Sunday, October 31, 2021

Rising Danger by Jerusha Agen : Review, Guset Post, & Giveaway!

About the Book

Book: Rising Danger

Author: Jerusha Agen

Genre: Christian Romantic Suspense

Release date: May 25, 2021

It’s up to a K-9 handler and her canine partner to stop a bomber before it’s too late.

Someone’s planting explosives on dams in the Twin Cities, and Bristol Bachmann and her bomb sniffing dog must move quickly to find them before everything ends up underwater. That means relying on the dams’ supervisor—an ex-boyfriend Bristol never thought she’d see again. Hopefully Remington Jones has grown up from the rakish charmer she knew in her academy days. Because lives now depend entirely on them…

It’s an environmental terrorist who wants the dams gone, and his bid to set the waters free has lethal consequences. When he sees Bristol and her K-9 working to stop him, he sets his sights on them. Can they evade him in a lethal game of cat and mouse and protect their cities from devastating destruction before the clock runs out?

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts:

This is an excellent romantic suspense from a new-to-me-author! The premise of this story is so unique and is what first drew to me this book (in combination with that amazing cover!) Bristol was a great character (I love her name by the way!) I really liked her and my heart broke for her. I was rooting for her from the start and I was so happy when she finally realized the Truth! I loved Remington, he was such a fantastic, swoon-worthy hero! I really loved that Bristol and Rem had history together, second chance romance is one of my favorite tropes, and this one is super well written! And, I adored explosives detection K-9 Toby, he’s just the best and he never failed to make me smile every time he appeared on the page!

I loved getting to meet Phoenix, Cora, Amalia, Nevaeh, and all their K-9s and I’m super looking forward to their stories and getting to learn more about each of them!

The suspense was well done, I was drawn in to the story on page one, and though the middle portion of the novel lagged a bit for me, in the latter portion the story managed to hook me all over again and for the final 150 pages or so I hated to put the book down! And the climax was fantastic!

One of my favorite parts of this book is the faith story, SO GOOD, and it truly blessed my heart as well as challenging me (in a good way!)

Rising Danger is a great romantic suspense read and I highly recommend it! I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the Phoenix K-9 members stories in the Guardians Unleashed series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. My review was not influenced in any way. All thoughts and opinions are one hundred percent my own.

About the Author

Jerusha Agen imagines danger around every corner, but knows God is there, too. So naturally, she writes suspense infused with the hope of salvation in Jesus Christ.

With a B.A. in English and a background in screenwriting, Jerusha is a speaker, writing instructor, and Fear Warrior who sounds the call to battle against fear in our everyday lives.

Jerusha loves to hang out with her big furry dogs and little furry cats. You’ll often find her sharing irresistibly adorable photos of them in her newsletter and on social media.

Get a free suspense story from Jerusha and find more of her thrilling, fear-fighting novels at www.JerushaAgen.com.

More from Jerusha

Hi, readers! For those of you who are familiar with my suspense novels, you know I love to interweave fast-paced suspense with powerful character journeys of redemption. I got to do just that in my romantic suspense novel, Rising Danger.

But what I especially loved about writing Rising Danger was the chance to feature a canine hero. Bristol Bachmann, the heroine of Rising Danger, partners with Toby, an explosives detection K-9, to stop a bomber from unleashing terror on the Twin Cities.

As a lifelong lover of dogs, I’ve always been fascinated by working K-9s like Toby. Getting to portray this black Labrador’s heroism in Rising Danger was so much fun.

I also feel that writing about Toby and the other K-9s in this tale who are part of the Phoenix K-9 Security and Detection Agency was a way to honor the heroic dogs I’ve had in my own life. No, I haven’t known any working K-9s, but I’ve shared my life with dogs who were heroic in different ways.

Take Lancelot, my first Leonberger. Lancelot was one of the sweetest dogs I’ve ever known. With his huge size, he was a true gentle giant. At an early age, he became terribly afraid of strangers and new places. I worked with skilled trainers to help him battle his fear, and he did have some improvement. But he would always struggle with meeting new people or visiting locations away from home.

