It's been a month of Sundays since my last book review, and unfortunately, there's no plans to resume them any time soon. :o( However, I did want to take a moment to share about a book I read recently. :o)
I've had the pleasure of reading two books by Ginny Yttrup--Lost and Found and now, Words. The latter book I finished a couple of weeks ago, and I've had trouble getting it out of my mind. I won't give away any spoilers except to say the subject matter was one that Ginny experienced personally, and knowing that it was a personal connection to her childhood brought tears to my eyes.
I loved the realness of Words. I loved getting a deeper meaning of some words that I've used all along, but how they can mean other things in different, uglier circumstances. I allowed myself to naively wonder how God can allow such horrible things to happen, but then allowed myself to take note of how he heals us after we've been scarred. Ginny's books reveal man's ugly human nature, but also about the God of the universe that washes away all of our sins.
For those that have never read Ginny's books, let me warn you ahead of time that hers are deep, emotional books. I happened to read her second book first, and there were no words to describe the way it made me feel. It was good, but difficult for me personally and the place I was in spiritually at that time.
So, not really a book review, per se...just my thoughts about a talented author and her very first novel. :o)
Born and raised in Louisiana, Robin Caroll is a southerner through and through. Her passion has always been to tell stories to entertain others. Robin’s mother, bless her heart, is a genealogist who instilled in Robin the deep love of family and pride of heritage—two aspects Robin weaves into each of her books.
When she isn’t writing, Robin spends time with her husband of twenty-plus years, her 3 beautiful daughters, 2 precious grandsons, and their character-filled pets at home—in the South, where else?
ABOUT THE BOOK
When Gina Ford, the daughter of a prominent Tennessee politician, goes missing from the University of Memphis a week after another girl was murdered on the same campus, police call in the FBI. Nick Hagar, married to his job as Special Agent in Charge, is assigned to the case, and when Gina’s body is found, her father demands justice.
Maddie Baxter is the forensic expert running DNA tests from the crime scene. When they come back without a match, Nick asks her to do a familial DNA run that yields a shocking result: the prime suspect is Adam Alexander, the very same guy who broke Maddie’s heart when she was in college.
But do scientific advancements tell the whole story? Strand of Deception offers romance, suspense, and a lively debate about the impact of DNA testing, for better or worse, on the United States justice system.
Simply put...this book is a masterpiece. There are so many layers to the story and characters that as you go deeper and deeper, it is impossible to not be affected in some way. For someone who may be going through their own spiritual journey, this book is chock-full of wisdom and insight into the plans that God has for his children.
What was most enlightening for me was the fact that on this side of heaven, I will never truly "understand" everything about God and his plans. That became clear as I looked at Proverbs 3:5-6 in a whole new way. So often I try so hard to know everything, including the things of God. I want to figure it all out, wrap it up in a package, and say, "Now, I've figured it out." But truly, who am I kidding? No one but myself. That's why those verses now have knew meaning to me. I'll never think of them the same way again.
This book is not for everyone. Granted, lots of folks should read it, but I guess what I mean to say is that if you're not spiritually prepared for the truths contained within, you may just cast it aside. In all honesty, I almost did that very thing. I had to get almost halfway through it before I really allowed myself to soak in its wisdom. So...bravo, Ms. Yttrup. You've given me a memorable experience with a novel that I won't soon forget.
It appears Jenna Bouvier is losing everything: beauty, family, and wealth. When her controlling and emotionally abusive mother-in-law accuses Jenna of an affair with her spiritual director and threatens to expose them, Jenna also risks losing her reputation as a woman of faith. Will she capitulate to her mother-in-law’s wishes again or fight for what she holds dear? As Jenna loses her life, will she find it?
Andee Bell has found exactly what she wanted: fame, fortune, and respect. There’s also a special man in her life—Jenna’s brother. Despite her success, a secret quells Andee’s contentment. As memories torment, will she find peace in a relationship with God, or will she sabotage herself while also taking down the only person she cares about? As Andee finds her life, will she lose it?
Moving between San Francisco and the Napa Valley, Jenna and Andee form an unlikely relationship that leads them to a crossroad. They can follow familiar inclinations, or risk it all and walk in faith.
**Many thanks to B&H Publishing for providing a copy for review through NetGalley.
**If you'd like an opportunity to win a copy of this spectacular book, visit this link to read a fun interview I did with Ginny, and then, fill out the form for a chance to win. Hurry...the contest ends on Tuesday, March 6!
