My Review - Life Support

4 out of 5 stars

LIFE SUPPORT is the third installment in the Grace Medical series. Once again, Candace Calvert intertwines drama and romance expertly.

Nurse Lauren Barclay is back in Houston, but not by choice. She has tasked herself with the formidable job of keeping Jess, her living-on-the-edge sister, out of trouble. Unfortunately that means her path is continuously crossing that of PA Eli Landry. The triangle that linked Lauren with Jess and Eli in the past was disastrous, and one Lauren was hoping to avoid this time around. But, the more interaction she has with Eli, the more she sees a different side of the man she blamed for betraying her sister.

Physician’s Assistant Elijah Landry’s emotional limits are being put to the test. He’s desperate to spare his disabled brother, Drew, from treatments that minimize his quality of life, while Eli’s father seeks a restraining order prohibiting Eli from any say in Drew’s care. If that isn’t enough, Eli’s juggling his single parent status to his daughter, Emma, and the roller coaster of feelings he still harbors for Lauren Barclay. He wants nothing more than to repair his relationship with Lauren, but she is so blinded by her sister’s needs, she won’t give him the time of day, or a chance to explain what went wrong between him and Jess.

Seeing each other day after day begins to erode the wall Lauren has erected between her and Eli. The way he cares for his brother and his daughter speaks volumes about the man she had feelings for at one time. But, when a hurricane strikes, and once again Jess proves herself untrusting, it’s Eli who puts a wall between Lauren and him, a wall Lauren isn’t sure she can penetrate.

I really enjoy Candace Calvert’s writing style. Being a nurse, she brings such realism to her hospital room dramas. Her characters are always well fleshed out, attracting the reader because of their depth and charisma. Even the whimsical character of Shrek, the dog, comes to life. Candace’s stories are always a quick read because you don’t want to put her books down. LIFE SUPPORT is the third in the series, but can be easily read as a stand-alone novel.

My Review - Double Cross

4.5 out of 5 stars

DiAnn Mills does a great job of marrying a crime suspense novel with just enough romance to keep the female reader interested.

FBI Agent Laurel Everston lost not only her partner in her last undercover assignment, but her self-respect as well. Posing as Morton Wilmington’s fiancée, she crossed lines in order to capture him and send him to prison. What did she gain? A death threat from Wilmington and a position in the white collar crimes unit. Now, five years later, as she investigates crimes against the elderly, she finds out Wilmington might be her best bet in finding the people behind the scams. Even though Wilmington proclaims he’s undergone a Godly transformation while in prison, Laurel doesn’t buy it. She figures it’s just another scam of Wilmington’s to get close to her so he can exact his revenge. Pressed by those above her, Laurel has no choice but to work with Wilmington, even if it means her reputation will once again be tainted.

Police Officer Daniel Hilton finds out his grandparents have been the victim of a life insurance scam, a scam that could cause them their lives. Though the FBI is looking into the matter, he has a personal stake and forces Laurel to include him in her investigation. Although he’s less than thrilled to be working with Wilmington, Daniel doesn’t have a choice. And his growing attraction to Laurel muddies the waters even more.

Laurel and Daniel work hard to find the right leads and the right people involved in the scam against the elderly, but neither of them trust Morton’s supposed transformation. Even if he’s providing pertinent information, Laurel and Daniel can’t help but think Morton is orchestrating an elaborate double cross.

DOUBLE CROSS definitely kept me guessing. Morton is a slimy character who’s hard to read, Laurel has definite skeletons in her closet, and Daniel’s childhood was less than perfect. As the three of these characters try to move forward, their pasts continue to haunt them, making them wary of future relationships. Daniel is grounded in faith, Morton has a supposed new faith, and Laurel has no desire to return to her faith. The longer they work as a team, the more they learn about each other, themselves, and the betrayals that shaped their pasts. But they all are asking the same question. Are they being DOUBLE CROSSed?

My Review - THe Methuselah Project

4.5 out of 5 stars
 
THE METHUSELAH PROJECT stretches your imagination, but its well worth the ride. This from a person who doesn’t normally enjoy novels that lean towards Sci-fi.

Fighter pilot, Captain Roger Greene is thankful to be alive after being shot down over Nazi Germany in 1943. When he becomes a prisoner of war, he realizes he’s not being treated like other POW’s. He has become a test patient for a fountain of youth experiment. What shocks him even further is when he finds out the experiment has been proven a success. After being a prisoner for over seven decades, he finally escapes, but the world is nothing like he left behind. When he meets up with Katherine Mueller, he finds a sympathizer that believes him and offers her help.

Katherine Mueller leads a somewhat sheltered life. Raised by her prim and proper uncle, she feels an obligation to do what he asks, including being a part of a secret society that her parents dedicated their life to. When her path crosses with Roger Greene, her world as she knows it turns sideways. He insists he’s been held prisoner in Germany and subjected to a life as a living experiment. Katherine thinks her skills are being tested by the Heritage Organization and goes along with Captain Greene’s story. But, when an assassin is quick on their heels, she realizes the secret organization might not be what she thinks it is, and Roger’s story just might be true.

THE METHUSELAH PROJECT had its ebbs and flows. It started out fast pace, but then seemed to slow as Roger’s imprisonment dragged on, but after his escape, the momentum shifts and quickly became a book I just couldn’t put down. I am not one for books that test your imagination, but Rick Barry’s characters were so well fleshed out, I couldn’t help but become invested in Roger’s struggle to get home, and Katherine’s need to find out the truth behind the organization her uncle dedicated his life to. It was entertaining watching Roger’s reaction to things such as cell phones, computers, power steering, and technological advances like GPS and the internet. And the relationship that blossoms between an old-fashioned Roger and a sheltered Katherine is sweet.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves adventure that takes you outside the box.

Book provided for review purposes.

My Review - Falcon

5 out of 5 stars

FALCON is the third installment in The Quiet Professionals Series, and once again, Ms. Kendig’s writing draws you in from the very start.

Raptor team member, Warrant Officer Salvatore “Falcon” Russo is as tough as they come. Being a part of the Raptor Team is his life. But, there are deep wounds behind the ‘no guts, no glory’ persona. One of those wounds is Cassandra Walker. Hate and bitterness is all Falcon feels for Cassandra, so when she is assigned to Raptor Team to help take down terrorist Meng-Li-Jin, it challenges Falcon, and his ability to follow the orders given to him. Cassandra is responsible for the death of people that were front and center in his life. Putting his team in her hands in the last thing he wants to do.

Cassandra Walker has never loved another man beside Salvatore Russo. But she knows all too well that Salvatore blames her for doing the inexcusable. When assigned to Raptor, Cassandra feels this is her chance to get close to Sal again, and maybe repair the damages she’s done. Unfortunately, it only proves to push him farther away. She has so much she wants to explain to Sal, but knows she doesn’t stand a chance.

When things go sideways for Raptor, the team doesn’t know who to trust. The walls are closing in around them, and defining who is friend or foe becomes even harder.

I don’t know how she does it! Ronie Kendig is phenomenal when it comes to edge of your seat suspense that is articulated to perfection. Her characters are flawed, and many are struggling with deep-seeded wounds, but that’s what makes them real and relatable. Spirituality is not front in center in this series. Though characters talk of God and pray, it’s not the focal point of the story or the characters. But you know it is their patriotism and their faith that get them through the trials and struggles they face in their everyday world.

A must read for anyone who likes to hold their breath while reading.