When the Silence Breaks by Elizabeth Goddard Review

 

When the Silence Breaks is the first book in Elizabeth Goddard's Mercy Ridge series. Sarah is an ex-intelligence analyst who has come to the small town of Mercy Ridge to uncover a secret that seems to have had something to do with the death of her brother. She is determined to get justice for him and keep her other family members safe. Ryder is the former Navy SEAL who she want to hire to take her up Blackspire Mountain in the Cascades to uncover this secret.

Ryder does not jump at the opportunity of taking this job. He has reasons he does not want to go up the mountain, but there are circumstances that help him change his mind. 

I did enjoy this book. Though I wish there was a bit more suspense. That said, when the suspense came, it was quite intense at times and brought quite a bit of danger. However, there were things that I just couldn't get to make sense. Though, yes, some of it was explained toward the end of the book, there are some things I'm thinking back on and just can't get them to make sense in my mind. And there were times when the characters seemed to contradict what was just said or done. 

I do tend to prefer my romantic suspense with more suspense and less romance, so this was perfect for that. Sarah and Ryder took a while to warm up to each other, but I loved the way their relationship developed. And I loved that they had a connection that neither of them realized. And of course, because of their backgrounds and circumstances they had to keep secrets from each other, so that made it hard for them to really trust each other for quite a bit of the story. 

And I love books that have twists I didn't see coming, and this one had a whopper. I had foreseen some of what was going to happen. But I was not prepared for one reveal. 

Additionally, not only do Sarah and Ryder have bad guys on their heals as they try to uncover this secret, they are also dealing with the mountain and the weather. So, quite a bit of tension and suspense in this race-against-time book.

I loved the idea that a crashed plane from way back during WWII would carry some sort of secret that some wanted found while others did not. But the question was, who was who in this situation. And it was intriguing to read the real-life event that inspired the author to write this story. 

And of course, I appreciated the faith content in the book. The characters were both Christians who trusted in and prayed to God. And there is the reminder to trust in God's timing.

Now, if next February would just hurry up and get here so we can read book 2!

I received an e-copy of this book through NetGalley plus a physical ARC from the publisher and was not required to write a favorable review. These are my own honest thoughts.

Friday Fun - July 31, 2026

Welcome to my Friday Fun post. This is where I share with four different book parties that post on Fridays: Book Beginnings on Fridays, the Friday 56, First Line Friday, and Book Blogger Hop.

This week I have one book to share with you.

I'm starting Where We Belong by Kim Vogel Sawyer. 

        Book Beginnings on Friday    

 

(Please join Gilion Dumas for Book Beginnings every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author's name.)

and

First Line Friday

(Please join Carrie for First Line Friday.)

Here is my Book Beginnings/First Line Friday selection:

 Where We Belong by Kim Vogel Sawyer:

"The subway car hissed to a stop, and Callum found himself jostled to and fro by those hurrying to exit while others hurried to board."

Just a normal day on a subway in NYC, though decades earlier than when I lived there. Though I wondered if it was leading to more frantic times.

Now for:

The Friday 56 

The Friday 56 is hosted by Anne from My Head is Full of Books. 

Rules:

*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader
(If you have to improvise, that's ok.)
 *Find any sentence, (or few, just don't spoil it) that grab you.
*Post it.
*Add your (url) post below in Linky. Add the post url, not your blog url. It's that simple.

Here is my Friday 56 selection:

Where We Belong by Kim Vogel Sawyer:

"In spite of the unexpectedly stressful challenges of bringing three children into her household, walking Guy and Evelyn to school on a crisp, clear spring morning was a dream-come-true moment Hester would cherish for the rest of her life. She'd left Winnie in Scotty's keeping, uncertain how long it would take to complete enrollment. It seemed odd not to have all three children in tow, and the feeling told her that her heart was already binding itself to them."

Book Blogger Hop

I'm joining in with a fun blog hop I recently discovered.

Book Blogger Hop

The Book Blogger Hop is hosted by Billy over at Ranblings of a Coffee-Addicted Writer. The hop occurs weekly, starting on Friday and ending the following Thursday, featuring a specific book-related prompt each week. The main goal is to connect bloggers, encouraging them to follow each other, discover new titles, and grow their audience.

This week's question is: If you had to stick to one genre forever, which would you choose and why?

My answer: That is such a tricky, unfair question. I have come to love so many genres through reading challenges and being on launch teams. Being willing to try new things. But, I guess I would have to go back to what my favorite used to be, Christian Suspense. It could be romantic or not, historical or modern day, but I do love the way suspense keeps me on the edge of my seat and zinging through the pages. 

