Synopsis

 

An abandoned building. A motivated runner. A Hodgkin’s lymphoma cancer survivor.

Connor Jackson has been training for a half marathon for the past six weeks. Katie Brandt has been training to beat cancer for the past 50. When Connor discovers an intriguing secret in a tiny, abandoned building on his running route, Katie finds that the mystery is what she needs to help her get through her three-week stem cell replacement procedure. Together, Conner and Katie must find the strength to achieve their personal goals and, in the meantime, expose the many past lives that the tiny building led.

“We all want to find something amazing – some treasure – in old, abandoned places. That’s what we expect.” – Katie Brandt, cancer survivor

 

 

 

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Review

 

This is a tale of friendship, history, running, and even love.

Connor has a demanding job as a nurse. He helps treat cancer patients, and this cannot be an easy task. However, he makes the most of the situation and takes to running to relieve stress. Along the way, he decides to investigate this small brick building close to his condo. What unfolds is a fascinating tale about history, the Underground Railroad, and discovering who he is deep down inside.

The story is told from Connor’s point of view but also from Katie’s point of view. Katie is one of his cancer patients with lymphoma. We learn a little bit about the treatment for the disease and the mettle of Katie from giving birth to twin girls after being diagnosed with cancer. If you know anything about this form of cancer, the treatment can be challenging, but Katie is a fighter. She is also curious and has no problem diving into researching the building that Connor discovered and its history.

I was curious about this building as details were laid out. Did it have a historical significance? How would it impact the town? It was fun to read along and wonder about different aspects of the building and wonder what details and clues they might discover next.

In the process of searching for more information, Connor meets Leah, who happens to be a friend of his brother’s wife. I enjoyed watching their relationship blossom.

If you are a runner, you might enjoy the sections where he shares his training regimen for an upcoming half marathon. He wasn’t afraid to show vulnerability about his fears or concerns about the upcoming race.

Connor also has a fantastic relationship with his nieces. It was fun to watch their interactions, and it reflected what sort of parent he might be someday.

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Iris March has a reputation for killing house plants and now she’s killing people off in books? Coincidence? Perhaps not. Iris has spent two decades working in the sustainability field and is usually either reading a book or on a trail. She lives in Ohio with her husband, son, and three cats.

 

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SWEET COMFORT

 

Comfort and Joy Trilogy, #1

 

by

 

KIMBERLY FISH

 

 

Women’s Fiction / Cozy Mystery / Later-In-Life Romance / Sweet Second-Chance Romance

Publisher: Fish Tales

Page Count: 359 pages

Publication Date: January 21, 2023

 

Scroll down for a giveaway!

 

 

 

 

Welcome to the hometown everyone wants to call their own.

Gloria Bachman, a retired bank executive, has eight weeks to flip a location on Comfort’s High Street into a boutique chocolate shop. Defying expectations for “women of a certain age,” Gloria rediscovers talents and a sharpening of skills. If only she could read people as well as she does a spreadsheet. Even with the renovation in good hands, the subsequent struggle to name the shop brings Gloria and her business partner into conflict with a shady citizen. While Gloria is capable of remaining in her retirement rut while opening a business, two competing social groups try to lure her into their networks, causing Gloria to wonder if she ever knew Comfort at all. A murder rocks the community and revives investigative instincts honed by years in the banking industry.

Mason Lassiter, a disgraced CEO, has his own dramas to escape, and the offbeat town seems the perfect place to recover his self-esteem. What was to be a quick reversal of fortunes becomes a quest to right a deeply felt injustice. Fascinated by the women driving the energy of Comfort, he extends his stay to find out why the small town is the backdrop to their best tales. Tangling with his neighbor Gloria becomes his favorite pastime and the key to unlocking the mystery of his past—if he can convince her to trust him.

Chocolate and joy become the glue bringing an unlikely cast together, which just might change Gloria’s and Mason’s course for the better. With characters familiar from previous Comfort novels and introducing fresh names, Sweet Comfort will entertain those who like their stories seasoned with coziness and sweet, second chances.

 

 

 

Amazon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ahhhh, the town of Comfort is calling, and I answered! If you haven’t read any of this author’s Comfort series, you are missing out. While this includes many of the characters from those books and continues the story, there are new faces in town that we can come to love as much as the others. Plus, there will be chocolate!

