Book Review and Giveaway ~ K-9 Ranch Protection by Darlene L. Turner ~ 9/27/2024

Welcome to the Blog Tour for K-9 Ranch Protection by Darlene L. Turner, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: K-9 Ranch Protection
Series: Crisis Rescue Team #6
Author: Darlene L Turner
Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense
Release Date: September 24, 2024
Genre: Inspirational Romantic Suspense

A killer on the loose. 

A K-9 keeping watch. 

Police constable Izzy Tremblay knows her father’s death was no accident, so when she finally discovers a lead and is immediately attacked, her suspicions are confirmed. The ambush leaves her in the hospital with three hours of crucial memory missing, which she knows holds the key to finding her father’s murderer. For protection, she takes refuge with her ex-partner, Austin Murray, on his K-9 ranch while she races to uncover the truth. But with danger still lurking, can they stay alive long enough to take down a killer? 

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Harlequin | Barnes & Noble | ChristianBook | Bookshop | BookBub

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My Thoughts:

Where to start?

I should start by saying that this was the first book I actually finished reading in a very long time.  I have picked up so many books (mostly nonfiction) and just couldn't get into them enough to finish.  I guess fiction is just my first love :)

Speaking of love, I loved this book!

The author did a wonderful job of sucking me into the story from the first line and keeping me there until the last line.  The setting, the characters, the suspense.  They all kept me glued to the "pages" of my Kindle :)

I loved the interaction between Izzy and Austin but we can't forget Neve and the other K-9 s.  There's just something special about the bond between a dog and handler and that bond quickly grew between Izzy and Neve as well.

The suspense was there from the very beginning to the very end.  Just when I thought I had the mystery solved, the author would throw in a curve ball and I was second guessing myself and my theories.  

The back story was so well written that I would have never known this was Book #6 in the Crisis Rescue Team series.  Although, now, I need to go back and read all 5 of the previous books in the series.  I've found a new-to-me author that I love.  That is a rare treasure!

I am very excited and thankful to review this book today!

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

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More Books In This Series

       

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About the Author

Darlene L. Turner is an award-winning and a Publishers Weekly best-selling author and lives with her husband Jeff in Ontario, Canada. Her love of suspense began when she read her first Nancy Drew book. She’s turned that passion into her writing and believes readers will be captured by her plots, inspired by her strong characters, and moved by her inspirational message.

Connect with Darlene by visiting darlenelturner.com, where there’s suspense beyond borders, to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.

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Tour Giveaway

(4) winners will each receive a $25 Amazon egift card!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight September 23, 2024 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on September 30, 2024. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US/CAN only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

My Weekly Bookishness ~ 9/27/2024

All things bookish!

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What I Read:

You can read my review HERE!

You can read my review HERE!

My review will be posted on 10/16/2024!

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What I'm Reading:

Blurb:

All Annalisa Carabelle wants is a successful summer season for the bed-and-breakfast she co-owns. She never expected the flood, the boy who needed rescuing, or the man who came from nowhere to help. The dead body? Well, the wound to the head proved it had nothing to do with do with the deluge.

Richard Jordan’s plans for the summer include as much scrambling up waterfalls as possible. He needs the adrenaline rush because life has proven routine, even pointless. But both the woman and the boy called him a hero, and maybe the dead body is a wake-up call. Life might be worth living if he and this intriguing woman can find the killer and make sure he doesn’t kill again.

But they’ve got too many suspects, and even the police are baffled. With the family protecting the killer, he might just get away for good, unless they force his hand—and stay alive while they are doing it.

First Lines:

Annalisa Carabelle's windshield wipers slapped back and forth, fighting a rain-filled torrent.

56%/Page 56

Richard's had tightened.  "People all over have fallen off cliffs and peaks trying to get a good photo."

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What I'll (Probably) Read Next:

Blurb:

Inexperienced in love, Jemma seeks help from her best friend, Miles, unaware that he has secretly loved her for years.

Brookeside, England, 1822

Jemma Fielding has always considered herself an independent woman, but to honor her beloved grandmother’s dying wish, she makes a promise that she will marry and fall in love. To fulfill her promise, she turns to the Matchmaking Mamas Society for assistance and is paired with the charming Mr. Bentley. Though he is everything Jemma could hope for in a match, she is clueless about how to win his heart. Desperate to make a good impression, she seeks guidance from her dearest friend, Miles Jackson, a humble rector with a talent for understanding matters of the heart.

However, Miles’s secret affection for Jemma has spanned years, and teaching her to love someone else threatens to betray his own heart. Trapped by his own selfless nature, Miles fears he will never be more than a humble rector in her eyes.

Even as he gives Jemma lessons in love, Miles grapples with the challenge of convincing her that Mr. Bentley may be a perfect gentleman but he is not the perfect match for her. Will Miles’s advice in romance jeopardize their years of friendship, or will it reveal the attraction that has quietly blossomed between them, proving that this time, the Matchmaking Mamas may have made a mistake? Miles must decide if he’s brave enough to confess his feelings to Jemma before she is whisked away forever.

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Book Haul:

I restarted my Kindle Unlimited subscription (yay to $0 for 3 months!).  Hence, the unusually large haul :)

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Book Blogger Hop:

Q.  With the changing of seasons from summer to fall in September, do you have a favorite book that reflects the essence of this transitional period or one that you enjoy reading when the temperature cools down? (submitted by Billy @ Coffee Addicted Writer)

A. I don't usually reread books even if they are a favorite.  However, two of my favorite books that give me cozy feelings are Pride & Prejudice and Little Women.  Little Women, especially! 

