Category: Book Reviews

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Book Review: The Christmas Sisters by Sarah Morgan

The Christmas Sisters

 by Sarah Morgan

Amazon US / UK / CA / AU /  B&N

 

In the snowy Highlands of Scotland, Suzanne McBride is dreaming of the perfect cozy Christmas. Her three adopted daughters are coming home for the holidays and she can’t wait to see them. But tensions are running high…
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Workaholic Hannah knows she can’t avoid spending the holidays with her family two years in a row. But it’s not the weight of their expectations that’s panicking her—it’s the life-changing secret she’s hiding. Stay-at-home mom Beth is having a personal crisis. All she wants for Christmas is time to decide if she’s ready to return to work—seeing everyone was supposed to help her stress levels, not increase them! Posy isn’t sure she’s living her best life, but with her parents depending on her, making a change seems risky. But not as risky as falling for gorgeous new neighbor Luke…
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As Suzanne’s dreams of the perfect McBride Christmas unravel, she must rely on the magic of the season to bring her daughters together. But will this new togetherness teach the sisters that their close-knit bond is strong enough to withstand anything—including a family Christmas?

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My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

If her sister had been a laptop, Posy would have run antivirus software because there were times when she was convinced Hannah had been taken over by malware.

 

If parenting was a meal then Jason came straight in at dessert, bypassing all other courses including vegetables.

 

She smiled. “I’m so glad I married you.” “Of course you are. I’m irresistible. You couldn’t resist my practiced seduction.” Stewart swaggered across the room, ruining the effect by tripping over one of her slippers. She rolled her eyes. “You have a terrible memory. I was the one who seduced you.” “Not true.” “You were moving too slowly for me, Stewart McBride.” “That’s not how I remember it. I was like a rampant stallion.”

 

I have a trick I use whenever I’m scared…I pretend I’m in a movie… Whatever movie fits the scenario. It’s easier to pretend I’m playing a character, than it is to be me.

 

My Review:

 

I have sighed with contentment after reading every Sarah Morgan book I have ever picked up. While her cleverly complicated characters are not always easy to appreciate when initially introduced, over the course of their story they have all managed to magically tunnel their way into my cold heart. It is a specific type of Morgan magic as her word voodoo is strong.   This fractious and captivating family was packed with complex personalities with deep-seated issues, and they fascinated me. The writing was engaging and well-paced with generous sprinklings of smirk-worthy wit and clever levity as well as a vibrancy that conjures sharp and vivid scenes in my head as I read. I adore Sarah Morgan in any season. Ms. Morgan is also a frequent contributor to my Brit Word List with the new entries of clag (which seems to have several meanings according to Mr. Google which includes sticky as in mud; a clog or clot; and a low cloud, fog, or smog) and snug (a small comfortable room).

About Sarah Morgan

USA Today and Sunday Times bestselling author Sarah Morgan writes romance and contemporary women’s fiction and her trademark humor and sensuality have gained her fans across the globe. She is a 3-time winner of the prestigious RITA® Award from the Romance Writers of America and has been nominated five times. Sarah lives near London, England, and when she isn’t reading or writing she loves being outdoors.!

Join Sarah on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorSarahM…
Follow Sarah on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SarahMorgan_
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Website: www.sarahmorgan.com

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Book Review: Christmas on Mistletoe Lane (Sweetwater Springs #1) by Annie Rains

Christmas on Mistletoe Lane

Series: Sweetwater Springs (Book 1)

by Annie Rains

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

USA Today bestselling author Annie Rains invites you to the delightful North Carolina town of Sweetwater Springs in this all-new series . . .

‘Tis the season for a fresh start . . .

Christmas is coming to the North Carolina mountains, and the air is fresh and crisp and filled with promise. After the devastating loss of her job in the big city, the small town of Sweetwater Springs feels like heaven to Kaitlyn Russo. She’s inherited her grandparents’ charming (if a little rundown) bed and breakfast, and it’s just the new lease on life she needs. Only “heaven” comes with a catch-and a handsome and completely infuriating one at that.

After what he hopes will be a quick trip, Mitch Hargrove wants nothing more than to put his hometown in the rearview mirror. But his plans get derailed when he learns he’s now half-owner of the Sweetwater B&B. The fact that he’s given only two months to make the inn a success is a huge problem, but it’s his pretty-and incredibly headstrong-partner who’s the real challenge. With the holiday fast approaching and a grand re-opening looming, will Mitch keep running from the ghosts of Christmas past . . . or will he realize the true gift he’s been given?

