Note from NICUnurse: Anna Bishop Barker and I have run in the same FB circles for a while, and I’d been watching her journey as an author for a while too. I had been meaning to read her books (she’s now published four of them) for quite some time, but my TBR pile is daunting, to say the least. So, when I won a copy of the first two Faithful series books in a giveaway, I knew it was time to jump in. Besides, book three was due to come out soon, and you guys know I’m a series junkie, especially a romantic suspense series! In a nutshell, I’m impressed with this author’s talent. Her first book was a solid start, and I’ve already seen growth in her writing from book to book. I’m going to review each book then summarize my thoughts on the series to date.

Journey to Faithful

WHAT DOESN’T KILL YOU…

“I don’t have anything to give a good woman, Laura.”
Jake Beckett is a man frozen in the loss and grief of the past – a man who accepts that the existence that he has is the penance that he must pay.
“My faith died a long time ago, Jake.”

Laura Howard is a woman also mired in the past – a woman who has battled the monsters, but who fears that she may have lost the war.
Two strangers struggling to fight their way out of invisible chains, they must travel together toward safety, freedom, and peace.
Faithful, Tennessee is the destination. For both of them, maybe, finally, a home, a sanctuary, a place where they each can find peace.
And in each other, maybe they can find passion, laughter, acceptance.
Love.
But the past always follows and evil can find the best-concealed path.
And sometimes, the only way out is through.

NICUnurse’s Review of Journey to Faithful

For a first book, and a romantic suspense, this book was a solid start to launch her writing career. There was angst, suspense, and sexy times. Now, I will say that I was hoping for a bit more of the story as opposed to so many sexy scenes, but that’s a personal preference, and I don’t take propellers away for that. The author did a good job introducing us to the setting and to the characters that will carry through the series. Side note: just because this is a series doesn’t mean you can’t read any or all of them as standalone titles. But again, series junkie here, and I always believe you get the best reading experience when you read all of the books in the correct order. Yes, that’s truly just my own two cents about series books. OK. Back to the book. I fell in love with the little southern town of Faithful in this story. And there were just enough bread crumbs and very good character development that I began falling in love with the townsfolk of Faithful as it progressed. As first books go, had I not known this was Ms. Barker’s first published book going in, I wouldn’t have guessed that it was.

I give Journey to Faithful a solid 4 out of 5 propellers!

Purchase Journey to Faithful HERE or read for FREE in #KindleUnlimited

Home to Faithful

HOME WAS WHERE THEIR HEARTS WERE…

Decorated Marine and former FBI agent Sam Beckett is going home.
Home to the place he couldn’t wait to leave.
Home to the town that nowhere else in the world could replace.
Home to the people that matter.
Home to the girl that he could never forget and to the battle he would face to win back the woman that she had become.
And home to a predator who waits to take the things that Sam cherishes.

Delilah Prescott had a perfect house.
She had spent a lot of time and effort and blood and tears to make it that way.
If she lived and ate and slept alone in that house, well, loneliness didn’t give you scars.
At least not like the ones that fists gave you.
And if she didn’t remember how to laugh or love, again, this was the price she was willing to pay.
But Sam was back.
And suddenly that price seemed too high, and her perfect little house seemed like a perfect little prison.

And while Sam and Delilah tear each other’s bodies up with passion while trying to fix each other’s hearts, the predator is watching.
Waiting.
Planning.

Sometimes the fairy tales are true. The woods aren’t always safe.

NICUnurse’s Review of Home to Faithful

Obviously, I was intrigued by Sam from book one and where we’d see him end up regarding his career. And Delilah, as well. I’m a sucker for second-chance romances, so I dove in to see where this couple would end up. While he might be a bit clueless at times when it came to Delilah, and was definitely selfish as a young man (but aren’t we all?), Sam definitely turned out to be one of the great ones that you can’t help but go back to. I was rooting for him to man up and get his girl from the get-go. But Delilah’s past quite simply broke my heart. And the town itself was still trying to heal right along with these two characters. This book really pulled out all of the emotions. The amount of growth I saw in this author’s writing compared to book one was impressive. While I was able to put down book one at times, this one was harder to walk away from when I needed to adult (or sleep!). 

