Blurb: For Gabby Patterson, a dedicated, but sometimes obsessive, cross-country runner, junior year is her time to shine. She has to start thinking about tomorrow: the future college recruiters and scholarship offers. But today means beating her impossibly skinny rivals any way she can. Then eerie encounters in the woods and a cute secretive guy with the same quirky musical tastes interfere in Gabby’s plans. Sweet CJ is connected to the forest mystery… and to what’s happening to Gabby. But hard truths aren’t that easy to run from…

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Fiction, Urban Fantasy/Cozy Mystery, Paranormal

3***

Blurb: It’s hard being a good witch when your clients want bad magic.

I’m a witch. Not a powerful witch, mind, but as Grandma liked to say, it’s all in the kindness, not the power. Grandma is gone now, but her dream of having a witch shop lives with me. So, when the opportunity to run my own shop presents itself, I move across the country to take it, no questions asked. But maybe I should have. The sexy local bounty hunter shifter thinks I’m up to no good, my clients keep asking me to use forbidden dark magic, and someone’s trying to sabotage my shop. Probably the same someone who reported me to the Witch Council and left a dead body in my bathtub. Hah! Joke’s on them. As Grandma also used to say, it’s nothing a positive attitude, excellent cleaning supplies, and the complete annihilation of whoever has in it for me can’t fix. Paraphrasing. Join Hope in her quest to save her shop in the Urban Fantasy world of Good Bad Magic, featuring witches, shifters, demons, one sexy bounty hunter, and all kinds of magical creatures. Full of humor, banter, plenty of heart, and a slow-burn romance.

THOUGHTS: This was a fun, lighthearted surface story for when you do want something fantasy but don’t want dark and deep. There are lots of paranormal characters: witches, mages, shifters, and more. And a ghostly body in the main character’s bathtub.

Hope is a low-power witch who now owns a witchy potion supply shop. Her first day open and she receives a one-star review. How can she get over that?! And there are dark characters who come to the back gate wanting specific potions. Ones that she has no clue about, but seem to be what the previous owner supplied. First, she has to take care of the body, and that requires dirt from a very old cemetery. And that requires breaking into the very powerful–and handsome–shifter’s private lot. Of course, she gets caught, and the fun begins.

The characters were interesting and different, but I will admit that my favorite was Fluffy, a small white dog lent to Hope by the shifter for her protection. He figures if the dog likes her (he does), she’s okay. Hope is okay, but a little wishy-washy at times. The whole dark magic patron problems could have been solved early on if she’d just acted a little more adult. But that’s why it’s a surface story–characters that had little character but interacted well enough within the mystery. And I pretty much knew the “perps” from the beginning. But still, it was a fun read with a satisfying ending.

Fiction, Dark Romance, 5 heat level, BDSM, erotic

4****

Blurb:Nothing about our interactions is comfortable, yet he comforts me as no one can. Years ago I gave up on love. Shackled with past traumas and driven to succeed professionally, I keep a tight rein on my desires and ignore my needs. But when I collide with a magnetic Scotsman at a sex club, my carefully balanced world begins to totter. He seeks legal representation, and my boss insists I oblige. He wants me, and my body urges me to comply. Yet he’s off limits in every way. For one, I’m his lawyer, and he’s my client. For another, we’re searching for the woman he loved—possibly still loves. What’s more, he’s a heartthrob, completely out of my league. And most disturbingly, he makes me crave things I’ve never dared to imagine, subduing me with one word, one flick of a brow. The more he wears down my defenses, the more I suspect the real hurdles keeping me from love are my own fears. Can I conquer them before they undo me? She’s in my bloodstream; I breathe her in like oxygen. Brushing past a hawthorn bud on the branch, I pluck her and make her mine. Sweet, fierce, and passionate, she opens up into a flower under my ministrations. Yet at every turn she needs me to seize control and confiscate her will. She doubts herself, doubts love, and doubts men. I plan on shattering her walls and teaching her to listen to her body. But my past dogs me, refusing to let me enjoy my sweet bud in peace. Once forced to serve traffickers, I now vow to bring down the remnants of their organization. I’m bound to search for a woman I promised to protect who’s suspected of murder and other crimes. Some say I’m trying to run with the hare and hunt with the hounds. As one woman draws me toward my future and the other pulls me toward my past, I have to confront the wrongs I’ve committed head-on. Can I beat the odds and claim my forbidden love? This is dark romantic suspense. Please see my website for a full content warning.

THOUGHTS: This is a hot, sexy story that starts with two pages of trigger warnings. Please pay attention to them because everything that’s there is in this story. Okay, now that that’s out of the way, this is a well-written deep story. Irene is a lawyer who accompanies a client one night to a sex club. What she sees there shocks her, but also draws her much to her surprise. When one of the participants accuses a DOM of inappropriate behavior, Irene steps in and shoots the accusation down. Ness is both relieved and intrigued by this curvy woman who came to his defense, and he is determined to get to know her better—in several different ways. He has a dark past that requires the help of a lawyer so he approaches the firm she works for and uses his influence to have her assigned to his case. What follows is an intense story of BDSM, human trafficking, drugs, money laundering, and more. During the story, Ness also teaches Irene what it’s like to be a sub to his DOM. Be prepared to fan yourself with the heat in here.

