Blog Tour: Secrets Never Die by Laurie Lewis

Secrets Never Die by Laurie Lewis

Book Description:

Tallie Brown's life has never made any sense. Raised in isolation by her mother, Julia, Tallie was dragged suddenly and without explanation from one third-world outpost to another until life normalized seven years ago when Julia took a position on a mountaintop in the Pacific northwest. But when Julia unexpectedly dies, Tallie uncovers clues suggesting that Julia had a secret life.

Journalistic phenom Jackson James is still recovering from the devastating mistake that flatlined his promising career. Now he's paying the price, working as the editor of a syrupy community rag in a posh D.C. suburb. But when the very man who destroyed him drops a tantalizing lead about a potential D.C. scandal, the reporter sees his chance for redemption and sets off to chase the story.

Jackson's investigation leads him to Cutler's Ridge, a dying Virginia coal town, and directly into the path of the mysterious and beautiful Tallie. As these two mistrustful loners follow their leads, their stories begin to intertwine until they reach an alarming conclusion - something terrible happened in Cutler's Ridge. As they doggedly pursue the story, the town's cold reception spirals into threats and danger, proving that there are those who will stop at nothing to keep the past hidden forever - because secrets never die.

Andrea's Review:

Secrets Never Die was a quite intriguing. I really didn't know what to expect from this unknown-to-me author, but Laurie Lewis did a great job of creating a story and characters that kept me wanting to turn each page.

Tallie's upbringing was pretty sad. Her mother was very emotionally disconnected. She taught Tallie many skills, but the most important thing (love) was something Tallie never felt. I wasn't really sure what to think about Jackson initially, but he grew on me.

Cutler's Ridge was a town that I wouldn't want to spend time in. The people came off as a bit crazy, and so many were full of secrets.

I really had no idea how everything was going to tie together, and there were lots unforeseen of twists and turns-perfect for a suspense novel.

This was a fast, clean read. I would read more from this author.

Rorie's Review:

I was swept into the story right away and it kept my attention for the first handful of chapters, but once Tallie got to Cutler's Ridge, the story started to lag a little. There were so many unanswered questions and I felt like I was constantly missing half of the story because of it.

Thankfully, the story picked up steam later on and I became more invested in it. Sadly, I just didn't feel that much of a connection with any of the characters. I'm not sure why, maybe they just needed a bit more development. 

The ending played out well and I liked the twist near the end, but I couldn't wrap my mind around the reason for all the secrets and subterfuge. Maybe I just didn't understand the explanation, but it really didn't seem like that event was enough to cause everything that happened in the story. (Ok, it's really hard to get my point across while not giving out any spoilers!)

All that being said,  I would still read more from this author.

Tarah's Review:

It took me a bit of time to get into this book. I think my biggest problem was that we didn't know anything until Tallie or Jackson figured something out, and because there was so many things they were all trying to figure out it was hard to keep track of everything.  I also felt like there were a lot of characters. Everyone is introduced, and it seems like everyone even got a backstory, which I generally love, but because there were so many people it was difficult for me to keep track of who was who and why they were important. The story definitely picked up for me when Tallie and Jackson connected and started a friendship.
I appreciated the twists and turns. It really does make for a great suspense novel. This one really just wasn't my cup of tea, however. And honestly, it might have been that I just wasn't in the mood to read it, I'm not sure. It was well written, but it just wasn't quite for me.

Tour Giveaway:

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Title: Secrets Never Die
Author: Laurie Lewis
Publisher: Covenant Communications, Inc.
Published: July 2019
ISBN:1524408417
Source: We received copies from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Purchase: Amazon | Deseret Book

Blog Tour: The Redgrave Murders by A.L. Sowards

The Redgrave Murders by A.L. Sowards

Book Description:

When her father is murdered, Evie must prove her boyfriend innocent and find the real criminal before he kills again.

Loss is inevitable, as Evie Hampton knows all too well. But despite losing her mother to cancer and her older brother to a war, she knows she's one of the lucky ones. After all, she still has her father, a distinguished professor of medieval history. And she has Gary Redhawk, the man she loves despite the emotional scars he carries from the Second World War--and despite her father's opposition to their relationship.

When Evie's car suddenly careens off the road, she chalks it up to poor maintenance or sheer bad luck making another appearance in her life. Little does she know a host of hardships is just beginning--the car was her father's, and the brake lines were deliberately cut. Someone wants them dead--but why? All fingers point to Gary, a man with a troubled past and no solid alibi, but Evie is unwilling to believe he's involved. Determined to uncover the truth, she begins to piece together a startling picture of deception and vice. But as she closes in on the truth, it is clear that someone is determined to silence her--and the next attempt on her life may be a deadly success.

Rorie's Review:

I have read a handful of A.L. Sowards' books and enjoyed them, but this one was just... wow! I think it was the mix of suspense and post-WWII history that made this story so captivating. There are a lot of books about WWII, but you don't hear much about the emotional trauma that those soldiers had to deal with after they came home. Gary not only had to deal with that, but the trauma that he suffered as a child as well. Even with all of that, he tried his best to be a good person.

I enjoyed watching the relationship between Evie and Gary grow and develop. The romance was a good part of the story, but not the main part of it by any means.

