From acclaimed cookbook author and illustrator Yvette van Boven, a comprehensive kitchen resource for making hundreds of simple dishes from scratch

In her latest cookbook, Yvette van Boven shares step-by-step explanations for the foundational dishes that can transform how you cook and what you eat at home. Accompanied by her signature illustrations and beautiful photography, van Boven offers more than 400 recipes for delightful dishes that tell you how to make everything: simple dressings, vegetables, pastas, gnocchi, tortillas, perfectly poached eggs, and much more. Whether you’re new to cooking or an experienced home chef, this cookbook teaches you to make satisfying food without a lot of fuss or complicated ingredients. In her unique and friendly voice, the author guides you through every step of cooking simple, well-made everyday meals.

A staple for everyone who loves to cook at home, Home Made Basics offers fresh, healthy, and original meals you’ll want to make all year round.

 

 

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Review

 

This cookbook was released last fall and for some reason, I neglected to share it here with you. This cookbook is not lightweight but what you will find inside makes it worth the heft. The recipes, photos, and other helpful hints are something you will want to pour over versus just flipping to a recipe and creating the dish.

There are so many wonderful recipes to try and one that went to the top of my list was the Lemon Date Bar. Imagine a lemon bar with a date paste layer. Delicious! The hardest part was making the date paste. I soaked my dates for a long time but ended up adding a lot of water to the blender to get it to the paste level and not chunks of date. It was worth it in the end.

 

 

 

 

 

The book covers all of the different categories and multiple different options for things like dressings and syrups. I almost hate to cook from the book because of the quality of the book. The images pop with color and it is almost like a coffee table book.

I do love a good ice tea, and there is even an “ice teas from my garden” section in the book. While I don’t garden, I imagine I can get several of these items from a store and still make my own flavored teas. I’m going to share a couple here with you.

 

Lemon Verbena Tea with Honey & Ginger

 

1 small bunch of fresh or 1 tablespoon dried verbena in a tea diffuser
1 quart boiling water
1 small organic lemon, thinly sliced
2 inches of fresh ginger, shaved into razor-thin slices
2 tablespoons honey, or to taste

 

Steep the verbena in the boiling water in a large jug. Let the tea cool to room temperature.

Remove any tea bags or diffusers from the water, add the lemon and ginger, and refrigerate the tea for at least 2 hours, allowing it to completely cool off and the flavors to infuse.

Pour the cold tea through a sieve into another jug. Serve over ice with honey if desired.

 

“Tea” of Coconut Water with Blackberries and Lemon Balm

 

1/2 organic lemon, thinly sliced
2 springs of lemon balm
1 quarter coconut water
Handful of blackberries, about 5 oz

 

Put everything in a large jug or jar that fits in the fridge. Let the “tea” steep for an afternoon before serving. Serve the coconut water with a handful of ice cubes.

 

 

Synopsis

 

The first major Gullah Geechee cookbook from “the matriarch of Edisto Island,” who provides delicious recipes and the history of an overlooked American community

The history of the Gullah and Geechee people stretches back centuries, when enslaved members of this community were historically isolated from the rest of the South because of their location on the Sea Islands of coastal South Carolina and Georgia. Today, this Lowcountry community represents the most direct living link to the traditional culture, language, and foodways of their West African ancestors.

Gullah Geechee Home Cooking, written by Emily Meggett, the matriarch of Edisto Island, is the preeminent Gullah cookbook. At 87 years old, and with more than 50 grandchildren and great-grandchildren, Meggett is a respected elder in the Gullah community of South Carolina. She has lived on the island all her life, and even at her age, still cooks for hundreds of people out of her hallowed home kitchen. Her house is a place of pilgrimage for anyone with an interest in Gullah Geechee food. Meggett’s Gullah food is rich and flavorful, though it is also often lighter and more seasonal than other types of Southern cooking. Heirloom rice, fresh-caught seafood, local game, and vegetables are key to her recipes for regional delicacies like fried oysters, collard greens, and stone-ground grits. This cookbook includes not only delicious and accessible recipes, but also snippets of the Meggett family history on Edisto Island, which stretches back into the 19th century. Rich in both flavor and history, Meggett’s Gullah Geechee Home Cooking is a testament to the syncretism of West African and American cultures that makes her home of Edisto Island so unique.

 

 

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Review

 

This book is so much more than just a cookbook. It is also the story of the Gullah Geechee people and their history and traditions. There is also the story of Emily Hugchingson Meggett or M.P. as she is called by friends and family. I really enjoyed reading her story and learning more about her, Edisto Island, and the Gullah Geechee people that settled in South Carolina and surrounding areas.

