I am a Christian, a retired teacher, a mother and a grandmother. I love to read and I love the Lord Jesus Christ! Unless otherwise specified ,all visual illustrations are from the YOU VERSION APP of the Bible.
Publisher: Montlake Published: July 2023 ASIN: B0BHJNS8T6
Women’s Fiction Novel
New York Times bestselling author Carolyn Brown’s bighearted novel about family, secrets, small-town Texas romance, and—with a little bit of luck—starting over.
Family doesn’t mean everyone has to like each other. That’s the case when cousins Taryn, Anna Rose, and Jorja return to Shamrock, Texas, to help manage their grandmother’s flower shop, the Lucky Shamrock. The reunion isn’t exactly a beautiful arrangement—considering they’re as compatible as ranchers and coyotes.
Thank heaven for a handsome go-between like Clinton, who lives above the shop. The easygoing war vet, and most eligible bachelor in Wheeler County, is now throwing romance into the mix and setting the local women to gossiping. But as the hot months wear on, hidden secrets begin to surface for the temperamental Irish trio. And it’s bringing them closer together than they ever thought possible.
With a flurry of weddings, a love story in the making, a surprise baby, and crazy good fortune, maybe that shamrock painted on the window does bring luck. Because for Taryn, Anna Rose, and Jorja, this could be the summer that’ll change their lives forever.
My Thoughts
This is a fun read about family, relationships, life in a small town, and hidden secrets that have to be told in order to move forward. Three cousins move to Shamrock, Texas, in order to manage their grandmother’s florist shop. Nana Irene was their rock when they were growing up and when she tells them that she needs their help, they reluctantly come to her aid. Their reluctance is nothing to do with Nana Irene and a lot to do with the fact that the three of them get along about like siblings would. Taryn, Jorja and Anna Rose throw themselves into the work at the florist shop while also hiding secrets from their pasts that have influenced how they currently approach life. The characters are well developed and relatable, with plenty of drama and humorous dialogue between them. The plot is centered around their revealing their secrets and resolving the past so that they can move on to a more hopeful future. This book is top quality entertainment from beginning to end, with chuckles and guffaws resulting from many of their antics. I especially enjoyed the resolution of their contentious relationships as well as of their secrets. The plot moved along quickly and was engaging as well as insightfully thought-provoking at times. This is a remarkably well-written book that has a compelling, multi-layered plot and captivating characters. Along with the setting of a small town in Texas where everybody knows everybody else, this is a charming book that had me laughing out loud as well as saddened by what had happened to the young women when they were younger. The dynamic characters and the brilliant plot made this one of my favorite southern fiction books ever! Disclaimer Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
Rated PG due to content
About the Author
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Carolyn Brown was born in Texas and raised in southern Oklahoma. These days she and her husband make their home in Davis, Oklahoma, a small town of less than three thousand people where everyone knows everyone, knows what they are doing and with whom, and read the weekly newspaper to see who got caught. A plaque hangs on her office wall that says I know the voices are not real but they have such great ideas. That is her motto and muse as she goes through the days with quirky characters in her head, telling their stories, one by one, and loving her job. She has been married almost half a century to a retired English teacher that she calls Mr. B and he does not read her books before they are published because she cannot afford a divorce. They have three grown children.—and enough grandchildren to keep them busy and young. When Carolyn is not writing she likes to sit in the back yard and watch the two tom cats protect the yard from all kinds of wicked varmints like crickets, other cats, spiders and blue jays. Photo, author info and book info are from the author’s website at CarolynBrownBooks.com
Minerva Jane Jenkins has spent her entire married life in the mountains of Kentucky, surviving but not thriving. Her husband Stately made her promise him to keep a secret and in keeping that secret, she has isolated herself from the rest of the world. Then a young reporter named Del Rankin comes along and turns her safe shelter upside down with his revelations about the past and his hope for her future. This is a book that left me emotionally drained as I identified with poor Minerva and her profound faith and determination to keep a promise no matter the cost to herself. The characters are fascinating and richly developed, with authentic dialogue from Appalachia and authentic details about survival there. This is a well-crafted story with multiple layers and a thought-provoking look at accepting and forgiving others. I really enjoyed the southern flavor of this tale and the down-home goodness of Minerva even when she was sorely wronged. As she is approaching what she knows will be the end of her days, she continues to keep her promise to her husband but she also finds a love that she never realized she had missed so much. The story is captivating, original and gut-wrenching at times as Minerva faces the truth of her past and grasps a future that is all too short because of her advanced age. I enjoyed the feel of community when the people rallied around her and I really liked the character of Del and what a dynamic person he was. He came for one purpose and stayed for another higher one, making him remarkable and believably lovable. I also liked the homestead itself that became like a character on its own, with its broken doors and kudzu vines that took over part of Minerva’s land. Finally, I liked getting to know the heart of Minerva and what made her keep a promise for so many years, how much she loved her dog Satchel and how much love she had to give to others. This story of redemption and hope is filled with inspiration and is an eye-opening look at how the elderly should be revered and cared for. Disclaimer Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
When Minerva Jane Jenkins was just 14 years old, she married a man who moved her to the mountains. He carried with him a small box, which he told her was filled with gold. And when he died 50 years later, he made her promise to keep his secret. She is to tell no one about the box or the treasure it contains.