The author did a very good job keeping me guessing until almost the very end on who the bad guy was. I did figure it out before the reveal, but only just. I also enjoy the little history blurbs that the author includes at the end of the book.

This is one that will go on my keeper shelf and I highly recommend it to anyone.

Andrea's Review:

I've really enjoyed every book I've read by A.L. Sowards. She is a very talented author and not only are her war-time novels entertaining, but readers get a good feel for what happened during those horrible times in history.

Sowards' latest novel, The Redgrave Murders, is a bit different from her other novels in that it takes place after the war is over. It was quite eye opening to read about the PTSD that some of the characters went through. It's more common now to hear about these issues, but it seems like it was pretty unusual to hear about it after WWI and WWII. I don't recall ever hearing my grandfathers talk about it.

In addition to PTSD, Sowards addressed interracial relationships and the prejudices in the late forties that people had against Native Americans. It was very interesting and heartbreaking to read about how Gary suffered as a child, as a POW, and as he tried to get a college education.

I really liked that I was kept guessing about the bad guy throughout the story. I thought Evie would have been more distressed by certain events than she was, but she plowed through and proved to be quite the detective.

I can see myself reading this again, and highly recommend it.

Tarah's Review:

Isn't the cover of this book eye catching? I love it. I feel like it captures the era the story is set in, and while it's beautiful it has a sinister feel, which captures the tone of the book extremely well. So, nice job to the cover artists on this one. My kids kept asking me questions about the cover and I had to keep responding that I didn't know! I hadn't read the book yet! Well now that I have I can say that this cover is perfect for the novel.

This was set in such an interesting time period. I haven't read many novels post WWII that discusses PTSD. How devastating to classify these men as psychoneurotic, and to just write them off because they were "crazy". Gary had an even more difficult time because he was Indian and was discriminated because of that as well, and had the crappiest childhood ever. Evie was wonderful to see a person as a person and judge them based on that.

You really feel for Evie and everything that happens to her during the course of the novel. She has to be really strong to combat everything and still remain standing, so to speak. The author creates feelings of doubt, and love, and suspense, and whew...I went through a myriad of emotions while reading this book. The "who done it" is artfully done, and she keeps you guessing throughout the novel.

I will definitely keep reading more from this author, and I will pass on this book to all my book reading friends.

Giveaway:

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Title: The Redgrave Murders
Author: A.L. Sowards
Publisher: Covenant Communications, Inc.
Published: July 2019
ISBN: 1524409456
Source: We received copies from the publisher in exchange for honest reviews.

Purchase: Amazon | Deseret Book

Blog Tour: Wrong Place Wrong Time by E. James Harrison

Book Description:

The first idyllic hours of Greg and Marena Walker’s Caribbean vacation are filled with turquoise water, sand as soft and white as powdered sugar, and gentle ocean breezes. But all too soon the Walkers find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time. Now they are running for their lives . . .Scott Vaughn has made a lucrative career of secretly transporting illegal materials. Pay him enough, and he’ll move whatever you want from anywhere to anywhere. And though he has never met the Walkers, he needs them dead. His future depends on making certain they don’t have one.Wayne Hovey desperately wants Scott Vaughn—alive is best; dead is acceptable. And luck has handed him the perfect bait: Greg and Marena Walker.In a heart-pounding game of cat and mouse, each player is driven to succeed, never realizing they are all pawns in something much larger—and more dangerous—than any of them knows.

Tarah's Review:

I don't read a lot of just suspense novels. I read them as a romance, as a historical fiction, as...well, mostly anything other than just suspense, so this novel was a little new and different for me. As soon as I got into this novel I just kept thinking that I would watch this as a movie. It was that fast paced. I'm more used to a slightly slower pace and more character development. This seemed a little more like a movie where you have to cram everything into two hours so you don't have a lot development going on. We don't really get to know any of the characters. We don't get to know what makes them click, why they do what they do. We just get a surface this is what is happening now and hold on tight because it's going to change in two seconds. I would have liked to have seen more of why Vaughn did what he did. He didn't originally want to take the job in the first place, so why go to such lengths that he did? Just for the money? While sometimes that would be believable, this was set up so that doesn't feel right.

I was also taken aback by how many characters there were in this novel. I'm used to two main characters, some minor characters and the bad guys. This just had a whole bunch of people. Granted, they were all necessary to the plot, which made it more believable, but sometimes it was a little hard to follow.


It was definitely fast paced, and a really quick read. You do keep wondering what's going to happen next, and that is the point of a suspense novel, so the author ticked all the boxes there. There is no swearing, there is some violence. Mostly the violence is gun shots, but there is a scene where a pitch fork is used as a weapon...effectively.

Andrea's Review:

I was intrigued by this book immediately and then shocked with the outcome of the first chapter. I don't want to give away what happened, but I will say that throughout the story we are introduced to quite a few characters that have passing involvement. Although that is probably common for a suspense novel, most of the books I read have more character development, so I missed making connections to the characters. Even with the lack of depth, I did enjoy the story and wanted to know what would become of the bad guy.

I was surprised that Greg and Marena were so gutsy with Scott after what they witnessed him doing. I expected more fear and subservience, but their actions made for an entertaining story.

