He lost his memory…
Mackenzie Steele has been instrumental in keeping Steele Guardians afloat, working long hours for months. Nearing burn out, her family encourages her to take a vacation, and she reluctantly agrees. She needs solitude and quiet, and a vacation rental home in the Oregon desert is just the ticket. But she’s no sooner unpacked her bags when a man lands on her doorstep. A man who can’t remember his identity or why he’s there. All they know is that the name Owen seems familiar to him.
But will finding it bring a killer to her doorstep.
Mackenzie shouldn’t trust this man, but something about his earnestness draws her to him and she agrees to help him determine his identity. When her rental home is bombarded with bullets, she knows she’s accepted a task that could turn deadly, and she should walk away. But by this time, her deepening connection with the stranger keeps her firmly rooted at his die, and she can only pray that she won’t regret her potentially life-altering decision.
My Review:
First, who knew that there was a desert in Oregon? Not this Canadian, that’s for sure. So, great setting, including some wilderness adventuring. And we’re also introduced to a band of brothers who run an outdoor wilderness adventure business and I am heartily hoping that their inclusion might be a foreshadowing of a future series! Please, please, please!
But, I digress. Best opening line ever: “The body lying on the front porch wasn’t included in MacKenzie Steele’s vacation home rental.” Bwahahahaha! And we’re off and racing through pages of adventure and danger and toe-curling romance! And didn’t Susan Sleeman go and bewitch me by turning a not-so-favourite trope of mine into something dazzlingly clever?!
I think I might have to stop saying I’m not an amnesia trope fan now. It’s done so well, and with a fresh slant too which makes it all the more interesting. Loved MacKenzie’s reaction to meeting Owen and that she was smart and sensible about it (you have to read the book to find out what I mean.)
And then I was in sheer bibliophile delight all the way to the end as Sleeman delivered her iconic blend of family, faith, humour and suspense. And I loved all the investigative details — along with some exciting cameos from previous series.
I listened to the audible edition of Solid as Steele, narrated by Whitney Dykehouse (who does all of Susan Sleeman’s audio books and I love the giddy ‘home coming’ feeling I get when I start listening to a new book.)
GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:
This giveaway is for a paperback or ebook copy — winner’s choice.
If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of Solid as Steele, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you leave an email in your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. I you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announce don Saturday February 18 2023. Offer open to International Readers.
Kav's Best Reads 
I love Susan Sleeman’s books! She’s one of my go-to authors when I’m in the mood for romantic suspense. I loved that opening line, too, Kav! I’m on her launch team, so I’ve already read this. Don’t enter me in the drawing.
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I aim to catch up with her this year. I am soooooo close! Happy Reading, Winnie!
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Good luck! She’s quite prolific! I think her next one is coming out the first of May.
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Yes, another Steele Agency suspense. Whoopeee!
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Ah yes, Kav, must be set in the High Desert in Southern Oregon! My husband and I took an anniversary vacation to Sunriver very early in our marriage and stopped in at the High Desert Museum there. Who know indeed?? 😲😉
Amnesia troupe can be fun if it’s done right. Terri Reed has some older Love Inspired Suspense with that very thing and I thought she did a great job. Count me in because nothing Susan writes is ever bad!
teamob4 (at) gmail (dot) com
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How cool that you can picture all this. I think the past few series have all been set in Oregon. Yes…I think there was just so many amnesia books going around at the same time that I went off them for a bit. BUT has to be done well and make sense for the story and contribute to the plot in a major way. Susan Sleeman nailed it here. Good luck, Trixi!
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This one sounds really good! I’m okay with an amnesia story, it adds to the suspense. I’ve never been to Oregon, or the West Coast for that matter, so it’s fun to read about other places and interesting settings.
Becky Wade’s Memory Lane came out this week and it’s an amnesia story. Reading it now.
Throw my name in please!
Thanks for the giveaway Kav! tracey14567 at gmail dot com
P.S. at the risk of pumping up your Goodreads total even higher, for some reason it caught my attention that Yesterday’s Tides hasn’t made it onto your books read list yet. Probably because we talked about it on your review day. 🙂
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I love discovering new places in my fiction too. I didn’t know that Becky Wade’s new book involved an amnesia plot, but then, that title makes total sense. I too it to mean remembering the past. lol
Gah — the new Good Reads messes me up sometimes. Depending on the order you do things it will wipe out the read date when you write your review. I just discovered that. Will have to check on that. Thanks, Tracey! And good luck on the giveaway!
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Memory Lane starts as an amnesia story, but also suspense/mystery involved, and it’s funny with snark like we like, so she’s hitting a lot of genres with this one. Self published so some of the control filters are off, brief mentions of alcohol and adultery, but nothing too off beat 🙂
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That sounds fabulous! And I hear it’s going to be in audio as well.
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I love your reviews. You could make someone read the phone book. 😂 Blessings leliamae54(at)aol(dot)com
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Bwahahaha — thanks, Lucy. Good luck!
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Love, love, LOVE Susan’s books and I so much want to read “Solid as Steele”!
Thank you for the review, which heightened my anticipation, and for the fabulous chance to win a copy.
2clowns at arkansas dot net
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Her books are always winners! Good luck, Kay!
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Solid as Steele sounds epic!
psalm103and138atgmaildotcom
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I don’t think you can go wrong with a Susan Sleeman novel! Good luck, Caryl!
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She’s a good author isn’t she? I’ve read quite a few of her books now and look forward to this one too.
rrwalter34ATgmailDotcom
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The very best! Good luck, Becky!
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I’ve read a lot of Susan Sleeman books and never been disappointed. Solid as Steele sounds like a great read.
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net
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Yes! She’s an auto buy author for me. Good luck, rubynreba!
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