Back in the Saddle by Ruth Logan Herne

It’s been a long time since Colt Stafford shrugged off his cowboy legacy for shiny Manhattan loafers and a promising career on Wall Street. But when stock market manipulations leave him financially strapped, the oldest son of legendary rancher Sam Stafford decides to return to the sprawling Double S ranch in Gray’s Glen, Washington. He’s broke, but not broken, and it’s time to check in with his ailing father, and get his legs back under him by climbing into the saddle again.

He doesn’t expect to come home to a stranger pointing a loaded gun at his chest— a tough yet beautiful woman that Sam hired as the house manager. Colt senses there’s more to Angelina Morales than meets the eye and he’s determined to find out what she’s hiding...and why.

Colt’s return brings new challenges. Younger brother Nick has been Sam’s right-hand man at the ranch for years and isn’t thrilled at having Colt insert himself into Double S affairs. And the ranch’s contentious relationship with the citizens of Gray’s Glen asks all the Stafford men to examine their hearts about what it truly means to be a neighbor.  And as Wall Street recovers, will Colt succumb to the call of the financial district’s wealth and power—or finally the courage to stay in the saddle for good?

I can't recall ever reading any books by this author before.  It will not be the last.  I thoroughly enjoyed it.  O thought this book was loosely based on the prodigal son in the New Testament.  Colt being the prodigal and Nick the younger jealous son.  They both have a lot to overcome with Sam, their father as he was not the best of fathers.

 Colt can't wait for his finances to turn around so he can head back to New York.  What he doesn't anticipate is how quickly he adapts to ranch life again and how at peace he is.  He keeps butting heads with the house manager Angelina.  She is a person to be reckoned with.  She will not put up with Colt and Nick arguing with each other.  She has a rolling pin to remind them of that fact.

Angelina has a secret she is not willing to share with anyone.  She runs the house with a firm hand.  She takes no nonsense from anyone.  It's fun to watch Colt and Angelina dance around their feelings for each other.  Neither one is wanting to fall in love.  Both have been hurt by past relationships. 

I look forward to reading the next installment in the Double S Ranch Series.

I was given this book by the publisher for an honest review.  I was not compensated in any.

Faith by Lyn Cote

The Civil War battlefield is the last place Quakeress Faith Cathwell thought she’d find herself. But with a gift for nursing, Faith seizes this opportunity to join the fight for abolition―and to search for Shiloh, a freeborn childhood friend who was kidnapped and sold south by unscrupulous slave catchers.

Knowing it’s much too dangerous for her to search enemy territory alone, Faith enlists the help of Colonel Devlin Knight, who is indebted to her for saving his cousin’s life. A career soldier, Dev is committed to the preservation of the Union but conflicted about freeing his own slave and confidant, who plans to enlist as soon as Dev gives him manumission papers.

Blazing a trail east with the rest of Grant’s army, Dev and Faith fight their personal battles―and a growing attraction to each other. When beliefs clash and passions flare, they quickly find that the only thing more dangerous than the war surrounding them is the battle within their hearts.

I was intrigued by the premise of this story and to see how the author handled the idea of a Quakeress at war.  I was not disappointed.  Although Faith’s main objective was to find Shiloh, she took her responsibilities as nurse very seriously.  The book pointed out how different medicine during the Civil Was times was to now.  Sanitation was not a big issue.  Faith on the other hand insisted on cleanliness and doctored with herbs.  Devlin is a career soldier so it is interesting to see how a Quaker and soldier deal with their beliefs.  I could tell the author did a lot of research to write this book.  This was the third book in the Quaker Bride series.  I haven’t read the first two books in the series and understood the book fine.  I am looking forward to going back and reading those books.

I was given this book by the publisher for an honest review.  I was not compensated in any way.

Visit Lyn Cote at http://www.lyncote.com/

A Fool and His Monet

 

Sketchy politics and a palette of lies can't stop Serena Jones from exposing the mastermind behind the daring theft of a priceless work of art

Serena Jones has a passion for recovering lost and stolen art--one that's surpassed only by her zeal to uncover the truth about who murdered her grandfather. She's joined the FBI Art Crime Team with the secret hope that one of her cases will lead to his killer. Now, despite her mother's pleas to do something safer--like get married--Serena's determined to catch thieves and black market traders.

When a local museum discovers an irreplaceable Monet missing, Serena leaps into action--and a whole heap of trouble.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.  The book starts with Serena in a sting operation to trap some art thieves.  At first I thought she might be an inept FBI agent.  But as the book progressed I realized she was not.  The dialogue she has with herself is entertaining as it is funny and sometimes it lets you see her true feelings and not what she portrays to those around her.  There are several men introduced into her life during the course of the book.  The two that stick in my mind are Tanner her FBI trainer and Nick the superintendent of her apartment building.  Her mother doesn’t really care which one she picks.  Just so she gets married and has babies.  Preferably with a much safer job.  As I said, this was a fun book to read.  I am looking forward to the continuation of Serena’s story.  Serena did solve the mystery of how and who stole the paintings from the museum.  So there was an ending.  But her story will continue in book two.  The underlying story is who stole a painting from her grandfather and killed him. 

