*Stained Glass Memories by Linda Carroll-Bradd

December 13, 2022 By Leave a Comment


*Stained Glass Memories by Linda Carroll-Bradd
Christmas Cookies Series
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press, Inc.
Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Holiday
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Larkspur

Caterer Lorelei Warner juggles her fledging Southern California business and raising young twins with the help of her mother and sister. Handling a three-day wedding event stretches her limits…and then her old beau walks in and threatens the delicate balance.

Stained glass restorer Wynn Tatum hopes to cross paths with the woman he left behind to pursue his dreams. What he doesn’t expect is that seeing Lorelei again sparks the feelings from six years ago. Now that he’s held her in his arms again, and learned he’s the father to five-year-old twins, he will do anything to stay in touch. How can his family be whole if he and Lorelei live on two different continents?

Stained Glass Memories is a beautiful and touching story about second chances. I loved reading Wynn and Lorelei’s story and I thought they were perfect together. Although the story is short, it is full of heartwarming love.

The plot is interesting, the characters are realistic, and the story left me with a good feeling. I loved reading this story about romance and second chances.

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*Ice Storm by Tracy Goodwin

December 12, 2022 By Leave a Comment


*Ice Storm by Tracy Goodwin
New York Nighthawks, Book 3
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Loveswept
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Women’s fiction
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Larkspur

When an injured hockey legend with a PR problem and a former teen star craving an edgier public image start a fake relationship, neither expects a real challenge—ignoring their fiery chemistry—in this steamy friends-to-lovers romance.

Theo: They call me Thor. I’m the showman with mad skills on and off the ice until a nagging injury forces me to confront—long-term—the possibility that my career is coming to an early end. All endorsement deals hinge on my reputation, and my bad-boy persona isn’t cutting it. To keep my sponsorships, I need a major image overhaul. Enter Olivia DeLaurentis, the quintessential girl next door who’s hell-bent on shedding her good-girl charade, and what better way than to get together with a rule-breaking Avenger wannabe? So she and I strike an agreement—we pretend-date. The odds of anything real happening between us are slim, especially since we’re already friends and she’s also my best friend’s sister. One problem: She turns me on, and I learn real fast that Liv is playing by her own rules.

Olivia: I was a teenage America’s Sweetheart, but what I once thought was the opportunity of a lifetime has left me typecast as an innocent, naïve girl—and I’m sick of it. My brother’s best friend, bad-boy hockey star Theo Ture, needs some positive PR, so I offer a fake relationship. It’s not my first. The difference? This time I’m in complete control. What’s there to lose? Certainly not my heart since Theo’s already friend-zoned. Plus, the poster boy for an alpha male—bold, brash, tattooed—is not my type. At all. But there’s one problem: I didn’t expect the explosive chemistry between us, or the vulnerability behind his tough-guy façade. Or that he has a hidden secret I’m desperate to uncover. He’s not the only one with secrets, though—and as the lines of our fake relationship blur, I’m worried I’ll be the one exposed. . . .

Ice Storm is a perfect blend of hockey, romance and friendship. I loved every minute of this heartwarming story. The plot is interesting, the characters are engaging, and I never wanted this story to end. The two main characters, Theo and Olivia are easy to connect with, they share a lot of chemistry, and I enjoyed reading about all of their encounters.

Theo is a professional hockey player dealing with the possibility of his hockey career ending. Olivia has been in Theo’s life for a long time and there has always been a spark simmering between them. They have always been there for each other through all the ups and downs in life.

Theo and Olivia’s story is enchanting. They are both dealing with some important issues in their lives and help each other come to some decisions about what their future will look like. They bring out the best in each other and their story left me with a smile on my face.

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Catastrophe in the Library by CeeCee James

December 9, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Catastrophe in the Library by CeeCee James
The Secret Library Cozy Mysteries, Book 3
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Contemporary
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Snowdrop

A mysterious mansion, a suspicious death, and a cat too smart for its own good…Laura Lee and her secret book club, led by Hank the marmalade cat, find themselves in the heart of their deepest mystery yet! Laura Lee’s efforts to bring the beautiful but decrepit old manor back to life uncover even more secrets that the ancient house has been keeping from her. Hank, hiding from the workmen, gets himself stuck under a broken board. Rescuing him, Laura Lee finds not only a small root cellar, but a nearly intact skeleton holding a sheaf of papers. How long has it been there? Who was it? And why were those papers so important? It’s not just a lesson in history; someone who’s very much alive is trying to stop them from discovering the secret . It will take the entire book club’s help to discover the truth as every clue they find takes them in a different direction and puts them in unknown danger.