Until I got my hands on the two novels currently in the Big Sky Series by Tricia Goyer, I'll confess...I wasn't a huge fan of her work. Now, before you go bashing me on the head because I've lost my marbles, let me be clear. She's a good author, but up until a week ago, her books didn't have that "zing" or "snap-crackle-pop" that I love to experience when reading. And now....we've got a "snap-crackle-pop," a "zippa-de-do-dah," and a "wowza!" all rolled together thanks to her latest offering--Along Wooded Paths--the second book in the Big Sky Series.
I love Amish stories that take me beyond the borders of Pennsylvania, Ohio, or Indiana (where most Amish stories are set). This series just happens to take place in Montana, and thanks to the majestic mountains and the small-town folk, the little town of Kootenai is almost a character by itself. Everyone loves to stop by the little store where Marianna works so they can get a good meal, maybe a slice of cake, and some good conversation. You may even find Ben there once in awhile, participating in an open mic night of sorts. But what sets this one little place apart from all the other Amish communities is the ordinary interaction between the Englisch and the Amish. In most Amish novels, the Englisch are pictured in one of three ways: as a mode of transportation, as a trusted doctor that they visit regularly, or as a temptation to some young boy or girl during their rumshpringa. But when your car is stuck on the side of the road, or when your cabinets are void of food...everyone helps each other. That quality alone makes this series different from any other Amish series I've ever read, and ya know...I'd love to see a whole lot more of 'em.
If all that wasn't enough to really make Tricia's Amish novels unique, she's got one more little trick up her sleeve--their interaction with God. Now, if you're a regular to Amish books, you know that they are pretty much "by the book" when it comes to matters of church, faith, and their Ordnung. Just like every other facet of their lives, there is a system and order to things that has been there for hundreds of years. While I understand most of it (although I couldn't ever physically do it all), I've always wondered about the religious side of things. Why don't they believe in reading the Bible on their own? Why do they almost blindly trust every word from their bishop's mouth? Why do they believe in praying silently versus praying aloud? Do they believe that they're the only chosen group going to heaven? What about outsiders that say they're Christians, too? In Along Wooded Paths, Marianna has many of those same questions, too, and I'm on pins and needles waiting to find out how she comes to terms with her new relationship with God, and how it's so special to her.
And good grief, you'll smack me upside the head for sure if I don't give you the best morsel of all! Yep....there's a love triangle, too! And sweet mercy, it's a good 'un...one of the very best I've read in a long time. :o) Now, Marianna hasn't sided with the right guy yet, in my opinion, but I'm still hoping for things to work out the way they're supposed to...there's still hope. I just don't think she's truly happy with her decision at this point. (Oh, and there's not one triangle, but two...geez, could this book get any better?!)
Not since book 3 of Cindy Woodsmall's first Amish series have I been so impatient to read the last book in a series! How many days 'til April 1, 2012, Tricia...because I promise, I'm countin' them down!
All she wanted was a simple Amish life . . . But now Marianna Sommer finds herself depending on Englisch neighbors. Although proud of living apart from the world, she and her newly relocated Amish family have discovered that life in the remote mountains of Montana requires working together.
As Marianna begins helping those different from herself—and receiving their help—her heart contemplates two directions. She’s torn between the Amish man from Indiana whom she has long planned on marrying and the friendly Englischer who models a closer walk with God than she’s ever seen before.
Who should have young Marianna’s heart? What is God asking her to sacrifice? Her traditions? Her community? The answer is found along the wooded paths.
**Many thanks to Wynn-Wynn Media for providing a copy for review.
I love being able to have a new experience every time I read a book, and when it comes to reading Amish fiction...well, that's a tad bit of a rarity. Most of the time, their culture is seen as difficult, closed off, and rigorous. But in Tricia Goyer's first Amish novel, those cultural boundaries are pushed to the edge, and seriously...it makes for an incredibly entertaining, yet beautiful, story that I won't soon forget.
What surprised me most about this story was the increased interaction between the Amish and the Englisch. Normally, the Amish are not known for this, but frankly, when you live in the wide open spaces of Montana, you don't have much choice about who your neighbors are. For Marianna and her father, this unusual arrangement with outsiders took some getting used to at first, but slowly, those self-imposed walls began to drop, and new relationships started to form. Not only were these new relationships with common people, but also, with God Himself.
