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Malicious Intent by Lynn H. Blackburn

About the Book

Title: Malicious Intent
Series: Defend and Protect #2
Author: Lynn H. Blackburn
Genre: Christian Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Revell
Release Date: March 1, 2022

Book cover of Malicious Intent by Lynn H. Blackburn

Dr. Ivy Collins, founder and CEO of Hedera, Inc., is ready to begin clinical trials of her company’s cutting-edge prosthetic. Her work has been heralded by government, medical, and advocacy groups and everyone hopes the device will be a success. Well, almost everyone. Someone is trying to sabotage Hedera and the launch, but to what purpose–and how far will they go to get what they want?

Meanwhile, U.S. Secret Service Agent Gil Dixon can’t believe he’s finally been reunited with Ivy, his childhood best friend. Now that he’s found her again, Gil intends to spend the rest of his life with her. But it will take all his skill to uncover the truth in time to save Ivy’s life’s work, her own life, and the innocent lives caught in the crossfire.

Perfectly balancing chilling suspense and uplifting romance, award-winning author Lynn H. Blackburn delivers a story of revenge, greed, and overcoming that you won’t want to put down no matter how late it gets.

Grab your copy here!

About the Author

Lynn H. Blackburn loves writing romantic suspense because her childhood fantasy was to become a spy, but her grown-up reality is that she’s a huge chicken and would have been caught on her first mission. She prefers to live vicariously through her characters and loves putting them into all kinds of terrifying situations while she’s sitting at home safe and sound in her pajamas!

Lynn’s titles have won the Carol Award, the Selah Award, and the Faith, Hope, and Love Reader’s Choice Award. Her newest series kicked off in March 2021 with Unknown Threat, Book 1 in the Defend and Protect series.

She is a frequent conference speaker and has taught writers all over the country. Lynn lives in South Carolina with her true love and their three children. You can follow her real life happily ever after by signing up for her newsletter at LynnHBlackburn.com and @LynnHBlackburn on Bookbub, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.

My Review

Malicious Intent
by Lynn H, Blackburn
Book 2 in the Defend and Protect series
Rating: 4.5/5

“Ivy Collins was the girl who got away. The woman who had haunted him for years. The mystery he needed to solve. It was time. He was going to get answers. Today.”

As someone who enjoys heart-pumping Christian romantic suspense books, I was excited to read this new book from Lynn H. Blackburn. I don’t believe I’ve actually read a lot from her before but I am now a big fan. Though this is the second book in the series, I had no problems picking it up and reading as a standalone novel. I will be going back and reading the first one because this book was very good.

First, I am always a big fan of intelligent, independent female protagonists. Dr. Ivy Collins is an inspirational character and I really identified with her. She has her tragic past but she is resilient and only wants to leave a lasting legacy.

Second, I really liked how Gil acknowledged that he went to therapy after all that happened. I am a big fan of therapy and removing the stigma surrounding mental health.

Third, the chemistry between Ivy and Gil was beautiful and realistic. They had to get to know each other again after being apart for many years. They still had that spark but had to learn to love one another as adults (and adults with baggage at that).

Fourth, the entire mystery was fascinating and kept me on my toes as I tried to figure out what was happening and who was behind it all. There were definitely some red herrings in the story. 😉

Highly recommend this adrenaline packed Christian romantic suspense with characters who are not afraid to rely on God’s plan and provision.

My thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an ARC of the book. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own. No positive review was expected and no compensation received.

More in this series

March 26, 2022 by Kim Book Reviews

Sunrise by Susan May Warren

About the Book

Title: Sunrise
Series: Sky King Ranch #1
Author: Susan May Warren
Genre: Christian Contemporary Romance, Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Revell
Release Date: January 4, 2022

Pilot Dodge Kingston has always been the heir to Sky King Ranch. But after a terrible family fight, he left to become a pararescue jumper. A decade later, he’s headed home to the destiny that awaits him.

That’s not all that’s waiting for Dodge. His childhood best friend and former flame, Echo Yazzie, is a true Alaskan–a homesteader, dogsledder, and research guide for the DNR. Most of all, she’s living a life Dodge knows could get her killed. One of these days she’s going to get lost in the woods again, and his worst fear is that he won’t be there to find her.

When one of Echo’s fellow researchers goes missing, Echo sets out to find her, despite a blizzard, a rogue grizzly haunting the woods, and the biting cold. Plus, there’s more than just the regular dangers of the Alaskan forests stalking her . . .

Will Dodge be able to find her in time? And if he does, is there still room for him in her heart?

Sunrise is the first explosive volume in a new nail-biting series from USA Today bestselling author Susan May Warren.

Purchase your copy here: Amazon

About the Author

Susan May Warren is the USA Today bestselling, Christy and RITA award–winning author of more than eighty novels whose compelling plots and unforgettable characters have won acclaim with readers and reviewers alike. The mother of four grown children, and married to her real-life hero for over 30 years, she loves traveling and telling stories about life, adventure, and faith.

