Synopsis

 

I am NOT Rowan’s little sister. And I will do everything in my power to prove otherwise. But I swear breaking my ankle, so I could live with him while I recover was not part of the plan. Honestly.

 

I have loved Rowan since I was sixteen and he rushed in like my knight in shining football pads to save me from a bully. Now that I’m back in Winter Falls after graduating college, it’s time for me to make him mine.

There’s only one problem. Rowan sees me as his little sister who needs protecting and not as a woman. There’s no problem too big I can’t overcome it, though. Even if it comes in the form of a stubborn six-foot-five former NFL quarterback.

When I break my ankle and Rowan insists I live with him while I recover, I decide our forced proximity is just the chance I need. Soon enough, the former football player isn’t acting as if he thinks I’m his little sister.

But Rowan still refuses to entertain the idea of us being in a relationship. Am I doomed to wait forever for him or can I prove to him he’s my forever?

This forced proximity small town romantic comedy features a feisty woman who’s not afraid to go after what she wants, a former NFL quarterback who’s determined to do ‘the right thing’ even if what he thinks is ‘the right thing’ is NOT in fact ‘the right thing’, a super convenient broken ankle, a gaggle of sisters who want to try their hands at matchmaking, and a whole town full of hippies who think being called a busybody is a compliment.  

Forever For You is a standalone novel in the Winter Falls series.

 

 

Amazon

 

Free to read via Kindle Unlimited

 

Other books in the series

 

My Forever Love – Aspen and Lyric’s story

Forever For You – Ashlyn and Rowan’s story

Just For Forever – Ellery and Cole’s story – to be released June 16th

Stay For Forever – Juniper and Maverick’s story

 

 

Review

 

There is one thing I know that I can count on from this author, a book that will make me laugh out loud and is filled with sexy characters in interesting locations.

This is the second book in the series and focuses on Ashlyn, Aspen’s sister, and Rowan, a friend of Lyric’s in a way (they played football together). Ashlyn has had a major crush on Rowan since she was about 15. I don’t know if I have ever had a crush on someone for that long, but there is something about these two that cause sparks to fly and ignite. Despite their attraction to each other, there is something holding Rowan back from pursuing a relationship. We don’t find out what that something is until about 2/3 of the way through the book, but the anticipation kept me guessing why he thought he couldn’t have a relationship with her or anyone else.

There are so many fun things about this book from Rowan’s new profession as a baker to Ashlyn’s secret career…which isn’t so much of a secret but then what is in the town of Winter Falls? The citizens of this town all care about each other but are way too much into each other’s business, especially their sex lives. They are always betting on when someone will do the deed, get together, or some other craziness. Maybe it is something in the water that makes them act this crazy, and while it is over the top you can see how much they care about everyone in town.

Ashlyn and Rowan both have issues to deal with and accept before they can move forward with each other. However, the time that Ashlyn spends at Rowan’s house recovering helps move them along in the right direction…with the help of Ashlyn’s sisters and the rest of the town. There are times when Ashlyn doesn’t act like an adult but more like a child, but sometimes that happens when you grow up as the youngest and everyone else telling you what to do or taking care of you. Rowan fights his feelings for too long and this combined with Ashlyn’s actions delays their happily ever after storyline.

I think a surprise character is Bryan. He is Rowan’s friend from college turned personal assistant while in the NFL turned bakery assistant in Winter Falls. Perhaps he should have his own story?!

The end of this book leaves us with a lead-in to Ellery’s story. While I guessed what her secret was pretty quickly, I am intrigued to learn more about her story with Cole.

This is a fun read and we give it 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

D.E. Haggerty is actually just plain old Dena, but she thinks using initials makes her sound like one of the cool kids. She was born and raised in the U.S. but has spent the majority of her adult life abroad living in cool-sounding places like Istanbul, Heidelberg, and The Hague. She has job hopped from military policewoman to lawyer to B&B owner. She finally jumped off the job-hopping bandwagon a few years ago when she decided to turn her addiction to romance novels into a career. If anyone has ideas on how to turn a love of wine into a job, she’s all ears.

 

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Synopsis

 

As San Francisco’s Chinatown prepares for the Lunar New Year festivities in the fogbound month of February, astrologer Julia Bonatti finds herself with three new clients, all in desperate straits who don’t seem to heed her advice. Tracy is the victim of a brutal husband with nowhere to run and Jeanette is worried sick about her son, whom she suspects has fallen in with a bad lot.

But most frightening of all to Julia is Frankie Chang’s dilemma. Frankie’s only eleven years old and he’s terrified. His mother is missing and no one will help him. Julia’s heart goes out to him but her hands are tied. Frankie won’t let her talk to the police and neither will his family.

Julia eventually discovers that the three worlds of her clients intertwine. Those lives inevitably collide exposing a dangerous smuggling cabal. Julia knows too much and becomes a victim of both a ruthless environmental group and criminals who will stop at nothing, including murder.

