Tag: Book Review

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TWICE ON CHRISTMAS an unputdownable psychological thriller with an astonishing twist (Twisty, nail-biting crime mysteries and suspense thrillers) 

334 pages Joffe books October 19,2023 publish date

ABOUT THE BOOK

A NAIL-BITING PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER WITH ONE OF THE BIGGEST TWISTS YOU’LL READ THIS YEAR.

After choir practice for midnight mass, college sophomore Rose Grandon takes a short-cut through Harbor Park. Grabbed from behind, she is violently assaulted, beaten and left for dead.

The last thing she hears is someone singing Silent Night.

Several hours later, the police find Rose lying in a ditch. Badly beaten — but alive.

As she recovers in hospital, Rose is told she’s pregnant. She has a terrible choice to make. She decides to keep the baby.

Nine months later, she gives birth to a beautiful baby girl. She names her Mary.

Rose lives quietly in her small Connecticut hometown raising her daughter — the one good thing to come out of her horrible ordeal. She begins to get her old self back.

But her evil attacker has never been caught. He strikes twice a year. Once on Christmas Eve, once on Christmas Day.

And until he’s behind bars, Rose and her baby can never be safe.

But now he’s found out he has a daughter. And that changes everything . . .

AN EXHILARATING BLEND OF PSYCHOLOGICAL SUSPENSE, NAIL-BITING TENSION AND A SHATTERING FINAL TWIST.

MY THOUGHTS

I don’t read psychological thrillers all that often, some can be really hokey and not much of a plot. Not so with this one, it took my breath away.


A young boy, innocent, still barely holding onto his belief in Santa, is hoping Santa will bring him a few gifts this year because he knows his mother won’t. There’s never a tree or any trimmings to make the holidays special. Neglected and unwanted, he knows his mother would rather be sleeping off her drunken fits than even putting food on the table. He is filled with rage and knows what he must do, and he will when he gets older.


Rose is a shy, church going girl, excelling at college, she doesn’t have many friends. A Christmas eve service has her excited to be with a few friends from church as the youth groups plans that evening’s events. Living close to church in a small Connecticut town, she slips out early to wrap a few presents and plans to return for the Midnight Mass as she walks home in the dark that evening. Her route takes her past a dark and deserted park. Frantic, her parents call the police when she is hours late getting home.

An evening search finds her badly beaten and sexually assaulted; the hospital staff not sure if she’ll survive. After months of physical therapy, she’s physically able to recover in body but she will never be the same. Finding herself pregnant from the attack she decides at the last minute to keep the baby and lives with her parents who give their full support to her choices and help with her child.

Deciding to move to her own place when her child is a school age, she enrolls her child in a local school and meets the new teacher, her child’s new teacher, a male. Her daughter and this teacher form a special bond, she is a challenging student but likes her teacher and they just click. When the teacher needs to talk to Rose about her daughter Mary’s behavior, he also makes an impression on the mother.

This is the start of a special friendship that turns into a romance between Rose and David, the teacher. He was the nicest man, always so understanding of Mary, the daughter and they both fall for his charm and kindness. After the wedding they settle into his house.

Rose is kept updated on the Christmas Eve killer every year by the police. He only strikes on Christmas and twice on Christmas Eve. Very few of his victims survive as he strikes along the East Coast of the United States. Rose doesn’t feel safe because whoever did this to her is still out there. Tucked away in her house with her daughter and new husband she feels as safe as she can possibly be with the decorations up and the spirit of Christmas, she should have no worries, right?


A shocking, twist of a story that lulls you into feeling safe and then strikes when you least expect it. Excellent!

Pub Date 12 Oct 2023
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

An Amazon Charts/Best Selling Author, many of McGarvey Black’s novels are also available in audiobooks and have been translated into other languages. A new psych suspense novel is in the works for next year. Stay tuned.

TWICE ON CHRISTMAS

MY SISTER’S KILLER UK

WITHOUT HER CONSENT #6 on Amazon Kindle in the UK and landed on the Amazon Charts..

THE FIRST HUSBAND, also an international bestseller was re-released in 2023

TRUST ONLY ME

THE WOMAN UPSTAIRS

“I love writing twisty thrillers that keep readers guessing and hanging at the end of each chapter. Nothing makes me happier than when one of my readers tells me I kept them up all night.” —McGarvey Black

Other novels include:

A FAMILIAR STRANGER — a tale of redemption about what happens when you fly too close to the sun.

