Synopsis

 

If only the walls could speak…

In one hundred and fifty years, Blake’s Folly, a silver boomtown notorious for its brothels, scarlet ladies, silver barons, speakeasies, and divorce ranches, has become a semi-ghost town. Although the old Mizpah Saloon is still in business, its upper floor is sheathed in dust. But in a room at a long corridor’s end, an adventurer, a beautiful dance girl, and a rejected wife were once caught in a love triangle, and their secret has touched three generations.

 

 

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Review

 

The story of Blake’s Folly, a saloon in the silver mining days, is told in four stories that span generations. The first story is set in the late 1800s and the last in the present and music was always involved in one form or fashion from a piano player to singers.

Silver mining towns popped up everywhere and most eventually became ghost towns. Blake’s Folly was not immune to the transient residents and the times. Mizpah Saloon was more upscale than some of the other saloons and didn’t offer women for the night…not that it might not have happened but it was more about entertaining the men and offering dances to ease their weary minds after long days. There was one room that was used by many throughout the years but the decor never changed. I think this added some charm to the book. The first story spawns future generations that are reflected in the following installments and I enjoyed connecting the dots to see how everyone was related.

The stories are not long so there isn’t a lot of deep character development, but I still enjoyed each one and imagined life in those times. The people were nice and took care of each other whenever possible. They saved women from those trying to control them and found love along the way. It wasn’t an easy task for the men in this book, but they were up to the challenge.

Because the stories center around a town, there are generations of family that intermingle and I loved putting the pieces together of what happened in the previous story and how it tied to the characters in the next especially since there were decades between each one. It was like bringing up fond memories of friends I had lost contact with over the years. Because these are shorter stories, I had more questions than answers, but that just means the author can continue the saga or expand upon one of the generations.

This was a fun book to read and we give it 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

As far as romance writing goes, I’m somewhat of an anomaly. I love creating stories with original heroines and romantic heroes … but they do tend to be real people. Some have – or have had – fascinating careers as herpetologists, archaeologists, country music singers, relief workers, and translators – but money, expensive cars, and designer clothes have no part in their lives. My men and women tend to be socially responsible, concerned about our planet and its well-being. Some are vegetarian; none drive fast cars or fly off for sunbathing holidays. But that doesn’t make them any less romantic: it’s a question of how we see ourselves. If we care about and love our environment, we want to do as little damage as possible.

I also write stories with an older audience in mind: those forty and over – and that includes baby boomers. There are no unexpected pregnancies in my tales and no hidden babies. When love comes knocking on the door, it is ageless. Take my father’s crony: he married his mistress of forty years when he was 90 years old and she was 89. A week later, they departed on a long voyage across the Great Lakes in his new yacht.

No matter how old they are, my heroes and heroines are comfortable with their age. They take care of themselves, accept their bodies, their wrinkles, and their beautiful silver hair when it appears. They also know that, along with age, they’ve gained experience, character, ideas, and interesting pasts.

Other characters pop up in my stories too, humorous and cranky ones: old-timers who live in the midst of collected junk, cantankerous rotgut brewers, short-order cooks who imagine camouflaged flies, strange and sleepy waitresses, and many small-town busybodies. I just can’t keep these folks out. As soon as I begin to write, here they come, bursting through the literary door. And because I enjoy them all so much, they’re here to stay.

 

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Synopsis

 

Seventeen-year-old Maggie Warshauer wants is to leave her stifled life in Filliyaw Creek behind and head to college. An outsider at school and uncertain of her own sexual identity, Maggie longs to start again somewhere new. Inspired by a long-dead biologist’s journals, scientific-minded Maggie spends her days sailing, exploring, and categorizing life around her. But when her beautiful cousin Charisse disappears on prom night and is found dead at the marina where Maggie lives, Maggie’s plans begin to unravel. A mysterious stranger begins stalking her and a local detective on the case leaves her struggling to hold on to her secrets—her father’s alcoholism, her mother’s abandonment, a boyfriend who may or may not exist, and her own actions on prom night. As the detective gets closer to finding the truth, and Maggie’s stalker is closing in, she is forced to come to terms with the one person who might hold the answers—herself.

 

 

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Excerpt

 

From Chapter 9

 

“What did you tell him?” Nat’s voice, never much of an instrument anyway, nearly disappeared in the slap of backwash against the dock. Out here at the end of B dock, I thought it would be quieter, but it’s never altogether quiet around water. I pressed the phone up tight against my ear.

“The same stuff.” I watched a heron lift one foot slowly and set it down slowly. “We were at OT, she showed up drunk. I said something about her dress being ripped.”

“He already knew about that. Hulky told him.”

Huh. “Well, Hulky couldn’t hardly keep inside his skin, looking at her.” I heard my own voice say that, like some of Dad’s old hillbilly talk.

The heron had its head pulled back as though it was going to stab something, then eased down and shook its neck-feathers. Nat didn’t say anything. I watched the bird and waited on him. First one to speak loses, so says Dad.

I waited some more, but I must have had more questions than Nat. “So what did you tell him?”

“Yeah, well, all that,” he said. “She was crying and messed up.”

“Did you tell him about what she did?”

“No.”

“Well, he must have known something, cause he was asking me about if we were close.”

“I told him Charisse followed you.” Nat was almost whining. “That’s all.”

“Oh, great.” I could see Vann putting that down in his little book.

“I just told him the truth. You took off and after a while she went the same direction, toward the lake. I never said anything before.”

“Why’d you now?”

“He was saying we looked good for it, Hulky and me. We were the last ones with her, the last ones to see her.” He was talking so fast I could hardly understand him. “We didn’t do anything to her. You know that. We shouldn’t look good for it. Anyway, Hulky probably told him too.”

I remember Vann asking, had I seen anyone when I was walking home.