Georgia is a woman that I definitely admire. She has dealt with some issues in her past work at a bank in the area, including being forced out thanks to the male ego and more. Being burned by a man has soured her outlook on men for the most part. However, enter Morgan Lassiter. A hunky man from Dallas has caught her eye, and she has caught his. However, she is reluctant to be more than friends, but maybe he will wear her down. I love when a new romance takes its time for the characters to experience each other and what they could potentially bring to the table and the relationship.

I mentioned chocolate. Georgia and Kali are opening a high-end chocolate store and are working non-stop to get everything done before their grand opening. There are some setbacks, as would be expected, but each one just strengthens what we know about these women and the skills that they have that they don’t even realize. I love when people learn more about themselves and what they are capable of in the process of a new venture. I am glad I don’t live in Comfort (although sometimes I wish that I did) because I would be there every day indulging in the truffles, bars, and other assorted chocolates. This author speaks to my heart when she includes chocolate in the mix.

There are a few minor mysteries included in this book. The first is who killed Ted Bodine. Georgia has an analytical mind, and it is evident as she susses out the clues and the facts as different situations present themselves. Now the mystery doesn’t really start until 40% into the book, so I would say that this is less mystery and more romance and second chances. There is also the mystery of Mason’s wife. She is supposedly deceased, but signs point other ways. Will Georgia and Mason determine if she faked her death or is truly gone? These add a twist to the story and create more depth.

I love the rivalry between the Knitters Club and the Bunco ladies. While there is some tension between various characters, it is also nice to see them come together in times of need, no matter which club they belong to. Plus, it adds some spice to the story. I’m not sure I’m Wanda’s biggest fan, but she does add some complexity to the story.

This story made me smile, laugh, drool (over chocolate), and engaged my brain to sort out the mystery.

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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Two winners each receive a signed copy of Sweet Comfort plus a box of Sweet Shop USA candies!

 

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Synopsis

 

Set among the rolling green Irish hills, Kelkerry Castle is something out of a dreamy fairy tale. For hotelier Bridget Marshall, however, it’s a dream come true…once she’s sorted out the mold, lead paint, and ancient plumbing. And she’ll prove to everyone in the nearby village of Shansally (pop. 119) that she’s not just another silly, dreamy-eyed American—including her curt (if utterly gorgeous) new neighbor, Liam O’Flannagain.

Only, this breathtaking castle has far more secrets than expensive repairs. While someone—or something—here desperately wants Bridget to give up and walk away, there’s another force tugging Bridget to stay. Because whenever she’s with Liam, the ancient past seems to come to life again, sweeping them along in a story they’re apparently destined to relive.

Now, Liam and Bridget are caught up in a long-ago tale filled with love, danger, and betrayal. The past seems to be working its magic on both of them, pulling them into a love story they’re helpless to resist. And they’ll have to uncover the truth of what happened all those centuries ago before history—and tragedy—repeats itself.

 

 

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Excerpt

 

The light swung skyward for a moment. “We’d best hurry and do whatever we’re going to if you don’t want to get soaked through.”

“We’re waiting on you, then. We agreed I wasn’t going to touch anything.” I returned to studying the triple spirals. The pattern was mesmerizing. I wrapped my arms around me to try to fight the pinprick sensation. It only made things worse. Like my hands were moving in the wrong direction. I could already smell a hint of ion in the air, mixing in with the grassy damp. There was something to see here. And it either very much wanted, or very much didn’t want us to see it. I could only hope it was the former.

Liam remained as still as one of the stones for a long beat before he moved to the one closest to him.

I waited, but nothing happened. “Did you touch it?”

“I told you it doesn’t always happen.”

You can’t seriously think it won’t happen. I couldn’t possibly be the only one feeling the energy in the air. “Try another one.”

The light in his hand bobbed as he moved down the line, stopping in front of one stone then the next.

“How long do you want me to do this?” he called as he started to round the mound, his light just visible around the curve from where I stood.

“How many stones are there?” I returned. I could almost feel his grumbling in the distance, but he continued making his way around.

His light blinked out of view. And I was seemingly alone in the darkness. My heartbeat rose to my throat, every nerve in my body alert. The trees continued to rustle in the distance. The sound somehow amplified in the stillness between the stones. To my over-charged mind, it sounded like laughter.

Christ… I blew out a calming breath and threw my arms down to my sides. I flexed my fingers to try to dispel some of the energy. Even if it was just a trick of the wind and the shape of the dip, I could see why generations would believe there was something mystical living in that mound. And if there were fairies, well, I supposed I just had to hope they weren’t pissed off by us dropping by tonight.

Last thing you want is an angry fairy, I remembered Liam’s words the first time we had talked about the visions. Now, I sort of wished I’d asked him “why?”

