Code of Honor #2

Published October 2nd 2018 

by Fleming H. Revell Company

The most dangerous enemy is the one who has nothing to lose
As teenagers, Kristin Dane and her two best friends took a vow to make the world a better place. Twenty years later, she's fulfilling that pledge through her fair trade shop that features products from around the world. All is well until, one by one, people connected to the shop begin dying. 

Detective Luke Carter, new to the St. Louis PD, wants to know why. Before he can answer that question, however, the FBI weighs in and Kristin suddenly finds herself in the middle of international intrigue--and in the sights of the ruthless mastermind behind an ingenious and deadly scheme. Can this cold-blooded killer be stopped before more people die . . . including Kristin?

Available for Purchase:

AMAZON  BARNES & NOBLE  CHRISTIANBOOK 

BOOKS-A-MILLION  BAKER BOOK HOUSE

My Thoughts:

This is the second book in the Code of Honor series from Irene Hannon, but I felt this was a book that is easily without reading the first one.  I would like to note that I advise anyone to read the first book to get the full impact of the series.  

I really enjoyed this book and read it in one setting.  The plot quickly pulled me in and held me until the last page.  I felt this was a fast paced suspense laced with a mystery and romance.  The characters are both strong and well developed.   For me the author brought the characters to life and made me feel like I could be friends with them.  I like how neither were afraid to show their faith.  Kristin was a person who wanted to help others have a better life.  She was always reaching out a hand to help anyone.  I like how the author conveyed genuine friendship between the two characters. 

For me this was a wonderful story and contained all the things I love in a story (suspense, mystery, faith, romance and love).  This is a book I would recommend to anyone who wants loves a good book. 

**I received this book from the publishers as part of their book bloggers program.  I was not expected to write a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

Hope Harbor #4

 

Published April 3rd 2018 

 by Fleming H. Revell Company  

In the midst of life's storms, unexpected love is a beacon of hope.

A crumbling lighthouse is not part of the inheritance Army doctor Ben Garrison expects to claim when he journeys to Hope Harbor. Fresh out of the service, he wants only to unload the tower of bricks, decompress from years of treating battlefield trauma, and prepare to launch his civilian career.

Hope Harbor Herald editor Marci Weber has other ideas. She may not be a Hope Harbor native, but the small Oregon seaside town has become home--and she's determined to save the Pelican Point landmark.

Sparks fly as the two go head-to-head over the fate of the lighthouse. But when they start to cooperate, a different kind of fire ignites. Can Hope Harbor heal the hearts of these two romance-wary souls?

  

Book Trailer:

 

My Thoughts:

This is the fourth installment in the Hope Harbor series, but with that being said I feel this is a stand alone story. The author brings us a touching story. The author takes us to the Oregon coast where we meet Ben Garrison, an army surgeon, who has just flown from the middle east to prepare a memorial service for his grandfather, to settle the estate and to start his civilian life. Ben has fond memories of the area from the summers he spent with his grandfather. Nothing prepared him for the news of his inheritance of Pelican Point Lighthouse and the total shambles it's fell into.
Marci Weber has lived in Hope Harbor for two years where she owns and runs Hope Harbor Herald. She had became friends with Ned Garrison and his death has hit her hard. Her first introduction to his grandson was not what she had expected or even hope for. Both have a common interest, Pelican Point Lighthouse, but for not the same reasons. Ben wants to sell it and Marci wants to save it.
This is a well written book and it makes me want to visit Hope Harbor. It has a sweet plot that immediately pulled me it. It includes elements of mystery, intrigue, humor, grief, love, and faith. The characters are both engaging and endearing to me. I could see myself sitting on a bench having a conversation with both. The setting is both realistic and perceptive so it captured both time and place for me. The character is this entire series that intrigues me the most is Charley and is scrumptious food. I have never had a fish taco, but would definitely try one of his while getting some life advice from him.
This is a book I would recommend to anyone who love a good, clean read. It touches on the tough subject of PTSD, but I think it is written with a realistic view. I received this book from the publisher as part of their book bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Available for Purchase:

 

AMAZON  BARNES & NOBLE  CHRISTIANBOOK 

BAKER BOOK HOUSE 

 

 

Hope Harbor #3

Come to Hope Harbor-

where hearts heal....and love blooms. 

