Tag: Turner Darlene L.

Trail of Mountain Secrets + Giveaway

A case of mistaken identity.
A K-9 to the rescue.

Park archaeologist Violet Hoyt’s wilderness search for a missing family’s remains takes a deadly turn when a gunman mistakes her for someone else. The discovery of a grave of skulls reopens a cold case, and someone is determined to keep the truth hidden. With the help of K-9 handler Maverick Shaw and his human-remains-detector dog, Wolf, Violet must find the final family member—and evade the masked man who has targeted her. Soon Violet learns a shocking secret. She has a presumed dead twin sister who may still be alive, and now they’re both in danger. Can Violet and Maverick expose a conspiracy before this Christmas becomes their last?

My Review:

A thrilling game of cat and mouse through the snowy Alberta wilderness is just the kind of adrenaline rush of a read I was looking for as I hunker down for the first winter storm of the season. Talk about atmospheric inside and out!

Turner knows how to plot a tense suspense and this one holds more than a few surprises. I had my suspicions about suspects and accomplices but only one of them came true. Love when a suspense keeps me on my toes all the way through to the end!

I enjoyed the ‘kinda’ second chance romance aspect of Violet and Maverick’s love story. They were friends in college, though both were harbouring secret crushes, but a tragic incident shattered their world before either could make a move. Now, years later, they meet again in a high stakes situation and it’s time to face the past and look toward a future…if they can just evade Violet’s lethal stalker!

As always, the K-9 aspects of the story thrilled me. Wolf is a human-remains detection dog but easily doubles as a fearless protector and comfort cuddler too! Plus he has some nifty tricks he gets to show off during the course of a tense few days which made the take-down scenes all the more exciting!

I enjoyed listening to the audio edition of ‘Trail of Mountain Secrets’ and Lenor A. Woodworth’s engaging narration added an extra dimension to my enjoyment of this riveting romantic suspense.

My thanks to Harlequin Audio and Net Galley for providing me with an audio copy of this book.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

US – paperback or ebook

Canada – paperback, ebook or audible — winner’s choice

International – ebook copy if you have a US Kindle account.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Trail of Mountain Secrets,  leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If 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 announced on Saturday November 1 2025

I Heard the Bells + Giveaway

Four authors, four Christmas novellas of peace, joy, love (and red pickup trucks)

A Christmas Wedding to Die For by Darlene L. Turner

’Tis the season for deadly secrets.
Photographer Adelaide Fox thought she had the perfect assignment—capturing the winning shot at a high-profile Yukon wedding. But when the bride vanishes and a guest is found dead, holiday cheer turns to mystery. As a blizzard approaches, Adelaide teams up with the bride’s rugged brother, tracker Declan Stone. With danger closing in, suspicious guests, and threatening messages, Adelaide must unravel the truth—and maybe open her heart—to find peace on earth this Christmas.

Season of Forever by Helena Smrcek

Past meets present. Two hearts, WWII secrets, and a Christmas of second chances.
Past and present entwine in a story of love, loss, and second chances. In the shadows of WWII, a fragile romance is tested by sacrifice and distance. Decades later, in St. Jacobs, Ontario, Faith helps at her grandmother’s sweater shop, while next door Joseph acquires a charred WWII Bible marked with a red ribbon. Despite their rocky first encounter, will Faith and Joseph give their budding relationship a chance—and uncover the hidden story within the Bible’s pages?

Falling for You by Melanie Stevenson

A broken engagement, a broken rib, and a broken heart.
Author Laurel Bennett hadn’t planned to spend Christmas this way. Her escape to Banff was meant to avoid her ex-fiancé’s wedding, not land her in recovery at the Banff Springs Hotel. But when she crosses paths with Dr. Ethan Pine—the charming stranger who saved her on the slopes—everything changes. A whirlwind of magical days sparks undeniable chemistry, and they must decide if love can bridge both the distance and the wounds that threaten to keep them apart.

