Murder at the Flamingo

 A Van Buren and DeLuca Mystery (Book 1)

by Rachel McMillan

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Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble

 352 pages

Thomas Nelson (July 10, 2018)

“Maybe it was time to land straight in the middle of the adventure…”

Hamish DeLuca has spent most of his life trying to hide the anxiety that appears at the most inopportune times — including during his first real court case as a new lawyer. Determined to rise above his father’s expectations, Hamish runs away to Boston where his cousin, Luca Valari, is opening a fashionable nightclub in Scollay Square.  When he meets his cousin’s “right-hand man” Reggie, Hamish wonders if his dreams for a more normal life might be at hand.

Regina “Reggie” Van Buren, heir to a New Haven fortune, has fled fine china, small talk, and the man her parents expect her to marry. Determined to make a life as the self-sufficient city girl she’s seen in her favorite Jean Arthur and Katharine Hepburn pictures, Reggie runs away to Boston, where she finds an easy secretarial job with the suave Luca Valari. But as she and Hamish work together in Luca’s glittering world, they discover a darker side to the smashing Flamingo nightclub.

When a corpse is discovered at the Flamingo, Reggie and Hamish quickly learn there is a vast chasm between the haves and the have-nots in 1937 Boston—and that there’s an underworld that feeds on them both. As Hamish is forced to choose between his conscience and loyalty to his beloved cousin, the unlikely sleuthing duo work to expose a murder before the darkness destroys everything they’ve worked to build.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 Sometimes stories are in the people whose life’s pages no one thinks of turning…

Reggie didn’t have the privilege of choice when it came to finding gainful employment. Economic times had fallen hard for those with numerous skills she didn’t possess.

She almost missed having someone to rush home and apply red lipstick for. Someone to turn in front of a mirror and adjust her skirt for. Someone she would watch the clock to be fashionably late for…

They both knew Luca had a past. Heck, anyone seeing that suave Valentino gait would know Luca Valari had a past. And probably a present.

There are layers and layers of crime here. You’d think it was a chocolate cake.

“He’s too good looking to be sinister,” Nate reassured with a wink at Hamish. “Besides, he doesn’t have the right mustache.”

Hamish couldn’t help but follow Reggie with his eyes. He hadn’t known fabric could cling like that. The material of her dress knew what it was doing…

My Review:

It took me several chapters to ease into this tale and acclimate to the writer’s style. This was a slowly developing story with tons of details that filled my head and initially appeared merely observational yet gradually most of these ancillary tidbits dovetailed into a finely woven tapestry. This was a thoughtful and insightful read that included, gangsters, mystery, a bit of pining romance, family drama, humor, Bostonian history, and one character’s interest in the newly created Superman comics.

Murder at the Flamingo kicked off a new series and was my first time reading the talented scribblings of Rachel McMillian. Ms. McMillian has a unique writing style and provided a complicated and intriguing plot populated with distinctive, intriguingly flawed, and complex characters.   Her writing was highly descriptive calling forth sharp visuals that included not only the sounds and sights but also set the emotional tone for each scene. What I struggled the most with was the lack of communication between the characters as they all seemed so secretive and furtive, as such, the majority of the book consisted of the observations and inner musings of the highly captivating two main protagonists who aspired to be Nick and Nora from The Thin Man movies, although, unfortunately, they were lacking the adorable Asta.

About Rachel McMillan

Rachel McMillan is a history enthusiast, lifelong bibliophile, and author of the Herringford and Watts series. When not reading (or writing), Rachel can be found at the theater, traveling near and far, and watching far too many British miniseries. Rachel lives in Toronto where she works in educational publishing and is always planning her next trip to Boston. Facebook: RachKMc1; Twitter: @RachKMc; Instagram: RachKMc.

