The Fix: a survivor of a brutal attack has a chance to save another victim

The Fix by Mia Sheridan is a romantic suspense thriller as a survivor of a brutal attack has a chance to save another victim.  Eleven years ago, Cami Cortlandt’s mother and sister were killed in a violent home invasion. While the trauma and the notoriety still follows her, Cami has built a life in her hometown, trying to put it all behind her as best she can. Until one day, one phone call puts another life on the line. A distorted voice asking if she wanted a do-over. A video of a young boy trapped in a room with bars on the window. A boy who looks vaguely familiar. She has four days to find him. With the help of an old classmate, Rex Lowe, Cami races to find the boy and answer the questions racing through her mind. Where is he? Who is he? And why is Cami the only one who can save him? 

After reading Mia Sheridan’s previous books, I knew her stories would be a bit darker with twists and turns. However, as I closed the book, I was left with indifference. I wasn’t wowed by the story but I didn’t hate it either. I enjoyed Cami’s story and her resilience to rebuild her life. I also enjoyed Rex’s character. Their romance was subtle and didn’t overwhelm the mystery or suspense of the story. The twists and the turns of the story kept my interest as I wanted to know who was behind the boy’s kidnapping and why Cami was given the chance to save him. However, there were certain character injections that left me confused and wondering how they fit in the overall mystery. While it is revealed, it felt underwhelming, Overall, I did enjoy the story but I wasn’t wowed. If you enjoy romantic suspense thrillers, you may enjoy this book. I recommend The Fix. 

The Fix 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 Bookbinder's Secret: one book's secret and one woman's journey to discover it

The Bookbinder’s Secret by A.D. Bell is a story of how one book tells a secret and one woman’s journey to discover it. Lillian “Lily” Delaney is an apprentice to a master bookbinder in Oxford in 1901 and feels trapped. Trapped by her father’s failing bookshop. Trapped by still being an apprentice. When she is given a burned book by a book collector, where she finds something hidden binding, a letter speaking of love, fortune, and murder. Lilly is pulled into a mystery of young lovers, forbidden love, and discovers there are more books with more hidden secrets. She quickly becomes obsessed with the story and that obsession becomes dangerous. She discovers someone is looking for the same books and is ready to kill for them. As she searches, sinister forces are closing in and her life begins to fall apart, she must decide if the truth is worth her life. 

The Bookbinder’s Secret is a slow moving train at first as Lilly discovers the hidden letter. As she innocently searches for the truth, she doesn’t realize she is being watched until it is too late. The train speeds up and I was hooked as Lilly is determined to find the truth, find the individuals in the letter, solve the mystery and restore her life as best she can. I loved the look into bookbinding and the cutthroat business of book collecting. The pieces to the mystery were intriguing as well. There is a cast of unsavory characters whom Lilly must trust despite the danger she is in and the reveal of who is behind it all was a shocker! Overall, I enjoyed this story and when I closed the book I sat in awe at the twists and turns. If you enjoy historical fiction with a mystery, I highly recommend The Bookbinder’s Secret. 

The Bookbinder’s Secret is available in hardcover, eBook and audiobook

All Our Beautiful Goodbyes: a love story filled with tragedy but has a smidge of hope for a happily aver after

All Our Beautiful Goodbyes by Julianne MacLean is a story of a love that couldn’t find the right time to bloom. In 1946, World War II is over and Emma Clarkson dreamed of leaving her island home and attending university. Sable Island is the only home she has ever known and yet she dreams of life beyond the sand dunes and the herds of wild horses. When a shipwreck occurs off shore, the handsome British sea captain has Emma rethinking her dreams. She falls deeply in love with Oliver Harris; however it is a love that cannot be. Oliver returns to the sea and Emma vows to forget him and finds love again when a handsome veterinarian arrives on the island. In 1995, Joanna Griffin is mourning the death of her beloved grandmother and is shocked to learn that her grandfather once loved a young woman named Emma and she is determined to solve the mystery of her grandfather’s past and the events that have separated them. 

