Tag: #bookreview

Feature Post and Book Review: Murder at the Wild Haggis Bookshop by Jackie Baldwin

Book Description

At The Wild Haggis Bookshop, the murder mysteries aren’t just on the shelves!

Beth Cunningham thought she’d closed the book on her troubled past when she opened The Wild Haggis Bookshop in the charming Scottish town of Oban. But when her inaugural book club evening ends in real murder – the body dramatically posed amongst the party decorations – her fresh start ends in a twist she definitely didn’t see coming.

With local police detective Logan Hunter eyeing her as his prime suspect, Beth must fight to clear her name. Still, she can’t help but notice his warm brown eyes and dedication to justice… even as he builds a case against her.

Determined to find the truth, Beth is shocked to discover a web of lies among her book club attendees, each one hiding secrets worthy of a bestseller. With time running out before she lands in jail, can Beth uncover the secret worth killing for?

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/234048321-murder-at-the-wild-haggis-bookshop?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=Fi7APa26yZ&rank=1

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My Book Review

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

MURDER AT THE WILD HAGGIS BOOKSHOP (The Highland Bookshop Murders Book #1) by Jackie Baldwin is an engaging and entertaining first book in a new cozy murder mystery series set in Oban, Scotland. It features the new owner of The Wild Haggis Bookshop and her three employees as they all work together to solve a murder.

Beth Cunningham is excited to be starting a new chapter of her life. She is the new owner of The Wild Haggis Bookshop in Oban. Her inaugural crime/mystery book club evening has five participants, with one being a local journalist who is excited to tell the group that she has uncovered a secret that will get her back into the national news service. When the group breaks up for the night, Beth is in the back cleaning up and when she walks back out to the main room she discovers the journalist dead in the crime scene tape decorations.

Beth has a secret in her own past which places her in the crosshairs of the local detective, but with the help of her staff, they work to discover the secrets of the other book club attendees. Can they discover who is willing to kill to keep their secret before Beth is arrested and framed for the murder?

This is an enjoyable start to a new cozy mystery series that I am looking forward to following into the future. Beth is a complex character with a tragic back story, but as she becomes more intertwined with her employees and the town, she shows her strength in starting anew. The bookshop employees are unique and interesting, and I look forward to seeing their further personal development and interactions with Beth. The mystery plot itself was full of twists and red herrings that kept me guessing between all the suspects. I did feel the ending was a bit rushed, but it did tie every mystery plot thread up. The ending also left Beth’s personal life with many new possibilities for the future.

I recommend this engaging Scottish cozy mystery and look forward to more books in this series in the future.

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About the Author

Jackie Baldwin was born in Dumfries. She studied law at Edinburgh University returning to Dumfries to practice criminal and family law for a number of years. She later retrained as a hypnotherapist. Married, with two grown up children she now lives in the countryside just thirty minutes away from Portobello Beach where her latest series is set. When she’s not writing she loves spending time with her young grandson and walking along the beach with her dog Lucy.

Social Media Links

Website: https://jackiebaldwin.co.uk/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jackie.baldwin.1088

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/murder-at-the-wild-haggis-bookshop-a-totally-unputdownable-scottish-cozy-mystery-novel-the-highland-bookshop-murders-book-1-by-jackie-baldwin

Book Review: Have a Bear-y Little Christmas by Roxie Ray

Book Description

When a grizzly shifter and a human woman collide at the town ice rink, Christmas gets complicated—fast.

They’re both single parents. Both a little broken. And both about to find out that fate doesn’t care about timing—it only cares about love.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/244210172-have-a-bear-y-little-christmas?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=Cs0TvsW4yv&rank=1

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My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

HAVE A BEAR-Y LITTLE CHRISTMAS by Roxie Ray is a beautiful paranormal romance story featuring a grizzly bear shifter widowed father of two young girls and a single human mom of a young son who has entered remission from cancer. The holiday season theme is prevalent as the time of the first meeting and then renewed over the two-year span of the story. This is a standalone Christmas holiday romance with all the adult relationship emotional ups and downs and three young characters who are all enchanting.