 

 

Amazon * B&N * Bookshop * IndieBound

 

This book releases on 4/26/22 and will be available to read for Free via Kindle Unlimited

 

 

Review

 

This series has always fascinated me surrounding Julia’s profession, astrology. I don’t know how it all works but I love reading the descriptions of the different houses and how charts intersect and more.

There are three separate storylines that are intriguing on their own but every more engaging once we discover how they intersect with one another. Frankie and his missing mother are probably the primary focus of this cozy. Frankie knows something has happened to his mom, but at 11, I think his father and grandfather think that they can placate him with false truths about where she has gone. Frankie is a spitfire and he is as bad as Julia for putting himself into the middle of dangerous situations. There is one part of the story where I expected something to happen regarding Frankie and I was right. I don’t want to spoil anything so you’ll have to read the book to see if you can figure it out for yourself.

The other two clients were dealing with some tough topics – spousal abuse and smuggling. You can never underestimate the love of a mother for her son and I liked Julia’s advice to her to stay strong and force the conversations. They almost came too late so there was a bit of action that will speed up the heart rate! It also brought the crux of the mystery to a close. I’m always amazed at what the protagonist will uncover on her own because I never seem to be that capable of putting the pieces of the puzzle together. I will say that Julia put herself in harm’s way too many times to count but she was lucky that nothing too bad happened to her.

Another storyline that was incorporated into this book is the death of Julia’s boyfriend, Michael. He was killed years ago but she just decided to read a journal he had sent to her based on a comment from a mutual college friend. The mystery isn’t solved yet, but it opens some doors and left me wondering what could possibly happen next in this journey. I think it was good for Julia to read the journal because it might be the path to closing that chapter in her life.

While you could read this book as a standalone, I think it is best to start at the beginning with Enter A Wizard, Stage Left (prequel), and then The Madness of Mercury.

On a side note, I see that all of the covers have been redone. They are gorgeous and give off the right vibe for this series.

We give this book 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

With the Zodiac Mysteries, featuring Julia Bonatti, a crime-solving San Francisco astrologer, Connie di Marco has combined her fascination with astrology and her love of writing mysteries.  Writing as Connie Archer, she’s the national bestselling author of the Soup Lover’s Mysteries from Berkley Prime Crime.  You can find her excerpts and recipes in The Cozy Cookbook and The Mystery Writers of America Cookbook.  She is a member of International Thriller Writers, Mystery Writers of America, and Sisters in Crime.  She lives in Los Angeles but dreams constantly of the San Francisco fog.

 

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COMFORT ZONE

 

A Comfort Stories Book

 

by

 

KIMBERLY FISH

 

 

Genre: Contemporary / Second Chance Romance / Women’s Fiction

Publisher: Fish Tales Publishing

Date of Publication: November 1, 2021

Number of Pages: 289 pages

 

 

Scroll down for Giveaway!

 

 

 

The award-winning author of Comfort Songs, Comfort Plans, and Comfort Foods digs into the life of single-mom Anna Weber, an appraiser who gives value to other people’s found treasures. On assignment to research a handwritten sheet of music, Anna helps a stranded motorist, only to discover she’s rescued retired NFL quarterback Jack Moses. His confidence and fascination for solving problems make him impossible for Anna to ignore even as they both dart along separate deadlines to save the finances at an inner-city school. Little does Anna know that as she wrestles with secrets from her past and a suspicious approach to people, Jack is running too—dodging women, pro athletes, and a future with no definable end zone.

As a nemesis threatens Anna’s young daughters, these two unlikely partners discover that it’s in stepping back from years of self-sufficiency that Anna and Jack can find the best treasure of all: a series of sweet, second chances.

 

 

Amazon

 

 

Praise & Awards

 

“Kimberly Fish’s Comfort books are wonderful, charming stories set in the Texas Hill Country. Fans of small towns family relationships will enjoy these feel-good books. Two thumbs up!” – Jan Moran, USA Today bestselling author of Seabreeze Inn.

Comfort Zone is a Literary Titan Gold Award winner and a Reader Views Bronze Award winner in romance. It was also a runner-up in the regional fiction category of the New England Book Festival awards.

 

 

 

Journey back to Comfort, Texas, where the folks are friendly, friendships are treasured, and everyone has your back.

I have loved each of the books in this series and picking up a new one always feels like I am pulling up a chair and sitting back with familiar faces sharing life stories. This is the town where I wouldn’t mind living and I could since it is a real small town in the Texas Hill Country. However, current home prices are holding me back.