Clouds underlit by lightning. Wisteria smell. Below the old plantation house, down by the fallen-in cabins, something white had come out of the woods and flashed past me. Big. I heard the leaves scatter, the drumbeat of hooves. It was one of the albino deer that show up around the lake—I realized that, even though my heart was hammering and I stopped on the path and listened before moving as quickly as I could down the hill to the lake, the wind banshee-howling in the shrouds of the sailboats.

“Anyway, they found her in your backyard.”

The great blue had stalked deeper into the water off the point. Now he was cocked like a gun—one foot up—then fast-fast he struck and brought up a good-sized fish.

“Some friend you are,” I said.

 

 

Review

 

This coming-of-age novel is coupled with an unreliable narrator, Maggie. Maggie is trying to figure out who she is in this small town with few friends and an obsession with nature fueled by a book by Carl Linaeus that details botany and insects and other parts of nature. Her living situation isn’t the best as her mother ran off when she was younger and she lives with her father on a houseboat. While this sounds like a wonderful life, plus it is a plus if she wants to study marine biology, things aren’t well as they could be with a father that tends to drink and become maudlin pining for his wife. But despite the dysfunctional family, it seems to work for them.

There is a mystery as to who killed Maggie’s cousin Charisse. The search and anticipation of waiting for the killer to be revealed is actually a twist in the tale at the very end and what you thought you knew to be true is not. While I may not have come to the same conclusion, I had my suspicions about how the story might end. There were multiple suspects, known and unknown, and the final revelation was not quite what I expected.

Maggie has a lot of angst for a teenager, but perhaps that is not surprising because she is a teenager and her actions and reactions were typical for someone of her age. She didn’t mind being alone but at the same time, she longed for friendships and perhaps even a boyfriend. Hopefully, things will change once she gets to college and into a larger town with more people. She is the kind of character that you want to see good things happen to in the future.

The story does flip around a lot and there are some chapters that were focused on nature or her adventures but didn’t do much to move the plot along. Perhaps they were designed to give us more insight into Maggie? I did find myself skipping through those chapters since I didn’t feel it added to the story but detracted it in a way. I also don’t think I would consider this a thriller. I do think it might be more literary fiction delving into symbolism for Maggie and her life.

Overall, it was an interesting read and we give it 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Valerie Nieman’s In the Lonely Backwater is being called “not only a page-turning thriller but also a complex psychological portrait of a young woman dealing with guilt, betrayal, and secrecy.” To the Bones, her folk horror/mystery about coal country, was a finalist for the 2020 Manly Wade Wellman Award, joining three earlier novels, a short fiction collection, and three poetry books. She has published widely in journals and has held state and NEA fellowships. She graduated from West Virginia University and Queens University of Charlotte and retired as a creative writing professor at NC A&T State University.

 

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Synopsis

 

She was forbidden to love him.
He only wanted her heart.
Can a childhood game bring them together?

 

London, 1815

Olivia Wilde has resigned herself to never finding a love match. Her father has insisted she marry a man with a title, but the men her father deems acceptable are either boring or are only interested in increasing their own diminishing coffers. With her future looking dismal, Olivia vows to enjoy the last few months of freedom with her childhood friends, including Emerson Latham. His devilish smile and flirtatious teasing stirs up feelings she knows she cannot entertain.

Emerson is struggling to rise to his responsibilities after his father’s death. Though he is still learning his place, one thing he knows for certain is that he wants Olivia Wilde to be his wife. Emerson had long ago fallen in love with her quick wit, beauty, and passionate heart. Yet, without a title, he will never be permitted to court Olivia openly. But he has a plan that may give him a chance to court her in secret.

As the Season kicks off, Emerson proposes a playful game of tag. Olivia’s friends are delighted by the idea, though Olivia is wary. After all, the game must be played in secret as they tag each other at dinners and balls. As the romance builds between Olivia and Emerson, so does the risk of being discovered. Not only are their reputations at stake, so is their safety if they are caught by Olivia’s strict father.

Can their love find a happily ever after before the game ends?

 

 

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This book releases May 3rd, pre-order today

 

 

Praise

 

“Debut novelist Flint puts her own clever spin on the classic Regency romance-think Jane Austen meets the movie Tag-in this delightfully fun read that not only delivers a sweetly satisfying love story but also illuminates the important role friends play in life. Teen fans of Austen-era romances will be all-in for Flint’s playful debut.” —Booklist

 

 

Review

 

This is a delightful regency romance that sums up the time period quite well. Women are treated poorly by men and seen as nothing more than chattel. At least this is the case for Olive Wilde who has to deal with a brutish father that wants her to marry someone with a title. Probably because he doesn’t have one and happened to luck into money but doesn’t have the grace or couth of the ton. I felt bad for Olivia’s mother too because she was abused by her husband whenever someone did something he didn’t like. I also felt sorry for Olivia and the gowns she was forced to wear, they were definitely not attractive and why her father thought he had any fashion sense is beyond me.

Enter Emerson Latham who is a long-time family friend, along with his sister Arabella. Arabella and Olivia are fast friends and it is only recently that Emerson has realized he has feelings for Olivia. I had to chuckle at his wooing attempts because they weren’t very obvious to anyone except him. Thankfully someone sets him straight eventually. But he decides to create a game of Tag to be played during balls. I thought it was quite intriguing and it gave me a good chuckle many times throughout the story at the different scenes when they were tagging someone else in the group.

Emerson also has a group of friends that help him capture Olivia’s heart. Now, this doesn’t mean that they didn’t have fun on their own and they played some elaborate pranks. But in the end, these gentlemen had his back in his quest to win Olivia.

I enjoyed the clean story and the journey to win the woman of his dreams. But don’t think that Olivia is some fair-haired maiden that can’t hold her own because she can. And several times it nearly gets her in trouble.

If you are looking for a light-hearted Regency romance, then check out this debut novel by this author. We give it 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

JENTRY FLINT is a bookworm-turned-writer with the propensity to try just about anything. She has a true love of history and believes a good quote can fix most things. She lives in southern Utah with her husband and two daughters—who, naturally, are named after characters from books.

