LET IT SIMMER by Margot Johnson

Fiction, Second Chance Romance

4****

Blurb: A sensible, mature widow like Susan doesn’t belong on a tour bus seated next to her high school crush. Thirty years later, Phil is as charming and handsome as ever, but she doesn’t need a new partner, especially not a love-’em-and-leave-’em guy. Happily single, Phil tags along to celebrate his matchmaking mom’s eightieth birthday. She’s embarrassingly persistent, but maybe she’s right he should, finally, settle down with the right woman. Susan only wants a little family time with her two cousins and a scenic vacation to Northern Saskatchewan…so why does she feel like a fluttery teenage girl? Can Phil spark even more excitement than games, scenery, and wildlife?

Thoughts: Susan gives into her cousins nagging and goes on a bus tour to Northern Saskatchewan. She expects beautiful scenery – which there is – and even a little bit of fun with her cousins. What she doesn’t expect is to meet up with her old crush from high school, Phil. It’s been years since they’ve seen each other. And he is with his 80-year-old mother who is determined to hook the two of them up, much to the dismay both Phil and Susan. There are sparks, but both of them have reasons for not diving back into the romance scene. It takes the entire tour trip for them to draw closer. 

The imagery was well done. I wanted to go on that tour – and I don’t travel! It sounded like a lot of fun. And the characters were interesting and believable. This is a charming second-chance romance with a sweet ending that satisfied.

Recommended. 

ACCIDENTAL ALLIES by Karina Barlow

Fiction, Mystery/Thriller, 240 pages

4****

Blurb: Everybody’s experienced a rocky start to a new job, but few can top Minka Avery’s return to Orlando PD. After six years as a stay-at-home mom, Minka’s nervous but excited to sit at a detective’s desk again. Before she has a chance to break in her badge, however, her career resumes with a bang when someone bombs the county courthouse. With many disillusioned with the justice system, several brow-raising suspects emerge right away. Minka and her new partner, Renee, follow several tips that lead to dead ends, until they zero in on the courthouse’s former security guard. Their attempts to apprehend him send the city and police department into chaos. Meanwhile, Minka contends with the lingering suspicion of another party being involved. Could his accomplice be closer than she thinks?

Thoughts: This is a well-plotted mystery with good characters. I especially liked the main one, Detective Minka. She juggles returning to her job as a police detective after six years at home with her daughter. Like most moms who do this, she is often conflicted about doing this. I also like that she is a female detective—something that can be challenging by itself, but she also has a cochlear implant which makes many of the people she works with doubt her abilities. But she overcomes all her challenges and shows everyone what she is made of. I can honestly say I pretty much had the perp figured out early on, but the reasons why escaped me until the end—which was well done. 

Recommendation: For a good mystery with interesting characters and a decent ending, pick this one up. Note though – this is not a “cozy” mystery. Minka is no amateur sleuth. 

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”

Everybody’s experienced a rocky start to a new job, but few can top Minka Avery’s return to Orlando PD. After six years as a stay-at-home mom, Minka’s nervous but excited to sit at a detective’s desk again. Before she has a chance to break in her badge, however, her career resumes with a bang when someone bombs the county courthouse.  With many disillusioned with the justice system, several brow-raising suspects emerge right away. Minka and her new partner, Renee, follow several tips that lead to dead ends, until they zero in on the courthouse’s former security guard. Their attempts to apprehend him send the city and police department into chaos. Meanwhile, Minka contends with the lingering suspicion of another party being involved. Could his accomplice be closer than she thinks?

Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Accidental-Allies-Unde-feted-Detective-ebook/dp/B0CHWKQ98F

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/accidental-allies-karina-bartow/1144069605;jsessionid=D196D6EF2F76C613F15D81D65BCDF7D5.prodny_store02-atgap06?ean=9781509252077

Books-A-Million: https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Accidental-Allies/Karina-Bartow/9781509252077?id=8973185582242

Walmart: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Unde-a-Feated-Detective-Accidental-Allies-Series-3-Paperback-9781509252077/5087500511?from=/search

Bio:

Karina Bartow grew up and still lives in Northern Ohio.  Though born with Cerebral Palsy, she’s never allowed her disability to define her.  Rather, she’s used her experiences to breathe life into characters who have physical limitations, but like her, are determined not to let them stand in the way of the life they want.  Her works include Husband in Hiding, Brother of Interest, Forgetting My Way Back to You, and Wrong Line, Right Connection.  She may only be able to type with one hand, but she writes with her whole heart!

Social Media:

Website: https://www.KarinaBartow.com 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/karinabartowauthor 

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/KarinaBartow

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karina.bartow/

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Karina-Bartow/author/B076L4FCGV?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true

ISLAND DETOUR by Maria Imbalzano

Fiction, Contemporary Romance, 283 pages

Expected Publication Date: 2/19/2024 – up for preorder now!

4****

Blurb: Falsely accused of wrongdoing at a Princeton Prep school, Sophie Kearns accepts a temporary teaching position at an environmental school in the Florida Keys to wait out her suspension. The time away is meant to be an anxiety-free escape, but her clashes with the hot but arrogant marine biology teacher, Max Heaton, are anything but tranquil.Max is determined to start an environmental research institute at the school, but he suspects the gorgeous new Lit teacher, who lacks even the most basic outdoor skills, is there to hinder that dream. Yet something about her tames the demons from his past, and he can no longer ignore the fire she’s lit inside him.

Thoughts: I loved the character of Sophie! She is a brilliant lit teacher but is so out of her element in the outdoors. Even her clothing at the beginning of the story doesn’t fit her new surroundings. She has no idea how to kayak, swim, camp, or do any of the other outdoor activities required at her temporary school. But she forges on, learning it all—even how to clean fish (that she had to catch). And all the while, fighting with the handsome environmental specialist Max. The only tiny glitch I had about everything was when Kristin takes her out to learn how to kayak—without a life jacket. Any experienced boater knows not to take a newbie—or anyone really—out into the ocean without one. But Sophie does eventually learn how to do it all and even falls into a hot relationship with Max. And, since this is a romance, it all works out in the end. Both Sophie and Max grow and change throughout the story.

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”

Blurb:
Danger, secrets and lies…
Maverick government officer Simon Byrne, undercover on a Caribbean island, must stop an international arms dealer’s sale of uranium that could trigger world conflict. Simon’s mission goes sideways when the woman he once failed to protect is assigned as his tech officer. He vows to keep her safe, but she’s in his head…and in his heart.
By-the-book tech expert Janna Harris is determined to prove herself in the field and uncover whether her late husband, who sold to the arms dealer, also betrayed his government. A treason investigation could expose Janna’s own secrets. Her attraction to Simon wars with her pledge not to let another man into her life. But can she walk away from the only man who could heal her battered soul? Emotions and danger collide as the powder-keg deadline ticks down on their mission—and
their survival.
Buy links:
TWRP Shop: https://wildrosepress.com/product/dark-rules/
TWRP Amazon Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Rules-DARK-Files-Book-
ebook/dp/B0CKXXCSP3/
Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/dark-rules/id6469137898
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/dark-rules-4
BN: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dark-rules-susan-
vaughan/1125896676?ean=2940185984840

Author bio & social links:
Susan Vaughan loves throwing her hero and heroine together under extraordinary circumstances and pitting them against a clever villain. Her books have won the Golden Leaf, More Than Magic, and Write Touch Readers’ Award and been a finalist for the Booksellers’ Best and
Daphne du Maurier awards. A former teacher, she’s a West Virginia native, but she and her husband have lived in the Mid-Coast area of Maine for many years.
Website: www.susanvaughan.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SusanVaughanBooks
Z (Twitter): @shvaughan or https://twitter.com/SHVaughan
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/susan-vaughan

February 3

Birthdays:  Sidney Lanier (1842), Gertrude Stein (1874), James Michener (1907), Richard Yates (1926), Joan Lowery Nixon (1927), Paul Auster (1947), Henning Mankell (1948), Ransom Riggs (1980)

Gertrude Stein’s memoir “The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas” made her a literary cult figure.

