Can Children Help A Loveless Marriage?

 

Something in the Heir by Suzanne Enoch
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

Emmeline and William Pershing have enjoyed a perfect marriage of convenience. They’ve settled into separate, well-ordered lives beneath the same roof, and are content to stay that way. Although William has secretly longed for more from the woman he adores. When Emmeline’s grandfather, the Duke of Welshire, summons them both for his birthday celebration and demands they bring their two little children, William is stunned to discover that his wife invented two heirs to fulfill the agreement for living at Winnover. But surely if they team up and borrow two cherubs to call their own, what could go wrong? Enter George, age 8, and Rose, 5—the two most unruly orphans in Britain. As the insanity unfolds, their careful, professional arrangement takes some surprising turns. Perhaps it takes a bit of madness to create the perfect happily ever after.
When I first read the summary for this historical romance, I was intrigued. The concept for this novel seemed interesting and fairly original. Sadly, though, I wasn’t impressed. I didn’t like Emmeline at all, she seemed selfish, conniving, irresponsible, and naïve. She manipulated the whole situation. William seemed very submissive, and I felt he didn’t have a backbone. I honestly was not interested in what happened, and just read it to finish it for this review. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this advanced reader’s copy. This review is my unbiased opinion.


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Love and the Heat of Competition!

 

The Make-Up Test by Jenny L. Howe
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Can two people who have a past compete for the same opportunity while rebuilding their relationship? This contemporary romance is about two students who broke up after competing for something each of them wanted, only for it to happen again. Does love conquer the heat of competition?
I wanted to love this story more, but I felt it was too one-sided. Both main characters were likeably flawed and very human. The challenge of the heroine to love herself and have confidence despite her father’s deriding and apathetic attitude is something I know happens in reality. I liked how the hero had actually showed the heroine that he had changed and deserved a chance in her life. What I didn’t like was the way the heroine was lying yet felt betrayed when she thought the hero cheated. She never asked him about it, just thought that she was wronged. And then, she didn’t go over and apologize, she waited until he apologized to her. I felt that she needed to step up and take responsibility for what she did. I felt the hero was being too submissive and there was an inequality in the relationship that annoyed me. Overall, this is a good story which should be used in discussions about honesty and trust in relationships. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this advanced reader’s copy. This review is my unbiased opinion.


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Wedding Planning Can Be Murder?!?

 

A Vacation to Die For by Lynn Cahoon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Jill Gardner, owner of Coffee, Books, and More is hustling her fiancé off to a neighboring tourist town to plan her nuptials. But when a mystery man turns up dead at South Cove’s PD, Greg is hightailing it back home to investigate, leaving Jill to finish the vacation solo. She can barely get in a spa day before her own respite is spoiled by a greedy hotel guest and unexpected revelations about Max Winter, the developer conniving to buy her home out from under her. Then there’s the strange men seen lurking about town, and an aggressive and obnoxious family member harassing Jill’s employee. Could all these happenings be connected? Can Jill find the truth before a killer finds her?
This is one of my favorite cozy mystery series. I love Jill and her coffee/book shop. I enjoy reading about her investigations. I love Greg and his relationship with her. They make a great team and I hope that we get to see them married and working together to solve mysteries. The plot to this mystery was very confounding. I kept on thinking I knew who the killer was, but I was surprised in the end. I can’t wait to read the next installment. Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for this advanced reader’s copy. This review is my unbiased opinion.


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Can Jenna's past lead to murder?

 

Bound by Murder by Laura Gail Black
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Antiquarian bookseller Jenna Quinn is having a good day until her ex-fiancé, Blake Emerson, walks in with his bride-to-be, Missy Plott. He only has eyes for Jenna and continues to profess his love. But then Missy turns up dead. All evidence points to Blake, who was the last one to see her alive. Blake’s mother, Cordelia, asks Jenna for help. Jenna doesn’t believe that Blake could have killed Missy, and she starts digging for suspects. Although Jenna’s boyfriend would like her to stay away from the investigation. Then, the police find evidence from a cold case years before, a case that had falsely implicated Jenna herself. Can she find the truth about both cases?
This is a great cozy mystery to curl up to in a comfy chair and a cup of hot chocolate. Jenna is a very likeable sleuth with a keen eye and a way to get people talking. The plot is full of twisty red herrings that will keep you guessing whodunnit. The romantic subplot is another reason this story is so good. Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the advanced reader’s copy. This review is my unbiased opinion.

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Enola Holmes Saves The Day!

