Book Review: Witchy Coffee by Erin Ritch

Witchy Coffee by Erin Ritch is a magical romance. A fanciful coffee shop run by magical women. A barista that’s still trying to figure herself out. And a small town named Windia where the residents drink coffee and get into everyone’s business. When a stranger shows up in town and puts her family’s coffee shop in jeopardy, Florence Mackenzie has to step in and do something to protect them, whether that’s an Espresso Off challenge, sabotage, or a good old fashioned banishment spell. But after the Mackenize women try to create a buzz by experimenting with a new blend of coffee beans, the residents of Windia suddenly start falling in love with each other. Florence chalks it up to the spirit of the holiday season, but when she starts falling in love (with the competition, no less) Florence starts to wonder if there’s something more bewitching in the air - or in the coffee? 

Witchy Coffee started strong for me. I enjoyed the set up and the combination of witchy romance, enemies to lovers, and small town vibes. That all worked really well for me. I liked the complicated relationship between Florence and her family, and of the town she had left behind. I really enjoyed the secondary characters and how most of the action in the small town played out. I was engaged and invested in how every thing would come together and turn out. The family connections were fantastic, the small town support and quirks made me happy. The added drama of a noisy reporter and an ex just made things more interesting, even if they each had a couple odd moments for me. Then it felt like things went a bit off track. The last third of the book just felt different from the rest, it just felt like all the subtle magic was not enough and a resolution to the romance needed to be created quickly, so everything went into warp drive and it just did not fit in with the mood of the rest of the book. Then the final chapter wrapped everything up way too closely and neatly- in ways that just did not necessarily make sense to me but succeeded in getting everyone what they needed. 

Witchy Coffee is a fun and interesting romance. 

Early Book Review: Hot Days, Heated Nights by Renee Roman

Hot Days, Heated Nights by Renee Roman is currently scheduled for release on August 10 2021. Cole Jackson’s promise to her dying father has left her destined for a solitary life in the small town of Inlet, NY. After Lee Walker's employer goes bankrupt, her world crumbles, and she’s forced to move in with her uncle. When Cole and Lee meet, instant attraction quickly flares into uncontrollable passion, but their connection might be short-lived. Lee’s identity is tied to her life in the city, and she’s worked hard to make it on her own terms. Inlet, NY, is just a way station on her trip back to the world where she belongs. It will be up to Cole, and the heated nights they share, to give her a reason to stay.

Hot Days, Heated Nights took me on quite the ride. Cole and Lee are independent women that struggle with balancing who they are and what they want with the fear of being rejected, left behind, or humiliated. The story is as much about them coming together are it is about them resolving their individual issues and communicating. I enjoyed seeing the pair come to trust themselves, ad each other, as the story went on. I also liked that they issues they faced in the past were addressed, but did not overtake the other aspects of the story. The past events set the stage, but the damage was not the point, the growth made to foster love, communication, and trust is the point. I felt like the character development was very realistic, and I liked the secondary characters as much as the main characters. So much so that I would not mind getting more of the whole cast of characters at some point.

Hot Days, Heated Nights is a steamy and emotional romance with all the feels.

Early Book Review: A Good Day for Chardonnay (Sunshine Vicram) by Darynda Jones

A Good Day for Chardonnay is the second book in the Sunshine Vicram series by Darynda Jones and is currently scheduled for release on July 27 2021. I do recommend reading in order, so that readers can better understand some of the characters and relationships. 

Running a small-town police force in the mountains of New Mexico should be a smooth, carefree kind of job. Sadly, full-time Sheriff—and even fuller-time coffee guzzler—Sunshine Vicram, didn’t get that memo. All Sunshine really wants is one easy-going day. You know, the kind that starts with coffee and a donut (or three) and ends with take-out pizza and a glass of chardonnay (or seven). Turns out, that’s about as easy as switching to decaf. (What kind of people do that? And who hurt them?) Before she can say iced mocha latte, Sunny’s got a bar fight gone bad, a teenage daughter hunting a serial killer and, oh yes, the still unresolved mystery of her own abduction years prior. All evidence points to a local distiller, a dangerous bad boy named Levi Ravinder, but Sun knows he’s not the villain of her story. Still, perhaps beneath it all, he possesses the keys to her disappearance. At the very least, beneath it all, he possesses a serious set of abs. She’s seen it. Once. Accidentally. Between policing a town her hunky chief deputy calls four cents short of a nickel, that pesky crush she has on Levi which seems to grow exponentially every day, and an irascible raccoon that just doesn’t know when to quit, Sunny’s life is about to rocket to a whole new level of crazy.

