Tag: novellas

BONUS REVIEW: Botched Butterscotch by Amanda Flower

BONUS REVIEW: Botched Butterscotch by Amanda Flower

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Bailey is looking forward to spending time with her parents, especially considering it’s Mother’s Day weekend. Aiden’s mom has invited Bailey and her parents to a Mother’s Day brunch. And the ladies have tickets for a women’s tea that weekend as well.

The tea is a fundraiser for Abigail’s Farm, a program for women in recovery who have finished rehab. Going into it, Bailey assumes the riskiest thing about the tea is having Aiden’s match-making mother spend time with Bailey’s mom. But that’s before thousands of dollars are stolen in the middle of the fundraiser.

Review

This is the second novella in the Amish Candy Shop Mystery series by Amanda Flower. It’s considered book 4.5 in the full series. Book 5, Marshmallow Malice, will release at the end of May.

This was a fast read. Readers should note this is a novella, not a full length novel. There’s no murder, and the story is pretty straightforward. Series regulars like Juliet, Aiden’s mom; her pig, Jethro; and community leader Margot make appearances. The ladies at Abigail’s Farm and their neighbors are new characters for this story.

As this is a novella, there’s not the same pacing and suspense as you would find in a full book. I missed those elements. I like the twists and turns in a full length cozy. Fans of the series will want to check this out so you have all of the adventures for your favorite characters. There’s a new pig in this story that was a hoot! If you are more interested in  a regular mystery with Bailey and Aiden and the rest of the folks in Harvest, you don’t have to wait long.

Rating: ♥♥♥½

REVIEW: The Reluctant Royals series by Alyssa Cole

REVIEW: The Reluctant Royals series by Alyssa Cole

Posted on by Jaymie

A Princess in Theory

A grad school student doesn’t have time for scam emails telling her she’s betrothed to an African prince. But what if they aren’t a scam? Prince Thabiso has a chance to get to know Naledi thanks to a case of mistaken identity. And he likes what he learns. But there may be too much history between them and their families – not to mention his failure to tell her his true identity at first – for a relationship to work.

I loved this story! In some ways, it was typical with the secret identity which you know will come out and risk everything. But the characters were fresh and the science/disease piece of the story was fascinating. (Language, sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

 

A Duke by Default

Naledi’s best friend Portia has secured an internship with a sword maker in Scotland, but he’s abrasive and pushes her away every chance he gets. He doesn’t want her help for his armory. And he doesn’t want her to find out he’s the son of a duke! But Portia might turn out to be exactly what Tav needs – for his business AND his personal life.

I loved Portia! She’s really trying to do some work on her personality, and I loved ALL of it! It left me wanting more. My favorite of the three full-length books in the series. (Language, sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

 

Once Ghosted, Twice Shy (Novella)

Likotsi was in America while her boss, Prince Thabiso was wooing Naledi. And she enjoyed a romance of her own while there thanks to a dating app. But it didn’t last, and Likotsi left, brokenhearted. Now she’s back in New York, so of course she runs smack into the woman who broke her heart. Will the second meeting give them another chance at love or only more heartache?

This is the only piece in the series that I have not read yet.

 

Can’t Escape Love (Novella)

Portia’s younger sister, Regina, is a force to be reckoned with – both in life and in business. But the stress of her media enterprise is leaving her sleepless and exhausted. In the past, she had a live-streamer to listen to. His voice always soothed her and helped her sleep. But his archive has been deleted. If she can track him down, she’s prepared to do whatever it takes to get his voice back into her life. But she might discover the PERSON behind the voice is even better for her than the voice alone ever was.

Definitely read this one after A Duke by Default so you can avoid important spoilers. This is my favorite couple in the whole series. I absolutely adored this story and these characters. (Language, sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

 

A Prince on Paper

Naledi’s cousin Nya has been trying to shake off the trauma of her past and her controlling father. And a fake relationship with the step-prince of Liechtienbourg makes for the perfect distraction. But Nya’s past continues to stalk her, and Johan needs more help than just a fake fiancée. Their tenuous friendship might not survive their “engagement.”

I thoroughly enjoyed the psychological aspects to these particular characters, and really to the series as a whole.  There’s great character development (in every book) and the reader really gets to see where personal issues impact the romantic relationships. This one did not follow the same pattern as the first two full-length stories in the series, which I enjoyed – this felt fresh. (Language, sex, LGBTQ+ characters)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½