 

 Published April 4th 2017 

 by Fleming H. Revell Company 

Synopsis:

Hope Harbor police chief Lexie Graham has plenty on her plate raising her son alone and dealing with a sudden rash of petty theft and vandalism in her coastal Oregon hometown. As a result, she has zero time for extracurricular activities--including romance. Ex-con Adam Stone isn't looking for love either--but how ironic is it that the first woman to catch his eye is a police chief? Yet wishing for things that can never be is foolish.

Nevertheless, when Lexie enlists Adam's help to keep a young man from falling into a life of crime, sparks begin to fly. And as they work together, it soon becomes apparent that God may have a different--and better--future planned for them than either could imagine.

Available for Purchase:

AMAZON  BARNES & NOBLE  CHRISTIANBOOK

BOOKS-A-MILLION  BAKER RETAIL

Meet the Author:

Irene Hannon is a bestselling, award-winning author who took the publishing world by storm at the tender age of 10 with a sparkling piece of fiction that received national attention.

Okay…maybe that’s a slight exaggeration. But she was one of the honorees in a complete-the-story contest conducted by a national children’s magazine. And she likes to think of that as her “official” fiction-writing debut!

Since then, she has written more than 50 romantic suspense and contemporary romance/women’s fiction novels. She is a seven-time finalist for and three-time winner of the RITA award—the “Oscar” of romance fiction—and a member of the Romance Writers of America Hall of Fame. Her books have also won a Daphne du Maurier award, two Carol awards, three HOLT Medallions, a National Readers’ Choice award, a Retailers Choice award, two Booksellers’ Best awards and two Reviewers’ Choice awards from RT Book Reviews magazine. One of her novels was also named by Booklist as a top 10 inspirational fiction books of 2011. In addition, she is a two-time Christy award finalist.

Irene, who holds a B.A. in psychology and an M.A. in journalism, juggled two careers for many years until she gave up her executive corporate communications position with a Fortune 500 company to write full time. She is happy to say she has no regrets!

In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, gardening and singing.  A trained vocalist, she has sung the leading role in numerous musicals, including “South Pacific,” “Brigadoon,” “Oklahoma” “The King and I” and “Anything Goes.” She is also a soloist at her church.

When not otherwise occupied, Irene and her husband enjoy traveling, Saturday mornings at their favorite coffee shop and spending time with family. They make their home in Missouri.

My Thoughts:

This is the third installment in the Hope Harbor series, but is easily a stand alone story.  I do encourage you to read the first two books to feel the full impact of the series though.  

This story takes place in a seaside village along the Oregon coast and the community literally comes alive.  The characters are very strong, but complex.  This story centers around Lexie Graham and Adam Stone.   
I love stories that show love can bloom between the most unlikely of characters so this book was perfect.  We all of guilty of making bad decisions, but what if that one bad decision has a lasting impact on your life.  As a young man, Adam Stone, did just that, made a bad decision.  That decision landed him in prison where he spent 5 years paying for his crime.  Reverend Baker from Grace Christian had ministered to him during prison and offered to help him get settled in Hope Harbor once he was released.  Adam has lived on  a lonely stretch of beach for 18 months working in construction, but his life is about to change. 
Lexie Graham, Chief of Police, has been dealing with a rash of vandalism in the area.  She must check into all possibilities and that includes Adam Stone.  She has heard nothing but good things about Adam, but he was an ex-con and  needs to be ruled out as a suspect.  Her arrival at his rental reveals more than she anticipated.  First he has also been a victim and second she finds a clue to who the perpetrator might be.
I really liked both of these characters.  Lexie and Adam have a past that has shaped them into the people they are, but are trying not to let their past define them.  Lexie doesn't let others opinions influence her, but instead seeks the truth out.  She stands firm on what she believes in.  She has a job to do and doesn't let her personal feelings get in the way.  She reaches out to help a young man that she feels is not only deserving, but also feels that it will prevent future grief.  I just loved how Adam was willing to open up about his past mistakes in order to help others. 
This is a book I would recommend to anyone.  
*I received this book from the publisher as part of their book bloggers program.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.  

