*Truly, Madly, Deeply by Erika Kelly

June 19, 2023 By Leave a Comment


*Truly, Madly, Deeply by Erika Kelly
Publisher: Self Published
Genre:, Contemporary, Romance
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Larkspur

What’s the worst thing that can happen to a single dad trying to avoid temptation? Crossing paths with the sexy runaway bride who’s looking to get as far away from her ex as possible.

When runaway bride Grace Giordano needs somewhere to regroup, groomsman Jaime Dupree offers her a guest house on his ranch. It’s no skin off his nose—she’s only in town a few days. Besides, between his daughter and his professional hockey team, he’s got his hands full. Surely, their paths won’t cross.

But when Grace gets the opportunity to run a food truck at the town’s annual music festival, she decides to stay all summer long. The singing baker’s a hit—at the festival and on the ranch.

Jaime might want to focus on his kid and his team, but the singing baker proves to be a mighty big distraction.

One he’s not sure he can resist.

Truly, Madly, Deeply is an emotional and heartwarming romance story about a broken man and a runaway bride who are unexpectedly brought together. I enjoyed reading Jamie and Grace’s story and thought they were perfect for each other. They are both on a journey of self-discovery and it was fun reading their story as they learn more about themselves and slowly fall in love. I really connected with them, and I wanted everything to work for these two, so they could find their HEA.

Jamie is a hockey team owner who loves everything about the game, including playing goalie. Although it looks like Jamie has everything, he is a broken man and when he meets Grace it shakes up his world.

Erika Kelly is one of my favorite authors because she knows how to write stories about tough alpha males who fall hard when they meet the right woman. In this story, Jamie fights to resist Grace but he just can’t help himself, he loves being with her. Grace isn’t intimidated by Jamie’s dour demeanor, and she isn’t afraid to give him her opinion, she is just what he needs.

Jamie and Grace deserve to be happy, and I was rooting for them throughout this story. I enjoyed reading this delightful story and I think you will too.

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

Magda, Standing by Christine Fallert Kessides

June 13, 2023 By Leave a Comment


Magda, Standing by Christine Fallert Kessides
Publisher: Bold Story Press
Genre: Young Adult (14 – 18 y.o.), Romance, Historical
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

When her father pulls her out of high school to care for her invalid mother and little brother, sixteen-year-old Magda is devastated—but the greater challenge is saving her family in the face of a war and pandemic.

In 1916, the world is at war, even if America has not yet joined the effort. But for Magda, the growing hostility her German immigrant family faces hits close to home. Despite her domestic obligations, Magda persists with her education, determined to find an independent role for herself. Faced with the mounting crises of the war and the Spanish flu, Magda seeks the knowledge and strength to try to protect those she loves most.

Standing up to a war and pandemic, traditions and expectations, Magda embarks on a journey of self-discovery and resilience that leads her back to embracing her family and caring for a wider community.

Courage comes in many different forms.

Some of the most memorable scenes were the ones that explored Magda’s personality and character development over the years. She could be quite stubborn at times, but there was always something admirable to be found in her optimistic attitude and determination to make a better life for herself. It was rewarding to see how she matured as she grew older and took note of the many experiences she had, from lighthearted moments with her talkative baby brother to heartbreaking ones that I’ll leave for other readers to discover for themselves.

This book included over sixty different characters. I struggled to keep up with who everyone was and how they were connected to each other even though I was deeply invested in what might happen to Magda and her family next. It would have been helpful to have a list of characters before the first chapter so I could refer to it when I needed a refresher on whether any two characters were relatives, friends, lovers, neighbours, or acquaintances. As much as I otherwise yearned to give this a full five-star rating, this was a stumbling block to do that.

Ms. Fallert Kessides had a smooth and beautiful writing style that made it hard for me to step away from the storyline. She knew exactly when to transition from describing characters to pushing the plot forward, and she kept me up late reading more than one night. Based on what a positive first experience I had with her work, I’m definitely going to be keeping an eye out for her future projects.