I was given this book by the publisher for an honest review.   I was not compensated in anyway. 

 

 

The Goodbye Bride by Denise Hunter

Lucy Lovett can’t remember the last seven months of her life. She doesn’t remember leaving her fiancé Zac Callahan weeks before their wedding or moving to Portland, Maine. And she sure doesn’t remember getting engaged to another man. All she remembers is loving Zac more than life itself.
Zac was just beginning to get his life back on track after Lucy left him with no explanation. And now she’s back—vulnerable, homeless, and still in love with him. Has he been given a second chance with the only woman who stirs his passion and haunts his dreams?
Lucy knows she must unlock those missing months and discover why she threw everything away. And Zac knows that if he follows his heart he’ll win back the love of his life—but if Lucy’s memory returns, his would-be bride might say goodbye forever.
This is the second book in A Summer Harbor series.  It is not necessary to read the first book understand this book.  Although I would recommend it, just because it is a good book.
I enjoyed reading about Lucy and Zac and how they try to come to terms with missing seven months of Lucy’s life.  I tried to imagine how I would feel with losing seven months of my life and if was very difficult.  Also, Zac was just starting to get on with his life after Lucy left and she is back claiming to still love him.  I couldn’t wait to get to the end of the book to find out why Lucy left Zac.  Of course you knew they would end up together.
The only negative thing I can say about the book is that there was some very intense kissing scenes that could send some wrong signals to young Christian readers.  Overall I highly recommend this book.
I was given this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.  I was not compensated in anyway.

Flirtation Walk by Siri Mitchell

                              Flirtation Walk by Siri Mitchell

                                                        

Lucinda Pennyworth, the daughter of a con man, is trying her best to leave her father's sordid past behind her. When he dies unexpectedly, she takes the opportunity to move to West Point to live with her aunt, ready to take on a new life and determined to marry a respectable man, a West Point cadet, to impress her relatives.
                                                                                                              
Seth Westcott, a cadet at the academy, is proud to be at the top of his senior class. But when his mother dies and his sister loses their inheritance to a swindler, Seth wants nothing more than to head west to track down the con man. But the army will only send the cadets at the bottom of the class to the frontier . . . which leaves Seth with some tough choices.

When a woman trying her best to be good meets a man determined to be anything but, can there be hope for love, or will two lonely hearts be condemned to casual flirtation?

I found this book to be rather slow.  I had a lot of trouble getting into it.  Lucinda finally finds out how it feels to be swindled when she finds out she isn’t even a Pennyworth.  Seth tries his best to get to the bottom of his class at West Point.  I guess I didn’t really understand why he was doing that.  I guess it would have ruined the story for him to just go and explain his situation to his superiors.  They both learned that keeping secrets is never a good idea.

I am more of a suspense/thriller type of reader.  Would I recommend this book?  I can’t really answer that question.  It was not my cup of tea but then someone else might thoroughly enjoy it.

I received this book from the publisher for an honest review.  I was not compensated in any way.

Burning Proof by Janice Cantore

Burning Proof by Janice Cantore

After months of investigating the brutal homicide of a young girl, Detective Abby Hart finally has the evidence she needs. But when the arrest goes terribly wrong, Abby begins to doubt her future as a police officer. As she wrestles with conflicting emotions, old questions about the fire that took her parents’ lives come back to haunt her.

“There is proof.” PI Luke Murphy can’t stop thinking about what Abby’s former partner, Asa Foster, mumbled just before he died. When he uncovers a clue to the murder of Abby’s parents and his uncle, he’s reluctant to tell Abby, despite his growing feelings for the beautiful detective.

A decade-old abduction case brings Luke and Abby together, but will his secret tear them apart?

This is the second book in the Cold Case Justice series.  I would recommend reading the first book in the series “Drawing Fire”.  I read it and it still took me awhile to catch up to what was going on. 

This book started out a little slow.  There seemed to be a lot of different stories going on at once that didn’t make any sense to the book.  As the book progressed, the different stories started to merge into one.  So don’t give up.  It does all make sense in the end.  More information comes to light in the deaths of Abby’s parents and Luke’s uncle.  Abby and Luke continue to struggle with their attraction to each other. 

Abby is involved in a fatal shooting and has to come to terms with what God wants her to do.  Her commitment to God is tested throughout this time.  She also has to decide if staying engaged to Ethan is what is best. 

I would recommend this book.  But definitely read the first in the series.  I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

I was given this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.  I was not compensated in any way.

Q and A with author: http://mediacenter.tyndale.com/downloads/press_kits/BurningProofAuthorQ&A.pdf