Well written with a good pace and interesting characters. It was hard to put down. A really enjoyable read.

One of my favorite books of 2022. Great plot, interesting characters, well written. Did not want to put it down. And plan to revisit in the future.

NetGalley ARC Educator 550974


Hello Mrs and Mrs Smith, add in a sassy granny, Ms. Mary, along with suspense and romance. Ms. Sparks does an amazing job with scene setting and keeping the reader engaged. You won't regret this read.

This is the first book I've read by Nance Sparks and it was an absolute treat! It's an interesting premise that I hadn't read before. Alex is a US Marshal whose life is full of more secrets than most. Elina Hawkins is guarded in her own ways. They meet again when both their lives are up in the air, danger is just around most corners, and lives may hang in the balance.

This book was the perfect balance of action and emotion. The pacing was phenomenal and kept me on the edge of my seat the whole way through. I didn't want to put it down, and honestly the only disappointment I was left with at the end was that I didn't want it to end! The characters were well developed. The plot felt rich, full, and well thought out, and the ending was very satisfying.

Honestly I wouldn't mind getting the opportunity to revisit these characters again and I look forward to reading more of Nance Sparks books!

4.5 stars
Wow, what an exciting action thriller. The beginning is interesting and then the action begins and never stops till the end. It will keep you breathless. All the characters are very interesting especially Elina. I was so happy that this author made an incredibly clever protagonist. This is a trained, clever, smart lady. I loved reading all the clever things she did. And how she and her trained dogs worked together. All of the characters back stories were interesting and intertwined. The native American references and use of their language was so clever.. sorry I keep saying..clever...interesting...exciting...but thats exactly what this story is. And to top it off there is a very warm romance.

I was given this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Taking place in the beautiful state of Montana and has excitements and twists that kept me turning the page. Secrets are a very strong issue through all of this, starting with the very ranch both women love that acts as a base for those needing protection before acting as witnesses for criminal trials. Secrets are also a huge issue for the relationship between Alex and Elina who have to navigate their own secrets and pasts and determining how they feel when they learn about the other’s. The romance itself is sweet, starting from a childhood crush to a steady love that any one could ask for.

Overall I loved the mystery, the characters (Grandma Mary is a hoot and I want to be like her when I grow up and I want my own Scout and Hunter), and how everything collided in a way that wasn’t forced, but felt natural and was wrapped up beautifully. Great job.

My first Nance Sparks ever and I'm a huge fan!
I usually stay in my 100% romance territory but have tried some more of the Michelle Larkin/Cari Hunter style and Sparks absolutely plays in those big leagues!
Alex and Elina are such great characters and the whole storyline gave me "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" vibes expect they were on the same side from the beginning, loved it so much.
Mary was a gem and I was so happy to get to know more about Native American culture and language.
The plot was super engaging and I'm a sucker for all female badass agents, the MC's romance was 100% great, even if Elina's one past experience was a hard pill to swallow.
There's a lot of tactical talk and it sometimes was a little hard to follow the dialogues but overall great read!

ARC received in exchange for honest review.

This was a fun. snf action-packed quick read. I loved the descriptions of rural Montana and the light sprinkling of Native culture. It sometimes was confusing as to who was speaking, but not enough to take away from the story. I have not read anything from Nancy Sparks and would not hesitate to read another of her books based on this title. Thanks for letting me enjoy.

f/f thriller with a pinch of native American (4.5 stars)
I loved the lighthearted Alaskan Wedding so I picked up Secret Sanctuary to see what Sparks would come up with. I was delighted (other than losing sleep) to find a fine thriller with great main characters and an intertwined f/f romance.
The pacing and story development was excellent. I especially loved the addition of native American elements (language, shamanic experiences) and the inclusion of well-trained service dogs. The background stories were interesting and likely and the setting in Montana great: Sparks again excelled in vivid descriptions. And kudos to grandma Mary for sassiness and kudos to the US Marshalls for their service.