Giveaway: 

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 

Title: Wrong Place Wrong Time

Author: E. James Harrison

Publisher: Covenant Communications, Inc.
Published: June 2019
ISBN: 9781524407 Source: We received copies from the publisher in exchange for honest reviews.

Purchase: Amazon | Deseret Book | Seagull Book

Blog Tour: Undercover Honeymoon by Kari Iroz

Reviews * Giveaway

Undercover Honeymoon by Kari Iroz

Book Description:

Wedding bells are finally ringing for Jacklyn "Jack" Wyatt and her FBI-agent fiancé, Damon Wade. After their adventurous beginning, the happy couple finds the relative calm leading up to their big day, a huge relief. Unfortunately, it seems that the peace and quiet were too good to last. As they embark on their honeymoon, a weeklong cruise, Jack can't shake the feeling that something is off with her new husband. When she stumbles upon a secret plot—one in which her husband is a key player—she realizes this getaway will be anything but smooth sailing. When she delves into the shady happenings aboard the ship, she realizes Damon's involvement is just the tip of the iceberg—she has become an unwitting player in a deadly conspiracy, and in such close quarters, there is no escape. Now, Jack has no choice but to work with her spouse to unravel the truth before their happily ever after—and their lives—are ended all too soon.

Rorie's Review:

Welcome back to the hilarity that is Jack and Damon's relationship. They're finally married and heading off for their dream honeymoon... but it just wouldn't be complete without a bit (or more) of craziness, danger and humor thrown in. 

I have loved this couple ever since A Date With Danger came out, so I was more than happy to dive into this story. Iroz brings back her quirky, somewhat sarcastic humor, which I absolutely love. Read this book in public at your own risk because you might laugh out loud a time or ten. 

I still think the first book in this series was my favorite, but this one comes in a very close second. I don't know if there will be more from Jack and Damon, but it wouldn't make me sad if there was.

Andrea's Review:

I was so excited when I heard that Kari Iroz had a new book coming out. A Date with Danger is one of my favorites when I'm looking for a laugh, and I was thrilled to see that Jack and Damon's story was continuing in the third book in this series.

The laughs you're used to from Iroz keep coming in Undercover Honeymoon. I was drawn into the story right away-who wouldn't be with the wedding dress mishap? I really like Jack and Damon. We didn't get a lot of Damon in this story, which I missed, but we do get an adventure and a happy ending.

There were some twists and turns that I didn't see coming. Jack still gets into all sorts of trouble, but her knack for helping solve crimes carries on. There's a betrayal that I thought would cause deeper issues than it did, and my attention waned a bit, but overall it was an enjoyable read.

Tarah's Review:

Beautiful cover, and beautiful story. This was one that I didn't want to put down and may or may not have stayed up entirely way too late (early?) reading it. I love that there is just something different about Jack, but I do wish she wasn't so doubtful of herself, although that is entirely realistic.  Damon continues to be wonderful, even if he doesn't quite communicate everything with Jack, but he is slowly learning.

I loved the imagery of the cruise and it seriously made me want to go on one right now. I could do without all the bad guy and criminals, but doesn't a cruise sound lovely? Jack's enjoyment of everything is contagious.

There were plot twists that I didn't see coming, and characters I wasn't expecting. This made for a wonderful story. One that I will definitely read again and pass on to all my reading friends.


Tour Giveaway:

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Title: Undercover Honeymoon
Author: Kari Iroz
Publisher: Covenant Communications, Inc.
Published: April 2019
ISBN: 1524407100
Source: We received copies from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Blog Tour: Catherine's Intrigue by Paige Edwards

Reviews * Giveaway

Catherine's Intrigue by Paige Edwards

Book Description:

To fulfill her mother's last request, twenty-four-year-old historic design specialist Catherine Pressley-Coombes travels to England in order to investigate an elusive family line. Armed with an illegible diary, she is determined to discover the identity of her mysterious ancestress. Distracted by an Elizabethan manor and unused to British country roads, Catherine runs her car into a ditch. Luckily, Nick Davidson, a handsome, hard-working local rides in on his tractor to save the day. As the down-to-earth manager of his family's estate, Nick also happens to be one of England's most eligible aristocrats.

Nick is certainly not the kind of man Catherine would fall for a man dogged by media and rumor. So why does she find the English lord so irresistible? Even though she can't overlook their differing values and beliefs, as she and Nick spend time together, their attraction deepens. While she battles through romanwa tic turmoil, Catherine is beleaguered with far more sinister concerns: a series of unexplainable misfortunes that are not mere accidents. With her heart on the line, Catherine discovers her life is in jeopardy, and she has no idea who the perpetrator is but she has a growing suspicion that the danger might be connected to whatever secrets lie hidden in her ancestor's diary.

Andrea's Review:

We are told that we shouldn't judge a book by it's cover, and while that is true, I can't help it (at least at first glance). Even now as I type this review I had to turn Catherine's Intrigue over because I REALLY don't like the cover. If you feel the same way, please don't give up on the book!

Sometimes a book description will really throw me too. And honestly, it should have an impact on what you decide to read, but if you find yourself cringing at the uber cheesiness of the back cover's first paragraph, please (once again) don't give up on this book!

