THE STARLET SPY by Rachel McDaniel, Reviewed by Kim and Paula #ReleaseDay

Heroines of WWII - Book 11 (Multi-Author Series)

PAULA'S REVIEW
This was like watching a Humphrey Bogart movie in my head! Clever dialogue, mesmerizing plot and wonderful characters made this story a hit!

Amelie is a special woman who has a unique set of skills that makes her important to the allies. Swedish born, she returns to her homeland in search of important papers. It is essential that she finds them and rescues them before they fall in enemy hands.

Finn is a wealthy Swedish businessman but Amelie does not know whose side he is on. He makes a wonderful, broody hero. Amelie must test his loyalty while not divulging what her true mission is.

Ms. McDaniel states in her author notes that she had qualms about writing in a different era. She need not have worried, for she captivated me with this fascinating story. She easily slipped into WWII mode and seamlessly wove historical details into a tale that had me wishing there was more to tell. Faith was naturally included and the romance was swoony and sweet.

I am always anxious to read something from this polished author.
* I received a complimentary ebook from the author. I was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own.*5 stars and a solid faith thread.

KIM'S REVIEW
Wow! Another incredible story penned by the amazing Rachel McDaniel!! The Starlet Spy has convinced me that Ms. McDaniel only knows how to write 5 star books - I’d give it more if I could! If you are looking for a story that will give you a major book hangover with amazing characters, a great storyline, and a perfect romance, this is the book for you!

I loved Amelie so much! She is beautiful inside and out, smart, brave, and likable. Rachel writes the best female characters! Now on to Finn…sigh, I can sum him up with just one word, perfection! I absolutely loved him and I loved them together. I knew they were perfect for each other after a beautiful moment they share, I won’t say which one because of spoilers, but it is so swoon worthy and written to such perfection you can’t help but fall in love with them. The mystery aspect kept me guessing until the very end! I was so shocked by a couple of things that I would’ve never guessed. What a great ending this story has!

The Starlet Spy is a wonderful story that will definitely be in my top reads of 2023! Do yourself a favor and read this story! And if you haven’t read Rachel McDaniel’s other stories, I highly recommend each and every one!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book. I also purchased a copy. All opinions are my own. The faith thread is light. All. The. Swoon-worthy. Stars. 

 

BackCover Blurb:

Hollywood Star Turns Spy
 
In 1943, movie producer Henrik Zoltan approaches Amelie Blake under the guise of offering the Hollywood star a leading part in his upcoming film, but he has a more meaningful role in mind. Amelie’s homeland of Sweden declared neutrality in the war, but Stockholm has become the “Casablanca of the North.” When top-secret atomic research goes missing in Sweden, the Allied forces scramble to recover the files before they fall into Nazi hands.

The United States Office of Strategic Services (OSS) needs someone who’s subtle enough to spy on the Swedish elite without triggering suspicion. Who better than the “all beauty, no brains” Scandinavian starlet? Fluent in three languages and possessing a brilliant memory, Amelie loathes being labeled witless but uses the misconception as her disguise. She’s tasked with searching for the crucial files, but Finn Ristaffason keeps getting in her way. Is the charming shipping magnate after the missing research? Or does he have other reasons for showing up at her every turn?

With the Gestapo on her heels, Amelie must rely on her smarts in addition to her acting skills to survive a world of deadly spies and counterspies.

 

Barbour Publishing, August 2023

Available in digital ebook, paperback, library binding, and audiobook:

Buy THE STARLET SPY at Amazon, Christianbook .com, or Baker Book House 
 

Don’t miss these other stories:
The Cryptographer’s Dilemma by Johnnie Alexander
Picture of Hope by Liz Tolsma
Saving Mrs. Roosevelt by Candice Sue Patterson
Mrs. Witherspoon Goes to War by Mary Davis
A Rose for the Resistance by Angela K. Couch
Season of My Enemy by Naomi Musch
Escape from Amsterdam by Lauralee Bliss
On My Honor by Patty Hall
The Escape Game by Marilyn Turk
Beneath a Peaceful Moon by Debby Lee

BENEATH A PEACEFUL MOON by Debby Lee, Reviewed by Trixi Oberembt

This was another great installment to the Heroines of WW2 series Barbour puts out. I've read a fair number of them and have enjoyed the historical details in each one. This one covers Navajo code talkers, Native Americans who were trained to convey coded messages on the front lines. A fascinating piece of history I'd love to know more about! Debby Lee brings that time to life in Beneath a Peaceful Moon.

Unfortunately it fell a bit short for me. The book didn't go into a lot of detail about code talkers. It skimmed the surface of what these brave men faced each day and how they preformed their jobs. I don't want every gory detail, of course, but a bit more depth would have made this more enjoyable. I don't read a lot of WW2 novels, but I still find the history to be intriguing and oftentimes learn things I didn't know before. The other thing, I felt this was more focused on the romance between John and Mary instead of the history of this time period.

All in all, it was a great story to get lost in. I liked it for the romance brewing between John and Mary, the camaraderie between officers, what it might have felt like in war time for both soldiers and civilians alike and for a good faith thread. John Painted Horse reminded Mary that no matter where they were shipped off to, God is always there just as the moon shines above the earth—steady and reliable. A great reminder for us all!

* I received a complimentary copy from the author and was not obligated to leave a favorable review. All opinions are my own. *

BackCover Blurb:
Mary’s Language Skills Could Help End the War in the Pacific
Full of intrigue, adventure, and romance, this series celebrates the unsung heroes—the heroines of WWII.

Mary Wishram, an orphaned Yakima tribal member, aches for her brother who suffers in a POW camp in the Philippine Islands and her Japanese friends who languish in a relocation center. Determined to end the war by any means necessary, she employs her language skills to become a spy. Leaving Camp Pendleton for the South Pacific, she faces escalating threats of peril to help bring her loved ones home.

John Painted Horse, a proud Navajo, struggles with the loss of his father who died in WWI for a country that didn’t consider him a United States citizen. Though his home state doesn’t offer him the right to vote, he joins the Code Talker program at Camp Pendleton. Thrust into mounting danger in the South Pacific, he hopes to bring long overdue recognition and honor to his people, no matter the cost.

Will these two wounded souls find healing from their past traumas and a deeper relationship with God, before it’s too late? Or will they lose their chance at love, and everything they hold dear? 

 Barbour Publishing, June 1, 2023

Available in digital ebook, paperback, hardcover, and audiobook:

Buy BENEATH A PEACEFUL MOON at Amazon, Christianbook .com, or Baker Book House