Tag: #bookreview

Feature Post and Book Review: Shattering Dawn by Jayne Ann Krentz

Book Description

Amelia Rivers, a member of the Lost Night Files podcast team, hires private investigator Gideon Sweetwater to catch the stalker who has been watching her. Amelia suspects the stalker may be connected to the shadowy organization responsible for the night that she and her two friends lost to amnesia—a night that upended their lives and left them with paranormal talents.

Gideon suspects that Amelia is either paranoid or an outright con artist, but he can’t resist the chemistry between them. He takes the case despite his skepticism. For her part, Amelia has second thoughts about the wisdom of employing the mysterious Mr. Sweetwater. She is wary of the powerful attraction between them, and deeply uneasy about the nightmarish paintings on the walls of his home. She senses they were inspired by his own dreamscapes.

Amelia knows she doesn’t have time to find another investigator, and Gideon is forced to reckon with the truth when he disrupts what was intended to be Amelia’s kidnapping. Now the pair is on the run, with no choice but to return to the haunting ruins of the old hotel where Amelia’s lost night occurred. They are desperate to stop a killer and the people who are conducting illegal experiments with a dangerous drug that is designed to enhance psychic abilities. If they are to survive, they will have to trust each other and the passion that bonds them.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/211025506-shattering-dawn?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=LFjcghXyhG&rank=1

The Lost Night Files Trilogy

  1. Sleep No More
  2. The Night Island
  3. Shattering Dawn

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My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

SHATTERING DAWN (The Lost Night Files Book #3) by Jayne Ann Krentz is the final paranormal romantic suspense book in The Lost Night Files trilogy. In this story, the third member of the Lost Night Files podcast members meets her HEA match, and all the dangling plotlines of the trilogy are resolved. While this can be read as a standalone romance, I feel it is much more enjoyable reading the trilogy in order.

Amelia Rivers wonders if she is going mad as her enhanced paranormal powers increase and are not under control. She has difficulty sleeping and has become terrified of the dark since her lost night with her two friends at Lucent Springs. She believes she is being stalked, and it may be tied to her lost night. She hires Private Investigator Gideon Sweetwater. Amelia is not sure if Gideon is right for the job, and Gideon has his own reservations, but he is intrigued. While both need to learn to trust the other, they are also wary of the chemistry between them.

Gideon Sweetwater feels an attraction to Amelia, but is skeptical of her story, until he disrupts a kidnapping at her apartment building. Amelia takes Gideon back to Lucent Springs, outside of San Diego to look for more clues and information, but there are people who will stop at nothing to get their hands on Amelia. What they did not count on was Gideon and his Sweetwater heritage.

Amelia and Gideon are so much fun as the H/h in this book of the trilogy. Amelia does not let the Gideon get away with his alpha tendencies as they learn to trust each other and their paranormal talents. I also enjoyed that Gideon was a Sweetwater and how he was a link between many of the other “Jayneverse” series and trilogies. The romance plot is fast paced with danger at their heels and both their physical and paranormal chemistry is explosive. The story’s suspense plotline is palpable throughout with many twists and surprises. All the intertwining subplots over the entire trilogy are tied together in this book and come together in a satisfying conclusion.

I highly recommend this entertaining and fast paced finale to The Lost Night Files trilogy!

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About the Author

Jayne Ann Krentz is the author of more than fifty New York Times bestsellers. She has written contemporary romantic suspense novels under that name and futuristic and historical romance novels under the pseudonyms Jayne Castle and Amanda Quick, respectively. Jayne currently lives in Seattle, WA.

Social Media Links

Website: https://jayneannkrentz.com

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

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jayneannkrentzauthor/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/shattering-dawn-by-jayne-ann-krentz

Feature Post and Book Review: Face of Greed by James L’Etoile

Book Description

When a prominent Sacramento businessman is killed and his wife injured in a brutal home invasion, Detective Emily Hunter and her partner, Javier Medina, are called to investigate. At first glance, it seems like a crime of opportunity gone horribly wrong, but Emily soon finds there might be more to both the crime and the dead man.

The high-stakes investigation also comes at a time when Emily is caring for her mother, who has early-onset Alzheimer’s, and Emily struggles to balance her job with her personal life. The city’s political elite seem to want the case solved quickly, but darker forces want it buried.

