Ruth Logan Herne writes beautiful romance stories while handling difficult social issues. She gets you involved with the characters and their communities. In Welcome to Wishing Bridge, we meet Kelsey McCleary, single, pregnant and stranded after sliding off an icey road in a blizzard with no help in sight.

But a woman sees the lights from her front window and realizes something isn't right and calls in a distress call and Deputy Hale Jackson cruises out in the wicked weather because he knows Maggie wouldn't have called if she wasn't sure. He doesn't find any signs of a vehicle but persists and calls in the snow plows. He is rewarded when he struggles through the drifts and finds Kelsey stuck in her vehicle and, to his surprise, now in labor.

Kelsey had been on her way to place her child up for adoption because she believes that will benefit her child as she, herself, has grown up in foster care without the love of two parents; however, her plans are delayed when she delivers her child and then finds many of the towns people willingly come to her aid--especially after her story is told on Christmas Eve over a Television program.

Hale feels drawn to the young mother and her new baby especially because he feels his finding and saving her was meant to be. He begins stopping by several times a day just to check on Kelsey and the baby.

In the meantime, Kelsey's two friends Jazz and Thea arrive after receiving a previously agreed upon signal if any of them needed each other.

The plot thickens as the two friends develop relationships in Wishing Bridge and decide to stay for the time being (of course this will be future episodes in this series). Kelsey and Hale sense that they are attracted to each other and the relationship begins to bud; but Hale has a history and issues of his own. To complicate matters, someone wants Kelsey gone and begins sending threatening notes.

This is a great read and it looks like the beginning of a great series to add to your keeper shelf. I received this book through netgalley for my honest review.

BLUE RIDGE SUNRISE By Denise Hunter

Part of her Blue Ridge Romance series, Blue Ridge Sunrise is a lovely story by Denise Hunter. We meet in cameos some characters from her previous stories as the setting is the same town. The story opens with Zoe Collins returning to attend the funeral of her beloved grandmother. She has not been back since leaving with boyfriend Kyle in 5 years. But at the funeral, just as she fretted, she runs into former first love, Cruz Huntley. Unable to make eye contact, Zoe is not her former assertive self. Cruz still has feelings for her and is concerned with the changes in her personality and her appearance, having been a true redhead, she is now a blond.

Zoe's intention, especially because of Kyle's insistence, is just to remain long enough for the reading of the will; however, her grandmother leaves her Peach Orchard and small business to Zoe. Kyle insists she has to return to singing with his band and sell her inheritance. To enforce his demands, he begins his usually MO of beating her in the parking lot but Cruz comes to her rescue.

Zoe's longtime friend and her brother help her to understand she doesn't need Kyle and his baggage and she should stay and make a go of it. To complicate matters, Zoe is not along but has her little girl. A little girl whose father doesn't know about his paternity.

This is a good novel but one of those I consider kind of stressing to read because of the angst between the main characters and the complicated issues they must overcome and relationship that needs repairing. But this does have a dramatic climax and very satisfying ending. I recommend it is worth your time to read. I received this book from netgalley for my honest review.

BLIND SPOT By Dani Pettrey

Dani Pettrey is a master author of suspense with a dash of romance. The third book in her Chesapeake Valor Series is a page burner. It can stand alone but makes more sense when read in sequence and especially as it ends with a cliff hangar ending.

Declan Grey, is an FBI agent hot on the hills of a terrorist cell bent on doing harm to the United States; in the midst of his case he manages to realize he has fallen in love with his temporary partner, Tanner Shaw. Tanner has surprise expertise and a background that she hasn't shared with Declan until she saves his life in the middle of a gunfight.

Declan and Tanner also are members of a tight knit group of friends, all with specialties of their own. Enter Luke, a former member of the group and special friend, who has been missing for seven years and presumed dead. Dead that is to all but Kate who still loves him with all her heart. Luke, apparently, is deeply embedded as an agent for an unnamed organization and has had to do unspeakable things that have affected the person he used to be deeply. He saves Declan and Tanner and then saves Declan a second time; but he asks them to keep knowledge of seeing him secret.

The story is a race against time to discover and diffuse the target of the terrorists with many twists and turns in the plot.

I enjoyed the mystery very much, the banter among the characters, and the romantic interludes. I would recommend this series to anyone who loves suspense and espionage with a little romance thrown in. I received this book from Bethany House for my honest review.

DEADLY PROOF By Rachel Dylan

This one is a text in legal process. If you work in the legal world you will especially enjoy it as the lawyer moves are detailed. Those of us who aren't experts at law can still follow the story. It is a great mystery and suspense. 

