After the Fire by Clare Revell

Title: After the Fire

Author: Clare Revell

Publisher: White Rose Publishing, an imprint of Pelican Book Group

Book Description:

Private investigator, Freddie Flynn, wants nothing to do with the man who left her fifteen years ago—or the God he abandoned her for—especially if reports of corruption within high ranking levels of the P.I. firm are true. She might have to accept him as the company V.P., but she doesn’t have to trust him. Jason Bryant knows his leaving to enter the ministry cut Freddie deep, but now he’s returned to Headley Cross and wants to make amends. But Freddie’s different—jaded, distant, distrustful—so what’s he to think when a file claims Freddie is the traitor who’s sabotaging the company? Thrown together on a case that could cost them everything, including their lives, Freddie and Jason must look beyond suspicion and innuendo to catch the real traitor before it’s too late…and maybe, just maybe, they’ll find the love they once shared by listening to the still small voice that comes after the fire.

Review:

Freddie Flynn works alone in her job as a private investigator, and she has a reputation for work ethic. When she’s assigned to work on a case with the vice president of the company, she is far from thrilled. Then she finds out the VP is Jason Bryant, the man who broke her heart fifteen years ago. Jason isn’t sure how he’s going to work with the woman he still loves, especially since she makes it clear she hates him, but their boss doesn’t care what their past holds; he just wants them on this case. In order to work it, however, Freddie must give her current caseload to a different investigator—all except for the Rafferty case, which the boss insists on taking himself. Too bad Freddie can’t let it go, since it is so close to completion. Under the guise of a holiday in Cornwall, she works the Rafferty case with Jason at her side, and they uncover far more than expected. Now they must leave behind their past hurts and face the life-changing information they uncover together. But will the current challenges and danger bring them back together or keep them apart?

Clare Revell has written a wonderful Christian mystery in After the Fire. From the beginning, I found myself drawn into the story. The descriptions brought the story to life, and the vibrant characters felt like they could step off the page. Second-chance-at-love stories are always fun to read, and this one did not disappoint. Throughout the story, Jason and Freddie’s easy camaraderie is evident, no matter how much they both try to fight it. Ms. Revell wove a magnificent mystery full of twists and turns that kept me guessing, and the faith elements were seamlessly included in the plot and the characters themselves. I was impressed with the way she portrayed Jason’s quiet yet strong faith, as well as Freddie longing for a strong faith of her own. The quoted Bible verses felt completely natural and fit each situation perfectly.

I highly recommend After the Fire to anyone who loves Christian fiction, sweet romances, and mysteries. This book is definitely a keeper, and I’ll be looking for more books from Clare Revell in the future.

Christmas Pearl by Robin Bayne

Title: Christmas Pearl

Author: Robin Bayne

Publisher: White Rose Publishing, an imprint of Pelican Book Group

Book Description:

Joe Gardner never expected to see Elizabeth again, not after the part she’d played in ruining his life. Refusing to believe she now shares his faith, Joe tosses aside her efforts to apologize. But when they are forced to work together in the midst of the Christmas season, Joe has to face the truth about Elizabeth, and himself.

Review:

Joe Gardner is still hurting from the divorce he never wanted. The coming holidays don’t make it any easier, since he has to face them alone. Then he meets the one woman he had hoped to never see again—Elizabeth Montgomery. Unfortunately, Elizabeth is a good friend of his family and now goes by Liza. Her name isn’t the only thing she’s changed, however. Can Joe look past the hurt and bitterness to see the truth about the woman who had played a role in ending his marriage?

In Christmas Pearl, author Robin Bayne explores the topic of divorce from a Christian perspective. This is a controversial topic for many believers, but Ms. Bayne has handled it with grace. The reader will see the struggle of a Christian divorcee and the difficulty of letting go of the past. Through it all, the beliefs of the characters shine through and show realistic challenges Christians face every day.

This is a wonderful story of love, forgiveness, and overcoming hurt inflicted by others. Readers will be able to identify with the hurts and regrets each character suffers, as well as rejoicing with the victories achieved. As an inspirational romance, this story gives Joe and Liza unique challenges they must overcome if they are to find their happy-ever-after ending. The romance is sweet and develops naturally, despite the seemingly insurmountable obstacles in the way of the hero and heroine.

While my overall reading experience was a good one, there were a few minor punctuation issues in the copy I read. It was a very small issue for me and didn’t prevent me from fully enjoying the story.