Now 94, Minerva is nearing the end of what has sometimes been a lonely life. But she’s kept that secret. Even so, rumors of hidden gold have a way of spreading, and Minerva is visited by a reporter, Del Rankin, who wants to know more of her story. His friend who joins him only wants to find the location of the gold. Neither of them knows quite who they’re up against when it comes to the old woman on the mountain.
As an unlikely friendship develops, Minerva is tempted to reveal her secret to Del. After all, how long is one bound by a promise? But the truth of what’s really buried in the box may be hidden even from her.
My Thoughts
Minerva Jane Jenkins has spent her entire married life in the mountains of Kentucky, surviving but not thriving. Her husband Stately made her promise him to keep a secret and in keeping that secret, she has isolated herself from the rest of the world. Then a young reporter named Del Rankin comes along and turns her safe shelter upside down with his revelations about the past and his hope for her future. This is a book that left me emotionally drained as I identified with poor Minerva and her profound faith and determination to keep a promise no matter the cost to herself. The characters are fascinating and richly developed, with authentic dialogue from Appalachia and authentic details about survival there. This is a well-crafted story with multiple layers and a thought-provoking look at accepting and forgiving others. I really enjoyed the southern flavor of this tale and the down-home goodness of Minerva even when she was sorely wronged. As she is approaching what she knows will be the end of her days, she continues to keep her promise to her husband but she also finds a love that she never realized she had missed so much. The story is captivating, original and gut-wrenching at times as Minerva faces the truth of her past and grasps a future that is all too short because of her advanced age. I enjoyed the feel of community when the people rallied around her and I really liked the character of Del and what a dynamic person he was. He came for one purpose and stayed for another higher one, making him remarkable and believably lovable. I also liked the homestead itself that became like a character on its own, with its broken doors and kudzu vines that took over part of Minerva’s land. Finally, I liked getting to know the heart of Minerva and what made her keep a promise for so many years, how much she loved her dog Satchel and how much love she had to give to others. This story of redemption and hope is filled with inspiration and is an eye-opening look at how the elderly should be revered and cared for. Disclaimer Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
Many thanks to Revell and to the author! I had the privilege of being on her launch team and received an early ARC from Revell via Netgalley, also. What a blessing to read and review this amazing and insightful book!
Author: Katie Garner On Sale June 27, 2023 Publisher: MIRA Paperback Original ISBN 978-0778334453
Book Summary: “Disarmingly sensory, with plot twists that are sure to give readers whiplash, Garner has done a phenomenal job of giving us just enough information to think we know where the story is going, only to pull the rug out from under us—over and over again. A nail-bitingly spectacular debut!” —Amanda Jayatissa, author of You’re Invited Finding the truth seems impossible when her own dark past has her seeing lies everywhere she looks… From the outside, criminal psychiatrist Dr. Madeline Pine’s life appears picture-perfect–she has a beautiful family, a successful mental health practice and a growing reputation as an expert in female violence. But when she’s called to help investigate a mysterious death at a boarding school for troubled girls, Madeline hesitates. She’s been through tragic cases before, and the one she was entangled in last year nearly destroyed her… Yet she can’t turn away when she hears about Charley Ridley. After the girl was found shoeless and in pajamas at the bottom of an icy ravine on campus, the police ruled it a tragic accident. But the private investigator hired by her mother has his doubts. And if it were Madeline’s daughter who died, she’d want to know why.
Arriving at the secluded campus in upstate New York, Madeline’s met by an unhelpful skeleton staff and the four other students still on campus during winter break. Each seems to hold a piece of the puzzle. And everyone has secrets–Madeline included. But who would kill to protect them? Intertwining the narrative with the transcript of an anonymous interview, this stunning suspense debut from Katie Garner will take you on a twisting path where nothing–and no one–is what it seems.
My Thoughts
The story of a teen who dies at her private school campus is completely mesmerizing, as the story weaves from one deceptive character to another and I tried to guess who was being honest. Dr. Madeline Pine’s life is falling apart, with her husband leaving and taking their daughter Izzy with him. So when private detective Matt requests her assistance in finding out what happened to the deceased student, she accepts the invitation and is drawn into a dark and mysterious world where even the school has secrets. The characterization was spot on for the eerie atmosphere and the mystery was twisted with lots of clues being painstakingly revealed slowly. The book got increasingly creepy as more secrets were revealed and was breathtakingly complex. This is in intense, intriguing story that challenged me to figure out the mystery as well as who was trustworthy among the cast of possible suspects. It is an edgy and remarkable debut novel that is tightly plotted and well-crafted with multiple layers. The surprise ending was shocking and well as thought-provoking; it’s a kind of “wait for it” book that had me guessing incorrectly all the way until the end. I will definitely look forward to more from this author! Disclaimer Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
Rated M for mature audiences. Includes violence, language, and psychological twists that could be disturbing.
About the Author
Author Bio: Katie Garner was born in New York and grew up in New Jersey. She has a degree in Art History from Ramapo College and is certified to teach high school Art. She hoards paperbacks, coffee mugs, and dog toys and can be seen holding at least one of those things most of the time. Katie lives in a New Jersey river town with her husband, baby boy, and shih-poo where she writes books about women and their dark, secret selves. The Night It Ended is her debut novel.