The book starts out with her pantry staples to have on hand that will help you concoct her recipes in your own home. All of the recipes seem simple to prepare and are rich in flavors. Many will seem familiar but her twist on the recipes gives them a slightly different flavor but is still delicious.

I tried the Stuffed Bell Peppers recipe because that is something I make often in our home but decided to try it with her variation. I used ground pork instead of beef, but it was still quite tasty and I liked the variation from what I normally make. I will say that I usually cut my bell peppers in half so they are more like boats than the full pepper. It just makes it easier to cut and eat for me.

 

 

There are many recipes in here that I have bookmarked to make including this dessert that my husband said looked divine – Cracklin’ Rolls. This is the recipe that I am going to share with you and if you make it, let me know how it tastes!

 

Cracklin’ Rolls

 

Ingredients

 

1 loaf white bread, thinly sliced and crusts removed
1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
3/4 c confectioners’ sugar
1 c granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 c unsalted butter, melted

 

Preheat the oven to 350°

Flatten the bread slices with a rolling pin.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar. In a separate bowl, combine the cinnamon and granulated sugar and set aside.

Spread about 1 tablespoon of the cheese mixture on each slice of bread. Roll up the bread, jelly-roll style.

Dip the rolls in melted butter, then in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden brown. You may serve these warm or cold.

 

 

 

 

Synopsis

 

Tessa Cordelia appears to have it all—a loving husband who’s just opened a dental practice, a beautiful baby girl, a big house in the suburbs, and a large, supportive family. But when her husband’s reckless choices resurrect a trauma from her childhood, she must decide which is more costly: keeping his secrets or revealing them. He manipulates Tessa into believing his career and their happiness depend on her silence. She feels like she’s losing her mind. Is her husband’s habit so awful?

In many ways, he’s an ideal husband; should she let him have this one thing? Determined to maintain the lie that she’s living the perfect life, Tess lies to everyone she knows—except for CeCe, a woman new to the area whom she’s just befriended. But after confiding in her, Tessa learns that CeCe has an explosive secret of her own, and her world is further upended.

A gripping, nuanced exploration of the havoc addiction can wreak on a family, A Week of Warm Weather is the story of a woman who has to figure out how much she is willing to lose in order to find herself.

 

 

 

 

Praise

 

“Lee Bukowski’s debut novel is a page turner that depicts an unflinching portrayal of a marriage through the eyes of addiction. The characters are relatable and the story shows it’s impossible to know what goes on behind closed doors in any family, even one that looks perfect from the outside. A Week of Warm Weather is an engrossing, heartbreaking, and probing novel.”  —Leslie A. Rasmussen, award-winning author of After Happily Ever After 

 

“As I drilled into A Week of Warm Weather, I wondered if love could be that blind? In this emotional page-turner, Bukowski transports us into the downward-spiraling life of a young mother struggling to face her husband’s addiction and her own abandonment. The true-to-life cast of characters and harrowing storyline kept me in my chair, grinding my teeth, until this heartbreaking family saga reached its conclusion. An engaging, gripping, and thought-provoking debut to be sure.” —Valerie Taylor, international award-winning author of What’s Not Said and What’s Not True

 

 

Review

 

This story tells the tale of Tessa’s struggles with her husband’s addiction and trying to make it work for many years before realizing that she has to take care of herself and her children first and if he wants to beat this he has to put in the work.

Tessa is dealing with a lot and it doesn’t help that her biological mother left them when they were young due to alcohol addiction. She didn’t understand it at the time but she is getting a dose of addiction and the behaviors of those affected by her husband, Ken. He has all of the traits you associate with an addict – lying, secretive, blaming others (especially Tessa) when things don’t go right, and violent at times. I have never been around an addict but my heart went out to Tessa and everything she was dealing with on her own. What is worse is that she hasn’t told anyone and has no support system.

I was amazed that she put up with everything for as long as she did, for three years. I think the final straw was when he missed their anniversary trip that he planned. But I gave her kudos for going alone. I think it was exactly what she needed to put everything in perspective.

There are a few other curve balls that are thrown her way, but when she is finally able to get the support she needs from family and friends it really makes a difference in her life.

This could be anyone’s story, even people we might know. I felt like the story was a true and fair representation of what life would be like with an addict and it opened my eyes to a life that I was not familiar with at this time.