Prior to reading Beside Still Waters, I had read only a handful of Tricia's novels, but truly, she has a gift with the Amish genre. Not that her other books aren't great in their own rights, but she has a different voice here that kept pulling on my heartstrings, and it just would...not...let...go. If you're like me and love a great Amish read, yet you long for something different, Beside Still Waters is one of the best. Period.
Raised among the Amish of Indiana, 18-year-old Marianna Sommer plans to get baptized into the church, marry Aaron Zook, and set up life in the only community she has ever known. But when her older brother chooses the world’s path following his rumschpringe, and a younger sibling begins showing interest in Englisch ways, Marianna’s parents move the family to Montana.
Although she is also in her rumschpringe years and not obligated to move, Marianna makes the journey to dutifully help her mother who is expecting another child. Surprisingly, from strangers on the cross-country train ride to the less rigid stance of the new Montana community, many English influences awaken within Marianna—and even her father—the desire to pursue a deeper kind of joy and love for God.
After an accident, Marianna tells her friend, Ben, a defining story about the Sommer family, and his response further illumines the active relationship God seeks with His followers. In due time, she learns the move from Indiana was not about losing anything, but finding out who God really is. Despite all the shake-ups, Marianna feels a sweet peace, like still waters, in her soul.
**Many thanks to B&H Fiction through NetGalley for providing a copy for review.
A single decison has the power to unravel mankind.
Created, not born.
The world's first woman, without flaw, until one fateful choice. Now all humanity must pay for the mistake.
From paradise to exile, from immortality to the death of Adam, experience the dawn of mankind through the eyes of Eve -- the woman first known as Havah.
My thoughts:
Tosca Lee has got to be one of the most talented authors in Christian fiction today. It has been such a long time since I read a novel with as much depth as this one had. Normally, I fly through books as so many of them have similar storylines and plot devices, but I found myself slowly and methodically reading this book, absorbing each and every page.
This book changed my perceptions of those early days from Genesis that I am familiar with. Tosca's ability to convey the joy of Adam and Eve's time in the garden was contrasted extremely well to their sudden flight after eating the fruit, along with their subsequent wonder of how they would survive. And while it's not the norm for Christian fiction, I appreciated Tosca going the extra mile in describing the love shared between Adam and Eve as husband and wife. It seems that lately this has been frowned upon by some Christian readers, but I found it to be completely natural and added that extra bit of realness to the story.
Not only is Havah a great addition to Christian fiction, it is a wonderful addition to the genre of Biblical fiction that is growing by leaps and bounds. I have found that these novels help me in my understanding of Biblical truths, and I always find myself going to the original source and comparing both works side by side. It is my belief that Tosca has found her niche with the Biblical fiction genre, and while I'm sure her newest novel with Ted Dekker is great, I'm eager for her next solo novel in the works called Iscariot.
5 Stars
**Many thanks to B&H Publishing through NetGalley for providing a copy for review.
Until recently retiring to write full time, Pamela Binnings Ewen was a partner in the Houston office of the international law firm of BakerBotts, L.L.P., specializing in corporate finance. She now lives just outside New Orleans, Louisiana, with her husband, James Lott.
She has served on the Board of Directors of Inprint, Inc., a non-profit organization supporting the literary arts in Houston, Texas, as well as the Advisory Board for The New Orleans Pirate’s Alley Faulkner Society, and currently serves on the Board of Directors of The Tennessee Williams Festival in New Orleans; Pamela is a co-founder of the Northshore Literary Society in the Greater New Orleans area. She is also a member of the National League of American Pen Women.
Pamela’s first novel, Walk Back The Cat (Broadman & Holman. May, 2006) is the story of an embittered and powerful clergyman who learns an ancient secret, confronting him with truth and a choice that may destroy him.
She is also the best-selling author of the acclaimed non-fiction book Faith On Trial, published by Broadman & Holman in 1999, currently in its third printing.
Although it was written for non-lawyers, Faith On Trial was also chosen as a text for a course on law and religion at Yale Law School in the Spring of 2000, along with The Case For Christ by Lee Stroble. Continuing the apologetics begun in Faith On Trial, Pamela also appears with Gary Habermas, Josh McDowell, Darrell Bock, Lee Stroble, and others in the film Jesus: Fact or Fiction, a Campus Crusade for Christ production.
Pamela is the latest writer to emerge from a Louisiana family recognized for its statistically improbable number of successful authors. A cousin, James Lee Burke, who won the Edgar Award, wrote about the common ancestral grandfathers in his Civil War novel White Dove At Morning.
