My Review - She Walks in Love by MaryLu Tyndall

5 out of 5 stars

There aren’t enough adjectives to describe SHE WALKS IN LOVE, the second installment in the Protector of the Spear series by MaryLu Tyndall. Amazing imagery, intense spiritual warfare, thrilling adventure, and captivating chemistry between Lady Cristiana D’Clere, the protector of the Spear, and Sir Jarin the Just, the knight determined to see her returned to her rightful place at Luxley Castle.

As the book starts, Lady Cristiana has already escaped from one who has poisoned her, left Sir Cedric LeGode at the altar, and has taken refuge at Braewood Castle, only to find out Lord Braewood is not the benevolent benefactor she thought him to be. So, she flees with Thebe, a two-year-old orphan she has become very attached to. With Jarin the Just as her aid, she sets her sights on Luxley Castle, but they must navigate a path littered with those who seek to kill her and take the precious Spear and the power it holds.

Though Jarin the Just has given up believing in God, he can’t deny the miracles that have happened as he and Lady Cristiana continue on their treacherous journey. He also can’t deny his growing feelings for Cristiana and the little imp, Thebe. Though he has sworn off the thought of marriage and family, time spent with these two give him a glimpse of what family looks like, and for the first time in his life, he feels himself yearn for a life with one woman, and a child that pulls at his heartstrings. Even as he entertains such an idea, he knows his volatile past and his womanizing reputation are not worthy of Lady Cristiana. So, he suppresses his feelings and remains diligent in his quest to see her safely returned to Luxley Castle.

MaryLu Tyndall had expertly woven together a Medieval fantasy with Christian romance, and the very real battle of good versus evil in the spiritual realm. She expertly paints a picture of Ephesians 6:12 - For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but again the rulers, against authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. I am not a person who enjoys books like Harry Potter or movies containing sorcery, but I LOVED how MaryLu portrayed the wicked and sinister, and the very real oppression that can happen when people allow themselves to be entertained by evil. 

If you like Christian romance books, you will love the intese attraction between Cristiana and Jarin. If you like Medieval era, and all that comes with it-castles, knights, ladies, chivalry, etc., you will LOVE this latest installment from MaryLu Tyndall. But, do yourself a favor, read SHE WALKS IN POWER, the first book in the series as well as SHE WALKS IN LOVE. It will double your enjoyment!

I was given a copy of this book. I was not required to give a favorable review nor was any money received for this review. All comments and opinions are my own.

Coming Soon - Grace Will Lead You Home

I am excited to announce the release of my 8th novel. 

Here is the back cover synopsis to give you a glimpse. Or, click on the link to the right to read the first two chapters.

Home is the last place Cassidy wants to go.

It holds nothing but painful memories and heartache.

But home is exactly where she needs to be.

To heal, to love, to find her faith again.

After suffering a devastating loss in high school, Cassidy Martin has one clear goal—leave Liberty, Wyoming far behind her. With an art scholarship in hand, she heads to New York with dreams of becoming an artist. Nine years and an abusive marriage later, she finds herself back in Liberty, butting heads with her ultra-conservative father.

Once the high school geek, Wilbur (Wil) Marsh, is now a successful veterinarian and self-appointed caretaker to Joseph Martin, Cassidy’s dad. When Cassidy blows back into town with her big-city cynicism and self-destructive attitude, Wil cuts her little slack in his attempt to protect Joseph from her caustic behavior.

Though Cassidy is drowning in a sea of hurt and betrayal, she refuses to let anyone in. She blames God for the pain and disappointment in her life, takes exception to her father’s constant God-filled talks, and is jealous of the close relationship Wil shares with her father.

Despite her contemptuous opinion that Liberty is a dead-end place with nothing to offer, Cassidy’s heart begins to soften. She works hard to restore her relationship with her dad and God, and begins to acknowledge her growing feelings for Wil. Taking one day at a time, Cassidy finally feels she is on the right track, until another devastating blow threatens to turn her world upside down.

My Review - Convergence by Ginny L. Yttrup

3 out of 5 stars

CONVERGENCE by Ginny Yttrup is suspenseful, but only for the patient. And with a misleading back cover, a reader might feel deceived from the very beginning.

Psychologist, Dr. Denilyn Rossi is experiencing Déjà vu of the worst kind. Though she tries to rationalize and ignore her gut instincts, she fears her stalker is back. Doing everything she can to protect the people she loves, she risks her own safety to bring an end to a diabolical game of cat and mouse.

That’s about all I can say regarding the plot without giving the story away. The suspense in CONVERGENCE built slowly but didn’t really gain momentum until halfway through. If it wasn’t for the fact that I wanted to complete the book for review purposes, I probably would have given up before reaching the halfway mark.

A major issue I had with the book was the format in which it was written. Ms. Yttrup jumps back and forth between the years 2009, 2010, and 2017; and from two different character’s POV. Many times, I felt as if I was coming in during the middle of a scene, since the characters were talking about things I knew nothing about. I had to do a lot of mental juggling to not forget key hints or dangling clues. And then the POV would change again, and I would have to adjust my mindset to a different character and timeframe.

Even with all that said, I am glad I kept reading. I finally found a rhythm about halfway through. But that might have been because I had identified the stalker and was reading with a new perspective.

Unfortunately, I was a little disappointed with the ending. Denilyn went to great lengths to confront her attacker, so I expected a climactic scene where she riddles him with questions and demands answers. But the end came to quickly for me, and I felt many things were left unsaid.

I am giving this book 3 stars because the meat of the book still kept my interest, and I wanted to know the outcome. But the choppiness of the book definitely took away from the pleasure of reading it.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.