Beach House Rescue by Hope Toler Dougherty Blog Tour Book Review

 

About the Book

Book: Beach House Rescue

Author: Hope Toler Dougherty

Genre: Christian Romance

Release Date: June 23, 2026

Two strangers. One beach house. Zero plans to share it.

Tessa Trask expects a quiet summer restoring a friend’s beach house—not waking up to an intruder and defending herself as best she can. Wyatt Henry isn’t a burglar, though. He’s just as surprised to find her there—and just as determined to stay.

Under protest, the two agree to an uneasy truce. Tessa is creative and spontaneous. Wyatt is disciplined and guarded. Keeping their distance should be easy…until a surprise visitor arrives and turns their temporary arrangement into something far more complicated.

As sun-soaked days lead to deeper conversations, irritation softens into a fragile peace and grows into something worth protecting. While Tessa begins to trust God’s leading for her future, Wyatt wrestles with a past that makes trust feel dangerous.

Are their growing feelings worth the risk—or is walking away the only safe choice?

Click here to get your copy!

My Review

This is an enjoyable romance. The two get off to a really rocky start. When the misunderstanding clears up, the two have a fragile truce. Wyatt is a flawed character with childhood hurts greatly influencing his current behavior. He has much to overcome. His negligent mother was an artist and, oh my, that is exactly what Tessa is. Bring into the mix Wyatt's sister, also being neglected by their mother, and the tension mounts. It even gets worse when his sister shows an interest in art. Wyatt has so much from which to heal, I wondered if there was any hope for romance.

This novel is a good example of the healing that God can do. Obstacles are many to the romance and for a time it seems absolutely hopeless. There is always God's grace, however. It is a fun romance.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

 

About the Author

Hope Toler Dougherty holds a Master’s degree in English and taught at East Carolina University and York Technical College. She’s written seven novels and one novella. Forever Free, won the Faith, Love, & Hope Reader’s Choice Award for 2025. Beach House Rescue is her newest release. She and her husband live in North Carolina and delight in visiting their two daughters, twin sons, and new daughter-in-law.

 

More from Hope

Have you ever heard of Vinegar Pie? This interesting dessert is Tessa Trask’s snack in the first scene of Beach House Rescue.

Vinegar Pie is a real dessert created generations ago when creative cooks didn’t always have fresh ingredients like lemons. Sometimes they were also called “desperation pies.” They’re similar to chess pies in texture and in their use of whatever ingredients the cook could find in the pantry.

The pie became very popular during the Great Depression when money and ingredients were scarce, but Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote about her mother’s vinegar pie in Little House in the Big Woods.

Even though I grew up in the South, I’d never tasted this pie until I visited my parents after I’d moved to Pittsburgh, PA. A local shop was called Vinegar Pie, and I was intrigued. The store sold southern items and baked goods, among them Vinegar Pie. I tried a slice and enjoyed it!

Don’t worry. The pie doesn’t taste like a pickle. The flavor teases the taste buds with the tang of lemon and offsets the sweetness of the sugar.

Here’s a recipe if you’re intrigued, too.

Vinegar Pie

Ingredients:

4 large eggs
1 ¼  C sugar
2 T vinegar (apple cider or white)
¼ C butter, melted and cooled
1 T all-purpose flour
1 regular pie crust (not deep dish)

Directions:

1. Bake the crust for 15 minutes at 350. Use beans or baking weights to keep the crust from puffing up.
2. While the crust bakes, make the filling. Whisk the eggs and sugar until combined.
3. While continuing to whisk, drizzle in the cooled butter and add the vinegar.
4. Pour into the crust (after removing the weights) and bake for 30-35 minutes. The filling should just be set. If it’s a little jiggly, but golden brown on top, the filling will firm up as it cools.

Enjoy straight or with some whipped cream or ice cream. Tessa, Wyatt, and Skylee would take theirs with ice cream, for sure!

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, September 22

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 23

Simple Harvest Reads, September 24 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, September 25

Artistic Nobody, September 26 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, September 27

Guild Master, September 28 (Author Interview)

Devoted To Hope, September 29

Fiction Book Lover, September 30 (Author Interview)

Avid Reader Nurse, September 30

Fruitfully Planted, October 1

The Bookish Ledger, October 2 (Author Interview)

She Lives to Read, October 3

Cover Lover Book Review, October 3

For the Love of Literature, October 4 (Author Interview)

Holly’s Book Corner, October 5

Giveaway

 

To celebrate her tour, Hope is giving away the grand prize of a $75 Amazon gift card and a signed copy of Beach House Rescue!!