Connect with Rachel

Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Little Pink Taxi

Rosalie Heart is a well-known face in Irlwick – well, if you drive a bright pink taxi and your signature style is a pink anorak, you’re going to draw a bit of attention! But Rosalie’s company Love Taxis is more than just a gimmick – for many people in the remote Scottish village, it’s a lifeline.

Which is something that Marc Petersen will never understand. Marc’s ruthless approach to business doesn’t extend to pink taxi companies running at a loss. When he arrives in Irlwick to see to a new acquisition – Raventhorn, a rundown castle – it’s apparent he poses a threat to Rosalie’s entire existence; not just her business, but her childhood home too.

On the face of it Marc and Rosalie should loathe each other, but what they didn’t count on was somebody playing cupid …

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

Well, she had some old wizard cast a spell on the bed before her nuptials to make sure her betrothed could … Perform … Over the years, this bed has proved a steady source of income for the McBrides. Any man whose virility was in need of a little …push could bring his wife here for a fee –a jar of whiskey, a brace of pheasants, a good-sized salmon. Every mark on the bedposts represents a successful night… We organise weddings here now, and people come a long way to … ahem … stay, in this bed.

The kind of physical attraction she’d never experienced before, but that could, according to her friend Alice’s late night confessions, make you lose your head, your self-respect, and most of your clothing.

Now it’s time for the Stitch and Bitch group… The local knitting group or “Knit and Natter”, as they are formally known.

What’s wrong? Is it a little too strong for you? … Perhaps my hand slipped as I was pouring in the coffee granules … unless I mistook the pepper container for sugar.

My Review:

With the playful cover and title, I was expecting a Rom/Com, and although the entertaining storylines included romance and amusing humor, there were also strong elements of mystery and suspense with and serious crimes that were committed and solved along the way.   I enjoyed the premise, quirky characters, smooth writing style and well-paced mysteries that kept my curiosity primed.

There was a bit of everything in this story including a hidden treasure, ghosts, parentage issues, and a series of vexing crimes that started out as small nuisances before mushrooming into more serious felonies that included hit and run, sabotage, attempted murder, kidnapping, blackmail, burglary, and assault. And I dare not forget the mythical properties of the magical bed with centuries worth of actual notches.

I reveled in the quirky traits and colorful descriptions and behaviors Ms. Laval gave her characters. I adored the major players although the character of Rosalie was not always likable as she was stubborn and immature and prone to outbursts and childish displays of temper – of course, I have never been accused of such annoying behaviors myself as I’m simply lovely, all-the-time.

I have two sparkling new additions to my British Isles Vocab list with “yob,” which Mr. Google informed me was a rude, noisy and aggressive young man, and “bampot,” which according to the Urban Dictionary is a Scottish term meaning ‘hooligan’ or ‘trouble-maker’, so essentially, they are much the same thing and both quite fun to say.

Author Bio –

Originally from Lyon in France, Marie now lives in Lancashire with her family. She works full-time as a modern languages teacher, and in her spare times loves writing romance and dreaming about romantic heroes. She writes both historical and contemporary romance, and her historical romance The Lion’s Embrace won the Gold Medal at the Global eBook Awards 2015 (category Historical Romance). She is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association and the Society of Authors. Her native France, as well as her passion for history and research, very much influences her writing, and all her novels have what she likes to call ‘a French twist’!

Social Media Links –

Twitter:
www.twitter.com/MarieLaval1
Blog: http://marielaval.blogspot.co.uk/

 Rules of Friendship 

by C.A. Harms

 GOODREADS

Amazon US   / Amazon UNIVERSAL

Blurb:

As a guy, the number one rule to being best friends with a girl should be simple…

Never, and I do mean never, fall in love with her.
Oh and you should never fantasize about her either.

Believe me, that situation can get messy really fast and leave you with nothing but one hell of an awkward mess on your hands—literally.

Reese and I have been through everything together; our bond is deep. But I am going down fast, and I fear there is no way to stop it. I spend most of my time hiding my body’s reaction to her because like I said: just friends.

