Book Beginnings, First Line Friday, & Friday 56: Mists over the Channel Islands by Sarah Sundin

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading. I'm also linking up with Carrie at Reading is My Superpower for First Line Friday. Friday 56 asks you to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and share a non-spoilery sentence or two. It was started by Freda at Freda's Voice, but Anne over at My Head is Full of Books has taken over for the time being.

This week I'm featuring Mists over the Channel Islands by Sarah Sundin. Sundin is my favorite WWII author, and so far, this book does not disappoint! 

About the Book

Behind enemy lines, adversary and ally become impossible to distinguish.

The German invasion of the British Channel Islands shatters Dr. Ivy Picot's peaceful world, forcing her to shoulder the weight of her father's medical practice and hold together a family unraveling under the strain of war. As conditions worsen in Jersey with the arrival of thousands of forced laborers, Ivy's quiet allegiance to the Allies compels her to risk everything by providing medical aid to escaped workers--even as danger closes in.

Dutch engineer and resistance member Gerrit van der Zee volunteers to build fortifications for the Germans so he can secretly send maps and diagrams to the Allies. On his arrival in the Channel Islands, he crosses paths with Ivy, who shows him contempt for the uniform he wears. As tensions mount and their missions grow increasingly dangerous, Ivy and Gerrit must confront the cost of courage, the meaning of sacrifice, and whether love can survive in the shadow of war. Will their covert efforts turn the tide--or will they pay the ultimate price for defiance?

Renowned WWII fiction author Sarah Sundin crafts a compelling historical romance featuring enemies-to-lovers, wartime resistance, and medical intrigue--a tale of loyalty, resilience, and courage when love and duty collide.

Book Beginnings / First Line Friday

St. Helier, Jersey, Channel Islands

Thursday, June 20, 1940

Words failed Dr. Ivy Picot, so she sketched her father with gray-flecked hair, packing to go to war.

Friday 56

The front door banged open. "Ivy! Hurry! Emergency!"

What have you been reading lately?

Can't Wait Wednesday: Taming Lady Temperance (The Secret Society of Spinsters Book #1) by Karen Witemeyer

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights and discusses the books we're excited about that we've yet to read. Generally, they're books that are yet to be released. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This week I'm featuring Taming Lady Temperance (The Secret Society of Spinsters Book #1) by Karen Witemeyer releasing February 17.

About the Book

When passion for justice conflicts with the heart, which will prevail?

Noreen O'Sullivan is an enthusiastic member of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union and believes herself called to defend the cause of prohibition. When she's invited to join the Secret Society of Spinsters, Noreen jumps at the chance to rally others to her movement and shut down the local saloon for good. However, her passionate campaigning often puts her at odds with the men around her--including the local deputy.

Deputy James Paxton believes in preserving the peace, but Miss O'Sullivan has been disturbing his peace for months. If James wants to be elected sheriff, he can't afford to be seen as her ally. But when Noreen ropes him into helping her plan a temperance march, their growing closeness sparks unexpected feelings. Then tensions escalate at the saloon and accusations fly. James must choose between upholding his badge and protecting the woman who's captured his heart--knowing either choice could cost him everything.

Karen Witemeyer presents a swoony Western romance with a determined heroine, cowboys, prohibition, and the rivals-to-lovers and duty vs. desire tropes. Fans of Mary Connealy and frontier romances set in the Old West will savor this clean, historical read.

What upcoming release are you eagerly awaiting?

Review: Atlas (Discarded Heroes: Scions Book 1) by Ronie Kendig

About the Book

Some hearts are worth fighting for—even when the battle comes home.

Olympic sharpshooter McKenna Neeley thought her biggest challenge was living up to her legendary father's legacy as Nightshade's team sniper. But working as a junior Consular Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Armenia, she's about to face her most perilous mission yet—and it has nothing to do with diplomacy.

When a high-stakes dinner party brings Dante Riddell back into her life, McKenna's carefully ordered world tilts off its axis. The brooding security specialist from Omen Tactical Group was her childhood crush, but now he's all grown up—and guarding secrets as closely as he guards his VIP clients.

Despite finally being claimed by his father as a teen, Dante has spent his life believing he isn’t worthy of the Nightshade legacy. When his duty collides with McKenna's consular work sparks fly and keeping their distance becomes impossible. She's everything he remembers and more—brilliant, compassionate, and dangerously distracting. His job is simple: complete the mission and walk away before his damaged heart gets involved.