Excerpt
Friday, December 16 I’m speeding home when the phone rings, persistent and angry, demanding to be heard. I know I should answer it, even though I want nothing more than to throw it out the window. I could let the call slide into voice mail, delete it, never hear the voice on the other side. But I can’t. I jerk to the side of the icy road to a chorus of blaring horns, dig the phone out from the cavernous tote bag resting on the passenger seat beside me. The phone is sleek and black, brand-new—opposite of the cracked, chunky white one I’m used to shoving in my back pocket. A sweet little chime and the ringing ends. 1 new voice mail. Quickly, I glance in the side mirror. Car exhaust melts away into the morning winter sky. Nothing is behind me, nothing but air. I exhale a deep sigh of relief, press the phone to my ear. “H-hi, this message is for Dr. Madeline Pine—” A siren wails in the distance. The phone slips through my fingers, lands mutely in my lap. A knot swells in my throat. I glance in the side mirror again, feel my heart pound, each breath shrinking to tiny gasps. The sirens near. An emergency vehicle speeds past. It’s only an ambulance. My body wilts. I take a deep breath. In. Out. The knot in my throat loosens. I hate the person I’ve become. I’ve never been this nervous, this afraid, anxiety and fear clinging to my every move. I wish I could escape—step into someone else’s life, if only for a moment. Just twelve short months ago everything was different. I was different. Any other December, I would’ve been home, prepping for the holidays, shopping online for last-minute deals on things none of us needed. My husband, Dave, would be staying too late at work, his dinner wrapped in a blanket of aluminum foil, kept warm on the stove. My teenage daughter, Izzi, would be upstairs in her room, scrolling noiselessly through her phone, feet kicked up on the bed behind her. The house would’ve hummed with the steady softness of disjointed home life, but instead here I am, lurched to the side of the road, the air frigid in the tiny cabin of my car, listening to a voice mail I never thought I’d hear. I replay the message: “H-hi, this message is for Dr. Madeline Pine. If you get this, I’m Matthew Reyes, a private investigator working on behalf of a family. Listen, I was hoping you could please call me back at this number, I—I’d really appreciate it. We have a sixteen-year-old female who died on school property. The police believe it’s an accident, but the mother hired me to be sure. The girl was found at the bottom of a hill. No witnesses. I thought you might be able to help—given your expertise. Please call me back. Thanks.” I repeat his words in my head. The girl was found at the bottom of a hill—I can picture it, picture her. She’s there, fallen sideways, her body splashed across the woodland floor. Moss and stones, skin and blood, leaves and twigs. I don’t know her, but I don’t have to. I already feel as if she were mine.
The man who left the voice mail, Matthew Reyes, has a voice both gravelly and weary, and I know what he wants the moment he mentions the school. Police often believe they can demand anything they want and get it immediately—even psychological evaluations—but it takes time to gain trust from strangers, and even more time to tease out the truth. Especially from teenage girls. I start weighing my options. I’m not sure I’m capable of this, of anything. Especially after last year…especially after what just happened in that too-hot office during this morning’s disastrous therapy session. My face flushes at the memory of the woman who’d been sitting cross-legged in front of me. Her beautiful face. Her pink silk shirt blurring out of focus. Her condescending tone—as though the therapy sessions weren’t all for her benefit to begin with. That’s what I have to remind myself. That’s what I have to hold on to. They’re for her. Not me. I’m the one who’s fine. I should be taking comfort in that, taking comfort in the fact that I never have to see her beautiful face again, never have to be reminded of— It’s over. I didn’t have a choice before. Now I do. I have lots of choices. An avalanche of choices. My life before today was preprogrammed for me. Not anymore. I fixed it. Tears slip down my cheeks. I bite them back, strangle the phone in my lap, squeeze it so tight I wonder how it fails to snap in two. Choices. Possibilities. My mind whirls as I punch the gas, merge into traffic, race home. I run inside, slam the door, bolt the lock. Gazing around my gloom-infested house, I shrivel back as wind blows branches of a nearby tree, scraping the side of the house like fingernails. Peering at the bulging paper bag of prescriptions on the kitchen island, my eyes prick with tears. My glasses fog. I take them off, rub the lenses clean on my turtleneck. After so many months, the pills should be working. I should stop taking them altogether. Just throw them all in the toilet, flush them down, watch them whirl around the porcelain bowl. I think of words my daughter, Izzi, said to me: Mom, please just stop. Stop. I don’t know the person I’ve become, too empty, too full, all at once. I need to change. I want to be different. Every day, I think of ways I can be. It can still happen. I’m free now. I have choices now, possibilities. Maybe it’s never too late to change everything. Maybe I just need to escape. Besides, wiggle room is all it takes for a snake to get out of its skin. The phone rings again. I snuff the urge to hurl it across the room before glancing at the screen. It’s the same number as before. The same number as the voice mail. I hold my breath and answer. “Hello?” “Hello—is this Dr. Madeline Pine?” “Um—yes. It is.” My heart thuds. “Who’s this?” A sigh of relief, deep and heavy, into the phone. “This is private investigator Matthew Reyes. Thank you so much for answering, Dr. Pine. I—I know it’s a chaotic time of year and you’re probably busy with family but…would you be able to make a trip up to Iron Hill?” “I—I don’t know where that is.” “It’s about two hours north of Poughkeepsie. Upstate New York.” “Right, okay.” Far. Very far. Too far for my ailing car to make it. I know I should just buy a new one, but I can’t. My husband Dave always said the color perfectly matched my eyes. Now I can’t even remember the last time we looked at each other. “So, are you busy this weekend?” Reyes asks, then pauses. “I mean, you’re sure you don’t mind ditching your family right before the holidays?”
