REVIEW: ELITE GUARDIANS 1: ALWAYS WATCHING ~ LYNETTE EASON

The bodyguards of Elite Guardians Agency have more than just skill and prowess in common - they're also all women. When it becomes clear that popular psychiatrist and radio personality Wade Savage has a stalker, his father secretly hires Elite Guardians in order to protect his son.  But when Wade's bodyguard is attacked and nearly killed, agency owner Olivia Edwards must step in and fill the gap. Olivia's skills are about to be tested to the limit as Wade's stalker moves from leaving innocent gifts at his door to threatening those closest to him – Including Olivia.  But in her mind, even more dangerous than the threats to her life is the hold her handsome client has on her heart. 

 

Always watching by Lynette Eason is the first book in the Elite Guardians series.  I absolutely loved having a female bodyguard protect a big, strong man.  It is a very refreshing departure from the usual damsel in distress looking to her male bodyguard to save her.  The ladies of Elite Guardians are smart, capable, professional security specialists running their own company and calling the shots.  They work together beautifully, efficiently and rally around their own.  It was a pleasure to experience their relationships, both personal and professional.

This first book in the series follows Olivia who steps up to protect their client, popular radio personality Wade Savage, who is being stalked by what appears to be an obsessed fan.  Wade, being the big, strong man that he is, refuses to entertain the thought of a bodyguard, sure that he can take care of himself.  Wade’s father, therefore, secretly hires the Elite Guardians to keep an eye on his son and when Wade’s bodyguard is ruthlessly attacked and left for dead, Wade is not happy to discover his father’s involvement, but he can no longer deny that the threat may be bigger than he can deal with on his own; especially considering that the now vengeful stalker escalates to threats towards Wade’s 12 year old daughter, Amy.  Agreeing to accept the protection of the Elite Guardians, though uncomfortable at the thought of women placing themselves in danger for his family, Wade and Olivia work together to unmask the identity of the stalker before he or she finally succeeds in ever increasingly dangerous attacks. 

There is an element of romance between Olivia and Wade, but while it is solid, it is never the main focus of the story – which is very realistic given the situation they find themselves in, and Wade’s daughter’s safety and wellbeing being the most important factor in his life (as it should be).  Amy is a preteen with serious anxiety issues.  I felt for Amy throughout this book as she very bravely battles her sometimes crippling anxiety.  Eason does a fantastic job with this character; rarely have I read such a believable portrayal of child, especially one with anxiety.  Amy’s relationship with Olivia is also beautifully handled and it is a joy to watch them become friends. 

 

Wade and Olivia’s mutual attraction is immediate, but before they can entertain the thought of a relationship, both of them have to address some of the scars from their pasts, and they both have to break down the walls that they have erected to keep themselves from being hurt in order to let each other in. Wade’s strong faith in God helps him tremendously throughout the story, and even helps Olivia, whose faith has been shaken following a traumatic event in her past that she struggles to make peace with.  As Wade needs Olivia to keep him and his daughter physically safe, she needs him to guide her back to God.

 

The action in Always Watching begins right out of the gate and truly doesn’t let up right until the very end.  The element of suspense is ever-present and Eason keeps the reader on the edge of their seat with the next threat right around the corner.  I did, however, manage to identify the stalker very early on, which is the reason I am scoring this book 3 hearts.

 

 

Product Information:
Title: Always Watching

Series: Elite Guardians. First in Series
Author: Lynette Eason
Publisher: Revell
Year: 2016
Pages: 336
ISBN-10:  0800723260
ISBN-13: 978-0800723262
ASIN: B012H102DO

 Related Posts:

Review: Deadly Reunions 1: When the smoke clears ~ Lynette Eason

Review: Deadly Reunions 2: When a heart stops ~ Lynette Eason

Review: Deadly Reunions 3: When a secret kills ~ Lynette Eason

Review: A killer among us ~ Lynette Eason

 

REVIEW: TRAPPED ~ IRENE HANNON

Following their mother’s death, Laura takes charge of her teenage half-sister, Darcy.  A clash of personalities and wills soon leads to Darcy running away and getting herself into all kinds of trouble.  Laura hires Phoenix Inc to track down her wayward sister, and the case lands on the desk of James Devlin.  Before long it’s not only Darcy’s safety that’s on the line, but Laura’s heart.