If anything, the buzz in my hands only got worse. I’d be throwing off lightning bolts from my fingers soon if this kept up.

And those damn spirals wouldn’t let me go.

I certainly had no desire to relive the last jump I’d had in the stables. Intuition bordering on compulsion continued to urge me forward. I glanced at the mound again. Still no sign of Liam’s flashlight. Taking a final deep breath, I reached out and touched the center of the three largest spirals.

The familiar dizziness hit, the electricity rolling over my body. The world spun, but it took form again. This time without pain. Not even the near migraine I’d felt every other time.

Progress?

I glanced around the darkness. The already consuming night felt all the more daunting, and I realized my flashlight had gone. Other than that, and the weight of Ellyn’s longer hair and odd-fitting clothes, though, everything still looked the same.

They were already ancient by Ellyn’s time, the thought registered. The mound and stones had been there millennia by the time Ellyn would have seen them. The corners of the stones softened by the elements and mossy with age. They were mystical old ruins, made by a mysterious long-gone people, the same to her as me.

 

 

About the Author

 

Jessica Dall is the author of such novels as Forever Bound, A Dangerous Beauty, and The Stars of Heaven. She has written across an array of genres, though her love of history and romance always seems to find a way into her work. Born and raised in southern California, she now resides in Maryland with her husband and daughter. When not living vicariously through her characters, she enjoys travel, crafting, and helping others with their own writing journeys.

 

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Synopsis

 

Twenty-nine-year-old Nina Abrahams is not in a good place. She’s been fired from her restaurant manager job after she stands up to her bully of a boss, her motivational speaker mother is helping other people get their lives on track and ignoring the derailing of her daughter’s, and her best friend, Lucas Wilson, the guy she’s loved since she was eighteen, can’t seem to look beyond the girl in braces to the woman she is now.

When a new opportunity comes up, Nina decides it’s the perfect time to start over. The restaurant needs a reinvention and so does she. Unfortunately for Nina, the restaurant comes with hostile servers, a belligerent chef, and an owner averse to change.

But if Nina’s brave enough to take on the restaurant and tackle the people out to sabotage her, perhaps she can find the courage to tell Lucas how she really feels, even if it means risking the most important relationship in her life.

 

 

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Universal Book Link: Books2Read

 

 

Excerpt

 

Chapter One

 

If Nina Abrahams hadn’t been fired this morning, she never would have said yes. At least, that’s what she told herself. Her face flushed with the humiliating memory: standing alone in front of Pablo’s massive I’m-obviously-compensating-for-something desk and realizing no one had backed her, Pablo’s smug face as he uttered the words his Napoleonic ego had been squirming to say for weeks, the sympathetic stares of her staff as she packed up her stuff, and the guilty absence of those who’d sworn to stand by her, but who’d evidently caved somewhere between vigorous nods in her attorney-general moment—Pablo is stealing money from you, he’s exploiting you, enough’s enough, we shouldn’t let him get away with it—and the sobering reality of monthly bills that needed to be paid.

As if Mondays weren’t bad enough.

As the credits for another Grey’s Anatomy episode rolled onto the screen, Nina blew her nose, dug out the remote from under a throw pillow, and hit the Mute button. She checked the time: 5:00 p.m. After being thrown out of the restaurant, she’d spent the day stretched out on her couch, working her way through copious amounts of Coke and corn chips while she watched impossibly attractive doctors tear into each other and their patients.

Her phone rang, and she glanced at the screen: Lucas. Not Pablo, the Uruguayan chef turned restaurateur, admitting to a colossal mistake in firing her, begging her forgiveness and offering her and the rest of the staff at Mateo’s Grill a threefold pay increase. That was Fantasy Number Two. Lucas had taken the number one spot years ago, and it had never changed.

Sitting upright, Nina cleared her throat of the residues of a crying jag. “Lucas,” she answered lightly.

“So there’s a charity fundraiser this Saturday,” he said by way of greeting.

“No, no, and no,” Nina said. And then, as though Lucas was hard of hearing, which she knew he was not, just hard on resolve, she said again, “Definitely, no.”

“It’s for charity.”

“Still no.”

“The tickets cost me five hundred dollars. Each.”

She rolled her eyes, which only magnified her headache. That was a bodyguard for you. Trained to think of all the angles. “You can afford seven hundred.”

“Think of the kids in Zambia,” Lucas said. “They walk two hours every day to get fresh water. This will give them a tap right in their village.”