Men of Valor #3

 

 

Finn has packed away his combat instincts--but he may need them again when danger begins to stalk his quiet hideaway . . .
After a disastrous Middle East mission ends his six-year Army Ranger career, Finn McGregor needs some downtime. A peaceful month in the woods sounds like the perfect way to decompress. But peace isn't on the agenda once he crosses paths with publishing executive Dana Lewis, a neighbor who is nursing wounds of her own. Someone seems bent on disrupting her stay in the lakeside cabin she inherited from her grandfather. As Finn and Dana work together to discover who is behind the disquieting pranks, the incidents begin to take on a menacing tone. And when it becomes apparent Dana's foe may have deadly intent, Finn finds himself back in the thick of the action--ready or not.

 

 

 

Published October 4th 2016

 by Fleming H. Revell Company  

 

 

Available for Purchase:

 

AMAZON  BARNES & NOBLE  CHRISTIANBOOK

KOBO  BAKER RETAIL

BOOKS-A-MILLION

Meet the Author:

Irene Hannon is a bestselling, award-winning author who took the publishing world by storm at the tender age of 10 with a sparkling piece of fiction that received national attention.

Okay…maybe that’s a slight exaggeration. But she was one of the honorees in a complete-the-story contest conducted by a national children’s magazine. And she likes to think of that as her “official” fiction-writing debut!

Since then, she has written more than 50 romantic suspense and contemporary romance/women’s fiction novels. She is a seven-time finalist for and three-time winner of the RITA award—the “Oscar” of romance fiction—and a member of the Romance Writers of America Hall of Fame. Her books have also won a Daphne du Maurier award, two Carol awards, three HOLT Medallions, a National Readers’ Choice award, a Retailers Choice award, two Booksellers’ Best awards and two Reviewers’ Choice awards from RT Book Reviews magazine. One of her novels was also named by Booklist as a top 10 inspirational fiction books of 2011. In addition, she is a two-time Christy award finalist.

Irene, who holds a B.A. in psychology and an M.A. in journalism, juggled two careers for many years until she gave up her executive corporate communications position with a Fortune 500 company to write full time. She is happy to say she has no regrets!

In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, gardening and singing.  A trained vocalist, she has sung the leading role in numerous musicals, including “South Pacific,” “Brigadoon,” “Oklahoma” “The King and I” and “Anything Goes.” She is also a soloist at her church.

When not otherwise occupied, Irene and her husband enjoy traveling, Saturday mornings at their favorite coffee shop and spending time with family. They make their home in Missouri.

My Thoughts:

Absolutely loved this book.
This book is the third book in Irene Hannon's Men of Valor series which centers around Mac, Lance and Finn McGregor. Even though this book is part of a series it's definitely a stand alone.

 In this story we meet Finn the youngest of the three brothers and the most broken because his years in the military left both visible and invisible scars. He has spent weeks in rehab, but needs to move forward with his career outside of the military. His plans to spend a couple of weeks in a peaceful in cabin next to the Mark Twain National Forest in rural Missouri was interrupted by screams in the night. His military training kicks in and he ends up at a cabin next to Lewis Lake where Dana Lewis is experiencing one of many nightmares. Even though their first meeting is less than desirable the sparks ignite. Finn sees that Dana is haunted by wounds of her own.  Dana feels safe with Finn.  She hasn't felt safe in a long time and truthfully may never. As their friendship develops so does the plot.  It's an a thrilling adventure. 