Dev is attracted to Laura the moment he lays eyes on her, which is disconcerting considering she is nothing like the women he usually dates.  She is conservative and quiet – she’s a librarian, for goodness’ sake! - yet he finds himself drawn to her nonetheless.  Phoenix rules dictates no getting involved with a client, and while he’s determined to honour the professionalism Phoenix is built on, he finds it difficult to keep his relationship with Laura from becoming personal. 

Darcy runs away from home thinking life on her own terms would be a blast.  However, she soon realises that things at Laura’s place weren’t as bad as she thought.  Once she makes the decision to return to Laura, however, that’s no longer an option – Darcy finds herself in the clutches of a demented serial killer.  Can Dev connect the dots before it’s too late?

Trapped is the second book in Irene Hannon's Private Justice trilogy.  Each book focuses on one of the partners of Phoenix Inc, and can be read as a stand-alone.

One of  the things that bothers me most about this book is the fact that Laura and Dev don’t spend nearly enough time together for my liking.  They have great chemistry, so it was very frustrating that they don't have many scenes together – not as many as I would have liked, anyway.  There is also too much focus on Mark and Darcy, who I consider to be secondary characters.  I wouldn’t be surprised if calculation shows they have more page time than Dev and Laura.  

As I have mentioned in the past, I’m not a fan of knowing the identity of the villain from the get go.  I prefer having an author making me work to figure out the mystery alongside the main characters, but once again Hannon shares the identity of the villain very early on.  I found myself skipping Mark’s POV sections – I just didn’t care.  I realise the author attempted to let the reader into the mind of a killer, but I found these sections to be extremely boring and eventually I just started skipping Mark's scenes altogether - even the end, which I expect is supposed to be tense, but really isn't.

There is also much less focus on faith than I expected; it’s much less of a central theme than I have come to expect from Hannon.  There were a few mentions of Laura praying for Darcy’s safe return, and Darcy remembering a church service or two.  Dev has come to believe that God does not care about the human race, but ultimately winds up praying to God out of desperation.  As I would generally classify Hannon’s books as religious fiction, I would have appreciated a little more focus on faith.  I would have liked to see more of Darcy and Dev’s spiritual growth, and also more of Dev and Laura as a couple than only one short epilogue.  On that note, Hannon likes to end her epilogues with the characters getting engaged – I’m all for happily ever after, but she needs to guard against her basic plot structure becoming too predictable.

Sadly this book just wasn’t suspenseful for me at all. I thoroughly enjoyed Hannon’s Heroes of Quantico trilogy, but the Private Justice trilogy just isn’t grabbing me in the same way.  I’ll probably read the next book in the series, Deceived, because I'm a little OCD like that and I need to finish a series a started, but truthfully I won’t be rushing to the shelves for this one.  Sadly the Private Justice trilogy is not living up to my expectations.

Product Information:

Title: Trapped

Author: Irene Hannon

Number of Pages: 400

Year: 2013

Publisher: Revell

ISBN: 0800721241

ISBN13: 9780800721244

Related posts:

Review:Vanished ~ Irene Hannon

REVIEW: DANGEROUS PASSAGE ~ LISA HARRIS

Revell Publishers has graciously supplied me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

When two Jane Does are killed on the outskirts of Atlanta, Georgia, detective and behavioral specialist Avery North discovers they share something in common - a tattoo of a magnolia on their shoulders. Suspecting a serial killer, Avery joins forces with medical examiner Jackson Bryant to solve the crimes and prevent another murder. But it doesn't take long for them to realize that there is much more to the case than meets the eye. As they venture deep into a sinister world of human trafficking, Avery and Jackson are taken to the very edge of their abilities - and their hearts.

Dangerous Passage by Lisa Harris is the first book in the Southern Crimes series and follows Detective Avery North as she tries to balance life as a single mother, a possible blooming romance, family commitments, responsibilities at church and a time-consuming job.  When a possible serial killer targets young Asian girls, Avery has to join forces with her romantic interest, medical examiner Jackson Bryant. Together Avery and Jackson need to find a tangible link between the murdered girls in order to make sense of a case that just can't seem to come together.  On the side Avery is also conducting her own investigation of her brother's death - also a police officer, Michael's reputation has been destroyed as he was labelled a mole after his death.  Refusing to believe the rumours surrounding her brother's loyalties, Avery won't let go of her suspicions that her brother's close friend, Mason, is the one responsible.  When Avery is ordered to work with Mason on a different case built on one of her prime suspects, Avery's ability to forgive and forget comes into question.  Is it time she let Mason off the hook and focus her investigation elsewhere?

