Blackmail by Robin Caroll

 Description:

 Another facility's been sabotaged!
And PR representative Sadie Thompson is on the case. When she's assigned to investigate the damage to her employer's oil rigs, she knows it's her chance. Finally, she can prove she's left her "bad girl" past behind her. Yet someone wants the evidence to disappear--and is willing to threaten Sadie and Caleb, her recently paroled half-brother, to make it happen.
Caleb's parole officer, Jon Garrison, is watching them both closely, waiting for one of them to slip up. He doesn't trust Sadie--can she trust him? She needs Jon's help, and has nowhere else to turn....

My Opinion: 

One of the better suspense books I have read although I didn't much fear for the characters in anyway. The book was very predictable but the reason I found it to be one of the better suspense books I have read was because it was believable. People were not trying to blow or shoot the main characters up on every other page. In fact, not at all. Their fear or lack thereof was strictly from the blackmail through most of the story.

Some things I did not care for were: 1) how quickly Sadie and Jon's relationship flourished. It seemed as if they just met and then they are in a relationship. Even though Sadie doesn't want to be known for her past reputation. 2) how fast Sadie and her brother relationship built. Again, I thought it would take longer for them to trust each other, but within a couple days they were the best of pals. 3) I didn't understand a lot of the oil mumble jumbo. 4) COOYON??? What is a cooyon? If you know please tell me!!!




Overall, it was entertaining but just okay. Nothing out of the ordinary.

Stars: 3

Forbidden by Ted Dekker and Tosca Lee

Description:

 New York Times bestselling author Ted Dekker teams with Tosca Lee to create this gripping thriller set in a desolate future.

Many years have passed since civilization's brush with apocalypse. The world's greatest threats have all been silenced. There is no anger, no hatred, no war. There is only perfect peace... and fear. But a terrible secret has been closely guarded for centuries: Every single soul walking the earth, though in appearance totally normal, is actually dead, long ago genetically stripped of true humanity.

Fleeing pursuit, with only moments to live, a young man named Rom stumbles into possession of a vial of blood and a piece of cryptic writing. When consumed, the blood will bring him back to life. When decoded, the message will lead him on a perilous journey that will require him to abandon everything he has ever known and awaken humanity to the transforming power of true life and love.

But the blood will also resurrect hatred, ambition, and greed.

Set in a terrifying, medieval future, where grim pageantry masks death, this tale of dark desires and staggering stakes peels back the layers of the heart for all who dare to take the ride.

My Opinion:

I have not read a Ted Dekker book since before I started my blog. I'm going to have to change that because I forgot how much I love his work! I will also have to look into Tosca Lee after this. 

I decided to put this review on my blog because, even though this book was not a romance, it definitely had the romantic aspect to it. The whole book was about feeling emotion, the most powerful one being love, and how it could create joy or bring destruction. The characters had to decide whether they wanted to live their lives with feelings or essentially be dead where all they felt was fear.

The story was incredibly done with twists and turns that left me helpless to know what was coming. Their were definite hero's and definite villain's, but also some people I could not get a reading on. This book was like nothing I have ever read before and was like a whole new world opened up to me. A whole new way to look upon God's love and a whole new way to be thankful for everything God has given us. Even our emotions to feel both happiness and sorrow.

For anyone interested in reading this book I must warn you that there is quite a bit of gore and blood as well as some creepy intimacy mentioned.***SPOILER*** Their is a man who "drugs" and sleeps with prostitutes who have been tested on while desiring his own half sister.

Stars: 5


On another note, today is my birthday!!! :)

 

Rocky Coast Romance by Mia Ross

Description:

 Journalist Bree Farrell heads to the village of Holiday Harbor to salvage her career. And walks straight into the arms of handsome young mayor Cooper Landry. Cooper's fighting to keep his sleepy Maine community from the clutches of big-city developers. And Bree knows it's a major scoop. But the longer she's in town, the more she's won over by the quirky townsfolk-and the charming Cooper. Will Bree ever follow her heart instead of a story and make Holiday Harbor her permanent byline?

My Opinion:

 I haven't read a Love Inspired book it awhile. To be honest, they aren't always my favorite. I feel like their is not enough time to build up a decent conflict and overcome it. I have been proved wrong in the past and some of these books do draw me in like a regular sized novel. However, this one didn't do it for me.

For one, the main conflict throughout the story was bigger than it should have been made out to be. I get why it was big to the character, but I don't understand why it effected everyone else so much. 

Most of the book seemed like I was just taking a sneak peek into everyone's daily life. Nothing exciting happened. These people and their small town were considered quirky, whereas I can see them being a little eccentric, it was nothing worse than we would see going to school or to the local Walmart. 

On the plus side, I loved the setting that the story took place in and I did like the characters, especially Sammy who you will find out about if you read the book.

Stars: 3

Fair Play by Deeanne Gist

Description:

 Saddled with a man’s name, the captivating Billy Jack Tate makes no apologies for pursuing a man’s profession. As a lady doctor at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, she is one step closer to having her very own medical practice--until she doctors an imposing man who threatens the fulfillment of her dream.

Hunter is one of the elite. A Texas Ranger and World’s Fair guard specifically chosen for his height, physique, character, and skill. Hailed as the toughest man west of any place east, he has no patience for big cities and women who aspire to walk in a man's shoes.

