In the Shadow of Croft Towers by Abigail Wilson

When Sybil Delafield’s coach to Croft Towers was robbed by highwaymen, she should have realized that her new position as companion to old Mrs. Chalcroft would be no ordinary job. Upon Sybil’s arrival, Mrs. Chalcroft sneaks into her room in the dark of night, imploring her to relay messages to town that are to stay hidden from the rest of the family. Who exactly is she working for and what do the messages contain?

When fellow passengers of the robbed coach are later murdered, Sybil’s hunt for the truth takes on a new urgency. The only person she can rely on is Mr. Sinclair, Mrs. Chalcroft’s godson, but under all his charms he too leads a double life. Sybil must decide if he is the one honest voice she can trust, or if he is simply using her for his own advances.

I found this book to be intriguing.  Sybil doesn't know who she can trust.  Her coach is stopped and robbed on her way to Croft Towers.  Then when she gets there she discovers one of the house guests is one of the highwaymen.  What is she supposed to do?  He asks her to trust him.  Then there's Mrs.Chalcroft.  She seems to have totally lost it.  But she creeps into her room in the middle of the night to ask special favors.  Is she sane or not?

A great read that I would recommend to every one.  This isn't an edge of your seat suspense.  But is has lots of mystery.

I was given this book by Thomas Nelson via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  I was not compensated in any way.  

The Liberty Bride by Marylu Tyndall

A trip home from England to Maryland in 1812 finds Emeline Baratt a captive on a British warship and forced to declare her allegiance between the British and Americans. Remaining somewhat politically neutral on a ship where her nursing skills are desperately needed is fairly easy—until she starts to have feelings for the first lieutenant who becomes her protector. However, when the captain sends her and Lieutenant Owen Masters on land to spy, she must choose between her love for him and her love for her country.

Emeline has preconceived notions about what a proper Christian lady should act like.  She feels like she has fallen short all her life in acting the proper lady.  When her dad calls her home from England he sends his privateer ship after her.  On the way back they are attacked by the British and she is taken captive. 

I enjoyed reading this book.  I can't say there was a lot of suspense but there is lots of actions.  I don't remember reading any books by Ms. Tyndall but I will looks for her other books from now on.

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

Secrets at Cedar Cabin by Colleen Coble

Running for her life in the wake of her mother’s murder, Bailey Fleming escapes to the only place she can think of—a remote, dilapidated cabin in Lavender Tides. Intending to finally get to the truth behind the lies of her past, Bailey only finds more questions when bodies are discovered near her cabin hideout along with traces of a dangerous human trafficking ring. In an unlikely partnership with FBI agent Lance Phoenix, Bailey races to understand the mystery surrounding her life and circumstances before the murderer tracks her down.

Meanwhile, Lance is determined to rescue his sister, Ava, who was abducted after running away from home as a teenager. An unexpected lead brings him to the remote cabin, and he wonders if Bailey—with her suspicious past and strange connections to his sister’s case—is really who she claims to be and if she can somehow lead him to Ava.

This is the third book in the A Lavender Tides series.  It's not necessary to read the first two books to read this book.  But they are great books and tell the background for this story.   This is a great conclusion to the series.  In great Ms. Coble style there is lots of suspense clear to the end of the book.  I highly recommend that you read all three books in this series.

I was given this book by Thomas Nelson via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  I was not compensated in any way.

Who I Am With You by Robin Lee Hatcher

Jessica Mason isn’t looking for love when she meets Ridley Chesterfield. Instead she is still reeling from the tragic, unexpected loss of her husband and daughter—and awaiting the arrival of her unborn child. Harboring the secret of her husband’s betrayal, her pain is deeper than anyone knows.
Ridley Chesterfield is hiding out in Hope Springs, Idaho, avoiding a political scandal and the barrage of false media headlines that have tarnished his good name. The last thing Ridley wants is a relationship—but when fate leads Ridley to form a friendship with his reclusive and pregnant neighbor, he wonders if this small-town hideout might be more of a long-term destination.
When Jessica begins to read her great-grandfather’s Bible, she finds a connection with a man she never knew. Somehow the verses he marked and the words he wrote in the margins open her heart to healing. And as Ridley and Jessica help each other forgive the people who have wronged them, they must decide if the past will define them or if they will choose to love again.

To me this book is about forgiveness.  Jessica has to forgive her husband for his deceit and herself for per perceived fault in the car accident that claimed her husband and daughters lives.  Ridley has to forgive those who should have stood up for him and those who wronged him and ruined his reputation.  Then you go back to the 1930's and visit Jessica's great grandparents.  Her great grandfather had a lot of things to forgive.  I can't say I'm a fan of books that skip back and forth between periods.  I did enjoy reading the book and seeing how Jessica and Ridley worked things out.

