Every Word Unsaid

 

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Augusta Travers has spent the last three years avoiding the stifling expectations of New York society and her family's constant disappointment. As the nation's most fearless - and reviled - columnist, Gussie travels the country with her Kodak camera and spins stories for women unable to leave hearth and home. But when her adventurous nature lands her in the middle of a scandal, an opportunity to leave America offers the perfect escape.

Arriving in India, she expects only a nice visit with childhood friends, siblings Catherine and Gabriel, and escapades that will further her career. Instead, she finds herself facing a plague epidemic, confusion over Gabriel's sudden appeal, and the realization that what she wants from life is changing. But slowing down means facing all the hurts of her past that she's long been trying to outrun. And that may be an undertaking too great even for her.

Review

Every Word Unsaid is another beautiful masterpiece by Kimberly Duffy. Through this and a previous novel of hers I've read, A Tapestry of Light, she has made me a lifelong fan of her books (Mosaic of Wings is in my TBR pile :) ). I love how rich and deeply textured she writes her stories. From teasing out fascinating historical detail, describing rich settings, to creating wonderful characters that I absolutely adore, Ms. Duffy is a magician with words. In Every Word Unsaid she brings Gussie on a huge journey of faith and self-discovery, taking her from her home in New York, that housed her critical and spiteful family, to India, a land full of adventures, culture, romance, and, as Gussie learns, true sorrow. 

I honestly did not want the story to end! It was rich, thought-provoking, and satisfying; a story I will revisit again and again.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. 

The Lines Between Us

 

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Since the attack on Pearl Harbor, Gordon Hooper and his buddy Jack Armitage have stuck to their values as conscientious objectors. Much to their families' and country's chagrin, they volunteer as smokejumpers rather than enlisting, parachuting into and extinguishing raging wildfires in Oregon. But the number of winter blazes they're called to seems suspiciously high, and when an accident leaves Jack badly injured, Gordon realizes the facts don't add up.

A member of the Women's Army Corps, Dorie Armitage has long been ashamed of her bother's pacifism, but she's shocked by news of his accident.  Determined to find out why he was harmed, she arrives at the national forest under the guise of conducting an army report...and finds herself forced to work with Gordon. He believes it's wrong to lie; she's willing to do whatever it takes for justice to be done. As they search for clues, Gordon and Dorie must wrestle with their convictions about war and peace and decide what to do with the troubling secrets they discover.

Review

The Lines Between Us is an interesting read into a different piece of history surrounding World War II - the conscientious objectors during that time. They were treated by many as outcasts of society.  Many family members were ashamed of any who dared become a conscientious objector, which lead to bruised hearts and estranged relationships. And that's where we find Dorie and her brother, Jack. Jack being the black sheep of the family, and Dorie embittered against him (and his friend, Gordon) for their choice to not enlist in the war effort.

As the story begins, Dorie isn't the most likeable of characters. She's brash, sporting a "devil-may-care" attitude toward society and its strictures, is willing to colour the truth and lie in order to get her way, and is rather mean towards her brother. Jack comes across as the antithesis of Dorie: the quiet peacemaker, always stepping in to settle rifts between his fellow smokejumpers. Gordon, while struggling with demons in his past, admires Jack's ability to calm even the toughest of situations, and his unwavering bravery as they parachute out of planes into the midst of wildfires. When Jack is involved in a terrible accident, two unlikely partners are thrown together to figure out what happened and why. Through Dorie's pluck and determination, and Gordon's unwavering search for truth, they step into a web of secrets and get caught in more than one dicey situation.

This was a thought-provoking story into the complexity of relationships and beliefs that can divide us. Amy Lynn Green provides an interesting group of characters with an even more intriguing storyline that really captured my attention. I look forward to reading more books by Ms. Green!

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. 

A Deep Divide

 

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After being kidnapped as a child, heiress Emma Grace McMurray has seen firsthand the devastation that greed causes in the world, and she wants nothing to do with it. When she discovers her father has offered her up as a bargaining chip to expand his empire, she disappears into the night. Determined to stay hidden even if it means always looking over her shoulder, she finds herself working as a Harvey Girl at the El Tovar Hotel.

When Ray Watkins arrives at the hotel on business, he is immediately captivated by the beauty of the Grand Canyon. Though his fame-seeking father aims to lure new investors to the Arizona Territory, Ray dreams of one day taking over the family business and doing good with the profits.

Ray immediately admires Emma Grace, and though an attraction begins to form, she can't let go of the deep-rooted fear that he's just like every other wealthy man she's known. When suspicious activity follows Emma Grace and Ray to the El Tovar, they are pulled into a mystery that stirs up their worst fears. And as shocking revelations come to light, they are left to question all they thought to be true.

Review

This was a lovely novel to kick off a new series, "Secrets of the Canyon" by Kimberley Woodhouse. I absolutely loved the setting of the majestic Grand Canyon. Ms. Woodhouse' descriptions painted vivid pictures in my mind and made me wish on more than one occasion that I could experience the amazing scenery in person!

