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Reviews

Browse the reviews for my books to see how readers and critics have connected with my stories. I write to blend suspense, history, and faith, and I’m thankful for the feedback that reflects how these elements resonate on the page.

The Last Bridge Across Mostar

Posted by Literary Titan
The Last Bridge Across Mostar, by Jeana Kendrick, is a gripping tale set amidst the horrors of the Bosnian War. The story follows Katrina Winslow, a courageous woman caught in the chaos of a war-torn Bosnia, where she faces everything from espionage accusations to the heart-wrenching task of saving war orphans. Amidst these challenges, she crosses paths with Captain Lucien Brezac. As they work together to prevent a Serbian attack on the city of Mostar, a romantic connection blossoms between them, adding an emotional depth to the high-stakes mission Katrina undertakes to protect the children and the city. Kendrick’s novel stands out as a prime example of historical fiction done right. Set during the brutal conflict between Bosnia, Serbia, and Croatia in 1992, The Last Bridge Across Mostar weaves fact with fiction, creating a story that is both educational and entertaining. Kendrick’s style is bold, with an intense and almost bewildering tone that perfectly mirrors the chaos of war. Her attention to detail and vivid, graphic descriptions pull readers into the setting, making the horrors and beauty of the besieged landscape feel real. Despite the action occurring across different regions, Kendrick manages to keep the narrative coherent and compelling, maintaining a strong sense of place and urgency. The characters are another standout feature of the novel. Katrina and Lucien are dynamic and inspiring, particularly in the way they remain driven and resilient despite overwhelming odds. The supporting characters are equally well-crafted, each contributing to the richness of the narrative and helping to propel the plot forward. Whether it’s through their direct involvement in the action or their quieter moments of reflection, these characters add layers to the story, making it not only about war but about the people affected by it.
As for the plot, Kendrick delivers a masterclass in storytelling. The narrative is complex and layered, with a carefully constructed sequence of events that avoids plot holes. The pacing is precise, moving from one dramatic moment to the next without losing the emotional core of the story. While there’s no shortage of action, from battle scenes to daring escapes, Kendrick ensures that everything serves a purpose, tying it all back to the central mission of preventing the attack on Mostar. Despite the chaos and action, The Last Bridge Across Mostar never feels overwhelming. Kendrick’s sharp storytelling and well-developed characters ground the plot, ensuring that even the most frantic moments are clear and meaningful. This book is a must-read for fans of historical fiction who appreciate a well-researched, emotionally charged story that captures both the intensity of war and the resilience of the human spirit.

