Book Review of A Heart's Danger by Colleen Coble

Book Review of A Heart's Danger by Colleen Coble

  
A Heart's Danger (A Journey of the Heart #3)
by Colleen Coble

 

On the brink of war with the Sioux, a young woman risks everything to expose the betrayal threatening the man she loves.

 

Christmas is coming, and the air at Fort Laramie has turned cold . . . but relations with the Sioux have turned colder. As tensions between soldiers and natives approach a tipping point, Ben Croftner and Jessica DuBois prepare a trap for Rand Campbell.

 

Bitter from rejection and backfired plans, Croftner has enlisted the help of Rand's new fiancee to keep Rand from ever returning to Sarah Montgomery . . . for whom his heart clearly still yearns.

 

Sarah is simply trying to move on with her life at Fort Laramie, but doing so under the watchful eyes of both Campbell--the man whose love she craves--and Croftner--the man whose lies have cost her everything. Will Rand fall victim to the conspiracy and go through with his wedding? Or will he declare his love for Sarah and make good on the promises that brought her into the rugged western territories? (less)
Paperback, 100 pages
Published May 5th 2015 by Thomas Nelson

 

Leona's Review:

 

This is the first book I have read by Colleen Coble and even though it was a very fast read, it had a good story.

 

Sarah Montgomery is the main female character and Rand Campbell is the main male character; they have known each other for years. Rand is engaged to someone and thinks Sarah is in love with another.

 

Sarah has been kidnapped and Rand is searching for her in part of the story.

 

The author has written this book like she has been in the area. Flapjacks, jackrabbit, purple mountains, boot prints, a fort, sagebrush and other adjectives that place the reader in the area.

We have a villain, friendship, brothers, Sioux, love, survival, mystery and more in this short story.

 

God and faith are present in A Heart's Danger.

 

The book is dedicated to: In memory of my brother Randy Rhoads, who taught me to love the mountains of Wyoming, and my grandparents Everett and Eileen Everroad, who loved me unconditionally.  May you walk those heavenly mountains with joy.

 

I am giving it a 4 star because it did hold my attention. I will read the other books of the series, Journey of the Heart. The books are: A Heart's Disguise, A Heart Obsession, A Heart's Danger, A Heart's Betrayal, A Heart's Promise and A Heart's Home.  This is a series but the books can be read on their own.

 

Colleen Coble may be found: www.colleencoble.com, @colleencoble, and colleencoblebooks on Facebook. She is also on goodreads.com.

 

This is a Thomas Nelson & Zondervan Fiction. I was given a complimantary copy to read and review. The opinions are my own.

 

Leona Olson

www.mnleona.blogspot.com

Book Review of Passion for the Game by Sylvia Day

   

Passion for the Game by Sylvia Day

From goodreads.com:

Passion for the Game (Georgian #2)

by Sylvia Day (Goodreads Author)

3.99 of 5 stars 3.99  ·   rating details  ·  2,881 ratings  ·  144 reviews

For the notorious Lady Winter, seduction and duplicity are required to survive. Cunning and precision are the tools of pirate Christopher St. John. Pitted against one another, they are a surprise waiting to happen...

Set A Criminal To Catch A Criminal...

Christopher St. John and Maria, Lady Winter, are infamous in Society for their misdeeds and their charming allures. Wherever they go, scandalized whispers and covetous glances follow. A ruthless pirate and a widow, whose two husbands have met untimely deaths, the wickedly renowned figures are even more intriguing to the authorities. Now they've been set on the most provocative of tasks—St. John is released from prison to learn the "Wintry Widow's" intimate secrets, while Lady Winter is charged with performing a similar deception in reverse. One will succeed. One will hang.

From Ballroom To Bedroom, They're Perfectly Matched...

With the fate of loved ones in the balance, the unlikely couple embarks upon a battle of wills and wits that takes them from glittering ballrooms to the depths of the underworld to the candlelit pleasures of the bedroom. As they fall helpless to a desire and startling affinity neither expected, the deadly web of their subterfuge closes in, forcing them to make a choice. Individual freedom? Or an audacious scheme to keep an impossible yet irresistible love... 

Leona's Review:

This is my first read by Sylvia Day.

First a warning to readers that this book has sexual language and scenes.

I find two very strong personalities at the beginning of the book but they seem to melt within reach of each other.

There is substance in this book and I found it well written. Maria Winter is searching for her half sister who is in the control of Maria's step-father. Christopher St. John is a pirate who is spying on Maria because she is believed to kill her two husbands.

There is a lot of mystery, other characters, some historical facts and plenty of bedroom scenes. I would have liked it more without the sex scenes and language but this is my opinion.

I won this book from Sylvia Day and so did want to read and review. I did find it an interesting read.

I see from other reviews, this book has already had the characters in previous book but it is a stand alone read.

I will give it a 4 start rating. I will probably read another book by this author.

Find Sylvia Day on www.goodreads.com and www.sylviaday.com

Leona Olson

http://www.mnleona.blogspot.com

Book Review of The Chocolate Book Bandit by JoAnna Carl

   

Review of The Chocolate Book Bandit by JoAnna Carl.

