Tag: Book Review

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The Hudson Collection (On Central Park Book #2): (Historical Fiction with Mystery and Romance Set in 1920’s New York City) 

334 pages Bethany House Publishers June 4,2024 publication date

ABOUT THE BOOK

Step into the beguiling world of 1926 New York and discover the power of resilience, friendship, and love from award-winning author Jocelyn Green.

Elsa Reisner’s lifelong dream of working as an ornithologist at the American Museum of Natural History is fading as the job begins to drain her passion. But fate takes an unexpected turn when she is assigned to catalog the bequest of a recently deceased patron whose Gothic country mansion holds secrets and treasures waiting to be discovered.

As Elsa delves into her task, she forms an unlikely bond with the estate’s delightful gardener and her daughter, as well as an architectural salvage dealer who still bears scars from the Great War. Together, they embark on a thrilling treasure hunt for a missing relic intended to safeguard the servants’ futures before the estate is sold. At the same time, Elsa’s body seems to betray her with new symptoms from a childhood disease that isn’t through with her yet.

With the brooding veteran and her handsome colleague joining the search, Elsa must navigate the tangled web of secrets and hidden motives along with the changing state of her health. As her deadline looms ever closer, will she be able to secure a new life for her friends before the estate slips from their grasp?

MY THOUGHTS

I always find it a treat to read a Joycelyn Green book. She’s written on many different subjects, and I’ve found them all fascinating.
Taking place in 1926 New York you get a real feel for the sights and day to day activities of the time period.


The author really brings this Central Park series to life.
I’m not a bird watcher but I do enjoy seeing pretty birds when I’m out and about. I learned so much about birds from this book, the information was fascinating.


Due to a recent death a wealthy family leaves a vast bird collection to the American Museum of Natural History. Elsa Reisner, Ornithologist is tasked with finding a magnificent bird collection in the spellbinding Gothic mansion. While searching secrets are revealed. You can feel the tension rising as you read, very intriguing and suspenseful.


There is so much going on in the book, things I’ve never seen mentioned in a historical fiction book before. Our main character had polio as a child, and it has affected her mobility.

There is an aging gardener with a special needs daughter. These are good people, people who are there for Elsa.
The focus is on Elsa as she does a very important search and the consequences of this search. The book had me spellbound as I read. Recommended.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jocelyn Green is a former journalist who puts her investigative skills to work in writing both nonfiction and historical fiction to inspire faith and courage.

Her books have finaled in the Christy Awards and Inspirational Readers Choice Awards, and have won gold from the Military Writers Society of America and the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association.

Complex and nuanced characters, rich historical detail and twisting plots make her novels immersive experiences. Her fiction has been praised by Historical Novel Society, Romantic Times, Library Journal, historians specializing in her novels’ time periods, as well as popular and acclaimed authors Laura Frantz, Lori Benton, Jody Hedlund, Sarah Sundin, Joanne Bischof, Julie Lessman, and more.

Jocelyn loves Broadway musicals, the color red, Toblerone chocolate bars, Mexican food, and well-done documentaries. She lives in Iowa with her husband, two children, and two cats she should have named Catticus Finch and Purrman Meowville.

Visit her at jocelyngreen.com, and receive a free gift when joining her e-newsletter mailing list at jocelyngreen.com/subscribe.

Thank you for stopping in.

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Blog Tour for Second Chances at The Board Game Cafe by Jennifer Page

ABOUT THE BOOK

Second Chances at the Board Game Cafe

The next warm and uplifting instalment in The Little Board Game Cafe series, perfect for fans of Holly Martin and Christie Barlow.

In the cosy Yorkshire village of Hebbleswick, single mum Taylor dreams of a fashion design career, but she spends her days fixing zips, hemming skirts and worrying about her son, Max.

At the local board game cafe, railway enthusiast Harry, still recovering from a painful breakup, dreams of fatherhood. When Taylor and Harry cross paths, sparks fly, but Harry’s confidence issues and Taylor’s concerns for Max threaten their budding romance.

Can they find a second chance at love where they least expect it?

MY THOUGHTS

I absolutely loved revisiting the Little Board Game Cafe and the community. Revisiting the characters from past books and meeting new characters was like visiting old friends and meeting new. I still love the concept of a board game cafe where all ages can play board games and have coffee while having friendly chats and a little fun competition. Would be so much fun to have one around here.