The secret sanctuary will be a perfect read for you if you enjoy thriller, action, mystery and a bit of romance chucked in. Romance moves a bit fast in this story for me, as I like a slow burn. But the action is full-on and keeps you gripped by the storyline.

This is my second book by nance sparks, and I'm looking forward to any future realises.

I've given The secret sanctuary a 3.8 out of 5.

Secret Sanctuary by Nance Sparks is quite a thrilling novel. This is the third book I’ve read by this author, and with each one, I’ve become more and more a fan of her writing. This one is an awesome addition to her catalogue.

The story introduces us to two women, Alexandria Trenton and Elina Hawkins, both of whom have secrets they have to hide, not only from each other, but the world as well. Alex entered the Witness Protection Program as a child. As an adult she became a U.S. Marshal working secretly to help others like herself transition into the program. Elina started out working in Search and Rescue with her dogs and horses, but transferred into more dangerous and secretive work with the government. The two meet again on the ranch where they both grew up and desire sparks between the two. Danger soon finds them, though, and they both must work together to keep themselves and those they love safe and alive.

Not only is this book filled with intrigue, action, and danger, the author has woven a truly lovely romance into the tale. The characters, especially Alex and Elina work their way into your heart immediately. The secondary characters are equally well-developed. The setting is wild and beautiful, the ideal place for a story filled with action, danger, thrills, and mystery. The description of the setting, especially the ranch itself, makes me want to move there. Alex and Elina’s love story is quite heartwarming.

I am very impressed with this novel and recommend it to all who enjoy stories with danger, intrigue and romance.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.

Unfortunately this book couldn’t hold my attention, but I think that might be because I’m not its intended audience. I still feel relatively new to romance and I think this is simply a kind of romance novel that isn’t what I like, but it can be something others will enjoy

I don't know if this is fair or not. the story for me did not click. something was off, the writing was ok but I was not eager to finish the book or read it, it took me a while to finish it, seemed like the idea was good but the outcome was somehow different.

This was a well written suspense/romance with an amazing plot. I enjoyed the relationship between the main and secondary characters and thought they had great depth. Humter and Scout were pretty amazing, I loved those dogs, Overall, a great read, I recommend grabbing a copy you won't be disappointed.
5 stars.


Thank you NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is a very clever and well written book. If you’re not really who you say you are or how you present and you meet someone who isn’t really who they say they are, how many people are in the relationship? Alex is a US Marshall who is falling for her friend/neighbour’s granddaughter. But Alex isn’t a straightforward person. She needs to keep secrets. And Elina is falling for Alex but she has secrets too. Elina isn’t sure that Alex could love the person she really is…

There are some beautiful scenes in this well plotted novel. And the ancillary characters add great depth. I enjoyed the Native American slant and I enjoyed the interaction with the humans and the animals. Parts of the story produce genuine jeopardy and the ending is fraught with danger and angst. It certainly satisfies after the rollercoaster we’ve been on.

I will be looking out for other books by this author as she knows how to pace an exciting plot and keep us turning pages.

I was given a copy of this book by Netgalley

Secret Sanctuary is a great blend of romance and suspense. Alex has secrets and one of them is a long standing crush on Elina, the granddaughter of her employer on a ranch in Montana. When Elina comes to visit they find themselves caught up in a criminal plot and they need to trust each other to get out of their conundrum.
This was the second book I've read by Nance Sparks and I enjoyed it as much as I did the first. I really liked the criminal subplot here and it kept me turning the pages as fast as I could. I liked that Alex and Elina have so much in common that they only start to figure out as they are thrown together to take down the enemy. Mary and Candice make great supporting characters as well and I love any novel that throws in dogs, and Hunter and Scout were very entertaining. Only gripe is that the end felt sort of abrupt and I would have liked a bit more there. Great book too pick up if you're looking for more than just a romantic plot.

