Category: Adult Fiction Reviews

REVIEW: Something in the Heir by Suzanne Enoch

REVIEW: Something in the Heir by Suzanne Enoch

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Theirs was a marriage of convenience. Emmeline offered to help William with his career in exchange for a whirlwind wedding to ensure she got to keep the family home. As the first to wed, she was guaranteed the house in the short term. To keep it, she needed to bear a child.

When that didn’t happen, Emmeline fed her family a series of… stories… about their son, Malcolm and daughter Flora, expecting (hoping) no one would ever find out the truth.

But now the family patriarch has called everyone to gather for his birthday. So Emmaline and Will need two children. Immediately. Preferably ones who know how to behave properly in society.

They have to settle for George and Rose, two orphans they take in on a “trial” basis. Once the family makes an appearance at the big birthday celebration, they should be off the hook forever more.

Review

This was an interesting story. Predictable in a lot of ways. There are no real surprises with this, except maybe the sheer number of lies the family resorts to over the course of the book. And the story is not really a romance in my opinion.

While William and Emmeline do discover a spark while they deal with her deception and their attempt to keep the house, most of it is conveyed in glances and internal observations for the two characters. It’s only a tiny piece of the larger story.

The salvation of this for me was how likable the children are – and Will and Emmie, too. And I especially enjoyed how the household staff responded to the situation.

If you like stories with endearing children and a ton of hijinks, you should definitely pick this up. If you are looking for a romance, this one may be a disappointment. Lower your expectations and focus on the family story instead, and you might get a kick out of this one.

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½ = Good+

REVIEW: Two Parts Sugar, One Part Murder by Valerie Burns

REVIEW: Two Parts Sugar, One Part Murder by Valerie Burns

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

Maddy’s always been a bit pampered and spoiled. But being stood up at the altar has left her feeling determined to build a life she can be proud of, and to stand on her own two feet. And her late great-aunt Octavia gives her a head start.

Octavia left Maddy a house, a bakery, and a dog in her will. Maddy has to stay in Michigan and run the business for a year before she can take full possession. And no matter how many times her father, the Admiral, tells her she can’t do it and should just give up and return home, Maddy wants to make it work.

When someone is murdered in the bakery, Maddy teams up with Octavia’s friends – the Baker Street Irregulars – to find a killer.

Review

This was delightful! I loved the whole cast of characters. These are people I would want as friends. The baked goods at Baby Cakes sound divine. The “voice” for the book is fantastic. The relationship between Maddy and her dad adds a fascinating layer to the story. (I can’t wait for a book where he comes to town!) This is the sort of set up – the community and the characters – that will put a new series on my must-buy list.

The book ended abruptly with a few questions still unanswered. While jarring, my assumption is that those will be picked up in the next book. The mystery here was good, and I’m eager to test my guesses on those remaining threads. I will absolutely be picking up the next book, both to see how things play out, and also to spend more time with these characters.

My only complaint was the use of the expression “deaf, dumb, and blind” twice in my review copy. That phrase has been out of fashion for decades since society determined that using “dumb” for mute was inappropriate.  Hopefully that will be addressed in final edits.

Mystery fans who love endearing animal characters, recipes, and mouth-watering descriptions of baked good in their cozy mysteries should snap this up right away!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ = I loved it! Would re-read

REVIEW: The Wedding Plot by Paula Munier

REVIEW: The Wedding Plot by Paula Munier

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Mercy Carr and her Malinois, Elvis, should be consumed with wedding festivities instead of reporting a dead body. But when the spa director at her grandmother’s destination wedding goes missing, Mercy says she’ll check things out. She gets more than she bargained for.

Pretty soon, it’s a toss up over which situation is more troublesome – the pre-wedding antics of the wedding party or the trail of violence that is centered around the resort. But Mercy and Elvis – and Troy and Sugar Bear – are on the case!

Review

This was outstanding!! Mercy and Troy are in a good relationship place in this one, and it sets a lovely tone for the whole book. The dogs are in excellent form here, as always. And the mystery is truly top notch. I even started taking notes, trying to put all the pieces together for myself. (Ended up about 50/50 on my guessing.)

