Reviewer's bookshelf: A Flight of Arrows by Lori Benton

Book Summary (Goodreads): October 1776--August 1777

It is said that what a man sows he will reap--and for such a harvest there is no set season. No one connected to Reginald Aubrey is untouched by the crime he committed twenty years ago. 

Not William, the Oneida child Reginald stole and raised as his own. Identity shattered, enlisted in the British army, William trains with Loyalist refugees eager to annihilate the rebels who forced them into exile. Coming to terms with who and what he is proves impossible, but if he breaks his Loyalist oath, he'll be no better than the man who constructed his life of lies.

Not Anna, Reginald's adopted daughter, nor Two Hawks, William's twin, both who long for Reginald to accept their love despite the challenges they will face, building a marriage that bridges two cultures. 

Not Good Voice and Stone Thrower, freed of bitterness by a courageous act of forgiveness, but still yearning for their firstborn son and fearful for the future of their Oneida people.

As the British prepare to attack frontier New York and Patriot regiments rally to defend it, two families separated by culture, united by love, will do all in their power to reclaim the son marching toward them in the ranks of their enemies.

My thoughts...

   This novel is part two in Lori Benton's "Pathfinders" series, so it is necessary to read book one, Into the Woods, before this one.  In fact, I would encourage anyone to read these novels...they are both fantastic.
   I was drawn into this novel from the beginning.  Lori Benton weaves a tale of love, romance, family, heartache, and at the center of it all, forgiveness.  Her attention to historical detail of the battles that were being fought across the frontier of a young America made me feel like I was reading a factual account.  Of course, these were real events happening in our nation's history, but Benton skillfully wove the fictional characters into the story. The descriptions of what was happening...the heat, the flies, the blood, and the fear...leapt off the page.  I was immersed in their world.
   There was also tension throughout the novel that made me not want to put it down. Battles being fought were a large part of that, but there was also the romantic tension between several characters. Benton was able to describe the longing and passion between the main characters while still keeping it a clean novel. In my mind, that takes true skill.  There was also the tension between two families...one Native American, the other a white man who had stolen their child many years ago and his adopted daughter.  The way that both families battle the heartache of their circumstances and turn to God for healing and forgiveness really spoke to my heart.  There was a point where tears were in my eyes as they all made sacrifices to honor God and His call on their lives.
   I really can't say enough about how excellent this series is.  I would highly recommend to anyone who enjoys clean historical Christian fiction.

Connect with author Lori Benton

* Lori Benton's website is filled with information about her and her books, as well as upcoming events in Christian fiction 

* You can also follow her on Facebook, Goodreads, and Pinterest

**I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.**

Reviewer's bookshelf: The Reluctant Duchess by Rosanna White

Book Summary (Amazon): Lady Rowena Kinnaird may be the heiress to a Highland earldom, but she has never felt good enough--not for her father, not for the man she thought she'd marry, not for God. But after a shocking attack, she's willing to be forever an outcast if it means escaping Loch Morar.

Brice Myerston, the Duke of Nottingham, has found himself in possession of a rare treasure his enemies are prepared to kill for. While Brice has never been one to shy away from manor-born ladies, the last thing he needs is the distraction of Lady Rowena, who finds herself in a desperate situation. But when Rowena's father tries to trap Brice into marrying his daughter, Brice makes a surprising decision.

Rowena wanted to escape the Highlands, but she's reluctant to marry a notorious flirt. And when she learns that Brice is mixed up in questionable business with a stolen treasure, she fears she's about to end up directly in the path of everything she was trying to avoid.

My thoughts....There is no lack of tension in this novel!  From the beginning, there is a steady stream of events that not only cause romantic tension, but include mystery, danger, heartache, sadness, jealousy...basically every emotion is explored.  I loved the addition of a Highland element...the language and culture of that part of the world has always fascinated me.  I love Rowena's spirit, even though she has been broken by years of abuse.  Brice also grows and matures throughout the story, learning to consider others more than himself.  The characters' growth was the backdrop in a somewhat intense drama involving, as I mentioned before, multiple levels of physical abuse and a dangerous game involving a priceless treasure.  This was not a novel I was able to sit back and leisurely read...I was almost in knots as I was drawn in to this story and its players.  There is still more to come from this cast of characters, as not all the mysteries were resolved.  Rosanna White does a great job keeping your attention, including many elements of interest in the novel, but in a way I wouldn't have minded a little less.

