When Dreams Come True by Cathy Maxwell

When Dreams Come True. Cathy Maxwell. Harper Collins Publishers: Avon Books. August 1998. 384 Pages. ISBN #: 9780380797097.

The Widow, with the help of several village woman, calls forth a spell to bring a future bride for their Cornish earl, a woman who will grant an heir to this noble family on whom everyone in the area depends. None who participate doubt the event will soon bring forth the promised bride!!!

Meanwhile, the "promised one" is in London hearing words meant to give her strength as she has been told she will embark on a trip to the Middle East to be one of many concubines to a rich Sultan. Eden's one and only friend says words that prove to be the core of this story, "I will pray that God gives you the courage to free yourself." So begins a journey for Eden in which she will draw on that courage to start a new life, one the reader is not sure she will initially survive.

Pierce, Lord Penhollow, has more people trying to arrange a wedding for him than he can stand. Yet he also wonders what would it be like to actually marry a woman for love? A friend warns him that's a dream that drastically changes after the "knot is tied," yet Pierce still dreams. Imagine his surprise on finding a shipwrecked woman whose first look at him with magical green eyes turns his life into a whirlwind of desire and dreams! It also inflames quite a few characters who had their own plans lined up for the Lord!

The plot continues with several challenges to Pierce and Eden's love because of the secret Eden holds to herself. But it turns out that there are many secrets waiting to be revealed and resolved in this well-told romance story. Every romance reader loves a passionate love story, but it's so much better when there is a tangible mystery story tied into it. When Dreams Come True is a tale with plenty of conflict, misunderstandings, and passion! Well done, Cathy Maxwell!

Abby Finds Her Calling: Home at Cedar Creek - Book One by Naomi King

Abby Finds Her Calling: Home at Cedar Creek - Book One. Naomi King. New American Library Trade Paperback, Penguin Group. March 2012. 320 Pages. ISBN #: 9780451235732.

Welcome to a new series about the Amish community in Cedar Creek, Missouri. It's a beautiful fall day which bridegroom James Graber is relishing as he watches the carriages of Amish from surrounding and far away communities converge on Cedar Creek for James's wedding that day.  Watching them arrive, James is contemplating his future wife, Zanna, whom he loves and is determined to cherish for the rest of their lives. Things seem to go completely awry a few minutes later when Zanna's sister, Abby, comes to tell James that Zanna is nowhere to be found.  What a disaster - embarrassment galore, shame, anger, fury, confusion and so much more are felt and expressed.  The Bishop who was to marry them decides they will worship and celebrate life in spite of the lack of a bride and groom.

So begins a story in which Zanna does reappear but in a condition that all blame her and James for, which was really caused by a secret other.  Because of her sin, Zanna is "banned" (or shunned) for six weeks by her community, but it takes a lot longer than that for the community to heal and begin to treat her civilly.  

During that time, secrets will be revealed.  A lost son will return through a terrible tragedy and the unexpected will happen to both Zanna and Abby, who has mentally nurtured a hidden love of her own she's had for eons it seems.    It may seem a bit stretched the way it all turns out, but that happens in a very nice way that the reader will definitely enjoy.  

Naomi King has a very unique gift of presenting a simple romance with a few twists and turns.  Her unique talent is making sure every possible point of view is expressed in a credible, real way that is quite edifying and electric with tension.  Not many authors who write this type of fiction have such a balanced perspective.  It's not a touchy, feel good book, just a very honest story about love and grace gone amiss and the honestly difficult but determined journey it takes to come truly "home."

Very nicely done, Ms. King!

The Way by Kristen Wolf

The Way. Kristen Wolf. Crown Publishing Group. July 2011. 368 Pages. ISBN #: 9780307717696.

The Earth is the Mother's and all that flows from there. Staying one with the Mother through meditation and respect for creation yields right relationships and blessings in the fruits of creation. These are some of the fundamental beliefs that the followers of the Way have followed for centuries, but now it is women who live these beliefs as the religion of men has grown in order to justify male domination. The latter is now determined to eradicate the Way and all of its followers by whatever means possible.

This is the world into which Anna is born. Her mother may have been a follower but is weakened by a domineering, abusive husband. After her mother bears a stillborn child and then dies herself, Anna's father sells her to traveling shepherds, but not before a wise woman protects Anna from worse.  A mysterious necklace is all Anna has to remind her of a sacred, healing power existing somewhere in the world. Anna, one realizes is a girl but has the facial features of a boy for which she is despised and feared as an emanation of something evil.

