Dear Abby: Things I Learned On Summer Break

Dear Friends,

I am so glad to be back!  Did you miss me?  I missed chatting with you here.   I had a fun and relaxing month off.  My time included a houseguest (my friend Elsie), a birthday, and lots of time to rest and enjoy life.

Here are a few things I learned on my time off:

It's nice to have some time to just relax.

A friend makes any day nicer!  This is my friend Elsie, who stayed with me for 5 days while her dad was out of town.

Sometimes you have to share the softest pillow.

 With a good friend you can just relax together.

Birthdays are fun!  (I turned 8 years old on August 25.)

They are REALLY exciting!

What is that?  Is it for me?

 Birthdays involve treats!

 And at the end of the day, there is always time to take a nap.

How was your summer?  I hope you had a great one!   I am really glad to be back blogging and look forward to catching up regularly here.

Have a great weekend!

Love,

Abby xoxoxo

Book Review - Beneath Copper Falls by Colleen Coble

Book Synopsis
Dana has already learned that love isn’t safe . . . but could it be different in Rock Harbor? 

As a 911 dispatcher, Dana Newell takes pride in being calm in tough circumstances. In addition to her emotionally-charged career, she’s faced enough emergencies in her own life. She recently escaped her abusive fiancé to move to tranquil Rock Harbor where she hopes life will be more peaceful.
But the idyllic town hides more danger and secrets than it first appeared. Dana is continually drawn to her new friend Boone, who has scars inside and out. Then she answers a call at her job only to hear a friend’s desperate screams on the other end. Soon the pain in her past collides with the mysteries of her new home—and threatens to keep her from the future she’s always wanted.

 

Purchase Links

Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble

 

My Review 

Beneath Copper Falls is a mystery in the Rock Harbor series by Colleen Coble.  This book tells the story of Dana Newell.  Dana is a 911 dispatcher, recently returned to her hometown in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.  She is on the run from a dangerous stalker ... but finds herself involved in solving another mystery with the help of an intriguing man named Boone.

 

This is a true romantic suspense novel, with the romantic storyline and mystery having fairly equal roles in the story.   I thought both aspects of the storytelling were strong.

 

Dana is a brave, kind woman who has had a tough life since her parents died tragically in a boating accident when she was 8 years old.  She relies on her faith, her friends, and her stepbrother Chris.  

 

Boone is a fire jumper who was scarred in a fire.  He is cautious of romantic involvement until he meets Dana.   I loved the way these two wounded people found strength together, and the way their immediate connection was based on friendship first.

 

There are two mysteries in this novel:  Dana's ex-boyfriend stalker, and also the mysterious deaths of several women who died under similar circumstances.   The mysteries were very well done.  I found it hard to put this book down because I wanted to see how these storylines were resolved, and also see if they were somehow connected.

 

This is my first read in the Rock Harbor series.  It took me a few chapters to catch up with the characters and figure out who was who and how they were connected.  That said, Beneath Copper Falls then worked well as a standalone novel.  

 

I recommend Beneath Copper Falls for fans of romantic suspense, fast paced mysteries, and Christian fiction.   I look forward to reading more by Colleen Coble in the future.  

Author Bio
USA TODAY bestselling author Colleen Coble’s novels have won or finaled in awards ranging from the Best Books of Indiana, the ACFW Carol Award, the Romance Writers of America RITA, the Holt Medallion, the Daphne du Maurier, National Readers’ Choice, and the Booksellers Best. She has over 2 million books in print and writes romantic mysteries because she loves to see justice prevail. Colleen is CEO of American Christian Fiction Writers. She lives with her husband Dave in Indiana.

I received a copy of this book from TLC Book Tours.