416 Pages, Paperback
Published May 2, 2023, Bethany House Publishers
About the Book
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3.5 stars
416 Pages, Paperback
Published May 2, 2023, Bethany House Publishers
About the Book
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3.5 stars
CIA analyst Brynn Taylor developed a new program to combat terrorism, and she invited members of foreign intelligence agencies to America to foster cooperation between countries. Now one of them, Egyptian spy Remon Riad, is missing.
Jack Hudson has been working for the Strategic Neutralization and Protection Agency (SNAP) for almost nine years and takes the lead in hunting down the missing spy. But he isn't at all pleased to find out Brynn is involved. It's hard to trust a woman who's already betrayed you.
Rebecca's Review 4 STARS
"I'm not willing to risk my team on someone who can't be trusted, and I don't trust her."
Great. Just great. Judging by the flash of hurt that crossed her face, she'd no doubt heard his words. "She", being Brynn Taylor; Jack Hudson had gone through CIA training with her, and had subsequently been left behind when Brynn was accepted into the agency and he wasn't. Pushed aside . . . was more like it. . . apparently Brynn had moved on in her career, never giving their burgeoning relationship a second glance. But now she was in his territory with her own reputation on the line. An Egyptian intelligence agent had gone missing after attending Brynn's multi-national symposium on combating global terrorism and Jack's agency, S.N.A.P., the Strategic Neutralization and Protection Agency, had just been put in charge of finding him.
After overcoming her shock over seeing Jack again, Brynn put on her brave face and drilled herself into focus; "Do not panic. Do not panic. DO NOT PANIC." He didn't trust her, of course he didn't, she had never told him the entire story. Personal history aside, she had a job to do, and if working with Jack's team accomplished the objective, so be it, regardless of the cost to her heart.
As the body count rises and terrorist threats loom like a specter on the horizon, Jack and Brynn have little time to concentrate on anything else but national security, exploring the feelings that continue to rumble just beneath the surface will just have to wait. Or can they? . . . "love is many things, none of them logical".
An excellent story! Writing a fast paced romantic suspense without leaving the audience in the proverbial "dust". . . . . or compromising the character development that readers so desperately crave, demands a delicate balance. This book has accomplishes both, proving that the author has really "upped her game" and I, for one, can't wait to continue reading the series.
"It's our faith in the hard times that keeps us anchored in the hope that God will restore order . . . Choose fear or faith, but only one choice will bring peace."
I received a copy of this book from the publisher. I also purchased a copy. The opinions stated above are entirely my own.
About the Book
Nothing could get her home…but this
Cassidy Leblanc worked hard to shake off her tragic childhood. As a foster child with a mother in prison for murder, she was an outcast in her small New Hampshire town until she met James. But she and James's sister, whom she was babysitting, were kidnapped. She escaped, but Hallie didn't survive, and everybody assumed Cassidy killed her. Like mother, like daughter, after all. With public opinion and the authorities united against her, young Cassidy fled. Now, a decade later, another little girl has been kidnapped, and Cassidy may be the only person who can find her.
He doesn't know who to trust
James Sullivan never believed that Cassidy killed his sister, no matter what the authorities said. When his best friend's daughter goes missing a decade after Hallie's murder, James keeps his opinions on the matter to himself. But when he finds Cassidy sneaking around his property, his thoughts turn dark. If she's not behind the recent kidnapping, what is she doing back in Coventry? Her answer—that she's returned to find little Ella, and she needs his help—has him reeling. Can he trust Cassidy, despite what the police tell him? If there's any chance he can save Ella, he has to try.
Danger lurks on the mountain
Together, they search for the elusive cave where Cassidy and Hallie were taken, but somebody will stop at nothing to make sure they don't find it or, if they do, that they don't come out alive.
Pulse-pounding suspense, second-chance romance, and a precious little girl who only wants her daddy. Start reading Glimmer in the Darkness today.
Purchase:
Amazon (e-book $2.99)
*I am NOT affiliated with any vendors. Purchase links are for your convenience only.
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Rebecca's Review 4 STARS
"If you ever cared about me . . . I need your help. I can't do this by myself."
A desperate plea from a voice from his past, James Sullivan can scarcely believe his eyes or ears. She looks different, older, more mature . . .but amazingly gorgeous. Is Cassidy LeBlanc a cold blooded child killer like everyone in the small town of Coventry seems to believe, or has she been terribly misunderstood and betrayed by the very justice system that should have protected her as the victim of an horrible crime? Right now, it's irrelevant what everyone else believes, James must decide for himself what to do with the terrified woman cowering in his backyard.What would your reaction be if you found out you were
abducted at birth and the woman you have loved and known as mother for
the last twenty years wasn’t really your mother? This was the question I asked
myself while developing my Rapunzel character for A New Beginning. If you’ve
seen Disney’s version of the story, you’ve seen Rapunzel falling into the arms
of her long-lost parents, but would it really be that simple?