She frowned at her phone. And at the man who called himself her friend on the other end of the line. “Low blow, Lucas.”

“Did it work?” he asked hopefully. “Can you get someone to cover for you Saturday night?”

She’d been fired, so that wasn’t an issue, but she wasn’t ready to tell him. Not yet. She couldn’t cope with the resulting lecture—and there most certainly would be a lecture filled with uninteresting words like “prudence” and “responsibility” and “discretion.” Unlike the satisfying words she’d tossed at her ex-boss this morning: cretin, thief, bully.

“Saturday night?” she asked, considering. “You must be desperate.”

“Desperate enough to continue begging, if that would help.”

She laughed. And that was when she found herself saying yes.

Lucas gave a satisfied whoop. “Thank you. I owe you one.”

Add it to the tally, she thought, suppressing a sigh.

Wedging the phone between her shoulder and ear, Nina stood and stretched out too many hours of lying curled around comfort food. Finding a Doritos snagged on her pajama top, she absently pulled it free and bit into it.

There was a charged silence. “What was that noise?” Lucas asked suspiciously.

She swallowed. Quickly. “Noise? What noise?”

“Are you eating chips?”

“What?”

“You are,” Lucas accused. “You’re eating chips! Doritos, I bet.” She heard him give a loud sniff. “I can smell them.”

“As if,” Nina scoffed, and then groaned as she realized how neatly she’d fallen into his trap.

“What happened?” Lucas demanded.

“What makes you think something happened?”

“The last time you binged on junk food, that lowlife of the unmentionable name had just dumped you and you single-handedly upped Doritos’s profit margin.”

A half chuckle, half sob escaped her. “Objection to the word dumped,” she said, and burst into tears.

“Nina Sarah Abrahams,” Lucas said, drawing out her name in warning. “You better not be watching something sad and romantic.”

She hiccupped out a “Talking to you…so not watching…at this very moment.”

“Why do you do it?” he asked in exasperation. “Why do you torture yourself like this?”

“Meredith and Derek are never going to get it right!” she wailed.

“Grey’s Anatomy? Seriously?” Lucas’s sigh was heavy. “I’m coming over. You better not drink all the Coke.”

 

 

About the Author

 

Lara Martin writes books about imperfect people living messy lives, falling in love and getting their perfect happily-ever-after. She’s lived in South Africa and Australia and now calls a cozy village in England her home. She’s tried a variety of amazing and awful jobs: video game reviewer, graphic designer, insurance claims agent (she has no idea how she landed this one), proof reader, feature writer, and magazine editor. She lives with her husband (always the first reader of her novels), two slightly terrifying teenagers, and the requisite psychotic cat. When she’s not writing, she can be found haunting local coffee shops.

 

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Synopsis

 

Inkerman, Queensland, Australia

Fall 1889

 

Jennie Stewart, an unemployed governess, is looking to escape the rule-abiding town of Inkerman.  After the death of her childhood friend, Grace, Jennie takes refuge with several other friends at a beach house, needing to embrace the freedom she so craved…and hopefully find a clue that might lead her to discover who killed her friend and why.

John Atheling, an estate steward, made many personal sacrifices to get to his position, including distancing himself from the fairer sex and their manipulative ways.  His ordered life turns to chaos when he finds the nanny, Grace, dead.

Being given leave from his job, John accepts an invitation from his childhood friend to join him and several others on a retreat to the beach.  He reluctantly accepts after discovering one of the men joining them is suspected of knowing the truth about Grace’s death.

Arriving at the beach, John discovers who the rest of his companions would be over the coming days, including Jennie, a woman who ignites a longing in him that both thrills and scares him.  He hadn’t come to the beach to be lured into the seductive web of a woman, but nor could he deny the instant attraction he has to her.

Jennie should have treated John as the stranger he was, but she was drawn to him, desires burning in her that she couldn’t – and didn’t want to – ignore.  Struggling to remember why she’d come to the beach, she fought against the lure of love and passion, reminding herself that love at first sight was nothing more than a fairytale.

Will John and Jennie surrender to their heart’s desire, or will they fall victim to the murderer they’re chasing before they discover if love at first sight really exists?

 

 

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Review

 

Cultures vary from country to country, but desires between men and women remain the same no matter where you live.

Jennie was trained to be a governess to children of wealthier parents. While in school in England, she met three other women: Mary, Grace, and Beatrice. She, and the others, find themselves in Australia in the same town. What are the odds? Of course, Beatrice is from this town, and I wonder if she helped engineer their arrival. Their friendship remained, even if Beatrice was a bit standoffish to everyone because of who her father was and the opportunities she had compared to the other three.