**I was given a free copy of this novel from the publisher in order to give an honest review, which I did.**

Reviewer's Bookshelf: Like Never Before by Melissa Tagg

Book Summary (from Goodreads): Maple Valley became Amelia Bentley's haven after her heart and her dreams of a family were shattered. But her new life as a newspaper editor is shaken when the small-town paper is in danger of closing. Her one hope: A lead on an intriguing story that just might impress the new publisher...if only she knew who he was.

After his biggest campaign success yet, widowed speechwriter Logan Walker now has the chance of a lifetime--a spot on a presidential campaign. But his plans are interrupted when he finds out he's inherited his hometown newspaper. He travels home intent on selling the paper and spending some much-needed time with his young daughter before making the leap into national politics.

But instead of a quick sale and peaceful break from his hectic career, Logan finds himself helping Amelia chase her story. She's scrappy, but wounded. He's dependable, but lost. They may butt heads more than expected, but a series of leads on Maple Valley's quirky unsolved mystery is just the start of the sparks that fly in the office and in their hearts.

My thoughts: As the second book in this series, it's not essential that you read the first one, but it does help to know some of the backstory of the characters, particularly the supporting characters.  Amelia and Logan's story is explored much more in-depth in this novel than the previous one.  I really enjoy the setting that Melissa Tagg has created, along with the people in it.  There is a warmth and support among the Walker family that is central to the small town of Maple Valley, and it seems every character in the story is either part of the family or affected in some way by them.  Amelia is no different.  Before she even meets Logan, she has a connection with his sister and has read his work (and loved it). Both she and Logan seem to have something to prove: Amelia wants to show that she can be successful at something whether it's a relationship, keeping the local newspaper intact, or solving the small town's mystery.  Logan wants to prove that he is a good father and that he can balance that with being a successful speech writer. Each character grows as their faith and personal lives are tested.  There are some mild romantic elements to the story as well.  For me, this wasn't a fast-paced, action packed story, but more like it's setting: a nice stroll through a quaint little town. I love the author's use of descriptive language and lines that just made me smile. Here are a few of my favorite quotes in the story:
"Stars glittered in clusters across the stretch of sky, like sequins on a satiny black dress." (Love the word picture!)
"He wasn't a bad-looking man any day, but tonight...well, he looked good, that's all.  If good meant a hundred kinds of attractive."<3 font="" this="">
"Why did he have to stand so close? Close enough he could probably smell her morning breath and hear her heart trying to punch its way out of her chest." : )
"Man, I don't think God is out to confuse us.  When multiple doors open up, maybe there's not a right and a wrong one.  Maybe sometimes God says, 'Dude, choose.'"

I enjoyed this novel!  If you like contemporary Christian fiction, very clean, you'll enjoy it, too.  Melissa Tagg is also on Instagram and Facebook...you should check her out.  I love seeing her posts and passion for what she does!

**I was given a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in order to give an honest review, which is what I gave.**

Reviewer's bookshelf: A Daring Sacrifice by Jody Hedlund

Book Summary (from Amazon): In a reverse twist on the Robin Hood story, a young medieval maiden stands up for the rights of the mistreated, stealing from the rich to give to the poor. All the while, she fights against her cruel uncle who has taken over the land that is rightfully hers. Forced to live in the woods and hide with the poor people she's grown to love, she works to save and protect them, but she never anticipates falling in love with the wealthy knight who represents all she's come to despise.

