Gone Crazy by Terry Korth Fischer

April 7, 2025 By Leave a Comment


Gone Crazy by Terry Korth Fischer
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Contemporary
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Snowdrop

A formal declaration of love scares the bejesus out of small-town Detective Rory Naysmith. As Valentine’s Day approaches, he evaluates his relationship with bookkeeper Esther Mullins, and decides to take her on a romantic date that ends with a poet’s murder. Assigned to the case, Rory pushes his private life aside. Things gets tricky after Esther is appointed Executrix for the estate—then rumors start that place a priceless item among the poet’s many possessions.

The race is on to unearth the treasure and solve the murder, but it leaves Rory wondering if Esther will live long enough to become his Valentine—or end up as the murderer’s next victim.

It’s almost Valentine’s Day in Rory Naismith’s little town of Winterset, Nebraska, and Detective Naismith is supposed to look into a robbery at the local hardware store. He might be thinking more about what he’s going to get as a gift for his almost serious lady friend, Esther. Winterset has decided to appoint a Poet Laureate and during the reading they attend, one of the poets’ collapses. Esther runs to help her but unfortunately can’t save her. It definitely looks like foul play.

I like this Rory Naismith character so much. I like small-town cop stories, and this one fits the bill. To me this was almost a somewhat sophisticated cozy. There’s an amateur sleuth, a handsome cop, and a small town with delightful characters. Fischer has made all the characters come alive with a homey description of those very much like the real-life ones I grew up with in my small town.

I might have used the word cozy but there is nothing missing from this good mystery with lots of surprises and hidden clues. Gone Crazy is Book 3 of a series titled “Rory Naismith Mysteries”. I have read the previous Rory Naismith books and loved them just as I did this one.

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Blessings and the Thief by Elaine Violette

January 20, 2025 By Leave a Comment


Blessings and the Thief by Elaine Violette
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Romance, Paranormal, Holiday, Historical
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Damien Reeves grudgingly agrees to host his ailing Uncle Lionel’s Christmas party at the Blackmoor Inn, a restored castle famous for absurd ghost lore. When he learns of petty thefts that have occurred among his uncle’s elderly friends, he hopes discovering the culprit might keep him from reliving his own tragic holiday memories. When a beautiful young woman arrives, a more enticing challenge appears.

Tessia Bennington is relieved to spend the holidays at the reputed haunted inn with her aunt and uncle after the man she’d expected to marry begged off. She enjoys the frolicking escapades of the aged partiers while ignoring the handsome host’s flirtations. What she can’t ignore is a ghostly presence seeking her help.

Neither Tess nor Damien could have imagined the bizarre events and this most unusual holiday. Will they part with special memories or shed their defenses and find happiness in each other?

Christmas is the perfect time for romance and ghost stories.

I enjoyed the gentle ambiance of this tale. The characters lived in a world where the most scandalous thing that could occur were a missing pair of gloves or two young lovers kissing for a moment when the elders weren’t looking. This was a place where everything always turns out well in the end even if there may also be a few mischievous ghosts rumpling the bedsheets or moving personal items around. There’s something to be said for spending time in such a peaceful world.

It would have been helpful to have more character development in this piece, especially considering how many people were staying at this inn over the holidays and how little time there was to get to know most of them. I found myself feeling sympathy for characters like Annabelle who tended to be described in ways that didn’t always paint her in the best light. While I’m not sure if this was the author’s intention, it made me wonder what she and other characters like her would be like if their virtues were highlighted instead as well as how this tale would be different if told from another perspective instead.

The paranormal subplot made me smile. I enjoyed learning the backstories of the various ghosts who were said to haunt Blackmoor Inn and seeing what the characters thought of them. Would they believe in ghosts or think that question was a silly one? Other readers should discover the answers to these questions for themselves, but I thought these scenes added depth and humor to the storyline.

Blessings and the Thief was a cozy Christmas tale.

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Men in Books Aren’t Better by Amanda Nelson and Lisa-Marie Potter

January 17, 2025 By 2 Comments


Men in Books Aren’t Better by Amanda Nelson and Lisa-Marie Potter
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press, Inc.
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Mistflower

Voted BoM by LASR Readers 2013 copy

Pressured by her looming deadline and an unfinished romance manuscript, author Molly Covington applies her immersive research skills and goes all in. She hires a male companion for inspiration during three days of research in Las Vegas. Enter sexy, confident Jared Washington-an extreme sports enthusiast and relationship skeptic who moonlights as a Plus One male companion. Molly’s contract puts him within arm’s reach of buying his own business and making his dreams come true. The chemistry between her and Jared is surprisingly easy. Before their Vegas rendezvous comes to an end, one of them will need to lay all their cards on the table to discover if they’ll be lucky in love.