Among other writers in the family are Andre Dubus (Best Picture Oscar nomination for The Bedroom; his son, Andre Dubus III, author of The House of Sand and Fog, a Best Picture Oscar nomination and an Oprah pick; Elizabeth Nell Dubus (the Cajun trilogy); and Alafair Burke, just starting out with the well received Samantha Kincaid mystery series.
ABOUT THE BOOK
In the steamy city of New Orleans in 1974, Amalise Catoir sees Phillip Sharp as a charming, magnetic artist, unlike any man she has known. A young lawyer herself, raised in a small town and on the brink of a career with a large firm, she is strong and successful, yet sometimes too trusting and whimsical. Ama's rash decision to marry Phillip proves to be a mistake as he becomes overly possessive, drawing his wife away from family, friends, and her faith. His insidious, dangerous behavior becomes her dark, inescapable secret.
In this lawyer's unraveling world, can grace survive Ama's fatal choice? What would you do when prayers seem to go unanswered, faith has slipped away, evil stalks, and you feel yourself forever dancing on shattered glass?
**So far, I am IN LOVE with this book!! Don't have a review ready just yet, but give me a couple more days. Be sure to scroll down to the very end of this post for the info about a giveaway. :o)
A fiction aficionado since grade school, T.L. Higley, author of Pompeii: City on Fire (B&H Publishing House, June 2011) started her first novel at the age of eight.
Now the author of nine historical fiction novels, including the popular Seven Wonders series, Higley isn’t just transporting readers: She’s transporting herself, too.
“My Iifelong interest in history and mythology has taken me to Italy, Greece, Egypt, Rome, Turkey, Jordan and Israel, where I’ve gotten to study those ancient cultures in rich detail,” says Higley. “It’s my desire to shine the light of the gospel into the cultures of the past, and I figure what better way to do that than to visit the cultures themselves?”
In addition to her accomplished novelist career, Higley is a business entrepreneur and a mother. In fact, for Pompeii, she brought her daughter along with her to Italy for the research trip.
“We gave it to her as a graduation present, not only because Italy is terrific, but because I believe in exposing children to global cultures,” says Higley, who became a student herself again this year. She’s now a graduate student at American Public University, earning her master’s degree in Ancient and Classical Studies.
When Higley isn’t traveling on research trips, writing her novels, or studying for class, she operates four online retail companies, including KoolStuff4Kids.com – a family-run business that began as a way for her oldest daughter to make some extra money for camp. Today, it is a go-to site for parents, children and teachers all over the country, looking for beads and other kid-friendly craft supplies.
Higley lives with her husband and her three other children (aforementioned daughter now in college) just outside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Pompeii, a city that's many things to many people. For Cato, it's the perfect escape from a failed political career in Rome. A place to start again, become a winemaker. But when a corrupt politician wrongfully jails Cato's sister, he must oust the man from power to save her.
For Ariella, Pompeii is a means to an end. As a young Jew, she escaped the fall of Jerusalem only to endure slavery to a cruel Roman general. She ends up in Pompeii, disguised as a young man and sold into a gladiator troupe. Her anger fuels her to fight well, hoping to win the arena crowds and reveal her gender at the perfect time. Perhaps then she will win true freedom.
But evil creeps through the streets of Pompeii. Political corruption, religious persecution, and family peril threaten to destroy Ariella and Cato, who are thrown together in the battle to survive. As Vesuvius churns with deadly intent, the two must bridge their differences to save the lives of those they love, before the fiery ash buries Pompeii, leaving the city lost to the world.
Watch the book trailer:
If you would like to read the Prologue of Pompeii, go HERE.
And you heard me say GIVEAWAY, right? :o)
The sweet folks at B&H sent me an extra copy of this book by mistake, and I'd love to pass it on to you! Only thing is, ya gotta leave a comment along with your email address to be entered to win. Pretty simple, no frills, and no begging you to follow my blog, post on your blog, tweet about it, and all that. :o) Just be sure to get your entry in before the end of the day on Friday, June 24th. I will be drawing a winner on Saturday, June 25th.
But I have to give you the technical mumbo-jumbo first:
Void where prohibited. Odds of winning are based upon number of entrants. US addresses only, please.
Okay, that's out of the way. The rest is up to you!
I grew up as Julie Navarro, in a family of truly right-brained individuals. Among us you’ll find writers, artists, and musicians, all of us willing to talk about the arts at a moment’s notice.
