INTRODUCTION:

This is a book I’m bringing to you today because I think many of you will love this book! New Harmony by Leon E. Pettiway is a book I’ve added to my personal tbr stack.

SYNOPSIS:

In the small Southern town of New Harmony, Margaret’s life is woven tightly into the rhythms of family, church, and community. The Jim Crow South forms the backdrop of her childhood and adulthood, shaping the choices available to her and the boundaries she must navigate. Yet within those constraints, she builds a life rooted in love and devotion.

After the murder of her son, Margaret’s faith and resilience are pushed to their limits. The novel traces her inward journey through grief, revealing how memory, storytelling, and communal bonds offer fragile but real paths toward healing. Thoughtful and emotionally grounded, this work of historical fiction reflects on the ways history lingers in families and how survival often depends on collective strength.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Leon E. Pettiway, Ph.D., is Professor Emeritus at Indiana University, Bloomington, where his scholarship focused on race, environment, and criminal justice in urban America. Over the course of his academic career, he examined how structural inequality shapes lived experience and social outcomes. In later years, his work expanded to explore how Eastern and Western philosophical traditions might inform conversations about justice and morality. A fully ordained Buddhist monk in the Gelug tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, he now devotes his time to spiritual practice, teaching, and writing. New Harmony: A Mother’s Story of Love and Loss is his debut novel.  You can learn more on his website and follow him on Instagram.

Amazon: https://bit.ly/3NN680i

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/244474540-new-harmony

REVIEW:

I am in such a happy place today. I just finished the book Second Song by Tess Thompson. It is the fourth book in The Parent App series. I have read all of the books so far and was immediately drawn in with the premise of the series. There are five moms whose children are starting school for the first time. A coffee gathering was organized for the mothers that first morning. Five of the moms  quickly become fast friends and lean on each other for support. They call themselves sisters. 

Several years down the line their oldest children decide their mothers should fall in love and get married.They put profiles online for their mothers before they tell them what they are doing. Needless to say, the moms were not happy about the situation. Three of them have gotten married so far.

Second Song is about Seraphina. She has one son and is a very well known and popular romance author. She works hard and has written sixty-one novels so far. I love a good book about an author. Part of this book is about music and has a visit to the Country Music City of Nashville, Tennessee. I love country music and have been to Nashville many times. This book hit so many good points for me. 

Second Song has so much happening that you just can’t be bored. I could never wait to get back to it. It was heartwarming and made me cry at least a few tears several times during the reading of this book. It truly is a must read. The whole series is! 

If you love clean romance and heartwarming family stories about everyday struggles, then this book and series is for you. I highly recommend The Parent App series and of all the books that I’ve read so far in the series, I think that Second Song is my favorite one. These are a must have for your nightstand. Until next time… Happy Reading!

Don’t forget to support the authors you read by leaving a review. Even a few words help.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. The opinions I have expressed are my own and I was not required to write a review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

SYNOPSIS:

Authors have two favorite words: The End.
Seraphina Sinclair has written sixty-one of them. None of them hers.

Sixty-one romance novels. Sixty-one happily-ever-afters for her characters — and exactly zero for herself.

And she’s been fine, thank you very much. Raising her son in their cliffside home above the Pacific. Keeping her heart safely out of the equation. Letting the fictional men do the falling.

What Seraphina does not know — what she will, in fact, be the last person in Willet Cove to find out — is that her fifteen-year-old son and his friends have quietly written her a dating profile on an app called Second Chance. And that her son has, independently and with the cool competence of someone who was clearly born to run a con, requested guitar lessons from the brooding, beautiful bartender at the local watering hole.

At their house. Every week.
Purely coincidentally.

Hunter Sloan came to Willet Cove to disappear. After a bitter, very public divorce, he walked away from Nashville, took a job pouring drinks at a small-town pub, and told himself a quieter life was what he needed. He was supposed to heal. Write some songs. Figure out what came next.

He wasn’t supposed to fall in love with Seraphina Sinclair the first time she walked into his bar.

