Audio Book Review: An Angel for Christmas by Heather Graham

I was very pleased by this easy listen with suspense and guardian angels at Christmas.

An Angel for Christmas
Written By: Heather Graham
Narrated By: Christina Traister

Duration: 5 hours 48 minutes
Date: September 2011
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Genre: Christmas, Mystery, Romance
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 4.25.

Summary:
Christmas has never brought out the best in the MacDougal family. Still, year after year, they gather together in the Blue Ridge Mountains to try to make the season merry and bright. But this year is an especially strained one, with Shayne's impending divorce, Morwenna's slavish devotion to work and Bobby's reluctance to face what life has to offer. They've never felt less like a family. Then, in the midst of a snowy sibling shouting match, a mysterious stranger appears. He could be a criminal, a madman - or something far more unexpected. Despite their fears and the growing danger in the dark woods around them, the MacDougals take a leap of faith. But when another stranger arrives on the mountainside, they don't know which of them to believe. One of these men can't be trusted. And one is about to bring Christmas into their hearts.

Review:
Morwenna has traveled home even though she expects the usual family tensions. Her older brother, Shayne has worked too hard as a doctor and is facing a divorce and his first Christmas without his children. Meanwhile the youngest sibling, Bobby, is home from college and trying to figure out how to tell his father that he wants to change majors … again. When Shayne arrives the family is thrilled that his son and daughter are with him because his soon to be ex-wife decided to take a trip with a new beau. Before Morwenna and her siblings get back inside, they discover a man moaning on the edge of their woods.

Their father steps out with a rifle aimed at the stranger. An argument ensues, as Shayne is not going to leave the injured man in the snow. They finally agree to allow the man in the house out of the cold. The man, Gabe, claims that he is a police officer who has been attacked by the man he was chasing. In the fight he lost his weapon and the criminal has traded his clothes and IDs. As they share the magic of Christmas Eve and Christmas morning, Gabe shares warm situations and encouragement with the family, especially winning the friendship and unwavering support of Morwenna’s niece, Genieve. Then another stranger, wearing a police officer’s uniform, shows up insisting that the family is in danger. The family is confused and reluctant when the pushing man tries to take Gabe into custody. Will the family be able to get to the local pub to get help deciding which man to trust before something bad happens?

I was drawn into the story from the first paragraphs where the cop is chasing the criminal. I thought later in the story that it might have been interesting if the good guy and bad guy hadn’t been revealed. Still there was sufficient suspense, sweetness and the hint of romance to keep me engaged. I enjoyed the light mystery for the family, the Christmas magic, Genieve’s charming birthday wishes and the angel angle. I recommend this as a quick Christmas read/listen.

Audio Notes: Christina Traister does a nice job with the narration. I like the voices and the energy. The narration made this a nice, easy listen.

Source: 2019 September Christmas deals $3.00. This qualifies for 2020TBR and 2020Audiobook goals.

#NetGalley Book Review: Uninvited by Heather Graham

I enjoyed the ghostly elements in this romantic suspense.

The Uninvited: Book 8 in Krewe of Hunters series
by Heather Graham

Publication date: August 28, 2012
Publisher: Mira
Genre: Ghosts, Paranormal Romance, Romantic Suspense
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0.

1777: In the throes of the Revolutionary War, Landon Mansion is commandeered by British Lord "Butcher" Bedford. He stabs Lucy Tarleton—who spurned his king and his love—leaving her to die in her father's arms.
NOW: After the day's final tour, docent Allison Leigh makes her rounds while locking up…and finds a colleague slumped over Bedford's desk, impaled on his own replica bayonet.
Resident ghosts may be the stock-in-trade of stately Philadelphia homes, but Allison—a noted historian—is indignant at the prospect of "ghost hunters" investigating this apparent murder.
Agent Tyler Montague knows his hauntings and his history. But while Allison is skeptical of the newcomer, a second mysterious murder occurs. Has "Butcher" Bedford resurfaced? Or is there another malevolent force at work in Landon Mansion? Wary, yet deeply attracted, Allison has to trust in Tyler and work with him to discover just what uninvited guest—dead or alive—has taken over the house.
Or their lives could become history!