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

https://gleam.io/8sIt8/beach-house-rescue-celebration-tour-giveaway

I received a complimentary egalley of this book through Celebrate Lit. My comments are an independent review.

(My star ratings: 5-An exceptional book, 4-Better than average, relevant and liked by me, 3-It is average, 2-It is below average and not liked by me, 1-It is practically unreadable.)

High Exposure by Kelly Borjas

About the Book:

Determined travel blogger Julia Stevens is on her final assignment in snowy Silverberg, Colorado. She's running from her past-and God-but the charm of small-town life brings little comfort when she's face-to-face with the winter sport that killed her sister: skiing. Upon her arrival in town, she discovers a dead body and is compelled to research the situation, give justice to the man's story, and kick off her new career in journalism.

Cade Haskins is back home after a failed mission and his subsequent retirement from the DEA. His father's declining health has pushed Cade to prioritize family, and he helps at the historic Silverberg Hotel on his dad's behalf. When Julia shows up at the hotel, Cade becomes her local contact. He quickly realizes she has a knack for sniffing around where she shouldn't, and he attaches himself to her side.

With the local death connected to a meth ring, Julia's investigation has unknowingly put a target on her back. As the danger increases and she begins to learn more about Cade and his family, she finds herself trusting the God she was running from. And Cade? He doesn't want to get dragged back into DEA work, but it seems like he may not have a choice if he wants to protect Julia . . . and his growing attraction to her.

My Review:

This is a good debut novel and beginning to a new inspirational romantic suspense series. The setting is good, a small town in the Rockies with many outdoor wilderness activities in winter. The snowy cold plays a big part in the plot. Both Julia and Cade have had tragedies in their lives they need to move through. Their potential romance has many obstacles to overcome. There is a good faith message included and allows for conquering past hurts, for forgiveness and moving forward after misunderstandings.

This inspirational romantic suspense would be good for readers who like authors such as Lynette Eason or Elizabeth Goddard. Good news that Borjas is already working on a sequel. I will be watching for it.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

About the Author:

Kelly Borjas grew up in Southwest Colorado and later moved to Southern California. She has a degree in communication studies from Biola University and a master's in leadership and organizational studies from Azusa Pacific University. She is a cohost of the Lit Ladies podcast. Find her at kellyborjas.com.

Kregel, 304 pages.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this book through EstablishContentGroup.com. My comments are an independent review.

(My star ratings: 5-An exceptional book, 4-Better than average, relevant and liked by me, 3-It is average, 2-It is below average and not liked by me, 1-It is practically unreadable.)

My Heart is Home by Natasha R Minier-Robinson Blog Tour Book Review

 

About the Book

Book: My Heart Is Home

Author: Natasha R. Minier-Robinson

Genre: Nonfiction- Memoir

Release Date: May, 2026

When the world grew loud, and grief weighed heavy on her, Natasha’s heart cried out, and God met her in the quiet.

Born out of a season marked by miscarriage and the ache that lingered after, My Heart Is Home gathers the moments where Natasha began to acknowledge the pain grief brought with it, to name it, to question it, and to face the reflection it revealed, as her heart found somewhere safe to reside.

For the woman grieving quietly.
For the one loving deeply but hurting silently.
For the heart that feels empty yet still longs for comfort and truth.

These reflections offer companionship, softness, and the reminder that God meets us gently in the places we struggle to name.

God has not forgotten you.

Click here to get your copy!

My Review

Minier-Robinson writes, “Your words on paper give the pain a place to land.” That is what she has done in this book after experiencing a miscarriage. She expresses her journey through grief with raw feelings. She realizes her total healing is far from over but knows she is loved and her heart is home in the One who does that healing.

The thoughts expressed here are somewhat random but are a good example of how one can write to express personal feelings as well as comforting words from God. There are also insights for those who desire to come alongside a friend who is hurting. Additional resources are given at the end of the book for those experiencing the grief of miscarriage or coming alongside one in such an experience.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

About the Author

Natasha R. Minier-Robinson is a Christian author, poet, and speaker whose writing explores faith, grief, healing, hope, and the beauty that can emerge from broken places. Through honest reflections, poetry, and memoir-style storytelling, she invites readers into conversations about loss, resilience, and finding God’s presence in life’s most difficult seasons. Her work encourages others to embrace their stories, hold onto hope, and discover that even in the midst of pain, they are never alone.

