Book Review and Giveaway: Double Exposure (The Justice Agency Book 1) by Susan Sleeman

I enjoyed this quick read romantic suspense.

Double Exposure (The Justice Agency Book 1)

by Susan Sleeman

• Series: Love Inspired Suspense
• Mass Market Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Love Inspired (June 5, 2012)
• ISBN-13: 978-0373444953

Genre: Inspirational, Romantic Suspense
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

Photographer Jennie Buchanan unknowingly captures a drug-cartel meeting on film. And now she has become a killer's next target. Even worse, her only protection from the danger that threatens her life is the man who threatens her heart. Dodging bullets almost seems safer than facing the feelings stirred up by seeing former FBI agent and ex-boyfriend Ethan Justice again. Ethan vows to safeguard Jennie from the deadly men on her trail. And for a second chance at Jennie's love, he's willing to risk anything to expose the truth—about the drug smugglers, the past and the future together he still wants.

Review:
Jennie Buchanan came from a home of poverty and has learned to depend on no one but herself. She has focused her photography career on documenting the lives of poverty stricken children in other countries bringing their plight to the public eye to gain support of her charity foundation for those children. Jennie is scheduled to have a new gallery showing but suddenly the preliminary set-up is vandalized and she and gallery are threatened if she doesn’t cancel the show. The gallery owner calls in a former FBI agent, Ethan Justice and his family of private security agents. They may be the best available but Jennie is threatened now by her heart an memories as Ethan was her first love. She rejected and abandoned him many years ago rather than wait for his rejection upon learning secrets of her past.

Ethan always loved Jennie but was devastated by her rejection. Recently his fiancé called off their marriage so now he has been twice burned. He has no intention of putting his heart on the line again even as he struggles with the chemistry and rekindled feelings he has for Jennie. But his feelings won’t matter if he can’t keep her safe.

This short book is full of action from beginning to end. As enemies try to get Jennie’s film prints and negatives the attacks escalate from vandalism, snatch and grab tactics, and ransacked housing to shootings, arson and kidnapping. There is good chemistry between Jennie and Ethan and human feelings they have to manage. Jennie has to overcome a lifetime of guilt and inferiority insecurities while Ethan has to be willing to forgive and trust.

I like Ms. Sleeman’s easy style of writing that makes for quick reading. I enjoyed the brief prayers offered in times of need or thanks and the spiritual lessons portrayed through the growth of the characters. Some of those lessons are shared in creative descriptions or comparisons that worked very well and were woven in cleanly to fit the situation.

Hunter and Hope by Lenora Worth: There is a second, novella story shared in this volume. It is another second chance romance that is nicely handled in 40 or so pages.

I recommend this book to those who enjoy quick read, inspirational romantic suspense. There are a five brothers and sisters in the Justice family who are good characters and apparently will have stories of their own so this is a good place to start the series.

I won this in 2012 so it is from my TBR shelf.

ONE (gently read) personally autographed PRINT COPY GIVEAWAY

US Only

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For 3 Extra Bonus entries (a) comment on the review, OR

(b) Visit the AUTHOR'S WEBSITE and tell me something you learned or like there.

* This contest is open to US only for Print Copy.
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Book Review: Homespun Bride by Jillian Hart

I was delightfully pleased by this warm-hearted, sweet romance.

Homespun Bride (The McKaslin Clan: Historical Series, Book 1) (Steeple Hill Love Inspired Historical #2)

by Jillian Hart

• File Size: 379 KB
• Print Length: 288 pages
• Publisher: Love Inspired Historicals (January 15, 2014)
• ASIN: B00HAZ6C2I

Genre: Historical Romance, Inspirational

My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0

Steeple Hill (February 12, 2008)
Book Description
Montana Territory in 1883 was a dangerous place—especially for a blind woman struggling to make her way through an early winter snowstorm. Undaunted, Noelle Kramer fought to remain independent. But then a runaway horse nearly plunged her into a rushing, ice-choked river, before a stranger's strong, sure hand saved her from certain death.
And yet this was no stranger. Though she could not know it, her rescuer was rancher Thad McKaslin, the man who had once loved her more than life itself. Losing her had shaken all his most deeply held beliefs. Now he wondered if the return of this strong woman was a sign that somehow he could find his way home.

Review:
Noelle became blind due to an injury during a carriage accident that killed her wealthy parents. She lives in Montana territory with her Aunt and Uncle and several younger female cousins. Noelle manages to live a fairly normal, if reserved, life with thier loving support. But she has put her dreams of love and family behind her especially since, before the accident, the love of her 16 year old heart left her behind to go wandering and cowboying.

