Smoke in the Mirrors is Out!

As I've spoken about before, I really loved Town of Shadows, the first book in Jessica Scarlett's new series, Slanted London. I was hesitant to try it, because I don't read a lot of historical fantasy, but the magic part of it was really well done and I was invested in the romance. The first book ended on a bit of a cliffhanger, so I was really excited to see that the second book had come out! I dove in, anxious to see what would happen with our hero and heroine.

 

The second book, Smoke in the Mirrors, is really long, 451 pages, and it has a lot of POV characters in it, which sometimes makes it hard to keep track of who is speaking and what's going on since there are several storylines all being woven together. It's kind of like a puzzle that you are finding all the pieces to and figuring out where they fit! But the thing I love about this world Ms. Scarlett has created is that everyone has secrets they are hiding and people they are trying to protect and the reader is sucked into attempting to unravel the little intrigues along with the big mystery right along with the characters. And we get a lot of movement in our hero's story with a jaw-dropping ending. I can't wait for the next one!

Do you ever read a genre you don't normally read and like it?

Smoke in the Mirrors is in Kindle Unlimited. You can get your copy HERE

Here's the back copy:

Some illusions save us. Others want us dead.

Dorothy St. James has three missions: slip inside the Rook’s circle, recover the stolen enchanted bracelets, and rescue her kidnapped father. But when whispers of a hidden map inside Buckingham Palace surface, everything shifts. Enlisting Ashley Gardner—the brilliant, backstabbing puzzle-solver she can never quite outsmart—might be her only chance of destroying him.

To Dorothy’s annoyance, her dangerous pull toward Ashley only grows, even as fellow Lightfoot agent Nicholas Hart offers a far safer path. Nicholas is steady and dependable, while Ashley is all secrets, sharp edges, and heartbreak waiting to happen.

But Ashley is running out of time. His mutating magic grows more sentient every day, and the final bracelet is the only thing keeping it from consuming him. Desperate, he agrees to help Dorothy hunt the hidden map, even though being near her threatens both his sanity and his survival. And as riddles twist into traps, he begins to fear that their fire may not be real at all—just another illusion his magic wants her to believe.

London’s smoke-choked streets are thick with danger. Where is Dorothy’s father? Who is the Samaritan? Why is the Rook kidnapping innocents? And who can she trust, when she can’t even trust herself?

The Book I Devoured in ONE Day!

I had a wonderful Christmas with my family and we've had a restful weekend after all the celebration. I hope you did, too! But I have to tell you about this book I read--IN ONE DAY!

My friend and fellow author Becky Monson recommended The Fur Trader's Lady by Gabrielle Meyer to me and I've sort of been in a little book slump so I immediately downloaded it from KU and started reading and I couldn't stop! It was SO well-written and I was sucked right into the story. I loved the slow burn romance, and the tension of what the villain was going to do when he finally found our hero and heroine was ratcheting up higher and higher with every page and I couldn't wait to see how it all ended! I devoured this book and I've already downloaded the next one in the series.

Does that ever happen to you? What have you been reading lately?

Get your copy of The Fur Trader's lady HERE

Here's the back copy:

To escape her guardian’s plans to marry her, Lady Charlotte Fairfax steals away to Montreal to locate Reid McCoy, a fur trader who owes her fiancé a debt for saving his life. Even though European women are forbidden from entering the interior, she is desperate to get to her fiancé deep within the northwestern wilderness.

Reid McCoy has worked hard for fifteen years to become a shareholder in the North West Company and is on the brink of realizing that goal. Taking Charlotte into the interior will not only put her life at risk, but it could also jeopardize his dreams. Honor bound to repay his debt, his only option is to have Charlotte dress as a man and enter as his assistant clerk.

With Charlotte’s guardian close on their trail and a personal rival willing to do anything to keep Reid from becoming a shareholder, they will embark on an epic journey that will test not only their strength and endurance, but their hearts, as well.

Over the Edge Review

Have you ever ridden on a horse and then it starts to canter and you're surprised, but after a minute you settle into it, but then the horse starts to gallop and while the wind is rushing through your hair, there is a thread of fear as you hold on to the reins too tightly and try not to imagine yourself thrown to the ground in a heap, staring up at the sky with the wind knocked out of you? That's how it feels reading Stephanie Black's new Trespassers novel, Over the Edge. It is SO good!