All in all, I enjoyed Christmas Pearl and recommend it to anyone who loves a good holiday romance or inspirational romance. This uplifting story is full of the hope many feel during the Christmas season, as well as reminders of the importance of love and forgiveness. I look forward to reading more of Ms. Bayne’s books in the future.

Yesterday’s Promise by Delia Latham

Title: Yesterday’s Promise

Author: Delia Latham

Publisher: White Rose Publishing

Book Description:

A whirlwind romance amidst the natural splendor of Yosemite National Park. A spur-of-the-moment wedding near Bridalveil Fall. A young bride who awakens the morning after to find her new husband gone with the mountain wind.

Songbird Hannah Johns supports the child born of that ill-fated union by singing in a dinner lounge. Her dream of someday owning the elite establishment and turning it into a venue more suited to her Christian values is shattered when an unexpected transaction places it in the hands of Brock Ellis, the handsome biker who abandoned her in their honeymoon suite.

Ensuing sparks fly high, revealing buried secrets and forgotten pasts. Seeking to find peace with her painful past, Hannah returns to Yosemite, and Brock follows hard on her heels. Back where it all began, she finds herself in danger of losing her heart yet again to the man who shattered it the first time around.

Review:

Hannah Johns is a single mom working as a singer in a dinner lounge. Brock Ellis is an entrepreneur who buys the dinner lounge and has big plans to change it. He also broke Hannah’s heart four years before, but he shows no signs of recognition when he’s introduced as her new boss. What ensues is an amazing tale of faith and love, memories and loss. And in the midst of it all, Hannah’s three-year-old son, Davey, unwittingly helps bring together his mother and the father he’s never known.

Delia Latham’s writing style is vibrant and realistic, evoking emotion and bringing the story and the characters to life. She’s seamlessly woven Christianity into Yesterday’s Promise, showing that even the strongest of Christians can have doubts and misunderstand God’s leading. This book also shows how forgiveness and love can mend the most broken of fences and that God’s grace and strength are sufficient to sustain us through whatever storms life may throw our way. Though Ms. Latham a new author to me, I would definitely read more of her work.

What’s in Your Closet? by Rhonda Gibson and Stacy Baron

Title: What’s In Your Closet?

Author: Rhonda Gibson & Stacy Baron

Publisher: White Rose Publishing

Book Description:

Emily isn’t looking for love. In fact, it’s the last thing on the young widow’s mind. She’s vowed to focus solely on her daughter. With Megan’s hearing impairment, the toddler has enough to deal with without Emily bringing a new man into the picture—one who undoubtedly wouldn’t be patient with a deaf child not his own.

David doesn’t think he’s looking for love—until he meets Emily. The woman is beautiful inside and out and has a streak of determination that’s matched only by the love she pours out to her adorable daughter. But Emily won’t have anything to do with him outside of his home-decorating project…that is, until she finds an old skeleton in his closet.

Never before has finding skeletons in the closet been a good thing, but solving the mystery of David’s skeleton may just be the blessing that convinces Emily to love him forever.

Review:

Young widow and mother Emily Stuart is afraid of getting hurt if she allows a man into her life. She’s even more afraid of her three-year-old daughter, Megan, getting hurt. Because of that fear, she has resigned herself to life alone, at least until Megan is an adult.

David Whitmore recently left Arizona and the high pressure business world to buy an old farm in Oklahoma. When he hires Emily to redo the interior of his new house, he gets more than remodeling in the bargain.

As Emily works on the farmhouse, she and David discover an attraction for each other that neither is willing to admit or even accept. The discovery of a skeleton in a hidden kitchen pantry brings them together as they work to solve the mystery behind it. Though Emily finally admits David has become a friend, fear still prevents her from considering him as anything else. David respects her decision to remain only friends, but he can’t stop his attraction to this beautiful lady with an equally beautiful daughter—both of whom steal his heart no matter how closely he tries to guard it.

Throughout the book, vivid descriptions bring the characters and the story to life, making the reader a participant to the story. A lively cast of secondary characters just adds to the richness of the story. The Christian elements are included in a realistic way that encourages without preaching. With each page, I found myself hoping Emily and David would find a way to get together, and that they would solve the mystery of the skeleton in the closet.

This is a book I recommend to anyone who loves a sweet romance and an intriguing mystery. Though the authors are new to me, I would definitely read more of their books.