Monday, August 08, 2016

Bookish Thoughts: When I Found You by Kate James


Every Tuesday Diane from Bibliophile By the Sea First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros, where participants share the first paragraph (or a few) of a book they are reading or thinking about reading soon. It is also where I share my first impressions about the book I am sharing.

"The pilot's bringing the plane back?" Ariana Atkins, chief of security and asset protective for the San Diego International Airport, swiveled away from her desk and stared at her senior manager.

Every Tuesday, Jenn from Books And A Beat hosts Teaser Tuesdays at which time participants grab their current read, open to a random page, and share two (2) "teaser" sentences from that page while avoiding any spoilers.



Teaser from 24% of When I Found You:
"A bomb detonated." 
She'd presumed as much, but hearing it confirmed caused a cold dread to slither up her spine. "Is anyone injured?" 

When I Found You by Kate James
Harlequin Heartwarming, 2016
Romance; 365 pgs

Admittedly, my favorite romances tend to either have a paranormal or mystery element, and this one has a definite mystery thread running through it. Ariana Atkins is more than capable at her job as chief of security at San Diego International Airport. She has worked hard to gain the trust of those under here as well as to improve and update the security in the airport. All of that comes into question, however, when a series of security breaches occur at the airport, including the discovery of bombs. San Diego Police Department's Captain Logan O'Connor and his police K-9 Boomer are assigned to help uncover the latest threats at the airport. Logan isn't sure he can completely trust Ariana the more evidence he and the authorities uncover, but he can't deny his growing attraction to her.

When I Found You is both a sweet romance, with the relationship between the heroine and hero building slowly as the novel progresses, and also a suspenseful mystery with high stakes. I figured out pretty quickly who was behind what, but it did not hurt my enjoyment of this novel. I was frustrated on behalf of Ariana when it came to the lack of support she received from her boss and the board. Ariana is more than competent at her job, having worked her way up over the years. She prides herself on being calm under pressure and is clearly an intelligent woman. Logan recognizes that in Ariana and respects that about her. He is also very capable and skilled in his job. I thought the  two were well matched, even with Ariana's fear of dogs and Logan's fear of commitment. Boomer, of course, was my favorite character in the novel. Well, he and Sabrina, Ariana's cat. Because animals! Overall, Kate James' novel was a fun summer read, light with quite a few tense moments. Perfect for the poolside or maybe by the campfire.


To learn more about Kate James and her work, please visit the author's websiteShe can also be found on GoodreadsFacebook and Twitter.


I hope you will check out what others had to say about When I Found You on the TLC Book Tours route!


Many thanks to the TLC Book Tours for the opportunity to be a part of this book tour.  Review copy provided by publisher for an honest review.




© 2016, Wendy Runyon of Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

62 comments:

  1. This sounds like a lovely romance - one I'd love to read. I hope you enjoy it.

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    1. Margot - I thought it was a good one! I hope you'll give it a try. :-)

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    2. Thank you, Margot! If you get a chance to read it, I hope you enjoy it and I would love to hear from you.

      Kate

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  2. Like you I prefer any romance type books to have another element to them, this one with a mystery running through it sounds as though it meets that requirement although I'd need to read a little bit further to be sure. Thanks for sharing

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    1. Cleo - I'm glad I am not alone! There's just something about adding an extra element of suspense and danger in that draws me in more.

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    2. I agree with both you, Cleo, and Wendy. I hope readers find my books both emotionally and intellectually satisfying.

      I hope you find the time to read WHEN I FOUND YOU!

      Happy reading!

      Kate

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  3. Thank you for hosting me on your blog, Wendy, and I am glad you enjoyed WHEN I FOUND YOU. I had a feeling you might like Sabrina, the cat! :-)

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    1. Kate - I have a feeling Boomer and Sabrina will become good friends in time. :-) Thank you for dropping by and commenting.

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    2. Oh, I've been asked to write a fourth book in the K-9 "series" by my publisher, and I can assure you that Boomer and Sabrina have bonded happily! :-)

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  4. I'm funny about not reading books featuring plane crashes or any sort of aviation emergency... even though this sounds sweet, I'd have to skip it.

