Review & Giveaway: A Firm Place to Stand by Lori Altebaumer

A FIRM PLACE TO STAND

by

LORI ALTEBAUMER

Genre: Christian / Romantic Suspense
Independently published
Date of Publication: January 25, 2020

Number of Pages: 321

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She’s either being stalked or losing her mind.

A job at a camp in the rustic and often rugged landscape of West Texas offers Maribel Montgomery a chance to escape both, especially if she makes sure no one knows she’s there. But when the body of a woman washes up in the river on her first morning, her hopes of a safe place to start over are swept away.

The suspicion that she’s being watched follows her to her new home, and Maribel is forced to take a stand or keep running. Does she have the courage to face the danger stirring at the Pool of Siloam Camp? If she doesn’t, another girl might die. If she tries and fails, it could be her.

Circumstances force her into the acquaintance of Conner Pierce—a man with secrets of his own. Can Maribel risk working with him in order to save the next victim and find a missing girl? Or is he the killer?

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A Firm Place to Stand by Lori Altebaumer makes you ask questions immediately from page one. And I could sense a sly grin as Altebaumer pulls you into the story, only causing the questions to multiply. Sort of like how dodgy people will answer your questions with more questions. Which would all be rather intriguing in any suspense book, but for some reason this surprised me even more coming from a book classified as a Christian, romantic suspense novel. My usual experience with the genre is that the protagonist struggles with their personal relationship with God and/or the act of forgiving a person who has hurt them terribly, all while wearing their heart on their sleeve.

Maribel Montgomery certainly has that struggle with the Almighty, but she does not face the obstacle of forgiving another person nor does she wear her heart on her sleeve. It’s refreshing to see a Christian author write about a character that is not already almost squeaky clean, nor are all the people around them unrealistically wholesome either. The characters, both the good and the bad ones, are people you have encountered in the real world. And she has developed each one so well that if you pulled a quote at random, chances are you could guess which character said it. That being said, it isn’t too difficult to figure out who is out to get Maribel.

You can pretty easily point out who is behind all the terrible happenings, but Altebaumer holds the answers as to why very close to her chest. Much like it takes a long time to draw out why Maribel has a shadow hanging over her, Altebaumer doesn’t reveal the motive until the very end of the book. And when I say the very end, I don’t mean the last few chapters or so. I mean you have like 5 or 6 pages remaining in your right hand, and you’re hoping that the last 3 pages aren’t book club discussion questions and an advertisement for the next book. To say that I was hooked and eager to reach the conclusion would be an understatement. I can’t remember the last time that I read a book so quickly and with such intense concentration.

Coming down from the high of finishing the book, I took the time to reflect on what I had just read. Forgiveness was a big theme in it, much like most Christian novels, but this was definitely one of those books that didn’t bash you over the head with scripture. The characters were realistic people with real world issues, no gloss or fluff to hide or soften the imperfections. The only thing that bugged me was that Maribel’s backstory felt like I missed out on reading a previous book. While Altebaumer does a wonderful job of exposition, the backstory was a little too interesting for there to not have been a book about Maribel’s previous life. If the author doesn’t have another book in the works already, I hope she considers the idea of writing a prequel to this one.

So who is this book for? Anyone who loves a good suspense novel, I’d say. Remember the name Lori Altebaumer. I have a feeling that she has so many books already mapped out in her head and I am eager to read the next one.

A life-long Texan, Lori lives in a small community not far from the rugged West Texas landscape she loves to write about. The mother of now-grown twins, she has learned that the secret to survival is a well-developed sense of humor and an active prayer life. After years spent working in the insurance business, Lori now uses her time to educate, inspire, encourage, and entertain through the written word.

 

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Review & Giveaway: Fatal Strike by DiAnn Mills

FATAL STRIKE

by

DiANN MILLS

Genre: Romantic Suspense / Clean Romance / Christian

Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers

Date of Publication: September 3, 2019

Number of Pages: 400

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There’s a killer on the loose in Galveston, targeting law enforcement officials and using a fatal injection of snake venom to take them down. Authorities have reasons to believe the Veneno gang is behind the hits, and FBI Agents Leah Riesel and Jon Colbert team up to track down those responsible. Their best lead is an eyewitness who identifies a young man dumping the third body on a church doorstep. But their suspect has gone into hiding, and those closest to him are reluctant to reveal anything that might help investigators find him.