This story is filled with action, deception, intrigue, humor, and a little romance. Anna has a secret past that no one knows about, not even her friends. She even has a fascinating career as an appraiser of antiquities and such. I am amazed at the lengths she goes to when researching a piece of music that has been donated to the school. Is it worth something? Only time will tell and her research into possible creators of this song. Jack is struggling to find his place after his retirement from the NFL. He and some of his former teammates have started a school and they are in a rush to find funding to make sure the school stays open.

Both Anna and Jack fight their feelings for each other, well Anna more than Jack, and I enjoyed watching their relationship blossom and that there is not even a kiss until close to the end. It was nice to see a relationship not be rushed and with the obstacles in the way, it is one that needed time to mature. I chuckled many times when Anna would put Jack in his place and her knowledge of multiple topics, including how to repair a car, was amazing. She is definitely a renaissance woman.

While the focus is on these two, we have multiple characters from the past books immersed in this storyline. The friendship between this band of women is one that I can relate to in my own life.

I would be remiss in not mentioning LaDonna and Jo Jo (Joseph). This couple may have Jack’s best interests at heart, but they aren’t above meddling and playing matchmaker whenever possible between Jack and Anna. LaDonna is a force to be reckoned with and not someone I would want to get crossways with but have a feeling they would support those in their life to the fullest. This power couple adds additional depth to the story because it shows the strength of their relationship with Jack and how far they go back together.

I know without a doubt that any time I pick up one of Kimberly’s books I will be in for a treat and will perhaps stay up way too late to finish the book. This makes me sad because it means that story is over and I have to wait for the next one.

While you could read this book alone, start with the first book in the series, Comfort Plans, so you can get to know all of the characters and their stories.

We give this book 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kimberly Fish has been a professional writer in marketing and media for over thirty years, with regular contributions to area newspapers and magazines. As an accidental historian, she wrote two novels, The Big Inch and Harmon General, both based on factual events in Longview, Texas that changed world history. Kimberly also offers a set of contemporary women’s fiction, based in the Texas Hill Country, that reveal her fascination with characters discovering their grit and sweet, second chances; all four of these novels have won distinguished awards.

 

 

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Autographed copy of Comfort Zone,

hand-painted note card from artist Elaine McMillan,

and NFL official Silver Series football signed by Jack Moses.

(US only; ends midnight, CDT, 4/29/2022)

 

 

 

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4/19/22	Review	Jennie Reads
4/19/22	BONUS Promo	Hall Ways Blog
4/20/22	Review	Bibliotica
4/20/22	BONUS Promo	LSBBT Blog
4/21/22	Review	Carpe Diem Chronicles
4/22/22	Review	StoreyBook Reviews
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4/24/22	Review	Rox Burkey Blog
4/25/22	Review	Book Fidelity
4/25/22	BONUS Promo	All the Ups and Downs
4/26/22	Review	The Plain-Spoken Pen
4/27/22	Review	It’s Not All Gravy
4/28/22	Review	Forgotten Winds

 

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THE CATCH

 

The U.S. Marshals Series, #3

 

by

 

LISA HARRIS

 

 

Fiction / Christian / Mystery / Suspense / Romance

Publisher: Revell

Date of Publication: April 5, 2022

Number of Pages: 352 pages

Scroll down for Giveaway!

 

 

 

 

 

Everything hidden is eventually found

After a harrowing attempt on a judge’s life at the courthouse, Deputy US Marshals Madison James and Jonas Quinn are tasked with finding a missing woman and an endangered child in connection to the murder of the judge’s wife. What seems like a fairly straightforward case becomes hopelessly tangled when the marshals discover that the woman they are searching for is not who they think she is.

Madison and Jonas are forced into a race to find the woman and the child before the people who want her dead discover her location. And in a final showdown that could cost her everything, Madison will come face-to-face with the person who murdered her husband.

 

 

Amazon * Baker Book House

 

Christianbooks.com * Other Revell Affiliates

 

 

 

CHAPTER ONE, PART TWO

FROM THE CATCH

(Click to read Chapter One, Part One on LSBBT Tour)

 

 

There was nothing she could do to change their understanding. He promised to pay the bills as long as she promised to be quiet. His wife was never to find out. None of his associates could be confided in either. No one could know he was the father of her baby.

Becca shook her head. “I need to leave—”

“I wouldn’t if I were you. I know everything about you and Robert, including the fact that you had his son.”

Becca’s mouth went dry. “Robert told you that?”

Myra motioned her inside. “It didn’t take much detective work to find out where he really spends his time away from me.”

“I made mistakes,” Becca said, stepping through the imposing entryway to a boldly decorated living room that was far too gaudy for her taste, though the red-­and-­coral theme seemed to fit Myra perfectly. “But you have to understand that I didn’t know he was married when I first started seeing him.” By the time she found out the truth about Robert’s marital status, she’d already lost her heart.

Guilt pressed against her chest. How many times had she told herself she needed to walk away? How many times had she chastised herself for not taking her own advice?

