TUNNEL VISION by Eloise Corvo
Fiction, Mystery
4****

BLURB: Autumn in Stone’s Throw, Michigan, is filled to the brim with hot apple cider, chunky pumpkins, and football rivalries. The entire town is gearing up for Homecoming festivities against rival Hemlock Pond, bringing together old friends and new, to the Lake Michigan town. With the support of her loyal (and cheeky) dog, Martin Short, State Park Ranger Maudy Lorso is determined to keep her head above water. She’s running for local office, tending to a burgeoning relationship, and scrounging to keep the park’s doors open. Already trying to mend a rocky relationship with her best friend Eli, things take a darker turn when his childhood friend, State Senator Paige Ramos, is found dead on his front porch on Halloween night. As secrets surface and old bonds fray, Maudy’s not sure who she can trust. Stone’s Throw may seem like a postcard-perfect coastal town, but someone is hiding a much larger plan, and they’ll do whatever it takes to keep it buried.

THOUGHTS: This is a well-written book with good characters and really good scenery. But, did I like it? No. Yes, I gave it four stars, mostly because it is a good story. But it was a little too dark for my taste. I *thought* it was a cozy mystery, but some places are promoting it as a thriller and I’m not a huge fan of those.

The good points: I loved the little dog, Marty. And the Prohibition Era tunnels are brilliant! The interaction between Maudy and the other characters is done well–both to her advantage and her detriment. I especially liked her relationship with Eli and how that came together. Maudy is a park ranger who has her hands full trying to come up with funds to keep the park open, but it’s not an easy job. And all this while running for town council. But someone is trying to sabotage her race. Meanwhile, the entire town is gearing up for homecoming during Halloween festivities so there is a lot going on. Including the murder of a state senator on Eli’s porch. And the attempted murder of another friend, Wesley, and even Eli. And so much more. The ending was satisfying but very dark for me. And there is a huge thread left dangling so we know there will be more to come on that plot point in following books.
All-in-all, a decent enough read, just not my cup of tea.

SHELTER OF HIS HEART by Andrew Grey
Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Gay M/M
4****

BLURB: College professor Jameson Kline has a good life, if a little quiet and maybe lonely. But all that changes when he encounters his high school crush, Todd, and Todd’s young son, in the woods at the back of the local park. Not knowing what else to do, he takes them home and gives them dinner and a place to rest for a while. Todd Morris is ashamed of his current situation, but unsure of how to come back from losing nearly everything, especially a home and safety for his son, Kenny. With Jameson’s help, Todd begins to piece their lives back together one step at a time. But being without a steady home has left a mark that’s hard to overcome, including not being able to rely on others for anything. As Jameson helps Todd get his feet under him again one step at a time, Todd’s heart opens to Jameson’s kindness and old feelings find new life. But Todd and Kenny’s old life refuses to go quietly, putting Kenny in danger. As they work together to rebuild and keep Kenny safe, Todd and Jameson’s simmering attraction grows more intense and possibilities open for both of them, if they can hold the threat at bay.

THOUGHTS: This was a good, quick read (only 100 pages) with decent characters and well-done setting. In this one, a college professor has a chance encounter with an old friend who is down on his luck and is trying to keep his 5-year-old son safe from a stalker. Jameson Kline recognizes Todd Morris from when he had a crush on him back in high school, plus they had a couple of junior college classes together, then Todd dropped out of sight–until now. Living in a tent in a park with his son, he has nowhere to go and no way to get there. Jameson takes them both in, offering a safe haven until Todd can get things together. But a stalker from the homeless camp thinks Todd’s son is his and comes after them. They manage to thwart the attempt and life settles down. Meanwhile, with help from Jameson and others, Todd manages to find a good job and is slowly getting his life back on track. The two of them realize that they have more than an old friendship going on and open their hearts to possibilities. A couple hot scenes and a satisfying ending make this a romance to read and enjoy.

Recommended.

JUST MY LUCK by Lena Hendrix
Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Heat Level 4
second in series
4****

BLURB: You might think it’s reckless for a single mom to enter into a marriage of convenience with her boss… You would be correct. To make matters worse, Abel King is a grumpy local brewer with a criminal past. He also happens to be my boss and a total stick-in-the-mud. Every time I come to work with a smile and wave, I’m lucky if I can get a grunt in response. When I accidentally-on-purpose overhear that he’s having trouble securing a business loan due to his criminal record, I hatch a plan to help the both of us. The arrangement is perfect—a business transaction and nothing more. Like having a roommate without the hassle of other people bugging you for dates. I will definitely not be falling in love with him—no matter how many times he says “my wife” and tingles dance in all the right places. Trouble is, as time goes on, things stop feeling like business and start feeling a whole lot like pleasure… and really, that’s just my luck…

THOUGHTS: Combine a grumpy ex-con in need of money and a single mother looking for protection for her kids from her ex and you have the makings of a marriage of convenience. Which is exactly what Sloane proposes to Abel in order to solve both their problems. If she marries him, she gets access to her trust fund with enough money to help him out and a way to keep her and her 7-year-old twins safe from her violent ex.