“When you put it that way, it sounds horrible.” Awkward laugh. “But, um, my husband and daughter aren’t home now, anyway—they’ve gone away to visit my in-laws.” “You have no idea how grateful I’d be if you could make it,” he says, sounding hopeful. I don’t know what he looks like, but I can imagine him smiling. “I mean, I’ve been calling around to different psychologists all day, and—well, it should only be for a couple of days. You’d definitely be back by Christmas, the latest.” I wince, feel a surge of sorrow. I’m too embarrassed to admit that Dave and Izzi have no intention of spending the holidays with me this year. It’s what I deserve after what I did. “I’m sorry,” I say, “please refresh my memory. Have we ever met? You said you’re a private investigator hired by the victim’s—er, the deceased’s—family?” “Yes, I mean, we haven’t met, but I read about the work you did on the Strum case last year. I believe one of the victims was around the same age as our current victim. And I pulled up your book online—Dark Side: A Psychological Portrait of the Criminal Female Mind. You specialize in women. Just so happens the case is at an all-girls boarding school.” My stomach clenches. Focus. Deep breath. I shift my gaze to the calendar hanging in the kitchen. I don’t even know why I bother to keep one anymore. I have the same schedule now, week in, week out. Before, the month of December would’ve been filled with holiday office parties, Izzi’s end-of-year school activities, Dave’s plans for winter break, which I’d always beg him to change. I glance up. Friday, December 16. This morning’s therapy session slashes across my mind again. I see her face. Blank, empty. Her lips begin to curl around a word. I see myself in the reflection of her eyes. I’m close. Closer. I swallow hard. “The, um, the students don’t go home for the holidays?” I ask, slumping down to the floor. “Winter break is Saturday, the tenth to New Year’s. A few students stayed behind.” Reyes pauses. “The students who either couldn’t travel for various reasons or chose not to go home.” I lean the back of my head against the wall. Reyes continues. “The school is asking me to wrap up my investigation before students and staff return January 2.” “Okay…” He senses my discomfort, keeps talking. “Please. Please say yes. You mentioned you have a daughter. How would you feel if it were her?” he asks. “If she was found dead, you’d want closure, right? To be sure everything was done by the book and no stone was left unturned.” My stomach flips. “Of course I would.” “So, please. Please say you’ll help.” I think of my daughter, Izzi, the lengths I’d go to if she was found at the bottom of a hill. Even if it was an accident, I’d want to know why. I’d want to know how she got there. If she was alone. Afraid. Or if someone else was responsible. I’d want to know. I’d find them, I’d— “I don’t know if I can do this,” I confess. I shut my eyes, see her face again, legs crossed, sitting prim in that too-hot office, the heat blasting, the furniture too big for the tiny space. I tug at the neck of my sweater, suddenly tight, see my reflection in her eyes—close, so close. No. Stop. I suck up a big breath, blow it all out. “I don’t know if you’re aware, but after that case last year—” My voice cracks. “The Strum case?” A note of curiosity in Reyes’s question. “Yeah. Since then, things have been difficult. I ended up taking some time off—” “I—I wasn’t aware. I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine. It just—it makes cases like this difficult.” “Oh—” “But before I say yes or no, can you give me an overview? What, exactly, I’ll be doing when I get there? I want to be sure I know what I’m stepping into.” Reyes lets out a breath. “Yeah—yes, of course,” he says, a hint of desperation in his voice. “Well, it happened at a private, all-girls boarding school called Shadow Hunt Hall. They have a very small student body on a very large campus. It’s densely wooded and incredibly isolated. It’s one of those ‘back-to-nature, no technology on campus’ sort of places. The girls are mostly… I guess the best word for it is—troubled?” “Isn’t that the best kind of girl?” “Uh, here,” he says, ignoring my attempt at a joke. “I’ll send you some info.” I glance at the screen, see he’s texted a link to the school’s website. I tap it open, swipe down the page. The school is ancient. Giant and stone, with iron gates and actual turrets, like a possessed fairy-tale castle. The curriculum looks interesting. Definitely nontraditional. It’s all music and arts and dance. I skim the mission statement: We believe in a holistic, individual approach to learning and rehabilitation, focusing on a curriculum centered on nature, group trust, and a healthy mind-body connection. Code words for no junk food or internet. Reyes waits patiently on the other end as I peruse the site. I click on the Tuition & Financial Aid page and flinch. A single term is more than twice the down payment we put on the house. “You there? Dr. Pine?” I lick my lips. “I’m here.” He pauses. “I’m having trouble getting any of the students to even talk to me,” he admits. “That’s why I need you.” I think of Izzi, chewing on her fingernails, avoiding eye contact when I ask how her day went. Ever since she started high school it’s been all one-word answers—good, fine—before she’d bound upstairs, not to be seen again until dinner. So I can’t imagine how the girls at this boarding school would react to a male private investigator showing up out of nowhere, prodding them with questions right after their classmate died. No doubt they’d recoil, want nothing to do with him. “Okay… I’ll help you,” I whisper.