 This book contains engaging characters and a plot that quickly pulled me in and kept me captivated until the end. . It has elements of turmoil, suspense, friendship, love and faith.
This is a book I would recommend to anyone who loves suspense.
I received this book from the publisher as part of their book bloggers program. All thoughts and opinions are my own.  

Hope Harbor Lane #2

 Published June 7th 2016
 by Fleming H. Revell Company 


Come to Home to Hope Harbor-
where hearts heal... and love blooms.



Synopsis:

Two people starting over . . . in a town known for second chancesAfter a devastating layoff, attorney Eric Nash heads back to Hope Harbor--only to discover that his childhood home is being transformed into a bed and breakfast. Instead of plotting his next career move in peace, he's constantly distracted by noise, chaos--and BJ Stevens, the attractive but prickly blonde architect who's invaded the house with her motley crew. As for BJ, her client's son might be handsome, but after a disastrous romance,
dating isn't high on her agenda. Yet when they join forces for to help Hope Harbor seniors, might they also find healing, hope, and a new beginning themselves?


Here is a video you might enjoy about Sea Rose Lane:

Available for Purchase:

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | CHRISTIANBOOK 
BAKER RETAIL 


Meet the Author:


Irene Hannon is the bestselling author of more than fifty novels, including One Perfect Spring, Hope Harbor, and Sea Rose Lane, as well as the Private Justice and Men of Valor suspense series. Her books have been honored with three coveted RITA Awards from Romance Writers of America, two Carol Awards, two Reviewers' Choice Awards from RT Book Reviews magazine, a Retailers' Choice Award, three HOLT Medallions, two Booksellers' Best Awards, and a National Readers' Choice Award. She is also a two-time Christy Award finalist.






Connect Online:
 WEBSITE 
FACEBOOK 
TWITTER 


My Thoughts:


This is the second installment from Irene Hannon in the Hope Harbor Lane series, but with that being said I consider it a stand alone story.  
This is a story that warms your heart. It has complex lead characters, well integrated secondary characters, quirky animals, coastal imagery and a crisis of faith. Several threads are woven into the story that give you a sense of small town, but more importantly a community that just pulls you in.  
We are quickly introduced to Eric Nash who has just received the blow of being let go from his job in Portland and is headed home to Hope Harbor. Eric had one goal in mind to become a lawyer and become a partner in a firm.  He's been working 60 hour weeks and making progress or at least he thought he was.  Company downsizing led to his being let go and completely blindsided him.  His plans are to regroup and look for a new job.  
BJ Stevens is an architect that has recently moved to the area.  She left a successful career and LA behind after a betrayal that has left her wounded to the very core.  She quickly fell in love with the small town of Hope Harbor and has opened a business in construction which has kept her busy. 
This is a sweet plot that flows effortlessly.  I was quickly pulled into this story from page one.  The engaging characters are easy to love and make you hope their dreams come true.  The character and setting are detailed and perceptive.  This is a book I would recommend to anyone who loves a good, clean story.  
**I received this book from the publisher as part of their book bloggers program.  I was not required to write a positive review.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.  
 

Men of Valor #2

After losing her parents in a car accident and her sister to a house fire, Christy Reed has been mired in grief. Life is finally starting to feel normal again when an envelope arrives in the mail--addressed in her sister's handwriting. And the note inside claims she is still alive.

FBI Special Agent Lance McGregor, a former Delta Force operator, is assigned to reopen the case, but he's coming up with more questions than answers. If Ginny Reed is still alive--who is the woman buried in her grave? Where is Ginny? And is Christy a pawn in a twisted cat-and-mouse game--or the target of a sinister plot? As he digs deeper, one thing becomes clear: whoever is behind the bizarre ruse has a deadly agenda.

Published December 29th 2015

 by Revell  

4 Stars

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Series: Men of Valor #2

Reviews:

“A stunning masterpiece."
                                                                       Killer Nashville

“A griping mystery bound to keep readers up until the wee hours of the night.”
                                                                       CBA Retailers and Resources

“Hannon is a master at her craft, and her unique way of handling suspense makes her a cut above other writers in the genre.”
                                                                       RT Book Reviews

“Unforeseen turns maintain the suspense…the utterly unsympathetic antagonist is the epitome of sheer evil.”
                                                                       Publishers Weekly

“Readers will be pulled into Hannon’s story.”
                                                                       Booklist

My Thoughts:

This gripping plot will pull the reader in immediately. 

