Audible Book Report: Just Before Sunrise by Carla Neggers

This is a quick, easy-listening, mystery, romantic suspense.
Just Before Sunrise
By: Carla Neggers
Narrated by: Cassandra Livingston

Length: 9 hrs and 33 mins
Release date: 05-01-15
Publisher: Audible Studios
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0 Overall; Story 3.75; Narration 4.0.

Publisher's Summary
Carla Neggers' sizzling novels are loved for their deliciously funny dialogue, electrifying suspense, and heart-stopping romance. Here, the New York Times bestselling author presents a fast-paced, scintillating tale of love, art, and danger....
Annie Payne realizes her dream when she moves to San Francisco and opens an art gallery. But when she accepts a secret commission to bid for a painting going on the auction block, she finds herself thrown into a haunting swirl of events linked to a five-year-old unsolved murder. Who is this secret client?
Marina owner Garvin MacCrae was determined to have the portrait of his late wife, and knows of only one person who would want it enough to outbid him. Could the intriguing art dealer who represented the auction winner hold the key to the mystery of his wife's death? Working together to untangle a murderer's clues, Garvin and Annie strike so many sparks off each other that they could start another San Francisco fire - a four-alarmer fueled by an explosive mix of suspicion, attraction, and love.
©1997 Carla Neggers (P)2015 Audible, Inc.

Review:
I saw that the handful of Neggers' titles I picked up in 2021 on Audible Plus were going to be unavailable after 2/18 so I decided to listen to at least one. I enjoyed this and it reminded me of the author's style of romantic suspense. I hadn't read this author for years and was glad to be drawn right into listening to the story.

Annie, with her unruly rottweiler, Otto, has moved across the states from Maine to San Francisco where she is pursing her dream to have her own art gallery. An eccentric woman who visits Annie’s newly opened gallery turns out to be an undiscovered painter named Sarah. Sarah

engages Annie to bid for a particular painting at a local art auction. Annie is surprised when she gets into a bidding war with a handsome man in the rear of the room. She also experiences a negative response from the other participants and learns after winning the bid that the woman in the painting was the wife of the man who was bidding against her. That is only the tip of the story and Annie soon finds herself embroiled in a family scandal involving a five-year-old, unsolved double murder.

Gavin wanted the portrait of his late wife and suspects there is only one other person who would press the bidding. Has the artist herself, who disappeared after the murders of her father and niece, returned to town? And if so, why now? But Gavin isn’t the only person trying to get to Sarah through Annie. Another, more sinister man is pressuring Annie with intimidation. At least Otto is near by to intimidate back.

Attraction is drawing Annie and Gavin together, but Annie finds herself trying to juggle the emotional traumas of the family members while protecting her new friend, Sarah, and protecting her own heart from a man whose motives are in question. Intrigue surrounds them with the knowledge that a killer is still on the loose and he may have unfinished business.

The suspense in this plot leans more heavily on mystery than physical threats although those do build late in the story. The whole story was lighter, rather than intense. The characters are well developed, and the romance moves quickly which (based on my recollection) is predictable in Negger’s writing style in the 1990s. The art element is not my forte, but I found it interesting. I appreciated that the romance has some umph without being sleazy or unnecessarily graphic. I recommend this to readers who enjoy what I identify as an older style of romantic suspense.

Audio Notes: Cassandra Livingston does a fine job with the narration. I liked her clear, distinct voices and the emotions she provided the characters. The narration added to my enjoyment of the story.

Source: 6/10/2021 Free from Audible Plus Catalog. This qualifies for 2022TBR, 2022Audiobook, 2022Alphabet goals.

Sunday Post February 20, 2022/It's Monday! What are You Reading? Plus Mailbox Monday February 21, 2022

I am linking with Sunday Post at Caffeinated Book Reviewer.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? now at The Book Date (at Wordpress)

What Are You Reading? is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week. It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.

I continue to trot on the work treadmill.

I learned about Wordle, Dordle, and Quordle at Words and Peace last week. I was trying to save my statistics but it apparently saves the current puzzle guess steps. I did five this week and haven't failed any yet. The Quordle always comes down to the last guess for the fourth word but I've managed to get them all so far.

