Rachel Dylan's "Breach of Trust"--Atlanta Justice book 3

Corporate litigator Mia Shaw is devastated to discover the mutilated body of her friend and coworker, Chase. She will do everything in her power to get him justice, but the accused turns out to be a friend of her acquaintance security tech Noah Ramirez, who refuses to believe the man did it. When Mia's boss hands her the case that Chase had been working, Mia finds some strange emails that point to corporate espionage. Even though they disagree on Chase's murderer, Mia can't deny Noah's security skills, so she brings him into a case that proves a lot more dangerous than either ever dreamed . . .

I really enjoyed that this book has the opposite perspective of the first book of the series (rather like bookends to the series)--instead of taking on a company in the wrong, Mia is working on the side of the company being accused of wrongdoing (though it isn't clear-cut right or wrong--I'd call it something more like murky corporate politics). I enjoyed the complexity of the story, with different threads in different cases that may or may not be related.

It was also fun to have Mia and Noah on opposite sides (at least for a good while), yet still be able to work not just professionally but kindly with each other. In truth, I wasn't sure at first that I liked Mia--she was so adamant about who Chase's killer was and unwilling to consider an alternative that it turned me off for a bit. But when she was willing to work with Noah--and agreed to be willing to change her opinion should the evidence point that way--then I instantly softened toward her, and she proved an excellent heroine for the remainder of the book.

Thank you Bethany House and NetGalley for the complimentary e-book. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions are my own.

Atlanta Justice
1. Deadly Proof
2. Lone Witness
3. Breach of Trust

"Between Two Shores" by Jocelyn Green

Daughter of a Mohawk mother and French father near the French bastion of Montreal, Catherine Stands-Apart Duval finds it easier to remain neutral in a world that is tearing itself apart. A trader with both the French and the British, Catherine survives by her neutrality. When her British ex-fiance, Samuel Crane, is taken prisoner by her father, Samuel asks her to help him escape, claiming he has information that could help end the war. Torn between standing apart and ending the suffering of New France, Catherine has to weigh the consequences of maintaining her neutrality against the consequences of turning traitor against her own country.

I will admit, when I had read somewhere that this was a purely historical novel and not a romance, I hadn't realized just how Not A Romance it would be. Many stories that aren't romances still manage to convey a satisfactory love story, so that's more what I was expecting. Nope! You are now warned.

That said, I think it was the best book I've read by Jocelyn Green, and that is high praise indeed.

Catherine Stands Apart lives up to her name, standing apart from conflict and at the edge multiple worlds without fully belonging in any--purely neutral, at least until the consequences of neutrality prove too great and finally force her to choose a side. I was so glad that it was told entirely from her perspective--any other viewpoints, and it would have lost impact.

It's full of fascinating history of the French and Indian War, as well as the culture of New France and those involved in the fur trade (people who assume women historically lived in complete subjugation to men clearly don't know about the Mohawk or women traders of the era). And wow, is the story emotional. Catherine's relationships with her family are complicated to say the least, but it was so satisfying to finally see some restoration there. I wish--for Catherine's aching heart--that there could have been a love story in there for her, but it was a moving tale nonetheless, with beautiful symbolism.

Thank you, Bethany House and NetGalley for the complimentary e-book. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions are my own.

"The Sky Above Us" by Sarah Sundin---Sunrise at Normandy, book 2

When she arrived overseas, American Red Cross volunteer Violet Lindstrom expected to be helping the British evacuee children, not serving coffee to uncouth airmen. But as she gets to know Lt Adler Paxton, one of the pilots, she learns not all airmen are so bad. Adler knows just how bad airmen are, and that he's the worst of the lot, carrying weighty secrets of guilt and grief. But he finds himself drawn to Violet, even as she keeps pushing him to reconnect with his family. As D-Day draws near, they become close, but Adler will be forced to face his past--and the most fearsome battle of his life.

5 stars! I have enjoyed all of Sarah Sundin's books, and I've felt for a while that her books get better and better with each new series, but this series is something special; the way that the brothers were separated and how they are coming back together on the battlefield is spectacular. And as much as I enjoyed the previous book, I think I like this one even more. Granted, I ran out of extra stars long ago, so you can't tell by the rating . . .

I almost felt differently. The moment Adler decided to buck the rules and prove himself a flying ace, I snapped the book shut (not that I intended to quit the book before finishing; I just had a strong suspicion nothing good could come of his choice, and I had to brace myself). But instead of the beginning of a downward spiral, it proved to be the moment of change for Adler's character. Instead of his pride being a constant source of frustration the rest of the book, he humbles himself and seeks to be the best in the position he's in, not the position he wants. Yes, he still battles pride, but it doesn't control him. From that point on, I absolutely loved him as a hero. In my opinion, that change had more strength happening as early as it did--for once, we get to see the hero live out his resolution, even when it's really difficult and he'd like to give up.

I personally really liked Violet--she's a good girl, trying to do the right thing, and trying to make the most of a situation that she would not have knowingly chosen. She isn't perfect. But she tries hard, and even when she makes mistakes, she can own up to them. Maybe she's less detrimentally flawed than a lot of heroines these days, but to me she seemed normal--a person you could actually know, living right down the street, without a severely traumatic past. And hooray for tall heroines!

I loved the supporting characters in this book (they're fun AND supportive--the best sorts of friends for the main characters). The book packs a wallop of spiritual truths, particularly on the theme of forgiveness--a theme I expect to be continued through the next book.

Thank you, Revell and NetGalley, for the free e-book. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions are my own.

Sunrise at Normandy
1. The Sea Before Us
2. The Sky Above Us
3. The Land Beneath Us

Michelle Griep's novella collection "Ladies of Intrigue"

Three page-turning novellas of 19th-century: can truth and love prevail when no one is as they appear?

The Gentleman Smuggler's Lady: I don't know what it is about rogues--the Robin Hood-type highwaymen, smugglers, pirates, and the like, but when one of these non-law-abiding men just so happens to be a gentleman (with an honorable moral code), they can be terribly difficult to resist. Isaac Seaton is a perfect example of it. I'm not convinced that proposals and funerals go hand-in-hand, but the story was entertaining and by far the most deserving of the "intrigue" of the title.

The Doctor's Woman: Having studied a fair amount of Minnesota history, I was excited to see a story about the Dakota War of 1862, or rather, the aftermath. It was a war that never should have happened--it easily could have been prevented, had the US fulfilled its ends of the treaties--and there were atrocities committed on both sides, but the worst of which being the revenge the US took against the Dakota, innocents and all.

I don't think the novella does justice to the tragedy of 1,600 people--mostly women, children, and elderly--pushed together into a river-bottom concentration camp over the course of a Minnesota winter, where several hundred died of disease in those few months alone. But it is a nice story of a doctor and a woman with the heart of a doctor working together to help ALL those in their care, not just the ones popular opinion would have them help. No actual mystery to this story.

House of Secrets: Joseph Blake wins above even the rogue for my favorite hero of the collection. He's charming, honorable, and passionate, and he doesn't take life too seriously, except where it matters. There is intrigue to this story as well, as Joseph is trying to take down a brothel while hiding his involvement in getting prostitutes out of the business.

I prefer Griep's full-length fiction to the novellas, where there is more room to flesh out the story and world, but these do convey her masterful use of language. The title isn't the most fitting I've seen regarding novella collections, but the stories are all entertaining.

Thank you Barbour and NetGalley for the complimentary e-book. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions are my own.