Return to Grace - Karen Harper

Released February 21, 2012

Karen Harper
Mira/Harlequin

Book review by Tracy Farnsworth

Return to Grace, the second book in the Home Valley Amish series, focuses on Hannah Esh. Hannah left her Amish life after her intended got another woman pregnant and called off their engagement. Giving up everything, she entered the world hoping to start a music career. Despite her dreams, she's always felt herself pulled back to her Amish life. She happens to be in the Amish cemetery with her friends when someone shoots at them. One person is dead and Hannah suffers serious damage after a bullet hits her wrist.

Needing to recuperate, Hannah returns to her family home. It isn't long before someone tries to break into Hannah's bedroom via the window and FBI agent Linc Armstrong (Fall from Pride) is on the case trying to discover if this is a hate crime against the Amish or if Hannah's former beau, Seth, isn't happy that she's back in town. Hannah can't believe that Seth Lantz, now a widower and single father, has anything to do with it, so she and Seth do what they can to unravel what's happening in their community.

I loved Fall from Pride. It was one of the romances that stuck with me last year. I didn't find, however, that Return to Grace grabbed me the same way. It was a good story, but I didn't feel drawn to the story and characters like I did in Linc and Sarah's story.

The story is packed with a detailed look into Amish culture and continues the stories of a few minor characters from the first novel. Despite my not liking it as much as the first, I'm still glad I read it. The final entry in this series is coming out shortly, so fans will want to pick up a copy. If you didn't read the first novel, I don't think you really need to worry. Return to Grace stands alone. I do recommend Fall from Pride though.

The Past Came Hunting - Donnell Ann Bell

Released September 2011

Donnell Ann Bell
Bell Bridge Books

Book Review by Tracy Farnsworth

The Past Came Hunting is part romance, part suspense and definitely holds your interest.

As a teen, Melanie made some bad choices. While hitchhiking, she manages to escape from the clutches of a perverted older man and ends up accepting a ride from a rich teen. Unfortunately, she learns a little too late that this teen is no good. She's arrested as an accomplice in a robbery at gunpoint and agrees to testify against him. This leads to his vow that he'll find and kill her.

Fifteen years later, Melanie is a single mom trying to put her past behind her. She moves into a new home only to find out that her new neighbor is the cop, Joe, who arrested her. The guy she testified against is out of jail and disappears. Everyone suspects that he's going to try to hunt Melanie down to make good on this threat. Melanie must trust in Joe's skills as a life-long policeman, a feat not as easily accomplished when she's trying to forget her past and start a new life amidst people who know nothing of her past.

The Past Came Hunting is really a romantic suspense. It's apparent from the start that Joe and Melanie have major issues to overcome if they're going to last as a couple. Watching them work through their inner demons makes for great reading.

The reader is kept up to date with the convict's plans, but there's still a high level of excitement as you read the cat and mouse-style chase to keep Melanie safe. Donnell Ann Bell's book is certain to please readers who enjoy a romance that's packed with suspenseful moments. There's a reason why this author wins awards. She's definitely an author to watch.

The Baby Dilemma - Jacqueline Diamond

Released April 2012

Jacqueline Diamond
Harlequin

Book review by Tracy Farnsworth

I have a few guilty pleasures, very dark chocolate and Jacqueline Diamond's Safe Harbor Medical romance series generally top the list. Because I've read this series from the beginning, I feel like I've really gotten to know each character over a span of years rather than just a couple hours. The Baby Dilemma is the next book in this long-running series.

Doctor Paige Brennan has delivered so many babies and helped so many women become pregnant that she can't ignore her own longing for a child. The problem is she has never found Mr. Right. Taking advantage of the fertility clinic, Paige undergoes artificial insemination and winds up pregnant just as Mike Aaron enters her life. Knowing his stance on children has Paige worried about what happens when she has to reveal her news.

Private detective Mike Aaron has seen his foster brothers and sisters end up in happy marriages raising their children, but he doesn't want children. When he falls for Paige, he knows immediately that the relationship won't last. She makes it clear that she wants kids and he's adamantly against becoming a parent, it's what ended his first marriage. There's something Paige doesn't know, however, and this news could well be a game changer for both of them.

I lounged in bed reading The Baby Dilemma this morning thinking that there is nothing better in the world than a lazy morning with a good book. Jackie Diamond does a great job creating likable characters, though Mike does have a bit of arrogance that I wasn't sure I'd appreciate. He turns out to be the perfect counterpart to Paige, however, and soon I was rooting them on.

The setting and characters really help build this contemporary romance into a short, sweet tale. That's one thing I love about Harlequin romances, they don't take forever to read, so it's easy to start and finish the story in one sitting. If you're looking for a cozy way to escape a winter storm, pick up The Baby Dilemma.

Taking a Shot - Jaci Burton

Released March 2012

Jaci Burton
Penguin

Book review by Tracy Farnsworth

Jenna Riley has her own dreams, but running her parents' sports bar is all that seems to be in the cards. One thing she knows for sure, the last man she wants in her life is someone associated with sports. Sports surrounds her when she's working and when she's relaxing with her family because her brothers are professional players for the NFL and MLB. The last thing she wants is to becoming involved with Ty Anderson, an NHL player. Yet, she can't seem to keep her minds and hands off him...

Taking a Shot is a heated romance centered again on the Riley family. The novels, including Taking a Shot, all stand alone, but you'll be able to spend lots of time getting to know the family if you read them all. There are more books to come too!

 As always, Jaci Burton creates real sizzle between her leading characters. The sexual attraction is clear and their romance progresses quickly. If you enjoy very steamy romances, you won't go wrong with Taking a Shot.

