Author: Iola Goulton

First Line Friday

First Line Friday | Week 113 | Hope’s Highest Mountain by Misty M Beller

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 Hope’s Highest Mountain by Misty M Beller—her first title from Bethany House, and the first in the Hearts of Montana series. Here’s the first line of Chapter One:

They say the last man who attempted this died in the doin'. Rest his soul.

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

About Hope’s Highest Mountain

Ingrid Chastain readily agreed to accompany her father to deliver vaccines to a mining town in the Montana Territory. She never could have anticipated a terrible accident would leave her alone and badly injured in the wilderness. When rescue comes in the form of a mysterious mountain man who tends her injuries, she’s hesitant to put her trust in this quiet man who seems to have his own wounds.

Micah Bradley left his work as a doctor after unintentionally bringing home the smallpox disease that killed his wife and daughter. But his self-imposed solitude in the wilds of Montana is broken when he finds Ingrid in desperate need of medical attention, and he’s forced to face his regret and call on his doctoring skills once again.

Micah can’t help but admire Ingrid’s tenacious determination despite the severity of her injuries, until he learns the crate she brought contains smallpox vaccines to help quell a nearby outbreak. With Ingrid dead set on trekking through the mountains to deliver the medicine–with or without his help–he has no choice but to accompany her. As they set off through the treacherous, snow-covered Rocky Mountains against all odds, the journey ahead will change their lives more than they could have known.

You can find Hope’s Highest Mountain online at

Amazon | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Kobo | Koorong

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

First Line Fridays hosted by Hoarding Books

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!

 

Quote from Deadly Intentions: This isn’t some storybook tale where everything ends when the hero kisses the heroine. What about after that?

Throwback Thursday Book Review | Deadly Intentions by Lisa Harris

When one of your colleagues is killed in a home invasion, it’s easy to think it’s a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. But when three of your colleagues die in a year, then someone tries to run you off the road, then it’s easy to start thinking something more suspicious is happening.

Catilyn Lindsey works for a pharmaceutical company, and she’s getting suspicious. She gets even more suspicious when someone runs her car off the road and she barely survives. Caitlyn persuades Josh Solomon, a police detective who is also the widower of the first of Caitlyn’s colleagues to die, to help her investigate. Josh isn’t convinced at first, but it doesn’t take long before the inconsistencies pile up.

Someone is clearly after Caitlyn, and it doesn’t take long before Josh is in trouble too. It’s a great ticking clock chase novel, as Caitlyn and Josh work to find the evildoer … and find the truth.

Deadly Intentions was typical Lisa Harris, a fast-paced thriller with strong and intelligent characters.

It definitely kept me turning the pages (well, flicking the forward button on the Kindle) to get to the end and make sure Caitlyn and Josh both survive …

Deadly Intentions is another gripping Christian romantic suspense novel from Mozambique-based author and missionary Lisa Harris. #ChristianFiction #BookReview Share on X

There is also a romantic thread, and that’s possibly more compelling than the suspense thread. Josh is obviously a widower who lost his wife in tragic circumstances. But Caitlyn has her own issues as well, and one of the strengths of the novel is watching her work through those issues, with Josh’s help. There is also a strong Christian element, as both Caitlyn and Josh are Christians who have to work through where God is in the tough times.

Overall, Deadly Intentions is just what Christian romantic suspense should be.

It’s a great suspense plot, a heroic hero and a hardworking and intelligent heroine, both with a desire to seek justice and put God and others first. Recommended.

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

About Lisa Harris

Lisa HarrisI’m a wife, mom, teacher, author, dreamer, photographer, world explorer, but most importantly a follower of Christ Jesus.

I currently live with my husband near the Indian Ocean in Mozambique where we work as church-planting missionaries. We’ve started the empty next stage with two children spread around the globe and a third—thankfully—still at home.

As a homeschooling mom, life is busy, but I see my writing as an extension of my ministry which also includes running a non-profit organization.

The ECHO Project works in southern Africa promoting Education, Compassion, Health, and Opportunity and is a way for us to “speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves…the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice.” (Proverbs 31:8)

When I’m not working l love hanging out with my family at the beach, playing games, cooking different ethnic dishes, and heading into the African bush on safari.

Find Lisa Harris online at:

Website | Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter

About Deadly Intentions

Research scientist Caitlyn Lindsey is convinced that someone is taking out her team one by one. First, a friend and research partner was killed in a home invasion. Three months ago, her boss died in a suspicious car accident. Four days ago, another partner supposedly committed suicide. And now Caitlyn herself has miraculously survived a hit-and-run. Afraid for her life with nowhere to turn, she reaches out to one of the victim’s husbands, Detective Josh Solomon.

