Sex, Lies and Valentines-Tawny Weber

Sex, Lies and Valentines

Tawny Weber

Harlequin Blaze, Jan 24 2012, $5.25

ISBN: 9780373796700

 

Of the three offspring of notorious Tobias Black, the leader of Black Oak, California, Gabriel is the chip off the felonious block.  Like father like son Gave is a con artist.  However, his latest scam is busted by FBI Agent Danita Cruz.  She gives him a choice between prison and an undercover sting in his hometown.

 

Gabe and Danita posing as his girlfriend arrive in Black Oak.  Their undercover mission is to break up a drugs and guns trafficking mob that has taken root in the town.  As they con his family who feel the heat between the pair and fool themselves into believing it’s the mission, each is in lust with the other, but the operation comes first or does it.

 

The final heated Sex, Lies and … romantic suspense (see Sex, Lies and Mistletoe, and Sex, Lies and Midnight) is an engaging thriller starring a sexy kick butt agent and the smooth king of lies operative.  Although the fast-paced storyline ends suddenly, readers will enjoy the gender war between the Fed and the felon.

 

Harriet Klausner

 

 

The Wings of Morning-Murray Pura

The Wings of Morning

Murray Pura

Harvest House, Feb 1 2012, $13.99

ISBN: 9780736948777

 

In 1917 Jude Whetstone and Lyyndaya Kurtz are attracted to each other, but her Lapp Amish parents oppose a courtship between them.  His stunt of flying a plane from Philadelphia to her Papa’s field where the hay was just cut is not well received by her parents though Lyyndy and her siblings enjoy the spectacle.

 

However Jude and other Amish lads are able to fight but refuse as war objectors are taken away from their community.  They are placed in an abusive camp to break these war objectors.  Lyyndy fears for her beloved who accepts a devil’s deal in order to keep his Amish brethren out of the draft.  His self-sacrifice leaves him shunned by those he protected including her family.  When Lyyndy learns he was shot down in France, she defies her family to work with Spanish flu victims in Philadelphia until beloved becomes her patient.  However, the shunning remains in effect.

 

This excellent fresh WWI era Amish thriller provides wonderful unique perspective of the community at a time when aeroplanes and electricity are so new they have not been banned yet; even Bishop Zook demands a flight.  The seemingly star-crossed romance between the shunned hero and the woman he cherishes enhances a great period piece that will have readers wanting more historical tales like this winner from Murray Pura.

 

Harriet Klausner

A Ranger’s Trail-Darlene Franklin

A Ranger’s Trail

Darlene Franklin

Moody, Feb 1 2012, $14.99

ISBN: 9780802405876

 

In 1874 Mason County, Texas, German cattlemen accuse Anglo ranchers M.B. Thomas and Allen Roberts of stealing their herd.  The court trial led to six cowhands being fined while Derrick Denning was freed due to insufficient evidence.  The Anglo ranchers are outraged that they have to pay any remittance while their German counterparts, still irate over the secession thirteen years ago, feel an injustice occurred. 

 

However, the Denning celebration ends when someone assassinates him.  The Germans say good riddance to a thief and other dead alleged rustlers while the Anglos led by former Ranger Scott Cooley counterstrike against their adversaries.  The Texas Rangers including Buck Morgan arrives in Mason County to end the viscous range war and find out who made Leta Derrick a widowed single mom.  Buck sets up a trap but Leta’s teenage brother Andy springs it.  Shots leave Buck’s cousin dead and Andy as the prime suspect.  Buck prays for a miracle for the extended Denning family and to end the frontier justice range war that is devastating his home town.

 

The fourth Morgan Family saga book (see Lone Star Trail by Darlene Franklin; The Captive Trail by Susan Page Davis; and Long Trail Home by Vickie McDonough) is a great entry that uses the real deadly Mason County “Hoo Doo” range war to tell a vivid Texas Trail tale.  Buck is a great protagonist who prays for a peaceful solution but knows none is coming as each side remains resolution their Godly righteousness.  Using real Mason County range war persona, while fast-paced with the romance deftly kept in the background, fans will relish Darlene Franklin’s second excellent entry in a powerful nineteenth century epic.

 

Harriet Klausner

The Legacy Of Eden-Nelle Davy

The Legacy Of Eden

Nelle Davy

Mira, Jan 24 2012, $15.95

ISBN: 9780778329558

 

Lavinia Hathaway’s dream was to make her family the royalty of Iowa at any cost to relatives, friends and the peasants.  She destroyed so many people so that her three thousand-acre estate Aurelia was the Taj Mahal farm of the Hawkeye State.  Generations after Lavinia’s seemingly success, decades later later prove her outcome an abysmal failure.  The last Hathaway, forty-five years old Caledon, still lives at the once glorious but now in debt estate dies form cirrhosis of the liver (a male family trait) alone; none of the extended family wants anything to do with Lavinia’s curse.