A Good Day for Chardonnay is charming, funny, and suspenseful. I will admit that it took me a bit to remember what happened in the previous book, and who exactly everyone was, particularly in light of the previous series. However, once I let go of all that and just started to enjoy the read I was much happier and really became thoroughly invested in the characters and story again. There were some plot twists that I completely expected, some that I think I already knew going in, and a few that honestly took me by surprise. I liked that all of the major players got to grow and develop further, and that big bad things do happen- they are not the sole source of character growth and moving the plot along. Silly, fun, and heart warming moments are just as important and given just as much play as the harder moments- which I find is the key to survival anyway. I found myself grinning and then holding my breath as I read- so the roller coaster ride is very effective and  will keep readers turning pages. However, I do not think this is the place for new readers to start. definately read the first book in this series, A Bad Day for Sunshine, and if you want a even better understanding of the world before getting hooked read the Charley Davidson series, which is what made me a fan. 

A Good Day for Chardonnay is a fun and still heart stopping continuation of the series. Fans of the author will not be disappointed. 

Book Review: The Bookshop of Second Chances by Jackie Fraser

The Bookshop of Second Chances by Jackie Fraser is contemporary fiction. Thea Mottram is having a bad month. She’s been let go from her office job with no notice—and to make matters even worse, her husband of nearly twenty years has decided to leave her for one of her friends. Bewildered and completely lost, Thea doesn’t know what to do. But when she learns that a distant great uncle in Scotland has passed away, leaving her his home and a hefty antique book collection, she decides to leave Sussex for a few weeks. Escaping to a small coastal town where no one knows her seems to be exactly what she needs. Almost instantly, Thea becomes enamored with the quaint cottage, comforted by its cozy rooms and lovely but neglected garden. The locals in nearby Baldochrie are just as warm, quirky, and inviting. The only person she can’t seem to win over is bookshop owner Edward Maltravers, to whom she hopes to sell her uncle’s book collection. His gruff attitude—fueled by an infamous, long-standing feud with his brother, a local lord—tests Thea’s patience. But bickering with Edward proves oddly refreshing and exciting, leading Thea to develop feelings she hasn’t experienced in a long time. As she follows a thrilling yet terrifying impulse to stay in Scotland indefinitely, Thea realizes that her new life may quickly become just as complicated as the one she was running from.

The Bookshop of Second Chances is a story that I was not sure about in the beginning. I was not sure what category or sub category to label it is, and as I became invested in Thea's life it did really matter to me anymore. Thea had a rough month, getting fired for any reason is hard and then having a marriage split that includes friend and home division on top of it is horrific. I could understand the emotional and mental crisis Thea was going through- wondering what went wrong and what could possibly come next. I think that the fact that I am in the same age range as the main characters made it much easier to picture myself in their shoes, and empathize with the feelings that these kind of life changes bring on. I also liked that while there is romance there, and it certainly helped Thea move forward, it was not the key to what helped her see her worth and find her place. I liked reading alone as she made friends, and figured out how to move forward. I liked how she continued to try and make things better for those around her without compromising her own values or needs. When waves of trouble hit she dealt with it (got some good cries in because we all deserve that) and then pivoted and  adjusted. I am not sure that I could have been so calm and collected as Thea given the same circumstances, although her worries lined what perfectly with what I think I would have been thinking in her place. I will be thinking about these characters for a while now.

The Bookshop of Second Chances is a story that took a minute to grab me, but now after finishing it will not let go. 

Book Review: A Deadly Chapter (Castle Bookshop Mystery) by Essie Lang

A Deadly Chapter is the third book in the Castle Bookshop Mystery series by Essie Lang. I do suggest reading this series in order for character development and underlying storylines. However, the mystery itself can stand alone.