I was give this book by Thomas Nelson Publishing by way of NetGalley for an honest review.  I was not compensated in any way.

Lady of a Thousand Treasures by Sandra Byrd

Miss Eleanor Sheffield is a talented evaluator of antiquities, trained to know the difference between a genuine artifact and a fraud. But with her father’s passing and her uncle’s decline into dementia, the family business is at risk. In the Victorian era, unmarried Eleanor cannot run Sheffield Brothers alone.

The death of a longtime client, Baron Lydney, offers an unexpected complication when Eleanor is appointed the temporary trustee of the baron’s legendary collection. She must choose whether to donate the priceless treasures to a museum or allow them to pass to the baron’s only living son, Harry—the man who broke Eleanor’s heart.

Eleanor distrusts the baron’s motives and her own ability to be unbiased regarding Harry’s future. Harry claims to still love her and Eleanor yearns to believe him, but his mysterious comments and actions fuel her doubts. When she learns an Italian beauty accompanied him on his return to England, her lingering hope for a future with Harry dims.

With the threat of debtor’s prison closing in, Eleanor knows that donating the baron’s collection would win her favor among potential clients, saving Sheffield Brothers. But the more time she spends with Harry, the more her faith in him grows. Might Harry be worthy of his inheritance, and her heart, after all? As pressures mount and time runs out, Eleanor must decide whom she can trust—who in her life is false or true, brass or gold—and what is meant to be treasured.

I had trouble getting into this book. I have read other books by Ms Byrd that were better.  It seemed to drag in a lot of sports.  I found myself skimming in a lot of places.   It did have a happy ending.  But it seemed to take a long time to get there. I did have the bad guy figured out before we were told who it was.

I was given this book by Tyndale Publishing by way of NetGalley for an honest review.  I was not compensated in any way. 

At Home in Wishing Bridge by Ruth Logan Herne

After surviving the streets of South Philly, Thea Anastas never thought she’d wind up working in rural New York. But a call from a friend in need convinced the nurse practitioner to make the trip. Now her temporary position is making a difference in Wishing Bridge—though Thea can’t afford to make a difference, to fill a gaping hole in the sweet, small town. After all, the current medical practice is being dissolved in three months, and bigger opportunities are luring her away…
Her partner, Dr. Ethan Brandenburg, has his own struggles: caring for his orphaned niece and nephew and holding firm to his decision to leave Wishing Bridge for a prestigious job in Chicago. Though Thea’s no-nonsense advice in the office has been good for business, her compassion in Ethan’s personal life has been good for his heart. But how can he offer a commitment to a woman when they’re both about to say goodbye?
Wishing Bridge may be surrounded by forests and farms, but Thea is starting to realize that friendships and family form its heart—and that what she wants in life and love may be right in front of her eyes.

This is the second book in the series.  I didn't read the first book and it probably would have helped me understand some of the references made and some of the situations.  I also thought that Mara's age was wrong.  I have a seven year old granddaughter and there's no way she could have some of the conversations that Mara had.  I'm thinking more like a 10 or 11 year old.  Overall this was a good book.  I'm looking forward to Jazz's story.

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

Tell Her No Lies by Kelly Irvin

Nina Fischer carries a camera wherever she goes—so she can view life through a filter. Safely. After her mother abandoned her to the streets, Nina has kept people at a distance, including her uncle, who adopted Nina and her sister. Wealthy and proud, he is a good man, a fair judge, and someone many in San Antonio admire.
But when he is murdered, and the detective assigned to the case accuses Nina of the crime, she knows she must act. She’s determined to use her journalism background to find the real killer. The two men in her life want to help, but can she trust them?  She’s known Rick since they were children, but now he’s an attorney whose political aspirations seem more important than Nina’s tragic loss. And then there’s Aaron, a news videographer; using their friendship could break the biggest story of his career.
Following the evidence leads Nina on a journey of discovery into her father’s shocking masquerade as a law-abiding, family-loving Christian. Unlocking these secrets could prove fatal, but it’s the only way Nina will ever be able to trust love again.

Nina is a complex person.  She has trouble trusting anyone and you better not lie to her.  There is a lot of twists and turns in this book that I didn't see coming.  Who killed the judge was a real surprise.  I will say I didn't care for Rick from the beginning of  the book.  I did like Aaron.  He seemed more concerned about Nina than about anyone else.  If you like a good mystery, this is it.

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