I’ve found a new favorite series. The series is fun, light and just what I need. I’d recommend it to everyone.


The Yorkshire village of Hebbleswick is single Mom to Max’s home. She’s dreamed of being a fashion designer for as long as she can remember but without encouragement at home it didn’t come about. She’s a seamstress now fixing buttons, seams, alterations at times and the occasional more complicated job.


She wants the best for her son Max, but he’s not popular at school and seems to be the odd duck out. Poor kid. While talks with the headmistress seem to do nothing, she isn’t sure what to do beyond being very frustrated.


Moving house seems like a fabulous idea, she has more room to work with and can set up her sewing in a way to start bringing in a bit more money.
Some funny mishaps had me laughing out loud.
When I saw the trouble, the landlord was giving her and not wanting to do repairs it made me mad, because this is how many landlords are.


A mistaken measurement leads to just what Taylor needs, a friendship with a shy and caring man, Harry. Harry is a railway enthusiast just like Taylor’s son is. I love the idea of upcycling clothing; it sounds like so much fun.


Can a possible friendship become more with the busy mom and the man dreaming of fatherhood? I really enjoyed Max’s character and am rooting for him and his happiness all the way. I hope to see him in a future book. It would be so neat to see him as a grownup in a future book with his own relationship going and see how far he’s come.

Fully recommended!

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

VISIT OTHER BLOGS ON THE TOUR

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Purchase Link – https://amzn.eu/d/gyPqfRG

Author Bio – Jennifer Page wrote her first novel – a book about ponies – when she was eight. These days she prefers to write romance. When she isn’t writing, Jennifer can usually be found playing board games which are the inspiration for her first novel. She has worked as a television producer, a music teacher and has even run a children’s opera company. She now lives near Hebden Bridge in West Yorkshire with her husband and his large collection of games.

Social Media Links –

Home

https://www.facebook.com/JenniferPagewrites/

https://www.instagram.com/jenniferpagewrites/

Thank you for stopping in. I hope your day brings you a smile.

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The Birthday Girl: An absolutely unputdownable crime thriller (A Mallory Dawson Crime Thriller Book 1) 

Today is my birthday so what better way to celebrate than reading a birthday book.

305 pages Canelo publisher April 6,2023 publication date

ABOUT THE BOOK

Welcome to Eldey, an island with deadly secrets.

Mona: a carefree artist, staying at the Cloister to work on her illustrations.

Beth: the harried mother of a toddler, on the remote Welsh island for a weekend with her family.

Charlotte: a reluctant stepmother who wanted a romantic getaway with her husband.

One of them is a serial killer who poisoned four of her friends at her eleventh birthday party.

They all fit the profile. Who will risk everything to kill again?

Photo by Rodrigo Souza on Pexels.com

MY THOUGHTS

This is the first book in the Mallory Dawson crime mystery series.
Mallory is a new hire as the night shift manager on the mysterious island of Eldeyas. She is retired from the police force due to a leg injury.

The island is really set up as a mysterious and atmospheric theme with its darkness and raging storms.


Three of the guests staying there are women, women with very different personalities and interests. All are suspects in a murder on the island with this locked-door murder case. One of the women killed three friends at her birthday party when she was eleven by poisoning them. Now this serial killer is at it again after her recent release from prison.


Twists and turns kept me guessing. Well plotted and interesting characters.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sarah Ward is a crime novelist who writes gothic historical thrillers as Rhiannon Ward. The Shadowing, her most recent gothic novel, was a Daily Express book of the year. The Birthday Girl, the first book in her new Welsh based series, was published in April and described in the FT as ‘channelling Christie-esque tropes’ . The second in the series, The Sixth Lie, is out now. She has also written Doctor Who audio dramas. Sarah is Vice-Chair of the Crime Writers Association and Treasurer of Crime Cymru, the Welsh crime writing collective.

Have a wonderful day. Thanks for stopping in.

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Murder in the Tea Leaves (A Tea Shop Mystery)

304 pages Berkley publisher March 5,2024 publish date

ABOUT THE BOOK

It’s Lights, Action, Murder as tea maven Theodosia Browning scrambles for clues in this latest installment of the New York Times bestselling series.