 

In New York City, Meredith Pincetti receives a letter pleading with her to come home after seventeen years of blissful self-imposed exile using her mother’s maiden name.  Her gut says to ignore it, but her DNA tells her to go home.  Her sister Ava tells her she told the lawyers no.  However, Meredith and her other sibling Claudia return to Aurelia, the site of some much anguish as Lavinia’s dream was everyone else’s nightmare.

 

This is a fascinating epic of the impact of a ruthless matriarch has on her descendants; for instance the three mostly estranged sisters have limited if any contact with one another and the males turn to alcohol to ease their torment.  Although the story line is straighter than the Bonneville Flats lacking any twists, fans will enjoy this entertaining family drama.

 

Harriet Klausner

 

Austentatious-Alyssa Goodnight

Austentatious

Alyssa Goodnight

Kensington, Jan 31 2012, $15.00

ISBN: 9780758267436

 

In Austin engineer Nicola James loves anything Austen.  While browsing in a quirky shop, Nic finds a blank antique journal amidst the Austen collection.  She spills tea on the journal so under the you break it you bought it rule, she pays for the damaged item. 

 

Nic begins writing entries starting with a co-worker’s wedding that she will attend without an escort.  When she opens her journal to write a new entry, she finds her wedding comment changed to only a few pearls of wisdom.  Stunned Nic concludes her journal has magical skills to provide her with “Fairy Jane” relationship advice that implies she needs to throw out as garbage her life plan in order to take a chance on Sean who does not fit the Nic plan but is perfect in accordance with the Fairy Jane plan (and Nic’s heart).

 

This is an entertaining fresh take on the ever expanding Austen mythos.  Nic is a super protagonist who holds the amusing, profound storyline focused.  Although the tale starts slow, once Fairy Jane gives Nic her marching orders, Austentatious goes into hyperspeed as Alyssa Goodnight provides an enjoyable contemporary Austen.

 

Harriet Klausner

Promise Me This-Cathy Gohlke

Promise Me This

Cathy Gohlke

Tyndale, Feb 1 2012, $13.99

ISBN: 9781414353074

 

Fifteen year old Michael Dunnagan came to the dock to celebrate his abusive Uncle Tom leaving as a stoker on the Titanic.  The teenager is awe struck by the great ship, which has completed the trials and is getting ready to begin the maiden voyage.  A stevedore hires Michael to help load supplies. 

 

However, instead of leaving, he becomes a stowaway.  Passenger Owen Allen heading to join the family firm in New Jersey, finds and befriends the lad. When the impossible occurs, Owen makes Michael give him a death bed promise that he will take care of his younger sister Annie in England.  Michael sends Annie many letters from America but she resents his living while her sibling died.  However, over time the grieving Annie begins to heal and welcomes Michael’s letters. It is believable that the two pen pals fall in love so he finally accumulates the funds needed to bring his Annie to America.  Before she can come, WWI ignites ending their correspondence.  He resolutely crossed the ocean once before when he had no money and sets off to do so again to find his beloved.

 

This is a great historical that brings to life the fatal voyage and its aftermath through the reactions of a terrific support cast; not all on board.  The couple is a wonderful pairing, but it is the victims and not just those who died at sea, but the survivors like Michael filled with guilt, grief and respect as well as the mourning loved ones.  Readers will relish this powerful rendition of the Titanic.

 

Harriet Klausner

An Amish Family Reunion-Mary Ellis

An Amish Family Reunion

Mary Ellis

Harvest House, Feb 1 2012, $13.99

ISBN: 9780736944878

 

In Winesburg, Ohio, Phoebe Miller loves her family but wishes she had some moments of quiet respite to draw but even the Sabbath is nosy since her Uncle Simon, his wife Aunt Julia and their extended horde live next door to her family.  Her rumschpringe voyage enables her to escape from the Ohio Amish community that she loves.  She travels to Niagara Falls.

 

Amish Eli Riehl is a highly regarded storyteller.  When Phoebe hears his tale, she draws pictures of what he said.  They agree to collaborate on a children’s book he will write and she will illustrate.  However, their plans seem dead when his father suffers a heart attack as the solo son with five sisters goes home to run the family farm.  Although his writing dream appears dead, Eli wants his beloved Phoebe to come with him as his wife.

 

This warm coming of age Amish romance stars two wonderful protagonists who belong together and a strong family support group.  Ironically to achieve her two dreams of illustrating and finding a loving pious mate means Phoebe must accept Eli’s nosy family as hers.  Readers will appreciate Mary Ellis’ tale as the Amish lifestyle makes for an engaging contemporary.