LOVE ON THE LINE (formerly titled The Fussy Virgin) is a romantic comedy about soulmates finding each other.

Born in New York City and raised on Long Island, McGarvey Black is married with two children and lives and writes in Florida. She loves dogs of any kind and eating ice cream with demitasse spoons to make it last longer.

If you enjoy her books, please leave a review, every single one helps so much. You can connect with her on Twitter: @mcgarveyblack, Instagram: mcgarveyblack1, Facebook: McGarvey Black

Enjoy your day. Thanks for stopping in.

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THE SUNDAY POST

THE SUNDAY POST

20 Amazing this you can do with a lemon.

The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly or for a monthly wrap up.

This chocolate peppermint Swiss roll recipe is so pretty and festive! The cake is filled with peppermint whipped cream. Topped with chocolate ganache and candy canes.

MY BOOK HAUL THIS WEEK

These are my physical books I got in the mail this week.

20 CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS TO MAKE WITH GRANDCHILDREN

MY NETGALLEY HAUL THIS WEEK

I didn’t go overboard this week, or anything did I?

6 Most Common Holiday Plants Toxic to Cats

This week has been incredibly busy with going out Christmas shopping, a doctor visit for my hubby, taking our son back and forth to work, library trips, taking stuff to GoodWill after a cleanup, multiple trips to Walmart and visiting my husband’s parent’s graves. I’m glad to be taking a day off from running around today. I’ll be reading and taking a walk today. I hope your health is well and you’re finding some time to relax.

Here’s a blizzard of brrrilliant snow-driven facts…

How to Get Rid of a Cold Fast

11 MOST POPULAR COFFEE FLAVORS & SEASONAL COFFEE FLAVORS

We have a lot of rain today. Stay safe wherever you are and thank you for stopping in.

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Blog Blitz for A Winter Wonderland

ABOUT THE BOOK

A Winter Wonderland

The festive season is fast approaching and the Little Duck Pond Café menu has been given a mouth-watering sprinkling of December magic. Jaz is hoping for the perfect festive season with little daughter Emma. But her feelings for next-door neighbour, Milo, are getting in the way. With his old love back on the scene, is she really prepared to risk her heart and make it the best Christmas ever?

MY THOUGHTS

A Winter Wonderland is part of the Little Duck Pond Cafe series. I am loving this series. This book is warm and welcoming, and I know I’d love to meet the characters and have tea with them.

One of the things I enjoy about this series is its inclusivity. The book doesn’t focus on one person or one couple but the community as a whole. There are multiple side stories to focus on. The author doesn’t make the secondary characters any less, they play just as important a role in the story as the main characters.

I also enjoy how realistic the books are, we see a homeless teen in the book who has run away because he believes his father disapproves of him. He’s new in town and moody. He has a lot of growth, and it was encouraging seeing how much he improved with all pulling for him.

There’s our main character Jaz who lives next door to Milo. Both are single parents, and their daughters are best friends. Jaz is open to a new relationship but there are ups and downs and a few things seem to be getting in the way on both of their sides.


The children really have the Christmas spirit which in turn spills over onto the adults.
The plot is so much fun, I really enjoyed the catch up with all the characters and I am looking forward to more in this delightful and heartwarming series.

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

Purchase Links

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rosie’s series of novellas is centred around life in a country village cafe. Look out for THE SUNSHINE SISTERS – a heart-warming and thoroughly enchanting trilogy of books in the Little Duck Pond Café series, out early in 2024!

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

Have a wonderful and check out the author’s other books when you get a chance.

Thank you for stopping in.

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Several Amish fiction reviews, one Christmas: The Christmas Quilt, Ruth’s Gingersnap Surprise

The Christmas Quilt (The Shadow Lake Series Book 3)

290 pages Zebra Books publisher August 22,2023 publish date

ABOUT THE BOOK

As the holidays approach, Colette King is eager for Matthew Mueller’s return to Shadow Lake. Especially now that she has finally surrendered to the truth—that the friend she has known forever, the first man she ever kissed, is the one she longs to spend her life with. So when Mattie shows up at her sister’s wedding with another woman on his arm, Colette’s hopes are shattered. To heal her broken heart, she begins a quilt honoring her memories of Mattie. But every square she adds only makes her yearn for him more . . .