When Theodosia Browning reads the tea leaves on the set of the movie, Dark Fortunes, things go from spooky to worse. Lights are dimmed, the camera rolls, and red hot sparks fly as the film’s director is murdered in a tricky electrical accident.

Or was it an accident? Though the cast and crew are stunned beyond belief, nobody admits to seeing a thing. And when Theodosia’s friend, Delaine, becomes the prime suspect, Theodosia begins her own shadow investigation. But who among this Hollywood cast and crew had murder on their mind? The screenwriter is a self-centered pot head, the leading actress is trying to wiggle out of her contract, the brand new director seems indifferent, and nobody trusts the slippery-when-dry Hollywood agent.

Between hosting a Breakfast at Tiffany’s Tea, a Poetry Tea, and trying to launch her own chocolate line, Theodosia doggedly hunts down clues and explores the seemingly haunted Brittlebank Manor where the murder took place. And just when she’s ready to pounce, a Charleston Film Board member is also murdered, throwing everything into total disarray. But this clever killer will go to any lengths to hide his misdeeds as Theodosia soon finds out when she and her tea sommelier, Drayton, get caught up in a dangerous stakeout.

MY THOUGHTS

Murder in the Tea Leaves is another Tea Shop mystery.
I’m a tea drinker and always make it a point to try different kinds of teas, I like most kinds but do have my favorites. When I see a cozy mystery series taking place in a tea shop, I know it’s on my to read list at the top.


Tea shop owner Theodosia Browning has hit the big time, and a movie is being filmed in her tea shop. Because she has such knowledge of tea, she is put in at the last minute to read the tea leaves by the movie director. The lights are low and though she was there she didn’t see who set the wires up to electrocute the director in his metal chair.

When a friend of hers is the prime suspect she knows she must take matters into her own hands to solve this case. Quick read, I enjoyed the clues presented.

The descriptions of the delightful different types of teas, and desserts was divine and even the talk about the different cups and tea pots and how they were acquired, how fun. Earl Gray was her dog’s name, loved it.

There are delightful recipes included plus tea plantations to visit and other things to do while traveling. I really enjoyed the information in the back of the book and look forward to visiting Charleston, such a wonderful travel guide. I always look forward to more books in this series, it’s a favorite of mine.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Laura Childs is the New York Times bestselling author of the Tea Shop Mysteries, Scrapbook Mysteries, and Cackleberry Club Mysteries. In her previous life she was CEO/Creative Director of her own marketing firm and authored several screenplays. She is married to a professor of Chinese art history, loves to travel, rides horses, enjoys fund raising for various non-profits, and has two Chinese Shar-Pei dogs.

Laura specializes in cozy mysteries that have the pace of a thriller (a thrillzy!) Her three series are:

The Tea Shop Mysteries – set in the historic district of Charleston and featuring Theodosia Browning, owner of the Indigo Tea Shop. Theodosia is a savvy entrepreneur, and pet mom to service dog Earl Grey. She’s also an intelligent, focused amateur sleuth who doesn’t rely on coincidences or inept police work to solve crimes. This charming series is highly atmospheric and rife with the history and mystery that is Charleston.

The Scrapbooking Mysteries – a slightly edgier series that take place in New Orleans. The main character, Carmela, owns Memory Mine scrapbooking shop in the French Quarter and is forever getting into trouble with her friend, Ava, who owns the Juju Voodoo shop. New Orleans’ spooky above-ground cemeteries, jazz clubs, bayous, and Mardi Gras madness make their presence known here!

The Cackleberry Club Mysteries – set in Kindred, a fictional town in the Midwest. In a rehabbed Spur station, Suzanne, Toni, and Petra, three semi-desperate, forty-plus women have launched the Cackleberry Club. Eggs are the morning specialty here and this cozy cafe even offers a book nook and yarn shop. Business is good but murder could lead to the cafe’s undoing! This series offers recipes, knitting, cake decorating, and a dash of spirituality.

Thank you for stopping in and I hope you’ll have a refreshing cup of tea soon.

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The Forgotten Cottage 

416 pages Berkley publisher August 09,2022 publish date

ABOUT THE BOOK

Connected through time to her great-grandmother by a shared English countryside home, an American nurse tries to piece together her family’s tangled history in this new historical novel from the acclaimed author of At Summer’s End.