Paige Edwards did a very nice job with her debut novel. The story was well crafted and intriguing. The loose ends were tied up nicely, and while there is violence, I would classify this as clean suspense as it wasn't overly graphic.

The romance is clean, and although it develops rather quickly, the story is spread out and we get to see the relationship build and become much more solid.

The religious aspect plays a significant role, but flows fairly well with the rest of the story.

Catherine's Intrigue is worth the read, and I look forward to reading more from this author.

Tarah's Review:

I was lucky that I read the eCopy of this book, because honestly, that cover is not doing this book any favors. I would absolutely not pull that off the shelf and think, "Hey, what's this book about?" I would cringe and put it back on the shelf. Please don't let that stop you. While the writing is maybe not the strongest in the world (and maybe that was due to the editing of the eCopy I was reading...maybe it was unfinished) this is a good story with characters that you want to get to know more of as you keep reading.

The style of story reminded me heavily of Traci Hunter Abramson - A clean romantic suspense novel, where sure, things may happen a little quickly, but you get so wrapped up in the story you don't really mind that the romance was pretty fast.


I do hope that Catherine's brother gets his own story, and I will definitely give his story a go. Nice work for a first novel by Paige Edwards.

Rorie's Review:

This story starts off kind of rough and it took me awhile to start enjoying it, but thankfully, it does pick up after a bit. I was a bit thrown off by some of the English phrases and words that were used, because I really didn't know what they were (not the author's fault, I'm sure they are authentically British, I am just not very knowledgeable in that area.) And do they really eat beef cheek and eel? I knew that eel was a meal eaten in Regency times, but they still do that? I'm not sure how I would feel if I was at a dinner where that was served. But as I get older, I realize that I'm a lot more picky than I used to think I was, so again, that's just a me thing.

Once the story smoothed out and I really got into the plot, I did enjoy it. The main hangup with Catherine and Nick's relationship is fixed in a predictable way, but it was done in a way that meshed well with the story and didn't feel forced at all. I liked how the author switched back and forth between the development of their relationship and the mystery/thriller part of the story.

I would read other books from this author.

Tour Schedule:

*March 18^th: https://brightlystreet.com/, https://thekeeledeal.com/, http://mybookaday.com/, https://www.wishfulendings.com/, https://www.rockinbookreviews.com/

*March 19^th: http://gettingyourreadonaimeebrown.blogspot.com/, http://www.blogginboutbooks.com/, http://fireandicereads.com/, http://melsshelves.blogspot.com/

*March 20^th: https://rachellechristensen.com, http://ldswritermom.blogspot.com/, http://lifeiswhatitscalled.blogspot.com/, http://bonnieharris.blogspot.com/

*March 21^st: http://lisaisabookworm.blogspot.com/, https://www.singinglibrarianbooks.com/, https://ldsandlovinit.blogspot.com/, http://empowermoms.net/

*March 22^nd: https://whynotbecauseisaidso.blogspot.com/, http://minreadsandreviews.blogspot.com/, http://literarytimeout.blogspot.com/, http://booksaresanity.blogspot.com/

Tour Giveaway:

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Title: Catherine's Intrigue
Author: Paige Edwards
Publisher: Covenant Communications, Inc.
Published: March 2019
ISBN:1524406732
Source: We received copies from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Purchase: Amazon | Deseret Book

Blog Tour: Sanctuary by Traci Hunter Abramson

Reviews * Giveaway

Sanctuary by Traci Hunter Abramson

Book Description:

Kristi Hartinger has come to terms with her life as a single, thirty-something woman. She was in love . . . once. But following her boyfriend's tragic death, no one else could capture her heart. And nothing else could fill that void, though the serenity of the ocean came close. Two years ago, Kristi left the craziness of her Wall Street career behind and embraced a simpler life on her family's private island off the coast of Maine. As a resident of the small beach community, she anticipates a quiet future—until she comes face-to-face with her past.

Ace Samson is dead, or so the world believes. As a member of a secret organization known as the guardians, he was forced to fake his death years ago, leaving everything behind when he became an agent. So when he is selected to offer a potential new recruit a job with the organization, Ace braces himself: for the first time in more than a decade, he must face the woman he loved—and left.


Kristi's world is rocked by Ace's sudden reappearance, and she's soon drawn into his world of danger and cover-up. But when Kristi herself becomes a target, Ace will do whatever it takes to protect the only woman he has ever loved.

Andrea's Review:

I enjoyed the last Guardians book I read, so I had high hopes for Sanctuary. The cover was great, and I really liked the idea of the story (a romance is destroyed when the man "dies" only to come back twenty years later). I typically enjoy the first love, second chances trope.

Sadly, I found Sanctuary to be drawn out and it didn't really hold my attention for much of the story. The action really picked up near the end and that pulled me in. It has a happy ending of sorts, but it really left me scratching my head. It's been a year and a half since I read the last book, so I think I was missing some important points about the Guardian program. The guardians that are focused on in this story are out in public often (At least Ace is). They typically try to blend in, but don't go out of their way to hide their faces or disguise themselves, except in an area they grew up. I didn't understand why Ace couldn't just get a face lift or something to change his appearance so he and Kristi could openly be together with her family.