Even so, he never stopped fighting against his fears. He continued to get better the more he fought. And while he battled his fears, he taught me how to battle mine.

Then, the worst battle of all commenced when he was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Doctors gave him only three to four months to live—a frightening and devastating death sentence for the dog of my heart.

But God had more to teach me through Lancelot. This courageous dog fought cancer as hard as he had fought his fears. He taught me how to find joy in every moment of life, even when there’s pain or sadness. He taught me how precious and powerful love can be. And God used him to give me unforgettable evidence of God’s loving providence and sovereignty at work.

Because God had a different plan for Lancelot. God gave me the gift of over 1,000 more days with my heroic dog.

Right up to the end of his days, Lancelot remained my hero. I’m so pleased to begin a series of books with prequel Rising Danger that feature K-9 heroes who, in different ways, remind me of the heroic dogs I’ve been privileged to love.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, October 20

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, October 20

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, October 21

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, October 21 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 22

CarpeDiem, October 22

Betti Mace, October 23

Daysong Reflections, October 23

lakesidereadingsite, October 24

Texas Book-aholic, October 24

Inside the Wong Mind, October 25

deb’s Book Review, October 25

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, October 26

Blogging With Carol, October 26

Locks, Hooks and Books, October 27

Simple Harvest Reads, October 27 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Inklings and notions, October 28

An Author’s Take, October 28

Through the fire blogs, October 29

For Him and My Family, October 29

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, October 30

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 30

The Meanderings of a Bookworm, October 31

Just Your Average reviews, October 31

Mary Hake, October 31

Pause for Tales, November 1

Spoken from the Heart, November 1

Little Homeschool on the Prairie, November 2

For the Love of Literature, November 2

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Jerusha is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Barnes and Noble gift card, one signed copy of Rising Danger, and book swag!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/126b0/rising-danger-celebration-tour-giveaway

Thursday, October 7, 2021

Undercurrent of Secrets by Rachel Scott McDaniel: Review, Guest Post, and Giveaway!

About the Book

Book: Undercurrent of Secrets

Author: Rachel Scott McDaniel

Genre: Christian Romance

Release date: September 2021

Two women, a century apart, are bound by a haunting secret aboard a legendary steamboat.

Walk through Doors to the Past via a new series of historical stories of romance and adventure.

As wedding coordinator for the 100-year-old steamboat The Belle of Louisville, Devyn Asbury takes pride in seeing others’ dreams come true, even though her engagement had sunk like a diamond ring to the bottom of the Ohio River. When the Belle becomes a finalist in the Timeless Wedding Venue contest, Devyn endeavors to secure the prestigious title with hopes to reclaim some of her professional dreams. What she hadn’t planned on was Chase Jones showing up with a mysterious photo from the 1920s.

A century earlier, Hattie Louis is as untamable as the rivers that raised her. As the adopted daughter of a steamboat captain, her duties range from the entertainment to cook. When strange incidents occur aboard the boat, Hattie’s determined to discover the truth. Even if that means getting under First Mate Jack Marshall’s handsome skin.

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts:

Oh my stars, this book! Be still my vintage-loving heart! I became a forever fan of Rachel Scott McDaniel’s books when I read her debut novel almost two years ago. She’s one of those authors that I automatically want to read everything they write, even before I know anything about it! So, needless to say I was eagerly anticipating Undercurrent of Secrets, and oh my word it exceeded every single one of my sky-high expectations! This story swept me away from page one, and I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to these characters when I turned the final page! Devyn is an amazing character and I found myself relating to her in several ways. And Chase, oh my, talk about a sweet, swoon-worthy hunk of a hero! And historical hero Jack is equally swoon-worthy in his own right! (I totally and unashamedly finished this book with two new book boyfriends!) And, of course I can’t forget Hattie, I loved her so much, she’s such an inspiring character, and I totally wanna be like her when I grow up!

