The downside? Dive team captain Anissa Bell, a woman who both fascinates and frustrates him.

Anissa grew up as a missionary kid on the Micronesian island of Yap and always planned to return after college. But she remained stateside, determined to solve the case that haunts her–the murder of her best friend and the disappearance of a three-year-old child.

When Anissa’s fractured past collides with Gabe’s investigation into the tragic shooting death of a teenage boy in Lake Porter, they’ll have to put aside their complicated history with each other in order to uncover the killer’s identity. 

My Thoughts

This is the first time I’ve read a book by Lynn Blackburn, but it won’t be the last! I loved the camaraderie between the members of the dive team; their work is unique and not something I’ve read much about in the suspense genre. The characters were well-developed and felt like a real group of friends that would be fun to hang out with. Gabe and Anissa’s tenuous friendship turning to more was, of course, a major part of the story, but the group of secondary characters – their relationships and struggles – added richness and complexity to the book.

Not only were the characters great, but the suspense was really well-done, too! The story was unique and fast-moving, with plenty of twists and an unexpected ending. Lynn Blackburn is now an author I will be following, and I’m excited to go back and read the first two books in the series! If you’re a fan of Lynette Eason, Dani Pettrey, or Irene Hannon, I think you would enjoy One Final Breath.

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, fellow readers! The book I’m sharing today is a perfect fall weekend read – a small-town story about faith, family, and forgiveness that’s lighthearted but has substance. I’m linking up with Hoarding Books‘ First Line Friday series to share the first line of You Belong with Me by Tari Faris:

“Was she really the only one left who cared about this town?”

You Belong with Me by Tari Faris

The Basics

Title: You Belong with Me by Tari Faris

Series: Restoring Heritage (Book 1)

Genre: Christian Contemporary Romance

My Rating: 4/5 Stars

From the Back Cover: Realtor Hannah Thornton has many talents. Unfortunately, selling houses isn’t one of them.

When a business tycoon determines to raze historic homes in the small town of Heritage, Michigan, and replace them with a strip mall, Hannah resolves to stop him. She sets about helping Heritage win a restoration grant that will put the town back on the map–and hopefully restore her disgraced family name. But she’ll need help to do it.

As a foster kid, Luke Johnson never truly felt he belonged. Now he has a chance to earn his place in his hometown. But he doesn’t anticipate how his relationship with Hannah will set into motion events that reveal the truth about who he is–and who he was.

My Thoughts

Tari Faris has written a charming, delightful debut novel in You Belong with Me! I loved the slightly quirky small town of Heritage, Michigan, and the close-knit group of family and friends that make up the cast of characters. The friends-to-more storyline between Hannah and Luke was done really well, although there were times I wished they would just talk to each other, for goodness’ sake! If the sign of good, realistic characters is when you feel invested in their lives and care about the decisions they’re making, this book is full of them 🙂

Luke’s story is really compelling; he grew up in foster care, and that experience had a huge impact on his life as an adult. He’s always felt a little bit out of place with his friends, with Hannah, and with God. The twist revealing his family history was one I definitely didn’t see coming! Hannah is a problem solver and wants to help her friends and her town, but that tends to get her in trouble sometimes. Her brother, Thomas, is a secondary character and has his own storyline that adds depth to the story. One of my favorite characters was Pastor Nate, who has a knack for showing up at just the right time with wisdom and encouragement!

If you enjoy small-town romance with substance and are a fan of Courtney Walsh, Becky Walsh, or Susan May Warren, you’ll love this book!

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: The Gryphon Heist by James R. Hannibal

Series: Talia Inger Series, Book 1

Genre: Christian Suspense/Thriller

My Rating: 4/5 Stars

From the Back Cover: Talia Inger is a rookie CIA case officer assigned not to the Moscow desk as she had hoped but to the forgotten backwaters of Eastern Europe–a department only known as “Other.” When she is tasked with helping a young, charming Moldovan executive secure his designs for a revolutionary defense technology, she figures she’ll be back in DC within a few days. But that’s before she knows where the designs are stored–and who’s after them. With her shady civilian partner, Adam Tyler, Talia takes a deep dive into a world where only criminal minds and unlikely strategies will keep the Gryphon, a high-altitude data vault, hovering in the mesosphere.

Even Tyler is more than he seems, and Talia begins to wonder: Is he helping her? Or using her access to CIA resources to pull off an epic heist for his own dark purposes?

My Thoughts

This book is full of action and excitement from the first page! Talia is a strong main character; she’s brave, bold, and willing to take risks that often get her in trouble. Unbeknownst to her, someone is pulling strings to have her assigned to the Eastern Europe – Other department. The twists keep coming as she finds herself caught up in a high-stakes heist with an elite team of thieves, and she isn’t sure who she can trust. Her friend and fellow CIA officer Eddie provides technical expertise along with some lighthearted moments. Throughout the story, the details we learn about the death of Talia’s father’s add depth to her character and another layer of intrigue to her present-day case.

