A Week at Surfside Beach by Pierce Koslosky Jr.

June 29, 2020 By Leave a Comment


A Week at Surfside Beach by Pierce Koslosky Jr.
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary, Inspirational
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Thousands of families and individuals are attracted to the South Carolina coast each year, renting houses up and down the beach throughout the seasons. They bring their lives with them when they come to this magical place. In A Week at Surfside Beach, author Pierce Koslosky Jr. has crafted sixteen poignant short stories that paint a vivid portrait of the beach’s diverse, temporary inhabitants: those people attracted to a landscape both beautiful and overwhelming in its ability to force introspection and change. Set over the course of a single rental season that ends at Christmas, the book’s unrelated characters all have their stays in the blue beach house, yet each story has a distinct message at its core. Readers will follow people in every stage of life—from a six-year-old entering the imaginary world of crabs to an escapee from a retirement home—and witness their varied individual experiences. These are stories of hope and redemption, connection and detachment, and lessons taught and learned. Both original and contemplative, heartbreaking and inspirational, A Week at Surfside Beach brings together a collection of tales with seemingly ordinary, simple, and familiar details—yet underneath their calm, relatable surfaces exist the uncomfortable, extraordinary complexities of life.

A week at the beach can be far more than a simple summer getaway.

In “June 6–June 13: The Inflatable Dragon,” an elderly man named John booked a week at the beach house in order to get away from his adult children who were trying to force him to move into a nursing home. While he was there, he met someone who needed exactly what he had to offer. They were two people who on the surface seemed to have nothing in common but who turned out to understand each other much more deeply than they would have guessed. I was pretty pleased by the process of them developing their friendship and discussing their problems.

There were some cases in which I wish the characters had stronger resolutions to their conflicts. Obviously, not everything can be solved in the few short days to a week that the audience has with each protagonist, but I do wish more had been done with three-year-old Lucy’s disappearance in “June 27–July 4: Lucy.” She was able to wander off because her parents were having an argument about something they’d fought about many times before. There was so much more room here for character development, from the parents’ stubbornness to a much deeper exploration of what happened to this little girl and why the police reacted the way that they did to the conclusion to the case.

Dan and his family watched at home in horror as a hurricane threatened to destroy the beach house they’d been visiting every summer for many years in “September 26—October 3: As Seen from a Safe Place.” Seeing them revisit old, happy memories about their previous trips there only made me more curious to see if their vacation spot would survive the storm and if their family could gather together there again. I felt invested in them and couldn’t stop hoping they’d have a happy ending.

A Week at Surfside Beach was a lovely summer read for anyone looking for something lighthearted.

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To Guard with Love by Roberta Bombonato

June 25, 2020 By 2 Comments


To Guard with Love by Roberta Bombonato
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Action/Adventure, Contemporary
Length: Short Story (92 pages)
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Aloe

A puppy is cute. A puppy is laughter. A puppy is joy. Simone needed the unconditional love only Enomis could provide to alleviate the constant heartache, pain, and fear permeating her life.How can a puppy save a woman from an abusive relationship and help her find the right kind of love? With heart.

He’s excited when he sees Simone come in the yard. He knows this is his human, and he goes to meet her. The breeder suggests the lady look the others over, but Simone is happy with the one that picked her. She pays the $500, then stops at a pet shop to pick up supplies. She wants the pup for company and he’s happy to fill that role.

This story is told from the puppy’s perspective; it’s his story. Animals know people and can tell if they are good or bad. Simone is good, if a bit sad. Her boyfriend, Joel, is bad. He’s abusive if he’s been drinking.

Simone is happy to see a new neighbor moving in. Gary is a nice guy and a good man. Her puppy approves and hopes Simone would get rid of Joel. She’s still trying to make it work. But when he comes home abusive and rude, Gary can see the bruises left behind.

