Excited about Reading: Hope Harbor by Irene Hannon

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The Cover Story~ 
Tracy Campbell never wanted to leave Hope Harbor, Oregon, or the idyllic three-generation cranberry farm where she grew up. But life--and love--altered her plans. When tragedy strikes and changes her plans yet again, she finds herself back in her hometown with a floundering farm to run and a heartbreaking secret. Romance is not on her agenda. Nor is it on Michael Hunter's. The visitor from Chicago has daunting secrets of his own. But when Tracy recruits him to help save a struggling charitable organization, the winds of change begin to sweep through Hope Harbor, bringing healing, hope, and love to countless lives--including their own.

Sharing my take~
Meet the major players. Tracy Campbell, part time accountant and full time cranberry farmer. Michael Hunter, guilt-ridden, grieving businessman from Chicago who came to Hope Harbor to honor a wish of his late wife. Anna Williams, recluse, taking in wounded animals to make up for the two-decades-long rift with her estranged son. Charley, artist and taco maker (and angel?). And Floyd, a lonely seagull.

"In the beginning he brought his wife, but he's been coming by himself for the past four months. I guess something happened to her."
A husband and wife seagull pair.
Tickled by that fanciful notion, Michael dug out a few stray pieces of taco filling and tossed them to Floyd, who scarfed down the treat. "Maybe he'll get married again."
"He might, down the road...but gulls mate for life, and this one's still in mourning." 

Lonely and wounded by love...kind of sums up all of the characters in Hope Harbor except Charley, who seemed to be the orchestrater of healing. I enjoyed the story and how the characters grew during the course of the book, and I appreciated the parallel of their relationship with that of the seagulls. That said, the romantic chemistry was stiff and a bit lacking for me.

Ever read a book where you almost felt as if you were there? This is one of those books. The "charming Oregon seaside village" came to life. At times I felt like I was walking along the dikes of the cranberry farm flicking away bees or sitting on the picnic table outside Charley's food trailer, the sea breeze kissing my cheeks.

But what really ramped this book up for me was its theme of forgiveness and restoration.

"Are you condoning her behavior?"
"No. But I guess I've gotten more tolerant of mistakes as I've grown older and made plenty of my own. It seems to me it's better to treat people in the midst of a crisis with compassion than censure or criticism."

Hope Harbor isn't a fluffy book to wile away a lazy afternoon. It's deep and packs a powerful message. Don't pick up this book for the romance. Pick it up because of the story.

Disclaimer: Sending my thanks to NetGalley and Revell for the privilege of reading and reviewing Hope Harbor. I was provided a free copy of the book in exchange for my fair and unbiased review. I was in no way compensated for my review.

With Autumn's Return by Amanda Cabot~ My Review

With Autumn's Return
Buy Link~DeeperShopping.com

About the book~

When Elizabeth Harding arrives in Cheyenne to open her medical practice, she is confident that the future is as bright as the warm Wyoming sun. Certain she'll have a line of patients eager for her services, she soon discovers the town may not welcome a new physician—especially a lady doctor. Even Jason Nordling, the handsome young attorney next door, seems to disapprove of her chosen profession.

When a web of deceit among Cheyenne's wealthiest residents threatens to catch Elizabeth and Jason in its snare, they must risk working together to save one of Elizabeth's patients—even if it means falling in love.

Sharing my review~
After her experience in medical school, Dr. Elizabeth Harding chose progressive Cheyenne to set up practice. Assured by her sister that the town would embrace a female doctor, Elizabeth is disappointed when nobody's waiting outside her office door, even more disappointed when handsome attorney Jason Nordling expresses his scathing opinion of working women. Jason and Elizabeth suffer career setbacks, and when both defend the other, you know the romance is about to begin! 

"She might not have gained any patients, might instead have alienated several, but she had accomplished at least one thing. Not only had she and Jason forged a truce, but she was beginning to believe she'd been mistaken about him. In the time they'd been together, she had seen his arrogance disappear, falling away like a butterfly's chrysalis, revealing a man with surprising vulnerabilities as well as fundamental strengths." ~Elizabeth

Working together to solve a crime reshaped Jason's opinion of marriage and the partnership role each would assume, and left Elizabeth wondering if it was possible to combine a career with a family. This conflict between Jason and Elizabeth unfolded, an organic and essential component of the plot.

With Autumn's Return captured my attention from the first page, and the engaging plot kept me turning pages quickly, anxious to see how everything would turn out. Each character brimmed with depth, and (bonus!) I got TWO romances in one book! With Autumn's Return is a "must read" and left this romance lover with a huge sigh of satisfaction and a smile on her face! I'll definitely be looking for Cabot's next book.