I have read several of Ceecee James books before, but it has been quite some time. This book, Catastrophe in the Library, is Book 3 of The Secret Library series. This book was as fun as the rest of the ones I read. The picture of a wonderful old Victorian house with secret passages and a skeleton in the walls set you back in time. Miss Janice, the owner, still has a full-time staff, even a wonderful wholesome lady in the kitchen addressed only as “cook”. But…the cell phones and laptops make sure you remember that you are in present day times. Somehow this mix of eras seems to fit. It isn’t a back-and-forth-in-time type of story. It’s a staff of today working in jobs in an old Victorian house. Somehow it all fit perfectly with me. I liked the picture of running to help cook get the table set and running back to your room to text someone.

As usual, the author has added enough clues in this cute cozy to make you wonder who the “bad guy” is, and her play with the dialog of the three young girls who are amateur sleuths is fun. It’s light and humorous and adds to the atmosphere of a cozy. I would tell you that this is a series not to miss, but all of the books I’ve read by CeeCee James are in a series not to miss.

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

Twelve Secrets of Christmas by Amelia Foster

December 8, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Twelve Secrets of Christmas by Amelia Foster
Publisher: Totally Bound
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, Holiday
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Moonflower

A workplace connection gets murky when the heir to the company is involved.

Leah Carson’s four-year relationship exploded on New Year’s Day and soured her toward all holiday-related activities. She no longer excessively decorated her home and office for Christmas, choosing the grinchy path instead. Working for a media outlet forces her into some semblance of holiday cheer, especially when the up-and-coming channel sets its sights on making a mark with a New Year’ s Eve special to rival all the standard offerings—something thrown into question when the host of the broadcast is put in jail, and Leah and her team are scrambling to fill the slot.

Brendan Lanza is heir to the throne of Lanza Broadcasting, but he has to earn his seat by learning every department within the company at his father’s orders. His term with the marketing team offers the unexpected bonus of getting to know Leah better. The respect his father holds for the woman becomes an understatement once Brendan sees how her clever brain easily handles issues, something only rivaled by the temptations her body creates in him.

But her less-than-festive spirit and the threat of losing their highly anticipated special lead Brendan to appoint himself as her Secret Santa, sending twelve anonymous gifts to Leah. Their office flirtation ramps up as Leah begins to receive presents from a secret admirer, creating a bit of conflict as she believes that she is torn between two men, and Brendan is left to decide if he’s betraying their blossoming bond by withholding the truth behind the packages she finds on her doorstep each night.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year – or is it?

Leah received a crockpot instead of an engagement ring and, one week later, her 4-year relationship disintegrated too. Taking her broken heart to the extremes, Leah decided to take the Grinch path and refused to have anything to do with Christmas again. I did say it was an extreme reaction!

Brendan is the boss’ son, learning the ropes in every department. He loves Leah’s mind (as he frequently tells her once they get together) as well as her curves. His plan to restore her Christmas spirit is to send her Secret Santa gifts. Will he fess up once they get together though?

This was a fast-paced story with plenty of steamy scenes to keep you reading. I found this to be an enjoyable read so long as I suspended belief over Leah’s reactions, which I thought slightly incredulous! Still, it was a fun read that kept my attention from beginning to end.

The part about them both having conflict with the secret Santa presents wasn’t really conflict, in my opinion. I thought it all tied in nicely at the end.

A steamy seasonal read that I can recommend.

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

Daddy’s Secret by M.C. Roth

December 6, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Daddy’s Secret by M.C. Roth
Publisher: Pride Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, LGBTQ
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Moonflower

If only you were mine… If only you needed a Daddy to look after you.

This Christmas promises to be the loneliest of Sullivan’ s life and he’ s set to brave the season alone until he receives an amazing, yet heartbreaking, Secret Santa gift that was inspired by his best friend’ s pen pal, Lincoln.

