REVIEW: Do Not Open by Kiersten Modglin was a book that has me conflicted in a few ways. I think I have given all the books I’ve read of hers five stars. I enjoyed them that much and some of them I would have given more than five stars. This one was close to four stars but it redeemed itself at the very end. I know…I need to explain myself without giving any of the surprises away. That is going to be a little hard to do.

This book is about an author that is contacted by a fan who offers her bleak world some hope. Although she has tried to research the person offering this life changing event, she is not able to find out much about him. She agrees to meet him and knows quite soon he is not who he says he is. She has spent years writing about heroines that save themselves and he has spent years studying her writing. He knows everything about her. She has to think fast.

There is a part of this book that hits close to home. Close to where Kiersten and I both live. That is part of what redeemed this book for me. There are several huge surprises at the end. The beginning and middle of the book are scary and nerve wracking and every bit of it is what you come to expect with a Kiersten Modglin book. So, not really a lot of surprises along the way. Like I said, the ending is WOW! I wanted to cry at the end. That never happens with one of Kiersten’s books.

If you love Kiersten Modglin’s books you will want to read this one too. You are probably as hooked on her writing as I am. If you haven’t read one of her books, you will wonder what hit you when you get done. This is a good book. It is just not one of my favorites. The last few books were ones that kept moving into my favorite spot. Not this one. I think you will know why when you have your heart ripped out!

This book will be released on October 31, 2023. Just in time for a Halloween night read. Get yourself a thermos filled with your favorite drink, your favorite snack and a nice comfy throw and prepare to be blown away. 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.

SYNOPSIS: On the day author Mari Montgomery receives the email, she has little left to live for.

The message—simple yet utterly life-changing—offers a glimmer of hope to her dismal existence. It’s the opportunity of a lifetime, and if she takes it, it could change everything.

Mari’s immediate sense of unease is eclipsed only by her curiosity—elicited from the supposed fan on the other end of the email. Unsatisfied despite doing her due diligence, and with no way to discern the legitimacy of the sender, Mari takes a leap of faith and replies.

What harm could come from one innocent message?

Soon, as she comes face to face with her ‘number one fan,’ it’s all too clear things are not what they first appeared. Now trapped by a villain far more sinister than she could’ve crafted herself, the fate awaiting her is inspired by the darkest depths of the monsters in her own novels.

In order to escape and survive, Mari must use the strength of the heroines she’s spent years writing about. But this villain has spent years inside her worlds, too.

How will she defeat an evil who has learned from the best?

For fans of Misery, YOU, and Behind Closed Doors, million-copy bestselling author Kiersten Modglin brings us a haunting tale of obsession and survival in the form of a writer’s worst nightmare come to life.

REVIEW: Once again Ashley Farley did not disappoint me. Long Journey home is the first book in a new series she is calling Marsh Point. If this is the first book, I can’t wait to read the rest of the series! 

Most of you know that I stumbled upon Ms. Farley’s books and enjoyed them so much, I found myself looking her up and begging to be on her review team. I have not looked back once. She is one of those authors that I don’t need to know what the book is about before I read it. I have enjoyed the characters and storylines in every single book so far.

This book is about a family that has grown up with a lot of adversity in their lives. The mother is an alcoholic and the father couldn’t always deal with her and the kids. There are four kids, three girls and a boy who are adults now and dealing with the hurts of their childhood.

As you can imagine, they are dealing with abandonment issues and trying to figure out how they are going to put the past behind them. Ashton is the oldest sister and she inherits the family estate. You all know how much the death of a parent can tear the family apart. Someone always gets hurt. The mother had her reasons. Their father is still alive and is a big part of the story.

I loved Ashton and all that she had to go through to pick up the pieces of all of their lives including her own. I didn’t care for her sister. Her brother was ok but he was the one who would not seek help to sort out his past. Their father was someone I wanted to put my arms around. He was hurting and at other times he brought the story to life.

