"Yours Truly, Thomas" by Rachel Fordham - Azure Springs, book 2

For three years, Penny Ercanbeck has been opening other people's mail. Dead ends are a reality for clerks at the Dead Letter Office. When a letter from a brokenhearted man to his one true love falls into her hands, it becomes her mission to place this lost letter into the hands of its intended recipient. Thomas left his former life with no intention of ending up in Azure Springs, Iowa. All he wanted to do was run and never look back. In a moment of desperation, he began to write, never really expecting a reply. When Penny's undertaking leads her to the intriguing man who touched her soul with his words, everything grows more complicated. She wants to find the rightful owner of the letter and yet she finds herself caring--perhaps too much--for the one who wrote it.

Gentle and sweet, this prairie romance put me in mind of Janette Oke's novels. It's the kind that can renew one's faith in humanity--that though there is evil in the world, there is good too. Though there is hurt, there is also healing.

I loved learning about the Dead Letter Office in Washington DC and the clerks who did their best to get illegible and wrongly addressed letters to their intended recipients. Penny's fascination with letters was a good reminder of how encouraging and how potent the written word can be--deeply personal, yet written to be shared.

It's a sweet, enjoyable romance.

Azure Springs
1. The Hope of Azure Springs
2. Yours Truly, Thomas

"Finding Lady Enderly" by Joanna Davidson Politano

When a handsome stranger approaches Raina Bretton and offers her a chance for adventure, Raina can scarcely resist the lure. Rothburne Abbey has a unique position for her, one that will take her away from her hardscrabble life and give her a chance to be a lady--only dream for a rag woman. Though Raina has traded squalor for silk and satin, something about the abbey is deeply unsettling. As she wrestles with her true identity, the ruin, decay, and secrets she finds at the heart of the old mansion tear at her confidence and threaten to reveal her for who she really is.

I loved the mystery of Lady Enderly--finding out the true reasons that Raina needs to pretend to be her. I especially loved that it wasn't straightforward and easy to guess where the story was going. Raina is fairly street-smart, but she's also impulsive and a bit of dreamer, which gets her into this mess (and partly what keeps her from getting out). I enjoyed the little ways she finds to defy expectations, though, and the way she uses book quotes as secret communication with Sully.

Identity is without a doubt the theme of the story, focusing on the circumstances we let define us versus who we truly are--who God says we are. There's definitely an allegorical feel to the story, which seems a little heavy at times, but it certainly provides food for thought.

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

"The Killing Tide" by Dani Pettrey---Coastal Guardians, book 1

When one Coast Guard officer is found dead and another goes missing, Coast Guard Investigative Service special agent Finn Walker faces his most dangerous crime yet. When investigative reporter--and Finn's boss's sister--Gabby Rowley arrives, her unrelenting questions complicate an already volatile situation. Now that she's back, the tug on Finn's heart is strong, but with the risks she's taking for her next big story, he fears she might not live through it.

This is one action-packed story! From bullets and knives to snakes and sharks to explosions and drownings, this book might just have it all. I enjoyed how the author wove together multiple cases within CGIS, as well as including the drug lord who's after Gabby. It could be a little confusing at times, but it all came together for a memorable climax. Looking back, there were clues to the identity of the Big Bad, but I never had a chance at guessing who it was (granted, I also drew a blank when the name was revealed, and it took until some more context was meted out to place precisely who it was).

Fictional investigative reporters tend to have a reputation for putting the story first, above relationships and common sense and courtesy, and Gabby fits the mold pretty well . . . I'd hoped for something a little different, but I did like that Gabby and Finn already had a relationship to build off of. I actually ended up liking a lot of the secondary characters better than the main couple, especially with all those dangling threads lurking in there to hook one into their stories. I'm guessing--based on the author's pattern in previous series--that they'll be the stars of future books, which gives me something to look forward to--I really enjoyed the crew, particularly Rissi and Evelyne.

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

Coastal Guardians
1. The Killing Tide

2. The Crushing Depths

3. The Deadly Shallows

Liz Johnson's "A Glitter of Gold" - Georgia Coast Romance, book 2

When pirate wreck tour guide Anne Norris finds evidence of an undiscovered shipwreck, she seeks the help of museum director Carter Hale to uncover the truth and treasure that could save her business. But can she trust him with her secrets and her heart?

As Anne says, everybody loves a good pirate story. While this isn't precisely a pirate story, it does reference pirates and the underbelly of colonial Savannah--with a lot of fascinating tidbits woven in. I loved the historical focus to the story. I also loved the story in the journal (the story within the story)--it's no wonder Anne was so fascinated by it that she was willing to step so far beyond her comfort zone to pursue the shipwreck.

It's not everyday that one reads about convicted felons in romance and Christian fiction--especially not when a main character has served a prison sentence. But it was a fascinating, heart-breaking aspect of the story that transformed shame into a powerful expression of the cleansing power of grace. Highly recommended!

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

Georgia Coast Romance
1. A Sparkle of Silver
2. A Glitter of Gold
3. A Dazzle of Diamonds