Feed Your Best Friend Better - Rick Woodford

Released April 2012

Rick Woodford
Andrews McMeel Publishing

Book review by Tracy Farnsworth

Feed Your Best Friend Better: Easy, Nutritious Meals and Snacks for Dogs is a book that every pet owner should have. Increases in canine and feline cancers and diabetes prove that the food you find in stores isn't always the best option. Actually, unless you pay very close attention to the labels, most store-bought dog food is horrible stuff. While it may be cheaper, the veterinary bills you face down the road may not make it such a great deal in the long run. Learn how to prepare your own dog food and snacks so that your dog is getting food where you control the quality. Both you and your dog will be happier.

Rick Woodford created amazing recipes using advice from veterinary resources. Anyone interested in holistic treatments for dogs, or who use a holistic veterinarian, should pick up this book. I know some may scoff at that, but honestly, I think those who scoff at holistic medicine need to take a closer look. There are amazing things holistic veterinarians do that many veterinarians overlook. Case in point, our senior cat started having seizures four months ago. Trips to her vet found nothing wrong with her. Scans, blood work, etc. all turned out negative for any problems. We were told that the anti-seizure medications would likely damage her liver and that it was best to ride out the seizures since they were not frequent. After spending a lot of money, we had no idea what was wrong with her.

The seizures would hit like clockwork every three weeks, last for half a day, disappear completely, and she was back to normal. I started visiting holistic veterinary boards and stumbled across a post suggesting that sodium nitrates in some canned foods might cause seizures in older cats. We feed our cats California Natural dry food, so there were no nitrates in that food, but their canned food did in fact have nitrates in it. We immediately tossed that food out and waited. She's been seizure free for over a month now. There's a lot to be said for carefully monitoring your pet's diet.

Feed Your Best Friend Better starts with a complex look at the nutrients your dog needs. You'll learn how much to feed your dog, foods you need to avoid, and then work into recipes for meals and treats. As you feed your dog the different meals, just pay attention to what the dog does and doesn't handle. My brother's dog will throw up if he's given scrambled eggs, other dogs thrive on them.

There are recipes for dog cookies and full meals. There are pages devoted to feeding dogs with different ailments, such as arthritis, diabetes, and liver disease, With so many recipes, your dog will never grow bored, and you'll know your dog is getting healthy meals without preservatives and by-products.

I highly recommend Feed Your Best Friend Better and hope the author will consider creating a book for cats. I know I'd be first in line to buy a copy!

Upon a Mystic Tide - Vicki Hinze

Released December 2011

Vicki Hinze
Bell Bridge Books

Book review by Tracy Farnsworth

Once again, Bell Bridge Books reissued a novel from "A Seascape Novel/Romance" series. Though originally released in the 1990s under the name Victoria Barrett, each of Vicki Hinze's books still have a timeless feel, so it never seems as though they are almost 20 years old.

Upon a Mystic Tide shares the tale of Bess and Jonathan Mystic. Their marriage is over, and with the divorce comes the loss of Bess's job as a well-known radio relationship counselor. Needing to get away, Bess heads to the Seascape Inn in Maine where her close friend Maggie (Beyond the Misty Shores) fell in love.

In Maine, Bess and Jonathan find they're not quite as over each other as they hoped. Their marriage, however, has to end because Bess has had it with Jonathan's secrets, and he simply lacks the courage to tell her everything. If he can't summon the strength, there is no hope for this couple. Meanwhile, the inn's resident ghost just isn't as willing to let them give up.

The "A Seascape Romance" series spanned a number of books, including titles by Rosalyn Alsobrook. I read and fell in love with the town years ago, though in all honestly, many small towns in Maine make it easy to feel at peace. Vicki Hinze, to me, always captured the feel of a small Maine fishing town perfectly. I've spent many weeks of my life vacationing in Maine, and the characters you find in Sea Haven Village, are just as likable as those you do find in a Maine town. It really is a place where you refresh and re-energize mentally and physically.

If you like romances with a little ghostly intervention, I highly recommend reading Vicki Hinze's trilogy and then finding some of the other Seascape novels. You won't regret it!

The Dispatcher - Ryan David Jahn

Released December 27, 2011

Ryan David Jahn
Penguin

Book review by Tracy Farnsworth

How far would you go to save a child most people felt was dead? Police dispatcher Ian Hunt and his ex-wife held a makeshift funeral seven years after their daughter was kidnapped. Presumed dead, everyone but Ian felt it was best to move on. His ex-wife has since remarried and has twins. He stopped talking to his now-adult son who was the only other person in the home the night his daughter was taken. For Ian, life virtually stopped the day Maggie disappeared.

During his shift at the police station, the unthinkable happens. A young woman calls asking for help. She identifies herself as Maggie Hunt. Ian's floored and dispatches help immediately, but the call ends abruptly when her captor catches up. With few leads to go on and renewed energy that Maggie is alive, Ian sets off on a journey to rescue his daughter.

The Dispatcher starts with a bang and really never lets up. The action is virtually non-stop from the first to last page. Throughout this novel, I kept thinking it has Hollywood written all over it. If Hollywood does turn it into a blockbuster, I'd be first in line to see it.

Ryan David Jahn is new to me, but his writing style and characters really drew me into the story. I think any parent would empathize with Ian. If your child goes missing, you would go above and beyond to return that child safely. It's that drive that really made me like Ian's character and had me rooting for him every step of the way.

If you're looking for a riveting thriller, you won't go wrong with Ryan David Jahn's The Dispatcher.