After reading the synopsis, I felt this book might be a perfect fit for my holiday vacation reading. When I opened to chapter one, the page opposite caught my eye—it was a “Praise for Amanda and Lisa-Marie” section featuring remarks from five authors. Their glowing reviews made me feel even more confident that I had chosen a winner. Without repeating their thoughts on Men in Books Aren’t Better, I wholeheartedly agree.

I thoroughly enjoyed the romance between the hero, Jared, and the heroine, Molly. Though my busy work schedule meant I had to start and stop several times, each time I picked it up, the story lifted my spirits. I connected deeply with the cast of characters, especially Molly, who was well-developed, grounded by a supportive family and co-workers, and yet carried the fame of being a number-one author with grace. Her quick wit and humor added so much charm to the story. While Molly had her share of baggage, it paled in comparison to Jared’s. Jared, to me, was like an adorable puppy needing to be saved—bless his heart. He, too, was quick-witted and had a great sense of humor. I especially loved the moments of flirtation, banter, and occasional miscommunication between Molly and Jared, which made their relationship feel authentic and relatable.

The writing style enhanced my enjoyment, particularly the dual perspectives from Molly and Jared. Their points of view on shared experiences added depth and revealed their vulnerabilities, making them all the more lovable. Jared had all the qualities of a perfect book boyfriend: handsome, smart, sensitive, kind, a little insecure, and an old-fashioned gentleman. Molly, on the other hand, was inquisitive, determined, intelligent, beautiful, honest, and a touch dramatic. Her wardrobe of Bon Jovi and Duran Duran T-shirts won me over completely.

The story is set in Las Vegas, marking Molly’s first visit, with Jared as her guide. Having vacationed there myself for the first time last year, I felt transported back to the vibrant city. The vivid descriptions and immersive writing allowed me to experience the sights, sounds, and energy of Las Vegas all over again.

The chemistry between Molly and Jared was a joy to witness as their relationship slowly unfolded. I couldn’t help but cheer when they finally achieved their Happily Ever After. By the end, I had a delightful book glow. This story made me smile from start to finish, and I would happily read it again. It’s a keeper for my library, and I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone looking for a fun, heartwarming romance.

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Research Can Be Murder by Caryl Janis

July 18, 2024 By Leave a Comment


Research Can Be Murder by Caryl Janis
Publisher: Wild Rose Press
Genre: Cozy Mystery, Contemporary
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Snowdrop

Emma Streyt hated to admit she was bored. But her newly retired brother puts an end to that by dropping a stash of old family memorabilia on her doorstep. Cheered on by her best friend, Emma enthusiastically dives into these boxes of antique treasures. But some faded diary pages convince her that century-old jewel thefts— and maybe something worse—are tied in with their past.

Eager to dig deeper into this mysterious puzzle by doing some serious research, she settles into a neglected New York City archive with an eccentric cast of characters. But more sinister matters than history soon unfold there when a fellow researcher is murdered. And Emma’s determination to solve the case makes her a dead-center target for the killer.

This book drew me in from the first few pages. It’s true half of my career was in libraries, but somehow it is the picture of this wonderful old home made into a research study with archival materials that made me so comfortable and want to read on. The author’s description of each studious researcher had me smiling while picturing the coziness of such an institution. Heck, I wanted to go and study there.

Emma, our main character, is at loose ends and while sorting through family papers decides to research a few interesting pieces she finds. It is in this research archive and with these highly motivated bookish people that the real story begins.

My first thought of this story was that there was too much discussion of each scholar’s research, a situation that would surely make for slower reading. Somehow that wasn’t the case. My interest never wavered. It does take the author a long time to mete out the clues. I can’t quite complain about this, because I sure had no idea who the evildoer was until the last couple of chapters.

In summary, an easy read with an author excellent at crafting oddball and occasionally quirky characters combined in a good cozy mystery.