James Michener won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1948.

Quote: “I’m not a very good writer, but I’m excellent rewriter.” – James A. Michener

Tip: Get to know your character: what does s/he like to watch on TV? Music? Movies? Clothing? What sets her apart from other characters?

Jumpstart: Describe where your character works. How did s/he get the job? Does s/he like it? Does s/he get along with his or her coworkers? What does s/he do? Write a scene with him or her at work.

February 4

Birthdays: Charles Lindbergh (1902), MacKinlay Kantor (1904), Betty Friedan (1921), Russell Hoban (1925), Stanley Karnow (1925), Siobhan Dowd (1960), Stewart O’Nan (1961), Ben Lerner (1979)

MacKinlay Kantor won the 1956 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for “Andersonville”

Betty Friedan is best known for her 1963 book “The Feminine Mystique”

Russell Hoban wrote books like “Bread and Jam for Frances” for children

Stanley Karnow wrote about the Vietnam War and won the 1990 Pulitzer for History

Quote: “…every day I don’t write feels like a lost day. I never believe that a story will be finished until I’ve typed the last period. And it is always a miracle if I get it down before being run over by a juggernaut.” – Siobhan Dowd

Tip: Get a notebook – a three ring binder is best – add paper and pockets and start adding stuff to it to use in future stories. Pictures, thoughts, etc. You can also do this in Pinterest or OneNote or other programs online.

Jumpstart: Write a voice mail message for a literary character or author but do it in the “voice” of the character. For instance, Hamlet: To answer, or not to answer, that is the question…

Birthdays: James Joyce (1882), Johnston McCulley (1883), William Rose Benet (1886), Ayn Rand (1905), James Dickey (1923), Ina Garten (1948), Judith Viorst (1931), Thomas Disch (1940), Josephine Humphreys (1945), R. Scott Bakker (1967), Santa Montefiore (1970)

James Joyce wrote stream of consciousness form in works like Ulysses.

Johnston McCulley created the character Zorro.

William Benet won the 1942 Pulitzer for Poetry for “The Dust Which is God”

Ayn Rand is most famous for her book “Atlas Shrugged”

James Dickey was the eighteenth Poet Laureate of the US and author of the novel “Deliverance” which was made into the 1972 movie.

Judith Viorst is most well known for her children’s books like “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day”

Quote: “Do not let your fire go out, spark by irreplaceable spark in the hopeless swamps of the not-quite, the not-yet, and the not-at-all. Do not let the hero in your soul perish in lonely frustration for the life you deserved and have never been able to reach. The world you desire can be won. It exists, it is real, it is possible, it’s yours.” – Ayn Rand

Tip: Most books are built around a central theme—a social problem, moral issue, intellectual question, etc. What is your story about?

Jumpstart: You’re stranded on a desert island. What do you have with you and what can you do to save yourself?

ACCIDENTAL ALLIES by Karina Barlow

Fiction, Mystery/Thriller, 240 pages

4****

Blurb: Everybody’s experienced a rocky start to a new job, but few can top Minka Avery’s return to Orlando PD. After six years as a stay-at-home mom, Minka’s nervous but excited to sit at a detective’s desk again. Before she has a chance to break in her badge, however, her career resumes with a bang when someone bombs the county courthouse. With many disillusioned with the justice system, several brow-raising suspects emerge right away. Minka and her new partner, Renee, follow several tips that lead to dead ends, until they zero in on the courthouse’s former security guard. Their attempts to apprehend him send the city and police department into chaos. Meanwhile, Minka contends with the lingering suspicion of another party being involved. Could his accomplice be closer than she thinks?

