Tag: fiction

Categories
Uncategorized

How (Not) to Renovate a Haunted House

  1. Reading age 12 years and up 377 pages Publisher Delacorte Romance Publication date July 21, 2026

ABOUT THE BOOK

In this spooky Summerween romance, an amateur ghost hunter and a supernatural skeptic team up for a haunted home renovation project. But is their relationship the real fixer upper?

Amity Callaway is sick of being known as the weird girl. As annoyed as she is that her recently divorced mom just moved them across the country to the tiny, quirky town of Harlow’s Rest, Massachusetts, it could be the fresh start she needs.

Until Amity discovers their absolute disaster of a new house is supposedly haunted.

Theo Hargrave, amateur ghost hunter and son of the local general contractor, is a true believer. When he shows up on their property with his EMF reader in hand, Amity is ready to debunk all his theories. She’s definitely not staring at the small scar through his eyebrow or his ridiculously soft lips.

But even Amity can admit their home renovation is doomed. Nothing is going right, from the paint that refuses to dry to the fixtures that keep coming loose. So Amity and Theo strike a deal—his family’s construction expertise for her help investigating the house’s supernatural secrets. Even scarier than ghosts, though? Amity’s growing feelings for Theo.

MY THOUGHTS

Our plus sized fmc is anxiety ridden when her Mom tells her they’re moving away from all she knows and her best friends right before her senior years starts. Tired of feeling like the “weird one” she knows it’s not going to get any better when they move in the towns known haunted house.
When a known teenage ghost hunter turns up at her new house ready to prove it’s haunted this nonbeliever has to put a stop to it and prove him wrong once and for all.
He seems to always be around at her house though because her mom hires his dad for the renovation job on their house.
It was great seeing a lot of different groups/types of people represented in such a natural way.
The book moved along at a steady pace and did start to get spookier vibes towards the end.
Small town fun Summerween romance before the holiday kicks off.

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

  • Gallery Image
  • Gallery Image
  • Gallery Image

MEET THE AUTHOR

About the author

Jenny L. Howe first started scribbling stories into black-and-white composition notebooks with neon pink pens when she was in junior high and never really stopped. In college, she decided to turn her love of books into a career by pursuing a Ph.D. in literature, where she spent the next few years studying bizarre and entertaining medieval romances. Now, as a professor, she teaches courses in college writing, literature, and children’s media. When she’s not writing and teaching, Jenny spends her time buried under puzzle pieces, cross-stitching her favorite characters, and taking too many pictures of her rescue dogs, Tucker and Dale. The Make-Up Test is her debut novel.

Categories
Uncategorized

Life: A Love Story: A Novel

Print length 191 pages Publisher Random House Publication date March 17, 2026

ABOUT THE BOOK

As ninety-two-year-old Florence “Flo” Greene nears the end of her life, she writes a letter to Ruthie, the woman who grew up next door to her, describing the items Flo is leaving Ruthie in her will. But as it goes on, telling surprising stories about those “little” things Flo will leave behind (What could possibly be the worth of a rubber band kept in a matchbox tied up in red ribbon?), an unforgettable portrait of the life she has lived emerges.

The letter starts off as an autobiography in things, but it turns out to do much more than that: ultimately, it will transform Flo and those around her. In the time she has left, Flo decides to take herself up on tiny dares. She encourages Ruthie to reconsider her impending divorce by sharing a startling, long-buried secret about her own perfect-seeming marriage. Flo has never had a pedicure before now, and as long as she’s going to a beauty parlor, she arranges to have a blue streak put in her hair, too. And as these adventures lead her to make new friends, Flo helps them, too, find the fulfillment that living a full life has led her to understand.

Full of Elizabeth Berg’s characteristic mix of warmth, humor, and poignancy, Life: A Love Story is a reminder that whatever your circumstances, as long as you’re alive, you can keep on investing in life. The joy will inevitably follow.

Colorful mixed flower bouquet in blue and white vase on wooden kitchen table with pastry on plate
A vibrant bouquet brightens a cozy rustic kitchen table.

MY THOUGHTS

A poignant read. Knowing death is quickly approaching a woman writes of her life as she reflects on the good times and bad. The happiness and regrets. It may make you laugh or cry. Relationships within her life are explored. Lovely read!