Bookseller Shelby Cox has already sleuthed two murders from Bayside Books's home base on Blye Island, one of New York State's famed Thousand Islands. And this time, mayhem knocks right on Shelby's waterside door when she finds a body lodged between the side of her houseboat and the dock, his skull shattered. The victim is no local, but Shelby can't shake the feeling she's seen him before. Twice, in fact--that's how many times he's dropped into Bayside Books asking about an enigmatic woman who lived on Blye Island many years before. The last time? The day before he was found. But the poor man obviously was killed elsewhere, so who brought him down to the bay, and why? When the victim's daughter hits town demanding answers, Shelby takes the case, despite Police Chief Tekla Stone's usual reservations. But she uncovers more suspects than there are pages in War and Peace, and Shelby can expect no peace--except the peace of the grave--unless she can turn the page on this grisly mystery.

A Deadly Chapter is an interesting continuation of the series. I liked the mystery elements. Shelby and her sleuthing was interesting to read and follow- and while she does make some slightly foolish decisions that could put her in danger, those decisions are getting better. She is becoming more aware of the consequences of her actions and making smart choices.I thought the new characters that were brought in for the mystery were well written, with interesting personalities and issues.  I thought the mystery was well built up, with multiple layers and things going on. However, I felt like there got to be too much happening. Shelby's personal crisis's and the multi layered mystery ended up leaving me with some parts that were well resolved and leaving me satisfied but other aspects that either were swept under the carpet, solved to easily, or just forgotten about completely. I did enjoy the read, but was left wondering about a few too many threads that were woven into the story and then dropped. I think fans of the series will be interested in reading this one, to see what is happening with these characters and the small town, but I think this might be where I bow out of the series.

A Deadly Chapter is a good mystery with some interesting character development. 

Book Review: Murder at the Beacon Bakeshop by Darci Hannah

Murder at the Beacon Bakeshop by Darci Hannah is the first book in a new series. More interested in kneading dough than adding it up, Lindsey's breakup inspired her to set up the shop she always wanted in a place that always made her happy. She'd spent many childhood summers near this beach community and converting the old run-down lighthouse into a bakery café and home offers a perfect fresh start for Lindsey and her devoted Newfoundland dog, Wellington. But not everyone in town has a sweet tooth. The preservation society won't have the lighthouse's history sugar coated by lattes and cakes--and a protest group crashes Lindsey's Memorial Day opening. Then her ex-fiancé Jeffrey Plank and his girlfriend Mia Wong arrive to trash the place. In the ensuing chaos Mia chokes on a donut and dies. An autopsy reveals cyanide in Mia's bloodstream and Lindsey is the police's prime suspect. To clear her name, she's going to need to combine ingredients found in the town's checkered past to uncover the identity of a desperate killer.

Murder at the Beacon Bakeshop is a good series starter, but still manged to keep the mystery on point. I really enjoyed the character building. I liked Lindsey and her approach to the world. I liked Rory as a mysterious neighbor, and the growing circle of friends and acquaintances. I thought the ghost story and added mystery was a good touch, and was woven into the larger story very well. The food talk, and the recipes at the end, were also welcome extras to the story.  I adored the small town feel and the truth that even the smallest towns have secrets.I though the murder mystery was very well plotted and executed. While I had my suspicions about some aspects of the case, the final reveal was a surprise to me. I was glad to be taken by surprise, and see how everything came together at the end. I am interested to see where the series goes from here.  

Murder at the Beacon Bakeshop is a mystery with a nice balance of world building for the series and twists and turns to keep the reader guessing.

Book Review: The First Man (From Connemara With Love) by Alex Kelly

The First Man is the second book in the From Connemara With Love series by Alex Kelly. While you do not have to have read the first book to enjoy this one, I find that the complex relationships and characters read better if read in order.

Shane, Do you want to know what it means to live like me? It means being forced not to look at him, not to touch him, not to be left alone in the same room as him. Not to seek him out. Not to want him. Not to love him. Do you know how it feels to spend your entire life pretending to be someone else? Do you know what it’s like to love someone who doesn’t want to be loved? I’ll tell you how it feels. It feels as if you’re living in constant torment: you know which path you should follow, but you also know that, if you follow that path, you can never turn back. And I can’t do that to him. Every day I come back, because I know that he’s waiting for me. Every day I promise him that he will never have to live without me. Andy, Do you know what it means to live like me? It means being forced not to touch him, not to kiss him, not to be able to leave the room while he’s still in it. Not to breathe him in, not to lust after him. Not to love him. Do you know how it feels to spend your entire life pretending to be someone else? Do you know what it’s like to love the only person you’re not allowed to love? I’ll tell you how it works. You can’t seem to feel anything other than him; when you walk away, you know that you’re turning your back on the only thing that’s good in your life. Yet you still walk away. Every day I leave, knowing that he will be standing there, watching. Every day I ask him to promise me that I will never have to live without him.