Matthew’s new inheritance comes with a lot of responsibilities—including his late-uncle’s deathbed request that he marry the woman who was his ward. But from the moment Mattie sees Colette again, he wishes he could escape his familial duty, even though doing so could bring scandal upon his mamm and daed. Will his desire to protect his parents cost him the life—and the love—he dreams of? Or can faith work a Christmas miracle that blesses all . . .

MY THOUGHTS

Amish woman, Collette King is looking forward to welcoming Matthew Mueller back to Shadow Lake, a historic inn located near Lake Erie, Pennsylvania. It is being run by Collette and her sisters. She hasn’t seen him in some time, and she knows in her heart when he returns it is time to let him know exactly how she feels about him.

She eagerly anticipates the moment when he returns, and then he does. Her expectations fall to her feet when he shows up with another woman, a beautiful one, on his arm. Not wanting to speak to him, he convinces her to anyways. This woman is going around telling anyone who will listen and even some who won’t, Matthew is her intended and the wedding is upcoming.

Matthew made a promise to his late uncle when he was on his deathbed that he would marry this woman and he feel obligated to keep this promise though Collette is his true love. Collette has always enjoyed sewing, it clears her mind and relaxes her. As she makes a Christmas quilt honoring Matthew, she just thinks of him more.

I did not like the “other woman.” Her attitude is terrible. How could she treat Matthew this way? Will Collette’s heart stay broken, or will the holiday season ring in with a new true love?

I enjoy reading books by this author and this was a fun read.

Pub Date 22 Aug 2023
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Ruth’s Ginger Snap Surprise (The Heart of the Amish)

258 pages Barbour Books publisher December 1,2023 publish date

ABOUT THE BOOK

Ruth Defies Authority to Hold on to her Family Farm
Full of faith, hope, and romance, this new series takes you into the Heart of Amish country.
 
Ruth Helmuth has never been rude in her life; trust her to choose the bishop of her Amish community for her first time!

Ruth has worked hard to keep body and soul together since her husband, Levi’s, death. She tends her herd of goats, making her living from the milk and fiber she gets from them, all while running a farm and household by herself—and very competently, thank you! How could she imagine the bishop suggesting she should give it all up to another family, who will “make better use of the space”?

Enter widower Jonas Hershberger, owner of a pair of adorable dimples and father of a charming 4-year-old daughter. Jonas is in need of a larger place to house his growing business. Ruth’s big red barn may be just the ticket. Little Abigail is in need of a new mother. Ruth might be just the ticket there, too!

Can two independent souls learn to work together for their mutual good? And will they be willing to explore what grows between them?  Or will Ruth’s fear over her “big secret” and Jonas’s caution about allowing someone new to get close to his young daughter, kill their love before it has a chance to grow?

Luckily for both of them, God’s plan involves the stubborn pair getting a little help in the form of a wise, elderly friend; a quirky orange kitten; and a smart little girl who takes one look at Ruth and decides she would make her the perfect new mother!

The Heart of the Amish Series Also Includes:
The Flower Quilter by Mindy Steele
The Quilt Room Secret by Lisa Jones Baker
Courting the Amish Bishop by Mindy Steele
Mary’s Calico Hope by Anne Blackburne

MY THOUGHTS 

This is a new to me author and quite often I am willing to give these authors a try. This is how I find some great reads. I am glad I tried this new author.

Though not at the writing level of some of the more established authors who write Amish fiction I still enjoyed the story. The presentation was easy to follow along with, the plot, nothing out of the ordinary that I haven’t seen in other Amish books, but it was a fun story. When you add in kittens, big friendly guard dogs, and mischievous goats I don’t think you can go wrong.

Ruth Helmuth, a childless widow has a nice farm, outbuildings and a dawdi house attached to her house. She uses all of these though to raise her goats and make her goat milk products, including soaps and lotions. When the bishop comes for a visit, he believes she should sell her farm to a man from the community who needs the prime property to expand his business. The bishop also believes she should remarry and quickly. She is pretty shocked when he makes her an offer, he thinks she won’t be able to pass up.

