Cost of Betrayal - A Review

Published - Bethany House, September 2018
Authors - Dee Henderson, Dani Pettrey, Lynette Eason
Title - The Cost of Betrayal
Format - ebook, paper, audio
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About the book:
In Dee Henderson's novella "Betrayed," Janelle Roberts is freed--thanks to people she doesn't know--after serving six years of a twenty-year sentence for a murder she did not commit. But a murderer is still at large, and Janelle needs to be somewhere safe with someone she can trust. She may not survive another betrayal.

In Dani Pettrey's "Deadly Isle," Tennyson Kent is trapped on the isolated island of her childhood by a storm surge, and she is shocked when the typically idyllic community turns into the hunting grounds of a murderer. Cut off from any help from the mainland, will she and first love Callen Frost be able to identify and stop a killer bent on betrayal before they become the next victims?

In Lynette Eason's "Code of Ethics," trauma surgeon Ruthie St. John saves the life of Detective Isaac Martinez. After a betrayal leads to him getting shot and then attacked while in recovery, Isaac is now a key witness determined to testify. But someone is intent on silencing him--and those around him--forever. Together, Ruthie and Isaac go on the run, desperate to escape the killers hunting him. 

My Thoughts:
Dee Henderson's Betrayed - This one had an intriguing premise to it. And I enjoyed catching up with Paul and Ann. But I felt that there was something missing. The story didn't feel finished. Rating - 3 stars

Dani Pettrey's Deadly Isle - This was by far my favorite of the collection. I loved Teni and Callen. I loved how they interacted with each other. This one kept me reading. Rating - 5 stars

Lynette Eason's Code of Ethics - This one was a delight to read. I'm already familiar with the St. John family, so getting to know Ruthie better was fun. I didn't expect the twists and turns this one took. Rating - 4 stars.

Overall thoughts on the book:
These are three talented authors. They know how to keep their readers guessing. I always know that I'm in for a good read with these authors. Overall, I enjoyed the book quite a lot.

I received a copy of the book from the publisher on behalf of one of the authors to help with the promotion of it. 

Overall book rating - 4 stars

Sins of the Past - A Review

Published - May 2016, Bethany House
Authors - Dee Henderson, Dani Pettrey, Lynette Eason
Title - Sins of the Past
Format - ebook, paper
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Three romantic suspense authors join together to delight readers with a suspense novella collection.

Missing by Dee Henderson - John Graham is the police chief in Cheyenne, Wyoming. When he receives word that his elderly mother is missing, he returns to Chicago. Together with the lieutenant in charge of the case, John begins to realize that maybe something from his past may have triggered his mother's disappearance.

My Thoughts - This one started off really good. I liked the dynamics between Sharon and John. I loved how they'd follow the clues. But then out of nowhere, the author threw in something that turned it in a completely different direction. Until then, I was really enjoying the story. My rating: 3 stars

Shadowed by Dani Pettrey - Ben McKenna is a simple Alaskan fisherman who takes tourists out on his fishing boat. When competitive swimmer Libby Jennings shows up in the rain for a whale watching tour, neither she or Ben expect to be drawn into a web of deceit and situations involving more than just the body they found.

My Thoughts - I loved this story. I loved getting to meet the parents of the McKenna siblings from the Alaskan Courage series. Like all of Dani's books, this story was a thrill ride from start to finish. This was my favorite of the three novellas. My rating: 5 stars

Blackout by Lynette Eason - A young woman, Macey, has been having blackouts over the past several years that are linked back to when she was an unintended part of a burglary gone wrong. When neighbor Chad hears her scream one evening, he rushes over. Together Chad and Macey begin a race against time to see who is trying to kill her. Is it all tied into her past?

My Thoughts - This was another one that I really enjoyed. I loved how quickly it moved. I was glad that my suspicions were proved wrong. It kept me on the edge of my seat. My rating: 4 stars

Overall Thoughts - This novella collection is overall really good. It's fun to pick a collection of novellas and have them being romantic suspense. Fans of these authors will enjoy this book.

