Book Review of '26 Below' by Kimberley Woodhouse

Happy Monday Bookworms!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Mother's Day! It was Mother's Day and my birthday weekend, so I got to do a few special little things, but for the most part we kept it low key this year. Every year I dread my birthday, so I am thankful that it's over and I can focus on the end of the school year!

I am kicking off this week by reviewing a clean romantic suspense by one of my favorite authors! Keep reading for my full review and don't forget to scroll to the bottom of this post to enter an amazing giveaway from JustRead Tours!

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for 26 Below by Kimberley Woodhouse, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: 26 Below
Series: Alaskan Cyber Hunters #1
Author: Kimberley Woodhouse
Publisher: ‎ Kregel Publications
Release Date: April 4, 2023
Genre: Christian Romantic Suspense

"A THRILL RIDE . . . AS CURRENT AS TODAY'S FRONT-PAGE NEWS!" --Colleen Coble, USA Today best-selling author

A curse.
A killer.
A chill in the air.

Temps are dropping and time is running out.

In her new role as Emergency Operations Center director for Fairbanks, Alaska, Darcie Phillips prevents disasters. But none of her training can prepare her for the terror that's coming.

As a cybersecurity specialist, Jason Myers is determined to ferret out any threats to the town he now calls home--and that includes his reckless brother and his ecoterrorist friends.

When an old woman's wild prediction--widespread destruction as soon as the Fairbanks temperature falls to 26 below--hits national headlines, neither Darcie nor Jason sees a real risk to anything but tourism.

Then the bodies start dropping.

Darcie is relying on her experience and intelligence to stop a killer; Jason is relying on God to guide the way. But they'll have to work together to find the truth and prevent their Alaskan town from becoming a city of nightmares.

"An action-packed page-turner that . . . blew me away. If you like stories of intrigue, action, romance, and biblical hope, this is the story for you." --Tracie Peterson, ECPA and USA Today best-selling author

My Review

Going from historical fiction to a contemporary romantic suspense for an author is quite the jump, but Kimberley Woodhouse did a masterful job as she kicks off a new series that will keep you filled with tension and gripping your Kindle tightly. The author was able to keep the tension building as the suspense ramped up, the chapters serving as a form of a countdown with the clicking clock and the documentation of the dropping temperature.

I will admit that it took me a bit to get my bearings but as the characters began to develop, and the true understanding of the plot was fleshed out, I couldn’t put this suspenseful read down. The author did a lot of research, which is apparent on every page, but I felt like there were moments that had a clinical, procedural feel to it that could be off putting for me. The characters are easily relatable, but I found myself struggling to connect with the heroine, Darcie. There is something about her character that rubbed me the wrong way, and no matter how hard I tried I couldn’t bond with her. I did appreciate the faith aspect, and how it was not heavy handed, but quite moving and inspirational.

What’s really terrifying is the fact that cyberterrorism is a very real threat that could easily happen and should taken very seriously. I hope something like this never happens in my lifetime, but with the way our world is headed nothing is out of the realm of possibility anymore. I appreciate all of the author’s hard work to make this novel as accurate as possible not only when it comes to the cyber aspect, but the geography as well. Alaska is one of those places I’ve always wanted to visit, so reading the details made me fall even more in love with this state.

I know one thing, after reading 26 Below I am motivated more than ever to work on my emergency preparedness kit! This is a suspenseful, terrifyingly thought-provoking novel that is grounded in reality, a touch of romance, and truth.

My Rating: ★★★★

About the Author

Kimberley Woodhouse is the best-selling author of more than thirty books and novellas, including A Deep Divide, Bridge of Gold, and The Mayflower Bride, as well as the coauthor of the Heart of Alaska series with Tracie Peterson. Kimberley’s writing has earned a Carol Award, the Christian Market Novel of the Year, the Holt Medallion, and many others. A proud former resident of Alaska, she now makes her home in the Pennsylvania Poconos.

Connect with Kimberley by visiting kimberleywoodhouse.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.

Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a $50 Amazon gift card!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight May 15, 2023 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on May 22, 2023. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US Amazon accounts only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

*I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book which I received from the author/publisher through JustRead Tours. All views and opinions expressed are completely honest, and my own.