More Favorite Summer reads for 2021
I’m a fan of these authors. Two are contemporary. And two are historical. All of them are very different. I want to give you a variety of books to consider.
The Scarlet Pen by Jennifer Uhlarik
Jen writes romance tangled amid all sorts of trouble. Only she can accomplish the feat with finesse and beauty. The Scarlet Pen is part of the True Colors series from Barbour. This story is based around a serial killer and counterfeiting in 1876. Jennifer did a lot of research in order to bring this story to life. Most romances only have the POV of the couple. In this case ,we get to be in the villain’s head as well. Forensic during the 1800s was primitive compared to the 21st century but they still garnered results. Clay is a Secret Service agent tasked with discovering who is making counterfeit bills. And Emma is a very naïve, coddled rich gal who has a lot to learn about life. And Stephen is pure evil disguise in the clothes of a gentleman.
Book Blurb:
Enjoy a tale of true but forgotten history of a 19th century serial killer whose silver-tongued ways almost trap a young woman into a nightmarish marriage.
In 1876, Emma Draycott is charmed into a quick engagement with childhood friend Stephen Dee Richards after reconnecting with him at a church event in Mount Pleasant, Ohio. But within the week, Stephen leaves to “make his fame and fortune.” The heartbroken Emma gives him a special pen to write to her, and he does with tales of grand adventures. Secret Service agent Clay Timmons arrives in Mount Pleasant to track purchases made with fake currency. Every trail leads back to Stephen—and therefore, Emma. Can he convince the naive woman she is engaged to a charlatan who is being linked a string of deaths in Nebraska?
The Man With a Past by Mary Conneally
This is book two of the Brother’s in Arms series.
Mary writes western romantic comedy amid an exciting cowboy adventure.
The Hart brothers inherited a ranch. The problem is Wyatt Hunt had no idea he had two half-brothers. Sharing his ranch with the son’s of his no-account father grates on him. Book #1 in the Brother in Arms series, Braced for Love tells Kevin Hunt’s story. Book #2 The Man with A Past intertwines with Kevin’s story and feature Falcon Hunt, the eldest son who until a letter arrived telling of his inheritance had lived in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Tennessee. Falcon Hunt is a true mountain man. But he was bushwhacked and left for dead shortly after arriving in Montana. Now he has no recollection of his past. While he tries to recover his memories, he helps the rest of his new kin track who is stealing cattle and trying to kill them. All the while falling for Cheyenne, Wyatt’s older half-sister. Falcon is soft -spoken and patient, while Cheyenne is his polar opposite. But they both love the land and Cheyenne’s wild ways suit Falcon just fine.
I can’t wait to read the next book that will bring love to Wyatt and pull the last thread of deceit running in the community that is a threat to the Hunt clan. Mary Conneally never disappoints.
Book Blurb:
Falcon Hunt awakens without a past, or at least not one he can recall. He’s got brothers he can’t remember, and he’s interested in the prettiest woman in the area, Cheyenne. Only trouble is, a few flashes of memory make Falcon wonder if he’s already married. He can’t imagine abandoning a wife. But his pa did just that–twice. When Falcon claims his inheritance in the West, Cheyenne is cut out of the ranch she was raised on, leaving her bitter and angry. And then Falcon kisses her, adding confusion and attraction to the mix.
Soon it’s clear someone is gunning for the Hunt brothers. When one of his brothers is shot, Falcon and Cheyenne set out to find who attacked him. They encounter rustled cattle, traitorous cowhands, a missing woman, and outlaws that take all their savvy to overcome. As love grows between these two independent people, Falcon must piece together his past if they’re to have any chance at a future.
Termination Zone by Adam Blumer
I don’t read many thrillers, but I’m hooked on Adam Blumer’s Landon Jeffers Thriller series. The first book Kill Zone introduced the what if scenario of having a chip implanted in the brain that gave someone control of an individual against their will. Landon Jeffers, a world-famous pianist, is both hero and victim in this series. In Kill Zone the reader discovers the devious plot of mind control. I couldn’t wait to read Termination Zone. Adam takes us on a ride with Landon to discover who is behind the plot. Blumer blends spiritual truths throughout the story as Landon and his girlfriend Jade work together to find the truth. The twists in this story are so well done. Another stick- in -my -chair -until -I’m- done read. There will be a book 3 but like the first book Blumer ties up enough threads that the ending is satisfying but leaves enough still loose, to draw the reader to the next book.
Book blurb
In the Justice Club, You’re Either All in, or You’re Dead
Now comes book two in a series best-selling suspense author Nancy Mehl called “fast-paced, masterfully written . . . with surprising twists and turns that will keep readers engaged until the very last page. I highly recommend it.”
Pianist Landon Jeffers has been hiding in Georgia’s woods to keep his loved ones safe from the Justice Club, the cybercrime network seeking to control him through his brain implant. But when his means of blocking their controlling signals is compromised and he receives word that a family member may be in danger, he is forced out of hiding.
Now Landon covertly works with unexpected allies including the FBI to help shut the Justice Club down from the inside. But when he is prepped during his concert tour for a high-profile hit targeting the highest levels of the US government, the stakes have never been higher. Can he and his allies thwart the Justice Club’s mission of violence in time? Even if that means placing the woman he loves in danger?
The deadline is coming. And death is certain if he fails.
Fresh Scars by Donna Mumma
Donna is a new to me author. And her debut book Fresh Scars is so well-written and moving I’ll be reading more of her work. She addressed mental illness and abuse in a fresh way. Two sister are tasked with cleaning out their childhood home while their estranged mother is dying in the hospital. The two must work together and reconnect while sorting through several mysteries from their mother’s past. Returning to Florida is difficult for them. If not for the promise of monetary reward for cleaning out the house, neither sister would have returned. It is obvious that Donna did a lot of research on mental illness and child abuse to create a very believable story. She didn’t tie everything up in a neat bow but left the reader feeling the two women had hope for a better future.
book blurb
Time heals all wounds. . . or does it?
Asia Butler and her sister, Ivy Butler Morelli, have not spoken in fifteen years. The two endured brutal emotional abuse from their mother, Veronica, and want only to forget the past . . . and each other.
But the past comes calling when they each receive a letter from Veronica’s attorney promising much needed cash if they will fulfill her dying wish and consent to cleaning out their childhood home. Asia and Ivy reluctantly return to their hometown of Emerson, Florida, only to discover the house is a hoarder’s nightmare filled with strange mementos and clues hinting that they were not the only victims of Veronica’s sadistic nature. Can this new pain be the path to their healing? Will they be able to choose forgiveness over resentment?
These are my suggestions. Share some of your summer reads with me in the comments.