Author: Iola Goulton

She'd never had the time of her life at any party—and the fancier the parties got, the worse her chances were.

Book Review | For Love and Country by Candace Waters

For Love and Country isn’t a typical novel.

It’s more historical fiction with romantic elements rather than a pure romance. It’s from a Christian fiction publisher, but it’s more Christian-lite. There’s very little that’s overtly Christian, but also no on-page violence or sexual content.

The story moves in fits and starts. The first three chapters move relatively slowly as they introduce Lottie, her fiance, and her background. But the story then skips ahead, sometimes days or weeks at a time and that felt a little off, as though something was missing. The writing is solid but not spectacular, but it’s a compelling story and I found it hard to put down (which is saying something, given my current attention span. Thanks, lockdown and quarantine).

Lottie is one of the most original characters I’ve come across.

She’s a child of wealth and privilege, in that her father owns a Detroit motor company. On that basis, it’s not altogether surprising that Lottie is interested in cars and engines. What is perhaps surprising is that she’s prepared to give up her lifestyle and her fiance to serve in the WAVES—Women Accepted for Voluntary Emergency Service.

For Love and Country by Candace Waters is a must-read for fans of World War II fiction from authors such as Sarah Sundin and J'nell Ciesielski. #BookReview #ChristianFiction Share on X

I’ve read various novels about women serving in World War I and II, but I think this is the first I’ve read about the WAVES. I enjoyed the historical aspects, especially watching Lottie’s challenges in working in a male-dominated field. But I also enjoyed Lottie’s personal journey, her realisation that we do get to make choices in life and how those choices can change us.

Overall, For Love and Country is a must-read for fans of World War II fiction from authors such as Sarah Sundin and J’nell Ciesielski.

Thanks to Howard Books and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

About For Love and Country

When Lottie Palmer runs away the day before her wedding to join the Navy WAVES program, she not only leaves behind a fiancé, but also the privileged lifestyle that she has known as the daughter of one of the most important manufacturers in Detroit’s auto industry. Spurred by a desire to contribute meaningfully to the war effort, Lottie pours all of her focus and determination into becoming the best airplane mechanic in the division, working harder than she’s ever worked before.

Her grit impresses her handsome instructor, Captain Luke Woodward. But when the war ramps up and she is assigned to Pearl Harbor she must fight her growing feelings for Luke and navigate her role as one of the only female mechanics among a group of men, all while finding out what it means to be your own hero.

Illuminating the story of a woman who sets out to make a difference in the world by following her heart, Candace Waters draws on her extensive research, transporting us from Detroit to New York, and San Diego to Pearl Harbor during the tumultuous time of World War II.

Find For Love and Country online at:

Amazon | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong

Read the introduction of For Love and Country below:

First Line Friday

First Line Friday | Week 134 | Love’s Rescue by Christine Johnson

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. Today I’m sharing from Love’s Rescue by Christine Johnson—a novel that’s been languishing on my to-read pile for too long. Here’s the first line of Chapter One:

The gale nearly knocked Elizabeth Benjamin flat. In all of her sixteen years, she'd never experienced such terrible winds, and Key West enjoyed its share of storms.

What’s the book nearest you, and what’s the first line?

 

About Love’s Rescue

When her mother dies, Elizabeth Benjamin heads home to Key West, determined to transform herself into the perfect Southern belle her parents always wished her to be. But nothing goes according to plan. Her crippled brother resents her, the servants do not obey her, and Rourke O’Malley, the dashing man she vowed to forget, refuses to relinquish his hold on her heart. Worst of all, it becomes painfully obvious that her father is not the upright man he appears to be.

As family secrets come to light, Elizabeth is faced with a difficult choice: to do her duty and abandon her dreams, or to leave her life of privilege behind to chase the man her father sees as little better than a pirate.

From the first emotional page, author Christine Johnson throws readers into a world of impossible choices, hidden desires, and heart-melting romance in the steamy south. Readers will cheer for Elizabeth and Rourke as they battle the odds and the elements to secure their future.

You can find Love’s Rescue online at:

Amazon | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong

 

Click the button to check out what my fabulous fellow FirstLineFriday bloggers are sharing today:

You can then click the link which will take you to the master page of all this week’s #FirstLineFriday posts.

And you can click here to check out my previous FirstLineFriday posts.