He finds out she owns a farm and hasn’t been back since her parents died in a car crash. He convinces her to return. Take a few days away from Joel. He comes along and mows her acres of grass, helps clean out her pool, and does other chores. Once Joel finds out he’s there, he’s sure they are sleeping together. They are not but he doesn’t believe her…

This was a good read. The puppy is very defensive of his mistress, which is normal. This is also a good life lesson for anyone living with an abusive partner. They apologize, they are really sorry for what they’ve done, until the next time.

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Across the Way by Mary Monroe

June 19, 2020 By Leave a Comment


Across the Way by Mary Monroe
Publisher: Dafina
Genre: Historical
Length: Full Length (288 pgs)
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Ginger

When good-time couple Milton and Yvonne Hamilton moved one house over from the respectable-but-restless Odell and Joyce Watson, it was a fast friendship of shared secrets—and secret jealousies and betrayals. Their alliance was bound to crash and burn, but the Hamiltons won’t quite let the flame die out, even after scandalous accusations get them arrested . . .

Odell would do anything to be free of his bootlegging, blackmailing, money extorting neighbors and recover the peaceful—and financially prosperous—life he and Joyce once had. But Milton and Yvonne seem to always bounce back from bad luck, and this time they’ve returned angrier, and greedier, than ever. Determined to get what Odell “owes” them, the Hamiltons have a big surprise for Joyce too, one that shows how far they will go to get revenge . . .

Now pushed past his breaking point, Odell is sure he’s got a foolproof plan to end the scheming once and for all. But it soon spirals into lies, shattering violence, and permanent damage that will roil their tranquil community, and alter his and Joyce’s world forever . . .

This is the final book in the Neighbors series. I am sad that the series has ended but the book did not disappoint. My favorite characters, Milton and Yvonne Hamilton, are still at it and perhaps they were in too deep. The story picks up after their release from jail for false charges that were brought against them. Now they are in more debt after their arrest and needing money to pay back a loan. Upstanding neighbors Odell and Joyce Watson continue to live their carefree life. I can’t remember how I felt about Odell in the previous books but I definitely don’t like his character in this book. The way he continues to lie to his wife and her family is very foul.

Milton and Yvonne are always together in their ideas and plans. That’s one reason why they are my favorite characters because in their marriage they are a team and have each others back. I think they took advantage of an opportunity by blackmailing Odell and even though it was wrong I don’t think they deserved what they got for being greedy. I was hoping they would wise up and stop with the money scams. It seemed like the more money they could get the more they wasted. I appreciate that they did try to help Joyce but their plan took a different turn. I didn’t care for Joyce’s character because she thought she was better than others, but I guess she couldn’t help it since its part of her upbringing. She was gullible and naive to the wool Odell had over her eyes. I felt sorry for her and understood her defense in speaking so harshly to Milton and especially Yvonne since Yvonne is pretty and had children something that Joyce lacked. Even though I didn’t care for Joyce I wanted her to question Odell, at least see through his lies or something to show she had some ‘girl power’.

The story ends up closing all loose ends and the ending was a surprise that I didn’t see coming. I enjoyed the characters, the story and I hope the author has more enjoyable series like this.

This is a series that I highly recommend to those that enjoy southern drama.

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Sheltered by the Millionaire by Catherine Mann

June 18, 2020 By Leave a Comment


Sheltered by the Millionaire by Catherine Mann
Texas Cattleman’s Club: After the Storm, Book 2
Publisher: HQN
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (192 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 3.5 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Texas tycoon Whit Daltry has always been a thorn in Megan Maguire’s side, especially when he tried to put the kibosh on her animal shelter. But when he saves her daughter during the worst tornado in recent memory, Megan sees beneath his prickly exterior to the hero underneath. Soon, the after-storm recovery makes bedfellows of these opposites. Until Megan’s old reflexes kick in—should she brace for betrayal or say yes to Whit once and for all?

She rescues cats and dogs. He needs to be rescued from himself. They shouldn’t work, but they do.

I love a good Catherine Mann book. This one had a cat on the front, so double win. This was truly a double win. I liked the premise, she’s rescuing cats and dogs left stranded by a tornado, and he’s looking for redemption. Once I started this book, I had to finish. I had to know what would happen next. The writing kept up at a great clip and I got a real treat.

