Just an Ordinary Love Story by Jane Colt

December 20, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Just an Ordinary Love Story by Jane Colt
Publisher: Changeling Press
Genre: Erotic Romance, Contemporary, LGBTQ
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

How likely is it that studious coed Melissa will fall for Richard — former campus jerk and serial womanizer — who’s trying to mend his ways and win her heart? Not very, since, having made it to the “friend zone,” he’s afraid to tell her how he feels. It’s even less likely because Richard doesn’t know Melissa’s already married to her childhood sweetheart, Sam — who’s really Samantha.

However… it’s not impossible. Melissa is bisexual, she’s developing feelings for Richard, and her wife is supportive of her quest to discover what her bisexuality means. What does HEA look like for a loving, blended trio?

Redemption and heat.

I’ve not read a Jane Colt book in a while, but I’m glad I got back to this author. The story is both simple and complex. The writing is done well, and I was captivated throughout.

Melissa thought life went one way, then she found out it’s more complicated than she realizes. That’s okay. That’s life. That’s what makes her relatable. She’s married to Sam, aka Samantha. I liked that they’re devoted to each other and support each other. Richard is a bit of a quirk because he’s had to readjust his life. He thought he wanted one thing and now he’s realizing he wants something else. It’s a relatable story because these people are finding out that life is more complicated than originally considered. Plus, there is a lot of heat. I loved it.

If you’re looking for a short story that’s complicated and fun, then this might be the one you’re looking for. Give it a shot.

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

Dark Surrender by Morgan Welsh

December 19, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Dark Surrender by Morgan Welsh
Book 1 in the Vampire’s Call Series
Publisher: Totally Entwined
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, Paranormal, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Olivia Hargreaves had often fantasized about the man of her dreams. Little did she know he actually existed—and that he was a vampire.

Following a bad break-up and the need for a fresh start in her life, Olivia Hargreaves has moved from London to the US East Coast to be with her best friend. Now she has finally met the man of her dreams—literally.

Gabriel Langston, a vampire with the ability to get into the minds of humans has been entering her head and showing her the time of her life. When he turns up at the local bar she frequents, she is sure she must be losing it. Wealthy, powerful, commanding and impossibly handsome, Gabriel is different to any man she has ever known and there is no way she can resist the attraction.

And there is no way he will let her.

Dark, full of desire and wonderful.

I like a story I can, er…sink my teeth into. This is one of those stories. It’s long enough that it’s well developed, but short enough for a chilly night. The writing zipped along well, and I couldn’t get enough.

I liked Olivia because she’s every woman. She’s been through a rough time and wants things to level off. Then there are her dreams. Wooo doggie. Hot stuff. I loved when she’d see him that way. It made her relatable, in an odd way, because who hasn’t had dreams about a hot guy?

Gabriel is interesting because he’s a vampire and he’s devoted to her, but he’s also the dark, desirable package that’s rather standard in romance. It works and I like how the author used him.

If you’re looking for a hot read for a chilly night, then I suggest this one.

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

Heads Or Tails by Damien Boyd

December 19, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Heads Or Tails by Damien Boyd
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

A man has been mutilated and left to drown on the incoming tide, handcuffed in his van. With the murder bearing a striking resemblance to a string of sadistic killings carried out with surgical precision in 1990s gangland Manchester, it can mean only one thing: the killer is back.

Transferred to the Major Investigation Team, DI Nick Dixon is assigned a new partner and sent to Manchester. Meanwhile, the gruesome murders in Somerset continue.

Convinced of a connection with the unsolved gangland killings, and with the odds stacked against him, Dixon takes the ultimate gamble, determined to bring the killer to justice before it’s too late.

But is it the same killer? If so, why has he resurfaced now? And how many more must die?

DI Nick Dixon is transferred temporarily over to the Major Investigations Team when a mutilated man is left to drown inside his van, handcuffed as the tide comes in. The case has eerie similarities to a spate of murders carried out back in the 1990s. When another murder quickly follows Nick needs to uncover what’s really going on before more people die.

