Category: 5-Stars

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Book Review, Giveaway: Uncork My Love by Rich Amooi @RichAmooi @rararesources  

 

 

Uncork My Love
by Rich Amooi

Amazon  / B&N

A sweet romantic comedy set in beautiful Napa Valley!


Ivy needs a miracle and a drink—not necessarily in that order. With a struggling winery, the only hope of keeping her dream alive is snagging a gold medal at the annual wine competition. She’s determined to win, but she can do it without the help of Ted Jacobs, aka Mr. Know-it-All.

Ted wants to catch lightning in a bottle and create the world’s greatest wine, but he’s smart enough to know he can’t do it alone. When he heads to Napa to keep his grandma from ending up in jail (don’t ask), he meets Ivy. She’s as complex and intoxicating as his award-winning cabernet, but as stubborn as the mule next door when she stomps on his offer to collaborate.

Ted knows it’s risky to mix business with pleasure, but if Ivy would only listen, they might just be the toast of the town.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

“I wouldn’t work with you if you were the last man on earth.” I took a step closer. “If I were the last man on earth, I wouldn’t have time to work with you because I would be too busy procreating, trying to save the human race.” I glanced at the pregnant woman. “Thanks so much for doing your part.”

 

“And secondly, it is impossible for me or anyone driving up Silverado Trail to see your sign if they’re coming from the south since it’s blocked by the world’s largest bush… If you want more people to enjoy what you have to offer, I suggest trimming your bush!” I winced. “Okay, that didn’t come out right.” It was one thing to see Ivy’s shocked, startled face, but the woman across from us gasped, grabbed her wine, and then took a giant chug.

 

… the last time I had been tested for patience the results came back negative.

 

“They remind me of Ken and Barbie, except Ted and Ivy are anatomically correct, of course. Well, maybe I shouldn’t speak for your family, but Ivy has got all the vital parts in tip-top shape and raring to go.”

 

“You don’t have to worry about Teddy when it comes to being anatomically correct,” Loretta said. “I used to bathe him when he was a little boy, so I have proof. By the way, his shoe size is thirteen now, in case you’re wondering.”

 

You are wrong like a crooked thong.

 

My Review:

 

I grinned, smirked, and chortled while reading this fun, sweet, and amusing tale, which shrewdly featured one of my favorite things on this earth – wine! Meddlesome matchmaking grannies, chili pepper-eating dares, snappy banter, witty quips, humorous verbal sparring, and a blossoming romance were also to be found in abundant supply. I enjoyed this couple as much as I did their entertaining and engaging tale.   Rich Amooi is a sure thing when I need something pleasantly appealing to flush out residual tension or de-stress.   He has never failed to delight and works better than Xanax, and with no prescription needed.

About the Author

Rich Amooi is a Taleflick Discovery Winner, Readers’ Favorite Gold Medal Recipient, Holt Medallion Finalist, and the Amazon Bestselling author of 16 romantic comedies, including It’s Not PMS, It’s You, Dying to Meet You, There’s Something About a Cowboy, and Madam Love, Actually.

A former radio personality and wedding DJ, Rich now writes romantic comedies full-time in San Diego, California, and is happily married to a kiss monster imported from Spain. Rich believes in public displays of affection, silliness, infinite possibilities, donuts, gratitude, laughter, and happily ever after.

Social Media Links –

Author website: www.richamooi.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/author.richamooi 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/richamooi.author

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RichAmooi

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/richamooi

Giveaway

Giveaway to Win a $25 Amazon Gift Card (Open INT)

*Terms and Conditions –  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 the dispatch or delivery of the prize.

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Book Review: The Stills: A Novel (Kinship #3) by Jess Montgomery @JessM_Author @TLCBookTours

The Stills: A Novel
(Kinship #3)
by Jess Montgomery

Amazon  / B&N / GP/ Apple 

The third in Jess Montgomery’s exquisitely written Kinship series, The Stills is a triumph of storytelling by an extraordinary new talent in crime fiction…

Ohio, 1927: Moonshining is a way of life in rural Bronwyn County, and even the otherwise upstanding Sheriff Lily Ross has been known to turn a blind eye when it comes to stills in the area. But when thirteen-year-old Jebediah Ranklin almost dies after drinking tainted moonshine, Lily knows that someone has gone too far, and–with the help of organizer and moonshiner Marvena Whitcomb–is determined to find out who.

