REVIEW:

New author, new book, new series, what could be better? I still consider myself a lucky girl. I have read so many good books. I am very careful what I say I will read so most of my books are rated 5 stars because of that. I have a long list of books to read and I don’t think I’ll ever run out of books. Do you all have a long “to be read pile”? I can’t resist. If life didn’t get in the way, I could read all day everyday. There are things that come up and things that need done so that doesn’t happen too much.

The book I just finished is by Marlayne Giron. It is titled Second Chance Inn. Did I rate it 5 stars? You bet I did! I literally loved this story, the setting, the characters, all of it. From page one I was hooked.

First of all this is an Amish story. I will have to say I have read several Amish stories and have enjoyed every one of them. This one was different in oh so many ways! I have a bit of knowledge of the Amish ways because I lived in a community that was home to many of those families. I did however learn more about them in this book and what happens to them if they communicate or become too friendly with the non-Amish people in the area. I do like learning new things. I do like the sense of community and the closeness they have with each other. 

This story is about a woman and her daughter from California who loses her husband and has to move somewhere with a lower cost of living to survive. She buys the farm of an Amish man who has lost his wife and children in a buggy accident. The agreement is he will stay on as caretaker. You can probably guess where this is going and all the problems that come from it.

There is a sequel coming out the first of October named A Place of Refuge. I will be reading it. I am totally looking forward to the rest of the story. There is so much that has to be dealt with and I am not sure if we are looking at more heartache or a lot of happiness. 

If you love romance and Amish stories, this book should be on your radar if you haven’t read it yet. If you have, I’m happy to let you know there is a sequel coming out. I know I can’t wait to read it. 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 Marlayne Giron. Thank you! 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:

Rachel Winston is suddenly and tragically widowed in her early 30s. She and her adopted, teenaged daughter, Karen, are forced to leave everything behind in Southern California. She purchases an Amish farmhouse in Lancaster County, PA to open an Amish-style Bed & Breakfast Inn. The farmhouse she purchases was put on the market by a young Amish widower, Samuel Miller, who recently lost his wife and five children in a buggy accident. He has moved into the Dawdi house to maintain the farm and Rachel happily cooks, cleans, and does his laundry in exchange for his help.

Thrown together by tragic loss, their mutual suffering draws them together against the rules of his community. Solace and friendship soon turn into something deeper, putting him at great risk for shunning. Rachel struggles to adapt while her daughter finds it easier to fit in to the Amish lifestyle.

Will Rachel succeed in becoming sufficiently Amish so she can be with Samuel, or will their blossoming relationship doom them both as outcasts?

REVIEW:

Burden of Doubt is undoubtedly the best book that I have read by Liane Carmen to date. She absolutely knocked it out of the park. I was into this book immediately and couldn’t put it down. It is one of the better thrillers I’ve read for a while. It falls into several genres. There is police procedural, a court trial, romance, work problems and well you name it. A lot goes on in this book.

The storyline in this book is phenomenal. It isn’t over the top. I don’t think the author took liberties that may not happen in real life. I can see every bit of it happening. I was surprised at how it all turned out. There were some twists and turns in this book I didn’t see coming and neither did Maggie who is the main character. I do have a question that didn’t get answered but, I think I have it figured out. It wasn’t a big point in the book, just the beginning of what was to follow.

Her character development was so good! I hated some of the characters and loved some of the others. I kept trying to urge Maggie to tell her boss where to stuff his attitude. He was a boss from you know where and you just knew he was going to get his due in one way or another and boy, did he ever! 

Liane Carmen is the author of the Investigation Duo series and she hinted at the end of the book that those ladies just might take Maggie on as a partner. That would be so awesome! So, if you haven’t read those books yet, you might want to read those just in case Maggie enters into that series. I love those books and wondered when she might be writing more of them. Maybe it will be sooner than I think!  

Oh, and let’s not forget that Maggie runs into her high school crush who is now a police officer in the same town! Well, the sparks started flying along with the butterflies and then they cooled off a bit. There were a few ups and downs but, I’m not letting the cat out of the bag! I will tell you I think Matt would be quite a catch.

If you’re looking for a book to keep you entertained and on the edge of your seat, I really think you should think about adding this one to your TBR pile. Warning: Burden of Doubt by Liane Carmen may keep you awake at night. Yup, it was one of those books I dreamt about all night long. 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 Liane Carmen. Thank you! 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:

Her addiction to true crime could prove fatal.