I enjoyed this British police procedural story. While Nick still had some support from his regular police team and the usual characters in this series, I strongly feel this book can be picked up and read by itself. Many of the usual characters are in the background and the murder plotline is definitely well contained in this story. Readers who have no prior knowledge of the other characters can easily follow along I feel and there’s none of that usual weight of history and previous ties or cases here. This would be a good story to read to discover if you like the author’s style and tone and then decide if you wanted to go back to the beginning of the series and join along.

I also really thought the plot was well handled. There were a few red herrings and enough threads to keep my interest and I didn’t guess what was going on too early in the book. Even when I (and the characters) began to piece together what was happening there were still enough questions and tension to maintain my interest and I thoroughly enjoyed the book in its entirety. This is certainly more of a police procedural style of story – not an action/adventure book that’s just go-go-go, but I greatly enjoyed the mystery and putting the pieces together.

Readers who enjoy a more classic who-dun-it style of mystery should find this an excellent book that is easily picked up and well worth a try.

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

Mac of All Trades by Aurora Russell

December 16, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Mac of All Trades by Aurora Russell
Minne-sorta Falling in Love, book 2
Publisher: Totally Entwined
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

She thinks she might be losing her mind…but she knows she’s losing her heart.

Poised. Elegant. Lovely. The local press loves to write glowing stories about Lana Fitzhugh, the youngest sibling and only sister of the famous Minnesota Fitzhugh family. But Lana’s past holds secrets, pain and shame…so much that she’s unworthy of a relationship with any good man, especially her brother Fitz’s close friend Mac. Keeping her distance from him is the right thing to do, so why can’t she stop thinking about him?

Finally settling into his first new job after long months of recovery from a severe injury, when Joe ‘Mac’ MacKenzie meets Lana Fitzhugh, the former Navy pilot thinks things might finally be looking up for him. His friend’s little sister is gorgeous, kind and makes his heart and body come alive again. But after they share an explosive embrace, she pushes him away so hard he’s still reeling.

When tragedy plunges Lana into the unexpected role of guardian to a preschooler, odd coincidences begin to happen…and grow increasingly more sinister. As Lana begins to fear that she herself might be the source of the danger, Mac doesn’t hesitate to return to help her. The only thing better than the joy they discover as a makeshift family is the passion they find in each other’s arms, but the unknown menace still grows closer every day. Will they be able to move beyond the past to grab for a future together?

Two people better together.

I love a good story featuring characters that belong together. This is one of those stories. Aurora Russell always writes captivating characters and this pair was no different. I couldn’t put the book down and had to know what would happen next. I haven’t read the first book in this series, but I didn’t feel like I’d missed anything.

I liked that Lana feels human–meaning she thinks she’s got flaws. She can sometimes be a bit over the top about that, but it’s relatable. She feels her past isn’t what it could be. I liked that she was normal (as normal as can be). I also liked Mac. He’s so devoted and he’s the quintessential romance hero. He steps in when he needs to and he gives her space to do her thing. I liked their interplay together.

This was a whirlwind feeling book, with lots of stuff going on, but it’s good stuff. I won’t give away spoilers, but it’s a great ride.

If you’re looking for a hot read with a twist of suspense and a preschooler, then this is the book for you.

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

On Common Ground by Mina Jane Madeley

December 15, 2022 By Leave a Comment


On Common Ground by Mina Jane Madeley
Publisher: Totally Entwined
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

He’s thin-skinned and stubborn… But she won’t get kicked out without a fight!

After six years in Paris, thirty-four-year-old investment banker Adrian Hensley returns to San Francisco, engagement broken and ego wounded. His hope for some peaceful solitude is shattered when he finds a stranger subletting his home without his knowledge. The pretty brunette would be the embodiment of his sexy secretary fantasy, if it weren’t for her feisty temper and her tendency to get him worked up…in more ways than one.

