The title intrigued me. I often think of God as being able to see the "right" side of the tapestry (the big picture) while we are only able to see the "off" side--the side that's messier. So this title evoked the image of God weaving that tapestry. I didn't realize there was a formation known as Weaver's Needle.

This book is part adventure, part romance. Landry and Nicolai are both recovery specialists. Landry needs money to inject into her business and Nicolai needs money to fund a trial treatment for his sister. Mrs. Winslet ends up pitting them against each other to recover a map her husband had in his possession when he died but which was stolen from him before the police arrived. The two adversaries eventually team up.

I could have done without the Apache portions of the book. To me, they interrupted the flow of the narrative, and I just wanted to get through them to get back to the part of the book that focused on Landry and Nicolai.

Landry is a Christian. She poses a question to her friend Marcie asking if God could use the Apache rituals. God is God--so he could. I'm just not sure He did. If that was the intent of the author, then I'm not buying into it. If it was just something that grew out of the story, then it does seem like an organic question. Or maybe the author just realized readers would be asking this same question and wanted to have an answer as to why her Christian character bought into it.

In the end, it appears Nicolai is given a choice between wealth and love--and he chooses love. In the process, it seems his memory is erased--if that can be done, then why wasn't Landry's also? Although, it is refreshing to see the depth of feeling that Nicolai has for Landry and what lengths he'd go to to protect her.

We aren't told if Lisbeth does get to go to the trial treatment and if she is successful in it. I hope so. ( )

A well-off widow recruits two recovery specialists, Landry and Nickolai, pitting them against each other to earn a substantial fee to recover a stolen map. While searching for the coveted map to a hidden and legendary gold mine, Landry and Nickolai may be growing too close for comfort--especially when the search could have deadly consequences in Weaver's Needle, a novel by author Robin Caroll.

This novel's cover is what most drew me to the story. The cover has a sense of adventure and danger, but it isn't dark. You can almost feel the blaze of the dry and scorching sun in the bold and vivid design that screams "romantic suspense."

Overall, I found this adventure entertaining. The plot kept me curious, and Landry and Nickolai each have crucial, believable reasons for wanting to earn the recovery fee they're competing for.

Now, I thought some of the romantic thoughts and feelings in the story didn't quite ring true. It seems to me that unless he or she is completely inexperienced, a grown man or woman wouldn't be super shocked or confused by a growing attraction to someone attractive, particularly when the two are working closely together. Also, I've never really been keen on the "I can't be with him/her because he/she isn't a Christian" theme in novels, as it tends to muddy the characters' faith/romantic motives to me. And, interesting as it was, I almost felt a little let down by the story's ending.

Still, many fellow fans of Christian romantic suspense should enjoy this novel, and I wouldn't mind reading this new-to-me author again.
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I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review. ( )

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2016691046 ( )

Robin Carol is a new author for me and I plan on reading more of her books. I loved this story. There was great suspense and a bit of romance. I did not want to put this book down. Landry and Nikolai were wonderful together. I would love to read more books starring these two characters. I received a copy of this book from Barbour for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will. ( )

What a great idea for a novel! Two recovery specialists pitted against each other to recover a treasure map! I have loved Robin Caroll’s other romantic suspense novels set in the South that feature law enforcement, but her latest book, Weaver’s Needle, has an extra dose of special. I loved how she combined adventure and romance against the backdrop of Old West legends and Native American lore. This one gets a highly recommended rating from me!

Landry Parker and Nickolai Baptiste, two recovery specialists (those usually hired by insurance companies to recover lost or stolen art or documents), both have reasons to accept the challenge of retrieving the stolen treasure map for widow Winifred Winslett. Family is important to both and that plays a big role in taking the job, but the challenge of a puzzle and the allure of lost gold sweeten the deal. In the wilds of the Arizona back country, they begin separately to follow leads, but soon recognize the necessity to combine their expertise. There’s also a lot of chemistry between the two that keeps drawing them closer.

Weaver’s Needle has a definite National Treasure vibe. Adventure, suspense, danger, and romance keep the pages of this book turning. Landry and Nickolai are great characters that a reader can root for, especially as their feelings for each other deepen. Their backstories are complex and add a depth to a novel that is action-packed. There is also an element of the mystical as Caroll introduces the behind the scenes actions of Apache shamans. The addition of Native American lore is intriguing and compliments the Christian message of God’s sovereignty that runs throughout the story. But make no mistake, God, not nature or spirits from another world, is definitely in control.

I loved Weaver’s Needle and am hoping that Caroll will bring Landry and Nickolai back for more exciting thrill rides!

Highly Recommended.

Audience: adults.

(Thanks to Barbour Publishing for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.) ( )