We give this book 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Born and raised in a large family in eastern Pennsylvania, Lee Bukowski has always had an interest in reading, writing, and storytelling. She holds a BA in English and Secondary Education from Millersville University and taught seventh grade English and writing for fifteen years. In 2017, she obtained an MFA in English and Creative Writing from Southern New Hampshire University. Currently, she teaches writing at the college level and freelances as a proofreader and editor. When she’s not teaching or writing, she loves reading and traveling, especially visiting her grown daughters in Boston and Fort Lauderdale. Lee lives with her husband in Reading, PA. A Week of Warm Weather is her debut novel.

 

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From New York Times Cooking contributor Colu Henry, a collection of sophisticated recipes for everyday dinnersColu Henry has been working in food for more than 15 years, and from her time at publications from Bon Appétit to the New York Times, she’s learned that what resonates with her readers is her always unfussy and empowering recipes. In this cookbook—a nod to home cooks who are happy to do everything but pastry—Henry helps readers assemble an amply stocked new-American pantry so that they can perfect (and build upon) classic everyday meals.

With 100 recipes and photographs, Henry offers ideas and solutions to get you out of your weeknight routine, explore new ingredients and techniques, build your confidence, and have sophisticated dishes on the table in around 45 minutes.

 

 

Amazon * B&N * Abrams Books

 

 

Review

 

I love cooking and this book spoke to me. The opportunity to make fancy dishes that don’t take a lot of time or call for too many crazy ingredients. Some of the dishes I made were a success and some were just ok. They weren’t failures because they were edible, but could have used something more to liven up the dish.

The book is set up with some helpful hints at the beginning of the book, especially what Colu keeps on hand to whip up one of her many recipes. She shares some thoughts, stories, and more at the beginning of each section of recipes. There are recipes for everything from appetizers to drinks to dessert. I felt like I was sitting next to her on the porch chatting about life and noshing on some appetizers you would eat with your hands. In fact, I loved her story about A Family Picnic where at 5 PM they would have drinks, and everyone chips in a little something that they have in their refrigerator – leftovers, cheese, eggs, etc.

If you like to make sauces or toppings that can go on anything, there is a chapter for that titled For Embellishment.

There are your normal chapters for sides, main dishes, salads, and desserts. The dessert recipes are from her friends since Colu admits to not being into desserts. Admit your strengths and weaknesses I say and bring in those that can fill the gap.

Some of the dishes I tried were the Skillet Pork Chops with Vinegar and Honey Collards (I used spinach). These were pretty tasty and the sauce and spinach were a nice touch to the dish

 

 

I also made the Sausage, Peppers, and Onions with Melty Caprese. There was something missing from this dish. It is super easy, but there wasn’t enough flavor. I know I didn’t have the fresh basil and that might have been what it needed. However, the onions and peppers were delicious! I also misread the recipe and cooked it on the stovetop and then put it in the oven at the end to melt the cheese. this photo is from before it was cooked. I loved all of the colors from the peppers, tomatoes, and red onion.

 

 

The one dish that I thought was out of this world was the Sunday Frittata. Maybe it was all the butter? I have to admit that I have never made a frittata before and it really wasn’t hard at all. If my husband ate eggs I would make this more often.  Here is the frittata I made…I topped it with some leftover mozzarella but I can see why they say to use shredded.

 

 

I have a few more recipes in the cookbook to try out, but overall it has been a successful cookbook.

 

 

 

About Colu

 

Colu Henry is a writer, recipe developer, and frequent contributor to the New York Times and Food & Wine.

She has worked in food for over 15 years and has learned what resonates with home cooks by creating elegant, yet approachable recipes without overthinking it. She is the author of Back Pocket Pasta, Colu Cooks: Easy Fancy Food, and host of “Colu Cooks” on Patreon.

Colu splits her time between Hudson, NY, and Nova Scotia, Canada with her husband.

 

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Something Shady at Sunshine Haven (The Accidental Detective)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – Arizona
Tule Publishing (April 7, 2022)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 324 pages

 

Synopsis

 

She’s pursued the most dangerous news stories around the world. But can she survive going home?

Injured in a bombing, war correspondent Kate Tessler returns to her hometown in Arizona to recover. For the first time in her life, she’s starting to feel her age of nearly fifty despite living like a teenager again: staying in her childhood bedroom with only a cat for company, trying to understand why her sister resents her so much, and running into people who still refer to her as Kitty. The hardest part? Seeing her once-sharp and witty mother stuck in an Alzheimer’s unit.

