Review: Tangle of Lies by C.J. Carmichael

 

A murder rips through the quiet town of Tangle Falls, exposing a web of lies and buried sins.

Former science teacher Bobbie Galloway is shaken when a former student’s body is found along the tranquil river of sleepy Tangle Falls. She’s even more troubled that George Lindeman, another student of hers, is the prime suspect.

George was never able to escape the rumors surrounding his family’s death a decade ago and now he's once again thrust into the spotlight of a murder investigation. Bobbie believes George is innocent. She never believed the rumors about him.

Hadley Hooper left Tangle Falls at seventeen but she’s back to right old wrongs. She believes George is innocent too. But can she be trusted, or does she have her own agenda?

As tensions mount in the aftermath of the murder, Bobbie is suspicious of Fern Sinclair, who just bought the deserted farmhouse next to Bobbie’s brother’s ranch. The home care worker claims she wants to restore the property’s garden to its former glory, but Bobbie can’t shake the feeling Fern is hiding something.

As whispers of suspicion echo through Tangle Falls, Bobbie embarks on a gripping journey into the heart of the town, unearthing secrets that threaten to unravel the very fabric of the community.

 

My Review:

Entertaining and unpredictable.

This incredibly entertaining book is set in the small town of Tangle Falls and features some old mysteries and a new murder, that could possibly be connected.  There is an abundance of characters, and this usually confuses me, but the way the book is written, it was easy to keep track of everyone.  I enjoyed trying to solve the crimes and was surprised in the end with the big reveal.  I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.

 

Review: The Cowboy’s Mail-Order Bride (The Careys of Cowboy Point, #1) by Megan Crane

 

Cowboy looking for wife to work the land, help with the business, and raise the next generation. Must be practical, reasonable, and honest.

Harlan Carey needs a wife, and fast. Because his father is dying and wants to see his five sons settled before he goes. It makes sense to put out an ad like he’s on the frontier and he’s looking for a bride from somewhere back in civilization. He’s expecting something workable. What he gets is a wildfire.

Kendall Darlington needs to disappear from her messy life. Becoming a mail-order bride sounds close enough to actual time travel to work. What she’s not expecting is to fall, hard, for the beauty of the land and the surprising delight that is Harlan himself.

But when her past comes calling, can Kendall trust the future Harlan promises enough to finally stay—with the only man she’s ever loved, in the only place that’s ever felt like home?

 

My Review:

A great start to a new series.

When Zeke Carey decided it was time for his sons to settle down and have families of their own, he told a little white lie to get them motivated to find a wife.  Zeke’s oldest son, Harlan, was the first to take the plunge.  Being a rancher didn’t leave him much time for dating, so he placed an ad for a wife.  Kendall answered the ad and became Harlan’s wife.  But Kendall is keeping a secret, from her past, that could ruin everything between them and cause a lot of problems for Harlan and his family. 

This story is a perfect example of what true love looks like. No matter what happens, you know who has your back.  It’s a wonderful story about starting a new life and learning to trust and love. It’s the perfect start of The Careys of Cowboy Point series.

 

Review: The Adventures of Good Eagle and Miss Starling (The Untamed Frontier Series Book 1) by Genny Cothern

 

THE ADVENTURES OF GOOD EAGLE AND MISS STARLING
Montana, 1847

When my life is turned upside down, I have no one to turn to except Uncle Jed, a fur-trader who lives deep in Indian Country; a man I have never met. I was expecting to be greeted by my Uncle Jed at a place called Fort Union, a fur-trading fort some two thousand miles above St. Louis. But, when I finally arrive at the fort, I am met, instead, by an eighteen-year-old Indian, Good Eagle, who swears my uncle has sent him to meet me. Would you trust this boy, a youth only two years older than my sixteen years? I certainly didn't and I told him so. However, although I was polite, he took offense.

As the steamboat continues its way to my uncle's fur-trading post, Fort Lewis, the Indian boy, Good Eagle, has declared that my heart has panther's claws around it. Yet, though he seems to dislike me as much as I do him, because of the promise he gave to my uncle, he has no option but to guard me.

But, when my life is threatened and Good Eagle saves me, I experience a change of heart about this young man; I decide I will "bury the hatchet" and become friends with him. Imagine my surprise when he refuses my offer of friendship.

Can I ever change Good Eagle's mind about becoming my friend? Or will his first impression of me remain to forever haunt us?

 

My Review: 

A great start to new series.

This beautifully written story is about Starling Nelson, a young girl, started life over after her parents pass away.  She is headed to live with her uncle, at a trading post, in the heart of Indian Country.  During her trip she befriends Good Eagle, who was sent by Starling’s uncle to escort her during her travels.  But their relationship didn’t start out friendly, Starling was a bit prickly towards Good Eagle at first.  I enjoyed seeing how their friendship grows during their journey. 

This is not a romance story.  It is a YA story about friendship and trust.  I just wish the book was longer.  I really enjoyed Starling and Good Eagle’s story.