In this grumpy-sunshine romance, school nurse Josie and her brother’s best friend—hockey player Wyatt Jacobs—are tricked into spending a summer together that’s anything but smooth sailing.
When Josie’s brother sends her to a random address for their (sometimes) annual Super Summer Sibling Extravaganza, she finds neither siblings nor extravaganzas. Instead, ends up at a run-down cottage on the Northern Neck of Virginia occupied by a hockey player she knows and loathes.
A hockey player who isn’t just one of her sports agent brother’s clients. He’s also his best friend. And Josie’s sworn enemy.
Oh—and her brother wants Josie to help Wyatt recover from his injury.
Dragging grumpy hockey players to physical therapy is a far cry from bandaging skinned knees, but for the price her brother offers to pay, Josie is willing to try.
Even if it means sharing what she dubs the quaint little murder cottage with Wyatt.
Begrudgingly, Josie starts to see a little more of the man behind the grumpy exterior. And when she finds out he was supposed to sail the Intracoastal Waterway south to Savannah scattering his uncle’s ashes, Josie surprises even herself by offering to be Wyatt’s first mate.
Smooth sailing is nowhere to be found, and Josie begins to wonder if they’ll be able to make it home without killing—or kissing?—each other.
And yet, the longer they share cramped quarters and canned food, the more of Wyatt’s layers she peels back until Josie realizes she misunderstood him, their shared history, and perhaps herself as well.
If you’re a fan of closed-door romance with sizzling chemistry, laugh-out-loud banter, and relatable characters, this romance with enemies-to-lovers vibes is your perfect escape. Dive into the irresistible story of Wyatt and Josie as they navigate the rocky waters of their past, uncover hidden depths, and discover that sometimes love is found in the most unexpected places. With the delightful grumpy-sunshine dynamic and the swoon-worthy he-falls-first trope, If All Else Sails by USA TODAY bestselling author Emma St. Clair will keep you listening late into the night.
Review
This story started strong and NO! I am not telling you want happens…it is cute though…read it!
When Josie’s brother sends her to a random address for their (sometimes) annual Super Summer Sibling Extravaganza, she finds neither siblings nor extravaganzas. Instead, ends up at a run-down cottage (the murder cottage) on the Northern Neck of Virginia occupied by a hockey player she knows and loathes.
These characters are fantastic. And their interactions tickled me. Josie has disliked Wyatt since their first meeting in high school. So, she is very unhappy that her brother has sent her to a “murder cottage” to help.
And Wyatt…you talk about grumpy…oh boy. So, these two clash out of the gate. And I am here for it.
But, as you can guess, as the story moves along, these two begin to enjoy each other and even open up about their pasts.
This is an adorable enemies to lovers romance. Perfect for a break between heavy books, road trip or even a beach read.
This author has quite a few books. I have not read a single one. I do not know how I have missed her. I will definitely keep her in my radar.
The narrators, Andi Arndt and Patrick Zeller, did a great job. Patrick has a very deep voice and this just added to Wyatt’s grumpiness. 😜
Need a cute story…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.
I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.
A delightful new cozy crime novel from the award-winning author of the “twisty, engaging, and thoroughly unexpected” (Deanna Raybourne) The Framed Women of Ardemore House
An amateur autistic sleuth. A wry English detective. A murder case that thrusts them both into the wealthy world of the rare artifacts trade…
Jo Jones can’t seem to catch a break. Trading in city life for the cozy, peaceful hills of North Yorkshire to take over her family estate should have been a chance for a “fresh start.” Instead, she’s been driven further into the past than she thought possible — and not just her own. The estate property is littered with traces of ancestors that Jo never knew existed, including the mysterious woman in a half-destroyed painting – and hints about Jo’s late uncle, who may hold the key to her cryptic family history. Then there’s the gossipy town politics Jo must constantly navigate as a neurodivergent transplanted American… And of course, the whole murder business.
When prickly town detective James MacAdams discovers a body in the moors with coincidental ties to Jo Jones, they’re forced to team up on the case. The clues will lead them into the wealthiest locales of Yorkshire, from sparkling glass hotels to luxury property sites to elite country clubs. But below the glittering surfaces, Jo and MacAdams discover darker schemes brewing. Local teens, many of them international refugees, are disappearing left and right, and each case is somehow linked to a shady architectural firm — which also happened to employ the dead man from the moor-side ditch.