But things are changing. We are changing.

I no longer see her as just Reese, my best friend. When I look at her now, I see a gorgeous woman that takes my breath away. I see my future. But what if she doesn’t see me the same way?

I can’t risk losing her…

The fear of screwing everything up is excruciating. So that’s why I have chosen to stick to the rules. The Rules of Friendship that is.

She was off limits. Plain and simple.

But then in she walks wearing her tiny shorts and those tight tops. Come on, a guy can only have so much restraint before he caves…

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

I’ve known her since I was two. At one point in our lives we took baths together. What I wouldn’t give to take a bath together now.

 We made a pact when we were ten… with spit and everything.

 I never thought I’d be walking in on a jerking session with you stroking your prized pony.

 It’s like seeing a two-headed snake or a purple elephant.

 Oh please! She would so choose me over you. Chicks before dicks, you know.

 My Review:

Written in my favorite dual POV, I enjoyed this quick and lively NA read featuring life-long childhood friends finally stepping up and taking the risk to be – more. Dawson was a modern-day sexy white knight type who worked for fire and rescue while sharing an apartment with female veterinary student Reese, who had been his best friend since the age of two. Their friendship turned relationship was fun and lively with easy teasing and playful banter and was only in the initial stages of “more,” which included a bit steamy sensuality when in the process of assisting someone else the perfect Dawson took a brief tour to the Land of Moron.

That hero gene can certainly make for a mess, but so can being excessively stubborn and angsty – which was extremely ugly and led to despair and heartbreak all around. I could have done with far less of the doleful and dismal but thankfully the sun returned the sky and despite Reese’s extended stay in the town of Butt-Hurt & Mulish Obstinance, and Dawson’s brief penchant for bending the truth – their world righted itself and Dawson was once again the thoughtful and perfect BBF. I really liked Dawson, despite his Pinocchio nose.

Forgive Me Not

by Samantha Tonge

Goodreads

Amazon UK  / US / B&N / 

 Kobo /  Google / iBooks

Forgiveness can be hard to come by… An unputdownable new novel from bestseller Samantha Tonge

How far would you go to make amends?

When Emma fled her home at Foxglove Farm, she’d let down and hurt those who cared for her most. But now, two years later, she’s ready to face up to her past; she’s ready to go back.

But Emma’s unannounced return causes more problems than she could have foreseen. The people she knew and loved aren’t ready to forget, let alone forgive. And the one person she wants to reconnect with the most, her mother, can’t remember who she is.

Just as Emma starts to rebuild trust, an uncovered family secret and a shocking past crime threaten her newly forged future…

Sometimes simply saying sorry isn’t enough.

Perfect for readers of Ruth Hogan or Amanda Prowse, this is an extraordinary and unforgettable novel about running away from yourself – and finding a way back.

My Rating:

Favorite Quote:

Forgiving isn’t so easy, is it? You’ve waltzed back into our lives expecting us to say that we understand. That we’ll forget what happened in the past. Now you know what it feels like to be hurt irrevocably by someone you love. How difficult it is to understand how they could do that. 

My Review:

Forgive Me Not was not what I was expecting, it really wasn’t my cup of tea as my personal preference is to eschew high angst and constant conflict. Yet the book was well written and a thought-provoking family drama, and certainly gave me pause in my own thinking as it squeezed my heart and put a few hot rocks in my throat.   Having dealt with more than my share of addicted and/or prevaricating personalities, I had a hard time appreciating the main character of Emma. Emma had been a rather heinous problem child and abandoned her family after causing and leaving them with yet another appallingly hideous mess. She was the worst type of manipulative and selfish party girl and had been for quite some time. After she finally hit bottom and found an impetus to clean up in rehab, she slowly and carefully went about her recovery and sincerely attempted to make amends, but she didn’t seem to fully realize just how much she needed to atone for.