But then, Lily’s nemesis, the businessman George Vogel, reappears in town with his new wife, Fiona. Along with them is also her former brother-in-law Luther Ross, now an agent for the newly formed Bureau of Prohibition. To Lily, it seems too much of a coincidence that they should arrive now.

As fall turns to winter, a blizzard closes in. Lily starts to peel back the layers of deception shrouding the town of Kinship, but soon she discovers that many around her seem to be betraying those they hold dear–and that Fiona too may have an agenda of her own.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Week before last, cold shooed warmth into a wish and a memory, then rattled tree limbs to leaflessness with one gnarly hand, while gripping the earth with the other.

 

Lily shakes her head, recollecting how thin yet shuddery the boy’s breath had sounded, like a gossamer curtain between this life and the next, stirred by deep winds.

 

That was always the problem with snakes like Luther. They always seem like they can be telling the truth. Fiona shifts in her chair, suddenly uncomfortable. She seems like she’s telling the truth, too—and it’s a habit that quickly becomes easy to rely on. So thrillingly easy.

 

My Review:

 

This was an intense and angsty read, which is fitting, as it was a tense and angsty period of history during a dire time in a desolate town. The densely packed and well-crafted storylines were highly eventful, complicated, and compelling with insightful and descriptive prose that was often lyrical in nature. The majority of events occurred over a week’s period and featured moonshiners, a missing revenuer, corruption, murder, poisonings, car crashes, ice storms, explosions, snake handlers, a scheming wife, and tons of fiendish subterfuge that required careful reading to savor and properly assimilate.

 

About the Author

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JESS MONTGOMERY is the author of the Kinship Historical Mystery series, inspired by a true-life 1920s female sheriff in Appalachia. You can find out more about her books at www.jessmontgomeryauthor.com, or on Facebook @JessMontgomeryAuthor.

Under Jess’s given name, she is a columnist for Writer’s Digest, “Level Up Your Writing (Life),” and for the Dayton Daily News, focusing on the literary life, authors, and events of her native Dayton, Ohio.

Her first novel in the Kinship Historical Mystery series, THE WIDOWS, won the Readers’ Choice in Fiction for the 2019 Ohioana Awards. Jess is a three-time recipient of the Individual Excellence Award in Literary Arts from the Ohio Arts Council, and has been a John E. Nance Writer in Residence at Thurber House (Columbus, Ohio).

She lives in her native Ohio, and in addition to writing, loves spending time with family and friends, reading, crocheting, baking (especially pies), spoiling her cats and houseplants, hiking, and occasionally fishing.

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Book Review: Let it Show (Juniper Ridge #2) by Tawna Fenske @tawnafenske

 

Let it Show
(Juniper Ridge #2)
by Tawna Fenske

How the hell did I end up on TV faking like I’m not falling for the world’s sexiest shrink?

Yeah, I agreed to live at an old cult compound and let cameras tail me around, but a plotline about a grumpy single dad finding love? Big nope. All I want is a brewery to run and a fresh start with my daughter. Just toss me the keys, keep the psych sessions short, and remind me again why I can’t fall for Dr. Mari Judson.

At least I’m not alone. She’s as thirsty as I am for what’s brewing between us, but Mari runs scared when we get close. Something’s stopping her, and a woman with secrets is a recipe for heartache. Trust me, I know.

Blame her sexy brain, her quirky parrot, or the way my kid adores her, but I can’t quit chasing Mari. It’s bound to blow up like a can of Kolsch tossed down the stairs, so why can’t we stay apart?

And why do I think the good doc is hiding something huge?

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

What the hell was I thinking? I’m starting to wonder if I should tattoo the phrase on my wrist as I grab my keys and sweater and try not to make eye contact with anyone.

 

I can’t stop kissing her, murmuring words that come out in a jumble of syllables even I can’t understand. She’s reduced me to speaking in tongues.

 

“You know I don’t like judgment words.” That’s what I say out loud, but inside my brain shrieks, “bitch” at maximum decibels.

 

“You know, I usually just urge patients to cry it out. Releasing emotions is cathartic.” “You’ve got catharsis handled already… We’re taking care of you with shallow beauty tips and booze.”