But then — he also wasn’t supposed to spend the winter before he met her alone in a cottage by the sea, reading every one of her novels and wondering if the woman who wrote them could ever believe in one of her own.

What Seraphina doesn’t know is that Hunter has heard of her long before she heard of him.

Because her favorite song — the three-chord country ballad that’s been on repeat in her writing studio ever since it first hit the radio, the one that cracked her heart open and found its way into every love story she’s written since — was written by the man now standing in her living room tuning a guitar.

He wrote the song she’s been writing to.
Hunter.

When buried feelings finally surface and the outside world comes crashing in — tabloid lies, a scandal neither of them asked for, and paparazzi who do not care that Tyler is a minor — Seraphina and Hunter will have to decide whether the love they’ve quietly been making of each other for years is strong enough to survive the noise.

Luckily, her son and his band of determined teenage matchmakers have already done the hard part.

They were ninety-nine percent sure about it from the beginning.

Second Song is the fourth book in the Parent App series — a slow-burn, behind-closed-doors small-town romance featuring a guarded single-mom author, a songwriter hero who’s been pouring his heart into her favorite song for years, meddling teenage matchmakers considerably more effective than their mothers suspect, a country-music superstar best friend, and two people who found each other’s art long before they found each other.

Because in Willet Cove, the best love stories aren’t the ones you write.
They’re the ones your kid signs you up for.

Turns out Seraphina’s two favorite words might not be The End after all.
They might just be The Beginning.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Tess Thompson is the USA Today Bestselling and award-winning author of contemporary and historical Romantic Women’s Fiction with over 70 published titles. Her books are emotional and heartwarming with themes of second chances, redemption and the power love has to change lives and create community.

She lives in the Pacific Northwest in a house on a small lake with her husband and kitties. Her four children are now young adults exploring their own paths and adventures, leaving an empty nest and a lot more time to write. She and her husband enjoy a quiet life, obsessed with birds and the other wildlife on their property, which makes them officially old. On any given day their yard could be visited by deer, bears, coyotes and squirrels.

Most days, she can be found curled up in her favorite chair reading or in her office writing while keeping an eye out for hummingbirds in the feeder outside of her office.

REVIEW:

I am here to tell you if you haven’t started reading the new Kentucky Silverleaf series by Kellie Coates Gilbert, now is the time. Book two, Second Chances arrived on the shelves today and Book one titled Silverleaf was so interesting and a complete surprise to me. I thought these books would be too much racing and not enough family ties and romance going on, but I was wrong. These books were great and there is more to come. They held my interest and drew me in pretty deep.  

This weekend is the Kentucky Derby and this book is all about the prep before the derby and the day of. There is a lot of preparation for the family. After all they are one of the older and respected families in the Kentucky horse racing community. The ladies have to look the part along with the men. 

There is a lot of rivalry in horse racing and a lot of money. We get to learn some of the behind the scenes things that go on which turned out to be interesting. You don’t have to enjoy the sport to enjoy the Kentucky Silverleaf Series. There is a lot going on in the Haverly family to keep you entertained. Not only do the adults have a thing or two going on, but the kids will keep you smiling. 

I have found myself in love with yet another series. I highly recommend the Kentucky Silverleaf Series by Kellie Coates Gilbert. What a better weekend to start this series than Kentucky Derby weekend! It really does deserve a spot on your nightstand. Until next time…Happy Reading!

Oh! Don’t forget to read the Afterword by Leona Jefferson. She might just be my favorite character in the whole series. She is a hoot.

Don’t forget to support the authors you read by leaving a review. Even a few words help.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. The opinions I have expressed are my own and I was not required to write a review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

SYNOPSIS:

A family under pressure.
A rivalry that won’t stay buried.
An emotional season where everything could change.

Derby season has arrived in Kentucky horse country—and the powerful Haverly family of Silverleaf is closer than ever to racing’s greatest prize.