Long Journey Home was a book I had a hard time putting down. I loved the book and didn’t want to see it come to an end. This is going to be her best series yet. I can’t wait to read more. If you love a good family saga, one that you can sink your teeth into then this is a great series to add to your TBR. I think you will love it as much as I do. 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. I was not required to leave a review and the opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

SYNOPSIS: From beyond the grave, Ashton’s mother leaves a mysterious legacy that upends her world. Eileen Darby, the heiress to the Merriweather fortune, has entrusted her oldest daughter with the family’s waterfront estate on Catawba Sound in South Carolina’s Lowcountry, bequeathing virtually nothing to her other three children. This lavish bequest is more than a gift; it’s a cryptic message, a puzzle interlaced with the troubled history of their dysfunctional family. As Ashton embarks on renovating the old home, she finds herself haunted by secrets lurking in the shadows of her memory. What is her mother trying to communicate, and what will she uncover as she delves into the murkiest corners of the memories she can’t recall?”

Ashton’s husband is a proclaimed financial wizard, a mastermind who claims to have turned her recent investment into a fortune. Yet, he refuses to provide the account statements to verify it. With their marriage teetering on the brink, Ashton’s dwindling trust gives way to mounting suspicions. Is he genuinely the financial virtuoso he purports to be, or is there a more sinister game afoot? As her marital bonds unravel, Ashton finds herself ensnared in a tangled web of deception. Each thread she tugs unravels a path leading her ever closer to a truth she may not be ready to confront. When she loses her way, she looks to a friend from her past to help her find herself again.

In this thrilling journey of discovery and deceit, Ashton must confront the ghosts of her past and the demons of her present. Long Journey Home is a twisted labyrinth of mystery and betrayal, where every corner holds another clue and every path leads Ashton deeper into uncertainty.

REVIEW: Always Orchid by Carol Van Den Hende is a must read. It is actually the third book in the series about a woman named Orchid. This book is written as a stand alone novel and if you don’t read the other two books you won’t be lost at all. In fact, I still have not gone back and read the first book yet. I will. I just have to find the time in my packed schedule. I loved these two books that I read and they pulled out so many emotions from my heart, soul and right down to my tippy toes!

This book is about Orchid and all that she has gone through in her life. She has had a major tragedy that will never leave her. Phoenix Walker becomes her love interest. These two have not come through life unscathed. Phoenix is a man to look up to and has also had tragedy in his life. 

What I really like about these books is the insights we get into what each of them are thinking. Do we ever feel like we are enough for the one we love? What these two go through and what they have gone through and still they keep trying. They sometimes work together and sometimes they pull apart. I was always pulling for them and you will too as you read their story.

I don’t want to ruin anything for you but, I will say this. If more people put the work and love into their relationships that these two do there would be more successful unions. I’m not saying one way or the other whether they make it. I’m just saying the effort was there. I admire them and this book.

This book deals with disabilities and how they are seen in different parts of the world and the superstitions about folks with disabilities. I didn’t know some of this before reading Always Orchid. I think you will love the charitable spirit that comes out of this book. There are so many things to love about this story. There is also a homeless man that we meet and learn to admire for the steps he takes in his life.

This book is not all fluff and not just a love story. This book has a lot of good that comes out of it. We all need to look harder at how disabled people are treated and at why we have so many homeless people in our country. This is a beautifully written story and I highly recommend you picking up a copy for yourself.

If you love a book that makes you stop and think. That makes you actually put the book down and think about your preconceived notions then this just might be the book you need to read next. Until next time…Happy Reading!

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

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

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SYNOPSIS: “An engrossing, inspiring depiction of traumatized individuals growing amidst challenges.” — Kirkus Reviews

He almost let her go. Her past could tear them apart. But a love like theirs is worth fighting for…

Phoenix Walker will never be the same. Nine months after a heroic act leaves him forever changed, he refuses to hurt Orchid Paige ever again.

Orchid is ready to forgive. Convincing her guy she still loves him, no matter his injuries, she works to rebuild their intimacy. But their move to her family’s ancestral country unveils China’s superstitions against people with disabilities. Worse, their friend’s life has been upended by those prejudices.

Will Phoenix and Orchid find a way to beat the odds and turn discrimination into acceptance?

Always Orchid is the riveting third book in the Goodbye, Orchid contemporary fiction series. If you like relatable characters, surprising twists, and stories that pull on your emotions, then you’ll love award-winning author Carol Van Den Hende’s journey to unconditional acceptance.

American Fiction Award Winner Multicultural Fiction. Shortlisted Hawthorne Prize for Fiction. Longlisted Chatelaine Award. Pulpwood Queens 2024 Book-of-the-Month.