My Review:

 

As with every Tawna Fenske book I’ve been fortunate enough to pick up, this was another fun and amusing read with endearing characters tumbling into a sweet and sexy romance, which is my favorite kind, and honestly – they should all be as such! The witty and engaging storylines held numerous interesting, unusual, and entertaining elements such as a fledgling new romance, major life and career transitions, the foibles of being a therapist and a human, a swearing parrot, living in a new reality show community, celebrity, a shifty and shallow ex, damaging secrets, itchy family issues, and beer.   Something to please everyone – and that is not just the former therapist in me talking as that naughty bird certainly put more than a few smirks on my face.

 

About the Author    

Website 
Amazon
Goodreads

 

When Tawna Fenske finished her English lit degree at 22, she celebrated by filling a giant trash bag full of romance novels and dragging it everywhere until she’d read them all. Now she’s a RITA-nominated, USA Today bestselling author who writes humorous fiction, risqué romance, and heartwarming love stories with a quirky twist. Publishers Weekly has praised Tawna’s offbeat romances with multiple starred reviews and noted, “There’s something wonderfully relaxing about being immersed in a story filled with over-the-top characters in undeniably relatable situations. Heartache and humor go hand in hand.”

Tawna lives in Bend, Oregon, with her husband, stepkids, and a menagerie of ill-behaved pets. She loves hiking, snowshoeing, standup paddleboarding, and inventing excuses to sip wine on her back porch. She can peel a banana with her toes and loses an average of twenty pairs of eyeglasses per year. To find out more about Tawna and her books, visit www.tawnafenske.com.

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Book Review: The Blessed Bones (Detective Clara Jefferies #3) by Kathryn Casey @KathrynCasey  @Bookouture 

The Blessed Bones
(Detective Clara Jefferies #3)
Kathryn Casey

Amazon  / B&N / Apple / GP

She could hear nothing but the sound of her own heartbeat. It was dark and the rough ground scraped against her as she tried to move. Being alone was strange to her—she was so used to her big family, to the noise, the warmth, but the last thing she wanted was for the woman to return…

When Detective Clara Jefferies returned home to Alber, Utah, she knew it would take a long time to convince the closed community to trust her. So she is surprised to be called to private land up in the mountains until she hears that the bones of a young girl have been found. And hidden in the dark depths of the grave are the remains of a baby too…

Digging into the town’s missing persons files, Clara is shocked to discover that pregnant girls have been going missing for years. And when she spots Ash Crawford, the first cop on the scene, praying over the bodies, she begins to suspect that he knows more about the victim than he’s letting on.

With Crawford staying silent, and the identity of the girl still unknown, Clara’s only choice is to visit every family living on the mountaintop, desperate to find what they might be hiding. But doing so means facing the man she was once bound to, and the tall iron gates of the ranch she ran away from all those years ago.

Then another pregnant girl is reported missing, and Clara ramps up her search, racing to find her alive. But can she uncover the town’s dark secrets in time to save both the girl and her unborn child?

A heart-pounding crime thriller that twists and turns like a rollercoaster, leaving you on the edge of your seat. Readers of Lisa Regan, Linda Castillo, and Kendra Elliot will be completely addicted.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

He’s super tall, like a tree. And he had on a big hat. And he showed Mom the picture, and she got upset. Madder than she used to get at my dad before she threw plates at him and we left him.

 

Listening to her, I thought about how my ex-husband had threatened me just a night earlier, saying he’d ban me from Heaven. I considered how beautiful faith could be, but also how a tiny minority, those who falsely claimed to be religious, sometimes tragically misused it to manipulate others. It brought to mind the Bible verse about wolves in sheep’s clothing.

My Review:

 

This was an intense read, full of brutal and vile men hiding behind a ridiculous religion to abuse their children and wives, and idiotic women who enabled and allowed it to continue.   It boggles my mind but it continues to happen all around the world to varying degrees. The storylines were all taut with tension, active, and fraught with desperate and nightmarish situations, intrigue, painfully realistic and jaw-dropping cruelty, and extreme frustration. It was a real page-turner and my brain was rippling with curiosity, distrust, and wild theories. I was so wrong, and actually quite happy about it. Kathryn Casey weaves dark, itchy, and cringe-worthy tales and agilely does so with an uncommonly insightful skill set that kept me reading even though I was flinching. She has mad skills.