What starts as a thank-you letter to Lincoln soon becomes more as Sullivan finds himself drawn to a man he’ s never met— a man who somehow seems to know him. The problem is, Sullivan needs a friend more than he needs a hookup, so he pretends to be married, taking an intimate relationship out of the equation.

Soon pen and paper aren’ t enough, and he writes his phone number in his next letter, hoping that Lincoln will call him. When Lincoln finally does, Sullivan’ s breath catches at the sound of his voice. When Sullivan pretends that his fake husband is away on a business trip, Lincoln invites himself over for a Christmas movie marathon.

Beside each other on the small couch, the lines begin to blur and Sullivan curses himself for pretending to be married. But maybe he’ s not the only one with a secret.

The best intentions can lead to secrets!

Sullivan is a big-hearted teddy bear who has recently lost his parents. During the ‘Secret Santa’ at work, his best friend presents him with a gift he never expected from her. Samantha admits that her pen-pal actually came up with the idea. Sullivan writes to Lincoln to thank him, and there we go…

This was a sweet and charming story that has some steamy scenes but low angst. I loved how the relationship between Sullivan and Lincoln grew. It made a nice change to read about a boy who isn’t a twink too! Sullivan tries to tell Lincoln on more than one occasion about his ‘husband’ but is unable to finish his confession because of one thing or another (usually Lincoln talking too much!) The list of Christmas movies made me chuckle!

All in all, a great, cozy story to warm the cockles of your heart! Absolutely recommended by me.

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

The Christmas Wish Knotts by Avis M. Adams

December 5, 2022 By Leave a Comment


The Christmas Wish Knotts by Avis M. Adams
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Holiday
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

Sif is nothing like her namesake–the strong Norse goddess and wife of Thor. She still reels from the trauma of being left at the altar. When Dr. Roger sublets a condo at the Cliff Edge Condos, she is immediately drawn to his dark eyes and warm smile, but how can she trust him after what her ex-fiancé did? She prefers her view of Puget Sound and cat Mr. Martini to the fear of rejection. Her ex-fiancé left her scarred. But can the good doctor heal her wounds?
With the help of the condo HOA president, the Quatre Hens, and Nanc, Sif finds herself surrounded by friends who seem more like enemies to her peace and quiet. But with the magic of Roger’s charms, the Christmas season, and her ever-changing cookie recipe, will the Wedding Knotts turned Good Luck Knotts, turned Christmas Wish Knotts bring Sif the miracle she is hoping for?

If you are looking for a quick, sweet romance to read that puts the ‘happy’ into the happily ever after, then give this story a try. There’s no stressful angst or contrived overdramatic melodrama, just a tale about a nice cookie-baking teacher who was jilted at the alter and now must find her way back into trusting another man that seems too good to be true. Are all good-looking guys narcissistic users? No, and Dr. Roger is going to prove that to Sif. Somehow.

I say somehow, because this book is told only from the point of view of the heroine, Sif, short for Sifjar. It’s her thoughts, decisions, actions and dialogue, both internal and external, that show readers the progression of her journey from jilted bride to a hopeful woman willing to take a second chance at love. It’s Roger’s actions that show the heroine and reader just how smitten he is, how considerate and patient he is as he navigates Sif’s skittish ways. The story shows him as being attentive, caring and thoughtful. He’s not a wuss though. As with a lot of romance book themes with heroes or heroines being jilted at the altar, the ex makes an appearance to muck things up. That is when readers see another side of the good doctor – the hero.

This story is cute, and well written. The only contrary thing I noticed was the pacing. It’s not slow or bogged down – it’s actually quite brisk. It’s the choppiness of the telling. At times it’s abrupt, and jumpy, but it always moves forward towards the goal, lending the story that brisk pace I mentioned. Every now and again I felt a little lost during the transition but other than that, I liked the story, the characters, the romance and the delightful and wonderful holiday themed wrap-up that made me feel the warm and fuzzies.

The blurb mentions the Quatre Hens, and Nanc. Nanc is easy to explain, she’s Sif’s best friend, but the Quatre Hens need to be experienced in order to understand their relationship with the heroine. They are quite the personalities and they both hinder and help with the romance between Roger and Sif. They mean well though and I think, in their own way, they’re like adopted family. They are fun and sweet and give advice whether it’s wanted or not. Sounds like family, doesn’t it?