When an old friend asks her to investigate suspicious deaths at the nursing home, Kate limps into action. Is a self-appointed “Angel of Mercy” killing patients to end their suffering? Are family members hastening their inheritance? Is an employee extorting money and removing the witnesses? Kate uses her journalism skills to track clues, but the puzzle pieces simply won’t fit.

If Kate can’t uncover the truth quickly, her mother could be next on the killer’s list.

 

 

Amazon * Tule Publishing * B&N Nook

 

Apple Books * Kobo * Google Play

 

 

Review

 

What initially drew me to this book was the protagonist Kate. She is about my age and has seen a lot in her lifetime, perhaps more than anyone might expect since she was a journalist overseas. All this came to a crashing halt when she was hit with shrapnel and needed time to recover and rehabilitate. This brings her back home to Arizona which is also a blessing because her mother is in a memory care unit at a local nursing home and she can spend time with her even if her mom doesn’t always remember her in the present but in the past.

Almost right off the bat, Kate is threatened by a mysterious caller that isn’t who he says he is, and that creates a rabbit hole for Kate to traverse on top of the request from the high school friend. Actually, that conversation with her friend is what spurred this mysterious caller and further entrenched Kate into figuring out what happened to the residents of the home. Her journalistic background helps her chart a path of investigation and she brings in family and some new friends to help her out. I really liked the character Mac. She doesn’t need to be paid but is looking for a mentor and Kate would be perfect for this role.

I thought that this was a well thought out book and mystery. The characters seemed well developed for the first book and I expect that to continue with future books. The mystery of who killed the patients was a tough one to untangle, but I enjoyed the journey. I suspected one character of nefarious objectives but not for the reasons I initially considered. There isn’t any sort of love connection; however, I think one might be developing between Kate and a former classmate who is now the mayor. Only time will tell.

There is also some family drama between Kate and her sister Jen, but I’m happy to say that by the end things are resolved and perhaps going forward they will have a closer relationship.

Overall, we enjoyed this new series and can’t wait to see what Kate might be up to next. We give this book 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Kris Bock writes novels of mystery, suspense, and romance, many with outdoor adventures and Southwestern landscapes. Get a free Accidental Detective short story and bonus material when you sign up for her newsletter. You’ll also get a free 30-page sweet romance set in the world of the Furrever Friends cat café and a printable copy of the recipes mentioned in the cat café novels

Kris is also writing a series with her brother, scriptwriter Douglas J Eboch, who wrote the original screenplay for the movie Sweet Home Alabama. Follow the crazy antics of Melanie, Jake, and their friends a decade before the events of the movie. Sign up for our romantic comedy newsletter and get Felony Melanie Destroys the Moonshiner’s Cabin.

 

Website * Blog * GoodReads * BookBub * Amazon US Author page

 

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Giveaway

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

 

 

The Double Exposure Murder (A Robyn Cavanagh Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – Garland, a fictional town in Orange County, NY
TouchPoint Press
Number of Pages: 270

 

Synopsis

 

Robyn Cavanagh enjoys a thriving second career as a portrait photographer in her beloved suburban hometown of Garland, New York. Having built a large portfolio of high school senior photos and family portraits, Robyn is thrilled when math teacher Brooke Gibson hires her to take photos of a different subject: 16 Clover Lane, the house Brooke has recently inherited from her late great-aunt. Brooke will soon put the home on the market and wants Robyn to take the photos for the real estate listing. Robyn thinks the cozy house will attract prospective buyers—until she finds bride-to-be Brooke’s battered body in the garden shed.

When Brooke’s mother asks her help in canceling the wedding plans, Robyn plays amateur sleuth and gathers clues while also collecting refunds from Brooke’s wedding vendors. With help from her friend Will Vonderlin, Robyn assembles evidence of a possible love triangle, financial indiscretions, and neighborhood feuds and builds a suspect list that includes Brooke’s fiancé, a jealous relative, a longtime rival, and a shady bartender. The clues lead Robyn to the killer and a spectacular July Fourth finale complete with a marching band and a parade of howling dogs.

 

 

Amazon * B&N *  Amazon Canada  * Kobo

 

 

Review

 

This is the first book in a new series and one that was quite enjoyable. I enjoyed getting to know Robyn who is an accountant but dreams of being a photographer, so she has set that plan in motion with high school senior photos, engagement photos, homes for sale, and more. I like that she is pursuing a passion despite the challenges she might face initially. Unfortunately, this hobby has her stumbling across a dead body, Brooke.