Her favorite things in life are flavored popcorn, her grandmother’s purple blanket, and curling up on the couch to watch a movie with her husband. Games in a Ballroom is her debut novel.

 

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Synopsis

 

Small-time criminal, Taylor Callahan, dreams of starting her life over. When she inadvertently causes the death of a teenage girl who looks just like her, she does the only thing she can do: she takes over the dead girl’s life.

Now, twenty-one-year-old Taylor must navigate the ins and outs of living with the MacKenzies, the safe and loving suburban family of the dead teen girl. By using her street-smarts, fast-thinking, and the help of her best friend and partner in crime, Ivan, she works to keep her true identity a secret while fighting the demons of her past. Just as Taylor thinks she has made a new life for herself with the MacKenzies, she learns that this wholesome family hides a twisted and deadly secret.

Dead Ringer is a dark coming-of-age story perfect for fans of FX’s Cruel Summer or lovers of psychological thrillers with surprising twists and turns.

 

Come for the brilliant premise; stay for the chilling reveals. DEAD RINGER is a dark, page-turning thriller that proves that even the happiest families have secrets worth burying. –Megan Collins, author of The Family Plot

 

 

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Review

 

This was an intriguing story that flipped back and forth in time surrounding Taylor’s life and how she ended up a part of the MacKenzie family. I found her life to be interesting and how she was able to adapt to the situation whether good or bad. Especially when she assumed the life of Jamie MacKenzie. I’m not sure I would want to go back to high school even if I was only a few years past that age, but for Taylor, it was a chance to make her life better.

While Taylor thinks that she has it made in the MacKenzie family, all is not as it seems. They have a dark secret that was quite surprising and the impact it had on Taylor and the younger MacKenzie daughter was night and day. In the end, it might have been her downfall but the epilogue leaves us wondering if things might have been turned around on this family. I know that is rather vague, but it would give away a main plot twist!

We also see chapters from Joan MacKenzie’s point of view. She is a mother and feels that something is wrong with her daughter Jamie and if she only knew the truth. Taylor has to keep on her toes to be able to imitate Jamie so that no one gets suspicious. Joan is a mother wanting to protect her family and that might be one reason that she goes into law enforcement. We also learn the truth about her sister’s death which I think tipped her over the edge and changed how she saw life.

We also see how Taylor’s life was after being kicked out of her home by her mother and how bad that life must have been especially when she visits the home again to see her brother. Her mother is one for the books and I could do nothing but shake my head and wonder why she was this way towards Taylor. I think there are a lot of reasons, including dealing with her own insecurities and failures.

Perhaps the unsung character is Ivan. He is the son of someone that Taylor gets involved with before the fateful incident. She catches Ivan trying to put skimmers in place and not very successfully. Her brash attitude allows her into this circle of crime but protecting Ivan against his father draws them closer. In the end, Ivan may be her salvation.

This is a psychological thriller and I really wonder where the rest of the story could have gone since there were so many possibilities.

We give this book 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

V.P. Morris is an award-winning horror and thriller writer. She is also the creator of the fictional podcast, The Dead Letters Podcast. Her interest in true crime and criminal psychology inspired her debut novel, ShadowCast. When she is not reading or writing, she is sending time with her husband, son, and a rescue dog in their Connecticut home.

 

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Title: SAND DOLLAR LANE

Author: Sheila Roberts

Publisher: Harlequin/Mira

Pages: 368

Genre: Women’s Fiction / Romance

 

Synopsis

 

Brody Green is finding it hard to recover after being dumped by his fiancée, Jenna Jones, then watching her walk down the aisle with someone else. Jenna is determined to make up for her love defection and find him the perfect woman, but Brody is done with love. First a divorce, then a broken engagement. From now on he’s keeping things light, no commitments. Luckily Brody’s business is booming. Beach Dreams Realty is the best real estate company in town. And the only one. Until…

Lucy Holmes needs a new start. In business, in love, in…everything. If ever there was a cliché, it was her life back in Seattle. She was a real estate broker working with her husband until she caught him trying out the walk-in shower in a luxury condo—with another agent. She’s always been the more successful of the two, and with him gone, she’s determined to build a business even bigger than what she had. Moonlight Harbor is a charming town and it has only one real estate agency. Surely there’s room for a little competition.

Or not. Looks like it’s going to be a hot market in Moonlight Harbor. And maybe these two competitors will make some heat of their own.

“Lighthearted and full of colorful, quirky characters and surf-side warmth… Roberts’s picturesque coastal world is sheer delight and will appeal to romance and women’s fiction fans alike.” —Library Journal

 

 

Amazon

 

Review

 

If you are looking for a beach read, then look no further than this series. It is filled with tension, love, hope, and reimaging your life once you have to put the pieces back together.

Lucy walks into a showing and finds her husband in the shower with another woman. That sets into motion a series of events that forces Lucy to reevaluate her life and move forward without him. She decides to chuck it all and move to this small beach community called Moonlight Harbor. Here she sets up shop as a realtor much to the dismay of the only realty shop in town and Brody Green. But competition is a good thing and this creates even more tension between the two. I really enjoyed their banter at the beginning and how long it took them to warm up to each other. I even chuckled when their children were dating and how much that grates on their nerves that their parents were acting like children.

Hannah, Lucy’s daughter, does come off as somewhat entitled in the beginning but I liked how she realized that her dad didn’t treat Lucy right and in a way boycotted him and his new girlfriend. However, time with Lucy helping her start her business and remodel the house stabilizes and grounds her so that she isn’t so bratty.

This small town drew me in with the unique shops and engaging characters, and I really wanted to pack up and move there so that I too could enjoy the small-town feel. I feel like everyone would be welcoming no matter the situation and I would feel right at home.

This is the 6th book in this series and can be read as a standalone, but there are comments in this book that didn’t make sense (having not read the first 5 books) until I went back and looked at the synopsis for the first book regarding Jenna and spousal support. Since she and Brody were previously engaged but not married, I didn’t understand until I discovered she had been married before. Then it all made sense.

