Synopsis

Award—winning author Debra White Smith (more than 4 million books sold) offers an exciting newmystery—romance trilogy featuring debutantes Heather, Lorna, and Brittan—three bright young women who always manage to find trouble. Book 1 in this contemporary series features Heather, a winsome blonde whose looks belie her black belt in karate. When Heather meets Duke, the society page editor, they are immediately attracted to each other, despite her parents' objections.

When Houston's mayor is shot, the Debutantes solve the case. To remain anonymous, they leave the perfume—laden evidence at the newspaper...along with a long—stemmed rose. Obsessed with the mysterious woman now known as "The Rose," Duke breaks up with Heather. As she and her friends work on solving yet another crime, Heather is determined to win Duke's heart. Will she overcome his mystery—woman fascination? Can the Debutantes keep their identities hidden?

Heather
an intriguing story
that engages mind and heart

My review:

Heather was a fun read with enough drama and romantic tension to tickle my fancy. Like a cozy mystery, but with an extra helping of humor and romance. I normally don't like cozy's that much, but this story had enough hilarious moments and delightful scenes between Duke and Heather that it kept me reading to the end. I literally couldn't put it down. Heather's rich girlfriends were hilarious and made for great secondary characters. This was a really fun story, like a beach read, but with a little more depth to the characterization. And I wanted Duke and Heather to make it in their budding relationship the worst way.

Heather reminded me of Cameron Diaz in the modern version of the Charlie's Angels entourage when she sleuthed around with her friends. I held my breath on more than one occasion expecting those gals to get caught in the act of snooping. And Duke was a charming and delectable hero. That scene with Heather and Duke romping on the beach was... oy! What an awesome and memorable love scene. Wonderfully done! I don't want to spoil the fun twists and turns, but I guarantee that this read will be enjoyable for mystery and romance readers alike. I was still smiling after I finished the last page.

Heather was published by Harvest House and released in September 2007.

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Product Description:

Romance, family, and politics converge explosively in a suspicious murder during the Bread and Roses Strike of 1912 and threaten to engulf a 21st-century woman researching the strike. When textile workers went on strike in 1912 for better wages and working conditions, they never imagined the violence that would overwhelm them. The first person to die was Anna Lopizzo . . . and then John Rami . . . and then many others. The strikers claimed the police had killed Anna, but the police said one of the strikers shot her. Who was right? Fast forward to present-day Lawrence, Massachusetts, and Lindsey Marc, a historic mystery writer, is tracking down what really happened to Anna and the other workers. Along the way, someone gets wind of what Lindsey is researching and is threatened by what she may discover. It begins with phone calls and quickly moves to ransacking her hotel room. Can Lindsey find out the truth before something terrible happens to her?

My review:

Fighting for Bread and Roses held my attention to the end. It isn't the catchiest title, nor does it reflect how good this book really is, so I ended up liking more than I had anticipated. I can get easily distracted while reading but found myself reaching for this book every chance I got. The twists and turns are compelling. I suspected what happened and was correct, but the author did such a great job with red herrings that I had my doubts all the way to the end. The author balanced out the past with the present very well, though I enjoyed the historical piece more. That often happens when I read this type of book because I love history.

Political intrigue, mystery, suspense, action, love, passion, romance, and family secrets contained in diaries all played a part in making this tale exceptionally enjoyable for me. If you like mysteries with twists, romance with passion, and a portion of intriguing history mixed with faith, you'll love this book as much as I did. It was compulsively readable and I highly recommend it.

Fighting for Bread and Roses was published by Kregel and released in August 2005.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

Carla stared at the gun and David Thornby—or whatever his name was. Her mind split in two, one side pleading this was some sick joke, the other screaming it was all too real.

“Please. You must have the wrong person. There’s no reason for someone to want me dead. I don’t have any enemies.”

“Then you’d best rethink your friends.”

Realtor Carla Radling shows an “English gentleman” a lakeside estate—and finds herself facing a gun. Who has hired this assassin to kill her, and why?

Forced on the run, Carla must uncover the scathing secrets of her past. Secrets that could destroy some very powerful people...


My review:

Plain and simple, this story blew me away. The suspense had me anxious through the majority of the story. If I bit my nails they would've been chewed to the quick. Carla's tragedy and heartache kept me turning the pages. So many lies, so much pain, and such an awesome tale that I will be thinking for months about the ramifications of the plot that kept my head spinning. This was an incredible tale of intrigue and deception, lust and greed, power and evil personified.

Crimson Eve was an awesome story crafted with the best suspense I've ever read. Brandilyn has created a masterpiece with this novel and her insight into the heart and wickedness of man is impressive. I'm truly amazed at how much I learned from the hard lessons that Carla endured. And in regards to in-your-face edgy content, this story packs a powerful punch. I can't recommend this story highly enough. It's downright fabulous!