Christy Reed has lost all of her family members in the past 6 months and she is consumed with grief.  When a letter appears addressed to her in Ginny's writing she suddenly finds hope that her sister is a live.  She contacts the FBI, against instructions of the letter, in hopes they can assist her.  

FBI  Special Agent Lance McGregor is new to the bureau having just retired from as a Delta Force operator.  His first case would be Christy's and he quickly finds a lot of unanswered questions and to solve this mystery he must pull out all his training.  

This author is well known for her romantic suspense novels.  She brings a spine tingling mystery interlaced with a romance and edge of your seat suspense that will quickly draw the reader in and keep them reading.  This was one of the best nights of insomnia ever.  The author vividly describes Christy's raw emotions in the first few pages that drew me in.  The characters are complex and have very real issues.  There are twists and turns and romantic tension.  Suddenly the characters find things more complicated that they ever imagined.  
This is the second installment in the series, Men of Valor, but for me it was a stand alone story. 

A spectacular read that I would recommend to anyone who loves mystery or suspense.  

* I received this book from the publisher through their book review program.  I was not required to write a positive review. 

Available for Purchase:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Christian Book 

Meet the Author:

Irene Hannon is a bestselling, award-winning author who took the publishing world by storm at the tender age of 10 with a sparkling piece of fiction that received national attention.

Okay…maybe that’s a slight exaggeration. But she was one of the honorees in a complete-the-story contest conducted by a national children’s magazine. And she likes to think of that as her “official” fiction-writing debut!

Since then, she has written more than 50 romantic suspense and contemporary romance/women’s fiction novels. She is a seven-time finalist for and three-time winner of the RITA award—the “Oscar” of romance fiction—and a member of the Romance Writers of America Hall of Fame. Her books have also won a Daphne du Maurier award, two Carol awards, three HOLT Medallions, a National Readers’ Choice award, a Retailers Choice award, two Booksellers’ Best awards and two Reviewers’ Choice awards from RT Book Reviews magazine. One of her novels was also named by Booklist as a top 10 inspirational fiction books of 2011. In addition, she is a two-time Christy award finalist.

Irene, who holds a B.A. in psychology and an M.A. in journalism, juggled two careers for many years until she gave up her executive corporate communications position with a Fortune 500 company to write full. She is happy to say she has no regrets!

In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, gardening and singing.  A trained vocalist, she has sung the leading role in numerous musicals, including “South Pacific,” “Brigadoon,” “Oklahoma” “The King and I” and “Anything Goes.” She is also a soloist at her church.

When not otherwise occupied, Irene and her husband enjoy traveling, Saturday mornings at their favorite coffee shop and spending time with family. They make their home in Missouri.

Connect Online:

Website 

Facebook 

Twitter 

Men of Valor #1

After seven years as a Chicago homicide detective, Lisa Grant has hit a wall. Ready for a kinder, gentler life, she takes a job as a small-town police chief. But the discovery of a human skeleton by a construction crew at the edge of town taxes the resources of her department. A call for assistance brings detective Mac McGregor, an ex-Navy SEAL, to her doorstep. As they work to solve the mystery behind the unmarked grave, danger begins to shadow them. Someone doesn't want this dead person telling any tales--and will stop at nothing to make certain a life-shattering secret stays buried.
Master storyteller Irene Hannon is back with an exciting new series featuring former special forces operatives now in the thick of the action in civilian life. Hannon is at the top of her game in this can't-put-it-down thriller that will have readers up until the wee hours devouring every page.