Share your first line in the comments, and happy reading!

And don’t forget to click here to check out my Amazon shop for my top picks in Christian fiction!

New Releases in Christian Fiction

New Releases in Christian Fiction | May 2020

Another month has passed—one that has possibly been the longest yet busiest on record (at least for me). But I did manage to read a few books, and there are definitely a few I’m interested in the May new releases. I’ve just started A Mosaic of Wings by Kimberly Duffy, and I’m looking forward to The Trouble With Love by Toni Shiloh, and Pretending to Wed by Melissa Jagears.

I’ve already read Stay with Me by Becky Wade, and my review will post next week. It’s a great start to a new series.

What about you? What’s on your to-read pile for May?

More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website.

Children’s

The Edge of Everywhen by A.S. Mackey — Begin with an ancient, mysterious, self-aware book. Add two heartbroken children, reeling from the loss of their mother. Mix in a cantankerous aunt, dreams that see the future, and a father trying to make his way home and you get “The Edge of Everywhen,” a captivating tale of loss, hope, revelation, and unexplained mystery. “The Edge of Everywhen” is a book-lover’s book, a story of intrigue in which two children embark upon a life-changing journey of faith. (Middle Grade from B & H Publishing)

Contemporary Romance:

A Mother’s Homecoming by Lisa Carter — Charmed by the two-year-old twins in her toddler tumbling class, Maggie Arledge is shocked to learn they’re the children she gave up for adoption. And when Bridger Hollingsworth—the uncle caring for the boys—needs an emergency nanny, she fits the bill. But with sparks flying between her and Bridger, can she let herself get attached…and risk exposing secrets from her past? (Romance from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

Love is in the Air by Tanya Eavenson, Candee Fick, Kathleen Friesen, Laura V. Hilton, and Kathleen Rouser — This collection of five brand new Christian romances is sure to send your heart soaring. Journey from Canada to Georgia and Colorado to Paris by way of Michigan as these couples find love is in the air. All they had to do was look up. (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)

The Trouble With Love by Toni Shiloh — I, Holiday Brown, have it all. A platinum record. Multi-million dollar home in Manhattan that I share with my two best friends. Life is looking fantastic until my roommate’s brother decides to bunk in our guestroom while his house gets renovated. W. Emmett Bell has always been the bane of my existence. He’s annoying, stubborn, a know it all, and just might be the most gorgeous man I’ve ever laid eyes on. But I refuse to fall for him. But when his sister’s threatened by a stalker, dynamics change. His unwavering faith isn’t quite as self-righteous as I’d always thought, and maybe he has a good side I’ve overlooked all these years. Or maybe it’s all too much trouble. (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)

Hadley Beckett’s Next Dish by Bethany Turner — Hadley Beckett became the star of the Culinary Channel following hot-tempered celebrity chef Max Cavanagh’s public fall from grace. But when Max returns, career in shambles, his only chance for redemption is to work alongside the beloved host of “At Home with Hadley.” Will these two polar opposites burn down the kitchen—or fall in love? (Contemporary Romance from Revell – A Division of Baker Publishing Group)

Stay with Me by Becky Wade — When acclaimed Bible study author Genevieve Woodward receives an anonymous letter referencing her parents’ past, she returns to her hometown in the Blue Ridge mountains to chase down her family’s secret. However, it’s Genevieve’s own secret that catches up to her when Sam Turner, owner of an historic farm, uncovers the source of shame she’s worked so hard to hide. (Contemporary Romance from Bethany House [Baker])

General:

Within Golden Bands by Norma Gail — Newly married Bonny MacDonell finds the transition from American college professor to Scottish sheep farmer’s wife more difficult than she expected. When her miracle pregnancy ends in a devastating miscarriage, she fears her husband’s reaction will hurt more than the loss of their child. But Kieran never shows up at the hospital. When found, he is beaten and unconscious. The only memory of his attacker is the words, “Get off my land.” Reeling from the threat to her husband and the loss of their child, Bonny struggles to hold her marriage together. When faith in love is not enough, where do you turn? (Contemporary, Independently Published)

The Society of Second Chances by Deborah Raney — The Society of Second Chances faces a real challenge, as they try to uncover a way to help Harmoni Branaham—a young woman just released from prison. (Women’s Fiction from Guideposts Publications)

