When a fortieth birthday celebration leads to a ghostly visitor, four friends find themselves navigating surprising mysteries and spiritual hijinks, in this clever debut from Melissa Holtz.

Alyssa Mann isn’t adventurous, not since her husband died and she found herself the single mom of a teenage daughter. But there’s no way to avoid celebrating the big 4-0, so when her best friends drag her out for drinks and a tarot reading, she throws caution to the wind and decides to see what the spirits have to say. It’s all fun and games, until she wakes up the next morning with a wicked hangover—and a ghost perched on the edge of her bed.

Sheer panic sends her running to get help from Nick West, the (very attractive) detective who lives next door. When he finds no one inside, Alyssa has to accept that she really did see a ghost. As the dearly departed keep appearing, Alyssa and her friends do their best to learn how to control her newfound power. Trading insults with ghosts, tracking down family heirlooms, and getting closer to the skeptical but helpful Nick is more fun than Alyssa imagined. But when looking into one ghost’s past reveals unexpected—and unwelcome—facts about Alyssa’s late husband’s death, she discovers she just may be in over her head.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

We all know she’s about as comforting as sitting on a cactus.

“Have your cell phones ready in case we have to call 9-1-1; this looks like a potential sex trafficking situation,” I call over my shoulder to Nina. Lanie turns to me, nose scrunched and eyes squinted in something like disgust. “We’d be a bit past their target.”

When death comes for me, I want to head straight to that promised beam of light and be whisked off to the land of wine and chocolate.

“Listen, Alyssa, I’m a man of few words for good reason. My dad always said, ‘If you don’t speak, you don’t say stupid shit.’” His head dips and our eyes connect. “It stuck with me. But sometimes, I forget that sage advice and say stupid shit anyway.”

My Review:

I adored this cleverly penned tale of realistic woo-woo. Melissa Holtz has wickedly strong word voodoo and quickly had me ensnared with her witty arrangements of words. The storylines were lively, engaging, highly amusing, and creative, as well as insightfully written, and poignant. The characters were an interesting mix of quirk among both the living and the dead.

I so want to be a member of their Gin and Tarot Club and am already looking forward to more from this wily wordsmith and am fervently hoping she continues on with this one as a series.

About the Author

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Melissa Holtz is a former publicist and marketing expert in the romance genre. Now in an advisory role to several bestselling authors, she consults on industry marketing trends. An Enchanting Case of Spirits is her debut novel.

Continue reading “Book Review: Escape to the Rome Apartment (The Italian Escape Book 3) by Kerry Fisher    @kerryfisherwrites @bookouture”

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

At twenty-two, their youngest brother had yet to develop a sense of responsibility, relying instead on impish charm and a smile that was hard to resist. His siblings had long ago learned not to lend him anything they wanted to see again.

Yellowish china pump handles stood tall above the polished wood of the bar itself, presided over by a burly man who looked to Harry as though he was one impertinent comment away from a good brawl.

A word of warning, though. That toffee-nosed accent of yours creeps through every now and then. You should work on that before you do any more snooping.

My Review:

This was a fun and clever start to a new historical cozy series, and I do loves a good cozy. The premise of this one is quite appealing and unique, desperate people writing to the Baker Street address of the great Sherlock Holmes, begging the infamous detective to help them with various problems. A major problem being that while Sherlock Holmes didn’t exist beyond print, his address was real, although it happened to be belong to a bank.

It fell upon a wily and independent minded young woman, laboring away in a small windowless broom closet, to type out individual responses to each correspondent. How many of us remember using carbon paper?

This was my first exposure to the agile and creative scribblings of Holly Hepburn and I found her writing style to be smooth, immersive, and easy to follow, with issues and scenarios true to the period. I adored her conjured characters and look forward to more of these adventures.

Ex in the City
by Portia MacIntosh

Amazon  / B&N / BB

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

He’s not so much my one that got away, more the one I was lucky to get away from.

My eyebrows, over the years, went on a real journey, and not a nice one like a holiday, a chaotic one, like Lord of the Rings.