Over the years, I’ve published several hundred articles and stories in magazines and books, including Aspire, Decision, Expecting, Focus on the Family, Key Magazine and God’s Abundance: 365 Days to a Simpler Life. As I wrote, I found a common theme cropping up: my family, the sea, and God’s timely work in the lives of those around me.
Maybe it was time to incorporate those interests into novels, I thought.
And so I did. Not once, but twice. Both times, God shut both doors and windows. So I continued to write and dream and raise my kids with Dan. Eventually I decided to write romantic seaside novels, and that’s where I found my voice.
When I’m not writing, marketing, or editing for others, I’m driving my kids around town, imagining that my mid-sized SUV is actually a sleek sailing yacht.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Suz Mitchell is the determined dreamer we should all be and won't allow her ex-husband Len's jail sentence to ruin their young son Jeremiah's life. An accomplished artist, she moves with her child across the country to California's central coast and lands a sweet job restoring priceless paintings at the historic Hearst Castle overlooking the ocean.
To her utter surprise, a serious old flame, Seth, is also now working at Hearst and jumbles the dreams inside Suz's heart. While sorting out the awkwardness of their past split and current spiritual differences, a repentent Len shows up eager to restore his family.
Suz must learn to let God be the true restorer of all that once seemed lost.
If you would like to read the first chapter of Fade to Blue, go HERE.
A beautiful, yet tough, woman working in a beautiful, yet tough, setting, Brannon Callahan is a search and rescue helicopter pilot for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Strong faith and a decorated history of service have kept her one step ahead of on-the-job dangers, but there’s no precedent for what’s about to happen. After a blizzard takes down a small plane carrying U.S. Marshal Roark Holland (already haunted by a recent tragedy), Brannon must save him in more ways than one and safeguard the donor heart he’s transporting to a government witness on the edge of death. Otherwise the largest child trafficking ring in history—with shocking links from Thailand to Tennessee—will slip further away into darkness along the Appalachian Trail.
My thoughts:
I always get a thrill when I feel like I've stumbled upon a real gem in the vast collection of Christian fiction. With so many books available that I could spend my time reading, I always appreciate it when I come across one that I will recommend over and over again. Let me tell ya....Deliver Us From Evil was such a book. The suspense was top-notch, the action intense, and the romance.....oh, the romance (giddy smile) took my breath away.
I have to admit, though, that the beginning of the book was a little slow. I could sense that the heart-pounding action was within my grasp, but it took a little longer than I wanted for it to arrive. Once it did, it was all downhill from there. :o) I literally had to make myself put it down at midnight so I could get some sleep!
I have no doubt that I will be reading more of Robin's books in the future, including the rest of this series. There was a little teaser at the end that leads right into the next book in the series, Fear No Evil. Brannon's close friend, Lincoln, was one of my favorite characters in the book, and I'm anxious to see what will happen to him next.
So in case you're still wondering whether or not you should try Robin's books for yourself, let me end the suspense for you right now.... Yes!!! You should! You should go to the store right away (or Amazon, or CBD, or some other online bookstore) and get a copy for yourself right now! :o) You'll have it read in no time flat, I promise you!
4.5 Stars
Southern? Yes, set in my home state of Tennessee. :o) Sass? No
**Many thanks to B&H Publishing for providing a copy for review.
Ginny Yttrup is an author, freelance writer, and writing coach. As she writes, speaks, and coaches, her prayer is that God will use her words to replace the lies so many believe about themselves with the truth of His unconditional love and grace. To see someone grasp, perhaps for the first time, the truth of God's love, is truly an honor. Through a relationship with the Truth, Jesus Christ, the bonds of shame are loosed and freedom abounds!
When Ginny is not working, she loves spending time with her two college-age sons or with friends. She is surrounded by the most amazing people--each a gift in their own way. If she can spend time outdoors with those she love, it's even better. And she thoroughly adores her dog, Bear. He's a book lover too.
She has two grown sons and lives near Sacramento, California. Words is her first novel.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
"I collect words. I keep them in a box in my mind. I'd like to keep them in a real box, something pretty, maybe a shoe box covered with flowered wrapping paper. Whenever I wanted, I'd open the box and pick up the papers, reading and feeling the words all at once. Then I could hide the box. But the words are safer in my mind. There, he can't take them."
Ten-year old Kaylee Wren doesn't speak. Not since her drug-addled mother walked away, leaving her in a remote cabin nestled in the towering redwoods-in the care of a man who is as dangerous as he is evil. With silence her only refuge, Kaylee collects words she might never speak from the only memento her mother left behind: a dictionary.