Merry Christmas, Mr. Potter by Sara Davison

He thought he knew exactly what he wanted.
Jack Miller is determined to make it big in the Big Apple. So why does he keep getting dragged back to the place—and the woman—he’s trying to leave behind? Playing the lead in his tiny Nova Scotian town’s production of It’s a Wonderful Life gives Jack a glimpse into the life that could have been his. Good thing it’s not the one he wants, since it’s clearly too late for him to get it back.

My Review:

Woohoo! Greatest impulse buy ever. I saw the pretty cover on Instagram and discovered that the collection is written by four Canadian authors with four different Canadian settings! Sold!

The novellas vary greatly, from mystery to dual timeline to rom/com but they all feature a Canadian Christmas and each story cleverly features a red truck and a classic Christmas Carol. Loved spotting those little connections in each novella.

In A Christmas Wedding to Die For by Darlene L. Turner, two cases of unrequited love meet up again in the Yukon wilderness. A Christmas wedding dissolves into mystery and mayhem, though there are plenty of cozy vibes that keep this from being a traditional suspense. Loved the fast pace and the eclectic secondary characters (a few who are truly dreadful!) I love feeling righteously indignant on behalf of a hero and heroine! I got a real sense of a Yukon winter which added an atmospheric element to the story.

Season of Forever by Helena Smreck is set in the scenic town of St. Jacobs Ontario (present day) and in England during World War II, so, yay, dual timeline novella style! I’ll admit to being drawn to the WWII romance (it made me cry) but I enjoyed the contrasts in the contemporary romance as well and the way the timelines fit together by the end wrapped things up nicely.

If you enjoy a good rom/com, Falling for You by Melanie Stevenson is the perfect fit. It’s super cute and playful with great comedic beats. The Banff, Alberta setting is a bonus. The author’s descriptions of the resort and the town made me feel like I was actually there. Romantical and funny with a bit of festive toe-curls thrown in to heat things up!

‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ is one of my favourite holiday movies and it takes centerstage in Sara Davison’s Merry Christmas, Mr. Potter. Angst abounds in this second chance romance that features two actors reunited in a small town theatre production of the classic movie. The Nova Scotia backdrop added an extra thrill to my maritime loving heart! And the way the author weaves elements of ‘It’s a Wonderful Live’ into Jack and Kali’s situation is masterfully written. A stunning way to end a stellar holiday collection.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a gently read paperback copy available to anyone, anywhere in the world so…woohoo…International Giveaway!

If you would like a chance to win a copy of the I Heard the Bells, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If 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 announced on Saturday November 15 2025.

Echoes of Darkness + Giveaway

A serial killer stalks a small town, and a police officer must face her family’s dark past to catch him.

The sleepy community of Kenorapeake Falls in northern Ontario seems like somewhere Constable Oaklynn Brock can finally outrun her violent past. That is, until she’s assigned to investigate a series of suspicious deaths. She can’t reveal that she knows how serial killers think because she grew up with one. Yet the eerie similarities between these murders and those committed by her father, known as the Suicide Slayer, hint at a copycat in their midst. But why here and why now?

Caleb Greene of the Canadian Watchers Squad, a special task force, has his own reasons to be wary of working alongside Oaklynn. But with rumors of a local cult known as the Light Paragons gaining power, the stakes are too high to refuse.

As they explore connections between the killings and cult, Oaklynn and Caleb are forced to confront old secrets…and a terrifying new threat. Someone is watching Oaklynn’s every move. They know exactly who she is and what she might be capable of. And soon her biggest fear isn’t just having her past exposed, but that a killer will turn whatever days she has left into a living nightmare…  

My Review:

Look at me, getting all brave and venturing out of my comfort zone! Serial killer stories usually aren’t my go-to suspense genre but this one intrigued me. It might have been that beguiling cover, actually, so deceptively serene with only a hint of mystery in the way the heroine is glancing back over her shoulder.

So, was it creepy? Definitely. Over the top? Not so much…quite tame for seasoned readers I would imagine. There’s an eerie stalkerish vibe that sent chills up my spine all the way through. The suspense is riveting with exceptional storytelling skill. It was easy to get swept away into the grit and grime of a particularly nasty case…I just didn’t read this one after dark. Bwahahaha!