Megan’s been burned before and she’s got a daughter to consider. Then there are the critters. She wants them to be taken care of and not abandoned. I liked her determination. Whit took a little time to warm up to, but it was worth the time. He’s a prickly guy, but he’s not too far gone. I liked the chemistry when he and Megan were together. They were a true pair.

If you’re looking for a sweet story to warm your heart, but you need a little heat, too, then this might be just what you’re looking for.

Filed Under: Mainstream Fiction, Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , ,

The Wrangler by Pamela Britton

June 11, 2020 By Leave a Comment


The Wrangler by Pamela Britton
Publisher: HQN
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (224 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 3.5 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Time’s running out for Samantha Davies.

If it’s the last thing she does before losing her sight completely, she has got to find out whether Montana’s wild, Baer Mountain mustangs are real or simply the stuff of bedtime stories. And nothing—not even a bullheaded, devilishly handsome wrangler named Clint McAlister—is going to stop her.

How could Clint stop a firecracker like Samantha? So what if her eyes are as green as spring grass? Or that she sits a horse like a cowboy’s sweetest dream. Clint almost got his heart broken by one high-toned city girl. All he has to do is keep his hands and his heart to himself until this one goes back where she came from and leaves him—and the mustangs—alone.

She’s losing her sight and he wants to keep a precious view hidden. Things shouldn’t work for these two, but they somehow do.
I picked up this book because, well, I liked the guy on the cover. Then I read the blurb and decided this was something I needed to read. She’s losing her sight? He’s got land with wild Mustangs? Um, yes, I want to read this.

Pamela Britton does write a good story. It’s polished and flowed well for the most part. There were moments I thought were rather cliché, but it happens. The ending was a little too… fast? I don’t know. It was rather abrupt. Boom, done, kind of abrupt.

Still, Clint is a good character. He doesn’t want to admit he cares, but he does and he’s willing to go out of his way for her. I liked him. Sam had some issues I wasn’t thrilled about. She doesn’t want to be babied because of her condition, but she acts like it’s a big deal to hide it. It’s almost like she doesn’t give anyone time to process their reaction to it because she wants the situation to be normalized. Someone losing their sight is something you need time to process. The other thing that niggled me about this book was the loose ends. There were a couple story threads that just weren’t dealt with and it bugged me. I won’t give away spoilers, though.

The characters do have chemistry, so that’s good. I read this in the course of an afternoon and it was a good read. If you’re looking for something to pass the time, a beach read or something for a lazy afternoon, then this might be the one for you. Check it out.

Filed Under: Mainstream Fiction, Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , ,

A Beautiful Funeral by Jamie McGuire

June 5, 2020 By Leave a Comment


A Beautiful Funeral by Jamie McGuire
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full length (238 pages)
Rating: 3.5 stars
Reviewed by Lavender

Losing has never been easy for a Maddox, but death always wins.

Eleven years to the day after eloping in Vegas with Abby, Special Agent Travis Maddox delivers his own brand of vigilante justice to mob boss Benny Carlisi. Vegas’s oldest and most violent crime family is now preparing for vengeance, and the entire Maddox family is a target.

The secret Thomas and Travis have kept for a decade will be revealed to the rest of the family, and for the first time the Maddoxes will be at odds. While none of them are strangers to loss, the family has grown, and the risk is higher than ever. With brothers against brothers and wives taking sides, each member will make a choice—let the fear tear them apart, or make them stronger.

This book is the last in the Maddox Brothers’ series but is a stand-alone book. The first book, Beautiful Disaster, was great, so I picked up the next, featuring another brother, then the next and the rest in the series. Though A Beautiful Funeral was interesting, it was my least favorite of the whole series.

The five Maddox brothers and their families are facing a tense situation. Two of the brothers are in the FBI, and some seriously bad guys are after them and their families. This makes for suspense and high emotions throughout the book.

The family dynamics are complicated. Secrets were withheld, and this caused a lot of anger between the family members. They are forced to confront their issues because they are in close contact, hiding, while the FBI is trying to protect them from those who want to kill them. The relationship exploration is good if not sometimes based on petty reactions.