The First Man is romance with main players that are very conflicted about themselves. I was glad to get to know Shane and Andy better- and to follow them towards their happy ever after. This was much more about their emotional understanding of themselves and each other than any external conflict. I will admit that there were moments that I just wanted to kick them and tell them to open their eyes and get over themselves or simply sit down and talk it all out. However, I am glad I stuck with it to the end. I am a fan of the town, and complicated families and friendships, and the community of Connemara. While I do want to know what happens next with them all, I am not sure my heart can take any more. The story is all emotional conflict, with very little external input, and while I am a huge fan of character driven stories I was occasionally looking for something a little more immediate or tangible to shake things up. Then I got it- that is for sure. While things have make progress with our first to couples, things are far from perfect and it feels like there is much more to tell about this group of characters. If you enjoyed the first read, you will want to pick this one up, and likely continue on. 

The First Man is a good follow up to The Best Man, and an emotional read. 

Book Review: Choosing You by Stacy Finz

Choosing You by Stacy Finz is a contemporary romance, and part of the Nugget series. I have not read the previous books, and while it takes place n a small town and it is clear that characters will pop up repeatedly in the series, it seems like each can be enjoyed on their own as well.

Picturesque Nugget, California, couldn’t be more different than the glittering caverns of Manhattan, but Brynn Barnes is grateful for the change. After the accident that took her husband’s life and seriously injured her young son Henry’s legs, a clinical trial from a pioneering young doctor offers Brynn hope that Henry may walk again. And even as the magnificent landscape and the town’s hospitality help mend Brynn’s broken spirit, it’s a certain handsome surgeon’s compassion that soothes her aching heart. Reeling after a bitter divorce, Ethan Daniels has brought his medical practice and his young daughter to Nugget, where he hopes its homey warmth will ease the transition to a family of two. A new relationship is the last thing he should be thinking about. But Ethan can’t help his immediate attraction to beautiful Brynn—or the feelings she’s awakening in him. For two people battered by life’s cruelest blows, love may be the perfect prescription.

Choosing You is a sweet romance with a sprinkle of heat. I liked Brynn, she is doing everything she can to help her son recover from his injuries and is willing to do anything for his wellbeing. Ethan is a good guy, fantastic surgeon, and as equally dedicated to his daughter. I liked getting to see the characters get to know each other, and some of the characters of Nugget make their appearances. I think returning readers will get a kick out of seeing their favorites have their moments, and there are plenty of hints of who might be finding their happy ending in upcoming books. I thought there was a great deal right with the book, I liked the characters and the town, I felt like there was a tension for a good portion of the book were I was waiting for something big and dramatic to happen. And while there were a few tense moments, I never really got the crisis that I was expecting. Not that I wanted anything bad to happen, but the switching between three character voices had me thinking that the third party might be more problematic than they were. I thought the solution was pretty obvious about halfway through the book, but know people can be stubborn and blind to the simple solutions- so the path the story took was realistic in that regard. I did enjoy the read, although because I already had my mind set of how things would be resolved, I did find my mind wondering a bit as I read. This is my fault, and the oddness that is life right now, but I need to be honest that there were moments the book did not have my full attention.  

Choosing You is a good contemporary romance that I enjoyed reading.

Book Review: Pawsitively Betrayed (A Witch of Edgehill Mystery) by Melissa Erin Jackson

 Pawsitively Betrayed is the fifth book in the Witch of Edgehill series by Melissa Erin Jackson. I highly recommend reading the series in order, as there is a larger storyline that is concluded in this instalment. 

The Here and Meow Festival has finally arrived! Amber Blackwood and her fellow festival committee members still have plenty to do before the celebration of all things feline begins. Even though Amber’s witchy past keeps interfering, she knows the show must go on. Edgehill’s livelihood depends on the festival’s success. When two incidents involving her malfunctioning products cause her to shutter the doors of her curiosity shop, The Quirky Whisker, only days before the busiest season of the year, Amber thinks things can’t get any worse. An investigation into the incidents reveals sabotage is to blame—sabotage that only could have been carried out by a fellow witch. Things just officially got worse. With Edgehill overrun by tourists, any unfamiliar face could be a member of the nefarious Penhallow witch family. Though her parents’ grimoires are hidden in a remote location overlaid with protective spells, Amber fears that won’t be enough to deter the desperate and cursed clan from trying to get their hands on a legendary time-travel spell. As the opening ceremony of the Here and Meow approaches, Amber contends with a nosy lawyer, mysterious government officials, and a charismatic superstar. Through it all, Amber senses the Penhallows have something planned—something big. With her new circle of close confidants by her side, Amber must find a way to thwart the Penhallow family’s scheme before it’s too late. If she can’t, the Here and Meow will be ruined, and Edgehill could be wiped off the map.