Tarah's Review:

I've really enjoyed this Guardian series, so I jumped on the chance to read Sanctuary. I really really liked Ace in the other books and I was excited to see him get his own book. However, I found that this book wasn't quite up to my cup of tea. It was well written, and it had an interesting story line, but I never really connected with the characters so I struggled with their struggles. It took me awhile to finish this book when I normally can finish these in a day.

I completely understood Kristi's hesitations in being in a relationship with Ace. I didn't quite understand why she was so important to the Guardian program (she seemed to get a lot more out of it than she was putting in), but the whole conflict between Ace and Kristi wasn't resolved to my liking. The overall conflict was solved well, but I didn't like the relationship resolution. I'm also confused about who the next book in the series will be about. We've kind of hit all the major characters, and so if there is going to be a new book then they will have to be a character we don't know about.

I'll keep reading from this author and reread her other books, but this one was a miss for me.

Rorie's Review:

I have read a handful of Traci's books and every time I do, I'm reminded at how much I enjoy them and also how much I really need to go back and read the earlier books in the series. So much to read, so little time to do it. One of these days it will happen.

Anyway, I remember some of the details from the last book in the Guardian series, and I was happy to see that Renee and Kade had a pretty big role in this story.

The whole "dying" and giving up your entire life, including any loved ones is such a heartbreaking idea for me to think about. I can understand why the Guardians have to do it, but I still can't even imagine leaving everything you've ever known behind.

I don't know how realistic the whole hiring Kristi bit was - one would think that it could really backfire and ruin everything for the Guardian program. But, this is fiction and it worked for me.

I enjoyed this story and tried my best to find every spare minute in a busy week to read it. The ending made me sad, but I'm not sure that the author could have come up with any realistic way to give this story a fairy-tale, everyone is happy sort of ending.

Tour Schedule:

*March 11^th: https://thekeeledeal.com/, http://seekingwithallyurheart.blogspot.com/, http://mybookaday.com/

*March 12^th: http://gettingyourreadonaimeebrown.blogspot.com/, http://empowermoms.net/, http://melsshelves.blogspot.com/

*March 13^th: http://lisaisabookworm.blogspot.com/, http://ldswritermom.blogspot.com/, http://fireandicereads.com/, http://bonnieharris.blogspot.com/, https://www.rockinbookreviews.com/

*March 14^th: https://www.singinglibrarianbooks.com/, http://katiescleanbookcollection.blogspot.com/, https://ldsandlovinit.blogspot.com/, https://www.wishfulendings.com/,https://joyinthemoments.wordpress.com/

*March 15^th: https://brightlystreet.com/, https://whynotbecauseisaidso.blogspot.com/, http://minreadsandreviews.blogspot.com/, http://literarytimeout.blogspot.com/, http://booksaresanity.blogspot.com/, http://sweetlymadejustforyou.com/

Tour Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Title: Sanctuary
Author: Traci Hunter Abramson
Publisher: Covenant Communications, Inc.
Published: March 2019
ISBN: 1524407380
Source: We received copies from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. 

Purchase: Amazon | Deseret Book

Blog Tour: Whiteout by Brett Cain

Whiteout by Brett Cain

Book Description:

Long hours of driving on the frigid interstate have taken their toll. In a split second, Frank Sawyer’s car drifts and clips a passing van on the otherwise empty Montana highway. In the aftermath of the wreck, Sawyer encounters a gruesome scene: the van’s passenger did not survive. But it isn’t the crash that took his life—he’s been shot. Before Sawyer can assess what’s happened, he’s struck from behind. When he regains consciousness, he discovers that his attacker is gone, his car is missing—and the police have named him their prime suspect in the dead man’s murder.

The harsh winter weather bears down as the chaos unfolds, and Sawyer finds himself trapped in the small town of Cluff. And law enforcement is keeping him firmly in their sights, so there’s no possibility of escape. As he struggles to clear his name, Sawyer looks to the past for answers, becoming embroiled in a decades-old mystery that may hold the key to proving his innocence.

Andrea's Review: 

Whiteout was a huge, pleasant surprise. When I initially read the book description I was on the fence about reviewing it. But, I'm so glad I took the chance.

Sawyer goes by his last name (thankfully, because Frank makes him sound like an old man). I don't recall that it said his age, but he had just gotten home from a two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the average age for a returning male missionary is 20. But, I think it mentioned that he was older than that.

Sawyer is absolutely hilarious. I really wasn't expecting that, but his comments kept the story light in the midst of the suspense. He was so different from what I'd expect a recently returned missionary to be like. The author gave little hints here and there about Sawyer's past, but even at the end of the story there was still quite a bit of mystery to him. Sometimes that drives me nuts, but I felt like I got enough information for the particular mystery of the story to be solved, and I would love to have more stories about Sawyer and his adventures where I get to learn more about his past.

Whiteout has a Jason Bourne movie feel to it (which I'm a big fan of so it's no surprise that I enjoyed the book). With the returned missionary aspect, you might expect a religious story, but it's not at all. I think mention of that only adds to Sawyer being a moral person with a strong determination to right the wrong he stumbled upon.