Their colt, Royal Julep, has earned a coveted spot on the road to Churchill Downs. But in the glittering world of thoroughbred racing, victory is never guaranteed—and neither is peace within the family itself.

Old rivalries are stirring again as ambitious breeder Memphis Santopolo makes bold moves that threaten Silverleaf’s future. At the same time, the Haverlys face deeply personal challenges of their own. Clayton struggles to balance the responsibility of protecting the family legacy while worrying about his young son’s troubling health concerns. Caroline dares to hope that motherhood will finally bring the joy she has longed for. And Beau—Silverleaf’s charming free spirit—finds himself unexpectedly drawn to a woman who may change his life forever.

As Derby fever grips Kentucky and tensions rise both inside and outside the Silverleaf gates, the Haverly family must stand together like never before.

Because the road to greatness is rarely smooth…
and sometimes the most important victories happen far from the winner’s circle.

SECOND CHANCES continues the sweeping Kentucky Silverleaf family saga—where love, rivalry, and legacy collide in the glamorous world of Kentucky thoroughbred racing. Perfect for fans of Robyn Carr, Susan Wiggs, and emotional family dramas like This is Us.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

⭐️ USA TODAY BESTSELLER ⭐️

USA Today Bestselling Author Kellie Coates Gilbert believes books should feel like both a vacation and a homecoming. Her novels invite you into the lives of women you’ll root for, cry with, and celebrate alongside. Whether you love small-town charm, sweeping settings that make you feel like you’re on a vacation, or heart-stirring family drama, you’ll find her stories feel like they were written just for you.

In addition to garnering thousands of five-star reviews, Kellie has been described by RT Book Reviews as a “deft, crisp storyteller.” Her books were featured as Barnes & Noble Top Shelf Picks and earned a coveted place on Library Journal’s Best Book List.

REVIEW:

Harbor Dreams by Tammy L. Grace is the first book in the Stillwater Inn Series. It is a spin-off of the beloved Hometown Harbor Series. If you are a fan of that series you will absolutely love this new series. I read the first book and couldn’t wait to read book two!

Since this is a spin-off we see some of the characters we have come to know in the Hometown Harbor series. I think that is one of my favorite parts of this book. In this book Ida Grayson is dying. The community rallies around her and helps her stay in her home which is the caretakers cottage for Stillwater Inn. You know that is what these people in this community are all about. They take in newcomers as their own and take care of their own. I love the warmth that comes through in these two series.

Ida is dying and she is writing letters to her children and a good friend and a stranger to the rest of them. They have no idea what is coming. I have to say I didn’t either. This is a unique situation and one that caught my attention and imagination. I had a hard time putting this book down and even going to sleep at night. I kept thinking of Ida and what was coming for her and her loved ones. I loved Ida. She had such wonderful memories of spending summers at Stillwater Inn.

If you are a fan of Tammy L. Grace and a fan of reading series, you will want to grab a copy of Harbor Dreams and put it on your nightstand for your reading pleasure. There are several more installments coming and they come out pretty quickly for a series. I recommend you start reading now. You will want to read the rest of the Stillwater Inn Series by Tammy L. Grace. Until next time…Happy Reading!

Don’t forget to support the authors you read by leaving a review. Even a few words help.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. The opinions I have expressed are my own and I was not required to write a review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

SYNOPSIS:

“Heartbreak and healing collide in the Stillwater Inn Series—an emotional family drama that breaks your heart, mends it again, and stays with you long after the last page.”—Kay Bratt, Multi-Million Copy Bestselling Author

Six strangers. One crumbling inn. A year to heal the past—or lose everything.

Ida Grayson is dying. Her body is failing, but her heart still aches for the children she lost along the way. Not to death, but to distance, resentment, and her own mistakes. The Stillwater Inn, her grandparents’ beloved legacy, sits empty and decaying, a monument to dreams deferred and love misunderstood.

In her final months, Ida writes letters. Her two beloved children, her two stepchildren who never forgave her for trying to be their mother, a ferry worker who became her closest friend, and a stranger none of the others know. These six she names as her heirs to make things right.

