Spirit in Time by Julie Howard

April 26, 2021 By 1 Comment


Spirit in Time (Spirited Quest Mysteries) by Julie Howard
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Romance, Paranormal, Contemporary, Historical
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Time travel isn’t real. It can’t be real. But ghost-blogger Jillian Winchester discovers otherwise when an enigmatic spirit conveys her to 1872 to do his bidding. Jillian finds herself employed as a maid in Sacramento, in an elegant mansion with a famous painting.
The artwork reveals another mystery: Why does the man within look exactly like her boyfriend, Mason Chandler?
Morality and sin live side by side, not only in the picture, but also within her. As her transgressions escalate, she races the clock to find the man in the painting, and hunt down a spirit with a disconcerting gift.
But will time be her friend or foe?

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My review of House of Seven Spirits, the first book in this series, mentioned my desire to see more character development for Jillian. I was pleased to see her gradually begin to grow and change in this sequel as a result of her experiences. Just like it often happens for people in real life, her evolution was filled with stops and starts. She often needed to learn the same lesson more than once, but I did begin to see the progress with this character that I originally wished the audience could have observed in her first adventure. I will continue to hope for more advancements in this area for Jillian as this series hopefully continues, but I’m glad the author paid more attention to it here.

The mystery storyline wasn’t given as much time to shine as I would have preferred to see. While basic information was provided as needed, it seemed to me that the author could have gone into much more detail about why Jillian and her boyfriend were sent back in time and what they were expected to accomplish there. It would have been nice to dig into the hints about these things in greater detail.

Some of my favourite scenes were the ones that described the many ways in which life in 1872 was wildly different from how people live in the present day. This was especially true when it came to how women and people from minority groups were treated. Jillian’s reactions to the double standards and deep-seated prejudices of that era made perfect sense. It’s one thing to read about them in a history book and entirely another to experience them first hand, especially since the social safety net was so sparse back then. She had to adjust quickly to a world that was much harsher than our own in many ways. I appreciated the fact that the author took these things seriously and made them such an integral part of the plot.

This definitely can be read as a standalone work, but I would recommend also checking out House of Seven Spirits to anyone who wants to follow Jillian’s adventures from the beginning.

Anyone who enjoys history or paranormal mysteries should check out Spirit in Time.

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

The Ferret by Tom Minder

April 20, 2021 By 3 Comments


The Ferret by Tom Minder
Publisher: Black Rose Writing
Genre: Suspense/Mystery/Thriller, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

As an LDS elder, Louie Kimble, is assigned as construction foreman in Testimony Acres, a high-end real estate development, fifty miles north of Las Vegas. He discovers it’s a money laundering scheme put together by his religious superiors. Confronted by the FBI, he agrees to provide evidence and testify in exchange for his freedom.

After surgery to fix an unfortunate resemblance to a domesticated animal, he is given a new name and history and relocated to South Jersey. He rebuilds his life, with a girlfriend, a great job, and season tickets to the local pro football team.

Then one bright Saturday morning, there is a knock on his front door. His visitor will bring back his past, and change his life forever.

Sometimes laying low is the best way to stay safe.
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The cast of characters was large, but everyone’s roles were clearly explained. I never had trouble remembering who worked where or how they knew each other. That’s something pretty important to me as a reader, so I was glad to see so much attention paid to how everyone was connected.

With that being said, would have preferred to see more time spent on character development. None of the characters were well rounded, and many of them were described so briskly that I’d struggle to come up with the right words to describe their personalities or how they changed during the course of the storyline. There simply wasn’t that much time spent talking about these things, especially for anyone who wasn’t the protagonist. As much as i enjoyed the plot itself, this did dampen my enthusiasm for this book in general.

I was fascinated by the descriptions of how the witness protection program works, especially when it came to what people in this program are supposed to say about their pasts to the friends they make after moving to a brand new area. This wasn’t something I knew much about, so seeing how someone makes the transition to a new name, work history, and more made me root for the main character. More than anything, I wanted his fresh start to turn out well for him.

There were times when I seriously questions some of the risky decisions Louie made. He knew how dangerous it would be for anyone to discover his new identity and how hard the FBI had worked to completely and permanently separate his old life from his new one. Seeing him take so many unnecessary chances when it came to things like allowing the local newspaper to print his photo never quite made sense to me.