Book 1: Orchid Blooming
Book 2: Goodbye Orchid
Book 3: Always Orchid (can be read as standalone)

REVIEW: Reunion in Lavender Valley by Tammy L. Grace brought me to great big ugly tears more than once in the process of reading this last book in the Sisters of the Heart series. Why? Because I fell hopelessly in love with the characters and the story. The town of Lavender Valley is another one of those places that I would gladly pack up my home and move to. It is a beautiful little town that has not changed much in the last several years. The sisters all remembered places that were in town when they lived there with Jewel, their foster mom.

I am so sad that this may be the last time I get to read about these characters. They became like friends and family to me. The many people that you meet from this little town are all people I would be honored to have in my life. I can just imagine what it would be like living there and having the support of loving people.

The first book Greetings From Lavender Valley is a free download. It gives you the background of Jewel and why she and her husband became foster parents. Jewel became close to five of the girls and always kept in touch with them and considered them her daughters. This book will tell you about all five girls and why they are invited back to keep Jewel’s lavender farm and festival going into the future. Every book focuses on the arrival of each new girl.  Actually, they are grown women now and you find out that they each have a reason to go home.

I love how each of their lives are getting a fresh start and seeing where they are headed. I enjoyed how they helped each other adjust and how they all worked together in Jewel’s memory to make the lavender festival a great success. 

This is a truly unique premise for a series and I enjoyed every minute of my time spent with Jewel’s girls on her farm. You know, I was jealous that they were all there together and I could only read about it. I wanted to be there with them. By the way, so did Georgia! She was the last to arrive. She lost her husband and home very close together and really needed her sister’s support. They video chatted with her before her arrival so we did get to meet her a bit earlier.

Tammy did a great job winding up the story and tying up all the loose ends. She still left me wanting more. I always want more when there is a series as great as this one. So, if you love a book and series with a lot of love and heart at the core, this series is a winner! Absolutely one of the best series I’ve read. I strongly urge you to download Greetings From Lavender Valley and then buy the rest of the books and settle in for a nice binge read. Until next time…Happy Reading!

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

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

SYNOPSIS: Six Women. Four Decades. One long, unexpected reunion.

Georgia Moore is still grieving from the loss of her dear husband, Lee, when she discovers she can’t remain in their home. With nowhere to turn, she accepts the invitation to return to Lavender Valley in the hopes that she can once again find a purpose.

Lavender Valley Farm needs her, and Georgia soon finds her place managing the household, using her skill with a needle, and assuming a motherly role to her sisters of the heart.

Something still feels missing but as the harvest approaches, an unexpected guest visits the farm and might hold the key to changing Georgia’s life.

Will Georgia be brave enough to embrace the chance of a new future?

REUNION AT LAVENDER VALLEY is the sixth 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!
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 in Lavender Valley
Book 6: Reunion in Lavender Valley

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REVIEW: The Ones They Buried by Jenifer Ruff was WOW! I actually don’t have enough words in the English language to describe this book. This book is number eight in the Victoria Heslin Series. You don’t have to read the previous seven as they are all written as stand alone books. I recommend all of them for your reading pleasure. They are all seriously good. The Ones They Buried is by far the best one yet! It is over the top. Let me tell you why I think this book is so good.

In the back of my mind I wondered where the title came from. You might too. I have to admit I don’t give a lot of in-depth thought to the books I am reading. I let the author tell the story and let it unfold as they see fit. For me that is the only way I can enjoy and understand their technique of storytelling. I think over analyzing takes the fun out of what the author wants us to think. 

In this case, Jenifer Ruff tells us a story so captivating that I could not figure out who I wanted to pinpoint as the one behind the disappearance of the fitness trainer. Is it Catherine Bower the main character, her husband, daughter, son, or her gardeners? It’s always the gardener. Right? There are so many viable choices. You have to read the book to find out because I’m not telling!

Victoria Heslin and her partner are assigned to the case. It is a year later and they have not found Phoebe Watson, the fitness trainer yet. These characters are awesome in what they do and why. I mentioned earlier that I have read a lot of these books. I have not read book one and two yet. I own them but, now I know for a fact I need to go back and read them. I am a total fan of Jenifer Ruff. She is a sweet person and has perfected her craft and it shines in this book. I never hesitate to read and review her books.

