Last Twilight in Paris by Pam Jenoff #audiobookreview #historicalfiction @harlequinbooks

Posted on February 5, 2025 by fredreeca

Overview

A fast-paced and vibrant wartime tale of holding on to love against the odds and learning to fight for the truth.”­–Kristin Harmel, New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Daughter

A Parisian department store, a mysterious necklace and a woman’s quest to unlock a decade-old mystery are at the center of this riveting novel of love and survival, from New York Times bestselling author Pam Jenoff

London, 1953. Louise is still adjusting to her postwar role as a housewife when she discovers a necklace in a box at a secondhand shop. The box is marked with the name of a department store in Paris, and she is certain she has seen the necklace before, when she worked with the Red Cross in Nazi-occupied Europe—and that it holds the key to the mysterious death of her friend Franny during the war.

Following the trail of clues to Paris, Louise seeks help from her former boss Ian, with whom she shares a romantic history. The necklace leads them to discover the dark history of Lévitan—a once-glamorous department store that served as a Nazi prison, and Helaine, a woman who was imprisoned there, torn apart from her husband when the Germans invaded France.

Louise races to find the connection between the necklace, the department store and Franny’s death. But nothing is as it seems, and there are forces determined to keep the truth buried forever. Inspired by the true story of Lévitan, Last Twilight in Paris is both a gripping mystery and an unforgettable story about sacrifice, resistance and the power of love to transcend in even the darkest hours.

Review

London, 1953. Louise is still adjusting to her postwar role as a housewife when she discovers a necklace in a box at a secondhand shop. The box is marked with the name of a department store in Paris, and she is certain she has seen the necklace before, when she worked with the Red Cross in Nazi-occupied Europe—and that it holds the key to the mysterious death of her friend Franny during the war.

Louise is not going to give up easily. She is on the hunt for the truth. But, she soon discovers, not everything is as it seems.

I love a book which has me researching. And I went down a rabbit hole researching Lévitan. This author created such a unique tale about this tragic time period.

Even though this is not my favorite book by this author, it is still a great story! (My favorite is The Woman With The Blue Star.) This has a dual timeline and it is full of secrets, drama and great characters!

Thérèse Plummer is one of my favorite narrators. Add in Saskia Maarleveld and you have a great team!

I received this novel from, the publisher for a honest review.

Purchase Here

Audible

Amazon

Bookbub

Chirp

Posted in Audible books, Reviews | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Junie by Erin Crosby Eckstine #bookreview #historicalfiction @randomhouse

Posted on February 4, 2025 by fredreeca

Overview

A young girl must face a life-altering decision after awakening her sister’s ghost, navigating truths about love, friendship, and power as the Civil War looms.

“The richly textured prose quickly pulled me into [Junie’s] treacherous yet magical world.”—Charmaine Wilkerson, New York Times bestselling author of Black Cake

Sixteen years old and enslaved since she was born, Junie has spent her life on Bellereine Plantation in Alabama, cooking and cleaning alongside her family, and tending to the white master’s daughter, Violet. Her daydreams are filled with poetry and faraway worlds, while she spends her nights secretly roaming through the forest, consumed with grief over the sudden death of her older sister, Minnie.

When wealthy guests arrive from New Orleans, hinting at marriage for Violet and upending Junie’s life, she commits a desperate act—one that rouses Minnie’s spirit from the grave, tethered to this world unless Junie can free her. She enlists the aid of Caleb, the guests’ coachman, and their friendship soon becomes something more. Yet as long-held truths begin to crumble, she realizes Bellereine is harboring dark and horrifying secrets that can no longer be ignored.

With time ticking down, Junie begins to push against the harsh current that has controlled her entire life. As she grapples with an increasingly unfamiliar world in which she has little control, she is forced to ask herself: When we choose love and liberation, what must we leave behind?

Review

Junie has spent her entire life on Bellereine Plantation in Alabama, cooking and cleaning alongside her family, and tending to the white master’s daughter, Violet. However, Junie is wracked with guilt over her older sister’s, Minnie, death.

Junie is such a great character. She struggles tremendously against, well, everything. But, she truly stole my heart. She loves big. She is smart. And when she discovers information about her family, including Minnie, she does not let it go!