Memoirs of a Bible Smuggler Reviews

BookLife Prize Quarter Finalist - 2022
Assessment: Plot/Idea: This work chronicles the author’s courageous and sometimes harrowing adventures as a Bible smuggler during the Cold War. There is much here to engage the reader as the story unfolds. Prose: This is a beautifully-written work; the author demonstrates a strong command of language, pacing, and storytelling. Originality: This is a highly original work that vividly captures the author’s unique circumstances. Character/Execution: The author does a fine job of elucidating the reasons she and her husband are called to smuggle Bibles to individuals living behind the Iron Curtain, while also offering insight into the historical era.
Editor's Pick: Kendrick’s suspenseful memoir tells the story of her and her husband Jeff’s years risking arrest as, motivated by their strong faith, they smuggled Bibles and Christian literature behind the Iron Curtain. Their work began in the early 1980s, when Bibles were considered contraband in many Communist countries, regulations that would only start to change in 1988. Posing as tourists and using only pseudonyms, the Kendricks would pass border checkpoints under the watching eyes of armed militia, their contraband stashed in RVs, pickup campers, a fifth wheel, and anywhere else the resourceful couple could find. Kendrick’s stories are gripping, full of close calls (including the opening anecdote in which a Soviet officer discovers a hidden recorder in Kendrick’s purse) and some disappointments, such as being turned back within the Soviet Union after attempting a short cut. Maps of the places where the Kendricks journeyed as well as diagrams of how the smuggling occurred will help to orient readers, while offering the thrill of revealing possibly still-sensitive trade secrets. Christian readers will be encouraged by Kendrick’s reliance on scripture for comfort in difficult situations (“God’s peace filled me and as we proceeded, I was amazingly relaxed,” she writes), and the appendix containing “Scripture References for Battling Fear” will prove a welcome resource. Kendrick keeps the focus on—and directs the glory to—the Eastern bloc Christians they served by providing Bibles and, periodically, financial help, men and women whom she insists took even more risks for their beliefs than she and her husband did. The Kendricks’s story—and their faith—will inspire readers while staying relatable and humble: Kendrick shares honest incidents of marital tension, reveals difficult travel moments and physical ailments, confesses to deep loneliness, and relates anxious encounters with authority. Christian readers seeking motivation in difficult ministry, or simply searching for an exciting faith-based memoir, will find this an uplifting read. Takeaway: Christians looking for an inspiring, suspenseful real-life story will find much to love this Cold War memoir.
“FROM THE DAYS OF TYNDALE TILL TODAY BIBLE smuggling has been controversial as well as dangerous. Not many people are brave enough to venture into this often-perilous calling. In this interesting and well-written story of success, Jeana Kendrick and her husband witness the fall of the Iron Curtain in 1989.”
  • Door of Hope International President Paul Popov
“Taut, well written, and insightful, Kendrick’s thirteen-year journey is fraught with fear of discovery. Faith in her Savior provided courage. Times were not always grim for she recounts many amusing experiences, while imparting what it’s like, to be persecuted for worshiping as one pleases, and for those who have the courage to stand up for that right.”
  • Jacqueline Pelham, author of Under the Rose and A Promise to Die For
“This could pass for a well-crafted work of suspense fiction, except that every word is fact. In this story the reader cannot avoid unearthing a stark personal truth that is basic to survival.”
  • Dr. Guida Jackson, author of Traditional Epics and other books
“Not all battles are fought by armies. Jeana Kendrick’s Memoirs of a Bible Smuggler, beautifully written, tells the true story of unsung heroes of the Cold War, men and women who risked everything in the service of Christ.”
  • Donn Taylor, author of Lightning on a Quiet Night, Rhapsody in Red and other books.
“This book is exemplary in production quality and cover design . . . exemplary in character appeal (or interest) and development. All main characters (including antagonists) are unique . . . with compelling, layered motivations and traits. Secondary characters are unique and have a meaningful purpose. It has a unique voice, and the writing style is consistent throughout. The style and tone are also consistent with or will appeal to readers of the intended genre.”
  • Writers’ Digest Competitions
This is the story of a young Texas Couple who helped smuggle thousands of Bibles to persecuted Christians behind the Iron Curtain during the Cold War. MEMOIRS OF A BIBLE SMUGGLER is a true story set during the Cold War, an era when Christians who resisted the Communists’ godless decrees faced prison or death. A naïve housewife in the Texas piney woods, Kendrick dreamed of being a Bible smuggler. She and her husband began praying an extra hour in the evenings. They were soon overseas, smuggling Bibles to Christians hungry for God’s Word. Through Door of Hope International, the Kendricks developed a network of trained couriers to deliver Bibles. Carpenters, bankers, nurses and others gave up their vacations to help smuggle thousands of Bibles to believers behind the Iron Curtain. God was faithful and through His grace the Kendricks overcame obstacles and won victories that enriched their lives and those of countless others.

The Paris Conspiracy Reviews

"Don't get too comfortable if, like me, you think you know where this story is heading. In fact, I was still changing course well into what seemed to be the climax. In a plot taught as a piano wire, Kendrick shifts to molto crescendo to make averting an international tragedy super-humanly impossible for any average person. It can't be done! Oh, no??"
  • Dr. Guida Jackson, Author of Passing Through, Woman Who Ruled and other books
"It's difficult to come up for air in this intriguing fast moving spy novel. With its twist and turns, it's remarkable how Kendrick ties up loose ends to give us a satisfying conclusion. She knows CIA lingo, gives a good sense of Paris, and other European locations, and is great at plotting. Her writing is thought-provoking and visual. I enjoyed the family-oriented protagonist, adroit in her quest to save cities from terrorist's annihilation. "
  • Jacqueline Pelham, Author of Under the Rose, A Promise to Die For and other published works
"Readers who enjoy novels of complex international intrigue with many unexpected twists will love Jeana Kendrick's The Paris Conspiracy."
  • Donn Taylor, Author of The Lazarus File, Lightning on the Quiet Night, etc.
"St. Abient Run is a suspense, strife with political, moral and religious undertones. Susan and Mark are thrown into an international web of deceit where no one is beyond suspicion, not even each other. Just when we think we have it all figured out, another strand is added to keep us turning the pages of this exciting and uplifting reading."
  • Jacqueline Pelham, Author of Under the Rose and A Promise to Die For

St. Abient Run Reviews

"Kendrick's book was enjoyable and contains enough complexity to keep the reader involved... drugs, death, guilt and the assorted emotions and consequences… Low-key romance and travels to various Europeans cities give the story a distinctive slant… Take time for a run over same to St. Abient and find out what's going on."
  • Pat Williams, Book Critic for The Courier
"Those who have either visited the Balkans or spent their lives working at this most interesting crossroads will find this intriguing book fascinating from both the historic, cultural as well as sociopolitical point of view. The author has clearly spent a long time in Europe to be able to paint the Balkan scenery and drama with such accuracy!"
  • Paul H. Popov, President Door of Hope International
"A captivating, dynamic story that once started doesn't allow the reader to stop… Its heroes come from different layers of society and within state borders me nothing."
  • Joseph P. Dimitriov, Academic Dean, Evangelical Theological Institute, Sophia Bulgaria