 

Harriet Klausner

 

Blue Moon Promise-Colleen Coble

Blue Moon Promise

Colleen Coble

Thomas Nelson, Feb 14 2012, $15.99

ISBN: 9781595549150

 

1877 is a bad year for most residents of Indiana especially in the Chicago area, but the Marsh siblings are particularly in trouble.  Their lecherous landlord informs the oldest Lucy that he has sold the place where they live and she and her two younger siblings (twelve years old Jed and three years old Eileen) will have to vacate within ten days.  However, Lucy learns that their father’s death was not the accident as reported; his second wife Catherine her stepmother abandoned the children.  Older than her late father, Henry Stanton cites Abraham finding a bride for Isaac; he offers her a deal to marry his son Nate by proxy.  To protect her brother and sister and to keep Jed out of further trouble, she accepts a marrying a total stranger.

 

Henry escorts the three Marsh siblings to the family ranch in Wichita Falls, Texas.  Nate is stunned that his father returned home with a wife for him and two young in-laws.  He assumes the city slicker will quickly run from ranch life.  However, though insecure Lucy refuses to quit as she has a strong inner self-sacrifice that her husband respects but prays she learns to trust him with what disturbs her.  When the Hoosier danger arrives at the Stanton spread, Nate risks his life and his ranch to keep his beloved new family safe.

 

The first Under Texas Stars is a terrific inspirational historical romance.  The key to this engaging Americana is the cast as the lead couple are nice pairing of Isaac and Rebecca while the support characters add either intelligence and humor or the sale of their souls for shekels.  Sub-genre readers will enjoy Colleen Coble’s charmer.

 

Harriet Klausner

Out Of Palestine: The Making of Modern Israel-Hadara Lazar

Out Of Palestine: The Making of Modern Israel

Hadara Lazar

Atlas, Dec 29 2011, $25.95

ISBN: 9781935633280

 

In 1923 the League of Nations placed Palestine, no longer part of the defeated Ottoman Empire, as a Mandate under British control.  The Southern part would become a “national home for the Jewish People” while the Arabs were expected to live side by side with their Jewish neighbors in peace.  Both groups were euphoric with the Mandate.  In 1948, Palestine was divided into two adversarial nations.  Over the next six plus decades, there have been several wars and throughout the ultimate Cold War.

 

For the past twenty-five years Israeli journalist Hadara Lazar has conducted a series of interviews of those involved when The British Mandate ended in 1948.  Fuad Shehadeh is an Arab whose family moved from Jerusalem to Ramallah in 1949.  His description of Jerusalem in the last years of the Mandate sets the tone of a stunning series of memoirs as he recalls an upbeat community until the 1948 War that displaced many Arabs.  James Livingstone of the British Consul remembers how much changed in 1946 from his previous assignments in Jerusalem as social life was limited to the British community.  Meir Dreszner grew up in mixed Haifa while his wife Miriam in mixed Jerusalem.  Under the Mandate Meir felt like a foreigner in an Arab restaurant; while Miriam says Jerusalem was a city of separate neighborhoods. 

 

There are many more interesting anecdotal memoirs that provide readers the foundation of what has become entrenched enemies.  Readers will appreciate the fascinating look back as Hadara Lazar interviews and obtains the thoughts and memories of numerous Jewish, Arab, and British people who lived in Palestine just after WWII as the Mandate was ending and the Jewish state formed.

 

Harriet Klausner

Summer of Secrets-Charlotte Hubbard

Summer of Secrets

Charlotte Hubbard

Zebra, Feb 7 2012, $6.99

ISBN: 9781420121698

 

Willow Ridge, Missouri is home to the Amish Old Ways.  Childhood sweethearts carpenter Micah Breeneman and Rachel Lantz, who works at their two families’ Sweet Seasons Bakery Café, look forward to their upcoming marriage. 

 

Tiffany Oliveri, an Englisher looking like a Halloween party attendee with her ghoulish clothing, spiked hair and tattoos, arrives.  She uses profanity as Rachael takes her order and thinks the girl is her twin sister Rhoda or her with a ton of make-up on her.  Her mamma Miriam believes the newcomer is her lost third triplet Rebecca.  Her marriage to the late Jesse never was the same from that terrible day.  The girl says she just buried her mom when her dad Bib said he rescued her from a tree on the Missouri River in the flood of ’93 when they were three.  The dynamics have changed as relationships are altered forever.

 

The first Seasons of the Heart Amish is a terrific extended families’ drama.  The ensemble cast is fully developed so that the readers understand the impact of the return of the lost child on three caring families.  Fans will relish this tender tale as the Englisher finds her roots as cultures collide while love blossoms in Missouri.

 

Harriet Klausner