When she is not writing, Natasha enjoys creating spoken word content, encouraging others through social media and her blog, and sharing messages of faith and perseverance with readers around the world. She is the author of Words Are Art, Beautiful Disaster, Colorless Love, and My Heart Is Home, and other works that inspire readers to find hope, healing, and purpose in every season of life.

More from Natasha

The My Heart Is Home series was written during a season of deep loss, hurt, uncertainty, confusion, and anger. Broken. Wounded. Heart bleeding. End of story, right?

Grief and loss equals the end, right?

No.

God used grief to birth something Natasha never could have imagined.

It was summed up beautifully by Amanda Lentz, the podcast host of Who We Become — Life Beyond Change! During Natasha’s interview with Amanda, she said something Natasha found so profound…

She said, “Grief is not the end of the story… it’s often somehow inexplicably, the beginning of a deeper one.”

As Natasha reflected on this quote weeks later, she realized grief was not the end. It was the beginning.

The My Heart Is Home series was birthed.

Even now, grief seemed like it was the whole story, but it is still unraveling. God has used the miscarriage Natasha went through and turned it into something she never would have imagined… something to help others feel seen, loved, understood, and, most of all, to help them see hope.

Blog Stops

Simple Harvest Reads, September 17 (Author Interview)

Artistic Nobody, September 18 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, September 18

Guild Master, September 19 (Author Interview)

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, September 20

Fiction Book Lover, September 21 (Author Interview)

The Bookish Ledger, September 22 (Author Interview)

Lots of Helpers, September 23

Vicky Sluiter, September 24 (Author Interview)

For the Love of Literature, September 25 (Author Interview)

Tell Tale Book Reviews, September 26 (Author Interview)

Locks, Hooks and Books, September 27

Blossoms and Blessings, September 28 (Author Interview)

Stories By Gina, September 29 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 29

Books, Books, & More Books, September 30 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

 

To celebrate her tour, Natasha is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card and a paperback book!!

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

https://gleam.io/B0X3T/my-heart-is-home-celebration-tour-giveaway

I received a complimentary digital copy of this book through Celebrate Lit. My comments are an independent review.

(My star ratings: 5-An exceptional book, 4-Better than average, relevant and liked by me, 3-It is average, 2-It is below average and not liked by me, 1-It is practically unreadable.)

Murder at the Grand Alpine Hotel by Lucy Foley

About the Book:

High in the Swiss Alps, accessible only by a single, winding railway, stands the luxurious Grand Alpine Hotel. With glorious mountain views and exclusive access to powdery slopes, it draws guests from far and wide.

The notorious actress.
The high-flying politician.
The society wife.
The reckless friend.
The shrewd doctor.

But not everyone is here for a winter holiday.

Beneath the champagne and furs, dark histories simmer; old grudges emerge like cracks in the ice.

And someone is watching from the shadows. A polite, unassuming woman with an extraordinary mind: Miss Marple.

When a body is found and a blizzard cuts off all escape, only Miss Marple can connect the clues before the killer strikes again. Because it isn’t a question of who has a motive, but who’s next…

My Review:

I grew up reading Agatha Christie and fell in love with her mysteries. I am so glad an author has picked up the work to keep that kind of mystery being written.

Foley does a fine job of establishing the setting. Her descriptions of the hotel and the snowy landscape are good. The plot is complex with several murders ultimately happening. It takes Jane a good deal of talking to people and reviewing facts to identify the murder. I like the character of Diane and her forceful actions. This novel has multiple POVs and much character thought, something I don't remember if Christie did or not. Nonetheless, this was an enjoyable historical mystery. 

My rating: 4/5 stars.

William Morrow, 304 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent review.

(My star ratings: 5-An exceptional book, 4-Better than average, relevant and liked by me, 3-It is average, 2-It is below average and not liked by me, 1-It is practically unreadable.)

The Lost Claim by S F Baumgartner

About the Book:

She reads old paper: Queensland mining registers, transfer deeds, the dull documents that decide who owns what's underneath. So she knows what an altered date looks like. This one makes her father's claim die four years early.

Then the letter arrives: YOUR FATHER'S CLAIM WAS NEVER CLOSED.

Noah Mercer has driven eleven hours to tell her the rest. A single receipt ties the worst day of his family's life to the Callahan ground, and to money somebody used the claim to hide.

