Review: Fatal Impulse (Green Dory Inn Mystery Series Book 5) by Janet Sketchley

SYNOPSIS

If the runaway mom didn’t sneak back into town, who’s the snow-covered corpse wearing her coat?

Landon Smith doesn’t dare investigate. Juggling intense university courses, a fledgling romance, and an empty bed and breakfast, the twenty-four-year-old trauma survivor is fighting for her dreams. Yet her heart breaks for the hurting teen who’s convinced his mother is the body in the woods.

For his sake, she’ll dig into the secretive woman’s abrupt flight. But when the missing persons case ties into the murder, Landon fears she’s placed herself on the villain’s hit list.

With her mistakes mounting and her personal life imploding, can Landon uncover the truth—and maybe open the door to a family reunion—before she stands face to face with a killer?

Cozy mystery meets Christian women’s fiction in Fatal Impulse, the twisty fifth book in the Green Dory Inn mystery series. If you like female amateur sleuths who don’t quit, small-town characters who feel like friends, and mischievous cats, then you’ll love Janet Sketchley’s heartfelt whodunit. Buy Fatal Impulse and check into the Green Dory Inn today. Come for the mysteries, stay for the characters.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY THOUGHTS

Fatal Impulse is the first book I’ve read in the Green Dory Inn Mystery Series, and I really enjoyed it! I was able to step right into the story with very little trouble. I appreciated the list of characters at the beginning of the book. I think that really helped out. I thought the mystery was really good. It definitely kept me guessing. I was very surprised by who the culprit was.

I admired Landon’s resiliency and strength. She had been through a lot, and it was inspiring to see her overcome so much. I appreciated the fact that this book tackles some tough but important topics. I thought it was all handled with care.

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys solid mysteries with a strong thread of faith. I look forward to going back and checking out the previous books in this series.

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

FOUR STARS

Review: Lost Without You (The Chimney Creek Romances Book 2) by Emily Conrad

SYNOPSIS

When her assignment to photograph small-town Chimney Creek collides with his mission to save an endangered lynx, Bailey and Luke are forced to work together.

To save the land beside Chimney Creek State Park from a mining operation, jaded park ranger Luke Fielding must show the Wisconsin legislature the property’s value. The federally threatened Canada lynx that treks through might help him turn skeptics into allies, but the animal proves elusive and the legislature demands evidence that might not exist to find, even for a skilled outdoorsman like Luke.

Photographer Bailey Sterling is broke, but with her upbeat attitude, her camera, and her teardrop camper, she’s set to camp out in Chimney Creek State Park until she can earn some income from the local tourism board. While there, she’ll cross the northern lights off her bucket list, thanks to the park’s famous overlook. Or so she hopes until a Northwoods blizzard brings trouble even the grumpy park ranger, who tried to convince her to leave before the storm, failed to predict.

Forced together by the storm and duty, Luke and Bailey soon discover they need each other, and not just to salvage her assignment and protect the land he loves. But claiming a future together would mean doing something neither is ready for—admitting they’d each be lost without the other.

This warmhearted and faith-filled romance is book 2 in the loosely connected Chimney Creek Romances.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY THOUGHTS

Emily Conrad has done it again! Lost Without You was another stellar, faith-filled romance that I couldn’t put down. I loved it so much!

The author has a knack for writing authentic characters who are easy to root for. Bailey and Luke are so relatable! I loved getting to know them. They were such a great pair. Bailey had such an upbeat personality and an optimistic attitude about things. But there’s some hidden pain beneath her positivity. Luke was a bit of a grump. He was always seeing the worst possible outcome for things. And, my goodness, I could relate to that! I really admired his commitment to finding the lynx and saving the land.

I thought the setting really came to life. It was 80 degrees where I live while I was reading this book, but I could almost feel the wintry chill of snowy Chimney Creek. I loved that! If you’re a fan of contemporary romance with a strong thread of faith, don’t hesitate to pick up a copy of this book. I can’t recommend it highly enough!

