Recommendations of Books Released in February 2023!

 There are several wonderful books being released in February. Here is a list of books that you should watch out for:

Published February 7th: 

Murder Served Neat by Michelle Hillen Klump (Crooked Lane Books)

Published February 21st:

Never Seduce A Duke by Vivienne Lorret (Avon and Harper Voyager)

Irish Knit Murder by Peggy Ehrhart (Kensington Books)

Designs On A Rancher by LaQuette (Harlequin Romance)

The Marquess and the Runaway Lady by Samantha Hastings (Harlequin Romance)

Published February 28th:

Murder at an Irish Bakery by Carlene O'Connor (Kensington Books)

Thanks goes to NetGalley for the opportunity to read these wonderful stories. Happy Reading!

A Horse Rescue Mystery!

 

Canter With a Killer by Amber Camp
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Mallory Martin moved back to her hometown of Hillspring, Arkansas, and started a horse rescue. But when her neighbor and longtime critic, Albert Cunningham, is found murdered in his show barn, Mallory becomes a suspect, and decides to take matters into her own hands, and investigate. With her horse rescue on the line, can Mallory find the truth before she loses everything?
This cozy mystery was very interesting. The characters were well written and appealing. The plot was intriguing enough to keep me interested. And, the setting was different, I never read about a horse rescue mystery. But I felt that the story was too long, and it took too long to finish. I also guessed the perpetrator from the second chapter. I want to thank NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this advanced reader’s copy. This review is my unbiased opinion.


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A Study on Love in Good Hope!

 

This Thing Called Love in Good Hope: by Cindy Kirk
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Scientist Dexter Woodard knows everything about numbers and nothing about relationships. When he’s dumped by his girlfriend, he decides to research love. Sage McConnell has just arrived in Good Hope. Working in the service industry, she’s an expert on people. With Dexter, however, something doesn’t add up. Dexter is smart, sexy, and available, yet he holds back. Sage agrees to help Dexter with his study. But, as their research advances, so do their feelings. Are Sage and Dexter actually falling in love? Or is their experiment about to explode?
This is another contemporary romance by one of the greatest authors of the genre. And reading about Good Hope is like visiting old friends. In fact, as I was reading this installment, I was wondering about all of the wonderful characters from the earlier books. Good Hope is so well described, it’s a character by itself. And I believe that you should read this book because the characters and the setting will make you believe that true love is possible, and the story will lighten your heart and put a smile on your face. I want to thank the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this advanced reader's copy.


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A Book Club Crime!

 

Crime for the Books by Kate Young
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Lyla Moody and her book club, the Jane Does, are hosting a Halloween party at Magnolia Manor, tailored after Agatha Christie’s A Murder is Announced. When the lights come on after the staged murder, a real victim lies dead with a gunshot wound in her chest. The victim was a relative of Elaine Morgan, operator of the B&B, who’d earlier been seen arguing with her about the fate of the property. Suspicion falls on Elaine, and she’s arrested. Believing Elaine is innocent, the Jane Does team up with police officer Rosa Landry, who’s a member of the club, to find the truth.
This was a good cozy mystery to read on a rainy night in front of a roaring fireplace. It was suspenseful and the plot kept me guessing until the very end. I felt there were too many suspects and side characters. I was confused about some of the relationships between them. Lastly, some of the language used seemed inappropriate. I really believe that a writer doesn’t have to use curse words, there are so many other words in the English language to use. I want to thank Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for this advanced reader’s copy. This review is my unbiased opinion.


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A Painting and a Murder!

 

Kill Them With Canvas by Bailee Abbott
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Chloe Abbington and her sister, Izzie, are running Paint with a View, their paint party business in the western New York lakeside town of Whisper Cove. Now, their aunt Constance—president of the local chapter of the Chautauqua Sisterhood—has hooked them up with a gig hosting a Halloween painting party. The event seems to be a success, until Chloe overhears an argument between Constance and Viola Finnwinkle, the Sisterhood director, about the fate of the local chapter. The next morning, Viola’s body is discovered floating face down near the town ferryboat dock. Eerily, the image is an exact replica of a painting Chloe and Izzie had discovered at the event the night before. Then, the police find Constance’s purple hat lying on the ground near the crime scene. Constance pleads innocence, saying the hat went missing during the event. Frantic, she begs Chloe and Izzie to help her. The sisters believe in her innocence, and start investigating.
This was an interesting cozy mystery with characters that are very likeable. I love the main characters’ business and how art plays a role in the story. But this mystery was too long and drawn out. I was getting bored with it, and the slow pace of the story made me want to put it down. The only reason why I wanted to finish it was to see whodunit. And, for once, I wasn’t surprised, I knew who the culprit was from the third chapter. Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this advanced reader’s copy. This review is my unbiased opinion.


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