A Fool and His Monet by Sandra Orchard (Review)

Series: Serena Jones Mysteries (Book 1)

Paperback: 336 pages

Publisher: Revell (March 1, 2016)

ISBN-13: 978-0800726713

Serena Jones has a passion for recovering lost and stolen art--one that's surpassed only by her zeal to uncover the truth about the art thief who murdered her grandfather. She's joined the FBI Art Crime Team with the secret hope that one of her cases will lead to his killer. Now, despite her mother's pleas to do something safer--like get married--Serena's learning how to go undercover to catch thieves and black market traders.

When a local museum discovers an irreplaceable Monet missing, Jones leaps into action. The clues point in different directions, and her boss orders her to cease investigating her most promising suspect. But determined to solve the case and perhaps discover another clue in her grandfather's murder, she pushes ahead, regardless of the danger.

With spunk, humor, and plenty of heart-stopping moments, Sandra Orchard gives readers an exciting string of cases to crack and a character they'll love to watch solve them.

My Review:

I enjoyed reading this Christian cozy mystery book. It is the first in the Serena Jones series. The plot and characters were interesting and unique. The book is well written with many funny moments. I loved the interaction between the characters. Serena decided to become an FBI agent after her grandfather's murder. Her mother is not too happy with the job choice and wants her to settle down and give her grandchildren. Her best friend is the head of a local museum and notifies her when a Monet goes missing. It is her to job to investigate it. There are also two cute love interests. The ending was good I can't wait to read the next book in the series.  

Sandra Orchard is the award-winning author of several inspirational romantic suspense/mysteries, including Deadly Devotion and Blind Trust. Her Love Inspired Suspense titles have garnered two Canadian Christian Writing Awards and a Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award. Sandra has also received a HOLT Medallion, a Word Award, and a Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense. In addition to her busy writing schedule, Sandra enjoys speaking at events and teaching writing workshops. She lives in Ontario, Canada. Learn more about Sandra's books and check out the special bonus features, such as deleted scenes and location pics, at http://sandraorchard.com

Review copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Sit, Stay, Love by Dana Mentink (Review)

Series: Love Unleashed

Paperback: 224 pages

Publisher: Harvest House Publishers (April 1, 2016)

ISBN-13: 978-0736966078

Take one abrasive professional athlete, a quirky out-of-work schoolteacher, and an overweight geriatric dog, and you're ready for a lesson in love...Tippy style.

Pro baseball pitcher Cal Crawford is not a dog guy. When he inherits his deceased mother's elderly dog, Tippy, he's quick to call on a pet-sitting service.

Gina isn't thrilled to be a dog sitter when her aspirations lie in the classroom. Furthermore, she can't abide the unfriendly Cal, a man with all the charm of a wet towel. But with no other prospects and a deep love for all things canine, she takes the job caring for Tippy.

As Gina travels through Cal's world with Tippy in tow, she begins to see Cal in a different light. Gina longs to show Cal the God-given blessings in his life that have nothing to do with baseball or fame.

When her longing blooms into attraction, Gina does her best to suppress it. But Cal is falling in love with her too...

Discover the charming story of Tippy, the dog who brought a family together.

My Review:

This was a cute, sweet, Christian romance book. It was a little over the top but perfect. I love baseball and this book features a professional baseball player. I am not a huge dog fan but Tippy is so endearing it made up for it. This book was a fun, mostly light, and humorous book. The characters and plot were well developed and I enjoyed reading it. I think it would make a great Hallmark movie and hope they do it. Recommended.





Dana Mentink lives in California, where the weather is golden and the cheese is divine. Dana is an American Christian Fiction Writers Book of the Year finalist for romantic suspense and an award winner in the Pacific Northwest Writers Literary Contest. Her suspense novel, Betrayal in the Badlands, earned a Romantic Times Reviewer's Choice Award. Besides writing, she busies herself teaching third and fourth grade. Mostly, she loves to be home with her husband, two daughters, a dog with social anxiety problems, a chubby box turtle, and a feisty parakeet.

Review copy provided by Litfuse in exchange for an honest review.

Playing the Part by Jen Turano (Review)

Paperback: 352 pages

Publisher: Bethany House Publishers (March 1, 2016)

ISBN-13: 978-0764212772

Lucetta Plum is an actress on the rise in New York City, but is forced to abandon her starring role when a fan's interest turns threatening. Lucetta's widowed friend, Abigail Hart, is delighted at the opportunity to meddle in Lucetta's life and promptly whisks her away to her grandson's estate to hide out.

Bram Haverstein may appear to simply be a somewhat eccentric gentleman of means, but a mysterious career and a secret fascination with a certain actress mean there's much more to him than society knows.

Lucetta, who has no interest in Abigail's matchmaking machinations, has the best intentions of remaining cordial but coolly distant to Bram. But when she can't ignore the strange and mysterious things going on in his house, it'll take more than good intentions to keep her from trying to discover who Bram is behind the part he plays.

My Review:

This was a light and somewhat funny historical fiction book. This is book three in a series but can stand alone. The first two books were about Lucetta's friends. This book focuses on her and Bram. The friends do make an appearance so we see how their stories ended. The plot is full of crazy happenings. I turned the page not sure what I was going to read next which was mostly okay. Lucetta's friend and mentor, Abigail, has an eccentric nephew named Bram. When Lucetta's gambling stepfather loses her in a hand and the man comes after her, Lucetta turns to Abigail. Abigail's solution is to seek out her estranged nephew to stay with him. She is estranged because of her daughter. Her daughter did not want her to interfere in her children's lives like she did with her. Abigail is a matchmaker. From the beginning it seems like she planned for Lucetta and Bram to fall for each other. There is not really a overtly spiritual element for it to be a Christian fiction book. Although many events were hard to believe in the book overall I enjoyed reading it.



Jen Turano is the best-selling, critically acclaimed author of The Ladies of Distinction series, and A Class of Their Own series, published through Bethany House Publishers. Her novel, After a Fashion, was chosen as a top pick from Romantic Times, as well as being named a top ten romance of 2015 from Booklist. Her book, A Most Peculiar Circumstance, was chosen as a top ten romance by Booklist in 2013. Her seventh book, Playing the Part, will release in the spring of 2016, followed by a new four-book series, The Wallflowers. When she's not writing, Jen spends her time outside of Denver with her husband and neurotic Cattle Dog, enjoying life as an empty-nester because her son recently abandoned her for the college life. She can be found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/jenturanoauthor/ or visit her on the web at www.jenturano.com

Review copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review.