Go check it out...

Hey, new friend, and overall great gal, Georgiana Daniels, has a picture of her new book cover, Table for One. It's a darling cover and I'm excited for her. Go check it out and congratulate her on her first sale. ;)

A McKaslin Homecoming by Jillian Hart

When contacted by her long-lost grandmother, Lauren McKaslin wanted to reconnect- with all the warmhearted Montana McKaslins. For too long, she'd relied solely on herself and her faith. But mistrustful lawman Caleb Stone stood in her way, and his questions about her were intimidating. Was his attention more than a protective instinct? Now that she believed in family again, perhaps this was also the time to believe in true love...

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Sabrina here: This is actually my first Jillian Hart book and I can't imagine why. I'm loving the opportunity to read all these great authors for the first time. It makes me eagerly anticipate all those stories out there that I missed and that are to come.

In this book, Lauren McKaslin has lived with her mother all her life (at least for the life she can remember) Now after all these years she finds there's this whole family that has missed her. They've wanted her to be a part of their life. Not at all what she's been led to believe. She's nervous and timid and so afraid to hope for a future with the new family.

This story was so sweet and moving. Being a girl who has a family out there somewhere that I've never met, this story was particularly moving for me. I felt such compassion for Lauren as she watched the family interact together and struggled with feelings of being a stranger and not really having a place in the family.

Her new found sisters did a tremendous job of including her and added charm and laughter to the book.

The love interest, Caleb Stone, was a solid, steady, hunk of a man, that most women would love to meet. LOL. He was encouraging to her when she needed it and gave her a little push when she needed that too. I think if you have a chance to purchase this book, you won't be disappointed. I can't wait to go back and read the McKaslin books I've missed. Overall great read. Click here to purchase.

VANISHED BY MARGARET DALEY

Without a Trace
As a detective in Chicago, J.T. Logan had put away a lot of criminals--and had made a lot of enemies. However, the last thing the widowed father and current small-town sheriff expected was crime in his own backyard. Until his young daughter was kidnapped.

FBI agent Madison Spencer found herself working with J. T. again on a case painfully different from their previous one. She could only watch as he struggled to remain coldly professional while his heart was in anguish. And what of her own heart? Romance should be the furthest thing from their minds. All she could do was hope--and pray--for them all.

Sabrina Here: I recently "found" this book on my bookshelf. I had put it there and when I got another shipment of books for review I must have temporarily missed this one. This is a May 2007 book by Steeple Hill. It is still available to purchase here.

This book was actually a great read, but it was not a lighthearted fun read for a lot of reasons. First it dealt with a tough subject--the kidnapping of a child. Daley did a good job making us fear for the child. She also made it easy to relate with the father and his feelings of inadequacy. I hurt for J.T. and even felt myself almost praying along with him that his daughter would be returned safe and sound. Isn't that a great feeling when the book becomes real enough to you that you want to pray for the characters? ;)

Another thing I found a little hard was I wanted so much to know the backstory with these characters. Sometimes reading one book out of a series isn't a big deal, but with this book I could tell that I have to at some point read the other books in this series of Daley's. I felt like there was some "good" stuff that I apparently missed. That's not really a negative more that I cared enough about the characters to find out more about them. I was sad to leave their small town. The romance was believable and very well written. I loved Madison's character and could easily see her in J.T.'s life.

It was a great read and I'd highly recommend this book. I myself am eager to catch up on some of Margaret's other books. I'll let you know when I do.

In the next few days I'll be reviewing Nikki Arana's As I Have Loved You. It was a very interesting book. I may even give a copy away. ;)

LOVE INSPIRED WEDNESDAY... Valley of Shadows by Shirlee McCoy

Since I'm targeting the LI line of Steeple Hill I thought it would be a wise decision to read as much of their current line as possible to not only see what the published authors did right, but to get a feel for what the editors are obviously looking for. Therefore, I'm going to try and post a review of an LI book every Wednesday. If you've never read an LI book you're in for a treat. The books are small enough that you can read them in one sitting or come back to over a couple days time. There's always a good balance between the romance and spiritual thread and in the suspense line there is always a fast paced energetic plot to keep you interested.

This week I'm reviewing Valley of Shadows by Shirlee McCoy. I've long been a fan of Shirlee's not just because of her writing. She's a kind hearted woman who is willing to share her personal experience in the publishing world and offer advice when needed. I've made her blog one of my must read blogs just because she's always sharing stuff about the industry or the writing process.

I took Valley of Shadows with me on our vacation along with about 4 other books thinking I'd have all kinds of time to read. Ha Ha. Ever been on vacation with an 8 year old boy who doesn't understand the concept of relaxation? LOL. We were too busy to even sit and read around the pool. So on Sunday evening with my son and husband already asleep I sat up and read the entire book until about 2:00 a.m. I kept thinking, one more page, just one more page. LOL. It was that good.

Here's the back cover blurb:

UNMASKING THE TRUTH

Working deep undercover was dangerous. Mercenary turned DEA agent Hawke Morran found out just how dangerous when his cover was suddenly blown. His life hung in the balance--until a mysterious woman saved him from certain death.

Hawke was a lone wolf--used to bringing down the bad guys by himself. Without a partner. Yet now he and Miranda Shelton were running for their lives, desperate to uncover the identity of Hawke's betrayor. Journeying from the mountains of Lakeview, Virginia, to the valleys of Thailand, Hawke vowed to protect the lovely Christian woman in his care.

Sabrina here, the story starts out with Miranda grieving the loss of a loved one. As she's contemplating her life and how things will change, she's drawn into a murderous plot to kill a masked and bound man that she's never met. She doesn't even hesitate to help him without thought or worry for herself.

Once she helps him she finds herself unable to go home and lead the "normal" life she's lived. She's on the run and the only one she can trust is Hawke Morran.

Shirlee does well writing living breathing characters. I felt drawn to Miranda immediately. I could sympathize with her loss and even her questioning her purpose in life. I also liked Hawke quit a bit. (who wouldn't?) LOL. He came across as strong both physically and morally. I especially enjoyed the traveling to another country and could visualize the scenes as they played out. I won't give anymore away because it would spoil the story for you, but it was a well written book that kept me interested until the last page. Overall, I felt like I had been along for the journey.

Readers of McCoy will find this as enjoyable as all her other books. They'll also enjoy the cameo appearance of Noah Stone from Even in the Darkness. Overall, two thumbs up! ;) Pick up Valley of Shadows by Shirlee McCoy today.