The Christmas Wish Knotts is a good read with plenty to recommend it. If you are looking for a light holiday themed romance, then this book is a splendid choice.

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Visions by Kaye Lynne Booth, et.al.

November 25, 2022 By 1 Comment


Visions by Kaye Lynne Booth, et.al.
Publisher: WordCrafter Press
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Paranormal, Contemporary, Historical
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

An author’s visions are revealed through their stories. Many authors have strange and unusual stories, indeed. Within these pages, you will find the stories of eighteen different authors, each unique and thought provoking. These are the fantasy, science fiction, paranormal, and horror stories that will keep you awake long into the night.

What happens when:

An inexplicable monster plagues a town for generations, taking people… and souvenirs?

A post-apocalyptic band of travelers finds their salvation in an archaic machine?

The prey turns out to be the predator for a band of human traffickers?

Someone chooses to be happy in a world where emotions are regulated and controlled?

A village girl is chosen to be the spider queen?

Grab your copy today and find out. Let authors such as W.T. Paterson, Joseph Carabis, Kaye Lynne Booth, Michaele Jordan, Stephanie Kraner, and others, including the author of the winning story in the WordCrafter 2022 Short Fiction Contest, Roberta Eaton Cheadle, tantalize your thoughts and share their Visions

From Kaye Lynne Booth, editor of Once Upon an Ever After: Modern Fairy Tales & Folklore, Refracted Reflections: Twisted Tales of Duality & Deception and Gilded Glass: Twisted Myths & Shattered Fairy Tales.

Not everything in life can be easily explained.

As odd as this may sound at first, I smiled at the kidnapping gone wrong in “Tourist Trap.” You see, the main character knew the men who were showing her good photography sites weren’t trustworthy, and she had a plan to handle every curveball they threw her way as they attempted to kidnap her for ransom. It’s always nice to meet protagonists who are that resourceful and intelligent, especially when there are so many plot twists coming to help a reader get to know her even better.

Ashling was shocked to realize she was missing a tattoo in “The Vanishing Tattoo.” Her reason for originally getting it is something other readers should discover for themselves, but I was immediately drawn into her reaction and emotions when it disappeared. I only wish there had been more world building so I could have determined whether this was as impossible in that setting as it would be in the real world or whether such a thing had been known to happen there before. It was a bit confusing for me as a reader to hear about something impossible happening without knowing the context of it all.

In “At Mountains, Majesty,” a wanderer named Ahlam discovered something spectacular that had been created and then abandoned many years earlier. He and his family didn’t have a permanent home thanks to how unstable human society was in the future, but he hoped his discovery might help to change that. I loved the creativity and hopefulness of this tale. While the characters were in a tough situation, they had multiple reasons to believe their luck was about to change. That’s the sort of science fiction I always enjoy discovering.

Visions was a satisfying anthology.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Caressed by Ice by Nalini Singh

November 22, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Caressed by Ice by Nalini Singh
Psy-Changelings, Book 3
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Action/Adventure, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

As an Arrow, an elite soldier in the Psy Council ranks, Judd Lauren was forced to do terrible things in the name of his people. Now a defector, his dark abilities have made him the most deadly of assassins – cold, pitiless, unfeeling. Until he meets Brenna…

Brenna Shane Kincaid was an innocent before she was abducted – and had her mind violated – by a serial killer. Her sense of evil runs so deep, she fears she could become a killer herself. Then the first dead body is found, victim of a familiar madness. Judd is her only hope, yet her sensual changeling side rebels against the inhuman chill of his personality, even as desire explodes between them. Shocking and raw, their passion is a danger that threatens not only their hearts, but their very lives…

Complicated, hot and fantastic.

I’ve never read Nalini Singh before and I’m glad I remedied that. I can’t wait to go back and pick up more of her titles. This one was hot, so hot it scorched the pages, complicated – I’ve never read a world this intricate – and fantastic. The pacing was good, and the reveal was even better. I got emotionally involved in the story and didn’t want to put it down.

