Take My Hand by Kristen Hogrefe Parnell is this week’s Reader Friday. Here’s the first line: If anyone needed a vacation, she did.”
But first the verse and photo. This is one of my favorite late-afternoon photos. I love the steeple and the contrails and the beautiful golden hue to everything. And that is also one of my favorite verses…of course, I have many favorite verses.
Now on to Take My Hand by Kirsten Hogrefe Parnell. Here’s the back copy and the cover:
Don’t find us. We’ll find you.
Trauma therapist Kaley Colbert needs a vacation from her job, and a ski trip with her church singles’ group seems like the perfect way to unplug. But while in the mountains, she learns that her last client was murdered hours after their meeting, and she wonders if the notes she’s receiving from a possible stalker hold a more sinister warning.
On the trip, ex-boyfriend and entrepreneur Reef Mitchell wants to give their relationship another chance, but Kaley questions if his past and priorities could ever mesh with her life. When her client’s underworld connections catch up with her, she has no choice but to trust Reef to help her stay alive, solve her client’s mystery, and bring the killers to justice.
My Take:
This is the first book by Kristen Hogrefe Parnell that I’ve read, but it won’t be the last! Take My Hand is a real page-turner. The suspense kept me reading until past midnight, and I would’ve kept reading except I had a doctor’s appointment at 8 the next morning.
Kaley and Reef were great characters and I was rooting for them to get together. I’m not going to tell you how that turns out, but both Reef and Liam (another character that I hope to see Parnell include in a book) are worthy heroes. And Kaley was spunky. The side-characters all added to the story and I think we’ll see them turn up in other stories.
The suspense was great with twists I didn’t see coming. And the setting added a lot to the story, especially the race at the end. It’s a story that romantic suspense readers will enjoy.
Leave a comment, letting me know if you’ve read a book by Kristen Hogrefe Parnell, and/or the first line of the book you’re reading and I’ll enter you in a drawing for a book from my library!
Take My Hand by Kristen Hogrefe Parnell is this week's Reader Friday. Check out my review. Click To TweetI can’t go without letting you know that Fatal Witness was on the ECPA Bestseller list this week!! (Evangelical Christian Publishers Association)
Comments 37
Fatal Witness deserves the awards, it was awesome. I have not read any of Kristen Bothers Parnell’s books yet.
Author
Thank you Phyllis! Sorry I’m so late answering comments, but I hit the ground running today at the conference. 🙂
I love that sky in your photo, Pat. The verse is clear where the beauty comes from. God is an amazing artist. If there’s any doubt, just look at the beautiful images of galaxies and nebulae taken from the large telescopes like the James Webb Space Telescope. Amazing!
Congratulations for the awards that “Fatal Witness” is getting! I’ve heard high praise from some friends for whom this is the first book of yours they’ve read. I saw one friend last Sunday carrying one of your earlier books, too.
I’m currently reading “Knox” by Susan May Warren. The opening line is “Oh goody, now Knox got to watch is trouble-making brother break his ornery neck.” This is the first book of her Montana Marshalls series. I’ve finally gotten around to reading this series. I’m never disappointed with her books.
Author
I must get that series, Tim. Actually, I have it, but simply haven’t had time to read it. :-/ I love that photo, too. And thanks for promoting my books! I think word-of-mouth is the best marketing thing out there!
I forgot to say I will add “Take My Hand” to my TBR list. Pat, you are my best super author finder.
Author
Thank you, Tim!
Amen to Tim’s comment regarding you being the best super author finder! In fact, I am now reading Grace Immeasurable, by Gina Holder (I think that’s the correct name and one that you recommended.) I forgot to bring my book to the conference, so can’t put down the first line.
However, know I will go home with a lot more books to put in my new bookcase. lol.
What a beautiful, sunny and delightful photo for this rainy morning. Safe travels. Praying for your safety in this rainy weather.
Take my Hand sounds like a great new read for the future. Kristen Hogrefe Parnell, is a new to me author!
Author
Thanks, Barbara! It was so good to see you today at the conference!!
Haven’t read any of her books yet, but I plan on looking for some to read.