It has been almost a year since the horrible accident that only took the life of Lori Mendenhall’s teenage son but also stole eight years of memories from her due to traumatic brain injury. Now she is returning home- but her life is nothing like she remembered. Her daughter is distant, and her once-loving husband is a workaholic she isn’t sure she can trust. As memories begin to resurface, Lori begins to wonder if the life she can’t remember is one she’d rather forget.
My Thoughts
The trigger warnings at the beginning of the book need to be taken seriously as there are some very heavy topics in this book, including the death of a child, adultery, abuse and divorce. The main characters are Lori, the mom who has lost her memory and is struggling to regain it, and Avery, the twin sister of Austin who was killed in a tragic car accident. This is not by any means an uplifting story, but it is engaging. I did not like most of the characters because they mostly seemed manipulative, although they were well-developed and dynamic. I did like Lori and felt bad for all she had been through but my favorite character was Avery. She tugged at all of my heart strings as she tried to maneuver her way through the minefield of loss and her parents’ broken marriage. This is definitely not a book for young teens because the topics are for more mature readers. Even some adults might find it difficult to read this book because it explores such difficult and heart-rending subjects. That being said, I did enjoy the book and its Christian message for seeking and finding hope amidst the rubble that sometimes is life. The central focus is that life is not predictable and you have to hold on tightly to faith in order to come out the other side of some of the dark tunnels. That being said, I will say that the darkness is emphasized here and the hope is revealed slowly, so I had to wait for it, expecting things to turn around, which they eventually did. I applaud the author for her sensitive writing about such hard topics and recommend this book for those looking for emotional release in a book…this one has all the feels, including an ultimately hopeful ending. Disclaimer Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
This book should not be read by anyone who is bothered by the triggers listed in my review. The topics are heavy and dealt with sensitively, but they are a major part of the book, making it not appropriate for all readers.
About the Author
Prone to wander, Janine Rosche finds as much comfort on the open road as she does at home. This longing to chase adventure, behold splendor, and experience redemption is woven into her Madison River Romance series. When she isn’t writing or traveling, she teaches family life education courses to college students, takes too many pictures of her sleeping dogs, and embarrasses her four children and husband with boy band serenades. Photo and Bio are from the author’s website at http://www.janinerosche.com
Wow! My reaction to this book is just go get it and read it for yourself because it is amazing! There are three female protagonists, all searching for happy and fulfilled lives but not really knowing how they expect to find it. Heather has a successful business but is afraid of love, even though she really does have deep feelings for Campbell but she is terrified of commitment. Tori is happily involved in a non-couple relationship with Grant and her walls come tumbling down (literally and figuratively) when she has to share a house with him after their condos flood. Finally, there is Daphne, a mom, a lawyer and a stepmom who is doing a good job of juggling all of her responsibilities, but what she really wants is her own baby with her husband Brody. All of the characters are friends which makes for some very interesting dynamics and advice giving. I thoroughly enjoyed the interactions between the characters and really enjoyed reading about Heather’s coping strategies (hint: it involves kittens). The characters were so realistic that I wanted to shake a few of them to get them to move away from the familiar and take a chance on love. I also wanted to kick Heather’s mom Amber to the moon and just let her stay there because she is thoroughly annoying and needy in a not so pleasant way. Like I said, the characters are completely realistic and present a fascinating character study of young women learning to be independent career women as well as capable of developing a lasting relationship. The plot moves smoothly and although it is plenty complicated with lots of the most intriguing kind of drama, it is easy to follow and laugh-aloud funny at times. The author knows how to tell a story that is captivating while also sparkling with romance. The end result is a powerful story that is delightfully readable. With characters that are rich and relatable and a plot that is brilliantly compelling, this is a book not to be missed. Because who doesn’t need a “happiness plan”? Disclaimer Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I also received a hard copy from the author as part of her review team. I was not required by anyone to write a positive review, and all opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
Rated PG
About the Author
SUSAN MALLERY is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of novels about the relationships that define women’s lives—family, friendship, romance. Library Journal says, “Mallery is the master of blending emotionally believable characters in realistic situations,” and readers seem to agree—40 million copies of her books have sold worldwide. Her warm, humorous stories make the world a happier place to live. Susan grew up in California and now lives in Seattle with her husband. She’s passionate about animal welfare, especially that of the ragdoll cat and adorable poodle who think of her as mom.
Many thanks to MIRA BOOKs and to the author for the advanced copy to read and review. This is a delightfully funny and uplifting book that includes some fantastic recipes at the end!
Title: Her Only Wish, #2 By: Shelley Shepard Gray Format: Paperback Number of Pages: 304 Vendor: Revell Publication Date: 2023 Dimensions: 8.50 X 5.50 (inches) Weight: 9 ounces ISBN: 0800741684 ISBN-13: 9780800741686
Sheltered yet adventurous, Betsy Detweiler is on a mission to get out of Kentucky and experience new things in life. She’s got a list–a life list. What better place to start than with her friends in beautiful Pinecraft, Florida?
From the moment Betsy walks into the Snow Bird Golf Course to sign up for lessons, August Troyer is mesmerized. Betsy is a mass of contradictions–beautiful yet awkward, outgoing yet unsure, joyful yet hesitant. She’s like no one he’s ever met before, and as the only child of missionary parents, he’s met a lot of people.
As Betsy and August embark on a month of enjoying life to the fullest, they’ll encounter several reasons to back off and play it safe. But playing it safe has its own consequences. This tender romance reminds us that life–and love–requires a fair amount of risk.