Robyn is pulled into searching for the killer to help Brooke’s mother have closure with the situation. However, some details come out about Brooke that is a surprise to almost everyone. But Robyn isn’t doing it alone, she has her friend Will (possible love interest?) and her parents to help with the sleuthing. I do think her parents are overprotective considering Robyn is a grown woman. It is more than just making sure she doesn’t end up in the killer’s crosshairs, they treat her like she is a child at different times throughout the book.

I enjoyed the story and trying to piece together the clues about who killed Brooke. There were so many possibilities with different motives, but the actual killer was never on my radar. It made perfect sense once the pieces fell into place at the end.

I look forward to the next book in this series and what escapades Robyn might find herself in or what trouble she might get into.

We give this book 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Excerpt

 

Yogi and I arrived at 16 Clover Lane a couple of minutes before 10:30. Brooke’s Ford Focus was parked in the carport.

Brooke didn’t respond to the first ring of the doorbell. I pressed the button again and waited a few seconds. The front door was open several inches, so I called to Brooke through the screen door. When she still didn’t answer, I assumed she was either in the bathroom or the backyard. I opened the screen door and entered the house, Yogi at my heels. The door to the powder room was open, and Brooke wasn’t in any of the first-floor rooms.

“Brooke! It’s Robyn.” I yelled up the staircase opposite the front door. I listened for a few seconds then headed into the kitchen. “Let’s go out back.”

The mystery deepened when I didn’t find Brooke on the patio. More possibilities ran through my mind. Brooke could be on a stroll around the block or in a neighbor’s house for a quick visit.

I called Brooke’s cell; when it went to voice mail, I ended the call without leaving a message. I’d text her, but before I started the message, a breeze blew open the shed door. The creaky door closed with a soft thud; then, another puff of wind urged it open again.

I spotted a can of paint on the ground outside the shed. “I should’ve known Brooke would fix the shed.”

Curious about the paint color Brooke had selected, I crossed the yard and bent over the paint can. I thought Brooke might have selected sunny yellow to match the house, but she had purchased a dark green shade. New paintbrushes and a drip pan lay on the grass next to the can. Did she plan to enlist me to help with the shed’s facelift?

The shed’s door creaked open and closed a third time. I moved to secure the door shut, but first I peeked inside and experienced an adrenaline rush like I’d never had. Fighting a growing sense of panic, I wrapped a length of the leash around my hand and pulled Yogi away from the supine form on the shed’s floor.

I took a second look at the still figure, clad in cut-off jeans and a white tank top. “Brooke!” Brooke’s mouth was open, and her eyes stared at the roof. Her nose was bloodied, and scratch marks stretched from her shoulders to her wrists. Her collarbone jutted out at a sickening angle.

I pushed back the door and told Yogi to lie down, making him a makeshift doorstop. He obeyed and watched me check Brooke for a pulse and breath.

It was a futile attempt, I knew, but a necessary one.

I stepped into the doorway and called 9-1-1, my glance fixed on the steel-blade shovel on the ground next to Brooke’s body.

 

About the Author

 

Jeanne Quigley is the author of the Veronica Walsh Mysteries and the Robyn Cavanagh mystery series. Unlike her fictional sleuths, she has never been a soap opera star or an accountant (though she was an accounting major for a few minutes in the spring of 1985), but she has worked for an educational publisher and in the music industry. A lifelong New Yorker, Jeanne lives in her native Rockland County.

 

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Giveaway

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

 

 

Synopsis

 

The dark side of paradise is exposed when a terrified couple reveals their daunting experience on a remote island to their rescuers—only to realize they’re still in the grips of the island’s secrets—in this intense and startling debut in the tradition of Into the Jungle and The Ruins.

When a Navy vessel comes across a yacht in distress in the middle of the vast Indian Ocean, Captain Danial Tengku orders his ship to rush to its aid. On board the yacht is a British couple: a horribly injured man, Jake, and his traumatized wife, Virginie, who breathlessly confesses, “It’s all my fault. I killed them.”

Trembling with fear, she reveals their shocking story to Danial. Months earlier, the couple had spent all their savings on a yacht, full of excitement for exploring the high seas and exotic lands together. They start at the busy harbors of Malaysia and, through word of mouth, Jake and Virginie learn about a tiny, isolated island full of unspoiled beaches. When they arrive, they discover they are not the only visitors and quickly become entangled with a motley crew of ex-pat sailors. Soon, Jake and Virginie’s adventurous dream turns into a terrifying nightmare.

Now, it’s up to Danial to determine just how much truth there is in Virginie’s alarming tale. But when his crew makes a shocking discovery, he realizes that if he doesn’t act soon, they could all fall under the dark spell of the island.