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    1. JoAnn - No plane crashes or any real aviation emergencies in this one fortunately. It's pretty tame in terms of the crimes in the airport. I think you'd be safe reading this own.

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    2. Thank you for clarifying the plot to address JoAnn's concern. JoAnn. There is so much tragedy in the world these days, I try to ensure that my books--while touching on current-day events--are not tragic.

      If you do take a chance on reading WHEN I FOUND YOU, I would love to know your reaction. Thank you for sharing your concern.

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  5. Got this one on my summer reading list. The mystery sounds good and I'm always in for books that have critters:)

    My TT from Friend Of The Devil

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    1. Laura - I hope you enjoy it when you read it! I like books that feature animals too. :-)

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    2. Thank you for your interest, Laura. I have yet to write a book that doesn't feature a furry, four-legged character! I absolutely loved doing the research for my K-9 books and spending time with York Regional Police officers and dogs.

      I hope you enjoy WHEN I FOUND YOU. Please let me know how you liked it, once you've had a chance to read it!

      Best wishes.

      Kate

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  6. I agree about romance and another element, but sometimes straight up romance can win me over. It's all about the writing.
    sherry @ fundinmental My TT

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    1. Sherry - Same here. Sometimes straight up romance wins me over too. Good characters and good writing make all the difference.

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    2. When I read for pleasure (which I do as much as I can!), I agree it's about the writing. If you get a chance to read WHEN I FOUND YOU, Sherry, I hope you enjoy it!

      Happy reading!

      Kate

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  7. I don't read a lot of romance, but this one sounds like one I could get into.

    My teaser this week is from the point of view of a man with autism: https://wp.me/p3Nz8P-Jw

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    1. P.D. - It's being marketed as a romance, but I think there is a good balance of romance and mystery in this one.

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    2. Thanks for your interest, PD! I hope you do get a chance to read it.

      I'm glad you found the balance good, Wendy. Thank you for your comment!

      Kate

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  8. Ahhh this looks like it's right up my alley! I love reading contemporary romances with some element of mystery. I have a feeling I'll love the animals in this as well! The teasers also look quite interesting.

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    1. Nina - I have a soft spot in my heart for animals in books. :-) If you do read this one, I hope you like it!

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    2. Aww...thank you, Nina! I do hope you have a chance to read WHEN I FOUND YOU. If you do, please let me know how you enjoyed it!

      Best wishes!

      Kate

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  9. Whilst those teasers don't appeal to me at all, I'm a bit more convinced by your review.

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    1. Tracy - I did seem to focus more on the mystery aspect than the romance. :-)

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    2. Thank you for the feedback, Tracy. If you do read WHEN I FOUND YOU, I would welcome knowing your reaction.

      Happy reading!

      Kate

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  10. I like the romantic suspense genre too. Glad you enjoyed this one.

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    1. Catherine - There were some pretty intense moments in this one. I am glad I enjoyed it too!

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    2. I am happiest of all that you enjoyed it, Wendy! :-D

      I'm glad it hit the right balance for you.

      Thank you for the comment, Catherine, and I hope you get a chance to read WHEN I FOUND YOU!

      Kate

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  11. This sounds good. I don't think I've read anything from this Harlequin line. My teaser comes from Thrill Kill by Brian Thiem. Happy reading!

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    1. Kathy - This is my second from the Heartwarming Harlequin line. The romance in them is pretty innocent, which I tend to prefer. Although sometimes steamy can be good too. :-)

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    2. Thank you, Kathy. Our editors challenge us to ensure the books in the Heartwarming line have emotional depth and substance. If you try it, I hope you enjoy it!

      Thank you for stopping by.

      Kate

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    3. Kate - "Emotional depth"! I've been trying to think of what it was about these types of romances I like so much, and it's that exactly. Thank you.

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  12. This looks fun! I'm curious about the mystery and like you I love a good mystery mixed into the romance. I haven't read one of these Harlequin titles in a long time and this looks like a fun one to start with. Plus I want to know if anyone is injured!