I really liked Jennie’s character, except when she was being silly or obstinate in various situations. I’m not sure why she had such a hard time with trust. Perhaps it was tied to an incident in England where a man attacked and nearly raped her. A man that somehow also ended up in this same Australian town. You will quickly discover that he is sadistic and blames his lack of women on Jennie. This does not bode well for her future, especially her safety.

John is enamored by Jennie. He doesn’t know who she is until he ends up at the beach with her and 4 other people. She had visited the estate where he worked to see her friend Grace, which is how John somewhat recognized her. This trip allows them time to meet, discover who they are, and what their future can hold for the two of them. It is a rocky start, but if you believe in love at first sight, this is what happens to them. While there was a mutual attraction, they had to also deal with misconceptions and lies told by another party member about them. These lies spread doubt, which makes it harder for John and Jennie to trust each other initially.

I admired Jennie’s strength and desire to shed the propriety society in Australia had set down regarding apparel and thoughts. This is common for the late 1800s, and Jennie would be considered something of a rebel or blue stocking in her desire to enjoy a bohemian lifestyle. Both John and Jennie have some baggage that also creates distrust. Had they spoken plainly to one another and been blunt about certain situations, many misunderstandings could have been avoided.

Some drama happens near the end, but I will not spoil that for the reader. Let’s just say that certain situations came to a head at the end of the book, and things could have ended badly for John and Jennie.

I enjoyed this story and the multiple layers of the characters that added dimension to the story. I couldn’t believe the actions of one character. Actually, I could believe it, but not to the extreme level by the end of the story. I also felt like I learned something about Australia and its culture at the end of the 1800s.

We give this book 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Faye Hall spent her early years listening to stories about the families – including her own – who settled townships in and around her hometown in North Queensland, Australia.  The local townspeople, including her own parents, told her stories of corruption and slavery, along with family secrets and forbidden love.

Faye’s passionate stories combine controversial subjects, and provocative encounters as her characters struggle to survive the lifestyle in early rural townships throughout Australia.

When she’s not writing, Faye enjoys sharing a bottle of wine with her husband and encouraging the varied interests of their larger than average family.

 

 

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Synopsis

 

All it takes to change everything is an enraged woman and a dare…

Love is not for me. Nope. I don’t deserve it, so I keep far, far away from relationships.

Archer – a drifter who won’t stick around – is perfect for me. I can touch those sexy broad shoulders and stare into those smoldering hazel eyes to my heart’s content.

Except, it turns out Archer isn’t Archer at all. He’s Cedar. He’s not some random drifter. He grew up in the quirky small town of Winter Falls.

When I find out the truth, my rage boils over, my mouth opens up, and before my mind can catch up, I’m daring Cedar to stay in Winter Falls for six months.

I must have been temporarily insane.

Because the longer Cedar sticks around, the more my feelings for him grow. And pushing him away is about as easy as getting the eccentric townspeople to respect my privacy.

Especially when he keeps drawing me in, claiming he’s going to prove to me I not only deserve love but everything my heart desires. Easy for him to say. He doesn’t know what I did.

Can a dare spoken in a moment of anger result in my happily ever after?

 

 

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Read for Free via Kindle Unlimited

 

 

Review

 

If you are looking for a steamy romantic comedy, look no further than this author, especially the Winter Falls series.

There are two different Winter Falls series. One features the West sisters, and this new series features the Dempsey sisters. In this one, we get to know Cassandra Dempsey. She has some baggage that you will discover, and it takes a lot of convincing before she doesn’t hold herself responsible for some things in the past. We also meet Cedar, Rowan’s younger brother. We actually meet him as Archer first. Cedar is a bit of a nomad or has been for most of his life due to some baggage in his past.

This book is a little different from the others. We don’t see the gossip girls as much in this book. I, for one, was glad to see them have a much smaller role. They can be a bit over the top with their betting and matchmaking. They mean well and add some humor to the story, but after seven previous books, it was time for a slight breather from them. We also see the town take a more minor role in the book, and the relationship between Cedar and Cassandra is front and center.

I still love the concept of Winter Falls and its carbon-neutral stance. The townsfolk care about each other, despite their inability to stay out of everyone else’s business, and they seem to have a good time. The West and Dempsey sisters are still a bit crazy and tend to pull pranks on one another, but deep down, they have each other’s back and will protect their family to the bitter end.

