About the Book:
Publisher: Zondervan
Source: Litfuse
Publication Date: 2015
Find the Review elsewhere:
Find the Book Elsewhere:
Series: Moonlighters, book 3
Genre: Fiction; Mystery/Suspense
Rating: 4 out of 5
This 3-book series has been my only introduction to the award-winning Terri
Blackstock though if this is all I read by her (for a while anyway), it was a
great trilogy. This title is the third and far as I know final book about a
quartet of siblings who’ve had their faith tested not just years ago as young
adults, but again as adults trying to live their lives to the fullest for God. This story
centers on youngest Holly Kramer who has had the toughest time rectifying her
relationship to God and the fact that she feels abandoned by not just Him, but
the father she once adored. When a one-night stand results in a pregnancy,
Holly cleans up her life for her daughter, Lily. With the help of her siblings,
she plans on becoming a person her family can be proud of… and then Lily’s
father comes back into her life.
Of the three books, this one was my
favorite. It’s the most unique story and though its pace moves ridiculously
swift, I liked the themes of redemption even though I did not agree with all of
the religious beliefs. Holly is the “wild child” of her family. She’s that girl
who never grew up and put her bad behavior off as being the fault of her
father, who – in her mind, tore their family apart. Over the series, it’s Holly
who changes the most, the character who grows the most and it’s a lovely
transformation kind of story. Her story does feel “rushed” as so many suspense
novels suffer this fate, however if you’ve read this entire series, her change
of heart doesn’t feel “convenient” because we’ve “grown” with Holly throughout
the books. It’s great to catch up with the other primary characters of this
series as well – including Michael and Cathy (Truth Stained Lies), Juliet (Distortion)
and then we meet Creed. He's the guy we want to trust (and generally can) but have a niggling of
doubt in the back of our mind.
I
liked that Terri linked the books through one villain tormenting the family and
that his progression helps to build up the festering suspense that insures we’ll
keep flipping those pages, curious how the story will end up! The family
relationships that support and encourage help keep the book on level footing
(from the danger that is closing in) and while I’d have liked to see more of
their brother, Jay, I was glad the family bonds remained intact. As I stated in
reviews of earlier books, I really like the P.I aspect since it steps away from
the rigidity of law enforcement while still being a profession that opens doors
to some mystery solving.
If you’ve liked Terri Blackstock’s prior
novels or are looking for a good mystery read (I read most of it in one day!),
you’ll like Twisted Innocence. It’s
worth reading – and might just be that perfect book to stay in with during a
cold Saturday afternoon.
Enter the author hosted giveaway for your chance to win a Nook!
now - March 8th.
Synopsis:
When Holly s secrets
backfire, is the mess too big to unravel?
Holly Cramer has worked hard to keep the identity of her daughter s father a
secret, shamed and embarrassed by the one-night stand. But when the police
knock on her door searching for Creed Kershaw, she realizes his identity isn’t
as hidden as she thought. The fact that Creed is a person of interest in a
recent drug-related murder only increases her humiliation.
When Holly s and Creed s paths cross, Holly is unsure whether to be terrified
of him or trust him. His tenderness with their daughter makes her want to
believe his story that he had nothing to do with the murder. Then she discovers
that Creed has a connection to Leonard Miller who killed both her sister’s fiancé
and her brother-in-law, and kidnapped her nephews and things only become more
complicated.
Will Creed lead them to the man who has plagued her family, or become another
of his victims?" - Goodreads
Coming Next from Terri Blackstock: An anthology by three bestselling
romance authors
For Love of Money by Terri Blackstock
Trying to launch her own design firm while waitressing on the side, Julie
Sheffield was drawn to the kind man she waited on at the restaurant last night
. . . until he stiffed her on the tip by leaving her half of a sweepstakes
ticket.
The Recipe by Candace Calvert
Hospital dietary assistant Aimee Curran is determined to win the Vegan
Valentine Bake-Off to prove she’s finally found her calling. But while caring
for one of her patients—the elderly grandmother of a handsome CSI
photographer—Aimee begins to question where she belongs.
Hook, Line & Sinker by Susan May Warren
Grad student Abigail Cushman has agreed to enter the annual Deep Haven fishing
contest. She’s a quick learner, even if she doesn’t know the difference between
a bass and a trout. But nothing could prepare her for competing against the
handsome charmer she’s tried to forget since grief tore them apart.
One chance for each woman to change her life . . . but will love be the real
prize? – Goodreads, May 2015
Sincere thanks to Litfuse (and the publisher)
for providing a complimentary copy of this book for reviewing purposes.
I just read this one too! It was hard to put down.;) I agree that it was the best series, since I thought that Holly was the easiest to relate to.
ReplyDeleteIt was hard to put down - but then maybe that's because I was most interesting in Holly's story. She was the rebel child and that's always a fun story to read. :)
DeleteI Love Terri Blackstock, the next series you ought to read if and when you get a chance is the Restoration series. That was my first introduction to her and I've been hooked ever since. I loved the Moonlighters trilogy and wish it wasn't ending. My favorite was book 2 but they are all great!
ReplyDeleteShannon
Thanks for the recommendation, Shannon! I'll have to check out Terri's Restoration books, too. I'm sure more of them will be awesome and someday I will be likely to read more, so it's great to have a place to start. :)
DeleteGlad you enjoyed this series - same here. It was great for suspense. :)