 

 

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Review

 

This was a different type of suspense novel for me, but it wasn’t extremely suspenseful except for some at the beginning and the end. A boat is discovered by a Naval unit and there is a lot of wondering about how these two ended up on the boat and how he was hurt. Lots of unanswered questions. The bulk of the book follows Jake and Virginie and their adventures with becoming world travelers on a boat and roaming from port to port, at least that is their plan until they meet Terry and learn about Amarante. This tiny island is in the middle of nowhere and anyone that visits has to stock up on supplies, and if you need help there isn’t much around. Virginie persuades Jake that they travel there first and change their plans. What could possibly go wrong?

This book kept me engaged and I wondered about several of the characters and their motives in various situations. I have to be vague to keep you in suspense and not give away too much of the storyline. The fellow travelers that they meet at Amarante seem harmless, but are they? The story comes to a climax as it nears the time they need to leave because the monsoon season is about to start and we then fall back to the snippet at the beginning and the navy vessel finding them drifting miles away from anywhere.

The ending really picks up with the truth coming out about various characters and their motives. I have to admit that I was confused once we were back in the present in the book and the book switched POV. The author probably should have put Tengku’s name at the top of the chapter so we know that it switches to his POV. He turns out to have a pivotal role in the ending. The characters didn’t have a lot of depth to them but you get a sense of who they are and how that plays into their character. There are some obvious good and bad characters but the interaction between them all was intriguing.

Overall, we give this 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Emma Bamford is an East Midlands-based author and journalist who has worked at The Independent and Daily Express and most recently as News Editor of the I newspaper.

She had a fairly normal life, to begin with, growing up with her younger brother and sister under the watchful eyes of her parents in Lincoln and Nottingham. After studying English Literature at Southampton University and Newspaper Journalism at UCLan, she started work as a cub reporter for the Bicester Review and then the Derby Evening Telegraph, cutting her journalistic teeth interviewing organizers of local fetes and grilling parish council members. Fleet Street beckoned and highlights of her career as a reporter and news editor include asking F1 driver Jenson Button what his favorite toasted sandwich filling was, quizzing the incumbent Home Secretary on his preferred kind of cheese (spot a pattern?), and peeing in Bruce Forsyth’s downstairs loo. There was some serious and hard-hitting journalism in there for a fair few years, too.

Then, in her early 30s and bored with this ‘fairly normal life’ she’d created for herself, Emma took a career break and, despite protestations from friends and family, answered an advert on the internet for ‘crew wanted’ and flew to Borneo to live on a boat with a man she had never met and his cat. She found herself hunting for elephants in the jungle, visiting deserted islands, and running from pirates. Finally, she ended up among billionaires, working as a stewardess on a superyacht in Italy. Her adventures form the basis of her first book, Casting Off.

Emma now works part-time as a freelance to give herself space to write and make the jump from memoirs to novels. Her ambition is to make book writing her full-time career. Tropical settings feature high in her inspiration and as her books’ settings, although she lives about as far away from the sea as it is possible, in landlocked rural Derbyshire. And, while she may make self-deprecating jokes constantly, she really is serious about figuring out what is important in life and finding the freedom to be who you want to be.

 

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Synopsis

 

Their reunion left a lot to be desired. Are they a disaster in the making or totally meant to be?

I kicked love to the curb for the greater good. After all, my soaring career would’ve made my family so proud, and men have a tendency to stop success cold. But I never expected a single and sexy police officer to pull me over, flirt with me, and then write me a ticket.

Now I see the infuriating cop everywhere I go. It doesn’t help that we have a past, and he’s an amazing dad to his daughter. And every time I want to get back to my small-town routine, I can only think about what my life would be like with the no-nonsense policeman…

I should really just forget the whole thing. But if I do, will I lose my last chance at love?

Cop An Attitude is the charming first book in the I Can’t Stop Loving You romantic comedy series. If you like engaging characters, enemies to lovers, and laughing out loud, then you’ll adore Hilary Grossman’s humorous walk on the wild side.

 

 

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Review

 

Hilary has a way of making me laugh with the situations her characters find themselves in on a daily basis. Who would have thought that enemies could become lovers? Well, enemies might be too strong of a word, but sometimes high school drama doesn’t end at graduation.

This book is an expansion of her short story included in the Hate Me Like You Mean It anthology. I was confused at first when I started reading the book because I knew I had read it already but had forgotten about this anthology. However, this book has expanded and includes more of Pete’s story which helps round it out and adds more depth to his character. It gave us a better understanding of who he was and what he had endured prior to now.