Julianne MacLean is a master at tragic stories with twists and turns, adding a smidge of hope for a happily over after. All Our Beautiful Goodbyes is such a tale. Set in the remote beauty of Sable Island, off the coast of Nova Scotia and known as the Graveyard of the Atlantic, readers will be sucked into the love story of Emma as falls in love and feels the pain of loss and the sting of betrayal. I didn’t know about Sable Island and its role as a rescue station, watching for shipwrecks and its current role as a sanctuary for the wild horses that call it home. Ms. MacLean’s description of the island really brought it to life, I could sense the coldness and isolation of the island. The story starts out a bit slow but it picks up as Emma starts her rollercoaster journey to chase her dreams. I kept turning pages, in the hopes she would get her happily ever after. Overall, I enjoyed this story. I recommend All Our Beautiful Goodbyes. 

All Our Beautiful Goodbyes is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Delicate Escape: a slow burn romance with twist and turns suspsense

Delicate Escape is the second book in the Sparrow Falls series by Catherine Cowles. Thea Stewart is running, when she comes to Sparrow Falls, she finally finds the perfect place to leave peacefully off the grid. Slow to trust, she has made a few friends in town and romance is definitely off the table until she meets Shepard “Shep” Colson. Shep has it all: a successful construction company and a great family along with golden boy charm and devastatingly good looks; however, Thea isn’t going to be taken in by smiles and sweet talk. Shep is drawn to the quiet, reserved Thea and when she needs some home repairs done, Shep jumps at the chance to help. As he is rebuilding the walls in her home, he also slowly breaks through her carefully erected walls. As she learns to trust him, she reveals her secrets and Shep is determined to keep her safe. There is a shadow from her past that is determined to tear her life apart. 

Delicate Escape is a great story with a mix of sweet romance, humorous banter and suspense with breathtaking twists and turns. When Thea was introduced in Fragile Sanctuary, I knew she was hiding and her story would be an emotional roller coaster. I wanted to reach through the book and hug Thea and I waited for her to gather the strength to fight back and protect the life she created in Sparrow Falls. I cheered for her throughout the story. In this story, Shep is dealing with the aftermath of book 1 and the guilt of his inadvertent role in the events. He was also a character I wanted to hug. I loved his character and the love he has for his family and friends was wonderful. I also loved his tenderness with Thea and when their love story was sweet, tender and passionate. Overall, I loved this story and I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series. I highly, highly recommend Delicate Escape. 

Delicate Escape is available in hardcover, paperback, eBook and audiobook

I Would Die for You: a slow burn thriller with twist and turns to keep you guessing

I Would Die for You by Sandie Jones is a slow burn thriller in which a woman’s past comes roaring back. Is she prepared to fight back? Nicole Forbes lives a quiet life in southern California with her husband and daughter. It is shattered when a journalist comes to her door and asks her for information about the downfall of Secret Oktober, the biggest British band of the 1980s. The same day, her daughter is picked up from school by her aunt. The only thing is her daughter doesn’t have an aunt! Nicole is faced with the threads of her life and hidden past that is quickly becoming unveiling. In 1986, sixteen year old Cassie is obsessed with Secret Oktober with an intense crush on Ben Edwards. She is determined to do anything she can to capture his attention among the cheering fans and groupies. What she doesn’t count on is Ben meeting her older sister, Nicole. What happened to Secret Oktober? What does Nicole know? 

Sandie Jones is a new author to me and I was intrigued by the synopsis of this book. A dual timeline story with multiple POVs as Nicole searches for the person behind the events of today and Cassie as her obsession with Secret Oktober and Ben grows taking her down a dangerous past. As events of today and yesteryear begin to shine light on the truth, the twists and turns were interesting and kept me hooked. However, as the mystery was revealed, the ending was confusing and a bit abrupt. My first thought when I closed the book was “what?!?” Throughout the story, I liked the character of Nicole and the mystery about who was bringing up the past and why was engaging and kept me guessing. Overall, I enjoyed the story. The mystery was engaging, the ending was just abrupt. If you like dual timeline, multiple POVs stories with a bit of suspense and mystery, I recommend I Would Die for You. 