I received this book for free from Bethany House for the purpose of reviewing. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

Recommended to fans of Dee Henderson, Dani Pettrey, Lynette Eason, Irene Hannon, romantic suspense

Overall rating: 4 stars

Taken - A Review

Published - May, 2015, Bethany House Books
Author - Dee Henderson
Title - Taken
Format - ebook, paper, audio
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Eleven years ago Shannon Bliss was abducted. Now she has returned. And she needs help easing back into her life as well as putting those who abducted her in jail. Shannon seeks out Matthew Dane, a PI from Boston, because of the situation he went through with his daughter. Under Matthew's care, Shannon begins to share about her time in captivity. As she shares, Matthew realizes that Shannon is the key in crippling a very large crime family and wants to make sure that the authorities have what they need to stop that family's activities. But his biggest concern is Shannon. With each new revelation and piece of evidence coming out, Matthew sees how she draws into herself. Will she be able to have a normal life?

I've read every single one of Dee Henderson's books. While my favorites, and in my opinion her personal best, remain the O'Malley series, I did find that this book was very good. Unlike her other more recent novels, I didn't feel bogged down in details. The story in this book moved along at a pace similar to her O'Malleys.

I liked Shannon. I liked how what she went through turned her into who she is. I liked how Matthew was patient with her. I liked how he was able to relate to Shannon because of what he went through with his daughter. I LOVED seeing Rachel and Cole from the O'Malleys in this book. Catching up with Paul & Ann and Bryce & Charlotte was nice too.

The story drew me in in a way that her more recent books hadn't. I was glad to see a lot of action and things moving quickly. There is a romance element in it, but it's more implied than flat out specified. Because this story isn't truly a romance. It's more about helping the woman feel safe in her new world.

Did I enjoy it? Yes. Did I love it? No. But I liked it well enough. I'd probably reread it at some point. It's not the O'Malleys, and it won't be.

I received this book for free from Bethany House for the purpose of reviewing. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

Recommended to fans of Dee Henderson, Irene Hannon, Lynette Eason

Rating - 4 stars

Undetected - A Review

Published - May 2014, Bethany House Publishers

Author - Dee Henderson

Title - Undetected

Format - ebook, paper, audio

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Mark Bishop is a commander in the Navy. He typically down plays his actual job, which is the commander of a submarine that is armed with nuclear weapons. Having been married for several years before he lost his wife, he longs to have someone to come home to at the end of his deployments. When he finds himself drawn to the attractive younger sister of one of his best friends, Mark knows he must go slowly. Gina Gray is a genius. Her discoveries have provided the Navy with advanced technology that ensures the US is one step ahead of both allies and enemies in submarine warfare. When she asks a question in theory of locating a silent sub in the midst of a noisy ocean, she soon finds herself changing submarine warfare yet again. Yet that's not the end of her discoveries. When two men, both submariners, begin to pay a romantic interest in her, she spends more time in her work because she's afraid. Which man will be the victor of Gina's heart. And will Gina's discoveries forever change the way that Mark and Gina's brother command their vessels forever?

I've loved Dee Henderson's books for years. My favorite are her O'Malley series. After reading Unspoken last fall/winter and feeling very bogged down with it, I was a little wary of her newest release.

I have to say though, that this one seemed very similar to both the Uncommon Heroes and the O'Malleys in tone of writing. I didn't find myself bogged down in page after page of tedious detail. It was fast paced and very much a page turner. I started it on Monday May 19th, and finished on Friday the 23rd - that's reading mostly only at lunch/breaks at work.

I loved Gina's mind. Her intelligence and her questions. I also loved how she would question God about things and that her relationship with Him was very real and personal. Mark was great. He reminded me in so many ways of Joe from True Devotion. I loved how Mark would make sure that his crew was safe and knew their jobs inside and out. I also loved how he tried to let Gina be who she was and not expect things from her.

While it's classified as romantic suspense, it's really not. I mean it is, but not in the ways that Henderson fans have come to expect. For me it seemed a more of a return to the books that highlighted her earlier career.

I received this book for free from Bethany House Publishers for the purpose of reviewing. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

Recommended to fans of Dee Henderson, Lynette Eason, Irene Hannon

Rating - 4 stars. Four really solid stars.