Could there have been a motive behind the attack, making it more than a random home invasion? Emily uncovers clues that cause her to reconsider her understanding of the crime. A deadly game of greed and deception pulls Emily deeper into the shadowy world of gang violence and retribution. She has to walk the razor’s edge to identify the killer—without becoming the next victim.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63277415-face-of-greed?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=ggiF1e3f50&rank=1

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My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

FACE OF GREED (A Detective Emily Hunter Mystery Book #1) by James L’Etoile is a gritty, intricately plotted, and fast paced crime thriller/police procedural set in Sacramento, California. This is the first book in a new series by this author with a pair of detectives that I already know I am going to love to follow in future books.

Detective Emily Hunter and her partner, Detective Javier Medina are called to the scene of an apparent home invasion. They find the husband, a prominent Sacramento businessman, is brutally murdered and the wife injured, but alive. As they begin their investigation, they are hindered by political interference and the pressure for a quick resolution and a widow who seems to be not that upset by the murder of her husband.

With the death of the dead man’s lawyer, Emily and Javi soon find themselves embroiled in a case full of dirty money and cops, greed, gangs, and violence. Can Emily untangle the evidence before either herself or someone she loves wind up dead?

This story pulls you into the investigation and the lives of Emily and Javi to the point that I could not put it down. Emily is an intelligent and tough protagonist who doggedly follows the clues and walks a fine line at times, but while seeming to stretch it at times, there is always a reason, and she does not cross it. Emily is also dealing with a mother who has dementia and is no longer able to care for herself. Emily’s partnership with Javi feels realistically written and occasionally adds humor to the otherwise intense story.

Mr. L’Etoile’s writing is smart, realistic, gritty, and immersive. The crime plot is twisted and continued to surprise me. I always love this author’s books, and this one was no exception. I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series, River of Lies.

I highly recommend this crime thriller/police procedural!

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About the Author

James L’Etoile uses his twenty-nine years behind bars as an influence in his award-winning novels, short stories, and screenplays. He is a former associate warden in a maximum-security prison, a hostage negotiator, and director of California’s state parole system. His novels have been shortlisted or awarded the Lefty, Anthony, Silver Falchion, and the Public Safety Writers Award. Face of Greed and Served Cold are his most recent novel. Look for River of Lies and Sins of the Father, coming in 2025.

Major social themes weave through his work, including the world of human trafficking, black market organ transplants, homelessness, domestic terrorism, immigration policy, political corruption, and the pharmaceutical industry.

Social Media Links

Website: https://jamesletoile.com/

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

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorjamesletoile/

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Greed-Detective-Emily-Hunter-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0BP97PYXH/ref=sr_1_1?crid=L5QJZCJ69G14&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.gWQpAcoDhdm

Feature Post and Book Review: Remember When by Mary Balogh

Book Description

The Dowager Countess of Stratton, Clarissa Ware, née Greenfield, has just presented her younger daughter to the ton, and the rest of her life belongs only to herself. She returns to Ravenswood, intending to spend the summer alone there. But the summer has other plans for her.

Born a gentleman, Matthew Taylor has chosen to spend his life as the village carpenter. Growing up, he and Clarissa were close—dangerously so, considering his family’s modest fortune. As a young man, he never would have been a suitable match for the daughter of the wealthy Greenfields. Clarissa married Caleb Ware, the Earl of Stratton, so Matthew married another, though he was widowed soon after.

Now everything is different—Clarissa has already lived the life expected of her by society. And Matthew is as attractive and intriguing as he was when they were young. As their summer friendship deepens into romance, they stand together on the precipice of change—essentially the same man and woman they remember being back then, but with renewed passion and the potential to take their lives in an entirely new direction.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/211025422-remember-when?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=lCLNOLNpm5&rank=1

Ravenswood Novels

  1. Remember Love
  2. Remember Me
  3. Always Remember
  4. Remember When

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My Book Review

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

REMEMBER WHEN: Clarissa’s Story (A Ravenswood Novel Book #4) by Mary Balogh is a historical, mature, second chance at love story in this continuing Regency romance series featuring the Ware family. This novel is easily read as a standalone romance, but I have enjoyed reading the series in order.