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

“You’re a crappy excuse for a Santa,” Mrs. Krespo bellowed from one of the tables. “Though I can see why Mommy was caught kissing Santa under the mistletoe if he looked like you.”

 

“No kissing and telling, Marvin,” Mrs. Krespo muttered, reaching for her coffee cup. “Kaitlyn doesn’t need to know you got lucky last night.” Mr. Krespo’s face turned beet red. “I didn’t tell her that, Evie.” “Well, you might as well have.” Mrs. Krespo gave her husband an assessing look. “I haven’t danced in years. I forgot how good of a dancer you were. It did things to me.”

 

“Didn’t he have a pet squirrel for a while?” “That was better than the pet skunk that lasted a day.”

 

She grabbed a box of Kleenex along with a large bag of chocolates because if you were going to have a pity party, you needed to do it right… She was hoping to find a Hallmark movie and live vicariously through the actors and actresses on-screen. Their problems could be fixed in a two-hour time slot on television.

 

My Review:

 

This gentle story was perfectly minted for Hallmark, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it listed next year as a holiday movie. I enjoyed this sweet, feel good, small-town tale, it was holiday treat with no calories – although I was frequently taunted with mentions of diet-shattering fudge and other culinary delights. The characters were enticing and highly likable while the storylines and writing were entertaining, engaging, and easy to follow with alternating licks of humor and heart squeezes.   With her career in tatters, Kaitlyn packed up and left New York City behind and headed toward her inheritance and only hope, which was her grandparents’ run-down B&B in a small North Carolina town. Although she was unpleasantly surprised to learn she had a partner, one she needed to convince to stay and meet conditions of the will within a two-month time frame or she had nothing. And of course her partner was a handsome and rugged Marine who had other plans in the works, no desire to stay, and an unfortunate history to flee. At least he was smart enough to know that when you mess up and need to grovel, bring a puppy.

About Annie Rains
Annie Rains is a USA Today bestselling contemporary romance author who writes small town love stories set in fictional places in her home state of North Carolina. When Annie isn’t writing, she’s living out her own happily ever after with her husband and three children.

 

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Book Review: Murder at Mistletoe Manor by Holly Tierney-Bedord

Murder at Mistletoe Manor

by Holly Tierney-Bedord 

 

Klarinda Snow is the innkeeper of a beautiful, historic bed and breakfast in Windy Pines, Idaho. Guests come to Mistletoe Manor to escape from their troubles while enjoying the scenic mountain town.

When all seven rooms of the inn get booked on a Tuesday night in December, Klarinda is excited about having so much business, but a little confused as well. After all, her inn normally isn’t exactly a destination hotspot.

The guests have barely settled in before strange things begin happening. Is this the most accident-prone group of travelers ever, or is someone out for revenge?

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

“I’ll call Rod Showers. His rates are reasonable. And he’s a hottie!” “Myrtle, are you serious? He’s got to be seventy years old,” said Klarinda. “Easier to catch him,” said Myrtle, wiggling her eyebrows.

 

With me here and him there, that means a hundred percent of his common sense isn’t even in the same state as his penis. I should have known better than to come here.

 

My Review:

 

This was a quickly paced, wryly humorous, and fun cozy murder mystery featuring a revenge plot in a small-town inn located in the middle of nowhere Idaho. It was a banner day for the struggling innkeeper as all seven rooms had been reserved, yet when her guests arrived, they all mentioned winning an all-expense paid luxury vacation to her inn, which was a stunning surprise to the innkeeper. A large envelope stuffed with cash arrived later, which helped to ease the sting as well as adding an extra layer of puzzlement.

The weather was foul although not as vicious as the contemptuous and imperious attitudes of the female guests.   It was readily apparent that the evening was likely to be of an increasingly unpleasant nature, more for some than others as most of the guests departed the premises with the coroner.   The storylines were original, easy to follow, unpredictable, well-paced, and entertaining. Many of my favorite moments were the humorous inner musings and observations of the innkeeper, although I was quite taken by the quirkiness of the characters as well as the many ancillary details such as the elderly reindeer sweatered gentlemen who caroled on skis ~ smirk.

About Holly Tierney-Bedord

Holly Tierney-Bedord is the author of over a dozen novels and novellas, including Sweet Hollow Women, Surviving Valencia, Right Under Your Nose, Bellamy’s Redemption, and Murder at Mistletoe Manor. She lives in Madison, Wisconsin.