As with all retellings, I needed to put my own spin on the
old story. I remembered an article I read years ago about Kamiyah Mobley, a girl who experienced this very
thing. She didn’t find it all that easy to forget about the woman who raised
her. Her story influenced mine.
In A New Beginning, Jasmine Callahan was
stolen away from her parents at birth and raised as Acacia (Cacie) Martin by
her abductor, Emilia Martin. When the truth comes out, Cacie clings to the
woman who raised her, rejecting her original family.
When the story makes the news, she’s faced with life in the spotlight, which is a drastic contrast to what she’s used to. To make matters worse, Cacie's hat slips off during the court proceedings revealing twelve feet of hair, earning her the title of 'the modern-day Rapunzel' and bringing even more unwanted notoriety.
Now Emilia is serving time for her crimes and
Cacie is warming up to the idea of getting to know her real family. In order to
leave the past behind and embrace this new beginning, she'll need to make a few
changes—starting with a haircut.
And here’s where the hero, Drake Derian, comes
in.
Drake isn’t your typical hero. For one thing,
he’s a hairdresser. Lot’s of turning points brought him to where he is today.
His mother died when he was five. After her death, he spent life in one foster
home after another, adding his own brand of trouble along the way.
Things changed with his last foster mom.
Bonita Adams introduced him to Jesus, sent him to college, and gave him a job
in her salon. Drake uses his skills on the rich and famous as well as the
downtrodden. (Some of my inspiration for this hero came from this video for Some People
Do by Old Dominion.)
Life takes another turn for Drake the day
Cacie shows up for her first haircut. But the best way to find out about that
experience is to read the story for yourself. A New Beginning is part of the Once Upon A Summer collection. I hope you enjoy
reading it as much as I did writing it!
One winner will be contacted by email in early June.
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Bestselling and award-winning author Irene Hannon invites you to come home to Hope Harbor--where hearts heal . . . and love blooms.
Purchase: Amazon
Rebecca's Review ~ 4 STARS
"No matter what happens, I'll always be grateful our paths crossed."
Veiled in Smoke - Jocelyn Green
The Medallion - Cathy Gohlke
Mountain Laurel - Lori Benton
The White Rose Resists - Amanda Barratt
Like Flames in the Night - Connilyn Cossette
The Gentleman Spy - Erica Vetsch
A Portrait of Loyalty - Roseanna White
The Book of Lost Friends - Lisa Wingate
Port of Origin - Lisa Harris, Lynne Gentry
Set the Stars Alight - Amanda Dykes
Honorable Mention: To Dwell Among Cedars, - Connilyn Cossette, Wings of Devotion - Roseanna White, The Lost Lieutenant - Erica Vetsch, The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus - Jamie Jo Wright
Outstanding Debuts: The Edge of Belonging - Amanda Cox, The Dress Shop on King Street - Ashley Clark, A Mosaic of Wings - Kimberly Duffy
To see all of Rebecca's Reviews, visit her on Goodreads.
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My Review 4 STARS
If I only see you once...
Purchase: Amazon
My Review 5 STARS!!!
Oh. My. Goodness. A friend of mine shared some highlights from this book on Goodreads that intrigued me. I borrowed a copy on KU and started reading it immediately. I had trouble putting it down and would have stayed up all night to read it, if possible. The story certainly wasn't what I expected. I was thinking it would be a fairly lighthearted, sweet Christmas romance but it was so much more!!!
If you're looking for an inspirational story that will leave you contemplating and perhaps re-evaluating your "once" moments, this is the one. Amanda Tru will be an author added to my must-read list. This book is a stand-alone, as are all the books in this series.
Let me know if you read it and what you think of it!
Have a blessed day in the Lord,
Radio talk show host Eve Reilly is used to backlash from her pot-stirring on-air commentary and interviews, but now it seems a disgruntled listener is resorting to more than angry words to express their displeasure. When a suspicious package arrives on her doorstep, Eve turns to law enforcement for help.
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| Sticky tabs are mine ;-) |
My Review 3 STARS
As I was making
afternoon tea, I thought Eve Reilly, the heroine in Point of Danger, needs a
good cup of hot tea to help her de-stress after the week she's had! It’s a
wonder she survived all the high stakes drama but she’s got plenty of
experience with overly dramatic people calling into her radio talk show and
venting about politics and other controversial topics.
The story has a
quick pace, snappy dialogue, and romance. The plot line is easy to follow but
not elemental. Hannon drew me into the story in spite of it being very
political and reading like a conservative news show on paper. It wasn't what I
was expecting so I was a bit disappointed. That being said, I would be
interested in reading the next book in the series in hopes that it won't
reflect what's taking place in our society at the time.
A copy of the book
was provided by the publisher for this review. No compensation received.
Talk about an adrenaline fueled finale, Soul Raging is filled with non-stop action and wondering just who in the world is the bad guy?! Is it gonna be Leif? Oh, please, I hope not!!!
But, you know....
But back to Leif because you know...he is the one on the cover. ;-) He's in love with Iskra and desperately hopes to be a family one day with her and Taissia, her daughter. And yet...