I really, really wanted to like this book.  The synopsis had me hooked and I was in the mood for a good mystery.  While Harris delivered on the religious aspect of this novel, the mystery aspect fell a little short for me.  I found it hard to get into this book and found it all to be a little too slow for my liking. Even in the most suspenseful of scenes I was never wound up, and I never feared for the characters (though I was very shocked by an unexpected death).  The author didn't completely place me in the scenes; I wasn't quite immersed in the story.  The story did pick up speed around the halfway mark, and from there I got into it a bit more.  

I would have liked more focus on the intricacies of detective work, and I would have liked Avery to be just a bit more solid in her cop instincts.  For instance, knowing a possible serial killer is toying with her, Avery wakes one night from a noise.  She suspects someone is in her house.  What does she do?  She turns on her bedside light!  My father used to be a cop, and one of the first things he ever taught me is that if you suspect someone is in the house at night, you never turn on the light.  In your own home, darkness can be your greatest advantage. You know every nook and cranny in your home, and you can dictate the situation if you have that upper hand; whereas if you turn on the light, they can see you but you can't see them - this scene unfortunately made me question Avery's competence as a cop. Also, Avery dropped evidence.  While I understand that scene shows a certain level of vulnerability in her, I would have liked Avery's cop instincts to be more solid.  I do like the way Harris portrayed Avery's struggle to balance all of the aspects of her life, her concerns being a single mother and her hesitation to get romantically involved following her husband's death.  

From the synopsis I have to say that I expected a decent amount of romance (suspense and romance, just how I like it!), but Jackson and Avery don't spend an awful lot of time together, and the chemistry between them just didn't work for me.  On the upside, the supporting characters are really interesting.  I like Avery's father, daughter and partner, and her mother's decline following her brother's death is a brilliantly handled sub-plot, which I assume will be dealt with more in the next book in the series.  While Avery's serial killer case is wrapped up, she got no closer to finding the truth about her brother's death, which I also assume will be explored further in the next book.   

What Harris did manage to capture very vividly is the harsh realities of human trafficking. Personally, while I knew human trafficking still occurred, I had no idea that it is the second largest illegal and profitable enterprise in the world! Approximately 27 million people are enslaved around the world, and there are more slaves today than ever before in history! You can learn more about human trafficking here, on Lisa Harris' website.

While this isn't one of my absolute favourite books in this genre, I would consider reading the next book in the series to discover more about Michael's death and Mason's involvement, and to see how Avery and Jackson's relationship progresses now that they are more serious about each other and not just casually dating.

Product information:

Title: Dangerous Passage

Author: Lisa Harris

Pages: 321

Publisher: Revell

Year: 2013
ASIN: B00CIUJWLI
ISBN-10: 080072190X
ISBN-13: 978-0800721909

REVIEW: WHEN A SECRET KILLS ~ LYNETTE EASON

Revell Publishers has graciously supplied me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

After ten years of looking over her shoulder, Jillian Carter is tired of running.  When she saw a crime committed the night of her High School graduation, Jillian was young and scared, and when instinct told her to flee, she did.  Now she’s finally ready to go back home to right a wrong and finally put the past behind her. 

Young as he had been when they were together, Colton Brady had loved Jillian Carter with all of his being.  He could never understand her sudden disappearance, and he certainly could never forget the girl he had wanted to spend the rest of his life with.  He even became a cop for the sole purpose of finding her, but Jillian had changed her identity and ultimately had been too good at hiding.  Her friends, Alexia and Serena, seem convinced that something had scared Jillian badly enough to get her on the first bus out of town, and that whatever it was had recently put all of their lives in danger.

When Jillian is attacked at the airport mere minutes after arriving home, Colton can’t help but concede that whatever she saw, someone clearly wants to silence her; but when Jillian accuses Colton’s uncle of murder, will family honour take precedence over claims of his High School sweetheart?

As they work together to discover the truth (Jillian believes Senator Frank Hoffman guilty of murder, Colton works to prove his innocence), it soon becomes clear that their long ago love is not in the past at all; but with an even bigger secret Jillian has been keeping for ten years, could Colton ever forgive her and give their rekindled love a chance?

