SUNSET LEDGE by Darlene DeLuca

Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Second Chances,

5*****

Blurb: Jack Armstrong lives like a recluse on his Texas ranch. In the difficult years after his wife’s death, he goes through the motions of life and wants to be left alone. Caroline Tate, a widowed ecology professor, arrives at the ranch for a much-needed break and to take nature photos for her sabbatical project. But relaxing is a challenge when she finds herself at odds with the curmudgeonly cowboy who owns the place. Jack generally steers clear of the guests, but this time, it’s not so easy. Vivacious Caroline doesn’t fade into the background. This city gal comes with pearls around her neck, a big red flower on her floppy hat, and way too many questions. Her self-assured, adventurous spirit gets under Jack’s skin, and she soon stirs feelings long dormant inside him.

Thoughts: I really enjoyed this story. It’s different from your usual romances in that both main characters are older (60s), widow/widower, with families. Caroline is a college professor on sabbatical who is looking for “what’s next” in her life – but she wasn’t planning on a relationship. Jack is a stoic, no-nonsense rancher who is set in his ways. Somehow, the two of them manage to figure out that they might be able to work together.

I liked Caroline’s nature. She’s a mixture of stubbornness and independence that rankles Jack. But she’s also good with animals and nature. Jack is almost a stereotypical old rancher. He’s a gentleman who wants nothing to do with softer emotions. I would have liked to have seen maybe a scene with the townspeople changing and the nature preserve go through – but those are minor things. But the description of the scenery is really well done—especially since Caroline is a photographer, so we get to see things through her eyes – like facing down a rattlesnake!

Recommended.

Disclaimer: 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”

BOOKED ON MURDER by Allison Brook

Fiction, Cozy Mystery

5****

Blurb: Librarian Carrie Singleton must catch a killer before she can say “I do” in the 8th delightful installment in Agatha Award-nominee Allison Brook’s Haunted Library mystery series. Carrie Singleton is ready to kiss the single life goodbye. Her wedding to Dylan Avery is just a few weeks away, and a happy ending is about to be hers. But when a body is found on the lawn of their wedding venue, happily-ever-after is looking deadlier than ever. The victim turns out to be Billy Carpenter, a young man recently released from prison after serving time for a bank robbery. The stolen money he’d buried is gone and Carrie and the police suspect Billy’s two alleged co-conspirators, his friends Luke Rizzo and Tino Valdez. But then Luke is murdered and Tino is nowhere to be found. With no leads and only a week to go before her big day, Carrie is on the hunt for clues. She hopes to wrap up this investigation with a neat bow before she and Dylan tie the knot. Carrie has something old, something new, and something borrowed ready for her walk down the aisle. Now she needs to find the killer without becoming the ‘something blue.’

Thoughts: This is the eighth book in the “Haunted Library” series, which was unfortunate for me as I have not read the first seven. But…I will be! Actually, being the last in the series meant mostly that I was a bit confused at the beginning since I wasn’t sure who exactly all the people were and what their connections were, but the author quickly caught me up and I was soon invested in the story and the characters.

Carrie works in the library and they recently came across a diary from the 1600s of a woman who was hung as a witch. The diary becomes the focus of an argument between those who think it should stay in the library, a man who believes it to be false and should be destroyed, and a descendant who things it should be hers. In addition, there are several people in town who were involved in a bank robbery years ago and are now looking for the money from that robbery. Both mysteries are tied together—along with the two dead bodies. And poor Carrie is just trying to get through the days to her wedding!

This all might sound chaotic, but it’s not. It does all tie together neatly in the end and Carrie manages to get married to her handsome Dylan and, supposedly, everyone lives happily ever after.

I really enjoyed this story, even with my confusion in the beginning. I know I’ll look for more from this author – and will look forward to reading the rest of this series!

Recommended.

A SIP BEFORE DYING by Gemma Halliday

Fiction, Cozy Mystery

4 1/2 stars ****+

Blurb: The Oak Valley Vineyard has been in Emmy Oak’s family for generations. So when the small Sonoma winery is suddenly in financial trouble and in danger of being gobbled up by the corporate giants, Emmy moves home to try to save her legacy with her modern culinary know-how. First step—she throws a party showcasing her latest vintage and signature tasty treats to a group of wine country’s most elite enthusiasts. Only when one of her VIP guests sips a glass of poisoned wine and dies in her cellar, Emmy’s name is on everyone lips for all the wrong reasons. The victim was the young, boy-toy husband of one of Silicon Valley’s most successful female CEOs… and his playboy ways and suspicious spending habits have almost no one mourning his death. Enter Detective Christopher Grant, recent SFPD transplant, who is assigned to the case and immediately homes in on Oak Valley. But Emmy is determined to clear her winery’s name—even if Grant’s dark eyes, sexy smile, and mysterious past threaten to distract her. After calling in the big guns to help her—a.k.a. her jewelry designer best friend and copious amounts of cookie dough ice cream—Emmy finds herself digging through a slew of suspects to uncover crimes, grudges, and secret affairs that could put a soap opera to shame. Can Emmy find out just which of the upper crust poisoned the victim’s vintage…or will Emmy’s next sip be her last?