 

 

Published April 7th 2015

 by Fleming H. Revell Company  

4 Stars

My Thoughts:

While shopping during Christmas I picked this suspense up because I'm a huge fan of Irene Hannon's writing.  She's a very versatile author being that she can write a good suspense or and touching romance, but when she combines the two I know I am in for an exceptional story.  I was not disappointed in this book at all.  

This is the first book in her Men of Valor series.  

A wonderful book to start the series.  The plot immediately pulled me in.  Lisa Grant is the Chief of Police in Carson and there has been a discovery of a skeleton by a construction crew on the edge of town.  She put in a call to County for some assistance and that came in the form of Mac McGregor, a detective for County. The plot has good pace that kept me turning the pages until the end.  

Lisa Grant is a beautiful, young woman who has moved to Carson looking for a slower pace in law enforcement, but with limited resources she finds herself very busy.  Mac is a former Navy SEAL.  He's a person used to running the show, but understands he's at the scene to assist.  I liked both characters immediately.  Their determination to unravel a mystery showed their dedication to their professions.  Unfortunately someone doesn't want this mystery solved and will go to any lengths to protect it.  

Lisa and Mac have an instant attraction and full of romantic tension.  I liked how Mac was protective of Lisa, yet he also let her be her own person.  

This is a wonderful story that has a mystery and a romance and loaded with suspense.  There's an intriguing plot twist that will keep you glued to the pages.  

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves suspense.  

 Meet the Irene:

 

 

Irene Hannon is a bestselling, award-winning author who took the publishing world by storm at the tender age of 10 with a sparkling piece of fiction that received national attention.

Okay…maybe that’s a slight exaggeration. But she was one of the honorees in a complete-the-story contest conducted by a national children’s magazine. And she likes to think of that as her “official” fiction-writing debut!

Since then, she has written more than 50 romantic suspense and contemporary romance/women’s fiction novels. She is a seven-time finalist for and three-time winner of the RITA award—the “Oscar” of romance fiction—and a member of the Romance Writers of America Hall of Fame. Her books have also won a Daphne du Maurier award, two Carol awards, three HOLT Medallions, a National Readers’ Choice award, a Retailers Choice award, two Booksellers’ Best awards and two Reviewers’ Choice awards from RT Book Reviews magazine. One of her novels was also named by Booklist as a top 10 inspirational fiction books of 2011. In addition, she is a two-time Christy award finalist.

Irene, who holds a B.A. in psychology and an M.A. in journalism, juggled two careers for many years until she gave up her executive corporate communications position with a Fortune 500 company to write full. She is happy to say she has no regrets!

In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, gardening and singing.  A trained vocalist, she has sung the leading role in numerous musicals, including “South Pacific,” “Brigadoon,” “Oklahoma” “The King and I” and “Anything Goes.” She is also a soloist at her church.

When not otherwise occupied, Irene and her husband enjoy traveling, Saturday mornings at their favorite coffee shop and spending time with family. They make their home in Missouri.

Connect Online:

Website 

Facebook 

Twitter 

 

Hope Harbor

Tracy Campbell never wanted to leave Hope Harbor, Oregon, or the idyllic three-generation cranberry farm where she grew up. But life–and love–altered her plans.
When tragedy strikes and changes her plans yet again, she finds herself back in her hometown with a floundering farm to run and a heartbreaking secret. Romance is not on her agenda. Nor is it on Michael Hunter’s. The visitor from Chicago has daunting secrets of his own. But when Tracy recruits him to help save a struggling charitable organization, the winds of change begin to sweep through Hope Harbor, bringing healing, hope, and love to countless lives–including their own. 

 

 Published August 4, 2015

Fleming H. Revell Company  

5 Stars

Oh my, I don't even know where to begin with this review. 

Let me start by saying I absolutely loved this contemporary romance.

The beautiful cover only gives you a glimpse at the wonderful story enclosed. 

We are introduced to the small town of Hope Harbor and the vivid descriptions will literally transport the reader there, or at least it did me.  We are introduced to two characters that are dealing with a lot of emotional baggage.  