A widowed neighbor man with a young daughter starts helping her with chores around her farm and they become close. When he sees how takes she is with his daughter he knows she’d be the perfect mother for her but is that all he is interested in her for? It was fun seeing the interaction with her neighbor’s daughter and Ruth’s kitten. She is a fun and spunky little girl. I will be reading more by this author.

Pub Date 01 Dec 2023
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Enjoy your weekend. Thank you for stopping in.

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The Frozen River: Rural Maine Historical fiction, a midwife, the frozen Kennebec River and a murder trial

432 pages Doubleday publisher December 5,2023 publish date

ABOUT THE BOOK

Maine, 1789: When the Kennebec River freezes, entombing a man in the ice, Martha Ballard is summoned to examine the body and determine cause of death. As a midwife and healer, she is privy to much of what goes on behind closed doors in Hallowell. Her diary is a record of every birth and death, crime and debacle that unfolds in the close-knit community. Months earlier, Martha documented the details of an alleged rape committed by two of the town’s most respected gentlemen—one of whom has now been found dead in the ice. But when a local physician undermines her conclusion, declaring the death to be an accident, Martha is forced to investigate the shocking murder on her own.

Over the course of one winter, as the trial nears, and whispers and prejudices mount, Martha doggedly pursues the truth. Her diary soon lands at the center of the scandal, implicating those she loves, and compelling Martha to decide where her own loyalties lie.

Clever, layered, and subversive, Ariel Lawhon’s newest offering introduces an unsung heroine who refused to accept anything less than justice at a time when women were considered best seen and not heard. The Frozen River is a thrilling, tense, and tender story about a remarkable woman who left an unparalleled legacy yet remains nearly forgotten to this day.

MY THOUGHTS

It’s a beautiful thing, to go back in time with authors as they bring back to life important people from the past so we can hear their story.
Taking place in Maine in the late 1700’s when the Kennebec River is frozen.

Martha Ballard is a married, lifelong midwife. She has ushered in hundreds of lives, not many of the women in this rural area have access to a doctor. Many of the women fall pregnant before a marriage takes place. Martha is privy to this information, and quite a lot of other personal information like who the father is but she keeps this information to herself. Margaret keeps a daily diary with personal information about her clients.

The judicial system, if you could even call it that is so different than today. Quite a bit of the book involves a rape trial of a woman accusing the town’s judge and another man. Where is the justice? It reminds me of Reba’s song, The Night the Lights Went out in Georgia. There’s a similarity there. There is also a spectacular murder trial.


As the author says this work of fiction is what could have happened in Martha Ballard’s life and not a biography. The book is inspired by real events. I like realistic books, and this is written like a biography. If I can learn something from the historical fiction, I read I am all for it, may it be a person, place or event I am here for it. This book has inspired me to start reading biographies again in the new year.

I do need to add some non-fiction back into my reading selections and this would be a great way to start. The book is compelling, and it leaves me to wonder how many other fascinating people from the past I have yet to meet through books to hear their story.

Pub Date 05 Dec 2023
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ariel Lawhon is a critically acclaimed, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of historical fiction. She is the author of THE WIFE THE MAID AND THE MISTRESS, FLIGHT OF DREAMS, I WAS ANASTASIA and CODE NAME HELENE. Her books have been translated into numerous languages and have been Library Reads, Indie Next, One Book One County, Amazon Spotlight, Costco, and Book of the Month Club selections. She lives in the rolling hills outside Nashville, Tennessee, with her husband and four sons. She splits her time between the grocery store and the baseball field.

Have you read this book? Let me know your thoughts if you do. Enjoy your weekend and thanks for stopping in.

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Publication Day Post: A Winter by the Sea (On Devonshire Shores Book #2)

440 pages December 5,2023 publication date Bethany House publishers

ABOUT THE BOOK

Royalty comes to Sidmouth, bringing unexpected danger and the sweet possibility of romance. . . .

When the Duke and Duchess of Kent and their daughter–the future Queen Victoria–rent neighboring Woolbrook Cottage for the winter, the Summers sisters are called upon to host three of the royal family’s male staff in their seaside house. But they soon realize they’ve invited secrets and intrigue into their home.