Unspoken - A Review

Publisher - Bethany House, October 2013

Author - Dee Henderson

Title - Unspoken

Format - paper, hardcover, ebook, audio

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Kidnapped as a child, Charlotte Graham has never spoken of the years she was held captive. A very independent woman, she seeks privacy and avoids the media spotlight at all costs - even to the point of having her twin sister speak out. Yet when Charlotte inherits a massive estate from her grandfather that requires liquidation, she realizes that her sheltered life may soon be over. As part of the estate, there are millions of dollars of coins that she seeks to move. Bryce Bishop owns a very successful coin shop in Chicago. A phone call from the head of the Chicago FBI begins his relationship with Charlotte. Bryce agrees to buy the coins from her. As he gets to know her, he's more and more fascinated by this very private woman. But he's concerned that her past will hold her back. Will she find the way to at least speak of those events from when she was kidnapped?

I've read every one of Dee Henderson's books, and have thoroughly enjoyed each and every one. With this one, the back of the book leads the reader to expect something other than what this book is actually about. While I found the first half of the book to be very tedious and boring, the second half reminded me of what I came to expect from a Dee Henderson book.

 In the first half of the book, the reader gets a very deep education on the ins and outs of trading rare coins. I feel that that section and the massive amounts of detail on the coins could have been cut by 75-100 pages and the story would have moved along nicely. As it was, I struggled quite a lot to wade through those pages and chapters. Sure, it was interesting - for the first several pages, but after that, I felt that it was tedious and caused the story to drag. While I'll admit that I found the detail of the coins fascinating, at first, because of my father's coin collection, I really did have to struggle to get past all of the details and what seemed to be repetition. She has coins. He buys them. He sells them. Repeat many times over.

The second half of the book felt much more like what I've come to expect from a Dee Henderson book. The action was fast paced and storylines collided into a dramatic conclusion. There was also the aspect of Charlotte finally speaking about the events that happened to her while she was kidnapped. For me, that provided a closure that she definitely needed.

Still, the book was good. Just hang in there through the first half which deals with the coins in extreme detail. Also, ignore the back cover as it implies that the reporter's story about the kidnapping is very important to the story - it's not. This was different than Dee's other books because of the relationship depth she develops between Charlotte and Bryce. It's not the best one Henderson has written by any means. And I'd also not recommend starting with this book unless you've already read some of her other works.

I read this book for pure pleasure. My thoughts and opinions are my own.


Recommended to fans of romantic suspense, Dee Henderson, Irene Hannon, Lynette Eason

Rating - 3.5 stars - It would be a 4 star rating if the part involving the coins was not so tedious.

Submerged - A Review

Bailey Craig returns to Yancey, Alaska to bury her aunt and put the estate in order. She's not returned since she left ten years before. In a small town like Yancey, her past has branded her and she can't escape it. Cole McKenna runs a successful adventure business with his siblings. He's also part of a Search and Rescue team that assists the local law enforcement. Bailey's aunt was in the plane crash that he helped with the recovery of. Now there are two dead divers which link back to Bailey's aunt. Things don't make sense. As Bailey and Cole dig deeper into the mystery surrounding the crash and the dead divers, more and more pieces of the puzzle fall into place. But the closer they get to the truth, the more danger they're in. Now there's a rising body count and a mystery that needs to be solved. In the midst of it all, will Bailey's past ruin her chance at happiness with Cole or will she be the next victim?


Debut novelist Dani Pettrey writes a book full of intrigue, adventure, and romance. I was kept on the edge of my seat through most of the book. I really enjoyed reading this. In some ways, this reminded me of Terri Blackstock, Dee Henderson, Brandilynn Collins, and Irene Hannon. I loved Cole's sense of being a protector to both his family and to Bailey. I also loved the way that his family took Bailey in and loved her and accepted her despite all of the smudges of her past. Bailey struggled with the belief that a holy, perfect God could really love her. Sure she'd accepted it, but she still struggled with it. Through Cole and his family, she learns about grace. I am eagerly awaiting the next book in this series.

I received this book for free from the publisher, Bethany House, for the purpose of reviewing. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

I recommend this to fans of Irene Hannon, Terri Blackstock, Dee Henderson, and Brandilynn Collins. Also recommended to those who love romantic suspense.

