The Merry Matchmaker by Sheila Roberts #bookreview #christmas @harlequinbooks

Overview

Sparkles with warmth, wit, and a sweet helping of holiday charm! The perfect stocking stuffer for readers who crave all the holiday feels and a happy ending!” —Rachel Linden, bestselling author of The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie

Inspired by Jane Austen’s Emma, this joyful Christmas romp tells the story of a woman who can’t stop trying to help everyone around her find their happily-ever-after—even when her help leads to disaster.

Frankie Lane knows what’s best for just about everyone but herself. Her divorced sister, Stef, who is too young to give up on love; her shy employee, Elinor; and her daughter, Natalie, who works in Frankie’s shop, Holiday Happiness, and really needs to start her own business selling the delectable chocolates she makes at home; even her best friend, Viola, who is trying to renovate her old Victorian. Frankie knows she could help all of them, if they’d just let her—and if all of her help didn’t end in utter disaster. 

Then there’s Mitch Howard, the owner of the local hardware store. They’ve been friends ever since Frankie opened her store, nine years earlier. He got her through the nightmare when she lost her husband in a freak accident, and he’s her favorite shoulder to cry on. He’s been divorced for years, and it’s such a waste of man! Mitch is the fittest, finest man Frankie knows. He’s easygoing, wise and kindhearted. Mitch needs someone. And she’s determined to help him find that someone—whether he likes it or not.

Review

Frankie is a hoot! She is always meddling when she shouldn’t. She constantly says she is “HELPING”. And as you can guess, this comes back to bite her in the behind!! She meddles one too many times and disaster may strike!

I adored Frankie and her persistence! She takes no for an answer…but when someone ends up with her best friend, Mitch. She realizes she has gone too far. Mitch is hers…or is he??

Now, as with most Christmas reads, it is predictable. But the characters are charming and delightful!

Need a cute, joyful, Christmas read…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

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

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Echoes of Us by Joy Jordan-Lake @gosparkpoint #bookreview #historicalfiction

Overview

From the bestselling author of Under a Gilded Moon comes the soaring story of an unlikely friendship of three men and one extraordinary woman and the legacy they built—if their own secrets don’t destroy it.

In the midst of World War II, a Tennessee farm boy, a Jewish Cambridge student, and a German POW forge a connection that endures—against all odds.

But now everything that Will Dobbins, Dov Silverberg, and Hans Hessler fought for is at risk as their descendants clash for control of the corporation they founded together. In an attempt to remake its tattered corporate image, the firm hires event planner Hadley Jacks and her sister Kitzie to organize a reunion for the families on St. Simons Island, Georgia, the place that changed all three men’s lives forever.

As Hadley and her sister delve into the friends’ past, they uncover the life of the courageous young woman who links them all together…and the old wounds that could tear everything apart.

Told in dual timelines spanning World War II and the present, Echoes of Us follows the ripple effects of war, the bonds that outlast it, and the hope that ultimately carries us forward.

Review

Hadley and her sister Kitzie have been hired to organize a reunion for certain families on St. Simons Island, Georgia. The families of Will Dobbins, Dov Silverberg, and Hans Hessler are clashing for control of their corporation. These young ladies have been hired to revamp the coporate image. They soon discover there is more to these families than what is on the surface.

I have read almost all of this author’s books. They are all good but this one is my favorite! I love time period, the dual timelines and the characters…plus the wonderful setting of St. Simon’s Island!

This is a story you will not soon forget. The secrets and the drama of the war will keep you turning the pages!

Need a WWII novel set in America…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

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

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A Golden Life by Ginny Kubitz Moyer @shewritespress @suzyapbooktours #bookreview

Overview

Embark on a journey to 1930s California in Ginny Kubitz Moyer’s spellbinding historical novel in which a woman must choose between friendship and her own secrets.

It’s 1938, and twenty-five-year-old secretary Frances Healey is ready for a fresh start. Hoping to forget her painful past, she takes a job working for Hollywood producer Lawrence Merrill. She quickly becomes absorbed in VistaGlen Studios’s biggest project: a movie about Kitty Ridley, the legendary stage actress who disappeared from the public eye in 1895. The movie will be the making of Belinda Vail, a beautiful ingenue who is hungry for a breakout role—and also happens to be Mr. Merrill’s love interest. 

But the real Miss Ridley has other ideas. Now ninety years old, she writes a scathing letter insisting the studio halt production of the film. Hoping to change her mind, Frances and Mr. Merrill embark on a trip to find the actress—only to land in a Victorian farmhouse in the Napa Valley. But as she learns the truth of Miss Ridley’s life, Frances finds herself confronting the very past she’s been trying to forget. And with the arrival of the ambitious Belinda, loyalties will be tested, bonds will be forged, and Frances will learn where true happiness lies. Set in Hollywood and the sun-drenched Napa countryside, A Golden Life explores friendship, forgiveness, and the power of honoring your own story.

Review

This story is full of great characters! I loved Sally, Frances and of course, Miss Ridley!

Miss Ridley is a 90 year old woman and she takes no prisoners. She doesn’t care who you are, she is the boss. Miss Ridley started performing at a very young age and Frances’ boss, Lawerence, is wanting to do a film about her life. Needless to say, Miss Ridley expresses her wishes!

Frances has had her share of life’s misfortunes and she is someone you root for. And believe me, she works hard. She is a good girl who has made some bad choices but she does not let it stop her!

Then there is Sally. Sally broke my heart. I just wanted to come through the pages and hug her. She is Lawerence’s daughter and he really does not know what he is doing and Sally gets hurt on more than one occasion.

These are just a few of the great characters in this novel. As this story unfolds, the author creates a world you will not soon forget. This tale is full of emotion, strength and fortitude and you do not want to miss it!

Need a tale about Old Hollywood…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel for a honest review.

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The Sullivan’s Island Supper Club by Susan M. Boyer #audiobookreview #bookreview @dreamscapemedia

Overview

From the bestselling author of the award-winning novel Big Trouble on Sullivan’s Island comes a captivating new tale that explores the deep ties of friendship, family, and community—and the hidden cracks that can fracture even our strongest connections.

Welcome to Sullivan’s Island, an idyllic beachside town just outside Charleston, South Carolina. This serene, unspoiled sanctuary offers tourists a picturesque taste of the lush Lowcountry while the locals enjoy a laid-back, small-town lifestyle. Amidst an eclectic mix of newcomers and natives, lifelong resident and social maven Tallulah Wentworth’s legendary monthly dinners have united an unlikely group of women into the very best of friends.

To outsiders, this sunny, seaside haven is nothing short of paradise, but the residents of this beachside hamlet know that it harbors its share of troubles. Everyone has an opinion about the most hotly contested local issue—how to manage the maritime forest that’s sprung up on accreted land—and civility is quickly running out at both town council meetings and in online forums.

When a neighborhood meet-and-greet devolves into violence, several pillars of the community are led away in handcuffs. By the next morning, a very real, very dead body is the newest addition to Sarabeth Boone’s spooky Halloween graveyard display. But who could possibly be responsible for such a heinous act?

Did someone finally snap over the mounting tension between conservationists and cutters? Or was this a premeditated act perpetrated by an opportunistic killer masquerading as a trustworthy friend and neighbor?

The Sullivan’s Island Supper Club weaves a tale of mystery, friendship, and love—new love, old love, and second-chance love. Discover the lengths these women will go to protect each other and uncover the truth, even when it shatters the delicate balance of their seemingly perfect lives.

With her uniquely Southern voice, Susan M. Boyer delivers a fast-paced follow-up to the fan-favorite Big Trouble on Sullivan’s Island. Perfect for fans of strong Southern women, twisting tales, and the breathtaking Carolina coast, this charming whodunnit mystery marries scandal and sisterhood for the ultimate listening treat.

Review

A neighborhood meet and greet has just turned deadly. There is a dead body right next to Sarabeth Boone’s spooky Halloween graveyard display. Who would do such a horrible thing??

I love this author! She has some amazing characters that are very southern! And trust me you will laugh out loud in places!

This is a great mystery full of friendships, strong southern women and a beautiful setting of Sullivan’s Island. I listened to this in one day! Y’all!!! These characters!!!!

The narrator, Courtney Patterson, could not have been better. Sometimes a southern accent trips up a narrator…not this one! She nailed it!

Need a good southern mystery…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel for a honest review.

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Legacy of Blood by Heather Graham @harlequinbooks #bookreview

Overview

In the streets of Paris, someone wants to paint the town red…

When Special Agent Jeannette LaFarge is called in to investigate a vineyard in the Reims region of France, the last thing she expects to find is multiple bodies with every vein bled dry. It’s yet another case tailor-made for Blackbird. Joining her is recent recruit Detective Daniel Murray, eager to use his newfound abilities to track down whoever is terrorizing Paris and its surrounding areas.

With each ashen victim grows the realization that those responsible weren’t inspired by vampiric creatures of the night but by Elizabeth Báthory herself. The Hungarian noblewoman’s unspeakable crimes against her people are being reenacted in both the City of Lights and across the French countryside. Unless the two of them act quickly, the upcoming harvest promises to yield blood instead of wine.

Review

Special Agent Jeannette LaFarge is called in to investigate a vineyard in the Reims region of France where bodies are discovered. These bodies are completely drained of all their blood. She and her partner, Daniel Murray, use all their resources to find the vampire killer.

I have been a fan of this author for 30 years or more…yes I am that old. Even though this is not my favorite series it is still very unique and entertaining. She has a lot of history thrown into this suspenseful tale and this just adds more to the mix!

I love that there are quite a few suspects. And some are a bit strange and not quite what you expect. But these two investigators are not letting anything get in their way!

Need a good suspenseful, vampire tale…or is it? THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

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

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I’ll Be Waiting by Kelley Armstrong @stmartinspress #bookreview #smpinfluencers

Overview

From New York Times Bestselling author Kelley Armstrong comes a spellbinding new tale of supernatural horror involving a haunted-house, seances, lost loved ones, and a sinister spirit out for blood…

Nicola Laughton never expected to see adulthood, being diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis as a child. Then medical advances let her live into her thirties and she met Anton, who taught her to dream of a future… together. Months after they married, Anton died in a horrible car crash, but lived long enough to utter five words to her, “I’ll be waiting for you.”

That final private moment became public when someone from the crash scene took it to the press—the terminally ill woman holding her dying husband as he promised to wait for her on the other side. Worse, that person claimed it wasn’t Anton who said the words but his ghost, hovering over his body.

Since their story went public, Nicola has been hounded by spiritualists promising closure. In the hopes of stopping her downward spiral, friends and family find a reputable medium—a professor of parapsychology. For the séance, they rent the Lake Erie beach house that Anton’s family once owned.

The medium barely has time to begin his work before things start happening. Locked doors mysteriously open. Clouds of insects engulf the house. Nicola hears footsteps and voices and the creak of an old dumbwaiter…in an empty shaft. Throughout it all she’s haunted by nightmares of her past. Because, unbeknownst to the others, this isn’t her first time contacting the dead. And Nicola isn’t her real name.

That’s when she finds the first body…. 

In this atmospheric, thrilling new ghost story, Kelley Armstrong’s full talents are on display to thrill, chill and leave the reader guessing how Nicola escapes with her life–if she can.

Review

I love a good tale with possible ghosts and seances! This book hit the mark!

Nicola has lost her husband in a car wreck. He spoke to her as he was dying and she knows he has more to say. She has been steadily visiting all the mediums to try and reach him. But they are all frauds. She discovers one that might not be and she sets up some time with him. But it doesn’t quite go as planned.

I enjoyed quite a bit about this novel, especially the creepy house and the weird backstory…you will need to read this to find out! Kelly Armstrong creates great intensity and mystery surrounding Nicola and her situation! And believe me…she has a strange situation on her hands!

Need a good read to get you in the mood for Halloween…This is it! Grab your copy today.

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

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Betrayal at Blackthorn Park by Julia Kelly @macmillanaudio #audiobook #bookreview

Overview

Calin’s versatile characterizations, subtle accents, and comfortable pacing capture this privileged world wherein modern ideas clash with traditional values”—AudioFile on The Last Dance of the Debutante

With mystery, intrigue, and the hints of romance international bestselling author Julia Kelly is known for, Evelyne Redfern returns in Betrayal at Blackthorn Park.

Freshly graduated from a rigorous training program in all things spy craft, former typist Evelyne Redfern is eager for her first assignment as a field agent helping Britain win the war. However, when she learns her first task is performing a simple security test at Blackthorn Park, a requisitioned manor house in the sleepy Sussex countryside, she can’t help her initial disappointment. Making matters worse, her handler is to be David Poole, a fellow agent who manages to be both strait-laced and dashing in annoyingly equal measure. However, Evelyne soon realizes that Blackthorn Park is more than meets the eye, and an upcoming visit from Winston Churchill means that security at the secret weapons research and development facility is of the utmost importance. 

When Evelyne discovers Blackthorn Park’s chief engineer dead in his office, her simple assignment becomes more complicated. Evelyne must use all of her—and David’s—detection skills to root out who is responsible and uncover layers of deception that could change the course of the war.

A Macmillan Audio production from Minotaur Books.

Review

Former typist, Evelyne Redfern, has just completed a rigorous spy training program. She is excited for her first assignment. Her first task is performing a simple security test at Blackthorn Park. When Evelyne discovers Blackthorn Park’s chief engineer dead in his office, her simple assignment becomes more complicated.

Evelyne is a unique character. I love that she is a tough female and she is definitely not falling into the female norm!

This is not my usual genre. I love historical fiction, but I do not care for something like Alfred Hitchcock or Agatha Christie. This is basically what the story reminds me of. It is a lot of deductions and it moves a bit slow. So take this with a grain of salt, read this for yourself and form your own opinion.

The reason I stuck with the story is that I absolutely love this narrator. The narrator, Marisa Calin, is super! She kept this novel moving!

Need a different type of historical mystery…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this audiobook from the publisher for a honest opinion

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The Boyfriend by Freida McFadden @dreamscapeaudio #bookreview #audiobook

Overview

She’s looking for the perfect man. He’s looking for the perfect victim.

Sydney Shaw, like every single woman in New York, has terrible luck with dating. She’s seen it all: men who lie in their dating profile, men who stick her with the dinner bill, and worst of all, men who can’t shut up about their mothers. But finally, she hits the jackpot.

Her new boyfriend is utterly perfect. He’s charming, handsome, and works as a doctor at a local hospital. Sydney is swept off her feet.

Then the brutal murder of a young woman—the latest in a string of deaths across the coast—confounds police. The primary suspect? A mystery man who dates his victims before he kills them.

Sydney should feel safe. After all, she is dating the guy of her dreams. But she can’t shake her own suspicions that the perfect man may not be as perfect as he seems. Because someone is watching her every move, and if she doesn’t get to the truth, she’ll be the killer’s next victim…

Review

This is not my favorite Freida book. But, it is still good. She always has some great twists and turns. However, the turns are getting a bit predictable. So, yes, I saw this coming but I did enjoy the ride getting there!

Sydney has not had much luck in her dating life, until recently. She absolutely has found her dream guy. But, when there is a murder in her building and she discovers there are more…she starts to have her suspicions.

Freida is excellent at creating more than one suspect. Not only that, she fills her novels with lots of suspense and intrigue. And believe you me…this one is full of both!

The narrators, Victoria Connolly and Adam Blanford, are excellent. I love a good tag team.

Need a twisted tale…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

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

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Missing Pieces by Kathryn Schleich @suzyapbooktours #bookreview

Overview

Attorney Madelyn Cummins has experienced her fair share of adversity, but the future looks bright for this young professional. She is surrounded by friends she considers family, construction is nearly completed on her dream home, her law practice is growing, and she is making a difference in the lives of her clients. But there is one case involving a prominent Minnesota auto magnate that has been particularly challenging. As the tension mounts, Maddie suffers an episode of transient global amnesia (TGA) and struggles to piece together the events that took place during the hours missing from her memory. In the days, weeks and months that follow, her nightmares reveal several shocking truths. She joins forces with women in her close-knit circle—a savvy paralegal, a sharp U.S. attorney, a no-nonsense FBI agent—to get to the bottom of a decades-old cold case.

Review

Maddie is a high powered attorney and her life is a dream…until she experiences an episode of transient global amnesia (TGA) and struggles to piece together the events that took place during the hours missing from her memory.

This story is extremely unique! I love when an author has me researching. Of course I had to look up TGA. As Maddie struggles, the story begins to twist and turn and takes the reader on a wild ride for sure!

Need a mystery with some major, twisty elements….THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

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

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The Holiday Cottage by Sarah Morgan @harlequinbooks #christmas #bookreview

Overview

From USA TODAY bestselling author of The Book Club Hotel, Sarah Morgan returns with a heartfelt story of friendship, finding yourself, and the surprising ties that bring us together. Perfect for fans of Rebecca Serle and Jennifer Weiner.

To the outside world, Imogen is a marketing dynamo. Her colleagues don’t know that while her high-achieving professional image is real, the happy childhood stories she spins are as fake as her pretend enthusiasm for Christmas. Working 24/7 has always been her solution to surviving the festive season—until burnout leads to a catastrophic blunder.

Suddenly, Imogen is handed a holiday gift she definitely doesn’t want: enforced time off work to recuperate. Then an invitation arrives from her favorite client, Dorothy, to stay at her guest cottage in the Cotswolds. From the thatched roof to the cozy open fireplace, Holly Cottage is a picture-perfect haven… Can it provide the fresh start Imogen so desperately needs?

For Dorothy, helping Imogen offers a longed-for chance to make reparations for her own past. But as her daughter Sara keeps reminding her, it brings risks, too. Yet Dorothy knows that only a leap of courage will allow her family to grow and heal. And perhaps this Christmas, with Dorothy’s help, the new life that Imogen is slowly piecing together could be better than anything either of them could imagine…

Review

Imogene is a marketing genius. She is great at her job because she has no family or home life. She works at all hours because she has no one. Well, except her mother who is verbally abusive and uses Imogene to support her misdeeds. Imogene has even gone so far as to lie to her co-workers. She even has fake photos on her desk of a dog and a family. So, when she makes a mistake one night at an event, her boss makes her take a vacation. This vacation changes her life.

Sarah Morgan has become a favorite for me, especially her Christmas novels. I loved last year’s book, The Book Club Hotel. And this book right is right up there with it!

I loved Imogene. She really has had a rough time. Her mother is a piece of work and Imogene struggles with self awareness and self esteem.

Enter Dorothy and her secret…you will have to read this to find out!

This story will take you through some emotional ups and downs and a family drama you won’t soon forget. Add in the sweet dog and the HOT veterinarian…and you have a magical, holiday story!

Need a good Christmas tale to get you in the spirit…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

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

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