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

About the author

Elizabeth Berg is the author of eighteen novels and has more than 1.5 million books in print. Her novel, OPEN HOUSE, was an Oprah’s Book Club selection in 2000. Berg lives near Chicago, Illinois. Visit her at http://www.elizabeth-berg.net

Categories
Uncategorized

An Ocean of Longing (Echoes of Cornwall Book 2)

Version 1.0.0

220 pages Publication date July 31, 2026

ABOUT THE BOOK

I will cross a hundred more years to find my way back to you…

When Tegan Penrose plunges through the time portal at Trevarron House to save her beloved William, she believes she is carrying him home to the twenty-first century. Instead, she is torn from his arms and cast adrift in 1867 – alone, heartbroken, over a hundred years from the man she loves.

Taken in by Cornish pellar Nancy Willcock, Tegan learns the Willcock women have long been custodians of the strange lines of power running through this wild coast. Then comes a rumour that chills her to the bone: a dark-eyed stranger has been arrested in Tintagel, raving that he is lord of Trevarron. Could William, impossibly, have followed her across the centuries?

With the brutal Lord Albert Trevarron now ruling Trevarron House – and terrorising his gentle wife and young daughter – Tegan must risk everything to reach William again, and to face the darkness now haunting its halls.

Perfect for fans of Outlander and Poldark, this is a sweeping timeslip romance of fated souls, buried truths and a love that refuses to be silenced by time itself, featuring:

  • Fated souls searching through the ages
  • Found family and fierce female friendships
  • Gothic Cornish setting steeped in folk magic
  • Slow-burn with steamy, open-door spice

BOOK ONE

MY THOUGHTS

This is the second book in the Echoes of Cornwall series.
Unfortunately, I missed the first book in the series but am going to make a point to get to it now that I’ve discovered this series.
The book grabbed my attention from the very first page. Time traveling is not something I read about often, but this book is gripping. The tension is there; it had me holding my breath as I read.
It’s gothic and fairytales, heat and magic, it absolutely just pulls you in. Tension, danger, a sexy story. You can feel the danger as revenge is exacted. The attention to historical detail is remarkable as these strong women and bold men from the past come alive under the author’s pen.
My only complaint is it ended in a cliffhanger, and I need the next part yesterday.

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

About the author

Kennedy Kerr is a USA Today Bestselling fiction author. She adores beaches, lochs and stone circles, and loves writing about small communities, mysteries and family secrets. She has a very cuddly cat called Twinkle who spends her days sleeping: Kennedy aspires to having Twinkle’s nap schedule one day.

Kennedy also loves cooking and baking all types of food, which is almost as much fun as eating it. Her favourite foods include (but are not limited to) Indian food, Victoria sponge, breakfast pastries with coffee and sushi. The only thing she’s not particularly keen on is artichoke, and she’d eat it, anyway.

Find out more about Kennedy on her Facebook Author page: facebook.com/kennedykerrauthor; she is also on Twitter as @KennedyKerr5

Version 1.0.0
Categories
Uncategorized

Purranormal Activity: A Cat Cafe Mystery (Cat Cafe Mystery Series, 10)

304 pages Publisher Minotaur Books Publication date July 28, 2026

ABOUT THE BOOK

Trouble is brewing on Daybreak Island. . .

Summer is in full swing on Daybreak Island, and JJ’s House of Purrs―and the new mobile cat café―has Maddie James running nonstop with on-site cat parties.

So when Olivia McAllister, her mother’s childhood best friend, returns to the island for the first time in decades―after a family tragedy drove her away―and asks Maddie to plan a birthday party for her granddaughter, Maddie happily agrees. It’s been forty years since Olivia’s aunt, Delia McAllister, vanished without a trace. Her disappearance was never solved, and the abandoned family house has loomed over the island ever since.

But when Maddie and her mom arrive at Delia’s old house, it’s empty―except for a white-and-gray cat that leads Maddie to a hidden room. There, she finds Olivia dead.

Soon Maddie learns the mysterious cat may be tied to a ghostly island legend. And as she digs deeper, she realizes she’s unraveling two disappearances, forty years apart―while someone is desperate to keep the truth buried.

Fishing boats moored at a wooden dock with white cottages and misty hills in the background
A quiet fishing village with boats docked at sunrise mist

MY THOUGHTS

A welcome addition to the Cat Cafe mystery series. Taking place on Daybreak Island, the new mobile cat cafe can’t keep up with party invitations. So, when a guest manages to book one for her granddaughter the cat cafe delivers and shows up for the party only to find the house empty. Empty except for a mysterious ghost cat leading to a secret room. It gets creepier from there as a body is found and rumor has it the ghost cate shows up when trouble is near.
Looking forward to the next installment in the series.