I Would Die for You is available in hardcover, eBook and audiobook

My Sister's Boyfriend: twists and turns in the aftermath of My Sister's Husband

My Sister’s Boyfriend by Nicola Marsh is a follow up to My Sister’s Husband (2020). In the aftermath of My Sister’s Husband, sisters Lizzie and Brooke have a strained relationship but remain civil for the sake of Hope, their daughter and niece, and their Aunt Alice. They seem to be on a path to a better relationship when Brooke brings home her new boyfriend. There is something off about Noel Harwood, something Lizzie can’t quite vocalize. However, she knows her sister’s life is in danger. Behind the handsome face and a dazzling smile, there is a sinister gleam in his eyes. She wants to protect her; but she knows her warnings would fall on deaf ears. Lizzie needs to be smart and out maneuver Noel. She doesn’t know what his end game is, but he has no idea how far Lizzie will go to protect her family. She nearly lost Brooke once. She can’t lose her now. 

After reading the thrilling story of My Sister’s Husband, I was stoked to hear that Ms Marsh was writing a follow up. I started reading My Sister’s Boyfriend with great anticipation. I should have reread My Sister’s Husband as details were discussed in My Sister’s Boyfriend that had me a little confused but I quickly remembered. On a side note, if you haven’t read My Sister’s Husband, I highly recommend reading it. Not only is it an awesome story; but you will need to know the family history to follow My Sister’s Boyfriend. While it is not my experience with the drama between sisters, Lizzie and Brooke are two women with a lot of emotional baggage and past hurts to overcome. There were a few twists that I was able to predict; however, Noel’s true motive and his end game was a shocking reveal. Once the story hit high gear, it took off and would not stop. I highly recommend My Sister’s Boyfriend. 

My Sister’s Boyfriend is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

My Sister’s Husband is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Prestige: a thrilling suspense story with a hint of romance

Prestige by Marci Bolden is the suspenseful thriller with twists and turns that will keep readers guessing. Troy Buchanan is a Lochlin Private Security team lead. He has never lost a client until now. When Richard Bantam and his wife Sharon are discovered brutally murdered in a safe house, Troy takes their son and runs, fearing for the young boy's life. Meri Osborne left Lochlin and started fresh at Prestige Security and Investigation Services. When Troy, her former teammate, shows up unannounced and asks for her help, she jumps into action. Together, they do all they can to keep the boy safe and discover who killed his parents. Is the killer someone they know? Can they trust anyone, even each other? 

I have been a reader of Marci Bolden’s books for a long time and Prestige is a change of genre for me. However, this story was filled with twists and turns with suspense that kept me glued to the page. It is a gritty, dark story filled with danger behind every corner. There were surprises at every turn and even the culprit was a complete surprise. The characters were great. I enjoyed Troy and Meri and their supportive characters. There is a bit of history and romance between Troy and Meri which adds to the suspense of who can trust whom. If you enjoy a suspenseful thriller with a hint of romance, I recommend Prestige. 

Prestige is available in paperback and eBook

Never Lie: a domestic psychological thriller with unreliable narrators

Never Lie by Freida McFadden is a domestic psychological thriller with twists and turns. Tricia and Ethan are newlyweds who are searching for their dream house. They come to the remote manor that once belonged to Dr. Adrienne Hale, a renowned psychiatrist who disappeared without a trace. When they are forced to stay at the estate when a sudden blizzard blocks the roads. In her search to pass the time, Tricia comes across a secret room filled with taped sessions of Dr Hale with her patients. Tricia learns the chain of events and a web of lies unravels which led to Dr Hale’s disappearance. As the blizzard rages outside, there are strange events happening inside. Are Tricia and Ethan alone in the house? Or is someone watching? 

I have seen Freida McFadden books everywhere online; however, I haven’t had the opportunity to read one before. Never Lie is my first book by Ms. McFadden. It was a fast paced, easy to read, engaging story. With narrators you aren’t sure you should trust, readers will pick up clues and watch as twists and turns of a rollercoaster until the final page. I closed the book with a sense of awe and amazed at the all around craziness that occurred on the page. Overall, I enjoyed the story. I wasn’t wowed by it but I enjoyed it. I will try other Ms McFadden’s books in the future. If you enjoy fast paced psychological thrillers, I recommend Never Lie. 