Tracey Campbell grew up in Hope Harbor on a cranberry farm at the edge of town.  The farm has been in her family for generations and she made the decision after college to return home to help with running it.  She has a strong work ethic, devotion to her family and community, but hides her heartbreak and guilt from the world outside.  

Michael Hunter was overwhelmed with grief over the loss of his wife, but I think that was compounded by guilt.  Michael works for a charitable organization and always put his work a head of his personal life.  He has taken a leave of absence from work to hopefully work through his grief and heads to Hope Harbor, the one place his wife wanted to go visit over the years.  

Michael and Tracey's first encounter sent sparks flying, but not the romantic kind.  

This a wonderfully written love story, but it's also about putting the past behind you and moving on.  Grief is the one emotion that doesn't have a time limit.  

This story also deals with a crisis in faith and that is the part of the story that pulled me in the most.  The imagery is astounding and the characters very lovable.  There's humor and there's also heartbreak.  

I would recommend this story to anyone who loves romance.  

I received this book from the publisher for a honest review without outside influence or bias and I thank them for this opportunity.  

 

http://www.irenehannon.com/

Irene Hannon, who writes both romance and romantic suspense, is the author of more than 45 novels. Her books have been honored with two coveted RITA Awards from Romance Writers of America (the “Oscar” of romantic fiction), a National Readers' Choice Award, three HOLT Medallions, a Daphne du Maurier Award, a Retailers Choice Award, a Booksellers' Best Award and two Reviewers' Choice Awards from RT Book Reviews magazine. She is also a two-time Christy Award finalist.

A former corporate communications executive with a Fortune 500 company, Irene now writes full time. In her spare time, she enjoys singing, long walks, cooking, gardening, traveling and spending time with family.

That Certain Summer

5 Stars

Book Description

Karen and Val are family--yet they're anything but close. Karen has carried the burden of responsibility for her aging mother ever since her gorgeous sister left town years ago to pursue a career in theater. But Val had darker reasons for leaving town--as well as a secret to keep--and coming home has never been an option . . . until their mother suffers a stroke.

Reunited in their hometown, Karen and Val must grapple with their past mistakes, their relationship with each other, and their issues with a mother who is far from ideal. When a physical therapist raising his daughter alone and a handsome but hurting musician enter the picture, the summer takes on a whole new dimension. As their lives intersect and entwine, can each learn how to forgive, how to let go, and how to move on? And strengthened by the healing power of faith, might they also find the courage to love?

With her trademark compelling characters and heartwarming hope, fan favorite Irene Hannon offers her readers an inspiring true-to-life tale of complex family relationships, transgressions revealed and forgiven, and the complicated process of finding love.

My Review

This is essentially a story about a family in crisis.  I have always enjoyed Irene Hannon's stories, but this one takes on a new dimension.  I loved the storyline.  Essentially the story revolves around two sisters, Karen and Val,  who have never been really close, but must work together to care for their mother after she suffers a stroke. Karen is recently divorced and grieving the loss of her marriage.  Val fled her hometown after her high school graduation to New York in hopes of becoming an actress.  When Val receives the phone call about her mom's stroke from Karen, she makes up her mind to not only to go home to help with her mom's recovery, but to also face her past.  As Karen and Val work through their relationship issues with each other and find they not only like each other, but that their mother instigated a lot of their misunderstandings.  This story takes the reader on a journey of fixing relationship issues between not only sisters, but also with their mother.  As Val is working through her relationship issues she keeps putting off the real reason she left her hometown. 

This is a wonderfully written story and will quickly draw the reader in.  The characters are looking for not only the courage, but the strength to let go of the past so they can move on with their lives.  I would recommend this book to anyone. 

Meet the Author

Irene Hannon is the best-selling author of more than 35 novels. Her books have been honored with the coveted RITA Award from Romance Writers of America, the HOLT Medallion, the Reviewer's Choice Award from Romantic Times BOOKreviews magazine and the Daphne du Maurier Award for mystery/suspense. Irene and her husband make their home in Missouri, USA.

http://www.irenehannon.com/