Thoughts:

This was a fun cozy to read. Interesting characters, decent mystery, and decadent recipes at the end that go with the wines featured in the story.

Emmy is barely making ends meet (and more often than not – having them be not even close to each other) at her family’s winery. During a large, fancy tasting/meal event, one of the more affluent guests ends up dead—from her (poisoned)wine. Determined to prove that it wasn’t her friend or her wine that did the deed, she goes on the hunt to find the real killer—bumping heads with the hot detective who’s really on the case.

Recommended.

A little more than a month ago, I reviewed this book. I enjoyed it – and just found out from the author that it won the Somerset International Award for Contemporary Fiction. Congratulations to Nova Garcia! Check out her book now! https://www.novagarcia.net/

This was an engaging story with a mix of mystery/suspense and humor that melded well. The main character, Julia, has to find employees to hire for the call center of the newspaper where she works. Her boss is someone I wanted to slap, and then call out for what he does to her. While I understand the author’s reasoning for the character not to go to HR, it still made me cringe. But things like this do happen, even today. I loved that Julia was a list-maker. And that part of Carmen’s story is told through her diary. And how having a baby is not easy – before, during, and after. I liked that Julia and her best friend, Jerry, go on a hunt for the truth about Carmen and her life.

The story includes issues about abuse and intimidation as well as human marketing which can be a trigger for some. But these are also things that happen in our world which makes the story realistic and current.

HOMEWARD by Andrew Grey

Fiction, Contemporary Gay Romance

4****

Blurb: For the past several years, Matthew’s life has been one challenge after another. Keeping his sister’s four orphaned kids fed, clothed, housed, and entertained has him run ragged. Now he’s losing the kids’ mentor and maybe his job, if the plant where he works as an electrician shuts down like the rumors say. When his car won’t start outside the hospital, it’s the last thing he needs. Matthew could use a hero… so of course that’s when Lucas Reardon shows up again. A-list actor Lucas Reardon returned to his Michigan hometown to say goodbye to his father. The last person he expects to see is Matthew Wilson, the one who got away. Lucas helps Matthew out with the car, the kids, whatever he needs. But really, *he’s* the one who needs saving. Years of the fast-paced Hollywood life have worn him down to nothing, and a deranged stalker is making his life hell. Matthew becomes his refuge. But relationships need time to grow and bloom. With the paparazzi breathing down their necks and a deadline on Lucas’s return to LA, can they build a life worthy of the big screen?

Thoughts: Lucas is a big-time Hollywood movie actor. He has all kinds of people surrounding him every day, but he’s also very lonely. When he goes home to Michigan for his father’s funeral, he reconnects with Matthew—the one that got away. But Matthew has four young kids now—from his dead sister—and those kids come before everything, including a love who left him behind. Matthew and Lucas discover their feelings never left them, but Lucas lives in California and Matthew doesn’t want to disrupt the children’s lives more than they already have been. Throw in a stalker and you have challenges that are seemingly too big to handle.

The characters are realistic, including Matthew’s exhaustion trying to cope with four young kids and Lucas’s trying to cope with too many projects. And Lucas has a stalker that puts them all at risk and the feelings the author put in here are good. This is a quick read (only 157 pages) that has a HEA that will leave you satisfied.

Recommended

Disclaimer: 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”

THE DEMI-TASSE DEBUT by Katy Leen

Fiction, Cozy Mystery

4****

Blurb: A mysterious diary, a handsome stranger, and a sweet secret. Lora Weaver’s life is about to get sticky… Lora Weaver is not in the habit of spying on people. It’s rude. It’s unseemly. It’s an invasion of privacy. It’s also almost impossible to avoid in a crowded café when a handsome stranger sets to scribbling secrets into a journal mere inches away from her croissant and mochaccino glacé. Secrets she has no business knowing. Which is just as well since the scribbles are in French and her skills in the language verge on lost-in-translation territory. Not that anyone watching would know that. Anyone watching would think Lora knows plenty. Which Lora soon realizes when her new life in a new city plunges into a mélange of suspicious strangers, backstreet barters, and sweet secrets. Find out how Lora Weaver met bestie Camille Caron and future co-boss Laurent in The Demi-Tasse Début, a Lora Weaver mini-mystery prequel. Pull up a chair and hold on to your mochaccino, this one could get sticky:)

Thoughts: I enjoyed this quick read. And it is quick, but also well-done. The character of Lora comes across very well. There’s not a lot of description, but enough that you get the idea of Montreal. And though there is some French, there are also enough explanations—without being intrusive—that you understand it even if you don’t speak a word. The “mystery” is low key and fun without a lot of danger that many cozies have. But as this is a prequel, there are also a lot of threads left dangling. I look forward to reading more in this series.

Recommended for a quick read, but with the caveat of dangling threads.