We also get our first look at Olivia Dempsey. Her story is coming next, but so many questions are swirling around in my head, wondering what her story is.

The book kept me chuckling, and the pages were a bit spicy. But it is enjoyable all the same, and I know I’ll be sad with the next book that will wrap up the Dempsey sisters series.

We give this book 4 1/2 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

 

Before Rosalind weds, she wants to experience ten things. Meeting Charlie wasn’t on her list.

England, 1820

Rosalind Newbury is counting down the days until her wedding to the Duke of Marlow, a man she has only met twice, and she knows exactly how she wants to spend her time. As a child, Ros created a list of ten things to do before her wedding day. So far, she has done none of them.

She is determined to tackle each item, though she’ll have to accomplish them all in secret. After all, a soon-to-be-duchess is not usually allowed to bury treasure in the pasture, eat sweets all day, or learn how to swim. She enlists the help of her best friend, Liza, who brings along her cousin, Charlie, a prodigal son-turned-boxer who has come to the countryside to mend his reputation and learn how to be his father’s heir.

Together, the three of them work to complete the list, and as each item is crossed off, an unlikely friendship blossoms between Ros and Charlie. The more time they spend together, the more Ros falls in love with this imperfect man and his good heart.

With the wedding looming, Ros must decide to either admit her romantic feelings for Charlie and risk her family’s future, or keep her promise to marry the duke and start a new life as a noblewoman.

 

 

Amazon * B&N * Deseret Books

 

 

Review

 

Regency novels take us back to a time when things were very different. Women didn’t have much of a say in what happened to them, men could be brutes, but sometimes, true love was discovered.

Rosalind is engaged to a Duke whom she met by chance when he came to purchase land from her father. Seeing a step up for their family, she agrees to marry the Duke. What she doesn’t expect is to meet Liza’s cousin, Charlie, and fall head over heels in love. Granted, it takes some time for that to actually happen, but I think many others could see it before she does.

I always found it interesting that women had to have chaperones if they were unmarried. All for propriety and to not sully her reputation. Not that the women back then weren’t a little crafty. Take Rosalind, for example. She spent a lot of time with Charlie but usually had Liza or her brother Ben with her. Ben might have been her little brother, but he took his role seriously as the heir in the family and made sure she wasn’t compromised. He may have been 18, but I don’t think he was fully mature yet. But I loved his devotion to her.

The purpose of this story was for Rosalind to complete a bucket list that she wrote when she was around 12. She got this great idea from her Aunt Alice and saw it as a way to celebrate the last of her singleness. I loved the idea, but why didn’t she think to update the list? Most of the items were innocuous and would have been the same whether she was 12 or 20. However, some were a little dangerous. Doesn’t matter; she worked her way through that list with the help of Liza and Charlie.

This was a fun story to read, and I appreciate the world today compared to then. However, sometimes times were simpler, and I know that I admire the strides women made over the last 200 years to bring us to where we are today.

I also enjoyed all of the antics and even some of the heart-pounding moments. We give this book 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

MEGAN WALKER was raised on a berry farm in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, where her imagination took her to times past and worlds away. While earning her degree in Early Childhood Education, she married her one true love and started a family. But her imaginings of Regency England wouldn’t leave her alone, so she picked up a pen. And the rest is history. She lives in St. Louis, Missouri, with her husband and three children.

 

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Synopsis

 

Austen Keller was living her dream. She landed a career-defining job which moved her and her husband to Paris. <Swoon!> Shortly thereafter, she was divorced. This wasn’t the plan. Yet there she was—pushing 40 and starting over.

A decade after she’d last been single, Austen enters the dating scene playing by a new set of rules in a different language, culture, and lingerie standards. She experiences every type of miserable first date imaginable and lives to tell the tales of Pierre the Mansplainer, Simon the Snoozer, Emile the Over-Sharer, Guillaume of the Gym Shorts, and many more. On most dates, she struggles to get past one glass of Bordeaux without wanting to bolt. Even worse, no one chases after her when she runs. It doesn’t take long for her to realize that whoever said French men were romantic deserves a swift kick in the pants.

A rewarding and high-powered career.

Fabulous female friendships.

True love. <Umm?>

Austen continues to ask herself: Is “having it all” too much to ask?

A genuine and tragically hilarious novel about an ex-pat woman’s journey of self-discovery through a string of disastrous dates, relationships forged in a deep cultural divide, world travels, and wine. A lot of wine.