Eva Duncan, a legal secretary with a knack for finance, makes a point of remaining independent. No man will ever decide her fate—not again. When Adrian comes barging into her quiet life, old childhood wounds reopen, and she won’t get kicked out of her home. At least, not without a fight. Yet, standing her ground proves to be tricky for Eva in front of a handsome, too-often-half-naked Adrian.

Between her tenacity and his arrogant façade, Eva and Adrian jump from one misunderstanding to the next, making their forced cohabitation as explosive as their attraction. How long will it take for them to learn that the “right decisions” are not always those which lead to happiness?

Two opposites who shouldn’t attract sure do!

I like enemies to lovers books and this one initially ticked the boxes for me. It’s cute, there’s a misunderstanding and the writing is good. I mean, I flew through the book. It was fun. Adrian has some serious issues and Eva is well…Eva. They shouldn’t work, but I liked when they did.

There were moments when this book fell a bit flat for me. The pacing was a tad fast and at times came across as almost hard to believe. Adrian’s anger was a tad much, too. I get that he’s been through the wringer, but I wanted to see a little more reason why he flew off the handle that much or at least grovel more afterward.

Still, it’s a cute book and the connection is certainly deep. If you’re looking for a cute book with a romantic twist, then this might be the one for you.

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

The Sound Of It by Alison Jean Lester

December 15, 2022 By Leave a Comment


The Sound Of It by Alison Jean Lester
Publisher: Bench Press
Genre: Contemporary, Fiction
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

When Su, a divorced mother of one daughter, falls in love with Jeremy, a widowed father of two sons, they want to build a life together, but neither of their houses in Worcester is big enough for a family of five. They decide to build a dream house in farmland outside the city, in which to live happily ever after. For sound designer Su, it’s an opportunity to create an embracing home and heal past wounds of betrayal and loss, while failed entrepreneur Jeremy sees a chance to impress his overbearing father.

But what happens when hidden financial misjudgments cloud the horizon? What happens when some family ties grow strong and others don’t grow at all?

The Sound of It looks at parenting and at step-parenting, when expectations are high, dreams are big, and the Internet is very dangerous.

Dreaming is easier than making a dream come true.

The subplots about social media and Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response videos made this feel like a modern and fresh read. I’ve never read a book that included a character who knew about ASMR before, and was curious to see how it would be covered here. Their reaction to social media and ASMR told me a lot about that individual’s personality and added an additional layer of conflict that kept me reading.

Su and Jeremy repeatedly made rash decisions that left me shaking my head. They struggled to predict logical consequences for their actions or to verify things they were told that sounded too good to be true. I found myself wishing that these character flaws had been explained better. Did both of them have mental or physical health conditions that affected their cognitive abilities and short-term memories? Was there some other explanation for their illogical behavior? How did the author expect her readers to react to these scenes? These would have all been excellent themes to explore in depth and I would have happily gone with a higher rating if that had happened. As it was, though, I found myself shaking my head at their poor decision-making skills even though I otherwise liked them as individuals.

I enjoyed seeing how the relationships in this novel evolved in general. It takes work to blend two families together, and the process won’t always necessarily be a smooth one. The relationships between Su, Jeremy, her daughter, and his sons were probed from every possible angle. It was interesting to compare how the relationships between individual stepparents, stepchildren, biological parents, and biological siblings varied not only between individuals but also over time as they all got to know each other better.

The Sound Of It was a thought-provoking read.

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

Faces in a Window by Oliver C. Seneca

December 14, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Faces in a Window by Oliver C. Seneca
Publisher: Sunbury Press
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Paranormal, Romance, Contemporary, Historical
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Every school has a secret.

After two beloved teachers pass away at St. Stephen’s Middle School, it’s up to Ian Evans & Michelle Thompson to fill their shoes.

But their eager anticipation soon turns to terror.

They are plagued with unexplainable nightmares and horrific visions: Students who aren’t really there; the school catching fire; scenes of their own deaths playing out before them.