Brenna is a changeling with issues. Oh boy, does she have issues. She’s been traumatized and her past may be a trigger to some – there is violence and assault toward her – but this makes her who she is. She’s stronger than she thinks. I liked how Judd plays off her, too. He’s cold as ice and trained to be that way, but he’s got a reason. He’s an Arrow. An elite. He’s supposed to be tough, unyielding and strong. I like how he melts for her and the way their pairing progresses. It’s hot and sometimes painful, but worth the ride.

If you’re looking for something intense, then this might be the romance for you. I’m hooked.

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

Obsidian by Rebecca Henry

November 22, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Obsidian by Rebecca Henry
Publisher: Finch Books
Genre: Young Adult (14 – 18 y.o.), Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Paranormal, LGBTQ, Romance, Contemporary
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Sometimes the truth has to be revealed in order to recieve love.

Ninth grade is everything Zinnia didn’ t want it to be at St. Hopes. Her life back in the city feels empty and Liv’ s groupies of popular girls are suffocating Zinnia with their daily taunts. As Halloween approaches, Zinnia craves the comfort and security of Ambrosia Hill and desperately wishes to be back with her aunts but especially Billie, the girl with the green eyes, who Zinnia can’t get out of her mind. Right when Zinnia thinks she won’ t be able to wait until the summer to see Billie, her mom shocks her with a spontaneous announcement. They are leaving for Ambrosia Hill to visit the aunts. But can Zinnia surrender her truth to accept love?

Everyone needs a place that makes them feel like they belong there.

Some of the most memorable scenes were the ones that explored the many different options that were available to a witch. Not only did young witches decide whether they wanted to be on the side of good or of evil, the powers they had could vary quite a bit from one individual to the next. This meant that it wasn’t easy to predict in advance what someone in this group was like even in small ways like whether it would be safe to walk through their garden. I was fascinated by the diversity here and gobbled up every last description. It made me think of all of the Halloween stories I’ve read and watched about witches and wonder what a film based on this world might be like!

My review of Amethyst mentioned wanting to see more character development for Zinnia and the people closest to her. While it still happened much more slowly than I would have preferred to see, I was pleased to take note of the subtle but important ways in which all of the main characters had evolved since I’d first met them. I hope that any possible sequels in the works will speed up this progress as this was the only thing holding me back from giving a full five-star rating.

Once again, I was thrilled with the world building in this series. The first instalment did an excellent job of showing how magic worked in this universe and what it meant to be a witch. It was wonderful to see all of that hard work not only acknowledged in the sequel but used as a foundation to explore these topics in even greater detail here. I highly recommend beginning with book one in order to fully appreciate just how much effort the author put into this. She couldn’t have done a better job at it.

Obsidian was a satisfying read.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Broken Summer by J. M. Lee

November 21, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Broken Summer by J. M. Lee
Publisher: Amazon Crossing
Genre: Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Contemporary
Rating: 4 stars
Review by Snowdrop

A death, a lie, a secret. For twenty-six summers he didn’t have the courage to face the past.

Lee Hanjo is an artist at the peak of his fame, envied and celebrated. Then, on his forty-third birthday, he awakens to find that his devoted wife has disappeared, leaving behind a soon-to-be-published novel she’d secretly written about the sordid past and questionable morality of an artist with a trajectory similar to Hanjo’s. It’s clear to him that his life is about to shatter and the demons from his past will come out. But why did his wife do it? Why now?

The book forces Hanjo to reflect on a summer from his youth when a deadly lie irreversibly and tragically determined the fates of two families.

What if you were 40+ years old and found what you thought had been a good marriage, was not that at all? What if you found out because your wife was missing? Even more so, what if your wife left a note making it quite clear that she was aware of your past. Definitely not the good part of your past.

This book slips from one POV to another. It also weaves back and forth in time. Usually, I would say this was irritating, but here, the author seems to handle it well. It flows so well that you don’t realize the breaks. More importantly, it never seems to be confusing.

As far as the genre is concerned, this is a quick read with some tension, but I would label it more a suspense than a thriller. This is actually a point that made it more enjoyable to read as far as I’m concerned. If you’re in the mood for an easy read that will make your mind work a little too, Broken Summer is the perfect solution.

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