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Book Review: Christmas at Carly’s Cupcakes by Jessica Redland

Christmas at Carly’s Cupcakes

by Jessica Redland

 

Amazon US /  UK / AU / CA

Christmas at Carly’s Cupcakes is a cozy heartwarming tale of friendship, family, putting the past behind, and embracing the future. 
It’s Christmas in Whitsborough Bay. With fairy lights connecting the shops and cafés on either side of the cobbles, Castle Street seems magical. And in such a magical place, surely Christmas wishes can come true. Carly Travis, owner of Carly’s Cupcakes, has two Christmas wishes this year. Her first is for her younger sister, Bethany, to focus on the positives in her life, including her Christmas wedding, instead of writing herself off as a failure. Bethany’s attempts at cake-decorating aren’t going to win any awards, but she’s certainly great with customers. Carly’s second wish is for her best friend, Liam, to come home for Christmas.

When Liam calls to say he’s been granted leave from the army, Carly makes a third Christmas wish. It’s the one she’s made every year since she was a teenager and, if she’s really brave, could this be the year when it finally comes true?

With Liam coming home, the shop having its best year yet, and a wedding to look forward to, it’s shaping up to be the best Christmas ever for Carly. But for Bethany, things are starting to unravel …

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

The bullies called Carly “Bear Trap” thanks to a mouthful of metal, and Liam’s nickname was “Skindiana Bones.” It was one of the reasons he and Carly had become such good friends: outcasts together.

 

Liam had come up with the genius name, “The Biscuit Bunch,” because the large group of girls had been carbon copies of each other at school, exactly like a packet of biscuits: same haircut, same way of wearing their skirt and tie, same coat, same shoes, same bag … and same merciless bullying.

 

Before I hug you all goodbye, does anyone have anything else they want to confess? Nobody else tried to play tonsil hockey with Joshua? No? That’s a relief.

 

‘This isn’t your way of telling me that you really do want to run off with The Chief Biscuit?’ Liam’s expression turned very solemn and, for a moment, Carly’s stomach sank. ‘It’s an interesting proposition… But why would I want biscuits when I can have cake?’

 

My Review:

 

I have come to the end of my treasure chest of Jessica Redland books. I may go into withdrawal as I have been gleefully binging on her clever words with great delight. Written in the 3rd person and laced with bright wit and observational levity, this well-crafted story was a quick and engaging read that captivated, entertained, and squeezed the heart. Ms. Redland has such agile word skills and deftly tucks in imaginative and creative details and lush descriptions that elevate an excellent story into an exceptional one.   I adore her and fervently hope she is banging away on her next mesmerizing tale, as I am eager to return to my vast collection of quirky friends residing in the quaint village of Whitsborough Bay.

Author Bio

Jessica had never considered writing as a career until a former manager kept telling her that her business reports read more like stories and she should write a book. She loved writing but had no plot ideas. Then something happened to her that prompted the premise for her debut novel, Searching for Steven. She put fingers to keyboard and soon realized she had a trilogy and a novella.

She lives on the stunning North Yorkshire Coast — the inspiration for the settings in her books — with her husband, daughter, cat, Sprocker Spaniel, and an ever-growing collection of collectible teddy bears. Although if the dog has her way, the collection will be reduced to a pile of stuffing and chewed limbs!

Her passion for North Yorkshire is shared by fellow-writer and great friend, Sharon Booth and, together, they are the Yorkshire Rose Writers.

Jessica tries to balance her time — often unsuccessfully — between being an HR tutor, trying to re-learn how to play the piano, studying towards a Masters in Creative Writing, and writing itself. Who needs sleep?

Social Media Links

Twitter: @JessicaRedland

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

Website and blog: www.jessicaredland.com

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Book Review: Charlee and the Chocolate Shop: A Tale of Two Christmases by Jessica Redland

Charlee and the Chocolate Shop:

A Tale of Two Christmases

by Jessica Redland

 

Amazon US /  UK / AU / CA

 

Charlee and the Chocolate Shop is a heart-warming tale of family and friendship.

Master chocolatier, Charlee Chambers, has plenty to be excited about as Christmas approaches. She’s moved in with her boyfriend, Darren, and she’s about to open a chocolate shop, following in her late granddad’s footsteps. If only Darren would show more interest in helping her refurbish Charlee’s Chocolates ready for a December opening.