Unveiling the Past by Kim Vogel Sawyer — Newlywed cold-case detectives Sean Eagle and Meghan DeFord struggle between past wounds and their desire for a family when one of them takes on a case involving parental abandonment. (Women’s Fiction from Waterbrook/Multnomah [Random House])

Historical:

Moondrop Miracle by Jennifer Lamont Leo — Chicago, 1928. Pampered socialite Connie Shepherd lives the kind of glossy life other women read about in the society pages. Engaged to a handsome financier, she spends her days and nights in a dizzying social round. When eccentric Aunt Pearl, an amateur chemist, offers her an unusual wedding present—the formula for a home-brewed skin tonic—Connie laughs it off. But when the Great Depression flings her privileged world into chaos and rocks her marriage to the core, will Aunt Pearl’s strange gift provide the key to survival for Connie and her baby? (Historical from Mountain Majesty Media)

Tranquility Point by Pamela S. Meyers — Hannah’s life couldn’t be sweeter—a marriage proposal and law school. Then the Great War intrudes and everything sours. (Historical from Mantle Rock Publishing)

Historical Romance:

A Mosaic of Wings by Kimberly Duffy — A driven entomologist travels to India in an attempt to win a coveted scholarship and save her late father’s scientific journal. But in this enchanting land, she discovers that there are some things more important than success. (Historical Romance from Bethany House [Baker])

Rocky Mountain Redemption by Lisa J. Flickinger — Fleeing a broken engagement, Isabelle Franklin joins her aunt to feed a camp of lumberjacks in the Rocky Mountains. She doesn’t expect to fall for camp foreman Charles Bailey, nicknamed “Preach,” who is struggling between his hard past and his newfound faith. When the ghosts from her past return to haunt her, the choices she will make change the course of her life forever—and that of the man she’s come to love. (Historical Romance from Wild Heart Books)

Pretending to Wed by Melissa Jagears — It’s a match made in heaven…as long as they don’t fall in love! The ranch Nolan Key has spent decades working for, even lost a leg for, is now his—or at least it should be. But an absurd clause in his father’s will means he’s in danger of losing the place to his lazy, undeserving cousin. Nolan finds himself scrambling to save his home—by proposing marriage to the town laundress. Corinne Stillwater’s hands have betrayed her. Numb from hours of doing the same work over and over, her hands will only heal, according to the town doctor, if she gives up the laundry and marries. But she’s been stung repeatedly by love before, so that is one remedy she can’t swallow. When Nolan offers Corinne a marriage in name only, how can she refuse? Such a partnership could give them the security they seek, but what if the ranch isn’t as secure as they believe, and their lives—and dreams—aren’t quite as compatible as they thought? (Historical Romance, Independently Published)

The Sinner in Mississippi by D.L. Lane — The story of Mississippi Singletary, born to a fearful mother and an abusive father in a rundown shack outside of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Historical Romance from By Faith Publishing)

The Mechanic & The MD by Linda Shenton Matchett — Woman mechanic Doris Strealer has a hard time finding love until she joins the Red Cross Motor Corps and comes face to face with her past in the form of Van Toppel, an old classmate. On the brink of a successful career as a surgeon, Van’s plans crumble when he’s drafted and assigned to an evacuation hospital in England, the last place he expects to run into a former schoolmate. The gangly tomboy who was four years behind him in high school has transformed into a statuesque beauty, but a broken engagement in college leaves him with no desire to risk his heart ever again. Will the hazards of war make or break a romance between this unlikely couple? (Historical Romance from Shortwave Press)

Masquerade at Middlecrest Abbey by Abigail Wilson — In this new Regency romance, Elizabeth knows she must protect her heart from the charm of her new husband, Lord Torrington. She is not, however, prepared to protect her life. (Historical Mystery from HarperCollins Christian Publishing)

Romantic Suspense:

Standoff (Natchez Trace Park Rangers) by Patricia Bradley — The Natchez Trace National Parkway stretches 444 miles from Nashville to Natchez, the oldest town on the Mississippi River. It’s the perfect road for a relaxed pleasure drive. Unfortunately for park ranger Luke Fereday, lately it’s being used to move drugs. Sent to Natchez to infiltrate the organization at the center of the drug ring, Luke arrives too late to a stakeout and discovers the body of his friend, park ranger John Danvers. John’s daughter Brooke is determined to investigate her father’s murder, but things are more complicated than they first appear, and Brooke soon finds herself the target of a killer who will do anything to silence her. Luke will have his hands full keeping her safe. But who’s going to keep him safe when he realizes he’s falling–hard–for the daughter of the man he failed to save? (Romantic Suspense from Revell – A Division of Baker Publishing Group)