My Thoughts
This is an uplifting story of an Amish girl who has a health problem but is determined that it won’t stop her from fulfilling her “life list.”When Betsy arrives in Pinecraft to spend a month, she has goals that she plans to carry out, including learning how to swim and how to play golf. Having been sheltered all of her life because of her health issues with her lungs, Betsy wants to live life to the fullest and sets out to do so. At the golf course, she meets golf instructor August Troyer, a kind young man who is willing to teach her. Coincidentally, she also meets a young woman who will give her private swim lessons. Betsy’s life has been filled with “no’ and in this book, she finally discovers people who tell her “yes” and encourage her to reach for her dreams. I really enjoyed the story because it was positive and upbeat as well as realistically possible. The characters were well-developed and relatable, with regular flaws and problems of everyday life. The story moved along quickly and although many of the plot elements were predictable, there were a few twists along the way that kept the story interesting and engaging. Pinecraft is such a perfect setting for the story, with its beach and tourist attractions adding to the realism. This is a quick read and a light romance, clean Amish fiction that inspires as it entertains. Although this is book #2 in the series called “A Season in Pinecraft”, it can easily and enjoyably be read as a standalone. Highly recommend! Disclaimer Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
Clean Christian Fiction
About the author
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Shelley Shepard Gray writes Amish and Inspirational romances for Simon & Schuster, and Kensington, Harlequin, and contemporary women’s fiction for Blackstone Publishing. With over a million books in print, and translated into more than a dozen languages, her novels have been Holt Medallion winners and Inspirational Readers Choice and Carol finalists. Shelley has been featured in the Philadelphia Enquirer, Washington Post, Time Magazine, and USA Today. She has also been interviewed on NPR as well as numerous regional radio stations. Publishers Weeklycalls her Walnut Creek series “A slow-burning, enjoyable romance… Embedded in this quaint story is a poignant message about the importance of community, compassion, and doing what’s right rather than what’s easy.” Shelley has hosted several well-attended ‘Girlfriend Getaways’ for Amish reading fans. Her most recent Girlfriend Getaway, hosted with bestselling novelists Amy Clipston and Suzanne Woods Fisher in Sugarcreek, Ohio, was filmed by BuzzFeed and highlighted on NetFlix’s Follow Thisepisode on the popularity of Amish fiction. Before writing romances, Shelley lived in Texas and Colorado, where she taught school and earned her bachelor’s degree in English literature and later obtained her master’s degree in educational administration. She now lives in southern Colorado near her grown children, walks her dachshunds, bakes too much, and writes full time.
Grace Holloway keeps to herself. Since narrowly escaping death at the hands of the man who kidnapped her, she’s thrown herself into the small inn she runs in Rock Harbor, Maine. It’s quiet, quaint and, in the off-season, completely isolated—the perfect place for Grace to keep her own secrets.
But Grace isn’t the only one with something to hide, and Rock Harbor isn’t just a sleepy vacation town. Someone is taking young women—girls who look an awful lot like Grace did when she was kidnapped so many years ago.
When a surge of disappearances brings the investigation to her door, Grace finds herself unwillingly at the center of it all and doing everything she can to keep her distance. Because Grace knows something…something that could change everything. And when the truth comes to light, getting justice for the vanished might be more than Grace can handle alone…
My Thoughts:
This is a book with a dark and twisted plot and characters with different storylines that merge together slowly and methodically. There is the man whose father has disappeared who returns home to Maine to look for him. There is the mother whose daughter has vanished from the red light district in the small town of Rock Harbor Maine. And finally, there is the woman hiding from the world with a secret past that holds all of the events in the book together. This book is a slow burn, but what a burn it is! I was entranced with the mechanics of finding out how everything fit together, just like a puzzle and the author does a masterful job of weaving the story around the character of Grace, the woman hiding away from her devastating past. I really enjoyed the characterization and the eerie tone of the book that was like reading a novel that I just knew something bad was going to happen soon. Cue the music for the old horror films and move on to the next chapter! This was an amazingly well-written book that drew me into its spider web of secrets and kept me trapped there (albeit willingly) until the satisfying and brilliant conclusion. Having read this author’s former books, I kind of knew what to expect, but THE VANISHING HOUR takes her style and genius to a next level in a way that was magical and completely engaging. My heart was in my throat at times as I waited for the next surprising twist…no disappointment here, just sheer amazement at how sharp and addictive the writing was! Disclaimer Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
This is adult fiction, in the genre of a thriller. Rated M for mature audiences.
About the Author:
Seraphina Nova Glass is a professor and playwright-in-residence at the University of Texas, Arlington, where she teaches film studies and playwriting. She holds an MFA in playwriting from Smith College, and she’s also a screenwriter and award-winning playwright. Seraphina has traveled the world using theatre and film as a teaching tool, living in South Africa, Guam and Kenya as a volunteer teacher, AIDS relief worker, and documentary filmmaker.
In 1881, Jacci Reed is only five years old when a man attempts to kidnap her from the steamboat her mother, Irena, works on. Badly wounded during the confrontation, Irena takes Jacci aboard the Kingston Floating Palace, a showboat tied up beside them. There, Jacci’s actor grandfather tends to her mother, and Jacci gets a first taste of the life she will come to lead.
