Robin Patchen’s Convenient Lies is this week’s Reader Friday book. Here’s the first line: “There were on two people Rachel Adams trusted.” This book will grab you on the first page and not let go of you until The End.
But first the photo and scripture verses. I took this photo late Wednesday afternoon. Those clouds herald some nasty weather headed our way. But I love that the sun gives them a golden hue at that moment! And the verses–I claimed the Psalm 37:4 way back in 2007 when Taylor Martin popped into my head from Shadows of the Past. That’s when I realized God had given me my suspense/murder/mysteries back after eight years! Except four years passed and nothing.
Then one day, I read verse 7. “Wait patiently for the Lord to act.” I don’t know how I missed that verse all those years. And those were the same years I used “I asked God about patience, and He gave me a book to write.” as the tag line on my emails!
Since I’m working on Book 15 and a new series, God came through BIG TIME! But it was in His timing, not mine.
Now for Convenient Lies by Robin Patchen.
From a USA Today bestselling author comes this edge-of-your-seat Christian romantic suspense novel that will keep you reading all night long.
She married her enemy…
When investigative journalist Reagan McAdams discovers her new husband is part of an international crime family, she flees Paris with their newborn and returns to her childhood home in New Hampshire to gather enough money to disappear forever. She’ll do whatever it takes to protect her son from his criminal father.
He never quit loving her.
Rae’s first love, Brady Thomas, discovers she’s home and in trouble. She won’t tell him what’s going on, but he’s a detective. He’ll figure it out. He’s going to protect her and her son, whether she wants his help or not.
Her enemy nears.
Rae would love nothing more than to fall into Brady’s arms, to allow him to protect her and her son, but getting involved with him will only put Brady on harm’s way. When Rae’s husband closes in, she has to decide what—and whom—she’ll sacrifice to save her son.
My take:
From the twist-turning plot to the heartwarming romance, you’re going to love Convenient Lies.
Like all of Robin Patchen’s books, this fast-paced suspense will keep you turning the pages to the very end–I read it in two nights. I liked Rae from the beginning when I learned she’d gone on the run from an evil man, a man she thought was her husband. But he wasn’t and that wasn’t his only deception. And running put her life in danger.
Brady was the perfect hero. He’d been Rae’s boyfriend in high school until he made a mistake, and now he would do anything to keep Rae and her baby safe, even at the risk of his own life. I wasn’t sure how the two would escape a powerful man who ran an international crime ring. But they weren’t without resources. Rae was an investigative reporter with a few tricks of her own, and Brady had courage on his side.
Both had secrets they were keeping from each other for good reason, and I loved watching the secrets come to the surface, and the two falling in love all over again. With their background, it was easy to see how they quickly reconnected. And then there was the suspense…Patchen did a great job of creating a believable story and resolution.
Convenient Lies can be read in KU or you can purchase it for $2.99 on Amazon. And once you read it, you’ll want to read the others in the series. That’s one thing I like about reading an author’s earlier books–you don’t have to wait for the next one in the series to come out!
Okay, Readers, do you have a preference for romance over suspense? Or does romance just get in the way of the suspense? 🙂
Leave your comments, and I’ll give away a Kindle copy of Convenient Lies next week! Oh, and don’t forget to leave the first line of the book you’re reading!
Convenient Lies by Robin Patchen is my Reader Friday book...From the twist-turning plot to the heartwarming romance, you're going to love Convenient Lies. Leave a comment and I'll enter you in a drawing for a Kindle copy of the book! Click To Tweet
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Comments 42
That’s a great photo, and patience is so hard to learn. God does fulfill His promises in ways so much better than we hope for.
I love Robin Patchen’s books. “Convenient Lies” was exceptional.
I like suspense with some romance mixed in. It makes me smile, and sometimes laugh.
“Today was not going to be the day they died–not if she had anything to say about it.” First line from “Life Flight” by Lynette Eason. Lynette’s books are always a delight to read.
Author
Oh, Tim! I can’t wait to read that one by Lynette. And I agree, Robin has great books, too. Thanks for stopping in on this cold morning here (17°).
We have had some lovely sunsets with the clouds mixing with the sun’s rays. I like suspense and mystery first and then a little romance mixed in is good. I enjoyed Life Flight, Tim, and have several of Robin’s books on my Kindle. I am reading a cozy mystery, A Fatal Family Feast by Lynn Cahoon. The first line:
“Spring in southwestern Idaho is fickle.”
Author
Gloria, your cozy mystery sounds good! I’ll have to add it to my sagging TBR table!
both
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Me, to, 🙂
Oh, new cover! I’ve read these series and loved it!
I love both!!!
Author
This is a great suspense story, isn’t it Natalya!
Some days the decision to sync all her devices seemed like the worst decision Jillian Parisi-Duffy has ever made. – Now That I Know You – Olivia Newport.
Love the verse, picture and Convenient Lies! I need to remember those verses!!!
Author
Oh, Betti, these have been important verses to me for a long time, especially Psalm 37:7. I so want to get ahead of God. 😉
I love suspense with a little romance thrown in.
Author
Me, too, Patricia. I’ve found it’s much easier to kill them than to get them together. lol
Love your photo! I enjoy both: suspense, & romance! Thanks for an opportunity to win!
Author
You are welcome MS Barb, and I’m glad you enjoyed to photo.
Author
You are welcome MS Barb, and I’m glad you enjoyed to photo.
Good afternoon, Pat! Sometimes your pictures tempt me to lay aside the books and go look for beautiful landscapes to photograph. Great picture! I understand how you were drawn to those verses of Scripture.
