Broken by Travis Thrasher

Laila Torres is a beautiful young women who is trying to settle down in Greenville, South Carolina. What others don't know is that Laila killed a man in self-defense as an escort in Chicago. When Laila is approached by a man claiming to be the brother of the man she killed, Laila feels like she has no choice but to run and hide somewhere else. No matter what Laila does, she feels like her past is coming back to haunt her. With her brother and a coworker trying to help Laila out, she tries to overcome the issues of her past and find peace.

Travis Thrasher has really grown in his recent books and this one is no different. He really does a great job in his characterization, especially with Laila. Like all of us, Laila is broken and wants to find love and acceptance. She has made mistakes but the thing she needs the most is forgiveness. This story is quite dark at times, but there is a strong message of hope for us all. Highly recommended.

Wonders Never Cease by Tim Downs

Kemp McAvoy is a nurse who believes he is much too smart for his position. After being kicked out of his last year of residency, Kemp had to change his name and move to Los Angeles. An movie star is in a car accident and Kemp is her primary nurse. When Kemp’s girlfriend’s daughter claims to have seen an angel, Kemp gets a brilliant idea that will make him rich. Kemp finally believes that he will get the money he deserves.
Wonders Never Cease is the third standalone novel by Tim Downs and is a departure from his previous works. His other books have been more action-oriented while this book is more focused on the characters and plot. This book was very enjoyable as some of the characters were very likeable and some others were very easy to dislike. The story itself is easy to follow and makes me look forward to what Downs writes in the future. Recommended

Never Let You Go by Erin Healy

Lexi Solomon faced tragedy seven years ago but was able to hold on. Now her husband is back after leaving her, and her sister’s murderer is up for parole. All Lexi wants to do is move on with her life, but the past is coming back into the present. Lexi has to figure out how to deal with these issues in her life.
Erin Healy got her name out by co-authoring two books with Ted Dekker and this is her first book by herself. I was very impressed with the characters in this book as well as how the plot progressed through the story. It’s a dark book, but there is hope that we can all reach out for. While I can tell this is Erin’s first solo novel, I really look forward to where she goes from here. Highly recommended.

The Clouds Roll Away by Sibella Giorello

The Clouds Roll Away is the third book in the Raleigh Harmon Series. In this installment, Raleigh is headed back to Richmond Virginia from her stint in Seattle. She has to investigate a cross burning and begins to look deeper into the situation. More issues with the FBI emerge as well as issues in her personal life. Raleigh keeps working to solve the case and hope that her other problems can be fixed too.
This is another very enjoyable read in the Raleigh Harmon series as Giorello continues to improve the main character and play into different situations that Raleigh faces in her life. While the law enforcement aspect is very good, the characterization and deeper issues really make this story great. Raleigh uses her faith to keep going and she has a hope that really can inspire us all. Highly recommended.

Hunter’s Moon by Don Hoesel

CJ Baxter is a bestselling novelist who is able to take experiences from his life and bring them into his books. He hasn’t been back to his hometown in over fifteen years, but his grandfather has passed away so CJ heads back home. He finds that there are things he has missed, and things he hasn’t. As CJ fights for the truth within his family, it soon becomes clear that there are things that are more important than blood.

This is Don Hoesel’s second novel, and he does a great job exploring the dynamics of a small town as well as the damage that secrets can make. CJ is able to really make some changes in his own life as he searches for the truth. The book can be a bit slow at times, but it really held my attention as I wondered what would happen next. While there are some parts that aren’t relevant to the story line, the overall plot is excellent and the story progresses well. I look forward to what Hoesel writes in the future. Highly recommended.

Review copy courtesy of Bethany House Publishers

The Bride Collector by Ted Dekker

FBI agent Brad Raines is attempting to track down a serial killer who is murdering young women. The killer leaves a veil on the victim’s head before leaving the body. He has been dubbed The Bride Collector and Raines is working against the clock to catch the killer before he strikes again. On a lead, Raines goes to a mental institution for the gifted and meets a young woman named Paradise. Paradise has a unique ability and Raines hopes that she can help him stop the Bride Collector. This is Dekker’s second mainstream novel and I believe that the book is much better than his last, Boneman’s Daughters. This book really touched my heart as Dekker was able to use much different characters who had experienced great hurt to work together to catch a killer. This is a book that is very enjoyable from the crime aspect as well as having a much deeper meaning. I look forward to seeing where Ted Dekker goes from here. Highly recommended.

(Review copy provided by Hachette Book Group)

Face of Betrayal by Lis Wiehl with April Henry

A 17 year old girl takes her dog out for a walk one morning and never comes home. A unique trio consisting of an FBI Special Agent, a Federal Prosecuter, and news reporter take the case. These three are good friends who use their resources to help find the girl. A U.S. senator becomes a main suspect, but no one can figure out what happened to this girl. These three women try to put everything together to solve the case. The plot of the story was intriging, but the book just seemed unrealistic, especially the ending. The idea that these three former high school classmates would be able to work together on such a high profile case seems a little far fetched. I did enjoy the book for most part, but the end left me wondering if the author really knows what she is talking about. Mildly recommended