When water starts pouring through the shop ceiling, and Darren can’t be contacted to help, emergency plumber Matt comes to the rescue. From that moment on, Matt does more to support Charlee in achieving her dreams than Darren ever has, and she finds herself drawn to him. But Matt’s engaged and Charlee loves Darren … doesn’t she? And Darren loves her … or at least, she thinks he does, but he’s been behaving a little strangely recently.

Then Charlee discovers that Darren has a secret. But so does Matt. And so, it seems, does the woman who abandoned her at birth …

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

I’d love to say that I ditched a hot date or a big night out but, let’s face it, my 96-year-old great grandma has a better social life than me.

 

When they’re all together they act like they’re 16 instead of in their early 30s. It’s as though they’ve just discovered alcohol but the world’s supply is about to run out so they need to consume a lifetime’s quantity in one evening.

 

What was family? Was it shared genes or was it the people who were there for you no matter what?

 

Oh my God! This means Satan’s Mistress is your half-sister.

 

My Review:

 

I fear Jessica Redland has become an addiction; I adore her sneakily wry and insightful writing style. She has created a picture-perfect scene for Christmas magic with Charlee’s tale; imbuing the story with her lovely descriptions, picturesque details, and emotive word choices that scaled all the feels, several times, while also continually plucking at my curiosity. As with all her poignant books, the characters were intriguingly human, realistically flawed and more than a bit damaged, yet endearingly and admirably shouldering through while working hard and putting their best forward. I aspire to achieve the same but know I fall far short of that goal as I am slothfully lazy and well over my lifetime limit of dealing with difficult people.

Author Bio

Jessica had never considered writing as a career until a former manager kept telling her that her business reports read more like stories and she should write a book. She loved writing but had no plot ideas. Then something happened to her that prompted the premise for her debut novel, Searching for Steven. She put fingers to keyboard and soon realized she had a trilogy and a novella.

She lives on the stunning North Yorkshire Coast — the inspiration for the settings in her books — with her husband, daughter, cat, Sprocker Spaniel, and an ever-growing collection of collectible teddy bears. Although if the dog has her way, the collection will be reduced to a pile of stuffing and chewed limbs!

Her passion for North Yorkshire is shared by fellow-writer and great friend, Sharon Booth and, together, they are the Yorkshire Rose Writers.

Jessica tries to balance her time — often unsuccessfully — between being an HR tutor, trying to re-learn how to play the piano, studying towards a Masters in Creative Writing, and writing itself. Who needs sleep?

Social Media Links

Twitter: @JessicaRedland

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

Website and blog: www.jessicaredland.com

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Book Review: Bear With Me by Jessica Redland

Bear With Me

by Jessica Redland

Amazon US / UK / AU / CA 

Jemma has the job of her dreams as curator for the children’s section of a museum in London. She spends each day surrounded by the one thing she’s absolutely passionate about teddy bears. When boyfriend, Scott, shows a genuine interest in her passion instead of laughing at her for “playing with teddies all day”, she knows he’s a keeper.

Returning home to the North Yorkshire seaside town of Whitsborough Bay to celebrate her birthday, Jemma thinks she’s heading for her happy-ever-after when Scott unexpectedly proposes. So, a few days later, why isn’t he returning her calls or responding to her texts?

Julie has always been a wonderful single mother to Jemma and her little brother, Sean. As the owner of specialist teddy bear shop, Bear With Me, and the creative genius behind the successful range of Ju-Sea Bears, she inspires Jemma with her ability to balance a demanding career with home life. So why is the shop now in disarray and why is Sean so upset?

Sam thought he had his future all worked out. With a promising neurology career, a home, and a devoted fiancée, life was looking good. But now he’s all alone in a strange city, far from everyone and everything he cares about, struggling to rebuild the tatters of his life. Did he do the right thing by running away? What does the future hold and is he strong enough to face it?

Sometimes love finds us when we least expect it. But sometimes love leaves us, just as unexpectedly. When you’ve loved and lost, can you bear to let love in again?

Bear With Me, as all will be revealed …

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Dad hated bears, Mum hated golf, and I was pretty certain they hated each other.

Kirsty begged me to take her back… It was a different technique each time from tears to seduction to pleading temporary insanity because she loved me so much and couldn’t bear being away from me. I never understood that logic. If you miss someone, you send them a text, you look at a photo, you sniff their clothes. You don’t play a game of hide the sausage dressed as a canine.