Myra’s smile disappeared as she turned around in the middle of the room. “Don’t play innocent with me.”

“I’m not,” Becca started to argue, then stopped. She had no idea what this woman wanted from her, but clearly Myra wasn’t interested in a string of apologies.

Myra narrowed her gaze. “You need to know that I have the ability to make your life extremely miserable, but . . . I’m going to offer you a one-time deal.”

Becca’s fingers clenched her purse strap. “What do you mean?”

“I will give you enough money to leave Seattle and start over. I don’t care where or how, as long as it’s far away from here.”

Becca forced herself to relax her hands, but she couldn’t absorb what she was hearing. “You want to pay me off?”

“You make it sound so . . . so illicit.”

“Isn’t it?”

Myra’s glare seemed to pierce through her. “No more illicit than sleeping with someone else’s husband.”

Becca’s gaze dropped to the expensive rug on the wooden floor, then followed the dark-­orange squiggly pattern along the edge. Nausea swept through her, making her feel like she would vomit. She should have known this day would come. Nothing good ever came from keeping secrets.

“You’re going to walk away and never contact Robert again. And”—­she tapped her manicured fingers together—“you will sign over parental rights of the baby to Robert.”

Becca’s head shot up. “I won’t do that.”

Myra’s brows rose. “Then you don’t understand how things work. Without money and power, you’re nothing but a waitress working overtime for tips. If you try to fight me, you’ll lose.”

“No.” Becca straightened her shoulders, determined to dig up enough courage to fight back. “You can’t buy me off.”

“Then you’re more foolish than I thought,” she said, her voice cold. “Robert doesn’t love you, Becca. He never did. Not really. You’ve been nothing more than a temporary distraction.”

“I’m not taking your money.”

“Then I’ll need to find something to persuade you.”

“What do you mean?”

“I know you left your son with his sitter this morning,” Myra said.

Becca’s heart pounded in her chest. If Myra did anything to hurt her son, or Ava . . .

“What did you do?” Becca asked.

“It’s not what I’ve done, it’s what I will do if you don’t cooperate. You will sign the papers I’ve had drawn up, giving Robert full custody of the child, and walk away with the money.”

“No—”

“You seem to think you can fight this, but you can’t. Robert will hire the best lawyers in the city, and in the end, you will still give up your rights to your son. Now it’s just up to you to decide if you take the money or end up losing everything.”

Becca stumbled backward. “No. I’ll never give up my baby.”

She grabbed her handgun out of her purse—­ironically, the gun that Robert had bought her. There wasn’t time to think through the consequences. All she knew was that she wasn’t going to lose her son.

 

Click to start reading chapter two on the 4/18/22 LSBBT tour stop.

 

 

 

 

Much like the other books in this series, this moves at warp speed and it will keep you guessing until the end.

I really enjoyed seeing Madison’s story continue with the search for her husband’s killer and who shot her. She has amnesia about that night when she was shot but she will find out who and why in this book, but even then there are some twists that I didn’t see coming. But at least she gets closure on this event and can move forward in her relationship with Jonas. I think this was holding her back from allowing the relationship to blossom.

The action/mystery/suspense aspect kept me guessing and wondering how each piece would unravel to reveal the truth. Not everyone is who you think they are and perhaps those you thought untrustworthy will give you a second chance.

I love the setting of this series. Seattle is a beautiful area and there is so much to do. It is a great spot for those that love the outdoors as we can see in a few scenes as they tromp through various wooded areas, trails, and parks.

This is the last book in this series featuring US Marshals. However, it gave me good insight into what they actually do compared to other government agencies. It is not a light job and there is just as much danger as any other entity.

This is a fantastic trilogy and well worth the read. We give it 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lisa Harris is a USA Today bestselling author, a Christy Award winner, and the winner of the Best Inspirational Suspense Novel from Romantic Times for her novels Blood Covenant and Vendetta. The author of more than forty books, including The Escape, The Chase, The Traitor’s Pawn, Vanishing Point, A Secret to Die For, and Deadly Intentions, as well as The Nikki Boyd Files and the Southern Crimes series, Harris and her family have spent over 17 years living as missionaries in southern Africa and currently reside there.

 

 

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4/12/22	Author Video	Hall Ways Blog
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4/13/22	Scrapbook Page	The Page Unbound
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4/14/22	Review	The Plain-Spoken Pen
4/14/22	Guest Post	Sybrina’s Book Blog
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4/16/22	Excerpt 1	All the Ups and Downs
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4/18/22	Review	Missus Gonzo
4/19/22	Author Video	Forgotten Winds
4/20/22	Review	Shelf Life Blog
4/20/22	Series Spotlight	Reading by Moonlight
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Synopsis

 

I may be back in my hometown and down on my luck, but I know better than to fall for Lyric again. Been there. Done that. Have the heartbreak to show for it.