England, 2014: Audrey Collins knows only two things about her beloved grandmother’s past: She was born into nobility and she immigrated to America at seventeen years old. So when Audrey inherits her gran’s home in North Yorkshire, she arrives expecting a sprawling country estate fit for lords and ladies. Instead, she finds an abandoned stone cottage perfectly preserved as Gran left it when she fled in 1941—ration book and all—and begins to uncover what secrets her family has been keeping. 
 
France, 1915: Lady Emilie Dawes is working as a nurse on the Western Front, grateful to have escaped the restraints of her restrictive, privileged home life. But the independence she fought hard to earn is suddenly jeopardized when a familiar man shows up in one of her hospital beds. Facing him means facing her past, and the decisions she had made in fear. As the war rages around her, Emilie realizes she cannot continue running from who she is until she decides who she truly wants to be.
 
Over a hundred years apart, Audrey and Emilie each struggle to find purpose, love, and a place to call home in this enchanting family saga celebrating the courage of underestimated women—and the power a secret can hold across generations.

Photo by Roon Z on Pexels.com

MY THOUGHTS

Having read another book by the author I was excited to read another by her.
Told from alternating points of view of 3 generations of a family.
An American woman’s nursing license is suspended when she is found intoxicated on the job, after this she battles alcoholism and tries to stay away from it.

When her beloved grandmother dies, she inherits her Yorkshire cottage. She doesn’t really know too much about her or understand why her grandmother kept a cottage no one knew she owned.
As she spends time in the UK this lovely book comes alive, and we see nursing skills demonstrated from WWI.


1915 France. Lady Emile is a nurse during WWII, she comes from royalty. Her family is strict, and they expect her to enter into a marriage with who they approve her. She ends up having a forbidden love affair.


2014 England, Audrey arrives to clean out her grandmother’s cottage and she discovers family secrets in this little cottage. Why did her grandmother immigrate to America as a seventeen-year-old when she seemed to have it all while being born into nobility?


I loved how the secrets were slowly revealed chapter by chapter as each family member’s story is told.
Recommended!

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Courtney Ellis began writing at a young age, and developed an interest in history from her grandfather’s stories of World War II. After obtaining her BA in English and Creative Writing, she went on to pursue a career in publishing. She lives in Western New York with her rescue dog.

Connect with Courtney online at @CellisWriter on Twitter, and courtneyellisauthor on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest​.

http://www.courtney-ellis.com

Have a beautiful day. Thank you for stopping in.

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Blog Tour for: The Little Book of Extraordinary Cats-Nonfiction

ABOUT THE BOOK

The Little Book Of Extraordinary Cats

Discover the captivating world of fabulous felines in The Little Book Of Extraordinary Cats. Join Anita Kelsey on a journey through fifteen remarkable tales celebrating the courage, resilience, and affection of our beloved feline companions, from pioneering space traveller Félicette to therapy cat London Meow. Whether you’re a cat lover or seeking heart-warming stories of human-animal connections, this book is a must-read.

MY THOUGHTS

I am a cat lover; you could say they are my favorite animal. When I saw this nonfiction book about cats, I knew I had to read it.
There are fifteen stories about cats, stories of them being rescued or being brave themselves, performing incredible feats.

I would say my favorite story was about a nine-month-old kitten who had her kittens in an old, abandoned garage, she thought she was safe with her babies there. Unfortunately, it caught on fire. This mama cat rescued her babies from the burning garage, one at a time to the detriment of her own health. She became badly burnt on her face and eyelids. Mama cat and babies were all transported to the vets for care.


All cats deserve to be honored, remembered. Even ordinary housecats are special and give us a lot of joy. These fifteen stories plus the other stories, several paragraphs in length, of similar subject manner following each main story will uplift your heart.

Perfect for all cat lovers and would make a wonderful gift for your cat loving friends. Recommended!