I have enjoyed the Mercy and Elvis mysteries since book one, A Borrowing of Bones. For me, this is the best of the series (so far). In fact, I can say for certain that this will be one of my favorite books of 2022 when the year is done. This book has everything I love – great characters, brilliant plotting, and a quest that propels the characters and the reader forward. I read this start to finish in one day and enjoyed it all. Highly recommend!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥+++*

♥♥♥♥♥+++* = Best of the best

REVIEW: The Nova Incident by Dan Moren

REVIEW: The Nova Incident by Dan Moren

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Taylor is off-planet on personal business while Kovalic and the rest of the team are enjoying a little down time after their last mission [The Aleph Extraction] when a bomb goes off on Terra Nova – almost in front of Simon. And he sees someone in the crowd who should not be there.

But as the Special Projects Team tries to investigate, they run into roadblocks – both from the terrorists who set the bomb and the authorities. But Kovalic can’t shake what – who – he saw and what it might mean for his team – and their mission.

Review

Gah!! This is the best of this series so far! I loved all of this! There are some great surprises and an epic cliffhanger that left me stunned. I need the next book NOW! A few threads left open after Aleph go unmentioned here, leaving me to wonder how those pieces will tie into what happens going forward. Ack! This was excellent!

I can’t believe I have never reviewed one of these books on my blog – I looked! It’s a great sci-fi/spy series that’s a must buy/must read for me. I did a full re-read to prep for this, including the short stories, and it was the best idea I have had in awhile. It was great to get the full impact of the series at once. The stories, in order, are:

  • The Caledonian Gambit (considered a prequel or book 0 in the series) – ♥♥♥♥
  • “Pilot Error” (short story/deleted scenes) – ♥♥♥♥½
  • The Bayern Agenda – ♥♥♥♥
  • “Showdown” (short story/deleted scenes) – ♥♥♥♥½
  • The Aleph Extraction – ♥♥♥♥
  • “Homecoming” (short story) – ♥♥♥♥½
  • and now The Nova Incident

Not only did my re-read refresh my memory of the characters and their earlier adventures, but it was also a great way to appreciate how terrific this series is.

Readers should definitely read these in order. Caledonian was published by another publisher which is why it is considered a prequel, but I think it fills in some important details and shouldn’t be skipped. (I actually did skip it initially since Bayern was listed as “Book 1.” But all the way through I felt like I was missing context and backstory, which I don’t enjoy. )

This series is perfect for readers who love action/adventure and spy stories – as well as those who love science fiction. The spy thriller is primary – the setting is space and a galactic cold war with great futuristic tech. It’s a great fit for me. And this book, The Nova Incident, is the best of the series in my opinion. Highly recommend! (Language)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

♥♥♥♥½ = I loved it! Would re-read.

REVIEW: A Perilous Pal by Laura Bradford

REVIEW: A Perilous Pal by Laura Bradford

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

Emma’s newest client in her Friend for Hire business is Kim, a middle-aged woman whose husband left her for a younger woman. Kim’s children have recently “left the nest,” and she is feeling adrift. She reaches out to Emma out of desperation. She needs help finding some things to give her life meaning in this new season.

But when Kim’s ex is found dead, she’s the police’s first suspect. And when Emma inadvertently hands the police evidence against Kim, she becomes their ONLY suspect. And Emma is devastated.

If Emma is going to redeem herself after her mistake, save her new client from wrongful imprisonment, and salvage the burgeoning relationship she had with Deputy Riordan before this murder, she and her friends are going to need to start investigating.

Review

Another fun mystery in this cozy series! I loved the set up – Emma’s new client and the tie in with a murder. Emma continues to develop relationships with all of her clients while she works on Kim’s situation, and it’s all brilliantly woven together and kept in balance.

And then one other mystery, teased mid-book, also starts to swirl together, culminating in a final moment that had me exclaiming “No! I need more!” in the end. I cannot wait to dig into book 3 in the Friend for Hire series so I can see this extra tidbit play out completely!

Newcomers to this series should read these first two books in order just to enjoy the development of Emma’s business here at the start. Overall, I think the romance and character pieces will be more satisfying if read in order, but the mystery definitely stands on its own. I highly recommend this series. Observant readers will catch references to some of the author’s other series. Reading some of those books could be a great way to pass the time while waiting for book 3.