I really enjoyed reading Whiteout and I can definitely see myself reading this one again. Debut author Brett Cain did an excellent job, and I hope he continues writing.

There is quite a bit of violence throughout the story, but the author presented it in a way that wasn't overly graphic.

Rorie's Review:

The writing in this book is well done. The story flows, there aren't any choppy, drawn-out or boring parts. That being said, I did NOT like the main character. He bugged me something fierce. I think part of the reason why is because we never really got to know anything about him, other than that he got in a lot of fights growing up, and was a recently returned missionary. Very little else was said about why he was the way he was. And he really didn't come across as the kind of person I would want to get to know better.

There were parts of the story where he did things that he most definitely would have been arrested for, and then he wasn't. Not even a slap on the wrist. I can stand some make-believe in books - they are fiction, after all - but those things just really turned me off to the rest of the story. I wish I could say that I liked the book, but I just didn't. I think this is the author's first book, so I'm hoping that in future novels, there will be more character development. Again, he does have a good talent for writing, I just didn't care for this particular story.

Tour Schedule:

*Jan. 28^th: http://mybookaday.com/, http://booksaresanity.blogspot.com/, http://bonnieharris.blogspot.com/

*Jan. 29^th: https://brightlystreet.com/, http://empowermoms.net/

*Jan. 30^th:  http://lisaisabookworm.blogspot.com/, http://ldswritermom.blogspot.com/,

*Jan. 31^st: https://ldsandlovinit.blogspot.com/, https://www.singinglibrarianbooks.com/

*Feb. 1^st: http://literarytimeout.blogspot.com/, http://lifeiswhatitscalled.blogspot.com/ , http://lifeiswhatitscalled.blogspot.com/

Tour Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Title: Whiteout
Author: Brett Cain
Publisher: Covenant Communications, Inc.
Published: January 2019
ISBN: 1524405841
Source: We received copies from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Purchase: Amazon | Deseret Book

Blog Tour: The Gem Thief by Sian Ann Bessey

Reviews * Giveaway

The Gem Thief by Sian Ann Bessey

Book Description:

Gracie Miller is a small-town girl who has landed her dream job in New York City. As jewelry designer for one of the most prestigious jewelers in the world, she completed a particularly stunning piece, a custom setting for a large pink diamond. But when her billionaire client Mrs. Katsaros comes to repair a minor issue with the setting, Gracie is horrified to realize it is not the ring she created. Someone has forged her design, and the priceless diamond is gone.

Mrs. Katsaros has no desire to bring media attention to the jewelry heist, so she recruits her nephew, Quinn, and his FBI agent friend, Steve, to do some sleuthing off the record. When they discover that the missing ring is just one of many forgeries in the widow's collection, they look to Gracie for help. They need her to act the part of Quinn's fiancée. From the lights of New York to the shimmering islands of the Mediterranean, Gracie is swept into a thrilling hunt. But amid the search for the elusive thief, she and Quinn find themselves increasingly distracted by their growing feelings for each other. What neither realizes is how close the danger lies and how serious the vendetta is—because, apparently, it is worth killing for.

Andrea's Review:

The Gem Thief is an enjoyable suspense novel. It wasn't the "stop everything and avoid life's responsibilities" type of book for me, but I read it over the course of a few days and thought it was well written.

I had my suspicions about who the thief was, but that changed several times throughout the novel as the author threw in clues and misdirection. I enjoy that in a suspense novel-I don't want to be totally blindsided, but I don't want it to be obvious right off. The ride was an enjoyable one.

The romance was predictable, but sweet. The relationship developed fairly quickly, but it was fun that it came about after negative first impressions. Having to pose as an engaged couple was an entertaining way for Quinn and Gracie to get to know each other.

My favorite character was Aunt Dorcas. She was a wealthy widow, doting aunt, fabulous baker, and quite lovable.

Reading this book reminded me of the two cruises I've been on. I definitely wasn't cruising the high class way Quinn, Gracie and Dorcas cruised, but so many things mentioned about the ship brought fun memories to mind.

If you are looking for a clean, romantic suspense novel, The Gem Thief is worth the read.

Rorie's Review:

I've read a few of Sian's other books, but I think this is the first contemporary novel of hers that I've read. I enjoyed that this was a mystery and romance rolled into one.

Steve and Dorcas were fun characters to get to know, (Does anyone else think of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers every time they see the name Dorcas?) but Gracie and Quinn were so good together. I got a kick out of their first two meetings, especially the first one. 

I must admit, I was a little lost when it came to all the jewelry description. I'm not much of a jewelry person, and can't even imagine ever wanting to spend such an exorbitant amount on it. I'm more of a $5 costume jewelry kind of person. It was fun to see how excited Gracie got about her profession though.

The author does an amazing job of describing the different places in Greece that they visited. I especially want to go visit Santorini now.

I thought I had figured out who the bad guy was, but the author does a really good job at keeping you guessing until the climax of the story.