 

As Leah and Jon check connections among the victims and dig deeper into motives, they discover appearances may be deceiving. Someone is desperate to keep their secrets hidden, and Leah and Jon must face their greatest fears in order to stop the next fatal strike.

 

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It is one type of author that can write characters that are believable and worth caring about, and it is another type of author that can do that and make the setting a living, breathing character in the story as well. As I read this book, I had no doubt in my mind that Mills was very much acquainted with Galveston and the surrounding areas of Houston. She describes the locations in a way that engages all of the senses – from the sounds of waves crashing near the coast to the sticky heat that Houstonians know all too well. (Also, all the restaurants that are mentioned!) And it is while Leah and Jon navigate the different geographies of our great state that you get to know them; first, at the surface level and, later, their deepest regrets and fears.

At the surface, the new partners are pretty similar: good-looking FBI snipers with tough reputations who are hesitant to work together because of personal baggage and the stories that they have heard about each other. Deep down, they both harbor guilt for past decisions that are quite different. However, the two are able to relate to each other and help the other heal in ways that no one else had ever been able to. Sounds like a lot to process, right? Well that’s just the side story to a very complex mystery of why three highly respected people in the Galveston community are murdered in the span of three days.

I was amazed to realize that about halfway through the novel, I still had no idea who the bad guy was and what the motives for the murders were. Conservatively, I had a hunch (that proved correct) about 75% of the way in. As someone who prides herself in predicting plot twists and whodunit, this book had me stumped. And it’s not because the author wrote an ending from way out of left field or anything. Mills does an amazing job of reeling you in, tugging at your heartstrings for a character, and then with either Leah or Jon’s internal dialogue or a quick aside to each other, you question everything you have come to believe thus far.

If Christian books aren’t your thing, don’t worry. I feel like this book has spiritual elements in it that help the story along but aren’t the focal point. If you liked the rush and mystery of The Da Vinci Code, then I think you would enjoy this book as well. I also enjoyed reading a “clean” book that still transported me through the shocking underbelly of Galveston. Many authors write about gory crimes, usually committed against women, with a heavy hand that seems almost gratuitous. Other authors take another route and write steamy scenes under the facade of romance that make me equally uncomfortable as well. I really appreciate Mills’ ability to write about difficult or deep situations and emotions without cheapening any of them.

If you’re a crime show fan like me, I think you will love Fatal Strike. Every DiAnn Mills book that I have read has made me hold my breath in anticipation and doubt my predictions.

 

DiAnn Mills is a bestselling author who believes her readers should expect an adventure. She weaves memorable characters with unpredictable plots to create action-packed, suspense-filled novels. DiAnn believes every breath of life is someone’s story, so why not capture those moments and create a thrilling adventure?

Her titles have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists; won two Christy Awards; and been finalists for the RITA, Daphne Du Maurier, Inspirational Readers’ Choice, and Carol Award contests.

DiAnn is a founding board member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, a member of Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and International Thriller Writers. She is the director of the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference, Mountainside Marketing Retreat, and the Mountainside Novelist Retreat with social media specialist Edie Melson where she continues her passion of helping other writers be successful. She speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops around the country.

DiAnn has been termed a coffee snob and roasts her own coffee beans. She’s an avid reader, loves to cook, and believes her grandchildren are the smartest kids in the universe. She and her husband live in sunny Houston, Texas. She’s very active online and loves to connect with readers.