As a history nerd I love the way Rachel makes history come alive for the reader, and she writes so beautifully and brilliantly that the story plays out like a movie in my mind’s eye. I felt like I was really there on the Idlewild/Belle of Louisville sailing on the Ohio river!

The faith story in this book is utterly magnificent, powerful, and soul stirring. It touched my heart deeply!

Aside from getting two amazing stories in one book the thing I love most about time-slip novels is the way the two storylines intertwine, and in this one, oh my goodness, the amazing way Hattie and Devyn’s stories connect is so beautiful it not only put a huge smile on my face, but in my reader heart as well, and nearly brought me to tears! Bravo, Rachel!

I absolutely and completely adored every single moment of this book, and I’m already eagerly looking forward to a re-read!

I most highly recommend Undercurrent of Secrets! If you only read one book during the remainder of 2021 make it this one, you won’t be sorry!

Undercurrent of Secrets is everything I want in a book and so much more, it’s one of my favorite reads of 2021, and has a permanent spot on my keeper shelf!

(5 Stars!)

I received a complimentary copy of this book. My review was not influenced in any way. All thoughts and opinions are one hundred percent my own.

About the Author

Rachel Scott McDaniel is an award-winning author of historical romance. Winner of the ACFW Genesis Award and the RWA Touched By Love award, Rachel infuses faith and heart into each story. Rachel can be found online at www.RachelScottMcDaniel.com and on all social media platforms. Her work is represented by Julie Gwinn of the Seymour Agency. Rachel resides in Ohio with her husband and two children.

More from Rachel

A Century on the River

In 1914, America hadn’t joined WWI yet. Airplanes, or flying machines as they were called, were still a phenomenon. Radios weren’t a thing. Hawaii and Alaska weren’t part of the United States. The world as a whole looked different than the one we walk today. But one thing remains true as it had 100 years ago—The Belle of Louisville graced the waters. In fact, the century-old steamboat is like a floating time capsule.

[Insert Black and White Picture
First named the Idlewild, this boat was built in Pittsburgh, PA and was launched in October 1914. It began its days as a packet boat, hauling freight and ferrying passengers. During the ‘Roaring 20s’ there wasn’t much documentation for her travels. But it’s believed the Idlewild spent the decade tramping—a steamboat term for going up and down the river, stopping at various towns and taking passengers for excursions. Which worked perfectly for Undercurrent of Secrets.

The boat was then sold to New Orleans where it continued to ferry passengers. In 1931, The Idlewild spent a season in Louisville running trips to Rose Island and Fontaine Ferry amusement parks. It then spent the next several years coursing the waterways from Canada to New Orleans, living upon the Mississippi and Ohio river systems until WWII. The second world war brought a lot of action to the Idlewild which was then outfitted with special equipment to push oil barges along the river. She also served as a floating USO nightclub for troops stationed at military bases along the Mississippi River.

In 1947, she was sold and renamed the Avalon. For the next two decades the legendary lady spent her days along the rivers, hosting excursions, bringing adventure to the hearts of many Americans. But all those years and miles eventually caught up to her and she fell in disrepair. In 1962, she was put up for auction in Cincinnati where she was purchased by Jefferson County Judge Executive Marlow Cook for $34,000. She then received her third name, The Belle of Louisville.

The restoration of the boat was supervised by marine architect Alan L. Bates (later Captain Bates). Capt. Bates’ books, Str. Belle of Louisville, and Moonlight at 8:30, were a huge help to me while researching the history of the boat and the crews who worked on her. The reno crew worked tirelessly rebuilding the Belle and on April 30th, she tested the waters again by racing against the Delta Queen in the first Great Steamboat Race. The Belle has been wharfed in Louisville ever since. This century-old steamboat has stood the test of time, surviving decades, sinkings, storms, weathering all the trials with grit and grace. If you ever find yourself in Louisville, you could book a cruise on the Belle and experience history.