 

Enola Holmes and the Elegant Escapade by Nancy Springer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Enola Holmes, the much younger sister of Sherlock, is living independently in London and working as a scientific perditorian (a finder of persons and things). But that is not the normal lot of young women in Victorian England. They are under the near absolute control of their nearest male relative until adulthood. Such is the case of Enola's friend, Lady Cecily Alastair. And when Enola is turned away at the door of the Alastair home it becomes apparent that Lady Cecily needs her help. Affecting a bold escape, Enola takes Lady Cecily to her secret office only to be found by the person hired by Lady Cecily's mother to find the missing girl—Sherlock Holmes himself. But the girl has disappeared, now on her own in the unforgiving city of London. Even worse, Lady Cecily has a secret. She has dual personalities—one, which is left-handed, and independent and competent; the other is right-handed and meek and mild. Now Enola must find Lady Cecily before one of her personalities gets her into more trouble than she can handle and before Sherlock can find her and return her to her father. Once again, for Enola, the game is afoot.
This historical mystery is a fun read that will keep you turning the pages until the end. Enola is on equal footing as a sleuth as her older brother, Sherlock. She is clever, resourceful, daring, and understands people more than she should for her age. Like her brother, Enola also has informants and helpers, such as a cab driver and the other ladies at her lodgings. These characters are fully formed and add nuance to the historical setting of this story. The plot is interesting and shows the need that Enola has to connect with people. The ending seemed a little sad and felt like a conclusion. I certainly hope that there are more stories coming in this series. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this advanced reader’s copy. This review is my unbiased opinion.


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A Rejected Gentleman!

 

The Jilted Gentleman by Lisa Torquay
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Lady Elvina Dankworth, the daughter of the Duke of Rutherford, sees a future with a perfect match and luxurious town functions. However, as she meets the mill-owner whose lands border her family's, she’s smitten, though a match with a man of trade is out of the question. But as tragedy strikes, he might be the only man willing to protect her. Mr. Percy Russell, the biggest mill-owner in the land, feels ravaged by the sight of the feisty lady. He can't stop wanting her. Worse, he's not about to stand at an altar only to be jilted again, ever. But when scandal explodes and Elvina falls from grace, he’ll do anything to protect his spitfire.
I really wanted to love this historical romance more. Elvina and Percy were very likeable and the side characters were interesting. The plot was good, although I couldn’t connect with the story. The writing was difficult and some mistakes took me out of the story and I felt more editing was needed. I want to read more from this series. I received an advanced reader’s copy from the publisher. This review is my honest opinion.

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Brenda Jackson's Westmoreland Legacy: The Outlaws Book 1

 

The Wife He Needs by Brenda Jackson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The arrangement is simple: two weeks in Spain then a marriage of convenience. Until Garth Outlaw’s potential bride doesn’t show and pilot Regan Fairchild ends up sharing his bed. But Garth has vowed never to love again. Can Regan convince him the wife he needs and the woman he desires are one and the same?
I loved this contemporary romance. The hero was very enticing to read about. The heroine was very feisty and independent, she risked it all for the love of her life, and I loved that. I will definitely read more from this series.

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Two Ghosts and A Murder!

 

Dewey Decimated by Allison Brook
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Carrie Singleton, head of Programs and Events at the Clover Ridge library could really use a break, but it doesn’t look likely when a dead body is found in the basement of the building attached to the library. It turns out to be Carrie’s fiancé’s Uncle Alec, who Dylan hasn’t seen in years. But Alec has no intention of truly checking out until the mystery surrounding his death is solved. Meanwhile, the town council, of which Carrie is a member, is embroiled in a debate over the fate of the Seabrook Preserve, a lovely and valuable piece of property that runs along Long Island Sound. As the dispute rages, there’s another murder, this time involving a council member. Could the two murders be connected? And could Carrie be next on the hit list?
This cozy mystery was great to read during the season prior to Halloween, it really got me in the mood. Reading about the new ghost’s antics gave a little comedic relief, and this story never became too scary. Carrie is a great sleuth, but I missed the interplay and subplot of her relationship with Dylan. All in all, it’s a very good mystery, and I can’t wait until the next installment in the series. Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this advanced reader’s copy. This review is my unbiased opinion.


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A Dumpling Murder!

 

Death by Dumpling by Vivien Chien
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The last place Lana Lee thought she would ever end up is back at her family’s restaurant. But after a brutal break-up and a workplace walk-out, she figures that a return to the Cleveland area to help wait tables is her best option for putting her life back together. When the restaurant’s property manager, Mr. Feng, turns up dead from eating food from her family’s restaurant, Lana decides to find out who is behind Feng’s killer order before her own number is up.
It's rare for me to love a first story in the series, but that’s what happened. This is a well-written story about a young woman who’s just starting out and trying to make a life for herself. I can relate (although I’m not so young.) She’s had some bad breaks, and the murder doesn’t help. But, through it all, she learns how resourceful she is, and how much she’s loved. The mystery plot was intertwined with several side characters. The revelation at the end was surprising, and enjoyable. I can’t wait to read another book from this series.


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An Enchanting Contemporary Romance!

 

The Pink House by Cindy Kirk
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Hannah Danbury has lost her husband and her job and decided to move back to her hometown. Her life is in upheaval, and she feels uncertain. She has always wanted to become a baker, but she is unsure. Her new next-door neighbor is a handsome man from her past. He seems interested but she’s scared. So, one day, Hannah decides to take a walk through the wooded area beside her house. That one walk will change her life, and her view. When she finds the Pink House, everything will change.
Ms. Kirk is a gifted writer who always teaches me something in every book she writes. The theme of this book is, “Falling in love again isn’t disrespectful to the one who’s gone, but a tribute to them.” Very well said. Reading her books always leaves my heart lighter, and my world a little brighter. This book should be read by everyone who loves an enchanting romance.


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