The ending was satisfying. I appreciated the way all of the important loose threads were tied up while still leaving some room for a sequel if the author ever decides to write one. That’s always a nice way to leave things off in the mystery genre.

Anyone who likes reading about organized crime or the witness protection program should give The Ferret a try.

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

The Spider And The Hawk by Ella Grey

April 20, 2021 By Leave a Comment


The Spider And The Hawk by Ella Grey
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Paranormal
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Ava’s life has always been difficult. Most of her kind, the spider shifters, were culled when she was a child. She grew up in foster care and had to work extra hard to get the job as Medical Examiner for Grenfell. Nobody trusts spiders. Now a body has turned up, filled with a toxin not on their system. Someone’s trying to frame her for murder, but who?

Agent Theodore ‘Theo’ Ross never thought he would see Ava St Clair again. His first love. The one he never got over. Now he needs to figure out if she’s capable of murder.
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The tension is high. The long-denied need is palpable. They’re on borrowed time because the killer has Ava in their sights, and it could be anyone.

Hawk-shifter and Supernatural Police Force member, Theo, worked with a small team of shifters specifically tasked with helping to keep the paranormal world a secret from humans. As the team’s newbie Theo had been lumped mainly with paperwork since he joined up and so he’s itching to get out into the field and doing some real work. When a poisoning case hits the morgue, Theo’s ex-girlfriend – a spider-shifter – is under suspicion so even though he’s been hungering for a case of his own, Theo isn’t sure this is quite how he wanted to begin his new career. The fact the flames still burn brightly between Theo and Ava doesn’t make it easier on either of them.

I really enjoyed this paranormal mystery. I feel the history between Ava and Theo helped sell me a lot on the speed of their reconnecting, plus I just enjoyed how they both seemed to have fond – and maybe even slightly wistful – memories of each other. There wasn’t too much baggage or hurt feelings to overcome between them and that really helped clear the plot and resurgence of their relationship to me. There was plenty of conflict and tension in the plot with the murder mystery and trying to work out who wanted to set Ava up for a murder she didn’t commit, I didn’t feel there needed to be any conflict or baggage bleeding over from this into Ava and Theo reconnecting so I was really pleased with how the author handled this.

I admit I found Ava and Theo’s shifter aspects a bit of a stretch for my mind in the beginning. I don’t believe I’ve ever read a spider-shifter story before (romantic or not) and I know I’ve only read one or two hawk shifter stories in the past, they’re both pretty uncommon and it took me a little while to get into the groove of them. That said, once I did wrap my mind around it, I found the whole paranormal world and the experiences of Ava and Theo in particular to be really refreshing and a lovely, unique set of examples. In many ways the whole paranormal genre has come close (for me, personally) to reaching saturation point. So many plots and pairings and situations just feel so well-worn it’s hard sometimes to read “yet another hunt-the-killer-shifter” style of story, but having fun and relatable characters as well as such different shifter types really helped freshen this up for me and I really enjoyed it once I got into the swing of things.

With an intense and really enjoyable plot and a lovely steamy romance this is a great, quick read and an author I really enjoyed. I’ll be checking more stories in this series out. Recommended.

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

The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner

April 19, 2021 By Leave a Comment


The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner
Publisher: Park Row
Genre: Contemporary, Historical, Suspense/Mystery/Thriller
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Cholla

A forgotten history. A secret network of women. A legacy of poison and revenge. Welcome to The Lost Apothecary…

Hidden in the depths of eighteenth-century London, a secret apothecary shop caters to an unusual kind of clientele. Women across the city whisper of a mysterious figure named Nella who sells well-disguised poisons to use against the oppressive men in their lives. But the apothecary’s fate is jeopardized when her newest patron, a precocious twelve-year-old, makes a fatal mistake, sparking a string of consequences that echo through the centuries.

Meanwhile in present-day London, aspiring historian Caroline Parcewell spends her tenth wedding anniversary alone, running from her own demons. When she stumbles upon a clue to the unsolved apothecary murders that haunted London two hundred years ago, her life collides with the apothecary’s in a stunning twist of fate—and not everyone will survive.

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Nella had thought that the first time she crossed the line from helping into harming that her fate had been set. And then Eliza Fanning comes into her life and her fate is rearranged, but is it for the better? What she – and Eliza – don’t realize is that their chance encounter will also shape the fate and future of someone in the far future. A woman named Caroline Parcewell, a woman dealing with her own demons.