 

When my business and apartment burn down, there’s only one thing I can do – return to my hometown of Winter Falls with my tail tucked between my legs.

I won’t be here long, though. As soon as the insurance company decides I didn’t start the fire – one little accidental fire to get out of a math test does not make me an arsonist! – and cuts me a check for the damage, I’m out of here.

The people of Winter Falls feel differently. They’re determined I rekindle my romance with my first love, Lyric Alston, and stay forever. Not happening. The man destroyed my heart once, I’m not giving him another chance.

But when I call Lyric out for what he did, he has no clue what I’m talking about. Did I get it wrong? Did I not see what I thought I saw?

Once Lyric realizes I didn’t abandon him, he goes all out to convince me to stay in Winter Falls and give him a second chance. Did he forget I’m not here to stay?

Can My First Love turn into My Forever Love?

 

This small town second chance romantic comedy features a sassy woman who’s not afraid to speak her mind, a sexy Chief of Police determined to do what’s necessary to win her back, the cutest rescue dog in history, and a whole town full of hippies who think being a busybody is a good thing.

My Forever Love is a standalone novel in the Winter Falls series.

 

 

Amazon

 

Read for Free via Kindle Unlimited

 

Free prequel

 

Ruby has her life all planned out. Go to college. Join the Peace Corps. Save the world  But then she meets Daniel  Will she stick to her life plan or can Daniel convince her love is worth a detour?

Read for FREE

 

 

Review

 

Welcome to Winter Falls where there aren’t many rules to follow other than keeping things green and immersing yourself in everyone else’s business.

Aspen ends up back in town thanks to a fire that destroyed her business and apartment. While she waits for the insurance company, she returns back to Winter Falls and the first person she runs into is her former flame, Lyric. The sparks fly between these two and it doesn’t take long for them to fall back in with each other despite Aspen’s ruminations that once the insurance company pays she will head back to Dallas. She doesn’t expect the whole town to conspire against her and coerce her to stay in town. They even come up with a name for it, Project Weston (a combination of their last names).

This book is full of sassy characters that say what they want. I think I would love this town and want to know where it is so I can move there! Everyone is so open about life, love, sex, and everything in between. There are so many lines that made me laugh out loud but at the same time, so many lines that rang true and we could all take to heart.

Aspen’s sisters are a mixed bag of personalities but they all have each other’s backs when it comes to life and love. I can’t wait to see what is in store for each of them in future books.

I always enjoy books from this author and this one was no exception. We give it 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

D.E. Haggerty is actually just plain old Dena, but she thinks using initials makes her sound like one of the cool kids. She was born and raised in the U.S. but has spent the majority of her adult life abroad living in cool-sounding places like Istanbul, Heidelberg, and The Hague. She has job hopped from military policewoman to lawyer to B&B owner. She finally jumped off the job-hopping bandwagon a few years ago when she decided to turn her addiction to romance novels into a career. If anyone has ideas on how to turn a love of wine into a job, she’s all ears.

 

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Synopsis

 

A songwriter in a slump and a heartbroken chef cook up a harmonious happily ever after.

Ryann Alden’s not looking for a relationship. She’s focused on making a success of the small town inn she and her sisters inherited. As the business takes off, however, tensions grow and she struggles to be seen as an adult instead of a helpless child by the older two. When she finds herself falling for the attractive guest that appears on their doorstep, the budding romance becomes the driving force to make Ryann demand more for herself and her new love.

Elijah Hansen’s reputation as Nashville’s songwriting superstar is at risk when the cutthroat industry has his creativity abandoning him. The impulse that has him hitting the road for a place where he can rekindle his love for song leads him to Willow Falls Inn and Ryann. A snowstorm strands him, but the emerald-eyed beauty that greets him may just be the muse he’s been missing.

Ryann and Elijah continue their whirlwind romance in a long-distance relationship that must survive the tests of his fame, the revelation of a family secret, and the miles between them.

Secretly Inn Love, the final book in the Inn Love series, features the youngest sister in the Alden clan and a hidden celebrity hero.

 

 

Amazon

 

Read for Free via Kindle Unlimited

 

 

Review

 

This is the last book in this trilogy about three sisters that take over their aunt and uncle B&B after a tragic accident. This book focuses on Ryann’s story and we start off where she is made at her sisters, Gavyn and Blake, and for good reason. They had been holding back a secret about their parents and Ryann happens to overhear this secret. I can’t blame Ryann for her anger because she is nearly 25 yet she is treated as if she is much younger. In Gavyn and Blake’s defense, it is hard to change the path once you are down it and realize that their baby sister has grown up and doesn’t need to be coddled or protected.

We see this come into play, even more, when Ryann meets Elijah when he stops at their inn in the middle of the storm. I think it was love at first sight for Elijah and maybe Ryann too. I loved their banter back and forth and how she instinctively feels like she can trust him much to the dismay of her sisters. They are in full-on protective mode and do some things that they shouldn’t do, such as an internet search on Elijah.