Untraceable Evidence by Sharee Stover — Someone’s after a deadly weapon…and only she can stop them. It’s undercover ATF agent Randee Jareau’s job to make sure the government’s 3-D printed “ghost gun” doesn’t fall into the wrong hands. So when someone goes after scientist Ace Steele, she must protect him…before she loses the undetectable weapon and its creator. But with a mole inside Ace’s company and everyone a suspect, this assignment could become Randee’s last. (Romantic Suspense from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

Medieval Fantasy:

The Story Hunter by Lindsay A. Franklin — In this epic conclusion to The Weaver Trilogy, Tanwen and the Corsyth weavers must rescue the queen and rid Tir of the Master once and for all, but the success of their hunt depends upon an ally no one trusts, and the fate of the kingdom rests in the hands of a volatile, shattered girl. (Medieval Fantasy from Enclave Publishing)

Young Adult:

You’re Brilliant by Julie Arduini — Amazing things happen when a group of high school students and women discover they are more than competent. (Young Adult from Surrendered Scribe Media)

 

 

Plus check out these recent additions to Fiction Finder published within the past month:

Lost Down Deep by Sara Davidson, Romantic Suspense
Son of Mary by R.S. Ingermanson, Biblical
Then There Was You by D. L. Lane, Romantic Suspense
Love’s Silver Bullet by Julie Lessman, Historical Romance
Tug of War by Brenda C. Poulos, Thriller/Suspense
The Scholar’s Quest: The Way by Brad Rucker, Adventure
Illusions by Jennifer Sienes, General Contemporary
The Lost Lieutenant by Erica Vetsch, Historical Romance
A Beautiful Arrangement by Beth Wiseman, Amish Romance

Have your reading habits changed during lockdown?

Bookish Question #153 | Have Your Reading Habits Changed During Lockdown?

We live in strange times.

A huge proportion of the global population is in some kind of lockdown in an effort to curb the spread of the Covid-19 virus. Many people are scared. As Christians, we know God has not given us a spirit of fear, but love. But knowing that doesn’t change our situation: working from home (if we’re lucky enough to be able to), supervising our children’s schooling, and not going out except to the supermarket.

I’ve seen a lot of writers on social media saying they’re having trouble writing in the current situation.

I’ve seen readers saying they can’t concentrate to read, or that they are actively seeking out some genres and avoiding others.

I’ve also seen reports that the consumption of audiobooks has dropped. Most people listened to them as they commuted to and from work, but no one is commuting right now. I don’t listen to audiobooks, but I’ve also stopped listening to podcasts since I’ve been working at home again.

I’ve found my reading habits have changed.

I’m not reading less. That weekly reminder on my telephone tells me I’m reading more. The change is in what I’m reading.

I’m reading a lot more news—mostly the local news site (Stuff, because it’s free), plus BBC News and Al Jazeera (because they are international and more impartial than other sources).

I’m reading more for pure entertainment. Over the last month, I’ve read about a dozen books from my to-read pile. Okay, so I didn’t finish some of them, but they are now in my to-donate bag, rather than cluttering my bookfloor.

Bookfloor: place where books get stored when the bookshelf is full.

But I’m finding it really hard (well, impossible) to concentrate on books on my review pile. There are a handful I’ve finished but haven’t yet written reviews for. There are even more that I’ve started but haven’t finished.

So please forgive me if some of my reviews are briefer and less informative than usual.

What about you? Has lockdown changed your reading habits?

She'd spent more time crafting social media posts to make it look like she was flourishing than she'd invested in actual flourishing.

Book Review | Stay With Me (Misty River Romance #1) by Becky Wade

Eighteen years ago, Genevieve was one of five miracle children who survived days trapped in rubble in San Salvador, after an earthquake hits the during their junior high mission trip. Now, she’s an online celebrity, a famous author of Bible studies for women. And she’s hiding a prescription drug addiction that could destroy her career, and wondering what secrets her family is hiding. Because there is definitely something, if the anonymous letter she received is any indication.

