Thrifty Thursday: National Park Edition #EllaSwift #GaylaKHiss @JCFullerauthor #ThriftyThursday #Challenge #Giveaway

The purpose of Thrifty Thursday is to read a book which was free (at some point).

This is a collection of freebies I have read which are in the romance genre .

Kindle freebie on April 12, 2024  (currently FREE at Amazon and Barnes & Noble as of writing this post)

Overall rating 4.06 with 381 ratings and  23 reviews

Raised in the heart of the mountains by avid outdoors enthusiasts, Peyton followed in her parents’ footsteps and became an expert in the natural world. Until, at just 12 years old, an idyllic family camping trip in their favorite national park turned into a nightmare. Her parents were brutally murdered, the killer vanished into the wild, and the case went cold. Despite being haunted by the unsolved deaths of her parents, Peyton turned her trauma into determination, studying environmental science in college and becoming a respected National Parks Officer. Peyton’s unique perspective blends an intuition for the outdoors with a sharp intellect that allows her to decipher secrets hidden within the parks—set on ensuring that no other family endures the same pain that hers did. But will she find herself the next victim claimed in the park’s unforgiving wilderness?

I really enjoy books with settings in parks and also with law enforcement aspects.  The combination adds layers and interest for me.  What’s His seemed to fit for me in all those ways.  From there, it had some issues.

The start has Peyton being assigned to the Park Service task force because her FBI boss doesn’t like her. There is no information as to where she will be based. (In contrast to the blurb saying she is a respected National Parks officer)   She only works with one guy really on a full team as the case is investigated. He stays aloof because he lost a partner in the past and won’t care about anyone again.  The investigation is very disorganized and haphazard.  They never communicate with anyone else on the team.

A Senator’s daughter went on a hike and is missing. Other women have turned up dead after hiking and going missing. So the Senator shows up to yell and provide drama, but not to actually help find her.  Yellowstone is a big park but couldn’t they do a bigger search in the area where she went missing, and what about K9 searches?

The dialogue between Peyton and the partner is ridiculous.  They don’t have to be friends,  just work to save women’s lives.  I liked Peyton alright. But of course, she had to go out into a very remote area without backup. TSTL! The pacing was good.  I just needed a better style and more believable investigation.

Kindle freebie on May 14, 2024  (currently $2.99 at Amazon and Barnes & Noble as of writing this post)

Overall rating 4.03 with 438 ratings and 11 reviews

In Glacier National Park, a cunning killer uses icicles to impale victims, leaving them to freeze to death in the cold air. National Parks Officer Peyton Risk, an expert at solving homicides within the National parks, is summoned to hunt the killer down. With Peyton’s deep knowledge of the wilderness, she can track a killer as no one can. Yet this killer may just be one step ahead of her…

What’s Left seemed a bit better than the first book. Peyton seemed to follow a bit more of a procedural investigation. She still had to cajole the partner to work with her.  Their dynamic is still unbelievable.

We get Peyton’s POV and a bit of the killer.  Peyton does a good job with narrowing down the evidence and suspects; her instincts are on target.  I liked these aspects.

At the end, the partner is helping a bit more. There’s a hint of a possible romance which I find stupid in this situation.  There’s no indication if she is staying in this role or area. We just get cases as she works them.  Peyton does get a clue at the end about her parents’ deaths.

Kindle freebie on October 7, 2017  (currently $12.99 at Amazon and in Kindle Unlimited as of writing this post)

Overall rating 4.23 with 216 ratings and 55 reviews

When Park Ranger Jenny Snowfeather runs into Deputy Marshal Chase Matthews at her brother's Fourth of July barbecue, she suspects there is more going on in Eagle Valley, WA than fireworks. After Chase confides that he believes the fugitive who killed his partner may be hiding out in the area, Jenny is skeptical at first. But when her peaceful town is besieged with a sudden crime spree, she realizes Chase's theory may be true.

As the manhunt advances to the rugged backcountry of North Cascades National Park, Jenny is confronted with her past mistakes. But she soon discovers the greatest threat of all is losing her heart to Chase, who is obsessed with capturing the fugitive at all costs.

This Peril in the Park series definitely has books covering some National Parks and their beauty.  Avalanche is a Christian Romance with some emphasis on church and praying throughout the story. I’m generally not a fan of that so I just skimmed those aspects.