The relationship between Elijah and Ryann moves quickly, but sometimes when you know you know. Ryann does have a dilemma to sort out, but with Elijah’s help it all works itself out.

I enjoyed discovering Elijah’s profession as a songwriter and how Ryann becomes his muse and the words just flow. I can’t imagine having to write songs (or a book or anything like that) and struggle for ideas. I cracked up when Ryann discovers it and doesn’t like his first big hit.

This was a fun read and I’m sad to see this trilogy end. I think it would have been exciting to have an epilogue set in the future (say 5 or 10 years) and a brief recap on what is happening with the sisters and the inn especially since some big news was dropped at the end.

We give this book 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Books, coffee, and chocolate make up both the heart and body mass that is better known as Amelia Foster. She has been a lifelong lover of the written word, both as a reader and an author, and completed her first manuscript at the ripe old age of five complete with illustrations. Sadly, her art was a medium that never improved over time although thankfully her writing has.

From sweet to salacious the only requirement Amelia has in books she reads – and definitely in the ones she crafts – is an excessively satisfying happily ever after… and then a little bit more.

 

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The Yarn That Binds (Clear Creek Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – A small town in the Rocky Mountains
Independently Published (April 14, 2022)
Number of Pages: 258

 

Synopsis

 

A Rocky Mountain Yarn with Small Town Charm

 

Jemma hasn’t been to the tiny Rocky Mountain town of Clear Creek in years, but when her grandmother tells her something strange is going on, Jemma drops everything to return and help untangle the clues.

She arrives to flashing lights, a house full of police, and the news that her grandmother has been killed with her own yarn. After learning she inherits everything, Jemma is faced with the choice of casting on a new life by reopening her grandmother’s yarn shop, or returning to her live-out-of-a-suitcase life as a travel vlogger.

One thing’s for sure — she’s not leaving town until the mystery of her grandmother’s death has unraveled. But when the deputy in charge of the investigation ignores clues Jemma stumbles upon, she decides to do her own poking around. Because her grandmother was right — there is something strange happening in Clear Creek.

 

 

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This book releases on 4/14/22. It will also be available to read for Free via Kindle Unlimited

 

 

Review

 

This new series will have you reaching for knitting needles and some new fun yarn.

Jemma is heading to this little town in CO to see why her Grandmother might want her help but she arrives to find her grandmother has been murdered. The police aren’t acting fast enough for Jemma’s taste and she decides to do some sleuthing of her own.

I thought it rather humorous that she has arrived from Africa but the police detective in charge seems to think she should be a suspect. Not sure when he thinks she would have had time to kill her grandmother when she was with someone the entire way to the town.

Jemma also reconnects with a few friends from her days there which is good because they help her sort through the clues but it isn’t until Jemma finds herself in a predicament does the truth reveals itself. I was quite surprised at who the killer turned out to be but I suspected this character towards the end but couldn’t put my finger on anything. The “why” was complex and it involved other characters for various reasons.

I loved the descriptions of all the yarn, especially the special ones that Jemma sent her grandmother over the years. I found it intriguing that nearly the whole town could be found knitting at one time or another, but perhaps it was the way they all decompressed.

Jemma and Chase feel some chemistry and I think we can see a relationship blossom between these two going forward.

I think this is going to be a good new cozy series and we give it 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Rebecca McKinnon enjoys playing with her imaginary friends and introducing them to others through her writing. She dreams of living in the middle of nowhere but has been unable to find an acceptable location that wouldn’t require crossing an ocean.

 

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Giveaway

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

 

Synopsis

 

A delight for readers of Where’d You Go, Bernadette and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, this blockbuster debut set in 1960s California features the singular voice of Elizabeth Zott, a scientist whose career takes a detour when she becomes the star of a beloved TV cooking show.

Chemist Elizabeth Zott is not your average woman. In fact, Elizabeth Zott would be the first to point out that there is no such thing as an average woman. But it’s the early 1960s and her all-male team at Hastings Research Institute takes a very unscientific view of equality. Except for one: Calvin Evans; the lonely, brilliant, Nobel-prize nominated grudge-holder who falls in love with–of all things–her mind. True chemistry results.

But like science, life is unpredictable. Which is why a few years later Elizabeth Zott finds herself not only a single mother, but the reluctant star of America’s most beloved cooking show Supper at Six. Elizabeth’s unusual approach to cooking (“combine one tablespoon acetic acid with a pinch of sodium chloride”) proves revolutionary. But as her following grows, not everyone is happy. Because as it turns out, Elizabeth Zott isn’t just teaching women to cook. She’s daring them to change the status quo.

Laugh-out-loud funny, shrewdly observant, and studded with a dazzling cast of supporting characters, Lessons in Chemistry is as original and vibrant as its protagonist.