About the Author
A novelist and award-winning journalist, Kathryn Casey is the author of eleven highly acclaimed true crime books and the creator of the Sarah Armstrong mystery series. Library Journal picked THE KILLING STORM as one of the best mysteries of 2010. Her latest true crime, IN PLAIN SIGHT, investigates the Kaufman County prosecutor murders, a case that made worldwide headlines. Casey has appeared on Oprah, 20/20, the Today Show, Good Morning America, the Biography Channel, Reelz, The Travel Network, Investigation Discovery, and many other venues. Ann Rule called Casey “one of the best in the true-crime genre.”

 

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Book Review: The Wherryman (DI Tanner #6) by David Blake @DavidDBlake @rararesources 

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The Wherryman
(DI Tanner #6)
by David Blake

Amazon  

 

Four missing children, three murdered men, and the helm of a boat with a blood-red sail, hiding a secret only he can tell.

Returning to the Broads after nearly two years at sea, Tanner moors up next to a boat to find the body of a man whose five-year-old daughter is nowhere to be seen. As a torrent of unwanted memories begins flooding through his mind, an attractive Broads Ranger arrives at the scene with a disturbing tale; one of children being taken by a ghostly figure, standing at the helm of an old wooden boat.

My Rating:

Favorite Quote:

‘I’ve never been much for lounging about in bed.’ ‘Not even after being shot at point-blank range?’ ‘It was only a sawn-off shotgun. Had it been a bazooka, I’d have probably stayed till after lunch.’

My Review:

Woohoo, another home run for the slick and wily wordsmith David Blake. He is a sly one and I adore his underhanded and cunning craftiness for unpredictable twists and turns. What guile!   I am beyond impressed and yearning for more. I am enamored with the walking wounded and scruffy DCI Tanner.

 

About the Author

Consistently ranked within the top 30 most read authors on Amazon.co.uk, David Blake is a full-time author living in North London. To date, he has written eighteen books along with a collection of short stories. He’s currently working on his nineteenth, The Wherryman, which is the next in his series of crime fiction thrillers after Broadland, St. Benet’s, Moorings, Three Rivers and Horsey Mere. When not writing, David likes to spend his time mucking about in boats, often in the Norfolk Broads, where his crime fiction books are based.

Social Media Links
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DavidBlakeAuthor
Twitter: @DavidDBlake

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Book Review: Horsey Mere (DI Tanner #5) by David Blake @DavidDBlake  @rararesources 

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Horsey Mere
(DI Tanner #5)
by David Blake

Amazon  / GP

The remains of a 17th Century witch, an MP found hanging above a five-pointed star, and three girls with powers beyond anyone’s control.

As DI Tanner and DS Evans endeavor to make plans for their big day, the chance discovery of Norfolk’s last known witch, tried and hanged by Norfolk’s infamous Witchfinder General, sparks a chain of the most horrific events, none of which Tanner seems able to stop.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

‘I’d no idea you knew so much about witches.’ Jenny shrugged. ‘Well, I used to be one, you see,’ she continued, in a matter-of-fact tone of voice, ‘but there’s not much demand for them these days, so I joined the police instead.’

 

I learned a long time ago to never underestimate the lengths the rich and shameless would go for the acquisition of power. From what I can make out, they’re basically brought up to believe that it’s their God-given right to be in control. That’s why so many of them go into politics.

 

He’s going to disown you faster than a paranoid rat deserting a submarine with a hole in it.

My Review:

 

Where have I been that I had never read this crafty and wily scribe before? I immediately fell into his tragic and cringe-worthy tale of intrigue and oddly contrived and heinous murders. I was ensnared, caught up, and engaged on all thrusters. The storylines hit all the feels with emotive and evocative phrasing while also being rich with vibrant observations, clever snark, and wry and caustic humor. I adored these characters, as sarcasm happens to be my second language. The storylines were active, fast-paced, and kept the little pea in my brain whirling. I enjoyed it so much I’m diving right back in with the next book in the series as well as crossing my fingers while checking my jaundiced bank balance with the hope of amassing the previous four installments.

 

About the Author

 

Consistently ranked within the top 30 most read authors on Amazon.co.uk, David Blake is a full-time author living in North London. To date, he has written eighteen books along with a collection of short stories. He’s currently working on his nineteenth, The Wherryman, which is the next in his series of crime fiction thrillers after Broadland, St. Benet’s, Moorings, Three Rivers and Horsey Mere. When not writing, David likes to spend his time mucking about in boats, often in the Norfolk Broads, where his crime fiction books are based.