Meanwhile, Emily Summers longs to become an author. A local publisher offers to consider her novel if she will first write a Sidmouth guidebook for him. Emily agrees and begins researching the area with help from the Duke of Kent’s handsome private secretary. But a surprise visitor from her past shows up at Sea View, leaving Emily torn between the desires she’s long held dear and her budding dreams for the future.

Return to the Devonshire coast with the Summers sisters, where loyalties are tested, secrets come to light, and new love emerges.

MY THOUGHTS

A Winter by the Sea is the second book in the On Devonshire Shores series. Having read the first I eagerly looked forward to reading this one and was not disappointed.

I feel as though once again I’ve gone back in time with the Summers sisters. They have new neighbors for the winter season, the Duke and Duchess of Kent and their daughter–the future Queen Victoria–who rent neighboring Woolbrook Cottage. I enjoyed getting to know the royalty and seeing how they interacted.

When the staff they bring with them doesn’t all fit in Woolbrook Cottage the male staff will be staying at the seaside house. The characters are so well presented and researched; I enjoyed getting to know them all.

So many different personalities, a few are quite the characters. There are not many authors that can write regency romance the way this author can. Each storyline is unique with characters and plots that hold my attention and makes me want to read more.

Romance and an intriguing storyline with realistic scenes will have you remembering this story long after you’re done.

I highly recommend this series and book.

Pub Date: 05 Dec 2023
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Julie Klassen loves all things Jane—Jane Eyre and Jane Austen. She worked in publishing for sixteen years and now writes full time. Three of her novels have won the Christy Award for Historical Romance. She has also won the Minnesota Book Award, the Midwest Book Award, and Christian Retailing’s BEST Award. Julie is a graduate of the University of Illinois. She and her husband have two sons and live in St. Paul, Minnesota. Visit http://www.julieklassen.com and talesfromivyhill.com for more information.

Thank you for reading my post today. Have a wonderful day and stay warm.

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Knowing You (Pictures of the Heart Book #3): (A Historical Christian Romance Book Set in the Pacific Northwest)

304 pages Bethany House publishers November 7,2023 publish date

ABOUT THE BOOK

Could a captivating art exhibit hold the key to truth–and love?

Budding artist May Parker is captivated by the Japanese exhibits at the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition and longs to know more about her mother’s heritage–which her mother refuses to speak of because of the heartache she left behind in Japan. Wanting to experience more of the exhibits, May works as a Camera Girl–but her curiosity leads her into danger when a suit of samurai armor becomes the target of an elusive art forger.

After ten years apart, May is reunited with her childhood friend Lee Munro, a police detective assigned to keep a watchful eye on the exposition. Their friendship immediately begins to blossom with hints of something more, but when they become entangled in a dangerous heist involving the samurai armor and their love is threatened, can they overcome the odds against them?

MY THOUGHTS

I have been enjoying the Pictures of the Heart series and this book is no exception. In this series the setting is the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition. Camera Girls there take pictures with Brownie cameras and sell them to the tourists.

This book features May Parker, a Japanese American woman. She has an interest in Japanese art, which is the focus of the book. She is also trying to learn more about her Japanese heritage, but it makes her mother sad to talk about her past in Japan.

There is a lot of discrimination in the book which made me sad to read about the unfair treatment. May has been discriminated against since childhood and when, as a child, her best friend, Lee Munro moves away she knows she won’t have any easy time of it.

Camera Girl, May Parker enjoys her work but when a piece of Japanese art is switched with a forged piece she decides to investigate and is reunited with her childhood friend Lee.

I loved seeing the happy reunion between these two characters who had not forgotten each other over the years and had missed each other a lot. As their age has increased so has their maturity and that childhood friendship blossoms into a true love.

Lee is now a police officer and is involved in solving the forged art piece case and tasked with locating it and tracking the criminals in this crime ring.

Such a fascinating story. You could feel the tension rolling off the pages as the danger of the heist comes to the front. A strong story of faith, compassion, intrigue and romance.

I suggest you read this series in order as each story builds on the last. Highly recommended!

Pub Date 07 Nov 2023
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

THE AUTHOR

Tracie Peterson is the bestselling, award-winning author of more than one hundred books. Tracie also teaches writing workshops at a variety of conferences on subjects such as inspirational romance and historical research. She and her family live in Montana.

