Positive Grace by Deb Haggerty

Deb’s Dozen: Small Town Girl Transplanted to New York–RomanceOnce Upon a Summertime

Anna Gordon is stuck. Stuck in her small town. Stuck in a dead-end job as manager of the Value Lodge. Going nowhere. Getting depressed. She loves her grandmother, which is why she’s here, but she hates her job. She’s not at all what she thought she’d be when she graduated with a master’s in hospitality. And there’s no opportunity at all for romance.

Walking to work one day, she passes Lou’s Café and is surprised when her long-time friend, Marley pops out the door. That chance meeting starts a chain of events that ends up with Anna in New York interviewing for the manager’s position at a new boutique hotel, the Rothsberg. But before she has a chance to even think much about the potential opportunity, she is fired from her job at the Value Lodge—nepotism has won once again.

Dressed professionally in her best suit, Anna heads off to the interview. During the interview with Mr. Vincent, Anna tries her best, but knows she has no chance at the job since she has no recommendations. Anna flees to the ladies’ room to cry—now she has nothing. Finally, coming out of the stall where she’s been hiding, she freshens up and notices the sink area a mess. Not able to abide the disorder, she wipes off the counter and the sink and polishes the area spic and span. When caught at the task by another woman, she’s asked if she works at the hotel. The entire episode comes out and Anna is hired by the woman, who turns out to be Mrs. Vincent, as the housekeeping manager—not what she wanted, but a job.

As they are touring the hotel, Mr. Vincent and another man encounter them. He is introduced as the new hotel manager, the position Anna had wanted. Then she discovers the man is none other than Sean O’Neil, someone she’d grown up with in her small town. Not exactly what she was anticipating nor what she wanted—her feelings are mixed—somewhat jealous and somewhat piqued and somewhat intrigued.

That evening, eating in a small sidewalk restaurant, Sean happens by … they talk and by the end of the evening, Anna knows she could fall for Sean. The chemistry is strong. But romance between employees is verboten—and subject to immediate dismissal.

Once Upon a Summertime: A New York City Romance (Follow Your Heart) is a sweet summer romance. The end is foreseen from the beginning, but in no way lessens the charm of the story. You will enjoy reading about Anna’s adventures and her budding romance with Sean. Three stars.

Melody Carlson has written over two hundred books with sales of more than six and a half million. She has won many awards including a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award in the inspirational market. She and her husband live in central Oregon. Learn more about Melody and her other books at www.melodycarlson.com.

Deb’s Dozen: Celebrity Radio Host, a Stalker, Elite Female Bodyguard: Romantic Suspense at its Finest!

Have you ever experienced the eerie feeling that someone’s watching you? Always watching? That cold chill making the hair on your neck stand up? The sense of something … evil? How would you feel if you found out what you thought you were imagining was real?

In her new series, Elite Guardians, Lynette Eason has started with a thriller—one that will keep you on the edge of your chair as you race through the pages both terrified and intrigued. Always Watching pits Elite Guardian Olivia Edwards against the person who has been stalking celebrity radio host and psychiatrist, Wade Savage.

Olivia is drawn into the case when Wade’s assigned (unbeknownst to him) bodyguard, Maddy, is attacked and drugged while on watch outside the radio station where Wade is broadcasting his show. Wade leaves the station for his car but has the sense that someone is there … in the shadows … watching. He heads for his car anyway, but feels a sharp stab in his back, reaches around to find a dart, and slumps to the ground … darkness overtaking him.

All had been fairly innocent up to now—some gifts, ever more expensive and personal—but events have taken a chilling shift. Thank heavens, Maddy is alive, although in a coma, and Wade is just drugged. However, when Olivia and Wade’s dad, Bruce, bring him home, there is an even more personal and macabre gift waiting on the front porch.

Olivia and her team, along with Detectives Quinn Holcombe and Bree Standish, race against time to find the stalker before their actions accelerate even further.

Always Watching (Elite Guardians Book #1): A Novel hooked me from the beginning—with a shock I could almost feel. The characters of Wade and Olivia become very real and very endearing very quickly. I could almost feel the spark between them when they first met, but they both carry so much hurt and so many scars you despair of them getting together. Wade’s daughter, Amy, almost thirteen, is also a very real and lovable character. The action is fast-paced and, just when you think you’ve got the answer, Eason throws in a twist that has you guessing again. You’ll never guess the outcome—trust me on that one! Five stars plus!

Lynette Eason is a bestselling author with a gentle persona who you would never believe writes thrillers. She’s written the Women of Justice, the Deadly Reunions, and the Hidden Identity series previously. Lynette is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Romance Writers of America. She lives in South Carolina.

I purchased the e-book of Always Watching and Revell gave me the paperback in exchange for my unbiased review.