However, her will demands the impossible. Live together. Restore the inn. Become a family. But some wounds run deeper than the Pacific, and some secrets refuse to stay buried. Can six strangers bound by one woman’s dying wish find forgiveness, or will the inn crumble along with Ida’s last hope?

Discover the first book in the Stillwater Inn Series, an emotional family drama set in the world of Hometown Harbor. Harbor Dreams is a bittersweet story of second chances, found family, and the home that holds us together when nothing else can.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Tammy L. Grace is a USA Today bestselling author of women’s fictions, family sagas, mysteries, and Christmas stories. She’s known for writing perfect escapes, unforgettable characters, and binge-worthy stories. Readers often say her characters feel like old friends and love the dogs she weaves into all her books. She brings readers entertaining stories that take them on an emotional journey, filled with complex relationships of friendship and family in her women’s fiction novels. Mystery readers delight in her fast-paced whodunits and fans of Christmas love her small town holiday stories filled with family, friendship, and furry characters.

Tammy also writes under the pen name Casey Wilson and has released two emotional and heartwarming stories about the bond we have with our beloved canine companions.

When Tammy isn’t working on ideas for a novel, she’s spending time with family and friends or supporting her addiction to books, tea, and chocolate. She and her husband make their home in Nevada and have one grown son and a spoiled golden retriever.

Tammy invites you to subscribe to her newsletter at http://www.tammylgrace.com/newsletter and she’ll send you a free interview with all the dogs in her Hometown Harbor Series as a thank you gift. Find her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/tammylgrace.books and be sure and click the follow button here on Amazon.

Read more from USA Today bestselling author Tammy L. Grace

HOMETOWN HARBOR SERIES
Hometown Harbor: The Beginning (Prequel Novella)
Finding Home
Home Blooms
Promise of Home
Pieces of Home
Finally Home
Forever Home
Follow Me Home
Long Way Home
Come Home for Christmas
Feels Like Home
Whispers of Home

STILLWATER INN SERIES
Harbor Dreams
Harbor Echoes
Harbor Winds
Harbor Lights
Harbor Reflections
Harbor Shores
Harbor Hearts

COOPER HARRINGTON DETECTIVE NOVELS
Killer Music
Deadly Connection
Dead Wrong
Cold Killer
Deadly Deception
Deadly Pursuit

GLASS BEACH COTTAGE SERIES
Beach Haven
Moonlight Beach
Beach Dreams
SISTERS OF THE HEART SERIES
Greetings from Lavender Valley
Pathway to Lavender Valley
Sanctuary at Lavender Valley
Blossoms at Lavender Valley
Comfort in Lavender Valley
Reunion in Lavender Valley

CHRISTMAS BOOKS
A Season for Hope (Christmas in Silver Falls)
The Magic of the Season (Christmas in Silver Falls)
Christmas in Snow Valley (Hometown Christmas Series)
One Unforgettable Christmas (Hometown Christmas Series)
Christmas Sisters (FREE PREQUEL to Soul Sisters at Cedar Mountain Lodge)
Christmas Wishes (Soul Sisters at Cedar Mountain Lodge)
Christmas Surprises (Soul Sisters at Cedar Mountain Lodge)
Christmas Shelter (Soul Sisters at Cedar Mountain Lodge)
Christmas Hearts (Soul Sisters at Cedar Mountain Lodge)

OTHER TITLES
The Wishing Tree
Wish Again
Overdue Wishes
One More Wish
Pick of the Litter
Hearts Unleashed
Welcome Aboard
Uncharted Waters

WRITING AS CASEY WILSON
A Dog’s Hope
A Dog’s Chance

REVIEW:

Silverleaf is book one of the new Kentucky Silverleaf Series by Kellie Coates Gilbert. I was a little worried that I wouldn’t like this series. I was wrong. I loved it from the minute I started the first page. This series is about a family that is involved with horse racing. I know Kellie’s writing well enough that I should have known it would mostly be based on the family and relationships. I don’t know what I was worried about!

Silverleaf is the farm owned by the Haverly’s. They not only raise race horses but, they also race them. They are one of the long standing families in horse racing and have had several champions in their history. I thought I was going to be bogged down with the details of the horse racing business and instead I’m so locked into this family and all that is happening in their lives. They all are now living on the farm and most of them have their own homes on the estate.

Revie is the matriarch of the family and Graham is her husband of 40 years. They have three adult children, two daughters named Mel and Caroline and Beau is their son. He still lives in the house with his parents.

Don’t forget to read the Afterword by Leona Jefferson! She is the maid and keeps the house running to the satisfaction of Revie. She has been around a while and takes care of everyone. She is a hoot and you will enjoy hearing from her. The afterword in Leona’s voice is absolutely genius!

If you like a great series like I do, then do yourself a favor and grab Silverleaf, the first book of the Kentucky Silverleaf Series. They appear to be coming out in quick succession so you won’t have to wait long in between books. These are definitely a must add to your nightstand. I know you’ll love them. Until next time…Happy Reading!

Don’t forget to support the authors you read by leaving a review. Even a few words help.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. The opinions I have expressed are my own, I was not required to write a review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

SYNOPSIS:

A broken marriage.
A long road home.
A family she never stopped loving.

Melanie Haverly once left Silverleaf—and the powerful Kentucky horse-farm family behind it—determined to make her own way in the world.

Ten years later, everything has fallen apart.

With two teenagers and nowhere else to turn, Mel returns to the gates of Silverleaf…unsure if the family she hurt will ever truly welcome her back. But inside the grand house and rolling pastures, something unexpected is waiting.

Second chances. Old wounds that still need healing. And the powerful reminder that family—no matter how complicated—can still be the place where broken hearts begin to mend.

SILVERLEAF is the emotional first novel in a heartwarming and dramatic family saga set in the world of Kentucky thoroughbred racing. Perfect for fans of Robyn Carr, Susan Wiggs, and emotional family dramas like This is Us.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

⭐️ USA TODAY BESTSELLER ⭐️

Kellie Coates Gilbert believes books should feel like both a vacation and a homecoming. Her novels invite you into the lives of women you’ll root for, cry with, and celebrate alongside. Whether you love small-town charm, sweeping settings that make you feel like you’re on a vacation, or heart-stirring family drama, you’ll find her stories feel like they were written just for you.

In addition to garnering thousands of five-star reviews, Kellie has been described by RT Book Reviews as a “deft, crisp storyteller.” Her books were featured as Barnes & Noble Top Shelf Picks and earned a coveted place on Library Journal’s Best Book List.

INTRODUCTION:

This is not a review but it is a Spotlight of a book I want to read. Life has gotten in the way this year and I haven’t had the time to read like I usually do. I’ve missed it. I wanted to post this Spotlight to bring to your attention a book that I think a lot of my fellow readers would love to read. I hope it catches your interest and is something you’ll enjoy!

SYNOPSIS:

The rain pours down, plastering his hair to his head and his shirt to his body. He takes my hand and puts it over his heart.

“See? Still beating.”

Pounding is more like it…

How do you let go of your first love when his memory still owns your heart?

Ten years ago, Robin’s world was cracked open by Jed—a brilliant, complicated young man who told her not to fall for him. But she did. She gave him everything, only to lose him to a chronic illness that was always waiting in the wings.

Now, Robin is finally rebuilding. She has a new career, a small but solid circle of support, and Nick—a funny, passionate, infuriatingly earnest guy who sees her for who she is. He doesn’t know about Jed. Or the play Jed wrote for her. Or that Robin has agreed to star in its long-overdue debut.

As opening night nears, Robin is haunted by what could have been—and by what still might be. She’s caught between honoring the past and claiming her future, between the person she was and the person she wants to become. And the more she tries to move forward, the more she wonders: is letting go an act of betrayal… or the bravest kind of love?

A deeply moving novel about grief, second chances, and the stories that shape us, The Next Breath will resonate with anyone who has ever tried to love again without forgetting where they started.


Winner of the 2024 Kindle Book Award (Romance)

What They’re Saying on Bookstagram & BookTok:
“I cried real tears and my heart still hurts… It was raw and emotional and deep. Will I forever recommend it? Yes.” -at Tonilynette

“Wanna a romance book that’s going to destroy you at 3 a.m?…The Next Breath will break your heat and leave you hopeful all at once.” -at andreabookster

“Warning! You’ll need tissues! This book touches love, loss, and finding the courage to move on, and it’s beautifully written!” -at sams_shelvess

“Deeply moving novel about grief, second chances, and the stories that shape us, The Next Breath will resonate with anyone who has ever tried to love again without forgetting where they started.” -at meganxmariex88

“Guys, at laurel_osterkamp destroys me in these books. This book is raw, emotional and a definite page turner.” -at joannasbookshelf

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Laurel Osterkamp writes smart, emotionally rich fiction about messy relationships, creative reinvention, and the kind of love that leaves a mark. She’s the award-winning author of nearly a dozen novels, including Favorite Daughters and the #1 Amazon bestseller Beautiful Little Furies. Her newest novel, The Side Project, blends second-chance romance with literary flair—perfect for fans of Emily Henry, Annabel Monaghan, and anyone who loves bookish love stories with bite.

In addition to her novels, Laurel’s short fiction has appeared in literary journals across the web. When she’s not writing (which is rare), she teaches adult ESL and middle school enrichment classes, goes running with twisty audiobooks in her ears, and educates her daughter on the cultural importance of Beverly Hills, 90210.

She lives in Minneapolis with a family that loves to argue and cats that love to hiss. Ramona Quimby is her spirit animal.

Follow her on Instagram @laurel_osterkamp or subscribe to her newsletter at laurellit dot com for behind-the-scenes stories, book news, and reader extras.

REVIEW:

If you ask me Jill Hannah Anderson does not write enough books. She is such a good author and knows how to tell a story that will grab your heart and not let go. After We Break is one of those books you will never forget. My heart was torn in two and mended back together so many times in her new book.

This book is about a woman named Eden Everson who has worked her way up in the corporate world and it is sucking her life out of her. It is ruining her health and her relationship with her son. She is from a small town and desperately wants to move out of the big city, but is worried she will lose her son. She is divorced and has half custody. 

This book is about finding what is right for you and having the courage to go after what you want and making your life your own. Ms. Anderson writes about strong women. We sometimes think that being strong is not worrying and not having doubts about where your life is going. Jill shows us the other side of the story.

We meet some wonderful characters in this book. One in particular will stick with me a long time. He is a Viet Nam veteran whose name is David. While Eden was going through some boxes her mother left with her, she found a POW bracelet that her mother wore back in the 70’s. He is a wonderful man that left a big impression on my soul.

After We Break by Jill Hannah Anderson has so much going for it. I could go on forever with all the good points in the story. I won’t because I hope you will get your own copy of this book for your nightstand It truly is a wonderful book. Until next time…Happy Reading!

Don’t forget to support the authors you read by leaving a review. Even a few words help.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. The opinions I have expressed are my own and I was not required to write a review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

SYNOPSIS:

Single mom Eden Everson reaches a breaking point in her high-pressure career when her soul-sucking job affects her health and her relationship with her son, Ryan. Ready to jump from the corporate ladder but needing a safety net, she takes some time off to regroup.

While going through boxes from her childhood, she finds the Vietnam POW bracelet her mom wore decades ago. After checking online, she discovers the veteran, David, is alive and lives only two hours away. When Eden travels to the quaint Minnesota town of Crimson Creek to return the bracelet, she feels an immediate connection with the town, which reminds her of her youth and the lifestyle she craves.

During their marriage, Eden’s ex-husband chose their city life, pushing her up the corporate ladder to support that. Now, Eden wants to pursue her own dreams, but leaving the Twin Cities means possibly losing her son. Eden must decide what she’s willing to sacrifice to reclaim the life she was meant to live.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jill Hannah Anderson writes about women determined to reclaim their lives. Stories of family, friendship, forgiveness, and fortitude. She lives on a lake in Minnesota with her husband. Jill’s new book, “After We Break”, released March 17, 2026. She is also the author of “Closer to Home”, “A Life Unraveled”, “Crazy Little Town Called Love”, and “The To Hell And Back Club”.

REVIEW:

Dark Current by Ashley Farley was one of the best books I’ve read by her in the Crime Fiction category. If you have followed me for very long, you know I am a big fan of Crime and Mystery stories. I am also a big fan of Ashley Farley! She is one of those authors I don’t bother reading the synopsis. I know she is going to deliver a great story to me every time I pick up one of her books. She writes in a few different genres and I enjoy them all. 

Dark Current is the second book in the Sutherlin Files. Book one was great but this one was spellbinding. I couldn’t put it down. I read most of it yesterday and finished up this morning. My mama had this saying: A day late and a dollar short. I’m a day late and I’m sorry I didn’t get it read sooner. It was a treat. I can’t wait for book three. It is Dark Current Reckoning. It promises to be better than the first two books.

These books are about Lane Sutherlin. She is a detective and is recently divorced. She has returned to her hometown of Tidewell, Virginia because her best friend has gone missing. She finds her hometown is corrupt and her Father who was a sitting judge has retired and has dementia. I don’t want to tell you a lot about the story because you know I want you to have as much fun as I had reading these books. I can’t wait to read the rest of the story. I promise you, it won’t be long.

Oh! Do you know what? This series also takes place in a small town and you know how much I love small towns! The stories deal with corruption, trafficking and so much more. I think there will be a little love story going on too.

If you like a story that will keep your interest and keep that mind of yours rolling trying to figure it all out, this is a series meant just for you. The Sutherlin Files is supposed to be only 3 books. You have plenty of time to read the first two so you can be ready for the explosive 3rd book. It just has to be explosive with all that is going on that needs to be fixed for that town of Tidewell.

I highly recommend Dark Current and the other two books that go with it. You definitely want to read these books in order. I took this book to bed with me because I simply couldn’t put it down. I sadly had to finish it this morning. Do yourself a favor and get the first two books of the Sutherlin Files to go on your nightstand for your reading pleasure.

Until next time…Happy Reading!

Don’t forget to support the authors you read by leaving a review. Even a few words help.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. The opinions I have expressed are my own and I was not required to write a review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

To follow my blog, click on the heading of any blog post. This will bring up just that blog and you will see a follow button on the bottom right hand corner. Thank you!

SYNOPSIS:

Lane Sutherlin thought bringing her best friend’s killer to justice would finally give her peace. Instead, she’s left with a chilling acquittal, whispers of jury tampering, and a part-time role with the sheriff’s office that ends the moment she starts asking the wrong questions.

When a renowned fertility specialist is murdered and harvested eggs vanish from her clinic, a terrified young woman turns to Lane—the only person she dares trust. Her story cracks open a crime far more calculated than a random break-in, pointing straight to a deeper conspiracy.

The Old Guard—Tidewell’s old-monied power players—aren’t just behind the trafficking. They’re determined to reshape the town itself. They’ve corrupted its leaders, bent its law enforcement, and turned its people into pawns. And now they’ve marked Lane as the one woman who can stop them.

With Briggs, the town’s sharp-eyed commonwealth’s attorney, at her side and Tidewell’s future hanging in the balance, Lane must decide how far she’ll go to protect the place she still calls home—before the darkness closing in finally swallows her whole.

Because the storm gathering over Tidewell isn’t just political—it’s personal.

And Lane Sutherlin is done running.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Amazon Charts and USA Today bestselling author

Ashley Farley writes Southern women’s fiction about love, loss, and the quiet courage it takes to start over. Her stories follow everyday women—mothers, daughters, sisters, and friends—as they navigate life’s hardest moments and find their way back to hope.

A South Carolina native, Ashley’s heart still belongs to the Lowcountry, where moss-draped oaks meet salty air and Southern charm runs deep. She now writes from her waterfront home on Virginia’s Northern Neck, where she shares her days with family and two strong-willed Labradors, Emmie and Willa.

REVIEW:

I have not been a long time reader of Barbara Hinske, but Pies & Plans is the prime reason I have fallen in love with her writing. She has wonderful characters, great settings and such warmth in her stories. I have a book hangover every time I finish one of her books.

I came into this series late. Don’t let that bother you, do what I did and jump right in. Ms. Hinske has a way of bringing you right into the story so you never miss a beat. I know her books are almost all part of a series, but the ones I have read are a breeze. I never feel like I am lost. I’m so glad I found her books. Books like these bring me such a feeling of peace. It is an escape for me and all the problems of the world.

This book is about a Clara who owns the bakery in town and it is thriving so well she doesn’t have time to plan her wedding to her fiance Kurt. They decide to have a small intimate wedding at Bloom Cottage. I could see every detail in her descriptions of the wedding gown and the cottage. I so enjoyed this book and I think all of my romance readers will too. 

Wouldn’t you know this takes place in a small town. All the people are so loving and caring. Well, at least the ones who made it into Pies & Plans were! I can’t think of a single thing I didn’t like about this book except I was reading along in bed last night when I turned the page and there was “The End”. I was so sad. It was a wonderful way to go to sleep last night and there were pleasant dreams too!

I highly recommend Pies & Plans by Barbara Hinske. It definitely belongs on your nightstand for a night of your own pleasant dreams. Until next time…Happy Reading!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. The opinions I have expressed are my own and I was not required to write a review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

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SYNOPSIS:

Sweets & Treats is thriving, and Clara Conway has no time to catch her breath, much less plan a big wedding. She and Kurt marry in an intimate ceremony at Bloom Cottage, where sparks fly between best man Brad and matron of honor Laura.

The newlyweds are buying a historic home near the downtown square and, in a stroke of luck, Kurt’s house sells before it hits the market. The romance between Brad and Laura is blossoming. Everything is working out well.

Until it’s not. Tabitha Trent is defrauded out of her life savings, forcing unthinkable changes on her family. The ripple effects of this catastrophe even reach Kurt and Clara. Promises are tested and new opportunities arise as everyone seeks a place to call home.

Return to Pinewood for another irresistible helping of small-town charm, courage, and connection.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

USA Today Bestselling Author

Barbara Hinske is an attorney who left the practice of law to pursue her career as a full-time novelist. She inherited the fiction gene from her father, who wrote mysteries when he retired and told her a story every night of her childhood. Barbara is the author of the beloved Rosemont Series, the Guiding Emily Series, the Paws & Pastries Series, her sweet Christmas stories, the mystery, thriller, and suspense novels in her “Who’s There?” collection, and three novellas in The Wishing Tree Series.

She and her husband share their own Rosemont with two adorable and spoiled dogs. She is besotted with decorating, entertaining, cooking, and gardening. Her novels The Christmas Club (2019) and Guiding Emily (2023) have been made into Hallmark Channel movies.

Praise for Coming to Rosemont:

“In a category that doesn’t often feature felonious crimes as a main plot point, it’s somewhat surprising to see this title — with corruption, fraud, and arson coursing through the story — in a list of top performers. But with enough twists and turns to hook any reader’s attention, an adorable dog on the cover, and some classic women’s fiction tropes, Coming To Rosemont delivered more than enough firepower to win over our readers!” BookBub’s Best: Women’s Fiction (#4)

“In this series opener, Hinske immerses readers in a delightful small town….The joys of the tale come from the warm relationships and the story of a woman getting a second chance at life and love.” Publishers Weekly (BookLife)

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