I have to say that, although what I got was not anything like what I was expecting, I thoroughly enjoyed The Lost Apothecary. Stories that alternate timelines are a favorite of mine. It’s fascinating to me how they seem to run parallel right up until that point where they become intermeshed with one another.

Of the three characters, twelve-year-old Eliza is probably my favorite. She’s stuck somewhere between child and young adult in a world where young girls become women overnight. I thought the author portrayed her well. She’s a smart kid with a good work ethic, however she still has her childish fears and ideas as well. Seeing her determination overcome her fears and worries as she helps Nella was one of the best parts of the novel.

Nella is a conflicted character. As much as she wanted to follow in her mother’s footsteps and do no harm, betrayal in her past soured her on men. Especially men who lied, cheated, and betrayed other women. Her internal conflict really drives her and Eliza’s portion of the story. Her reluctant friendship with Eliza was her saving grace, I think.

I felt for Caroline and really loved that she decided to ditch her cheating husband and take their anniversary trip on her own. Honestly, I can’t blame her – she needed that escape. I related to Caroline more than any of the other characters due to her giving up so much for what she thought was good reasons, only to discover later she’d cheated herself out of what she’d wanted. Her drive and desire for answers also resonated with me and I lived for each little discovery she made.

One part contemporary mystery, one part historical fiction, with a dash of magical realism tossed in just for pizzazz, The Lost Apothecary is an interesting, engaging romp through both present-day London and the London of 1791. While I had gone in expecting something more action-packed and intense, the author still delivered an emotionally charged, engrossing story of three women separated by centuries and yet still tied together through time.

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

The Secret Runners by Matthew Reilly

April 16, 2021 By Leave a Comment


The Secret Runners by Matthew Reilly
Publisher: Pan McMillan Australia
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Action/Adventure, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, YA
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Gossip Girl meets Mad Max in this breakneck thriller where the line between rich and poor is the line between life and death. You can’t buy your way out of the end of the world in this edge-of-your-seat adventure from an internationally bestselling author.

Rich vs. Poor. Life vs. Death.

When Skye Rogers and her twin brother, Red, move to Manhattan, rumors of a coming global apocalypse are building. But the ultra-wealthy young elites at their prestigious school keep partying like there’s no tomorrow–while the city around them starts to fall apart.

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Skye and her twin brother Red have moved to Manhattan with their mother and step-father and are starting their junior year at the most exclusive school – The Monmouth School. Full of the richest and most elite children even in a city known for their wealth, Skye and Red still find the usual high school dramas everywhere. Cliques. Bullying. Home work and classes. Yet when Red, and then later Skye, are invited to join the most elite and secret club of them all, neither know just how dramatically it will change their lives.

I’ve had this book on my to-be-read pile for a long time. Matthew Reilly is one of my top favorite authors and I always love his work. So when I needed a change of pace and something a little lighter and more adventurous I was delighted to re-find this on my pile. Known for his massive (and slightly crazy) adventure and action sequences as well as his rocket-fast pace I loved how this was clearly the author flexing some of his considerable skill and stepping a shade or two outside his usual routine. While the last third or so of the book is absolutely lightning paced and full of adventure and thrills (and I actually squealed with laughter when the ever-present grappling hook made an appearance), the book as a whole is a delightful and refreshing change of pace with a steady character and society type of set up and not instant crazy action from the first page. I feel the author handled this really well and while definitely a step out of the norm for him I still absolutely loved this book.

In many ways this read a little to me like a YA book – but one of the best sorts, one that an adult can thoroughly and shamelessly enjoy. Skye is a teenage girl and Reilly didn’t shy from that but also didn’t wallow in it either. The angst of teenage years and high school cliques, the drama of boys and periods and bullying and social status is all present but they are there to support and aid the story – not to BE the story. I loved this balance and personally found it really well handled. I totally get this won’t be every reader’s cup of tea – particularly some men who want a Jack West Jr (or Scarecrow) style of action/military style of story which is Reilly’s staple. But for me, personally, I really enjoyed it and found the different style and plot was a delightful breath of fresh air.