 

 

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Review

 

I LOVED this book! The dry wit, the precociousness of Madeline, Elizabeth’s no-nonsense attitude, and the truth about how women were (and still are) treated in the workplace and at home. And we can’t forget the dog, six-thirty.

Elizabeth endeared me from the start. She is different from other women in the 1950s and wants to do things that men seem to think she can’t. Typical of men, putting women down, sexually harassing them, and other things to try and keep them in their “place.” Elizabeth will have nothing to do with it and her spirit is what draws Calvin to her. She has a no-nonsense attitude and states things plainly and doesn’t put up with chauvinistic attitudes, at least not now. She might have in the past, but with age comes wisdom and she has it in spades.

Calvin has his own issues to deal with but with Elizabeth, he found his soul mate, even though he didn’t make the best first impression by vomiting on her. I enjoyed the banter between these two and Elizabeth’s determination to not be married or have children. But as many can attest, no form of birth control is foolproof except for abstinence. Becoming a single mother was never one of her goals and it is interesting to watch how she raises Mad and what starts her journey into a cooking show is based on the meals she prepares for her daughter that are the right amount of nutrition that she needs. After all, Elizabeth is a scientist, and all of this is science.

I laughed throughout the book at her interactions with the different characters, how close-minded some people were, and how even women would stab each other in the back and “punish” them for doing something outside of what was considered appropriate by the standards set by society. This book is peppered with all sorts of scientific terminology and if nothing else, Elizabeth’s foray into television helps to educate women and motivate them to do for themselves and not just for their spouses or children.

This is one of the best books I have read so far this year and we give it 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Bonnie Garmus is a copywriter and creative director who’s worked widely in the fields of technology, medicine, and education. She’s an open-water swimmer, a rower, and mother to two pretty amazing daughters. Born in California and most recently from Seattle, she currently lives in London with her husband and her dog, 99.

 

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Synopsis

 

Rural Michigan, 1934

When her new husband Sam perishes in a bizarre farm accident, would-be milliner Polly soon becomes the prime suspect in his murder. As she digs for evidence to clear her name, Polly falls into a sinister web implicating her in a nefarious crime ring being investigated by White House Police. Polly’s life and those of her family are at stake.

Narrated by Polly, her self-righteous older sister, Sarah, and Sarah’s well-meaning, but flawed husband Wesley, a Methodist minister, the story follows several twists through the landscape of the rural Midwest.

 

 

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Review

 

The Great Depression was a tough time for many with no jobs, food scarcity, and the possibility of becoming homeless. The story encapsulates what it was like for this group in Marshall, Michigan, and what they endured to make sure their family was fed and they were kept safe.

This story is told from three points of view: Polly, her sister Sarah, and Sarah’s husband Wes. It is amazing how their views were very different on various things. We also learned how human each character was and they all had their own flaws that defined them as a character. At first, we mostly see it from Sarah and Wes’ point of view and what we see from Polly is letters to her mother. It is easy to form a negative impression of Polly from what we learn from Sarah. But I don’t think she was far off the mark and Polly was a spoiled child growing up and while only twenty, it doesn’t seem like much has changed even if she is married. However, married life is not all it is cracked up to be for Polly and we slowly learn about her husband Sam and his anger management issues. Sam is not a character anyone will like.

The mystery portion is from several different angles – how did Sam die? Who are these men that claim to be with the government? What are they searching for? They all do eventually tie together and you might be able to figure out part of the answer. I know I suspected one thing and found out I was right near the end.

While the story is primarily about Polly, we really do learn a lot about Sarah and Wes and how their lives have gotten to this point, and their thoughts and feelings about everything. I do feel like they felt the stress of this time with little money and trying to do their best to take care of their families. My thoughts about Polly changed as the book progressed and she started to grow up and realize that life isn’t what she thought and perhaps she needed to be more gracious. Sarah has a bit of a learning curve towards Polly as well, and we see how much her frustration with her sister over past events slowly changes.

I really enjoyed this book and learned a few things about the depression and how times were back then. I had just learned about Decoration Day from my spouse’s family and it was interesting to see it mentioned in this book. If you aren’t familiar with this tradition, it is when families visit the cemeteries and leave flowers and such on the graves of their family members. Having just found some graves of ancestors in a cemetery that is pretty much abandoned, it is important that these places don’t become lost.

This is a wonderful historical novel and we give it 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Charlotte Whitney grew up on a Michigan farm and often heard stories about the difficult years during the Great Depression. Her debut historical novel Threads: A Depression Era Tale has attracted over 400 reviews on Amazon. Charlotte’s previous work includes two nonfiction books and a romance novel, I Dream of White.

Charlotte lives in Tucson with her husband and two Labrador retrievers.