Clarissa Ware, the Dowager Countess of Stratton, returns to Ravenswood for the summer for the first time without any of her children or other obligations. She is turning fifty and feels adrift in her personal life. Six years a widow, all her children grown, and her daughter-in-law assuming all the duties of being the Countess of Stratton, she wishes for solitude to decide on her future, but fate intercedes.

Matthew Taylor was born a gentleman and second son of landowners but is spending his life as the village carpenter and master woodworker. As a young man, he was a neighbor of Clarissa’s family and they were the closest of friends from childhood to seventeen years of age, but he knew he would never be suitable for her, and she accepted the proposal of the Earl of Stratton.

When Clarissa seeks out her old friend, they discover the attraction is still there. Clarissa has always upheld all expectations from society and her family. Can their renewed friendship and mature attraction overcome society’s restraints and family concerns and turn into something more?

I always look forward to returning to the Ware family of Ravenswood. This mature romance did not disappoint, and I was very happy that Clarissa finally found herself, not just what was expected of her. This is a slow burn romance due to the time period, society’s rules, and the side plot which has Matthew having to resolve his own old family issues to move on. That said, there is also a bit too much repetition especially in the beginning of the story, but I feel the romance and HEA are satisfying overall. I am looking forward to reading more of the remaining unattached siblings’ stories in the future.

An enjoyable historical, mature, second chance romance addition to this series.

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About the Author

Mary Balogh grew up in Wales and now lives with her husband, Robert, in Saskatchewan, Canada. She has written more than one hundred historical novels and novellas, more than forty of which have been New York Times bestsellers. They include the Bedwyn saga, the Simply quartet, the Huxtable quintet, the seven-part Survivors’ Club series, and the Westcott series.

Social Media Links

Website: https://marybalogh.com/

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

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/mary-balogh

Feature Post and Book Review: Evergreen Christmas by Janet Dailey

Book Description

The first in a new cozy Christmas series where the 12 annual Competitions of Christmas in the, close-knit town of Noel, North Carolina are underway! This year horse breeder, and newcomer, Jordyn Banks decides to take on the resident Christmas tree decorating champion, who happens to be her handsome next door neighbor.

Barrel racer Jordyn Banks is thrilled to discover affordable land for sale in charming Noel, perfect for breeding her horses. But that’s not all. A nomad with no family—other than her beloved Quarter Horse, Star—she also hopes to find a home within the close-knit Appalachian Mountain community. Yet Jordyn didn’t bargain on inheriting a controversial Fraser Fir—or falling for a handsome single dad whose adorable little girl tempts her to dream of being far more than a property owner . . .

Since losing his wife in childbirth six years ago, Nate Reed has devoted himself to their daughter, Roxanna, and built up their thriving Frosted Firs Ranch. For nine years straight he’s won Noel’s contest for the most perfect Christmas tree for the Town Square. It’s a tradition he began with his late wife. But this year, Jordyn Banks is determined to harvest her Fraser Fir and compete—meaning Nate will finally be challenged—in more ways than one . . .

Throughout the event, Nate can’t help noticing that Roxanna is dazzled by Jordyn’s strength, beauty, and quirky sense of humor. Soon enough, Nate is falling for her, too. But can a feisty wanderer ever really settle down? Is Nate ready to open his heart to someone new? And is it possible that sometimes love does grow on (Christmas) trees? . .

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/204294898-evergreen-christmas?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=InDckQHRUO&rank=1

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My Book Review

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

EVERGREEN CHRISTMAS (Frosted Firs Ranch Book #1) by Janet Daily is a heartwarming cozy holiday contemporary romance that features a young women looking for a place to call home. It also introduces us to the town folks of Noel, North Carolina and their traditional Christmas Challenge headed up by the four Noel Nanas. This is the first book in a new series, and I am looking forward to more to come.

Jordyn Banks has retired from barrel racing and with her quarter horse, Star, she wants to start a horse breeding and training farm. She found the perfect small ranch in Noel, North Carolina. What she does not expect is to immediately become a part of the Noel Nanas’s plans for winning the annual Christmas Challenge.

Nate Reed is a widower and father of six-year-old, Roxanna “Roxie”, who owns the Frosted Firs Ranch next door to Jordyn. He has devoted his life to raising his daughter and winning the Christmas Challenge in memory of his late wife. No one tempted him in his personal life until this red-headed beauty moved in next door. Roxie is taken with her new neighbor also and is determined to help and include her in every activity in the challenge, but Nate is afraid to let someone else into his and Roxie’s lives.