And now it is time to share my current Reviews:

Last week I shared one book in my Friday Fun. Here's my review:

Into a Golden Era by Gabrielle Meyer

I still have one book to finish that I shared about a couple of weeks ago. I had set it aside to read Into a Golden Era, so I'm only about halfway through. I'll be sharing my review in next week's Friday Fun post.

Into a Golden Era by Gabrielle Meyer Review

 

I absolutely LOVE the Timeless series by Gabrielle Meyer. It has come to a point that I really can't pick a favorite book. They are all just awesome, including her most recent release, Into a Golden Era. I love the way she pairs up such appropriate eras for each of these books. In this story, Ally lives during the time of the Gold Rush and also the Golden Age of Hollywood. Perfection. 

We had already met some of the characters in this book, some briefly, some as main characters in their own books.  So, if you haven't read the previous books, I highly recommend not reading this review as their will be some spoilers from those books.

The main character in Into a Golden Era, Ally, is the daughter of Grace and Hope's mother from the third book, For a Lifetime, except she is the birth mother they never knew from their one path. So, yes, she is Grace and Hope's sister, sort of. Ally was briefly introduced, along with her two other sisters, toward the end of For a Lifetime, though I can't remember if they had names back then. I love that Tacy is an important character in this book, as we knew very little about her. I also love that Grace and her daughters, especially Kathryn who was the main character in book 5, Every Hour Until Then, are a part of this book. However, Into the Golden Era takes place before the events of Kathryn's book. 

Okay, yes, I admit, it sounds confusing. I find myself looking back at the other books and at the family tree just to keep everyone straight in my head. But, these books are so worth the read. I loved the concept as soon as I learned about it in the first book, When the Day Comes. And the author has expanded this world so awesomely. 

In Into a Golden Era I felt like Ally did. I couldn't decide which time period I wanted her to choose to live in after her 25th birthday. I loved both of her time periods. She has a loving father and sister in 1849, both of whom she is trying to support after her father becomes ill. They find themselves in a dangerous section of California after they travel there because of her plan to find gold to help her family. Here she meets Sam, who is supposed to be a notorious criminal, but there just might be more to his story. 

In her 1929 life time she is an actress working for her family's studio. A studio that is struggling due to the rise of the big studios. They have one last chance to try to save the studio with their upcoming production of Little Women. She suddenly finds herself in a contract which has her fake dating a famous actor who has been caught up in a scandal. The thing is, will she be able to help his reputation, or will her associating with him ruin her reputation?

The thing I found most intriguing about this story when I first learned about it, was knowing that events that she had read would happen suddenly change around her when she wakes up one morning. And she then learns that her future, along with someone else's, is in peril. But, she knows she will forfeit that path if she tries to change things. 

I was glued to the book, needing to know how the author would work everything out. She threw in awesome twists and, once again, I wasn't sure which time Ally would ultimately choose. I loved the historical details that were included, though the author does share specifics in her Author's Note at the end of the book, so the reader can see what was read and what was fictionalized. 

Yes, this book was wonderful and I loved it and the ending was just perfect. The only bummer is that she is now only releasing one Timeless book a year, instead of two. So, I have a year to wait to read the next book. 

I highly recommend this book and, yes, this series. Make sure to read them in order though.

Friday Fun - July 24, 2026

Welcome to my Friday Fun post. This is where I share with four different book parties that post on Fridays: Book Beginnings on Fridays, the Friday 56, First Line Friday, and Book Blogger Hop.

This week I have three books to share with you.

I'm reading Into a Golden Era by Gabrielle Meyer. I should be reading ARCs, but I've waited too long for this newest book in the Timeless series, and when I saw that it was available through my library system, I decided I wanted to read it real quick. 

        Book Beginnings on Friday    

 

(Please join Gilion Dumas for Book Beginnings every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author's name.)

and

First Line Friday

(Please join Carrie for First Line Friday.)

Here is my Book Beginnings/First Line Friday selection:

 Into a Golden Era by Gabrielle Meyer:

"I needed help, and I didn't have much time."

What kind of help did she need? What was wrong?

Now for:

The Friday 56 

The Friday 56 is hosted by Anne from My Head is Full of Books. 

Rules:

*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader
(If you have to improvise, that's ok.)
 *Find any sentence, (or few, just don't spoil it) that grab you.
*Post it.
*Add your (url) post below in Linky. Add the post url, not your blog url. It's that simple.

Here is my Friday 56 selection:

Into a Golden Era by Gabrielle Meyer:

"A corner of his mouth came up as he regarded me, as it seeing me for the first time. 'You're not intimidated by me, are you?'