Disclaimer: Sending a big thank you to Amanda Cabot and Revell for providing me with a copy of With Autumn's Return in exchange for my fair and unbiased review. This review features only my opinion, and I received no compensation.

Have your read TRAPPED by Irene Hannon?

Purchase Link -
DeeperShopping.com

About the book~
When librarian Laura Griffith's sixteen-year-old sister disappears on a frigid February day, leaving only a brief note behind, Laura resolves to do whatever it takes to track down the runaway teen. That includes recruiting ATF agent turned PI James "Dev" Devlin to help. But the deeper he digs, the more he begins to suspect that something sinister is at work in the girl's disappearance. And the closer he gets to uncovering the truth, the clearer it becomes that the situation isn't just dangerous-it's deadly. 

Sharing my thoughts~Besides strong main characters, this book also has multidimensional secondary characters, and I especially enjoyed the camaraderie between the three PI's and Nikki, the office manager. I also feel like I got to know Darcy as well as Dev and Laura. After Darcy's free-spirited mother died, and then her elderly father, Darcy moved in with Laura, who didn't know anything about raising a teen. Stifled by Laura's old-fashioned rules and feeling responsible for her father's death, Darcy runs away, headed towards Chicago, but a storm grounds her in St. Louis. Little clips showing Darcy's transformation from obnoxious to grateful as the story unfolded helped me better understood her motivation. 

"Even if Laura's intentions were good, rules were for kids. If she had stayed, they'd keep clashing, just as she and her dad had. And look how that had ended."

At one point in the book (not giving away any spoilers here!), I felt Laura acted irrationally for the danger she was in, but since she was worried about her sister, I decided to cut her some slack. If I'd been faced with a similar predicament, I probably would have rushed into the same situation. How many times have I made spur-of-the-moment decisions and then regretted them later? 

What a fast-paced, chilling thriller made even more frightening because it's something that happens in real life! We inherently trust people because they look "safe" or because of their occupation. Scary! I picked up Trapped one evening while my husband was gone, and at times, my palms were sweating and my heart pounded with fear, but did that stop me from reading? Noooo. I just had to keep reading because with every page I flipped, the situation was too intense to put the book down. While the plot moved along at extreme speed, I felt the romance was a bit on the lean side, only really heating up at the end of the book, but I guess that's to be expected with the amount of action in this one. The faith thread was a gentle strand, weaved subtly through the book. 

Trapped is the second book in the Private Justice series, but can be read as a stand alone. I just don't recommend reading it alone. I'm still turning on lights and checking doors. :)

Disclosure: Sending a big thanks to NetGalley and Revell for providing me with an advance review copy. The opinions expressed in this review are my own, and I received no monetary compensation.

Against All Odds by Irene Hannon ~ Sharing My Review

Against All Odds, Book 1, Heroes of Quantico

About the book ~
For FBI Hostage Rescue Team member Evan Cooper and his partner, dignitary protection duty should have been a piece of cake. Unfortunately, Monica Callahan isn’t making it easy. Estranged from her diplomat father, who is involved in a sensitive hostage situation in the Middle East, she refuses to be intimidated by a related terrorist threat back in the States…until a chilling warning convinces her that the danger is very real—and escalating. As Coop and his partner do their best to keep her safe, David Callahan continues his work—triggering an abduction that puts his daughter’s life at risk. And with every second that ticks by, Coop knows that the odds of saving the only woman who has ever managed to breach the walls around his heart are dropping. Because terrorists aren’t known for their patience—or their mercy.

Sharing my humble opinion~
FBI Hostage Rescue Team Member Evan Cooper is content to work hard and party even harder, and with plenty of available, attractive women, he avoids commitments and emotional entanglements...until he's assigned to protect Monica Callahan. Monica's gentle prodding breaks down the barriers he's erected since his mother's death and father’s subsequent emotional withdrawal.

Estranged from her father after his abandonment to pursue his diplomatic ambitions, Monica overcame hurt and betrayal, earning a PhD in communications and forging a successful career. If she ever commits to a relationship, she intends it to be with a man who communicates well, someone who doesn't put his career first. Not Coop. But, she finds herself drawn to the quiet, determined-to-protect-her man.

I like how Monica, a believer, struggles with the issue of forgiveness towards her absentee father. Considering forgiveness a tenet for Christianity, Coop doesn’t understand, and calls her on it. She admits that’s her biggest failing, and in doing so, opens the door for several conversations. I found her honesty refreshing and their discussions on faith realistic.

Monica’s father attempts to reconcile his moral principle of not negotiating with terrorists with his desire to save his daughter. He's never told his daughter he loves her, yet now she hears his unspoken message. I love how this unfolds during the story.