Who will win the Christmas Challenge this year?

I enjoyed this charming holiday romance that leaves you feeling warm and satisfied inside. Jordyn is a wonderful protagonist full of love for everyone she meets, which is surprising considering her upbringing. Nate is bullheaded and had me wanting to knock him on that head a time or two but is still a good man in the way he has built up his business and taken care of and raised his daughter. The Nanas were funny and wonderful even with all their meddling. This is a cozy romance with no sex scenes, but plenty of romance and romantic angst. I also liked that Jordyn and Nate were honest and discussed their feelings and did not play games.

I recommend this enjoyable cozy holiday contemporary romance with memorable small-town characters to curl up with on your favorite chair on a cold winter day.

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About the Author

Janet Anne Haradon Dailey was an American author of numerous romance novels as Janet Dailey (her married name). Her novels have been translated into nineteen languages and have sold over 300 million copies worldwide.

Born in 1944 in Storm Lake, Iowa, she attended secretarial school in Omaha, Nebraska before meeting her husband, Bill. Bill and Janet worked together in construction and land development until they “retired” to travel throughout the United States, inspiring Janet to write the Americana series of romances, where she set a novel in every state of the Union. In 1974, Janet Dailey was the first American author to write for Harlequin. Her first novel was NO QUARTER ASKED.

She had since gone on to write approximately 90 novels, 21 of which have appeared on the New York Times Bestseller List. She won many awards and accolades for her work, appearing widely on Radio and Television. Today, there are over three hundred million Janet Dailey books in print in 19 different languages, making her one of the most popular novelists in the world.

Janet Dailey passed away peacefully in her home in Branson on Saturday, December 14, 2013. She was 69.

Social Media Link

Website: https://janetdailey.com/

Feature Post and Book Review: From Tundra to Tiara by Cassidy Carson & J.T. Hume

Book Description

A sled dog race through the tundra brings two strangers together. Travis is a former Navy SEAL with a traumatic past. Lexie is a vet tech with a mysterious present. Adventuring through the Alaskan wilderness unites this unlikely pair as Lexie and Travis try to uncover each other’s secrets. Will a brush with death amid gunfire lead to a lasting relationship before their realities drive them apart for good?

Authors JT Hume and Cassidy Carson join forces to create a sweet romance about how life brings together two lost souls to make them feel whole. Carson and Hume share more than forty years of experience in living a real-life romance, and they truly believe that love can conquer all if you give it a chance.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/74668767-from-tundra-to-tiara?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=hdonS9w7vk&rank=1

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RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

FROM TUNDRA TO TIARA by Cassidy Carson & J.T. Hume is an enjoyable and entertaining contemporary romance that begins with opposites in the frigid small settlement isolation of Alaska and ends up with them reversing roles in the glitz and glamour of the royal lifestyle in Europe. This is a standalone romance at this time, but the H/h’s family and friends easily could be spun off into a series.

Travis is a former Navy SEAL who has discovered he loves life as a musher in rugged Alaska. He has a close circle of friends in the small settlement and is content with his life for now. He is running the Iditarod for the first time when at a medical stop his lead dog is discovered to have a sore by the vet tech on duty.

This is no regular vet tech. Lexie is hiding a secret. The pair unite to get Travis’ dogs back home, but when Travis’s lead dog escapes, they travel into the dangerous wilderness to find her. Their trust and relationship grow, but Lexie’s secret and the realities of their everyday lives and responsibilities seem insurmountable and appear as though they will keep them apart for good, or will they?

This is a contemporary romance that reminds me of the romances I read when I first started reading and loving the genre. It is light and fun, but also has a few serious and emotional moments. The characters pull you into the story and help you easily suspend reality to believe in the H/h’s romance triumphing over everything for their HEA. There are a few surprise twists along Lexie and Travis’ road to romance which makes this a wonderful escape read that I did not want to end.

I recommend setting aside some time to enjoy this escapist contemporary romance.

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About the Authors

We’re a couple nerds who enjoy history, pop culture, reading, and travel. Now mild-mannered empty nesters and retirees from public service, we’ve long been passionate about helping others. Much of our former work dealt with education, history, government, and public health. We now draw from those experiences as we pursue our dream career as full-time writers.