Hubby's cough has cleared up but he is still struggling to sleep at night and rebuild strength during the day.

Several of us attended our Chamber 94th Anniversary Celebration event on Thursday night to support our friend as she became president (the lovely lady in mustard)! I wish I had gotten a pic with Heather but she had to leave early due to her long drive (1 and 1/2 hour+) home.

I would have been perfectly happy with the charcuterie board
but that was just the beginning! There was steak, shrimp, salad, onion rings and scrumptious desserts.

We still had some cold nights last week. But the low this coming week is to be only 46.   

My reading and listening was slow but good this week. I got several hours into a second book (Finding You) but it wasn't available any longer on 2/18. So I only finished one audiobook. I posted two reviews and my usual memes.

I visited 16 blogs last week.
Shout Out this week to @ HOME WITH SHERRY. Sherry's interests include " Reading, Writing, Paper crafting, Bible study, Weather, Music" and she covers these on her blog.

Audible offerings for free children's titles ended June 30.
Audiobooks.com is still sharing some free listens for children.

These were last week's posts:

• Sunday Post February 13, 2022/It's Monday! What are You Reading? Plus Mailbox Monday February 14, 2022.

• eBTBR: eBook Book Review: Bad Wolf (Bad Wolf Chronicles Book 1) by Tim McGregor; Genre: Crime Thriller, Paranormal, Werewolf; My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.0; Narration 4.0.

• Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway February 18, 2022. Open Worldwide. Ending 2/24/2022.

• ATBR: Audible Book Review: Defiant, Lee Hardin, Book 4 by D. J. Molles; Genre: Action & Adventure, Military Sci Fi, Post-Apocalyptic; My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 4.5.

• Sharing Beyond Books #440 Comment Giveaway February 19, 2021. Open Worldwide. Ending 3/5/2022.
  

• Sunday Words of Encouragement February 20, 2022.

Finished Reading:
1. Audible Smartphone (ATBR)

Just Before Sunrise
By: Carla Neggers
Narrated by: Cassandra Livingston
Length: 9 hrs and 33 mins
I enjoyed this and it reminded me of the author's style of romantic suspense.
Source: 6/10/2021 Free from Audible Plus Catalog.
Click on book title for full description.

Currently Reading:

1. Audio/NetGalley App Smartphone (A2022)

Mickey7
by Edward Ashton
John Pirhalla (Narrator)
Katharine Chin (Narrator)
Listening Length: 9 hours and 16 minutes
This isn't quite as engaging as I would like, but I still want to see where the second half goes.
Source: 2022 NetGalley.
Click on book title for full description.

2. eBook/Kindle App on Smartphone (Author2021)

The Fair (Time Box #2)
by John A. Heldt
I made little progress on this as the app 

is so slow on my phone. I will keep trying.
I do like the characters and suspense.
Source: June 20, 2021 received from the author.
Click on book title for full description.

3. Audible Smartphone (ATBR)

Dismantling America
By: Thomas Sowell
Narrated by: Robertson Dean
Length: 8 hrs and 7 mins
I downloaded this nonfiction to listen in the car when the NetGalley app doesn’t work.
I was immediately pulled in by the clear, and disturbing, essays of this economics and social scholar.
Source: June 2021 Free from Audible Plus Catalog.
Publisher's Summary
These wide-ranging essays - on many individual political, economic, cultural, and legal issues - have as a recurring, underlying theme the decline of the values and institutions that have sustained and advanced American society for more than two centuries. This decline has been more than erosion. It has, in many cases, been a deliberate dismantling of American values and institutions by people convinced that their superior wisdom and virtue must override both the traditions of the country and the will of the people.
Whether these essays (originally published as syndicated newspaper columns) are individually about financial bailouts, illegal immigrants, gay marriage, national security, or the Duke University rape case, the underlying concern is about what these very different kinds of things say about the general direction of American society.
This larger and longer-lasting question is whether the particular issues discussed reflect a degeneration or dismantling of the America that we once knew and expected to pass on to our children and grandchildren. There are people determined that this country’s values, history, laws, traditions, and role in the world are fundamentally wrong and must be changed. Such people will not stop dismantling America unless they get stopped—and the next election may be the last time to stop them, before they take the country beyond the point of no return.
©2010 Thomas Sowell (P)2010 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