My only quibble (and it’s a small one) was that for the first half or so of the book I didn’t feel the relationship between Red and Syke as siblings/twins was really used to its full potential. While clear the two loved and supported each other, they pretty much led divergent lives – Red fitting easily in with the cool kids and dating one of the “mean girls” and Skye on the outside fringes. I found it somewhat odd that Red happily went his own path with the elite crowd and didn’t think much of dating a mean girl who clearly didn’t like Skye at all. I found myself frequently hoping that Red would share more of his experiences with Skye and open his world to her a little more and found it puzzling when for much of it (with a few notable exceptions) this didn’t come to pass. Admittedly once Skye was let into that clique about half way through the book, this did come to pass, but I couldn’t help but feel there was a lost opportunity for Skye and Red to have shared more of those secrets earlier on in the book.

For the final third or so of the book everything comes to a head and man it was a thrilling rush to the end of the story. Many of the plots and sub-plots that had been so carefully woven and created in the first two thirds of the book all come crashing together and the true Reilly style came out to play. I read the final part of the book late into the night, simply unable to put it down. It exceeded my expectations and I can’t wait to dive back in and re-read it and catch all those smaller tidbits you always miss on the first reading.

Exciting and adventurous, slightly futuristic but all too relevant and modern this is an exceptional story and an amazing read. Highly recommended.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Other, Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , ,

The Nosy Neighbor by Fern Michaels

April 15, 2021 By Leave a Comment


The Nosy Neighbor by Fern Michaels
Publisher: Pocket Books
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

Lucy Baker decided it was time to walk away from her high-flying legal career after she successfully defended yet another heinous criminal. Now, almost a year after her life-changing decision, Lucy has never been happier. Leaving New York City for the suburbs, tending to her garden and her dog, Lucy is making future plans with her fiancé and getting acquainted with her neighbors, including the handsome, exasperating one next door, Wylie Wilson.

But one day, everything changes. When FBI special agents confront Lucy with shocking revelations about her fiancé’s secret double life, everything about her husband-to-be is cast in suspicion. Recovering from a freak accident that has left her with a heightened sense of intuition, and getting closer than she ever dreamed to Wylie, Lucy must determine who to trust—and fast, before someone breaks down her defenses and targets her…

Wow, was this a nail-biter! The Nosy Neighbor is a great read, a wonderful romance and a thrilling suspense along with the comic relief of a trio of adorable, lovable dogs to make a reader feel totally engaged. Any characters who love a dog so much they’d make meatloaf all the time specifically for the pup because of dietary needs, you know they’re good people.
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People who are not good are those who believe the only good dog is a dead dog – and that’s why the villain of the piece was such a perfect villain. He didn’t like dogs. Okay, he did a lot of other bad stuff that made him a perfect bad buy, but when compared to how much Wylie loved Clueless Cooper? The bad guy deserved everything he had coming to him … eventually. Before that could happen, a whole bunch of good storytelling, excitement, entertainment and the growing of wonderful friendships and relationships plus a romance between Wylie and Lucy kept me glued to the pages as the story unfolded. Ms. Michaels truly has an amazing talent because she crafted a thrilling romance story that gripped me from the moment those FBI agents approached Lucy and turned her well ordered world upside down.

It took me all afternoon to read this novel. Once I started, I didn’t want to stop. I had to because I was supposed to make supper but as soon as that was done, I dove back into the pages of The Nosy Neighbor, eager to find out what they found at the bad guy’s hideaway. I didn’t find out later what was there and the only niggle about the book was that it never showed the FBI finding the goods or what happened to all the assets that were in someone else’s name. Does that person GET all of it? I think the reason why the author didn’t go off on that tangent is because the book is first and foremost, a romance. That is exactly what I was looking to read and it’s exactly what was delivered – with a lot of intense suspense and drama that spicened up the plot. I never had to guess who the villain was because the FBI made it clear early on, but it was the suspense of knowing the guy was gunning for Lucy and the uncertainty and curiosity of trying to guess how it was all going to play out. How was he going to take down the heroine? Why did he choose her and why was he so angry and obsessed? So many fascinating questions that eventually get answered. It was worth dedicating half of my day to this novel.

Yes, Lucy and Wylie do ‘get together’ and it’s an open-door view for readers but it’s not overly graphic which I greatly appreciated. Some of the physical action was fun and silly, yet serious too. It’s serious because they’re falling in love. It’s serious because once the heroine had the sheet time with the hero, she realized something very important. It’s that epiphany that makes her realize the difference between the two men. It’s romance at its finest.