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

FIVE STARS

Friday Book Snippets: Lost Without You (The Chimney Creek Romances Book 2) by Emily Conrad

Friday Book Snippets is a weekly blogging event co-hosted by Anne@HeadFullofBooks and Olivia at Bemused and Bookish. Directions: Share two snippets (a sentence or short paragraph) from a. the book's beginning and b. page 56 (or another page) in the book you are currently reading. No spoilers, please.

This week I'm featuring Lost Without You (The Chimney Creek Romances Book 2) by Emily Conrad.

SYNOPSIS

When her assignment to photograph small-town Chimney Creek collides with his mission to save an endangered lynx, Bailey and Luke are forced to work together.

To save the land beside Chimney Creek State Park from a mining operation, jaded park ranger Luke Fielding must show the Wisconsin legislature the property’s value. The federally threatened Canada lynx that treks through might help him turn skeptics into allies, but the animal proves elusive and the legislature demands evidence that might not exist to find, even for a skilled outdoorsman like Luke.

Photographer Bailey Sterling is broke, but with her upbeat attitude, her camera, and her teardrop camper, she’s set to camp out in Chimney Creek State Park until she can earn some income from the local tourism board. While there, she’ll cross the northern lights off her bucket list, thanks to the park’s famous overlook. Or so she hopes until a Northwoods blizzard brings trouble even the grumpy park ranger, who tried to convince her to leave before the storm, failed to predict.

Forced together by the storm and duty, Luke and Bailey soon discover they need each other, and not just to salvage her assignment and protect the land he loves. But claiming a future together would mean doing something neither is ready for—admitting they’d each be lost without the other.

This warmhearted and faith-filled romance is book 2 in the loosely connected Chimney Creek Romances.

Book Beginning / First Line

In defiance of the blizzard barreling toward Chimney Creek State Park, a one-hundred-thirty-pound lump of fur lazily peered up at Luke Fielding from a snowbank.

Snippet from 55%

Bailey peered out the window at the large, white farmhouse. In the dark countryside, the lights shining from all the first-floor windows should've been welcoming, but she might as well have been approaching a portal to another world. "You grew up here?"

What have you been reading lately?

Can't Wait Wednesday: The Widow of Woodlark Cottage by Julie Klassen

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 The Widow of Woodlark Cottage by Julie Klassen releasing December 1.

SYNOPSIS

A daughter's quest, an unfinished manuscript, a mysterious estate, and two men vying for her wounded heart.

Young widow Elizabeth Eaton resides with her late husband's cold, critical family. When she learns her estranged father, a writer and naturalist, has died at a rented cottage on the North Devonshire coast, Elizabeth reluctantly agrees to travel there to claim his belongings and the partial draft of a new book.

When she reaches the cottage on the grounds of an estate, she is told the nearby manor house is empty, yet she sees candlelight flickering within, giving Elizabeth reason to doubt her eyes--and her safety. Finding her father's final manuscript nearly complete, Elizabeth decides to stay long enough to finish it, hoping to make amends for cutting him out of her life.

As she does, she meets two very different men, a charming seafarer who fills her head with local legends and an aloof man of business with his own agenda. Strange, frightening incidents begin to occur, and Elizabeth must decide which man to trust when her life--and her heart--are in danger.

Julie Klassen pens a captivating historical romance for fans of Jane Austen set on the coast of Devonshire in Regency-era England brimming with intrigue, mystery, secrets, and a second chance at love.

What upcoming release are you eagerly awaiting?

Review: The Burning Tree by Helen Dent

SYNOPSIS

There’s a secret growing in the woods.

In Ellie Caster’s town of Bishop’s Gap, the Casters and the powerful Levy family have been feuding for generations. The families share just one thing in common—they both dread the mark, a scorch that appears at random on their doors, bringing a curse from the Burning Tree.