Alexandria “Alex” Trenton, US Marshal, has lived most of her life at the Hawkins Bison Ranch, aka the Secret Sanctuary. She arrived at the ranch when she was twelve and it is her home. The Sanctuary is for those persons who have been placed in WITSEC and held until they testify. The security is extreme and has never been breached, but is there a plan to eliminate the ranch from service? Elina Hawkins, the granddaughter of long-time US Marshal Ambrose “Hawk” Hawkins and his wife Mary soon arrives at the ranch. Hawk has passed away along with Alex’s adopted father US Marshal Mick Trenton. Elina and Alex share an attraction, but do they have too many secrets in their lives? Elina along with her two SAR dogs, Hunter & Scout, are in demand to search for both missing and dangerous people. A previous undercover case that Elina worked will soon cause them the greatest threat. An exciting and heartfelt romance between two women who know how to handle every situation. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (paytonpuppy)

Elina and Alex both have complicated childhoods, with Alex becoming a new person. The Witness Protection Program has seen to that. Elina grew up to become a tracker/hunter for various government agencies. They had met when Alex was 12 yrs old while Elina was 17.
Alex had been brought to the bison ranch/sanctuary for her own protection plus the protection of other witnesses looking for a safe place to stay while awaiting a trial for the federal government, which leads to one of her protectors adopting her and giving her a place to call home. Whatever became of her mother is one of the many questions Alex would like to have answered.
Elina came to the ranch because that’s where her grandparents lived. Being part of the First Nations community was something she was interested in, plus her grandparents were more than happy to teach her. For some reason she’s always had an interest in learning more about the young girl, Alex, that lived on the ranch.
Now both women are on the ranch when someone comes looking for trouble. The trouble turned out to be everyday drug running. But it’s the second round of trouble that comes to the ranch. With Alex being a US Marshall and Elina’s extensive training, it’s up to them to make the ranch a safe house again.
Simply a very interesting story, with some twists and turns. Very enjoyable read.
ARC via NetGalley/ Bold Stroke Books

This is a new favorite for me! It was more action than I was expecting from the description, but it was incredibly well executed and I couldn’t put it down.

As a U.S. Marshall, Alex is tasked with protecting the secrecy of Hawkins Ranch which is used to hide witnesses waiting to testify. While she enjoys her work, she’s tired of all the secrets and wishes she could find someone to share her life with. Alex first came to live at the ranch at twelve years old when she was given a new identity by witness protection and she’s had a crush on Elina Hawkins ever since. When Elina returns to the ranch, Alex thinks this might finally be their chance. However, Elina has a lot of secrets in her life too and those secrets might just get in the way of their fresh start.

There were lots of small details early on that were a critical piece of the story later on and it was exciting to see these pop up. The characters were all multidimensional with believable emotions and actions. I really loved all the connections there were between their lives. I was a little surprised that the external conflict wasn’t directly related to the ranch despite what the book description suggested, instead it was more accidentally involved. There were a couple of storylines I wanted more of a resolution on, but I’m hoping this is just setup for a sequel. Fingers crossed!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!

Alex Trenton is a US deputy marshal specializing in protecting those awaiting trial at The Sanctuary. Alex's world is in a disarray as her mentor, Hawk, has just passed away and her father, Mick, is in memory care. Hawk's granddaughter, Elina Hawkins, shows up at the ranch and although Alex is happy to see her, she is further stressed. As a twelve-year-old, Alex, used to emulate and follow then eighteen-year-old Elina around the ranch.

Elina works for Search & Rescue along with her two dogs, Scout and Hunter. But we begin to learn that she does more than Search & Rescue work as she accepts contracts to track and hunt people.

The book is a combination thriller, mystery, with some romance. I will say that the romance part is a pretty small portion of the overall story. Some of the relationship that develops between Alex and Elina we learn about via backstory. That left me not feeling a strong romantic connection between Alex and Elina. If I could change one thing about this book, it would be that the romantic part would have had a stronger presence. Otherwise, I enjoyed the story and the action-packed adventure of the women and two dogs. 4 stars

I received an ARC from Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.