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Review & Giveaway: Out and In by Pat Dunlap Evans

OUT AN IN
a mystery-thriller

MARIE DONOVAN MYSTERIES, #1

by

PAT DUNLAP EVANS

Genre: Fiction / Romantic Suspense

Publisher: A.M. Chai Literary

Date of Publication: April 27, 2016

Number of Pages: 316

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Stunning beauty and amateur cellist Marie Donovan finds herself in deep trouble after her pro-quarterback husband dives off a Dallas high rise—many say in shame after his shady investments go sour. Just months later, the grieving Marie faces capital murder charges for the death of a lecherous opera maestro. When hard evidence points squarely at her, only her best friend and defense lawyer believe her.

 

Marie is no stranger to struggle. During her six years as an NFL Football wife, she fends off groupies eager to take her man, all the while feeling lost in her husband’s macho culture. Studying the cello becomes Marie’s solace until her hard-drinking husband retires after an injury. Returning to Dallas, he plays with high society’s money in an investment scheme until winning at all costs leaves Marie and her twin sons on the hook for millions.

 

Scorned by society friends, charged with murder, Marie pins her hopes on hunky defense lawyer Ryan Ingles, one of Cole’s college football pals. After Ryan’s legal team discovers some of the maestro’s dark secrets, Marie and Ryan’s investigative troupe travel to exotic islands in search of clues Cole left behind. As the tropics weave a romantic spell, a corrupt offshore banker dashes Marie’s hopes. She wonders if she’ll ever be free of blame…and able to claim her own place in this world.

PRAISE FOR OUT AND IN

“Out and In is the perfect mystery-thriller for the beach, a long flight, or to savor before bed…an exciting but heartfelt story about a beautiful woman who struggles to prove her innocence … As for the ending, I am still stunned.” — Lara Reznik, Amazon best-selling author of The Girl from Long Guyland and Bagels and Salsa.

 

“Could not put it down, once I started reading. Definitely a must-read. Look forward to reading more books from Pat Dunlap Evans. ” — five-star Amazon review by reader “Mimi”

 

“Awesome…flowed nicely … definitely kept you on your toes to who actually committed the murder. The lead character was a perfect blend of hard and soft. A great read.” — five-star Amazon review by reader “Tiffany”

 

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I have never felt such mixed emotions about a book before. I think that almost every element of this book – the setting, the plot, the characters – evoked feelings from opposite poles within myself. Take the setting: I hate Dallas; but I love the fine arts scene. Like Marie, I play the cello and love the human voice quality of it. Unlike Marie, I couldn’t imagine playing my instrument naked. I don’t love it that much. The plot: I really liked the mystery side of this book. Some authors hit you over the head with key details, thus ruining the surprise. Evans knows how to write a mystery and keep things mysterious. But the romance side of things, some details came down hard and bopped you on the nose. The characters: I felt compassion for Marie and her predicament but felt zero sympathy for her with regard to her spoiled “boys”. I guess I found it hard to believe that a go-getter like Cole wouldn’t have taught his sons how to succeed – even if that meant teaching them the wrong way to do things. 

The book cover is clever and sensual with a man (is that supposed to be Luca?) drawing a bow across the back of a woman with cello strings and f holes tattooed or drawn on her back. I’m not a fan of the font used and the decision to put “a women’s mystery-thriller” on the cover too. Bop! Right on the nose with that one. It’s nitpicky, but I think that bass clef signs should have been used instead of treble clef signs at the beginning of each chapter since that is the clef that cellos mostly play in. Speaking of the chapters, I didn’t mind the changes in point of view, but it sometimes took me a while to figure out who was talking. To be fair, there were a few chapters where Evans didn’t want us to know who was talking. I really liked those chapters where the killer(s) would talk about what they have done and how they got away with it.

The book could have used another pass on the editing table, but it was an entertaining read. I had a hunch about who the killer was and was surprised when it seemed like someone else murdered Luca. But then I got another helping of surprise when I realized that the story had not yet quite ended and then we finally get to find out whodunnit. I was hoping that Marie would have a drama free life from here on out, but I’m happy to see that this book is the beginning of a series. I recommend this book to anyone who thinks they can solve mysteries easily (yes, this is a challenge to you).