Social Media Links

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Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/DavidBlakeAuthor

Twitter:

@DavidDBlake

 

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Book Review: A Little Birdie Told Me by Sharley Scott @SharleyScott @rararesources  @BoldwoodBooks

A Little Birdie Told Me
by Sharley Scott

Amazon 

 

It’s 1988. The era of young love, with Scott and Charlene melting hearts in Neighbours, and a new princess for the Royal Family. With Bros, Madonna, and Wet Wet Wet in the charts, and children hoping for Ghostbusters’ toys in their stockings.

But it’s not all fun for Belinda. If her life was a board game, she’s losing at snakes and ladders. Once she’d been working her way up one of those ladders but, thanks to her snake-like polytechnic lecturer, she’s toppled from the rungs. Now she works in an old people’s home, where her chief duties involve cleaning toilets and emptying commodes.

At least her lovely colleague, Joe, offers excitement in her otherwise dreary life. But Belinda can’t believe he’d be interested in someone like her. Not when her pretty friend, Tracey, only has to glance at a man to have him fall for her.

But just when it seems things are looking up for Belinda, the residents’ precious possessions start to go missing. Then she witnesses a disturbing incident and doesn’t know what to do. Luckily, Belinda has Joe to guide her – until she discovers that he’s hiding a secret, one that forces her to make an agonizing decision.

Will she continue to hide in the shadows, never speaking out – or will she put her future on the line to stand up for what is right? After all, she’s caring for a generation that’s lived through two wars. Now it’s time to fight for them.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Tracey asked to see my outfit. I held out my baggy black top and leggings. I’d thought about jeans but settled on the gothic look favoured by my friends at poly. It hid my stomach, although the leggings added a few pounds elsewhere. After I’d been sitting down the material would sag, making it look as if I had a saggy bum and boobs on my knees.

 

I’ve been there once or twice. The carpet is used as an ashtray and the glasses have more lipstick than a cosmetics counter. But it’s handy for building the immune system.

 

I should try a bit harder for Alice, even if I didn’t feel inclined to do so. It would be like taking a porcupine on a date and hoping you didn’t upset it. Except, unlike Alice, they looked cute.

 

“Who could be weaker and more vulnerable than someone with dementia? It’s not so easy to hurt someone who has a voice, like the others.” She gazed at me, her eyes filled with love. “But you’ve got one, Bee. Use it for them. Come what may.”

My Review:

 

These storylines resonated for me as I had also labored at a nursing home in the early 80s while working my way through university. And while I didn’t have flaming red hair, I was in possession of ample curves and a bit extra where I didn’t need it, as was the main character of Belinda. Although I will confess to having far more lip and backbone to me than Belinda had been blessed with.

Sharley Scott did an excellent job in holding to the accuracy of the period of big hair, assorted music, slowly shifting attitudes, and the odd culture of the time. I got a bit nostalgic as even after all these years, I could put faces of my former patients and heinous co-workers to similar characters making their way through the storylines. The writing was easy to follow, engaging, well-paced, wryly amusing, and hit all the feels with emotive and evocative word choices.

 

About the Author

Amazon
Goodreads
Facebook
Twitter

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Sharley Scott is the author of the Devon Seaside Guesthouse novels – Bedlam & Breakfast and B&Bers Behaving Madly – and the Maddie Meadows series.

Sharley is a guesthouse owner in South Devon. She is thankful to have been blessed with lots of amazing and kind-hearted guests, who are nothing like some of the fictional characters featured in the Devon Seaside Guesthouse series.

The Two Lives of Maddie Meadows – and its sequel The Gift of a Rose – portray the life of a working single mum. Some of the mischief Maddie’s little one, Josh, gets up to will be familiar to all parents. In real life, Sharley has carried out the threats she made to her son decades ago and now gets her own back him by telling tales to his girlfriend (some of the incidents in the books are inspired by him), although he returns the favor by recounting utterly embarrassing stories about his mum.

Sharley’s latest novel ‘A Little Birdie Told Me…’ is being published in February 2021. This book goes back in time to the late eighties: a time of fun music, interesting fashion, strange hairstyles, and no internet or mobile phones. Fancy having to talk to each other! (Says the author who frequents Facebook too often).