Sierra Dawn is thirty-four, an artist, and alone. She has allowed the shame of her past to silence her present hopes and chooses to bury her pain by trying to control her circumstances. But on the twelfth anniversary of her daughter's death, Sierra's control begins to crumble as the God of her childhood woos her back to Himself.
If you would like to read the first chapter of Words, go HERE.
In 1808, when Emma meets and marries Eric Montclaire (the famed “most handsome man west of the Appalachians”), this young daughter of prominent St. Louis citizens believes a fairy tale has just begun. Instead, her husband’s angelic looks quickly prove only to mask a monstrous soul all too capable of possessive emotions and physical abuse. Praying for mercy, she is devastated when Eric insists on her joining his yearlong group expedition to the Pacific Ocean, following the trail Lewis and Clark blazed just a few years earlier. By the time cartographer Luke Bowen realizes Emma’s plight, it’s too late to easily untangle what has become an epic web of lies, theft, murder, courtroom drama, and a deep longing for love. Only God can show them the way out.
My thoughts:
I truly was captivated from the very beginning of this story with the start of new love and a beautiful wedding, but looks certainly were deceiving. What followed was a horrific tale of hidden abuse and pain experienced by Emma. Eric, her groom, was the epitome of all things hateful, and I absolutely despised his treatment of Emma. He made sure that no one knew, except her, what he was really like underneath his "beautiful" exterior.
While, by no means, I thought this was a bad book, I felt it had the potential to be just a little better than it was. For example, the ending felt rushed, and I would've liked the epilogue to have stretched out maybe 2 or 3 years rather than 7 years later. I also would've liked the book to have had more historical elements included in it, particularly about the Lewis and Clark Expedition. And unless I missed it, I think there was an important character left out of the trial at the end.
This was my first opportunity to read anything by Jamie Carie, and in spite of my mixed feelings of this book, I'm anxious to read more of her novels. Her portrayal of each character's emotions was superb, and that left me rooting for the good guys to succeed and the bad guys to fail. It also had a bit of an edgy quality about it, and that made me like it all the more. Angel's Den gets a solid 4 stars from me.
In the steamy city of New Orleans in 1974, Amalise Catoir sees Phillip Sharp as a charming, magnetic artist, unlike any man she has known. A young lawyer herself, raised in a small-town Christian home and on the brink of a career with a large firm, she is strong and successful, yet sometimes too trusting and whimsical. Ama’s rash decision to marry Phillip proves to be a mistake as he becomes overly possessive, drawing his wife away from family, friends, and her faith. His insidious, dangerous behavior becomes her dark, inescapable secret.
In this lawyer’s unraveling world, can grace survive Ama’s fatal choice? What would you do when prayers seem to go unanswered, faith has slipped away, evil stalks, and you feel yourself forever dancing on shattered glass?
It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!
You never know when I might play a wild card on you!
***Special thanks to Julie Gwinn of B&H Publishing Group for sending me a review copy.***
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Robin Caroll has authored eight previous books including Bayou Justice and Melody of Murder. She gives back to the writing community as conference director for the American Christian Fiction Writers organization. A proud southerner through and through, Robin lives with her husband and three daughters in Little Rock, Arkansas.
List Price: $14.99
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: B&H Academic (February 1, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0805449809
ISBN-13: 978-0805449808
AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:
Tuesday, 3:30 p.m.
FBI Field Office
Knoxville, Tennessee
Jonathan’s throat closed as he stared at the building from the parking lot. He gripped the package tight in his arthritic hands. Could he do this? Turn over evidence that would implicate him?
His heart raced and he froze. Not the best time for his atrial fibrillation to make an appearance. Despite being on the heart transplant list for eight months, it looked like his progressed heart disease would do him in. The most important reason he couldn’t go to prison—he’d never get a heart and would die. While Carmen wanted him to confess his crimes, she wouldn’t want him to die. The memory of saying good-bye to his beloved mere hours ago scorched his soul.
Her eyes fluttered open. Those blue orbs, which had once sparkled even in the absence of light, now blinked flat and lifeless.
He swallowed hard.
“Jonathan,” her voice croaked, “it’s time.”
Tears burned the backs of his eyes, and he rested his hand over her parchmentlike skin. “No, Carmen. Please, let me get the medicine.”
Her eyelids drooped and she gasped. Air wheezed in her lungs. “Sweetheart, the fight’s . . . gone from me.” She let out a hiss, faint and eerie. “The cancer’s . . . won.”
