Month: December 2021

REVIEW: A Counterfeit Suitor by Darcie Wilde

REVIEW: A Counterfeit Suitor by Darcie Wilde

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Kensington in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

When Rosalind Thorne’s father’s crimes and schemes caught up with him, he fled with his oldest daughter, Charlotte, abandoning his wife and youngest daughter. But Rosalind has made the most of the rotten hand she was dealt. She’s been able to keep her own house and help elite families negotiate debuts and avoid scandals, putting them in her debt.

Then her father escapes Charlotte’s close supervision and semi-confinement, which has been for his own good – as well as his daughters’. But an old enemy of Rosalind’s is pulling her father’s strings, looking to destroy her. The tables are soon turned, though. Rosalind’s father, Sir Reginald, is found dead. And her enemy, Russell Fullerton, stands accused of his murder.

It’s pretty audacious for Fullerton to ask Rosalind for help proving his innocence. It would be all too easy to let him suffer for his many sins. But she can’t help dig for the truth, no matter what she might turn up along the way.

Review

Yikes, this was twisty! I could not puzzle this one out for myself. I had to just watch the story unfold.

I so enjoy Rosalind and her friends, and it was a treat to spend time with them again. I didn’t love this story as much as I have some of the earlier mysteries. But I am all in on these characters!

I found the resolution of the situation with Rosalind and her family satisfying. I’m curious to see how her life changes now that she no longer has to fear her father’s return and the trouble that would inevitably follow if he did.

Fans of the series should not miss this latest installment. I truly love the cast, and the slow burn between Rosalind and Adam is fascinating. The potential love interest for Alice was an interesting addition to the series. I’m curious to see how that evolves over the course of future books. I highly recommend newcomers start this series from the beginning to enjoy all of the character arcs fully and to best understand what the return of Rosalind’s father means.

While I debated between a rating of 3.5 (Good+) and 4 (Great!), I am going with 4 because the characters in this series keep me coming back. Historical mystery fans should check this series out. (LGBTQ+)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

BOOK NEWS: December 7, 2021

BOOK NEWS: December 7, 2021

Posted on by Jaymie

Happy December! Here are some of the new books releasing this week!

 

Books for Kids

Good Knight, Mustache Baby – Mustache Baby and Beard Baby are back, this time fighting the childhood foe, bedtime. I can’t wait to see this one in person. The first two books are some of my favorites.
Build Your Own Disneyland – This gift book becomes a 3D model of Disneyland.
She Persisted: Helen Keller – A chapter book biography.

 

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

What Is the Story of Captain Kirk? (Is it any surprise I already preordered this one?!)
Who Is Queen Elizabeth II? AND Who Were Stanley and Livingstone?
The Big Reveal – Addie and her friends decide to put on a top-secret burlesque show to help Addie raise money for dance school, but when word gets out, the body-shaming and slut-shaming begins.
Fools in Love: Fresh Twists on Romantic Tales (LGBTQ+) – All of your favorite romance tropes applied in new ways. I have this one on my list for this week.
If This Gets Out (LGBTQ+) – From the author of Only Mostly Devastated (♥♥♥♥½) and Perfect on Paper. When two members of a boy band start to fall in love, the pressure from their label to stay in the closet leaves them to wonder if they will ever be able to truly be themselves. I’ll be reviewing this one soon!

 

Books for Adults

Absence of Mallets (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 9 in the Fixer-Upper Mystery series. Shannon and Mac are on the hunt for a killer who is trying to up-end everything they are trying to build in their community.
Absynthe (Trade Paperback) – A shell-shocked veteran with telepathic powers thanks to a military project in WWI teams up with an heiress to take on his former commander who is now the President and who wants the military program to stay secret, permanently. This is absolutely on my list for this week! I have already pre-ordered it.
The Amish Quilting Bee (Trade Paperback) – A collection of three Amish stories about new relationships and quilts.
The Case of the Sugar Plum Shenanigans (e-book, December 9) – When her boyfriend goes to Wisconsin for a job interview, Annie decides to go along. They can stay at her great-aunt’s inn, The Cheesehead Lodge. Sure, her family is a bit odd, and Annie is a ghost-whisperer. But they’ll only be there a few days – what could possibly happen?
The City of Shadows (Hardcover) – Book 5 in the Counterfeit Lady series. Elizabeth tries to convince her friends and family to help her con a con when she takes on a fake medium trying to fleece widows.
Cold Brew Corpse (Hardcover) – Book 2 in the Coffee Lover’s Mystery series. Lana has a chance to get back into journalism when she is asked to write about the murder of a local business person.
Debutante’s Code (Trade Paperback) – First in the new Thorndike and Swann Regency Mystery series. A young lady ready to debut in London discovers her parents are spies when they disappear and she tries to complete their last mission. This sounds fun!
How to Book a Murder (Hardcover) – First in the new Starlit Bookshop Mystery series. Emma agrees to plan a mystery-themed dinner for a wealthy friend, but the fun ends when someone is murdered.
A Nose for Mischief (e-book) – First in a new Riverbend K-9s series. Zoey finds herself unemployed and unemployable after the FBI raids her former employer. But she gets a fresh start working with a rescue dog – and an FBI Special Agent – in the Riverbend K-9 Academy. So when it looks like the FBI didn’t get the whole story in their raid, Zoey agrees to go back in undercover with her dog and Special Agent as back up. This sounds fun!
A Plus One for Murder (Mass Market Paperback) – First in a new Friend for Hire Mystery series. Emma is looking for a new business opportunity when a friend tells her she should become a companion/friend for hire. But when one of her first clients is murdered while they are together, Emma gets drawn into a mystery. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
Proposing Mischief (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Joplin Chronicles series. A farm girl looking for a way out of her circumstances finds something unexpected in an old mine shaft that draws her into a deal with the son of of the mining company owners that throws all of Joplin into a tizzy.
Renewed for Murder (Hardcover) – Book 6 in the Blue Ridge Library Mystery series. Amy’s Aunt Lydia begs for her help when Lydia’s best friend is accused of murder. But the woman isn’t helping herself any when she refuses to say why the dead woman was blackmailing her. I have this one on my review list.
Slip Stitched & Slayed (e-book) – Book 5 in the Knitty Kitties Mystery series. It’s Christmas time and Tessa has no room in her schedule for sleuthing why Santa dropped dead in the middle of the Christmas parade.
Stitched in Crime (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 2 in the Craft Fair Knitters Mystery series. Lia and the Ninth Street Knitters are investigating when a new crafter is killed.
What the Cat Dragged In (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Whitman Street Cat Café series. After a steamy night together, two cat rescue volunteers discover that he is her best friend’s brother. There’s no way they can keep seeing each other – but it also feels like they can’t possible walk away.
Without a Hitch (Trade Paperback) – A wedding planner looking for a way to make a name for herself takes on more high-end, over-the-top events. Based on real events in the lives of the authors.
Call Us What We Carry (Hardcover, poetry) – A poem collection by Amanda Gorman.

 

 

REVIEW: Blame It on the Mistletoe by Beth Garrod

REVIEW: Blame It on the Mistletoe by Beth Garrod

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Holly is the Christmas Queen, but with a break up on her mind and all the usual family Christmas traditions upended by her mother’s plans to have them move in with her boyfriend and his kids, Holly’s not sure this year will be very merry.

Elle is all about being an influencer. And what better time than Christmas for fun activities to build her follower count?

But when Elle agrees to do an Instagram challenge to gain 15,000 new followers – where all of the losers of the challenge have to delete their accounts – she knows she has to take Christmas to a whole new level.

So Elle and Holly find a way to switch homes for the holidays. Elle heads to Holly’s home in England while Holly heads to America. Each of them are determined to make this holiday unforgettable.

Review

This was billed as “Tweet Cute meets The Holiday,” so there was no way I was going to miss this one! I adored Tweet Cute, and The Holiday is one of my favorite Christmas movies.

This was a cute story. I enjoyed the different Christmas experiences and both of the girls in the story. There’s a lot here that was just plain fun – Christmas treats, Christmas sweaters, Christmas love.

I feel like some of the conflicts and story tension could have been stronger, with more punch. But this is a lot like a Hallmark film. You really just need a small moment to put everything in jeopardy so the audience gets the satisfaction of watching everything work out. And this delivers on that satisfying ending.

If you are looking for a fun, cozy holiday love story, be sure to check this one out.

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½ = Good+

REVIEW: The Wedding Ringer by Kerry Rea

REVIEW: The Wedding Ringer by Kerry Rea

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Berkley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Willow caught her best friend and fiancé in bed together, and it was like someone yanked a rug out from under her feet. Losing her fiancé was awful. But losing her best friend was devastating.

So yes, she’s lonely. Yes, she’s living in a spare room at her sister and sister-in-law’s house. She dresses up as a princess for birthday parties for spoiled brats. But that doesn’t mean she’s ready to be a friend for hire.

But Maisie is lonely and desperate. And she’s offering Willow big money to pretend to be her long-time friend and be a bridesmaid in her wedding.

The idea of anything wedding-related makes Willow want to throw up. But Maisie’s money could be just what she needs to leave town and make a fresh start somewhere new.

Review

This was so good! It’s like a fake relationship romance, except the fake relationship is a friendship. And bridesmaids for hire seems to be a thing we are hearing about more lately – I’ve seen that set up in a couple other books recently. And I love both “tropes,” so this was a must-read for me. But what makes this special – more than just a collection of story features I like – is the HUMOR! This literally made me laugh out loud. The writing is great as are the characters. Willow is dealing with her crushing losses with withdrawal and self-protection. But she’s still someone you empathize with. You long to see her find her way through the darkness to true friendship – and maybe even love.

This book really has everything I am looking for in a great story. I was completely in sync with these characters from the start. I loved the deep dive into friendship questions. Sure, there’s a romance I enjoyed. But the relationship between Willow and Maisie is the focus – and the star – of the novel. And I loved that. It’s also an identity story as Willow tries to find herself and re-define herself after her losses. And finally, this is FUNNY! Snappy and sarcastic and self-deprecating. And I loved it!

I highly recommend this one! (Language)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ = I loved it! Would re-read.