But the abandoned baby Hunter discovers at the Fair finds him teaming up with the good doctor to give the foundling a better future than the slums of Chicago, where the children play on flea-infested, garbage-strewn streets. AS Billy and Hunter fight for the foundling's welfare, their hearts warm to the precious child--and to each other. Soon their concern grows to encompass the Nineteenth Ward's burgeoning population of street children. In the interest of fair play, Billy and Hunter let nothing stand in their way as they labor to build a park for them, birthing Chicago's first playground and a national movement that will sweep the nation.

But the Fair is coming to an end, posing impossible decisions for Billy and the man who has won her heart. Will they become a footnote in the Fair's history books, or will what they discovered in Chicago be longer lasting than the World's Exhibition.

My Opinion:

Deeanne Gist is one of my favorite authors, I have not read many other authors books that could rival her stories! When Fair Play came out I could not wait to possibly win it in a giveaway, so I bought it online right away.  Afterwards, I found out that Deeanne Gist was switching to the general market. I couldn't decide whether that was a good thing or a bad thing. On one hand, it could help reach out to many people who would normally not read anything with inspirational qualities. On the other, I was and still am a little doubtful that Deeanne could slowly lose the inspirational qualities and replace them with more worldly aspects. I don't want to doubt her, but it has happened before with other writers.

Based on Fair Play I could not tell what to expect from Deeanne's future writings. Yes, both her main characters had great morals. Yes, they both fought for what they believed was right. Yes, they stayed virtuous until marriage. Altogether, it was a great story! However, their was not much mention of God. Their was mention of prayer, but their was no biblical life lesson from the story that I could tell. I did learn to compromise with a spouse or future spouse and to handle situations with dignity and tactfulness.

The romance was well done, but I do have a pet peeve that has to do with it that some authors put in their books. My pet peeve is that I cannot stand when the male character goes up to the heroine and just randomly states that he "wants to kiss her". Honestly, if I had a boyfriend and he just randomly said that to me out of the blue I would tell him no. In my opinion a kiss should just happen. So, if the guy wants to kiss his girlfriend or wife he should just do it. Why ask??? The only reason a guy should ever say that he "wants to kiss you" instead of just coming out and doing it is if the two of them are in a very public place surrounded by tons of people and she feels uncomfortable displaying affection like that.

Other that those things I listed I absolutely loved the book and it was the best one I have read in awhile! I cannot wait to read more of Dee's stuff. Do I have to wait almost a year for another book???

P.S. I hope her next male character inspiration is based on Henry Cavill. That would make my life!!!
 

A Woman of Fortune by Kellie Coates Gilbert

Description:

 Texas socialite Claire Massey is living the dream. Her world is filled with designer clothes, luxury cars, and stunning homes. But her Neiman-Marcus lifestyle comes crashing down when her charming cattle broker husband is arrested for fraud. Suddenly, she finds herself facing attorneys, a media frenzy, and a trail of broken hearts. Betrayed and humiliated, Claire must start over against incredible odds to save her family–and discover a life worth living.
Poignant and emotionally gripping, A Woman of Fortune reveals the many ways we deceive ourselves and how resilience of the heart is essential to authentic living. Drawing on her experiences as a legal investigator, author Kellie Coates Gilbert delivers emotionally gripping plots and authentic characters. Readers will love Claire’s unbending determination as she strives to keep her family from falling apart and learns to embrace the kind of fortune that lasts.

My Opinion:

Not what I was expecting.

When I first saw this book I assumed I would like it based on the cover, so without reading the summery I requested it to review. Now that I have read it, if I could make the decision all over again I probably would not have picked to review it. Don't get me wrong, it was a good and well written story, but it was just not for me. 

I didn't know that this book was about a 49-year old married woman going through a traumatic life situation. Who could have guessed that based on the cover? I mean, does that look like an almost 5-year old woman? Just goes to show how looks can be deceiving. At my age right now I tend to be more into the books where the couples are just hooking up, not thirty years into their marriage. It doesn't pertain to me in any way, so it didn't interest me.

I could tell by the cover that the woman was either rich or knew someone who was rich, and since I was expecting that I was okay with it. However, I didn't realize how rich she was! Her and her family threw caution to the wind and spent millions upon millions of dollars all the time! How many people do we come across on a daily basis with that kind of money? The way that her husband made the money seemed like a very realistic way of making it then some weird occupations I have read about in the past, so I did like that. On the other hand, I guess I'm just not much into the rich and famous scene. At least not modern rich and famous.

Things that I did like were: 1) None of the characters were perfect. Example: The heroine's daughter has many problems that you will learn about if you read it. 2) I felt the heroine handled her situation very realistically for her status. 3) The authors knowledge for courtroom business seemed to be above and beyond. Their were many terms used that I hadn't even heard of. 4) The comic relief was not over the top and it was portrayed in the heroine's best high school friend. 5) The heroine persevered where many would have given up.

Overall, if you are an adult interested in reading about scandal, family healing, and perseverance then this is the book for you. 

Stars: 3 1/2

Here is an inside look with the author that you can find on youtube!!! :)
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4KfPyw-FwE&feature=youtu.be