But she knows something has to change after she wakes up in a stranger’s house with no memory of how she got there. But she can’t go to rehab. That would mean the end of her career. And there is also the question of how her parents will react, especially her overprotective mother.

Sam Turner is an Australian American who owns his own coffee shop and is a big advocate of healthy eating and healthy lifestyles. (Okay, so the one thing I’m not convinced about is a man who voluntarily eats kale, but there you go.) Anyway, Sam agrees—against his better judgment—to help Genevieve detox.

Stay With Me is a strong romance with excellent characters. It’s strong Christian fiction, because faith is central to both Genevieve and Sam’s lives. But the real strength is the way it deals with Genevieve’s addition, an issue that’s rarely discussed in Christian fiction, and the subtle warning against putting other Christians—especially Christian leaders—on pedestals.

Stay With Me by @BeckyWade is a great start to a new series, a Christian novel that isn't afraid to ask tough questions about faith and life. #BookReview #ChristianRomance Share on X

Stay With Me is a great start to a new series, a Christian novel that isn’t afraid to ask tough questions about faith and life. Recommended.

Thanks to Baker Publishing and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

About Becky Wade

Author Photo Becky WadeBecky is the Carol and Christy award winning author of heartwarming, humorous, and swoon-worthy contemporary inspirational romances.

During her childhood in California, Becky frequently produced homemade plays starring her sisters, friends, and cousins. These plays almost always featured a heroine, a prince, and a love story with a happy ending. She’s been a fan of all things romantic ever since.

These days, you’ll find Becky in Dallas, Texas failing to keep up with her housework, trying her best in yoga class, carting her three kids around town, watching TV with her Cavalier spaniel on her lap, hunched over her computer writing, or eating chocolate.

You can find Becky Wade online at:

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter

About Stay With Me

A mysterious letter alluding to a secret in her parents’ past brings Genevieve Woodward back to her Blue Ridge Mountains hometown, but she’s also in need of a break from a high-profile career that has left her dangerously burned out and concealing a powerful secret of her own. When she wakes inside an unfamiliar cottage to find the confused owner staring down at her, she can no longer ignore the fact that she needs help.

Sam Turner has embraced his sorrow and his identity as an outsider. The solitary, disciplined life he lives on his historic farm is the life he’s chosen for himself. The last thing he wants is to rent his cottage to a woman as troubled as she is talkative. Yet, he can’t force himself to turn her away right when she needs him most.

As Genevieve researches her family’s history and her and Sam’s emotions deepen, they will have to let go of the facades and loneliness they’ve clung to and allow light to illuminate every hidden truth.

Find Stay With Me online at:

Amazon | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong

And don’t forget to click here to check out my Amazon shop for my top picks in Christian fiction!

First Line Friday

First Line Friday | Week 133 | One Thing I Know by Kara Isaac

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. Today I’m sharing from One Thing I Know by Kara Isaac. Yes, I know I’ve shared this before. But I’m currently re-reading it. Tip: it’s even better the second time around!

Rachel Somers wasn't sure what bothered her more: conning most of America, or the fact that they'd been doing it for almost a decade and no one even suspected.

 

What’s the book nearest you, and what’s the first line?

 

About One Thing I Know

She has the whole world fooled. But the one man who just may see through her holds not only the key to her success, but also her heart…

Rachel Somers is America’s #1 relationship coach—America just doesn’t know it. Rachel writes the books, but her Aunt Donna plays the face of the operation. Living in fear of their secret being exposed, Rachel has no choice but to keep up the charade or lose the big money required to care for her father. With the deadline for their next book closing in, Rachel finds herself out of inspiration and running out of time. The last thing she needs is her aunt and publicist concocting a harebrained scheme to join forces with some radio star in the hope it will help deliver the elusive next book idea.

Lucas Grant is a star of late night radio—though it’s come with an unexpected price of hoards of women who keep calling his sports show to ask him for relationship advice. They make his ratings look great, but they also mean he has to waste hours talking to people like Dr. Donna Somerville about feelings instead of his first love: football. When a big-time producer calls, it looks like his hard work is about to pay off. But the offer comes with a catch—the producer is convinced Dr. Donna is not what she seems and he wants Lucas to discover her secret. To do that, he needs to win over her tight-lipped assistant who holds the key to his success and—he begins to suspect—his heart. Can love find a way through the lies that force them apart?