This wasn’t an easy book to read in some places – I’m not a fan of violence— but the writing is very well done. If you like your stories darkly romantic with lots of spice, some violence, and a HEA ending that satisfies, you’ll like this one.

HAVING HIS BACK by Andrew Grey

Fiction, Contemporary Gay Romance, short read (102 pages)

4****

Blurb: Child Psychologist Kerry Sutherland’s life gets turned upside down with a phone call. His sister is gone and his two nephews need him. Rushing from Seattle to Olympia, he finds the boys in shock and the police everywhere. Even the dog is affected. The only eventual bright spot in the mess is the detective handling the case, who it turns out not only truly wants to find out what happens, but awakens Kerry’s heart in a way he never thought possible.

THOUGHTS: This was an enjoyable, quick read. In this one, the main character, Kerry, is a child psychologist with a sister and two nephews. When his sister is murdered, he has to step in and help the youngsters deal with their loss, while also dealing with his own. It gets even more serious when they realize the 6-year-old actually saw the murder and the dog, Pebbles, got a piece of the killer when he bit him. Enter Brian, the cop assigned to the case. With Kerry’s help, they figure out who the killer is and take him down. Meanwhile, the two men fight their attraction, but eventually give in and let romance take over.

A quick read with a satisfying HEA ending.

Recommended.

Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Sweet

Blurb: Student Autumn Haze’s motto no men until she completes her bachelor of nursing degree. Years before, Autumn learned the hard way men are just a distraction she can’t afford until she’s established her career and what she wants. While moonlighting as a Plus One companion pays the bills, she struggles to follow her rules after meeting her newest contract. Pediatric Hospitalist Jensen Edwards is still recovering from a bad breakup that left him the talk of the hospital. Now he’s receiving a best doctor’s award, but after he hires Autumn as his plus one, Jensen is on edge. If word gets out that he hired a companion, rumors are bound to circulate, making work unbearable—again. Their chemistry as a fake couple is undeniable, but can a chance at a real relationship override their fear of commitment?

THOUGHTS: Autumn works hard to pay for tuition to nursing college. One job is at the toll booth for the ferry on one of Seattle’s islands; the second is as a companion. The jobs are completely platonic, but some contracts think otherwise, and those get cancelled really fast. Jensen is a pediatric doctor who was dumped by a nurse at the hospital where he works. He has a big awards ceremony coming up and no date to show up his ex. So he hires Autumn for the night – and she pulls it off beautifully. So he hires her again for another ceremony, which also goes well, until she has a health crisis and he steps in. All their friends think they’re dating… and eventually, they do. But then their secret gets out and things fall apart. I will note, I did not like her BFF Lilly. I did love Autumn’s two dads and Jensen’s friends, but not Lilly.

This is a sweet romance with a HEA ending that satisfies.

Recommended.

MARSUPIALS ARE MURDER by Leslie Langtry

Fiction, Cozy Mystery, Australia, Series

5*****

Merry Wrath’s troop is going Down Under! When young Mayor Ava of Who’s There, Iowa gets a call for help from Mayor Sheila of their sister city in Doover, Australia, the girls in the troop waste no time in packing their bags for a trip halfway around the world—of course, with their fearless ex-CIA agent turned Girl Scout leader, Merry Wrath, in tow. Merry thinks this is a great opportunity to see another part of the world with the girls and her more-than-slightly-koala-obsessed co-leader, Kelly. Met by Sheila, her Girl Guide troop, and a few kangaroo bodyguards, Ava and the girls get to work to help the mayor fight her obnoxious City Council. While the girls assist Sheila, Merry and Kelly plan to spend the time looking for koalas and taking in the sites of the Blue Mountain town in New South Wales. Being in another hemisphere, what could possibly go wrong? Unfortunately, even halfway around the world, Murder Magnet Merry lives up to her reputation, when one of the council members’ bodies is found in the bush. To make things worse, the police think Mayor Sheila is the murderer! Merry and the gang race to find a dangerous killer before they have to go home and Sheila goes to jail!

THOUGHTS: I actually enjoyed this one more than I did some of the others. In this one, Merry and the girls travel to Australia to a sister city to meet with the teen mayor there and help her with her recalcitrant council. Merry and her best friend Kelly plan to spend their time doing the sights – and maybe finding a koala or two (which they do at the zoo–and on the way to the airport). The girls are all teamed up with their matching Girl Guides in town and go about sightseeing and helping Sheila, the mayor, out – which they do to great success. I loved the TimTam craziness and the zoo, especially with Merry and talking to the bird. I also enjoyed the descriptions of the area, and the wildlife (especially the poisonous ones that the girls were loving). When they find a dead body, Sheila is the obvious suspect and it’s up to Merry and the girls to prove that she didn’t. Unfortunately, everything they find points to her. And they’re under a tight deadline. Everyone gets to work, on the council, on the murder, and on helping the town out before they have to go home.