Pawsitively Betrayed is a quick moving and emotionally suspenseful read. I spent more than one scene wondering if everyone was who the others thought, and who was scheming beyond the expected. I liked that Amber, Willow, and the other major players were still growing and evolving as characters- because that is what people do, grown and change as they experience things. I thought the mystery and magic was really well done, and I spent a great deal of time trying to puzzle out everyone's motives, personality, and next move. There were a couple scenes that were hard for me to read, mostly because I did not want the bad things to happen, and they were written so well that I could picture them. I liked that friendships, romance, and family dynamics were a big part of the story but never took over from the mystery and larger story line. I am sad to see this series end, but I will be taking some time to read other books from the author.

Pawsitively Betrayed is a well written book, and a satisfying conclusion to the Edgehill series.

Early Book Review: Happy Singles Day by Ann Marie Walker

Happy Singles Day by Ann Marie Walker is a contemporary romance currently scheduled for release on January 19 2021. As a Certified Professional Organizer, everything in Paige Parker's world is as it should be. Perfect apartment, perfect office, perfect life. And now, the perfect vacation planned to honor Singles Day. After all, what's better than celebrating her pride in being single? Because who needs a man anyway? They have zero taste in quality television, leave the toilet seat up, and sleep with your best friend. No thanks. Her life is fine just the way it is. As the owner of a now-dormant bed & breakfast, Lucas Croft's life is simple and quiet. It's only him and his five-year-old daughter, which is just the way he likes it. Because who needs a woman anyway? They nag you to clean up your stuff, want the toilet seat put down, and expect the dishes to be done the same day the meal is cooked. No thanks. His life is fine just the way it is. But when Paige books a room that Lucas' well-intentioned sister listed without his knowledge, their two worlds collide. If they can survive the week together, they just might discover exactly what they've both been missing.

Happy Singles Day is a romance that clicks a good number of trope boxes. Single parent, cheated on heroine, animals, small town, stuck together because of a storm, and kind-of enemies to lovers. It is also a closed door, or fade to black romance, so if you prefer more intimate moments to be alluded to rather than spelled out- than aside from some making out and lusty thoughts, here you go. I liked Paige and Lucas as characters, they each have trauma to deal with and are doing the best they can, and I enjoyed watching them find compromise and happiness. Seeing the bad first impression fade while understanding, and attraction, start to take over was nice, and I enjoyed the ride, However, I have to admit that the secondary characters really were my favorite. I want more of Lucas's sister, some of the town residents, and frankly his daughter. I want to know more about Sophie and her bookstore (which I would love to see)  more than I want to know about how Paige and Lucas balance things and move forward, but maybe that's just me. I really did enjoy it while I was reading it, it is only now when I look back that I realize that I want more of and for Sophie.

Happy Singles Day is a sweet romance that has all the feels.

Early Book Review: The Broken Spine by Dorothy St. James

 The Broken Spine by Dorothy St. James is the first book in the Beloved Bookworm series. It is currently scheduled for release on January 19 2021. 

Trudell Becket, known to her friends as Tru, finds herself in a bind when her library in lovely Cypress, South Carolina, is turned into a state-of-the-art bookless “technological center.” A library with no books breaks Tru’s book-loving heart so she decides to rescue hundreds of beloved tomes slated for the town dump. Under the cover of darkness, Tru, along with her best friends—coffee shop owner Tori Green and mysterious bestselling author Flossie Finnegan-Baker—set up a secret bookroom in the library’s basement and prepare to open it to their most loyal, trustworthy patrons. But as Tru and her crew are putting the finishing touches on their new book room, the town manager, who was behind the big push for the library’s transformation, is crushed by an overturned shelf of DVDs. Tru becomes the prime suspect as she hadn’t hid the fact that she hated having all of those wonderful books replaced by tablets and computers. But if she gives the police her alibi, she’ll have to explain about the secret book room and risk losing the books. Tru knows she’s in a heap of trouble, and it doesn’t help that the officer in charge of the case is her old crush from high school, who broke her teenaged heart. To keep herself out of jail and her beloved bookroom up and running, Tru—with the help of Tori, Flossie, and a brown tabby stray cat named Dewey Decimal—decides to investigate. And faster than you can say “Shhhh!” Tru quickly finds herself on the same page with a killer who would love to write her final chapter.