What begins as bizarre murder case quickly plunges them both into the black market world of rare artifacts and antique trading… and a murderer who will do anything to cover it up.
About the Author:
BRANDY SCHILLACE is the author of several works of nonfiction, including Mr. Humble and Dr. Butcher. She is the creator of Peculiar Book Club, a twice-monthly live-streamed YouTube show. A former professor of English and gothic literature, she writes about gender politics and history, medical mystery, and neurodiversity for outlets such as Scientific American, Wired, CrimeReads, and Medium. She is also autistic, though has not (to her knowledge) been a suspect in a murder investigation.
The man on the doorstep of Jo’s cottage dripped rainwater; it trickled from wet-plastered hair to overcoat gun flap and onto the overnight bag clutched under one arm. Jo had remembered to say hello, but that didn’t stop him staring at her, all wide-eyed and open-mouthed. He reminded her of a disheveled pigeon after colliding with a windowpane.
“Mr. Ronan Foley?” Jo asked, stepping back to give him entry room.
“I—Yes.” He shuffled onto the flagstone cottage entry. “I—I thought keys would be in a lockbox?”
“Um?” Jo had practiced every opening line, but not this one. She blinked twice. “I have the keys for you. It’s for an attic en suite . . . in my . . . house.”
“You live here?” The way he looked around himself wasn’t entirely complimentary; Jo chose the high road.
“Don’t worry! You’ll have total privacy,” she insisted. That was the point of going through all that trouble of installing a full bath on the second level (including hoisting a freestanding tub through the attic casements, quite a feat when you’re five foot four and one hundred fifteen pounds soaking wet).
“Of course, of course,” muttered Mr. Foley. “You . . . meet all your guests in person?”
Jo decided not to tell him he was her first guest. Or that she’d locked her knees to keep from bouncing up and down with nervous energy. She also fought to urge to ask if he was Irish. In- stead, she dangled the keys.
“The door at the top of the stairs locks with the minikey,” she said. “The brass ones are for the front door and dead bolt.”
“Thank you, Ms…?”
“Jones. Jo Jones.” She smiled, probably a little too much. He had a broad face and smile lines, but he wasn’t smiling now. “Al- ways ask if you can get them something,” Tula had said when she informed her about her decision to rent the cottage. “It’s welcoming.” Wise words from the Red Lion innkeeper and the one person Jo considered a truly close friend. She might have suggested what to offer.
“I could get you . . . something? I can cook. Well. I can warm things up. Actually, I can drive into town and get food. Or maybe you’re thirsty?”
“Tea,” the man said, and of course he would say tea. They were in Yorkshire.
“Yes! Yes, that I can do. And cookies. You don’t call them cookies—but little shortbreads with the jam in the middle?”
Maybe it was the fact that Jo had forgotten to call them tea biscuits, or maybe it had to do with the fact she wasn’t taking breaths between sentences, but the startled pigeon suddenly began to laugh. It worked a change in him, shaking all the stiffness out.
“Tea biscuits. You’re American—you are, aren’t you?” “Erm” was the best she could do, but now, now he smiled.
“Delighted,” he said, shaking her hand. “May I?” He pointed up the stairwell, but Jo looked at his wet mackintosh. Obviously, he needed to clean up. And she should, as they say, put the kettle on instead of jawing at him like an idiot. He hadn’t actually waited for an answer, though, just gave the keys a jingle and disappeared up the stairs.
This wasn’t how she’d pictured her first experience as a host— and she’d run every possible scenario right down to the mise-en-scène. She’d try again when he came downstairs. Better make it a big plate of biscuits.
* * *
Jo hadn’t wanted to rent out her little cottage, but the attic was empty, and her bank account soon would be as well if she didn’t find some work. A year ago when she’d first moved to England, Jo had envisioned herself freelance editing, but that still hadn’t taken off yet. Plus, she had been spending all of her time in the Abington Archive searching for any scant information about her ancestors with the long-suffering elder museum curator, Roberta Wilkinson. Needless to say, it wasn’t exactly a moneymaking endeavor. It was obsession.
But she couldn’t help it: Jo had moved to the Ardemore property last year in a surprise inheritance following the death of her mother, who conveniently never mentioned that her will would leave Jo with a giant crumbling manor home (unlivable), the small cottage attached (slightly more livable) or the gardens upon which they were built, which turned out to be quite famous. The cottage made for a simple, straightforward home that suited Jo nicely, but she’d learned in a hurry that the manor across the hill housed only secrets.