Thoughts: This is a well-plotted mystery with good characters. I especially liked the main one, Detective Minka. She juggles returning to her job as a police detective after six years at home with her daughter. Like most moms who do this, she is often conflicted about doing this. I also like that she is a female detective—something that can be challenging by itself, but she also has a cochlear implant which makes many of the people she works with doubt her abilities. But she overcomes all her challenges and shows everyone what she is made of. I can honestly say I pretty much had the perp figured out early on, but the reasons why escaped me until the end—which was well done.

Recommendation: For a good mystery with interesting characters and a decent ending, pick this one up. Note though – this is not a “cozy” mystery. Minka is no amateur sleuth.

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”

Birthdays: Walter Landor (1775), Gelett Burgess (1866), Saul Alinsky (1909), Barbara Tuchman (1912), Lloyd Alexander (1924), Shirley Hazzard (1931), Allan W. Eckert (1931), Richard Brautigan (1935), Gregory Benford (1941), Michael Dorris (1945), John Dufresne (1948), Judith Tarr (1955), Polly Horvath (1957)

Lloyd Alexander won the 1969 Newbery Medal for “The High King”

Allan W. Eckert won the 1972 Newbery Honor for “Incident at Hawk’s Hill”

Shirley Hazard is an Australian author and winner of the Booker Prize and American National Book Award for Fiction

Polly Horvath won 2003 National Book Award for Young People’s Fiction and Newbery Honor

Barbara Tuchman won the 1963 Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction for “The Guns of August”

Quote: “I want the reader to turn the page and keep on turning until the end. This is accomplished only when the narrative moves steadily ahead, not when it comes to a weary standstill, overloaded with every item uncovered in the research.” – Barbara Tuchman

Tip: Let the reader know what your characters are feeling, but not by telling us. Show us their anger, angst, love, hatred, etc. This can be best done through actions. Agitation is shown by tapping of the foot, drumming of the fingers, pacing. Use facial expressions, body movements, and even the way they talk.

Jumpstart: I saw that face across the room and I…

Blurb: Believing she’ll get to report gritty news, Callie accepts a job at her hometown newspaper. Instead, she’s assigned the gardening column-a subject she knows nothing about. She begs advice from a tight-lipped neighbor when he admits he’s a retired gardener, even though his mannerisms and speech suggest he’s anything but. Not knowing the full truth doesn’t matter-she needs his help. The townsfolk think him strange and warn Callie to keep her distance, but she regards him and his family as friends. Learning their horrifying secret doesn’t deter her, even though loyalty will draw her into danger.

Buy links to The Gardener’s Secret:

E-book link: https://a.co/d/3rXC7Vr

Paperback link: https://a.co/d/g6M9zcJ

Bio: Sheila Hansberger is an artist and writer. For the past 40+ years, commercial artwork and original watercolors have kept her busy with galleries and private clients. Other than an occasional magazine article or press release, her writings took a back seat to her artwork. In 2004, she began a five-year stint as Newsletter Editor for the National Watercolor Society. The job reminded her how much she loved writing. She then joined two national writer’s groups, attended classes, podcasts, and conferences to hone her skills. A book club, beta readers, and critique partners lent advice about her work. To date, her computer’s memory holds four novels (three finished), plotting for additional novels, and the beginnings of two children’s books. Deadlines are part of Hansberger’s existence, and she gives 110% to whatever project is in front of her. She says, “Some days I paint with watercolor; some days I paint with words. Life can be hectic, living like a ping-pong ball, bouncing back and forth between tasks, but at least I never get bored.”

Social media contact info

Website: www.s-hansberger.com

Facebook: Sheila Hansberger, Artist and Author (1) Facebook

Instagram: Sheila Hansberger (@sheilahansberger) • Instagram photos and videos

LinkedIn: (24) Sheila Hansberger | LinkedIn

Goodreads: The Gardener’s Secret by Sheila Hansberger | Goodreads