The Broken Spine is a book that I had a little trouble with to start. The way librarians were discussed in the beginning left me with a bad taste in my mouth, and I almost set the book aside. However, I stuck with it and the book did get better and I tried to put that initial impression aside. I liked the character arch for Tru, although her role as the mousy librarian still irks me a bit, I do think that she came into herself by the end of the book. I thought the reveal of the secondary characters and the dynamics of the town was well done. I did think it was weird that the town's characters all knew each other, but then a number of police officers and other residents were strangers. My favorite part of the story was the cat, and some of the friendships that carried Tru through. The mystery was well layered and had plenty of twists and turns, and a good touch of danger. However, I do not think that I will continue reading this series.

The Broken Spine is a good mystery, and I liked the majority of the story.  

Early Book Review: Bait and Witch by Angela M. Sanders

Bait and Witch by Angela M. Sanders is currently scheduled for release on December 29 2020. Librarian Josie Way moved to small-town Oregon to lay low. Instead, thanks to newfound magic abilities—and a killer on the loose. She’s leapt out of the frying pan and into a cauldron of trouble. Josie Way loved working among the Library of Congress’s leather-scented stacks—until she uncovered corruption and made herself a target. As Wilfred, Oregon’s new librarian, Josie can stay undercover until the case goes to court. But life in this little town isn’t as subdued as she expected. The library, housed in a a Victorian mansion, is slated to be bulldozed. Still digesting the news that her safe haven is about to become scrap lumber, Josie discovers a body in the woods. Almost as shocking, Josie learns that she’s descended from a long line of witches—and her powers have suddenly sprung to life. With help from a spoiled alley cat who just may be her familiar, Josie’s thumbing through a catalog of suspects, hoping she can conjure a way to save her library—and her life.

Bait and Witch is a mystery with a good balance of character building and showing the relationship and history of the small town it all happens in. Josie is on the run after doing the right thing and acting as a whistleblower, but when she arrives in town she discovers things are far from as simple in this little town as she had hoped.  A murder and the possible destruction of her new library are in play, along with a tight lipped circle of co-workers and locals. I liked the way the complicated history of the town ad some of its inhabitants is revealed, and the way Josie comes to better understand herself. I like that her friendships were just as important as the mystery, and that while there are hints towards future romantic aspects they did not become the focus of the story at all. The mystery aspect was well done, with plenty of twists and turns. While I was rather expecting one of the twists the journey and the way it was revealed was engaging and kept me turning pages well past my bed time. I enjoyed the ride and look forward to the series continuing and fully plan on following it as it does.

Bait and Witch is a good cozy mystery and I hope the series continues on. 

Book Review: Kissing Lessons by Stefanie London

Kissing Lessons by Stefanie London is a contemporary romance. Audrey Miller doesn’t believe in happily-ever-after, so she is definitely living in the wrong town. But she’s never getting out of Kissing Creek, because playing pseudo-mom for her younger siblings doesn’t leave time for much else. She’ll do anything to make sure they don’t end up stuck like she is, working as a barista in a college town, serving Pink Passion mochas with Chocolate Smooch donuts. Then Ronan Walsh, a new young professor and walking cliché, right down to the elbow patches on his blazer, steps in for a coffee and into her life. She knows his type—intelligent and charming, yet sweet as a cinnamon roll, the sort of man she’s inevitably attracted to but is always out of her league. So why does someone like him have any interest in a worker bee with no future? Her bland-as-oatmeal existence has nothing to offer, but Ronan’s temporary teaching position is only a stepping stone on his way to somewhere else. He isn’t here to put down roots, Audrey’s roots are firmly planted—neither of them is looking for love. And maybe that’s just perfect.