Magda, Standing was an engrossing read.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , ,

Lights of Love by Morgan Malone

June 12, 2023 By Leave a Comment


Lights of Love by Morgan Malone
A Dickens Holiday Romance (Book 14)
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Romance, Holiday, Contemporary
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Saul Rosen has quite a reputation in Dickens. He has only recently become a full-time resident after decades of drifting into town for a skiing vacation, some summer cultural event, or to celebrate the Jewish Holidays at Congregation Etz Chaim. Saul is known as a supporter of local businesses, due largely to the years-long restoration of his vast country property. His frequent travels abroad have given him the world-weary air of international intrigue. His silver hair and bright blue eyes cause hearts to flutter. And he’s a bachelor.

Yehudit Eberhardt is also a recent full-time resident of Dickens. Mystery surrounds her, too. After decades living in New York City and Boston, her voice still carries the slightest trace of Europe. Her quiet elegance graces the halls and sanctuary of Etz Chaim, her laugh echoes in Morty’s Deli and her serene smile greets all she meets throughout the friendly town. Living high above the lights of Dickens in her exclusive condominium, Judy—as she is known to friends—seems to have a perfect life. But, as a recent widow, she lives alone, except for her beloved daughter’s frequent visits from Chicago.

Winter has come to Dickens and its famous Christmas spirit is on full display. Judy and Saul are thrown together as the Jewish community of Dickens prepares for Hanukkah. Judy is certain the spark she feels whenever she is near Saul is due to the static electricity of winter woolens. But Saul recognizes the currents of attraction and is drawn to her. Will these two solitary souls be able to ignore the shared losses that draw them together or will the gentle candles of the Hanukkah menorah light the love in their hearts?

A second chance at a forever love.

I love stories with older characters. Love doesn’t just happen for the under thirty crowd. This book was a great example of love after fifty and I loved it. I also loved that this story features Jewish characters and welcomed me into a world I wasn’t expecting. I didn’t know what rites took place during Hanukkah and this book let me in on those. The writing is fantastic and I felt like I was right there with the characters. I got emotionally involved with them, too. I wanted more from this story because I wasn’t ready to let Judy and Saul go. I love the sense of family in the story, too.

This book features love, loss and moving forward. It’s a delightful holiday read and features a cute romance with older characters. I recommend this for your holiday reading list. It’s fresh, it’s fun and it’s super cozy.

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

Back in Time with Jelly Beans by Michelle Godard-Richer

June 12, 2023 By 2 Comments


Back in Time with Jelly Beans by Michelle Godard-Richer
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Romance, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Contemporary, Historical
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Fueled by curiosity, and her dream of becoming a big-time journalist, Bella Thomas digs deep into the history of her small town. Mayflower thrived until the local Jelly Bean factory burned to the ground in 1927, killing handsome founder, Henry Hinchcliffe, and devastating the economy.

In a twist of fate, instead of Bella finding the past, she’s snatched out of the present and transported to the factory a year before the fire. There she is rescued by the sweet and swoon-worthy Henry.

Bella can’t stop herself from falling for him even though he’s destined to marry another and suffer a tragic fate. Without any regard for her own happiness, Bella is determined to prevent the fire and save Henry. Even if he can never be hers.

Love always finds a way.

The romantic storyline was a sweet and gentle one. The chemistry between Bella and Henry was perfect. Their personalities fit together nicely, and I appreciated the way they slowly moved closer together while continuing to check in on each other to make sure they were both on the same page. I couldn’t think of a better match for either of them, and I eagerly kept reading to find out what might happen to them next.

Time travel wasn’t well explained in this universe. I never quite figured out how it worked and why some characters could do it while others could not. It would have been helpful to know more about this topic, and I would have happily gone for a full five-star rating if the author had fleshed this out a little more.

I adored the kindness in this novella. Time travel can be risky, especially for characters like Bella who suddenly end up almost a century in the past without much knowledge of the social conventions of the 1920s or any appropriate clothing for it. I worried a little about her at first and was delighted to see how welcoming the people she met back then were. They immediately accepted her and did everything they could to make her feel at home. This was such a heartwarming way to transition Bella and the audience to life back then.

Back in Time with Jelly Beans was beautifully romantic.

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

Seven Tales From King Arthur’s Court by John Erskine, Albert Seligman (editor)

June 5, 2023 By 1 Comment


Seven Tales From King Arthur’s Court by John Erskine, Albert Seligman (editor)
Publisher: Markosia Enterprises Ltd.
Genre: Young Adult (14 – 18 y.o.), Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Romance, Action/Adventure, Historical
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Voted BoM by LASR Readers 2013 copy

These “Seven Tales” were published in 1940 in The American Weekly Sunday magazine and have never been seen since. They showcase watercolors by English artist Edmund Dulac, who was one of the Golden Age illustrators. The texts were written by noted American author and musician John Erskine.