If you love police procedurals, suspense, mystery and thrillers. If you like Kiersten Modglin and Emerald O’Brien, you will enjoy Jenifer Ruff. Pick up your copy of this book and let me know what you think. Until next time…Happy Reading!

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

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

SYNOPSIS: Phoebe Watson was a rising star in the fitness world. Then she disappeared.

The mystery captivates the nation, and the investigation takes a dark turn when her body is discovered a year later, buried deep in a remote, wooded area.

Only one person seems to know something about those remains—multi-millionaire Catherine Bower, one of Phoebe’s former clients. Soon after Phoebe disappeared, Catherine suffered a life-altering accident.

FBI Special Agent Victoria Heslin believes there’s a connection between Phoebe’s murder and Catherine’s accident. As Victoria digs deeper, she uncovers a thick web of secrets and lies, and every thread she untangles points toward a shocking truth.

Bestselling author Jenifer Ruff’s latest chilling crime fiction novel will have you on the edge of your seat as you unravel the clues. The Ones They Buried is book 8 in the award-winning Agent Victoria Heslin crime fiction mystery series. Each of the books features a unique investigation and can ABSOLUTELY be read as a STANDALONE.

If you liked Flicker in the Dark and The Housemaid, you’ll love The Ones They Buried.

REVIEW: I finished The Royal Daughter by Soraya Lane last night before I went to sleep. This is the third book in The Lost Daughters Series. I know there is at least one more coming but, I honestly hope she doesn’t end there.I actually think seven books would be a better ending point. If you haven’t read any of them yet, I highly recommend them. They are stand alone novels and only have a few minor characters in common so you can jump in with this one or go back to the first one. I promise you won’t be lost.

Soraya Lane is responsible for my jump into historical fiction. She has a way of developing her characters thereby making you want to know them better and have an interest in what is happening to them. The first book I read of hers took place during the war and I opened the book with trepidation. I didn’t think I would make it all the way through. Imagine my surprise when I couldn’t put the book down. I started following her and the rest is history. Literally. Now, I read a lot of Historical Fiction.

The main characters in these books find out they have family members that were given up for adoption years ago. The background and circumstances of each story is different. As you can guess from the titles the locations are different. Their order is The Italian Daughter, The Cuban Daughter and The Royal Daughter taking place in Greece. They all have a few different locations. I love to travel with the characters to new lands they haven’t visited and see it through their eyes. You meet some locals and the food they eat is an experience you don’t want to miss.

All of the stories are heartbreaking but this one is so moving. The music they speak of is almost a character in itself. It speaks to my heart. I walked down the aisle to the main song that is the center of this book and was left as a clue. This book teaches us to never give up on true love. Never give up on the love of your family. This is such a heartwarming and heartbreaking book. This book will elicit a deep sigh of satisfaction as you read the last word. 

If you love Historical Fiction, Love stories, mysteries or women’s fiction, you will love this book and the series. The Sapphire Daughter is due out on March 8th. You have plenty of time to get caught up and ready for it if you decide to read the whole series. If not, at least look at this beautifully written book as 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, #Bookouture and #Soraya Lane. Thank you. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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SYNOPSIS: “My darling B, my heart, my soul. I only wish we’d had longer. Longer to search for the daughter that I should never have given up. The daughter that I should have been brave enough to keep, brave enough to tell you about, brave enough to tell the world about.”

London, present day. As Ella looks down at a faded black and white photograph of an unknown woman and child alongside a yellowing piece of sheet music, she wonders how the two things can possibly relate to her own family. The items were left for her family at Hope’s House, a home for unmarried mothers whose babies were adopted.

Soon Ella learns that the photograph was taken on the picturesque Greek island of Skopelos, nestled in the turquoise calming waters of the Aegean sea, and that the woman in the photo holds the key to her family’s heritage. As she opens up to her new flame Gabriel, he tells her that she should go to the island to unravel the mystery and that he will wait for her.

Though Ella is torn she decides to go and once there, she discovers a heart-wrenching story of a royal family forced to leave their country for a new life in London, and of a girl with a unique talent for music who captured the heart of a young violinist but was forced to leave him and London behind for the sake of her family.