The proof exists. That's the problem. Surveillance becomes a pickup bearing down on them along a one-lane track. A court order seals the ground. Fire takes a workshop, floodwater cuts the roads, and the paper that could clear her father keeps disappearing.

Following the trail will take them into abandoned workings and across ground Lori has been ordered not to enter. By the time permission comes, the evidence may be gone.

For fans of Blood & Treasure and Mystery Road: clean Outback action-adventure with procedural bite.

Book 2 in The Mercer Files; it can be read as a standalone.

My Review:

This is the second book in a collection of shorter novels from Baumgartner featuring the three sons of Tom Mercer, the main character in the free prequel (The Last Shift, available at the author's website). This novel takes place in Australia and involves a great deal of paperwork and land descriptions. I was pretty much lost at the beginning when the plot involved documents, claim regulations and land actions by name and letter and number designations. I had no idea what most of them indicated. Unless I missed something, I had no idea what was so important about this land claim in the first place. How all the information was documented and recorded was interesting but became repetitive after a while.

Baumgartner's writing style is fast paced and succinct. Usually that makes for a fast moving plot but this time it prevented this reader's understanding of what was going on. I do wish Baumgartner had added some background information and explanations to help me understand what was at stake and what was going on. There is one more novella in this series and I do hope it explains the meaning of this one.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

You can read my review of the first book in this series, Black Gold Secret. You can read my review of the short prequel, The Last Shift and download it free at https://sfbaumgartner.com. 

About the Author:

S.F. Baumgartner crafts fast-paced Christian suspense thrillers, weaving tales of complex characters, secretive operatives, and relentless agents. Her gripping storytelling has earned acclaim, with Living Secrets and Forgotten Secret—Books 1 & 2 of her Mirror Estate series—named Top Picks in the thriller & suspense categories, respectively, at Killer Nashville, and Tangled Secrets—Book 3 of Mirror Estate series—won couple of awards in the Christian Indie Awards and the Incipere Awards. When she’s not plotting her next twist, she’s binge-watching crime TV shows, like NCIS or playing with her cats. Fans of James Patterson’s style, especially those who appreciate short, punchy chapters, will find much to love in her work.  And as always, her books are all clean.

Independently Published, 182 pages.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this book through BookSirens. My comments are an independent review.

(My star ratings: 5-An exceptional book, 4-Better than average, relevant and liked by me, 3-It is average, 2-It is below average and not liked by me, 1-It is practically unreadable.)

The Darkness at Deception Pass by D D Black

About the Book:

Three years ago, the body of an elderly woman was found in the cool waters beneath the Deception Pass Bridge near Whidbey Island, Washington. Two years later, a deceased man of almost ninety floated onto the pebbly shore of Bremerton, just south of the Manette Bridge. Each case left the authorities puzzled. Were these the final acts of individuals lost to despair, or were they meticulously staged murders?

Two inexplicable deaths, two years apart, the cases colder than the waters where the bodies were found.

Until now.

When a third body turns up in the chilling waters of Deception Pass, Thomas Austin and the Kitsap Sheriff's Department are on the case. Together, they embark on a quest to connect the dots between past mysteries and the present horror, unraveling a thread that leads to an unthinkable crime.

In Book 9 of the Thomas Austin Crime Thriller series, Austin is confronted with his first case as a detective for the Kitsap Sheriff's department. But as he gets closer to the deadly truth and the twisted individuals behind it, it may just be his last.

My Review:

I like this series from Black as they take place in Puget Sound. I am vary familiar with the Deception Pass bridge as I have driven over it or walked it scores of times. (The banner above on this blog is Deception Pass Bridge.) Talking about death in relation to it is a serious topic. While people do use the bridge to end their lives, Black has a different take. Some people are targeting the elderly to get their money. When the elderly person is no longer useful, they are thrown off the bridge to the turbulent water below.

Austin is now a detective with the sheriff's department so this is more of a police procedural rather than a private investigator style. Black creates a good plot as the villains are identified.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

You can read my reviews of the earlier books in the series: The Bones of Point No Point, The Shadows of Pike Place, The Fallen of Foulweather Bluff, The Horror at Murden Cove, The Terror in the Emerald City, The Drowning at Dyes Inlet, The Nightmare at Manhattan Beach, and The Silence at Mystery Bay.

