KILL SHOT By Susan Sleeman

This is the second in the White Knight series and an excellent suspenseful romance novel by Susan Sleeman one of my favorite authors of that genre. This promises to be a very entertaining series.

Kill Shot has you from the opening scene when Dr. Olivia Dobbs client, a military veteran suffering from PTSB, is murdered right in front of her. She becomes the FBI's prime witness as well as possible suspect. FBI Agent, Rick Cannon, knows that the victim was killed by a smart bullet, and he and his team are anxious to find the sniper before he kills again.

When Olivia lands in the cross hairs of the sniper, Rick becomes even more desperate to find the killer, because he finds himself becoming drawn to the pretty therapist. Olivia, for her part, feels the mutual attraction but Rick is all the things she wants to avoid in a potential romantic interest. He is former military, suffers from his own issues which he keeps close to the vest, and doesn't trust her.

As, subsequent victims fall and Rick tries to keep Olivia safe in his parents compound where his estrangement from his parents complicates things, the team races against time to find the sniper before he does the next Kill Shot.

I received this novel from Netgalley for my honest review.

A CHANCE AT FOREVER By Melissa Jagears

Aaron Firebrook has changed and desires a chance to prove it. In seeking forgiveness for his childhood of bullying, he asks a victim what they want from him, and they suggest he become a teacher.

He returns to Teaville to apply for a teaching job where he can follow through with his agenda of seeking his victims out for reconciliation; but he runs into Mercy McLain who is on the school board and one of those he hurt the most because of her missing hand.

Mercy convinces the board to interview more applicants before deciding on Aaron. In the meantime, Aaron lands the gardener job through Nicholas Lowe at the orphanage home where Mercy resides with her brother and sister-in-law who are the directors.

This final installment in the Teaville series is the best I think. Aaron struggles to convince Mercy he's changed and Mercy struggles to reconcile the man Aaron has become with the bully she knew in her childhood. To complicate matters, are the orphans they have to deal with including one that Aaron asks to adopt because one of his victims left the child to his care.

Seeing Aaron and Mercy's romance evolve through the eyes of the children, makes for a very enthralling romance. I received this novel from netgalley for my honest review. I give it 5 stars for your reading shelf.

PHOEBES LIGHT By Suzanne Woods Fisher

Phoebe's Light is a part of a new series by Suzanne Woods Fisher, and if the first novel is any indication, will be a fascinating look at history. From beginning to end, I was enthralled in Phoebe's story. She was a strong woman in an era when women were suppose to have a place and stay in it. However, she is also very human and aspires to something she has dreamed of since she was young to be the wife of Captain Phineas Foulger.

Matthew Macy, the hard working town cooper, resides in jail at night because he is almost the town drunk as well, his way of dealing with the tragic loss of his father and the whaling ship his family owned and from which Matthew survived. Matthew, obviously has a past with Phoebe and still has feelings for her which he keeps hidden.

Ms. Fisher's novel gives us a glimpse of whaling life and that of the island which thrives from the success of the whaling ships. The women stay behind and raise the families and the men make a hard living on the ships.

Phoebe seems to get her wish contrary to what her father wants for her. Her father has gotten their home in a defaulted mortgage and Phoebe sees no way out but marriage to the Captain. But is the Captain all he seems? Matthew ends up on trial for murder? And Phoebe discovers buried treasure may be the key to the true light of her life.

I received this book through Netgalley for my honest review.

YOU'RE GONNA LOVE ME By Robin Lee Hatcher

You're Gonna Love Me is told through present times and flashbacks, an interesting way to reveal the relationship of the key characters of Nick Chastain and Samantha Winters. Robin Lee Hatcher is a master at the romance genre and relating it to real life scenarios.This is a good book but not one of her best.

She deals with the subject of TBI (traumatic brain injury); but, other than a few instances, she doesn't show how the interactions and emotions of Nick and Samantha might be affected. Instead, more of the focus is on their failed relationship from the past and Samantha's fear of Nick taking chances with extreme sports and situations.

Several supporting characters are fun to get to know and Nick's dog adds interest. There is a HEA but I felt the resolution and ending were rushed considering the struggles through most of the book. It's worth your time to read but I don't consider it extra enthralling. I received this book for my honest review from Netgalley.

HOLDING THE FORT By Regina Jennings

Holding the Fort is another fun read by a very good author, Regina Jennings, of whom I already have several books on my keeper shelf. It is a fascinating read with good descriptions of a real historical area, Fort Reno; but the characters are the most intriguing.

I caught myself smiling and laughing a lot and really enjoying the humorous situations but frustrated with Louisa, wanting her to come clean with the truth; however, the tender romance that develops between her and Major Adams is what keeps us reading romance novels. 

Even though it had a wonderful happily ever after, I gave this one a four star review only because I really wanted a more in depth discussion between Louisa and Daniel about the reasons for her deception. I wanted Daniel to express more anger and disappointment  before offering forgiveness. I wanted Louisa to be more apologetic rather than giving in to the circumstances and accepting that she didn't deserve becoming the Lady she desired to be.

Still I highly recommend it for your reading list. I received this book from Bethany House and Netgalley for my honest review.

THE TWO OF US By Victoria Bylin

From the opening paragraph you are hooked on "The Two of Us", just as Mia is hooked on and fascinated with the good looking cowboy operating the claw machine retrieving stuff animals. Both Mia Robinson and Jake Tanner have been burnt in love and have decided their future involves the plans they have set for themselves.

Mia wants to travel and work with an international aid organization as a Doctor and Jake wants to start a camp for sons of fallen officers. Jake suffers from partial deafness requiring the use of a service dog having been injured on the job as a police officer, his partner being killed, leaving her son motherless. Jake took the boy under his wing and continues to mentor him.

Mia and Jake briefly meet in the restaurant they both have sought morning coffee in while they wait for a later event that day. They are surprised to meet again to attend and be in a wedding of Mia's  pregnant sister and Jake's young prodigy. 

Mia thinks her sister, Lucy, is making a mistake but Jake supports Sam knowing he is normally, a responsible young man and truly loves Lucy. From there the plot builds with many twists and turns. 

"The Two of Us" is one of the best stories covering several complicated life issues such as teen pregnancy and young love, disabilities, alzheimer's disease. I highly recommend this for your keeper shelf. I received this book from Bethany House for an honest review.

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.