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

Cate Conte, also known as Liz Mugavero, writes cozy mysteries often featuring quirky characters, small-town drama, and animals that play key roles in the stories cateconte.comcateconte.com+1. She began her writing journey with short stories and poetry before transitioning to novels, demonstrating a lifelong passion for storytelling Book Series in OrderBook Series in Order. Born in Lawrence, Massachusetts, she pursued a degree in English and later earned a master’s in writing and publishing from Emerson College 

Categories
Uncategorized

The Amish Rancher’s Return: An Uplifting Inspirational Romance

206 pages Publisher Love Inspired Publication date June 30, 2026

ABOUT THE BOOK

His homecoming could change everything
For a widow and two little girls…

Called back home to Millers Creek after years away, Isaiah Peight needs to help care for his ill father, sell his parents’ store—and avoid Priscilla Raber. Five years ago, he and Priscilla were betrothed, but she broke his heart and married someone else while he went on rumspringa. Now widowed, she works at Creekside Sundries to support her toddler twins. And she’s not happy about the sale. Seeing Isaiah again stirs up lots of memories, especially when he bonds with her precious girls. Can they ever leave the past behind and forge a new future together?

From Love Inspired: Uplifting stories of faith, forgiveness and hope.

MY THOUGHTS

A beautiful and heartwarming story of faith, love, hope, redemption, forgiveness and second chances.
Returning after an absence causes hurt feelings to resurface. There was a misunderstanding between them, but they realize they still have strong feels for each other.
Decisions must be made and God will guide their thoughts. A second chance romance that had me cheering for our main characters and I just loved the banter between them.
The story had a strong plot and was so enjoyable.

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

Amy Lillard is the award-winning, New York Times best-selling author of over seventy books and novellas in a variety of genres. 

 

She loves nothing more than a good book. And her family…homemade tacos…and possibly nail polish. A transplanted Southern belle, Amy was born and raised in Mississippi and now lives in Oklahoma with her husband of a billion years. They have one (almost) adult son whom they are embarrassingly proud of. These days their ‘empty nest’ is rounded out with two spoiled cats who always seem to want to be fed when she’s hit her writing stride for the day. But such is life with felines. >^..^

Amy also writes sexy contemporary romances under the pen name Amie Louellen.

Categories
Uncategorized

Closing Time

376 pages Publication date July 7, 2026

ABOUT THE BOOK

The Open Seat cafe is closing its doors after thirty-plus years. At the center of it all is Nora Anderson, who is saying goodbye to the life she built with her late husband, Frank. Grieving him is hard enough… until shocking revelations force her to question the life she thought she had.

As the countdown to Saturday begins, the café fills with familiar faces. Each carrying their own unfinished story. The sarcastic barista, the delivery guy, a father and his daughter, the local rock star, and a loyal regular.

Over the course of one unforgettable week, emotions run high, chaos turns into something more, and sparks fly in all the wrong (and exactly right) places. As long-buried secrets begin to surface, every life in the café is pulled together in ways none of them expected. Right up until closing time.

Two cups of latte with heart-shaped designs on a wooden table near a window with pink flowers and street view
Two lattes with heart-shaped latte art on a rustic table by a window overlooking a quaint street

MY THOUGHTS

The book was a bit different than what I expected when I started it.
A rom com with different pov’s and dealing with grief and unexpected discoveries. Friends, found family, coming together to celebrate and moving on.
A nice story getting to know the coffee shop characters and their different perspectives.

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

About the author

Elaine Evans has had a love of writing ever since she can remember. It wasn’t until she hit middle-age that she decided to turn it into a career. A decision that has changed her life for the better.

When she’s not writing you can find Elaine exploring her other hobbies of reading, cooking, and photography. But more than anything, it is the role of wife, mother, and dog mom to her black Pomeranian, Vinnie, that she cherishes the most. Outside of the home, she works as a pediatric Medical Assistant, a job she adores. Elaine resides in Ohio with her family.

Categories
Uncategorized

The Christmas Brides of Twilight: A Sparkling Southern Romance Where the One Who Got Away Returns – A Twilight, Texas Holiday Novel

361 pages Publisher Avon Publication date October 24, 2023

ABOUT THE BOOK

New York Times bestselling author Lori Wilde’s delightful Twilight, Texas, series continues with this sparkling Christmas novel. A reality TV show producer returns to her hometown of Twilight in this lovers reunited story filled with holiday spirit and perfect for readers of Susan Mallery and Jill Shalvis.

She was the one who got away…

Noelle Curry has returned to Twilight to plan the most spectacular double wedding the town has ever seen—and do it on national television. But the woman known as “The Wedding Whisperer” is knocked speechless when she notices her teenage crush, Gil Thomas, is about to plunge into icy cold water wearing nothing more than a pair of Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer swim trunks. He is the sexiest guy participating in the annual polar bear plunge and seeing him pushes all thoughts of white lace and rose blossoms right out of her mind.

He was the man who decided to stay…

Single dad Gil doesn’t regret giving up his dreams of big-city singing stardom for small-town life. But seeing Noelle—who’s blossomed from the once-gawky teenager to West Coast beauty—has him thinking of days—and nights—a whole lot hotter than his plunge in the lake. And even though he knows she’ll be heading out as soon as her work is finished, he can’t help hoping the magic of Christmas in Twilight will get her to change her mind and stay in town—and by his side—forever.

Two-tier white wedding cake decorated with pine cones, cinnamon sticks, dried orange slices, holly, and a Merry & Married topper
A two-tiered winter wedding cake with seasonal decorations

MY THOUGHTS

Will this wedding planner soon be planning her own wedding?
She has planned on returning to Twilight, Texas at Christmas time to prepare for a spectacular televised wedding then immediately leave afterwards. What she hadn’t planned on was seeing an old flame looking better than ever, oh the memories come alive at just the sight of him.
Seeing her brings it all home for him but he has a daughter now to think of and her opinions matter and she’s looking for a new Mommy.
Though I haven’t read a book in the long-standing Twilight, Texas series in several years it’s just as good as I remember. The author brings the characters alive with that special Christmas magic sprinkled in.

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

About the author

BIO

Lori Wilde is an award-winning, New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers’ Weekly bestselling author of 110 works of romantic fiction. Her writing has won numerous awards and her books have been translated into 26 languages, with more than ten million copies of her books sold worldwide. Her series The Wedding Veil Wishes inspired six movies from Hallmark starring Lacey Chabert, Autumn Reese, and Alison Sweeney. The movies broke viewing records for Hallmark. Her first NYT bestseller, The First Love Cookie Club, was made into a Christmas movie also with Hallmark called A Kismet Christmas.

Lori is a registered nurse with a BSN from Texas Christian University, along with a Master in Liberal Arts from the same university. She holds a certificate in forensics, a certificate in screenwriting from UCLA and she is also a certified yoga instructor. A sixth-generation Texan, Lori lives with her husband, Bill, in the Cutting Horse Capital of the World.

Categories
Uncategorized

The Memory Bookshop: A Novel

by Song Yu-jeong (Author), Shanna Tan (Translator) 

192 pages Publisher William Morrow Paperbacks Publication date July 7, 2026

ABOUT THE BOOK

THE KOREAN SENSATION

For lovers of The Midnight Library and Days at the Morisaki Bookshop, discover a spellbinding novel about a mysterious bookshop that exists outside of time and space, where the past is only a page away…

If you’re lost or grieving, you’ll find The Memory Bookshop, where the shelves are endless; the books, strangely familiar; and where memories are bound in pages.

Jiwon’s life has been slowly disintegrating since her mother died. Until one day, caught by a sudden downpour, she stumbles into a mysterious bookstore. Inside, she is met by Manager K and offered no explanation, only a mysterious hourglass and a rare opportunity: to travel back to three chapters of her life.

But returning to the past isn’t without risk. In exchange, Jiwon must give up time in her future.

As she wanders between the shelves, the bookshop humming with memories and regrets, she must ask herself: can the past truly be rewritten? Or does the real magic lie in the life she’s yet to live?

Warm, wise, and full of wonder, The Memory Bookshop is a story about the journey of grief and the power of books to carry us home.

MY THOUGHTS

The Memory Bookshop is heartachingly beautiful.
After a woman has trouble accepting and dealing with the grief from her mother’s death seven years later she visits a doctor only to be given no counseling or mental health help but just a prescription by a short-tempered doctor.
Wandering the neighborhood after the visit she stumbles upon the Memory Bookshop which appears to those who need it.
Upon entering she finds books from her childhood bringing back childhood memories and the exact scenes and smells of past events.
Revisiting these moments in time that have passed leads to help in her dealing with grief and really takes the reader back in time and has a profound effect on them. Such a beautiful read and really makes you think.

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

About the Author

Song Yu-jeong has been writing webnovels for six years under the pen name “All Day.” Her novel The Memory Bookshop was initially self-published after reaching 150% of its target on the crowdfunding platform Tumblbug, before being picked up by Dasan Books in South Korea.