 

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

 

REVIEW: The Hookup Plan by Farrah Rochon

REVIEW: The Hookup Plan by Farrah Rochon

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

At the end of a successful 15 year reunion, London agrees to have a drink with Drew Sullivan, her high school nemesis. And the drink leads to a few more. Which leads to her spending the night. It was an amazing night, but what was she thinking?!

But when she finds out Drew is in town for work – and that work involves the possible sale of the hospital where she works – her animosity toward him reaches supernova levels.

But she can’t deny that they have chemistry. And she needs to blow off a lot of steam. So while she wants nothing to do with him at the hospital, she’s willing to meet him for a hookup now and again. And again. He’ll be leaving town soon enough, and she’ll be glad to be rid of him when the time comes.

Review

This was a fun, sexy story. A few surprises and a couple with great chemistry made this a nice wrap up to The Boyfriend Project series.

The set up of the hookup plan leads to a chunk of the book devoted to the physical relationship between Drew and London, especially in the early parts of the story. The author makes some creative choices in how she describes their encounters to keep them from falling into something repetitive. Then, as the story develops, extra layers are added to the relationship. While the personal growth Drew and London are working on felt like a lot smaller of a part of the book, I thoroughly enjoyed their journeys, both independently and as they helped each other along the way.

Fans of the series should absolutely pick up this third and final book of the series that launched when London and her new friends were first catfished. Readers who love a steamy “enemies” to lovers story should give this a try as well. I don’t know that you have to read these in order, although it does help to know about the inciting incident that led the women to become friends. (Language, sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great!

REVIEW: Booked on a Feeling by Jayci Lee

REVIEW: Booked on a Feeling by Jayci Lee

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Lizzy Chung is about to kick off the biggest trial of her life so far. But before she can get rolling on her opening argument, she has a panic attack and blacks out. When she comes to, Jack is there. Her best friend, always there when she needs him.

While Lizzy recovers and goes on to win her trial, there’s no joy in it. No sense of accomplishment. So she takes 3 weeks off in Weldon, where Jack lives. She’s staying in a studio apartment over a bookstore in need of some TLC. It will be just the break Lizzy needs.

Meanwhile, Jack is looking for purpose in his own life. He’s secretly applied for a job in LA, where he could be closer to Lizzy. But as Jack is preparing for his big move, Lizzy is wondering if LA is where she even belongs.

Review

I enjoyed this contemporary romance centered around a bookstore. The bookstore bits – and Lizzy’s love of checking things off a to do list – were delightful.  I also enjoyed the identity/self-discovery elements for both Lizzy and Jack. While the eventual conflict was no surprise, I did enjoy the individual character journeys, especially Lizzy’s which felt more developed.

Jack and Lizzy have great chemistry together. And the will-they-or-won’t-they progressed just far enough to be enjoyable and not dragged out.

This has a definite Hallmark movie feel. The pacing, the “predictable” conflict (not a complaint or judgement – just a description), the resolution follow a fairly standard layout. This can make for a satisfying “comfort” read.

Contemporary romance fans and fans of the series will want to pick this one up to see how things continue to develop for this community. You can read my review of book one, A Sweet Mess, here.

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½ = Good+

REVIEW: A Cold Nose for Murder by Jennifer Hawkins

REVIEW: A Cold Nose for Murder by Jennifer Hawkins

Posted on by Jaymie

[I didn’t have a kid’s or YA book to review today, so here’s a bonus adult book review. 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

Emma’s friends, Liza and Sam run the Roundhead, a pub and brewery in town. And they are planning an expansion. In a huge gathering of friends from the community, they are going to smash through a walled-off tunnel in the cellar. The tunnel is rumored to be a smuggler’s route from back in the day. Sam’s mom had insisted the tunnel be closed off to keep her kids from finding trouble down there.

Sure enough, when Sam and his son swing their sledgehammers through the wall, trouble is down there waiting. An expensive vintage motorcycle thought to be stolen decades ago – and human remains.

Now, the whole town is buzzing over the case. And Emma is using the clues her corgi, Oliver, sniffs up to help her find out the truth.