But when a deadly enemy disrupts peace talks, simple plans shatter like glass.

Trapped together in a web of international intrigue, McKenna and Dante must trust each other—and God’s plan—forging a love that's been years in the making. Because sometimes the greatest battles aren't fought with weapons, but with faith, forgiveness, and the courage to believe in second chances.

Can two wounded hearts find healing in each other's arms, or will the shadows of their past destroy their chance at forever?

Amazon / Goodreads / Author Website / Sunrise Publishing

MY THOUGHTS

Y’all! This book was so good! I was so excited to dive back into Ronie Kendig’s military books. And I was so happy that this new series follows the grown-up kids of her characters from the Discarded Heroes series. I loved it so much!

I really liked McKenna and Dante. They had amazing chemistry, and while there was obvious attraction, there were many things preventing them from becoming anything more than friends. I was rooting them on the whole way through. They faced some really daunting and scary situations. I really admired McKenna's strength in the face of it all.

I appreciated the spotlight on Armenia. I didn’t know a whole lot about the country or the conflict with Azerbaijan.

Action-packed, with a lightning-fast pace and ever-increasing danger, this book was near impossible to put down. I loved it and am very much looking forward to the next book in the series. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a high-stakes, faith-filled romantic suspense.

I received a copy of this book and voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and comments are my honest opinion.

FIVE STARS

Review: The Road Unveiled (Bicycle Adventure) by Tim Bishop

About the Book

Two wounded hearts. Long, winding roads. And second chances neither saw coming.

Lauren Baumgartner pedals toward Yellowstone National Park, anticipating a grand celebration when she reaches the Atlantic Ocean. But when her wedding plans collapse, old wounds resurface—and a haunting secret still holds her heart hostage.

Traveling alone with bear spray and a one-woman tent, she shares the highway with motorcyclists bound for a massive rally, including gang members who eye her as theirs for the taking.

Doug Zimmer, another lone cyclist, is grappling with loss and wondering if anyone will be alongside him when he figures out what’s next. He isn’t the only one drawn to Lauren’s vitality and spirit.

But Lauren may already be in too deep. What she faces on the Golden Prairie Indian Reservation tests her courage—and her faith—more than anything she encountered as a missionary in Uganda.

A woman with a secret and a man healing from loss pedal the rugged roads of the American West on a quest for love and purpose that leads to unexpected horizons.

Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Goodreads / Author Website

MY THOUGHTS

What an adventure! I didn’t realize this was book two in the series when I picked it up, so it took me a minute to get settled in, but once I did, I was hooked and eager to find out what would happen next!

The descriptions of the scenery were so vivid, I felt like I was traveling right alongside these characters. I could picture everything so clearly!

I liked Lauren and Doug. I also enjoyed getting to know the people they met along the way. Well, most of them. There were some not so nice people along the way too.

This book addresses serious topics through a Christian lens. There were times when I was so worried for the characters. But I was constantly rooting them on through it all. I did enjoy the first half of the book more than the second half. The drama became a bit too much for my liking. Also, there were times when things felt kinda unrealistic. But despite that, I enjoyed the writing style, and I look forward to reading more from this author.

I received a copy of this book and voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and comments are my honest opinion.

Book Beginnings, First Line Friday, & Friday 56: Atlas (Discarded Heroes: Scions Book 1) by Ronie Kendig

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading. I'm also linking up with Carrie at Reading is My Superpower for First Line Friday. Friday 56 asks you to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and share a non-spoilery sentence or two. It was started by Freda at Freda's Voice, but Anne over at My Head is Full of Books has taken over for the time being.

This week I'm featuring Atlas (Discarded Heroes: Scions Book 1) by Ronie Kendig. 

About the Book

Some hearts are worth fighting for—even when the battle comes home.

Olympic sharpshooter McKenna Neeley thought her biggest challenge was living up to her legendary father's legacy as Nightshade's team sniper. But working as a junior Consular Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Armenia, she's about to face her most perilous mission yet—and it has nothing to do with diplomacy.