Intense in both the investigation and the personal lives of our hero and heroine. Oaklynn in particular is wrestling with some really heavy stuff that’s left her distanced from God. Loved the way the author seamlessly wove a significant faith thread throughout the story without it coming across as heavy handed. Very organic to the story and the lives of these characters.

There are some brutal scenes (though not overly descriptive) and a host of heavy subject matter which sensitive readers might find difficult to read about. Though, again, not overly descriptive and no over-the-top gratuitous scenes. Turner manages to breathe grace and hope into even the direst circumstances. This isn’t a light, escape read though, so keep that in mind when you settle down to lose yourself in this gripping romantic suspense.

I listened to the audio edition narrated by Lenor A. Woodworth. I really liked the way she portrayed these characters, delivered their dialogue and even gave voice to the creepy villain POV scenes (eeeek!) Made for some thrilling listening!

My thanks to Harlequin Audio and Net Galley for providing me with an audio edition of this book.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

  • US: ebook
  • Canada: ebook or audible edition
  • International: ebook with a US Kindle account.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Echoes of Darkness,  leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If 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 announced on Saturday June 14 2025.

Mountain Abduction Rescue + Giveaway

A wildfire threat…becomes a missing person search.

A serial arsonist is out for revenge in the Canadian Rocky Mountains—and kidnaps park warden Hazel Hoyt’s son and his camping troop. Now Hazel must team up with the man who broke her heart, firefighter Mitchell Booth, to find the missing boys as wildfires blaze around them. But someone has no intention of letting the pair get off the mountain alive…

My Review:

An exciting mix of wilderness adventure and suspense set in the Canadian Rocky Mountains! And there’s nothing as heartrending as a child stolen away from his mother, so this one has a real emotional kick to it.

Hazel is spunky and stubborn — a Mama Bear personified and she’s relentless in her search for her son. Heedless of every set back, of raging fires, fierce storms, crazed killers, she just won’t give up. Mitchell is right there by her side trying to be a voice of reason, and keep her safe even as he pursues the serial arsonist who seems to be holding Hazel’s son captive.

Lots of edge of your seat, rabid page-turning goodness paired with the rekindling of a high school romance…and a timely read given the amount of raging wildfires Canada experienced this summer.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a gently read paperback copy — open to any reader, anywhere in the world so…yay…another International Giveaway!

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Mountain Abduction Rescue, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If 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 announced on Saturday September 16, 2023

Alaskan Avalanche Escape + Giveaway

Sabotage in the mountains…Can this K-9 sniff out the truth?

After surviving a sudden avalanche, mountain survival expert Jayla Hoyt and her search-and-rescue K-9 discover that it was no accident — someone deliberately triggered the mountain explosion. To uncover the culprit, she’ll have to partner with Alaska park ranger Bryson Clarke, a man she doesn’t trust. But when the investigators become targets, can they capture the criminal mastermind…before they’re buried alive?

K-9 Search and Rescue

My Review:

First — love that I could listen to this heart stopping romantic suspense! Kelli Tager did a fantastic job of conveying the intensity and desperation in her riveting narration. Unputdownable…or should I say unstoppable?

Super excited to report that, despite the title, a good portion of this story takes place in the Yukon. In fact, the border patrol between the US and Canada plays a key role and it was fun to watch the two forces work (or not, as the case may be) together.

In some ways, Jayla and Bryson are on their own, since they can’t figure out who they can trust…and Jayla has some history with Bryson which makes him untrustworthy in her eyes. But she has her own issues to deal with and I did find her attitude towards Bryson a bit hard to take at the beginning. Thankfully there’s lots of character growth, including spiritually, but, Jayla is very much a work in progress for most of the story. So, there’s angst aplenty and Turner dishes it out on both the romance and suspense front.

Love the search and rescue details around avalanches — so many interesting details in what is involved and how the dogs work to find victims. The weather plays as an important role in the suspense as the mayhem the villains dish out. Makes for a nail-biting read (or listen.)

While part of the multi-authored K-9 Search and Rescue series, Alaskan Avalanche Escape can easily be read as a standalone novel.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback or ebook copy — winner’s choice.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Alaskan Avalanche Escape, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If 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 announced on Saturday March 4, 2023. Offer open to International Readers.