There is a lot in this story. The author did a fabulous job weaving this tale together to create a novel you won’t soon forget.

And you do not want to miss the secrets and the twisted ending!

Need a southern, historical fiction that is full of love, hate, guilt and friendship…and full of secrets…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest opinion.

Purchase Here

Amazon

Bookbub

Posted in Reviews, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

The Ghosts of Rome by Joseph O’Connor @dreamscapeaudio @europaeditions #historicalfiction #audiobook #bookreview

Posted on February 3, 2025 by fredreeca

Overview

In the final months of World War II, a clandestine group known as The Choir successfully smuggles thousands of escapees out of Nazi-occupied Rome via a secret route known as the Escape Line. When an unidentified airman falls wounded from the sky, The Choir is plunged into danger and the survival of the Escape Line itself is threatened.

The Escape Line’s collapse would leave thousands stranded. Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty, its architect and the acknowledged leader of The Choir, broods inside the Vatican, paralyzed by the perils of keeping his Roman underground railroad functioning. Meanwhile, SS Commander Paul Hauptmann has been tasked with destroying the entire operation, and the price of failure is high—his wife and children are under Gestapo lock-and-key in Berlin. Into this deliriously thrilling melee steps Contessa Giovanna Landini, a reckless, audacious, and magnetic member of the Italian Resistance who has the nerve to challenge Hauptmann’s authority.

Beautifully written and expertly crafted, The Ghosts of Rome is a historical suspense novel bursting with action, atmosphere, and unforgettable characters by one of contemporary fiction’s most acclaimed and beloved writers.

Review

In the final months of World War II, a clandestine group known as The Choir successfully smuggles thousands of escapees out of Nazi-occupied Rome via a secret route known as the Escape Line. When an unidentified airman falls wounded from the sky, The Choir is plunged into danger and the survival of the Escape Line itself is threatened.

I enjoyed the suspense factor in this tale. It is action packed and there are definitely some contentious moments. And the Contessa…she is bold and she kept this story moving for me!!

I read the first book in this series, In My Father’s House. You can read my review here. It is not necessary that you read these books in order. I did enjoy the first one a bit more than the second one. But, keep in mind, I have read a ton of WWII books lately and I may just be bored with this time period…it happens 🤷🏻‍♀️.

This is narrated by Stephen Hogan; Barnaby Edwards; Aoife Duffin; David John; Gertrude Toma; Laurence Bouvard. I love a good tag team. However, there were places that the audio was read like it was a cassette tape. It had an echo or it sounded like it was in a hole. I understand why this was done this way, but I really didn’t like it. This was just minor, but it did get on my nerves.

Need a historical suspense novel…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

Purchase Here

Audible

Amazon

Bookbub

Chirp

Posted in Audible books | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

The Sun’s Shadow by Sejal Badani #bookreview @LUAuthors

Posted on January 31, 2025 by fredreeca

Overview

From the bestselling author of The Storyteller’s Secret comes an unflinching exploration of betrayal, forgiveness, and the healing power of a second chance.

Celine’s life is spiraling out of control. She’s in danger of losing the beloved equestrian farm that was her childhood home. Her distant husband, Eric, is devoting a suspicious amount of time to a stunning new colleague. Then her young son, Brian, receives a devastating cancer diagnosis. As her life falls apart, she faces an impossible fight

Felicity has uprooted her career and her teenage son, Justin, to get closer to Eric. She’s tired of keeping his secrets—that Eric’s frequent “business trips” have been time spent with her and Justin. Felicity is determined to get her happily ever after, even if it means confronting Celine at a delicate time.

But when Brian’s prognosis worsens, and a transplant from Justin becomes his best chance at survival, Felicity must make a wrenching decision about her son’s well-being—and Celine must accept that the “other woman” is her only hope.

In another life Celine and Felicity might have been friends. Can they put aside the pain between them to do what’s best for their families—and their own futures?

Review

I love family drama novels and this one is a great twisted tale between two women, Celine, the wife and Felicity, the mistress. Well, I guess you can’t say she was the mistress. She had a one night stand with Eric right before his wedding to Celine. This one night led to her son, Justin. Now their careful secrets are about to come to light because Brian, Celine and Eric’s son, has cancer and needs a transplant from Justin. Confused yet…I promise the author does a great job unfolding this secret.