The mysteries of her ancestors William and Gwen, for ex- ample, who had lived in the estate house a century prior. They were lord and lady so to speak; their portraits had hung regally in the estate house as a constant reminder of their strange marriage and even stranger living arrangement with Gwen’s sister, Evelyn. Some handwritten letters revealed that Evelyn and William were having an affair. How much sister Gwen knew about it all was unclear.
Jo had been the one to bring all this to light last year when she discovered, buried beneath the crumbling estate, the remains of Evelyn herself—and the telltale signs of pregnancy etched in her bones. Curiously, no remains of a child were found with her, only a hope chest filled with baby clothes buried in the garden and the letters between her and William.
The questions surrounding the strange love triangle at Ardemore estate a century ago and what exactly happened to Evelyn’s child haunted Jo, but the constant dead ends threatened to drive her mad. Even Roberta, who worked in a museum after all, was ready to let it go.
“Face facts,” said the crusty old woman; the Ardemores had always been a “bad lot” who didn’t care about community, and Evelyn and her baby “obviously” died in childbirth. Time to focus on the better part of the Ardmore property: Jekyll Gardens, about to open to the public in an event that would be historic for the town of Abington.
The kettle whistled and Jo jumped; she usually tried to stop it before the unholy screech. She poured hot water in the pot and steeped; if her sojourn in the north of England had taught anything, it was to never leave the tea bag in.
Her guest was awkward. But so was she. This could work.
She reached into the cupboard for the package of Jammie Dodgers. Jo bought them because, as a New Yorker, “Dodgers” would always mean Brooklyn, even though they had been in LA since 1957. Of course, there was the Artful Dodger, too, from Charles Dickens’s Oliver Twist. A silly name for cookies, maybe, but the mix of American baseball and Victorian pickpocket ap- pealed to her sense of incongruity.
She emptied the whole box onto the tea tray, and by the time she reached the living room, the man was standing in front of her. Clean and tidy and now in proper lighting, he offered her the chance for a better look.
Face: full, square at the jaw. Hair: dark and wet, combed back behind the ears. Mud-flecked black trousers had been changed to another pair, also black. Rather baggy. The blue button-down shirt was damp at the collar.
“How long were you standing in the rain?” Jo asked. “You were very wet.”
“Sorry? “Oh. Yes. It’s—I didn’t have an umbrella.” He touched the curl at his temple with a wandering fingertip.
Had she been rude? She held out the plate of biscuits to offer him one. He gave her the smile again. Salesman smile, she thought, but his eyes settled on the Dodgers with evident plea- sure.
“You’re out of the way, living up here.”
“Sort of. We’re close to the trails, though, and you can’t get any nearer the Jekyll Gardens.” Jo flapped a hand toward the window. “You’ll practically be on the doorstep for tomorrow’s opening ceremony.”
That had been the entire point of finishing preparations for renting the cottage by May: the Jekyll Gardens Opening Celebration. Jo may have lost her ancestral home to a fire, but finding out that it was built on a garden designed by the renowned Gertrude Jekyll Well, it was one for the books. The falling-down house at the edge of town had suddenly become a site of national historical significance. The whole National Trust seemed to have checked into the Red Lion inn.
“You’re lucky,” Jo added, hugging her knees in the rocking chair. “I barely got the weblink up before you booked in— otherwise there’d be stiff competition for a room, I’d bet.”
He hadn’t answered either comment, or her attempt at a joke, just chewed a sticky biscuit and drank tea. Jo felt a prickle run down her spine; was she not supposed to make chitchat? Wasn’t that part of hosting duties? He’d looked at the clock twice, but after swallowing, he refocused on her.
“I’m afraid I didn’t know about it. Just traveling through on business.”
“Oh! But you’re here at just the right time! The National Trust is opening the garden tomorrow — it’s where the manor house used to be. Big party!”
“Sorry, a manor? I didn’t see anything nearby . . .”
Jo jumped up and joined him by the window, pointing to the dark distance. “Well, you can’t really see it from here. But just beyond the trees is Ardemore House. What was once Ardemore House, at least.”
“So, it’s a ruin?” her guest asked, and gulped his tea.