Pat Dunlap Evans was born in Michigan but “got to Texas as soon as I could,” she says. Her family lived in San Antonio and later Dallas, where she attended South Oak Cliff High School and Southern Methodist University. Pat eventually completed her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English at University of Missouri, Kansas City, with emphasis on creative writing. She also taught freshman writing courses as a part-time lecturer.After a divorce, Pat stressed her way as a single mom through twenty-five years of high-stress advertising and marketing roles before retiring to write fiction and screenplays. She lives in the Lake Travis area with her second husband Dr. Bill Evans and enjoys travel, golf, volunteer work, sailing, and the chaos of the couple’s combined five adult children, five grandchildren, and two cockalier dogs.

Pat has published two novels, To Leave a Memory and Out and In, with a third novel Those Who Try due out soon.

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Excerpt 1 & Giveaway: Justice Betrayed by Patricia Bradley

 

JUSTICE BETRAYED

A MEMPHIS COLD CASE MYSTERY, #3

by

PATRICIA BRADLEY

Genre: Fiction / Romantic Suspense

Publisher: Revell

Date of Publication: June 5, 2018

Number of Pages: 352

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It’s Elvis Week in Memphis, and homicide detective Rachel Sloan isn’t sure her day could get any stranger when aging Elvis impersonator Vic Vegas asks to see her. But when he produces a photo of her murdered mother with four Elvis impersonators—one of whom had also been murdered soon after the photo was taken—she’s forced to reevaluate. Is there some connection between the two unsolved cases? And could the recent break-in at Vic’s home be tied to his obsession with finding his friend’s killer?

When yet another person in the photo is murdered, Rachel suddenly has her hands full investigating three cases. Lieutenant Boone Callahan offers his help, but their checkered romantic past threatens to get in the way. Can they solve the cases before the murderer makes Rachel victim number four?

“The third installment of Bradley’s Memphis Cold Case series focuses on a cold case related to a homicide detective’s past…Bradley includes the unique character of Erin who seems as if she is a real person and takes great care to portray her respectfully.”

—RT Book Reviews

 

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EXCERPT: PROLOGUE

JUSTICE BETRAYED

BY PATRICIA BRADLEY

(used with permission)

Prologue

June 1980

Shirley traced her finger over her mother’s image in the photo, then shoved the picture into the backpack with her other possessions. Every night, she promised herself she’d leave as soon as her father parked himself in front of All in the Family and fell asleep. A band squeezed her lungs, making it impossible to breathe.

You do it tonight.

She clenched her jaw. It wasn’t that she wanted to stay. But what if he came after her and found her? Or what if the law found her? She was only fifteen, and they would drag her back to him.

After all, they’d bought her father’s story that her mom had fallen down the basement steps as she’d carried a basket of clothes to the washer. If the sheriff suspected her father had pushed his wife, he’d kept it to himself. No one wanted to get on the bad side of Big Al in their small community, not even the law.

She flinched as the back screen slapped against the doorframe. “Shir-lee! Shirley Irene, I’m hungry. Get supper on the table.”

Shirley shoved the backpack under her bed and hurried to the

kitchen, stopping at the doorway to take a deep breath. “Evening,” she mumbled.

He ignored her and turned on the television. The actor Ronald Reagan filled the screen in one of his election ads, and he snapped the set off.

“Washington’s never going to stop spending our money,” her father muttered, then he turned and laid his John Deere cap on the red Formica table.

Shirley wanted to snatch the dirty thing off the table her mother had been so proud to get from a neighbor after she updated her kitchen. She sidestepped past him to the avocado-green refrigerator to take out a package of pork chops. The sour odor of beer and sweat made her want to gag.

“Where were you this afternoon?”

She averted her eyes. “The teacher asked me to stay and help with cleaning up.”

“Look at me when I ask you a question.”

Shirley pulled her gaze past the beer gut hanging over his belt to his ruddy face and dead brown eyes.

“That’s better. You aren’t worth anything to me helping somebody else. I needed you to help load logs. Next time you tell her you have other jobs to do.”

“Yes, sir,” she said, rubbing her thumbs over the calluses on her fingers. He worked her like a mule.

“Now get supper on the table.”

Shirley grabbed an apron and tied it around her waist. At the sink, she scrubbed her hands with the pumice soap until they were almost raw. Green sink, green stove, green refrigerator. She hated green. Her heart leaped into her throat as her gaze settled on the straight razor on the counter and then traveled to the leather strap hanging on the wall. She’d forgotten to sharpen his razor. That meant another beating if she didn’t get it done before morning.

Or maybe not. She wouldn’t be here by then. She would be gone.

With her spirits lighter, she lit the fire under the pot of beans and set a skillet on another burner and fried the pork chops, not even minding when the grease popped out, burning her arm. In twenty minutes, she had supper on the table and held her breath as he tasted the food.

“Girl, can’t you do anything right? You got the beans too salty.” He shoved away from the table and stood.

Her heart plummeted. But this time she wasn’t going to take it. “You’re not going to beat me again.”

“I wouldn’t have to if you didn’t mess up all the time.” He yanked the leather strap from the wall and marched toward her. “Any fifteen-year-old should be able to cook a simple meal without ruining it.”

“I won’t do it again.” She backed up against the sink.

“This is to make sure you don’t.”

She screamed as the strap came down and barely turned in time to protect her face as the strap stung her back.

“I told you not to scream. Now you’ve gone and done it, and I have to correct you again. Turn around and face me.”

“No!” The straight razor lay on the counter waiting for her to sharpen it. She grabbed it.

“You always say that.” His fingers closed on her shoulder, and he yanked her back.

She came around swinging the knife at his throat. Blood spurted from his neck.

He grabbed his throat and staggered back. “What have you done, girl? Call an ambulance!”

With every heartbeat came more blood.

“No.” He’d beat her for sure if he lived. Shirley sucked in air. “You shouldn’t have made me do it.”

“Girl, I’m sorry.” His breath came shorter. “I won’t do it again. Now call that ambulance.”

She pressed her fingers against her mouth. He couldn’t die here. The law might not believe her. “I’ll drive you to the hospital.”

“You . . . better . . . hope I don’ . . . die.” His voice grew weaker. “Haunt you . . . never get away from me.”

Can he do that? No. When you’re dead, you’re dead.

He grasped her wrist. “Help me!”

Blood dripped onto her hair as she half supported and half dragged him through the door. “You’ve got to help me,” she said through gritted teeth. Shirley didn’t know if he heard her or not. Then he got his feet under him, barely lightening her load. “Good,” she said with a grunt.

For once she was glad of the man’s work he’d forced her to do. They stumbled once in the pitch dark of the moonless night but finally made it to the old pickup. Once she had him inside the cab, he leaned against the door, and Shirley drove toward town. They’d just reached the tavern he’d just come from when death rattled in his chest.

A quarter of a mile past the tavern, she pulled over on the shoulder of the road and stopped. The dim light of the dashboard revealed his chest no longer rose and fell as his breathing became shallower. When he took his last breath, she rested her head against the back of the seat. He was beyond hurting her ever again.

This wasn’t her fault.

“You shouldn’t have made me do it,” she said softly.

She couldn’t leave him here like this, though.

Shirley angled the pickup toward the deep ravine on the side of the road. Then she pulled his body into the driver’s seat.

After wiping the steering wheel clean, she put the truck in neutral. Then she climbed out of the pickup. Slowly, it inched toward the ravine, picking up speed until it shot down the steep grade. Shirley ran like the hound of the Pit was after her.

The explosion happened just as she got past the tavern. She looked over her shoulder as a ball of fire rose from the trees.

For the first time in her life, she drew a free breath.

Click to read Chapter 1, Part 1, coming tomorrow on the Lone Star Book Blog Tours 8/16 stop!

Patricia Bradley is the award-winning author of Justice Delayed and Justice Buried, as well as the Logan Point series. She is cofounder of Aiming for Healthy Families, Inc., and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Romance Writers of America. She lives in Mississippi.