When A Secret Kills by Lynette Eason is the third and final instalment of the Deadly Reunions series.  After ten years of running, hiding and learning to take care of herself, Jillian Carter is finally ready to come home and face her demons; especially with her secret risking the lives of her best friends, Alexia and Serena.  With recent attempts on both of their lives, Jillian knows the time for the truth is at hand.  She expects danger, she expects opposition, but what she does not expect is for the love of her life to pick her up at the airport.  After running away without so much as a goodbye, Jillian doesn’t know what to expect from Colton, but one thing is certain; they have unfinished business.

Colton won’t believe his uncle is guilty of murder, as Jillian claims.  He agrees to help her discover the truth of that long ago night, if only to prove his uncle’s innocence.  With attempt upon attempt on Jillian’s life, Colton admits that she knows something that someone is willing to kill for, but when attempts are made on his own life Colton’s faith in his uncle’s innocence is strengthened.  His uncle would never see him harmed… would he?

When A Secret Kills is a fast paced, action packed read, even more intense than its predecessors.  Jillian is literally running for her life from the very first page, and the danger continues throughout the novel.  There is a ten year old mystery to be solved, and danger mounts as the puzzle pieces start to come together.

It was great to finally meet Jillian and as a character she did not disappoint.  She’s tough as nails yet has a very believable vulnerability about her.  I enjoyed the interaction between Jillian and Colton, but just wish there was more interaction between the three ladies of the novels.  For best friends these three spend hardly any time together after finally being reunited after years apart.  It would have been nice to finally see the three of them together.  I wish Serena and Alexia had bigger roles in this novel, but as it is their men seemed to play a bigger part. 

While both Jillian and Colton are believers, there is much less focus on faith than the previous two books, something I sorely missed.  The majority of this book was more action than religious fiction.  Even so, When a Secret Kills is by no means a disappointment, rather a very satisfying conclusion to the trilogy.  

Product information:

Title: When A Secret Kills

Author: Lynette Eason

Pages: 352

Publisher: Revell

Year: 2013

ISBN: 0800720091

ISBN13: 9780800720094

Related posts:

Review: Deadly Reunions #1: When The Smoke Clears ~Lynette Eason

Review: Deadly Reunions #2: When A Heart Stops ~ LynetteEason

Review: A Killer Among Us ~ Lynette Eason

REVIEW: VANISHED ~ IRENE HANNON

Reporter Moira Harrison is new on the job in St. Louis, but she’s no rookie to investigative reporting. She knows how to dig for answers and get results. But when she hits a pedestrian on a rainy night in a wooded area - only to have both the victim and the good Samaritan who stopped to assist disappear - she turns to P.I. Cal Burke, an ex-homicide detective, to help her sort out the puzzle. Cal is more than a little sceptical of her story, especially since the police have dismissed it. But as clues begin to surface, bringing them closer to answers, the danger mounts. Because someone doesn’t want this mystery solved - and will stop at nothing to protect a shocking secret that will destroy a life built on lies.

Vanished by Irene Hannon is the first book in the Private Justice series.  It follows investigative reporter, Moira Harrison, trying to solve a mystery of her own.  On a rainy night, Moira sees a lone figure on the road; unable to stop her car fast enough, Moira feels the impact of hitting the person with the terrified eyes.  When she crashes into a tree, Moira is relieved when a good Samaritan pulls open her car door to check on her.  Moira, however, soon loses consciousness, and when she comes to there is no sign of a victim or a good Samaritan.  Relaying her tale to the Police, it is clear to Moira that they don't believe her - there is no sign of anyone else, after all - and chalk it up to her concussion.  But Moira can't let it rest; the terrified eyes of her victim haunt her.  Desperate, Moira turns to Phoenix Inc - the most respected private investigators in town.  Together Moira and Cal Burke try to piece together the puzzle of that night, never dreaming just how far-reaching the consequences of their investigation could be. 

Vanished is a very enjoyable read by Irene Hannon, with a nice mixture of mystery and romance.  I have to say though, one thing I did not like about the book is the fact that the reader is made privy to the identity of the villain very early on - Personally I prefer when an author keeps me guessing.  The suspense of the novel isn't too strong - I never found myself fearing for Moira or Cal's safety - the more serious scenes just weren't intense enough for my liking.  As far as suspense goes, this book is on the lighter side.  Even so, the book was fun to read and the characters were compelling enough to hold my interest.  Moira and Cal's relationship was very accurately portrayed considering Cal's widower status combined with Moira's client status; it was a realistic progression of two people destined to be together.  