Emma returned to her small village but not to the open arms she was hoping for; her family and the entire community at large were having none of it as they were struggling with their own hard times – and they were more than done with Emma. Every single one of them doubted her veracity, and for good reason. I didn’t blame them. Not one bit. I’ve jettisoned people for far less. But it was rather unnerving for me to consider if maybe, possibly, I should have given some of those a third chance. Although this was probably Emma’s thousandth chance… But there are some acts that cut extra deep and just aren’t forgivable, and Emma had committed far too many of those, and repeatedly, and to my horror – with little consequence.

The writing was insightfully observant and evocative with several interesting storylines involving the small and quirky little village and its unique inhabitants. To end on an upbeat, I do have yet another new addition for my Brit List with “mithering,” which Mr. Google defined as to irritate or pester. I cannot wait to start employing its use.

About Samantha Tonge

Samantha Tonge lives in Manchester UK and her passion, second to spending time with her husband and children, is writing. She studied German and French at university and has worked abroad, including a stint at Disneyland Paris. She has traveled widely.

When not writing she passes her days cycling, baking and drinking coffee. Samantha has sold many dozens of short stories to women’s magazines.

In 2013, she landed a publishing deal for romantic comedy fiction with HQDigital at HarperCollins and in 2014, her bestselling debut novel, Doubting Abbey, was shortlisted for the Festival of Romantic Fiction best Ebook award. In 2015 her summer novel, Game of Scones, hit #5 in the UK Kindle chart and won the Love Stories Awards Best Romantic Ebook category.

Links

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SamTongeWriter

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SamanthaTongeAuthor

Website: http://samanthatonge.co.uk/

Death in Dulwich

by Alice Castle

Goodreads

Amazon US / UK    B&N

Thirty-something single mum Beth Haldane is forced to become Dulwich’s answer to Miss Marple when she stumbles over a murder victim on her first day at work.

To clear her name, Beth is plunged into a cozy mystery that’s a contemporary twist on Golden Age crime classics. But can she pull it off? She already has a bouncy young son, haughty cat, a fringe with a mind of its own and lots of bills to pay, as she struggles to keep up with the yummy mummies of SE21.

Join Beth in #1 of the London Murder Mystery series, as she discovers the nastiest secrets can lurk in the nicest places.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

The spring sunshine glinted off perfectly tousled blonde hair and the equally shiny metal clasps of a new handbag, the size of a well-fed toddler. Beth raised her eyebrows at Katie. That bag must have cost more than her monthly mortgage payment.

Dr Grover was famously married to a willowy actress– the only factor that kept most of Dulwich’s divorcees at bay. But when had being married ever stopped people? True, if it ever got out, there would be a fuss; not least from the disappointed divorcees.

It was true that the man had had a certain arrogant swagger. She’d just thought it had come from being a guy of a certain age, in possession of a penis. There was a type and a generation of men who thought this simple appendage made them superior to every woman around them, and also, in some very strange corner of their psyche, convinced that all females desperately wanted them to demonstrate their skills with that specific piece of gristle at the slightest opportunity, whether the women demurred or not.

 My Review:

I took a gamble and decided to read an unfamiliar author with a three-part British mystery series, a genre I haven’t indulged in for ages. While still on page one I was struck by the refreshingly comfortable and amusing writing style, allowing me to relax into my chair and settle in for a cozy treat. The storylines were slowly developed yet easy to follow, engaging, and character driven. I relished Ms. Castle’s dry wit and use of vibrant descriptions and amusing details, which often brought and kept a smirk to my lips. A young widow and single-mom, Beth was having the worst type of first day of a new job with the disheartening realization that her new boss was a loathsome letch, only to be the one to find that loathsome letch dead a few hours later while on her way to lunch. Yikes. Talk about bad luck… Beth had no alibi and being the snoopy sort, she felt compelled to launch her own inquiries for fear she was the top suspect. Although her efforts to clear her name were vaguely thought out and she tended to dither, I adored her anyway. I am eagerly looking forward to more of her hapless adventures and am ready to gobble the next installment, which is currently idling on my kindle.

