ON DISTANT SHORES, by Sarah Sundin

Lt. Georgie Taylor has some great things going for her: a loving family back home, a waiting fiancé, and supportive friends among the flight nurses in her group. But Georgie struggles with doubts about her ability to perform in a crisis. Part of her wants to give up the whole nursing thing and return to her family in the states.
 Sgt. John Hutchinson is a pharmacist by trade. He chose to enlist as such rather than accepting the officer's commission to which his college education entitled him. Pharmacists were regarded as "pill pushers" by the brass, and as his enlistment continues the disrespect for his profession turns him bitter.
 When he and Georgie meet in Italy, it's on the basis that both of them are happily engaged to someone back home. However, soon they find themselves attracted to each other, a situation that raises more problems in their lives. Officers (Georgie) are not allowed to fraternize with enlisted men (Hutch), not to mention that each is already committed to another.
 On Distant Shores, the second book in Sundin's Wings of the Nightingale series, continues the heart-pounding suspense of World War II action, coupled with intriguing romantic situations between the nurses and the men in their lives. Sundin is a master at writing both types of fiction.
 On Distant Shores is a novel to be savored slowly, but it’s hard to resist hurrying along to see what happens next. I loved this story, and know you will, too.

 My thanks to the author and Revell for my review copy.

DOLLED UP TO DIE, by Lorena McCourtney

 If you were a detective, what would you do if you responded to a frantic call about a shooting and found the "victims" were dolls? Then what if, in investigating that mystery, a real dead body is discovered?
 Assistant PI Cate Kincaid decides to jump in and help her client solve the crime, even though Cate's supposed to confine her investigations to straying husbands and fraudulent insurance claims. Dolled Up to Die is a light-hearted mystery with enough twists and turns to keep the reader guessing until the final pages.
 McCourtney skillfully weaves several storylines into the plot, which adds to the fun. Dolled Up to Die follows the first book in the Cate Kincaid series, Dying to Read. However, it’s not necessary to read the first one in order to enjoy Dolled Up to Die. If you’re a fan of cozy mysteries, this one's for you.

 My thanks to the author and Revell for providing my review copy.

SMALL TOWN GIRL, by Ann H. Gabhart

 Thankfully, Ann Gabhart wasn't ready to leave Rosey Corner, Kentucky, when she finished writing Angel Sister. Her latest novel, Small Town Girl, brings readers the story of Kate Merritt, the "angel sister" from the first book.
 The story opens with Kate helping her older sister dress for her wedding. One little problem--her sister is marrying the man Kate has been secretly in love with since she was fifteen. At the wedding, Kate meets the groom's best friend, a charmer named Jay Tanner. Jay notices Kate's expression when she looks at her sister's new husband and sets out to make her smile.
 Jay's charm works its way into Kate's heart, but she knows he's a rolling stone and doesn't trust him to remain in Rosey Corner. Since the novel is set in late 1941, the shadow of another world war hangs over the community, adding depth to the story.
 Whether Kate and Jay could resolve the issues that separate them kept me turning pages past my bedtime. Gabhart does a masterful job in bringing Rosey Corner and its inhabitants to life. As a small town girl, I found myself nodding in recognition at the behavior of some of her characters.
 Many of the characters from Angel Sister appear in Small Town Girl, a real bonus for readers like me who came to love the Merritt family in the first book. Small Town Girl is a delightful novel. I'm pleased to recommend it as a great summer read--or a fall or winter read, for that matter.
I thoroughly enjoyed the story.
 My thanks to the author and Revell for providing my review copy.