I am already thoroughly charmed by Cal's colleagues, Connor and Dev, and look forward to their stories being told in the upcoming Private Justice books.  Dev is next in Trapped, due to be released later this year.

Product Information:

Title: Vanished

Author: Irene Hannon

Pages: 314

Publisher: Revell

Year: 2013

ISBN: 9780800721237

REVIEW: WHEN A HEART STOPS ~ LYNETTE EASON

A killer's deadly game needs new players... but someone's about to change the rules.

Medical examiner Serena Hopkins is used to dealing with death, but her composure is put to the test when a familiar modus operandi marks the piling bodies; the stakes become higher as it becomes apparent that a serial killer copycat is on the loose.  Another chilling common denominator is the fact that the victims are all members of Serena’s High School graduating class, getting ready to celebrate their 10 year reunion.  Serena knows a very dangerous game is being played and she might very well be in danger herself.  Nearly as unnerving is the presence of FBI agent Dominic Allen, her best friend’s brother and childhood crush, lead investigator on the case.

As the bodies and the evidence pile up, Serena and Dominic must work together to find a pattern and stop the killer before he strikes again.  When Serena catches the killer’s eye and a game of cat and mouse ensues, Dominic must face the reality that the girl he once ignored because he believed he wasn’t good enough for her, has become the woman he is falling in love with.  When Serena finds herself in serious danger, she must determine if the secret that she has been keeping is what has put her next on the killer's hit list. Can she trust Dominic with the truth before it's too late?

Lynette Eason’s When A Heart Stops is the second book in the Deadly Reunions series.  As with When The Smoke Clears I really enjoyed this book, but not quite as much as the first, simply because the detail this time around wasn’t as solid as in book 1.  I’m big on detail and consistency, and as with Eason’s older works I found myself questioning consistency;  for example something as simple as the location where Serena left her car (Eason missed a great opportunity here, by the way – I found myself waiting for an explosion of a car bomb.  It was set up perfectly, but didn’t happen – this is not Eason’s fault, though, but my own.  My imagination is just way too fertile).  Regardless, I still believe Eason’s writing is becoming more solid and the Deadly Reunions series is still way better than the Women Of Justice series.  The works of solving a case, as well as Serena's work as a medical examiner, is portrayed very realistically, and the case is gripping.

  

While I really like Dominic and Serena, the character development isn’t as strong this time around compared to the growth Alexia undergoes in When The Smoke Clears.  Dominic’s feelings towards his and Alexia’s father, for example, isn’t explored thoroughly. Furthermore the focus on faith isn't quite as prominent this time around either, which is something I missed.

From the very first page the killer's focus is on tormenting two best friends.  Therefore, I would have expected the killer to ultimately focus on Serena and Alexia; however *spoiler alert* he focuses on Serena and a teenage girl instead.  While it is always a good thing for an author when their work is not predictable, this did not make sense to me.  I also think if Serena and Alexia were the ones in trouble the tension and suspense could have been remarkable.  Eason had so many great possibilities that she just did not use.

Eason also set up two potentially important storylines, but didn’t follow through; first, Serena had decided to set herself up as bait for the killer, but things worked out differently – baiting the killer would have been a much more thrilling thread to follow than the one Eason ended up using; so much potential for suspense!  Also, a significant part of Serena and Dominic’s relationship hinges on the fact that Serena doesn’t want to be with a man like her father, and at times Dominic reminds her of her father too much.  This is Serena’s greatest doubt concerning Dominic, and it (as well as the dynamic between Serena’s parents) is something Dominic picks up on.  This setup pointed to an inevitable choice, yet it is one Serena never addresses.  There is not a conclusion to this question mark and it is something that still hangs over Serena and Dominic at the end.  Perhaps Eason will address this issue in When A Secret Kills, the next and final instalment of the Deadly Reunions series.

It will follow Serena and Alexia’s friend, Jillian Carter, as she finally returns home to face the demons that have been chasing her for ten years.  I look forward to finally finding out what Jillian saw that put her life in danger.  When A Secret Kills will be released in May 2013.

Product Information:

Title: When A Heart Stops

Author: Lynette Eason

Number of pages: 336

Publisher: Revell

Year: 2012

ISBN: 0800720083

ISBN13: 9780800720087

REVIEW: WHEN THE SMOKE CLEARS ~ LYNETTE EASON

Over the holidays I came across When The Smoke Clears in my bookstore – it looked pretty interesting, so I decided to give Lynette Eason another shot.  Good thing I did!