 
The mystery starts out all twisty and turny with a few surprises, but you know, you're settling in and trying to figure out who the villain is, then things take off and there's the increasingly intense mystery with romantic yearning going on, and just when you think you have everything figured out, you're thrown off and everything is upside down and then you turn the last page and it seriously takes your breath away. (I still haven't stopped thinking about that last scene!)

Rayna is a complicated heroine who is torn between her love for her family and how her powers have changed her life. She gets caught up in a murder mystery that gets even more twisted with the requirements of the team that wants Rayna to join them and the agent she's got feelings for. Damon is written so well with wanting to do his job, yet wanting to protect Rayna. His choice between duty and love is so difficult and yet so absorbing for the reader. I cannot wait for the next book in the series. One of my top stories of the year!

Get your copy HERE

Here is the back copy:

SIX MONTHS AGO, ACCUSATIONS of murder threw Rayna Kirkpatrick’s life into turmoil, and her fight to prove her innocence nearly got her killed. Now, she seeks healing and refuge, but as a Trespasser—a person with lethal paranormal abilities—she can’t escape the attention of the covert government organization monitoring her. They want her on their team, but Rayna wants to maintain her quiet life in Willet Beach, living next door to her sister and running a small pottery studio.

SPECIAL AGENT DAMON HALE has been assigned to keep an eye on Rayna. The abilities that would make her a valuable member of the Trespasser team would also make her a powerful weapon in the hands of an enemy; it’s Damon’s job to keep her safe and ensure that information about her Trespasser status remains classified. He’s posing as her boyfriend to provide an excuse for the time they spend together, but, privately, each of them is struggling with that cover story; their feelings for each other are becoming all too real.

RAYNA’S ATTEMPT AT A peaceful life shatters when she rescues a woman from a fire, an act that drags her into a whirlpool of rumors and deadly secrets. As Damon works to protect her, he’s torn by the knowledge that managing this crisis might require decisions that will devastate Rayna and that the line between ally and enemy may be more blurred than either of them imagined.

Rules for Ruin Review

I think this is Mimi Matthews' best book yet! I loved how she carefully crafted Effie and Gabriel's characters. They had a bumpy road to love, but it was so worth it! There were so many favorite scenes I could never name them all. Effie was a strong woman on a mission looking into her past so she can build a future. Gabriel is a man with a past who might not get the future he envisions for himself. But when Effie comes along, he gets something better! They both have to learn to trust and I love how the author shows their vulnerabilities and insecurities. And every scene with Franc stole the show! I love that little dog. The epilogue was sigh-worthy and I can't wait to read more in this series.

Get your copy HERE (I hope you got it when it was on sale!)

Here is the back copy:

No one betrays the Academy. But now Euphemia must decide: break the rules for her enemy, or let the rules break her heart.

On the outskirts of London sits a seemingly innocuous institution with a secretive aim—train young women to distract, disrupt, and discredit the patriarchy. Outraged by a powerful lord’s systematic attack on women’s rights in Parliament, the Academy summons its brightest—and most bitter—pupil to infiltrate the odious man’s inner circle. A deal is struck: bring down the viscount, and Miss Euphemia Flite will finally earn her freedom.

But betting shop owner Gabriel Royce has other plans. The viscount is the perfect pawn to insulate Gabriel’s underworld empire from government interference. He’s not about to let some crinoline-clad miss destroy his carefully constructed enterprise—no matter how captivating he finds her threats.

From the rookeries of St. Giles to the ballrooms of Mayfair, Euphemia and Gabriel engage in a battle of wits and wills that’s complicated by a blossoming desire. Soon Euphemia realizes it’s not the broken promises to her Academy sisters she should fear. . . . It’s the danger to her heart.

The Reviews are Coming In!

Well, my new small-town romance came out two and a half weeks ago and I'm loving the reviews so far! 

When I was a new writer, there was a magazine reviewer who regularly reviewed my books and I always sat on pins and needles when her reviews came out, hoping she liked my book. She retired a few years back, but I noticed she left a review on my new book and I am still thrilled that she liked the story, just like I was back in the day! (I clipped a bit of it for my image. Yay!) 

Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed it so far. I appreciate you!