But something happens after their wedding and they actually fall in love and become a family. The kids adore him and so does Sloane. And when her ex shows up and threatens her, Abel and his friends warn the man off. But the problems don’t stop there as Abel’s crooked father “takes care of things”. Abel and his siblings suspect that his father killed their mother, but have no proof. And now Sloane’s ex has also disappeared.

Like in the first book, the mystery is not solved and only deepens. One can only assume that the threads will continue in following books. The heat level is high, but not as high as the first book. This one has a lot more emotions going on and, even with the mystery, a satisfying ending.

Recommended with notes about the heat level and dangling threads.

LIFE AFTER by Victoria Smith
Fiction, Paranormal Romance

BLURB: When Mia realizes she’s the only person left in the world, her first thought is that she’s free. After years of abuse by her mother and an accident that makes her financially responsible for her comatose mother’s care, Mia embraces her new life. Though the solitude was intended to torture Mia, it’s the best thing that ever happened to her. She spends the time healing while trying to figure out who she is and what she wants. Before long, she realizes she’s not truly alone in her paradise. John claims to be her guardian but insists she needs to go back to her old life. How could that possibly be good? Together they strive to figure out why Mia’s life was manipulated and who is responsible. Their journey uncovers deceit and evil—and their love for each other.

Amazon

About the Author: Victoria Smith lives in Central PA with her high school sweetheart and way too many animals. She writes paranormal, urban fantasy, and dystopian—all with romance, because who doesn’t love a happy ending? 
Visit her at http://vickismith.blogspot. com.

CHERRY CREEK by Linda Griffin
Fiction, Historical Romance (1850s), Colorado
Coming July 6, 2026 from The Wild Rose Press
4****

Blurb: When her fiancé died, Eileen said, “Then I’m free,” words that her younger sister Molly didn’t understand and never forgot. In 1850s Ohio, a girl doesn’t have that many options, and marrying Andrew MacLeith may be the best she can hope for. He promises to cherish her, but they have to live with his parents, and he can’t even protect her from his mother’s sharp tongue. After a quarrel, Molly impulsively joins his gambler brother Hugh on a journey to the Pike’s Peak gold region. Perhaps the romance and freedom she longs for lie elsewhere. Or were they right under her nose all along?

THOUGHTS: At less than 100 pages, this is a quick read. Molly is only sixteen years old when she marries her neighbor Andrew. She’s looking forward o having her own home but things didn’t work out that way. Instead, to save money, the young couple moves in with his parents. Unfortunately, Andrew’s mother definitely doesn’t like Molly and things go from bad to worse. Frustrated, Molly does something rash and leaves with Andrew’s brother who is heading for the gold rush in Pike’s Peak.

Months later, alone and broke, she joins prospectors in Cherry Creek as a cook for the camp. It’s hard work but she is independent. But that independence isn’t all it’s cracked up to be and two years later when Andrew finds her, she realizes that her best life might have been with him all along.

I would have loved for this story to be longer, but it has an ending that satisfies.

Recommended.

DERAILED HEARTS by Darlene Fredette
Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Redford Falls Series #6

5*****

BLURB: Single father and ER doctor, Ethan Marley, is ready to put down roots. He and his daughter embark on a train adventure across Canada from west to east coast. Boarding the train, he meets a woman who steals his breath, and he learns that she too is headed to Redford Falls. He is intent on maintaining a friendship only, but Jenn makes his heart race faster than the train. Fashion designer, Jenn Martini, travels by train to Redford Falls to visit her father. Her plan for a solitude escape derails after meeting Ethan and his daughter. Sharing a confined-spaced cabin sparks an immediate attraction, and by the end of the trip, she longs to be a part of their family. Only as she opens her heart to love, do the scars from her past begin to heal. With more in common than relatives in Redford Falls, is their love strong enough to overcome the truth behind the accident…and save their future?