 

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Synopsis

 

Four women. One family heirloom. A secret connection that will change their lives—and history as they know it.

Present Day: Julia Baxter’s wedding veil, bequeathed to her great-grandmother by a mysterious woman on a train in the 1930s, has passed through generations of her family as a symbol of a happy marriage. But on the morning of her wedding day, something tells her that even the veil’s good luck isn’t enough to make her marriage last forever. Overwhelmed and panicked, she escapes to the Virgin Islands to clear her head. Meanwhile, her grandmother Babs is also feeling shaken. Still grieving the death of her beloved husband, she decides to move out of the house they once shared and into a retirement community. Though she hopes it’s a new beginning, she does not expect to run into an old flame, dredging up the same complicated emotions she felt a lifetime ago.

1914: Socialite Edith Vanderbilt is struggling to manage the luxurious Biltmore Estate after the untimely death of her cherished husband. With 250 rooms to oversee and an entire village dependent on her family to stay afloat, Edith is determined to uphold the Vanderbilt legacy—and prepare her free-spirited daughter Cornelia to inherit it—in spite of her family’s deteriorating financial situation. But Cornelia has dreams of her own. Asheville, North Carolina has always been her safe haven away from the prying eyes of the press, but as she explores more of the rapidly changing world around her, she’s torn between upholding tradition and pursuing the exciting future that lies beyond Biltmore’s gilded gates.

In the vein of Therese Anne Fowler’s A Well-Behaved Woman and Jennifer Robson’s The Gown, The Wedding Veil brings to vivid life a group of remarkable women forging their own paths—and explores the mystery of a national heirloom lost to time.

 

 

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Review

 

A blend of the present and the past but with women that all want the same thing, happiness.

This fictionalized story of the Vanderbilt family and The Biltmore fascinated me and remind me of a couple of shows that are set in this same time period. To be that wealthy might have been nice but had its own share of problems. This story follows the life of Edith and Cornelia Vanderbilt (the past), and Julia and Babs (the present). Each family has a veil that has been passed down through the ages and is supposed to bring good luck. It might have been in the past, but when it was Julia’s turn to marry she becomes the runaway bride.  She may love Hayes and he might love her, but that doesn’t mean that they belong together. An unsuspecting video puts Julia on another path to rediscover herself and what she wants from life. It also forces Babs (Julia’s grandmother) to take a hard look at her own life since her husband’s passing and is she living the life that she wants or deserves?

The story flips back and forth in time and we see the lives of these women unfold as they marry, discover themselves, and look to the future. Edith created the Biltmore estates and everything it entailed. That was a huge undertaking for her and her husband, George, but they did succeed. They have their ups and downs due to the times and even they were affected by the stock market crash in 1929. If you were wealthy even in these times you were looked at differently. Julia, an aspiring architect, has always admired this estate and chose to get married there. We learn that Julia has given up her dream of being an architect due to negative feedback from a professor. Instead of fighting for her project, she ran away. She ran away from her wedding too and she has a lot of soul searching to do to decide where she must land in this life.

We don’t know the whole story about how Julia’s family received the treasured veil, but bits and pieces are revealed and the full story is discovered in a letter that ties both stories together. It is a beautiful tale and gives one hope for happiness no matter what life throws at you.

Julia learns a lot about herself with the help of a new architect friend, Connor. He isn’t present in the whole story but is at the beginning and the end. It was nice to see that he was not brought in too soon before Julia had a chance to discover who she was without Hayes (her former fiance) and how she was going to support herself.

I found the stories about Edith and Cornelia fascinating because that was a different time when women were expected to marry and raise a family. They didn’t do much else and rarely had a career. However, Edith and Cornelia’s running of the estate was quite an undertaking and I can’t even imagine doing what they did to keep it afloat and supporting those that lived on the estate or in the village.

I appreciated the author’s notes about how she came to write this story so make sure to check that out if you pick up this book.

Overall, we really enjoyed the story and give it 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Kristy Woodson Harvey is the New York Times bestselling author of nine novels, including Under the Southern Sky, Feels Like Falling, and The Peachtree Bluff series. A Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s school of journalism, her writing has appeared in numerous online and print publications including Southern Living, Traditional Home, USA TODAY, Domino, and O. Henry. Kristy is the winner of the Lucy Bramlette Patterson Award for Excellence in Creative Writing and a finalist for the Southern Book Prize. Her work has been optioned for film and television, and her books have received numerous accolades including Southern Living’s Most Anticipated Beach Reads, Parade’s Big Fiction Reads, and Entertainment Weekly’s Spring Reading Picks. Kristy is the cocreator and cohost of the weekly web show and podcast Friends & Fiction. She blogs with her mom Beth Woodson on Design Chic, and loves connecting with fans on KristyWoodsonHarvey.com. She lives on the North Carolina coast with her husband and son where she is (always!) working on her next novel.

 

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