I give Home to Faithful a solid 4.5 out of 5 propellers!

Purchase Home to Faithful HERE or read for FREE in #KindleUnlimited

Faithful Peace

TAKING BACK HER LIFE WAS THE EASY PART. LEARNING TO LIVE WITH THE SCARS WAS NOT.

When she was twelve years old, they took her childhood and made her a wife.

Chattel.

Property.

When she was thirty-four, she crawled to her freedom. In Faithful, Tennessee she found refuge, safety, and family.

Esther Howard spent the next two years clawing and scratching through her nightmares to take her life back.

For those two years, he was there – a quiet, solid presence that never failed her—even when she pushed him away.

HE MADE HIS UNEASY PEACE WITH WHAT HE HAD.

John Valentine’s life had been little bits of heaven and huge chunks of hell. Now he focused on his sons and the land and tried hard to curb the need to be more to a woman who did not want more of him.

Until the day he discovered that she did.

THE LEADER WOULD RECLAIM WHAT BELONGED TO HIM.

Eli Babylon had led the Brotherhood of The Father. He was the rightful Leader, and The Wife was his. He had earned her, and he would have her.

The reckoning was coming.

NICUnurse’s Review of Faithful Peace

I am SO glad I didn’t have to wait long after reading book two for this one to publish! Esther has been intriguing me since the beginning of book one, and I was very curious to see how her story would play out. And John was quite simply the perfect man for her. I watched Esther struggle to move beyond her past and figure out who she is throughout the series so far. So, I was happy to see Ms. Barker give this heroine a backbone of steel. I wanted Esther to turn into a badass so badly that when she finally took matters into her own hands (a couple of times), I wanted to stand up, cheer, and high-five her! Not that she didn’t need a strong man, but because she recognized that even though she could stand on her own, her life was much better with someone who could love and support her despite her past. Thankfully, John was able to balance his need to protect her well with his need for her…and his desire to see Esther as a woman, not just a survivor. I love strong heroines, and Esther is definitely one of the strongest. 

I give Faithful Peace 5 out of 5 propellers!

Purchase Faithful Peace HERE or read for FREE in #KindleUnlimited

NICUnurse’s Review of the Faithful series by Anna Bishop Barker

NICUnurse’s Rating: As I was reading the last two books, it finally dawned on me whose writing Ms. Barker’s reminded me of. She does a wonderful job with the descriptive writing. Normally, I prefer books heavier on dialogue because keeping this reader engaged with descriptive writing isn’t something that’s easy to do. However, I’m a long-time fan of Nora Roberts because she does just that and has for a very long time. And this author’s writing reminds me a lot of that style of storytelling that has made Nora Roberts a leader in romantic suspense writing. I saw a lot of growth in Ms. Barker’s writing from book one to book three. The suspense was woven a bit better by Faithful Peace, as well. All in all, I really, really enjoyed my time spent in these books, with these characters, and in this town. I highly recommend all three books! And now we wait for Kyle’s story. Probably not so patiently!

All in all, I give the Faithful series by Anna Bishop Barker 4.5 out of 5 propellers!

About the Author

I was born in Kentucky and raised in Florida, so I am a southerner through and through. Since I was old enough to pick up a book, I have been a voracious reader. I wrote the usual poetry and short stories in high school, and I kept the dream of writing in the back of my heart until opportunity and encouragement helped me to realize that dream.
I live in Tampa with my kids, grandkids, dogs, various other livestock, and way more books than is strictly healthy.
Hot Romance.
Suspense.
Humor & heart.
Grown-up stories for grown-up people. This is what I write. There’s also food, music, dogs, the occasional geek reference, and quite possibly an inappropriate joke. There will likely be dead bodies as well.
Three random facts about me:
1. I was bitten by a shark when I was 14.
2. I have read War and Peace. (When I get to the afterlife, I am demanding that week of my life back. Sorry, Tolstoy.)
3. It is my sincere belief that any situation can be improved by eating some cheese.
My life philosophy is guard your inner peace and read dirty kissing books.