After she has learned the work of shepherding, she hears more of this Way briefly but is more preoccupied with the male role she is constantly living and making friends with the leader and another man, Peter, who has secret feelings for this young boy now known as Jesus. The story gradually changes to the point where Jesus is sent on a mission to get supplies and comes upon those women living in a cave in the secret area known as "The Narrows." Here Jesus' real identity is uncovered and she gradually becomes trusted enough to learn of the Way and the troubles that threaten its very existence.

Jesus begins to travel and the story unravels to the point where events occur that defy most readers' expectations on their own religious upbringing and education. Surprises and agonizing attacks and more loom on every page.

The Way is quite simply an astonishing story that is both credible and incredible. It stretches the imagination, one's doubts, wonder, beliefs over and over again, leaving one with questions and answers galore! Fascinating fiction!

Against the Night: The Raines of Wind Canyon by Kat Martin

Against the Night: The Raines of Wind Canyon. Kat Martin. Mira Books. February 2012. 400 Pages. ISBN #: 9780778313199.

Former Army Ranger and now Private Investigator, Johnnie Riggs is hanging out in a strip joint looking for a crook who's skipped his bail. But his attention is very distracted by a sexy gal who's an exotic pole dancer. Finally, he sees his prey and grabs him, but Johnnie returns to ask the dancer out. This is the first in a series of novels called The Raines of Wind Canyon, and it strikes a new pose for Kat Martin!

Angel is not the loose woman she appears to be; apparently, she's (Amy) come to the big city, Los Angeles, from Michigan to find her missing sister. She'd love to ask Johnnie to help her after she finds out who he really is, but she's sure she can never afford what she believes is probably an exorbitant fee. The sparks are definitely flying between these two and at first it takes all their inner strength not to fall into bed immediately. The story progresses when Johnnie at first is annoyed that she wants his help instead of just providing some action, but he just can't resist being with her!

Both the romance and the criminal side of the story rapidly progress with the search for Rachel, a beautiful woman as well who came to the city to become a star but got caught up with a creep making huge promises but with other nefarious ideas in mind for employing her. When Johnnie and Amy set out on their mission, they have no idea how their search will threaten their own lives and their passion as well!!!

Kat Martin has done a fine job again with this latest romance/crime thriller novel. The characters in this new first novel in a series are edgier in one sense, which gives them an air of unpredictability that adds to the suspense of the story. Trusting and love are sometimes part of a perilous journey, and Johnnie and Amy bring the form to the top of the game! Very nicely done, Kat Martin!

All He Saw Was The Girl by Peter Leonard

All He Saw Was The Girl. Peter Leonard. The Story Plant. May 2012. 290 Pages. In Paperback and E-Book Formats. ISBN #: 9781611880424.

Two college students, McCabe and Chip, are students out on the town who've had a wee bit too much to drink. Chip gets the bright idea to steal an Italian taxi and enjoy a joy ride. But things don't turn out so well for McCabe. Chip's very wealthy and powerful father saves the day by rescuing his son and giving him one tongue lashing. He does succeed, however, in infuriating some mob characters in prison over a pack of stolen cigarettes. McCabe, meanwhile, is warned by the College Dean that he will be dismissed if there are anymore unruly and troubling antics, a threat that would mean the end of his scholarship.

It seems the mob characters have bad memories and decide that kidnapping Chip, getting some knocks back, and demanding ransom money will even the scales of justice. The only problem is that they mistake McCabe for Chip and kidnap the wrong victim. Now the hunt is on to save McCabe (and his scholarship), who has been sucked into the scheme by a very sexy lady.

The scene just as quickly shifts to Detroit, the home of the mob characters holding McCabe. It seems the husband of our sexy gal has quit the Secret Service and is looking for his absent wife. He's got some competition, though, from the mob boss. To say more would ruin the story but it's non-stop action, truth, lies, battles, death threats, and high-stake scenes that keep one flipping the pages (or buttons in e-book form) and unable to figure out how it will all come down in the end.

Peter Leonard definitely knows how to craft and pace an international and domestic crime thriller. This second novel read by this reviewer is just as thrilling as the first. Readers who want to get engrossed in a fast-paced, unpredictable story will love this novel!!!