You can find One Thing I Know online at:

Amazon US | Amazon AU | ChristianBook | Goodreads

 

Click the button to check out what my fabulous fellow FirstLineFriday bloggers are sharing today:

You can then click the link which will take you to the master page of all this week’s #FirstLineFriday posts.

And you can click here to check out my previous FirstLineFriday posts.

 

Share your first line in the comments, and happy reading!

 

And don’t forget to click here to check out my Amazon shop for my top picks in Christian fiction!

Do you read more ebooks or print books or audiobooks?

Bookish Question #152 | Do you read more ebooks or print books or audiobooks?

Yes, yes, I know. We don’t “read” audiobooks. We listen to them.

But audiobooks are, first and foremost, written. And listening to an audiobook might not be the same experience as reading a book, but the words are the same. Unlike, say, watching a movie or TV series based on the same book.

Personally, I’m not an audiobook fan, but that’s because it takes longer to listen to the book than it takes me to read it. I am definitely an ebook fan, and there are three main reasons I’ve converted from print books to ebooks over the last decade:

Availability

Ebooks are easy to buy, and appear on my Kindle within seconds.

Price

Ebooks are cheaper than paper books. A new release from my local Christian bookshop costs around USD 20. That same new release costs no more than USD 10 as an ebook. But there are hundreds of great indie authors selling their ebooks of USD 3 to USD 5.

Print Size

It’s a function of age and years in front of a computer, but I now need computer or reading glasses. But the Kindle has the handy ability to increase the print size at the click of a button. I’ve tried using the same technique in paper books, but it doesn’t work …

Also, the Kindle is lighter than a book, so easier to , and easier to fit in even the smallest handbag.

What about you? Do you read more ebooks or print books, or listen to audiobooks?

Savannah, call for you on line one. Says he's a reporter. Never heard of him.

Book Review | Flight Risk by Cara C Putman

Attorney Savannah Daniels is working on a legal case for Mnemosyne, a new form of black box for aircraft. Journalist Jeff Glover is working on the piece that might earn him a Pulitzer, an expose of a famous sportsman and his dodgy holidays to Thailand with three other men. Their paths intersect because one of the men Jeff is investigating is Savannah’s ex-husband … and the father of her niece. Savannah finds herself in the middle of the mystery when a plane crashes with the sportsman on board … as well as a Mnemosyne box.

Yes, the plot is more complex than most. There are plenty of twist and turns, and a few red herrings. How did the box get on the aircraft? Is Susannah’s husband the dodgy scum Glover’s article implies? Is there a conspiracy, or is it all a series of odd coincidences? Questions. Lots of questions. Even better, the questions and answers all make sense in the end (unlike some suspense novels where the big reveal is tied to a logical impossibility).

Flight Risk is my favourite kind of romantic suspense novel, one that grabs you from the get-go and doesn't let up. It's one of Cara Putman's best. #BookReview #ChristianFiction Share on X

Flight Risk was my favourite kind of romantic suspense novel, one that grabs you from the get-go and doesn’t let up. I’m usually a fan of character-driven fiction. This was more plot-driven, but in a way that was totally compelling. It’s another must-from a top Christian romantic suspense author—I think it’s one of Cara Putman’s best.

Thanks to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

About Cara Putman

Cara PutmanAs a preteen Cara Putman watched lawyers change legislative opinions at an important legislative hearing in Nebraska. At that time, she wondered if she became an attorney if people would give her words the same weight. An honors graduate of the University of Nebraska Lincoln, George Mason University School of Law and Krannert School of Management at Purdue University, Cara has turned her passion for words into award-winning stories that capture readers. Her legal experience makes its way into her stories where strong women confront real challenges.

The award-winning author of more than 25 titles, Cara writes legal thrillers, WWII romances, and romantic suspense because she believes that no matter what happens hope is there, waiting for us to reach for it.

When she’s not writing, Cara is an over-educated attorney who lectures in law and communications at the Krannert School of Management at Purdue University and homeschools her children. She and her family live in Indiana, the land of seasons.