Jenny is a park ranger but works often with the Sheriff and other law enforcement in the small community.  She recently lost her father and is struggling with that grief.  She lives next door to her brother, Joel, who she feels is overprotective.    A friend of Joel’s from the military, Chase, comes to visit.

Chase is a US Marshall and is hunting the man who shot his partner.  He has connections to this area and to Jenny.   Chase keeps his hunt to himself until events start to pile up.  There are thefts and robberies, and then missing persons.

There wasn’t too much of an investigation, more waiting and watching until a mountain search became needed.  Jenny knows the mountain in North Cascades National Park and guided the search party. Joel and Chase both worried for her safety.   There are numerous injuries and mishaps and then confrontations with the fugitive.   Throughout this, Chase and Jenny get to know each other and care for one another.

I enjoyed the park and investigation aspects and Jenny’s dogs.  The investigation was a bit haphazard, as Chase was supposed to be on leave.  The relationship seemed rather unrealistic, but there is an HEA.  The next book features Chase’s mentee Kate and is set in the Smoky Mountains National Park.

Kindle freebie on May 17, 2024  (currently $4.99 at Amazon and in KindleUnlimited as of writing this post)

Overall rating 4.30 with 1,069 ratings and 203 reviews

A small island with big lies...Welcome to Rockfish Island. Philip Russell, a U.S. Park Ranger for a small island in the Pacific Northwest has stumbled across a dead body in the woods. Unsure if the dead woman is a local or someone from the mainland, the new female sheriff is called in to find out if the community has anything to fear. Eager to help solve the mystery, both instantly find themselves at odds with each other. Philip, defending the people he's known his whole life, and Sheriff Lane, giving no one the benefit of the doubt...not even Philip. Together the investigation progresses and both quickly realize that on this sleepy island not everyone is who they pretend to be...and possibly, one of their fellow islanders is a killer.

I enjoyed this mystery with a hometown boy Park Ranger Phil, and the brand new Sherriff, Lane.   They are wary about each other initially but work together thereafter.  Unfortunately, most of the suspects are people Phil knows.  It’s hard for him to believe people he has known most of his life are killers.  But they both agree to find and follow the evidence.

Lane is new, actually she hasn’t even moved to the island or started her position.  She has to hit the ground running.  She comes from a law enforcement family but she doesn’t know the people or places or even the wildlife here.

I mostly enjoyed Black Bear Alibi.  The characters were somewhat developed. The plot was actually well handled and kept the pacing at a good speed.  I just felt a few characters were too quirky or had cliche aspects.   The investigation was rather unbelievable.  They didn’t seem to follow best practices or have much backup or support.  Sometimes that is how a small town is but since the Sheriff hadn’t started wasn’t there anyone else involved there?

The ending was satisfying and believable.  I would read more in this series.

Definition of Freebies for the challenge:

• Kindle or other platform freebies where you purchase it for $0
• Freebies through author newsletters that anyone can sign up and get for free
• Giveaways won or gifts received

These do NOT include Audible Plus, Kindle Unlimited, Prime Free Reading,  Prime First Reads, or library books.

FYI – My Thrifty Thursday post with my reviews and the linkups and giveaway will normally post on the 3rd Thursday of the month. Sometimes though, due to blog tours, mood reading, and other personal problems, it will be moved around. There WILL be one each month on some Thursday.  You can post your reviews any Thursday though on your own site.  The linkup will be open until the next month’s post is published. You can easily find all the Thrifty Thursday posts under the Features tab on my top menu.

(Reminder – If I get more than 10 linkups in a month, I will randomly pick one to select a prize from a list I send them which may include gift cards or giveaway books I have. (Open International))

Add your review link here: 

Giveaway:

The prize will be an $30 Amazon Gift card or $30 gift certificate at of Better World Books or $30 (2 months at Audible).  Open International.  Runs January 1, 2024 to January 6, 2025.

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You can sign up for the 2024 Thrifty Thursday Challenge HERE

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Anne - Books of My Heart

Blogger at Books of My Heart

I can't really remember any time when I wasn't reading. I LOVE books and what they give me. It's an opportunity to learn new things, see new places,live different emotions in a "safe" way. It lets me live in a new world.

I read all types of books but my favorites are urban fantasy and romantic suspense.I like some romance and some action / adventure / mystery in everything.I like sex in my books but please, only between TWO people.Intimate conversation is equally important to the sex in a book.It lets me see the characters.The other thing I enjoy is humor.

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