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Waiting For Spring by Sonya Rhen

July 4, 2024 By 2 Comments


Waiting For Spring by Sonya Rhen
Jelly Beans and Spring Things Series
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Romance, Contemporary
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Voted BoM by LASR Readers 2013 copy

Returning to belly dance at the annual Kirkland Crocus Parade with the Habibi Nile Dancers, Shayna vows to forget her breakup after last year’s parade and guard her fragile heart. However, her best friend is just as determined to find her a new love interest. Shayna would rather not think about matters of the heart and just concentrate on entertaining the spectators by dancing with her dignity intact. Which is harder than she thought. As the parade participants march on through Kirkland’s quaint downtown streets, the Easter Bunny, her fearless leader, her best friend, an eye-catching drummer, and a jelly-bean-tossing clown, might give Shayna a reason to open her heart…after all, spring is in the air!

Love is everywhere.

There are so many little details that go into organizing even one section of a parade, much less the whole event. I was not expecting the narrator to discuss such matters, but I’m glad she did. It taught me some new vocabulary words and gave me a sneak peek into something I’ve never done. This was also a nice way to get to know the main character better, from her occasional absent-mindedness while preparing for this big day to the exuberant joy she felt while dancing in the Kirkland Crocus Parade.

The chemistry between Shayla and her possible match made my heart flutter. Obviously, parades aren’t exactly the ideal setting for small talk, but there are plenty of nonverbal ways to communicate one’s intentions instead. I enjoyed seeing how many of them the author used in order to build tension and make this reader curious to find out what would happen next.

What a nice ending this short story had! It wrapped up the most important storyline but also left plenty of space for interpretation or even for a possible sequel if Ms. Rhen decides to write one. I must admit that I wondered how she was possibly going to resolve everything when I first began reading. Some of Shayla’s problems felt a little too big for a piece of this size, so it was wonderful to be proven wrong about that.

Waiting For Spring felt like a hug from a new friend. It was so warm and delightful.

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Sunset Ledge by Darlene Deluca

June 25, 2024 By Leave a Comment


Sunset Ledge by Darlene Deluca
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Chamomile

Jack Armstrong lives like a recluse on his Texas ranch. In the difficult years after his wife’s death, he goes through the motions of life and wants to be left alone.

Caroline Tate, a widowed ecology professor, arrives at the ranch for a much-needed break and to take nature photos for her sabbatical project. But relaxing is a challenge when she finds herself at odds with the curmudgeonly cowboy who owns the place.

Jack generally steers clear of the guests, but this time, it’s not so easy. Vivacious Caroline doesn’t fade into the background. This city gal comes with pearls around her neck, a big red flower on her floppy hat, and way too many questions. Her self-assured, adventurous spirit gets under Jack’s skin, and she soon stirs feelings long dormant inside him.

Can a college professor from Nashville find common ground with a reclusive Texas rancher?

Caroline has taken to traveling since losing her husband several years ago, after their only child left home. When she finds herself on sabbatical from work, and looking for a place to reset and unwind she finds herself on a ranch in the wilds of Texas. Not sure what to expect, she sets out taking nature photos for a book she’s working on and ends up making quite the impression!

Jack Armstrong has only ever known ranch life, and that suits him just fine, thank you! Yet, when when he finds himself running into the renter of one of his ranch cabins, he can’t seem to shake the feeling that she’s different from the other women he’s met. The two quickly spark a unique friendship and take readers on a fun adventure of their own!

The characters in this one were fun and the small town near the ranch offered a unique glimpse of small town life along with the fun ranch life experiences Caroline gets to enjoy in her time on the Armstrong Ranch. Things like the snickerdoodle cookies and the town dance added another layer to the charm in this one!

The romance was well paced and fit well with the story. Both Jack and Caroline were previously married and had lost their spouse giving them a bit of common ground, and a more matured sense of what they wanted in a relationship, should they choose to take the risk. Overall, this was a quick and enjoyable read.

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Wild Irish Yenta by Joyce Sanderly

May 24, 2024 By Leave a Comment


Wild Irish Yenta by Joyce Sanderly
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Romance, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Do killers, stock manipulators, and kidnappers stalk the Temple? After the body of Roberto Gomez is discovered in Temple Israel’s parking lot, Patricia Weiss, nee Reilly, exchanges her suburban-mom sneakers for gumshoes to investigate the supposed hit-and-run. Inspired by her police detective dad, Patricia feels compelled to uncover who killed the hardworking custodian and why. Before she can progress with her investigation or work on problems in her difficult marriage to a busy cardiologist, and his controlling Jewish mother, she is plunged into the Temple’s troubles. Her mentor Rabbi Deborah, who has guided Patricia through her own recent conversion to Judaism, disappears after delivering a controversial sermon in support of interfaith marriage. Despite her husband’s concerns, Patricia joins forces with her buddy Brenda. Designating themselves The Yenta Patrol, they unravel the mysteries.