Tarah's Review:


Since I've been reading a lot of regency lately I was really excited to read a contemporary suspense novel. I was especially excited to read Sian's because I knew it would be clean. I recently came across two of her other suspense books, and was pleasantly surprised by them so I knew I need to read this one. I will admit that I didn't think this story was completely flushed out. It seemed a little juvenile, and I think that might be because the characters relationships weren't developed. I don't normally mind a fast paced relationship, but this one I felt that for all the time they spent together we didn't get to see them grow together as a couple. I felt like we saw Gracie and Dorcus grow together as friends. A lot of the book was with them together and Quinn seemed almost like an afterthought even though he was central to the story. It's hard for me to describe it.

All that being said, I loved the premise of the story, I loved the location the story took place (lots of good memories for me on my cruises). I loved the suspense and how it wasn't completely over the top. I read it fairly quickly and enjoyed it while I was reading.
 
Tour Schedule:

* Nov. 5^th: http://mybookaday.com/, https://www.rockinbookreviews.com/, http://bonnieharris.blogspot.com/, http://lifeiswhatitscalled.blogspot.com/

*Nov. 6^th: https://brightlystreet.com/, http://empowermoms.net, http://heidi-reads.blogspot.com/, http://www.kindleandme.com/

*Nov. 7^th: http://ldswritermom.blogspot.com/, http://lisaisabookworm.blogspot.com/, https://www.lovebugsandpostcards.com/

*Nov. 8^th: https://www.singinglibrarianbooks.com/, https://ldsandlovinit.blogspot.com/, http://gettingyourreadonaimeebrown.blogspot.com/

*Nov. 9^th: http://www.iamareader.com/, https://whynotbecauseisaidso.blogspot.com/, http://literarytimeout.blogspot.com/, https://www.wishfulendings.com/,http://booksaresanity.blogspot.com/

Tour Giveaway:

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Title: The Gem Thief
Author: Sian Ann Bessey
Publisher: Covenant Communications, Inc.
Published: November 2018
ISBN: 1524407739
Source: We received copies from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.


Purchase: Amazon | Deseret Book

Blog Tour: Proximity by Traci Hunter Abramson

Reviews * Giveaway

Proximity by Traci Hunter Abramson

Book Description:

Tia Parker always seems to fall for the wrong guy. But when she meets Evan Spence at a friend's wedding, it seems like she's finally found Mr. Right. Their spark is undeniable, but reality may extinguish any hope for a future: they are separated by thousands of miles. As the couple struggles with the pitfalls of pursuing romance long-distance, Tia is taken off guard by a new arrival in town. 

Colby Farren is handsome and charming and has made it clear he's interested in Tia. Yet despite his obvious infatuation, Tia can't seem to get Evan out of her mind. Caught between the attention of two very different men, her complicated love life is soon eclipsed by much more sobering concerns. A break-in at her apartment is just the first in a series of bizarre events, each bringing her one step closer to a dangerous liaison. And knowing who to trust could be a matter of life and death.

Rorie's Review:

I am so glad that I didn't have much of anything going on this weekend, because I would have been unhappy to have to put this book down to focus on real life stuff. This was one of those creepy type stories where you sit and wonder how you would react if it happened to you.

This is also going to be a bit difficult to review, because I feel like I'll give away some spoilers if I tell you any of the plot. So, as a result, I'm going to be very generic. But it was a really good book. :)

Traci has quite the gift for writing, and quickly drawing her readers into the stories she's telling. We get to know all of the characters relatively quickly. The romance happens pretty quickly in this story, but it's a believable kind of quick. Plus, I feel like it's not the main plot of the story anyway, so it's all good.

Throughout the story I was wondering if Charlie and Kendra played a part in another one of Traci's books. They seemed kind of familiar, but only just. This is a stand-alone book, so I could just be imagining things. At any rate, if they aren't, they should be. (Hint, hint.) Definitely a book I'm happy to add to my collection.

Andrea's Review:

It was nice to change up my typical genre a bit for Traci Hunter Abramson's latest suspense novel, Proximity. The cover is perfect, and would definitely catch my attention in a bookstore or library.

While I had some misgivings about one of the characters, I wasn't convinced everyone had been introduced for quite a bit of the story. It was nice being kept on my toes. Abramson did a good job of creating a creepy bad guy.

I like the way Abramson intertwined the romance with the suspense. Neither aspect was overpowering, but both felt like pretty realistic situations with natural timing.

Tia and Evan seemed great for each other, and I liked Tia overall. Her connection to the community and as well as her inability to be on time made her endearing. The way their mutual friends got them to the wedding festivities on time was a fun way for them to connect.

There is some violence, but I didn't feel that it was overly graphic. While this wouldn't be my go-to suspense novel, I felt like it was worth the read.

Tarah's Review:

Proximity was one of those books that you don't want to put down once you've started. I will admit, that until the author makes the bad guy obvious I was kept wondering who it could be. I will say that although I enjoyed this novel, it wasn't one of the authors best. Something just felt a little off about the whole story. Maybe it was the instaromance. Even though it happened fast, I didn't mind that much, but it was really quick. I'm wondering if it was the fact that going into the story I thought it was going to be a love triangle, and I hate love triangles so I was probably going into this with not the best attitude. I was very happy to discover that this isn't a love triangle though, so if you were worried about that you don't need to be anymore.