Crimson Eve was published by Zondervan and released in October 2007.

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About the book:

Author Susan Page Davis takes readers on an adventure across the United States in this exciting contemporary suspense novel.

Marie Belanger, a naval lieutenant's wife, unexpectedly finds a computer flash drive in her carry—on luggage at the airport. Moments later the woman she had been sitting with on the plane from Tokyo is murdered. Suddenly her journey from San Francisco to her home in Maine becomes a nightmare as Marie is forced to run for her life. Her husband, Lt. Pierre Belanger, contacts his best friend, George Hudson, and together they set out on a search for Marie that spans the country. As hard as they try, they seem to stay one step behind their enemies, who are just one step behind Marie.

Readers will find Finding Marie to be an engrossing novel of faith, honor, and courage set against a background of deceit and betrayal.

My review:

Think The Bourne Identity meets Blink by Ted Dekker and you'll get the same kind of riveting suspense. But in Finding Marie the pursuers are not the USA, nor Arabs from the Middle East, but communists from China. This tale of international intrigue had me on the edge of my seat. Marie's pursuers never gave her a rest. She had to outrun them and in the process had many close calls.

At one point more criminals join the chase and she has people coming at her from all sides. The violence picks up and Marie is terrified, but crafty as she is, she manages to evade them. I enjoyed this story and love the author's pacing and writing style. There is even an engaging romantic subplot among secondary characters that keeps the story moving along.

Much like in Frasier Island, the previous novel by the same author, Finding Marie is non-stop action. If you love heart pounding suspense, you'll want to read this book.

Finding Marie was published by Harvest House and released Sept. 1, 2007.

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From the Publisher:

Hannah Talbot has no one. Forced to leave the only home she's ever known, she works for a cruel employer who brutally takes the one thing she has left- her dignity. When she is banished from London, she is certain God has turned his back on her.

John Bradshaw was a successful businessman whose untamed spirit sometimes wanted more. When he is betrayed by those closest to him, he loses everything- his wife, his business, even his freedom.

John's and Hannah's paths are about to cross. Aboard a ghastly, nineteenth-century prison ship from London to Australia, John and Hannah must keep hope alive and trust God's unconditional love.

My review:

To Love Anew is an amazing journey you won't want to miss. There are some pretty edgy scenes in this book, which of course worked well for me. However, someone else may find a few things a bit hard to read because they were SO realistically done. I felt like I was Hannah suffering through the majority of the book. The stench, the pain, the heartache were all vividly portrayed. I doubt I would have survived what Hannah went through and may have given up hope long before. But Hannah was a survivor despite her low opinion of herself and the guilt that nearly consumed her.

I loved how the author took people that Hannah would not normally associate with, but given her circumstances, she is then forced to look at her own heart and prejudices. The unspeakable evils done to the prisoners amazed me in that anyone survived at all. The story reminded me of the movie Amistad, but the prisoners on the ship were white. The forced labor for the prisoners and lack of freedom was just like slavery.

John was the ultimate hero and just about made me swoon whenever he spoke to Hannah. He had plenty of reasons to be bitter, but still managed to keep his honor despite his harsh living situation. His devotion to Hannah was also commendable. I loved the tension between the two of them. Their connection felt realistic and deep. And the emotional tension between them is what excellent romance writing is all about. I loved their relationship and rooted for them to the end--as John never gave up hope.

The best part of this book (besides the delectable romance) was probably the spiritual portion. Hannah had every reason to believe God had abandoned her. She responded like any human would in a similar situation. Of course God never left her, but the journey she took toward that realization was awesome. I loved this story!

To Love Anew was published by Revell and released in August 2007.

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Speak to My Heart was published by Revell and released in 2004.

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About the Book:

Isabelle Gayarre, fleeing a life of servitude, refuses to be owned by anyone, yet soon finds her heart in danger of being possessed by the godless Captain Josiah Carter. Can Isabelle trust him to help her escape without losing her heart? Josiah Carter, running from demons of his own, is stirred by the presence of the beautiful woman seeking refuge on his ship. Realizing that a runaway slave can never be his, legally or otherwise, a storm begins to brew within. Will their love ever reach a safe haven, or is it doomed to wreck upon the jagged reefs of the Fairweather Keys?

My review:

Now this is my kind of historical fiction book! The romance in Beloved Castaway totally rocked! And the kisses were to die for--very well written. There is nothing more exciting than a forbidden love story, and this book has it all. Even some edgy stuff. The heroine's mother was quadroon and from New Orleans and thus she was born a slave. The hero was the captain of the ship she sailed on. The way the hero treated her initially (not knowing about her heritage) made me cringe, but then things turned around. This story truly inspired me like Christian fiction should.