Jeannie Wolfe is a single mom with a young son in cancer remission. Their financial situation is difficult, but Jeannie is determined to give Max as normal as possible Christmas now that he is home.

Remington LeBeau has been widowed for eighteen months and even though he and his two young daughters had been waiting for their mother’s death from a genetic disease, it has taken time to adjust to their new normal. He has tried to make the transition as easy on his girls as possible and only focused on them.

Jeannie and Remington both decide to take their children to a free community skate. When one of Remington’s girls is injured, Max comes to the rescue. The three children instantly form a bond which leads to Remington and Jeannie spending more time together. Jeannie is reluctant, with her past overshadowing her present and Remington is not sure if he is ready for another romance, besides his bear-y secret, but the children are determined to become one happy family.

I really loved this paranormal romance. It did not follow the usual path but really dug into complex feelings that both Jeannie and Remington are dealing with and the children had issues of their own which were integrated beautifully into the story. The shifter revelation in the story was a new and pleasant take on the discovery for me. This book is not an easy holiday romance, but it really pulls you into hard, realistic relationship issues in an empathetic way. The love of family is the guiding light of this story with fully developed characters that shine.

I highly recommend this holiday paranormal shifter romance!

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About the Authors

Roxie Ray is a collective of romance authors known for steamy, imaginative Paranormal & Alien Romance, specializing in shifter, vampire, and alien love stories with found family, strong alphas, and fantasy worlds. They’ve penned numerous popular series like Black Claw Dragons, Bears of Forest Heights, and Lunarian Warriors, offering readers a blend of magic, action, and heartwarming romance. 

Key Aspects of Roxie Ray’s Work:

  • Genre Focus: Paranormal Romance, Alien Romance, Sci-Fi Romance, Fantasy Romance, often featuring shifter and vampire themes.
  • Common Tropes: Soft/kind alphas, curvy heroines, found family, slow-burn romance, and magical elements in everyday settings.
  • Writing Style: A group effort, aiming for steamy, captivating stories with intricate plots and emotional depth.

Feature Post and Book Review: Winter Nights at the Bay Bookshop by Jessica Redland

Book Description

Nestled amongst the comforting shelves of her beloved Bay Books, Lily Appleton finds the peace and quiet she needs. But with Christmas just around the corner, Lily has to find an extra pair of hands to help her share the bookish magic.

After selling his business, Lars Jóhannsson is feeling lost. A job at Bay Books would give him the space he needs to contemplate his next move, but returning would mean confronting a painful past he’s been avoiding. He’s also fairly sure he’s the one person Lily would never want to see again.

Lily is torn. Lars could be the perfect fit for Bay Books, but he once rejected her friendship and the hurt still lingers. But working together, Lily discovers a vulnerability that Lars has kept hidden away, along with a few surprising secrets. And as the Christmas season sprinkles its magic, Lily discovers the warmth of renewed friendship and the joy of heartwarming traditions from Lars’s Icelandic roots.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/233593750-winter-nights-at-the-bay-bookshop?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=CsF0dVTTu7&rank=1

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My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

WINTER NIGHTS AT THE BAY BOOKSHOP by Jessica Redland is a wonderful Christmas holiday cozy romance which I highly recommend especially for all the booklovers out there. While this is a part of the author’s Whitsborough Bay series, it is easily read as a standalone book.

Lily Appleton loves books and runs the family bookshop, Bay Books, with her father. who is finally scheduled for knee replacement surgery. With the holiday fast approaching, Lily must find the perfect short-term replacement for the upcoming busy season.

Lars Johannsson feels lost. He sold his successful on-line education business. His grandmother decides to move in with her friends at the new retirement home while also selling her home which she shares with Lars. While out to lunch with a friend, they notice the sign for help wanted at the bookshop, and Lars’ friend encourages him to apply. But Lars and Lily have an unpleasant past and even though he would love the job, he is afraid Lily will reject him out of hand.

Lily knows Lars is perfect for the job and is willing to give him a try. As they work together, both discover hidden emotional hurts and vulnerabilities in the other. With their shared love of books and the magic of the season, can these two find the love they have been waiting for?