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Purchase Links –

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Little-Book-Extraordinary-Cats-unforgettable-ebook/dp/B0D1CXRGQ4https://www.amazon.com/Little-Book-Extraordinary-Cats-unforgettable-ebook/dp/B0D1CXRGQ4

VISIT OTHER BLOGS ON THR TOUR

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Author Bio – Anita Kelsey holds a first class honours degree in Feline Behaviour and Psychology (work based BA Hons) and runs a vet referral service dedicated strictly to the diagnosis and treatment of behaviour problems in cats. She is also a qualified cat groomer and specialises in grooming challenging or phobic cats. Anita, a strong advocate of a vegan lifestyle, is based in East Sussex but consults all over the UK as well as international requests. She lives with her husband, a music producer, and 1 Norwegian Forest cat, Kiki.

Her first book ‘Claws. Confessions Of A Professional Cat Groomer‘ was published by John Blake in 2017 with her second book, Let’s Talk About Cats  self published via Amazon worldwide in 2020. The Little Book Of Extraordinary Cats is Anita’s third book.

Social Media Links – Insta https://www.instagram.com/cat_behaviourist/

X – https://twitter.com/catbehaviourist

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/catbehaviourist/

Linked in – https://www.linkedin.com/in/anita-kelsey-cat-behaviourist-27320016/

Thank you for visiting today. I hope you have a splendid day.

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Blog Blitz:The Sunshine Sisters: Skye (Little Duck Pond Café) by Rosie Green

ABOUT THE BOOK

The Sunshine Sisters: Skye (Little Duck Pond Café)

The Sunshine Sisters: Skye. This is BOOK TWO of a TRILOGY in the popular Little Duck Pond Café series:
Skye Sunshine has a theory that workmen, when in your house, should be seen and not heard. But Saul, the annoyingly sexy handyman clearly hasn’t received the memo! He’s far too cheeky and irritating for her liking.
But when Skye’s peace of mind and reputation as an actress is threatened by hacks desperate for a story, can she really afford to turn down Saul’s offer – to whisk her away from the limelight to the privacy of his rustic cabin in the woods?

MY THOUGHTS

I have been reading the Little Duck Pond Cafe series for quite a while. I always look forward to a new novella length book coming out. This is one thing that I love about the series too, that each book is novella length so I can read it in an afternoon and not feel bogged down by not having time to read it. Each book has a full story.

The characters, I love them. Each one of them feels like friends and we still have some from the older books but meet new friends in each book too. This trio of books is the Sunshine sisters, and this is Skye’s story.

Skye Sunshine shows her vulnerable side when she must go into hiding because she is being threatened with blackmail for past secrets that are being threatened to be spilled. There are some serios subjects touched on in the book and the author does it in an understanding way.

The characters are relatable and fun and I’m enjoying meeting them all. Family relationships, drama, misunderstandings and secrets are explored. I did enjoy seeing how the sisters are all there for each other and look forward to reading the last sister’s story, Blossom.

Purchase Links

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rosie’s series of Little Duck Pond Café novellas is centered around life in a country village cafe. Skye’s story is the second in a trilogy called THE SUNSHINE SISTERS. Watch out for Blossom’s dramatic and emotional story, which completes the trilogy and is out in early June 2024!

Follow Rosie on Twitter – https://twitter.com/Rosie_Green88

Thank you for stopping in and have a lovely day.

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The Song of Sourwood Mountain: (Southern Historical Romance Set in the 1910 Appalachian Mountains)

354 pages Revell publisher May 7, 2024 publish date

ABOUT THE BOOK

While the century began with such promise, it is 1910 when Mira Dean’s hopes of being a wife and mother are dashed to pieces. Her fiancé dead from tuberculosis, Mira resigns herself to being a spinster schoolteacher–until Gordon Covington shows up.
 
No longer the boy she knew from school, Gordon is now a preacher who is full of surprises. First, he asks Mira to come to Sourwood in eastern Kentucky to teach at his mission school. Second, he asks her to marry him. Just like that. And all at once the doors that had seemed firmly shut begin to open, just a crack.
 
With much trepidation, Mira steps out in faith into a life she never imagined, in a place filled with its own special challenges, to serve a people who will end up becoming the family she always dreamed of.
 
From the pen of bestselling author Ann H. Gabhart comes a heartwarming story of the unexpected blessings that can come when we dare to follow the Lord’s leading.

MY THOUGHTS

I’ve enjoyed reading many of the author’s books over the years, but I do believe I have a new favorite.
The book is so realistic that I could have been watching a movie as I imagined all in my mind while reading this.