Kissing Lessons is a book that had some ups and downs for me. I liked the complexities of both Audrey and Ronan as characters, their challenging families and their awareness of how it impacts them in more than the obvious ways. I liked the small town wackiness, particularly the llama, and the verbal sparing between Ronan and Audrey was well done. The secondary characters were well built as well, and there was a nice combination of support system in the friends and family for the major players, even when they were unable to admit or accept their help. For me I found that the book ran a little long. I kept waiting for something big to happen, and felt like things were drawn out a little longer than it needed to be. There were mild character introductions that had me expecting them to pop up again and be a source of conflict, only to find they were never to be seen again. The book was good, it just did not keep me an engaged as I had hoped. 

Kissing Lessons is a solid small town romance and I think fans of the author will really enjoy it.

Book Review: Their Christmas Baby Contract by Shannon Stacey

Their Christmas Baby Contract by Shannon Stacey is a contemporary romance. Striking the deal was the easy part. Brady Nash is handsome and anti-marriage. And with IVF completely out of her financial reach, Reyna Bishop is running out of time to have the child she so very much wants. Theirs is a practical baby-making deal: no emotion, no expectation, no ever-after. They’ll even “date” through Christmas to silence their hometown gossips. It’s foolproof, until the time she spends with Brady and his warm, loving family leaves Reyna wanting more than a baby.

Their Christmas Baby Contract is a small town, kinda-friends to lovers romance. Reyna and Brady both feel a little trapped by the small town gossip, especially since it has them pegs wrong. Both are thoughtful, caring, and family oriented but one night gone wrong in the past dulled their friendship. I loved getting to see them find themselves and each other, and figure out how to express what they want. As frustrated as I was with them not telling each other how they felt, I knew that the journey would be worth it and I fully enjoyed the ride. The families and friends surrounding these two were just as well written and dynamic as the main characters. Shannon Stacey has always provided me with a solid combination of sweet and heat, and she continued that streak here. It was exactly the book I needed to shake me out of a reading slump and get me happily reading again. 

Their Christmas Baby Contract is a fun and sweet romance that was exactly the escape I needed.

Book Review: Black Witch Magic by Mila Nicks

Black Witch Magic by Mila Nicks is a paranormal romance and mystery, and the start of a series. Selene Blackstone spends her days camped out in library corners with her nose glued to books. In a town like Brimrock, where she’s an outcast, she prefers her book friends to her real-life enemies. They’re a lot less judgmental. The rest of town believes she descends from a family of witches—including her evil witch grandma, Luna. In this case, the truth is stranger than fiction. She is a witch, and she’s cursed for all of eternity. Good thing her to-be-read list is pretty long. Prickly Paranormal Investigator Aiden O’Hare speaks two languages: sarcasm and more sarcasm. He travels the country—and sometimes even the world—investigating strange phenomena with his best friend, Eddie. Their investigations bring them to a cozy New England town called Brimrock, home to fabled evil witch Luna Blackstone. Armed with his dry wit, his bibliophilic love for books, and far too much free time, he’s determined to find out just what happened to Luna. When Aiden meets Selene, he decides he must get to know her. When Selene learns Aiden is in town investigating her grandma, she knows she must stop him. He’s out to expose the truth. She’s out to keep it a secret. Neither expects to fall under each other’s spell, but sometimes love is supernatural.

Black Witch Magic is a good example or a paranormal romance that has a good balance of danger and mystery along side the getting to know the characters as they get to know each other. I really liked Aiden's character, and his self awareness of his social awkwardness and introverted nature. He is well aware of how his bookish tendencies and sarcastic replies can come across and does his best to be himself without causing hurt feelings or misunderstandings. I felt for him as he tried to avoid the holiday festivities without causing problems or making himself miserable.  Selene is just trying to get by in a town that hates her for no other reason than the family she was born into and things outside her control. I was frustrated on her behalf and so glad that she did have a support system to help her deal with it all. I liked both characters and found their interactions to be fun and sweet. I really liked the mystery set up, and I honestly thought someone else would be the culprit when the big reveal was made. I thought the build up was well done, and the world building for that little town was complete. I rather hope that as the series continues that we get to see some of the characters play a role, particularly the friends that were such a big part of both Aiden and Selene's live before they met. 

Black Witch Magic is as much about the magical mystery as it is about the romance between Selene and Aiden. I am interested to see where the series goes next.