Jonathan laid his lips against her cheek, her skin cold and clammy, as if in preparation for the morgue. How could she continue to refuse the medicine? Even though she didn’t approve of his means of acquisition, the drugs had kept her alive for five years. Five years he cherished every minute of. He’d do anything to keep her alive and the pain at bay—the intense pain that had become her constant companion these last two weeks. It killed him to witness her agony.
She licked her bottom lip, but no moisture soaked into the cracked flesh. “You’ve done . . . your best by me, Jonathan. I know . . . you meant . . . no harm to . . . anyone.” Her eyes lit as they once had. “Oh, how I’ve enjoyed loving you.”
His insides turned to oatmeal. Stubborn woman—she’d allow herself to die, all because she discovered how he’d gotten the money.
“Promise me . . . you’ll . . . tell the . . . truth. Admit what . . . you’ve done.” Her breath rattled. “What you’ve . . . all done.”
Pulling himself from the wretched memory, Jonathan breathed through the heat tightening his chest. He’d secure himself the best deal possible—immunity—or he wouldn’t decipher the papers. And without him no one could make sense of the accounting system he’d created more than five years ago. Officials hadn’t a clue.
With a deep breath he headed to the guardhouse in front of the fenced FBI building. His legs threatened to rebel, stiffening with every step. He forced himself to keep moving, one foot in front of the other.
At the guardhouse, a man behind bulletproof glass looked up. “May I help you?”
“I need to . . . see someone.”
“About what, sir?”
“I have some information regarding a crime.” He waved the file he held.
“One moment, sir, and someone will be with you.”
Jonathan stared at the cloudy sky. He could still turn back, get away scot-free. His heartbeat sped. The world blurred. No, he couldn’t lose consciousness now, nor could he go back on his promise. He owed it to Carmen. No matter what happened, he’d honor Carmen’s dying wish.
“Sir?” A young man in a suit stood beside the fenced entry, hand resting on the butt of his gun. “May I help you?”
Jonathan lifted the file. “I have some evidence regarding an ongoing crime ring.”
The agent motioned him toward a metal-detector arch. “Come through this way, sir.”
Jonathan’s steps wavered. He dragged his feet toward the archway.
A car door creaked. Jonathan glanced over his shoulder just as two men in full tactical gear stormed toward them. He had a split second to recognize one of the men’s eyes, just before gunfire erupted.
A vise gripped Jonathan’s heart, and he slumped to the dirty tile floor, the squeezing of his heart demanding his paralysis.
Too late. I’m sorry, Carmen.
Two Weeks Later—Wednesday, 3:45 p.m.
Golden Gloves Boxing of Knoxville
Ooof!
Brannon Callahan’s head jerked backward. She swiped her headgear with her glove.
“You aren’t concentrating on your form. You’re just trying to whale on me.” Steve Burroughs, her supervisor and sparring partner, bounced on the balls of his feet.
“Then why am I the one getting hit?” She threw a right jab that missed his jaw.
He brushed her off with his glove. “Don’t try to street fight me. Box.”
She clamped down on her mouthpiece and threw an uppercut with her left fist. It made contact, sending vibrations up her arm.
He wobbled backward, then got his balance. “Nice shot.”
It felt good to hit something. Hard. Sparring with Steve was the best form of venting. The energy had to be spent somehow—why not get a workout at the same time? She ducked a right cross, then followed through with a left-right combination. Both shots made full contact.
Steve spit out his mouthpiece and leaned against the ropes. “I think that’s enough for today, girl. I’m an old man, remember?”
She couldn’t fight the grin. Although only in his late forties, the chief ranger looked two decades older. With gray hair, hawk nose, and skin like tanned leather, Steve had already lived a lifetime.
She removed her mouthpiece, gloves, and headgear before sitting on the canvas. “Old? You’re still kickin’ me in the ring.”
He tossed her a towel and sat beside her. “So you wanna tell me what’s got you all hot and bothered this afternoon?”
She shrugged.
“Come on, spit it out. I know something’s gnawing at you, just like you were picking a fight with me in the ring. What’s up?”
How could she explain? “I’m not exactly keen that the district feels there’s a need for another pilot in the park.” She tightened the scrunchie keeping her hair out of her face.
“That’s a compliment—having you on staff has been so successful they want to expand.”
“But I have to train him. Did you notice his arrogance?” She ripped at the tape bound around her knuckles. “He’s nothing more than a young upstart with an ego bigger than the helicopter.” While only thirty-six, she often felt older than Steve looked.