I absolutely love books taking place in Appalachia and the people represented there. The book just captured my heart and soul. A Christian book but not preachy or overbearing. The Appalachian people are special, considered slow and behind the times by some, they’re not. They just have their own way of thinking and doing things passed down from generation to generation. They have their own way of speaking and are very wary of outsiders and you can’t blame them.

If outsiders come in, they can change everything about the landscape of the area and make them just like everyone else. They enjoy living in the hollers, doing things their way and sticking amongst themselves.

When a preacher man comes in with his new wife, they are wary of them both but the longer they are there the more assimilated they become. I really liked the character, Ada June a young half wild girl child living mainly in the forest after her mother’s death.

Preacher’s wife, Mira has had so many trials in her life, from losing her intended fiancée to being made redundant at her teaching job but God made her a strong resilient woman and her new opportunity at life sees her shining as a preacher’s wife while teaching at a mission school in rural Kentucky.


I loved this book so much and can’t wait to see what the author has out next.

I was given a complimentary copy of the book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ann H. Gabhart caught the writing bug at the age of ten and has been writing ever since. An award winning author, she’s published many books for both adults and young adults. Her books cover several genres from historical to small town family stories to cozy mysteries (mysteries published with author name A.H. Gabhart). Her ideas are sparked by events in Kentucky history and by experiences in her own family. Her first Shaker novel, The Outsider, was a finalist for the ECPA Christian Fiction Book of the Year. Love Comes Home won the Selah Book of the Year award, and These Healing Hills was the Faith, Hope & Love Readers’ Choice Women’s Fiction Book of the Year.

Ann lives on a Kentucky farm not far from where she was born. She and her husband have three children and nine grandchildren. Ann enjoys hiking on her farm with her grandkids and her dogs, Frankie and Marley. See more about her books at http://www.annhgabhart.com or join the conversation on her Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/anngabhart.

Thank you for stopping in. I appreciate all your comments and encouraging words.

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Christmas at Corgi Cove: A heartwarming tail with mischievous Corgis

352 pages publisher Avon publish date October 17, 2023

ABOUT THE BOOK

If you’re looking for the perfect feel-good Christmas novel, then look no further than Annie England Noblin’s newest novel. This book will absolutely delight readers looking for a sweet and sassy read—and not to mention enchant the fans of Annie’s signature canine characters.

Rosie Reynolds had come to lakeside Corgi Cove as a lost, lonely girl abandoned by her own mother, but there she discovered a true place to call home. She loves her Corgis, Bonnie and Clyde; loves the lakeside life; and loves her aunt and uncle most of all. But when she discovers their struggling inn is about to be bought out by some big city chain, she hatches a plan: to win a contest naming theirs the best Christmas-themed inn in the USA. It’s a long shot, but she knows if the whole town pulls together that they can do it.

But she didn’t count on Everett St Claire, who emerged from his gleaming, black BMW, straightening his tie and asking himself how did a big-city guy like him find himself in a speck on the map like Corgi Cove? And how fast could he get back to the city? After all, it couldn’t be that difficult to convince one elderly couple to take the money to retire.

He didn’t count on getting sucked into life on the lake. Sure, the people might be…eccentric, and Rosie might seem like a pain in the backside, but there is something alluring about the place. And with the holidays nearing, and the deadline looming, Rosie and Everett are about to discover the magic of a Christmas at Corgi Cove.

MY THOUGHTS

A quick and delightful comfort read.
I love reading Christmas books all year round and if they have dogs added that’s such a fun addition.

Rosie Reynolds is the niece of the innkeepers, and their inn is called Corgi Cove. Two corgis’ live there, Bonnie and Clyde. They all reside at Corgi Cove with Rosie’s aunt and uncle who adopted her as a child when her mother left her.


Corgi Cove, located in Texas is beautiful but struggling financially. Nearby a big-name developer is buying up property and turning it into vacation spots.


Everett St Claire comes to Corgi Cove looking to make a quick sale and be back home in time for Christmas. He doesn’t count on getting to know the family and falling for Rosie. The family doesn’t want to sell the inn but if they don’t, foreclosure will happen in the new year. With the family of course not wanting Everett around, especially Rosie how will this problem resolve?