You can get your copy HERE

Here's the back copy:

High school teacher Karissa Mead has given up on love. Finding anyone to date in small-town Lincoln is practically impossible---until the town’s newest policeman moves in. Benson Wright is handsome, helpful, and funny, but the universe isn’t content with letting things take their natural course. Throw in Ben's matchmaking grandma with Karissa's students who just want to “help,” then add his ex who can’t seem to let him go, and it's a recipe for disaster. When Karissa gets put in a dangerous situation, however, Ben will have one chance to get her home safely---and show her that love is worth fighting for.

ARC Team Members Wanted!

My new romantic suspense, Second Guess, is releasing THREE WEEKS from tomorrow! I can hardly wait. The feedback I've gotten so far is that this is my best book yet and had people staying up way too late to read it. That's what I like to hear!

 
I have a few spots open on my ARC Team (Advanced Reader Copy) and I'd love for you to apply! When those spots are filled, I'll close the application. But thank you so much for your support of my books! You can apply HERE 

Monday Morning Book Report

I started Ranee Clark's historical romance, A Lady's Promise, over the weekend. It's definitely got a different twist to it with a sort-of love triangle and a heroine who is so kind and sweet. I'm enjoying it so far!

What did you read over the weekend?

My Meridian Article is Live!

My Meridian book review is live! In this issue I reviewed Cry Wolf by Kathi Oram Peterson and A Not-So-Distant Love by Heidi Kimball. Both books you can fall for!

In Cry Wolf you'll find a romantic suspense has some similarities to the movie, The Fugitive. When Dania comes home to find her husband is dead and a masked man missing some fingers is the killer. The fingerless man gets away, however, and Dania is convicted of her husband’s murder. During a prison transfer, Dania escapes and is determined to clear her name. Her husband’s best friend, U.S. Marshal Brett Rollins, is tasked with hunting down Dania and he’s drawn into a web of secrecy and lies that surrounds Dania’s case. But can Brett help Dania track down a killer before they’re both caught?

This action-packed suspense is like sledding—plenty of bumps along the way as you are speeding down a hill and going faster by the moment.

In A Not-So-Distant Love, Lady Charlotte Darrington’s path is set as she will one day inherit her father’s Scottish dukedom, but she wants to experience more of life before she settles down. Her cousin has made plans to go to America, and Charlotte gets permission to go with him. When they arrive in Pittsburgh, Charlotte is introduced to Dr. Alec Galloway, who is brusque and distant to her from their very first meeting. But Charlotte and Alec are thrown together when Charlotte’s chaperone takes ill and they start to see each other in a different light. Charlotte soon discovers why Alec has isolated himself from those who love him and she’s determined to help him find happiness again. But will she find happiness with him, too? This emotional romance was full of tender moments, but also plenty of laugh out loud scenes, including some that feature a pig!

You can see my full review and what I thought of both books HERE

Weekend Book Report

Over the weekend I was reading Cry Wolf by Kathi Oram Peterson. I am really loving the suspense element. It's a lot like the Harrison Ford movie, "The Fugitive," complete with someone missing body parts who is the real killer while the spouse is wrongfully imprisoned. 

What did you read this weekend?

Interested in Cry Wolf? You can get your copy HERE

Here's the back copy:

Dania Blackwolf is bursting with excitement: after years of disappointment, she’s just learned she and her husband are one step closer to having their dreams come true. Eager to tell her husband, Matthew, about her findings, she returns home from her nightshift at the hospital—but what awaits her there is no dream. It’s a nightmare. Matthew has been murdered, and Dania is the only witness to the masked intruder. With no one to corroborate her story, she is the prime suspect.

When U.S. Marshal Brett Rollins’s best friend, Matthew, was murdered, Dania, was convicted of the crime. But it’s never added up for Brett. Now, three years later when Dania escapes prison and Brett finds her, he is faced with a life-altering choice: send a woman he believes to be innocent back to prison or help her find his friend’s killer. Determined to see justice done, Brett goes rogue. The unlikely allies embark on a dangerous quest to uncover the truth. But what they discover is a plot more far-reaching than they ever imagined and a truth that will test everything they thought they knew. 

My Monday Book Report

Over the weekend I was reading, A Not-So-Distant Love by Heidi Kimball. It's a sequel to her book, Heart in the Highlands, which I loved. This one promises to be another keeper as well. Lots of misunderstandings and attraction and an emotionally wounded hero. 

What did you read this weekend?

