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GRAVE SECRETS

An intriguing, inspirational, but sometimes uneven abduction tale.

In this second installment of a Christian romantic suspense series, a secret society’s unholy crusade hits close to home for an entrepreneur when the group kidnaps his sister.

The wealth and connections of Gavin Garrison, who runs a bodyguard service, and his brother, Grayson, make them prime candidates to join the Continental Alliance, a centuries-old secret society/cult. The group’s members aim “to undermine women’s rights and put women back into what they deemed was their proper place.” They do this by kidnapping women from wealthy families and forcing them into unwanted marriages. Mason Kennedy, the Alliance’s leader, ups the ante by abducting the Garrison brothers’ sister, Cate, whom Gavin was visiting while on vacation. Gavin’s investigation reunites him with park ranger Samantha Rollins, whom he met in Kay’s series launch, Grave Pursuits(2023). Samantha is haunted by the mysterious disappearance of her uncle. The cold case heats up when Gavin and Samantha discover a link between her uncle and the secret society. That makes Samantha a legacy, and Mason invites her to join the group. She declines. “It’s cute how you actually thought I was leaving you a choice in the matter,” Mason tells her before she, too, is taken. “Turning us down isn’t an option.” Gavin and Grayson commit to joining the society to give them an in to locate Cate and Samantha. “It’s us against the Alliance,” Grayson proclaims. “Let’s find a way to bring Mason Kennedy’s world crashing down around him before he tears down ours.” This second volume of Kay’s Pennsylvania Parks Series sometimes strains credulity. But readers who keep the faith will be rewarded with clear, reassuring testaments to God’s love in trying circumstances that would challenge even the most devout. Samantha herself had “turned her back on the God who saved her, but He kept reaching out to her. All she had to do was take hold of His hand…He didn’t promise a trouble-free life, but He promised to be with her through the suffering.” Yet the growing relationship between Gavin and Samantha will win no points from readers who favor fiercely independent female characters. While Samantha proclaims she can take care of herself, “secretly, she relished his desire to protect her. It made her feel safe.” Still, fans of the author and this Christian series will find their literary prayers answered.

An intriguing, inspirational, but sometimes uneven abduction tale.

Pub Date: Nov. 1, 2023

ISBN: 9781950240388

Page Count: 287

Publisher: Faith Writes Publishing

Review Posted Online: Jan. 30, 2024

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IT STARTS WITH US

Through palpable tension balanced with glimmers of hope, Hoover beautifully captures the heartbreak and joy of starting over.

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The sequel to It Ends With Us (2016) shows the aftermath of domestic violence through the eyes of a single mother.

Lily Bloom is still running a flower shop; her abusive ex-husband, Ryle Kincaid, is still a surgeon. But now they’re co-parenting a daughter, Emerson, who's almost a year old. Lily won’t send Emerson to her father’s house overnight until she’s old enough to talk—“So she can tell me if something happens”—but she doesn’t want to fight for full custody lest it become an expensive legal drama or, worse, a physical fight. When Lily runs into Atlas Corrigan, a childhood friend who also came from an abusive family, she hopes their friendship can blossom into love. (For new readers, their history unfolds in heartfelt diary entries that Lily addresses to Finding Nemo star Ellen DeGeneres as she considers how Atlas was a calming presence during her turbulent childhood.) Atlas, who is single and running a restaurant, feels the same way. But even though she’s divorced, Lily isn’t exactly free. Behind Ryle’s veneer of civility are his jealousy and resentment. Lily has to plan her dates carefully to avoid a confrontation. Meanwhile, Atlas’ mother returns with shocking news. In between, Lily and Atlas steal away for romantic moments that are even sweeter for their authenticity as Lily struggles with child care, breastfeeding, and running a business while trying to find time for herself.

Through palpable tension balanced with glimmers of hope, Hoover beautifully captures the heartbreak and joy of starting over.

Pub Date: Oct. 18, 2022

ISBN: 978-1-668-00122-6

Page Count: 352

Publisher: Atria

Review Posted Online: July 26, 2022

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2022

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IT ENDS WITH US

Packed with riveting drama and painful truths, this book powerfully illustrates the devastation of abuse—and the strength of...

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Hoover’s (November 9, 2015, etc.) latest tackles the difficult subject of domestic violence with romantic tenderness and emotional heft.

At first glance, the couple is edgy but cute: Lily Bloom runs a flower shop for people who hate flowers; Ryle Kincaid is a surgeon who says he never wants to get married or have kids. They meet on a rooftop in Boston on the night Ryle loses a patient and Lily attends her abusive father’s funeral. The provocative opening takes a dark turn when Lily receives a warning about Ryle’s intentions from his sister, who becomes Lily’s employee and close friend. Lily swears she’ll never end up in another abusive home, but when Ryle starts to show all the same warning signs that her mother ignored, Lily learns just how hard it is to say goodbye. When Ryle is not in the throes of a jealous rage, his redeeming qualities return, and Lily can justify his behavior: “I think we needed what happened on the stairwell to happen so that I would know his past and we’d be able to work on it together,” she tells herself. Lily marries Ryle hoping the good will outweigh the bad, and the mother-daughter dynamics evolve beautifully as Lily reflects on her childhood with fresh eyes. Diary entries fancifully addressed to TV host Ellen DeGeneres serve as flashbacks to Lily’s teenage years, when she met her first love, Atlas Corrigan, a homeless boy she found squatting in a neighbor’s house. When Atlas turns up in Boston, now a successful chef, he begs Lily to leave Ryle. Despite the better option right in front of her, an unexpected complication forces Lily to cut ties with Atlas, confront Ryle, and try to end the cycle of abuse before it’s too late. The relationships are portrayed with compassion and honesty, and the author’s note at the end that explains Hoover’s personal connection to the subject matter is a must-read.

Packed with riveting drama and painful truths, this book powerfully illustrates the devastation of abuse—and the strength of the survivors.

Pub Date: Aug. 2, 2016

ISBN: 978-1-5011-1036-8

Page Count: 320

Publisher: Atria

Review Posted Online: May 30, 2016

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2016

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