Though initially skeptical about Caitlyn’s theory, Josh soon realizes that the attack that took his wife’s life was anything but random. Now the two of them must discover the truth about who is after Caitlyn’s team–and what their end game is–before it’s too late.

Find Deadly Intentions online at:

Amazon | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong

Read the introduction to Deadly Intentions below:

Don’t forget to click here to check out Deadly Intentions and other great Christian fiction in my Amazon shop!

Who is your favourite Christian romance author?

Bookish Question #131 | Who is your favourite Christian Romance author?

If I thought last week’s question was tough, this is even tougher!

Christian romance is my favourite genre, and I love so many Christian romance authors.

I thought of listing my favourites for about half a second, then realised I could be here all day. Instead, you can download a list of my favourites my signing up for my newsletter (the signup form is in the sidebar). Sign up, and I’ll send you an updated list of my favourites.

If you’re going to twist my arm and make me choose one author, then I’m going to go biased and parochial, and choose Kara Isaac.

Why?

Because her debut, Close to You, was set in New Zealand, and her RITA-winner, Then There Was You, also featured scenes set in Christchurch, New Zealand (check out this Wandering Wednesday post to see more of Christchurch). See, biased and parochial. I warned you.

But there’s more to a Kara Isaac novel than the familiar setting. I love her writing—her plots and characters, and her humour. I also love the way she integrates the Christian elements, subtle as they are sometimes. Basically, I can relate to her characters and their situations.

What about you? Who is your favourite Christian romance author, and why?

There was another rule for her future bestseller on dating: never freak a guy out with three kids twenty-four hours after your first date.

Book Review | The Dating Charade by Melissa Ferguson

I wanted to read The Dating Charade as soon as I heard about it: a couple meet through an online dating service, both having said they’re not interested in children. Within a day of their first date, both find themselves the unexpected guardians of three children.

Oops.

I expected the story to get straight into the first date and the accidental acquisition of children.

It didn’t, which means I did find the beginning slow. However, I was invested enough in the premise to keep going in the hope of the eventual payoff, and I was rewarded. But it took a while, and I may have succumbed to the temptation to skim.

The Dating Charade by Melissa Ferguson takes a while to get going, but is worth the effort. Recommended for fans of Kara Isaac and Jessica Kate. #RomCom #ChristianRomance Share on X

The characters were excellent. Cassie can’t have children, hence her dating profile. But she manages an after-school programme for at-risk children and teens, which is how she ends up with three accidental children. Jett is a firefighter whose upbringing left him certain he doesn’t want children. But then his addict sister shows up with her three pre-schoolers … and leaves without them.

Oops.

The Dating Charade is a romantic comedy, so has the obligatory bizarre situations (like Cassie’s go-to plan for abandoning an undesirable first date). But it also deals with some tough real-life issues in a sensitive way—drug addiction, alcoholism, abandonment, interracial fostering, infertility.

Yes, there are times when it verges on ridiculous, but I find the comic relief is necessary when dealing with such tough subjects. It’s that old line about vinegar and honey, with the comedy being the honey.

Recommended for fans of Kara Isaac and Jessica Kate.

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

About Melissa Ferguson

Melissa Ferguson

Find Melissa Ferguson online at:

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest

About The Dating Charade

Just when you think you’ve met your match . . . the charade begins.Cassie Everson is an expert at escaping bad first dates. And, after years of meeting, greeting, and running from the men who try to woo her, Cassie is almost ready to retire her hopes for a husband—and children—altogether.

But fate has other plans, and Cassie’s online dating profile catches the eye of firefighter Jett Bentley. In Jett’s memory, Cassie Everson is the unreachable girl-of-legend from their high school days. Nervously, he messages her, setting off a chain of events that forces a reluctant Cassie back into the dating game.

No one is more surprised than Cassie when her first date with Jett is a knockout. But when they both go home and find three children dropped in their laps—each—they independently decide to do the right and mature thing: hide the kids from each other while sorting it all out. What could go wrong?

Melissa Ferguson’s hilarious and warmhearted debut reminds us that love can come in very small packages—and that sometimes our best-laid plans aren’t nearly as rewarding and fun as the surprises that come our way.

You can find The Dating Charade online at

Amazon | BookBub | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong

Click here to find The Dating Charade and other great Christian fiction in my Amazon shop.