Kate Sullivan is a Prosecuting attorney representing her clients who, allegedly, have been harmed by big Pharma. It feels more like she is a public defender as her goal in life is to defend the downtrodden without thought for the big bucks. Her counter part on the other hand, who is a former classmate and supposed friend, Ethan Black is the exact opposite. Career and more money is his goal that's why he has sought out Mason Industries as a client to defend.

Right off the bat, you are caught in the web of the mystery as Kate is contacted by a whistleblower named Ellie Proctor who then shows up dead. Now her new PI, Landon James, a former Army Ranger, must add extra duties of arranging and participating in added security for Kate.

As things progress, things heat up between Kate and Landon, Ethan digs himself in deeper, the attacks against Kate escalate, and the suspense deepens as more acts of sabotage occur and a mysterious package arrives in the mail.

Rachel Dylan is a new author to me but her novel is well worth the read. I highly recommend it. I received this novel through Bethany House Blogger Review program for my honest opinion.

WITH YOU ALWAYS By Jody Hedlund

When we think we have it rough, it is nothing compared to the real hardships our ancestors endured in the founding of our country. In "With You Always" we meet Elise Neumann and her sisters. They are grateful for the meager housing and food they are receiving compared to living on the streets. 

When rioting occurs in the streets because the poor are starving and can't find jobs to support their families, Elise meets Thornton Quincey who comes to their aid and helps protect them until things quieten down in the streets. They come to a casual acquaintance and admiration for each other; but Elise doesn't realize who Thornton really is and Thornton doesn't recognize any of the real struggles that Elise and her family are going through.

Thornton is from a well to do family. In fact, his family are Railroad Barons and his father wants the legacy to be left to whom he thinks can best run it. The father, in failing health, gives his twin sons a challenge to build a town on the rail line that prospers and to fall in love and marry within six months. 

Elise, in the meantime, finds her self traveling Thornton's rail line to a job where she hopes to send money home to bring the rest of her family out to a better life. But she finds things are not what she is expecting. She issues her own challenge to Thornton after she discovers his real identity.

Will Thornton become a better man if he accepts and meets Elise's challenges? Will Elise discover that Thornton is a man worthy to lose her heart to and will she lose her heart to a man that must choose another?

I adjure you to accept the challenge to read this book. It is well worth finding the answers and deserves to be on your reading shelf. I received this novel for an honest review from Bethany House.

CHERISHED MERCY By Tracie Peterson

Cherished Mercy is the final novel in a series by Tracie Peterson about the early pioneers on the Oregon Trail and the historical events such as the Massacre at the Whitman Mission. Mercy is the youngest sister who survived and is now grown. She has been asked to join some missionary friends, the Brownings in a much more primitive area to aid the wife. Eletta, in her pregnancy. The area is in turmoil as the Indians and white settlers are in conflict. Her family encouraged her not to go but she feels called and her faith leads her to trust her instincts and help her friends

Adam Browning is the brother of Eletta's husband. He has Indian blood himself and has bitter feelings from an earlier rejection by his fiancee when his heritage was revealed. He doesn't want another relationship and further he doesn't trust that Mercy has the strength or right motive for coming.

Complicating matters, the Brownings are the adoptive parents of Mercy's sister Hope's daughter born of rape during the massacre. Though Mercy is aware of the child's heritage, the Brownings don't realize she knows.

So Adam and Mercy, both, have traumatic pasts and complicated feelings filtered through misinformation that makes any relationship for them difficult; however as things come to a head and a tragedy strikes, they must learn to trust in and lean on each other.

This was an enjoyable read that created great closure to a very informative historical series. I received this novel form Netgalley for an honest review. I recommend this series if you enjoy historical romance.

LOVE HELD CAPTIVE By Shelley Shepard Gray

Major Ethan Kelly and Captain Devin Monroe have more than their friendship in common; both served with distinction for the Confederacy and both ended their service in a military prison. Now they both find themselves in love with women that have suffered during the war, as well but at the hand of a fellow service member and prisoner.

Lizbeth Barclay finds herself at the mercy of her former abuser and runs right into the room of Major Ethan Kelly. She works at this establishment, owned by her relatives, as a maid and hopes to hide out in this unoccupied room until it's safe. However she quickly finds Major Kelly is in residence. But she still loses her job when her cousin finds her there. Major Kelly, recognizes her from the war and feels compelled to come to her rescue and protection.

Captain Monroe decides to call on the woman who has captured his imagination since the war and hopes to court her. She decides to be honest with him and share her secret for how she survived the war and he leaves angry and disappointed. She feels hurt and disappointed and believes she'll never see him again.

Enter Colonel Adam Bushnel, a villain, anyone would despise, definitely not a man of honor especially when he shoots Captain Monroe in the back.

Ms. Gray definitely has a keeper here. All her characters are survivors in need of mercy, grace, and forgiveness. The romance is tender and sweet and worth the time to read. I received this novel from Netgalley for my honest review.