authentic reviews and insightful interviews for inquisitive readers
Title: Buried Cold Case Secrets Author: Sami A. Abrams Series: n/a Amateurish but better than expected I would like to thank Sami A. Abrams, Harlequin, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. Also thank you to Lisa Wray for inviting me on the blog tour. This book was a solid piece of work and better than I expected, though still amateurish. The writing style lacked personality but wasn’t off-putting or bad …
Article and Interview by Elise Cooper Chapter and Curse by Elizabeth Penney brings to life a fabulous cozy mystery. This first of the series has a community readers will care about, detailed descriptions of the town, and an engaging mystery with blackmail, deceit, and murder. Beyond that the author chose the historic town of Cambridge England set in a 400-year-old bookshop. After the death of her father Molly Kimball realizes her mother Nina needs a change of scenery. When a …
Title: A Touch of Romance Author: Paullett Golden Series: Romantic Encounters #2 Slow start but satisfying Thank you very much to Paullett Golden, who provided me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Jules and Leila meet at a writer’s retreat hosted by mutual friends. Randomly paired together for an activity, they don’t expect to like each other much, and when instead sparks fly, no one is more surprised than they are. But Jules, of humble means, had …
Article and Interview by Elise Cooper The Dead Cry Justice by Rosemary Simpson always involves a mystery, returning characters, and a social issue during the Gilded Age. This historical novel delves into a very tough and disturbing topic. But Simpson is such a gifted author and writes in a manner that does not go over the top. She realizes a line should not be crossed, leaving the subject matter up to the reader’s imagination. The story opens with the main …
Article and Interview by Elise Cooper Marriage Can Be Mischief is a cozy mystery in the small town of Harvest, Ohio. It features Amish quilting matchmaker crime solver Millie Fisher and her English friend Lois Henry. This installment has Millie’s childhood friend, Uriah Schrock, returning to Harvest to find out what happened to his sister, Galilee. Forty years ago, her abusive husband Samuel was found dead, and she has disappeared. But now a film crew doing a documentary on this …
Title: The Secret of Snow Author: Viola Shipman Series: n/a Questionable lead, unimpressive writing, melodramatic I would like to thank Viola Shipman, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. Also thanks to Sophie James for inviting me on the blog tour. When Palm Springs meteorologist Sonny Dunes is fired and replaced with a sexy robot, she gets drunk and lets the world know how she feels about the …
Article and Interview by Elise Cooper Rodeo Christmas at Evergreen Ranch and The True Cowboy of Sunset Ridge, Gold Valley books 13 and 14, by Maisey Yates both have an underlying theme of overcoming grief. In addition, each book has a novella that also touches on grief. There is a range of feelings that are present in each: hope, joy, despair, anger, and understanding. As with all her books, Yates is the master of banter between the characters. Whether making …
Article and Interview by Elise Cooper An Unexpected Distraction by Catherine Bybee shows why she is a master storyteller who writes formidable characters. Readers get to catch up with her past heroes and heroines: Claire, Cooper, Sasha, Neil, and Gwen. But anyone who has not read her should considering the great mix of suspenseful drama, action, and romance. With each new installment the series gets better and better. As with the other heroines in the series, Jacqueline (Jax) Simon is …
Article and Interview by Elise Cooper Deadly Target by Elizabeth Goddard has a suspenseful mystery with a sweet romance. This is the second book in the Rocky Mountain Courage Series. Each book highlights the life of three childhood friends with this one featuring criminal psychologist Erin Larson. After barely surviving a kayaking incident Erin Larson receives a call from her former boyfriend that her mother attempted suicide. Dropping everything, she travels to Montana to take care of her mother, bringing …
Article and Interview by Elise Cooper Christmas in Tahoe premieres on the Hallmark Channel this Sunday, November 28, 2021, at 6 PM ET / 5 PM CT. The plot has Claire trying to save her family hotel’s Christmas show. Even though she is a talent booker, Claire must ask for help from her ex-boyfriend Ryan, the lead guitarist of a now-famous band that fired her as their manager years ago. The mystery involves how will they be able to work …