Waverly and Pete seem to butt heads a lot. He resents the nickname she gave him when she was 6. They are nearly 40 and he still holds it against her, at least mildly. Waverly didn’t even recognize him when she was pulled over and it took some time before she discovered the truth and by that time it was almost too late to smooth the waters. They both go through a range of emotions before getting on the same page.

I had to chuckle when Pete puts Waverly’s neighbor in her place. She is your typical busybody and calls the police for everything…including leaves that apparently blew from Waverly’s yard to hers. I’m sure we all know someone like this.

The book has a HEA and I look forward to the next book in this series. We give it 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

By day, Hilary Grossman works in the booze biz. By night she hangs out with her “characters.” She has an unhealthy addiction to denim and high heel shoes. She’s been known to walk into walls and fall up stairs. She only eats spicy foods and is obsessed with her cat, Lucy. She loves to find humor in everyday life. She likens life to a game of dodgeball – she tries to keep many balls in the air before they smack her in the face. She lives on Long Island.

 

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Synopsis

 

Jacob Keiter entered federal prison on January 18th, 2018. At first glance he thought his life was over, little did he know his life was finally beginning. Throughout his incarceration he had one goal in mind, to grow into a better person than he ever thought he could be. In “Note From The Pen” Jacob explores a variety of topics throughout his incarceration, that allowed him to become the person he is today. Articles include previously published material, as well as brand new exclusive material!

 

 

Amazon

 

 

Review

 

This was quite an interesting tale for Jacob. It details his time and experience in prison, even during the pandemic. He is candid about what landed him in prison, how inmates segregated themselves by race and other factors, and even his wedding while he was incarcerated.

His tale is told with excerpts from his articles in The Sun, unpublished poems, and his thoughts about how he landed there, what was right or wrong with the system, living in prison during a pandemic, and the support he received from his family and especially, his wife.

I enjoyed learning different things about Jacob and how this prison stint changed his life and his outlook. I may not have agreed with everything he wrote about when it came to politics and other topics, but I am able to respect his thoughts since they were based on what he was experiencing while in prison and I can appreciate why he might feel that way.

Each chapter isn’t very long but the words will definitely make you think before doing something illegal that lands you in prison.

Overall, we give this 4 paws up

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

Jacob Keiter of Fredericksburg, PA has had the privilege to experience perseverance at its finest.  After hitting rock bottom from a struggle and battle with addiction and finding himself inside a federal prison he realized at that moment he could only go up from there.  Since that time he has become a published author, a columnist, and a reporter for The Sun out of Hummelstown, PA, and realized it’s never too late to chase your dreams.

Today, Jacob Keiter lives with his wife, cats, and rabbits, where he strives to continue to prove to himself that he can still be successful and the best he can possibly be.  He refuses to allow his past to define him and hold him back but rather uses it as a stepping stone to continue to grow.

In his free time, Jacob enjoys playing Pokemon, writing poetry, and inspiring others who have faced a similar past as his own.

There’s no reason to look back when the future’s so bright just ahead.

 

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Title: FIRST BITE

Author: Avery Daniels

Publisher: Blazing Sword Publishing, Ltd.

Pages: 290

Genre: Paranormal Cozy Mystery

 

 

Synopsis

 

In 24 hours, Misty Summers had the worst date of her life, was bit by a vampire, and her PI boss may close his business as he goes through a divorce. Looking on the positive side, she decides to use her new vampire assets and become the private investigator to keep her income. She doesn’t know what her future holds, but it can’t be any worse! When she starts following up on a missing woman’s case, she finds herself in the middle of murder.

 

 

Amazon

 

 

Review

 

What would you do if you woke up a vampire? Well, that is Misty’s problem after a horrible blind date and not what she had planned. But she manages to roll with the punches and does her best to adapt to her new situation with the help of a few from the Meta-Mundane council that governs all non-human creatures.

This was a fun read and while normally I don’t read a lot of paranormal books, this one sounded intriguing. I enjoyed getting to know Misty and her new life. It doesn’t hurt that she has an ally, Rowan, who is a warlock (male witch), who helps her with some P.I. cases she decides to investigate while her boss is trying to work on his marriage. She shouldn’t be doing these jobs but she needs something to do so this is it. Misty learns a lot about her new life as a vampire and she is quite bummed that she can’t smell or taste anything anymore and that the foods and drinks she used to love, make her sick.

I have to admit that I don’t think I would have solved the cases she did and while some clues were there, not enough to really pinpoint who was the antagonist(s) in the end. But I enjoyed the chase to find the answers to the missing child and woman. At least some of the cases she worked on for her boss were minor and more mundane but added a little more depth to the story.