If you are interested in A Not-So-Distant Love you can get it HERE

Here's the back copy:

Lady Charlotte Darrington’s path in life is clearly laid out before her: she will select a suitable husband, marry, and one day inherit her father’s Scottish dukedom. But a growing restlessness has her desperate for a bit of freedom before her all-too-certain future closes in. When the opportunity to travel to America arises, Charlotte leaps at the chance and soon finds herself across the Atlantic in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Her American hosts and their friends couldn’t be more welcoming—all except one. The insufferable Dr. Galloway captures her eye—and her ire.

Life has made Dr. Alec Galloway wary of everyone, including the self-important Lady Charlotte Darrington, who thinks herself above Pittsburgh society. He makes no qualms about voicing his disapproval of Britain’s archaic peerage system, or of a certain peeress herself, though he never intended for his brusque opinions to reach her ears, sparking a conflagration neither could have foreseen. Yet as Charlotte gains insight into Alec’s wounded past, she offers him something that changes everything—her friendship. Despite Alec’s determination to keep everyone at bay, she slowly erodes his defenses, allowing him glimpses of a future he never imagined. Soon he must decide whether to face his past fears and grasp a second chance at love or risk losing Charlotte forever.

What Are You Reading Wednesday?

I just finished Jennifer Peel's new romantic comedy, Forgettable in Every Way. It is so cute! Funny, heartwarming, single dad with a second chance romance. Jennifer just has a way of writing that draws you into the character's lives and makes you feel like you are right there with them. Two thumbs up from me!

What are you reading this week?

Get Forgettable in Every Way HERE

Here's the back copy:

All it takes is one person to remember you.

A word of never fall in love with an Englishman in New York. If you do, chances are that he’ll captivate your soul and never let you go. Take me, for instance. For the last thirteen years, I’ve heard “So This Is Love” on repeat every time I think of Simon Harrison. If this is love, it kind of sucks. Especially given that Simon only ever saw me as his friend before proceeding to marry my supposed best friend. The worst part is that I thought for once in my life someone saw me. That he saw me. But I was wrong. So wrong.

Or was I?

Thirteen years ago, I made a colossal mistake without even knowing it when I let Jules Carmichael disappear from my life. I had no idea the woman I always thought of as my best mate could have been so much more if I’d only opened my eyes to see what was right in front of me. But now that I find myself divorced and face-to-face with the lovely creature again, she wants nothing to do with me, and it’s driving me mad. If she could only see that I’m not the daft younger man who let her slip away, I have a feeling we could have something unforgettable.

What Are You Reading Wednesday!

I am reading Jenny Proctor's How to Kiss Your Best Friend and it is so good! I have learned a lot about kayaking, too, that I didn't know. Lots of sigh-worthy, swoony moments, but also some realistic scenes about how hard family issues can be and how they affect you even as an adult. I'm really enjoying this series.

What are you reading this week?

Get your copy of How to Kiss Your Best Friend HERE

Here's the back copy:

He’s a hot high school chemistry teacher living in a small town. She’s a globetrotting journalist running from her past. They used to be best friends. Then one kiss changes everything.

Kate Fletcher is my kryptonite.

She’s also my best friend. Former best friend?

I’m not sure what you call it when we grew up attached at the hip and then she left Silver Creek (and me) to travel the world.

The important thing is: Kate is back. (Temporarily.)

And I’m still in love with her. (Permanently.)

But something is different now. The attraction doesn’t seem one-sided. I don’t think I’m imagining the heat in Kate’s eyes or the chemistry crackling between us.

But will that be enough to keep Kate here, when, for as long as I can remember, all she’s wanted to do is leave?

I’m determined to give her a reason to stay. Family. Connection. Roots. And me. I’ll have to start with sparks and fire, but if I take this step, there’s no turning back to simple friendship. And if she doesn’t feel the same way, I might lose her again—this time for good.

What Are You Reading Wednesday

I finished reading my first book of 2024! Woohoo!

It was from one of my favorite authors, Nancy Campbell Allen. Protecting Her Heart is a Victorian mystery romance with intrigue and danger and a friends to lovers romance that had plenty of swoon and sigh-worthy kisses. But the mystery! Oh my word, I stayed up until 1 a.m. just so I could see who the murderer was! I loved this one and it set the standard high for the rest of my 2024 books. 

What are you reading this week?

Get your copy of Protecting Her Heart HERE

Here's the back copy:

London, 1887

When newly graduated medical doctor Charlotte Duvall receives word that her father has died, she immediately leaves America and returns home to see to her family’s estate. Among her father’s possessions is a box of her late mother’s letters, which feels like a balm to Charlotte’s grief-stricken heart. But the letters contain some inconsistencies that suggest there was more to her mother’s death than Charlotte had been told. She turns to the one man she trusts more than anyone—her treasured friend and director of London’s police force, John Ellis.

