Favorite Quotes:

But there was nothing achieved on an empty stomach what couldn’t have been done twice as well and in half the time as on a full one.

Tis the most beautiful view any of us have ever seen. If Polly’s eyes get any wider, I think they’ll fall out and roll down the hill into the sea.

My Review:

The talented writing duo that comprises Verity Bright never disappoints as their tales are unfailingly crisp, creative, and comedic, and capture my interest with unpredictable plot twists and conundrums. They have unlimited tricks up their sleeves as well as a smooth and pleasant writing style that keeps a grin on my face while tickling my curiosity with an unabiding need to solve their mysteries as well as learn more about the oddly compelling characters themselves. I certainly didn’t see this one coming and had reached all the wrong conclusions. I am avidly looking forward to their next caper.

About the Author

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Verity Bright is the pseudonym for a husband-and-wife writing partnership that has spanned a quarter of a century. Starting out writing high-end travel articles and books, they published everything from self-improvement to humor, before embarking on their first historical mystery. They are the authors of the fabulous Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery series, set in the 1920s.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

I had to stop the train my thoughts were on right the hell now or I would be going places I couldn’t handle, especially at this moment. I had this tendency to do what, according to Dr. Google— the only doctor I could afford for myself, most of the time— was called indulging in apocalyptic thinking. Once I got started, I could be thinking about a glass half empty and end up picturing the glass exploding, sending shards flying everywhere and blinding a pack of nuns.

Lois and Max shared a look, like they were communicating telepathically as I’ve often thought female best friends could do through some kind of sorcery…

My Review:

This was a fun and lively second chance romance/small-town/southern read that covered a lot of ground with common and uncommon issues, disabilities, and foibles that make navigating our world a bit trickier for some. Their challenges were well-integrated and smoothly featured with thoughtful insights as well as clever and amusing humor within comfortable and easy-to-follow storylines. The characters were easily accessible, endearing, admirable, and the type of well-intentioned and hard-working people I’d like to know and have in my life. The writing style and story threads scrolled smoothly through my gray matter and were well-paced, engaging, and entertaining. I am enjoying this series as well as this author’s work and am eager to pick up the next offering.

No Matter What Happens
(Love in the City #1) 
by Kelly Collins

As a senator’s daughter, Kennedy Blackwell has everything, or so it seems. But on her wedding day, a shocking secret changes everything, and Kennedy’s fortunes turn on a dime. Instead of offering their unconditional support, her parents turn their backs on her, proving once and for all that her father’s goal of becoming president is more important than his own child. Forced to start over, Kennedy relies on a pact she and five friends made to each other back in junior high. She also enlists the help of the “entertainment” from her bachelorette party, a handsome handyman-by-day, exotic dancer-by-night.

Wade Roberts faces his existence one crisis at a time. Everything bad in his life has directly resulted from a poor decision or the actions of a member of the Blackwell family. So, when the senator’s daughter calls asking for help, he’s torn between assisting her or making her “pay.” Soon tangled up in the Blackwell family drama, he finds himself being framed for an unspeakable crime. Wade must step up and prove his innocence and his love for a woman who deserves more than he can offer.

Can two people who start with nothing end up with everything?

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

Edna had the attention span of a goldfish, and after a couple of games, she ended up dancing with everyone in those red heels. She wasn’t picky. He’d even seen her dance with some old vet’s emotional support animal.

“They say size matters.” “Not if he can lick his eyebrows.” He nearly fell off the bucket trying not to laugh.

She pressed her mouth to his for a quick smooch. “I like my kisses mixed with whiskers.” “Maybe you should kiss Edna. She’s working on a mustache and goatee.” His shoulders shook. “The woman from Joe’s in the red heels and fringe?” “That’s the one.” “I bet she felt you up like a blind woman reading braille.” He blushed. “Exactly, and Edna’s a slow reader.”

His eight pack wasn’t the only wonder she encountered that night. To say he was a handyman was an understatement… Wade was skilled on many levels… His tool belt was full of surprises too. The way he used that hammer was pure mastery.

It’s been close to fifteen years. It’s about time I got some of those honey-do projects finished. You can be hired honey.

He may look as old as a classic VW Bug, but he’s got a Porsche hidden under the hood, and when it’s ready to race, I’m all in.

My Review:

This is Kelly Collins at her cleverly amusing and smirk-worthy best. I adored this odd collection of authentic characters and was rooting for them while fully invested in their entertaining and engaging storylines from start to finish. The writing was smooth and smartly paced with delightful sparkles of wry humor and Ms. Collin’s classic snarky wit. This is a brilliant opener to a new series, although I could never tire of her Aspen Cove One Hundred chronicles either. I am eager to see what happens next for this tightly bonded gang of girlfriends.

ABOUT KELLY COLLINS   

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Favorite Quotes:

Later, as I was lying in my bed, a strange sensation came over me. It smelled like sorrow but it had a bitter taste, a bit like revenge.

I’d heard through the grapevine that Elizabeth was here on account of her promiscuity, but no one could provide any concrete detail. It’s not an easy task to ask a woman whether she’s a whore, and if so, what that entails, exactly.

