Review of "When I Meet You" by Olivia Newport

Clearly I am finishing up "the third book" in a number of series lately! For this latest installment in Olivia Newport's Tree of Life series, I must say I have enjoyed each book more than the last. "When I Meet You" definitely did not disappoint.

We return to the small town of Canyon Mines in Colorado. Lawyer Nolan is contacted by a museum curator to investigate if the steamer trunk recently discovered in their basement has any legal ramifications.....and although it is perfectly preserved, some of the contents have given them pause. Nolan knows research is needed, but also realizes that a 100+ year old archived piece of history has dropped into Jillian's lap too, and she won't be able to sleep until she solves the mystery.

The author reveals the complete story in a fun way - bouncing back and forth between what happened in 1909 combined with letters from Pinkerton detectives with present day findings, including a possible connection to Jillian's own family history. Throw into the mix possible romance, a big town event, and Nolan's latest cooking escapades (will he ever settle on a menu? And can he actually pull it off?) creates an excellent recipe (yes I know what I did there) for a wonderful story.

One of the things I have grown to appreciate about this author is that the characters are multi-dimensional. This book's mystery has a delightful resolution, and the preview of the next book made me slightly impatient! I can easily recommend this entire series (and yes.....this is definitely one where you should start at the beginning!)

I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book by Barbour Publishing in exchange for my honest review.

Review of "Dead End" by Nancy Mehl

This is the final book in the Kaely Quinn Profiler series - and it just may be my favorite of the three!

When a new killer appears to be mimicking Kaely's father, the infamous Raggedy Man serial killer, she is called in to help. Although Kaely has never been able to fully resolve her feelings towards her dad, she agrees to meet with him and try to find out who his "protégé" is.

Kaely's faithful and loyal partner Noah is deeply concerned for her mental health and overall well being. He is not convinced she is processing everything accurately and also thinks she continues to take unnecessary risks. He is not sure he can handle another loss, and begins to question his stance on life and faith that he has been ignoring.

This final book asks and answers a number of important questions: Is it someone on the inside? What is their motivation? How did they discover Ed's MO when certain things were never released to the public? Can forgiveness be found even for the most horrendous crimes?

The final mystery is solved with some great twists and turns; although I had some minor suspicions, I did not feel the solution or the antagonist's motivations were obvious. This was an excellent ending to a great series!

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by Baker Publishing Group in exchange for my honest review.

Review of "On a Coastal Breeze" by Suzanne Woods Fisher

The second book in the "Three Sisters Island" series, this installment focuses on second daughter Madison Grayson. When we first met Maddie in book one, she was recently licensed as an MFT and eager to begin her practice. In this book, her practice is finally open - and although she's previously struggled with panic attacks and anxiety, she feels that it is under control and is eager to move her life forward.

When new pastor Rick O'Shea arrives on the island Maddie is reminded of their past, in all it's glory and horror. Revealed slowly through a series of "flashbacks" in Maddie's past, their relationship is not exactly as it seems. The Pastor Rick of today is very different than the Ricky O'Shea from before...and is there a chance she might have been wrong about....anything?

I really enjoyed this book overall, but there were several things that gave me pause and did not totally ring true. I can't list them (spoilers) but let's just say that the depth of Maddie and Ricky's past did not make sense to me/match up with how Madison communicated and responded, even when her past and possible motivations for certain behaviors were eventually revealed. It felt off and slightly unbelievable for me. However! It is not stopping me from recommending this book. If you have not already done so, make sure to read the first book in the series ("On a Summer Tide"); because as we all know, context is key!

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by Thomas Nelson Publishers in exchange for my honest review.

Review of “The Summer House” by Lauren K. Denton

Although Lily and her husband of about a year have been struggling, she thinks it’s largely due to his particularly controlling mother. She knows things aren't great, but certainly doesn’t expect to wake up one morning to no coffee, a goodbye note, and divorce papers. It's readily apparent that a) Worth (the husband) has disappeared and does not wish to talk; and b) she needs to rapidly find a new place to live and a way to support herself.