Maggie Turner, newly divorced and stuck in a dead-end job, is secretly thrilled when she’s chosen as a juror on a murder trial. During deliberations, she is the lone guilty vote. With insights gleaned from a steady diet of true crime television, she argues how she believes the murder happened. The other jurors won’t budge.

She changes her vote and returns to her mundane existence convinced she helped set a murderer free. Then, after a chance encounter with the victim’s sister, Maggie realizes she can’t let the verdict go. With visions of hosting a podcast about the case, she and another true crime addict begin their own investigation.

As the pieces fall into place, Maggie finds herself in a cat-and-mouse game with a killer who will stop at nothing to keep her from revealing the truth. When he makes her family his next target, Maggie is determined to give another jury an airtight case to lock him up for good.

She’ll convince him to commit another murder — hers.

REVIEW:

I was so excited to read Holding the Dream by Kellie Coates Gilbert. It is book three in the Teton Mountain Series and from page one of book one I knew I was going to fall in love with this series. I have several books in my library written by Kellie that I haven’t read yet and I know one day I will have to make time for them if they all are as good as this series.

The Teton Mountain Series revolves around four women that have been friends since high school. They are Charlie Grace, Reva, Lila and Capri. These ladies love one another and there aren’t any secrets between them. They have a tradition to end their week hanging out on Friday evening along with emergency meetups when needed. I enjoy these ladies and the little town they live in.

This story is mainly about Lila and her hard work to become a veterinarian and also a certification for large animals. She has worked for Dr. Tillman for years and always feels she is not able to live up to expectations. He decides to retire to spend more time with his kids and grandchildren. Now what’s going to happen to Lila’s job? You’re going to have to read the book to find out. 

In a nutshell, I love the character development, the story line, the setting and I don’t have one bad thing to say about this book and the series as a whole. This series makes me  want to live somewhere like Thunder Mountain and have such precious friends. If you are like me and love to get lost in a book with characters you feel like you know and places you want to be, then I can’t recommend the Teton Mountain Series highly enough. Kellie Coates Gilbert meets everything I want in a book and a heartwarming series. 

Oh my! I almost forgot to tell you that while I was reading along I noticed a character named Eddy has the same last name as I do! How fun is that? Thank you, Kellie. ❤ 

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. 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:

Sometimes, the most profound victories involve risking the heart.

Lila Bellamy is a strong-willed single mother who aims to become a large animal veterinarian while juggling the demands of raising her teenage daughter. Despite her ambition and quiet determination, her aspirations are often thwarted by her boss, Doc Tillman, a seasoned yet stubborn veterinarian, who underestimates her skills and challenges her at every turn.

When health issues necessitate Doc Tillman’s temporary departure, a chance opens for Lila to step up and show her skills, hopefully winning her boss over. That is until the charismatic and frustratingly enigmatic Whit Calloway shows up at her clinic, hired by Doc Tillman to take over in his absence.

Sparks fly from the get-go between Lila and Whit, transforming their professional rivalry into a fiery connection that neither of them can ignore. As they navigate their competing ambitions and burgeoning feelings, they’ll learn that the heart, much like their furry patients, requires tender care and can heal in the most unexpected ways.

REVIEW:

This boxed set consists of the first two books I read and reviewed that were written by J.S.Ellis. I’m pasting my reviews written at the time I read them.

Lost and Found

Lost and Found by J.S. Ellis is my first book by this author. I’ve been following her for quite a while and hadn’t taken the plunge yet. I’m certainly glad I did! She was looking for a few reviewers for the sequel to this book and I answered the call. She graciously provided the first book for my enjoyment and boy did I ever enjoy it. 

Her writing flows well. I was never lost and found the plot easy to follow. Some of her characters were likable and a few (ok… several) were sketchy. Even though the character were a lot younger than I am, they were written as adults and not immature teenagers. I wasn’t bored or uncomfortable reading the book. You know how it is when tons of slang are used and you don’t understand half of the book? That was not the case with this book and I feel like it will lend itself well to many age groups. 

The second book was sent to me at the same time so, I read the books back to back. I was so engrossed in the story. If you have a chance, I highly recommend picking up Lost and Found along with Hide and Seek. You will be in for a few days of exceptional entertainment.

Hide and Seek

Here we go! The sequel to Lost and Found. 

I don’t have a lot more to add to my review of Lost and Found. This may just be the shortest review I’ve ever written! Of course you know that this is a continuation of the story. It feels like this wraps up the story line and is the finale. 