I loved Lily and Lars so much! The story perfectly paces the discovery of past misunderstandings and emotional heartaches from immediate family or past relationships and intertwines the difficult emotions with uplifting quotes from favorite books. I felt the difficulties and emotions both the H/h dealt with are believable and well written. Lily’s family and friends are great support for both. I found the Icelandic traditions for Book Flood on Christmas Eve and all the mythical characters introduced the twelve days before fascinating. This is a cozy romance so everything other than kissing is behind closed doors. I needed tissues for the last two chapters, but they were happy tears from a satisfied romantic heart.

I highly recommend this heartwarming and enchanting cozy holiday romance. You will want to curl up on a comfortable couch with a blanket and your favorite hot beverage as you disappear into this bookish holiday romance.

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About the Author

I live in Scarborough on the stunning North Yorkshire Coast in the UK. My home inspired the creation of the fictional seaside town of Whitsborough Bay where I set many of my books. The Hedgehog Hollow series and Bumblebee Barn Collection take readers to a gorgeous countryside setting on the Yorkshire Wolds. In July 2023, I added the lakes and mountains to my settings with the start of my ‘Escape to the Lakes’ series. I absolutely love this part of the country and am loving writing a series in my happy place.

I live with my husband, our teenage daughter and sprocker spaniel, Ella. I’m a stationery addict with a notepad obsession who loves chocolate (although it doesn’t love me), hedgehogs, 80s music, collectible teddy bears and lighthouses.

My career has mainly been in HR as a trainer and recruiter. I had a brief detour into retail to set up and manage my own specialist teddy bear shop and started writing my debut novel on quiet days in the shop.

In June 2020, I became a full-time author. I’m so very grateful to anyone who has bought or borrowed my books in whatever format, helping me fulfil a long-held dream of writing full-time. I still can’t believe I get to spend every day chatting to my fictional friends and making stuff up.

Social Media Links

Website: https://www.jessicaredlandauthor.com/

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

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessicaredlandauthor/?hl=en

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

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/winter-nights-at-the-bay-bookshop-by-jessica-redland

Feature Post and Book Review: I’ll Be Home for Mischief by Jacqueline Frost

Book Description

It’s Christmastime in Mistletoe, Maine, and the Historical Society has launched a widespread campaign to celebrate the town’s 150th anniversary. Descendants of the founding family, the Snows, have returned for the first time, and Holly is determined to make the family’s visit magical. In an attempt to put Mistletoe on the map, Holly’s mother, a respected local baker, attempts to break a record by baking the world’s largest gingerbread man, but her plans are whisked away when Mr. Snow’s body ends up in the batter.

When Mr. Moore, the local mistletoe farmer, is accused of the crime, Holly reprises her role as amateur sleuth to protect the sweet older man. Between hosting the inconsolable Mrs. Snow and other guests at the inn, receiving threatening messages telling her to stop her investigation, and preparing for her first wedding anniversary with Sheriff Evan Gray, she might need a Christmas miracle to survive.

When someone breaks into Holly’s office and scratches a warning into her desk, she knows she has little time left. Can Holly uncover the killer before someone else gets burned, or is her involvement a recipe for trouble?

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/208516144-i-ll-be-home-for-mischief?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=uZIHmnlYdG&rank=1

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My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

I’LL BE HOME FOR MISCHIEF (Christmas Tree Farm Mysteries Book #5) by Jacqueline Frost takes us once again to quirky Mistletoe, Maine for the Christmas holiday season and as much as our main characters hope against it, another holiday murder. Each of the Christmas Tree Farm Mysteries books can be read as a standalone with a completed crime plot, but the main characters continue to develop, and I feel the stories can be enjoyed more by reading them in order of publication.

Reindeer games and the Hearth are going to be extra busy this year with Holly Gray’s mother attempting to break the Guinness World Record for the largest baked gingerbread man. Holly and Sheriff Evan Gray are also excited for their one-year wedding anniversary Christmas Eve, and the town is celebrating its 150th anniversary with a Victorian Christmas theme. Everyone is very busy hoping for no murders this year.