Through a series of fun circumstances (some say chance meetings, others say God arranged…) Lily is hired as the hairstylist for Safe Harbor Village, a retirement community right on the water. Little does she know what the new community, friendships, and sense of renewed purpose will do for healing both her head and heart.

I loved the fun characters and it was inspiring to watch their transformations, especially that of Lily's employer, Rose Carrigan. I honestly want to live in Safe Harbor (not retired, don't care).  I especially enjoyed reading "The Village Vine" segments that popped up periodically.



I was provided a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson Publishers in exchange for my honest review.

Review of Silent Shadows by Natalie Walters

The third and final installment in the "Harbored Secrets" series, we once again revisit Walton, Georgia; a tight knit and caring community - but where danger can still find you.

Pecca Gallegos and her 7 year old son Maceo are in Walton to create a safe space and life as far as possible from the gang ties of Maceo's father. She works as a rehab nurse, helping military veterans at the Home for Heroes. When Captain Colton Crawford arrives to become Pecca's new client, he is struggling to accept any part of his current diagnosis and situation. He initially finds common ground with Maceo, but when it turns out Pecca might be in danger his protective instincts kick in and they begin to spend more time together.

With fun characters, mystery and danger elements, and even some surprise reveals towards the end, this is a great wrap up to the series. I think it may be my favorite of the three! Although some characters from previous books make appearances, this can still be read as a standalone.


I was provided a complimentary copy of this book from Revell Publishers in exchange for my honest review.

Review of "Relative Silence" by Carrie Stuart Parks

I always eagerly wait for a new CSP release and this one did not disappoint!

Piper Boone (short for Sandpiper - all the siblings in her family are named after birds) is one of the remaining members of the Boone family. They are wealthy, powerful, and politically connected; brother Tern is a Senator. What's left of the family has arrived on Curlew Island for their annual stockholders meeting and retreat.

Piper's toddler daughter died in an accident near the island 15 years ago and it has drastically changed her life's trajectory. Suffering from nightmares and likely depression, Piper is still trying to figure out what her next steps should be when the unthinkable happens - a mass shooting at a local café where she is having lunch.

Forensic artist Tucker Landry is just getting back on his emotional feet from his own tragedy when he saves Piper from the shooter. He is wounded in the process, but will recover. He and Piper connect over shared interests and a mutual attraction. They soon discover that the mass shooting was only the tip of the iceberg (or should we say island....?)

As Piper and Tucker navigate the dangerous mystery -people keep dying!- with the help of marine patrol Office Mandy Chou and teen Hannah Mueller, will they be able to solve who is behind it all before it's too late? And either way, will the hurricane kill them all first?

There are also numerous quirky and fun things that make this novel atypical. The movie quotes and how Piper uses them to self soothe and help solve the mystery; Four Paws Rescue; Nana the Newfoundlands (yes the plural is on purpose), and so much more. I totally did not figure out the antagonist before the truth was revealed, which I always appreciate. In hindsight there were enough clues to make it clever, but it was definitely not obvious. I will gladly recommend this book along with all other Carrie Stuart Parks novels.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book by Thomas Nelson Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion.

Review of "Before I Called You Mine" by Nicole Deese

Nicole Deese has written a beautiful and touching story about one woman's adoption journey. Based on the author's dedication and "Author's Note" at the end of the book this book is very personal. I hope you will check it out.

When first grade teacher Lauren Bailey meets the dinosaur loving uber-creative substitute-who-is-actually-a-tech-developer Joshua Avery, she forgets for a minute that she is currently remaining single for a very good reason: to remain eligible to adopt internationally from China. This book follows her journey through many ups and downs as she navigates not only the adoption process, but learns how to trust God more deeply.

As I didn't know a ton about the specifics of adoption this book was very interesting. Adding in the many different elements that I don't find to be typical for this genre turned it into a home run. For example, Lauren's family relationships can best be described as strained; Joshua's dad was her inspiration for teaching and the fangirl parts are especially fun; the patience of Joshua is amazing - and everything is woven together in a unique, touching, and amusing way. There are some good LOL moments. It did not end how I expected and I liked it. It did not evolve as I anticipated either, but I liked that too. If you are looking for a well-written and unique topic book this will be a home run for you.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for my honest review.