Magical bookshop inside a large tree with lanterns, stairs, bookshelves, and people outside at night
A cozy magical bookshop nestled within a giant tree lights up a tranquil evening forest scene.
Categories
Uncategorized

When Mikan Road Was Ours: a gripping, sincere debut novel set across four generations of a Japanese American 

320 pages Publisher Atria Books Publication date July 28, 2026

ABOUT THE BOOK

Amid a sweltering Los Angeles heat wave, Murano, a reclusive high school English teacher, is muddling through life. Reeling from his father’s sudden death as well as his own recent cancer diagnosis, he passes time hazily grading papers and appeasing disgruntled parents while counting down each day until summer vacation.

The monotony breaks when he inherits his great-uncle Benjiro’s unpublished memoir. What Murano expects to be a grim reminder of his position as the half-white son of the family’s outcast instead whisks him away to 1930s California, to a time when the Murano family was inseparable, relishing life together on their bucolic farm. As the memoir introduces him to relatives he never knew existed and unearths hidden complexities of the past, Murano is pulled close to the Japanese identity he’s dismissed all of his life. Faced with the reality of his family’s dissolution, Murano becomes determined to understand its breaking point following their incarceration in American concentration camps during World War II, no matter what hidden truths he might uncover about his ancestors or himself.

Lovingly crafted with poignant and profound attention to historical detail, When Mikan Road Was Ours is a rich meditation on belonging that seamlessly blends the intricacies of heritage, the resilience of family bonds, and the struggle to reconcile a past filled with both heartache and hope.

MY THOUGHTS

When Mikan Road was Ours really has a great depth to its writing not usually seen from a debut author.
The book is based on his family history. This is a Japanese American family, and it takes us through four generations of family members and how past generations doings are felt and have had an effect through all and up to present generations.
There is grief and struggles as the family is forced to endure things no one should. No one talks about the concentration camps anymore and time marches on and it all seems to be forgotten but it’s not. Your time here is not forgotten, and you count. Thank you to the author for an enlightening story.

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

Thank you for stopping in.

Categories
Uncategorized

The Cinnamon Spellbook Bakery: A BRAND NEW magical small-town romance filled with irresistible chemistry from Ella Cook (The Magic of Hudsbury 1)

330 pages Publisher Boldwood Books Publication date

July 5, 2026

ABOUT THE BOOK

Step into the cosy and magical town of Hudsbury this autumn, where pumpkins can talk (and gossip), pastries have healing properties, and love is brewing like a magic potion. 🥐🍁

Aiden arrived in Hudsbury hoping for peace and quiet – but the quirky little town has other ideas. Nestled among golden leaves and crisp fall air, he’s drawn into a peculiar shop filled with the scent of cinnamon and a hint of magic… and is convinced to become the town’s newest baker.

The residents, and especially a mysterious grey cat named Mist, seem to know more than they let on. Whispering trees, heart-soothing teas, and jack-o-lanterns offering playful romantic advice make Hudsbury a place where the ordinary and magical intertwine.

Then he meets Mia, the practical local nurse. One playful night grows into a friends with benefits arrangement—but under the glow of autumn leaves and cackling pumpkins, sparks are impossible to ignore, blurring the lines of their friendship. As Aiden’s magic grows wilder and long-held secrets from his past begin to surface, he realises that love—and a little enchantment—might be exactly what he and Mia need to finally open their hearts.

A heartwarming, magical tale of scones, spells, and second chances, The Cinnamon Spellbook Bakery is a cozy fantasy full of charm, emotion, and the healing power of love—with just a dash of chaos.

MY THOUGHTS

I seem to find myself reading books that have magic in them recently. Either there has been an increase of this type of book being published recently or I am finding myself now drawn to them and that’s not a bad thing.
Smalltown charm, and a pleasant shop owner drew me right in and I found myself enjoying this book a lot.
The bakery/magical shop is very cozy and inviting. Once you step through its doors it knows what you need and heals you.
From a talking cat to charming and lovable pumpkins the Fall vibes drew me right in. The romance had a natural development. Towards the end there was a serious bit added and I’m looking forward to continuing reading about the characters in future books.

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

About the author

Ella’s been obsessed with books since the moment she could reach to pull them off the shelf by herself, and has wanted to write for as long as she can remember.

She grew up in London where fairies lived at the bottom of her Grandma’s garden, and she still looks for magic – and often finds it – in everyday life.

She won the SWWJ Floella Benjamin Award in 2019, and published her debut, BEYOND GREY with Choc Lit and Ruby Fiction in 2021. Her books are now published by Joffe Books, who won the IPG Trade Publisher of the Year in 2023. She doesn’t plan to stop writing any time soon.

When she emerges from her fictional worlds, she writes bids for children’s services and lives in Warwickshire (where there are probably more fairies) with her ever-loving husband who reads all her stories first and makes gallons of tea in magical cups that keep drinks warm for whole chapters.