Fifteen years later, Jacci is an actress aboard that same showboat and largely contented with her adopted family of actors, singers, and dancers. Especially Gabe, who has always supported her, and the gruff grandfather she has come to know and love. Jacci’s mother has been gone for years, but the memory of the altercation that ultimately took her life—and the cryptic things Jacci has overheard about her past—is always there, lurking in the back of her mind.
When someone on the showboat tries to kill Jacci, it’s clear her questions demand answers. But secrets have a way of staying in the shadows . . . and the answers she craves will not come easily. (From the author’s website at http://www.annhgabhart.com)
My Thoughts:
Historical in that the story is set on a showboat in the late 1800’s, but mostly mystery, this book captivated me with its fast-paced action and authentic details. I was captured from the first moment that little Jacci was introduced, only five years old and already facing being an orphan. She knows that there is a mystery surrounding her life even as she enthusiastically embraces her life as a performer on the showboat, but that is not at the forefront of her mind all the time. The romance between Gabe and Jacci is predictable and sweet, but it is not the center of the story either. The central focus of the story is secretive background that others are hiding from Jacci, her roots and her heritage that eventually she is determined to uncover. Ann H. Gabhart methodically tells the story in an addictive way, teasingly revealing details slowly and giving the plot multiple layers and great depth. The characters are realistic and relatable, with real tears falling from my eyes over little Jacci’s losses and her dilemma. As the story progresses, the characters change and grow, so they are dynamic and so believable. The plot is clever, with history and faith woven into the main story that is as complex as it is riveting. I learned a great deal about life on a showboat from this book and enjoyed my journey down the river with Jacci and Gabe. This is a satisfying, brilliantly written historical fiction with a compelling mystery in the center of it. Disclaimer Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
Rated PG due to content
About the Author:
Ann H. Gabhart caught the writing bug at the age of ten and has been writing ever since. An award winning author, she’s published many books for both adults and young adults. Her books cover several genres from historical to small town family stories to cozy mysteries (mysteries published with author name A.H. Gabhart). Her ideas are sparked by events in Kentucky history and by experiences in her own family. Her first Shaker novel, The Outsider, was a finalist for the ECPA Christian Fiction Book of the Year. Love Comes Home won the Selah Book of the Year award, and These Healing Hills was the Faith, Hope & Love Readers’ Choice Women’s Fiction Book of the Year. Ann lives on a Kentucky farm not far from where she was born. She and her husband have three children and nine grandchildren. Ann enjoys hiking on her farm with her grandkids and her dogs, Frankie and Marley. See more about her books at http://www.annhgabhart.com or join the conversation on her Facebook page, www.facebook.com/anngabhart. (Info from the author’s page on Amazon)
With great appreciation to Revell for the Revell Reads Blogger Program that introduced me to this author to begin with and keeps me in good Christian fiction to read and review.
As a therapy exercise, a woman writes a list of people she wants to forgive, and thinks nothing of it when she loses it in an Uber…until one by one the people on the list become victims of freak accidents. Set in Portland, Maine, Hannah Mary McKinnon’s breakout suspense novel THE REVENGE LIST will appeal to fans of Lisa Unger, Joshilyn Jackson, and Tarryn Fisher.
Following an epic run-in with a client who threatened to pull out of a contract at her father’s company if she doesn’t suffer some consequences, Frankie Morgan agrees to go to anger management. With the business struggling with cash-flow and her brother needing help with the medical bills for his sick daughter, she can’t risk harming the business further. But that doesn’t mean she’ll be happy about attending.
During the first session, the group is asked to spend some quiet time exploring their pasts and sitting with the emotions that generates, before making a start on a Forgiveness List—a list of people with whom they’re angry and might work on forgiving. She begrudgingly goes along with it and doesn’t worry too much when she forgets the list in an Uber on her way home. It shouldn’t matter—it was just a therapy exercise—except a few days later the first person on that list is injured in a freak accident. When the second person gets hurt, she hopes it’s coincidence. After the third is targeted, she knows it’s a pattern. And she’s in trouble. Because the next name on that list is…hers.
My Thoughts:
This book is a delightfully propulsive thriller as well as a fascinating character study that is cleverly layered into the plot. Frankie Morgan is a complex character, a motherless young woman who is still dealing with her loss while also trying to carve out her future in her father’s construction business. Unfortunately, she is also a very angry and bitter young woman whose mouth and actions get her into trouble with her father who coerces her into joining an anger management class. The class seems to be a good place for Frankie to start dealing with her issues, but instead it creates more problems for her. One of her class assignments was to create a list of people that she needs to forgive. When an unknown person gets hold of her list, the fallout is obvious because the people who hurt Frankie are now on some kind of revenge list and keep falling prey to“accidents.” Frankie, ever the conscientious daughter, notices what is happening and is determined to find out who took her list and is using it to avenge her, without her approval. The plot is complicated, twisted and filled with suspense. There are tons or red herrings since the story is expertly crafted to keep you reading and totally engaged. This book is addictive and is a terrifyingly brilliant as Frankie is led from one possible suspect to another and the intrigue just gets more intense. I thoroughly enjoyed the multi-layered and well-crafted plot, but the surprise ending was worth reading this unputdownable and fast-moving suspense. Fans of page turners that are edgy and crackling with tension will enjoy this book, especially getting to know the dynamic characters who are realistically flawed and relatable. Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
A definite PG due to content
About the Author:
Hannah Mary McKinnon was born in the UK, grew up in Switzerland and moved to Canada in 2010. After a successful career in recruitment, she quit the corporate world in favor of writing. She now lives in Oakville, Ontario, with her husband and three sons, and is delighted by her twenty-second commute. Connect with her on Facebook, on Twitter @HannahMMcKinnon, and on Instagram @HannahMaryMcKinnon. For more, visit her website, http://www.hannahmarymckinnon.com.