I didn’t add the paranormal genre tag, but maybe I should have. I mean, Lucy did develop a way to hear things not normal for a human. Then again, I know that scientists have actually studied that phenomenon for real, and I saw a documentary a few weeks ago about people who could READ books while being 100% blindfolded with no way to actually see anything at all, so HOW could they read or describe anything like they weren’t blindfolded? It’s incredibly amazing as it is confounding, but it’s real! So, if that can happen in real life, maybe Lucy’s situation isn’t that farfetched. Because of that, I didn’t attach the paranormal tag to my review.

If Ms. Michaels writes this well all the time, I’ve got to read more of her backlist. The Nosy Neighbor was awesome and I had a great time reading the novel. If anyone else is like me and hasn’t read this yet, my recommendation is to rectify that immediately. If a reader likes romantic suspense, courageous puppies and a hero and heroine who are perfect for each other with a very satisfying happy ever after, know that this book delivers.

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

The Exiled by Christopher Charles

April 13, 2021 By Leave a Comment


The Exiled by Christopher Charles
Publisher: Mulholland Books
Genre: Contemporary, Historical, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Fern

Can anyone ever truly outrun his past?

Back in the 1980s, Wes Raney was an ambitious New York City Narcotics Detective with a growing drug habit of his own. While working undercover on a high-risk case, he made decisions that ultimately cost him not only his career, but also his family. Disgraced, Raney fled-but history is finally catching up with him.

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For eighteen years Detective Wes Raney has been in exile – living and working over a massive part of the desert in New Mexico as the only murder investigator. For the most part his job is mindless and while it’s taken a long time he has mostly made peace with his solitude and new life. But then he comes across a scene that brings him back to his Narcotics days in New York and his old life, a drug deal gone wrong resulting in a triple homicide. Can Raney balance the resurgence of old memories and old demons with the delicate peace he has found?

Overall I found this to be a really engrossing and excellent read. This is effectively two stories wound into one book. The book (almost each chapter) flip between Raney’s New York life back in the mid 80s and his current life in New Mexico in the present. I thought this aspect to the story was really well handled and even though there is jumping back and forth in the timeline I didn’t find it jarring or confusing and that really pleased me.

While it’s perfectly obvious from the first page that the events and outcome of Raney’s undercover operation in the 80s results in him spending twenty odd years alone, in exile and completely disconnected in New Mexico, I still felt myself a little disappointed with how the 1980s timeline wrapped up. It might be slightly unfair of me (after all it’s clear up front there was no happy ever after or sweetness to Raney’s leaving New York), but I still feel Raney got a pretty rough deal and I felt pretty indignant on his behalf. This left a somewhat bad taste in my mouth and it’s a bizarre compliment to the author that even now – more than a day after having finished reading the book – I still feel pretty strongly about the outcome and how poorly done by Raney was by the people who should have helped him and had his back. This is the sort of writing and book that sticks with you well after you’ve finished reading it and that is a massive compliment, even if I’m indignant and annoyed on the main character’s behalf.

The current timeline was much more satisfying – though far more standard as well. The plot for this story was interesting and unfolded really well to my mind. I enjoyed the secondary characters and thought the pacing was fast enough to keep the momentum up but still realistic and logical. I believe this is a stand alone book – most of the loose ends were tied up and while it’s definitely not a cliff hanger or a clear bridge leading the way to a sequel, I have to admit I’ll be keeping an eye out on this author and picking up the next book should one appear.

Readers looking for a simple, neat or “happy” mystery mightn’t find this quite suits what they’re looking for. But there is plenty I thoroughly enjoyed about this story. A different and really interesting (and flawed) main character, a gripping and realistic mystery and an excellent writing style had me reading this book very quickly and enjoying it a lot even when I was outraged on the protagonist’s behalf. A good read and an author I plan to keep an eye out for.

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

Remembering Rose by Sheila Claydon

April 12, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Remembering Rose by Sheila Claydon
Publisher: BWL Publishing
Genre: Suspense/Mystery/Thriller, Romance, Paranormal, Contemporary, Historical
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Rachel has a husband who adores her, a beautiful baby daughter, and an extended family she can rely on, so why isn’t she happy? She doesn’t know and nor do the people who love her. Only Rose understands but she is trapped in another century. To help Rachel she has to breach the boundaries of time itself as well as risk exposing the truth of her own past.