Review:
Allison is a local history professor and a docent at an historic mansion, the Tarleton-Dandridge House in Philadelphia. The house served as a British base in 1777 when British Lord “Butcher” Bedford married, and reportedly murdered, Lucy Tarleton. The Tarleton family were supposedly supportive of the British, but Lucy secretly worked to take information to Washington’s troops. The house has had a history of strange deaths over many years.

At the end of a tour, Allison discovers one of her young colleague’s dead in the study. It appears to be a bizarre suicide but at least one member of the board doesn’t believe this. He calls in a very special FBI “Krewe”, a team that studies paranormal events.

Agent Tyler doesn’t make a good first impression on Allison. That could be because she has been grilled for hours by the police, but more importantly she isn’t thrilled to have ‘ghost hunters’ traipsing through the carefully preserved house. Allison reluctantly works to guide Tyler in investigating the house where they find a ransacked attic. Allison continues to resist the paranormal elements until events force her to see otherwise. Tyler tries to explain to Allison that there may be paranormal forces involved but it is likely that the rummaging and murder were done by living humans.

A second person associated with the house dies in another bizarre ‘accident’. When it looks like Allison may be the next target, she finds herself sticking more closely with Tyler and their closeness turns to personal interest. Can Tyler and his team keep Allison safe while racing to find the true killer?

I liked Allison’s strong character and really enjoyed the quiet, determined personality of Tyler. His teammates are interesting and apparently the subject of other books in this series, which I would be interested in reading. The mystery is full of twists and a handful of suspects with red herring clues that kept me wondering until near the villain reveal.

I haven’t read Heather Graham for a number of years and I was pleased to enjoy this romantic suspense/paranormal romance where the mystery was primary and the romance a secondary element that added to the overall story. I recommend this to fans of paranormal mystery with romance.

Source: 2012 Netgalley. This qualifies for 2020TBR and 2020NetGalley goals.

Book Review and Giveaway: Every Time I Love You by Heather Graham

An engaging romance that spans two hundred years. 

Every Time I Love You

by Heather Graham

• Paperback
• Publisher: Dell (1988)
• ISBN-10: 0440200873

Genre: Contemporary Romance, with Historical Elements
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

Every Time I Love You is the captivating tale of a modern couple and their struggle with ill-fated past lives.

Review:
Gayle Norman is a modern woman who had a college romance that ended in tragedy when her temperamental boyfriend overdosed. Since then she has focused on her career as an assistant and event coordinator for Sabel Gallery, a well known artist gallery in Richmond, Virginia. Gayle keeps her distance from men even though her friends think it’s time to find a man to date.

Brent McCauley is an intense, reclusive artist who has agreed to have a showing at Sabel Gallery. His works consist of a group of nudes, including two entangled lovers. Gayle is impressed with the strong evocative feel of the painting.

Brent and Gayle meet and the connection is instant, intense and undeniable. Although it is not her usual behavior, Gayle ends up going home with Brent. Soon they are inseparable and planning their wedding. Gayle begins to have some dark dreams where she is drawn to a man who looks like Brent but she is terrified of him. She can’t really remember the dreams but feels a disquiet.

At the wedding Gayle passes out and after the wedding the dreams increase to the point where Brent insists she seek professional help. She agrees although that doesn’t help much. Then Brent begins to act in unexplaned, angry and violent episodes that he doesn’t remember. Gayle is frightened but Brent refuses to seek help because it might have a bad impact on his reputation.

Interspersed with these modern chapters are chapters set in 1774 introducing Percy Ainsworth, a young American rebel and Lady Katrina Seymour, the sixteen year old sister of a staunch British Tory. These two are at extremes politically but their attraction is explosive.

The conflict in the story stems from Percy’s belief that Katrina betrays him. Gayle and Brent are struggling with the strange flashes they are experiencing. But how can they figure out what is happening especially if Brent refuses outside help?

I had picked this story from my TBR pile because I wanted something involving the American Revolution. Although this had small portions of the Revolution the story is really a double romance. The modern characters are well developed and likable although I had difficulty with the impulsive, contrary traits of the 1774 couple. The romance between Gayle and Brent is very nicely handled. The ‘reincarnation’ aspects of the story added the focal interest even if I have mixed feelings about that theory. The book started a bit slowly but by midway I was anxious to keep reading. The writing is strong and engaging and I recommend this to those who love entertaining romance.

This story was from one of my TBR author collections.

Giveaway:

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