When a high-stakes dinner party brings Dante Riddell back into her life, McKenna's carefully ordered world tilts off its axis. The brooding security specialist from Omen Tactical Group was her childhood crush, but now he's all grown up—and guarding secrets as closely as he guards his VIP clients.

Despite finally being claimed by his father as a teen, Dante has spent his life believing he isn’t worthy of the Nightshade legacy. When his duty collides with McKenna's consular work sparks fly and keeping their distance becomes impossible. She's everything he remembers and more—brilliant, compassionate, and dangerously distracting. His job is simple: complete the mission and walk away before his damaged heart gets involved.

But when a deadly enemy disrupts peace talks, simple plans shatter like glass.

Trapped together in a web of international intrigue, McKenna and Dante must trust each other—and God’s plan—forging a love that's been years in the making. Because sometimes the greatest battles aren't fought with weapons, but with faith, forgiveness, and the courage to believe in second chances.

Can two wounded hearts find healing in each other's arms, or will the shadows of their past destroy their chance at forever?

Book Beginnings / First Line Friday

Yerevan, Armenia

Gold glittered across the old domes of Saint Cross Church in the bright, wintry sunlight, the scenery blurring past.

Friday 56

Laughter drew him down a long, dark hall toward a lone source of light at the far end. Hardwood floors chilled his feet and sent icy shards up his spine.

What have you been reading lately?

Can't Wait Wednesday: Two Purloined Pillows (A Nimble Needle Mystery Book 2) by Allie Pleiter

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights and discusses the books we're excited about that we've yet to read. Generally, they're books that are yet to be released. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This week I'm featuring Two Purloined Pillows (A Nimble Needle Mystery Book 2) by Allie Pleiter releasing March 31.

About the Book

When 30-something graphic artist Shelby Phillips reluctantly returned to her small hometown outside Asheville, North Carolina to manage her mother’s needlepoint shop, she thought it was temporary. But getting entangled in murder investigations has a timeline of its own…

It’s been a little over a year since Shelby started managing Nina’s Nimble Needle following her office-romance and career implosion, and Shelby’s mom has finally handed her the reins—technically, at least. Next, Shelby is excited to oversee two well-known needlepoint designers who will be participating in the town’s first two-week-long arts festival . . .

Laura Bitters and Paul Bardo have each stitched up one-of-a-kind pillows that should be big wins for the Nimble Needle at the festival’s auction . . . until the pillows vanish amid a sudden string of shoplifting incidents.

To add to the knot in Shelby’s stomach, Laura proves highly anxious, while Paul is an egomaniac who believes Laura has been stealing his customers for years. But things go from bad to tragic when Laura behaves oddly at the auction dinner, then collapses—dead.

Soon after, Shelby makes a shocking discovery in Laura’s room at the local inn. Then tests reveal that Laura was poisoned. Resolved to piece together the truth, despite the police chief’s determination to keep her on the fringes, Shelby rallies her personal team, including her sister, Jessica, her friend Deb, and Jake, her potentially more than a friend. As an extra twist, a magazine reporter arrives with unsettling—yet useful—dirt that includes Laura and Paul.

What unravels is a skein of suspects, long-held resentment, bitter jealousy, and betrayal, from which Shelby will have to pull the one crucial thread tied to the killer: a murder-worthy motive . . .

What upcoming release are you eagerly awaiting?

Book Spotlight: Elisabeth and the other man by Adam Charles Hovey

What happens when you're the secret without knowing it? How does your life change? Are your friends who you thought they were?

Purchase Links: Paperback / Ebook

My friend released a book about a painful experience he recently went through. I was there to see the fallout of the situation, and am glad he was able to write about it. I’m excited to share his book with y’all today!

This was an incredibly compelling read. It was a heartbreaking read too. You could really feel the hurt and pain that this situation caused. I was tearing up several times. I was furious about what happened to my friend when it first happened. And I was furious again after reading this. 

This is written in a very conversational and relatable way, which really invites you into the story. It's a real and honest look at the impact of emotional infidelity. And I highly, highly recommend checking it out! 

There aren’t many resources for people who have been in similar situations, so I hope this book can be a catalyst for change, a conversation starter of sorts.

I received a copy of this book and voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and comments are my honest opinion.

You can find Adam Charles Hovey on Rumble, Locals, and Catholic 365

You can also check out his playlist of videos discussing this book here.