Heather’s Bookshelf: Grace through Fire
Author: Jessica Berg
Released: 03/21/23
Genre: Contemporary Romance with Mystery
“Her body shuddered with an exhale, and she rested her forehead over his heart. It took him a moment to register her sobs. Enfolding her in his arms, he held her and envisioned every tear was a mangled lie she’d told herself or, worse yet, the lies her family and he had allowed her to believe.”
“Grace through Fire” is a sequel but can be read alone. This review was done as a standalone. The story introduces Nikki Lancaster, a young woman living in South Dakota aspiring to be professional photographer. While snapping pictures of a baby buffalo with his mother, Nikki notes a man out of place and acting oddly.
Having a bad feeling about the man and aware of the string of recent missing women, Nikki hurries to her car. But the man chases her down and runs her off the road. A kind tourist couple help her out and call the authorities, which happens to summon DCI Agent Xavier Palinski, her ex-fiancé who she has not seen in 3 years.
Already on edge from her near-death experience and reunion with her ex, Nikki’s world is turned upside down when she happens upon the body of one of the missing women- who happened to bear a significant resemblance to the other missing women and to Nikki. Fearing she actually had a run-in with a serial killer, Nikki (with the not-so-subtle insisting from her ex) heads back to her childhood home and to her over-protective family. But when a murder occurs too close to home, Nikki fears the killer has followed her home. Will Xavier be able to find the killer before he gets to Nikki or someone else she loves?
Trigger Warning: violence, murder
Overall, I enjoyed this story. It is touted as a contemporary romance and it does have that, but it is really a mystery at heart. The author does a great job in showing the two main settings in South Dakota including the more scenic areas and the small farm town. I actually used to live in North Dakota and the small town vibes and images of the farms felt really authentic and reminiscent of the author’s personal experience. Speaking of the author, this story has an unusual aspect which includes “author’s notes” at the end of each chapter. The “author’s notes” include the author’s musings- everything from background on a chapter, to her own opinions and likes, to recipes of local yums. While unusual and sometimes redundant feeling after the shorter chapters, I really liked the content and voice it gave the author. It also sometimes broke up the tension from the tale, which I thought was welcome. The story is told through the POVs of both Nikki and Xavier. I liked getting to know what each was thinking, often about two ends of the same conversation or situation. Each of their voices was clear and likable. Many of the ancillary characters were also memorable including Mabel, Sara, and Thaddeus. I figured out the solution to the mystery about halfway through the book. I was hoping it’d be a little less obvious, but you can certainly figure out the culprit on your own prior to the reveal, which I personally like. The ending wraps everything up from the tale and feels complete. I would absolutely be on board to read other books from this series and see what happens in the future.
I received a copy of this story in exchange of a fair and honest review.
OVERALL REVIEW:
This romance was filled with mystery, intrigue, and family. Memorable protagonists and a unique setting highlight this tale.
Want to learn more about the author?
Check out my interview with Jessica Berg
Interested in checking out the book for yourself?
Find it for purchase here or Kindle Unlimited
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