Rating - 4  stars

Full Disclosure - A Review

Midwest Homicide Investigator, Ann Silver, showed up in Chicago to attend a Cubs baseball game. She just needed to make one stop first. When FBI agent Paul Falcon meets the woman who has a tip for him regarding a long-time serial killer case he'd been investigating, he wasn't expecting the tip to turn out to be the best lead he'd had on the case. Paul's and Ann's  paths cross continuously as he works all new leads on his case. When she drops another case of a lifetime into his lap, he knows he'll stop at nothing to figure out the details of that case as well as the details of who Ann is. He's starting to get under skin as well. When all the secrets come to light, will Paul and Ann find a way to move to a future together?

Dee Henderson is back and with a book that brings a cast of new characters as well as some very familiar faces in it. I didn't expect the twists regarding some of the familiar faces, but the explanation makes sense. And then there's Ann. I couldn't help but love her. I'd figured out that the two case Paul was working on would tie together in someway, but was not expecting it to be the way that it did. I also figured that Ann had more secrets than what she was on the surface and Paul actually took the time to ferret them out while still giving her space. The last 20-40 pages, I literally couldn't put it down. To the point of my ignoring my very hungry kitty until after I'd finished reading the book. I don't know if this is a stand alone novel or the start of a new series. It could go either way, but I was thrilled to be able to read it. While it doesn't hold the same appeal as the O'Malley series, I will say that this is a page-turner and well worth the long wait.

I was provided an Advance Reader's Copy of the book from the publisher and the Full Disclosure Facebook page for the purpose of reviewing. My thoughts and opinions are my own. This book releases on October 2, 2012.

Rating - 5 stars

Lethal Legacy - A Review

Kelly Warren doesn't believe that her father committed suicide. Things just don't add up. Cole Taylor is the detective assigned to hearing her concerns while the detective who investigated her father's death is on vacation. Yet when more discrepancies start to appear and Kelly's life is in danger, Cole's radar goes off. There's something to what she's saying. Yes he's not supposed to cross the personal/professional line. But he finds himself falling for her as much as she finds herself falling for him. A few hurdles to cross - her father's case is reopened, his faith, or lack of it, and the fact that Cole would do anything to protect her. Will these two get to the bottom of her father's death, or will Kelly become the next victim?

 The third book in the Guardians of Justice Series doesn't disappoint. Having met Cole in the other two books and seeing him develop as a character, I was thrilled to be able to read his story. Fast paced and full of action from the start, I literally read this in about 18 hours. Irene Hannon provides romantic suspense that rivals that of Dee Henderson and Terri Blackstock. I'd figured out who the killer was fairly early in the story, but enjoyed the twists and turns the book took as the characters reached the same conclusion as I did. The book also touches on the importance of family as seen with Cole's interactions with his siblings and their love and support for their brother.

I received this book for free from the publisher, Revell Books, for the purpose of reviewing. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

Available in August 2012 at your favorite bookseller from Revell Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Recommended to Dee Henderson fans, romantic suspense.

Rating - 4 stars

Attracted to Fire - A Review

Special Agents, Meghan Connors and Ash Zinders have two things in common - their faith and their desire to be chosen as part of the vice president's protective detail. Their current assignment, protecting the VP's rehabbing daughter from herself and the threats she's been receiving. They find themselves stuck on a Texas ranch with a team of agents and Lindsay. When the security on the ranch is breached, the stakes have become even higher. For not only do they need to find out who is behind the threats to Lindsay, she's become the President's daughter as her father stepped into the role of President. Will Ash and Meghan be able to recognize love when it finds them? And most importantly, will they be able to expose the killer before he strikes again?

I've never read anything by DiAnn Mills before. My cousin and close friends have highly recommended her books. While the man who is behind the threats to Lindsay is identified fairly early into the book, I still found myself not wanting to put it down. I wanted to know exactly how the chase was going and would the agents be successful.

Fans of Dee Henderson's O'Malley series will enjoy this book as will fans of romantic suspense.

I borrowed this book from my cousin.

Rating - 4 stars