John Ellis has harbored feelings for Charlotte ever since he first met her. Tucked into his heart are thoughts of her sharp mind, quick wit, and remarkable beauty. Though he has not yet found the courage to share his feelings with the young doctor, he is eager to help her in her hour of need.

Investigating the details of a death was not how Charlotte imagined she would find love, but as she and John work to unravel a dark web of secrets and lies, she finds herself relying on him more and more—and opening her heart to him in the process.

As the danger draws ever closer, John vows to do everything in his power to protect Charlotte from harm. But he fears protecting her heart might come at the cost of breaking his own.

New Year's Eve Eve Book Deals!

Can you believe it's New Year's Eve Eve? This year went by so fast for me. I had so many favorite books in 2023, it was hard to narrow it down, but twelve of my favorites were listed in my Meridian Magazine column. 

I wonder if we had any of the same favorites? You can see which ones I chose HERE

I also wanted to let you know that the ebooks of six of them, including The Trespassers, Educating Elizabeth, and Secret of the Sonnets, are only $1.99 right now! You really don't want to miss this deal. What a way to start out the new year!

What Are You Reading Wednesday?

I finished reading Jennifer Peel's My Ex-Mas Emergency. Oh my goodness, I loved it! So swoony and lovely. The perfect Christmas romance! 

I think one of the best parts for me was that there were so many funny moments expertly intertwined with falling in love. I think the ER visits were some of my favorite scenes, but there were definitely a lot to choose from!

You can get your copy HERE

Here's the back copy:

Very few in Aspen Lake expected that I, Calista Monroe, their most notorious wild child, would ever amount to anything besides being a model prisoner. So imagine their surprise when I returned as the hospital’s newest ER doctor. Believe me, no one is more surprised than I am. I had vowed to never return, even if it was the last safe haven during the zombie apocalypse. But when my niece, Quinn, begged me to come home, I couldn’t say no. My plan is to stay out of trouble this time, and above all, avoid Quinn’s uncle Tristan—the man I love to hate and the reason I left Aspen Lake.

But trouble starts to brew when my niece gets it into her pretty head that her uncle and I need to reconcile. The devious little thing insists we deck the halls together all season long. And since I’ll do anything to make Quinn happy, I agree, believing I’m completely immune to Tristan’s charm. Except the joke’s on me. Who knew that Tristan’s biggest regret was letting me go? And the infuriating man seems willing to do everything possible to win me back. Well, it’s going to take a Christmas miracle for me to give him a second chance. Unfortunately for my plan, our chemistry could set a blizzard on fire. Now I have a major ex emergency on my hands.

Do I give my niece her Christmas wish, or do I let the love between Tristan and me flatline once and for all?

My Monday Book Report

I was reading Melanie Jacobson's book, Scrooge and the Girls Next Door over the weekend and it is absolutely adorable! Single mom, grumpy neighbor, and plenty of enemy to friends to more sparks! I love the Creekville world the author has created and this is the perfect book to get you in the holiday spirit. So cute and fun!

You can get your copy HERE

Here's the back copy:

When the sunniest woman in Creekville buys the house next to the grumpiest man on the street, sparks fly . . . and not just because she keeps blowing his fuses...

Twenty-six-year-old Paige Redmond, single mom and go-getter, can’t wait to give her daughter, Evie, the Christmas of her dreams. Nothing can get in Paige’s way, not even her newly purchased fixer-upper cottage needing way more fixing than she planned.

Paige tackles the holiday with Clark Griswold spirit, amusing the entire town—except for her humbug next door neighbor, the grumpy but deliciously handsome Professor Henry Hill. With the help of colorful friends and found family—plus a feral cat and a pancake snowman—Paige and Evie wage a campaign to cure the cranky professor of his Christmas blues.

When Paige's feelings for Henry wind up as tangled as her Christmas lights, there's suddenly more than Christmas spirit on the line. Will Henry pull the plug on their first solo Christmas? Or can Paige and Evie convince the town's biggest scrooge to open his grinchy heart to the holiday . . . and to them?

My Monday Book Report

I'm still working on the Christmas Forevermore anthology. I've loved the first two in the collection so far. Sweet, romantic, with a lot of holiday-filled magic. Can't wait to read the next two!