A very engaging book and we give it 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

Excerpt

 

Lucy Holmes-Anderson was smiling as she made her way to the condo she was showing in downtown Bellevue. She and her husband, Evan, had seen it during a realtors’ open house the day before and been sure that it would sell in a moment. And she was going to be the one to jump on that moment. She had a couple she knew the place would be perfect for and she’d arranged to meet them there on their lunch hour.

She’d tried to let Evan know that she had a fish on the line but her call had gone straight to voice mail. It seemed like that happened a lot lately. Hardly surprising, though. Like her, he was busy showing houses, getting listings, writing up offers, and when he was with someone, he never took calls. He had said something about having a noon appointment so he was probably already with his clients.

Sometimes it seemed he spent more time showing houses to other people than hanging out in his own house with her. For a couple who worked together, it sure seemed that they didn’t see much of each other.

But that was the nature of the real estate business. No set hours, and evenings and weekends were usually busy. For both of them. They were often either in their separate offices in Anderson-Holmes Realty or meeting with people.

Even when they were together, it felt more like they were simply sharing space. He’d spent most of the evening the night before convincing a hesitant couple to lay out a king’s ransom on a dog of a house in a Seattle neighborhood that was supposed to be the next big thing. By the time he’d gotten off the phone, he’d been ready to do nothing more than crash in front of the TV.

There wasn’t even such a thing as a cozy breakfast together. Nothing new there though. Breakfast had always been a crazy rush to get out the door. This particular morning it had involved a phone conversation with their daughter, Hannah, about the “little” accident she’d had with the new car they’d given her the summer before for her high school graduation. At least she’d only crunched into a post in a parking garage and the only thing that got hurt was the car, but it was a costly hurt. Not good for the insurance premiums.

“It’s not that new anymore,” she’d said in between tears and apologies. “I’ve had it almost a year.”

“And we’ve paid the insurance for the first year. Remember, come June it’s going to be time for you to take that over,” Lucy had said. “And accidents only make your insurance go up.” Which it was going to do to theirs.

Lucy hadn’t wanted to be the baddie, but they’d flipped a coin over who was going to have a chat with their baby and she’d lost.

“Remind her that she’s got to get a job as soon as spring quarter is over. It’s time she started taking some financial responsibility,” Evan had insisted.

They were paying for her tuition at the University of Washington, plus housing (which wasn’t cheap when you lived in a sorority). Car insurance was something they’d decided Hannah could cover in the future.

So Lucy had done the reminding thing.

This had not been welcome news, and while Hannah could often wheedle one or the other parent into caving when she wanted something (or to get out of something), the parents had stayed united on the issue of a summer job.

“You’re not doing summer quarter,” Lucy had said. (More reminding.) “You’ll have time for a job. I’m sure you can find something fun. Maybe helping Daddy and me in the office.”

“Inputting boring stuff into the computer,” Hannah had said in disgust.

“And posting listings online. Looking at all those cool pictures of houses.”

“Stuck inside like a mushroom.”

Lucy hadn’t bothered to remind her daughter that mushrooms grew outside in the woods.

“You guys are so unfair,” Hannah had concluded.

Of course, that accusation had been enough to make Lucy want to cave. She had always struggled with dishing out discipline, even when their daughter was little, although she’d certainly tried her best. And really, Hannah wasn’t a bad kid. Just a little spoiled, maybe.

“We need to do this, don’t we?” she’d said as Evan grabbed the keys to his Maserati and started for the door.

“We do. Everybody has to face reality sooner or later, Luc.”

And reality included hard work. Lucy knew that firsthand. She’d come from a hardworking middle-class family and put herself through college. So had Evan.

They’d both worked their way through school at the same pizza parlor and slowly fallen in love in between orders. With his degree in business and hers in interior design, they’d partnered up in both business and life. They’d put in long hours to establish their real estate agency, and when the market in the Seattle area turned hot, they’d been more than ready to take advantage of it.

They were now the epitome of success, with three brokers in their office—two hunky millennials who could charm anyone into listing their house with Anderson-Holmes and a beautiful, bright young thing named Pandora who reminded Lucy a lot of herself twenty-two years earlier when she and Evan first opened their doors.

As far as Lucy could see, the girl’s only flaw was that she lacked confidence. It seemed she couldn’t submit a single offer without consulting Evan. Only the other day she’d called with a silly question about a house inspection that left Lucy shaking her head.

“She just needs some hand-holding,” Evan had said.

“I could use some hand-holding,” Lucy had replied in a playful tone of voice.

There’d been a time when he would have taken the hint, taken her to bed and gotten a hold of more than her hand. This time, he’d merely chuckled and returned to surfing the internet on his laptop.

She hadn’t pushed. They were both going pretty hard and it seemed he was tired a lot.

Still, this wasn’t what she’d envisioned their love life looking like now that they were empty nesters. She’d joked to her older sister, Darla, that with Hannah out of the house, she and Evan would probably have sex in every room. That was what you did when you had the place to yourselves, right? She and Evan were only forty-four. He was still in his prime and she was at her sexual peak.

So far, she’d been lucky if she got him stirred up in the bedroom let alone anywhere else. Where was all that empty-nester-second-honeymoon fun they were supposed to be having? Somewhere in the future—at the rate they were working, the distant future.

But all work and no play… If she closed this deal, she was going to make sure they went on a nice long vacation. They needed to put the romance back in their relationship. She’d been eyeing resorts in both Hawaii and Fiji. She’d also been looking into cruises. One of those European river cruises would be so nice.

Yes, a river cruise. Evan had his boat and his fancy midlife sports car. She should get a cruise.

Her smile grew bigger. The Jorgensons were going to love this slick two-bedroom condo in downtown Bellevue. In addition to a bonus room, it had all the bells and whistles—a generous kitchen with quartz countertops and an eating bar; spacious living and dining rooms; windows with electric blackout blinds; unobstructed views of downtown Bellevue, Seattle, Lake Washington and the Olympic Mountains. The facility offered a spa, fitness center and theater room. What was not to like? For some, the price. But the Jorgensons could afford this.