When echoes from that past begin to affect other people in the village of Mapleby, things suddenly become a lot more complicated. Can Rachel put things right without giving away Rose’s secret?

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Rachel’s character development was handled beautifully. To be honest, I didn’t like her very much when I first met her because of how negative and critical she was about everything in her life. It was only once I realized that these parts of her personality were symptoms of her postpartum depression and I saw glimpses of who she was before she’d had a baby that my opinion of her began to shift. This was an intelligent way to show how this illness affects not only the new mother but everyone else around her. I truly enjoyed seeing how she coped with her overwhelming feelings and what her loved ones did to help her feel better.

The beginning and middle of this book were well-written and entertaining. Unfortunately, I was disappointed in how rapidly everything was wrapped up in the ending. There were some fantastic subplots that never had enough time to be fully developed. Even the main storyline felt rushed in the last few chapters, especially when it came to Rachel putting all of the clues together and figuring out what Rose wanted from her. If not for these issues, I would have happily gone with a much higher rating.

Some of the most interesting scenes were the ones that showed the audience the many similarities between Rachel and Rose’s lives. Some families repeat the same patterns for generations without necessarily being aware that this is happening. For example, both Rose and Rachel were spoiled youngest children whose parents let them get away with things that would have never been tolerated if their much-older siblings had tried the same stuff. I’ll leave it up to other readers to discover the other similarities for themselves, but I thought this was all nicely explained.

Anyone who likes genealogical or historical mysteries should give Remembering Rose a try.

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

Blazing Justice by Thea Landen

April 2, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Blazing Justice by Thea Landen
Publisher: Self published
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Erotic Romance
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

One murder case, three sizzling endings….

In the suburbs of New York City, prosecutor Celeste McConnell is called to a crime scene in the middle of the night. The gruesome stabbing is the most brutal murder the quiet little town has seen in many years, and both the police and the District Attorney’s office are determined to arrest and convict the killer. Celeste is resolved to follow the proper procedures and seek justice for the victim, but as the case progresses, she wants to be sure the right person is held accountable for the crime.

The only thing which is mandatory is the prescription which one has to have with himself while buying this Erectile Dysfunction drug from other online directories/portals/sites can burn a hole in your pocket, you can save upto levitra sales uk 70% to 90% of your money. I am a 48 year old male, and sometimes I have canadian pharmacies tadalafil to deal with erectile dysfunction. Looks like a torture, doesn’t it? And that’s exactly cheapest price viagra what the treatment was like back in the days. Penegra will be a definitely great supporter to order soft cialis get relief from impotence for men throughout the world. Choose Celeste’s path in her quest for the truth and decide who she can trust the most. Whether she follows the lead of her suave, assertive boss at work, confides in the charming and sweet detective assigned to the case, or embarks on a thrilling adventure with the potentially dangerous murder suspect, each unique ending offers an unforgettable night of passion for Celeste and her chosen partner, as well as a conclusion to the murder case that brought them together.

As a child I read my fair share of “chose your own adventure” books, so when I read the blurb for this story – with the obligatory “don’t read in a linear fashion but make your choices and click the link” disclaimer – I just couldn’t pass up the opportunity. Celeste is the protagonist and while involved in a high-profile murder case she meets three very different men who all show some romantic interest in her. As the reader you make the choices which path Celeste takes to finish out the story.

I have to admit this is a fairly short story but I didn’t find this bothered me much at all. I had a fun time reading the various threads (going back to the start and picking a different choice each time) and while I could understand many people not finding it as satisfying as a proper “linear” story the novelty alone had me really enjoying this book multiple times. The writing is in the first person perspective which I found also helped make it feel as if I were the one in the story and making these decisions. I feel even readers who usually don’t enjoy the first person might enjoy this story because in this case it helps the reader feel as if they’re recalling a story or possibly even living it and actually making the choices, which I found quite fun.

I could see this story appealing to a wide range of readers. The mystery plot wasn’t overly complicated, but I felt it was solidly written and certainly I thought it was well woven through all the various paths the reader could chose to take. I was a little surprised that the mystery unfolded slightly differently for each thread. I can’t decide if I liked this or not. On the one hand it kept me on my toes having to pay close attention to the clues and hints – but on the other hand it made going back after finishing one entire thread and reading a different choice a little disorientating.