Review

This was a super twisty mystery! The characters in this are quite antagonistic. Usually a cozy hero is well-liked and appreciated. But most of the folks here are snarky about Emma’s “gossip” and nosiness if not downright angry and nasty. In some ways that’s probably more realistic. But it did make this hard to “enjoy” while reading.

The author does a nice job of working a cold case and a contemporary murder together. The two timelines helped “complicate” the mystery in such a way to keep the reader guessing all the way through.

Oliver is adorable once again. The plot of a talking corgi is so fun and well-executed in this series.

Newcomers can probably start here, but I found the first two books more enjoyable, so my recommendation would be to start at the beginning with To Fetch a Felon.

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½ = Good+

REVIEW: Holy Chow by David Rosenfelt

REVIEW: Holy Chow by David Rosenfelt

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Andy Carpenter knew Rachel Morehouse because she adopted a chow chow named Lion from his foundation/rescue. In fact, she had called him to talk about arrangements for Lion in case something ever happened to her. She was hoping her step-son would agree to take the dog, but Andy was her back up.

When Rachel died, it took a few days for the authorities to discover it was murder. By then, Andy had met her step-son, Tony, and he felt a connection to the case. When Tony is arrested, Andy agrees to represent him.

The prosecution’s case is solid, but circumstantial. And when Andy starts looking for other threads to pull, he’s drawn into a dizzying case. The question is if the things he discovers will be enough to convince a jury of Tony’s innocence.

Review

I have been an Andy Carpenter fan for years, but this new story hits a new high for me. I loved this! It drew me in right from the start. And it was a wild ride.  There were no slow spots – the pacing was perfect. I flew through this story, captivated by all of the twists and turns.

The wrap up was a little abrupt, but it felt like it was just a natural progression after the pace of the whole story. I was thrilled with the whole thing.

Series fans should not miss this new book. Readers who have enjoyed Rosenfelt’s K-Team series will see the team help in this story, too, so they should pick this up as well. I think newcomers could start here – I read my first Andy Carpenter by picking up something mid-series and had no issues following it. This would be an excellent starting place for this great series.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ – Outstanding!

REVIEW: Eclipse the Moon by Jessie Mihalik

REVIEW: Eclipse the Moon by Jessie Mihalik

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

The crew of Starlight’s Shadow is in a holding pattern while they try to get answers about the people behind the job they just finished in Valovian space (Hunt the Stars). And since Tavi and Torran had a new relationship to distract them, they weren’t as antsy about the delay as Kee was. But as their information person, Kee was frustrated by the lack of progress.

Kee decides to take a room for a few weeks at Bastion to get closer access to the information they need. The space station should be busy enough to allow her some anonymity.

The time away should also give Kee emotional space from Varro, the Valovian weapons specialist who  makes her heart race. He’s been abundantly clear that he doesn’t feel the same way about Kee. So she’s grateful for some space from him, too.

But Varro shows up on Bastion, insisting on watching her back and keeping her safe. And before long, things are so out of hand, she’s grateful to not be working alone.

Review

This is a great second book in the Starlight’s Shadow series, full of will-they-or-won’t-they romantic tension, political intrigue, and danger. It was a delight to spend more time with these characters again!

I think Tavi’s story in Hunt the Stars was a better fit for me than Kee’s, but I enjoyed getting to know Kee better. You really get a feel for how her skills have been so helpful to the crew. And there’s a great emphasis here on Kee and her resilience when some might dismiss her that I really enjoyed.

There’s a lot of back and forth with Varro – miscommunications, misunderstandings, assumptions – that helps draw out the tension between them. The resolution of their back and forth was satisfying.

What’s not satisfying is the political situation. We wrap up this book with tons of new questions but not many answers. So I would like to have book 3 in my hands right. now! I think it’s likely that the focus of the next book will be the two members of the crew off working another angle during the action of Eclipse the Moon. And I am here for their story! The glimpses from Hunt the Stars reminded me of the main characters of Aurora Blazing, book 2 in the Consortium Rebellion series (♥♥♥♥½), which I adored.

I think these are best read in order, especially for the world building and the political plot development. Science fiction/romance fans should not miss this series! (Language, sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.