Misty and Rowan are also chasing down the vampire that turned her because it was like a “hit and run” event. Apparently, there are rules that are to be followed when turning someone into a vampire…who knew?! While the case isn’t solved, there are more clues to finding this vampire and it will carry over to the new book or two.

I will definitely be picking up the next book in this series to discover how Misty is adapting, what the story is with the rogue vampire, and if Misty and Rowan are able to form a relationship other than friends.

We give this book 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

Excerpt

 

Chapter One

 

“I never want to see you again!”  I slammed the passenger side door. Roger sped off in his red truck, his dragging muffler sounded like a tray of silverware ground in a garbage disposal.  That ended the date from hell.  He took me to a cheap restaurant, we saw the budget dollar movie, and I had to pay for my own popcorn.  I can understand being on a budget, truly, I get it. But then to get all handsy in a parking lot, right under a parking light!  He had the nerve to get upset when I said no.  I had to slap him.  When he slapped me back, I elbowed him in his jewels.  The complete jerk.

There was a sickle moon hanging lazily in the sky and a cool autumn breeze rustled the gold and russet leaves.  I walked faster to warm up.  I hadn’t brought a coat since I’d expected to be driven.  A gust whipped my hair across my eyes and I swept it back.  I took a deep breath and wondered at the smell of autumn, the slightly sharp tang in the crisp air.  I wrapped my arms around myself.

The bright side was I stood up for myself and put an end to his assault.  Unfortunately, I’m stranded after eleven in a rougher part of town on a Sunday night with nobody around.  I wish I could strangle Roger’s pencil neck.  I can walk off my anger; we don’t have an Uber or such in the small town of Majestic.  I needed to recapture my positive vibes anyway, so a walk would do me good.

Another positive item to the evening was I didn’t spring for a new or previously owned dress for the evening.  It would have been wasted on the moron, anyway.  I wore my deep purple sleeveless turtleneck and black pants.  It was classic and more than he deserved.  My best friend, Courtney, had assured me this blind date would be different.  Oh, it was different, all right, and not in a good way.

I’ve never actually had a good date, not one single good memory of a date.  Tears stung my eyes.  Enough negativity.  I recited my mantra.  I am ready for the perfect man for me.  I am working on myself to be the person who will attract my perfect partner. After yet another disheartening experience, it’s all I can do to not blame it all on myself.  Nope, the right man is coming to me.  Yeah, okay.  I may be trying to convince myself more than attracting Mr. Right into my life.  I’m okay with that at the moment.

My low-heeled strappy sandals slapped against the sidewalk, an exclamation point with every step.  There wasn’t any traffic, and I had a couple of miles to go.  Other than my footsteps, it was quiet except for a dog barking in the auto salvage yard behind me. But I felt a presence and knew I wasn’t alone.  I sped up.  I was speed walking now and my heart hammered.  This really wasn’t a good area.  Majestic was a modest-sized town, just big enough to warrant two canines on the police force.  I didn’t want to find out firsthand about the seedy side of town.

Were those footsteps behind me?  I stopped abruptly. I heard a scuff, then nothing.  My senses screamed run, and even though my sandals weren’t the best for it, at least they were strapped on.  I grabbed hold of my purse strap to keep my purse with me.  I didn’t care how it looked; I took off running for everything I was worth.  My mind continued to yell, faster, faster!

One instant, it was a clear sidewalk in front of me, and the next I ran into a man who had just appeared.  My mind reeled at his abrupt materialization.  His eyes were strange; even in the dark, his eyes bore into mine.  I took my purse and aimed for his head. He moved so fast I barely saw a blur.  Next thing I knew, the guy was behind me, had pinned my arms, and was trying to give me a hickey!

Worst day ever!  There just is no positive way to look at any of this night.  I struggled, scratched, and kicked but was losing my energy quickly.  I remember slumping to the ground. I think he was still attached to my neck.  I wanted to keep fighting, but I couldn’t even stay conscious.

 

 

About the Author

 

Avery Daniels was born and raised in Colorado, graduated from college with a degree in business administration and has worked in fortune 500 companies and Department of Defense her entire life. Her most eventful job was apartment management for 352 units. She still resides in Colorado with two brother black cats as her spirited companions. She volunteers for a cat shelter, enjoys scrapbooking and card making, photography, and painting in watercolor and acrylic. She inherited a love for reading from her mother and grandmother and grew up talking about books at the dinner table.

 

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