I swear it’s darker over there, where they’re sitting, because even the sun finds them a bit much. It’s almost as though they’ve drawn an invisible circle around themselves, creating an impenetrable bubble of hostility and drama.

…he’s matured like a fine wine, whereas I’m maturing more like a cheese.

Jo claps her hands so loudly that one of the older women at the other side of the playground ducks.

My Review:

I enjoy the clever stylings and humorous content in the writing style of this amusing scribe, her characters’ inner musings and colorful observations never fail to keep me smirking throughout perusal. I do love a good second-chance romance and copious servings of wry humor helped to prevent the angst and regrets of their bumpy past from overpowering the tone of this one. The storylines were somewhat slow and taunting initially, which found me a bit restless and annoyed, although Ms. MacItosh redeemed herself with her deft lashings of comedic wit. I remain her devoted acolyte.

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Portia MacIntosh is the bestselling author of over 20 romantic comedy novels.

From disastrous dates to destination weddings, Portia’s romcoms are the perfect way to escape from day to day life, visiting sunny beaches in the summer and snowy villages at Christmas time. Whether it’s southern Italy or the Yorkshire coast, Portia’s stories are the holiday you’re craving, conveniently packed in between the pages.

Formerly a journalist, Portia has left the city, swapping the music biz for the moors, to live the (not so) quiet life with her husband and her dog in Yorkshire.

Favorite Quotes:

She and Nicola were the golden twins. They had apparently fought a fierce battle to come out of the womb first and hadn’t stopped since, their ferocious rivalry spurring both of them on to stratospheric heights. Childhood family games of Trivial Pursuit had frequently led to fisticuffs and Twister was banned in the Martin household for fear it would lead to a repeat of The Great Battle of Christmas 1990.

His dark beard was so impressive it deserved its own Instagram account.

She caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror and gasped in horror. Not so much a blushing bride as a victim of a zombie apocalypse.

Pen looked as if she had spent last night bathing in Evian while being massaged by angels. Being near her made Clio shrivel by comparison.

Pies devoured, she was grabbing handfuls of cakes now. Pink, white, honey-glazed, she didn’t care. She just kept shoving them in her mouth. Crumbs were flying around her like the confetti… At other tables, people guarded their cakes and their teapots, as if expecting her to attack.

Clio looked a little too enthusiastic for Amber’s liking. The kickboxing instructor had reported back to Amber that Clio scared him and asked whether she had any unresolved issues.

…it felt like they were strangers at a bad party before anyone finds the booze.

My Review:

I’ve had so much fun reading this series that I never want it to end. Katie Marsh has such a delightful wit that I want to immerse myself in her entire listing. Her brilliant and clever arrangements of words were buoyant,  agile, and so keenly honed they kept a smooth reel flowing through my gray matter and often had me chuckling as well as barking aloud with laughter. In addition to the hilarious scenarios the trio fell into and the unfortunate hen party activity choices forced upon them, a well-plotted mystery was afoot that only the Bad Girls could have solved. I adore them all and am eagerly awaiting the next installment.

Stunning views across the Grand Canal and a hotel suite fit for royalty… Lady Eleanor Swift is having a jolly good time on her Italian vacation, until a gondola ride is cut murderously short!

1924. Lady Eleanor Swift has been on a grand tour around Italy for a month with her butler Clifford. Finally arriving in Venice, she’s thrilled to be attending the famous carnival: all that’s needed is the perfect bejewelled costume for her faithful bulldog, Gladstone. But on her first gondola ride to take in the sights, a passenger collapses into the canal with a knife sticking out of his back.

Eleanor saw an argument break out between the gondolier and the victim, Councillor Benetto Vendelini, and it turns out they’re rivals from the city’s two great families. Vendelini’s murder is sure to reignite their centuries-long feud. While attending a glitzy ball that night, Eleanor learns of a plot to steal a precious family heirloom from the Vendelini household. Is the stolen item the key to solving this baffling murder?