You can find Cara Putman online at:

Website Facebook Instagram Twitter Pinterest

About Flight Risk

Savannah Daniels has worked hard to build her law practice, to surround herself with good friends, and to be the loyal aunt her troubled niece can always count on. But since her ex-husband’s betrayal, she has trouble trusting anyone.

Jett Glover’s father committed suicide over a false newspaper report that ruined his reputation. Now a fierce champion of truth, Jett is writing the story of his journalism career—an international sex-trafficking exposé that will bring down a celebrity baseball player and the men closest to him, including Savannah’s ex-husband.

When Jett’s story breaks, tragedy ensues. Then a commercial airline crashes, and one of Savannah’s clients is implicated in the crash. Men connected to the scandal, including her ex, begin to die amid mysterious circumstances, and Savannah’s niece becomes an unwitting target.

Against their better instincts, Jett and Savannah join ranks to sort the facts from fiction. But can Savannah trust the reporter who threw her life into chaos? And can Jett face the possibility that he’s made the biggest mistake of his life?

You can find Flight Risk online at:

Amazon | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong

Read the introduction to Flight Risk below:

And don’t forget to click here to check out my Amazon shop for my top picks in Christian fiction!

First Line Friday

First Line Friday | Week 132 | The Happy Camper by Melody Carlson

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. Today I’m sharing from The Happy Camper by Melody Carlson, as Revell were kind enough to send me a paperback review copy. Yay for #Bookmail in the middle of a lockdown!

Here’s the first line of Chapter One:

Dillon Michaels was fed up—but it wasn't with dinner. In fact, she was ravenous.

I love the cover! They are such happy colours—something that’s good to look at as New Zealand heads into winter.

What’s the book nearest you, and what’s the first line?

About The Happy Camper

Home is the place to heal, right? At least, that’s what Dillon Michaels is hoping as she leaves her disappointing career and nonstarter love life behind to help her grieving and aging grandfather on his small Oregon farm. The only problem? Her eccentric mother beat her there and has taken over Dillon’s old room. After a few nights sleeping on a sagging sofa, Dillon is ready to give up, until she receives an unlikely gift–her grandfather’s run-down vintage camp trailer, which she quickly resolves to restore with the help of Jordan Atwood, the handsome owner of the local hardware store.

But just when things are finally beginning to run smoothly, Dillon’s noncommittal ex-boyfriend shows up with roses . . . and a ring.

Full of quirky characters, family drama, and sweet romance, The Happy Camper will have you scouring Craigslist for your own diamond-in-the-rough camper to restore and haunting your local hardware store for a handy guy to help your dreams come true.

You can find The Happy Camper online at:

Amazon | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong

Click the button to check out what my fabulous fellow FirstLineFriday bloggers are sharing today:

You can then click the link which will take you to the master page of all this week’s #FirstLineFriday posts.

And you can click here to check out my previous FirstLineFriday posts.

Share your first line in the comments, and happy reading!

And don’t forget to click here to check out my Amazon shop for my top picks in Christian fiction!

Do you read widely or mainly stick to favourite book genre/categories?

Bookish Question #151 | Do you read widely or mainly stick to favourite book genre/categories?

It depends …

When my first child was small, I read a book or magazine article that said small children will naturally eat a balanced diet if they are offered a wide choice of foods and given the freedom to choose what they want to eat. They might not eat a balanced diet on any given day, but they will eat a balanced diet over a couple of weeks.

I’m often like that with my reading.

I tend to read several books by a single author or in a single genre at once, then I’ll switch genres. Romance, historical fiction, comedy, nonfiction. Sometimes I’ll read something from my to-review pile, and other times I’ll choose something from my to-read pile. I’m also trying to read new books as I buy them, mostly to avoid my to-read pile getting bigger.

What I choose to read often depends on my mood.

In the first week of lockdown, I wanted to avoid anything serious, so I binge-read romantic comedy novels—anything that didn’t remind me of what was happening in real life (and I’m sure that some people chose to binge-read pandemic or contagion novels for exactly the same reason). I think I’ll move onto historical fiction next.

I do mostly read Christian fiction, and there are some genres I avoid—horror, for one. I’m also not a big nonfiction reader, although I do make occasional exceptions. I will step outside my normal genres … and sometimes that confirms why I like my favourite genres, and sometimes it opens up a new favourite genre.

What about you? Do you read widely, or do you prefer to stick to your favourite genres?