I frowned. 'Why would I be?'

'Because I'm famous and handsome and dangerous.' He said the last word in a lower tone and lifted his eyebrow playfully, though I could see pain behind his gaze."

Book Blogger Hop

I'm joining in with a fun blog hop I discovered a couple of weeks ago.

Book Blogger Hop

The Book Blogger Hop is hosted by Billy over at Ranblings of a Coffee-Addicted Writer. The hop occurs weekly, starting on Friday and ending the following Thursday, featuring a specific book-related prompt each week. The main goal is to connect bloggers, encouraging them to follow each other, discover new titles, and grow their audience.

This week's question is: What's the fastest or slowest you've ever finished a book?

My answer: I know I have finished books in less than a day, but I couldn't tell you how many hours. I also read books of varying lengths, so it's tricky to know for sure. 

And now it is time to share my current Reviews:

Last week I shared three book in my Friday Fun. Here are my reviews of two of the books. I still have to finish the third book:

Trapped by Jerusha Agen

The Spy Keeper of Marseille by Roseanna M. White

The Spy Keeper of Marseille by Roseanna M. White Review

 

So, I absolutely LOVE both of Roseanna M. White's series that take place during WWI. Her Shadows Over England series made me a fan, and I was thrilled when I learned that her Codebreakers series included beloved characters while introducing new ones. I loved that the reader would go from the beginning of WWI through the end of WWI by reading both series. And then last year I read The Collector of Burned Books which takes place in Occupied France during WWII. So, yes, when I learned that she had a new book that takes place during WWII, I was excited. And I am so glad I had a chance to read it, because I loved it. 

The Spy Keeper of Marseille takes place mostly in Free France, though at the beginning of the book our FMC, Zelie Bellarose is crossing the Demarcation Line into Occupied France. It is here that she meets our MMC, Marcel Laurent who had just been freed from a POW camp. Marcel is a well known musician whose friend is introducing him to Zelie in hopes he can help with the Resistance. 

I love how the Youth Orchestra that Marcel heads is used to help the Resistance, and also how much the beauty of music played a part in this story. But there is so much more to this book and all the different things the Resistance is doing. There is quite the cast of characters coming and going. There is intrigue, and suspense, and betrayal, and sacrifices, and a blossoming love as our characters work toward freeing France and helping defeat Germany and the Axis powers. 

I loved how I learned more about WWII. And I was intrigued to learn that Zelie is based on a real life woman who led a spy ring during the war. I loved the relationship that grew between Zelie and Marcel. They had so many obstacles to overcome, but I was definitely rooting for them. Through all they were dealing with, Zelie also needed to learn to turn to the Lord who she'd long been ignoring. I loved seeing her faith growing. And I think I caught a little nod to the Codebreakers series, which is so cool.

Though the beginning of the book was a bit slower, from the middle through the end of the book I was zinging through the pages. It definitely got quite intense at times, which I love. 

This was another great book from an awesome author. I highly recommend it. 

I received an e-copy of this book through NetGalley and was not required to write a favorable review. These are my own honest thoughts. 

Friday Fun - July 17, 2026

Welcome to my Friday Fun post. This is where I share with four different book parties that post on Fridays: Book Beginnings on Fridays, the Friday 56, First Line Friday, and Book Blogger Hop.

This week I have three books to share with you.

I read Trapped by Jerusha Agen. This is the second book in her Security League series and it releases on July 23rd.

I'm reading When the Silence Breaks by Elizabeth Goddard. This is the first book in her new Mercy Ridge series which releases August 4th.

I also started The Spy Keeper of Marseille by Roseanna M. White. I was going to wait to start this one, but I was having issues with my Kindle file for the above book.

        Book Beginnings on Friday    

 

(Please join Gilion Dumas for Book Beginnings every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author's name.)

and

First Line Friday

(Please join Carrie for First Line Friday.)

Here are my Book Beginnings/First Line Friday selections:

 Trapped by Jerusha Agen:

"Could she fight to the death?"

Why was she worried about needing to fight to the death?? I needed to know. This line really drew me into this book.

When the Silence Breaks by Elizabeth Goddard:

"Secrets can't stay buried forever."

I guess that is true. The truth will be revealed. I wondered what kind of secrets this was talking about.

The Spy Keeper of Marseille by Roseanna M. White:

"Zelie Bellarose shuffled another step forward, careful not to look at the two Nazi soldiers at the head of the queue."

I would want to avoid eye contact as well, but I wondered where exactly she was going and what she was trying to hide.

Now for:

The Friday 56 

The Friday 56 is hosted by Anne from My Head is Full of Books. 

