Review of "Never Miss" by Melissa Koslin

Kadance Tolle's upbringing was untraditional, to say the least. A former sniper with the CIA and born into a family of assassins, when she sees someone in danger (even though she is on the run from said family) she can't help but intervene. Kadance may have some deep and understandable trust issues but at the core she is a caring person who wants to do what is good.

Lyndon Vaile is not just brilliant - he has a photographic memory and holds three doctorates: microbiology, pathology, and epidemiology, all of which he earned before turning 30 (oh, and a master's in cybersecurity btw). When Kadance saves his life and their paths become intertwined, they must work together on a case that has both global and national security ramifications.

I loved the cat (we had a Maine Coon that was basically a dog in cat form - that breed is amazing), and overall I really thought this was a very solid first book from this new author. Although there were some mild mis-steps -and frankly, the things that I noticed seemed like they were an editing issue that could have been solved with a word search for repetitive statements- it was overcome by the interesting backgrounds of both main characters and highly relevant subject matter. I look forward to more offerings from this author.

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

Review of "The Nature of a Lady" by Roseanna M. White

Lady Elizabeth "Libby" Sinclair is tired. Tired of being expected to be something she isn't, and of being pressured to marry someone she doesn't love. She is still grieving the loss of her father, and even though she loves her family dearly she just wants to make her own choices without the pressure of their expectations. When the opportunity arises to spend the summer with just her laddies maid (and friend) Mabena on the Isles of Scilly, she jumps at the chance. She doesn't know that Mabena has her own reasons for wanting to go, or that there is possible danger - and maybe even love - waiting for her when she arrives.

Oliver Tremayne's sister - also named Elizabeth - (this is a crucial story point) has been off on an adventure and asked for some space...but since she hasn't checked in recently he is starting to worry. His responsibilities as the village vicar are many, and his beloved grandmother (Maam-wynn) seems more frail than usual. When the mystery intensifies - and people are missing and possibly dead - Libby and Oliver work together to solve it

I loved learning about the "Scillies", and enjoyed the deep family relationships and ties. I always experience some frustration over the rules of the day dictating certain behaviors but that is what it is. :) I also enjoyed learning about the rich history of this area and people. I am happy to recommend this book and look forward to the next in the series (The Secrets of the Isles).

I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Review of "Love and the Silver Lining" by Tammy L. Gray

I will tell you straight up that this is going to be an incredibly positive review. I loved this book. I loved it even more than the first one (this is #2 in the State of Grace series; although you might THINK you can read them as standalone, in my longstanding opinion it is a MUCH BETTER experience - remember, context is key - if you read things in order. So go ahead and read this review because I'm not going to give you any spoilers, then go get "Love and a Little White Lie" and read it first, pretty please.)

Darcy Malone has banked her future on a couple of things: she is going to be a missionary, and love is not reliable...the second conclusion reached following her parent's divorce. When the proverbial rug is yanked out from under her missionary plans at the last possible moment, she becomes paralyzed from one too many major letdowns at once.

Darcy's lifelong BEST FRIEND (yes the caps are intentional, because their BESTFRIENDNESS is a v. important part of the storyline) Cameron Lee had his own life turned upside down in book one, and he is counting on the band he joined to be his future. Cam is Darcy's go-to for basically everything - but when their mutual friend and lead singer in the band Bryson Katsaros is integral in finding Darcy a new place to live, she begins to look at him in a different light.

This book addresses grief - mourning the future you thought you were going to have; disconnecting from your faith and other things that kept you grounded - but still finding your way back; how even the deepestr of relationships can change and grow; and, not everything will be resolved by the end of the book - I appreciated the author's willingness to go there. The book is complete on its own but you will still look forward to the next one. Rich in snappy and compelling dialogue, laugh out loud moments, and dog training (you don't see too many romantic comedies that weave dog training into the story in an effective way, but this one does, and does it well)! I wholeheartedly recommend this book.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Review of "Winning the Gentleman" by Kristi Ann Hunter

Aaron Whitworth has long accepted his place in society as the illegitimate -but acknowledged- son of a Marquis. Educated alongside the aristocracy, he's made lifelong friends (whom he sometimes wrongly assumes he shouldn't ask anything of). He's also earned a great deal of respect along the way, but he still carries some pretty serious burdens emotionally that perhaps he shouldn't.

Sophia Fitzroy and her twin brother Jonas's situation has been precarious since their father died. When he has an accident that renders him unable to sit or stand for long periods of time, their dreams of a riding school are put aside to find a means of survival. When Aaron is in need of a jockey, he unwittingly hires Sophia and serious hijinks (and love, of course!) follow.

This is the second book in the author's Hearts on the Heath series, and a solid offering.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by Bethany House Publishers and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Review of "From This Moment" by Kim Vogel Sawyer

Jase Edgar and his fiancee had their whole lives ahead of them when she is killed in a tragic car accident. In the process of moving forward in spite of his sadness and disillusionment, Jase takes a new job as a youth pastor in Bradleyville, Kansas.

Told from multiple points of view, the author weaves together a story of redemption and healing.

The take on the Amish from Kenzie's point of view is not typical and very interesting. The relationships are beautiful and supportive, and the struggles the characters are going through are varied: grief, health issues, food addiction, foster care, humility, honesty...

There is a small mystery that is not hard to sort out, but it was still fun to watch it unfold. If you are looking for a story to encourage you to be encouraged and find hope, this is a great book for you.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by Water Brook/Random House Publishers and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Review of "Plot Twist" by Bethany Turner

What a fun, unique, and just plain GREAT take on a romantic comedy.

Writer Olivia works for a greeting card company but is not so secretly working on a screenplay and would love to be in a serious relationship. She is 30, after all. She also is convinced that she will never be the leading lady - only a supporting character. This mindset messes with her in a number of ways...and really, there's too much to attempt a summary so here are my bullet points for your review reading pleasure:

• The relationship with her longtime best friend is basically, the best
• The card quotes are awesome
• The timeline that follows our heroine through the years is well paced and interesting
• There is plenty of sassy repartee and a ton of laugh out loud moments
• I was surprised multiple times - and frankly, that doesn't happen very often in this genre

The most important takeaway: this book was a pleasure to read and I definitely recommend it!

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

Review of "At Lighthouse Point" by Suzanne Woods Fisher

 This is the third book in the author's Three Sisters Island series, and I think it's actually my favorite!

Youngest sister Blaine may have had some growing up to do when she left the island to "find herself in Europe", but she also needed healing from some intense trauma that really came to the forefront during her trip. When she returns to the island two years later with her hard won diploma from Le Cordon Bleu and dear friend Jean-Paul in tow, Blaine finds a number of changes - not only on the island, but in her family and Camp Kicking Moose as well. Some of those changes cause Blaine to reassess her purpose and place in this world, and they also require her to fight to hold on to her newfound peace.

There are some lovely surprises and new visitors to the island, and it's fun to see the "progress" that has been made in the two years since we were last with this family. The author's delightful sense of humor shines through in this entire series, with the quirks of several characters just enough to be fun rather than simply strange :) You will definitely want to visit Three Sisters Island when you are done with this series!

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by Revell and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.