Reviewer's Bookshelf: Dead Drift by Dani Pettrey

Book Summary (Goodreads)...Private Investigator Kate Maxwell never stopped loving Luke Gallagher after he disappeared. Now he's back, and together they must unravel a twisting thread of secrets, lies, and betrayal while on the brink of a biological disaster that will shake America to its core. Will they and their love survive, or will Luke and Kate become the terrorist's next target?

My thoughts...What an amazing finale to Dani Pettrey's Chesapeake Valor series! Honestly, I feel like I need to go back a reread all of them. Each book was released about a year apart, so I feel like I may have forgotten some of the details leading up to Dead Drift.  Take my advice and don't start with this one...read them all! Each book builds on the one before it and this story begins right where the last one left off. The Chesapeake Valor series tells the story of a group of friends that are more like family (and some are!) and how their lives have changed by one traumatic event. Dead Drift mainly tells the story of Luke, who disappeared from the lives of his friends for seven years, and the girl he left behind...Kate. 

Suspense. Romance. A murder mystery. Terrorist plots. Friendship. You'll get all of this as you dive into this intense, well-paced novel. I don't typically read much suspense, so I wasn't really used to the level of intensity...but it was great! Enough to get the pulse racing, but not too much that it made me feel uncomfortable. There was just the right amount of romantic tension and tender moments, which helped balance out the action and suspense. You basically get a little bit of everything. I couldn't put it down!!

Personal takeaway...Trust in the mission God has called you to. He will give you the wisdom and strength to complete it.

**I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in order to share my honest opinions, which I did.**

Reviewer's Bookshelf: Sons of Blackbird Mountain

Book Summary (Goodreads): When Aven Norgaard leaves Norway to serve as housekeeper to her late husband’s cousins in Appalachia, she expects lads in need of care, not three grown men—each in need of a wife and bound by a powerful brotherhood. As the men carve out a living by brewing artisan liquor, young Haakon’s pursuit tempts Aven’s lonely spirit . . . but it is his deaf brother, Thor, whose silent strength shows her the depths of real love.

Unable to speak to any woman, Thor Norgaard never anticipates Aven will befriend him, let alone treat him as her safe harbor. Though hard cider is their livelihood and his greatest talent, he fights his way to sobriety with Haakon’s help, defying the bottle for Aven’s hand—only to face a battle of the heart that tests even the strongest bonds of brotherhood. 

My thoughts...Joanne Bischof blew me away with her book, "The Lady and the Lionheart." I loved it! Her newest release, "Sons of Blackbird Mountain," has got me all shook up...in a good way. The depth of story and characters is breathtaking. It's one of those books that I want to pick up and read again (and I rarely reread books). There is also a lot happening in the plot, but it's all intertwined in a way that makes it realistic. The romantic tension was on point, accentuated by the vulnerability in both the hero and heroine. But wow...Bischof knows how to write a vulnerable hero.

Thor Norgaard. My heart beat a little faster when he came to life on these pages. He is so strong and masculine, yet his vulnerability makes him ultra swoonworthy. He is deaf, but we get to hear his voice through the words on the page. Aven is also vulnerable as she arrives in a place that is nothing that she expected. Thor shows her what it means to have value and persevere through difficult circumstances. 

This book tackles so many important issues: disabilities, addiction, prejudice, abuse...to name a few. Joanne addresses these in such an honest, realistic way. Woven through is faith in God and dependence on Him to overcome. I can't even accurately express how phenomenal this book is. 

Personal takeaway...No problem is too great for a great God. 

**I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. The opinions expressed are my own.**