 

My Review:

 

I devoured this engaging and captivating tale, it was full of interesting and heart squeezing storylines that while tragic and angsty, were so well written and expertly tempered with levity and quirkiness that I didn’t seem to mind at all. I adored the main characters although there was a period where I wanted to give Jemma a few hard pinches and a much-needed kick to her posterior to dislodge her cranium. The path of this couple’s relationship was a zigzag route of false starts and bad timing, and I wanted to groan with frustration for them with each near miss. The writing was easy to follow, informative, well-paced, and held my complete attention throughout. I adored the gradual melding of Flash Gordon/Thor/Indiana Jones and the Deputy Head Bear-Keeper. And I scored two fun new additions to my Brit word list with tiddly which is slightly drunk, and nithered which is used in northern UK and Scotland to describe the effects of extreme cold such as intense shivering.

Author Bio

Jessica had never considered writing as a career until a former manager kept telling her that her business reports read more like stories and she should write a book. She loved writing but had no plot ideas. Then something happened to her that prompted the premise for her debut novel, Searching for Steven. She put fingers to keyboard and soon realized she had a trilogy and a novella.

She lives on the stunning North Yorkshire Coast — the inspiration for the settings in her books — with her husband, daughter, cat, Sprocker Spaniel, and an ever-growing collection of collectible teddy bears. Although if the dog has her way, the collection will be reduced to a pile of stuffing and chewed limbs!

Her passion for North Yorkshire is shared by fellow-writer and great friend, Sharon Booth and, together, they are the Yorkshire Rose Writers.

Jessica tries to balance her time — often unsuccessfully — between being an HR tutor, trying to re-learn how to play the piano, studying towards a Masters in Creative Writing, and writing itself. Who needs sleep?

Social Media Links

Twitter: @JessicaRedland

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

Website and blog: www.jessicaredland.com

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Book Review: Christmas on the Island by Jenny Colgan

 Christmas on the Island

by Jenny Colgan

HarperCollins | Amazon | B&N

Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks; Reprint edition (October 16, 2018)

On the remote Scottish island of Mure, the Christmas season is stark, windy, and icy—yet incredibly festive and beautiful…

It’s a time for getting cozy in front of whiskey barrel wood fires and enjoying a dram and a treacle pudding with the people you love—unless, of course, you’ve accidentally gotten pregnant by your ex-boss, and don’t know how to tell him. In the season for peace and good cheer, will Flora find the nerve to reveal the truth to her nearest and dearest? Will her erstwhile co-parent Joel think she’s the bearer of glad tidings—or is this Christmas going to be as bleak as the Highlands in midwinter?

Meanwhile, Saif, a doctor, and refugee from war-torn Syria is trying to enjoy his first western Christmas with his sons on this remote island where he’s been granted asylum. His wife, however, is still missing, and her absence hangs over what should be a joyful celebration. Can the family possibly find comfort and joy without her?

Travel to the beautiful northern edge of the world and join the welcoming community of Mure for a Highland Christmas you’ll never forget!

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

…when you grow up somewhere with a population of about a thousand, secret internet shopping came as a boon on par with electricity…

 

I am definitely and absolutely in the process of considering getting around to telling Joel…

 

I just wanted to say, if you guys want to keep this secret, you have to stop ignoring everyone else to stare at each other like you want to eat each other up. I mean it, honestly, it’s gross. It’s putting people off their mince pies.

 

My Review:

 

This was the third book in the series but my first visit to the island of Mure, so I was unfamiliar with the daunting number of characters residing there, although I quickly grew to adore their individual oddities and the quirkiness of the small community and greedily covet all the previous books as well as all books written by this gifted scribbler. The writing flowed smoothly and easily drew clear visuals across my gray matter as effortlessly as a movie reel. I was transported and felt the chill of their winter and heard the howl of the wind. The storylines were insightfully written and eloquently hit all the feels, although considerable tragedy and real-world problems were front and center despite the season. My eyes may have been stinging and my throat may have closed up a few times, sigh. This author has to have mad skills to have squeezed my cold heart. Her word voodoo is strong.

I was provided with a review copy of this lovely book by HarperCollins and TLC Book Tours.

About Jenny Colgan

Jenny Colgan is the New York Times-bestselling author of numerous novels, including The Bookshop on the Corner, Little Beach Street Bakery, and Summer at Little Beach Street Bakery, all international bestsellers. Jenny is married with three children and lives in London and Scotland.