Actually, so could Lucy and Evan. It might be nice to downsize from their four-bedroom three-thousand-square-foot house. It wasn’t like they’d filled the place up with kids. Or ever would.

Okay, maybe not this condo. Their house was on Lake Washington and it was important to Evan to be on the water. She liked the water, too. There was something so calming about it. So someplace smaller. Cozier.

That appealed to her. Yes, it was worth considering.

Meanwhile, here were the Jorgensons. In their late thirties, dressed in trendy clothes, driving a Tesla compact, this couple was more than ready to go from being renters to becoming homeowners. Lucy had convinced them that a condo was a good way to start. Plenty of freedom and no maintenance worries.

“I know you’re going to go crazy when you see this condo,” she told them as she let them into the lobby.

“I looked at the pictures online,” said Emma Jorgenson. “It looks gorgeous.” She smiled at her husband, Aaron, who smiled back at her.

“We’re excited to see it,” he said.

“I’m excited to show it to you. If you like it, we’ll want to move quickly. This one won’t last.”

They rode the elevator up to the twenty-seventh floor. “The view is amazing. You won’t believe your eyes,” Lucy said.

She let them into the unit. It was gorgeous. Hardwood floors, windows showcasing a million-dollar view (no, make that two million).

But what did she hear? Was that voices?

“Is someone else looking at this place?” asked Aaron.

“No one should be.”

Lucy followed the sound down the hallway and into the master bedroom, her clients trailing her.

“This bedroom is fabulous,” Emma breathed. Then her eyes fell on the trail of his and hers clothes leading into the bathroom. “Umm.”

“Sounds like someone’s in the shower,” said Aaron.

“That’s not possible. The owners are in Cabo.” But Lucy had seen the clothes also, and someone was definitely in the bathroom. She could hear water running, and a high-pitched giggle. What on earth was going on?

“Maybe you should wait here,” she said to her clients, and moved toward the bathroom.

“Ooh,” said a familiar female voice as Lucy stepped through the door and onto the azure porcelain floor.

Oh, no. She had to be hallucinating. Behind frosted sea green glass, etched with marsh grass, under the luxury rainfall showerhead, two bodies were silhouetted.

“Baby,” said another voice.

It was a voice Lucy knew well, a voice that had called her baby, too. Dread urged her not to look around that glass wall but anger won out and she did.

There stood Evan with Pandora, the bright young thing. Both naked and sudsy. And Evan wasn’t holding her hand. This didn’t happen in real life. This happened in books or movies.

Lucy blinked, hoping the image before her would disappear. It didn’t. Evan and Pandora Welk were still right where she’d seen them.

“Evan?” Lucy squeaked. He was too busy to hear her. She raised her voice. “Evan!”

Pandora was the first to turn. Those faux-innocent hazel eyes of hers got so big they looked like golf balls. She let out a screech and the soap in her hands shot across the shower.

Evan turned, too, and looked over his shoulder. If eyeballs could bounce, his would have bounced right out of his head and onto the shower floor.

“Luc!” he cried, and stepped in front of Pandora in an effort to shield her.

Caption the moment What’s Wrong With This Picture?

Plenty. Evan was old enough to be this girl’s father. There she was, all slender and perky, and there he was, a forty-four-year-old fool with love handles. It was so inappropriate and unprofessional and…wrong! And furthermore, if he was going to go wild and crazy like this, he should have been doing it with Lucy.

The Jorgensons joined the party, apparently too curious to stay behind. “Eeep,” said Emma Jorgenson.

“Whoa,” said Aaron Jorgenson, half laughing.

“Ack!” said Evan, still trying to shield the home-wrecker from the audience that was gathering to gawk at them.

Red-faced, Pandora hurried out of the shower, grabbed a towel and her clothes, and beat it as if the hounds of hell were after her.

Lucy hoped they were and she hoped they took a great big bite out of that perky, bouncy bottom.

 

 

About the Author

 

USA Today and Publisher’s Weekly best-selling author Sheila Roberts has seen her books translated into several different languages, included in Reader’s Digest compilations, and made into movies for both the Hallmark and Lifetime channels. She’s happily married and lives in the Pacific Northwest.

Her latest book is the women’s fiction/romance Sand Dollar Lane (Harlequin/Mira, April 2022)

 

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CHARLESTON CONUNDRUM

 

A Liz Adams Mystery

 

by

 

STACY WILDER

 

 

Cozy Mystery / Female Sleuth / Cozy Animal

Publisher: Wild Hawk Press

Date of Publication: January 15, 2022

Number of Pages: 235 pages

 

Scroll down for Giveaway!

 

 

 

A Cozy Mystery with a Twist…

Liz Adams never imagined when she moved to Charleston with her truth sniffing Labrador retriever, Duke, that she would use her skills as a private investigator to avoid winding up on Death Row.

Liz’s life is upended when her best friend, Peg, is murdered and she becomes a suspect.  Liz’s gun was the murder weapon. Tensions flare between Liz and the cops as she rises to the top of their suspect list.

At the request of Peg’s father, Liz agrees to take on the investigation. Riding a roller coaster of emotions, Liz uncovers many secrets Peg kept from her despite being best friends. The suspects include a cast of characters: the ex-husband, the boyfriend, a coworker, several neighbors and family members.

Charleston Conundrum takes the reader from Charleston, South Carolina to Paris and back in the emotional unraveling of Peg’s life and death to a killer ending. It is the first book in the Conundrum series.

 

 

 

Amazon│Barnes and Noble | Google Books

 

Blue Willow Books | Murder By The Book

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I do love a good mystery and this one will definitely keep you guessing who the murderer is because many have motives, but the truth just might surprise you.

I have never visited Charleston but it is on my bucket list and the descriptions in this book might just bump it up a few places. From the crayon-colored homes to the old brick buildings, there is a lot of history in this town that is referenced in this story.

