Dangerous Dalliance by Valerie Massey Goree Blog Tour Book Review

About the Book

Book: Dangerous Dalliance (Sisters in Peril Book One)

Author: Valerie Massey Goree

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Release date: July 25, 2023

Jan’s fiancé, Bryan Buchanan, disappeared a year ago. She has no idea why he left or where he is. Since then, she’s had no interest in romance, but saving a little girl from a playground accident propels her into the world of possibilities.

Hatch, the child’s grateful father, has met many women since his wife’s passing. Jan is the first one to catch his attention, but his instinct to offer counseling to any woman he meets who seems depressed is a big turn-off for her.

Although Jan is flattered by Hatch’s attention, the rest of her life is turned upside down when she receives threatening phone calls, is nearly run off the road, and is shot at.

Can Hatch protect Jan as the men’s threats escalate? If Bryan returns to her life, will she forget about Hatch?

Click here to get your copy!

My Review

I was a little puzzled at the beginning as Jan's fiancé seems to have disappeared a year ago. I would have liked a few sentences about it, such as her feelings, rather than jumping into the current story. We do get the needed information as she does but it comes much later.

I liked Jan as a character. I liked learning about illustrating books and about repairing damaged paintings. I had mixed feelings about Hatch. That he was a counselor yet so unaware of people's feelings did not seem right. He frequently missed nonverbal signs from others and seemed ignorant of his own weaknesses. Those are not the kind of characteristics I want to see in a Christian counselor. He eventually became more aware of himself and others but it took a while. Sadly, Margaret suffered because of him.

There are a number of good faith lessons in the novel, well illustrated in the plot. There is a possible trigger issue in the rather graphic domestic violence a couple experienced that Hatch helped. Goree's writing style is straight forward and easy to comprehend.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

 

About the Author

Award winner Valerie Massey Goree resides in the beautiful Hill Country, northwest of San Antonio. After serving as missionaries in her home country of Zimbabwe and raising two children, Valerie and her husband, Glenn, moved to Texas, his home state. She worked in the public school system for many years, focusing on students with special needs.

Valerie began her writing career late in life and has now published 10 romantic suspense novels. Glenn wrote 12 non-fiction books which Valerie edited. Valerie retired from teaching and spends her time writing, traveling, and spoiling her grandchildren. She loves to hear from her readers.

 

More from Valerie

The Interesting “Task” of Choosing Character Names

I wrote the first rendition of Dangerous Dalliance many years ago. Obviously, it wasn’t published, so I put it aside and continued writing other novels. After publishing my ninth book, I decided to revise the story.

Choosing names for my characters, especially the hero and heroine, is a task I take seriously. I read through my lists and check online sites. I don’t go to that much trouble for my secondary characters, but I have a quirky way to choose their names.

I spent twenty-five years working in the public school system. Many students stand out in my memory for positive reasons. However, I remember a few kids or their parents less favorably. Any teacher will understand. Well, the names of those students or parents often play a role in my stories as secondary characters who don’t leave a positive impression.

The name of a major secondary character in my original Dangerous Dalliance was Brandon. From the first moment my student with that name entered my classroom as a four-year-old with severe allergies, a language delay, and behavioral issues until the day his family moved out of state, his behaviors and antics provided me with giggles and frustration.

Fast-forward several years. I live in a retirement community where we have 24/7 concierge services. When I moved here, the young man in charge was named Brandon. When I revised my original story, I frequently chatted with him. He was such a lovely person and treated us “older” folks with so much compassion.

Now, the name Brandon no longer conjured up images of my student but of the man I wanted to adopt as a grandson. (I found out many residents felt the same way.) I told him about my story and the reason I chose a different name for my guy.

Brandon left a few months later, and in a note he wrote me, he said, he would always remember that I changed the name of a character in my novel because of him, and he hoped he could live up to my high opinion of him.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, December 19

Stories By Gina, December 20 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, December 21

Simple Harvest Reads, December 22 (Author Interview)

Artistic Nobody, December 23 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 23

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, December 24

For Him and My Family, December 25

Fiction Book Lover, December 26 (Author Interview)

An Author’s Take, December 27

Guild Master, December 28 (Author Interview)

Locks, Hooks and Books, December 29

Back Porch Reads, December 30 (Author Interview)

Leslie’s Library Escape, December 30

For the Love of Literature, December 31 (Author Interview)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, January 1

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Valerie is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card and a copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54123

I received a complimentary egalley of this book through Celebrate Lit. My comments are an independent and honest review. The rest of the copy of this post was provided by Celebrate Lit.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)