What did you read this past weekend?

You can get Christmas Forevermore HERE

Here's the back copy:

This holiday season, fall in love with a brand-new collection of swoon-worthy novellas from four of your favorite historical romance authors. From meddling matchmakers to fortuitous fiascos, the holidays have never been more magical!

“A Family Christmas” by Sally Britton: After years abroad, Cyril Grant worries about relating to his highborn relatives at the family’s holiday celebration. But an unexpected connection with a member of the household staff opens his heart―in more ways than one.

“Christmas Forevermore” by Sarah M. Eden: In this reimagining of the beloved Charles Dickens tale A Christmas Carol, spinster Minna Schofield is inadvertently ensnared by a local matchmaker whose meddling launches Minna on a journey of self-reflection that could lead her to unexpected love.

“Christmas at Cranfield” by Ashtyn Newbold: Though childhood friends Hannah and Samuel secretly adore one another, fate conspires to keep them apart. But after years of shared holidays and missed opportunities, this Christmas brings the hope that their stars will align.

“A Thrill of Hope” by Karen Thornell: After a devastating loss, Christmas holds little appeal for Isabel Reid. But when a snowstorm traps her in the company of a surprising traveling companion, the perpetual winter of Isabel’s heart may just begin to thaw.

What Are You Reading Wednesday

I was lucky enough to get an advanced copy of Mimi Matthews new book, Lily of Ludgate Hill, that won't come out until January. I love this series about four friends and I've been anxiously waiting for the next installment, so you can imagine how happy I was to get an advanced copy!

 Lily of Ludgate Hill is definitely worth the wait! It's a slow-burn second chance romance and is so toe-curlingly good. Mimi Matthews is fast becoming one of my very favorite authors. I've been reading it every chance I get!

What are you reading this week?

My New Meridian Review is Out!

I am so excited about my new Meridian Magazine review. This month I'm reviewing Windsong Manor by Julie Wright and Skye Fall by Paige Edwards. A sweet historical romance and pulse pounding suspense!

Windsong Manor introduces us to Eleanora Coventry. She was wed at just sixteen to a much older man who merely wanted an heir. He controlled every aspect of her life, and on his deathbed, forces a promise that she will raise his illegitimate daughter as her own. Eleanora agrees, and soon after she is widowed, moves her son and new daughter to their country estate. The stablemaster there, Ridley Ellis, evokes feelings in her she’s never felt before, but she is overwhelmed with a son who is well on the path of becoming just like his late father—unfeeling and cruel, along with her new daughter who misses her old home. Ridley becomes a haven for Eleanora, but their growing feelings for each other complicate everything. Can they risk everything—including her guardianship over her son—for a chance at love?

In Skye Fall, Isla Montjoy is newly in love with her policeman boyfriend when she discovers he’s a crooked cop who is involved in an organization that covers up their crimes—by making sure no one lives to tell about them. Isla survives her brutal attack and goes into hiding to protect her family. After changing her name and settling in a small town in the Scottish highlands, Isla meets Ben Pressley-Coombes and his father—right before her ex-boyfriend tracks her down and tries to kill her. In order to protect her, Ben and his family take her in and spirit her away to the U.S. Isla is drawn to Ben and his kindness and decency, but she’s afraid to let herself feel anything for him. He gives her a sense of safety she hasn’t had in a long time and part of her wants to give in and let herself fall in love. Does she dare? Or will danger find her again?

You can see what I thought of both of these books in my review HERE

Have you read either of those books? What did you think?

A Book I'm Still Thinking About

Did you ever have a book touch your heart and give you a different perspective on life? That's what Heather Moore's Under a Java Moon did for me. I read it last month, but I'm still thinking about it! 

The book is set during WWII and based on a true story about a young Dutch family who is caught in the Japanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies. In all the books I’ve ever read that are set during WWII, none of them took place in the Dutch East Indies. I had no idea the things that the Dutch and Indonesian people went through during that time period, but Ms. Moore uses her talents to really bring the era to life and pulls the reader in from the very first page.

The story is told from three perspectives—George Vischer, his wife Mary, and his daughter Rita. The author is able to give each character a compelling personality that comes through on the page. Readers will feel as if they are close friends of the Vischer family, which makes what happens to them so gripping.

I think this is one of the best books Heather Moore has done and is well worth the read.