First Line Friday

First Line Friday | Week 112 | Heart of a Royal by Hannah Currie

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 Heart of a Royal, the debut release from Australian author Hannah Currie. Here’s the first line of Chapter One:

First line from Heart of a Royal: If mortification could kill, I’d be six feet under.

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

About Heart of a Royal

Brought to the palace as a newborn, the royal life bestowed upon Mackenna Sparrow was never meant to last forever. With Princess Alina engaged to be married, Mackenna’s presence as companion is no longer required and, like it or not, she must return to the birthright which should have been hers – that of a commoner. But not everyone at the palace wants her gone.

When the truths she’s based her life on start crumbling as fast as her future, will she find the courage to trust, both herself and the prince she’s fallen in love with?

You can find Heart of a Royal online at

Amazon | Goodreads

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

First Line Fridays hosted by Hoarding Books

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!

Quote from Hidden Secrets by Janet Sketchley: It wouldn’t be running away as long as she came back in the fall. It would be a summer break. Lots of people took them.

Book Review | Hidden Secrets (Green Dory Inn 2) by Janet Sketchley

After her professor fails her for lack of participation, Landon Smith heads back to the Green Dory Inn for the summer to lick her wounds and support Anna—the friend who showed Jesus to Landon when she most needed help.

Hidden Secrets is the second book in the Green Dory Inn Mystery series.

I do recommend you read the first (Unknown Enemy), as that introduced the overall plot arc and many of the characters in Hidden Secrets. Yes, a mystery fan will probably enjoy Hidden Secrets without reading Unknown Enemy first, but there are plot points that won’t make sense without the background knowledge.

While I have read (and reviewed) Unknown Enemy, it was a while ago so I had forgotten some of the plot points and characters. No matter—Hidden Secrets did a good job of reconnecting me with the story without repeating everything that has gone before (a must when you read as many books as I do).

(And for those who like lists, there is a list of key characters.)

Anyway, Landon is back, and just in time as Anna is losing business at the Inn because of some malicious false reviews online. If business doesn’t improve, she might be forced to sell the inn—her late husband’s dream.

There is also a guest investigating the history of the town and the local characters, including the infamous Captain Jack.

But this raises issues as well, as there are secrets to be uncovered.

There were also a few more hints about Landon’s background and recovery, after being trafficked as a teen. While the novel doesn’t go into detail, it’s good to see Christian fiction dealing realistically with some of the more unfortunate sides of modern life.

Hidden Secrets by Janet Sketchley is the second book in the Green Dory Inn Mystery series, set near Halifax, Canada, and it's a fast-paced and compelling story. #ChristianFiction #Mystery Share on X

Overall, Hidden Secrets was a well-written and compelling story, with several layers of secrets. I’ll look forward to reading the next book in the series.

Thanks to the author for providing a free ebook for review.

About Janet Sketchley

Janet Sketchley is an Atlantic Canadian writer who likes her fiction with a splash of mystery or adventure and a dash of Christianity. Why leave faith out of our stories if it’s part of our lives? Her Green Dory Inn series is set near the picturesque town of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. Janet’s other books include the Redemption’s Edge Christian suspense series and the devotional collection, A Year of Tenacity.

Find Janet Sketchley online at:

Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Pinterest | Twitter

About Hidden Secrets

The secrets of Captain Hiltz may not have died with him.

When Landon Smith returns to the Green Dory Inn, she finds innkeeper Anna Young still shaken by the recent vandalism and unable to cope when the inn is targeted in an online vendetta. Prickly neighbour Bobby Hawke can help with Anna’s cyber woes, but when the attacks escalate to physical threats, Landon and Bobby must work together to unmask the culprit.

A cryptic message about a tunnel points to the property’s original owner, a notorious Prohibition-era sea captain rumoured to have left hidden wealth. Contraband, treasure, evidence of things better left buried…

How far will Anna’s enemy go to claim the tunnel and its contents? Protecting Anna will require courage and faith as Landon battles the locals’ attitudes and the scars of her past. Even then, she and Bobby are tracing the faintest of clues. With Anna on the brink of emotional collapse—and danger rising like the tide—time is running out.

Find Hidden Secrets online at:

Amazon | Goodreads

Read the introduction to Hidden Secrets below:

And click here to check out great Christian fiction in my Amazon shop!

Who is your favourite Christian thriller author?

Bookish Question #130 | Who is you favourite Christian thriller author, and why?

Who is your favourite Christian thriller author? What do you like most about his/her books?

Tough question!

I’ve read a lot of Christian thrillers and romantic suspense novels over the years (and part of me prefers romantic suspense, because I like the romance element).