 

 

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Book Review: She’s Got the Money (The Suite #45 Series Book 2) by M.O. Mack

She’s Got the Money
(The Suite #45 Series – # 2)
by M.O. Mack 

 

From M.O. Mack comes the second standalone thriller, SHE’S GOT THE MONEY.

When Emily escaped an impossible situation back home, she never imagined she’d end up working for a dangerous hitman. Not good.

But every step forward leads two steps deeper into his world.

Now, she’ll have to decide. Be like him and survive? Or run from his enemies and her past forever.

Either way, her choices thus far have left unpaid debts. And everyone wants their money.

Until she pays up, there’ll be no breathing room to figure a way out.

My Rating:

 

Favorite Quote:

 

And it was quite possibly the worst idea ever. Even worse than the time she Ubered to a gunfight, a very ridiculous story best left in the past.

My Review:

 

This fast-paced and action-packed tale was smirk-worthy with amusing observations and clever snark while keeping my curiosity on edge with twisty and complex conundrums, double-dealing, and a pyramid of lies built on a foundation of truths. I was engaged and frequently flinching when I wasn’t smirking or puzzling out the plot before the little pea in my brain was irreparably scorched. The characters were compelling and oddly humorous assassins full of sass, enigmatic misdirections, compounded lies, and contradictions.  And despite all that, they were strangely likable.   M.O. Mack has wily skills. I’m hopelessly enamored and already eager for the next installment.

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Obviously, M.O. Mack is a cover. Don’t bother looking for the author’s true identity. He/she must remain secret due to the sensitive information written in his/her stories…

Okay, most of all that is total rubbish! M.O. is a full-time author from the great state of Arizona, who loves making stuff up and hates a slow story. The faster the better! Most days, M.O. tries to avoid the news (too violent) so it doesn’t interfere with writing funny, but quasi-violent stories.

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Book Review: Marriage and Murder (Solving for Pie: Cletus and Jenn Mysteries #2) by Penny Reid 

Marriage and Murder, an-all new quirky and witty cozy mystery, and the second book in the Solving for Pie: Cletus and Jenn Mysteries from New York Times bestselling author Penny Reid is available now!

Marriage and Murder (Solving for Pie: Cletus and Jenn Mysteries #2) by Penny Reid 

 

The Devil is in the details . . .

Cletus Byron Winston wishes to marry Jennifer Anne Donner-Sylvester (aka The Banana Cake Queen) posthaste! He’s spent the last year wanting nothing more than for the celebrations to be brief, libations flowing, and BYOB (bring your own blueberries). His future mother-in-law has other plans, plans his intended has been willing to indulge, much to Cletus’s chagrin. Therefore, so must he. To a point. But truth be told, he wouldn’t mind if the meddlesome matriarch disappeared, at least until the nuptials are over.

On the night of Cletus and Jenn’s long-awaited engagement party, just when the surly schemer is of a mind to take matters into his own hands, a shocking event upends everyone’s best-laid plans and sends the small hamlet of Green Valley into complete disarray. The final months leading up to Cletus and Jenn’s matrimonial bliss are plagued with chaos and uncertainty. Will Cletus and Jenn finally make it to the altar? Or will murder and mayhem derail their happily-ever-after? And most importantly, who done it?

‘Marriage and Murder’ is the second book in the cozy mystery series Solving for Pie: Cletus and Jenn Mysteries. It is best read after Winston Brothers #3, ‘Beard Science’ (which can be read as a standalone) and Solving for Pie: Cletus and Jenn Mysteries #1, ‘Engagement and Espionage.’

Download your copy today!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3bxHvvw

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/MarriageMurderPR

Apple Books: https://apple.co/2LqTiBk

Kobo: https://bit.ly/2T5lIVP

Nook: https://bit.ly/2WuiXzm

Google Play: https://bit.ly/2Z0eZjD

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

  Good Lord, the woman had invited everyone in East Tennessee and all their neighbors but none of their children. An intimate engagement party is what she and Jenn had promised me last year when the wedding planning had begun. This evening would be as intimate as an orgy in Times Square and would likely be better attended.  

This chafed like wet pants on a ten-mile hike.  

The woman was not usually one to offer comfort. At her most agreeable, she was saltier than a sardine.  

She looked like a lawyer. You know, learned and poised to argue.  