February 20, 2022 - These videos are really good! Bible Reading Plan: BibleProject | One Story that Leads to Jesus. I know it won't match my Hubby's reading but I wanted some different insights/devotions and I am enjoying the devotion video project. I am enjoying keeping up with my reading each day.
I am learning that working well glorifies God. I am on day 20 of a 21 day study "21 Days to Finding Eternal Purpose in Your Daily Work".

I completed two books again for review this week.
My NetGalley shelf has one new audiobooks again.
There are still three old ebook titles. I will probably end up letting A Place Called Armageddon go as DNF.
I now have one author titles remaining in queue as I am reading one.
(Plus a few that I received from facebook links and newsletter sign-ups, not specific review requests.)
Still many titles through InstaFreebie and many new author requests I haven't replied to.

Welcome to Mailbox Monday.

Mailbox Monday is a gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week and explore great book blogs. This Meme started with Marcia at A Girl and Her Books (fka The Printed Page) and after a tour of hosts has returned to its permanent home at Mailbox Monday. Thanks to the ladies sharing hosting duties: Serena of Savvy Verse & Wit, me and new to the team, Velvet at vvb32reads. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

No new review books.
One Audible Plus.
February VIP pick at Audiobooks.com.

No free Kindle books.

Are your mailbox and TBR piles blooming?

Review Titles

NONE

Won

NONE

Purchased

NONE

Free

2/19/2022 Audible Plus Catalog.

The Plus One Pact
By: Portia MacIntosh
Narrated by: Karen Cass
Length: 7 hrs and 38 mins
I saw this on sale at Chirp but found it in the Plus catalog for free.


2/20/2022 Audiobooks.com VIP February Pick:

Don't Look
Author Alexandra Ivy
Narrator: Jim Frangione
Duration: 10 h 28 min
This looks/sounds like a good romantic suspense by an author I haven’t read yet.


Other Free titles often found at Bookbub, Bookfun, Ereader News Today, Inspired Reads, Pixel of Ink or Kindle ebooks.

Sunday Words of Encouragement February 20, 2022

We enjoyed a Sunday School that had our lesson in Revelation delayed a week. Our teacher opened up to questions and we ended up discussing Gog and Magog; Jesus teaching in parables; and Jesus’ humanity.

Our worship was good and one of our members shared video and explanation of our outreach ministry to our local Early Childhood Center. Our Interim Pastor noted how it is important that our church continue to Love God and Love others. We are to build relationships, plant seeds, and watch God manage the growth.

Pastor then continued from last week’s message: Jordans, Giants and Jesus. He reminded us that we will all face challenges on every side. Political, economic, relationship, and spiritual.
He noted that we're all adrift in the same boat. As Job said: “Mortals, born of woman,
are of few days and full of trouble.” Job 14:1-3.

Your promise is always on the other side of your Jordan.
Arise. Stand up! Step up! Be strong & courageous!
God has new territory for each one of us, our families and our church.
We need to obey the Word of God. God's promises are ‘yes and amen.’ 1 Corinthians 2: 20.
God has redeemed us, called us by name and will see us through the rivers and fires. Isaiah 43:1-3.
The difficult places to walk through are the Jordans and the difficult people you have to deal with are the Giants. Remember- our battle is not with things of this world, but with the enemy.
Ephesians 6:12.

Now we look at the story of David and Goliath. 1 Samuel 17.
The explorers brought back a report and evidence of a land of incredible fruit and honey. But ten of the men were afraid of the Giants and saw themselves ‘like grasshoppers’. How do we view ourselves? God views us as His child – precious to Him.

Some people hide out of fear they will never be overcomers. Beware of people trying to define God's plan their own way who are hindering you from fulfilling God's call. Don’t let those people who won't face their own giants pull you down.