Social Media Links

Website: https://carsonhume.com/

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

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/authorcarson.bsky.social

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

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/jthume.bsky.social

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/from-tundra-to-tiara-by-jt-hume-and-cassidy-carson

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Tundra-Tiara-Cassidy-Carson-ebook/dp/B0BMZG6S2Z/ref=sr_1_1?crid=34HCYIRRYE7NR&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.FS089vefqoguL7Gx4UAdCQ.-

ARC Feature Post and Book Review: A Fashionably French Murder by Colleen Cambridge

Christian Dior with his models at his fashion house, 30 avenue Montaigne in the 50’s. “New Look” is born. Paris, FRANCE – 50’s

Book Description

American expat Tabitha Knight has found a new life in postwar Paris, along with a delightful friend in aspiring chef Julia Child. Yet there are perils in peacetime too, as a killer infiltrates one of the city’s most famous fashion houses.

If there’s one art the French have mastered as well as fine cuisine, it’s haute couture. Tabitha and Julia are already accustomed to sampling the delights of the former. Now fashion is returning to the forefront in Paris, as the somber hues of wartime are replaced by vibrant colors and ultra-feminine silhouettes, influenced by Christian Dior’s “New Look.”
 
Tabitha and Julia join a friend for a private showing at an exclusive fashion atelier, Maison Lannet. The event goes well, but when Tabitha returns later that evening to search for a lost glove, she finds the lights still on—and the couturier dead, strangled by a length of lace. The shop manager suspects that a jealous rival—perhaps Dior himself—committed the crime. Tabitha dismisses that idea, but when another body is found, it’s apparent that someone is targeting employees of Maison Lannet.
 
Meanwhile, Tabitha’s Grand-père and Oncle Rafe are in the midst of their own design-related fracas, as they squabble over how to decorate their new restaurant. And there are strange break-ins at a nearby shoe store—but are the crimes related? It’s up to Tabitha to don her investigative hat and find answers before someone commits another fatal fashion faux pas.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/216972014-a-fashionably-french-murder?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=jndxzXr0gZ&rank=1

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My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

A FASHIONABLY FRENCH MURDER (An American in Paris Mystery Book #3) by Colleen Cambridge once again returns the reader to post WWII Paris as experienced through the eyes of an inquisitive young American who continually happens upon dead bodies. Her best friend and neighbor is Julia Child who is attending classes to learn French cuisine. This addition to the series is another well-paced murder mystery which is easily read as a standalone historical mystery, but I have read this series in order of publication to follow the evolution of all the charming characters.

Tabitha Knight is helping one of Julia’s friends as a translator at an exclusive haute couture fashion house. When she realizes she lost a glove and goes back to retrieve it, she discovers the famed designer dead. On the same night, a fashion shoe store across the alley is broken into.

Inspector Merveille once again must deal with the inquisitive Tabitha who is asked to investigate the shoe store break-in. He knows she will not stop there and after a second murder at the fashion house, both are determined to bring the killer to justice.

I always enjoy Tabitha’s escapades and drool over the recipes Julia is teaching Tabatha to prepare or she is cooking for others. Tabitha is a wonderful protagonist and amateur sleuth even as she “accidently” stumbles over so many dead bodies. The relationship between her and Merveille is still up in the air and that makes it always interesting. In this book in the series, besides the food, the reader gets a glimpse into the workings of a Paris house of fashion after the war and the beginning of Dior’s reign at the top of Paris fashion scene.

Ms. Cambridge does an exceptional job of balancing all the interesting historical facts of postwar Paris life and atmosphere with the twists and red herrings of the murder mystery plot. She is able to intertwine everything together into an entertaining, intriguing, and satisfying historical mystery read.

I highly recommend this addition to the series, and I am looking forward to following Tabitha and Julia in future books.

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About the Author

Colleen Cambridge is the pen name for an award-winning, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. From a young age, Colleen has loved reading mysteries and now she couldn’t be happier that she is able to write them.

Under several pseudonyms, she has written more than 36 books in a variety of genres and is always plotting her next murder—er, book.

Social Media Links

Website: https://www.colleengleason.com/colleen-cambridge/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ColleenGleason.Author

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/colleengleason.bsky.social

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/colleen-gleason