“Well, it is now. It was deserted for almost a century. The property was supposed to be in the care of my uncle Aiden in the nineties, but he never really tended to it. Didn’t even live here, in fact.”
Jo looked up to see her guest gaping at her and stopped short. “So you are a newcomer to Yorkshire, then?” he asked. Jo al- most laughed. He wasn’t exactly hanging on every word, was he? “A yearling, I guess,” she admitted. “I came here to start over after my divorce and the death of my mom last year. I didn’t realize inheriting the estate would be so . . . complicated.”
She felt herself at risk of rambling again, so she pulled out her phone and flipped to her photo library. “Here’s the Ardemore House before. Here it is after the fire last year, still smoking. I was inside it when it burned down.”
“You—What?”
Jo’s finger kept swiping through the pictures. “That’s the gar- den workmen over summer, and here is the original Gertrude Jekyll plan, and this—” Jo stopped at last on the National Trust page “—this is the announcement of its opening tomorrow! I’m sort of, em—part of the—committee.”
Mr. Ronan Foley looked down dutifully at a bright summer green event ad: open time at 10:00 a.m., official ceremony at noon, under pavilion, rain or shine. He didn’t say anything. Again. And Jo felt her heart hammering. Uncertain about chit- chat, she’d instead launched into full-blown special interest lecture. Nice, Jo.
Or was it her reference to the fire? She’d got used to everyone knowing about all of that; it had caused quite a commotion in Abington. There’d even been interviews for the paper.
“Very interesting.” His eyes roved about the room in a full circuit. Then he smiled, genuinely and wide. A surprised smile. “Well, it would be my pleasure to come.”
Crap, Jo thought. She’d got a hapless rain-soaked business- man who booked the cottage only because he couldn’t get into a hotel.
And now she’d accidentally invited him to the gardens.
“You know, you really don’t have to—” she began.
“No, I do. It’s a wonderful idea. So many locals will be there, new people to meet. You can expect me ” His eyes strayed to the enormous painting over the fireplace even as he spoke. “My goodness. Beautiful painting.”
Evelyn’s portrait. It would be hard to miss. The near-life-size painting took up most of the chimney. The gilt frame glinted, offering the perfect contrast to the moody scene within: a woman with strange, distant eyes, a face simultaneously demure and retiring, fierce and resistant. She sat against a back- drop of flowers—yet the sky was a haze of storm.
“Yes. Evelyn Davies,” Jo said. “An ancestor.”
Do not recite your family history. Do not mention that she was buried under the house.
From THE DEAD COME TO STAY by BRANDY SCHILLACE. Copyright 2025 by BRANDY SCHILLACE. Published by Hanover, an imprint of HTP Books/HarperCollins.
For fans of stranger than truth stories, Sandy Schnakenburg is uncovering rattling and unprecedented revelations in this powerful memoir of love, secrets, and survival.
When Lee Metoyer is hired to be the new housekeeper, she has no idea that she’s about to become the anchor to a family in an abusive patriarch’s home, setting a mystery in motion that will take decades to uncover. At the age of seventy-two, Lee falls ill and on her deathbed asks Sandy to write her story. The only problem is, Sandy doesn’t know the story.
Embarking on a quest to honor Lee’s final wishes, Sandy takes an emotional and thrilling journey, unveiling shocking truths not only about her beloved housekeeper but also her own upbringing. As she digs further, she learns that Lee came to her family’s sprawling estate in Barrington, IL, harboring a secret past. For decades, she’s been in hiding. But Lee is not the only one with secrets; Sandy’s quest forces her to grapple with her own family history as well, and to finally confront the effects of the psychological abuse she suffered as a child.
Both a chilling and exciting personal tale of love and survival, The Housekeeper’s Secret is a gripping saga that illuminates the resilience of the human spirit.
Review
When Lee Metoyer is hired to be the new housekeeper, she has no idea that she’s about to become the anchor to a family in an abusive patriarch’s home, setting a mystery in motion that will take decades to uncover. At the age of seventy-two, Lee falls ill and on her deathbed asks Sandy to write her story. The only problem is, Sandy doesn’t know the story.
To me, this story is more about Sandy and her years in her troubled household. And trust me…it is troubled! Lee was a huge part of her life growing up. But she is not the main character of the story until the end. The ending is actually where you get to the meat of the housekeeper’s secret. And what a secret it is!