My thoughts...I truly loved the plot and characters in this fast paced, action packed story.  This is considered a Young Adult novel, so it is written appropriately for that age group.  There is still a modest level of romance that included the romantic tension that I love in Hedlund's writing.  She really knows how to build up a moment without it being all about the physical interaction.  I also liked that her characters did have flaws. Their flaws gave room for their characters to grow in wisdom and maturity. Juliana was so consumed with her need to be sacrificial for those who suffered, almost to the point of being extreme.  Collin was quite the opposite, living for satisfying himself and seeing to his own comforts without thinking of the needs of others.  My favorite part of the story was seeing how love transformed both characters and led them to humility and sacrifice.  It was truly moving.  I would definitely recommend this book for teen girls and up.  I have read almost all of Jody Hedlund's books and have never been disappointed.  I would highly recommend this series as well as her other books.

*I was given a free copy of this book from the publisher in order to give an honest review, which I did.*

Reviewer's bookshelf: Cold Shot by Dani Pettrey

Book Summary (Goodreads): In college, Griffin McCray and his four best friends had their lives planned out. Griffin and Luke Gallagher would join the Baltimore PD. Declan Gray would head to the FBI and Parker Mitchell would go on to graduate school as a crime scene analyst. But then Luke vanished before graduation and their world--and friendships--crumbled.

Now Griffin is a park ranger at Gettysburg, having left life as a SWAT-team sniper when a case went bad. The job is mostly quiet--until the day he captures two relic hunters uncovering skeletal remains near Little Round Top. Griffin just wants the case to go away, but charming forensic anthropologist Finley Scott determines that the body is modern--a young social justice lawyer missing since spring--and all evidence points to the work of an expert sniper. When FBI agent Declan Gray takes over the case, past and present collide. Griffin soon realizes he'll need to confront some of the darkest days of his life if he--and those he cares about--are going to escape a downward spiral of murder that crosses continents.

My thoughts...Cold Shot is the first book in Dani Pettrey's newest Chesapeake Valor series.  Her previous series, Alaskan Courage, was filled with suspense, action, and some romance.  This new series is very similar in that it has all of those things along with an exciting new setting, story line with twists and turns and just the right amount of romantic tension.

From the first pages of Cold Shot I was drawn in.  A murder mystery, all of the characters that are introduced have a connection, and come together to try to solve what happened to the victim of a terrible crime.  I loved all the layers of relationships that play a part in this story.  Griffin and his group of friends have a past, yet despite their struggles, are able to come together and work on this case.  Only a few aspects of their past are revealed, opening to the door for future plot lines in the series.  Griffin and Finley have a relatively new connection.  As coworkers at the Gettysburg battle site, they have interacted over the course of several months, but Pettrey does a great job of developing their relationship through the novel as they work together to solve the mystery.  

While the main plot line is resolved, I was still left wondering about the other mysteries that are presented through the course of the story. This novel has a great level of suspense, with heart pounding moments without it being too "dark".  I couldn't stop reading it!  I was engaged from beginning to end.

I have found that with Pettrey's books there are A LOT of characters.  At times, especially at the beginning, I was having a hard time keeping track of who each person was, how they were connected, etc.  Eventually I was able to keep up with everyone, but just be aware ; ).

Overall, I would highly recommend this book as it was action-packed with likable characters, great suspense, romantic tension, and a strong Christian theme of forgiveness.  It was also an entertaining read for me because some of the story takes place in Baltimore, which my family visited two summers ago.  It was fun to be able to visualize where the characters were.  Loved it!

**I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review, which I gave.**

Reviewer's Bookshelf: A Spy's Devotion by Melanie Dickerson

Book Summary (from Goodreads): In England’s Regency era, manners and elegance reign in public life—but behind closed doors treason and tawdriness thrive. Nicholas Langdon is no stranger to reserved civility or bloody barbarity. After suffering a battlefield injury, the wealthy, well-connected British officer returns home to heal—and to fulfill a dying soldier’s last wish by delivering his coded diary.