During this time, some new members of the family are born, and others die. The action is often fast-paced, and when it is not, the downtime is used to see the family work out their problems.

The best part of the story is the ending when readers get to see the brothers through the eyes of their father.

Though this is a good book, it is probably best read after the others in the series in order to gain the most depth from it.

Filed Under: Mainstream Fiction, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

May Book of the Month Poll Winner ~ Monty and the Monster by Rhonda Smiley

May 31, 2020 By 3 Comments


Monty and the Monster by Rhonda Smiley
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Middle Grade, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Contemporary
Length: Full Length (232 pages)
Age Recommendation: 12+
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Voted BoM by LASR Readers 2013 copy

When seventh grader Monty Hyde moves for the fourth time in two years, it’s the same old story. New neighborhood, new school, new bullies, no friends. With his dad working all the time and his older brother too popular to notice, he’s the lonely outcast yet again. That is until he finds a mysterious replication serum in his basement and decides to make a friend. From scratch.

But when his creation turns out to be a stinky, hairy eight-foot-tall monster that might be eating the neighborhood kids, Monty knows he must undo his experiment. Problem is, it’s the best friend he’s ever had.

READ THE FULL REVIEW HERE!

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Horror, Mainstream Fiction, Mystery/Suspense, Non-Fiction, Other, Reviews, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: ,

The Neonatal Doc’s Baby Surprise by Susan Carlisle

May 29, 2020 By Leave a Comment


The Neonatal Doc’s Baby Surprise by Susan Carlisle
A Miracles in the Making, book 2
Publisher: HQN
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (190 pgs)
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

From temporary fling…

…to baby bump!

Labor and delivery nurse Amanda is in Sydney for work, not to be distracted by “the baby whisperer”—neonatal specialist Dr. Lucius West. But Amanda loves a challenge—especially an intriguing, handsome one. Their fiery clashes in the OR soon turn into passion in the bedroom. But there are consequences to Amanda and Lucius’s insatiable desire…and they’ll have nine months to face them!

These two better choose what they want and fast—they’ve got nine months and counting.

I love the books of Susan Carlisle. I know I’ll get engaging characters and great plots. This book was no different. I was swept away in the writing and couldn’t put it down.

I met Lucius in the first book in this series (Risking Her Heart on the Single Dad by Annie O’Neil) and wasn’t sure I’d like him. He could be a bit of a pain. But I loved the way he evolved in this book. He grew and it was nice to see it.

Amanda has baggage. She’s not a perfect character, but that’s what made her great. That’s what made her relatable. She can be just as fiery and pesky as Lucius, so it was great to see them get together. I rooted for them all the way.

The scenes between them are steamy, but just right and I couldn’t get enough.

If you want a book that’s steamy, but not too much, and will warm your heart, then this is the book for you. Recommended.

Filed Under: Mainstream Fiction, Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Knit Your Own Murder by Monica Ferris

May 29, 2020 By Leave a Comment


Knit Your Own Murder by Monica Ferris
A Needlecraft Mystery Book 19
Publisher: Berkley Books, Penguin Group
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense
Length: Full Length (302 pgs)
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

In the USA Today bestselling Needlecraft Mysteries, Betsy Devonshire has her hands tied between running her needlework shop and turning her sharp eye for deduction to solving crimes…

The Monday Bunch and other local knitters are participating in a fund-raising auction to save a community center, creating a growing pile of stuffed animals and toys right in front of the auctioneers as the audience bids. Among those contributing the most knitted goods is temperamental businesswoman Maddy Hanover—who keels over halfway through the event.

After she is pronounced DOA, an autopsy reveals that Maddy had been poisoned. But how? And by whom? One of the prime suspects is her ruthless business rival Joe Mickels, who lost a bitterly contested property bid to Maddy.

When Mickels pleads his innocence to Betsy, she reluctantly believes him. But if Betsy is going to uncover the real murderer’s identity, she must first untangle the knots Maddy made in her relationships throughout her life…

A competition, an argument and a couple murders… Oh my!