 

 

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Review

 

I have to start off by saying I LOVE the title of this book! That is a question I ask often…it could make or break going to an event!

Austen is my kind of gal, and I think we would be good friends. She is strong, confident, and knows what she wants from life. Well, most of the time. She seems to be chasing love or an idea of what love should be like. This is a detriment in a way because she looks at things unrealistically, but it makes for good fodder when telling dating stories, which we are privy to via her blog stories. Men are the same no matter what country you are in; you will have some winners and some losers.

There is a lot of flirting, witty repartee, interesting travels, and soul searching. I enjoyed the various locations and the interesting characters. I liked how there was a close-knit group that spans the globe. I was jealous that they could drop and take a trip at almost the drop of a hat. But that is the difference between European and American outlooks when it comes to vacation.

This was a fairly quick read for me, and I look forward to future adventures from this author.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Whitney Cubbison is an American living in Paris since 2009. She grew up in Texas and California and graduated from UCLA with a degree in French. She started her career in Communications working for high-tech PR agencies in San Francisco and eventually joined Microsoft, where she worked for sixteen years, thirteen of which from the Paris office. During that time, she held various international roles that encompassed public relations, employee communications, executive speechwriting, and social media.

She left Microsoft in July 2022 to focus on completing her first novel, Will There Be Wine? The story, while fiction, is deeply inspired by Whitney’s own experiences as an ex-pat divorcée living in Paris and trying to navigate the cultural minefield of dating in a foreign country.

DatingDisasters.Paris is the URL of a “dates-gone-wrong” blog written by the book’s main character, Austen Keller, and also happens to be Whitney’s author website.

When she’s not writing, Whitney can be found sitting in Parisian cafés and restaurants with her friends, drinking wine.

 

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Synopsis

 

Designed by Destiny is the first book in the brand-new series Fairy Godmothers, Incorporated.

 

After a painful break-up in university, Bethany Clarke has sworn off love to focus on her career. From her humble South Side beginnings to her position as an architect intern at a prestigious Chicago firm, she’s proven to be a hard worker and is proud of her accomplishments. In three years, she’ll be a fully licensed architect which is more important to her than anything else.

Confirmed bachelor Nicholas Grey is more than the playboy perpetrated by the tabloids. Now his position as CEO of the architecture firm Grey & Company is on the line, and his mother’s interference is making things more difficult. Nick’s serious about his work, but, in order to be taken seriously, he needs to land a huge project. A stable personal life will help guarantee the contract.

Fairy Godmother Faye Delmore hears Nick’s plea and steps in to help. Posing as a publicist, she suggests a strategy to polish his public image, which includes convincing Beth to play his wife. Faye knows Nick needs the huge project to save his job, but she also knows he needs Beth in his life.

What happens when you add a fairy godmother who loves playing matchmaker into the equation? A future designed by destiny.

 

 

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Review

 

I loved the storyline, a trope we have all seen, but with a fairy godmother twist that was unique because we saw some flashbacks to Faye’s life.

I enjoyed the story between Beth and Nick and watching them discover their feelings for each other. However, Beth became annoying when she was confronted with things that scared her, and she ran away vs. talking to Nick about the situation. I get that she had some baggage from the past, but running away never solved anything.

Still a very enjoyable story, and I look forward to learning more about the other fairy godmothers that were mentioned in the book.

We give this book 4 1/2 paws

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Maya Tyler is a multi-published author of paranormal romance novels and blogger at Maya’s Musings. An avid reader, Maya writes the books she loves to read—romances! Her paranormal romances come with complex plot twists and happily-ever-afters.

When she’s not writing, she enjoys reading, listening to music (alternative rock, especially from the 1990s), practicing yoga, and watching movies and TV.

 

 

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Synopsis

 

The little white house on Main Street in Buffalo Springs, Arkansas, is the only home Jackson Nelson has ever known. With college behind him and both his sisters back in town to look after their aging parents, Jackson knows now is the time to make his big move. All he’s ever wanted is to move to New York and lead the high-stakes life of a real estate investor. He’s determined to leave town right after Christmas and never look back.

Cindy Kline has never had a real home or a real Christmas. Abandoned by her father and raised by an unfit mother, Cindy thought she had finally found the family she always wanted when the man of her dreams asked her to marry him; but when his Navy SEAL helicopter went down in a fiery crash before their wedding, Cindy had nothing left to keep her in sunny California. Packing her meager belongings into her old, beat-up car, Cindy drives straight to Buffalo Springs and to the only real friend she’s ever had – Andi Nelson. With Christmas around the corner, Andi, Jackson, and the whole Nelson family convince Cindy to stay through the holidays even finding her a job that may turn out to be a real career.