I have always loved a good memoir and this one kept me so entertained. It is a quick read that will get your emotions running. Add in the quest for the secret and it is a story you do not want to miss.
Y’all, this book is a memoir that reads like a fiction book. It is a bit disjointed in places but it is a read about resilience and love!
Need a good memoir to get you through your day…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!
Thrilling and glamorous as its runways and backstage parties, The Cover Girl is also heartbreaking and redemptive with an ending that made me cry. Birdie is a singular, unforgettable character whose story encapsulates so much of what led up to the #MeToo movement, and why the movement was so necessary.” —Ana Reyes, New York Times bestselling author of The House in the Pines
Find them early enough, and they will always be her girls.
Birdie Rhodes was only thirteen when legendary modeling agent Harriet Goldman discovered her in a department store and transformed her into one of Harriet’s Girls. What followed felt like the start of something incredible, a chance for shy Birdie to express herself in front of the camera. But two years later, she meets a thirty-one-year-old rock star, and her teenage heart falls hard as he leads her into a new life, despite Harriet’s warnings. Then, as abruptly as it began, it’s over, like a lipstick-smeared fever dream. Birdie tries hard to forget that time—starting over in Paris, in the dying embers of the LA punk scene, in Boston at the height of the AIDS crisis. She’s not that person anymore. At least, that’s what she’s been telling herself.
Decades later, Birdie lives a quiet life. She works modest gigs, takes Pilates and mostly keeps to herself. Maybe it’s not the glamor she once envisioned, but it’s peaceful. Comfortable. Then a letter arrives, inviting Birdie to celebrate Harriet’s fifty-year career. Except Birdie hasn’t spoken to her in nearly thirty years—with good reason.
Almost famous, almost destroyed, Birdie can only make her own future if she reckons with her past—the fame, the trauma, the opportunities she gave up for a man who brought her into a life she wasn’t ready for. Just like she’s not ready now. But the painful truth waits for nobody. Not even Birdie Rhodes.
For fans of My Dark Vanessa and Taylor Jenkins Reid, this striking debut novel explores the dizzying fallout of being seen and not heard in a high-stakes industry that leaves no silhouette unscathed.
Review
This book surprised me. I honestly did not expect to enjoy it as much as I did. Why? I did not think that a cover girl story would interest me. But, Birdie proved me wrong!
Birdie Rhodes was only thirteen when legendary modeling agent Harriet Goldman discovered her in a department store and transformed her into one of Harriet’s Girls. What followed felt like the start of something incredible, a chance for shy Birdie to express herself in front of the camera.
There are a lot of emotions that run through you as you read this. Birdie is only 13 when her career begins. So, she is terribly naïve. Her parents are very hands off. So, it is all up to Harriet to protect her. And the further you read the more you realize Harriet did not do a great job in her role as protector. Enter the “Rock star”! Let me just say…Birdie was 15 when she met him. Y’all!!!
This book takes you behind the scenes of a world I didn’t think I cared much about. But Birdie is a character that keeps you reading. She is broken but yet she is still tough as nails.
Hillary Huber is the narrator and she helped bring this story to life!
Need a tale which will get your emotions all up in a tizzy…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!
I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.
In The French Kitchen, award-winning author Kristy Cambron weaves multiple characters and storylines into a tapestry of secrets, betrayals, and redemption. Full of mouthwatering culinary scenes and peppered with several appearances from famed chef Julia Child, who worked in intelligence during World War II, this story of spies and lovers zips between the coast of northern France during the war and Paris in the early 1950s . . . Delicious!” –Kristin Harmel, New York Timesbestselling author of The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau
As Paris rebuilds in the aftermath of World War II, Kat Fontaine never expected the skills she learned in a French chateau kitchen to be the key that unlocks the secrets swirling in her new post-war life.
Paris, 1952–Still haunted by the years she spent serving in the American Office of Strategic Services (OSS) during WWII, ex-pat Kat Fontaine, now living in Paris, finds a simple cookery class led by indomitable chef Julia Child unearths the tangle of gut-wrenching memories of war. Determined to find her brother who went missing during the war and is presumed dead, Kat questions everything, especially her high-ranking society husband whose past is as murky as her own. But when the puzzle pieces start to come together–and her carefully crafted Paris world begins to fall apart–Kat must confront her own secrets against the mounting suspicions of the husband she thought she knew . . .