 

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Review & Giveaway: Beyond Control by Kat Martin

 

BEYOND CONTROL

The Texas Trilogy, Book 3

by

Kat Martin

Genre: Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Zebra
Date of Publication: May 29, 2018

Number of Pages: 368
  

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Present Danger

When Victoria Bradford got engaged, she told herself to give love a chance. Six months later, she’s on the run from her angry, abusive ex-fiancé with her four-year-old daughter and nowhere to go.

Seventy miles north of Dallas, the Iron River Ranch is pretty much nowhere. That’s what its new owner, Josh Cain, wanted when he came back from Afghanistan. Big skies, quiet nights, no trouble.

One look tells Josh the pretty redhead with the adorable little girl will give him trouble of the most personal kind. But he’s seen trouble before, and he doesn’t scare easy. Not when “accidents” start happening around the ranch. Not when Tory’s best friend back in Phoenix is abducted and brutalized. Not even when it looks like their current problems are only the tip of the iceberg.

But if he gets too close to fierce, determined Tory, Josh knows his nights are going to be anything but quiet. And that’s one possibility no amount of training can prepare him for…

PRAISE FOR BEYOND CONTROL:

“As the excitement in Iron Springs continues, two strangers with tragic pasts form an unbreakable bond. Beyond Control is the last installment in the Texas Trilogy. It’s delightfully fast-paced, riveting, and amazingly compelling. Martin has outdone herself with unpredictable twists and suspense that will leave readers panting for more. Definitely a must-read for readers who enjoy mystery, thrills, and romance to spice up their life.” – RT Reviews Top Pick

“Bestseller Martin brings her Texas Trilogy … to a hair-raising finish with the gripping tale of a single mother on the run and the Marine veteran who offers her a second chance at happily-ever-after. Martin has a consummate skill for developing the most loveable and the most despicable characters; readers will cheer when sadistic Damon meets his well-deserved end. Martin’s finely described Texas is a delight.” – Publishers Weekly

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I promise that I am not exaggerating when I say that I could not put this book down. From the onset, my heart went out to this young widow with a small child who thought that she found her second true love. I know what it feels like to be swept up in an all-consuming love affair, and I also know what it feels like when things start going terribly wrong. Unfortunately for Tory, her new fiancee is a closet psychopath who takes pleasure in abusing her. My heart sank to hear how he would stalk her and managed to find her no matter where she ran. So when her resources were all but depleted and she found safety on Iron River Ranch, I couldn’t help but sigh in relief.

As I waited for the crazy ex to find her, I luxuriated in the sensual descriptions of Josh Cain and fanned myself after every heated encounter between him and Tory. Just when I thought that Martin couldn’t possibly come up with another way to describe how rugged and manly Josh looked in a T-shirt and jeans, she proved me wrong. She was also able to emulate the inner workings of the male mind when she would describe how tempting Tory looked in her bedazzled jeans and figure-hugging tops. I swear, there is only one or two not good looking people in this book. But looks aside, you become invested in the characters.

I like the pace of the story and the subplot that comes in, which makes you question just how diabolical a person can really be. Martin does a great job of throwing a wrench into the works just when you think you have things all figured out. The love scenes were blush-worthy yet tasteful. (Although I wonder if Martin has children since I don’t know many 4-year-olds that never wake up in the middle of the night looking for mom.) I almost wanted to say that the choice to include love scenes of another couple was maybe a little gratuitous, but I think that Martin wanted to shed some additional light on the struggles of a particular population in our country. I would say more but I don’t want to ruin the surprise of another great coupling.

Some might think it’s a bit on the nose, but I love the story arc of Tory’s relationship with Josh’s dangerous horse, Satan’s Star. I like how Martin uses the horse’s issues to parallel those of the humans around him. I just like animals in general, so I always got a cozy feeling when the horses were in the scene.

I highly recommend this book to people who enjoy romance and/or suspense novels. It definitely makes me want to read the other two books in the trilogy.