For exciting updates on her new releases, previous books, and more, visit her website at www.susanmaywarren.com.

CONNECT WITH SUSAN: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

My Review

Sunrise
by Susan May Warren
Book 1 in the Sky King Ranch series
Rating: 4.5/5

As a huge fan of SMW, I was excited to start reading the first book in her new series! But first, can we talk about that amazing cover? It’s absolutely gorgeous and I need to visit Alaska some day. As for this new series, the setting is beautiful and I already love all the quirky characters. The details seem to have been thoroughly researched regarding dogsledding and piloting small aircraft. I definitely read this story quickly since it held my attention till the end.

“She was the only woman he would ever love. And she’d taken that from him, leaving only darkness behind.”

Dodge Kingston and Echo Yazzie were a such fun couple to get to know and root for. Their story had so many layers and so much history. Dodge’s relationships with his father and brothers was a focal point because I believe the other books are about the other two brothers. His sister was also a fun character to encounter. I found their chemistry to be believable and loved their development. Like she always does, the author wove a beautiful story about faith and love and forgiveness into the characters’ journey.

“Echo was softness and home and everything he’d longed for since the day he’d stupidly walked away from her.”

Highly recommend if you enjoy adrenaline-pumping adventure with swoonworthy heroes and daring suspense over an Alaskan sky.

My thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an ARC of the book. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own. No positive review was expected and no compensation received.

December 24, 2021 by Kim Book Reviews

Much Ado About A Latte by Kathleen Fuller

About the Book

Title: Much Ado About A Latte
Series: Maple Falls Romance #2
Author: Kathleen Fuller
Genre: Christian Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Release Date: January 4, 2022

A coffee war is brewing in Maple Falls, where Anita and Tanner are serving up plenty of steam to keep the town buzzing.

Anita Bedford needs to face reality. It’s time to decaffeinate the dream that she and Tanner will ever be more than friends. Growing up in small-town Maple Falls, she’s had a crush on Tanner for years. But he’ll only ever see her as good, old, dependable Anita. Now she’s finally ready to make her own goals a reality. In fact, that deserted building next door to Sunshine Diner looks like a promising location to open her own cafe.

Tanner Castillo may know how to operate a diner, but he doesn’t know beans about love. After pouring his life savings into buying the Sunshine Diner, he needs to keep his mind on making a success of it and supporting his widowed mother, not on kissing Anita Bedford. First order of business: improve his customers’ coffee experience. Then he should probably find out who bought the building next door . . .

It’s a bitter cup to swallow when ambition turns longtime friends and coworkers Anita and Tanner into rivals. Now that they own competing businesses, how could they ever compete for each other’s hearts? Or will the two of them come to see what’s obvious to the whole, quirky town of Maple Falls: potential for a full-roast romance, with an extra splash of dream?

Welcome to Maple Falls, where everyone knows your name and has thoughts on your love life.

Purchase your copy here: Amazon

About the Author

With over a million copies sold, Kathleen Fuller is the author of several bestselling novels, including the Hearts of Middlefield novels, the Middlefield Family novels, the Amish of Birch Creek series, and the Amish Letters series as well as a middle-grade Amish series, the Mysteries of Middlefield.

Connect with her online: KathleenFuller.com | Facebook: @WriterKathleenFuller | Twitter: @TheKatJam | Instagram: @kf_booksandhooks

My Review

Much Ado About A Latte
Book 2 in the Maple Falls series
by Kathleen Fuller
Rating: 4/5

Returning to Maple Falls is always a treat and it was fun to see some characters from the first book in the series. You don’t need to read the first book but I’d definitely recommend it. Kathleen Fuller has created such a fun and quirky small town that just screams to be explored more and more. As the main characters interact with familiar characters, you can feel the love the townsfolk have for each other.

As for the main characters, Anita Bedford and Tanner Castillo, they were fun people to get to know and root for. Their chemistry was swoon-worthy and seemingly noticeable to everyone but themselves. Unrequited love is not an easy thing to experience but it was nice seeing the growth the characters go through. Anita’s learning disability was an obstacle that she had to work through on top of her insecurities with her parents. The reader can also tell why Anita likes Tanner so much.

The writing is well done. The characters are endearing. The writer briefly mentions some thoughts about faith but it’s fairly subtle. All in all, a solid story full of small town charm and unrequited love.

Highly recommend if you enjoy clean romance with fun characters living in a small town full of interesting people.

My thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an ARC of the book. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own. No positive review was expected and no compensation received.

Also Available

Read my review of Hooked on You here.

December 20, 2021 by Kim Book Reviews

Inside the Wong Mind: Reading is my therapy

Hello. This blog is all mine and I will do my best to post what interests me and what books I read with honest reviews. I am a lover of good Christian fiction with a touch of romance, mystery, intrigue, humor, fun, etc. I invite you to join me as I read my way through books and life. I am currently pursuing my residency training as a family medicine physician!!! I have to carefully choose what I want to read for fun. My name is Kim and you are entering the Wong Mind.