I won't give away the storyline, but this was also a deeply spiritual book. It shows the power of living the way Christ commands us to, and the effect this way of right-living has on non-believers. And the ending has the absolute coolest twist I've ever read. But don't read the last chapter first, or you will ruin the book. You don't want to miss this treat, so don't cheat yourself out of a great experience.

My last thought... The cover is pretty but also kind of dark, so it isn't one I would normally pick up in a store to read. But the story within it's pages will brighten your day, so take a chance on this one. Trust me, if you love romantic tension and some awesome Christian fiction with sizzle, this novel will definitely float your boat.

Beloved Castaway is published by Barbour and will be released November 2007.

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From the Publisher:

Haley Cutler is the consummate trophy wife. Perhaps "was" is the more accurate term. Haley married Prince Charming when she was only twenty years old – back in the day when highlights came from an afternoon at the beach, not three hours in the salon.

When Jay first turned his eye to Haley, she was putty in his slender, graceful hands. No one ever treated her like she was important, and on the arm of Jay Cutler, she became someone people listened to and admired. Unfortunately, after seven years of marriage, her Prince Charming seems to belong to the Henry the XIII line of royalty. When Haley loses Jay, she not only loses her husband, she loses her identity.

With her first independent decision, Haley leaves LA and moves home to Northern California. Feeling freedom just within her grasp, Haley learns that her settlement payments must go through one of Jay's financial advisors, Hamilton Lowe. Haley believes he's nothing more than a spy. And the feelings of distrust are mutual. Yet somehow, Hamilton finds himself handing over the monthly checks in person, and Haley can't deny that there's a kind of tenderness and protectiveness in Hamilton that she's never experienced in a man before.

But before Haley can even consider another relationship, she must learn to accept her inherent worth, and what it is to be loved for who she is, not what's on the outside.


My Review:

This story is incredible and deep, yet entertaining at the same time. In fact, I don't believe I've ever read a Christian fiction novel before that did such a fabulous job capturing the emotion a divorced woman feels and the self-condemnation that goes along with the whole situation. Billerbeck brings out some important truths through dialogue and relationships that is emotionally moving. I wish there were more books likes this in CBA. It's so real!

In addition to the above, this is one of the most romantic novels I've ever read and definitely Billerbeck's best novel in the genre. I love Women's Fiction and this story reads like Women's fiction with a touch of romance. Only this story will leave you breathless because the tension is so well done. The character arc is also one of the best I've read to date with the spiritual portion being subtle, yet powerful at the same time. Nothing is watered down, but it's all in there. And the ending is dynamite. I loved it!

The Trophy Wives Club was published by Avon Inspire and released Sept. 4, 2007.

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Book Description:

Fifteen-year-old Scotty Fitzgerald has spent her young life on the road, traveling to movie sets with her single mom, Charley. Yet even though she is wise beyond her years, Scotty still struggles to find her identity. Complicating matters is a mother who offers no guidance and a father she's never met.

Scotty is determined to discover what she wants from life, even documenting the journey on her "Hollywood Nobody" blog. But as Scotty begins to find dark answers to tough questions, will her story have a happy ending?

The first in s a series, Hollywood Nobody is a novel that examines real issues with honesty and humor.

My Review:

I devoured this book in two days. I rarely want to sneak off and read a book until I finish it, but this was one of those books. I adore anything Lisa Samson writes anyway because she is edgy and unconventional, but I'm telling you that she has a real winner here. The heroine is a fifteen-year-old girl, Scotty, who reminds me of several teens I know. Hey, I have a fifteen-year-old son and a fourteen-year-old son and I still loved the book, so you don't have to be YA to read it and love it. I adored how Scotty even had herself a pet phrase... "I'm just saying".

One reviewer said sometimes some of the things Scotty thought seemed old for her age. I totally disagree. I have very smart kids and they think like Scotty did...exactly. Teens are very perceptive these days. And Scotty had wisdom beyond her years due to exposure to many things she shouldn't know. The author made that point very well several times.

I loved the blogging theme of the story (of course) and the topics covered on the Hollywood Nobody blog. It was so realistic...right down to the funny comments. The main characters seemed so real to me. Her mother reminded me of some hippies I know (and knew) when I was younger. Very funny stuff! Especially the cheese fetish. Scotty was just so quirky and cool. I know several teens who love vintage wear and are so classy and weird in their own way, just like Scotty. I found her totally likeable and believable. Wonderful story. Intriguing plot. Hot topics (and great tension) with a hottie hero who is a movie star and also a great guy because Hollywood hadn't ruined him yet.

So check this book out. I guarantee it'll hold your attention. The ending is killer satisfying, but leaves you wanting more at the same time. March 2008--when the sequel comes out--is not soon enough for me. I loved this book!

Hollywood Nobody was published by NavPress (THINK Imprint) and was released August 30, 2007.

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