THOUGHTS: This is a quick, lovely read and part of the Redford Falls series, but it is a stand-alone. There are a few other characters who show up as a sideline, but the main connecting character was the rabbit. I’m so glad he showed up again. That made me smile.

In this story, a couple meet up on the train from Vancouver across the country to Redford Falls. Ethan is traveling with his 5-year-old daughter who was traumatized by the accident that killed her mother. She doesn’t talk except in rare instances. Jenn is heading to town to visit her father. She’s a designer who was in an accident that left her scarred. But she connects with the little girl…and then the father. Due to a problem on the train, she ends up sharing a train cabin with them. And the connection grows. When an interesting coincidence comes out, a lot of things fall into place.

A wonderful story with a HEA that satisfies.

Recommended.

JUST THIS ONCE by Lena Hendrix
Fiction, Romance, Steamy
3++***

Blurb: In a rugged small town on the coast of Michigan where heartbreak lingers but love always finds a way, sparks fly between a fireman and the daughter of the fire chief after an unforgettable one night stand.

THOUGHTS: Emily is a junior high school teacher who, after a nasty breakup, moves from Virginia to the small town in Michigan where her mother and stepfather live. She’s a substitute hoping for a permanent position. She lives in a tiny apartment and follows the rules–most of the time. But one night, she throws all to the wind. After a dance with a handsome stranger, she goes home with him for a very hot fling. But the next morning, when she sees his fireman’s uniform in the closet, she runs out without any explanation.

And thus begins the ups and downs of the affair between Emily and Whip King. Whip is a fireman/EMT who works for Emily’s father, the Chief of the Fire department. Even though they know they shouldn’t be together, they can’t help themselves. And the townspeople begin to notice.

While I liked aspects of Emily’s personality, there were times when I also disliked her. She goes against everything she believes in and has a one-night stand with someone she doesn’t know. Then does it again…and again…etc. And while I admire what she does for her student, she does go against the rules when she reports abuse. As a teacher, yes, she is required to report suspected abuse, but she doesn’t bother to find out all the facts. She is impulsive and, at times, reckless even though she tries to come off as a shy schoolteacher/librarian.

As for Whip, there are nasty things in his background, the mystery surrounding his mother doesn’t show up until late into the book and is not solved. I presume that will happen in later books. Plus he decides to confront his father but that doesn’t happen beyond him asking about his mother. Other than that, he never really faces his father.

There is a HEA for the story, but there are also threads left dangling leading us to believe those will be solved in future stories. I will note that this book was previously published. Also, that it is definitely hot with Emily and Whip falling into bed any time they could and descriptively.

If you like it hot, pick this one up.

SWORN TO COLLIDE by Maria Imbalzano
Fiction, Romance
5*****

BLURB: After devoting eleven years of marriage to Ben, her high school sweetheart, and stepping off the corporate ladder to raise their three children, Denise is ready to seize the reins of the career she always dreamed of. But as soon as she commits to step back into the professional world, Ben drops a bombshell that disrupts everything.
Suddenly, this once rock-solid couple finds themselves in a battle over ambition, identity, and whose turn it is to shine. As personal choices draw them further and further apart, they must confront their widening rift—a threat to the love they thought was unshakeable.
Can they rediscover the passion they once shared, or will their divergent paths pull them apart for good?

THOUGHTS: This was a very emotional story, which the author pulls off beautifully. The characters of Denise and Ben are very well done. They’ve been together since they were sixteen, but they’re no longer teenagers. With three kids and a standard modern life full of rushing around and trying to just keep things together. They definitely love each other, but life is getting in the way, especially when Ben takes a job in another state and expects the family to follow along without any discussion. Unfortunately, the family, and especially Denise, has other ideas. And those ideas cause a major riff in the family.

Denise has spent her entire married life doing what Ben wanted. Rather than make waves, she goes along with him even when she really doesn’t want to. It comes off as a type of emotional abuse since Ben argues that they should do what he wants and follow him. And so should the family even though they don’t want to. But Denise has dreams of joining her father’s firm, especially after he has a heart attack. Their problems expand and their issues lead to a break even though that wasn’t what either one wanted. They both moved on, but their love for each other still causes problems.

A good romance with lots of emotion, and a HEA that satisfies.

Recommended.