“You’re so good, you can come across a bit intimidating at first, girl.” Steve grabbed the ropes and pulled to standing, then offered her a hand. “Give him a chance.”
She let Steve tug her up. “Yeah, yeah, yeah. Even if he had maturity, I still have to train him. With all the rescues we’ve been called out on of late . . . well, I really don’t have the time.” She exited the ring. “Like those kids yesterday.” She shook her head as she waited for Steve to join her on the gym floor. “Their stupidity almost cost them their lives.”
“They were young, Brannon.”
“Please. Any amateur with half a brain should know better than to try to climb Clingmans Dome in winter.” Didn’t people realize if something happened to them they’d leave behind devastated family and friends? Loved ones who would mourn them forever? She fought against the familiar pain every time she participated in a search and rescue. All because people hadn’t taken necessary precautions.
Steve paused outside the locker rooms and shifted his sparring gear to one hand. “I agree, but most people don’t see the dangers we do every day.” He tapped her shoulder. “Hit the showers, champ. You stink.”
She laughed as she headed into the ladies’ locker room. Maybe Steve was right and the new pilot just made a lousy first impression. Maybe he’d be easy to train.
Please, God, let it be so.
Friday, 2:15 p.m.
US Marshals Office, Howard Baker Federal Courthouse
Knoxville, Tennessee
“You want me to escort a heart?” Roark struggled to keep his voice calm. He tapped the butt of his Beretta, welcoming it back to its rightful place on his hip.
Senior US Marshal Gerald Demott glared. “Look, I know you think this is a slight, but it’s important. And for your first assignment back on the job . . .”
“IA cleared me of all wrongdoing. I’m seeing the shrink and everything.” He gritted his teeth and exhaled. “I’ve been released to return to active duty.”
“This is active. It’s a field assignment, and it’s important. Here’s the case information.” Demott passed him a folder, then glanced at his watch. “You’d better hurry or you’ll miss your flight.”
Roark grabbed the file and turned to go.
“Holland.”
He looked back at his boss. “Yeah?”
Demott held out Roark’s badge. “You might want to take this with you, too.”
Roark accepted the metal emblem, then clipped it to his belt before marching out of Demott’s office. A heart. His job was to escort a human heart from North Carolina to Knoxville. Any rookie could handle that. But no, they still didn’t trust him enough to handle a real assignment.
He’d done everything they asked—took a medical leave of absence while Internal Affairs went over every painful minute
of his failed mission, saw the shrink they demanded he speak to every week since Mindy’s death, answered their relentless questions. The shrink reiterated he’d been forgiven for acting on his own.
Maybe one day he’d forgive himself. How many innocent lives would he have to save for his conscience to leave him be?
Roark slipped into the car, then headed to the airport. But to be assigned a heart transport? Not only was it wrong, it was downright insulting. After almost fifteen years as a marshal, he’d earned the benefit of the doubt from his supervisors. Especially Demott. His boss should know him better, know he’d only disregard orders if it was a matter of life and death.
But Mindy Pugsley died. They’d all died.
He pushed the nagging voice from his mind. Even Dr. Martin had advised him not to dwell on the past. On what had gone wrong. On disobeying a direct order.
If only Mindy didn’t haunt his dreams.
Roark touched the angry scar that ran along his right cheekbone to his chin. A constant reminder that he’d failed, that he’d made a mistake that took someone’s life. He’d have to live with the pain for the rest of his life.
He skidded the car into the airport’s short-term parking lot. After securing the car and gathering the case folder, Roark grabbed his coat. Snowflakes pelted downward, swirling on the bursts of wind and settling on the concrete. The purple hues of the setting sun streaked across the mountain peaks beyond the runways, making the January snow grab the last hope of light.
Yes, he’d handle this mundane assignment, then tell Demott he wanted back on real active duty. Making a difference would be the best thing for him. Would make him feel whole again.
I've had the pleasure of reading two books by Ginny Yttrup--Lost and Found and now, Words. The latter book I finished a couple of weeks ago, and I've had trouble getting it out of my mind. I won't give away any spoilers except to say the subject matter was one that Ginny experienced personally, and knowing that it was a personal connection to her childhood brought tears to my eyes. 
was such a book. The suspense was top-notch, the action intense, and the romance.....oh, the romance (giddy smile) took my breath away. 
. Brannon's close friend, Lincoln, was one of my favorite characters in the book, and I'm anxious to see what will happen to him next