Liz decides to become a PI after a disastrous divorce and ditching her life in Atlanta for Charleston. All things considered, I can’t blame her for making that move. She has really made this town her home and her neighborhood seems tight-knit which is a plus and a minus when you take into consideration the busybody that has her nose in everyone’s business. But this plus is this is where she met Peg, her best friend. A senseless murder takes Peg’s life and Liz sets out to uncover the truth because she doesn’t have much faith in the police. After experiencing the cranky police officer Sam, I can see why. He seems to have it out for Liz and instead of looking for other possible suspects, he wants to pin it all on her. Liz sets out to uncover who has the best motive and might have killed Peg. Unfortunately, most of the suspects are her friends and neighbors. But Liz persists in uncovering the truth while dealing with the grief she feels at the loss of her friend. She is also a little angry at Peg for not being told about Peg’s love interest, Bjorn.

Besides the Charleston setting, we get to experience a little bit of Paris and the mention of the Lourve and Musee d’Orsay took me back to a trip I took to Paris years ago. These are some amazing museums that I am thrilled I could experience. And let’s not forget the patisserie and chocolate! My mouth was watering as I imagined indulging in a pastry or two. There is also a love interest for Liz and the potential for a love triangle, but I think Liz realizes that one man may be enough for her.

There are some intriguing twists to this story that definitely kept me on my toes and the revelation of the murder took me by surprise a little bit but as it was close to the reveal, I wondered if this character could be the suspect but didn’t know why. This person wasn’t even on my radar until the end. I kept trying to pin it on a family member but that just wasn’t working out well for me.

I think a character that deserves a bigger part next time is Duke, her labrador. He seems to have a lie detector sense about him and knows when someone isn’t telling the truth. That does pique Liz’s interest, especially during conversations with a few of the characters during her investigation.

A couple of things surprised me about this book. Liz breaks into multiple homes to snoop for clues that might give those homeowners a motive for killing Peg. Would a PI really do that? Maybe but I don’t know for sure. Secondly, when Liz is arrested she is put into an orange jumpsuit. That seemed awfully quick considering she was being held in the local jail and overnight at the most, but perhaps that is their process there.

Overall, this is a solid story and I was able to read a sneak peek into the next book, Caramel Conundrum, and can’t wait to read it. We give it 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stacy writes mysteries, children’s stories, short stories, and poetry. Her debut novel, Charleston Conundrum, is the first in the Conundrum mystery series.

Stacy’s mission is to deliver a delightful story to readers of all ages while benefiting a larger community. She donates a portion of the proceeds from the sales of her books to causes that support wildlife conservation, and the homeless, both people and pets. A portion of the proceeds from Charleston Conundrum is donated to National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).

As well as writing, Stacy is passionate about her faith, family, Labradors, the causes that she supports, the beach, art, and reading books.

She and her husband live in Houston, Texas with a totally spoiled Labrador retriever, Eve.

 

Website  *  Facebook  *  Amazon * Instagram

 

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Autographed copies of Charleston Conundrum

 

(US only; ends midnight, CDT, 5/06/2022)

 

 

 

 

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Visit the Lone Star Literary Life Tour Page

 

For direct links to each post on this tour, updated daily,

 

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4/26/22	Playlist	All the Ups and Downs
4/27/22	Review	StoreyBook Reviews
4/27/22	BONUS Promo	LSBBT Blog
4/28/22	Guest Post	The Page Unbound
4/29/22	Review	Jennie Reads
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5/2/22	Review	Carpe Diem Chronicles
5/3/22	BONUS Review	Shelf Life Blog
5/3/22	Author Interview	It’s Not All Gravy
5/4/22	Review	Forgotten Winds
5/5/22	BONUS Promo	Hall Ways Blog
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Synopsis

 

One moment, one choice can change a life forever.

Two years ago, Evgeny Yurlov’s dreams shattered on the stage of the Bolshoi Theatre. Without many options, he lands a job—far different from ballet—and returns to Moscow. There, he’s reunited with old friends—friends who need his help as government scrutiny intensifies on Grace Baptist Church.

Sasha Dvornikova isn’t the woman she once was, but Dmitri Rykov’s shadow is relentless. Reminders of her past lurk everywhere, and her sins have branded her undeserving of a man like Evgeny.

As mounting danger surrounds both the church and his job, Evgeny finds past struggles reignited, struggles that reach even Sasha. Amidst so much darkness, will Truth prevail, or will Evgeny’s choices destroy him—and those he loves?

 

 

Amazon

 

 

Review

 

This is the follow-up book to Unknown that features a tight-knit group of believers in Russia and their desire to spread the word of God and convert others into believers.

I enjoyed the first book and was looking forward to Evgeny’s story. Evgeny was a ballet dancer with Sofia (from Unknown) until his knee no longer allowed him to dance, and so he dived into the world of security. This seems like an odd choice, but he has the physique after years of ballet and he could hold his own. His new position brought him back to Moscow into a position that may or may not have been what he was expecting. He discovers he isn’t quite so sure after the first job he is sent on to recover a spy. His heart holds that all should be treated humanely, but let’s be honest, in the spy game all is fair in war including torture.

We also get to know Sasha better in this book. In the first book, she is the girlfriend of Sofia’s brother and one could say she is a golddigger, seeking an easier lifestyle. However, after his death, she realizes that perhaps that is not the life she wants and becomes a believer. She still struggles with her faith and believing she is good enough. This struggle is seen throughout most of the story. It is easy to see why it takes her a long time to accept her self-worth, but with the help of her friends, she learns to love herself and accept everything about herself, including her flaws.

This book felt heavier than the first one. I’m not sure why but there is a lot to get through including the government changing their rules and now allowing churches or evangelizing in public. However, this does not stop those involved with the church and they continue their mission to convert citizens to Christ. Evgeny is quite concerned for his friends and does what he can to make sure that they stay safe, including providing personal protection for what it is worth.