As Holly’s mother gets ready to have the giant gingerbread man moved to the outdoor cooking area, they take off the cover and discover a man dead in the batter. Holly cannot help herself and once again asks too many questions which leads to threats and danger. Can Holly discover the killer and survive to celebrate her anniversary?

This is another entertaining, fun, and well plotted murder mystery featuring my favorite holiday cast of characters. Holly really does want to mind her own business this year, but with the murder at Reindeer Games and a kind old man accused of the murder, she just cannot let it be. Ms. Frost had me guessing who-dun-it to the end and I was surprised. This book also has a great cast of secondary characters with Christ0pher’s wife and best friend, Jackie, staying at the inn along with two true crime murder podcasters in town. Their podcast is called Dead and Berried as they serve up murder clues with complimentary recipes. All the regulars are back and I love them all.

I highly recommend this book in the holiday mystery series and always look forward to the next.

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About the Author

Jacqueline Frost is a mystery-loving pet enthusiast who hopes to make readers smile. She lives in rural Ohio with her husband and three spunky children. Jacqueline is a member of the International Thriller Writers (ITW) and Sisters in Crime (SinC).

Social Media Links

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/i-ll-be-home-for-mischief-by-jacqueline-frost

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Home-Mischief-Christmas-Tree-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0CVKNNLT7/ref=sr_1_1?crid=27KKDD9GSA7T6&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.2wYusIo_LA

Feature Post and Book Review: Christmas Wishes by Sue Moorcroft

Book Description

Hannah and Nico are meant to be together.

But fate is keeping them apart…

As soon as Hannah bumps into her brother Rob’s best friend Nico in Stockholm, the two rekindle a fast friendship. But Hannah has a boyfriend – and Nico has two children to look after.

When Hannah loses her beloved shop in Stockholm, though, she is forced to move back to the little village of Middledip – only to find Nico has just moved in too. Under the same snowy sky, can the childhood friends make a romance work – or are there too many obstacles standing in their way?

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55134429-christmas-wishes?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=giqLJev18E&rank=1

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My Book Review

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

CHRISTMAS WISHES by Sue Moorcroft is a cozy holiday romance set in Ms. Moorcroft’s familiar small-town setting of Middledip, England with the unique inclusion of Stockholm, Sweden and its holiday festivals. This is a book in a series that is mainly tied together by the town of Middledip and all the books are easily read as a standalone story.

Hannah is living in Stockholm running her own shop, when her relationship blows up, she loses everything and then moves back home to Middledip to help her grandmother after a fall that breaks her arm. Nico is a single divorced father dealing with a high-pressure job, childcare issues and then the added responsibility of caring for his daughter’s half-sister. Nico ends up moving to Middledip with the girls to slow down and decide on new career options. Nico is one of Hannah’s brother’s best friends and they are reunited at her brother’s wedding. Can these childhood friends have a romance with so many life changes and obstacles in their way?

This was a holiday themed romance that really dove into some serious topics. Nico was not only seriously stressed, but he had an eating disorder from his teens that is resurfacing. He also has the baby that broke up his marriage handed to him to care for while his ex is in rehab, or she will end up in care, and his daughter will be devastated. Even with all this, I truly loved Nico and his heart that wanted to do what was best for everyone. Hannah is the character I had problems with because she was immature and ran rather than communicate even though she was a successful entrepreneur? This was my only problem with this romance because I really do not like miscommunication or no communication at all as the only thing keeping a couple apart.

Both families of the main characters were fully developed and believable with everyday family problems. Hannah’s grandmother was wonderful, and Nico’s daughters were enchanting. I love the things I learned about a Stockholm holiday season and Ms. Moorcroft’s descriptions made me feel as though I was right there.

Nico and Hannah are a couple that must really work for their HEA, but the resolution makes this a heartwarming holiday read.

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About the Author

Sue Moorcroft is an award-winning Sunday Times and internationally published author of emotionally compelling, feel-good, page-turning fiction who has reached #1 on Amazon Kindle UK and Top 100 Amazon Kindle US, Canada and Italy. Her novels, short stories, serials, courses and columns have appeared around the world. An army child, Sue was born in Germany and then lived in Cyprus, Malta and the UK.