Not everything is as simple as it may first appear to be.

Patricia was a memorable and likeable protagonist. She was insatiably curious about the world around her, and sometimes this led her to making decisions that her cautious husband disagreed with. I appreciated the way the author shared both of their perspectives on what are and are not acceptable risks to take in life. It made sense given the cultural differences between Patricia and Michael, and it also helped me to understand her as a character better. No one is perfect, after all, but this flaw was a good way for the audience to understand where she was coming from and why she assumed the world was a much safer place than her husband did. Novels that encourage readers to pause for a moment and think about the assumptions we all make in life before going on to reveal what happens when two people have opposite reactions to the same situation are part of the reason why I have continued to review books for so many years. Reading and reviewing are excellent ways to explore the world through other perspectives.

As much as I enjoyed learning more about Patricia and her relationships with everyone around her, I struggled with the slow pacing of this book. More time was spent exploring what various members of the synagogue thought about each other than pushing the plot forward with more clues about why Roberto Gomez died or why Rabbi Deborah disappeared. This made it difficult at times for me to remain engaged with the plot since it often took quite a while for the next important twist to be revealed.

Some of my favorite scenes were the ones that showed the long process Patricia went through to convert to Judaism. There were classes to attend, holy texts to study, and cultural and religious traditions to start observing. What made it even more interesting to me was to see the wide range of reactions her conversion elicited from other members of her temple, from deep suspicions about her motives to total acceptance and everything in between those two possibilities. There was so much depth and emotion included in those passages that they sped up the reading process for me when they happened despite my earlier criticisms about the pacing.

Wild Irish Yenta kept me guessing.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Beyond Stonebridge by Linda Griffin

April 22, 2024 By Leave a Comment


Beyond Stonebridge by Linda Griffin
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Romance, Paranormal, Historical
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

In this sequel to Stonebridge, it is 1959, and Rynna Wyatt’s abusive husband Jason has fallen to his death after a fight with his bookish, disabled cousin Ted Demeray. The police would like to know exactly what happened, but it’s impossible to tell the whole truth.

Jason’s death doesn’t end his relationship with them. Rynna is pregnant with his child and traumatized by his abuse. She and Ted leave Stonebridge Manor to start a new life in Brenford, where Ted teaches at the university, but Jason’s restless spirit follows and haunts Rynna’s dreams. He wants her back. He wants revenge. And he wants his son. How can Ted and Rynna oppose his claims and finally put him to rest?

The past never truly sleeps.

Some of the most interesting scenes were the ones that highlighted the many social differences between the era this was set in and life in contemporary times. Let me give two examples of what I mean. First, men were not allowed in the delivery room at this point in history and were highly discouraged from supporting their wives earlier in the labor process either. Second, learning anything new took much longer back then than it does now that most people have a smartphone and can look up any topic in a few minutes at most. I’ll leave it up to other readers to discover the rest of the societal changes over the decades and how they affected the storyline in all sorts of ways, but I was intrigued by how such things have shifted over time.

I struggled with the slow pacing of this novel. So much time was spent discussing previous events in the lives of these characters that there wasn’t much forward motion for the storyline until I was more than a hundred pages into it. The paranormal themes took an even longer period of time to appear which surprised me. As happy as I was to reconnect with the characters and as much as I wanted to give this a higher rating, these issues made me hesitant to do so.

The romance was handled nicely. I enjoyed seeing how Rynna and Ted’s relationship had blossomed since I first met them and how they both adjusted to the beginning of their life together. They were a good match who shared the same values and many of the same interests, too. I was glad to see them both finally find some happiness after all of the difficult things they’d previously endured.

This is the second book in a series that I’d strongly recommend reading in order for character and plot development reasons.

Beyond Stonebridge was a thoughtful read.