A Deep Divide was an easy read with very likeable characters. My favourite aspect of the book was the strong faith element and deep spiritual growth of Emma Grace. She faces down her battle with fear with many verses from the Bible, particularly leaning on, "I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears". What a beautiful promise to be reminded of (and very timely in today's crazy world) that no matter what trial we are facing or fear we are experiencing, our Savior will surely deliver us!

I really enjoyed this novel and will be looking forward reading subsequent books this series!

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. 

Tacos for Two

 

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Food truck owner Rory Perez may not be able to cook, but she's determined to keep the family business out of the red. An upcoming contest during a food truck festival seems like the best way to do it. The prize money could finally give her solid financial footing, freeing up her time to meet the man she's been talking to via an anonymous online dating site.

Jude Strong is tired of being a puppet at his manipulative father's law firm, and the food truck festival seems like the perfect opportunity to dive into his passion for cooking an finally call his life his own. If he loses the contest, he'll be back at the law firm for good, so failure is not an option.

But things are about to get...complicated. Rory's chef gets mono, forcing her to cook after all. And Jude discovers that his stiffest competition is the same woman he's been falling for online. Will they sacrifice the futures they've envisioned for the sake of love? Or will there only ever be tacos for one?

Review

So fun! I loved Tacos for Two. It was light, flirty, witty, and hit me in all the feels. It read just like a favourite rom-com, and I seriously would love to see this made into a movie as it's something I could watch over and over again! Until that happens, I will just have to re-read the book until it becomes dog-eared (haha). 

Honestly, I found myself alternating giggling and swooning throughout the story as there is a dramatic push and pull of a relationship that seems fraught with problems from the start. From misunderstandings, complicated family dynamics, past trauma, clumsy mistakes, preconceived notions, and a little bit of pride & prejudice  - everything seemingly conspired to keep Rory and Jude apart. It made for a rather entertaining read that is making me eager to dig into other books by Betsy St. Amant. I can't believe I haven't read one of her stories before, but let me tell you, that is a mistake I am going to rectify pronto!

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.  

Lights Out

 

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CIA analyst Brynn Taylor developed a new program to combat terrorism, and she invited members of foreign intelligence agencies to America to foster cooperation between countries. Now one of them, Egyptian spy Remon Riad, is missing.

Jack Hudson has been working for the Strategic Neutralization and Protection Agency for almost nine years and takes the lead in hunting down the missing spy. But he isn't at all pleased to find out Brynn is involved. It's hard to trust a women who's already betrayed you.

Every lead they follow draws them dangerously deeper into an international plot. Kidnapping, murder, explosions, poisoning - the terrorists will do anything to accomplish their goal of causing a digital blackout that will blind a strategic US military communications center and throw the world into chaos.

Can Brynn surrender control to a man who doesn't trust her? And can Jack ever get over what she did to him? The fate of the world - and their hearts - hangs in the balance.

Review

Oh. My. Goodness. If you read any book this year, Lights Out has to be the one. It is SO good! It's literally jam-packed with edge-of-your-seat action following an intricate plot that keeps you guessing on how all the pieces are going to fit together. It is also a story that appears incredibly plausible given how much our world relies upon technology. From communications, banking, work, travel, housing, etc., many aspects of our lives are connected and maintained through the use of technology. Chaos would ensue should any of those systems go down. And Natalie Walters imagines what that could possibly look like in Lights Out.

The character choices and development are perfect for the story. I loved the unique personalities of each member of the SNAP Agency (along with the heroine, Brynn, of course) and look forward to getting to know each one better in future novels in this series.

Smartly-executed, Lights Out takes readers on a thrill ride they won't soon forget!

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.  

Never Miss

 

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Former CIA sniper Kadance Tolle possesses a special set of skills and a rare pedigree. She comes from a family of assassins, and by saving Lyndon Vaile's life she risks being found by them. Despite the danger, Kadance feels compelled to help Lyndon discover who is after him and his incendiary research, which indicates that the Ebola virus is man-made and about to be weaponized.

With shadowy figures pursuing them and a mastermind watching their every move, Kadance and Lyndon scramble to stop an impending bioattack at the State of the Union address. When their warnings fall on deaf ears, it becomes increasingly clear that there's no one they can trust - except perhaps each other.

Strap in for a breakneck story that will have you up all night, hurtling toward the last page as the clock ticks and time runs out.

Review

Never Miss reads like a summer blockbuster film: full of non-stop action and adventure that hardly allows you to catch a breath in between each explosive event. The subject matter creates a suspenseful and believable storyline given the fact that with today's advancements in technology and science, anything could happen! 

I could tell that the author is keen on details, and I appreciated every facet of her research that shone through her scenes of epic hand-to-hand combat and sniper shots. Punctuating those scenes were complex characters that you couldn't help but root for. I think this is the first book I've read whereby the heroine's pet cat enjoys just as much "screen time" as the two main protagonists - and I loved it! 

Never Miss is a great read for anyone who enjoys fiction with a punch!

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.