Social Media Links

Website: suemoorcroft.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sue.moorcroft.3

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suemoorcroftauthor/?hl=en

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

Blog Tour/Feature Post and Book Review: Sickness on the Island by Stewart Giles

Hi, everyone!

Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for SICKNESS ON THE ISLAND (DI Liam O’Reilly Mysteries Book #16) by Stewart Giles on this Books ‘n’ All Promotions Blog Tour.

Below you will find a book description, my book review, the author’s bio and social media links. Enjoy!

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Book Description

When over a dozen people succumb to a sudden sickness on the island, and most of them don’t pull through, Detective Inspector Liam O’Reilly is instantly suspicious.

It doesn’t take long to get to the source of the sudden deaths of so many unconnected victims.

But when the truth about why so many innocent islanders had to perish becomes apparent, O’Reilly finds himself in a predicament, the likes of which he could never have imagined.

The sickness on the Island has its roots in something much deeper, and when O’Reilly finally works out the real reason for the sudden deaths of so many islanders, it’s going to make him question his decision to move to the Island in the first place.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/241793341-sickness-on-the-island?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=pgj44ei3kf&rank=1

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My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

SICKNESS ON THE ISLAND (DI Liam O’Reilly Mysteries Book #16) by Stewart Giles is a twisted mystery/crime thriller/police procedural that was impossible to put down. I have loved this series since book one and even after fifteen more, the main characters still pull me effortlessly into their world and Mr. Giles has me continually guessing about the crime plot suspects and motives as he untangles everything through O’Reilly and his team. I have read all these books in order and while each crime is solved within each book and can standalone, all the characters’ lives have developed and grown over time and story.

DI Liam O’Reilly is having his birthday dinner with family at his favorite island restaurant when a man at the next table falls to the floor dead. The next morning, he discovers there were several other people with the sudden sickness and most died. O’Reilly and his team can find no connection between the dead. O’Reilly is called into CO Johnson’s office and finds himself entwined in a web of lies tied to an old case.

O’Reilly and his team are led in many directions with questions not only involving an old case, but also corruption within their own police department. Then there is a demand for a huge ransom or more islanders will end up dead. Can O’Reilly unravel all the secrets and discover the killer before more islanders die?

This was a nailbiter with so much on the line in a short period of time. Mr. Giles never makes it easy on O’Reilly or the reader. You can always count on O’Reilly to find the solution with help of his team by thinking outside of the box or finding that one elusive clue. He has no care for his own career, but a strong sense of moral justice that he always follows. I love all the characters, and the dialogue is realistic and brings them all to life.

I highly recommend this edge-of-your-seat mystery/crime thriller/police procedural. I also recommend all the other books in the series. They are all well worth the read.

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Author Bio

After reading English at 3 Universities and graduating from none of them, I set off travelling around the world with my wife, Ann, finally settling in South Africa, where we still live.

In 2014 Ann dropped a rather large speaker on my head and I came up with the idea for a detective series. DS Jason Smith was born. Smith, the first in the series was finished a few months later.

3 years and 8 DS Smith books later, Joffe Books wondered if I would be interested in working with them. As a self-published author, I agreed. However, we decided on a new series – the DC Harriet Taylor: Cornwall series.

The Beekeeper was published and soon hit the number one spot in Australia. The second in the series, The Perfect Murder did just as well.

I continued to self-publish the Smith series and Unworthy hit the shelves in 2018 with amazing results. I therefore made the decision to self-publish The Backpacker which is book 3 in the Detective Harriet Taylor series which was published in July 2018.

After The Backpacker I had an idea for a totally new start to a series – a collaboration between the Smith and Harriet thrillers and The Enigma was born. It brought together the broody, enigmatic Jason Smith and the more level-headed Harriet Taylor.

The Miranda trilogy is something totally different. A psychological thriller trilogy. It is a real departure from anything else I’ve written before.

The Detective Jason Smith series continues to grow. I also have another series featuring an Irish detective who relocated to Guernsey, the Detective Liam O’Reilly series. There are also 3 stand alone novels.

Social Media Links

Website: www.stewartgiles.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stewart.giles.33