Find out more about Jenny at her website, and connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

This post was chosen as a Booktastic Link Up

Booktastic Link it up Thursday is a weekly meme hosted by Jo Linsdell where book bloggers can link up their latest book related post.

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Book Review: Christmas at the Lakeside Resort (The Lakeside Resort Series Book 1) by Susan Schild

Christmas at the Lakeside Resort

 (The Lakeside Resort Series Book 1)

by Susan Schild 

Amazon / B&N

Christmas at the Lakeside Resort

Love and Adventures after 40

Forty-two-year-old Jenny Beckett is dreading the holidays. Her fiancé has just called off their Christmas wedding, and she’s been evicted from her darling chicken coop cottage. When her estranged father dies and leaves her eight rustic guest cabins on Heron Lake, Jenny seizes the chance to make a new life. She packs up her dogs, her miniature horse, and her beat up Airstream trailer and moves to the lake.

Short on time and money, Jenny and her contractor, widower Luke, work feverishly to renovate the cabins in time for the festive holiday event she’s promised her very first guests. When an unexpected blizzard snows them in and jeopardizes the resort’s opening, Jenny and Luke work to save the event and, along the way, find true love… and the magic of Christmas.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Through Shady Grove’s small-town grapevine that ran faster than any high-speed internet, Jenny had heard that Douglas was serious about Aiden and that the woman was referring to him as her fiancé… would he be cheap enough or insensitive enough to recycle the engagement ring she’d given back to him just nine months ago? Her eyes fixed on them like a hunting dog on point…

 

Jenny thought she was beautiful, like one of the Greek goddesses who rode around in chariots and threw lightning bolts at people who deserved it.

 

With coolly assessing eyes, she glanced around her office, the one that she’d been so proud of when she’d first signed the lease… Jenny picked at a cuticle and felt a wave of sadness. Her little office had gotten dumpy and worn and smelled faintly of teenaged boys’ feet.

 

“Your hound dog of a fiancé swans off with a big-haired man-stealer and Earl-the-rat kicks you out. You’re tired of your work life. Then you get the inheritance from the grave.” Crunching a crouton, she gave Jenny a mischievous smile. “Being friends with you is better than watching those family sagas on Netflix.”

 

We ought to let the air out of his tires or hide a dead fish in his car or tell a bunch of Amway agents that he wants to become part of a successful team.

 

My Review:

 

I adored her previous series and with book one, am already besotted with Susan Schild’s new series. The storylines were wryly humorous, easy to follow, pleasantly engaging, actively entertaining, and left me sighing contentedly with the satisfying HEA. I am eager for more as I love these characters, although my mind stuttered when Jenny prepared a peanut butter and raisin sandwich, an intriguing issue that requires further research.

About the Author

Susan Schild writes heartwarming and funny novels about women over 40 having adventures. falling in love, and finding their happily ever afters.

Susan is a wife and a stepmother who enjoys weekend getaways with friends, reading fiction, and rummaging through thrift stores and antique stores for treasures like four dollar cashmere sweaters and amateur watercolor paintings. A dog lover, Susan is especially fond of Lab mix rescue dogs.

With a professional background as a psychotherapist and a management consultant, Susan has used her professional background to add authenticity to her characters.

Susan and her family live in North Carolina where she is busy writing her next novel.

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Book Review: Betting On Her (Wilde Love #2) by Kelly Collins

Betting On Her

 (Wilde Love #2) 

by Kelly Collins

Amazon 

 

She’s a renegade Russian mob princess. He’s an ex-con trying to go legit. Can they stay out of trouble long enough to fall in love?

Beautiful but deadly, Katya Petrenko’s future has been decided. She’ll marry the man her father orders her to, or she’ll pay the price. After narrowly escaping a marriage to the wrong Wilde brother, she has now been promised to a notorious Russian hitman who has the Wildes in his crosshairs. Ultimately, Katya must choose between loyalty to her family and protecting Matt, the Wilde brother who stole her heart years ago. She rolls the dice at the chance to win at love, but will Matt be her next losing hand?

Matt Wilde has had his share of troubles. Born into mob life, it’s all he knows. After spending the last three years in prison, he’s ready to run Old Money Casino legitimately—until trouble arrives in a red dress and heels. Matt is torn between loving Katya, the woman he knows, and hating her for being the daughter of the man who killed his father. When danger threatens to take everything away, will Katya be a safe bet, or will he have to go all in to save them both?