Chivalry never goes out of fashion.

The first half of this book included background information on the social history of King Arthur, a short explanation of how fantasy writing styles have changed over the last eighty years, and some brief biographies of the people who were involved in the original publication of these adventures. I was impressed by how much effort the author put into this section and grateful to have it. These details brought so much depth to what came after them, and they made certain scenes stand out to me as a reader in ways that I might not have fully understood if I hadn’t been made aware of certain facts ahead of time. While it wasn’t the only reason why I chose a full five-star rating, it was definitely a contributing factor.

Accolon stole King Arthur’s famous sword, the ‘Excalibur,’ in “The Tale of The Enchantress and the Magic Scabbard.” How that theft took place is best left for others to find out for themselves, but I was fascinated by Accolon’s gumption and King Arthur’s reaction when he realized that the sword in his scabbard wasn’t the one he usually used. This was an exciting adventure that made me wish to keep reading it.

None of the other King Arthur tales I’ve ever read were about the blood of Christ, so I was intrigued by the premise of “The Tale of Sir Galahad and his Quest for the Sangreal.” I liked the way the narrator plainly shared what happened to Galahad on his quest without leaping into the emotions of those moments no matter how much danger the characters might be in. It was quite unlike anything I’ve written from contemporary authors, and it often made me pause to reread certain sentences again.

After an uninvited guest was kidnapped during a dinner at the round table, Pellinore went to save her in “The Tale of Merlin and One of the Ladies of the Lake.” Merlin’s involvement in all of this is something that new readers should discover for themselves. I found it delightfully surprising and smiled at every plot twist along the way. The creative final scene fit the theme perfectly, and I only wish I could go into detail about it without giving away spoilers. What I can say is that it was a humorous way to end things.

Seven Tales From King Arthur’s Court was a thrilling read from beginning to end.

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

* The Duchess Takes a Husband by Harper St. George

June 2, 2023 By Leave a Comment


*The Duchess Takes a Husband by Harper St. George
Publisher: Berkley Publishing Group
Genre: Historical, Romance
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Larkspur

Despite her illustrious title, Camille, Duchess of Hereford, remains what she has always been—a pariah. Though her title means she’s technically accepted by London Society, the rebellious widow with her burgeoning interest in the suffrage movement and her American ways isn’t exactly high on every hostess’s guest list. But Camille starts to wonder if being an outcast is not without its perks when the tantalizing answer to her secret fear appears in the shape of Jacob Thorne, the illegitimate son of an earl and co-owner of London’s infamous Montague Club.

Jacob is used to making deals with his club members—he’s just not accustomed to them being beautiful women. Nor have the terms ever been so sweetly seductive as Camille’s shocking proposition. To finally buy his own club and gain the crucial backing of investors, Camille offers Jacob the respectability of a fake engagement with a duchess. In return, the tempting widow has one condition: she wants Jacob to show her if it’s possible for her to experience pleasure in bed.

The lure of such a bargain proves too delicious to resist, drawing the enterprising rogue and the wallflower duchess into a scandalous game and an even more dangerous gamble of the heart.

The Duchess Takes A Husband is an enchanting historical romance that held me spellbound from start to finish. Harper St. James knows how to paint a picture and she did a wonderful job telling Jacob and Camille’s story. The writing is realistic and made me feel like I was right there. The characters are interesting and unique as they yearn for each other in this slow burn romance. They have tons of chemistry and I loved reading their story and also enjoyed all the entertaining secondary characters. I knew what the two main characters were thinking because the author gives us both of their points of view throughout the story.

This story takes place as the suffragette movement is just starting. Women are so constrained, they are either under the thumb of their parents, or the man they marry. The reader is taken back in time to the beginning of the movement, and we are shown how hard women worked to gain their freedom in a male dominated world.

Camille has been told what to do her entire life and she never realized she had choices. As she learns about the suffragette movement her eyes are opened to the possibilities a woman can have. Jacob is wonderful and understanding and just the type of man Camille needs in her life.