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I'm participating in 3 readathons in October!!!!  Check out these posts:

Journey Through the Bible 3.0

Anne-tober 2024

Cozy Cottage Readathon 2024

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Do you follow me over on Instagram?

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Bookishly Yours,

Linking up to: 

   

  

 The Sunday Post, Sunday Salon,  Mailbox Monday

Book Review ~ Maid at Christmas by Bell Renshaw ~ 9/25/2024

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Blurb:

Maid in Manhattan meets Safe Haven in this Hallmark Christmas-style series starter, Maid at Christmas, featuring sweet romance and a cozy holiday atmosphere with just a touch of tension.

She wants a fresh start. He's looking for purpose. Can Christmas at the Lockwood Lodge show them the future is brighter than the past?

When Sonora Jackson searches for a way out of New Orleans—and away from her ex-fiancé—she ends up exchanging beignets for a broom when she accepts a position in housekeeping at the Lockwood Lodge. The picturesque mountains of Vermont, and the luxury of the lodge at Christmastime, is exactly what she needs, but she didn’t bargain for the handsome, bookish man she meets there.

Graham Hastings needs a vacation more than he needs the worry over selling his company, but the two come hand in hand as he arrives in Vermont for an exclusive retreat for others just like billionaires. Focused on relaxing and recovering from yet another failed relationship, he’s not ready for the near-instant attraction he feels for Sonora. At least she’s like him—rich—and not likely to date him for his money.

Set against a snow-drenched backdrop of Vermont mountains and the quaint small town of Middlebrook with its own set of quirky characters, love blooms even as the truth separates. Can Sonora admit her status as a low-income maid and explain why she lied? Will Graham see past her profession to the heart of her feelings for him? And will he be able to keep her safe when her past comes calling?

Maid at Christmas is the first book in the Lockwood Lodge sweet romance series. This small town holiday romance features tropes like billionaire romance, age gap, and he falls first. There is a slight suspense thread included in this book, but it does not overshadow the cozy Christmas setting or aspect of sweet romance.

My Thoughts:

****

Bell Renshaw has written a delightfully descriptive novel set in Vermont at Christmas that had me truly questioning if it was really 85F outside while I was reading.

"Maid at Christmas" is truly a mixture of "Maid in Manhattan" and "Safe Haven" with even a bit of "White Christmas" (my favorite) thrown in for good measure.  It even had some Bing Crosby (also a favorite)!

Sonora and Graham were both great characters.  The author did a wonderful job with the "billionaire" trope.  I wonder how Graham turned out so well when the odds were stacked against him being a complete jerk.  Instead he was a great listener AND Graham loved to read!  Sonora was also a reader and was constantly pulling a well-loved book from her pocket.

I especially loved the bit of suspense toward the end.

This was the first time I've read anything by this author but this book has me wanting to read more of her work.  It appears that she has written books in a few different genres.

I fell in love with Lockwood Lodge and hope to return there soon!  Maybe for Blythe's story???

"Maid at Christmas" is a clean, contemporary romance with a few very sweet kisses.

I am very excited and thankful to review this book today!

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

Book Review ~ Cherry Pie or Die by Ceecee James ~ 9/25/2024

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Title:   Cherry Pie or Die by Ceecee James

Series:  Baker Street Mystery Book #1

Pages:  252

Date Published:  December 29, 2017

Publisher:  CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform

Stars:  *****

 Blurb:

A traumatic life event sends Georgie Tanner back to her hometown to start over at thirty-one-years-old and a certified hot mess. Gainesville, Pennsylvania is as American as apple pie, steeped in rich Revolutionary history, Amish settlements, ghost stories, and colonial manors, and Georgie’s new job as a historical tour guide gives her a safe, no pressure place to begin again. Nothing could go wrong in such a sleepy, picturesque little town, right?

Her first guided tour of the Three Maidens’ Manor battle site and museum proves her deathly wrong. When the power goes out mid-commentary, she has enough to handle keeping everyone calm. Until the power returns and she discovers she now has not only six panicked guests, but a mysterious dead guy to deal with.

Which one of them committed murder? And, more importantly, why is she the next target?

My Thoughts:

It has been ages since I've read a cozy mystery!  I was inspired to read "Cherry Pie or Die" at the recommendation of @the_teachers_tbr for the @comfycozybc (Comfy Cozy Book Club) September selection.  You can check them out over on Instagram.  I'm looking forward to the discussion on September 27th @ 7pm.

I read this book in almost one sitting and the first word that comes to mind is:  FUN!!!!!

I loved that the book was set in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania; a place I've been to many times.  Even though the town was fictional it was so FUN to read about some place "familiar".

I really enjoyed the "Clue" feelings that this book gave me.  I have to say that I didn't completely know whodunit or why they did it until it was revealed by the author.  I had it narrowed down to a few suspects but didn't truly know.

The character building was spot on with Georgie, Frank, Aunt Cecelia and even Oscar and Bear/Peanut.  I am really looking forward to reading the second book in this series.

This book is a CLEAN, cozy mystery.

I downloaded this book on Kindle Unlimited.

Onto the next book :)

Top Ten Tuesday ~ Books On My Fall TBR ~ 9/24/2024

Books on My Fall 2024 TBR List:

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

Six

Seven

Eight

Nine

Ten

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Please leave a comment with the link to your Top Ten Tuesday post so I can return the visit :)