The Last Letter: an emotional tragic story with loss, struggles and love

The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros is a story of loss, love and the struggles. Ella MacKenzie was asked by her brother, Ryan, to write to his fellow serviceman who didn’t get many letters from home. She eagerly does. She and Beckett Gentry begin a friendship through their letters. Although she only knows him by his call sign, Chaos. When Ryan is killed in action, his last letter is to Beckett, asking him to watch over his sister and her two six year old twins, Colt and Maisie in Telluride, Colorado. Ella is raising her children on her own while running a local bed and breakfast and dealing with Maisie’s health struggles. Beckett leaves the army and arrives in Telluride with his retired K-9, Havoc, and immediately jumps into his new role. At first, Ella is resistant but soon there is an attraction that neither can resist. However, there are still secrets between them and the truth could threaten to tear them apart. 

I have seen The Last Letter heavily on social media. Many reviews highly recommended it while others warned the emotional damage readers would suffer after reading it. I looked forward to a good emotional story. From the opening chapter to the closing pages, the emotions and tears flowed. There were also moments of laughter and smiles. I loved Beckett as he takes his role as protector seriously. I loved Ella as an independent woman who was determined to prove those who doubt her wrong. I loved Colt and Maisie as the precocious twins with their unusual bond. I even loved Havoc and wished to have a dog like her. The ending was tragic but an expected tragedy. I was expecting one of five deaths and the death did not play out the way I expected. My only nitpick is one scene where a character from Lord of the Rings was referenced and in the book, the name was spelt, AOWYN when the character is EOWYN. If you are going to reference another character, spell the name correctly! Overall, I did enjoy this story. I highly recommend The Last Letter. 

The Last Letter is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

The Color of a Memory: grief, loss and moving forward with the memories

The Color of a Memory is the fifth book in The Color of Heaven series by Julianne MacLean. ER nurse Audrey Fitzgerald believed she had married a perfect man. Alex was a loving husband, a devoted father and a heroic firefighter who risked his life to save others. A year after his tragic death, she is struggling to move on when she finds information that threatens all she thought she knew about her husband. A picture and a name she had never heard before. A mysterious woman who holds the key to everything. Audrey discovers that in the weeks leading up to his death, Alex was distant, distracted and keeping secrets. With the help of a friend, she digs into his past and begins a journey that would lead her to a new future, one she never could have imagined. 

Continuing the arc which began in the third book, The Color of a Memory explores grief, loss and moving forward. This story had so many twists and turns that it kept me on the edge of my seat. My heart sank as Audrey discovered the evidence of what she thought was Alex’s secrets and the doubts that filled her head. I gasped at the reveal of who the mysterious woman was and her connection to Alex. I loved the interconnection of the characters and an example of how our own lives are interconnected whether we ever know it or not in a chain of events that can change lives forever. I enjoyed this story and I look forward to reading the rest of this series. I highly recommend The Color of a Memory and the earlier books in The Color of Heaven series. 

The Color of a Memory is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Hello Again: a sweet, clean second chance romance

Hello Again is the first book in the In The Garden series by Heather Tullis. Piper Daniels has only one wish: to keep Spencer, her little brother, out of trouble. However, between her work schedule and the lack of activities for teens in her neighborhood leaves her searching for options. When she comes to the idea of a community garden, she is inspired and dives into making her plan a reality. Until she hits a snag. The owner of the property she wants to use is a former flame. Reece Stone was the love of her life ten years ago. However, he left with a phone call goodbye and no other explanation. Now he is the head of Stone Enterprises and when Piper’s garden proposal comes across his desk, he is thrilled to have a second chance with her. 

Hello Again is a sweet, clean romance. I loved Piper as she works hard and struggles to help her little brother stay on the straight and narrow. Her idea of a community garden sounded fun and I loved how her friends supported her and helped her develop the plan. I also enjoyed Reece as he struggles to overcome his father’s shadow and run the business. I also liked how he interacted with Spencer. The romance between Piper and Reece was sweet but the plot itself with the garden was a bit too slow for me. Overall, I enjoyed the story. It was a nice read for a lazy afternoon. However, I am unsure if I will continue the series. If you enjoy sweet, clean second chance romance, I recommend Hello Again. 

Hello Again is available in paperback and eBook

 

Wolvers: pursuit, survival and redemption deep in the American Southwest

Wolvers by Taylor Brown is a story of pursuit, survival and redemption deep in the American Southwest. Trace Temple is looking for revenge. Broke and angry at the government after his family loses their New Mexico ranch. Living out of his truck when he is approached by a shady militia movement hires him to take down One-Eleven, the legendary she-wolf of the Dark Canyon pack. However, One-Eleven is no ordinary wolf. Cunning and seasoned in the ways of men, she’s always one step ahead of those who hunt her. After surviving a brush with death, Trace has a change of heart and joins forces with a survivalist and a local rancher in order to stop his replacement: a professional hunter and assassin who ruthlessly pursues his quarry including Trace himself. 

I have always loved wolves and find them fascinating. Wolvers is defined as one who behaves like a wolf or one who searches or hunts for wolves. From the opening chapter, Wolvers is a suspenseful, thrilling story as nature battles man and man battles man. I loved the wolf, One-Eleven as she skillfully eludes her hunters and I thoroughly enjoyed her sections of the story. Mr Brown does a great job with One-Eleven’s personality and I was reminded of Two Socks from Dances With Wolves (1990) and Jack London’s White Fang (1906). The sections with Trace and the other humans definitely had me rooting for One-Eleven and her pack. Overall, I enjoyed this story. It was thrilling and kept me on the edge of my seat. I highly recommend Wolvers. 

Wolvers is available in hardcover, eBook and audiobook

Burn the Kingdom Down: one woman seeks revenge and discovers twists she never expected

Burn the Kingdom Down by Addie Thorley is an enemies to lovers romantasy with intrigue and action. Rowenna Harrack, the crown princess of Tashir, left her homeland as the bride to the prince of Vanzador. One year later, she is dead and her sister, Indira, is demanded as her replacement for the prince. Indira only agrees to figure out the truth behind her sister’s death, convinced it was no accident, and take revenge on those responsible. It’s a simple plan to play nice and gather the necessary intel to avenge her sister and free herself and her country from the iron grip of Vanzador. However, when she arrives, nothing is as it seems or as terrible as Rowenna described in her letters home. As Indira develops friendly terms with her maid, a courtier and even grows closer to her new husband, Prince Alaric, she is unsure who or what to believe. She learns that everyone has secrets, even deadly ones.

Burn the Kingdom Down promised to be “action-packed” with romance that would leave readers “breathless” and “betrayals” that would rip their hearts out. It is an interesting premise and the opening chapter certainly grabs your attention. However, the story gets confusing from there. The enemies part of enemies to lovers was done well. The animosity between Indira and Alaric was excellent. The lovers part was a bit more unbelievable and sudden, given their intense animosity. Indira herself was a bit annoying as she refused to see that what she knew about the situation wasn’t what she thought it was. I liked the magic system in this story. Overall, it was an interesting story with lots of action. Though I wasn’t breathless at the romance or my heart wasn’t ripped out by the betrayals. I feel teen readers might enjoy this story more. If you enjoy romantasy stories, you may enjoy this one. I recommend Burn the Kingdom Down. 

Burn the Kingdom Down is available in hardcover, eBook and audiobook

Where Wild Peaches Grow: two sisters reunite after their father's death and confront the past

Where Wild Peaches Grow by Cade Bentley is a story of family, cultural heritage and forgiveness. Nona “Peaches” Davenport left her home in Natchez, Mississippi fifteen years ago when she was betrayed by her family. She built a new life and became a professor of African American studies in Chicago. When the news of her father’s death reaches her, Nona must return home, a place she tried to forget. Julia Curtis has never forgiven her sister for leaving the family. However, Julia was determined to move forward as she focused on taking care of their father and grandmother. Julia now has a child and a career. When Nona returns to Natchez, their reunion is tenuous but soon they learn family secrets and everything they thought they knew could finally heal their relationship or tear them apart for good. 

Described as deeply emotional, I was expecting a family drama while dealing with grief and past hurts. However, I got a story about two sisters who were incredibly immature, especially Julia. I did not connect with either sister. Lies, miscommunication and drama for drama’s sake. Everyone had a secret of some type and when the big daddy secret was revealed, it was a major let down. The author tried to link racism and the town’s lore which didn’t quite connect for me. I kept asking “why?” for so many revelations and never got any answers, at least one I thought was satisfying. The story was a “short read” at 297  pages; however, it did not feel like it. It was confusing with too much history and not enough plot. Overall, I did not enjoy this story. I do not recommend Where Wild Peaches Grow. 

Where Wild Peaches Grow is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

The Pet Doctor: when a small town vet falls in love with the local wedding planner

The Pet Doctor is the third book in the Emerson Pass Contemporaries series by Tess Thompson. Breck Stokes returns to Emerson Pass to take over his mother’s veterinarian clinic. He loves being back home in his small town and loves animals and the occasional nap. He can’t explain it but he is drawn to the lovely but reserved Tiffany Birt. Tiffany arrived in Emerson Pass and soon became their favorite wedding planner. What her friends don’t know is that she hides behind a wall and holds a secret of a haunting childhood. When her past becomes national news, she must decide if she continues to hide or confront her demons and make sure those who hurt her and others pay. Will she be free at last and be able to pursue a future with Breck? Or will the men from her past continue to haunt her? 

The Pet Doctor was a sweet, funny and dramatic clean romance. The story opens as Tiffany breaks free from the cult that wanted to bind her into servitude. She builds her life and settles in Emerson Pass where she catches the attention of Breck. Breck is sweet and quiet who has his own traumatic past. However, when he learns of Tiffany’s past, he becomes the support she needs. I loved them together and their romance was sweet. The drama about the cult was doing well without being overwhelming to the overarching story. There was also drama between Breck and his mother that was well done as well and I cheered when he finally spoke his mind. Overall, I enjoyed this story and I am looking forward to the rest of the series. I highly recommend The Pet Doctor. I do recommend you start with book 1, The Sugar Queen. 

The Pet Doctor is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook