REVIEW: Instant Karma is another great installment of the Hart’s Ridge series. These books are so good. I’ve read a lot of wonderful sites this last couple of years and this one is on the list of one of the best. The Hart’s Ridge series has a lot of great elements to it and I’ll let you in on a few of them. 

Probably one of my favorites is that the setting is a small town. You know me. I love small towns no matter where they are. Everyone knows you and you know everyone. It just gives you a homey feel right from the beginning. 

Taylor is a sheriff’s deputy. She loves her town and takes the best care of its residents. I love detective stories so this is another element I love. She really takes care of her family. I admire this young woman. 

Each book in the series has a different crime going on and this one has to do with a senior citizen. I have to live that because I am one. By some people’s standards by a lot of years. Don’t worry, if you’re lucky you’ll be old too! 

The characters that stay around are ones that you can care about. In every new book I’m looking forward to catching up with the ones I have grown to care about. The characters I don’t like seem to find their way out of town. 

If any of these elements are ones that we share, I suggest you try this series. If you haven’t read it yet, the first one is a free download. So, what are you waiting for. This holiday weekend is a good time to jump in and binge read the whole series! Until next time..,Happy Reading! 

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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SYNOPSIS: In the small town of Hart’s Ridge, danger is never far away, as Deputy Taylor Gray knows all too well. Even as she hopes for a respite after a recent wave of crime, a stranger arrives in town and threatens the safety of one of its residents. With her instincts honed by years of law enforcement experience, Taylor jumps into action to protect one of their own.

But as Taylor works to uncover the truth behind the stranger’s motives, her sister Jo faces a different kind of challenge. As a single mother who has always shouldered her problems alone, Jo is cautiously optimistic about the future as her family finally seems to be finding stability. But as secrets come to light and tensions rise in the town, she begins to wonder if her newfound hope will be short-lived.

With Kay Bratt’s signature blend of suspense and heart, Instant Karma is a thrilling addition to the Hart’s Ridge small-town mystery series. As the Gray family and their community face new challenges and unexpected twists, readers will be hooked until the very end.

REVIEW: The Cat Saw Who Did It by J.S. Ellis is a simply delightful book. I know, I know we are talking about murder here but, we are also talking about a cool cat. Theodore is his name. This is the second book for Theodore. The Neighbors Cat was book one which came out in 2020. I bought the book in anticipation of reading this one. I forgot I had it, so now I need to go back and read it.

This is a sequel to book one but, my experience tells me that this book does very well as a stand alone. I did not get confused or wonder what was going on. The author tells us everything we need to know to enjoy this second story. 

The Cat Saw Who Did It is a murder mystery in case you couldn’t tell from the title. Theodore is one of the main characters and he actually narrates part of the book. I told you he is a cool cat. He is a very beautiful Tuxedo cat. More points for Theodore. He is nosey and he has a bit of personality like all cats. The other main character is Jane. She owns Theodore as much as anyone can own a cat. I absolutely fell in love with Theodore. I liked Jane and could relate to her as well. There were some other characters that were not as likable and there were some that were not fleshed out as much.

I did like the murder story and I liked the hair raising ending. J.S. Ellis did a wonderful job with the story line. Her characterization of a cat was spot on in my opinion. This book had me turning pages and hanging on the edge of my chair and holding my breath. I was definitely along for the ride from page one. If you love a quirky little murder mystery, this book is probably one you will enjoy. I think you should put it on the top of your reading list. Until next time…Happy Reading!

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I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. 

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SYNOPSIS: I have aided in the capture of a serial killer, which is made even more impressive by the fact that I… am a cat.

Happily settled in with Jane, a would-be victim I helped to save, I thought my days as an amateur sleuth would be traded for belly rubs and sunbeam naps.

Until I watched the man in the apartment complex opposite ours, murder his wife. Once again, it falls to me to help the bumbling humans bring a killer to justice.

Step one is proving to Jane that something horrible happened.

But how do I convince her a crime occurred in the dark of the night? More importantly, how can I prevent her from becoming his next target?

REVIEW: The Forest River PTA Moms Series has a new addition today! Hilary Grossman has released book five named Mom Com. If you have read any of this series, you really need to read this one. It is so much fun to read. You’ll love it!

It is nice to see the status quo of the PTA shaken up a bit. Their leader Jackie Martin has had to step down. The new PTA president is Ella Jamerson. She has a pretty tough row to hoe if you know what I mean. These women are vicious. They are so mean. We all know how some women can be. I can’t wait for you, the PTA and the rest of the school to find out who Ella Jamerson really is. Wow!

I think this is the most fun book I have read in a little while. It was a nice break from heavier reads and it takes you out of your humdrum life and adds some spice, some frivolity and best of all some juicy gossip. Since I am no longer in the workforce, I don’t hear much gossip and besides this doesn’t hurt anyone and it is all for a good read. Right?

If you love Women’s Humorous Fiction, you’ll love this book. It is best if read with the whole series but, it does well as a stand alone. I think you will get a better idea of the history of all the women if you read the series from the beginning. I give this series my stamp of approval. I love Hilary Grossman!

Don’t forget to support the authors you read by leaving a review!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. Opinions expressed in this review are my very own. 

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SYNOPSIS: Big changes are coming to Forest River Elementary School!

When PTA President Jackie Martin’s husband suffers a life-threatening car accident, she has no choice but to step down from her dream position. Unfortunately, the team is already short-staffed and struggling to fill the vacancy.

Only one woman is brave enough to step up and take over the reins, Ella Jamerson.

Mom to a first-grader, Ella has kept a low profile since her daughter entered the school because she has a huge secret. She’s actually Eleanor Saint James, the Emmy award-winning actress.

Tired of sitting idly by, Ella’s willing to risk her anonymity for a say in the schools’ politics. But when the team learns who their new leader really is, will they be able to handle the drama she’s about to bring?

REVIEW: I don’t know what it is about books by Ashley Farley but, from the minute I pick one up, I am gone to another world. After the Storm was another one of those books for me. This book is supposed to revisit characters from the Sweeney Sisters Series. If you haven’t read that series yet, that is ok. I haven’t either and I was totally immersed in this book from page one. She did a beautiful job making it a stand alone novel. There is another one coming out in August that will also be a stand alone and I can’t wait that long!

The main characters in this book are in their mid to late 20’s. Even though I am much older than that, I still enjoyed the story. The characters live mostly in the same town and are mostly cousins considering they are offspring of the Sweeney sisters. There are spouses and girlfriends of these young adults and a few friends. Most of them are likable. You have to have a villain in a story to dislike. Right? Oh, and there are puppies too!

There are many problems going on and there is the typical angst that happens in everyday life but, the book is full of hope and lighthearted fun and dreams. I was entertained and involved with what was happening and couldn’t wait to get back to reading when I had to put it down. If you love a book that brings joy and happiness, one that will take you to a town on the beach then this book is for you! If you are a fan of Ashely’s, this book is definitely for you! Until next time…Happy Reading!

Don’t forget to support the authors you love by leaving a review!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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SYNOPSIS: Three friends pick up the pieces of their lives after a devastating hurricane ravages their small town.

Lizbet gives no warning and offers no explanation when she walks out on her husband of only two years. As a hurricane howls through their quaint lowcountry town, Lizbet seeks refuge in the familiar embrace of her childhood home in Charleston. Seven months later, she’s still living with her sister, flat broke with her fertility problem unresolved. If she tells Jamie the truth, she risks losing him forever.

Jamie’s marriage is on the brink of collapse. With no communication from Lizbet for months, he fears a divorce is looming. To complicate matters, a charming property developer enters the picture, stirring Jamie’s emotions and leaving him confused. Will he choose to honor his vows or pursue a new love?

Sean’s restaurant owes much of its success to Carla, his brilliant head chef. However, Carla’s personal life is in turmoil because of her son’s anger management issues, which she struggles to control. To ease her burden, Sean invites Carla and her son to move in with him at his parents’ stunning waterfront estate. But Sean’s twin brother, Cooper, resents her presence and tension soon rises. Will Sean be able to keep the peace, or will this dilemma tear his family apart?

REVIEW: Water Music by Marcia Peck is her debut novel and is loosely based on her life growing up in New Jersey and spending the summers on Cape Cod. While I enjoyed this book I did find it was a bit depressing. It pulled at my heartstrings and had me hoping that things would turn out for this family.

This story is about 12 year old Lily Grainger and her family spending the summer of 1956 on Cape Cod. There is so much heartache for this little girl. She is struggling and her parents are so wrapped up in their wants and needs, I feel Lily falls through the cracks. I have to hand it to her. She does not give up. My heart melted when she and her mother walked wide circles around each other. Her father was more compassionate but still had his own agenda. I wanted to put my arms around her and give her some encouragement.

There is a hurricane that comes through one night that was not supposed to be dangerous. Life was lost and the tides of their lives changed. Some for the better and some for the worst. This book gives us a lot to think about in our own relationships with our families. Although it was thought provoking it contained a sense of adventure for Lily and her cousins. 

If you love a good family saga that takes place in an earlier and maybe not so simple time, this should be a book you consider for your next read. Until next time…Happy Reading!

Don’t forget to support the authors you read by leaving a review!

I received a complimentary copy of this book for review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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SYNOPSIS: The bridge at Sagamore was closed when we got there that summer of 1956. We had to cross the canal at Buzzards Bay over the only other roadway that tethered Cape Cod to the mainland.

Thus twelve-year-old Lily Grainger, while safe from ‘communists and the Pope,’ finds her family suddenly adrift. That was the summer the Andrea Doria sank, pilot whales stranded, and Lily’s father built a house he couldn’t afford. Target practice on a nearby decommissioned Liberty Ship echoed not only the rancor in her parents’ marriage, a rancor stoked by Lily’s competitive uncle, but also Lily’s troubles with her sister, her cousins, and especially with her mother. In her increasingly desperate efforts to salvage her parents’ marriage, Lily discovers betrayals beyond her understanding as well as the small ways in which people try to rescue each other. She draws on her music lessons and her love of Cape Cod—from Sagamore and Monomoy to Nauset Spit and the Wellfleet Dunes, seeking safe passage from the limited world of her salt marsh to the larger, open ocean.

REVIEW: Gail Olmsted has a new book coming out! It is the sequel to Miranda Writes and is named Miranda Nights. That’s cute, isn’t it? I had the awesome opportunity to beta read this book a while ago and totally enjoyed the new story. 

This book picks up Miranda’s life two years after Miranda Writes leaves off. I have to admit that I kind of missed hearing about those two years. They would have been the time period she married Eric and they built their home adjacent to the beach. We don’t always get what we want and in this case it is okay. The continuation of her story is good either way.

I really like all that is going on in this book. It is fast paced and keeps you on your toes trying to figure out what is happening. Someone seems to be out to get Miranda. This is probably the main thing but, it seems like everyone in her life has a crisis going on. Isn’t that the way it usually goes? Sometimes, it seems like things start falling apart all over the place and there doesn’t seem like there is anything you can do except ride the wave. Miranda does this well. 

I really like the characters in this series. They are likable and people that you find yourself caring about. They are like your own friends and you don’t want anything bad to happen to any one of them. I was hooked at the beginning of the first book and this book leaves me wanting more of the characters. I want to live in their beach town and enjoy that lifestyle. I feel immersed in it when I am reading and want it to continue. For me that is a sign of a great series worth following.

If you like legal stories and if you like stories about family and friends that are like family then you will probably love this series. Until next time…Happy Reading!

Don’t forget to support the authors you read by leaving a review!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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: She has a loving husband and a successful career–who says you can’t have it all? Miranda Quinn is living her very best life… until she’s not.

It’s been two years since her legal advice TV show was canceled, but the former Assistant District Attorney has rebounded with a late-night radio show, Miranda Nights. When her closest friend’s teenaged son gets arrested, Miranda tries to help but the evidence against him is overwhelming. Following a family member’s medical diagnosis, Miranda begins to wonder if her ‘happily ever after’ has been canceled as well.

But the real trouble arrives when a persistent caller, desperate for Miranda’s attention, embarks on an all-out effort to get her to see the error of her ways. Threatening messages and slanderous social media posts escalate to break-ins and arson when a fanatical fan claims to be her only path to salvation.

Miranda Nights is a fast-paced, witty story full of hidden dangers, with a strong and resilient woman at its core.

REVIEW: The Thing About Home by Rhonda McKnight was my first book by this author and it was so good that I will be on the lookout for more. This is not her first book because I see from a little search that she has several series out and stand alone books. You could spend some time catching up with Ms. McKnight.

This book was so good. I flew through the pages and finished it in record time. I loved the premise of the book. The main character is Casey Black and she is an influencer. She has been married for seven years and has a beautiful vow renewal planned. Her husband stands her up at the altar and tells her he wants a divorce. She crashes and burns later that night online live and loses millions of followers. Trying to put her life back together again she heads for the low country to find her fathers’ family that she has never met. Her father died before she was born.

I enjoyed the characters in this book. I especially loved her 99 year old grandmother who she met for the very first time. The manager of the farm was Nigel and he was a fine specimen of a man. There were so many family members, she couldn’t remember all of their names. It didn’t matter because family is family. She was raised by a single mother as an only child. So, Casey Black was excited to have family and roots. She learned how to work hard on the farm and she learned how to cook yummy southern food. I was wishing for some recipes at the end of the book. No such luck.

The book also has another timeline that took place during her great great grandparents time and tells us how they made it after being freed by their masters and how they accrued the land for the 300 acre farm that is becoming close to Casey’s heart. Casey learns that Home is not a place but a feeling. I love that!

If you love family sagas, historical fiction or just a good story with lessons to learn, this might be a good book for your next read. Until next time…Happy Reading!

Don’t forget to support the authors you read by leaving a review!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from #Netgalley, #FirstEditions and #ThomasNelson. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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SYNOPSIS: Home is not a place—it’s a feeling.

Casey Black needs an escape. When her picture-perfect vow renewal ceremony ends in her being left at the altar, the former model turned social media influencer has new fame—the kind she never wanted. An embarrassing viral video has cost her millions of followers, and her seven-year marriage is over. With her personal and business lives in shambles, Casey runs from New York City to South Carolina’s Lowcountry hoping to find long-lost family. Family who can give her more answers about her past than her controlling mom-slash-manager has ever been willing to share.

What Casey doesn’t expect is a postcard-worthy property on a three-hundred-acre farm, history, culture, and a love of sweet tea. She spends her days caring for the land and her nights cooking much needed Southern comfort foods. She also meets Nigel, the handsome farm manager whose friendship has become everything she’s never had. And then there are the secrets her mother can no longer hide.

Through the pages of her great-grandmother’s journals, Casey discovers her roots run deeper than the Lowcountry soil. She learns that she has people. A home. A legacy to uphold. And a great new love story—if only she is brave enough to leave her old life behind.

 “. . . a beautifully written story about family, self-discovery, secrets, and forgiveness.” —Kimberla Lawson Roby, New York Times bestselling author

Inspiring contemporary fictionStand-alone novelBook length: approximately 100,000 wordsIncludes discussion questions for book clubs

REVIEW: I am thrilled to tell you that I was able to read the second novel belonging to Sisters of the Heart Series Pathway to Lavender Valley. Book one was Greetings from Lavender Valley. I truly enjoyed both books and I think you will too. Actually, I am really looking forward to reading them all but then the series will be done and I will be left wanting more. I always want one more!

This book is about Harry whose real name is Harriet but everyone calls her just plain Harry. I really like Harry. She is a retired Detective with the Salem police department. She had plans to go see Jewel when she gets information in the mail to go to Lavender Valley to take care of Jewel’s farm. She is to call the other four girls who Jewel calls her Sisters of the Heart to come help for a year. This will be a long reunion for the girls.

There are so many adventures waiting for Harry. She was just wondering what she was going to do about all the free time she would now have with her retirement. I can’t wait for you to read all about the stuff she gets involved with. I don’t think she ever thought half of those things would happen to her. 

This book was a fun read. It will pull at your heartstrings in so many ways. You’ll cry and laugh and applaud for Harry. In her case, life starts at retirement. If these books sound like anything you might be remotely interested in, I highly recommend you grab a copy of them and start reading. They brought such joy to my heart. Until next time…Happy Reading!

Don’t forget to support the authors you read by leaving a review!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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SYNOPSIS: Six Women. Four Decades. One long, unexpected reunion.One letter holds the power to change the lives of five women forever.

Harriet ‘Harry’ McKenzie is coming to terms with buttoning up her thirty-year career with the Salem Police Department when she finally sees the letter sitting in her pile of mail. She is shocked to read that Jewel Austin has put her in charge of her estate. The beloved woman was a foster mom and guide to Harry throughout her teenage years and now she’s gone. If that isn’t enough of a blow, Jewel’s will, with specific instructions, threatens to uproot Harry’s entire life.

Harry’s love and admiration for Jewel runs too deep to deny her last wish. She rushes a few hours south to take over Jewel’s work at Lavender Valley Farm and to care for her beloved dog. Along with adapting to her new chores, Harry must find the other four women who were also foster daughters of Jewel’s, and convince them to join her at the farm.

Along with all these complications, Harry gets involved in helping solve a local crime, and her actions endear her to the small community. Soon, she is faced with a lifechanging decision—but she isn’t sure she can do what is asked of her.

Will Harry be able to fulfill Jewel’s last wish and take a new path in her life?


PATHWAY TO LAVENDER VALLEY is the second book in the Sisters of the Heart Series from USA Today bestselling author, Tammy L. Grace. Fans of heartwarming, feel-good women’s fiction like those by Debbie Macomber or Sheila Roberts will devour this series.

Don’t miss a book in the Sisters of the Heart Series! You’ll want to binge all of these small-town women’s fiction stories.


Book 1: Greetings from Lavender Valley
Book 2: Pathway to Lavender Valley
Book 3: Sanctuary at Lavender Valley
Book 4: Blossoms at Lavender Valley
Book 5: Comfort at Lavender Valley
Book 6: Reunion at Lavender Valley

REVIEW: Well, I have to say that this was not the typical Kiersten Modglin book that I have become accustomed to. I just might have to say IT IS a brilliant story! That is something I have become accustomed to from Kiersten and why I read whatever she writes.

She is one author who I never read the synopsis ahead of time. I enjoy going into the book without any preconceived notions because I know she is going to blow them out of the water anyway. I love the twists and turns she takes me on and am never disappointed in the book.

The characters are well developed and believable. Hudson and Willa are married and Murphy is Willa’s best friend from forever. They are the central characters and I think you will find them quite normal. Secrets from their past and present lives start popping up but, don’t we all have deep secrets we don’t tell anyone?

This is a fast paced novel that will keep you hanging on until the very end. Kiersten always creates a senario that gives you the need to know. The need to know what happens next and the need to know how it all comes out in the wash. If you enjoy a suspenseful book, this book should be your next read. Until next time…Happy Reading!

Don’t forget to support the authors you read by leaving a review!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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SYNOPSIS: From million-copy bestselling author Kiersten Modglin, comes a dark and sinister domestic thriller perfect for fans of Marin Montgomery, Rachel Hawkins, and Mary Kubica…

They want an ideal life.
She’s the only thing standing in their way.

The Ashleys are determined to build a future detached from the issues in their pasts, and it seems to be working.
They’re happily married.
In love.
Established in their dream careers.
Closer than ever to being debt-free.

But when a mysterious opportunity arrives with an offer they can’t refuse, everything changes.

Soon, they meet her.
She’s rich.
Powerful.
Single-minded in her goals.
She is not used to being told no.

Worst of all, she knows about the dirty deeds they’ve done in the dark…

If they don’t do exactly what she wants, the ramifications of their secrets being exposed are endless. In a battle of wits against a woman who knows too much, the Ashleys find themselves with an impossible choice to make.

Whom do you trust when the only person who can save you is the one who might bring you down?

REVIEW:

I have over the years become a huge Sandra Dallas fan. I just kind of realized it today. Every book I’ve read of hers is right at the top. Books I remember forever. That’s pretty good for me because I read so much, I tend to forget the story line or the general gist of the story. Let me tell you that Where Coyotes Howl will be one you won’t forget.

This book tugs at your heartstrings all the way through. It kept me totally immersed and interested. I could not put this book down. The characters were addictive. This is one of those books that are the whole 360 and everything you want from a book.

Ms. Dallas has a way with her character development that makes you know and feel each one. You know right away when you meet them in the story what they are all about. Ellen is a school teacher and she has a heart of gold and likes Charlie as soon as she sees him. Charlie falls in love with her the minute he meets her. Love at first sight. 

Life on the High Planes is rough during this time period and takes many lives. Folks move out there and don’t know what they are in for. Charlie and Ellen make a good couple. They work together to build their ranch and start a family. I was wrapped up in their lives and how hard they worked and the challenges they faced. I don’t think I would have been able to make it in Wallace, Wyoming. I like the comforts of city life too much.

If you like to learn about what life was like in other time periods or you just enjoy a good love story, this book should interest you. I am only a little of a quarter of a way through this year and I would have a hard time picking my top ten but, this one would have to make the list. Until next time…Happy Reading!

Don’t forget to support the authors you read by leaving a review!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from #Netgalley, #St.MartinsPress and the author. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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SYNOPSIS: Beautifully rendered, Where Coyotes Howl is a vivid and deeply affecting ode to the early twentieth century West, from master storyteller Sandra Dallas.

Except for the way they loved each other, they were just ordinary, everyday folks. Just ordinary.

1916. The two-street town of Wallace is not exactly what Ellen Webster had in mind when she accepted a teaching position in Wyoming, but within a year’s time she’s fallen in love—both with the High Plains and with a handsome cowboy named Charlie Bacon. Life is not easy in the flat, brown corner of the state where winter blizzards are unforgiving and the summer heat relentless. But Ellen and Charlie face it all together, their relationship growing stronger with each shared success, and each deeply felt tragedy.

Ellen finds purpose in her work as a rancher’s wife and in her bonds with other women settled on the prairie. Not all of them are so lucky as to have loving husbands, not all came to Wallace willingly, and not all of them can survive the cruel seasons. But they look out for each other, share their secrets, and help one another in times of need. And the needs are great and constant. The only city to speak of, Cheyenne, is miles away, making it akin to the Wild West in rural Wallace. In the end, it is not the trials Ellen and Charlie face together that make them remarkable, but their love for one another that endures through it all.