Thad has returned home to help his brother take care of his ailing mother and their struggling family ranch. Thad had loved Noelle when he was 19, but her father made him realize that he couldn’t give her the things that her wealth and position had prepared her for. He had heard about her engagement to another wealthy beau and hoped his heart could stand the sorrow of seeing her with someone else. Thad shocked when he rescues a run-away horse and carriage to discover that Noelle is blind and living with relatives. At first he thinks, and hopes, she will not know who he is. After all, even if she did recognize him he is sure that she could never forgive him for breaking her young heart.

Noelle knows the voice of her rescuer. She doesn’t want to remember the love and doesn’t want to forgive. As Thad helps her Uncle who is trying to learn to manage horses, Noelle experiences again the tender care and responsibility of the young man she loved even though she can’t reconcile that with the boy who abandoned her. Then she learns that there were secrets behind Thad’s desertion that change her perceptions. Still, she believes he deserves a wife who isn’t damaged - a wife who can share building a homestead with him - things she doesn’t think she can do.

This is a truly heart warming story. It is also beautifully written. I was repeatedly struck by the wonderful prose and phrasing that just made the warm story and the historical setting that much richer. I really liked how Ms. Hart portrayed the aspects of Noelle’s blindness. She continually shows the extra efforts necessary for daily tasks which is quite interesting. Ms. Hart does a beautiful job in revealing the underlying characters of Noelle and Thad as they struggle to overcome their hurts and fears to find the joy of their first love. The story moved along nicely as an easy read.

There is some repetition of the self-doubt themes that could become aggravating but still I loved the story and loved the writing. I checked my reading lists and see that I read one book by Jillian Hart in 2005. I have three I have collected in print and three more in my Kindle library. I will work my way to them soon. I recommend this to readers who, like me, are sometimes ready to take a break from the fast pace to enjoy a sweet, warm-hearted romance.

Excerpts:
Noelle:  How did she tell him the truth? She ought to be crying for her uncle, but the tears were for herself. For him. She held on to those bright pieces of joy like a miser did his last pieces of gold. They were shivers of happiness she could not stand to remember. They were bits of sorrow she could not forget. (location 1295.)

Thad: I"'ll never let you fall." He used that wondrous voice of his against her, replete with humor and unspoken dreams. Quiet, secret dreams that had her heart opening and her wishes coming to life. (Location 2493.)

I have had this title in my Kindle library as a free book since 2009. It qualifies for COYER, TBR Double Dare, and 2015 TBR Pile Challenge.

Since this book has been re-released again in 2014 (as well as 2012 which I have also)
I have copied my original purchase order to make sure I get credit in the TBR Pile Challenge:

Homespun Bride

Jillian Hart

Purchased: May 4,2009

Price: $0.00

Order Details

Book Review: When Night Falls by Margaret Daley

I liked this quick and engaging mystery.
When Night Falls
by Margaret Daley

• File Size: 179 KB
• Print Length: 38 pages
• Publisher: Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense (October 9, 2009)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• ASIN: B002TKFF18

Genre: Mystery
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0
Free book at Kindle!

Book Description
Publication Date: October 9, 2009
A violent encounter in a deserted parking lot is FBI agent Sam Pierce’s only clue to the menace who is stalking child psychologist Jocelyn Gold. A random event? Or a client’s revenge? When darkness falls, the danger deepens....

Review:
This is a really quick mystery that hops right into the action and suspense. Very quickly it appears there is an interest between Jocelyn and Sam that has not been acted on or expressed yet. First Sam comes just in time to rescue Jocelyn and then she seeks to help him from the same attacker. From there they have to figure out who is so angry at Jocelyn that they would seek to kill her.

The writing was sharp and fit with the fast paced story. I liked the characters even though there is a lot left to learn about them. The short plot worked for me for a quick read to fill in between review books. This was a good taste of the author’s writing and made me want to read more of these characters. This was written as a prequel and it's too bad I recently gave away the book: What Sarah Saw. I might have to get it on Kindle instead.

I have read and reviewed Ms. Daley before (Scorned Justice) and look forward to reading more suspense by this talented author.  I am fairly certain I have another Daley book in my TBR boxes that I can pull out to enjoy!

I read this from my Kindle free books TBR library as my October Just For Fun read.