The sharp sound of a high-pitched scream filled the air. A noise so unrecognizable, at first I didn’t register it had come from deep within me, traveling up my throat in stealth mode before bursting from my mouth.
The remnants of the yell reverberated around the car, forcing their way into my ears and penetrating my skull, urging me to do something. Survival instincts kicked in, and I fumbled with the seatbelt, my other hand grasping for the door handle. The need for the relative safety that solid, stationary ground would bring was so intense it made my stomach heave. A loud click of the central locking system meant my captor had outsmarted me again, obliterating my immediate plan to throw myself from the moving vehicle.
When I looked out the windshield, I knew there was no time to find an alternate escape. The end of the road—the edge of the cliff—announced by signs and broken red-and-white-striped wooden barricades, had been far enough away seconds ago but now gleamed in the car’s headlights, a looming warning yards ahead. I couldn’t comprehend what was about to happen, couldn’t do anything as the vehicle kept going, splintering planks and racing out the other side with nothing but air below. I let out another scream, far louder than my first, the absolute terror exploding from my lungs.
For the briefest of moments, we were suspended, as if this was a magic trick or an elaborate roller coaster. Perhaps, if I were really lucky, this was all a dream. Except I already knew there were no smoke and mirrors, no swirling track leading us through loop-the-loops and to safety. It wasn’t a nightmare I’d wake from with bedsheets wrapped around my sweaty body. This was happening. It was all terrifyingly real.
As the car continued its trajectory, it tipped forward. The only thing to stop our momentum was whatever we were rushing toward, obscured by the cloudy night skies. Pushing my heels into the floor, I tried to flatten my shoulders against the seat. My hands scrambled for the ceiling to brace myself, but I flopped like a rag doll, my loosened seatbelt tearing into my shoulder.
They say your life flashes before you when you’re close to death. That didn’t happen to me. Instead, it was all my regrets. Choices I’d made. Not made. Things I’d said and done. Not said. Not done. It was far too late to make amends. There would be no opportunity to beg anyone for forgiveness. No possibility of offering some.
As the finality of the situation hit me full on, I turned my head. The features of the driver next to me were illuminated in a blueish glint from the dashboard lights. His face had set in a stony grimace; his jaw clenched so tight he had to have shattered teeth. But what frightened me the most were his eyes, filled with what could only be described as maniacal delight.
He’d said we were both going to die. As the car hurtled to the bottom of the cliff, I closed my eyes and accepted he was right.
USA Today bestselling and award-winning author Patricia Bradley begins a new series set in the Cumberland Plateau around Chattanooga. A serial killer is stalking women in Pearl Springs, Tennessee, leaving chess clues at the scene of the murders.
My Thoughts:
This first book in a new series is action-packed and addictive reading. The plot has multiple layers and the threads are intricately and seamlessly woven together into what is a rich story with a lot of depth and details. The story is centered around Sheriff Nathan Landry and his former girlfriend Alexis Stone, a Chattanooga detective on the fast track to one day be police commissioner. But her plans are derailed when her beloved grandfather has a heart attack and needs her to take over as his deputy sheriff. When Alexis arrives in town, she brings with her the thought that she will only be staying a few months and the threat of the Queen’s Gambit killer who seems to have followed her there. Encountering drug dealers and a serial killer with a strange attachment to the dark web, Alexis and Nathan combine forces to find the culprits and bring them to justice before Alexis dies as a target of the determined killer. This book is well-written, with deliberate misdirection and a fast pace that kept me engaged. The drama between the characters was believable and the characters were well-rounded and fascinating. This book is a cleverly written page-turner that is one I couldn’t read fast enough but I was also sad to see it end. Intriguing and intense suspense with dynamic and relatable characters, there is nothing not to like about Patricia Bradley’s new book in her new Pearl Springs series. I am already looking forward to the next one! Disclaimer Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
Intense suspense and a serial killer, so rated PG-13.
About the Author:
USA Today best-selling author, Patricia Bradley is the recipient numerous awards, including an Inspirational Readers’ Choice Award in suspense, a Selah winner, was a Carol and a Daphne du Maurier finalist. Her romantic suspense novels include the Logan Point series, the Memphis Cold Case Novels, and the Natchez Trace Park Rangers. She is now hard at work on the second book in her new Pearl River series set in the Cumberland Plateau area above Chattanooga. The first book in the series, Counter Attack will release in mid-2023. (Note: released 5-16-23)
She has conducted writing workshops for American Christian Fiction Writers, the Mid-South Christian Writer’s Conference, the KenTen and Scrivener retreats (where she was the keynote), the Memphis American Christian Fiction Writer group, and the Bartlett Christian Writers group. She and her two cats call Northeast Mississippi home–the South is also where she sets most of her books, and when she has time, she likes to throw mud on a wheel and see what happens. Photo from the author’s website at Patricia Bradley Biography from the author’s webpage on amazon at Amazon/PatriciaBradley
Vickie's Book Nook and Meditation Corner 