About the Author:

D.D. Black writes crime fiction set in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. He is the author of the Thomas Austin Crime Thrillers and the FBI Task Force S.W.O.R.D. series. When he's not writing, he can be found strolling the beaches of the Pacific Northwest, cooking dinner for his wife, and throwing a ball for his corgi over and over and over. To learn more, check out my website, where you can join the VIP Reader Club for discounts, news, and more corgi photos than you ever knew you needed. You can find out more at https://ddblackauthor.com/

Independently published, 256 pages.

Shadowing You by Robin Patchen Blog Tour Book Review

 

About the Book

Book: Shadowing You (The Wright Heroes Book 10)

Author: Robin Patchen

Genre: Christian Romantic Suspense

Release Date: September 8, 2026

When the wife he believed dead calls from China, an ER doctor races to find her before her enemies silence her forever.

Ethan Wright never recovered from the death of his first love.

Six years ago, Mei Lin discovered evidence linking powerful officials to a human trafficking ring. She planned to smuggle the details out of China and join her new husband in America—but COVID sealed the borders before she could escape. Snatched by the men she’d been investigating, she was wrongfully imprisoned while authorities claimed she had died in quarantine. Now, Mei Lin’s sudden release doesn’t mean she’s free.

Ethan will stop at nothing to get his wife out of China, but he has no idea where she is. He must reach out to his estranged father, a former CIA agent who has powerful connections. With his dad’s help, Ethan begins a desperate search. He finally finds Mei Lin, but she refuses to run without the evidence that could expose the conspiracy—and ensure they’re never hunted again.

Reunited after years apart, Ethan and Mei Lin must rediscover the love they thought they’d lost—while staying one step ahead of enemies who will stop at nothing to keep their secrets hidden.

From a USA Today bestselling author… You’ll love this heart-pounding suspense and gripping romance as Ethan and Mei Lin discover that real love is strong enough to survive anything.

Click here to get your copy!

My Review

This novel is a little different from the earlier ones in the series as Patchen takes us to China, where most of the action occurs. Also, Ethan, who is the hero of this novel is the result of an affair his father had so has not felt part of the Wright family. While there are some good and suspenseful scenes in this novel, it is mostly about relationships and commitment to family, especially when you need family to stay alive. This book reads pretty well as a stand alone. Family members from previous novels do come into the plot but more as support than the focus.

Reading this novel is a bitter sweet experience as it ends this series. I have appreciated Patchen's ability to create fast paced plots and engaging characters. I was happy to find that she already has another series in the works. I enjoy her writing so will be eagerly looking for the new novels.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

I missed the earliest books in this series but you can read my reviews of several of the rest: Sheltering You, Protecting You, Capturing You, Defending You, Fighting for You, and Anchoring You. 

About the Author

Robin Patchen is a USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of Christian romantic suspense. She grew up in a small town in New Hampshire, the setting of her Coventry Saga books, and then headed to Boston to earn a journalism degree. Working in marketing, she discovered how much she loathed the nine-to-five ball and chain. After relocating to the Southwest, she started writing her first novel while homeschooling her three children. The novel was dreadful, but her passion for storytelling didn’t wane. Thankfully, as her children grew, so did her writing ability. Now that her kids are adults, she has more time to play with the lives of fictional heroes and heroines, wreaking havoc and working magic to give her characters happy endings. When she’s not writing, she’s editing or reading, proving that most of her life revolves around the twenty-six letters of the alphabet. Visit robinpatchen.com/subscribe to receive a free book and stay informed about Robin’s latest projects.

More from Robin

Saying Goodbye to Shadow Cove

When I typed the last sentence of Shadowing You, the final Wright Heroes of Maine book, I was dehydrated from all the tears I’d shed. These Wrights feel like family to me. I can’t imagine leaving them behind.

From about book five, I knew about Ethan, the son his father kept secret. I didn’t know his plot yet, though. When I met Mei Lin and understood where she’d been for the last six years, I couldn’t wait to share their story.

But first, I want you to get to know Gavin.

The Wright family has two branches. Roger Wright and his wife, Peggy, raised six sons on an apple farm in central Maine. Roger was a physician who never put his work ahead of his children. He was steady and present, the kind of man his boys grew up wanting to be.

His brother Gavin is a different story. He was a CIA officer, gallivanting the world while his wife, Evelyn, raised their five daughters. For most of the girls’ lives, he was distant and guarded, always one assignment away from coming home. Even after he retired from the CIA, he started a business that kept him close to DC—and far from his family in Shadow Cove.

None of those girls knew anything about their father’s son.

