A WWII novel Not Too Heavy, Not Too Light, but Just Right--Review of The Cryptographer's Dilemma, by Johnnie Alexander

If you enjoy a vintage story with an FBI/police procedural feel and a gentle romance, you'll enjoy this August release by Johnnie Alexander. The novel introduces an entire new series that celebrates heroines of WWII.

Available for Pre-Order on Amazon

In The Crypographer’s Dilemma, Eloise Marshal, the grieving heroine, is an unassuming code developer, content behind her desk, who is pulled into the FBI, trained, and assigned to the task of decoding encrypted messages that may uncover saboteurs in the USA. She can’t do this inside her comfort zone but is partnered with Agent Phillip Clayton whom she first met in the home of his uncle. She considers Phillip arrogant and uncooperative. Of course, he's dealing with his own issues that have nothing to do with her. Their relationship takes a turn, but so does the danger as they follow a trail across the country together. I think the story especially shines when the two MCs share little quips back and forth and we see them drawn out of themselves as they are pulled closer together.



The author must have done a ton of research to bring readers this aspect of the war—the code developers and those assigned to protect the country from infiltrators bent on doing us harm. I learned about actual incidents I’d not heard of before. I recommend this engaging read, a WWII novel that is not too heavy, not too light, but just right.



I appreciate Netgalley for an advanced copy of the book. All opinions are my own.

Frontier Fiction Fans Rejoice! A Review of "Sarah's Choice" by Pegg Thomas

Frontier fiction fans rejoice! Here’s a novel that doesn’t smooth history’s ragged edges with a 21st century file. I was totally immersed in this dramatic, heart-pounding world of life at Fort Pitt while under siege during Pontiac’s Rebellion—a brief period just when the French and Indian War ends that is seldom touched on nowadays, and probably largely forgotten by many modern readers. Pegg Thomas will take you back to that rugged wilderness in the story of Sarah Feight, a woman whose hopes and dreams are shattered in terrifying moments, and whose future is faced with shadows and decision almost unfathomable in the making. Lovers of a richly developed romance will enjoy the gentle healing story that follows. They will admire the character and strength of the hero, Leith McCully, as well as the cast of characters who people the fort. Pegg Thomas’s depth of research is evident in her portrayal of the period, the setting, and all the many historical tidbits that occurred during those bold and tragic days, despite which bring about a bright and hopeful ending that is satisfying and sumptuous in the telling. Don’t miss it!

Pre-Order Sarah's Choice Here

A Review of J'nell Ciesielski's "The Ice Swan"

The opening line grabbed me: The night burned red with the flames of revolution. J’nell Ciesielski’s latest is a vast, well-researched epic which brought to mind the famed disappearance of the princess Anastasia but with a much more favorable outcome. The novel takes readers on a terrifying flight from the palaces of a crumbling regime in Russia, to the heroic medical front of WWI and into the seedy underworld of France, and finally to reprieve on a regal estate in the highlands of Scotland. There was no telling where the story would turn next, which for me is a sure-fire way to keep me on edge and turning pages. I enjoyed the way the author delved into the thawing of the heroine’s heart and the hero refuses to be put off by her rebuffs. There was always the shadow of the past lurking, waiting to spring, even when things appeared safe and settled. Even the less likeable characters like the heroine’s own mother, added to the tension and conflict of the story.

If you enjoy dynamic romance seeped in rich history, and touching a number of aspects of WWI you might have missed, you’ll want to read The Ice Swan. (Releases July 6, 2021)

Thank you to Thomas Nelson and Netgalley for a preview of the book. This is my own honest opinion.