Love is a gamble, especially when the risk is your life. Will this pair double down and win or die trying??

Betting On Her – A Wilde Love Novel is a page-turning contemporary romance. If you like snarky heroines, sexy heroes, and passion that pops off the page, then go all in on this Kelly Collins’ novel.

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

If Shrek and Dwayne Johnson had a baby, I was certain he’d look like Sergei.

 

There were two ways to deal with a man like Yuri. Kill him outright or make him suffer. I always believed that Karma was a bitch, and right now my name was Karma.

 

You’re so thin, you could hula hoop with a Cheerio.

 

I like your bad side. You’re like one of those German chocolate eggs. You break it open and never know what surprise you’ll find inside.

 

My Review:

 

Romance can be difficult enough but it grows ever so thorny and rather deadly when the attraction is sparked between the offspring of rival mafia families, although it does make an excellent premise for a steamy tale of romantic suspense in the wily hands of Kelly Collins. Bundled together with alluring characters, tragic and startling twists and turns, volcanic sensual heat, and clever snark and witty banter; the storylines were actively engaging and intriguing. I will be eagerly awaiting the next Wilde ride.

ABOUT KELLY COLLINS   

Kelly Collins writes with the intention of keeping the love alive.

Always a romantic, she is inspired by real-time events mixed with a dose of fiction. She encourages her readers to reach the happily ever after but bask in the afterglow of the perfectly imperfect love.

Kelly lives in Colorado with her husband of twenty-five years. She loves hockey, shiny objects and has a new-found appreciation for green smoothies.

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Book Review: Betting On Him (Wilde Love #1) by Kelly Collins

 

Betting On Him 

(Wilde Love #1)

by Kelly Collins 

Goodreads / Amazon

He’s a gangster going straight. She’s a waitress going bankrupt. Will their gamble on a marriage of convenience pay off in true love?

Alex Wilde desperately wants to be free of the family’s mob business. But when his infamous father is murdered, the family attorney makes a suggestion he can’t ignore: find a bride before the funeral or they’ll force a wedding with a nice Russian gangster girl. When he meets a feisty cocktail waitress, he thinks he’s found his way out.

Faye Tandy is desperately in debt and hard-pressed to find help. Alex’s offer of a phony marriage for a ton of cash couldn’t come at a better time and she’s happy to help him exit the criminal world. The fact that he’s tall, dark, and handsome is an attractive bonus. But when she discovers the Russians have a contract out on her head, she wonders if divorced and bankrupt would be a better choice than rich and dead…

As Faye’s fake feelings for Alex turn real, she’s terrified her trip to the altar might be her last. Will Alex and Faye’s throw of the dice succeed or will they lose the lawless game of love?

Betting On Him – A Wilde Love Novel is a hilarious contemporary romance. If you like feisty heroines, sharp heroes, and passion that’s meant to be, then you’ll love Kelly Collins’ sure bet story.

 

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

She touched my hair. “You look like Snow White. Dark hair. Fair skin. Red lips.” She walked behind me and stared at our layered reflection in the mirror. “But your ass…did you have to eat all seven dwarfs?”

 

She’s not my type. I’ve seen nicer legs and bigger breasts on a chicken.

 

Not only was he handsome, he kissed like a porn star and danced like Michael Jackson. I’d hit a trifecta.

 

What’s with these Italian guys and their sausages? … You know me, I’m all about the O—and oh, does he have the skills to keep me happy.

 

I understood the danger of inviting such a diverse group; it was why I served cannelloni. No one needed a knife.

 

My Review:

 

Buckle up for an active modern-day Vegas mafia power grab with goons, beleaguered casino workers, Russian gangsters, money laundering, abductions, brokered marriages, romantic suspense, and the sassy waitress/college student in the midst of it all. I enjoyed the Wilde ride; written in my favorite dual POV with Ms. Collin’s signature clever and edgy humor. I look forward to more Wilde times ahead with this exciting new series.

ABOUT KELLY COLLINS   

Kelly Collins writes with the intention of keeping the love alive.

Always a romantic, she is inspired by real-time events mixed with a dose of fiction. She encourages her readers to reach the happily ever after but bask in the afterglow of the perfectly imperfect love.

Kelly lives in Colorado with her husband of twenty-five years. She loves hockey, shiny objects and has a new-found appreciation for green smoothies.