Growing up in a home with an abusive father caused Alexia Allen to have trouble believing that a Heavenly Father can be loving.  Kicked out of her childhood home right after completing High-School, she has just as much trouble believing her mother ever loved her at all.  Abandoned by her older brother as soon as he was old enough to leave, and losing her beloved sister through suicide, Alexia finds herself truly alone in the world; except for her best friend Serena Hopkins.

Having been accused and believed to be guilty of the arson that left her father and sister disfigured, Alexia aims to heal from the horror of the fire that lead to her sister’s eventual suicide by becoming a smokejumper.  Knowing better than most that fire can ruin a life in an instant, Alexia always takes excellent care of the equipment that keeps her safe; so when she nearly dies in a fire due to equipment failure, she knows that something sinister is going on. When Alexia learns through Serena that her mother is seriously ill, and she finds herself suspended pending an investigation, she decides to face all of her demons by going home for her High-School Reunion, and recuperating in her mother's home.  Yet trouble seems to be following her, and within hours of arriving back in town Alexia finds herself in the centre of a murder investigation. 

When Alexia also realises her mother’s friends and neighbours deeply resent her unforgiving nature, for not staying in contact with her mother, she must furthermore face the possibility that her mother is indeed the changed woman Serena claims she is, and that Alexia may carry some blame herself.  Suddenly surrounded by people who encourage Alexia to turn to God, Alexia further embarks on a tentative relationship with a God she doesn’t understand; a God she truly believes is punishing her through the events wreaking havoc with her life.  Could she be wrong about this too?  More than anything Alexia has always yearned for a loving father; could God possibly be the answer? 

Attempts on Alexia’s life complicate matters even further as it seems current events are linked to the mysterious disappearance of her and Serena’s friend, Jillian Carter, and Alexia furthermore becomes the centre of attention of two brothers each intent on protecting her life and vying for her heart.  But the conflicts ahead are nothing compared to the ghosts of the past.  As Alexia strives to finally accept and forgive her family history, she must also decide if the secret she's been guarding for the last ten years must finally come to light.

Lynette Eason totally redeems herself with this one!  Truthfully, comparing it to A Killer Among Us and Too Close To Home, it doesn’t even feel like the same author wrote these books.  The detail this time around is accurate and consistent, and the characters are strong and interesting.  Eason has a talent for convincingly portraying troubled relationships with God, and its eventual healing.  I thoroughly enjoyed every single page. When The Smoke Clears is the first book in the Deadly Reunions series, and I sincerely look forward to reading the next two books, When A Heart Stops and When A Secret Kills.

I am very pleased I tried a new Lynette Eason book.  Practice makes perfect, and her writing is becoming stronger and more gripping. 

Product Information:

Title: When The Smoke Clears

Author: Lynette Eason

Number of pages: 352

Publisher: Revell

Year: 2012

ISBN-10: 0800720075

REVIEW: A MEMORY BETWEEN US ~ SARAH SUNDIN

Ruth Doherty is the oldest of seven children.  Having lost both their parents, it falls to Ruth to provide for her family.  Serving as a nurse during World War II, Ruth spends no money on herself, and sends every penny home to provide for her brothers and sisters.  Working hard for every cent, Ruth has no time for friendship or dating.  When she meets Major Jack Novak in her ward, a cautious friendship soon develops, and drawn to this man of honour Ruth starts to reconsider her strict no dating rule – but Ruth carries a secret that makes it impossible.  A terrible truth and a carefully constructed shield around her heart prevents Ruth from ever giving her heart to any man – not even kind, handsome, persistent Jack Novak.

Major Jack Novak was raised to follow in his father’s footsteps, to be a pastor.  While he loves the Lord, Jack also falls in love with military life when he becomes a pilot during the World War II.  While facing the decision of staying in the military or going into the ministry, Jack’s reputation as an excellent pilot and leader grows, and confidence soon turns into arrogance and pride.  Starting to trust in himself and his own abilities instead of the Lord, Jack grows reckless and an injury lands him in the medical ward, where he loses his heart to Nurse Ruth Doherty – the only problem is, she refuses to date; him or anyone else.  Devising a plan to win her heart before she realises what he’s up to, Jack penetrates Ruth’s defences by agreeing to only be her friend – but when he learns Ruth’s secret, will his love remain true, or crumble like his image of Ruth’s perfection?