Disclaimer: 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”

A MID-SUMMER MURDER by Geri Krotow

Fiction, Cozy Mystery

4****

Blurb: This small Pennsylvania town once again becomes a hotbed of secrets. Only Angel Warren, a retired Navy Pilot and owner of Shop ‘Round the World, can turn a summer day at the river into a murder investigation. But when her brother Bryce’s unicorn float snags on a corpse’s hand, suddenly Angel and Bryce are suspects. It doesn’t help that Angel knows the victim and was one of the last people to see Hank Price alive, or that Angel witnessed a disturbing argument between Hank and his wife. Plus, she and Bryce may have heard the shot that killed Hank. Once more, Angel inserts herself into the middle of the investigation, this time with her best friend Detective Trinity Colson’s tacit approval. Who could have wanted Hank dead? Angel soon discovers Hank had a secret life that included sketchy business dealings and a gambling addiction. The question isn’t how Angel will juggle her sleuthing alongside managing her gift store during the height of tourist season, family drama, and a burgeoning romance. It’s how will Angel solve the crime without stumbling into the killer’s sights?

Thoughts: This was a fun read. I loved getting to know the characters – they are realistic and believable, as is the scenery. I felt like I was really in Stonebridge and getting to know the shopkeepers. I’d love to stop in and grab a latte from Nate’s shop, or look around Angel’s store. The mystery part of the story is also well-done (though I will admit, I kind of knew who the perp was pretty early on, but not the motive). And the mixture of pets was fun—especially Nate’s dog and Angel’s parrot. They both add a bit of levity to the story.

All in all, a good cozy that I do recommend.

PLAYING HER SONG by Kimberly Keyes

Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Suspense, level 4 heat

4****

Blurb: When Julia’s carefully constructed life takes a sudden, demoralizing nose dive, she flees to the small town of her youth. She finds the perfect landing place—a furnished cottage on a private estate in the Blue Ridge foothills. Then she learns the owner-resident is Jackson Tate—her high school crush and, until recently, the source of her greatest humiliation. Jackson, the small town boy-turned-rockstar, never forgot Julia nor the mistake he made causing his one-time math tutor to vanish from his life. Jackson avoids all but the most superficial entanglements of the female variety. Yet one look at Julia and he’s determined to win back the friendship he lost. Julia’s ancient grudge can’t withstand Jackson’s lethal combination of humility and charm. But what about her teenage crush? Especially one not so one-sided after all…

Thoughts: This is a well-written romance but it’s not billed as romantic suspense and it should be since there is definitely some of that going on, especially toward the end. Julia and Jackson were friends in high school and now, thirteen years later, the sparks are still there. But Julia has been burnt by her ex cheating on her and isn’t sure she wants to get into a relationship. But she can’t deny the pull the popular singer has on her. And Jackson feels the same. His past with women hasn’t been good, but Julia is different. Special.

The story is told from both POVs and the characters have real life issues that challenge them. The imagery is nicely done, putting you right there in the story. There is some heat and definitely suspense when you get toward the middle/end of the story. But there’s a HEA that satisfies. Overall, I enjoyed the book and would definitely read more by this author.

Recommended

Disclaimer: 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”

RIOT ACT by Sarah Lariviere

Fiction, YA, Historical,

5*****

Blurb: Punk rock meets 1984 in this story of a group of theater kids who take on a political regime, perfect for readers who love books by A.S. King and Marie Lu. In an alternate 1991, the authoritarian US government keeps tabs on everybody and everything. It censors which books can be read, what music can be listened to, and which plays can be performed. When her best friend is killed by the authorities and her theater teacher disappears without a trace, Gigi decides to organize her fellow Champaign High School thespians to put on a production of Henry VI. But at what cost?

Thoughts: This is a very interesting book. One that should be read by everyone. Unfortunately, I predict it’s going to be banned by the very people who *should* be reading it. It’s thought provoking and disturbing, but so well-written. Quote: Ms. Lee is still talking. “And when they tell you you can’t do it? You do it anyway. You do it louder. You never stop.”

Told from the point of view of Max, who is actually dead, and trying to get his best friends to hear him, it shows what could happen if a dictator takes over the US. Quote: “History loves its snake oil salesmen.” Only certain music, theater, TV, radio, etc. is allowed. There’s no internet for outside information. Phone calls are regulated, and you can’t leave the city where you live without passes and permission. But that doesn’t stop the Thespian Club from putting on their own performances (in secret) of various plays. Gigi, Max’s best friend, is the main person Max is trying to talk to and she decides to put on version of a Shakespeare play that could really get her in trouble. The kind of trouble that Max got into. This is a story about teenagers who decide to fight back in the only way they know how—through art, theater, music. It is not a happy story or an easy one to read, but it is an amazing story, very well-written and with imagery that stays with you.

I love that there are strong ties to Shakespeare, especially Henry VI, and a couple references to Chekhov as well. At the end of the book, there is a recommended reading list as well as a playlist of music to go with the story.

Definitely Recommended

Disclaimer: 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”