She’s too perfect. Tart and sweet, like candy. You know it’s bad for you, but you can’t help yourself.

You’ve done a lot of dumb, stupid things, no? Well, guess what? You’re not through yet. You’re gonna do some more. Might as well hurry up and get it over with… There’s always going to be a next one.

Elizabeth was a hard person to love, and a harder person not to.

My Review:

This was a prickly read that was disconcerting and alarmingly realistic. I had a hard time liking the characters as they were rather annoying and pathological creatures, yet I was fully invested and wiggling on the hook with their diabolically addictive and unpredictable storylines.

I fall for this every time as Britney King has consistently managed to do this to me. She turns me inside out and upside down and makes me like it and scream for more. I flinched and cringed throughout perusal but could not in good conscience walk away and leave them to their own devices. This was nail-gnawing and cuticle-tearing suspense… I’ll need to wear mittens in public this week.

About the Author

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Britney King lives in Austin, Texas with her husband, children, two dogs, one ridiculous cat, and a partridge in a pear tree.

When she’s not wrangling the things mentioned above, she writes psychological, domestic, and romantic thrillers set in suburbia.

Without a doubt, connecting with readers is the best part of this gig. You can find Britney online here: 

Website | Newsletter | BookBub | Goodreads | Amazon / Instagram / Facebook / Twitter 

To get more– grab two books for free, by subscribing to her mailing list at  bit.ly/britneykingweb

Happy reading.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

When giving herself a stern talking-to, Julia tended to employ her dead mother’s voice, and her clipped and direct tone. No doubt a psychologist would have a field day with that, but the fact was that it worked. She felt herself buck up.

The first thing Julia noticed on entering the offices of the William Adamson Property Company, was the receptionist’s false eyelashes. They reminded Julia of Petunia the cow, her grandmother’s prize Jersey. She’d had the longest, thickest lashes, and as a child Julia had loved her slow blink, as if her lashes were too heavy to move. It really was quite unnerving on a human, though. The lashes extended forwards and then swooped upwards and fanned out. Just about as alarming was the orange eyeshadow. Every time the girl blinked, it was as if two tangerine segments descended over her eyeballs.

Julia realised what talking to Nicky reminded her of – a waterfall. That rushing feeling as the freezing water cascaded over your head, overwhelming your senses and rendering you curiously numb.

Sebastian fell to the ground in a full-on tantrum. It was quite astonishing, actually, like a cartoon of a tantrum, little heels drumming on the ground, fists clenched, tears and snot spewing, and a bellow… Good Lord… A bellow that would wake the dead. Which would be handy, come to think of it, given the circumstances.

My Review:

This was my first exposure to the sparkling style and wily wit of Katie Gayle and I am kicking myself for not noticing this gifted duo of wordsmiths sooner. This delightful little missive was a fun, wryly humorous, cleverly paced, and pleasingly engaging read from start to finish. The writing style was easy to fall into and flowed smoothly and pleasantly while it tickled my curiosity and  appealed to my predilection for witty and comedic yet insightful observations. The pace was well-honed with well-crafted storylines and details that pulled sharp visuals to my mind’s eye and kept an amused grin on my face. I enjoyed this odd little village and its authentically quirky inhabitants, although I certainly wouldn’t want to live there.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

It is a truth universally acknowledged that faculty and staff meetings are soul destroying. The color in my vision gradually flattened into black and white. I felt the marrow seeping from my very bones, draining away. Soon I would be an empty husk, my insides all withered to the point of blowing away at the slightest puff. The meeting would never end. All of us were destined to die in this conference room. Yes, it’s melodramatic. It’s also 100 percent true.

You always slouch when you eat, but when you have an idea, you sit up straight like you’re afraid the thoughts might fall out of your head if you move the wrong way.

I’d filed it away in the box labeled “Things Not to Think About,” right next to the folder of “Peeing My Pants on Stage During the First-Grade Spelling Bee,” and I’d shoved it in the back of my mental attic, next to the other cobwebby boxes.

Ivy: Remember when the three of us did No-Shave November? Your legs were hairier than Cam’s.
Cameron: I would’ve felt emasculated if I hadn’t been so impressed.
Mel: It wasn’t that bad.
Ivy: Yes, it was. How many razors did you go through to cut it all back?
Cameron: Be honest. You know you didn’t use razors. You used chainsaws and weedwhackers.

You think I feel the same way about your grandpa as I did all those years ago when we first met? Or the way I did on our wedding day? Well, I don’t. Back then, love was like Fourth of July sparklers in my chest. Right now, love is making him hot coffee and breakfast each morning even after we got in a fight the day before and he spent all night snoring in my ear…

My Review:

I initially waffled on how to rate this one as the writing was witty, easy to fall into, and cleverly amusing, although I was finding the pacing and protracted foot-dragging, and immature behavior of the main character more than a bit tedious. However, some people are that tiresomely clueless and self-involved, so all in all the storylines were engaging, humorous, keenly observant, giggle-snort worthy, and wryly entertaining. Perusing all my highlighted favorites removed all doubt, leading me to go all-in with a well-deserved 5-stars.