A Memory Between Us is my first read of author Sarah Sundin.  I quite enjoyed her take on World War II.  Her portrayal of military life and the jobs of nurses and pilots is very detailed and her story is very well plotted.  The dialogue is, at times, a little cutesy for my taste, but true to the times so that can easily  be overlooked.

At the core of it all, A Memory Between Us is a story about two broken people relying on their own strengths instead of God’s, and wondering why God feels so far away.  Ruth and Jack must both confront fears and let go of their pasts, and learn to rely on God’s strength instead of their own in order to move into the future.  Only then will they see that God has given them exactly what they need: each other.

This is a lovely spiritual read every Christian will enjoy.  Jack and Ruth are faced with issues many Christians can relate to, and it was an absolute joy to share this journey with them.

Product information:
Title: A memory between us

Author: Sarah Sundin

Number of pages: 448

Publisher: Revell, Reprint Edition

Year: 2010

ISBN-10: 080073422X

ISBN-13: 978-0800734220 

REVIEW: WORDS SPOKEN TRUE ~ ANN H. GABHART

Adriane Darcy’s mother died during Adriane’s birth.  Adriane grew up without a mother, acquired a stepmother who hated her, and mostly grew up in the office of The Tribune, her father’s newspaper.  Adriane loves the rush to print the best headlines first, and at times even takes to disguising herself as a man to get the stories first hand – very unladylike.  Adriane has never had much interest in being a proper lady, or any activities a proper lady must take part in.  She can’t sew, she hates gossip and she has no desire to ever get married.  However, it seems that Adriane has no choice.  When respectable, wealthy Stanley Jimson asks for Adriane’s hand in marriage (and by that I mean asks Adriane’s father, not even Adriane herself), she implores her father to deny the match.  She hardly even likes Stanley, much less loves him – but her father soon makes it clear that marriage is not about love; it’s about security, comfort and making a suitable match.  The truth is, however, that Stanley’s father (who also happens to be running for Senator) has invested a great deal of money in their precious newspaper.  When her father can’t pay his debts, Adriane becomes the settlement.  Forced to marry the dullest man in all the world, Adriane tries everything in her power to delay the engagement announcement and then the marriage, but it seems there is no way she can avoid this reality closing in on her.

Until she meets Blake Garrett, the editor of The Tribune’s greatest competition, The Herald.  Attracted to her father’s sworn enemy despite herself, Adriane takes to avoiding Blake at all costs -  which is hard as they seem to be covering the same events.  Coincidence or design?  When Blake confesses his love for Adriane and vows to find a way to marry her himself, can Adriane trust the man who holds her heart, or is it simply a ploy to destroy her father’s newspaper?  As if being surrounded by doubts and fears isn’t enough, the whole of Louisville is surrounded by danger when a serial killer known as The River Slasher torments the town.  Girls are ending up brutally murdered – with noses for  a story and hearts for truth, Adriane and Blake place themselves in danger when they join forces to trap the killer.  The only problem is, the trap they set might end up working too well, catching the two of them in its snares.

Words Spoken True by Ann H. Gabhart is a lovely story set in 1850 Louisville.   The competing of two newspapers is very realistically done, and the detail to the workings of a 1850 newspaper is quite intriguing.  The story did start of very slow for me, and Blake and Adriane didn’t have nearly enough interaction to start with.  The story does, however, pick up speed from the halfway mark and quickly progresses from there.

I very much enjoyed Adriane and Blake’s journey.  Adriane’s plight is very realistically depicted.  Girls living in those times had little, if any choice who they married.  Love was not a factor.  Adriane’s panic often became my own – the sign of a  gifted writer. 

The only complaints I have is that the author’s note preceded the novel – in this case I was alerted to the fact that the Louisville riots really happened.  Before even starting to read the book, I thus knew that a riot would break out at some point.  As a reader I prefer to be surprised.  I love nothing more than an unexpected conclusion, and sadly I furthermore guessed the identity of the River Slasher very early on – I must say though, that this was due to Gabhart's excellent character development and attention to detail, something an author should never be faulted for.  I just wish the ending could have been more of a surprise to me, but I pretty much saw the whole conclusion coming. 

Words Spoken True is a sweet story of a frightened girl trusting God to provide the answer to her prayers.  If you’re in the mood for some light reading, this is the perfect book to unwind with.

Product information:
Title: Words Spoken True

Author: Ann H. Gabhart

Number of pages: 368

Publisher: Revell

Year: 2012

ISBN-10: 0800720458