Ethan was raised by a single mother in Virginia. Gavin supported them but visited on his own terms. Ethan grew up knowing he was his father’s secret, too shameful to share with Gavin’s real family.

All Ethan ever wanted was a family of his own, which might be the reason that, when his girlfriend finished nursing school and returned home to China, he followed her and proposed. They were married the same week. But after the honeymoon, Ethan had to return to the States, and Mei Lin had to stay in China until her visa came through.

It should have been a matter of weeks, maybe a couple of months at most. But the pandemic hit. And then Mei Lin disappeared. A few months later, Ethan and her parents got word that she’d contracted the disease and died.

But Mei Lin isn’t dead. Six years ago, she uncovered a human trafficking ring and started gathering evidence against the man in charge. She didn’t know he was on to her until she was arrested and thrown into prison. Nobody came to visit her, not her parents, not her brother, and not the husband who’d promised to love her forever. A few years into her imprisonment, she lost hope that she’d ever be freed. And then, after six torturous years, she was released—just like that.

She might be out of prison, but her enemy can’t let her escape from China. Mei Lin calls the husband who left her to rot, not asking—or expecting—anything from him except some money to help her get to safety.

She certainly doesn’t expect him to fly around the world to find her.

But Ethan hasn’t forgotten Mei Lin. Now that he knows she’s alive, he’ll do everything in his power to get her to safety, including rushing into a country he barely understands. And reaching out to the father he rarely speaks to.

But Gavin isn’t the only one who jumps in to help Ethan and Mei Lin escape China. I won’t spoil it for you, but I know you’ll enjoy seeing some old friends in this story.

Thanks for spending your valuable time in Shadow Cove. Enjoy one last story before you move on to your next destination.

As for me, I’ll be just up the coast in Briar Bay, Maine, where three castaway children…

Well, we’ll talk about that one next time.

Blog Stops

Book Looks by Lisa, September 9

lakesidelivingsite, September 9

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 10

Texas Book-aholic, September 11

For Him and My Family, September 12

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 13

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, September 14

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 15

Blossoms and Blessings, September 16

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, September 17

Mary Hake, September 17

Holly’s Book Corner, September 18

Cover Lover Book Review, September 19

Pause for Tales, September 20

Devoted To Hope, September 21

A Good Book and Cup of Tea, September 22

Giveaway

 

To celebrate her tour, Robin is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card and a copy of Anchoring You!!

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

https://gleam.io/VphI6/shadowing-you-celebration-tour-giveaway

I received a complimentary digital copy of this book through Celebrate Lit. My comments are an independent review.

(My star ratings: 5-An exceptional book, 4-Better than average, relevant and liked by me, 3-It is average, 2-It is below average and not liked by me, 1-It is practically unreadable.)

Brimstone Hollow by Archer Sullivan

About the Book:

There isn’t much that happens in the Appalachian Mountains that Private Investigator Annie Gore hasn’t seen. Before she was an Air Force Special Investigator, she was born and raised in those rolling hills, and lately Annie's cases have called her away from her Louisville office and closer to the small towns of her youth than she ever anticipated. But when her newest client asks if she’s ever been to a snake-handling church, Annie knows she’s about to enter unknown territory.

Katie May has been estranged from her father―one of Appalachia’s last infamous snake handling preachers―for twenty years. But when Katie finds out he’s been fatally bitten, and a funeral was held within twenty-four hours, she questions whether someone deliberately rushed the process. Despite Annie’s doubts, she takes the case. After all, when she looks at Katie, she sees a version of herself: a girl who needs to understand her father in order to understand herself.

As she navigates the hidden hollers and dangerous secrets of this insular Eastern Kentucky town, Annie works fast, hoping to find the truth in record time for her client―and before too many memories from her own childhood surface. But it soon becomes apparent that someone wants Annie’s investigation to stop―by any means necessary.

My Review:

The second in a series but the first for me. The setting of the Appalachian mountains is well presented. Sullivan knows the land. The plot was a bit long and could have ended sooner without losing anything. It was interesting to read about the snake handling group. The characters are well done. Annie comes across as a normal woman and not someone with super abilities. Secrets come to light and the suspects are many, as are the twists. A pretty good read.

Minotaur Books, 304 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent review.

(My star ratings: 5-An exceptional book, 4-Better than average, relevant and liked by me, 3-It is average, 2-It is below average and not liked by me, 1-It is practically unreadable.)