Desert Intrigue by Linda Weaver Clark Book Review

By Ruth on May 17, 2012 in book, mystery, review, romance
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Summary from goodreads:

Desert Intrigue is a fascinating book and the latest in the adventures of John and Julia Evans series. As usual, John and Julia find their way into a mystery that Julia refuses to ignore. The intrigue starts when Julia’s brother begins having problems on his ranch. Several catastrophes have plagued Kelly’s ranch lately, causing business to decline, loss of cattle, and the layoff of personnel.

At first, John and Julia send their twin daughters to help Kelly after some of his employees leave out of fear. When John and Julia join them, the episodes escalate to include loss of property and endangering lives. While they are gone, plans of their oldest daughter’s wedding begin to fall apart. The rumors of The Thunder God repaying Kelly for trespassing on sacred grounds is hard to counter. The family believes there must be a logical answer.

As with all the other adventures of John and Julia Evans, the story will keep the reader on the edge of their seat and turning pages long after sleep has tapped on their eyelids. The adventures of John and Julia are interesting to male and female, young and old. I highly recommend Desert Intrigue by Linda Weaver Clark.

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the fourth book in this wonderful series, and it is the second book of the series that I have read.  Yes, I read the first in the series–“Anasazani Intrigue,” and I was quite intrigued.  I missed books 2 and 3 (I plan on reading them when I get a chance!), but I felt like I knew these characters so well that I was able to jump right in.  In fact, if you have never read any from this series, do not despair.  This book stands alone quite well.

First of all, let me say there is no sex nor profanity!  Can I hear a cheer?  Why can’t more books like this be written?  This book can be read safely by anyone, and the romance scenes are absolutely delectable!  Many times, I found myself getting “goosebumps” and cooing softly to myself on the really sweet scenes.  My only question was, “Are there men really like that?”  I would say that our author knows that men like this exist.  She is definitely writing from experience.

Secondly, I absolutely love the romance between April and Matt.  I don’t want to give away any details, but trust me.  This couple is phenomenal, and they will make you believe in the true power of young love and trust.  I found myself practically melting more than once.

Thirdly, the mystery in the book is probably the best I have seen from Linda Weaver Clark (I know, this is only my second book, but bear with me).  She gave subtle details, but even I did not have it all figured out by the end.  In fact, had the last chapter not occurred, I still would not have completely understood what happened.  Quite a clever storyline, indeed!

And finally, I cannot put into words how much I love John and Julia.  I enjoyed them in the first book, but their characters were well-established in this book.  To see a married couple who are still madly in love with each other is a rare thing, and it is even rarer to read a well-written book involving two characters like this.  It is clear that their marriage is strong due to their relationship with God (this message is emphasized on several occasions throughout the book).  It gives me hope that love is still possible after 30.

Oh, one more thing.  I love the fact that our wondrous author has done a superb job researching her topic and giving us a glimpse into her life.  This is an author who “gets it.”  She writes a well-constructed novel based on what she knows.  And she has done her homework.  If there were more authors like Linda Weaver Clark in the world, I would never have time to read a bad book, and I think publishing companies would have no need to publish controversial books. Also, her sense of humor is absolutely charming!

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.  I was not financially compensated in any way, and all opinions are 100 percent mine.

View all my reviews

Read an excerpt of the book here

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Linda Weaver Clarke travels throughout the United States, teaching a “Family Legacy Workshop” at libraries, encouraging others to write their family history and autobiography. Clarke is the author of the historical “sweet” romance series, “A Family Saga in Bear Lake, Idaho” and a mystery series, “The Adventures of John and Julia Evans.”E-mail Linda at: lwc at lindaweaverclarke.comCheck our her blog

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About the Author

RuthView all posts by Ruth
“Don’t bend; don’t water it down; don’t try to make it logical; don’t edit your own soul according to the fashion. Rather, follow your most intense obsessions mercilessly.” — Franz Kafka Ruth is an inspirational entertainment journalist who instinctively sees the best in all and seeks to share universal beauty, love and positivity. She is an artist who leads with her heart and gives readers a glimpse of the best of this world through the masterful use of the written word. Ruth was born in Tacoma, Washington but now calls Yelm, Washington her home. She lives on five acres with her parents, a dog, two miniature goats, cats and a teenage daughter who is a dynamic visual artist herself. Ruth interviews fellow artists both inside and outside of the film/television industry. At the core of all she does is the strength of her faith.

6 Comments

  1. Yvonne May 18, 2012 Reply

    I love this series, too, and this book was my favorite!

  2. Gail Pallotta May 18, 2012 Reply

    A wonderful review! Thanks for sharing. I’ve also read Desert Intrigue. It has sweet romance, mystery and family love, lots to recommend it.

  3. tomynate May 18, 2012 Reply

    Excellent review. Looking forward to reading it.

    Blessings,

    Tom Blubaugh, Author
    Night of the Cossack
    http://tomblubaugh.com

  4. Cheryl May 18, 2012 Reply

    Linda is definitely talented. I haven’t read this series yet, but it’s on my Kindle for the summer. I, too, wish more books showed love in a meaningful way. I don’t mind conflict, but there are times I wonder if there’s too much of that and not enough celebrating the good stuff.

    Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this book. Now, I’m even more eager to read it.

  5. Sherrill May 18, 2012 Reply

    I love all the books by this talented author!

  6. Suko May 18, 2012 Reply

    What a wonderful review! This is my favorite book in the mystery series.

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