 

From amazon.com:

 

When it turns out a member of Warner Pier’s library board has been living on borrowed time, Lee is determined to discover who wrote the victim’s final chapter… 
Lee McKinney Woodyard, manager of TenHuis Chocolade, has been offered a position on the local library board. Before she accepts, she decides to check out their monthly meeting at the town’s historic library.
 
Rumors are flying about the rugged new board director, Henry “Butch” Cassidy, and the changes he allegedly plans to make. Butch is indeed attractive—but Lee doesn’t get a chance to find out about his proposals. The meeting is interrupted by the terrified screams of the library clerk.
 
The clerk has discovered the lifeless body of prim and proper Abigail Montgomery, a retiring member of the board. Suddenly everyone in attendance—including Lee—is a suspect. And, as Lee finds out, they’ve all got something to hide....
 
Includes Tasty Chocolate Trivia!

 

Leona's Review:

 

I picked up this book from the library because I have found these cozy mysteries easy and quick to read.

 

This is the first of the series I have read by JoAnna Carl but this was a stand alone read.

 

Lee McKinney Woodyard has moved to Michigan to work at her aunt's chocolate business.  She has an invitation to serve on the library board as well as the tourism bureau so goes to the library board meeting to help make her decision.

When at the meeting someone finds the body of a member of the board in the basement.

 

I found that some distractions such as a "crush" on the new library director and her husband's kiss with an old flame a little different touch on this type of book but it did add to the mystery of what else was happening in the book other than the murder (s).

 

I liked the chocolate trivia but would have liked at least some chocolate recipes. 

 

I think the title of the book was a little misleading.  I will have to read the other books in the series.

 

Even though there were some very mild sexual comments it is still a clean book. No bad language.

 

I will give a jump from a 3  1/2 star to a 4 star because the author knew it was a "chicken fried steak" and how to fix it.  Up North they call it " country fried steak".

 

JoAnna Carl may be found at http://www.joannacarl.com/; also on freshfiction.com and goodreads.com.

 

Leona Olson

http:/www.mnleona.blogspot.com

 

 

 

 

Book Review of Wilderness Rising by A. L.Shields

Wilderness Rising by A. L. Shields

 

 

 

From goodreads.com

 A. L. Shields pseudonym for New York Times best-selling author Stephen L. Carter comes the thrilling sequel to The Church Builder.

An age-old struggle between the enemies of God and the champions of faith.

A rumored relic that could prove Christ performed miracles or declare him a fraud.

A woman on the run from international authorities.

Bethany Barclay is fighting to outwit the Wilderness, an ancient and powerful cabal bent on destroying Christianity. Its members murdered her best friend, framed her for acts of terrorism, and captured the brilliant teen hacker she vowed to protect. To ransom the girl, Bethany must find the Pilate Stone a mysterious first-century artifact that might not even exist.

But she is not the only one looking for the stone. In an international landscape of double agents, Bethany finds it impossible to tell friend from foe. The Garden, a secret group of powerful intellectuals sworn to save the Church and help Bethany, is collapsing under the rising power of the Wilderness. And an ocean separates her from her only proven ally the lone wolf Ray Fuentes, who has battles of his own to fight.

A sparse trail of breadcrumbs takes Bethany across Europe into a labyrinth of academics, art historians, and followers of a reclusive monastic order. As her quest transforms into an ever more complex and dangerous game, unlikely actors in the drama emerge. Some are ruthlessly devoted to preserving a world where faith is possible. Others aim to brutally, and finally, undermine belief.

Including her own.

Leona's Review:

 

I have read The Church Builder by A. L. Shields  so when I saw this was a book available for review, I chose it. I do think it is best to read The Church Builder first but not necessary.

 

Bethany Barclay is a lawyer and now is charged with murder with the Federal Bureau of Investigation after her. She has used a fake passport to go to London and knows she is being watched.

 

Bethany Barclay is searching for a relic, the Pilate Stone that would prove Pontius Pilate wrote that Jesus was real. The Pilate Stone may not even be exist but many are searching.

 

There are two main groups who are on opposite sides; the Garden and the Wilderness.

 

The book takes you through many twists and turns and for awhile, I was not really sure who was the bad guy or the good guy at times. It takes the reader to International places with mystery, espionage and intrigue. Lives are lost and some are in danger.

A. L. Shields has proven a great book can be written without bad language.

The book is dedicated to: Once more, to my children 

 

I received a complimentary copy of Wilderness Rising from booklookbloggers to read and review. The opinion are my own. I give this a five star rating.

The book is published by Zondervan. It si available on e-book as well as audio.

 

A. L. Shields can be found on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/ALShieldsAuthor.

 

From goodreads.com:

About this author

Stephen L. Carter is the William Nelson Cromwell Professor of Law at Yale where he has taught since 1982. He has published seven critically acclaimed nonfiction books on topics ranging from affirmative action to religion and politics. His first novel, The Emperor of Ocean Park (2002), was an immediate national best seller. His latest novel is New England White (Knopf, 2007). A recipient of the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literature-Fiction, he lives near New Haven, Connecticut."

Also writes under the pen name A.L Shields.

Leona Olson

http://www.mnleona.blogspot.com