I’ve not read anything by Monica Ferris and was drawn to this book, quite frankly, because of the cat on the cover. I’m a sucker for books with cats in them. I liked that this one was a toy. I’m not a knitter or crocheter. I don’t know my knit two from a purl one. I didn’t need to know anything about knitting to enjoy this book. There is a lot going on in this story.

The writing is crisp and kept me going. I didn’t want to put it down. I’m looking forward to more by this author. Some might be bogged down in the details of knitting aspect of the story. They might be a little confused by some of the product mentions, too. I have no idea what the stuff was the characters discussed stuffing their knitted critters with and it didn’t bother me.

I have to admit, I had no idea who’d committed the murders until the end. I read for the sheer excitement of reading and wasn’t looking for the specific clues on who killed the others. But there were moments when certain things stuck out. I also got a little confused on the sheer amount of characters and character points of view. I did like that the world is so rich and that there is more going on in the story than just the murder. Nothing ever happens in a vacuum. I rather enjoyed the side story of Raphael and Godwin, the gay couple looking to get married. Again, it’s a small town situation and there are always things going on in ever direction.

If you want a cozy mystery that’s a little different and has a knitting theme, then this might be the book for you. Give it a try.

Filed Under: Mainstream Fiction, Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , ,

The Summer of Guinevere by John V. Madormo

May 27, 2020 By Leave a Comment


The Summer of Guinevere by John V. Madormo
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press, Inc
Genre: Historical
Length: Full length (244 pages)
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Ginger

Paulie Passero, underachiever, high school junior, wants the courage to talk to a girl. A road trip from Chicago to rural Pennsylvania doesn’t interest him until his father emphasizes the need for a second driver. Why must they go? Paulie’s dying grandmother disowned her son twenty years ago, and fences must be mended. Unprepared for Smalltown USA, Paulie is bored at first but notices a girl in the back of a passing pickup and is immediately enamored.

Guinevere Thompson lives just down the road from Paulie’s grandparents. She wants nothing to do with him. It’s not that she doesn’t like him; she likes him too much to see him beaten up by her three nasty brothers…or worse, her father.

Paulie yearns to help this troubled girl escape the clutches of an abusive father, but will his interference only cause her more harm?

What sixteen year old is thinking about 1968 world events? Not Paulie Passero.

When I first started reading this book my thoughts were, oh no a sixteen-year-old boy that’s girl crazy, I’m not sure if this is the book for me,  a forty-six-year-old female. I am so glad that I continued reading. This book is so much more than a sixteen year old being crazy over every cute girl he sees. This book is about family …dysfunctional, abnormal, broken families. Paulie has only heard about his dad’s side of the family and, this summer, he’s about to take a road trip from Chicago to Pennsylvania with a dad who he’s not that close with.

I thoroughly enjoyed the author’s writing. I looked forward to each chapter to see what Paulie was getting into. Following Paulie’s point of view through out the book was well written from a teen’s point of view. Though the topics of the book are a variety of deep subject matter, Paulie’s personality adds in a taste of humor. I think the storyline is unique and very well told. I felt that the author gave a lot in making the story so full of lively characters and events. I enjoyed seeing Paulie’s growth. He stared out as an unpopular kids with one friend, and mediocre grades. Now he is being faced with meeting a family he doesn’t know, in a small town where everyone knows everybody. The first day he lay eyes on Guinevere Thompson, a girl who has three mean and bullying brothers and a evil father.

As the story advances I was proud of Paulie at the end. He went from a guy who didn’t have a voice around girls to standing up to bullies, taking chances on being punished by his dad for not listening. Paulie matured into a teenager with courage and heart. Though the book is told by a teen and about a teen, the story evokes subject matter that may not be suitable for teens. The subject matter, though hard to digest I think is what set the book apart from other teen love stories. I would like to read more about Paulie as he adjusted to his return home. You’ll miss a great experience if you don’t read this book.

Filed Under: Mainstream Fiction, Other, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,
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