Shut out distractions, like David did.
Keep doing what God wants. By His power. There is a call for the Church to win people as overcomers.
Listen to the voice of God! Remember as Paul said: I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13.

Stir up remembrance.
Remember how God has helped you in the past, like David did. 1 Samuel 17:34-36.
After David explained that the Lord had rescued him in the past and the Lord would rescue him from the Philistine, Saul said to him: “Go, and the Lord be with you.”
The Giants are defying God, not us.

Stay with what is proven.
David couldn’t use Saul’s armor because it wasn’t proven for him; he could barely stand up in it!
The battle will be won not with our worldly armor but with God's skill. We can use the most effective tools of our time, but it will mean nothing without God. We win “In the name of the Lord.” The Lord is our proven means of success.

It has always been about the name of the Lord.
‘The word was made flesh…’ John 1:14 and ‘Jesus is the name above all names…’ Philippians 2: 8-11. Jesus is the answer and your hope when facing Jordans or Giants.

I just found this song this morning and I think it fits.

Verses for today:

1 Samuel 17:32-37, 45-46 NIV
32 David said to Saul, “Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.”
33 Saul replied, “You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a young man, and he has been a warrior from his youth.”
34 But David said to Saul, “Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, 35 I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. 36 Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. 37 The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.”
Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you.”
45 David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. 47 All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”

Lord, I trust you in all things of my life. Please guide my work and my blogging to Glorify You.

Sharing Beyond Books #440 Comment Giveaway February 19, 2022

Welcome to Sharing Beyond Books.

Thanks to everyone who commented on the last question.
Last post SBB#439 BN100 asked: Have you found any new products last year that you like? If so, what are they?
Four commenters could not think of any new product. Six of us shared: Spicey Korean Chicken, happy craft planner, a sock hanger, a cool, useful spice dispenser, a hand blender and a counter grater. Thanks for sharing!

For US participants: I need to update and refill the books available to US winners. I have used "Love" and "Christmas" titles as well as ARC titles. Since the supply is lower, I have author collections I could choose from, mostly romance - historical, suspense and some contemporary. What genres/books/authors would you like me to include?

The Winner from SBB#439 comments is #1 FREDAMANS who can make a GC choice if international or book choice from the Updated (**Finally!) ARC/Review titles or (recently updated) Love and Christmas titles - all linked near the end of the post. -- [9-18-2021 I have added a new box and crossed off books no longer available through August 2021.]

Please let me know your choice by completing the WINNER FORM.

WEEK #440

(One Question.)

Scattered Leaves asks: Have you ever bought a “bookish” item on Etsy? For example, a book necklace, bookmarks, etc.??

I cannot think of anything that I have purchased on Etsy although I have looked at many wonderful items.

Image found at Etsy - Fly Paper Products.

Thanks to those who are sending in Questions. DON'T BE SHY! Surely everyone has a Q or two you'd like to ask. Input suggestions in this Suggested Question Form. At the end of each month, I draw from the suggestions I used during the month and that person will get a 1/2 book choice or $2.50 towards GC. I thank everyone for submitting questions. Thanks for sending in questions! The supply of questions is dwindling so share some if you think of any -- even if they are duplicates I'll weed through or try to modify them.

February Questions were shared by BN100 and Scattered Leaves. They get 1/2 of a book or $2.50. Thanks for the questions!

Your turn to share. Scattered Leaves asks: Have you ever bought a “bookish” item on Etsy? For example, a book necklace, bookmarks, etc.??

SBB Comment Winners can choose a selection from the Updated ARC and Other books, including the "Love" and Christmas titles all in one post.

SBB Rules:
a) Must be a follower.
b) Share a comment on the question above.
Open internationally and an international winner may get a smaller book or a $5.00 GC if I decide the mailing is too much.
I will pick a Comment winner from all comments made through Saturday, March 5, 2022, at 5 PM central.

Audible Book Review: Defiant, Lee Hardin, Book 4 by D. J. Molles

I enjoyed this episode in the series, even as I felt the loses.