I did enjoy the details about the arm wrestling competitions and how it brings kids and others off the street and into a safer environment. I chuckled when Sasha finally agrees to learn how to arm wrestle and there is no better teacher than Evgeny.

The love story between Evgeny and Sasha is slow and I appreciated how the relationship was not rushed because there was a lot for Sasha to deal with before believing she was deserving of love.

This is a solid story and it is not a fast read. It took me longer to read this than most books due to the intricacies of the events in this story. We give this 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Vanessa Hall is an author, musician, and homeschool graduate. Most days, she is reading, writing, or practicing the violin—or trying to find time for all three pursuits. Currently, she is working toward gaining a degree in instrumental music education. Unknown is her debut novel. Above all, she is a sinner saved and held fast by the abounding grace of Jesus Christ.

 

Blog * Goodreads

 

 

 

 

The Secrets We Conceal by S.R. Fabrico

 

Category: Adult Fiction (18+), 300 pages

 

Genre: Coming of Age, Women’s, Psychological and Family,

 

Relationships Abuse/Child Abuse

 

Release date: March 15, 2022

 

 

Synopsis

 

A riveting coming of age story, that will make you laugh, cry and root for Laura to find happiness.
​
Laura Shirk is a normal, happy, go-lucky, little girl playing with Cabbage Patch dolls and Legos. Until she isn’t. Set in the late 1980s-early 90s, a visit to her aunt and uncle’s house changes everything.

What follows is a nerve-racking story shedding light on child sexual abuse. As the tragedy unfolds, Laura mutters through life concealing her secret from everyone. Feeling alone and isolated, she struggles to navigate her younger years wondering if she can or will ever find happiness.

Then, Laura meets ‘the perfect man’ for her. Can he heal her heart and break down her steel walls?

The Secrets We Conceal, S.R. Fabrico’s debut novel is a riveting coming of age story that beautifully conveys how love and strength can heal all wounds.

 

 

Amazon * B&N * iBooks * BookBub

 

 

 

 

 

 

Review

 

If you have never been a victim of child sexual abuse, count yourself lucky. While I have not experienced what Laura experiences in this book, I felt like I was living it with her. The words were powerful and hard for me to read, but I kept plugging away and came away with a perspective I hope I never have to experience in real life with anyone that I know.

This is set during a time when there was less focus on this sort of abuse, or it was not as common as physical abuse. We see Laura change from a happy little girl to one that lashes out at everyone trying to wrap her mind around why this happened to her and why no one would stop it from happening. As I thought about it, I wondered if her cousin, Susie, endured the same thing because her actions and reactions to certain things seemed to be the same as Laura’s. I also had to wonder if Penny knew what was going on or if she was truly that clueless. And if Susie was also abused, why did she not try and shield Laura more from her father? I actually found myself angry at Penny for allowing this to happen, but she might have been a victim just as much as Susie and Laura.

I wondered why Laura didn’t speak up to either her mother or Penny, but this was also a time when it was not discussed that you should report such things. And then when Laura did say something to her mother nearly 10 years later, why did no one go after Max and put him in jail or something like that?

The first half focuses on the events surrounding the abuse and I felt that this was the best part of the book despite the topic. The second half was Laura’s attempt to deal with the situation, her low self-esteem, and self-worth. Once she gets into college, she isn’t successful with relationships at that point either until she meets Tom. I have to say that I appreciated their relationship with all of the ups and downs including multiple miscarriages and Laura’s mother’s cancer. It is amazing that Laura is able to hold it all together and while she has her moments dealing with the trauma and memories, she is a survivor.

I really did like her confrontation with Uncle Max near the end. It was what she needed to move forward with her life. You’ll have to read the book to find out what that is all about.

Overall we give it 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Born a raised a Yankee who loves NY style pizza and Philly cheesesteaks. I was introduced to the amazing world of Southern BBQ after moving to Tennessee where I live with my husband and two children. My family is my main priority, everything I do is for them. I attended college in the 90s and received a degree in mathematics with a minor in secondary education, I went on to coach cheerleading and dance for 20 years and won a Hip Hop Dance World Championship. Anything and everything creative is my absolute favorite, so writing has always been a hobby. When I’m writing, I like to wife hard, mom hard, paint, read good books and watch good movies.

 

Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram

 

 

Giveaway

 

Win a signed copy of THE SECRETS WE CONCEAL and a $25 Visa Gift Card (one winner / USA only) (ends May 6)

 

THE SECRETS WE CONCEAL Book Tour Giveaway

 

 

 

 

 

Synopsis

 

USA Today bestselling author Carter Wilson returns with a chilling psychological thriller about Bury, NH, a standalone story with crossover to his previous novel The Dead Husband. A must for readers of Megan Miranda and Alex Michaelides.

Aidan holds the winning Powerball numbers.

Is today the best day of his life… or the worst?

Aidan Marlowe is the superstitious type—he’s been playing the same lottery numbers for fifteen years, never hitting the jackpot. Until now. On the day of his wife’s funeral.

Aidan struggles to cope with these two sudden extremes: instant wealth beyond his imagination, and the loss of the only woman he’s ever loved, the mother of his twin children. But the money gives him and his kids options they didn’t have before. They can leave everything behind. They can start a new life in a new town. So they do.

But a huge new house and all the money in the world can’t replace what they’ve lost, and it’s not long before Aidan realizes he’s merely trading old demons for new ones. Because someone is watching him and his family very closely. Someone who knows exactly who they are, where they’ve come from, and what they’re trying to hide. Someone who will stop at nothing to get what they want…

 

 

Amazon * B&N * Kobo * Bookshop

 

 

Review

 

This twisted psychological suspense had me on pins and needles trying to figure out what was going on in Bury, NH.

Aiden Marlowe is both the luckiest and unluckiest person. He loses his wife and on the day he buried her he realized he has won the lottery. He decides that Baltimore holds too many memories, so he buys a house (pretty much sight unseen) in Bury, NH, and moves his twin children there. That is when the story gets interesting as he discovers notes from someone saying they are watching him. The notes seem innocuous but they could be something more, so he starts digging into the past of the home he bought and why four people disappeared.