THE DAISY CHAIN FLOWER SHOP by Laurie Gilmore
Fiction, Romance
5*****

Blurb: Daisy is fed up with being unlucky in love, and after several weddings she has done the flowers for end in divorce, her beloved flower shop has gained a reputation of being cursed, thanks to Mayor Kelly and his infamous visions. Dream Harbor newcomer, Elliot, has been adjusting to town life following his own relationship turmoil. And until now he’s avoided the flower shop at all costs. If the mayor is correct, he doesn’t need any more bad luck in his life. But with his family coming to visit, Elliot finds himself reluctantly in front of Daisy’s store in need of some flowers. As the petals blossom in the sunlight, Daisy and Elliot might find that love comes when you’re least expecting it…

THOUGHTS: This was a cute romance with a touch of mystery to it. And a good bit of heat as well. After a bad breakup with her ex, Daisy moves back home and into a small apartment at the back of the flower shop her family has run for several generations. Her mom turns the reins over to her (sort of) and then things really go downhill, thanks to the town mayor and his vision of Daisy being cursed. When two of the weddings Daisy did the flowers for also tank, everyone in town agrees that she is cursed and nobody except the funeral home will buy flowers from her. When her ex and his new fiancé show up in her shop, Daisy does the only thing she can think of and grabs another man in the shop, introducing him as her boyfriend. Fortunately, Elliot goes along with the ruse, and disaster is averted. Except that now they have to go forward with their fake romance or her shop might really go down the tubes. Also fortunately, Elliot already has the hots for Daisy so agreeing to be her fake boyfriend is not a prolem.
Until it is.

As the two go through with their fakery, they discover they are really having feelings for each other. The heat gets turned up and frustration kicks in as they try to deny their feelings. Then Daisy sees a picture of her great aunt, Daisy, who looks exactly like her, and that Daisy’s boyfriend who looks exactly like Elliot. Determined to break the curse of unrequited love, Daisy and Elliot look into the past…and discover their future. Together.

I loved both Daisy and Elliot! They are perfectly flawed and fighting against their feelings for each other when everyone knows they belong together. I love how Daisy starts out the story in all black, but ends up in bright colors, showing her growth. And there is a loose thread that lets us know there are more stories coming in this series.

Recommended.

Disclosure of Material: I received a final and/or advanced reader copy of this book with the hope that I will leave my unbiased opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… My Opinions. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising” Thanks to Netgalley and Harper 360 for providing this ARC.

WE INTERRUPT THIS PROGRAM by Randee Dawn
Fiction, Fantasy
3***

BLURB: Welcome to Seaview Haven. A delightful village of charming humans, quaint homes – and cozy mysteries! Fortunately, there’s silver-haired author-turned-sleuth Winnie Arrowmaker on hand to solve them all.

But things aren’t exactly as they seem. Seaview Haven is one of the Seelie Court Network’s many invented TROPE towns, and the “mysteries” are scripted and streamed for the entertainment of enchanted creatures across the Veil. Or, rather, they were… Winnie has a wicked case of writer’s block, moviemaking across the Veil has ground to a halt, and the town is crumbling. Enter Finch, an SCN intern who might be the worst Unseelie ever. With aid from his reluctant brownie assistant, Finch is assigned to figure out what’s gone wrong in Seaview Haven… so he can dismantle it forever. But after landing in town, Finch soon learns that real lives – and real friends – aren’t so easily canceled. To keep “The End” from being stamped on Seaview Haven, Winnie and Finch are going to have to tell a Truly Great Tale. Because as they realize, real power lies not in the stories we watch, but in the stories we tell ourselves.

THOUGHTS: I hate to say this, but I didn’t love this story. It was just an “okay” read for me. But that is just my opinion. Remember that. It started off slow for me and was confusing. To be honest, if I hadn’t been asked to do a review, I probably wouldn’t have read it beyond the first fifty pages. It didn’t start to make sense to me until about page one-hundred. By then, I kind of got what was going on and kept reading… and I was glad I did as the ending was much more satisfying than the beginning. Have you ever heard of the movie “The Truman Story” with Jim Carey? This reminded me a little bit of that one only using fantasy creatures and gods and goddesses.

In this one, the Muses have created pocket towns called Trope Towns where humans live. They don’t know that they’re being watched for entertainment. The Muses script what happens there… but they’re experiencing burnout so they go on vacation. And things start to fall apart, especially in one town called Seaview Haven. It’s going to be cancelled if someone doesn’t do something quick. The Seelie/Unseelie Finch and his brownie assistant drop in (literally) to evaluate things and become friends with a young girl, Winnie. Together, with some of the other members of the town, they attempt to fix things before they disappear. Unfortunately, Finch’s fixes don’t always work out for the best.

This is an epic story with a touch of mystery, a lot of fantasy, and characters that will stretch your believability, but if you stick with the story, the ending is definitely worth it.