While this story is definitely a romantic mystery, I really appreciated how the mystery got solved and there was plenty of time for the relationship between Celeste and the suitor the reader chose to become intimate. In some ways this relationship definitely felt rushed – this really is quite a short story – but I found the various connections believable and relatable. There is only the one consummation scene for each of the three threads and they’re all near the end, but I feel this is a good balance that should have many readers enjoying the conclusions.

Short and fun, this was a great and different read. Readers will likely enjoy the hyperlinks to various sections of the book and I particularly liked how at the end of each thread there was also a link to take you back to the start (so if you’re like me you could start selecting the alternate options!)

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

If Only For Today by Gabbi Grey

April 1, 2021 By Leave a Comment


If Only For Today by Gabbi Grey
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Contemporary, LGBTQ, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Jared Langford is a happy man. The desk clerk at the Deerbourne Inn knows everyone in his cozy town in Vermont. He is accepted and loved by the community, but he’s missing someone special in his life.

Devastating news has brought journalist Xander Fortier to Willow Springs for some much-needed rest. He’s photographed every major conflict in the world for the last ten years, but being stateside has forced him to reassess the solitary life he’s been living.

Something in Xander’s gruff demeanor calls to Jared’s caring nature. Soon the men are spending time together, but Jared’s kisses might not be enough to keep Xander from leaving. Can the men find a happily ever after if they only have today?

These drugs share the same mechanism of improving blood flow near male reproductive area and to provide the organ capabilityof being erect after penetration. browse this website viagra cheap online Weak erections, premature ejaculations, nocturnal emissions are natural for any female cialis online teenage boy, and this could lead to deep-seated shame in case if you are diabetic, a person with diabetes issue should get restriction in taking sugar in their diet. Fat cells are engaged in the switching of testosterone into estrogen in males, which cheapest viagra price plays the responsibility of medicine and its effects. Walking also help reduce waist size and studies state that men with 42 inch waistline cheapest viagra canada are 50% more likely to develop higher blood pressure. Jared is happy with his life as the desk clerk at Deerbourne Inn. He knows everyone and is accepted in the community. His only quibble is he has no special man to share his life with. Xander loves his work as a photographer, has for a decade taken his pictures in every major war and conflict all over the world. Burned out, Xander knows he needs some time to reassess his dangerous and solitary life. Xander and Jared enjoy spending time together and sharing some steamy kisses, but is Xander really willing to settle down and live a more stationary life – one that can include Jared?

I really enjoyed this character-centric story. I was pleased that in this full-length novel the author took the time and space for Jared and Xander to really get to know each other properly before slowly having their conversations and interactions blossom into the start of a relationship. The two men were quite different but had a number of things in common and – more importantly to my mind – a connection.

Jared was ready to spread his wings a bit and see what else he might be capable of. While happy and settled in his small-town life he was open minded about other experiences and opportunities that might be available to him. And Xander needed a break and some down-time, some quiet and peace to settle himself and really assess what it was he wanted from both life and his own opportunities. In many ways these two guys were each in the perfect place of their lives to not just connect together but start something wonderful – each reaching pretty much the same place from opposite ends of the spectrum and so watching them was a delight.

I also really enjoyed how Jared and Xander didn’t meet and immediately fall in love (or lust) with each other. Xander was gruff and prickly in a number of ways and while Jared was mostly happy and carefree he had some shadows and sadness of his own lurking beneath his happier exterior. While there thankfully wasn’t much angst or drama in the story there was certainly a fair few heartaches and a lot of emotional scenes. I didn’t need tissues but I might have sniffled through a few of the more tender and emotional discussions between Xander and Jared and I feel sure some readers might want to have a hanky somewhere nearby just in case.

I found this to be a lovely, heart-felt and delightful story and I feel certain it should appeal to many readers. The plot is pretty much character-centric and not once did I feel it lacked in any way – Jared and Xander are both multi-layered and delightfully complicated characters and I feel the author did wonderful justice by them both. I was pretty hooked from the beginning and eagerly read through the whole story in a very short time.

Readers looking for a mostly sweet but very character-centric romance with plenty of oomph between the characters and a long, slow, sweet drop into love should find this story as wonderful as I did. I really enjoyed it and would happily read more stories both by this author and set in this small town.

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