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Amour In Avignon by Jennifer Ivy Walker

March 19, 2024 By Leave a Comment


Amour In Avignon by Jennifer Ivy Walker
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Adrift and lonely, Lily Greene travels to Provence to spend the summer with her aunt in the sunny south of France. In the vibrant city of Avignon, she meets Ludo and Auguste, two expert fencers who are also local actors performing in the upcoming Festival of Theater where they will present the classical tragedy, Cyrano de Bergerac.

When Lily joins their thespian troupe, portraying the lead female role, she discovers that real life mirrors the play they are rehearsing, for–just as Cyrano and Christian vie for Roxane– Ludo and Auguste become intense rivals for Lily.
Handsome as a Hollywood movie star, Auguste is used to women falling into his bed. But when Lily spurns his amorous advances, drawn instead to the enigmatic Ludo, jealousy drives Auguste to seek revenge.

Will tragedy strike with a cruel twist of fate? Or will love triumph with Amour in Avignon?

Lily has come to Avignon to spend a few months with her bohemian spirited Aunt Agnes. Agnes rents the small apartment above her shop to her paramour’s nephew, Ludo. A young, strong carpenter. Ludo shares the room with his blond friend, Auguste. Lily feels an instant attraction to Ludo, but Auguste is equally smitten with Lily. Can the three of them find what they really want?

I really enjoyed this short story. I felt the pace of both the plot and the romance was really well balanced – fast enough it didn’t feel like it dragged, but slow enough I loved getting to know a bit about Lily, Ludo and Auguste before their relationships tangled together. I strongly felt all three characters were both realistic and relatable and I definitely think most readers will find the appeal of them a good draw into the book. Aunt Aggie was also a delightful free spirit and a great addition to the small cast of characters giving light and vibrancy to the book as a whole.

I thought the author added a lot of wonderful charm and realism into the story that really gave the vibe of sun-drenched Avignon. There were a number of small French customs – the food, the greetings and such – and this really had me feeling like I could immerse myself in the feel of the town and setting. While I did feel the book lacked freshness with the plotline of the theatrical trope’s play mirroring the complicated relationship between Lily, Auguste and Ludo, I also did enjoy that Lily’s actions were quite modern and she stuck to her guns. While there are plenty of stories out there where plays and real life cross over, I was glad Lily made her own decisions and showed a good backbone without being bitchy or overbearing. I feel Lily’s character really should appeal to a wide range of romance readers.

With some delightfully sensual love scenes and the mirroring of a play within the book there was plenty of things going on in this story and I strongly feel it should hold readers attention from start to finish.

Readers who enjoy a sizzling romance with plenty of action, jealousy and an exotic location as the setting should find this quick read a wonderful story to greatly enjoy.

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

The Fog Ladies: Date with Death by Susan McCormick

March 13, 2024 By 3 Comments


The Fog Ladies: Date with Death by Susan McCormick
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Contemporary
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Chamomile

Voted BoM by LASR Readers 2013 copy

The Fog Ladies are at it again, spunky senior sleuths and an overstressed young medical resident solving murders from their elegant apartment building in San Francisco. They join a senior dating group, and romantic intrigue soon turns to murder. Graham Parselle, lady killer extraordinaire, plunges off a cliff on a Senior Singles outing. Did one of his dates pitch him over? Or is Olivia Honeycut’s new beau to blame?

Upon picking this one up, I knew I was in for a fun read. These ladies are a hoot and I loved getting to join them for this exciting mystery! I haven’t read the others, but found that I was able to follow along without trouble and got to know the ladies who formed the group of friends lovingly referred to as ‘The Fog Ladies’ fairly easier regardless, Still, if the others are as much fun as this one, I recommend reading them all, and in order to get the most enjoyment out of the series!

The Senior Singles sound like a fun place to make friends, enjoy outings and events together, and maybe even find that special one. Dating over sixty is no walk in the park, and the Fog Ladies are intrigued when one of them mentions the group. What sounds like harmless fun quickly becomes a quest to find a killer and the ladies are on the hunt!

The humor in this one made this story, and I loved meeting these ladies and getting to join in in the fun at their impromptu meetings! I loved the differing personalities and even enjoyed Sarah and Chantrelle’s special place in the story. And Boris, we can’t forget Boris!

The mystery was intriguing, and I loved unraveling it along with the Fog Ladies! While I did guess the killer before it was revealed, I admit the story kept me guessing for a while which is always a treat in a mystery! I tend to peg the killer pretty early on, so the twists and surprises in this one provided a fun puzzle to unravel.

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