In terms of Christian thrillers I’ve read this year, three names spring to mind: Terri Blackstock, Steven James, and Siri Mitchell.

However, Synapse is the first Steven James novel I’ve read, and one book hardly makes a favourite. I’ve read five or six Siri Mitchell novels, and State of Lies definitely my favourite … but it’s also her first thriller. (She also writes historical fiction as Iris Anthony, and historical and contemporary romance as Siri Mitchell). Again, one book hardly makes a favourite.

So that leaves me with Terri Blackstock. I’ve read several of her series, including the brilliant If I Run series (If I Run, If I Hide, If I Live). As well as being great thrillers, the series is an object lesson in how to write Christian fiction that will appeal to general market readers.

I also loved Blackstock’s Emerald Windows, which was more contemporary romance. I didn’t like her Last Light series. Well, I read the first in the series and couldn’t stand the woman who turned out to be the main character. So I didn’t read the rest of the series.

Her latest is Smoke Screen, is possibly even better than If I Run, and I definitely hope it’s part of a series.

What do I like most about Terri Blackstock’s books?

All the things. The writing is excellent, and her plots and characters are consistently original and full of twists and surprises. I’ve read other suspense or thriller authors and got bored when they start recycling their plots or characters. Yes, there are times when recycling is a bad idea.

She’s also not afraid to go into the deep places in her plots. Smoke Screen centres around a pastor’s daughter who has turned to alcohol since her divorce, and her adulterous husband is now challenging her for custody of their two children. It’s perhaps more subtle suspense than If I Run, but it’s real.

I also love the way Terri Blackstock consistently weaves Christianity into her plots. It’s not the icing on the cake—something that’s added to the top to sweeten the Christian reader. It’s something that’s marbled throughout the story. It’s often subtle at first, then gets more obvious as the story progresses.

So that’s why I love Terri Blackstock’s books. What about you? Who is you favourite Christian thriller author, and why?

Book Review | In the Cradle Lies by Olivia Newport

For some reason, I thought this was another novel in Barbour Publishing’s new true crime series. It’s not—although it definitely has a suspense element and echoes of The Pink Bonnet by Liz Tolsma.

In the Cradle Lies is a dual timeline novel.

In the present, genealogist Jillian lives in a ski town in Colorado, where she and her best friend, Kris, meet a visitor. Tucker appears to have more money than sense, as he keeps buying expensive ski gear and wants to ski the dangerous Hidden Run ski trail.

In the past, Matthew loves his mother but had a difficult relationship with his father. As the novel progresses, we find that Matthew’s father is hiding a big secret … and that Matthew is Tucker’s grandfather.

I found the first quarter a little hard going.

That’s partly my own fault, for thinking I was reading true crime when In the Cradle Lies is actually split time. But it was also because Tucker was odd, and odd men in fiction often turn out to be creepy stalkers … so I was waiting for Tucker to turn creepy and stalkerish. But he didn’t. Instead, the oddball turned out to be Nolan, Jillian’s father (who was merely odd, not stalkerish).

I’ve done my share of family history research, so I enjoyed the genealogical research side of the story. I can’t say I enjoyed the past story—but that’s the point. It’s full of tension, and it was meant to be thought-provoking rather than entertaining.

The writing was strong, and the plot certainly kept me engaged.

I realised about halfway through that this isn’t a standalone novel—it’s the second book in a series. Having said that, I haven’t read the first and I don’t think it affected my enjoyment (although if I had read The Inn at Hidden Run, maybe I would have realised this was split time).

As such, I recommend In the Cradle Lies to split time fans, especially those who like a bit of mystery and suspense.

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

About Olivia Newport

Olivia NewportOlivia Newport’s novels blend the truths of where we find ourselves now with insights into what carried us in the past. Enjoying life with her husband and nearby grown children, she chases joy in stunning Colorado at the foot of Pikes Peak.

About In The Cradle Lies

A Father-Daughter Genealogy Team Link Present to Past on Family Trees

On a solo ski vacation in Canyon Mines, Colorado, Tucker has a love-hate relationship with his wealth, spending indiscriminately while skiing fearlessly and preparing to conquer the overgrown slope of Hidden Run, a dangerous run not attempted in decades. As genealogist Jillian tries to uncover enough of Tucker’s family tree to understand his charming nature but reckless resolve, Jillian’s equally charming father, Nolan, cajoles Tucker into giving him ski lessons to get him talking about the suspicious circumstances surrounding his grandfather’s life in St. Louis in the 1930s.