There’s more to this story and the characters involved than meets the eye! Each twist and turn reveals more possibilities and creates more questions than it answers. Part suspense and part spy thriller, this book has made James R. Hannibal an author to watch for me!

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

I’m so excited to be joining the First Line Friday linkup hosted by Hoarding Books and sharing from Erin Bartels’ newest book today! I absolutely loved her first book, We Hope for Better Things, that came out earlier this year (and is on Kindle Unlimited!). She truly has a gift for writing poignant, compelling stories. Here are the first line(s) from The Words Between Us:

“Most people only die once. But my father is not most people. He is a monster.”

The Words Between Us by Erin Bartels

The Basics

Title: The Words Between Us by Erin Bartels

Genre: Christian Contemporary Fiction

My Rating: 5/5 Stars

From the Back Cover: Robin Windsor has spent much of her life under an assumed name to avoid association with her infamous parents. She thought she’d finally found sanctuary running her used bookstore in quiet River City, Michigan. But when she receives an eerily familiar book in the mail on the morning of her father’s scheduled execution. Robin is thrown back to the summer she met Peter Flynt, the perfect boy who ruined everything. Why would Peter be making contact now? And why does she have a sinking feeling that she’s about to be exposed all over again?

With evocative prose that recalls the classic novels we love, Erin Bartels pens a story that shows that words – the ones we say, the ones we read, and the ones we write – have more power than we imagine.

My Thoughts

I don’t know how to put into words how much I love this book. The story, the characters, and the literary references are captivating. On the surface, it’s beautiful story about classic books and a small-town bookstore, but it’s also about so much more. It’s a story of young love, forgiveness, and second chances. It’s a story about the power of words – the words we say or don’t say, and the choices we make to lie or tell the truth.

Robin’s story is gradually revealed through alternating timelines, from her present as a bookstore owner to her past as a high schooler trying to reinvent her identity after a family scandal. As a teenager, she finds a friend in Peter; as he shares books with her, she begins to share her heart and secrets with him. His apparent betrayal sets her on the path to her present-day life as a slightly reclusive bookstore owner… until parts of their past start showing up in her mail. It’s a beautifully told story with a satisfying, if not a little bittersweet, ending.

The best books are the ones that make you feel; that draw you into the story, into the characters’ lives, so deep you feel like a part of them. They are the ones you can lose yourself in, and find pieces of your heart. This book celebrates those books, and is one itself. I was drawn in from the first page, and I didn’t want it to end! It’s definitely one to read slowly and savor.

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, friends! It was so nice to have a short work week this week , and of course I loved having extra reading time during the long weekend! It’s starting to feel like fall here in Maine, which is perfect outdoor reading weather.

Today I’m linking up with Hoarding Books for First Line Friday and sharing from Colleen Coble’s newest book, Strands of Truth. It will be released in just a few days! In the meantime, here are the first two lines:

January 1990

St. Petersburg, Florida

“Lisa ran to her Datsun Bluebird and jerked open the yellow door. Her pulse strummed in her neck, and she glanced behind her to make sure she wasn’t being followed.”

Strands of Truth by Colleen Coble

The Basics

Title: Strands of Truth by Colleen Coble

Release Date: September 10, 2019

Genre: Christian Romantic Suspense

My Rating: 4/5 Stars

From the Back Cover: Harper Taylor is used to being alone—after all, she grew up in one foster home after another. Oliver Jackson finally took her under his wing when she was a runaway teenager, and now Harper pours her marine biology knowledge into Oliver’s pen shell research. But she’s never stopped wishing for a family of her own. 

So when a DNA test reveals a half-sister living just two hours away, Harper is both hopeful and nervous. Over warm cinnamon rolls, Harper and Annabelle find striking similarities in their stories. Is it just a coincidence that both their mothers died tragically, without revealing Harper and Annabelle’s father’s name? 

Oliver’s son Ridge still sees Harper as a troubled teen even all these years later. But when Oliver is attacked, Ridge and Harper find themselves working together to uncover dangerous secrets that threaten to destroy them all. They must unravel her past before they can have any hope for the future. 

My Thoughts

Colleen Coble is a well-known name in Christian suspense, but I’ve never really connected with her books – until this one! Genealogy has always been fascinating to me, so I decided to give the book a try. I’m so glad I did, and I ended up really enjoying it! The story has a good blend of action, suspense, and character development. Ridge and Harper were believeable, relatable characters – they started off not liking each other, but their friendship grew in a natural way as difficult circumstances threw them together. The mystery of Harper and Annabelle’s father was fascinating, and I was really surprised by the way it was resolved!