If you read The first book you’ll want to read the second. I’ve based my rating on my enjoyment of the books and the writing style. I’ll be on the lookout for more from J.S. Ellis. Luckily, she has more books already published for us to read while we’re waiting for a new book. 

I received a copy of this book from the author for a fair and honest review. Thank you! 

SYNOPSIS:

It all starts with him…

Phoebe and Adele’s friendship has stretched on for years. One a bubbly blonde, the other raven-haired and studious. They seem to have nothing in common, yet their bond is unbreakable.

Or so Phoebe thought.

She never believed Adele would hide anything from her until she sees her sneaking off with her handsome neighbour. Feeling betrayed, Phoebe begins to see cracks in their friendship she never noticed before.

Then, Adele vanishes.

Fearing for Adele’s safety, Phoebe searches for clues about her disappearance. However, the deeper she digs, the more she realizes she didn’t know Adele as well as she thought. Yet as revelations come to light, one mystery remains.

What happened to Adele? And how is her disappearance connected to the stranger next door?

REVIEW:

Emerald O’Brien’s Little Sparrow was one of those books I did not read the synopsis of  before I opened the book. I’ve read several of her books and knew that I was in for an edge of your seat ride and I needed to buckle up!

The characters in this book were interesting to say the least. I had a hard time figuring them out as people and I am not sure I did that by the end of the book. It made it a little more interesting because I didn’t know their true motivation. I’m still not positive. Rowan, the main character, is probably the only stable one in the book. 

Not only are the characters unstable, the story in itself is on shaky ground. I can’t say this is an unreliable narrator because I don’t know that anyone knew exactly what was going on. I’m not even sure the author knew what was happening sometimes! Don’t get me wrong. I am of the belief that this story had a spirit of its own and had a big hand in the process of it being written. Does that make sense?

I know this sounds like a negative review. We have unstable characters and an ever changing evolving story. This sounds like a complete mess. Believe me, it is not! This author did a phenomenal job pulling this story out of the laundry basket and ironing out the wrinkles. 

Emerald O’Brien and her book Little Sparrow actually made me think for a bit about what I just read and how I felt about it. Sometimes, I know exactly what I felt for a book but this one makes me think a little. I enjoyed the story and the challenge to understand exactly what all happened. Some of the story had been brewing for many years and actually came to an ending we can all cheer for. Bravo, Emerald!

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

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:

Rowan Bell doesn’t believe people can change.

Not her self-serving mother, who had an affair while on a family vacation at their camper trailer on Sparrow Lake. Despite their distant relationship, she now offers Rowan the opportunity to own it—on one disconcerting condition.

Not her best friend’s twin, Leon, whose years-long estrangement while in prison ended the day he called Lucy, desperate to reunite on their birthday weekend. He somehow wormed his way into their road trip, and Rowan is just waiting to pick up the pieces when his uncontrollable temper breaks Lucy’s heart again.

Not even Rowan’s stubborn, non-committal nature, ever since her father nicknamed her after her flighty ways and the lake she’s about to return to.

Upon their arrival, Rowan isn’t surprised to find that places don’t seem to change, either.

Old, familiar faces greet her, and soon, they’re reminiscing about their childhood on Sparrow Lake on a late-night walk. But when cars speed by, disappearing up the road, a horrific accident occurs—an accident involving Lucy’s twin. While the man in the other vehicle is rushed to the hospital, Leon walks away without a scratch, claiming the driver lost control while tailgating him. An anxious tension lingers until the following morning, but with limited time to reconnect, Lucy suggests they leave early for their next pitstop—a concert. Along the way, old tensions are reignited between Rowan and Leon, and new bonds are forged; all while an uneasy feeling of being watched lingers.

When their suspicions of being followed are confirmed, threats are made, and lines are crossed.

It seems the stalkers will stop at nothing until they get what they want. With Leon insistent on keeping police involvement to a minimum after his traumatic past—and Rowan and Lucy in the dark—his initial story about the crash begins to fray at the edges. Rowan searches for proof of Leon’s guilt, but he isn’t the only one hiding something. Everyone has secrets. Forced to stay in place at Sparrow Lake as an investigation into the dire situation ensues, they become easy targets for those with a mysterious and violent vendetta against them.

And when a shocking revelation calls everything Rowan thought she knew into question, she fears Lucy will realize too late the truth that Rowan has always known—second chances are dangerous—and this one could prove deadly.

From the author of The Waking Place and Bleed comes a tense, twisted, and jaw-dropping psychological thriller about the history we hide away that haunts us, second chances, and the lengths we’ll go to protect the ones we love.