Feel-Good Romance and Suspense to Brighten Your Spring

Whether you love suspense or feel-good romance, these two new releases will inspire you. Grab one or both and settle in for a comfy read.

I receive free electronic advanced reader copies of these books through an arrangement between the publishers and NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion on NetGalley’s website. I only review books on my blog that I really love.

Looking for a Feel-Good Romance? A Spine-tingling Suspense Thriller?

I confess I’d rather read a feel-good romance than watch television. Or most movies, for that matter. I loved Jan Karon’s Mitford books, and Blackberry Beach’s setting of Hope Harbor has shades of Mitford’s charm and community. If you’re looking for an entertaining, feel-good romance, make sure you check out Irene Hannon’s Hope Harbor books. If suspense tickles your fancy, Present Danger is just the ticket.

Blackberry Beach: A Hope Harbor Novel 

By Irene Hannon, Revell, April 2021, 350 pages.

When a mysterious woman walks into Zach Garret’s coffee shop in Hope Harbor, he feels an instant connection. When he tries to engage her in conversation, she throws up an instant wall. Then he discovers her on Blackberry Beach, the small, private beach below his home. She seems in need of a friend, even though she resists his overtures of friendship.

Katherine Parker retreats to Hope Harbor after experiencing a horrible scandal in her professional life. She needs solitude, time to reflect, and direction.  Katherine’s not looking for relationships of any kind. But between the mysterious Charley who runs a taco cart in the harbor and her inquisitive next-door neighbor, she finds it increasingly difficult to keep herself isolated.

Each encounter between Zach and Katherine leads them closer to friendship and they discover they have more in common than they first imagined. Can Zach help Katherine with her difficult decision? And what should they do about their growing attraction to each other? Zach gave up the high-powered life for his dream in Hope Harbor. Would Katherine give up her dreams to make their relationship work?

Hope Harbor provides a haven for lost people seeking answers to life’s biggest questions. Will the tiny Oregon town work its magic on Katherine?

What I Loved About This Book

I had forgotten Irene Hannon wrote more than suspense thrillers. If you’re acquainted with her suspense titles, have no fear—she excels in the feel-good romance category, too! Hannon has peopled Hope Harbor, a fictional town along the Oregon coast, with broken people in search of peace and belonging. The seven books in the series can be read as standalones, or you can read them in order.

Once you read one Hope Harbor book, you’ll keep coming back for more.

Skip the movies or Netflix reruns and read #BlackberryBeach instead! This feel-good romance by @IreneHannon is the perfect cozy read. #RevellBooks #amreading #TBR Click To Tweet

Present Danger (Rocky Mountain Courage Book 1)  

By Elizabeth Goddard, Revell, April 2021, 384 pages.

Six years ago, Former FBI Special Agent Jack Tanner left the woman he loved to enter training at Quantico. Now he’s back in Montana working as a detective for the country sheriff’s office. When he discovers a body in the National Forest while out on a search and rescue mission, he wonders if he’ll end up working with National Forest Service Special Agent Terra Conners—the woman he abandoned all those years ago.

When Terra Conners arrives on the crime scene, she has no idea the man she thought would propose to her but who walked out on her instead would be there. She’d forgiven him years ago, but she doesn’t know if she can trust him. When they end up working together on the case, she realizes her feelings for him have never really died. But when so many of the men in her life have walked out, she has her doubts.

As evil stalks their small community, Jack proves over and over his willingness to be there for Terra. A missing pilot, rare artifacts, and a crime ring no one could have imagined form a tangled web of intrigue Terra and Jack must unravel before the mysterious killer ends one of their lives.

Why I Loved This Book

Elizabeth Goddard is a new-to-me inspirational suspense author, and her tight plot, action scenes, and intrigue with just enough romance are spot on. She develops the characters fully and includes interesting, well-researched information about artifact crimes—both domestic and international. I look forward to reading book two in the Rocky Mountain Courage series.

Fans of Kelly Irvin, Susan Sleeman, and Colleen Coble will enjoy Goddard’s book.

Looking for an edge-of-your-seat suspense novel? Check out #PresentDanger by @bethgoddard! #amreading @RevellBooks Click To Tweet