Rue, 1943–Deep in the heart of Nazi-controlled northern France, Manon Altier shifts between working for the enemy by day–as a French chef at the famous Chateau du Broutel, where names like Himmler, Rommel, and Goebbels frequent the guest list–and running with underground networks against the Vichy regime at night. Working undercover to filter critical information to agents within the burgeoning OSS presence in France, Manon digs deep into the glitz and glamour of a Nazi stronghold that has her teetering on the edge of being discovered at any turn. But when an intriguing stranger appears at the chateau claiming to work with the French Resistance, Manon must lean on her instincts to judge whether to run and hide or stand firm–even as a terrifying discovery tests her resolve to continue the fight.
From the heights of culinary cuisine in 1950s Paris society to the underbelly of a WWII spy network embedded deep within Nazi-controlled Vichy France–and the spy backstory of the world’s most famous would-be French chef, Julia Child–The French Kitchen turns up the heat on the pasts of women whose worlds collide, and forces each to question what she thought she’d planned for a perfect future.
Review
From the heights of culinary cuisine in 1950s Paris society to the underbelly of a WWII spy network embedded deep within Nazi-controlled Vichy France–and the spy backstory of the world’s most famous would-be French chef, Julia Child–The French Kitchen turns up the heat on the pasts of women whose worlds collide, and forces each to question what she thought she’d planned for a perfect future.
This is a bit slow in spots. But the ending is so very good! I enjoyed the mystery surrounding the hunt for Kat’s brother. Add in the cameo appearances from Julia Child and you have a pretty good read!
I also enjoyed the “sort of” love story between Kat and her “sort of” husband. Yes! You need to read this to find out.
This story is a good mysterious tale with some twists and turns you will not see coming!
This is narrated by Saskia Maarleveld. Excellent job with all the French pronunciations!
Need a WWII spy novel…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.
Was it… Bitter, all-consuming jealousy? Pathological sibling rivalry? Pure insanity?
Whatever the cause—and everyone has a theory—it’s the Crime of the Decade when glamorous Georgia Cartwright, who was adopted as a newborn, is accused of killing the biological daughter of her wealthy, Southern family.
Georgia is locked in a psychiatric institution where the most violent offenders are held while she awaits trial. The only words she whispers when her estranged twin sister Amanda visits are, “I didn’t do it. You’ve got to get me out of here.”
Amanda doesn’t trust Georgia, but she can’t abandon her in a place so eerie and menacing that it seems to exist in another dimension. Is Georgia the victim of a powerful family that’s so depraved murder is the least of their crimes? Or is Amanda being led down a path of madness into the web of a master manipulator?
Nothing is as it seems in Sarah Pekkanen’s The Locked Ward, a shocking psychological thriller about the complex bonds of sisterhood—and what happens when they are stretched to the breaking point.
Some doors in the Locked Ward should never be opened.
This program is read by January LaVoy, seven-time Audie Award–winner, Grammy nominee and AudioFileGolden Voice.
A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin’s Press
Review
Y’all! I had no idea where this book was going. Nor did I have any idea what was about to happen.
Georgia has been accused of killing her sister, Annabelle. But, Georgia has discovered a HUGE family secret. Georgia has a twin who was sent away for adoption at birth. Georgia reaches out to her twin, Amanda, for help.
Georgia is locked in a psychiatric institution where the most violent offenders are held while she awaits trial. The only words she whispers when her estranged twin sister Amanda visits are, “I didn’t do it. You’ve got to get me out of here.”
Talk about questions, intense family drama and huge secrets…this book has them all. I enjoyed all of it. But why did I give it 4 stars, you may ask? I wanted it to move just a bit faster. And to be honest, I was close to a 5 star on this one. It just needed to move a bit quicker. You cannot go wrong with this story though! Honestly…it has a little bit of everything!
The narrator, January LaVoy, is AMAZING! She added so much to the intensity! And this book is full of intensity and my favorite, secrets!
Need a thriller with a twist or two or three…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.
I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.
No one is going to convince her to fall in love again…
Ryder Colburn has his hands full running the family business and caring for the ailing father who’s a virtual stranger from the cold, heavy-handed man he used to be. He’s got zero free time for hobbies or women. Or so he thinks until one walks into his life… and the path of an oncoming car.
Ryder doesn’t mind playing the hero for the skittish, scarred chef Penny. Maybe it’s the secrets in her eyes or the scar on her chin. Whatever the reason, he’s compelled to get closer.