As this story unravels and more facts come to light, it made me wonder about the human psyche and how much it can endure before breaking. Marlowe finds out in this tale and at times I felt empathy for him and other times I wondered what he was thinking. We are spectators of his life including the events surrounding the death of his brother in Ireland. His relationship with his father is tenuous and teeters on the edge after more truths are told.

While we are only given a small timeframe of their lives, there is a lot packed into those moments. Not everyone is as they seem and perhaps love can be found again for Marlowe even though he had a wonderful relationship with his wife before her death. I don’t think Marlowe is meant to be alone and I’m not sure how he would survive since he doesn’t do the best job after Holly’s passing.

The mystery surrounding the notes is intriguing and the truth surprised me when everything was revealed. I can’t say much without giving away part of the plotline.

The only disappointing part of the book was that we never find out what happened to the Yates. That might be a bit of a spoiler but it was the only part of the book that I didn’t like. That was a big mystery that was played up but is not resolved. There is a previous book, The Dead Husband, that focuses on this story but it occurs before this book. Perhaps there will be another book that reveals the full truth of that family.

Overall, this book was fast-paced and kept me guessing throughout. We give it 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

USA Today bestselling author Carter Wilson has written eight critically acclaimed, standalone psychological thrillers, as well as numerous short stories. He is an ITW Thriller Award finalist, a four-time winner of the Colorado Book Award, and his works have been optioned for television and film. Carter lives in Erie, Colorado in a Victorian house that is spooky but isn’t haunted…yet.

 

Website * Facebook * Instagram

 

 

 

 

Ten Thousand I Love Yous by Lisa Slabach

 

Category: Adult Fiction 18+, 303 pages

 

Genre: Women’s Fiction

 

 

Synopsis

 

In this humorously touching novel by the critically acclaimed author of Degrees of Love, a woman is blindsided when her high school sweetheart abandons her after eighteen years of marriage.

At sixteen, Kimberly Kirby thought the only thing she needed to be perfectly happy was to spend the rest of her life with Jay Braxton. Twenty years later, she still believes it. As they proudly watch their daughter, Haley, graduate from high school, she imagines her life is as perfect as anyone could reasonably expect. Jay is a formidable attorney, she a freelance writer, and their love as strong as ever. With Haley heading to UC Berkeley in the fall, Kimberly fantasizes about making love on the kitchen table. She has no clue that Jay’s bags are already packed.

Now divorced and determined to squelch her love for Jay, she accepts a gig writing a sex and dating blog for divorcees. As the Virgin Dater, she is on the hunt for love. No-strings-attached nights with a sexy fireman and moving to San Francisco are just what she needs to boost her battered ego and mend her shattered heart.

But just as she falls hard for a talented young chef, Jay fights to win her back. Torn between her bold new life and the comfort of Jay’s strong arms, she questions if there is too much to forgive. The ten thousand I love yous that had passed Jay’s lips can’t be dismissed, but nor can her newfound freedom and the knowledge that her happiness doesn’t depend on Jay.

 

 

Amazon ~ Apple ~ Barnes & Noble

 

Target ~ Google ~ Blackwells.UK

 

 

Review

 

This book may resonate with some readers and I can imagine they will be nodding their heads and saying “yes, that happened to me too.”

Kimberly married very young and had her first child at eighteen. While she and Jay seemed like the perfect couple, apparently he had other ideas once their daughter graduated from high school. He wasn’t even man enough to talk to her about it, he just packed bags and called it quits. Perhaps it was a mid-life crisis, perhaps he had fallen out of love with her, but whatever Jay’s reasons, he was a coward to not even talk to her about the situation. Maybe he tried and she just didn’t hear him, but I think he probably did not.

This sends Kimberly on a downward spiral but then she manages to bounce back and figures if she is going to be on her own then she needs to put her life together with the way she wants to live it and not by anyone else’s expectations. She loses some weight and even finds herself in a club with her longtime friend, Val. I had to chuckle at her reaction and experience in the club because I’m sure it was not what she expected and having been married for her younger days when visiting clubs would be common, threw her for a loop. This doesn’t stop her from attracting the attention of a gentleman in the club, a fireman no less. Kimberly learns a lot about herself during her time with him and I found myself relating to her because I am not sure I could be a serial dater either.

I loved the name of her new column, The Virgin Dater. That has all sorts of implications and I would have enjoyed seeing more of the “articles” under that column shared throughout the book. We don’t see as many as I might expect.

You could say this book is one of discovery for Kimberly as she navigates the dating world, moves to a new town, and deals with her now ex and his jealousy. I’m not sure if I would have gone down the same path in the end as her, but I can understand the draw. Sometimes life throws us curveballs and we have to learn how to swing at those pitches.

Overall, this was an enjoyable story and even though I couldn’t relate to her specific situation, I could understand her struggles and admired her for becoming a better version of herself. We give this 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Ten Thousand I Love Yous is Lisa Slabach’s second novel.

Prior to publication, her first novel, Degrees of Love was recognized as a Best Book of 2014 by Kirkus Review. Degrees of Love made its publishing debut December 1, 2017, and was nominated for a 2017 Reviewer’s Choice Award by RT Book Reviews.

In addition to writing, Lisa is a Fintech Relationship Executive for a Fortune 500 Company. She is a long-time resident of Northern California and lives with her husband, one-hundred-forty-pound puppy, and numerous goldfish. In her free time, she enjoys wine tasting, shopping with her daughters, and cooking in her pink kitchen.

 

Website~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads ~ BookBub

 

 

Giveaway

 

Enter to win a $50 Amazon gift card, autographed copy of Lisa Slabach’s TEN THOUSAND I LOVE YOUS and DEGREES OF LOVE (one winner/USA only) (ends April 29)

 

TEN THOUSAND I LOVE YOUS Book Tour Giveaway