Visit Tracie’s web site at: http://www.traciepeterson.com

This is a favorite author of mine. Have you read any of her books? Have a great weekend.

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Home for Christmas: The Magic of the Christmas Season sends a woman back in time to the 1940s

345 pages Avon publisher October 11,2022 publish date

ABOUT THE BOOK

Piper McCaulley doesn’t know which way is up or down. Her gran, her last remaining family, died two weeks before Christmas, leaving Piper to reevaluate her life. Did she really want to stay chained to the family business just to hang on to this old house? She didn’t care that her great-great-great grandpa had built it with his own hands. How could she make huge life decisions if she’d never even been outside of Alaska?

She needs to leave the snowy wilderness that’s her backyard and see the world, and since her gran left her a battered old compass, Piper takes this a secret message from her beloved grandmother: to follow her heart.

But before she is even a foot outside the door, Piper finds herself caught in a blizzard and wakes up in 1945 in the original home that her ancestors had built—a time when her gran was just a girl Piper’s age. Once she has gotten over the shock, Piper has the joy of getting to know her grandmother in a whole new way, a way that sheds light on everything Piper had come to know and not know about her own past. 

Over the course of one magical holiday season, Piper must go on a journey through time to learn the meaning of real love, home, and how a family legacy can connect one another forever.

  

MY THOUGHTS

I think maybe when I requested this one, I was drawn in by the cover but hadn’t really read what the book was about. This is a time travel book which I’m not crazy about those types of books, I like books that are a little more realistic.


Piper McCaulley is a young woman living in 2022, her grandmother has died a few weeks before Christmas and she has mixed feelings should she stay in the family business and continue to live in the house her great-great-grandfather had built?

Somehow getting lost in a snowstorm in Alaska propels her back in time to 1940’s when her grandmother was living at home and a youngster, living in the house Piper is living in.

Time travel doesn’t do it for me, but I did think it was neat that she got to meet past relatives and become friends with her grandmother when she was younger. There were tender moments. She even falls in love.

She is able to reevaluate the importance of family without all the modern-day distractions. I was wondering would she be able to stay in this time period, would she want to and what would happen to her romance if she wasn’t able to stay in this time period. Overall, a heartwarming story worth reading.

Pub Date 11 Oct 2022
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

THE AUTHOR

Courtney Cole is a New York Times bestselling author of over twenty novels. She enjoys eating reader emotions for breakfast, wearing cashmere socks (when she’s not barefoot) and collecting hula girls.

An optimist, Pacman champion, trophy wife, and fierce mama, her motto is to live with grace. She believes in the power of blonde hair dye and red lipstick, and feels that a well-timed smile can change the world.

To learn more about her, visit http://www.courtneycolecreates.com

Have a great weekend. Thanks for stopping by.

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The Secrets Beneath (Treasures of the Earth Book #1)

328 pages Bethany House publishers September 26,2023 publish date

ABOUT THE BOOK

Some secrets can only stay buried for so long. . . .

Anna Lakeman has spent her life working alongside her paleontologist father, drawing intricate sketches at every dig. When they find dinosaur bones near their home in Wyoming Territory, they’re given the opportunity of a lifetime and are swiftly caught up in the competitive era of the Bone Wars. But after her father becomes sick and Joshua Ziegler, an old beau, returns for the summer, Anna’s world is upended, and the practical, orderly life she has made for herself shatters.

Medical student Joshua Ziegler left his hometown to forget Anna, the one woman he truly loved and deeply hurt. But when he returns, time hasn’t erased the feelings they’ve always had for each other. After Joshua’s nephew goes missing–just like his sister did years ago–and Anna’s job is threatened, tensions mount and dangerous secrets are unearthed.

MY THOUGHTS

The sciences are not one of my favorite things to read about. I’ve read so many books by this author that I just knew she could turn a subject that I wasn’t overly excited about into a fascinating story that I couldn’t put down.

When this historical fiction story took place, the late 1800’s paleontology was not a field women got into, there were a few but they were not well received and discredited often. A young woman who grew up with a famous paleontologist father has for many years been drawing intricate sketches at every dig as a way of cataloging and keeping track of all the progress.


When the elements open up a previously closed area in Wyoming Territory, near their home and they find bones it’s just what they need. This is just the opportunity her father needs to further his career during the competitive Bone Wars, and it’s working. He’s got permission to do his dig and no one else is permitted in this area, then exciting bones are found.

