A Promise to Protect by Patricia Bradley

What it’s about:

From the publisher/back of the book:
“Acting Sheriff Ben Logan hasn’t heard from Leigh Somerall in a very long time, but it doesn’t mean he can get her–or their whirlwind romance of ten years ago–out of his head. When she calls out of the blue, it is with a strange request to protect her brother, Tony. When Tony dies just days later, Ben is charged with a different task–protecting Leigh and her nine-year-old son, TJ, from the killers. But how can Ben keep an eye on Leigh if she’s doing everything in her power to avoid him? And could the secret that Leigh is keeping change Ben’s life forever?”

My thoughts:

I think this book is one that will appeal to romance fans who want to branch out more to suspense, but still want the romance and don’t want anything too scary or creepy. I think this book is perfect for that type of reader. It’s not a full-fledged suspense book, but it definitely has some in it. I think when it’s categorized as just a suspense novel, hard-core suspense fans might feel this is not what they are looking for. That being said, it IS what I was looking for! I read the first one in this series and was excited for this second book and Patricia Bradley did not disappoint! It started out with a bang and was exciting and interesting from the first page. It did slow down a little in the middle but other than then, it was was a nice pace. There are many characters, but they are easy to keep track of from each other. Mrs. Bradley nailed the small-town gossip aspect included in this book. I live in a town of less than 800 and could relate to how the author incorporated the gossip and how people/the characters relate to one another in the small town (Wade, a deputy who goes undercover) but, I won’t say any more so I don’t give too much away. 🙂 I recommend this book for those looking for a softer suspense or a suspense/romance combination!

I give A Promise to Protect 4.5 stars out of 5

I received this book in exchange for my honest review.

The kindle edition of this book is only $4.99… that is a great deal for a new release! You can follow the link below to check out this deal!

A Holiday Proposal by Kimberly Rose Johnson

What it’s about: (from the publisher/back cover)
“Just out of nursing school, Holly can’t risk any distractions. She knows a slipup could cost a life. Like the mistake she made years ago that still plagues her conscience. When she runs into old high school friend Matthew Cook, she hesitates to let romance into her life. Even if the handsome baker is as delectable as his fabulous pastries.
She didn’t notice him back in high school, but things have sure changed. Now that Matthew has Holly’s attention, maybe the holiday season is the perfect time for him to show her that she deserves to have it all—work, family, friends and a love that lasts a lifetime.”

My thoughts:
Cozy sweaters.
Colorful scarves and hats and mittens.
Delicious creamy hot chocolate.
A beautiful snow-capped mountainous view.

These were just a few of the things my thoughts got lost in while reading this book. To give you a little background on where I live, I don’t want to even think about snow and cold yet in the end of September and beginning of October because I live in northwest Minnesota where we have at least 6 months of solid winter with very few days above freezing (with many, many days well below zero in the negative 20-40 degree Fahrenheit with negative 40-90 wind chill (real feel) temperatures.) So for a book to make me WANT winter/Christmas so soon, I consider that a feat and A Holiday Proposal made me want it! One of the main characters has a niece named Ava and I also have a brand new, only niece, named Ava too, so I could easily relate with the family dynamics. I enjoy the straightforward dialog and language Ms. Johnson uses. There are some real issues that are addressed in this book, so while it’s a shorter novel, at a great price point, it still deals with some serious issues to give the reader something to think about. A few that stuck out to me were guilt, forgiveness, letting go, understanding, and how our past effects our current relationships. I got mad at one character and laughed with others, so it brought my emotions in and that is one of the top things I look for in a book.

I give A Holiday Proposal 4 out of 5 stars. I enjoyed the book, thought a lot on the messages contained in this book, and would recommend it.

I received this book in exchange for my honest review.

About the author:

Kimberly Rose Johnson lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and two teenage sons. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. Kimberly enjoys reading, music, chocolate, and coffee. You may contact her through her website at http://www.kimberlyrjohnson.com.

 

FREE BOOK alert/chance!

If you want to check out the author’s own interview and a chance to win one of her three books (including this one!), follow this link; http://kimberlysmusings.wordpress.com/2014/10/06/a-holiday-proposal-and-kimberly-rose-johnson/

If you want to purchase this book, or one of Kimberly’s other books, they are about the price of a gourmet coffee, so why not? 😉 You can click on this link to buy A Holiday Proposal http://www.amazon.com/Holiday-Proposal-Heartsong-Presents-ebook/dp/B00JZFL3ZW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1412697440&sr=8-1&keywords=A+holiday+proposal