Just when Cindy is beginning to get into the Christmas spirit, her life is once again up-ended – this time by a series of break-ins and the news that her dangerous father may be lurking nearby. Cindy has no idea that her father’s mysterious past will put her life in jeopardy, and Jackson has no idea that the bright lights of New York are but a flickering flame when it comes to the sparks of the heart.

 

 

 

 

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Excerpt

 

“And unto you a child is born!” The child actor belted out the play’s most robust line with all the enthusiasm he could muster.

It was all Cindy could do not to jump to her feet and applaud. She laughed and clapped along with the rest of the audience. When the play was over, she went with the Nelson family to the town drug store that boasted an old-fashioned ice cream parlor and soda fountain in the back of the store. The proprietor had kept the doors open late to welcome the theatergoers.

“What would you like?” Jackson asked as Cindy eyed the many choices written on the blackboard.

“There are too many to choose just one.”

Jackson laughed. “Andi is partial to anything with peanut butter, and Helena always goes for something super sweet and fruity like cherry or raspberry. Mama likes plain old chocolate.”

She looked at Jackson. “And what do you like, Jackson?”

She saw his expression falter for just a moment, and a curtain of pink danced across his features, reminiscent of the curtains that closed at the end of the show. He blinked and just as quickly as the odd look appeared, it disappeared, and he broke into a wide grin.

“I always go for a good, old-fashioned root beer float with vanilla ice cream.”

“Would you believe, I’ve never had a root beer float?”

The look he gave her was one of exaggerated shock. “What? That might be the most un-American thing I’ve ever heard.” He clutched at his chest. “A shot to the heart.”

Cindy laughed, and Andi inserted herself between them to grab some extra napkins from the top of the ice cream display case.

“Is this guy bothering you?” she asked with a mock scowl.

Cindy shook her head. “Not at all. This has been one of the best nights of my life, and I’m going to top it off with my very first root beer float.”

Andi smiled. “I think that’s a great idea.”

On their turn, Jackson ordered for them both then reached for his wallet to pay, but Cindy put her hand on his arm.

“Jackson, no, I can’t let you do that.”

“Why not?”

“Because I can pay for my own ice cream. You all have been so generous already.”

“Sorry, Cindy, but my daddy would skin me alive if he heard that I allowed a female to pay for her own ice cream.”

She frowned and said in a firm voice, “Jackson, this isn’t a date. I can pay for my own ice cream.”

Again, she saw his face redden. “I never said it was a date, and you should accept an act of kindness when presented with one.”

The cashier cleared her throat, and Cindy realized they were holding up the line. Embarrassed for drawing attention, she said, “You’re right. Go ahead and pay, but I owe you.”

“That’s fair. On the next family outing, you can buy me ice cream.”

Cindy accepted her root beer float from the young girl behind the counter and took a sip. She didn’t know how to respond to Jackson. She wasn’t part of the ‘family’ and didn’t know if she’d be there for the next outing. Rather than agree, she concentrated on her float and sat quietly while listening to the rest of them banter about Christmas and New Year’s and the June wedding. She couldn’t help but wonder what she would be doing by then and where she would be.

As she ate, Cindy felt a peculiar tingling on the back of her neck. She looked around, peering up and down the streets. Other families hovered nearby, eating ice cream, and several couples walked along the sidewalk. It looked like everyone in town had come out to see the play. None of the other theater goers paid any attention to Cindy or the Nelsons, and Cindy had no reason to be paranoid, but she could not shake the eerie feeling that she was being watched.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Amy Schisler is a novelist, poet, children’s book author, spiritual writer, blogger, reader, and avid traveler with years of professional experience in all manner of writing-related endeavors. Whether she’s writing novels filled with faith and inspiration, books that children will love, or her weekly blog devoted to family life and faith, she loves connecting and resonating with her readers. Amy’s first novel, A Place to Call Home, a romantic suspense, debuted in 2014, and her much-loved Chincoteague Island Trilogy has won numerous literary awards.

Amy lives on the Eastern Shore of Maryland with her husband, Ken, their daughters, Katie and Morgan (and sometimes their daughter and son-in-law, Rebecca and Anthony), and their dogs, Rosie and Luna. When she’s not writing, Amy can usually be found on a boat in the Chesapeake Bay or hiking in the Rocky Mountains, most often with a good book in her hand.

 

 

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