Author Bio   – Alice Castle

 Before turning to crime, Alice Castle was a UK newspaper journalist for The Daily Express, The Times and The Daily Telegraph. Her first book, Hot Chocolate, set in Brussels and London, was a European hit and sold out in two weeks.

Death in Dulwich was published in September 2017 and has been a number one best-seller in the UK, US, Canada, France, Spain and Germany. A sequel, The Girl in the Gallery was published in December 2017 to critical acclaim. Calamity in Camberwell, the third book in the London Murder Mystery series, will be published this summer, with Homicide in Herne Hill due to follow in early 2019. Alice is currently working on the fifth London Murder Mystery adventure. Once again, it will feature Beth Haldane and DI Harry York.

Alice is also a mummy blogger and book reviewer via her website: https://www.alicecastleauthor.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alicecastleauthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DDsDiary?lang=en

Giveaway

 Win signed copies of Death in Dulwich and

The Girl in the Gallery (UK Only)

*Terms and Conditions –UK entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then I reserve the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will be passed to the giveaway organizer and used only for the fulfillment of the prize, after which time I will delete the data.  I am not responsible for dispatch or delivery of the prize.

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Here Comes the Best Man

by Angela Britnell

Goodreads

Amazon UK / US 

Being the best man is a lot to live up to …

When troubled army veteran and musician Josh Robertson returns home to Nashville to be the best man at his younger brother Chad’s wedding he’s just sure that he’s going to mess it all up somehow.

But when it becomes clear that the wedding might not be going to plan, it’s up to Josh and fellow guest Louise Giles to make sure that Chad and his wife-to-be Maggie get their perfect day.

Can Josh be the best man his brother needs? And is there somebody else who is beginning to realize that Josh could be her ‘best man’ too?

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

Even Goodwill wouldn’t accept Josh’s old clothes, his last haircut was six months ago and his haphazard shave could serve as the before picture for a razor commercial.

‘I’ve gotta get in practise for being an obedient husband.’ ‘I’m sure you’ll get it right after about fifty years,’

The Brits should use Audrey as a lethal weapon. She’d be much cheaper than any atomic bomb and far more deadly.

Audrey had been adopted by a crowd of half-drunk girls on a bachelorette party and he’d overheard them encouraging the old lady to talk so they could listen to her. One of the ringleaders yelled at the top of her voice that they’d found the elderly countess from Downton Abbey.

For a forty-year-old man you sure don’t know much about women… A wise man smiles, agrees and does what he’s told.

My Review:

I was new to the series and the author and starting on installment number five yet it didn’t seem to be a detriment, although I am sure I would have enjoyed the first four as well as these characters apparently have each had a colorful past. The storylines moved quickly in several directions before finally converging for a satisfactory conclusion with generous sprinkles of levity, steam, mild bridezilla meltdowns, family drama, working through old issues and anxieties, and pulling a wedding together without bloodshed – which is always tricky 😉 A new brain wrinkle for me was Scotch eggs, something I’m now quite curious about and will order the next chance I get.

Author Bio – Angela Britnell 

Angela grew up in Cornwall, England and returns frequently from her new home in Nashville, Tennessee. A lifelong love of reading turned into a passion for writing contemporary romance and her novels are usually set in the many places she’s visited or lived on her extensive travels. After more than three decades of marriage to her American husband, she’s a huge fan of transatlantic romance and always makes sure her characters get their own happy-ever-after. Over the last twelve years, she’s published over 20 novels and several short stories for women’s magazines. She is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association, the Romance Writers of America and the Music City Romance Writers.

Social Media Links –

www.angelabritnellromance.com

www.facebook.com/angelabritnell

www.twitter.com/angelabritnell

https://www.instagram.com/angelagolleybritnell/