Rules:

*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader
(If you have to improvise, that's ok.)
 *Find any sentence, (or few, just don't spoil it) that grab you.
*Post it.
*Add your (url) post below in Linky. Add the post url, not your blog url. It's that simple.

Here are my Friday 56 selections:

Trapped by Jerusha Agen:

"An uneasy feeling replaced the brief moment of comfort as Kristen walked to Best You Boutique. Despite the warm, humid air, a shiver skimmed across her arms beneath the short sleeves of her blouse. She scanned ahead, then right and left. 

Maybe it was just the sensation of the cop in the squad car watching her. He could probably see her from behind right now. And that was a good thing.

Her knotted insides disagreed."

When the Silence Breaks by Elizabeth Goddard:

"Lord, what do we do next? Where do we go from here? He'd sent his brother, Holt, a message, so at least someone would know, but he hadn't told Mom the details. He hadn't wanted her caught up in this, hadn't wanted her worried, or worse, in danger. Now, though, regret gnawed at him. Now he wished he hadn't involved the sheriff or the town in this either. A cold weight settled in his chest. He could die on this mountain. They could both die."

The Spy Keeper of Marseille by Roseanna M. White:

"Her spine went even straighter. 'I beg your pardon. I never once said I was a man. If your superiors cannot fathom a woman being capable of the work I've done, then perhaps the fault is with their imagination and not with my gender..'

Henri grinned."

Book Blogger Hop

I'm joining in with a fun blog hop I discovered last week.

Book Blogger Hop

The Book Blogger Hop is hosted by Billy over at Ranblings of a Coffee-Addicted Writer. The hop occurs weekly, starting on Friday and ending the following Thursday, featuring a specific book-related prompt each week. The main goal is to connect bloggers, encouraging them to follow each other, discover new titles, and grow their audience.

This week's question is: Do you read one book at a time, or juggle a few at once?

My answer: Funnily enough I was just commenting about this in a Facebook group. I will try starting two or maybe three books. However, one will tend to capture my attention more than the other(s) and I end up finishing that book before going back to the other(s). So, I guess I technically only read one book at a time these days.

And now it is time to share my current Reviews:

Last week I shared one book in my Friday Fun. Here's my review:

Survival in the Mountains by Carrie Stuart Parks

And here is my review for the first book I shared above:

Trapped by Jerusha Agen

Trapped by Jerusha Agen Review

 

I discovered Jerusha Agen's books a couple of years ago, starting by reading the last couple of books in her Guardians Unleashed series. Let me just say, I was hooked. I'm loving this new Security League series of hers. I think this newest book, Trapped, is my favorite so far.. More awesome suspense, a powerful faith thread, and blossoming romance. Plus she is tackling a serious subject, sex trafficking. Don't worry, there is nothing explicit or too intense. 

Kristen has escaped from a life of prostitution, bringing with her a teenage girl named Rosalia who she has taken in as her adopted daughter. Though they had been moving from place to place for a while to keep from getting captured, they are now living in Leben Falls, Iowa, a safe, small rural town where she'd hoped to stay under the radar. However, that safety is shattered during an armed robbery at her store, and she fears her secrets are going to be exposed, especially after her childhood friend shows up at the scene. 

Sean Kingston had recently arrived in Leben Falls to help his grandparents. He has a background in law enforcement, though is now a part of a private security firm. This firm is the Security League which connects the books in this series. After realizing the danger that Kristen, who he knew as Natasha, and her daughter are in, Sean takes it upon himself to help protect them. 

The danger keeps coming at them, keeping the suspense high. Will Sean be able to help keep his old friend and her daughter safe? Will Kristen's true past be revealed? This is something that is really disturbing her, because there is more than one secret she is hiding, and the truth coming out could destroy their lives. 

I loved that Sean shares his faith with Kristen/Nat, though she is not open to hearing about it for a majority of the book, because she doesn't see how someone who has sinned as bad as she has can ever be forgiven. I also love that Rosalia has friends who share Jesus with her. And though Sean is a Christian, he also has some issues he is working through when it comes to bitterness and unforgiveness. 

I also love that we get quick glimpses at the characters from the previous books in the series. Though, I admit, I would have loved it even more if they played a bigger role. I do wonder if a certain new character will be the main character in the next book of the series. If there is another book. There will be, right? Please. 

All in all, this is an awesome suspense book that grabbed my attention from the first line and just wouldn't let go. Just how I love my romantic suspense books. Highly recommended. 

I received an e-copy of this book as a member of the launch team and was not required to write a favorable review. These are my own honest thoughts.