My Review:

 

This was a delightfully fun and highly entertaining read with romance, sizzling sensuality, family drama, a murder mystery, and my best-loved character from among my favorite family of quirky hillbillies, Cletus. I am enamored with him as well as his intended bride Jenn. They are an adorable couple and both with odd and complicated family dynamics. The storylines were intriguing, the characters were delectably peculiar, and the writing was cleverly amusing and kept me fully engaged on all thrusters.   I hope to be reading these tales into perpetuity with these characters reaching the age of having spirited nursing home shenanigans.  

 

Meet Penny Reid

Penny Reid is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Best Selling Author of the Winston Brothers, Knitting in the City, Rugby, and Hypothesis series. She used to spend her days writing federal grant proposals as a biomedical researcher, but now she just writes books. She’s also a full-time mom to three diminutive adults, wife, daughter, knitter, crocheter, sewer, general crafter, and thought ninja.

Connect with Penny

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

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2lakzsD

Twitter: @ReidRomance

Mailing List: http://pennyreid.ninja/newsletter/

Website: www.pennyreid.ninja

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Book Review: Watch Her Sleep (Charlotte Winters #3) by L.T. Vargus & Tim McBain @ltvargus  @Bookouture 

Watch Her Sleep 
(Charlotte Winters #3)
by L.T. Vargus & Tim McBain

 

Amazon  / B&N / Apple / GP

Nestled in the autumn leaves, her hair tangled in thick brambles, the girl looks like she could be sleeping amongst the wild roses. But the trail of red across her delicate throat means this is a slumber she will never wake from…

When a search party trawling Salem Island finds a girl’s body curled on the damp earth, the hunt for missing waitress Emma Jacobis grinds to a devastating halt. The day before, Emma had come to Detective Charlie Winters convinced someone was watching her. In her trembling hand, she held a sketch of herself sleeping peacefully with the stuffed rabbit she’d had since she was a child. On the back, scrawled in black ink: You will be mine…

A box containing handwritten letters found under Emma’s bed is Charlie’s first lead. But the handwriting isn’t a match to the note left for Emma. With the help of her new assistant, a troubled girl eager to learn the ropes, Charlie’s only hope is to canvas the bar where Emma worked. There, she finds a woman with fear in her eyes and a terrifying story to tell about an encounter with a dangerous stranger. Is someone in this small town targeting vulnerable girls as prey?

Certain she’s found a twisted killer’s hunting ground, and with time running out before he strikes again, Charlie has no choice but to use her new assistant as bait to lure him out into the open. But when a scream pierces through the night, will Charlie survive the consequences? She has to, or there’s no knowing how many more innocent girls will die …

An absolutely nail-biting and completely jaw-dropping crime thriller. Fans of Kendra Elliot, Robert Dugoni, and Lisa Regan will be left reeling after reading in one sitting!

My Rating:

Favorite Quote:

 

“Not bad for a last-minute costume,” she said. “I guess it’s alright,” Allie said with a sigh. “A little underwhelming in the bust department, if you ask me. You only have so many good boob years left, Charlie. You really should try to make the most of it.”

My Review:

 

I was sucked right into this intense, intriguing, and twisted tale. I was feverishly gripping my Kindle from beginning to end. This missive was ingeniously plotted, thrummed with tension, and was rather gruesome and chilling while oddly also wicked funny and packed with the dark wit and clever snark I’ve come to expect from this dynamic duo of raconteurs.

This sly pair of authors has uncanny word wizardry. Their writing style is of an unusual craft with emotive and evocative details that engage all the senses and pull vivid imagery to mind.   I could hear the characters’ labored breaths, see through their eyes, and absorbed their agitation, excitement, and exhaustion. Each scene was complete and kept the film reel scrolling smoothly through my rapidly sparking gray matter. I wanted to savor each word yet I couldn’t read fast enough to keep up with all the action.

The storylines were eventful and full of divinely riveting twists that kept me on edge yet there was also frequent smirking at the sardonic humor, that is, when I wasn’t anxiously gnawing at my cuticles. These two have mad skills!

About the Authors

L.T. Vargus and Tim McBain are the authors of the Violet Darger series and The Scattered and the Dead series among others, which have collectively tallied over a million downloads. Their book, Dead End Girl, peaked at #3 in the US Kindle charts and has remained in the top 10 in multiple sub-categories since it was published in 2017.