There are several interesting elements that make the story unique, including Harper’s research and work with pen shells. I also loved how genealogy was incorporated both to solve crimes reaching from the past to the present, and to bring a family together. If you’re a fan of Christian suspense, this would be a great book to add to your fall TBR list!

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

Happy Tuesday! I hope you had a great Labor Day weekend and got in some quality reading time! Now it’s back to work, back to school, back to the daily routine… but I do have some good news for your week. Today is the day DiAnn Mills’ newest book, Fatal Strike, is released!

The Basics

Title: Fatal Strike by DiAnn Mills

Genre: Christian Romantic Suspense

My Rating: 4/5 Stars

From the Back Cover: There’s a killer on the loose in Galveston, targeting law enforcement officials and using a fatal injection of snake venom to take them down. Authorities have reasons to believe the Veneno gang is behind the hits, and FBI Agents Leah Riesel and Jon Colbert team up to track down those responsible. Their best lead is an eyewitness who identifies a young man dumping the third body on a church doorstep. But their suspect has gone into hiding, and those closest to him are reluctant to reveal anything that might help investigators find him.

As Leah and Jon check connections among the victims and dig deeper into motives, they discover appearances may be deceiving. Someone is desperate to keep their secrets hidden, and Leah and Jon must face their greatest fears in order to stop the next fatal strike.

My Thoughts

DiAnn Mills was one of the first suspense authors I read as a teenager, when I was developing my love of reading. I’ve always enjoyed her books, and her newest book, Fatal Strike, is no exception. First of all, I love the cover! The colors and the silhouette are striking, and the design is clean and modern. Not to judge a book by its cover, but this cover definitely drew me in!

The story starts off with a bang when two FBI snipers, Leah and Jon, are called into a hostage situation, then paired together to investigate a string of murders. The story is full of action and takes so many twists and turns I never saw coming! It’s definitely more plot-driven than character-driven; there is some romance that develops between Leah and Jon, but it takes a backseat to the suspense. One of my favorite characters turned out to be Silvia, the mother of the suspect Leah and Jon are searching for throughout the book. Parts of the story were told from her perspective, which I thought was an interesting twist. This book grabbed me from the first page and kept me hooked until the end! If you are a fan of the suspense genre, you don’t want to miss this one.

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

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.

I loved Mind Games, the first book in the Kaely Quinn Profiler series, so I was excited for the chance to read Fire Storm early! It’s coming out in a little over a week, on August 6, so I thought today would be a great time to share my review. Plus, I’m linking up with First Line Friday, hosted by Hoarding Books, and sharing the first line of this book with you! Here it is:

“He waits, hidden in the shadows of the tall stately trees that line the street.” Fire Storm by Nancy Mehl

What is he watching and waiting for? This book starts off with a bang – you don’t want to miss it!

The Basics

Title: Fire Storm by Nancy Mehl Series: Book 2 of 3, Kaely Quinn Profiler series Genre: Christian Romantic Suspense Release Date: August 6, 2019 My Rating: 4.5/5 Stars From the Back Cover: When FBI profiler Kaely Quinn’s mother is diagnosed with cancer, Kaely takes time off work to go to Dark Water, Nebraska, to help her brother care for their mother. Upon her arrival, she learns of a series of fires in the small town, attributed by the fire chief to misuse of space heaters in the frigid winter. But Kaely is skeptical, and a search for a pattern in the locations of the fires bolsters her suspicions. After yet another blaze devastates a local family, Kaely is certain a serial arsonist is on the loose. Calling upon her partner from St. Louis, Noah Hunter, and her brother’s firefighter neighbor who backs Kaely’s suspicions, Kaely and her team begin an investigation that swiftly leads them down a twisted path. When the truth is finally revealed, Kaely finds herself confronting a madman who is determined his last heinous act will be her death.

My Thoughts

This is the second book in the series about Kaely Quinn, an FBI profiler/behavior analyst. Kaely is definitely one of the most intriguing heroines I’ve read about in a suspense novel for a long time! The situations she faces in this book, including getting involved in a case outside of her jurisdiction while she’s supposed to be spending time with her family, bring some of the issues she’s been facing to the forefront. She has been finding her identity in her work – in hunting down monsters – at the expense of her personal life, and instead of dealing with the trauma of her past. There is some romance in this book, but it definitely takes a backseat to the suspense. Kaely’s partner from her home FBI office, Noah, travels to be with her and help her investigate, and their growing friendship is a beautiful part of the story. The mystery and suspense are very well done; you have an idea of who the arsonist might be about halfway through, but it ends up being resolved in an unexpected way. I can’t wait to see how Kaely’s story wraps up in the third book, coming out next year! I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.