Now I’ve seen this plot before, failing family inn leaking money, the family doesn’t want to sell and somehow it gets saved. You know what though I like the premise of this, especially with the dogs, it’s such a charming read.

Rosie is so upset her family’s inn needs to be sold or it’ll go into foreclosure. When Everett is there on day a family emergency happens and he saves her uncles life. The family warms up to him after this, but Rosie seems to be running hot and cold.

I think you’ll be charmed by this Christmas book with the mischievous corgis. You’ll want to see how things turn out with the inn; can it be saved? Will Everett continue to get the cold shoulder from Rosie or will her heart melt as the temperature warms? Cute, fun read.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Annie England Noblin lives with her son, husband, and three dogs in the Missouri Ozarks. She graduated with an M.A. in creative writing from Missouri State University and currently teaches English and communications for Arkansas State University in Mountain Home, Arkansas. She spends her free time playing make-believe, feeding stray cats, and working with animal shelters across the country to save homeless dogs.

Have a terrific day and thank you for stopping in.

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The Summer Daughter 

322 pages Kensington Book publisher May 31,2022 publish date

SYNOPSIS

In a summer read rich in depth and heart, acclaimed author Colleen French tells a story of love, motherhood, friendship, and family in a picturesque Delaware beach town . . .
 
Each year, the start of summer brings bustle and much-needed tourist dollars to the little town of Albany Beach, Delaware. For Natalie Sullivan, this season is proving more stressful than others. It’s make-or-break time for the Irish pub her husband, Conor, recently bought with his brothers. Their two children are thriving, but she’s experiencing pangs of loss at the end of her childbearing years.
 
When sixteen-year-old McKenzie starts gushing about Bella, the new coworker at her summer job, Natalie suddenly finds her past and present in conflict. Bella, two years older than McKenzie, looks so similar that a customer remarks that they could be sisters. And when Natalie learns that Bella was adopted, she is propelled back into a heartbreaking decision. As a college student, Natalie became pregnant and put her baby up for adoption. Now, the more McKenzie talks about Bella, the more Natalie wonders: could Bella be her daughter?
 
Conor insists it’s a mistake to pursue the matter. Natalie’s child belongs to another family now; that was the agreement in the closed adoption. Still, Natalie can’t resist spending time with Bella. As their bond deepens, McKenzie accuses her mother of caring more for a stranger than for her, and Natalie begins imagining what it would be like to have Bella as a second daughter. What will the impact be if Bella really is her biological child? And if she isn’t, can Natalie embrace the joy and potential in her own family, without always wondering about what could have been?

pexels

MY THOUGHTS

I have so many books on my tbr list to come. Sometimes I wish I could read them faster, like this one.


Natalie Sullivan lives in a vacation town, Albany Beach, Delaware. The locals appreciate the beautiful beach area and the dollars the tourists bring in every year. As a local, Natalie is used to the hustle and bustle of the area and this summer her oldest child, her daughter is working a summer job at one of the local hot spot shops. She befriends the new girl, a teen several years older than her and more outgoing. Natalie is happy her daughter is being brought out of her shell.


When she gets a look at her daughter’s friend a flood of emotions comes rushing over her, see she has a secret she’s only told a few people. Namely her husband, parents and best friend. When she was a teen on a summer trip abroad, she got pregnant and gave up her first child in a closed adoption. At the end of her childbearing years, she is regretting this decision and would like to find her daughter.

Now she’s wondering, is it possible, could it be……. is her daughter’s new friend actually her oldest daughter. They do look very similar she thinks. Then the book progresses as the two girls become close friends and Natalie has so many conflicting emotions wondering if it’s her daughter as she and the girl become close to the dismay of her daughter who thinks it’s weird.

She can’t tell her daughter her secret, her hormones are raging; and her husband is fed up with how it’s affecting the whole family. See, her daughter’s best friend is adopted, is it her daughter? When her best friend’s daughter decides to try to find her birth mother Natalie is afraid of what the results may be. This book had my emotions all over the place. A sure not to miss tension filled summer read.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

About the Author

Colleen French lives in Delaware, where her family settled more than three hundred years ago. She comes from a long line of storytellers and spends her days, when she’s not writing, running the family farm, reading, and traveling the world. She has four children and seven grandchildren.

I hope you have a sunshiny day. Thank you for stopping in.