As much as I loved the story, I hated the conversations. They were a bit canned and unnatural. Also, Celine acted a bit ambiguous in places. I really wanted to jump through the pages and tell her to STOP IT! 😂. But, the story full of the secrets and the threat of losing Brian kept me reading!

Need a quick family drama…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

Purchase Here

Amazon

Bookbub

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

Head Cases by John McMahon @minotaurbooks @macmillanaudio #bookreview #audiobook

Posted on January 30, 2025 by fredreeca

Overview

Head Cases follows an enigmatic group of FBI agents as they hunt down a murderer seeking his own justice in this electrifying—and commercial—series debut.

FBI Agent Gardner Camden is an analytical genius with an affinity for puzzles. He also has a blind spot on the human side of investigations, a blindness that sometimes even includes people in his own life, like his beloved seven-year-old daughter Camila. Gardner and his squad of brilliant yet quirky agents make up the Patterns and Recognition (PAR) unit, the FBI’s hidden edge, brought in for cases that no one else can solve.

When DNA links a murder victim to a serial killer long presumed dead, the team springs into action. A second victim establishes a pattern, and the murderer begins leaving a trail of clues and riddles especially for Gardner. And while the PAR team is usually relegated to working cold cases from behind a desk, the investigation puts them on the road and into the public eye, following in the footsteps of a killer.

Along with Gardner, PAR consists of a mathematician, a weapons expert, a computer analyst, and their leader, a career agent. Each of them must use every skill they have to solve the riddle of the killer’s identity. But with the perpetrator somehow learning more and more about the team at PAR, can they protect themselves and their families…before it’s too late?

With an enigmatic case that will keep readers on the edge of their seats and a thoroughly engaging ensemble cast, John McMahon’s Head Cases is a triumph.

Review

To say I enjoyed FBI Agent Gardner Camden is an understatement. I loved his eccentricities, and he has quite a few of those. But his intelligence and his passion are truly fun to watch…uh…I mean read about! (This needs to be a TV series!) I love a flawed character!

Along with Gardner, the Patterns and Recognition unit of the FBI consists of a mathematician, a weapons expert, a computer analyst, and their leader, a career agent. Each of them must use every skill they have to solve the riddle of the killer’s identity. And what a riddle this story is! I enjoyed the chase across state lines and all the deductions. The author truly created an intricate pursuit of a killer!

The narrator, Will Damron was magnetic. Honestly, I am going to have to be on the look out for more books by this guy!!

Need a good hunt for a killer…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

Purchase Here

Amazon

Bookbub

Audible

Chirp

Posted in Audible books, Reviews | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

More or Less Maddy by Lisa Genova @gallerybooks #bookreview

Posted on January 29, 2025 by fredreeca

Overview

 A breathless, riveting novel about a young woman diagnosed with bipolar disorder who rejects the stability and approval found in a traditionally “normal” life for a career in stand-up comedy.

Maddy Banks is just like any other stressed-out freshman at NYU. Between schoolwork, exams, navigating life in the city, and a recent breakup, it’s normal to be feeling overwhelmed. It doesn’t help that she’s always felt like the odd one out in her picture-perfect Connecticut family. But Maddy’s latest low is devastatingly low, and she goes on an antidepressant. She begins to feel good, dazzling in fact, and she soon spirals high into a wild and terrifying mania that culminates in a diagnosis of bipolar disorder.

As she struggles to find her way in this new reality, navigating the complex effects bipolar has on her identity, her relationships, and her life dreams, Maddy will have to figure out how to manage being both too much and not enough.

With her signature “deep empathy and insight” (Booklist), Harvard-trained neuroscientist and New York Times bestselling authorLisa Genova has crafted another profoundly moving novel that makes complicated mental health issues accessible and human. More or Less Maddy is destined to become another classic like Still Alice.

Review

No one can pull you into a mind disorder quite like Lisa Genova. (And I have read all of her books!) She truly helps the reader understand all the trauma this diagnosis can do to a person and their family!

This story had me on a roller coaster, as I am sure this diagnosis would. I felt so sorry and hopeful for Maddy all at the same time. From the side effects, to the missteps, to the family drama…my heart broke. Then she would start to get better and I was her ever present champion. I wanted her to chase her dream and succeed. And what a process this was! I swear…I was cringing in places!

Need a unique tale that has you crying and cheering for Maddy all in the same paragraph…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

Purchase Here

Amazon

Bookbub

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

The Girls of the Glimmer Factory by Jennifer Coburn #bookreview #historicalfiction @sourcebooks @suzyapbooktours

Posted on January 28, 2025 by fredreeca

Overview

A gripping, powerful read. A valuable lesson for our own times.” —Heather Morris, New York Times bestselling author of The Tattooist of Auschwitz

From the author of Cradles of the Reich comes a poignant and inspiring tale for fans of The Forest of Vanishing Starsand The German Wife about resistance, friendship, and the dangers of propaganda, based on the real story of the Nazi “show camp” Theresienstadt.

Hannah longs for the days when she used to be free, but now, she is a Jewish prisoner at Theresienstadt, a model ghetto where the Nazis plan to make a propaganda film to convince the world that the Jewish people are living well in the camps. But Hannah will do anything to show the world the truth. Along with other young resistance members, they vow to disrupt the filming and derail the increasingly frequent deportations to death camps in the east.

Hilde is a true believer in the Nazi cause, working in the Reich Ministry of Enlightenment and Propaganda. Though they’re losing the war, Hilde hasn’t lost faith. She can’t stop the Allied bombings, but she can help the party create a documentary that will renew confidence in Hitler’s plans for Jewish containment. When the filming of Hitler Gives a City to the Jews faces production problems due to resistance, Hilde finds herself in a position to finally make a name for herself. And when she recognizes Hannah, an old childhood friend, she knows she can use their friendship to get the film back on track.

Review

Hilde and Hannah started out as best friends with they were little girls. Then the Nazis took over. Hilde became a true Nazi and swallowed their beliefs with gusto. Hannah was sent off to be Jewish prisoner at Theresienstadt, a model ghetto. It took years, but their paths cross again.

The difference between these two young women is night and day. Hannah is a sweet young, Jewish lady and Hilde is a true Nazi to her core. Hilde and Hannah become reacquainted when Hilde heads to the ghetto to do a film about how great the Jews have it under the Nazi regime. But, it doesn’t go quite as planned. And you need to read this to find out!

As with most WWII novels, the emotions run high. I just wanted to slap Hilde. But, she is a product of her environment. The author does a great job with these two and their differences.

This is very well researched and an emotional read.

Need a tale you will be thinking about for days…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel for a honest review.

Purchase Here

Amazon

Bookbub

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

The Dark Hours by Amy Jordan #bookreview @harlequinbooks

Posted on January 27, 2025 by fredreeca

Overview

This suspenseful story will appeal to readers of contemporary police procedurals like Tana French’s Dublin Murder series and Jane Harper’s Aaron Falk series.” —Jane Harper, Booklist

Her worst nightmare just returned—but this time she’s ready

1994: When Gardas Julia Harte and Adrian Clancy are called out to a sleepy housing estate in Cork to investigate a noise complaint, they are entirely unprepared for what they find. What happens next will haunt Julia for the rest of her career, leaving her plagued with nightmares and terrified of the dark. There is a serial killer at work in Cork, one as clever as he is deadly. Julia may not be a detective yet, but after the harrowing events of that night, she is determined to be the one to catch him…

2024: Julia Harte has chosen just the right place to disappear. Now retired, with an illustrious career behind her, she has moved to a tiny cottage in a remote part of Ireland, where she hopes to find peace. But then she receives a phone call from her old superintendent—two women have been murdered, their bodies marked and staged, just like in ’94.

It’s happening again. Only this time, the stakes are even higher. Julia must return to Cork to face a vicious killer and the memories that haunt her. Yet Julia is no longer a naive junior officer but a seasoned, tough professional who proves more than a match for any murderer…

Review

Oh! I loved Julia. She is retired now. But, she is brought back to help with this case because she was the one to catch the killer the first time. Now, the original killer has died and someone is copying his MO!

The original killings haunted Julia through most of her life. Now, she thinks she can breathe. But this thought is short lived. She has pulled back into her memories when she is asked to assist. She is just not sure she can handle all the emotions.

This is a story that had me on the edge of my seat. I love a tale that has me guessing. I couldn’t figure out if it was a copycat or if the original killer really was not dead. And the way the author incorporates the two timelines together will keep you twisted up in knots!

Need a good police drama guessing game…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

Purchase Here

Amazon

Bookbub

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

She Doesn’t Have A Clue by Jenny Elder Moke @macmillanaudio @minotaurbooks #bookreview #minotaurinfluencers

Posted on January 24, 2025 by fredreeca

Overview

With a colorful cast of characters and a cellar full of wine, anything can happen—from murder to a second chance at love—in Jenny Elder Moke’s half mystery, half romance adult debut set at a lavish destination wedding.

A high-end wedding on a private island off the coast of Seattle sounds like something out of a magazine. But for bestselling mystery author Kate Valentine, it’s more like a nightmare.

Why Kate agreed to attend her ex-fiancé’s wedding is its own enigma, but she’ll plaster on a fake smile for two nights, with the aid of free champagne, naturally. And because the groom happens to be her editor, she’ll try to finish a draft of her latest Loretta Starling mystery as a wedding gift.

When the bride is poisoned and Kate stumbles across a dead body, she finds herself in a real-life mystery that eerily echoes the plot of her latest novel. And the only person who seems willing to help Kate catch the killer is Jake Hawkins, aka: the Hostralian; aka: Kate’s biggest romantic regret.

As the wine flows and the weather threatens to hold every guest hostage, bitter resentments and long-held grudges surface amongst the colorful crowd. Anyone could be capable of murder, it seems. What would Loretta do? Unfortunately, Kate doesn’t have a clue.

A Macmillan Audio production from Minotaur Books.

Review

When the bride is poisoned and Kate stumbles across a dead body, she finds herself in a real-life mystery that eerily echoes the plot of her latest novel. And the only person who seems willing to help Kate catch the killer is Jake Hawkins, aka: the Hostralian; aka: Kate’s biggest romantic regret.

I loved Kate…she and her sleuthing sweater! And Jake is definitely someone that makes her “hot and bothered” in more ways than one! These two characters and their chemistry kept this story moving for me!

This is ALMOST a cozy mystery with a bit of spice. I am sure the author would not take kindly to that description. But, this is truly what I thought as I read this.

It is a good read with a predictable mystery. I did enjoy the crazy house and the good characters but the story was not quite what I expected.

The narrator, Sarah Mollo-Christensen, did a good job! Lots of characters and she had a different voice for each!

Need a mysterious romance…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

Purchase Here

Audible

Amazon

Bookbub

Posted in Audible books, Reviews | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

The Secret of Cypriere Bayou by Jana DeLeon #audiobook #bookreview @harlequinbooks

Posted on January 23, 2025 by fredreeca

Overview

In this standalone classic Gothic tale from New York Times bestselling author Jana DeLeon, a writer needs a local man’s help when she discovers her home may hold some chilling secrets…

For Olivia Markham, laMalediction is the ideal setting in which to complete her work. But something is sending a chill up the usually fearless author’s spine. There are the unearthly noises, the sliding panels, the hidden passageways…and John Landry, the sexy caretaker. Working together to uncover laMalediction’s alarming secrets and root out the evil stalking them, John finds Olivia impossible to resist, and he knows it’s only a matter of time before something unexpected—and undeniable—happens between them….

Review

For Olivia Markham, laMalediction is the ideal setting in which to complete her work. But something is sending a chill up the usually fearless author’s spine. There are the unearthly noises, the sliding panels, the hidden passageways…and John Landry, the sexy caretaker.

I enjoyed this setting of the secluded house out in the bayou. Add in the creepy passageways and the strange noises and you have the horror factor down pat. But, as with many of these types of novels, you can have some eye roll moments. And this book has quite a few. But the family secrets and the eerie setting kept me reading!

The narrator, Shana Pennington-Baird, is pretty good. She nailed the French pronunciations!

Need a novel with a creepy setting…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

Purchase Here

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment