Dora Hiers

My Review of FATAL JUDGMENT by Irene Hannon

/ Dora Hiers / 2 Comments

The back cover blurb:

U.S. Marshal Jake Taylor has seen plenty of action during his years in law enforcement. But he’d rather go back to Iraq than face his next assignment: protection detail for federal judge Liz Michaels. His feelings toward the coldhearted workaholic haven’t warmed in the five years since she drove her husband–and Jake’s best friend–to despair . . . and possible suicide.

As the danger mounts and Jake gets to know Liz better, he’s forced to revise his opinion of her. And when it becomes clear that an unknown enemy may want her dead, the stakes are raised. Because now both her life–and his heart–are in danger.

My review:

Wow! What’s not to like about Fatal Judgment? I enjoyed every aspect of this book…the characters, the dialogue, the plot, the ending. Jake’s initial dislike of Liz progressed naturally, not forced or rushed, creating the perfect blend of romance and suspense for me. A plausible plot, likeable characters, and an organic faith thread made this book a real-page turning combination.

Although I downloaded a free version of Fatal Judgment, I will purchase the next book in the series, Deadly Pursuit, which is available now. Five stars, Ms. Hannon!

Purchase Link for Fatal Judgment

How do you feel about this “free download” marketing strategy?

Do you read a free download, and then immediately purchase the next book by that author? On every occasion except one, I have purchased successive books by authors after reading a free kindle download. I’m convinced that this marketing strategy works. What about you? Do you buy into this marketing strategy? Do you find new authors this way?

My review of MONDAY’S CHILD by Clare Revell

/ Dora Hiers / 2 Comments

The Blurb

Monday’s Child must Hide for Protection…
This was not the assignment Luke Nemec expected when he came to the UK—babysitting a beautiful widow. It wouldn’t be so bad if Sara wasn’t such a hostile witness. Despite her complaints and continued jibes, Luke finds himself falling for her. 

When, Sara Barnes is thrown into the witness protection programme, she becomes the “wife” of Lt. Luke Nemec, an American cop on temporary assignment with the British police. Despite Luke’s American bravado, she finds he’s kind and considerate in ways her late husband never was. 

But things aren’t always what they seem, and Luke soon realizes he’s fighting a battle of two fronts to keep Sara safe. Loyalties are called into question, and he’s no longer certain who he can trust. Luke is way out of his depth. As the threats against Sara escalate, it’s a race against time to find her husband’s killer before Sara is silenced forever.



My Review
Clare Revell does it again!
Monday’s Child begins with a bang, literally. After Sara Barnes witnesses the death of her husband on their honeymoon, she’s swallowed into the witness protection program. Newly widowed and recovering from her wounds, Sara Barnes doesn’t like being caged and lashes out at her protectors. Lt. Luke Nemec, Sara’s protector, doesn’t take her barbs personally. Instead, he provides ways for her not to feel so cooped up and showers Sara with kindness and attentiveness, so the romance progresses naturally. Ms. Revell introduced some friends with a Scottish brogue, which I was initially nervous about, but after a bit, I hardly noticed.
From the beautiful cover, you can tell that the story is set on a coast. Ms. Revell crafted scenes in such a way that I could almost feel the salty ocean breeze against my face. Packed with action and laced with faith, this romance builds excitement for the next book in the series of seven romantic suspense novels based on a rewrite of the popular nursery rhyme, Monday’s Child.
Monday’s Child releases on April 27 with WhiteRose Publishing. I’ve also enjoyed several other books by Ms. Revell, such as Saving Christmas, Cassie’s Wedding Dress, Kisses from Heaven, and After the Fire. Congratulations, Clare Revell. 

Book Reviews

/ Dora Hiers
Do you find book reviews difficult to write?
When I attempted my first book review, 
I spent hours working on it. 
Since then, I’ve adopted an easy template to use. 
I’ll even share. 😉
First, if you’re blogging, it’s a good idea to 
insert a copy of the book cover 
for your visual viewers. 
Just as an attractive plate of food stirs your taste buds, a well-designed book cover draws a reader in and prompts them to take a deeper look. Generally, you don’t need to ask permission to use the cover. Most authors I know would LOVE the free advertising.


Secondly, I usually 
plug the back cover copy into the top of a Word document 
as a working copy. Although I don’t always use it in my review, doing this keeps the names and general story idea handy, saving time later.

Journey’s Edge back cover copy:
A Routine Audit? Hardly. 
Red flags—including some goon who’s following her—raise McKinley Frasier’s suspicions that numbers don’t add up at the insurance firm. When someone tries to snatch McKinley’s daughter from school, she turns to police officer and ex-fiance, Renner Crossman—the cop who walked out on her a month before their wedding. But Renner’s not the same guy who broke her heart ten years ago. He calls himself a “new man.” She trusts the new Renner with her daughter’s safety…but what about her heart?

As I’m reading the book, I 
use the following template 
to type notes in the Word document.

  • What I liked.
  • What I didn’t like. Was I confused about something?
  • Characters ~ were they 3-dimensional? Did I like them?
  • Setting ~ was it real enough that I felt like I was there? 
  • For romantic suspense novels, was there an appropriate balance?
  • Is there a message for the reader to take away? A faith thread?
  • How would I rate the book?

Answering these questions as you read the book allows your review to flow fairly quickly and painlessly. 

Your readers may also appreciate purchase links. 😉


And lastly, due to 2009 FTC regulations, you’re obligated to indicate whether you received any compensation 
for the review. 


Want to see an awesome example? Check out Susan Tuttle’s Bookshelf Friday. 


Do you have a method for writing book reviews?
What works for you?