The suspense was good. That was my favorite part of the story. I'm not sure how I feel about the author bringing in old characters when it seems like the book should be in a different series. Don't get me wrong, I love Charlie and Kendra. Their books were fun, and I really liked them. It just seems weird to me to start a new series and add in old characters. If I hadn't read them before, I'm not sure if I would have been confused for not. Without their backstory they seem a little too perfect.

Tour Schedule:

*Oct. 1^st: https://www.rockinbookreviews.com/, http://bonnieharris.blogspot.com/, http://mybookaday.com/

*Oct. 2^nd: https://thekeeledeal.com/, http://gettingyourreadonaimeebrown.blogspot.com/, https://www.wishfulendings.com/, http://lisaisabookworm.blogspot.com/

*Oct. 3^rd: http://ldswritermom.blogspot.com/, http://www.kindleandme.com/

*Oct. 4^th: http://empowermoms.net/, http://katiescleanbookcollection.blogspot.com/

*Oct. 5^th: http://booksaresanity.blogspot.com/ , https://whynotbecauseisaidso.blogspot.com/, http://literarytimeout.blogspot.com/

Tour Giveaway:

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Title: Proximity
Author: Traci Hunter Abramson
Publisher: Covenant Communications, Inc.
Published: October 2018
ISBN: 1524406821
Source: We received copies from the publisher in exchange for honest reviews.

Purchase: Amazon | Deseret Book

Blog Tour: Conviction by Robbin J. Peterson

Reviews * Giveaway

Conviction by Robbin J. Peterson

Book Description:

After a rocky start as a missionary in Ukraine, Elder Neal Christensen is struggling to learn the Russian language and embrace an unfamiliar life away from his small Northern California town. And in an instant, a peculiar encounter with the wrong people changes everything. Dragged from his apartment in the dead of night, Neal is taken to prison and charged with the theft of a priceless museum piece. As days turn into weeks, he is thrown into a world of uncertainty where he must rely on the only person he can trust—the Savior. And as his Russian slowly improves within the prison walls, he begins preaching the gospel in the last place he imagined proselytizing. But when civil unrest erupts in Ukraine, the now-familiar routine of imprisonment is over. Neal is trapped in the chaos, and with his life on the line, his only hope of survival is escape. Yet he learns too late that there is as much danger awaiting him outside the prison walls as within. Someone has gone to great lengths to incriminate the young missionary, and they will stop at nothing to silence him forever.

Andrea's Review:

I hadn't heard of author Robbin J. Peterson before I was given the opportunity to review Conviction, so I wasn't sure what to expect. In my mind, the author was a former missionary who served in Ukraine and wrote a novel based loosely on some of his experiences. It wasn't until I finished the book that I realized the author was a woman. That speaks highly of Peterson's writing. There are some books where the author doesn't do well writing from the view of the opposite sex (although honestly I mostly find that when a man is writing in a woman's point of view).

Part of the reason I wanted to read Conviction was because my husband served a mission in Russia, and portions of the intriguing description sounded like his mission (of course, his experiences weren't nearly so dramatic).

Conviction is well-written and kept me interested throughout the story. I loved that I was kept on my toes. I didn't realize who the bad guy was until the reveal, which made for a great ride.

Sometimes religious books don't flow well as they intertwine religion with everything else, but that wasn't the case with Conviction. Perhaps that's because I was expecting lots of religion since the story was about a missionary, but whatever the case, Peterson did a great job with it.

We are all sinners in need of our Savior's Atonement, and Neal's repentance process was touching. The change of hearts mixed with the mystery and suspense of the stolen ring made for a good read. I would read more from this author.

Rorie's Review:

I typically read a lot of Regency romance books these days, so every time I read something different, it takes my brain a little bit to adjust to things. This story drew me in right away though, so no adjustment period was needed. Right from the beginning, the reader gets to know so much about Elder Christensen, including his massive feelings of guilt.





My brother-in-law served his mission in Russia, and I am really curious if he experienced any of the same things that these elders did in Ukraine. (I'm especially curious to find out what it was about the meat that had them avoiding it.)


I can't even begin to imagine how frightening it would be to be imprisoned in a country where you barely know the language and have very little hope of being released. Neal was amazing at how he clung to his faith - not only for himself, but he also shared it with others that he was imprisoned with. Obviously, since the book is about a Mormon missionary there was a lot of gospel talk throughout, but the author wove it into the story in a non-preachy kind of way. I was impressed that Neal lived the best he could, even with the horrible circumstances that he was in.

The climax of the story was a bit confusing and I was afraid that I would end the story with more questions than I started with. Thankfully, all of my questions were answered in a satisfactory way by the end.

I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading other stories from this author. 


Tour Schedule:

*June 18^th: https://www.rockinbookreviews.com/

*June 20^th: http://lisaisabookworm.blogspot.com/, http://whynotbecauseisaidso.blogspot.com/

*June 21^st: http://mybookaday.blogspot.com/, https://www.singinglibrarianbooks.com/

*June 22^nd: http://booksaresanity.blogspot.com/, http://literarytimeout.blogspot.com/

Tour Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Title: Conviction
Author: Robbin J. Peterson
Publisher: Covenant Communications, Inc.
Published: June 2018
ISBN: 1524403288
Source: We received copies from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Purchase: Amazon | Deseret Book