Penny’s learned her lesson and now she’s paying the price. That’s why she’s sharing a dilapidated house in a tiny California town with her feisty grandmother and tween brother living off the leftovers from her catering job. It’s a far cry from her dream life. But who needs dreams… or love… or sex when there’s amateur plumbing projects to tackle and breakfast casseroles to bake?
One thing’s for sure, she’s never falling in love again. Not even with the sexy, snarky contractor who keeps testing the walls she’s built.
Review
Ryder Colburn has his hands full running the family business and caring for the ailing father who’s a virtual stranger from the cold, heavy-handed man he used to be. He’s got zero free time for hobbies or women. Or so he thinks until one walks into his life… and the path of an oncoming car.
Now, this is not my favorite Jill book. But y’all, I say this all the time. It does not mean the book is not good. It just means that I like others better. To me, this book is not as snarky as most. ( and if you know me, I love my snark😂) But let me tell you…the chemistry between the characters is perfect! Jill can create two characters that will keep you on your toes like no other. And Penny and Ryder….ooolala…especially Ryder. He is definitely dreamy!
Need a tale that will have you grinning and smiling…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.
I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.
In this gripping installment of the Edgar Award winning series, Chief of Police Kate Burkholder investigates a brutal double murder that takes her into the dark underbelly of society and exposes the dangers of Amish lives gone wrong.
Summer has arrived with a vengeance in Painters Mill, and a macabre discovery by three Amish children brings the quiet to a grinding halt. Chief of Police Kate Burkholder arrives on scene to find the dismembered body of 21-year-old Samuel Yutzy, a local Amish man who owned a successful landscaping business. What twisted individual murdered him in such a sadistic way?
The investigation has barely begun when, miles away, a second body is found, stuffed into a barrel and dumped in a ravine. The deceased is 21-year-old Aaron Shetler, Samuel Yutzy’s best friend. What could these two young Amish men have been involved in that led to such violent ends?
With a heat wave bearing down, Kate learns quickly that, for reasons she doesn’t understand, no one is willing to talk about what happened to the men. Just as she begins to fear the case may be hopeless, a mystery woman comes forward and reveals that fun-loving Aaron and Samuel had recently befriended some very unsavory characters—individuals who may have ties to a larger, more sinister, black market.
To solve the case, Kate must delve into the most sordid corners of her community, but when she gets too close, the killers target Kate herself. Will the secrets simmering beneath the surface of Painters Mill take another life before she can expose the truth? Or will Kate be the final victim?
Review
Summer has arrived with a vengeance in Painters Mill, and a macabre discovery by three Amish children brings the quiet to a grinding halt. Chief of Police Kate Burkholder arrives on scene to find the dismembered body of 21-year-old Samuel Yutzy, a local Amish man who owned a successful landscaping business. What twisted individual murdered him in such a sadistic way?
I have never read a book by this author. And this is book 17 in the Kate Burkholder series. I did not feel lost, BUT, I wanted to know more about Kate. She is a fantastic character and it sounds like she has an interesting background. I need to add these to my NEVER ENDING TBR.
I enjoyed quite a lot about this story. It is complex and I loved how it unfolded. I especially enjoyed learning about the Amish. To me, this added a bit more mystery! And this story is full of riddles and drama!
Need a mystery with great characters…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!
I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.
On the 10th anniversary of a teenage girl’s disappearance, her cold case breaks open in dangerous ways…and threatens to tear apart her small Wisconsin town all over again in the masterfully twisty new psychological suspense novel from the internationally bestselling author of Twenty Years Later.
For fans of Riley Sager, Anna Downes, Alex Finlay, Stacy Willingham, and Karin Slaughter.
Ten years ago, 17-year-old high school volleyball star Callie Jones vanished from her quiet Wisconsin lake community. A highly publicized search followed but her body was never found. The case went cold, but the echoes still linger.
Ethan Hall, a former renegade detective turned ER doctor, left law enforcement to escape the horrors of the kid crime division. But on the tenth anniversary of Callie’s disappearance, his former partner, Pete Kramer, makes a desperate request. Pete is the veteran detective who originally investigated the case. Now he’s dying, and to ease his conscience and get closure for the Jones family, he needs Ethan to return to the haunting work he left behind—and solve what happened to Callie, once and for all.