On the surface, Tucker’s family’s history seems too perfect. The secret may lie in the sealed envelope Tucker carries with him at all times—even on the ski slope. When no one can find Tucker to tell him the fiancée he never mentioned turned up in Canyon Mines, they realize he must be off attempting to ski Hidden Run alone in a snowstorm. And they may be too late.

In the Cradle Lies is the second book in the Tree of Life series by Olivia Newport.

You can find In The Cradle Lies online at:

Amazon | BookBub | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong

First Line Friday

First Line Friday | Week 111 | The Camera Never Lies by David Rawlings

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 Camera Never Lies by David Rawlings (who just won a 2019 Christy Award for his debut novel, The Baggage Handler).

Here’s the first line of Chapter One:

First line from The Camera Never Lies by David Rawlings: "Eight-eight years of life reduced to a cracked briefcase sat before Daniel Whiteley."

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

About The Camera Never Lies

Daniel, Kelly, and Milly appear to be the perfect family. But an old camera will expose secrets no one wants developed.

Daniel Whitely is a successful marriage counselor and bestselling author, yet his own marriage is in crisis and his daughter is drifting further away each day. To make matters worse, the deadline for his second book has come and gone, and he still hasn’t written a single word.

When Daniel inherits an old camera from his grandfather, he notices an inscription on the bottom: “No matter what you think you might see, the camera never lies.”

Daniel begins using the camera, but every time he develops his photos, they threaten to reveal secrets that could sabotage both his marriage and his career—exposing him as a fraud and destroying the life he has worked so hard to build.

He’s faced with a choice: keep his secrets and save his career or come clean and possibly save his family. Which will he choose? Which would you choose?

Find The Camera Never Lies online:

Amazon | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Kobo | Koorong

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

First Line Fridays hosted by Hoarding Books

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!

Quote from Dangerous Relations: The pieces were falling into place, but she didn’t like where they were landing.

Book Review | Dangerous Relations by Carol J Post

Shelby Adair isn’t on the best of terms with her sister, but she still doesn’t expect to arrive for a dinner invitation and find her sister dead and her apartment crawling with police.

Nor does Shelby expect the brother of her sister’s useless ex to show up, trying to claim custody of her niece.

Ryan McConnell has a good relationship with his niece and wants to raise her. More than that, he doesn’t want his parents raising her—and he knows his father is prepared to fight dirty. He’ll let Shelby take Mia for now. But only because Abby, Mia’s nanny, has offered to go as well, so at least there will be someone familiar in Mia’s life.

Shelby runs her aunt’s diner in a small Washington town. Taking care of Mia is something she can do. She’s determined not to let Ryan’s parents get Mia, especially as there as something fishy about her sister’s death …

Well, this is Love Inspired Suspense …

That means there is something fishy, and there is plenty of tension, especially once it becomes obvious someone is after them. But who? Why? And how is Mia’s father involved?

Dangerous Relations has all the necessary ingredients of an enjoyable romantic suspense novel—a loving and independent heroine, an ex-military hero, something that draws them together (their niece), and some outside force that’s trying to keep them apart. It’s a fast and gripping read, perfect for romantic suspense fans.

Thanks to Carol J Post for providing a free ebook for review.

About Carol J Post

Carol J PostFrom medical secretary to court reporter to property manager to owner of a special events decorating company, Carol’s resume reads as if she doesn’t know what she wants to be when she grows up. But one thing that has remained constant through the years is her love for writing. She currently pens fun and fast-paced inspirational romance and romantic suspense stories. Her books have been nominated for a RITA® award and an RT Reviewers’ Choice Best Book Award.

Carol lives in sunshiny Central Florida with her husband, who is her own real-life hero, and writes her stories under the shade of the huge oaks in her yard. Besides writing, she works alongside her music minister husband singing and playing the piano. She enjoys sailing, hiking, camping—almost anything outdoors. Her two grown daughters and grandkids live too far away for her liking, so she now pours all that nurturing into taking care of a fat and sassy black cat and a highly spoiled dachshund.

You can find Carol J Post online at:

Website | Facebook | Twitter

About Dangerous Relations

He’ll do anything to save his niece…

When her sister’s murdered, navy man Ryan McConnell insists on protecting Shelby Adair and their niece—especially after someone tries to kidnap little Chloe.

But can Shelby trust the child’s uncle? After all, she’s convinced his family’s behind the attacks. But the longer Ryan shields them, the more Shelby wonders if becoming a forever family is their only shot at survival.

Find Dangerous Relations online at:

Amazon | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong

Read the introduction to Dangerous Relations below:

Click here to find Dangerous Relations and other Christian fiction in my Amazon shop.