Day: June 30, 2018

A Vast And Gracious Tide – Lisa Carter

I was fortunate to receive this novel as an Advance Reader Copy, in exchange for an objective review.

McKenna Dockery is a young woman living the “Banker’s’ way of life in Tuckahoe, on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Devastated by the death of her Navy fiancé three years ago, she assists her family in he running of the family business, the Skipjacks. She spends her off time visiting the nearby Island Yaupon, in search of sea glass and other treasures.

Caden Wallis is a war veteran, who was greviously injured on a mission in Afghanistan, that also killed members of his team. Physically recovered, but emotionally, still hopeless in his pain, he seeks to return a quilt that he was given during his recovery, before he takes his own life. The quilt, resembling ocean waves, was a source of solace for him, and he feels compelled to return it. Arriving on the late ferry to Hatteras Island, Caden sleeps on the beach for the night, and he and McKenna discover one another the next morning. McKenna immediately takes him under her wing, invites him for breakfast and shortly thereafter discovers that he has the quilt she had once crafted for her dead fiancé, Shawn.

Meanwhile, the drug trade appears to have come to the Outer Banks and McKenna’s father, Tuckahoe Chief of Police has his hands full. A body is found washed ashore, and Caden is the immediate suspect, and only McKenna can provide his alibi. As McKenna and Caden fight their attraction, the “Banker’s deal with more crime and a different man sets his sights on McKenna…

I originally chose this book to read because of the setting – the Outer Banks are one of my most favorite places on Earth. However, one chapter in and I could NOT put it down. The characters are so rich, and the dialogue so well crafter that one can’t help but fall in love with the characters as they fall in love with one another. Caden’s past also reflects much of what our homeless veterans have experienced, and helps to shed some light on this misunderstood population. All around a fabulous read, and one I highly recommend!! Have tissues on hand…

A Dark Path – Robert E. Dunn

I was fortunate to receive this novel as an Advance Reader Copy, in exchange for an objective review.

Katrina “Hurricane” Williams is a Detective in the backwoods of the Missouri Ozark mountains. As a military vet with both personal and professional scars, she has gained the nickname “hurricane” for her sometimes violent, “kick ass” type of policing. As this novel opens, Katrina is roused from sleep by a call indicating that a charred body has been found. As Katrina arrives to the scene and begins her investigation, the property owner drives up and attempts to throw them off the land. This is just the first time you’ll meet Johnson Rath.

As Katrina investigates the murder and learns the victims identity, the case quickly takes on racial undertones and becomes even more dangerous, with threats lurking around every corner. Then her absentee mother very suddenly re-appears in her life, but for uncertain reasons. As Hurricane works to solve the case, her past returns to haunt her with a vengeance, and she must battle those demons once again, as she fights to solve the case.

I LOVED this character! “Hurricane” almost reminds me of a female Jack Reacher, even if she’s not the proverbial loner. Great characters, great plot development, and relationships with uncertain endings that will have you waiting impatiently for the next installment in the series! Fabulous book!!