Word soon spreads and everyone in the small town of Cherryview feels a rush of hope that answers will finally be found. Amid a sweltering heatwave, Ethan’s investigation gains momentum, but reexamining old evidence won’t be enough. He needs a new way into the case, no matter how dangerous or unconventional. And it comes from the least likely of sources—an inmate in a maximum-security prison.
Soon Ethan’s methods draw him deeper into a twisted psychological game. Because there is much more to the nightmare of Callie’s disappearance than he imagined, including a connection with his own dark past . . . and secrets that are still worth killing for.
Review
Every time I read one of Mr. Donlea’s books, I think, I am going to go back and read them all. His books are so very good!
Ten years ago, 17-year-old high school volleyball star Callie Jones vanished from her quiet Wisconsin lake community. A highly publicized search followed but her body was never found. The case went cold, but the echoes still linger.
Ethan is a very unique character. He left the investigation game and became an ER doctor. So, I was instantly drawn to his intelligence. And trust me, this investigation needs his smarts!!
The killer is definitely playing the long game and I am here for it! Now, because of the title, I was looking for the culprit. I had several guesses. But to be honest, I didn’t guess it until the author gave me a clue or two 🤦🏻♀️. Usually, I have it pegged from the start. I love when this happens!!
And y’all…the twist at the end!!! I did not see that coming!!
This story is narrated by Vivienne Leheny. There are quite a few male voices and she did an excellent job!
Need a tale which will keep you guessing…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.
I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.
Utterly captivating. This beautiful novel casts a whispery spell of dark enchantments, secrets, and myth.” –Evie Woods, bestselling author of The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris
A broken woman. A mysterious job ad. A chance to heal in French castle gardens–but strange things are growing behind the ancient stone walls. This debut adult novel is an enchanting, modern-day take on The Secret Garden, sprinkled with magic. Perfect for fans of Sarah Addison Allen.
Help Wanted: In search of a gardener for the ancient walled Jardins du Paradis in the South of France. Unique and rustic lodging provided. Off the grid in all ways. One must grow flowers from one’s merde . . .
Exhausted by fruitless attempts to make a family, Eloise takes the chance of a lifetime to answer an ad in a French gardening magazine. To fly away from her life in the States and tend to both her shattered heart and the flowers of Paradise. And best of all for her . . .
Absolutely no children allowed on the premises.
Within the high garden walls, Eloise starts to learn the strange rules of the elusive estate owner. Living and working in isolation with her three companions, she finds her heart opening again to friendship–and realizes she’s drawn to the handyman, Raphael. The flowers whisper to her, enchanting, delighting, healing. But why are the workers forbidden from going out during dusk? Who is the “Goddess of the Garden”? Is her mind playing tricks on her, or does she see a woodsprite flitting through the trees? The giggles and glimpses of a little girl haunt her and make her question: What is real in Paradise and what is illusion?
Eloise tries to rationalize her uneasy feelings and the darkness she uncovers beneath the garden’s lush beauty, but as she digs deeper into the mysteries of her sanctuary, she begins to suspect there’s a child on the grounds–who may be in danger. When Paradise becomes a deadly prison, she must risk everything to protect her newfound family and claim her second chance at happiness.
“The Alchemy of Flowers captivates the senses as well as the imagination in a magical tale of healing and forgiveness. Resau has written with great heart an eerie yet deeply touching story that keeps the pages turning until the very end.” –Melissa Payne, bestselling author of In the Beautiful Dark and The Wild Road Home
Review
Exhausted by fruitless attempts to make a family, Eloise takes the chance of a lifetime to answer an ad in a French gardening magazine. To fly away from her life in the States and tend to both her shattered heart and the flowers of Paradise.
Eloise is definitely broken. She has struggled to find a balance after she is unable to conceive. So, this French gardening post is exactly what she needs…until it is not.
Eloise is a fascinating character. She can hear the flowers talking to her. This helps her on more than one occasion because she is not one to just accept things as they are. When she starts to ask questions at her new job, it does not sit well with “the management”. And trust me, she starts to uncover some amazing issues.
This novel has some very pretty prose. It is atmospheric and I could just picture the chateau and the gardens. Very picturesque! I also enjoyed the mystery surrounding this chateau and the strange rules.
The narrator, Cassandra Campbell, sounded like a native of France. She did a great job!
Need a novel with beautiful prose…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.
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