When Ella discovers the sacrifice made by the two young lovers and comes face to face with her forgotten Greek family, will their story give her the courage to follow her own heart back to London and Gabriel, or will the beauty of the island capture her heart and lead her to a new love altogether?

A totally addictive and heartbreaking novel about the strength of family ties and never giving up on true love. Perfect for fans of Santa Montefiore, Lucinda Riley and Victoria Hislop.

This novel can be enjoyed as a standalone.

What everyone is saying about The Royal Daughter:

“Wow, I truly loved this… Captivated me… I couldn’t put the book down… Left me heart-broken and tearful… An absolute must-read. I loved everything about this.” PageTurners, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Absolutely loved it… Left me breathless… So beautiful. I loved every single minute of this book… I couldn’t stop weeping… Five huge stars… Have tissues handy when you read this. You’ll need them.” Book Reviews by Linda Moore, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“I don’t want this series to end! I love each one of these stories, and can’t wait to read the next one! Alexandra’s story just made my heart ache! Loved the ending!!!” @bookreviewsandfun, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Heart-wrenchingly beautiful… just took my breath away. Made me have those big ugly tears… I loved… From start to finish it’s captivating… FIVE huge stars and a huge recommendation. Grab it and a box or two of Kleenex.” @lsmoore43, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

REVIEW: Bright Lights, Big Christmas by Mary Kay Andrews is definitely a book you need to put on your list to read for Christmas. I love a book by Mary Kay Andrews but, when she writes a Christmas book I know I am in! This book is so full of the Holiday spirit and love, I couldn’t put it down. My husband doesn’t often hear me comment that the book I just finished was a great book that warmed my heart.

Kerry Tolliver has to leave her North Carolina home to go with her older brother to New York City to sell Christmas trees. Their family has sold trees for the holiday for years and due illness her father is not able to go this year. They set up an old  camper on the corner of a quaint neighborhood. Through the years her brother has made friends in the area but this is all new to Kerry. 

The neighbors compose most of the characters in the book. There is an old man that is quite critical of Kerry’s drawings and I think he turned out to be my favorite neighbor. There is a little boy by the name of Austin who loves to come and help out with the trees. His dad and mother have divorced and they rotate in and out of the apartment so Austin is not disrupted. Kerry’s brother is pretty gruff and doesn’t appreciate all of her suggestions. He wants to keep things the way they have always been. So, you can see that there is an interesting cast of characters and this is just the beginning. 

The Christmas Spirit is alive and well in this book. It is not a romance and it is not strictly Christmas. It is family, loving each other, putting up with each other and doing what is right to make the world and their life move forward, the important stuff. I am fairly new to Mary Kay Andrews and always wondered what all the hype was about. I have read two of her Christmas stories and a couple of novels and have enjoyed them all so I have to say I know what the hype was about. 

If you want to know why her writing is so loved or you’re already a fan of Mary Kay Andrews, I highly recommend this book to put you in the Christmas Spirit. I always love this time of year when the Holiday books hit the shelves. Don’t you? Until next time…Happy Reading! 

I received a complimentary copy of this book from #Netgalley, #St.MartinsPress and #Mary Kay Andrews. Thank you! The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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

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: From Mary Kay Andrews, New York Times bestselling author of The Homewreckers and The Santa Suit, comes a novella celebrating love and the warm, glittering charm of the holiday season.

When fall rolls around, it’s time for Kerry Tolliver to leave her family’s Christmas tree farm in the mountains of North Carolina for the wilds of New York City to help her gruff older brother & his dog, Queenie, sell the trees at the family stand on a corner in Greenwich Village. Sharing a tiny vintage camper and experiencing Manhattan for the first time, Kerry’s ready to try to carve out a new corner for herself.

In the weeks leading into Christmas, Kerry quickly becomes close with the charming neighbors who live near their stand. When an elderly neighbor goes missing, Kerry will need to combine her country know-how with her newly acquired New York knowledge to protect the new friends she’s come to think of as family,

And complicating everything is Patrick, a single dad raising his adorable, dragon-loving son Austin on this quirky block. Kerry and Patrick’s chemistry is undeniable, but what chance does this holiday romance really have?

Filled with family ties, both rekindled and new, and sparkling with Christmas magic, BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CHRISTMAS delivers everything Mary Kay Andrews fans adore, all tied up in a hilarious, romantic gem of a novel.