Author
Yay, Pam! I think you’ll really enjoy her writing…I hope she has another one in the pipeline. 🙂
Congratulations on Fatal Witness making the Bestseller list. It deserves it. This is a new to me author and this sounds like a great story. I am reading a new Irene Hannon book.
Good grief.
What on earth had Kay gotten herself into?
Sandcastle Inn by Irene Hannon
Author
Thanks, Gloria! And Irene is a great writer–you can’t go wrong with her books!
Take My Hand sounds exciting. Congratulations on earning an ECPA best-seller spot! Fatal Witness is a great story.
Author
Thanks, Priscilla. It is so exciting and quite day lifter.
Congratulations on winning Fatal Witness award! Take My Hand sounds like a great read, I will have to add it to my TBR Thank you for sharing about it.
Author
Thank you, Alicia! And I think you’ll enjoy Take My Hand!
Awesome photo so beautiful and peaceful and a very fitting verse!
Congrats on Fatal Witness making the ECPA best seller list! Having read and enjoyed this book I can see why.
Kirsten Parnell is new to me and Take My Hand sounds very interesting. I just downloaded this book on KU.
Author
Hi Miss Mary. Thank you…I’m really excited about the book doing that. 🙂 I should have mentioned in my post that you can catch Kristen at The Suspense Sisters blog: https://suspensesisters.blogspot.com/
Congrats on best seller list! I have not read anything by Kristen but this sounds good. First line of current audio read: Ned hated walking into the country naked. Ned by Susan May Warren
Author
I must read that one, too, Sally Jo! I think you’ll really enjoy Kristen’s book!
The verse reminds me of the song “My Redeemer Lives”. (You tell the ocean you can go only so far).
Fatal Witness was amazing, congratulations! I’m currently reading Every Single Secret.
Author
Thanks, Gail! I credit my amazing street team with helping it reach the list!
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed Take My Hand!! And massive congrats on Fatal Witness being on the ECPA Bestseller list this week! My current read is Jodie Bailey’s Fatal Identity, and the first line is, “She would not cry. Not today.”
Author
I think I have Jodie’s book on my Kindle. If not, I will…thanks for stopping by Kristen. I hope you are working on a sequel to Take My Hand!
I haven’t read any of her books yet.
Author
I think you would enjoy them, Patricia.
Sounds good. Love the beautiful photo and perfect verse.
Author
Thanks, Lucy! Take My Hand is good!
I haven’t read a book by her but sounds interesting
I have read one by her had forgotten that she wrote Hold your breath
Author
I don’t have that one, Shelia…will have to remedy that.
Author
It is, Shelia!
It sounds like a really interesting book. Thank you for sharing. Congratulations on your book Fatal Witness.
Author
Thanks, Diana! And I think you’d enjoy Take My Hand!
I love the picture and verse. They go together so well. It makes you wonder if the psalmist was viewing a sunset across the Judean hills when he wrote that psalm.
I have only read a few pages of Hold Your Breath by Kristen Hogrefe Parnell. I have proofread a number of books for the publisher, Mountain Brook Ink. Take My Hand was sent to someone else to proofread, so I missed it. When Hold Your Breath was ready for proofreading, I received a copy from someone and then got another email saying it was sent to me by mistake. I recently received a copy of the final book, but haven’t had time to read it because of so many other irons in the fire. I hope to read both of these at some point. I am currently reading an ARC of Every Bird That Falls by Sara Davison. There are two previous books in the series that need to be read first. I’m not at liberty to share the first line at this time since the book hasn’t been released. However, I can assure you that the entire series is worth reading.
Author
Thanks, Edward. I will have to find my photo of a sunset across the Judaean hills and post it. And I love Sara Davison’s books. I will look the series up!
How beautiful your photo is, and Psalm 74;16 is one of my favorites too. It goes along with your other photo and verse of God naming all the stars. I also like the ESV and have a version on my IPad.
I was not familiar with Kristen Parnell’s books but I downloaded Take My Hand from KU so I now have it in my library. You’re so right Patricia, about word of mouth being the best advertisement and I trust your judgment! I have discovered a lot of great books from your reviews and fellow readers .
A big Congratulations on Fatal Witness making the ECPA Bestseller list!! I’m so proud for you, that’s totally awesome!