Revell Reads

A Borrowed Dream by Amanda Cabot – Review

March 29, 2018 by Suzie Waltner 1 Comment

March was a month full of historical fiction releases (and oddly, a few of them had heroines named Catherine or Caroline). The names were so close, I had to go back and double check myself a few times while reviewing. Really, that’s just an aside in case you were wondering if I’d mixed up my heroines when I talk about A Borrowed Dream by Amanda Cabot.

In My Opinion

Though this is the second book in Amanda Cabot’s Cimarron Creek trilogy, it stands on its own. In fact, it’s the first book I’ve read by the author and I followed the story just fine.

In this small Texas hill country town, gossip is a favorite pastime, followed closely by matchmaking, and the citizens have their eyes and ears open for the next scandal—especially if it involves any member of the town’s founding families.

Chasing Secrets by Lynette Eason (Review)

August 3, 2017 by Suzie Waltner Leave a Comment

Chasing Secrets Lynette Eason — Click on book cover image to order your copy

Elite Guardians bodyguard Haley Callaghan may be in South Carolina, but when a photo leads investigators in West Ireland to open a twenty-five-year-old cold case, her life is suddenly in danger. Haley knows how to take care of herself; after all, she’s made a career out of taking care of others. But after an uncomfortably close call, Detective Steven Rothwell takes it upon himself to stay with her–and the young client she has taken under her wing. A protector at heart, he’s not about to let Haley fight this battle alone.

In a sweeping plot that takes them into long-buried memories–and the depths of the heart–Haley and Steven will have to solve the mystery of Haley’s past while dodging bullets, bombs, and bad guys who just won’t quit.

A Matter of Trust by Susan May Warren

July 10, 2017 by Suzie Waltner Leave a Comment

The pure adrenaline and freedom of flying down a mountain coated with snow, the stomach-dropping jumps, and the beauty of Montana’s Glacier National Park are brought to life in Susan May Warren’s A Matter of Trust. But book number four in the Montana Rescue series is so much more than that.

A few years ago, Gage “Watts” Watson was on top of the world. A champion backcountry snowboarder, he had the adoring fans, the trophies, and the sponsorships. After a tragedy, he’s trying to discover his place in life while staying under the radar. Now, the person who helped end his career needs his help.

As Gage and Ella Blair search for her brother in a dangerous, life-threatening snowboard run, they must come to grips with their past mistakes. Gage is intent on not repeating the past tragedy again. Ella wants to apologize, to make things right with Gage.

It might take days on a mountain, a snowstorm, and some gentle reminders that God is God. That nothing they did, or do, changes his love for them. That He doesn’t forget about them or turn His back on them even when He feels far away.

This is a standalone book in the series. I hadn’t read the previous books but was not lost with the characters. Although, now I’m curious about some of their other stories so will have to go back and read the rest of the series.

My Rating:

Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books for review from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

A Matter of Trust Susan May Warren — Click on book cover to order your copy

Champion backcountry snowboarder Gage Watson has left the limelight behind after the death of one of his fans. After being sued for negligence and stripped of his sponsorships, he’s remade his life as a ski patrol in Montana’s rugged mountains, as well as serving on the PEAK Rescue team. But he can’t seem to find his footing–or forget the woman he loved, who betrayed him.

Senator and former attorney Ella Blair spends much of her time in the limelight as the second-youngest senator in the country. But she has a secret–one that cost Gage his career. More than anything, she wants to atone for her betrayal of him in the courtroom and find a way to help him put his career back on track.

When Ella’s brother goes missing on one of Glacier National Park’s most dangerous peaks, Gage and his team are called in for the rescue. But Gage isn’t so sure he wants to help the woman who destroyed his life. More, when she insists on joining the search, he’ll have to keep her safe while finding her reckless brother, a recipe for disaster when a snowstorm hits the mountain.

But old sparks relight as they search for the missing snowboarder–and suddenly, they are faced with emotions neither can deny. But when Ella’s secret is revealed, can they learn to trust each other–even when disaster happens again?

Review: Under a Summer Sky by Melody Carlson (Blog Tour)

June 12, 2017 by Suzie Waltner Leave a Comment

Savannah, GA is a place I’ve always wanted to visit. And after reading Melody Carlson’s newest installment in her Follow Your Heart series, I both feel like I’ve made a trip there and want to go even more. Carlson has a gift of taking her readers along with her characters to explore the areas in her books.

High school art teacher Nicole Anderson is a likable character. Maybe a little too much so. In her attempts to be personable and nice, she lets others run her over. But in her naivety and her desire to do the right thing, to make a difference in the lives around her means that others take notice.

She is a good role model for the thirteen-year-old girl she takes under her wing (and even for the parents of said teenager). But is she also the perfect match for one of the brothers who have taken an interest in her.

As with all of Carlson’s books in this series, it took me a couple of chapters to get used to the third person POV of only the heroine but I was in Nicole’s head within the first two chapters in Under a Summer Sky and enjoyed taking this journey with her.

I will say I had my opinion of who I wanted Nicole to end up with from the get-go. While there’s some twists and turns in her journey, I was more than pleased with the outcome. I would have liked to spend the rest of the summer with Nicole, though!

My Rating:

Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books for review from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including Netgalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Book Review: Sandpiper Cove by Irene Hannon

April 10, 2017 by Suzie Waltner Leave a Comment

Do you ever feel like you’re unworthy of something? That you don’t deserve anything good in your life because of bad choices or mistakes you’ve made in the past?

Step into Adam Stone’s shoes. As an ex-convicted intent on starting over and living a good but solitary life, Adam is content with his little home on the edge of the Oregon seaside town of Hope Harbor. But when Police Chief Lexie Graham enters the picture, the loneliness he’s tried hard to bury is as obvious as the blue of the Pacific.

With the help of two young boys, a slew of townspeople, and a fish-taco-selling artist, will Adam discover that God wants more for him? That he was made for community?

This is a story of God’s grace and forgiveness. A story of letting go of the past and clinging to those who support you. Sandpiper Cove is a beautiful reflection of God’s endless love for each and every one of His children.

I’m looking forward to visiting Hope Harbor again (and I’m looking forward to my trip to the Oregon Coast this summer even more). Pick up the newest installment in the lives of the residents of the town where “hearts heal and love blooms.” today.

Amazon/CBD

My Rating: