A Match for a Bookish Bride: a clean historical romance with a bit of mystery

A Match for a Bookish Bride is the first book in The Mystery Matchmaker of Ella Pointe series by Tess Thompson. In the spring of 1910, Amelia Young saw an advertisement in a Boston newspaper that would change her life. A wealthy family is in need of a secretary on Whale Island and this person must have an affinity for books. It fit her perfectly. When she is offered the position, she packs her merger belongings and travels to Washington state. Her new employer is Benedict Tutheridge. She didn’t expect him to be handsome or interesting but she knows that he would never see her as more than an employee. After the death of his father, Benedict is expected to run the family business. He fully expects his new secretary to be a man and is shocked when his new secretary is a beautiful woman. As the two work together, they find themselves drawn together. Do they risk their work relationship for something more? 

After reading the prequel, The Making of a Matchmaker, I was intrigued about the Tutheridge family and the matchmaker who would find their perfect matches, even the mystery behind the death of the Tutheridge patriarch. I enjoyed Amelia as a woman who pulled herself up from a poor beginning through hard work and her love of books. Benedict is a man who was tortured by his father and believes every horrible thing his father believed about him. However, it is when Amelia arrives, she begins to break out the falseness of what Benedict believes about himself. My heart broke for Benedict and I had my suspicions about his difficulties. The family dynamics were a great source of drama as they deal with their past and the situation surrounding their father’s death. Overall, I enjoyed this story and I am looking forward to the rest of the series. If you enjoy clean, historical romance, I recommend A Match for a Bookish Bride. 

A Match for a Bookish Bride 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

The Rebel: the heartbreaking, yet hopeful final book in the Emerson Pass Historical series

The Rebel is the eighth and final book in the Emerson Pass Historical series by Tess Thompson. After four years at a university, Delphia Barnes returns home to Emerson Pass; however, no one is at the station to welcome her home. When she sees Jack Depaul, she wonders why her family isn’t there, he tells her the news of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Jack is a proud second generation horse breeder in Emerson Pass. Only his love for Delphia equals his love of horses. As America prepares for war, Jack and Delphia finally confess their feelings for each other and marry before Jack ships off to fight overseas. He doesn’t want to leave her now that they have come together; but the desire to serve is too strong. Jack promises her he will return, alive and well. She prays that it is a promise he can keep. Will Jack survive the war? If he comes home, will Delphia recognize and love the man who returns?

I have loved this series and the Barnes family’s adventures and it is exciting and yet sad to finish the final book. It was hard to say goodbye and yet I could not tear myself away from the pages as the Barnes family deals with the horrors and sacrifice of war. My heart broke for Delphia and Jack as they fall in love and marry in innocence even as war looms. And they fall in love again as they deal with the aftermath and pain of war. I loved how Delphia refused to give up on Jack and I cheered as others around Jack refused to let him give up and with tough love to show him that life can still be lived fully and love is deeper than skin deep. As the historical series ends, I look forward to jumping back into and finishing the contemporary Emerson Pass series. I highly recommend the Historical Emerson Pass series if you haven’t started it. I highly recommend The Rebel. 

The Rebel is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

The Wordsmith: can love be stronger than familial duty?

The Wordsmith is the seventh book in the Emerson Pass Historical series by Tess Thompson. Adelaide “Addie” Barnes didn’t want to fall in love with him. He was too old, too English and too much her sister’s best friend. At least that’s what she tells herself as James West arrives in Emerson Pass to spend the summer with the Barnes family. What was worse, James is set to marry another woman at the end of the summer. Addie had grown into a beautiful and ambitious young woman who dreamed of becoming a published author. James must marry the daughter of one of the richest men to save his family from ruin and his own career. Duty pulls him in one direction; but his heart started to pull him in another. He has fallen in love with Addie and yet he knew he could not have her. Would he be able to walk away from the only woman he loves? And would Addie let him? 

The Wordsmith picks up four years after the end of The Musician. Addie is now a young woman with a heart filled with unrequited love. James was hoping the summer with the Barnes family would be his last great time before he married. Of course, summer is a time of change, of hope and courage. Addie and James’ romance was sweet. I felt for Addie as she was willing and ready to let James walk away because she thought it was what he wanted. I enjoyed watching James come to the realization that he loves Addie and yet doesn’t feel worthy of her. There were twists and turns with a few tears and gasps and a happy resolution that brought a smile to my face. I have thoroughly enjoyed this series and it breaks my heart a bit that there is only one book left. If you enjoy clean, sweet historical fiction, you will enjoy the Emerson Pass Historical series. I highly recommend The Wordsmith. 

The Wordsmith is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

The Musician: can love overcome racial prejudice? Or will societal norms keep them apart?

The Musician is the sixth book in the Emerson Pass Historical series by Tess Thompson. Fiona Barnes has a secret. A secret she fears would ruin everything she cares about. Her heart longs for the one she feels her family would never accept; but she can’t help but love him. Li Wu has fought prejudice his entire life even in the close knit community of Emerson Pass. But he feels safe and protected as an adopted member of the Barnes family. His heart longs for Fiona as they found a connection through the beauty of music; however, he fears that her life would be ruined by marrying him. Fiona has a chance to mentor with a musical master in Paris, they hope the distance will give them clarity. When a new man enters Fiona’s life, Li must decide if he is willing to risk everything to express his feelings for Fiona. Or will societal pressures keep them apart? 

The Musician takes a different feel than the previous books of this series. Most of it takes place in Paris and deals with the heavy prejudice against Chinese Americans in America during the early 1900s. While my heart hurt for Li and I was angry on his behalf, it greatly saddened me as it was reality for the Chinese in America. I understood the reservations that the Barnes family and even Li had about their possible romantic relationship. I loved that Fiona saw him for the beautiful, kindhearted human that he was and just didn’t care about what others thought. I wanted them to say forget everyone else and love each other, the societal concerns were very real and dangerous. I could not put this story down. I needed to see Fiona and Li confess their love and have their happily ever after. Overall, I enjoyed this story and look forward to the rest of this series. I highly recommend The Musician. 

The Musician is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

The Seven Days of Christmas: can the magic and hope of the season bring two hearts back together?

The Seven Days of Christmas is a novella book in the Emerson Pass Historical series by Tess Thompson. After the events of The Problem Child, Flynn Barnes and his wife , Shannon, and their idyllic marriage seemingly has been destroyed by a dangerous secret. Shannon is unsure if she can trust him again. With Christmas and Cymbeline’s wedding fast approaching, the Barnes children band together to help Flynn gain Shannon’s trust and win her heart again by using each of the final seven days featuring one grand gesture after another. Flynn fears it is too late. The Barnes family knows how to stick together no matter what but also know that the Christmas season is a time for love, joy and hope. Can Flynn and Shannon find a way back to each other and be stronger than ever? Will Emerson Pass’s favorite tomboy be as magical as the Christmas season? 

The Seven Days of Christmas is a quick and enjoyable read. Flynn is a stubborn man who made a horrible choice and wants to wallow in the aftermath in the implosion of his life. Shannon is a woman scorned, newly postpartum and experiencing a roller coaster of emotions. It seemed to be a tall order for Flynn to win back Shannon’s trust and love. I thoroughly enjoyed Flynn as he worked through the issues he caused and sought forgiveness from not only Shannon but the people of Emerson Pass. The grand gestures were sweet and I loved seeing Shannon’s heart melt again for Flynn. I also enjoyed Cymbeline’s wedding and the events surrounding it. Overall, I loved this short read and I am looking forward to the rest of the series. If you have enjoyed the Emerson Pass Historical series, I recommend The Seven Days of Christmas. 

The Seven Days of Christmas is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

The Problem Child: a childhood rivals to lovers historical romance

The Problem Child is the fourth book in the Emerson Pass Historical series by Tess Thompson. Cymbeline Barnes has always felt the problem child. A restless soul who dreams of life beyond her hometown and yet can’t seem to get her feet moving. As a child, she declared Viktor Olofsson her arch enemy and did everything she could to best him at anything. However, when he saves her beloved littler sister, she starts to see him a little differently. More of a hero and not so much an adversary. Viktor Olofsson has cared for Cymbeline from the moment they met. No matter what he does to break through the ice around her heart. When another woman arrives in Emerson Pass, Viktor starts to spend time with her, Cymbeline finds herself unsettled by the idea that Viktor would no longer be there. She starts to wonder if maybe her dream come true could be right in front of her instead of in the far off distance. 

The Emerson Pass Historical series is a historical romance with childhood rivals to lovers, a fiercely independent woman and a quiet devoted hero and drama that will keep you on your toes. I have loved the Barnes family since book one and I have looked forward to each book as a Barnes child gets  their love story. Cymbeline is a woman ahead of her time. Caught between the social expectations and the desires of her heart. Viktor is a man who knows who he wants but is willing to let her fly away if it meant that she would be happy. As events bring them closer and closer, I could see Cymbeline’s fighting to keep Viktor as her rival; however, she clearly sees that is no longer the case. Overall, I enjoyed this story and I am looking forward to the rest of the Emerson Pass Historical series. If you enjoy clean historical romances, you will enjoy the Emerson Pass Historicals and The Problem Child.   

The Problem Child is available in hardcover, paperback, eBook and audiobook

The Making of a Matchmaker: a great introduction to a new historical romance series

The Making of a Matchmaker is a prequel novella to The Mystery Matchmaker of Ella Pointe series by Tess Thompson. It is the fall of 1910, Roland Tutheridge is found murdered. His death freed his wife, his four children and residents of the small island in the Puget Sound. Ruling his family in a savage dictatorship, Roland left his children, each with their own unique personalities, with little hope for happiness and love. Their mother comes up with a matchmaking scheme. However, the cloud of their father’s murder hangs heavily. As his secrets are revealed, everyone on the island becomes a suspect. Will the plan find love for the eccentric Tutheridge family? Can love grow after such darkness? 

A historical series with a murder mystery and swoony romance? Yes, please! I love Tess Thompson’s Emerson Pass historical romance series. I am slowly reading my way through it but I am loving it. So I was excited to hear that Ms Thompson announced a new historical series.  The Making of a Matchmaker introduces readers to the residents of Whale Island and a murder mystery. In six chapters, readers will be ready to jump into the romances of the Tutheridge children and a murder mystery that will affect everyone. It is a very quick read as an introduction to the Tutheridge family and the series. I am looking forward to the series. I recommend The Making of a Matchmaker. 

The Making of a Matchmaker is available in eBook

The Scholar: two broken people find love, healing and made whole together

The Scholar is the third book in the Emerson Pass Historical series by Tess Thompson. Theo Barnes has been in love with Louisa Lind since they were kids. However, she fancied his twin brother, Flynn. When he returns to Emerson Pass after studying at medical school, Flynn is married and Theo’s love for Louisa burns brighter than ever. Louisa feels she’s not worthy of love and marriage. A past that still haunts her, she feels she is too broken. However, after tragedy strikes her family. Louisa finds herself at the Barnes charity and tender, gentle attention of Theo and her heart begins to wonder if love and marriage is possible. Their road to marriage is rocky with obstacles, doubts, and wounds of the past. Can they find a way to heal together and build a life, love and marriage worthy of them both? 

I love the Emerson Pass series so far and I think Theo is my favorite Barnes family member. Even from the first book, I eagerly awaited his story and The Scholar does not disappoint. Deeply haunted by his memories of his childhood and the Great War, he comes home from medical school hoping to find his purpose and maybe even love. His ongoing love for Louisa is sweet and endearing. I cheered as she started to see him for the strong and loving man he had become. It is a clean romance with only references to sex and fade to black scenes. Overall, I loved this story. There were sweet, tender moments, heartbreaking moments and moments that tears fell freely. I am looking forward to the rest of the Barnes children’s stories. I highly recommend The Scholar and the Emerson Pass Historical series. 

The Scholar is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

The Spinster: a clean historical romance

The Spinster by Tess Thompson is the second book in the Emerson Pass Historical series. In  Emerson Pass, Colorado 1920, the first World War is over and Josephine Barnes mourns the loss of her beloved fiancé as he fought in the trenches. Devastated, she vows to never marry and calls herself a spinster as she focuses on building the town’s new library. Her world is turned upside down when she receives a letter from someone who fought with her fiancé, asking to visit and return the letters she wrote. Phillip Baker survived the war and survived a bout with the dreaded Spanish flu but he is burdened with a distressing secret. Plagued by guilt, but unable to stop, reading Josephine’s letters brought him comfort and finds himself falling for the woman and her words. When Phillip arrives, Josephine is torn between loyalty to her deceased fiancé and her growing feelings for Phillip. As Phillip prepares to tell her the secrets he carries, will her new feelings be crushed and push her away from Phillip forever? 

The question of “Can the tragic death of a soldier entwine the souls of two strangers?” asked in the book’s description spoke to me as someone who descends from two people who met because of the death of a soldier on the battlefield. I fell in love with the Barnes family in The School Mistress and enjoyed seeing them growing up. First up is the eldest Josephine. The bookish Josephine who would rather hide in a book and take care of her loved one convinced she is not pretty enough to find love again. She believes her one chance at love died on the battlefield was heartbreaking. The arrival of Phillip brings new joy to her life despite her best efforts to stay neutral. My heart broke for those who returned from war with memories and horrors plaguing them. I loved that Ms Thompson did not shy away from that. I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series. If you enjoy wholesome historical romances, I highly recommend The Spinster. 

The Spinster is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Promise of Tomorrow: forbidden love, family secrets and second chances

Promise of Tomorrow by Tess Thompson is the second book of the Castaway Christmas series. Millicent Cashmere appears to have a life of luxury as the only child of the wealthy family. However, she is a literal prisoner in her father’s mansion. She is forbidden to have friends or go to school. Her only company is books. Teddy Hill is the humble son of the Cashmere chauffeur. He admired Millicent from afar for years. When a series of tragic events brings them closer Teddy is determined to protect Millicent and rescue her from her prison. As family secrets reveal themselves, can she finally break free from the darkness that has filled her life? Can they find a way to forge a life together in the face of the worst circumstances? 

Promise of Tomorrow is a historical fiction about forbidden love, family secrets and second chances. It is a story of resilience and the power of love and community. I wanted to reach through the book and rescue Millicent myself. As the attitudes of the time, the book takes place in 1914, daughters were property of their father, with very little voice. I cheered as Teddy stepped up and helped Millicent out of a horrible situation. Seeing their slow growing love story was wonderful. I enjoyed visiting Castaway Cove and the characters from the first book, Come Tomorrow. Readers do not need to read the first book to enjoy Promise of Tomorrow, however, I highly recommend it as it is another wonderful story. I highly recommend Promise of Tomorrow. 

Promise of Tomorrow is available in paperback and eBook. 

Blue Moon: a love story with humor and a bit of danger

Blue Moon is the second book in the Blue Mountain series by Tess Thompson. Bliss Heywood is a driven, workaholic executive who faces an unsure future. After she is wrongly dismissed from her job, she spends the Thanksgiving holiday with her sister, Blythe, and her boyfriend, Kevan, in Peregrine, Idaho. There she meets Kevan’s playboy brother, Ciaran. Despite his reputation, Bliss is drawn to Ciaran who hides a secret, a dangerous secret. Bliss and Ciaran agree to a brief fling which quickly becomes more than they bargained for. Behind his charming façade, Ciaran is haunted by a past he is desperate to leave behind him. Believing he is in danger, he is always on the move. Will the threat eventually catch up with him? Will Bliss be caught in the crossfire? 

Blue Moon is a love story with humor, wit and a bit of danger. I enjoyed Bliss’s sass and heart. The only person she has been able to rely on for support is her sister, Blythe, Bliss knows that hard work to get ahead in life. I loved that she refused to wallow after her dismissal, instead decided it was time for change. I enjoyed Ciaran as there is more to him than his playboy reputation. When the two meet, the sparks fly immediately. Their romance was fun and steamy. The mystery and drama with Ciaran’s threat was lackluster. I would have liked to see more of the threat than being told. Overall, I enjoyed Bliss and Ciaran’s love story. I look forward to reading the rest of the series. I recommend Blue Moon. 

 Blue Moon is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook 

Blue Midnight, book 1, is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook

The Patron: a story of faith, forgiveness and family

The Patron by Tess Thompson is the second book in the Emerson Pass Contemporaries series. Crystal Whalen isn’t sure why she should move on. Two years after her husband’s death on a ski trip, she is still reeling from her devastation. She is further devastated when a fire destroys her mountain home. The fire has thrown her together with Garth Welte, the gorgeous former skiing Olympian turned lawyer, whose home was also destroyed. The two become temporary housemates as their mutual friends, Trapper and Brandi, offer them a room while their houses are rebuilt. However, Crystal’s attraction to Garth only fuels her grief and guilt. Garth has his own wounds. He was burned when his ex-wife took most of his money and he is determined to keep things casual with Crystal, unfortunately, his growing feelings are getting more and more harder to deny. As they deal with their respective wounds, will they allow themselves a chance at love one more time? 

The Patron picks up where the first book, The Sugar Queen, left off. The town of Emerson Pass is still dealing with the aftermath of the devastating fire. It is a sweet and heartwarming story of faith, forgiveness and family. I particularly liked Ms. Thompson’s treatment of Crystal’s grief. It felt very real and tangible as she struggles with moving forward. As a couple, I didn’t get the warm fuzzies with Crystal and Garth as I did with Trapper and Brandi, but honestly, I think it’s because I related to Brandi’s struggles more than I did with Crystal’s and Garth’s. There was a bit of a mystery that is revealed in the story. However, I figured it out very early in the story and it was nice to have an “I knew it!” moment as I read. Overall, I enjoyed The Patron and I look forward to reading more books in the Emerson Pass Contemporaries series. I recommend The Patron but first you must read The Sugar Queen. 

The Patron is available in paperback and eBook

The Sugar Queen is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

The Sugar Queen: a story of second chances for love and happiness

The Sugar Queen by Tess Thompson is the first book in the Emerson Pass Contemporaries series. At eighteen, Brandi Vargas watched the love of her drive away, never to return. Though she and Trapper Barnes dreamed of a life together, she felt she would only be in the way of his dreams. Breaking his heart, and her own while holding onto a secret, she resigned herself to a life in the small town. Ten years later, after an injury ends his professional hockey career, Trapper Barnes returns to Emerson Pass. Brandi now owns the local bakery, The Sugar Queen, and has seemingly forgotten all about him. As with small towns, it is hard to avoid each other, and soon tragedy forces Brandi to confront her past and the need to reveal her secret. A secret she is certain will end any possible future with Trapper and even leave him hating her. Will she find the strength to reveal her deepest secret for another chance at love and happiness with Trapper? 

The Sugar Queen is a sweet romance with deep emotions and great moments. The book opens with a disclaimer from the author that the story deals with the stillbirth of an infant. Since I have experienced my own loss of an infant, although not a stillbirth, I appreciate the disclaimer and was prepared for the topic to come up in the story. Ms. Thompson deals with infant loss with heart, honesty and tenderness. I rarely cry at a book but this story had me in tears as Brandi reveals her secret to Trapper. Trapper’s reaction is what I would expect when hearing such devastating news. I especially cried when Brandi received support from an unlikely source. There is also a great cast of supporting characters. Those to love and those to hate and loathe, especially one character I wanted to reach through the book and shake some sense into! I look forward to reading the rest of the love stories the Emerson Pass Contemporaries has to offer. I highly recommend The Sugar Queen. 

The Sugar Queen is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook. 

The School Mistress: a fun romantic story

The School Mistress by Tess Thompson is the first book in the Emerson Pass historical series. In Colorado, 1910, Quinn Cooper is a new teacher, securing a job in a tiny frontier town was her only option to have her family from starvation back in Boston. Lord Alexander Barnes left his land and title back home in England for the American frontier. A widower with five children, Barnes finds himself charmed by the young teacher. Her easy rapport with the children make her an easy choice as temporary replacement when the disgruntled nanny suddenly quits. But what young woman is willing to become a mother to five children? Determined to teach anyone willing to learn, Quinn must face the prejudices of many in town as well as fight her attraction to the older Alexander. The two are drawn together but fear many factors will keep them apart. Will their love go unspoken or will they take a chance on love? 

The School Mistress is a cute, romantic story that plays loose with historical facts. Some of the attitudes and actions of the characters are a bit ahead of their time. And some of the language used seems to be more modern than the time period. Keeping that in mind, the book is an easy and enjoyable read. While I would normally dislike “less than accurate” historical stories; however, I enjoyed this story. I enjoyed the romance between Quinn and Alexander. It is very touching and sweet with flirty moments. I loved the children and their antics. The supporting characters were fun and played their part in the story well. The School Mistress was a fast, easy and enjoyable reed. A great read to sit back on a lazy afternoon and just enjoy. I look forward to reading the rest of the Emerson Pass historical series as well as the Emerson Pass contemporary series which features the descendants. I recommend The School Mistress. 

 

The School Mistress is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook. 

Blue Midnight: when learning to follow your heart opens one to love and life again

Blue Midnight by Tess Thompson is the first book in the Blue Mountain series. Blythe Heywood, 45, mother of two,  is recently divorced, as she packs up her house, she discovers the phone number of the man she walked away from 13 years before, choosing a life of safety and security over true love. As she faces three weeks ago without her children, she reluctantly takes a trip to Peregrine, Idaho, a small town at the base of the Blue Mountains to look for the man who got away. Little did she know that she would be walking into a family tragedy and a small town drama that threatens the safety of everyone involved. The Lanigan family is holding on by threads over the tragedy three years ago that shattered their happy family image. Will they let Blythe in and start to heal the pain of the past and learn to live and love again?

Blue Midnight is a sweet romance about the road not taken and learning to follow your heart. The book is slow at times as it drags out the information discovery about the tragedy at the center of the story. As the main character, Blythe was hit and miss. There were times when Blythe was annoying and I would scream at the book, “My god woman, you are 45 years old!!!!” But toward the end, when called to be the voice of reason and strength for the Lanigan family, she steps up and redeems herself. It was obvious from the beginning that the events surrounding the family tragedy wasn’t exactly what the official word said it was, it had a nice twist that I didn’t see coming. Overall, I enjoyed Blue Midnight and look forward to reading the rest of the series. If you enjoy romance about redemption and learning to love and live again, I recommend Blue Midnight. 

Blue Midnight is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook.

The Santa Trial: a great Christmas love story with all the sweetness, heartwarming goodness of the season

The Santa Trial: A Christmas Short by Tess Thompson is a tale of wonder and romance against the backdrop of Christmas. The story opens as Morgan Scott, a young girl, makes a video letter to Santa asking for his help. She wants her dad to meet someone and she has a list of requirements. Cut to Rena Burke who is not happy about missing work for jury duty. As she lists and prioritizes bills to pay with what income she has left, she notices that her “pretend boyfriend” Ryan is also on the jury. The man she has admired from afar is now sitting next to her. Ryan Scott is also not happy about being on jury duty, especially days from Christmas. His To-Do list gets longer by the minute. Soon Rena catches Ryan’s eye and maybe jury duty isn’t so bad after all. The case at hand is John Smith, a man who believes himself to be Santa Claus and makes it his mission to help the kids whose parents cannot afford to be Santa themselves. Is Mr. Smith THE Santa Claus? Is Rena the Christmas gift Morgan has asked for?

The Santa Trial is the Hallmark holiday romance movie on the page. It was short (very short, only 80 pages), sweet, heartwarming as any Christmas movie. It had a very Miracle on 34^th Street feel which is awesome because it is one of my favorite Christmas movies. Some might call it cheesy as most Christmas romance movies are, but it was enjoyable to sit back and read for a couple hours and read a story filled with love, hope and the miracles of Christmas. I laughed. I smiled. I sighed. I closed the book feeling all warm and fuzzy. I loved the interactions between the characters and what is the holiday without a little magic? If you enjoy holiday romance stories, you will enjoy The Santa Trial.

 

The Santa Trial is available in paperback and eBook

Deleted: Jackson and Maggie a story of finding love again

Deleted: Jackson and Maggie is the second book in the Cliffside Bay series by Tess Thompson. All of Jackson Waller’s dreams have come true, well most of them. He has finished medical school and taking over his father’s practice in their small town. Despite his success, one dream will never come true. His high school sweetheart, Maggie Keene, died in a car accident shortly after high school and he has never moved on. Maggie despised her dad, unable to forgive him for the death of her mother, and after a fight with Jackson, she fled Cliffside Bay to pursue her dreams in New York City. Many years later, she learns her father is dying and has asked her home. Once she comes home, she discovers her own grave! Her father faked her death and he made her she thought the town had turned against her. Jackson and Maggie must now wade through the river of lies and betrayals to find peace and love again. As they rekindle their romance, Maggie learns there are still many more secrets to be reveal.

Deleted is a sweet, funny, and dramatic continuation to the series. It is a simple read in the sense that the story so easily flows from the page and the reader is swept away by the characters, the action, and the beautiful setting. I loved Maggie’s fire and determination to get the truth from her father and reclaim the life stolen from her. I loved Jackson’s heart and commitment to his hometown as well as his undying love for Maggie. All the characters, good, bad, and ugly helped drive the drama and humor. I look forward to reading the rest of the series. The Cliffside Bay series is billed that each book is a standalone; however, I feel the books should be read in order because references from the first book were made in Deleted and I feel the rest of the books are similar in their references that the reader wouldn’t understand if read out of order. I highly recommend Deleted.

Deleted: Jackson and Maggie

are available in paperback and eBook

Traded Brody and Kara: a sweet, heartwarming romance

Traded: Brody and Kara is the first book in the Cliffside Bay series by Tess Thompson. Switching perspectives between Brody and Kara, the reader is taken on a journey of secrets, new beginnings, and love. Kara is starting over in the Witness Protection Program after she testifies against her father who was involved in organized crime. Fearing for her life, she heads west to a hidden gem north of San Francisco. The residents of Cliffside Bay do not like newcomers and the pretty young woman in town is immediately noticed. She quickly finds a job as a live-in nurse for Brody Mullen, the famous football quarterback, who needs someone to care for his injured mother and ailing housekeeper/surrogate mother. As the two are now in proximity, there is no denying the sparks that fly between them, that is to everyone around them except Kara and Brody. Kara is determined to stay hidden and a relationship with Brody would out of the question. Will their defenses fall? Will Kara open up, and tell Brody her dark secret?

Traded: Brody and Kara is a sweet and heartwarming secret. I laughed. I cried. I quickly fell in in love with Brody and Kara and their circle of friends. My heart warmed at the romantic moments. I love the camaraderie and banter between Brody and his friends known as the Dogs. The women who become Kara’s friends are interesting with their own secrets of love lost, lessons learned and paths that led them to the sleepy small town. I stayed up late into the night to finish this book, something I have not done in a long, long time. I just had to find out how their story ended. I knew they would end up together, but how, when and other questions. Overall, I really enjoyed Traded: Brody and Kara and I look forward to continue the series, which has 12 books. If you love sweet, small town romances, I recommend Traded: Brody and Kara. Maybe you too will be drawn into this wonderful story.

Traded: Brody and Kara

is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Riversong: an introduction to a small town series

Riversong by Tess Thompson is the first book in the River Valley series. It is the story of Lee Tucker, who has lived a troubled life with her drunk mother, leaves River Valley, her small southwestern Oregon town in 1988 to attend college in Seattle. Fast forward 15 years later, she is in dire straits. Her husband, Dan, had committed suicide after their business failed, leaving her with a massive debt she cannot buy. She decides to head back to her hometown, fix up the house her mother left her and pay the debt. Soon her plan goes awry as she gets a job as a business consultant for a failing restaurant and becomes a part of a community and a family that she did not count on. Will her troubles from Seattle find her there? Will she ever be free of the past? Can she find a place to truly call home?

Riversong is my first book from Tess Thompson and I must admit I am a bit disappointed. It was a fun read. I enjoyed the characters, although I did not care for Lee much, but the overall story was okay. The plot was a bit farfetched and the timeline and the characters’ relational connections are screwy that the author messed up and no one caught in editing. However, it is one of the author’s first books, Riversong was first published in 2011, and I would like to give her other titles a chance as there is a learning curve when writing. If you like fiction featuring a small town, you may enjoy Riversong as an introduction to the River Valley series.

Riversong

is available in paperback and eBook