Uncovering what it all means could cost them their jobs, or their lives. With each other’s determination to find the truth of the school’s past, and with the help of an old janitor, Ian and Michelle must risk it all to save more than just their souls.

Resting in peace isn’t always an option.

It took a while for the horror elements of the storyline to fully make their presence known, but it was well worth the wait. There’s definitely something to be said for giving readers tantalizing hints of what’s really going on without sharing everything right away, especially when the characters have excellent reasons for holding back some information from the newcomers.

The plot development was slow and uneven. There was plenty of thrilling material to work with here, but so much time passed between exciting moments that I struggled to remain interested in the storyline. This is something I’m confessing as a reader who was originally thrilled to pick this up and loves paranormal horror in general. The setting itself was delightfully scary. I simply needed more frightening moments and revelations about what was going on at this spooky school to justify giving it a higher rating.

I enjoyed the world building, especially when it came to how long it took the main character to discover anything substantial about the tragedy at St. Stephen’s Middle School that later generations had worked so hard to cover up. The hints about it were enough to keep my interest piqued, and it made a lot of sense to me that the surrounding community would have been so reluctant to share certain painful details about that day with newcomers.

Faces in a Window made me shudder.

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

Little Yellow Bus by Erin Guendelsberger

December 13, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Little Yellow Bus by Erin Guendelsberger
Publisher: Sourcebooks Wonderland
Genre: Children’s (0 – 6 y.o.), Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Ride along in this heartwarming picture book about bravery and facing your fears, a wonderful Christmas gift!

The Little Yellow Bus had prepared for this day for a long time and how great it would be to pick up children and drive them to their school building―all by himself! Yellow wanted to feel excited, but instead, he was filled with first day worries. With a little help and encouragement from Mom and Dad, Little Yellow takes a deep breath, starts his engine, and decides that it’s time to prove to himself that he can be brave.

Little Yellow Bus is the heartwarming reminder that sometimes even the days when we are scared and anxious can become the most wonderful adventure, if we only believe in ourselves. Filled with beautiful full-color illustrations and an inspiring message for kids, this timeless story about courage is one you will want to come back to again and again.

Worrying doesn’t solve anything, but that doesn’t make it any easier to stop doing.

Even though the word anxiety was never used, this was such a detailed and accurate description of that condition. I found myself nodding along as Yellow described all of his symptoms and explained to the readers why he was so afraid to begin driving children to school. His fears were all realistic ones which made his predicament even more relatable.

I did find myself wishing that Yellow’s parents had been more supportive of him when he shared his fears with them. They were quick to tell him that everything was going to be okay without listening to the unspoken messages he was trying to share with them. This is still something I’d read to the little ones in my life, but I’d do so after talking to them about how anxiety can warp the way you think and how I’d always be there for them to help them tangle out legitimate concerns from ones that might be a little overblown.

With that being said, this was still a heartwarming look at a common mental health problem. I appreciated its good intentions and enjoyed the fact that Yellow’s first day as a school bus was nothing like what he worried it might be. The message in it is a timeless one that works for all age groups.

Little Yellow Bus was a thought-provoking read.

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

Crash And Burn by John Carson

December 12, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Crash And Burn by John Carson
Publisher: Vellum
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Fern

They left him for dead. They made a mistake.

On sabbatical from the force after a personal loss, DCI Harry McNeil spends his days renovating an old cottage he bought, and his nights down at the local bar. He’s living in a small town where nothing much happens. Until it does.

Harry meets a young woman who is searching for her brother who went missing in the area two years ago. He is special needs and she’s convinced he wouldn’t just run off.

Meanwhile, over a hundred miles away, a body is pulled from Loch Lomond, badly decomposed. In his pocket is the name of the missing man.

When the corpse is identified, it throws the missing man’s case in a new light.

Harry gets embroiled in the search and before long, his own life is put in danger.

A killer is on the loose and now he’s back in the town where Harry thought he was going to get peace, but he’s going to get much more than that…

After the recent upheaval and struggling with his grief, Harry McNeil is on an extended sabbatical and renovating a cottage he purchased. In the small town, nothing much happens, until one night Harry stumbles on a young woman who is searching for her missing brother. A seemingly easy favour quickly grows into something far larger and soon Harry is back doing what he does best – investigating.

On the surface this is an easy to follow mystery/suspense story with a number of excellent characters and plenty of Scottish flavour. I have to admit though – much of my patience and interest for the first quarter or so of the book is catching up with Harry himself and learning how he is coping with the recent death of someone very important to him and the ramifications from that loss. Readers who haven’t read the previous few books might feel the start of this book is a little slow and equally they might not understand the importance of this catching up in the start of the story. While I do feel readers who are new to this series will still enjoy the book, I think it will have far more weight and importance to those who – like me – want to catch up on how Harry is dealing with things.

That said, once the investigation gets underway the pace moves a little faster and the case certainly gets more interesting with a few twists and turns that I didn’t see coming. I feel this strong police procedural mystery really gets going and readers will find themselves as hooked as I was. A number of the series favourites are showcased here – though there are a few exceptions – and overall, I feel this is an excellent quick mystery novel. Harry is away from his home ground and not working in an official capacity as he struggles with his grief and coming to terms with the new settings in his life, all of which I find completely understandable.

Readers who have been following along this series should enjoy this mystery and the update to how Harry is progressing, and I equally feel this is a good read for those new to Harry McNeil as a whole. While knowing the background to a number of the secondary characters and Harry’s recent problems might make this story more emotionally compelling this will give new readers a really good taste for Harry’s world and Carson’s writing style, and I feel is a good place to see if this is a series they’d enjoy. Recommended.

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

Cold Sanctuary by David J Gatward

December 7, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Cold Sanctuary by David J Gatward
Publisher: Weirdstone Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Fern

A tragic farm accident… or so it seems. Can this former big-city detective defeat the human monsters lurking in the Yorkshire Dales?

DCI Harry Grimm’s happy emotions are confusing the hell out of him. Enjoying the company of his new girlfriend and furry black dog, the usually gruff detective finds himself feeling genuinely content for the first time in a very long while. But it’s soon back to business as usual when the idyllic countryside is rocked by the demise of a popular farmer in a horrific hay-baler accident.

After the coroner rules the mangled remains a homicide, Grimm sends his team out to follow clues that provoke more questions than answers. And as his officers drop like flies, the victim’s adopted son vanishes, and suspicious threats emerge, the justice-driven investigator vows he’ll restore peace and slam another killer behind bars.

Can he shed light on the darkest of sins before more lives are lost in the hills?

DCI Harry Grimm is called out to a local farm in what at first glance appears to be a farming accident gone horribly wrong. But the evidence quickly points to something far more sinister. The situation grows more complicated as tragedy strikes one of DCI Grimm’s own team members and all too soon, they realise the tensions boiling under the surface of their idyllic home are about to burst.

I’ve been really enjoying the DCI Harry Grimm series and found this to be one of the strongest additions yet. I feel Harry himself has really settled into both the countryside and his role leading the local police team. I love how tight knit the small team is and how the characters work so well together but each with their own distinct personalities. I also really enjoy how even though this is set well into the dales and countryside the problems and crime are both realistic but also utterly relatable. This is an exceptional blend I feel and really helps sell me on the series as a whole.

I also really enjoyed how while the plot was fairly straightforward from the start there were still a number of twists I didn’t foresee but the pace kept along at a good clip so at no stage did I feel the story was dragging. While the two main plots/cases did take up the lion’s share of the story I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the team work together and continue to grow. After the last few books – where there has been a lot of character growth in particular – it was nice for this to take somewhat of a back seat and the police procedure to once again come more to the forefront.

Readers should easily be able to pick this book up as a standalone story. The plots are well contained in this story and while the characters are a solid team and clearly have history together, I feel this doesn’t mean readers can’t pick this book up by itself and enjoy it on its own merits.

A strong mystery with interesting characters and a well woven plot. Recommended.

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