Season of Danger is two shorter stories in one Love Inspired Suspense novel.  The first Silent Night, Deadly Night by Hannah Alexander has one of the characteristics that I believe is often important for the success of a romantic novella — the main characters know each other and are already in love when the book begins.  Of course neither of them have admitted to their feelings.

Both Tess Vance and Sean Torrance work at a homeless shelter where they are used to the rough neighborhood, but someone is after Tess, and has already struck once, resulting in the hit-and-run death of Tess' fiance.

The mystery behind this novella kept me guessing to the end and was a surprise when it was revealed.  The love relationship between Tess and Sean had developed slowly and just needed brought into the open as circumstances allowed the two characters to share more of their thoughts and feelings with one another.  Simple, tender romance.

The second novella was Mistletoe Mayhem by Jill Elizabeth Nelson.  Here, the two main characters met for the first time in the opening scene, but the story held a "year later" epilogue to show they didn't rush into marriage from the madness of their holiday love. (That's tongue-in-cheek for those of you who don't know me personally.)

I thoroughly enjoyed the research Jill put into this story.  I had no idea mistletoe was poisonous or that it was used to treat cancer.  I liked the uniqueness of the hero being a health inspector.  Both main characters came across mature and level-headed even as all kinds of dangers broke out around them.

I did figure out the bad guy in this mystery before the end of the story, but Jill added a twist to his/her motives and an accomplis that I wasn't expecting, so that was a joy as well.

Theme:  Words can kill.

If you are still looking for some light reading for the busy Christmas season, grab a copy of Season of Danger.

Holiday Hideout, a Christmas Love Inspired Suspense, is about 80% suspense and 20% romance.  Which is fine.  I'm just giving my opinion on the flavor.  The gist of the suspense is that Abby Sullivan is running from her brother-in-law who is angry and grieving over the loss of his wife, Abby's sister during childbirth.  Being a doctor, Abby likewise blames herself for not being able to save her sister's life, but that doesn't mean she wants to be killed, or even professionally destroyed.

Circumstances find her in Rose Mountain, North Carolina, on the MacIvers' ranch recuperating, then hiding, and finally healing during the Christmas season.

Cal MacIvers doesn't want to fail another damsel in distress as he did his cousin when she was dealing with spousal abuse.  So he is prepared to guard Abby regardless of the dangers to himself and family.

The story moves quickly from one attempt on Abby's life to the next, mixing the sister plot with the something is wrong at the office plot until everything comes together at the end.

The lack of romance was emphasized by the fact that Abby didn't trust Cal with her secrets for the majority of the book so it kept any real connection between them from developing.

That said, Holiday Hideout was a quick, easy read.  Enjoyable.  Beautiful cover and great for a holiday treat.

This is one of the books that has been on my "to be read" pile for quite a while. I certainly wasn't putting it off because I don't like Suzie's books, because I do, very much.  And I enjoyed Finding Stefanie, too.

Suzie Warren puts together a tight novel, tying in internal and external conflicts, setting, and spiritual theme. Stefanie Noble, younger sister of two brothers (heroes of previous books) put her life on hold to care for her father and the family ranch.  Now that her older brother is back, she's beginning to dream about the plans she'd once had for her life.

Adventure acting star, Lincoln Cash has his own secrets and concerns. When he'd met Stefanie briefly the year before, he'd thought they had a connection. When he moves in as her neighbor with big plans to remodel and put their ranch town onto the map as the next Hollywood hot spot, he's surprised to find her resistant.  (He's not really an idiot.)

Add in some homeless kids, a psycho stalker, Multiple Sclerosis, and child abuse, and Finding Stefanie becomes an engaging, emotional read.

I enjoyed The Rancher's Reunion, a Love Inspired that deals with some serious issues such as the dangers of missionary nursing and Huntington's Disease. Yet the characters are never down, are actually humorous and teasing of each other to the point of drawing my laughter on several occasions.

Anne E. Harris was raised as Will Sullivan's little sister on the Sullivan ranch in Oklahoma.  After college she realized she couldn't stick around when she was so obviously in love with Will and he so obviously NOT in love with her.  She became a missionary nurse in Kenya.

While she's gone, Will goes through some changes and decides to partner with an older couple who run KidCare an international children's ministry consulting firm. Will is turning the Sullivan Ranch into a dude ranch rather than a working cattle ranch to keep ahead of the bills.  But he remains haunted by the possibility he could have Huntington's Disease — the illness that took his father's life. Also, he remains adamant that he will never marry.

Secondary characters, Ed and Margaret Reilly of DayCare were exceptionally well drawn. As was vet Ryan Jones, understated and yet loveable in his heartbreak.

As silly as it sounds, I particularly liked how slow Will was to realize he was in love with Annie.

The big lesson in The Rancher's Reunion?  Trust God for the future.

November is category romance month for the ACFW book club, so I've been reading more Love Inspireds than I have in ages.  Fireman Dad is an interesting one, built around the premise that Marissa Hawthorne refuses to fall in love with a fireman — because her dad is the local Fire Chief and not the homebody sort and because her late husband was a fireman who was also married to his work.  So Marissa has sworn off firemen — even to the point where she doesn't want her son to play with a toy firetruck.

Enter Jacob Greene, flat-tire changer, devoted uncle, generous brother, Christian … but a fireman.

The story moves along at a decent clip with a birthday party and new friends, an arsenist, a heart attack, a fundraiser, and true love prevailing as Marissa learns to risk to live fully.

You know I love Cheryl and enjoy her Wings of Refuge series.  (See earlier post.)  But I've got to say that I do believe she is getting better and better at writing a tight story.  Steadfast Soldier is my favorite so far.

Chance Garrison has found his faith and is working toward becoming a youth pastor.  Chloe Callet, new to Refuge, wants to start a unconventional occupational therapy business — by using her black Labadore Retriever.  Unfortunately, Chloe has issues with pastors because her late father was one and he put his church ahead of his wife and daughter.

Good conflict.  Not a lot of repetition in the characters' thoughts.  Nice character development as the h/h get to know one another. Chance's ornery father was a great way to show Chance's steadfast nature.

Cutest phrase — "the cupid posse" — referring to all the previous heroines of Wings of Refuge stories.

I liked the cover on this one, too.   Good job, Cheryl.

Massage Therapist Trinity Nicholas is a new Christian and still struggling with the desires of her flesh.  So when she meets good-looking Chet Jacobsen on her massage table, her thoughts take her to newly forbidden places.

First Response is a contemporary romance from Desert Breeze Publishing, written by Edgy Christian Fiction Writer, Michelle Sutton.

Here's what I like about First Response:  The title.  Chet is an EMT, the plot focuses on this couple's first responses to one another.  The spiritual thread centers around new Christians who are just learning how to respond to the love of their Savior.

I liked both Chet and Trinity as characters attempting to grow in Christ, wanting to do the "right" thing, but struggling to make it happen in their own strength.

I liked the message.  God's forgiveness exceeds our expectations and Jesus' blood does cover all our sins, even the rebellious, I-did-this-on-purpose ones — if we repent.

So, I have given some thought to Edgy Christian Fiction over the past 3-4 years, and I've reached some conclusions, be they right or wrong.  Edgy Christian Fiction isn't about pushing boundaries set in place by traditional CBA publishers.  Authors who write "edgy" in this sense that Michelle does are about writing characters who struggle in the Christian walk, who are tempted and often fail rather than prevail, and who don't stay "in character" the way readers come to expect fiction characters to behave.

For example, there is a scene in First Response where Trinity sees Chet walking up to her door and she gives herself a pep talk about needing to keep her hands off of him for all the obvious Christian reasons and a few secular ones like she doesn't want to come across as a slut. There is a scene shift to Chet's pov, the door opens before him, and Trinity promptly welcomes him with an embrace and mouth-to-mouth kiss.

A few years ago, I would have been like, "Whoa, Michelle, your characters are goofy as all getout, and I don't understand why they do what they do."

Now, I got it.  Trinity thought she wanted to behave.  Really, she wanted to kiss Chet.  She tried to convince herself to behave.  She actually kissed Chet.  When Chet finally untangled himself, Trinity went on the defense.

This type of character makes me uncomfortable.  Sort of like real people.  They say one thing and do another.  Their actions follow a deeper thought process than their consciences often show to the reader.  I'm learning to read between the lines and understand "edgy" characters.  Perhaps it will help me to understand real people, too.

What I wish would have been in First Response was a scene where someone would have taken these two babes in the faith aside and shared with them that Jesus isn't about rules.  Rules are for our protection.  What they needed to focus on was seeking the Lord and not worry about how good the chemistry was between them.  But that's just me.  Like I said earlier, Michelle had a different theme and it's worthy of exploration, too.  :-)

Check out First Response if you'd like to experience "edgy" characters, enjoy the struggle, or need reminded that God has dealt with all of our sin in Christ.

Young adult book, Found in Translation is about an eighteen-year-old, Kim Hartlinger, who goes on a mission trip to Mexico. Though she thinks she is going on an evangelizing mission to a populated Mexican city, she finds herself on a mission to build housing for a small community that has been devastated by a tornado.

Kim's quite a character.  Only child of affluent parents, she is irresponsible, clutzy, stylish, big-hearted, adaptable, and used by God.  She is befriended by Aleesha Jefferson, another teen on mission, and then a young girl at the site, Anjelita, who is missing one arm from the elbow.

After breaking her arm, Kim puts herself and Anjelita on trash patrol, while the other teens build houses.  God has another project for Kim, but her pride and independence can't get in the way or she won't be able to complete it.  Of course, there is a boy who causes some problems, too.

This is an interesting read.  Kim has a great voice (it's written in first person pov), and I think it is an authentic look into how young adults live and believe while seeking God and messing up.  What I didn't get excited about was the ending.  It pushed me beyond my suspension of disbelief and reminded me that I was reading a story that was tying up loose ends.  But stuff like that is exceedingly personal, so if you are looking of a new young adult series, give An Altered Hearts novel, Found in Translation, a try.

I won a copy of Sandpiper Affair through the Desert Breeze blog (check it out if you are looking for ebooks at  http://desertbreezepublishing.blogspot.com).  I wanted to love Sandpiper Affair so I could rave about it for my fellow writer, but alas, a few things got in the way.  First, of no fault of Janis Lane's, the book isn't written from a Christian worldview, so from the get go I'm missing one of the main aspects of life that I enjoy exploring in fictional characters — their walks with God.  (But, of course, an absent walk with God is real and a good reminder to me, also.)

Second, the book opens with an awkward scene with the heroine crawling on her stomach to take pictures of Sandhill cranes and the hero, park ranger, walking into her camera view up close and personal in a way that seemed impossible unless he purposely flipped his head over to look into her camera.  (And if you've read many of my reviews, you know how I am with rocky starts.)

But the writing improved and I didn't have issues following the characters as they fall into attraction, begin to date, find a dead body, survive a burning house, and various other adventures (often dealing with birds and cameras) before the bad guy is disclosed and captured.

I loved the quotes at the beginning of each chapter.  All quotes read as from a bird book (exactly what the heroine was working on), and they introduced the content of the coming chapter. For example, "The dove's call is a sweet, low-pitched coo coo.  The sound can be heard especially during courtship when the male puffs out his chest feathers and struts in front of the female, both calling repeatedly to each other."

For the purposes of "Seek Truth. Read fiction," I will say that at one point our heroine Abby has returned home for a short visit with her parents and holds a heart-to-heart conversation with her mom about her fear of giving up her identity to be with a man.  Her mom responds, "Do you think I have no identity, honey?  I doubt your father would agree with you." She paused to think.  "I think the answer is that identities are blended, but not lost, when two people become one. Marriage takes two stones and rubs away the rough edges until the two parts fit so closely they appear to be one.  We're separate identities still, but we're different people from the two who started out together."

Wisdom, yes?

Now the question remains will Abby believe and seek a life with park ranger Adam?  Or will fear continue to drive her decisions?  This story is the first in a series.