Defiant
Lee Harden, Book 4
By: D. J. Molles
Narrated by: Christian Rummel

Length: 12 hrs and 45 mins
Release date: 06-23-20
Publisher: Audible Studios
Genre: Action & Adventure, Military Sci Fi, Post-Apocalyptic
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 4.5.

Publisher's Summary
Don't ever let it break you.
The United Eastern States is crumbling. The fragile house of cards that Lee Harden and Angela Houston have built has begun to fall. Lee is up against a ticking clock, as he is recalled from Texas and given the last thing in the world that he wants: a promotion.
Forced into a command role, Major Harden is thrust into a sharp learning curve that goes against every instinct he's developed over years of fighting. As Lee races to find his footing in a mire of shifting loyalties and opposing goals, Safe Zones are being overrun by massive hordes of primals exhibiting strange behaviors and uncanny levels of intelligence, and Greeley is moving toward an invasion of the UES. The envoys from Canada and the United Kingdom know it - but they're refusing to take sides and give Lee the intelligence he desperately needs.
As the tides of war reach the doors of the UES, horrific secrets are revealed that will change the future of their fight for survival. Friends become enemies, and enemies become allies. But no matter what happens, no matter what - or who - he loses, Lee can't let it break him. He must remain defiant to the last.
©2020 D.J. Molles (P)2020 Audible, Inc.

Review:
This is book 4 in the series and picks up from the prior book. Lee Hardin is in Texas but gets the call from United Eastern States President, Angela Houston, to return to the home base to take military command. The UES has already been forced out of the Fort Bragg that Lee and Angela helped build when the infected Primals overran the base with the unwitting help of the Lincolnist rebels. Angela is coping with internal threats in the form of the continuing hidden rebels, unrest due to overcrowding and boredom. The external threats are increasing in the form of threats from President Brigg’s forces seeking to squelch the UES as well as the infected Primals who seem to be getting more organized. Several more of the Safe Zones in the Southeast have fallen and been demolished as the Primals kidnap the women and wipe out the surviving human communities. Envoys from Canada and the United Kingdom are monitoring President Briggs in Colorado and Angela in the UES. They are trying to determine if it is safer to lend their support to the rational but weakened forces and civilians in the UES or President Briggs, a clearly power hungry leader, who has stronger and better prepared military forces but has lost control of the necessary fuel sources.

When arriving to the new base of operations, Lee immediately sees areas of loyalty concerns, but he would rather continue to be fighting in the field than being the Major in charge in the tactical operations center (TOC). He struggles trying to find the right place and right approach to help Angela and the people. Unfortunately, while he is stumbling, the advance forces of President Briggs’ army are moving into the UES territory.

The local scavenging and hunter forces are able to uncover more information about the Primal activity. They also are pulled into a dangerous rescue attempt to save some of the kidnapped women. The information comes to Lee at the last minute as he is busy planning to defend the home base against expected exterior attack and suddenly facing unexpected attacks too.

My heart felt the continual attacks, deaths, and betrayals in this book. I enjoyed the action and Lee’s external and mental internal struggles. There is more bad language than I like to deal with but I can get past it. I am looking forward to picking up the next book in the series. I recommend this to fans of post-apocalyptic military stories that include more advanced zombie elements.

Audio Notes: Christian Rummel has been the voice for this series and he continues to enhance my enjoyment in the books.

Source: 6/18/2021 Audible Credit. This qualifies for 2022TBR, 2022Audiobook, and 2022Alphabet goals.

Here are links to the earlier books in the Lee Hardin series:
Harden, Lee Harden, Book 1 by D.J. Molles 4.5
Southlands, Lee Harden, Book 2 by D.J. Molles 4.75
Primal, Lee Harden, Book 3 by D. J. Molles 4.5

Links to my reviews of the earlier books before this series:
The Remaining, Book 1  4.25
The Remaining: Aftermath, Book 2  4.5
The Remaining: The Refugees, Book 3  4.25
The Remaining: The Fractured, Book 4  4.5
The Remaining: Trust: a Novella  4.0
The Remaining: Faith: a Novella  4.0
The Remaining: Allegiance, Book 5 4.25
The Remaining: Extinction, Book 6 4.5