Definitely fun. Recommended. But note: you really have to take these books with a definite tongue-in-cheek attitude. They are fun and funny, but so far from the realm of realism. Enjoy!

Fiction, Murder Mystery

4****

Blurb: When Sophie Childress discovers a letter written in 1920 by the witness to a murder, she enlists Noah Pennyman—owner of the house where it took place—to investigate. Who was the victim? What did the killer do with the body—not to mention a carpetbag full of money? Together they expose a complex web of family ties and lies that has persisted through four generations in the historic village of Marmion Grove. When two more corpses are unearthed, Noah and Sophie are faced with too many victims and not enough murderers.

THOUGHTS: I enjoyed parts of this story – the setting is very well done. I felt like I was really there. And there was a satisfying ending. All good things. But… there was a lot of repetition in the story. I got to the point where I skipped entire sections because they were just rehashing what we’d already been told. Secondly, there was a lot of booze. They never seemed to just have a cup of coffee. Everything was alcohol. Third… Noah. The male main character. He seemed nice one moment and weird the next. Almost like he had ADHD or something like that. He was an inconsistent character for me. Finally, there was Harry (all three of them). I had trouble keeping up with which one we were talking about and all of Harry III’s lies. He couldn’t tell the truth if he tried.

So, yes, issues. A lot of them. But… that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a good story. This was a murder mystery with roots that went back into the late 1800s, but was mostly about the 1920 murder, compounded with the 1990 ones. I did love that Noah got closure with his father. And that he kept the house. Nicely done.

Recommended with the caveats above.

WITHOUT WORDS by Mae Thorn

Fiction, Fantasy

3***

Blurb: Enter the world of witches and lose your pound of flesh… Cassandra Poole loses her hearing when an alluring stranger touches her in her family’s apothecary. With her loss, she gains the ability to detect witches, but she will stop at nothing to find a cure, even if it means turning over other witches to the witch hunter, Lord Lyme. Niko Moore, the stranger, has powerful empathic abilities. He wants witches to remain free to cherish their abilities, but he must stand against the woman he has fallen for or risk betraying his fellow witches. Cassandra must choose who to trust, risking more than her hearing but also her humanity.

THOUGHTS: I was really looking forward to this book and disappointed that it just did not work for me. The premise was intriguing and the fact that the main character became deaf when she became a witch was fascinating. When you gain your powers, you lose some other part of you.

The main character, Cassandra, is touched by a strange man and loses her hearing, but gains a strange power. When she touches someone, she can tell if they’re witch or human. That power comes into play when she is to the Lyme estate. Cassandra makes the mistake multiple times on who to trust.

The witch hunting scenes should come with a warning (as should the addiction subject). The hunting scenes were bloody and gory – and even more so later when Cassandra returned to the forest. Had I known about the brutality in this story, I probably would not have read it.

The premise, as said, was intriguing. But the play out just did not work for me. And that is just my opinion. Many other reviewers loved it. Reviewing is very subjective. Not everybody likes everything. I will note this, the writing was intense enough that parts of it really bothered me and that means that the author did her job of making me feel something.

OY VEY, MARIA by Mark Reutling

Fiction, Cozy Mystery

3***

Blurb: Rose Kaplan and her sidekick Ida are at it again. It’s the holiday of Purim, and almost everyone at the Julius and Rebecca Cohen Home for Jewish Seniors is in costume for the Purim play. All except one, who will instead have to be fitted for a shroud. Once again, “Mrs. K” and Ida are called upon to solve the puzzle of a mysterious death at the Home. Described by Chanticleer Book Reviews as “at times more Lucy and Ethel than Holmes and Watson, with a soupcon of Miss Jane Marple,” these geriatric amateur sleuths will keep you laughing, guessing, and maybe even learning a bissel Yiddish!

THOUGHTS: We’re off and running (or rather, slow-walking) with Rose and Ida again in this third book in the Mrs. Kaplan mystery series. In this one, the daughter of a resident comes to Rose and Ida and asks them for help in checking on the woman who was hired to be a companion to her mother. Naomi (daughter) doesn’t trust Maria (helper) and thinks she’s stealing Miriam’s (mother) money. They do find out some nasty things about Maria, but finding her dead body at the Purim celebration was not one of them. The police think they have the killer from the outset, but Rose and Ida aren’t so sure. They go forward to discover the real killer with the same interest in finding the truth as in other books.

I had a little trouble with this book. I still love Rose and Ida and the Yiddish is flying fast and furious, but there’s a little too much. There is a lot of banter between the ladies and others to wade through which can be off-putting. Like the other stories, Ida is the one telling the story and letting us know what’s happening. She says that she is Watson to Rose’s Sherlock. There is a great deal of humor – like the homemade pickles in the toilet tank and a lot of tea drinking (often with schnapps). And I love the way the Inspector enjoys the ladies. The ending was a bit of a surprise, but not totally so well done.