When her father falls ill and rapidly declines Anna Lakeman is not only upset about her father’s career advancement, thinking someone may take it from him but she’s very worried about this health. She is determined to go it alone and do the digging for her father.

When her former beau shows up the hurt feelings come rushing back, they had a big misunderstanding but now he’s back.
Doctor in training Joshua Ziegler left to forget his feeling for Anna but upon returning they both realize the feelings are still there.

There is a bit of a mystery when Joshua’s nephew goes missing. Is he in danger and what happened to him?
A very intriguing story, I also enjoyed the historical aspect of it and can’t wait to read more in this series.

Pub Date 26 Sep 2023
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

THE AUTHOR

Kimberley Woodhouse is the best-selling and award-winning author of more than two dozen books. She is a wife, mother, author, and musician with a quick wit and positive outlook despite difficult circumstances. A popular speaker, she’s shared at more than 2,000 venues across the country. Kimberley and her family’s story have garnered national media attention for many years including ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, The Montel Williams Show, Discovery Health channel’s Mystery ER, The Hour of Power, The Harvest Show, and over 1,000 other TV appearances and radio interviews. She lives and writes in the Poconos with her husband of thirty years. kimberleywoodhouse.com

Find Kim on twitter and facebook:

twitter.com/kimwoodhouse

author fan page Kimberley Woodhouse

Have a marvelous weekend. Thanks for stopping in.

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Nine Lives and Alibis: A Cat Cafe Mystery (Cat Cafe Mystery Series Book 7)

332 pages St. Martin’s Paperbacks publisher August 22,2023 publish date

ABOUT THE BOOK

In Nine Lives and Alibis, the seventh in Cate Conte’s Cat Café beloved cozy mystery series, Daybreak Island is gearing up for Halloween—but this year it seems like it’ll be all tricks and no treats.

It’s October in Daybreak Harbor, which means everything Halloween. The town is going all out for the holiday, hoping to one-up the festivities in neighboring Salem, Massachusetts, and Maddie James is delighted to be part of the planning for the annual happenings.

But trouble brews when Maddie’s youngest sister, Sam, books a famous medium, Balfour Dempsey, to come to town for the celebrations and stay in the local haunted inn—along with his equally famous black cat. The town busybody books a secret reading with Balfour and doesn’t want anyone to know why. Maddie’s best friend Becky is hell-bent on getting Balfour to help her solve two 40-year-old mysteries—a murder and a missing maid. And the psychic has a stalker who’s followed him here to the island, demanding he connect with her dead husband.

When Balfour is pushed off the cliffs behind the inn to his death and his beloved cat goes missing, it throws the whole town into a frenzy. And Maddie and her family find themselves in the middle of a murder mystery straight out of a Halloween movie.

MY THOUGHTS

Nine Lives and Alabis finds us in Daybreak Island, Mass. The little island town is hoping to one up its neighbors in Salem, Mass who everyone goes to see for all their Halloween scares.

This year Daybreak Island is hosting a Halloween Festival better than any of the previous years. A famous medium, Balfour Dempsey has come to stay at the reportedly haunted hotel. While there he is being asked to try to solve two cold cases from forty years ago, a murder and a missing maid.

I enjoyed the New England setting, as we spent time there this Fall including Salem, Mass.

When another murder occurs, the whole town is in an uproar and Halloween festivities are the last thing on their minds. Past and present come to mingle in the case being solved.

Maddie runs a cat cafe and takes in strays and gives them the best care. She and her cat JJ also solve cases together and she’s on the job here finding the murderer and discovering what happened to his cat.

Surprising twists and turns I sure didn’t see coming. I enjoyed all the Halloween descriptions from the decorations and foods to the pet costume parade to all the festivities at the haunted hotel This is a series I’ll continue reading.

Pub Date: 22 Aug 2023
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

THE AUTHOR

“Cats were my weakness. I’d never met one I didn’t love instantaneously.”
― Cate Conte, Cat About Town: A Cat Cafe Mystery

“Those who love cats have a special place in heaven,” he said, tipping his fedora at me.”
― Cate Conte, Cat About Town: A Cat Cafe Mystery

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