Fair Warning by Hannah Alexander

I really like these books! Each one I pick up has such realistic, well-rounded, solid characters. They seem like people that I would like to get to know.

Willow, the main character in this book, has moved in with her brother Preston after quitting her job as a nurse. Her husband, a police officer, was killed in the line of duty, and she suffered a miscarriage shortly after. Her brother manages a small apartment building for Dr. Graham Vaughn.

Shortly after Willow's arrival, Preston's house burns down. Preston is injured in the fire, and Willow loses all her belongings. The police find the accelerant used to start the fire in Willow's car, throwing suspicion on her. The forensics point in other directions, so the police allow her to obtain a hotel room with the promise that she will not leave town.

Other suspicious events happen, and Willow becomes convinced that someone is trying to harm her. Graham and his sister Ginger take Willow in and help her to solve the mystery of who is out to get her.

I really can't say enough good things about these books. I really enjoy reading them. If you enjoy suspense/mystery and you want a book with Christian values, these books are perfect for you. There's also a bit of romance thrown in, the perfect combination.

Hideaway by Hannah Alexander

I've got to balance out the evil werewolves and vampires with some good Christian lit. This is the first in a group of books about a small town called Hideaway. The books aren't a series--each one has different characters. I've read a couple of the books so far, and I expect to see the same characters keep turning up. One has, but in a very small way.

These are listed as romantic suspense, but I honestly didn't find a lot of suspense in this first book. The suspense showed up at the end, although there were hints of it throughout the book. The lack of suspense did not dampen my enjoyment of the book at all whatsoever. I really liked it, and I'm probably going to go through the books I have before I move on to any other books I have on my TBR list.

Cheyenne Allison is an ER doctor. She is on duty one night when her sister comes in, fatally injured in a car accident. Cheyenne does her best to save her beloved sister, but nothing can save her. A month later, Cheyenne is still working despite her struggle with insomnia. Her boss sends her on mandatory leave, and a nurse at her clinic who is a good friend convinces her to take her vacation in Hideaway at a house she has inherited.

In Hideaway, Cheyenne meets Dane Gideon, the owner/mentor/director of a ranch for troubled boys. The boys are not juvenile delinquents, but youth who have stumbled on hard times in their lives. The ranch is an alternative to a group home or foster care. Dane and his boys show city girl Cheyenne how to cope with country living while she uses her medical knowledge to care for her neighbors.

This book won a place in my heart because of several things. First, Dane's faith is amazing. He uses his blessings and his money in such wonderful ways in God's name. Secondly, both Cheyenne and one of Dane's boys, Blaze are dyslexic. Cheyenne helps Blaze to overcome his dyslexia because of her experience, and I love hearing stories like that as a special ed teacher. And lastly, I love how the authors portray this small town. I grew up in a very small town, and the portrayal rings true to me.

I just have to say it again: I highly recommend this book!

Spa Girls Collection by Kristin Billerbeck

If you're a Christian who likes Chick lit, you're in for a treat with these books. I read the first one and was absolutely hooked right away. The first book, She's All That is Lilly's story. Lilly, Poppy, and Morgan met at Stanford and have been friends ever since.

Lilly has an MBA in finance, but works for a harridan of a fashion designer. She does all the designs, but hasn't been promoted since she started working in design. Poppy is a chiropractor and alternative health guru. She avoids additives and preservatives, and practices aromatherapy. Morgan is a diamond heiress who wears her father's diamonds to society functions. The three of them couldn't be more different, but bonded over their differences at a spa on the central coast of California. Every time one of them has a bad day, the three are off for a spa weekend.

Lilly lives in a tiny apartment with her roommate Kim, who works at the same design label. Lilly does all the designs, and Kim is a seamstress. Lilly wants to find a boyfriend, but seems to only stumble across losers. She's dating Robert, but gets dumped. Her upstairs neighbor Nate kisses her, but says that it's a mistake. Lilly decides that she's got to do something other than working at the design label, but doesn't want to return to the world of finance. She decides to start her own label instead. Her former boss supports her, and suddenly, she has to come up with enough designs for a show. Read the book to find out whether Lilly gets her man and comes through the fashion show unscathed.

A Girl's Best Friend is Morgan's story. After her escapades at Lilly's fashion show, Morgan is fodder for the San Fransisco gossip pages. As a diamond heiress, she was already in the public eye, but now the papparazzi are following her around. Morgan has led a privileged life, but reality is about to come crashing down. A man follows her and her spa sisters to their spa where Lilly challenges her to live on the same meager salary that she does. She thinks he's a journalist, only to find out that he is a lawyer. Morgan, a silent partner in her father's diamond business and is being charged for tax evasion along with her father. Morgan has to find a job and learn to live on much less than she's accustomed to while navigating the dating world with her horrible track record and emotional baggage. Read the book to find out whether Morgan ends up in jail!

Cool, Calm & Collected is Poppy's story. Poppy has her own chiropractice practice and alternative medicine practice in the Silicone Valley. She is training for a half triathalon, and loves to run. Her next-door-neighbor in her office building is a plastic surgeon who goes to church with her. She wears her mother's skirts left over from the sixties, and Lilly and Morgan are forever trying to get her to upgrade her wardrobe. Poppy's not really interested in dating, but has to find a date for Morgan's upcoming wedding before Lilly and Morgan set her up on a blind date. She makes a deal with Dr. Jeff the plastic surgeon, but can't stop thinking about her patient Simon. You'll have to read to find out who she finally ends up with because Poppy keeps you guessing until the end.

I really loved these books. I can't wait to read more of the author's books. I didn't even know that such a genre existed! I felt like I could really relate to the characters and their foibles. I felt like I was most like Poppy! They felt like real people that I would have loved to meet and hang out with. I want a group of spa girls of my own. I would say that my only criticism is that I didn't like the way the last book ended. I didn't like Poppy's choice, and there were several storylines that were left open. I'm hoping for another book that ties everything up and where Poppy changes her mind!

Seriously worth the read. I can't say enough good things about these books. Go pick them up today!