 

New York Times bestselling author Kat Martin is a graduate of the University of California at Santa Barbara where she majored in Anthropology and also studied History. Currently residing in Missoula, Montana with her Western-author husband, L. J. Martin, Kat has written sixty-five Historical and Contemporary Romantic Suspense novels. More than sixteen million copies of her books are in print and she has been published in twenty foreign countries. Kat is currently at work on her next Romantic Suspense.

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VISIT THE OTHER GREAT BLOGS ON THE TOUR:

5/11/18	Promo	Texas Book Lover
5/12/18	Review	Missus Gonzo
5/13/18	Excerpt Part 1	The Page Unbound
5/14/18	Review	StoreyBook Reviews
5/15/18	Excerpt Part 2	Books and Broomsticks
5/16/18	Author Interview	Nerd Narration
5/17/18	Review	Reading by Moonlight
5/18/18	Author Interview	The Librarian Talks
5/19/18	Top Ten List	Tangled in Text
5/20/18	Review	Chapter Break Book Blog

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Review & Giveaway: Chasing Secrets by Lynette Eason

CHASING SECRETS

Elite Guardians, Book 4

by

Lynette Eason

  Genre: Romantic Suspense / Christian

Publisher: Revell

Date of Publication: August 1, 2017

Number of Pages: 336

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Intensity. Skill. Tenacity.

The bodyguards of Elite Guardians Agency have it all.

When a photo leads investigators in West Ireland to open a twenty-five-year-old cold case, Elite Guardians bodyguard Haley Callaghan’s 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 she has 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.

Praise for the Elite Guardians Series:

“A thrill ride from the first page until the last.”

—RT Book Reviews, top pick, 4½ stars for Always Watching

“Witty dialogue and a simmering attraction will have readers flying through this tension-laced thriller.”

—Family Fiction on Without Warning

“Fast, furious, and flirty, Lynette Eason’s relentless suspense barely gives her readers time to catch their breath.”

—Relz Reviews on Moving Target

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Girls who kick butt have been all the rage for a while now, and I will admit that this isn’t the first novel that I’ve reviewed here featuring a beautiful, law enforcing woman. But this book proves to be in a class of its own when we find out that Haley Callaghan, a member of the all-female Elite Guardians agency, might be the lone survivor of a massacre 25 years prior. If Haley is Aileen Burke, then she is the heiress of Rock Moran Castle in Ireland and stands to inherit a fortune.

When Haley is off duty from her bodyguard gig, she mentors troubled teens at a center she runs on the rough side of town. It seems that as soon as she tries to help a new kid who crosses her path, the bullets start flying. Haley thinks the neighborhood thug is behind the attempts on her life, but we know that someone has been tailing her for some time and is probably trying to figure out her true identity.

Lucky for Haley, she is friends with local law enforcement who have her back. Steven, the new guy on the town’s police force, especially has his eye on her. Steven grew up in the area but hadn’t lived there for years. Eason shares what memories haunt Steven gradually as she also allows Haley to remember snippets of her escape from a violent demise. As Haley tries to help heal Steven of his past, Steven tries to prevent Haley’s past from stealing her future.

I have to stop here because I don’t want to ruin the end. I can usually guess who the bad guy is, but I was wrong on this one. Drop me a comment if you guessed right. This book was all kinds of suspenseful and I plan on reading the rest of the Elite Guardians books.

Lynette Eason is the bestselling author of the Women of Justice, Deadly Reunions, and Hidden Identity series, as well as Always Watching, Without Warning, and Moving Target in the Elite Guardians series.

She is the winner of two ACFW Carol Awards, the Selah Award, and the Inspirational Readers’ Choice Award. She lives in South Carolina.

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8/1	Excerpt 1	Storeybook Reviews
8/2	Review	My Book Fix Blog
8/3	Author Interview 1	The Librarian Talks
8/4	Review	Missus Gonzo
8/5	Guest Post	Chapter Break Book Blog
8/6	Character Interview	Hall Ways Blog
8/7	Review	Reading by Moonlight
8/8	Author Interview 2	Books and Broomsticks
8/9	Review	The Page Unbound
8/10	Excerpt 2	CGB Blog Tours

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