In this floating city of tiny winding alleyways, Eleanor traces the missing heirloom to an antiques dealer in a far-flung corner of town. But when her handbag is snatched by a cloaked thief, she realises the murderer is dangerously close. Can Eleanor unmask this most cunning of killers, before she joins the other victim at the bottom of the Grand Canal?

An utterly gripping historical murder mystery set in Italy, full of intrigue and charming characters. Fans of T.E. Kinsey, Agatha Christie and Catherine Coles will be totally hooked by A Death in Venice!

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

‘Still harbouring a yearning to join the profession, my lady? Rigidly following a routine meal schedule and indulging in only lady-like portions?’ She shook her head in horror. ‘Not a chance, Clifford. What a hideous idea!’

Clifford! I’ve just had the most extraordinary moment where words came out of my mouth before I’d even had the thought.

‘You shouldn’t be mixed up in any of this awful trouble, anyway. I so wanted you to come away purely for a holiday.’ ‘Which it has been,’ he said drily. ‘In inimitable Lady Swift style; replete with inappropriate venues, danger and, ahem, bodies.

If a compliment was intended, please forgive my having missed it.

 

My Review:

 

I adore this delightful series. The crafty writing duo known as Verity Bright just keeps getting better with each new addition. Their writing style is smooth, witty, wryly amusing, and unfailingly entertaining. This installment was opulently detailed with the brilliance and colorful splendor of Venice and had me wanting to pack my bags and hop on a gondola myself. The mystery was well-plotted and unsolvable for anyone but the uncanny brain trust found in the pairing of Lady Swift and her infinitely prepared butler, Clifford.

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Favorite Quotes:

Maybe Amber’s lethal margaritas had tipped her over the edge– cocktails mixed by someone doing the Macarena were always going to be a risk.

Clio had thought that slipping a disc while doing up her bra would go down in history as her worst birthday ever, but it appeared that life always had new treats in store.

Clio could always say anything. She specialised in speaking her truth, no matter how unwilling the world was to hear it.

It must be nice, having an inheritance. All Gary’s dad had left him were freckles and an allergy to freshly cut grass.

She was so full of aggression she had practically grown spikes.

How had Amber managed to work with him for so long? He was the kind of person who enjoyed reading instruction manuals. Out loud.

Clio wondered how science had come far enough to be able to get Richard Branson into space and yet still hadn’t solved the problem of nasal hair.

My Review:

I adored this wittily penned and vastly enjoyable read and was thrilled to realize it is the start of a new series. The writing was giggle-snort and smirk-worthy from start to finish with cunning insights and wry humor lacing it all together.

Katie Marsh is a sly storyteller who has weaved an entertaining and immersive tale with delightfully humorous observations and keenly penned descriptions that drew sharp visuals to my mind’s eye. I was thoroughly engaged, pleasantly entertained, deeply invested, and highly amused and resented any interruptions to my perusal.

The main characters were deeply flawed yet authentic and admirable as they were living their lives and still deeply bonded from childhood while now in middle age, despite their divergent paths and odd personal quirks. I can’t wait to dive into the next installment.

Favorite Quotes:

She should have asked Mira how she’s managed to survive, because with the way Jenkins is looking at her, Eve is not sure she wants to.

People are never satisfied with what they have. They crave the unknown, the dangerous, the forbidden. And then, when they find themselves immersed in it, they cry out for the safety of their former lives.

I didn’t realize how bankrupt you were— morally and emotionally. Money can’t fix that.

Eve can almost taste the irony. For all her persuasive charm and cunning, it took becoming someone’s lifeline to glimpse her own humanity.

My Review:

This was gritty, cringe-worthy, and skin crawling creepy… yet I couldn’t put it down. I have to admit, I worry what that means about me! As is often the case with Ms. King’s brutally provocative, propulsive, and twisty tales; surprises popped out around every corner and few of the characters were even marginally trustworthy. What a nest of vipers. I couldn’t decide who was the second most heinous sociopath as there were so many to choose from.