When the mark hits Ellie’s door, her sister Jean falls into a coma. Ellie knows the Burning Tree is to blame, and desperate to save her sister, she braves the forbidden woods to confront it. But this choice ignites a chain of unintended consequences, forcing her to work with her nemesis, Charlotte Levy.

Together, they must complete an impossible task, uncover the ancient secret of Bishop’s Gap, and end the curse before time runs out for their entire town.

Amazon / Enclave Publishing / Goodreads

MY THOUGHTS

Y’all! This book was so good! The premise sounded awesome, but the book itself exceeded all of my expectations. It had all the haunting and atmospheric vibes I love. It’s the perfect spooky season read.

The intrigue surrounding the tree and the mystery of what was going to happen next made for a really exciting read. It was a race against time to fix things, and the suspense just kept building. I finished this book in record time. I couldn’t read it fast enough. It reminded me a bit of some older YA books, but it was also very unique in its own way. I loved it and highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys lightly spooky YA books.

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

FIVE STARS

Friday Book Snippets: The Burning Tree by Helen Dent

Friday Book Snippets is a weekly blogging event co-hosted by Anne@HeadFullofBooks and Olivia at Bemused and Bookish. Directions: Share two snippets (a sentence or short paragraph) from a. the book's beginning and b. page 56 (or another page) in the book you are currently reading. No spoilers, please.

This week I'm featuring The Burning Tree by Helen Dent. This was a really great, lightly spooky read. I loved it!

SYNOPSIS

There’s a secret growing in the woods.

In Ellie Caster’s town of Bishop’s Gap, the Casters and the powerful Levy family have been feuding for generations. The families share just one thing in common—they both dread the mark, a scorch that appears at random on their doors, bringing a curse from the Burning Tree.

When the mark hits Ellie’s door, her sister Jean falls into a coma. Ellie knows the Burning Tree is to blame, and desperate to save her sister, she braves the forbidden woods to confront it. But this choice ignites a chain of unintended consequences, forcing her to work with her nemesis, Charlotte Levy.

Together, they must complete an impossible task, uncover the ancient secret of Bishop’s Gap, and end the curse before time runs out for their entire town.

Book Beginning / First Line

It was almost a perfect afternoon.

Snippet from 56%

Aunt Ruby opened her front door with its faded mark, eyes tired. “So, are you here for the night or just a change of clothes?”

What have you been reading lately?

Can't Wait Wednesday: She Will End This by Colleen Coble & Rick Acker

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 She Will End This by Colleen Coble & Rick Acker releasing November 10.

SYNOPSIS

True crime writer Britt Olsen knows the minds of monsters. She never expected to share their DNA.

A simple DNA test shatters everything Britt believes about her past. The father she loved was not her biological parent, and the mother she trusted has spent decades hiding her CIA past. Worse, Britt's real father is a disgraced Mossad assassin known in the intelligence underworld as Abaddon.

Before Britt can process the truth, violence strikes.

Five-year-old Willow Hamilton--the president's granddaughter--is kidnapped, and Abaddon becomes the prime suspect. Determined to help rescue the child, Britt joins forces with FBI Special Agent Stein Nordahl, a man who has spent years hunting the assassin responsible for his own father's death.

As the search intensifies, Britt and Stein uncover a web of secrets that reaches deep into the intelligence world. Forced on the run through the unforgiving Pacific Northwest wilderness, they face deadly ambushes, corrupt agents, and betrayals from people they thought they could trust.

But time is running out for Willow.

To save the girl and stop Abaddon's catastrophic plans, Britt must confront the darkest question of all--whether she is defined by the blood in her veins or the choices she makes.

Because the world's most dangerous assassin has finally come looking for his daughter.

And in a battle shaped by secrets, betrayal, and faith, Britt must decide what kind of legacy she will claim.

What upcoming release are you eagerly awaiting?