Wow! With a fast paced, action-packed, nail-biting plot, you might be tempted to sail through this book in a few hours. But I'd recommend against that. This book is flavored with spiritual and moral issues, juicy nuggets I preferred to chew on for a few days. Although it lacks the physical intensity (um, more displays of affection) I generally prefer, Against All Odds more than compensates in emotional and spiritual depth as love and forgiveness transform Monica and Coop. Action, suspense, a tender romance~this book has it all! Definitely a keeper!
 

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Do you believe it's possible for a person to communicate love 

without saying the actual words?

Has a family member hurt you with their choice?

Do you wrestle with forgiveness?

Disclaimer: I purchased this book. No monies were received in exchange for my fair and unbiased review, and all opinions expressed are my own.

VANISHED by Irene Hannon ~ My Review

About the book~

Reporter Moira Harrison is lost. In the dark. In a thunderstorm. When a lone figure suddenly appears in the beam of her headlights, Moira slams on her brakes--but it's too late. She feels the solid thump against the side of her car before crashing into a tree on the far side of the road. 

A man opens her door, tells her he saw everything, and promises to call 911. Then the world fades to black. When she comes to, she is alone. No man. No 911. No injured person. But she can't forget the look of terror she saw on that face in the instant before her headlights swung away. And she can't get anyone to believe her story--except maybe a handsome ex-homicide detective turned private eye, who reluctantly agrees to take on the case.

As clues begin to surface, it becomes obvious that someone doesn't want this mystery solved--and will stop at nothing to protect a shocking secret.

In my humble opinion~

The premise really pulled me in. Lost in a raging storm late at night, Moira Harrison slams into a female crossing the road. A hooded man stops to check on Moira, explains that help is on the way, but when she awakens an hour later, both the female and the "Good Samaritan" have vanished, leaving no trace. 

Haunted by the female's frightened eyes and disappointed by the lack of police support, Moira hires Phoenix Private Investigator, Cal Burke, to track what seem to be non-existent leads. Still grieving his wife after five years and wallowing in guilt, Cal left law enforcement and opened Phoenix with partners, Dev and Connor. He hasn't moved on and still wears his wedding band. Moira's lonely, and her social life is non-existent since she broke up with an ex-boyfriend after he cheated on her. Both Cal and Moira feel an immediate attraction to one another.

While I was drawn to Cal and the other team members of Phoenix, I didn't connect with Moira quite so easily. When I caught the occasional glimpse of her on the job, she was sitting at her desk typing a story or talking with her friend. As a Pulitzer Prize nominee for investigative reporting, I guess I expected to see her chasing down leads, showing some grit and adventurous spirit. Maybe I just had different expectations for this character than what the author intended.

Knowing who the bad guy is early in the book didn't detract from the suspense and the romance was just sweet enough to keep me flipping pages on my kindle. Not my favorite Irene Hannon book, but shoving my expectations aside, overall, Vanished makes for a very enjoyable read. I look forward to Dev's story coming next.

Purchase Link

Disclaimer: A huge thanks to NetGalley and Revell for providing me with a free copy in exchange for my fair and unbiased review.

My Review of FATAL JUDGMENT by Irene Hannon

The back cover blurb:

U.S. Marshal Jake Taylor has seen plenty of action during his years in law enforcement. But he'd rather go back to Iraq than face his next assignment: protection detail for federal judge Liz Michaels. His feelings toward the coldhearted workaholic haven't warmed in the five years since she drove her husband--and Jake's best friend--to despair . . . and possible suicide.

As the danger mounts and Jake gets to know Liz better, he's forced to revise his opinion of her. And when it becomes clear that an unknown enemy may want her dead, the stakes are raised. Because now both her life--and his heart--are in danger.

My review:

Wow! What’s not to like about Fatal Judgment? I enjoyed every aspect of this book…the characters, the dialogue, the plot, the ending. Jake’s initial dislike of Liz progressed naturally, not forced or rushed, creating the perfect blend of romance and suspense for me. A plausible plot, likeable characters, and an organic faith thread made this book a real-page turning combination.

Although I downloaded a free version of Fatal Judgment, I will purchase the next book in the series, Deadly Pursuit, which is available now. Five stars, Ms. Hannon!

Purchase Link for Fatal Judgment

How do you feel about this “free download” marketing strategy?

Do you read a free download, and then immediately purchase the next book by that author? On every occasion except one, I have purchased successive books by authors after reading a free kindle download. I’m convinced that this marketing strategy works. What about you? Do you buy into this marketing strategy? Do you find new authors this way?