Never Lie is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Ropes, Riddles and Robberies: one case brings the past front and center

Ropes, Riddles and Robberies is the fifteenth book in the Campers and Criminals Cozy Mysteries series by Tonya Kappes. Solving crimes has become a major activity for Mae and Laundry Club ladies. Their next case will be more challenging. Mae has been thinking about the fire that took her family’s lives and more and more she has been having vivid memories about that night. She is more and more determined to discover what happened that night. With the help of her friends, Mae heads to her hometown to prove the fire wasn’t an accident. As their investigation heats up on this cold case, someone wants to make sure Mae and her friends never find out the truth. 

Ropes, Riddles and Robberies is more than just solving a cold case. It is going home, confronting one’s past and finding peace leaving it behind. The mystery had many twists and turns with the reveal who the killer was came as a complete surprise! I loved how Mae’s friends gathered together and helped her solve this case. It wasn’t just another case to them. Ropes, Riddles and Robberies is a great addition to the Campers and Criminals Cozy Mysteries series. If you have enjoyed this series, you will enjoy Ropes, Riddles and Robberies. If you haven’t started this series, I highly recommend it! The Campers and Criminals Cozy Mystery series is filled with great afternoon reads! 

Ropes, Riddles and Robberies is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Motorhomes, Maps and Murder: another crazy adventure in Normal, Kentucky!

Motorhomes, Maps and Murder by Tonya Kappes is the fifth book in the Camper and Criminals Cozy Mystery series. Welcome back to Normal, Kentucky, where nothing is normal! As the town prepares for the local Civil War reenactment of the Battle of Camp Wildcat, Greaser Gadie, a notorious killer escapes from prison! The whole town is on high alert as Greaser vowed to get his revenge on the jurors who convicted him. After the reenactment, two of the actors are discovered to be not acting at all. They were murdered! And a motorhome was discovered to be stolen from the Happy Trails Campground. Are they connected? Is Greaser truly in town to take his revenge? Mae follows the leads to recover the stolen motorhome as her hunky detective boyfriend, Hank Sharp, investigates the murders. Will their investigations merge into one? 

Wow! This series just keeps getting better and better. As Mae has truly embraced the small town of Normal, she is not about to let anything or anyone destroy her new home, especially a motorhome thief! I love Mae’s tenacity and her unique and quirky group of friends. This story has such twists that I didn’t see coming! Even though I knew Mae would figure it out, the story definitely kept me on my toes as I could not put it down! I also enjoyed seeing Mae and Hank’s relationship develop more and become more public. I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series and more of Mae’s adventures in Normal. If you enjoy cozy mysteries and a quirky small town, I highly recommend Motorhomes, Maps and Murder as well as the previous books in the series. 

Motorhomes. Maps and Murder is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook

Lone Women: an intriguing and engaging historical horror

Lone Women by Victor LaValle is a historical horror. Adelaide Henry carries an enormous steamer trunk with her. Kept under lock and key, she guards it with a nervous eye because when the trunk opens, people start to disappear. It’s 1914 and she is in trouble. Her secret killed her parents and she’s forced to flee her hometown. She makes her way to Montana where she plans to homestead. She hopes that the big blue skies and the empty land will be room enough to hide her horrifying secret. Adelaide is one of many “lone women” taking advantage of the government’s offer of free land for those who can cultivate it. As she makes friends with other women homesteaders, she rebuilds her life. Will her homestead be the place to finally find peace? Or will her secret be revealed? 

Lone Women is my first book by Victor LaValle who is known for blending historical fiction with inventive horror and poetic prose. From the opening scene, I was intrigued by Adelaide’s actions. What could her secret possibly be that would lead her to flee from the only home she has ever known?  When she arrives in Montana, she meets an eclectic group of people with secrets of their own. Some for evil, some for riches and some for self-preservation. There were twists and turns with every turn of the page. As secrets are revealed and Adelaide fights for her new life, the story takes readers on a strange trip. As I closed the final pages, I found it hard to describe this book. Overall, I enjoyed it. If you enjoy historical horror, I recommend Lone Women. 

Lone Women will be available March 28, 2023 in hardcover, eBook and audiobook. 

The Ex Between Us: what if your best friend turns on you?

The Ex Between Us by Nicola Marsh is a psychological thriller of two best friends with the deadliest secrets. Abi and Jo have been best friends since junior high school, ever since Abi came to Jo’s rescue from a bully. They went through everything together. They’ve hit their rough spots especially when Abi committed a terrible mistake and betrayed Jo. But she found a way to forgive Abi and they became closer than ever. After Abi’s son goes off to college and Abi tries to find a new life as an empty-nester, a strange series of events start to unravel. Abi and Jo begin to experience terrifying events that lead them to believe someone is out to harm them. And they seem to be escalating. From property destruction to threatening messages, who could be behind it all? Is it someone watching from the shadows? Or is it someone a little closer to home? 

The Ex Between Us is a slow burn thriller that turns into a fiery inferno toward the end. The story will leave the reader guessing with characters who aren’t what they seem. With no shortage of suspects from high school frenemies back in town to the exes that never seem to let go. At one point, Abi has a new man in her life and Jo is not pleased. But is he who he says he is? Like the moving pieces on a chessboard, no one knows who’s playing who. Both Abi and Jo were likable and unlikable at times as the reader tries to figure out who was after who and who was only acting as a friend. The characters’ motives and secrets kept me guessing and I wasn’t sure who was after who until the last third of the book. A great mystery with building suspense and tension. I highly recommend The Ex Between Us. 

The Ex Between Us is available in paperback and eBook

A Colorful Life: friendship, love and finding strength in life's twists and turns

A Colorful Life by Melissa Storm is a story of friendship, love, adventure and finding the strength to move forward. Life has been one disappointment after another for Daly English. She locks herself in her art studio, focusing on her art school portfolio rather than dealing with the hurt. However, fate is going to give her no choice but to face them. Three separate times, she comes face to face with a handsome stranger, Akash “Kashi” Malhorta, refuses to walk away from Daly and forces her to face the losses she has had and open herself to love and trust again. Their whirlwind romance takes them from her drab Midwest hometown to the bold and colorful country of India. Will Daly continue to live in the background of life? Will her journey teach her to live and love despite life’s disappointments and tragedies? 

A Colorful Life was a hard book to read. Daly was a hard character to like. While I sympathized with her grief and struggles, I felt she was very childish in many aspects even toward the end. The story itself seemed to be lacking something. The conflicts were too quick. At one point, as Kashi and Daly are flying to India, he reveals that he isn’t going to introduce her as his girlfriend and, of course, Daly is upset; however, she accepts this condition too quickly. Yes, they were already halfway around the world but to say “I don’t like it but ok” was just odd to me. Overall, it was a hard book to enjoy. There was so much going on and at the same time nothing really. It wasn’t a bad story, it just wasn’t the book I was expecting. 

A Colorful Life is available in paperback and eBook

A Different Kind of Life: one girl's journey through the twists and turns of life

A Different Kind of Life by Pamela Holloway is a story of adversity and the strength and courage to fight on and live. In 1982, eight year old Fiona’s beloved father dies and with her mother wheelchair bound, she is forced to look after her younger sibling. She fights to hold the family together even after the unpleasant Mr. Lennard gradually moves in their home and their lives. After a devastating circumstance forces Fiona to leave her family behind and strike it out on her own to face an uncertain future. To Fiona, anything was better than what she left behind. As she copes with the loss of her family and the uncertainty of her future, her loyalties, her courage and her ability to pursue her artistic talent. Will she find the peace and fulfillment she desperately wants? 

After reading an interview with Ms. Holloway, I was curious about her books. I chose A Different Kind of Life. The story intrigued me. The opening chapter set the tone that life would not be easy for Fiona and her life after her father’s death was definitely difficult. I was scared and concerned for Fiona in those early chapters and when she was forced to leave her family behind, she had no plan. Her story after she leaves is when the story took a turn for me. Everything seemed to fall easily in her lap after that. I felt no connection to Fiona for the rest of the story. The story’s timeline was hard to follow as years will pass in a matter of paragraphs with very little indication. This book is hard to recommend. I didn’t hate it but I didn’t love it either. 

A Different Kind of Life is available in paperback and eBook.