Positive Grace by Deb Haggerty

Deb’s Dozen: God answers our prayers in the most unexpected ways—always have faith!

Another Way Home, the third book in Deb Raney’s Chicory Inn Novels, brings us deeper into the lives of Grant and Audrey’s daughter, Danae, and her husband, Dallas Brooks. Danae has suffered for years over not being able to get pregnant—especially since her sisters seem to pop kids out on demand. Danae is willing to consider adoption, but Dallas won’t hear of adoption and worse, won’t talk about why not.

In an attempt to find meaning in her life, Danae begins working at a safe house for abused women and children. Dallas, although uneasy about the situation, accedes to her desire to do so. Danae gives her heart to these women and children all the while wondering why she cannot become a mother.

Finally, just before Thanksgiving, Danae finds peace in her heart and can welcome the thought of the new baby her sister is going to bear. Thanksgiving weekend, however, brings chaos and a situation that could change all of their lives forever.

I’m liking the Chicory Inn series. Deb Raney has the ability to bring tough topics that occur in many families to the surface and to deal with them gently and with hope. I could identify with Danae—I was unable to have children of my body myself. I know the anguish of fertility drugs and schedules and the total depression that follows yet another failure to conceive. Deb portrays this struggle with realism and grace. The characters of Dallas and Danae are realistic and we can accompany them on their ups and downs all the while rooting for a successful outcome to their problems.

If you like true to life and realistic stories, with romance and trials and twists and turns strewn throughout, you’ll like Another Way Home: A Chicory Inn Novel – Book 3. And you’ll smile at the lovingkindness our Lord often displays to us when we have faith. Four stars.

Deborah Raney’s books have won numerous awards, including the RITA, National Readers’ Choice Award, HOLT Medallion, and the Carol Award, and have twice been Christy Award finalists. She and her husband, Ken, recently traded small-town life in Kansas—the setting of many of Deborah’s novels—for life in the (relatively) big city of Wichita, where they enjoy gardening, antiquing, movies, and traveling to visit four children and a growing brood of grandchildren who all live much too far away. Find out more about Deb at DeborahRaney.com.

Deb’s Dozen: Savvy señorita teams with macho male to solve a muddle of murders.

DiAnn Mills has done it again—she’s created a new duo of detectives who have captured my imagination in Deadlock, her newest thriller. Special Agent Bethany Sanchez has been teamed up with Special Agent Thatcher Graves to solve what seems to be several murders by a serial killer. Bethany is by the book; Thatcher thinks outside the box. How will they ever merge their styles in time to catch the villain?

Bethany has a very dysfunctional family from whom she’s estranged. Her brother, Lucas, can do no wrong in her family’s eyes despite the fact he’s been in jail. In fact, Thatcher was instrumental in putting him there the last time. Thatcher has the reputation for being a ladies’ man, but has reformed as of late and is attempting to walk the straight and narrow in his personal life.

They’ve been saddled with two murders seemingly unconnected. Thatcher thinks a serial killer is on the loose; Bethany doesn’t see enough evidence pointing that direction. Bethany thinks one woman’s husband is the culprit, Thatcher isn’t convinced. More murders ensue … will they be able to get their act together quickly enough to solve the crimes? More importantly, will they be able to get their act together quickly enough to keep from being the next victims of the killer?

You’re not going to be able to put this one down once you get started—or you’re going to keep putting it down because you don’t want it to end. Either way, you’re going to be intrigued, thrilled, and surprised by DiAnn’s new duo in Deadlock (FBI: Houston). Five stars. Hurry up and write the next one in the series, DiAnn!

DiAnn Mills is a mega-bestselling author who writes suspense novels with a twist—always a twist, never predictable. She’s been on the Christian Booksellers Association and Evangelical Christian Publishers Association best seller lists. She’s finaled for the RITA, Daphne du Maurier, and Carol Awards and won two Christys. When she’s not writing, she teaches and does research through the FBI Citizens Academy. She and her husband live in Houston, TX. Find out more about DiAnn at www.DiAnnMills.com.