At the home of the Wilherns, one of England’s most powerful families, Langdon attends a lavish ball where he meets their beautiful and intelligent ward, Julia Grey. Determined to maintain propriety, he keeps his distance—until the diary is stolen and all clues lead to Julia’s guardian. As Langdon traces an evil plot that could be the nation’s undoing, he grows ever more intrigued by the lovely young woman. And when Julia realizes that England—and the man she is falling in love with—need her help, she finds herself caught in the fray. Will the two succumb to their attraction while fighting to save their country?

My thoughts...You may have recognized this author's name from some of my previous posts : ).  Melanie Dickerson has a wonderful Young Adult series of fairy tale retellings that I have thoroughly enjoyed over the years!  Now Melanie is beginning a new series set in Regency England.  

Although this book is geared towards older audiences, it is still appropriate for young adults as the level of romance is very clean.  I appreciate that although there is a romantic aspect to the plot, that is not the only thing that will get your heart racing.  For myself, some of the best moments in the story were when Julia risked being discovered as she began to spy on possible traitors to her country.  

The bond that she and Nicholas Langdon began to form through their mutual desire to serve their country also connected them in other aspects of the novel.  Compassion, loyalty, friendship and putting others before yourself were big themes that were explored through Julia and Nicolas' relationship.  It is always refreshing to be able to read such a positive and Biblically inspired message.  As this is a Christian fiction novel, there are quotes from the Bible weaved into the pages but in a way that is natural and relevant.

This is a great new series and I look forward to Melanie Dickerson's next novel!

**I received a free copy of this novel from the publisher and gave an honest review.**

Reviewer's Bookshelf: Undaunted Hope by Jody Hedlund

Book Summary (Amazon): 

1871

Eagle Harbor, MichiganIn a Town Mired in Darkness,
She May Shine the Light They Need
Running from the mistakes of her past, Tessa Taylor heads to the uppermost reaches of Michigan, planning to serve as the new teacher to the children of miners. She quickly learns the town had requested a male teacher, but Percival Updegraff, superintendent and chief mine clerk, says she can stay through winter since it's too late to replace her. Tessa can't help but thank him and say she is in his debt. 

Determined to make herself irreplaceable once spring thaw arrives, Tessa throws herself into her work, and soon two students have decided Miss Taylor is the right match for their grieving father. At the same time, charming assistant lightkeeper Alex Bjorklund makes his interest known, surprising Tessa, who has never had men fight for her hand before. But not all is well as she feels that someone is tracking her every move, and she may not be able to escape the trap that has been laid for her.

My thoughts...

I have really enjoyed the Beacons of Hope series by Jody Hedlund.  Although each book could be read as a stand alone, there are connections between each book.  The heroine in this story is Tessa, who we originally meet in book 2 of the series.  

I honestly wasn't a big fan of Tessa in the previous book, as she was definitely one to stir up trouble and cause conflict.  In this story, however, Tessa has been transformed, changed from the jealous little sister to a grown woman who wants to make a difference.  Her past sins are not without consequence, though.  She has left behind a bad reputation that she hopes will stay where she left it...in the past.  Her hope is to prove to everyone that she is a woman of character and convictions.  

Once again, Hedlund has provided the wild Michigan landscape as a backdrop for this story of faith, dedication, and romance.  I have really enjoyed the setting in these novels, as I was previously completely unfamiliar with it.  I never realized just how dangerous the waters of the lake could be, which makes lighthouses so important in that area.

I found this novel to be different than some of Hedlund's previous ones in that the romantic tension is different.  In this story, it is obvious from the start who is attracted to Tessa.  It's the conflict that arises between two brothers that creates the tension.  While some parts of this love triangle were somewhat predictable, there were still several little twists that kept you wondering just what was going to happen.

Another aspect I liked was the good vs evil plot line.  Tessa had to fight for what was good in the midst of corruption.  She had to take a stand, even if it meant losing the things she held dear.  It provided many opportunities for growth for her character and showed just how God can transform people's hearts.

I would recommend this book, along with the rest of the Beacons of Hope series.  Happy reading!

*I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in order to give an honest review.*