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    1. Katherine - I'm finding these are fun books. I admit it was the mystery that I liked most about this one, but I also thought Ariana and Logan made a great couple.

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    2. Thank you for your comments, Katherine. I love for you to read the book and let me know what you think. I can assure you the furry, four-legged characters come out of it with a happy ending! :-)

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  13. I don't usually read romance, but if there is a suspenseful mystery involved, I'm game!

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    1. Jenclair - I was surprised the mystery aspect was so strong in the novel, given it's billed a romance. That was a nice surprise.

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    2. As I noted above, I strive to write books that leave readers both emotionally and intellectually satisfied. I appreciate the comments about the suspense aspect!

      Happy reading!

      Kate

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  14. I do love a good romantic suspense novel, and this one seems to bring both aspects to us. Thanks for sharing and enjoy. Here's mine: “THE COUPLE NEXT DOOR”

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    1. Laurel-Rain - It really does. This was a good one!

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    2. I hope you get a chance to read WHEN I FOUND YOU, Laurel-Rain. If you so, I would love to hear from you. Also, thank you for sharing the link to the post about THE COUPLE NEXT DOOR.

      Best wishes.

      Kate

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  15. I'm not a huge fan to straight romances, but this one sounds really interesting - thank you for sharing and swinging by my site earlier:)

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    1. Sarah - I enjoy both, but definitely favor cross-genre romances.

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    2. I am glad WHEN I FOUND YOU sounds interesting to you, Sarah. I hope you get a chance to read it.

      Thank you for the comment.

      Kate

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  16. Isn't it silly that the cover puts me off? Hope you enjoy it. Here's Mine

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    1. Paulita - I've passed on books because of their covers too--although sometimes I find what's inside makes up for it. :-)

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    2. I appreciate the feedback on the cover, Paulita.

      I have to admit that it does not reflect what I pictured the characters to look like (including the dog, Boomer) or how they'd dress. The male cover model especially does not look like Logan. Do you agree, Wendy? Thank you for sharing your link.

      Kate

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    3. I agree, Kate. The characters on the cover don't really match the image of them I have in my mind, especially Logan. The cover seems more like an epilogue to me, if that makes sense.

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  17. I do like a romance with mystery! Good teaser!

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    1. Iliana - They can be such fun. I look forward to reading more by Kate James.

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    2. Thank you, Illiana, and thank you very much, Wendy! :-D

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  18. Not sure this is for me Wendy although the teaser makes me curious.

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    1. If you do decide to give it a try, Diane, I would love to hear from you to know what you thought of it.

      What genres do you enjoy?

      Kate

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  19. This sounds like a lovely read! I do love romance with a mystery/suspense theme. I'm currently reading a contemporary romance about a pair of long time friends becoming couple. Although there's not much mystery in there, I'm enjoying it because of the emotional intense. :)

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    1. Melody - That sounds good, Melody. I enjoy the friends to couple story line! I hope you do get a chance to read When I Found You. I think you might like it. :-)

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  20. I'm glad WHEN I FOUND YOU sounds good to you, Melody. If you do read it, I would love to hear from you to know how you enjoyed it. My editor and readers have often said I write strong emotion, and I hope you'd think so, too.

    Happy reading!

    Kate

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  21. Haha, I guess my taste is similar but different. I'm not a big fan of romance, in general. However, I do enjoy a well-done romantic subplot, especially in my mystery stories. It's nice to have something sweet to cheer for amidst all the murder and betrayal.

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    1. Mia - It's only been in recent years that I have started reading more romance-focused novels. I'm likely to always favor a strong mystery element even then. It all depends on my mood and what is going on in my life. I definitely agree, it's nice to have something sweet to root for within the darker elements. And I think that's why I've returned to reading romance after all these years. Too much dark in the world.

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  22. This one does sound like a nice summer read. Those Harlequin covers though, yikes...lol. They turn me off.
    Glad you enjoyed When I Found You :)

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    1. Naida - The covers could be better, I agree. At least the stories are good! I especially liked this one. :-)

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