This story has engaging characters and a good plot line. I immediately liked Jacob and Camille and thought they were perfect for each other. I thoroughly enjoyed this story, and I am sure you will too.

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

Fresh Water for Flowers by Valérie Perrin

May 30, 2023 By Leave a Comment


Fresh Water for Flowers by Valérie Perrin
Publisher: Europa Editions
Genre: Romance, Women’s Fiction, Literary Fiction
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Lavender

Violette Toussaint is the caretaker at a cemetery in a small town in Bourgogne, France. Traversing the grounds by unicycle, tending to her many gardens—and being present for the intimate, often humorous confidences of visitors—Violette’s life follows the predictable rhythms of mourning. But then Violette’s routine is disrupted by the arrival of Julien Sole, the local police chief.

Julien has come to scatter the ashes of his recently deceased mother on the gravesite of a complete stranger. It soon becomes clear that Julien’s inexplicable gesture is intertwined with Violette’s own complicated past.

What would it be like to be a young caretaker of a cemetery? What would you learn and experience from this? Violette often ponders the lives of the dead as she looks at their birth and death dates. She has her own issues to deal with as well. She wants to be happy. She is deserted by her husband and loves her daughter; then tragedy hits.

The years roll on as Violette describes her life, her loves, family, friends, and the search for answers. Her narration and insights are written as if a friend were speaking in an elegant way, but she makes many lists throughout the story. Her thoughts and observations offer readers a lot to think about and touch upon many emotions.

The book is layered and complex and crosses time and characters’ perspectives. It starts with Violette appreciating the good she could find in things around her, but the book takes a turn into more serious territory.

It is an intelligent story with cleverness abounding. Turns of action and discoveries will take readers by surprise. The mood is enveloping, and one will be treated to French culture along the way. Why not check out this character-driven tale of a woman with unusual life circumstances and be entertained while being given plenty to think about?

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

Racing Through the Snow by Gracie Guy

May 17, 2023 By Leave a Comment


Racing Through the Snow by Gracie Guy
A Dickens Holiday Romance, Book 13
Publisher: Summer’s Gift Publishing
Genre: Holiday, Contemporary, Romance
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Dane Rutger, a life-time Manhattanite, spent summers as a teenager in Dickens. Memories of those idyllic days propelled him to return to that special town for a stress- free holiday. After a soul-sucking, COVID lockdown, induced divorce and overwhelming professional volatility, Dane desperately needs a break and decides to try something he hasn’t done in years, riding lessons at Creekside Riding Academy.

Mari Lincoln, a Dickens home-town girl, left at eighteen to ride showjumpers for a living. After the heart-breaking death of her husband and the slow destruction of her career, she returns to take over the floundering Creekside Riding Academy. When she walks into the barn for the first time in many years, the first person she sees is her summer crush, Dane Rutger. Little does she know Dane had always had a soft spot for her.

Fighting the signs of their rekindled attraction, Mari and Dane team up to plan the first ever Christmas Derby to raise money for the Dickens Community Center. Success could be three-fold; the community center gets funds needed for after school programs, it might just save her family’s stable and maybe, she’ll even get a second chance at love.

Racing, horses, Christmas and romance. What’s not to love about this book?

I picked this book up because I love the work of Gracie Guy. The writing plucks along at a great clip and the characters are inviting. I couldn’t put it down. Not a bit. I don’t know the first thing about horses or racing or riding, but I didn’t feel lost when reading this story. I felt like I was right there with the characters.

The romance is great, too. I liked the chemistry between Mari and Dane. They’ve always been a little in love with each other but coming home and coming clean is best. I liked the way the town rallied around them, too. This felt a lot like a Hallmark story, and it was so fulfilling. I’m glad I read it. In fact, I went looking for more Gracie Guy and more from this series.

If you like a sweet romance set at Christmas with horses and fun, then this is the book for you. Highly recommended.

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

The Secrets She Learns by Jacqueline Diamond

May 16, 2023 By Leave a Comment


The Secrets She Learns by Jacqueline Diamond
(Sisters, Lovers & Second Chances Book 4)
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Romance, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Shocking secrets, unexpected love, a cold-case mystery—and a nosy beagle!

At the age of 50, nurse Anni discovers she has two half sisters, both of whom were hurt by a con man who has disappeared. Determined to bring her new family together and unravel the past, she hires a handsome P.I., and gets more than she bargained for. That includes his newly adopted dog, who isn’t shy about fostering a romance or digging up evidence.

Former police detective Jon, now in business for himself, is frustrated by the one who got away, a swindler who tricked folks including Jon’s own mother out of their savings. His new neighbor, appealingly warm-spirited Anni, is more than the perfect client. She’s also a woman who sends the barriers around his heart crashing to the ground.

It’s never too late to make things right again.

The dialogue was realistic and well done. It made sense to me to see the many similarities in speech between the characters since so many of them had grown up in the same community and never left it. Little details like that are part of the reason why I look forward to seeing what Ms. Diamond has come up with next. When added together, they have such a positive influence not only on character development but also on the reading experience.

I was intrigued by the mystery storyline in this tale, so it was a little disappointing to see how much space was actually dedicated to it. While I understand that this series is a romance first and foremost, there was so much more the author could have done with the mystery the audience was introduced to. I would have gone with a higher rating if she gave it a better opportunity to shine.

Just like in any small town, everyone was connected to each other in all sorts of different ways. I once again enjoyed figuring out what those connections were and what the characters really thought of each other. One of the benefits of growing up in such a small place is that many people have known each other since childhood and have a lifetime of memories, both positive and negative, to draw upon when running into friends, relatives, enemies, and exes while out and about in town. Ms. Diamond always does a good job of including these sorts of complicated webs of relationships in her stories that both push the plot forward and explore how complicated and political small town life can be.

This is the fourth book in a series. While it technically can be read as a standalone work, keeping track of the large cast of characters will be easier for readers who have read everything in order so far.

The Secrets She Learns was an interesting mixture of themes and genres.

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

In Darkness: The Shark by L. Diane Wolfe

May 9, 2023 By Leave a Comment


In Darkness: The Shark by L. Diane Wolfe
In Darkness series
Publisher: Dancing Lemur Press, L.L.C.
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Paranormal
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

Souls shrouded in darkness…

Focused on her studies and duties at the aquarium, Jewels prefers her solitary life. Burned many times and short on trust, she has more in common with her aquatic friends than the people around her. But she never imagined coming face to face with a shark named Clarence…a shark who talks!

As their friendship grows, Jewels must overcome her deep set mistrust. There are dangers, both in the Australian ocean and on dry land. Can Jewels depend on the great white or will his animal nature betray her?

This was a surprising read. I didn’t know what to expect but having a shark for a friend certainly got my attention. The length might be a novella, but it packs a powerful punch when it comes to the storytelling.

I’ll be truthful, there was a moment during the net scene where I thought all my worst tropes and cliches were about to come true and I was stressed and sad. The story was so different and interesting, cute and fun and I really didn’t want it to go in that direction. Well, it sort of did yet didn’t. It followed the science to some degree, and yes, human nature did get in the way as I knew it would. However, compassionate minds prevailed, and the sought-for solution was achieved, yet the consequences couldn’t be prevented. All that to say, my emotions were engaged, I cared and totally was into the groove of the whole story in all its ups and downs.

Now, here is the weird part. It really is a romance story but it’s highly unconventional. It’s sweet and endearing and, I realized when I was almost done with the book, that love really was growing between Clarence and Jewels. It happened through trust and communication. When those two things are all you have, it builds a foundation not distracted by physical attraction, social conventions and shallow presentation. It’s pure and honest. And that’s what the crux of the plot conflict was. Jewels has been hurt so much in her young life that she doesn’t trust anyone – anyone human that is. Clarence has to earn her trust. I mean, he IS a great white shark, and we all know about the movie JAWS and how that story affected people across the world – fear and terror. Now do you see why I found the premise of this book so incredibly fascinating? Add in that it’s a romance and my curiosity got the better of me. I had to find out how this would work. Enter the paranormal aspect. It arrives in a gentle manner. There’s no explanation of how things came to be, they just are. It’s up to a reader to decide what power might have been responsible for it but the end result is just beautiful. It’s happy and it made me happy.

The Shark is unusual fun, a unique adventure of friendship, and proof that love can grow when you have the basics – trust, communication, the ability to learn and have fun, and the willingness to go out on a limb for the one you love. I definitely recommend this story.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , ,
« Previous Page
Next Page »