Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Sleeping in Eden by Nicole Baart

She knew what he wrote . . .

One little word that made her feel both cheated and beloved.

One word that changed everything.

MINE.

On a chilly morning in the Northwest Iowa town of Blackhawk, Dr. Lucas Hudson is filling in for the vacationing coroner on a seemingly open-and-shut suicide case. His own life is crumbling around him, but when he unearths the body of a woman buried in the barn floor beneath the hanging corpse, he realizes this terrible discovery could change everything. . . .

Years before Lucas ever set foot in Blackhawk, Meg Painter met Dylan Reid. It was the summer before high school and the two quickly became inseparable. Although Meg’s older neighbor, Jess, was the safe choice, she couldn’t let go of Dylan no matter how hard she tried.

Caught in a web of jealousy and deceit that spiraled out of control, Meg’s choices in the past ultimately collide with Lucas’s discovery in the present, weaving together a taut story of unspoken secrets and the raw, complex passions of innocence lost.


My Review:

Alternating chapters tell two seemingly different stories about Dr. Lucas Hudson and his wife, Jenna whose marriage is falling apart; and Meg Painter, a young girl experiencing difficulty choosing between two fellows. Toward the end of the book, the stories converge and mysteries are solved. The chapters are short, and pages seem to quickly turn. There were times when I wanted to skip the next chapter so as to continue reading one story or the other, but I resisted and read as the author intended.

My favorite scene is between Lucas and Jenna, when they finally talk.

This novel contains some profanity and indicates sex scenes between an unmarried couple.

Reading Group Guide included.

Thank you to Anne Staszalek at Authors On The Web and Howard Books for my copy.

Sunday, May 5, 2013

When a Secret Kills by Lynette Eason

Deadly Reunions, Book Three

Investigative reporter Jillian Carter knows it's time to put the past to rest. She's tired of looking over her shoulder, letting a killer go free. She's no longer the scared kid who changed her name and disappeared. Now, no matter what the cost, Jillian must do what she is trained to do--ferret out the truth and expose it. Senator Frank Hoffman committed murder ten years ago--and Jillian watched it happen.

Didn't she?

Not even the enigmatic and attractive Colton Brady, her ex-boyfriend and nephew of the killer, will be able to make her leave this alone. Get ready for the spine-tingling, nail-biting conclusion to an explosive series.


My Review:
With some chapters devoted to the bad guy, Eason allows the reader to get inside their thinking. I really like this style of story-telling; it's extra spooky.

Jillian spent the past ten years hiding from those who would wish her harm, but now that she's been discovered, she feels she must return home to find the proof she needs to bring the killer to justice. She's been trained in self-defense and even packs a gun. She's prepared for the worst, and boy, oh boy, does she find it. It begins with a would-be slayer at the airport and never stops until the surprise ending.

I like the way Eason ties up this series, but even if you haven't read the others in the series, this stand-alone novel will more than satisfy.

Thank you to Donna Hausler at Baker Publishing Group and Revell Publishing for my copy. Available May 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.