I started to say that Convenient Lies was the first book I read by Robin Patchen, however, I checked and found I read a novella by her just prior to reading this book. As far as I know, I have read every one of her books since then. I am currently nearing the end of her next release, Touch of Innocence. It releases next week. As always, it’s an enjoyable read.
I prefer books that are mostly suspense with a smattering of romance. I would not normally read a book that is strictly romance. I want some suspense and action.
Author
I’ve seen some of your photos and that would be a good idea! I don’t know if you knew I wrote once for Heartwarming, an imprint of Harlequin. I love the Heartwarming line and my editors there, and all the authors were wonderful. I still read the books, but I just didn’t enjoy writing them without the suspense and mystery. 🙂
Thanks for the compliment, Pat. I had planned to take my digital camera to our son’s house on Christmas and snap a bunch of pictures. Then I was going to upload ALL of them to Facebook. It was going to be just for the kicks. I have at least one family member and several friends who upload 50-75 pictures at a time, particularly at holidays and when they go on a trip. I forgot to take my camera. I had the phone on my camera, but didn’t want to use it. I’m glad I forgot it. I think I enjoyed our time at their house much more without the camera. I have learned that I miss out on too much of what is happening at family gatherings when I’m fiddling with a camera. I can’t recall if I knew about your Heartwarming books. I occasionally read a Love Inspired book, but those aren’t my first choice.
Author
I enjoy the LIS books, Edward. They’re great when I don’t have a lot of time and I want to read something short. And I know what you mean about getting too involved in the camera and missing out on what’s going on with the family. 😉
Pretty clouds and wonderful verse! Sometimes I pick up a romance book on purpose, usually when I’m looking for a feel-good read. Otherwise, I can do without romance in a book, but being a ghost story writer, I don’t think I’m your typical blog reader.:-) We had an ice storm come through last night. I’m snuggled at home, reading.:-) Got TWO books finished this morning, and now I’m reading a science fiction horror story called Subject A36 by Teri Polen (even that title scares me a little). The first line: “Elsa’s small feet stumbled across the gnarled tree root.”
Author
Oh, wow…that first line makes me want to read the rest, Priscilla! And I just preordered The Hay Bale. I haven’t told anyone yet, but the first book in my next series deals with the Dark Web…and the research is scary. 🙂
You DID?! Wow, THANK YOU so much!
Author
I’m looking forward to reading it!
Oh, I can’t say enough wonderful things about Convenient Lies! I don’t want to give anything away, but the way Rachel escapes in the beginning… so original!
Author
Absolutely, Terri! I try to be really careful not to give too much away when I’m writing a review, but I thought her escape was ingenious. So glad you stopped by.
Oh, that burst of sunset popped right out when I opened this site! It made me smile as, did reading one of my favorite verses..
I haven’t read any of Robin Patchen’s books, so another new author for me. Convenient Lies definitely has captured my attention. I’m always ready for another page-turner.
I prefer suspense with a hint of romance. Since, I’m in the process of deciding which new book to read, I don’t have a first line to share.
Author
So glad my photo made you smile. I love seeing the sun, whether for real or in a photo. And the bad weather did not materialize, just the cold temps. I think you’ll enjoy any and all of Robin’s books.
Patricia, I’m honored to have my book featured here, and what a perfect day to do it, considering I uploaded the new cover yesterday! Thanks for featuring Convenient Lies. It remains one of my favorite books that I’ve written. Those Nutfield characters feel like old friend. I’m sure you must feel the way about the characters you write as well. They’re so well-crafted and real.
First line of the book I’m reading now… is about 7 lines. Persuasion by Jane Austen:
“Sir Walter Elliot, of Kellynch Hall, in Somersetshire, was a man who, for his own amusement, never took up any book but the Baronetage; there he found occupation for an idle hour, and consolation in a distressed one; there his faculties were roused into admiration and respect, by contemplating the limited remnant of the earliest patents; there any unwelcome sensations, arising from domestic affairs changed naturally into pity and contempt as he turned over the almost endless creations of the last century; and there, if every other leaf were powerless, he could read his own history with an interest which never failed.”
Things have definitely changed where first lines of novels are concerned.
Robin, I was about to comment on your village of Nutfield, but you beat me to it. I love place names like that in a book. I once read a book about mis-adventures in software engineering (yes, that was my career) where the author picked a town for one of his tales named Cross Purposes, WY.
Thanks to Edward’s comment, I’ve now preordered “Touch of Innocence”.
Author
Tim, I may be picking your brain on this next series…it has to do with the Dark Web and code and software…and I loved the name of Robin’s town…and Cross Purposes has me thinking about renaming my town to something like that…
Author
So good to see you here, Robin! I did a doubletake on that first line! Me being ADHD, I lost the beginning before I got to the end. lol Wishing you the best on your new book!
Both and currently not reading a book.
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Hoping you’ll feel better soon and get to reading! Blessings.
I enjoy both.
Author
Hi, Lucy! Good to ‘see’ you here. 🙂
I love how it says Wait patiently for the Lord to act. Patience is hard sometimes! I love both types but really enjoy suspense and love rereading books also. Am at present re reading Dee Henderson’s books.
Author
Gwenyth, I think I’ve read most of Dee Henderson’s books and particularly loved the O’Malley series. Have you ever read Kristen Heitzmann’s books? Free Fall is the book that made me want to write Christian fiction. 🙂
Your pics and verses are always so timely. I like the suspense with a little romance thrown in. This book sounds very good. Thanks for opportunity to win an e version.
“Oh no!” She slammed on the brakes and skidded to a stop inches from the squad car.” From Dana Mentink’s Triuble Up Funny’s Nose
Author
I love that first line, Toni! I can see me doing that. lol And I love Dana’s books. I’m so glad you enjoy the photos and verses.
Love the scripture and photo, Pat!
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Thanks, Caryl!