Beirut in Shades of Grey by Dana Kamal Mills

Beirut in Shades of Grey. Dana Kamal Mills. Ameera Publishing, LLC. 2007.  316 Pages. ISBN No 9780971545175.

Beirut in the 1980's was a time of total transformation. The phrase Dana Mills uses in this novel is one a dear friend said to me in exactly the same words, "The 'Middle-East Paradise' is gone!" Yet in this novel we have such a fine balance between the way things were before the War with Israel, a war actually fostered by the Palestinians also fighting with the Israeli, a war that became a bloodbath of senseless murder, and one that destroyed the architecture of the country. It's also a war that put the Lebanese people into two camps, those who fled the country in fear but who never lost the Lebanese soul and those who stayed hoping and praying for survival!

This is the world in which Rasha, a 25 year-old Lebanese woman, lives or perhaps it would be better to say barely copes with, constantly blocking out memories of death and the sounds of warfare and taking barbiturates to help with the thoughts and fears she can't escape. A teacher of English language in the local university, Rasha can't accept her father's domination over her life. He forces her to work to support the family and denies her the chance to pursue a higher degree. More, he monitors her every move, believing this is an acceptable life for a good Arab daughter. All that is about to change!

Traveling to Paris, France for a 10 day visit with her aunt, Rasha meets Luke Elliott, an English photojournalist. They immediately fall in love, but it's a world in which Rasha's family will never accept Luke because he quite simply is neither Muslim or Arab. Love cannot be defied, even by the terrible event that is about to happen in their world, a challenge that has the reader flipping the pages as fast as the eyes can course through the lines. It also forces Rasha and the reader to experience more than one point of war about this historic, tragic war!

Dana Kamal Mills has written a heartrending but inspiring work of historical and political fiction that portrays every facet of a war-torn land and its peoples, with just about every emotion one could possibly imagine. One can tell by reading how real this has been to the author, a necessary and vital work of fiction that more should read. A lament about war and a celebration of life and love is what you will find in these clear, powerful novel! A must read!

Love Thy Neighbor by Mark Gilleo

Love Thy Neighbor. Mark Gilleo. The Story Plant. March 2012. 438 pages. ISBN #: 9781611880342.

Clark Hayden is a very bright graduate student doing specialized work in robotics. But for now he has decided to move back in with his mother who is slowly beginning to demonstrate diminished ability to remember and often breaks out in strange behavior. But she's also taking multiple medications that could have the same effect on a personality, so what is one to think when she sees some strange gentlemen whom she believes to be terrorists? Even more, how is that when she calls the CIA, they really don't take her concern seriously, just as someone missed the connection before 9/11? At first Clark believes his mother is just hallucinating, but soon...

What is one to make of a Pakistani couple with a young daughter suddenly calling Clark to tell him they must return to the Middle East to take care of a dying family member? And what about the overweight neighbor who sees too much and has a very sudden heart attack, to which no one pays much attention as the man was grossly overweight to start? And what about the exploding house with flying pieces that almost hit Clark who is plant-sitting for the absent neighbors?

These acts plus many other clues lead Clark and his new found IRS Agent Liz to do more than speculate. When they find a poison substance and begin to research the disappearance of the Arab couple, everything begins to make sense far too quickly. And what can anyone really do to stop a terrorist act? Many die trying or for just being in the path of the demonic process quietly and calmly leading to an American disaster beyond one's comprehension.  

Meanwhile a carefully devised plot to carry out a dire act that will make 9/11 look like a picnic is proceeding. All are obedient to the central leader and those who aren't don't even get a chance to ponder their errors! Add to that the finding of a poison substance and the race is on for Mark and his girlfriend to find the would-be perpetrators and stop the traitorous deed planned for years and now soon to happen.

Mark Gilleo has his finger on the pulse of the two extremes of those pondering terrorism, denial or total immersion in the irrational and emotionally drastic acts stemming from those with a deliberate motivation and skills to carry out such a tragic act. Will these men and one woman be stopped in time to save mankind from one's own worst fears?

Love Thy Neighbor is an interesting, unfortunately dire story about the terrorism working to fulfill its highest goals - to kill, kill and kill some more. Important and well done, indeed, Mr. Gilleo!