Book Review: Mistletoe and Mr. Right (Moose Springs) by Sarah Morgenthaler

Mistletoe and Mr. Right by Sarah Morgenthaler is the second book in the Moose Spring series. I did not know it was part of a series until I started reading and realized the town and characters had already been explained in the previous book. I did catch up quickly, and think most other newcomers will be able to as well. 

Lana Montgomery is everything the quirky small town of Moose Springs, Alaska can't stand: a rich socialite with dreams of changing things for the better. But Lana's determined to prove that she belongs...even if it means trading her stilettos for snow boots and tracking one of the town's hairiest Christmas mysteries: the Santa Moose, an antlered Grinch hell-bent on destroying every bit of holiday cheer (and tinsel) it can sink its teeth into. The last few years have been tough on Rick Harding, and it's not getting any easier now that his dream girl's back in town. When Lana accidentally tranquilizes him instead of the Santa Moose, it's clear she needs help, fast...and this could be his chance to finally catch her eye. It's an all-out Christmas war, but if they can nab that darn moose before it destroys the town, Rick and Lana might finally find a place where they both belong, together.

Mistletoe and Mr. Right is a book that captured my attention with the promise of quirky characters and a quirkier town. I loved the Santa Moose, taxidermy squirrels, and a town full of interesting but stubborn people. I found myself quickly caring about Lana and her struggle to balance family, business, and herself- particularly since family and business were so intertwined.  I was equally interested in Rick, his need to balance friends, business, and his nephew. I really liked the story building and getting to know some of the residents of Moose Spring. I will say that I think returning readers to this series will have a better understanding of most of the characters and the dynamics of the small town, going in. So they will likely enjoy the read more than newcomers like myself. I also found Lana's speech patterns a little distracting. I know some people use chosen words quite often, but her use of 'dearest' seemed odd to me. It just became distracting to me after awhile, particularly when being used towards just about everyone. I liked Lana and Rick together, and the cute animals involved even if they felt a little gimmicky in the bigger picture of the story. I found myself smiling often while reading because of them regardless. I was a little annoyed that I still do not know how everything with Lana's business side works out, and I have several unanswered questions about the town, the moose, and the resort. I hope those questions are answered as the series continues.

Mistletoe and Mr. Right is a fun romance with good characters and interactions. I was a good read, but will be even better to fans of the series.

Book Review: What Not To Wear to a Graveyard (Resale Boutique) by Debra Sennefelder

 What Not To Wear to a Graveyard by Debra Sennefelder is the third book in the Resale Boutique Mystery series. I have not read the previous books, but was able to catch up to the main characters and larger picture quickly.

After trading her Manhattan digs for her upstate hometown, fashionista Kelly Quinn has big plans for her grandmother’s consignment shop. But this All Hallow’s Eve someone is already dressed to kill. A socialite’s missing dog has made front page news in Lucky Cove—complete with a hefty reward. But between renovating the consignment shop, planning her costume for a 1970s themed Halloween party, and scouting a location for a fashion shoot, Kelly doesn’t have time to search. Yet a visit to the local colonial-era cemetery—ideal for the moody atmosphere she’s after—soon turns up the precious pooch. Kelly’s looking forward to collecting the check—until she makes a gruesome discovery in an abandoned farmhouse: The dog’s owner, stabbed through the heart. Kelly can’t help wondering why Constance Lane was traipsing around the farmhouse in stilettos. But as Kelly gets decked out in a vintage disco caftan, that isn’t the only fashion misstatement spooking her. Hidden in the dead woman’s past is a secret that could be the motive for the murder. And as the Halloween party gets started, even a menacing clown and a threatening bearded lady can’t keep Kelly from trick or treating for the truth—even if it means her last dance.

What Not To Wear to a Graveyard is the third book in a series, which I did not notice right away. It was only comments about past incidents in relation to the police that really made it clear that I had missed something, so I think newcomers could pick up this book and join in the series without difficulty. Kelly is a smart, resourceful character. I liked her care for Billy (the dog) and how her mind kept circling the mystery trying to figure out the puzzle before she found all the pieces. I was right with her trying to figure out the who and why. I enjoyed that aspect of the story, and some of the friendships that Kelly has, particularly with Penny and Liv. For all that I liked, I did think that the cover led me to think it would more humorous- which I know murder is not funny but many cozy mysteries are funny. I also thought that that characters were a little flat. Characters and interactions just seemed to be lacking a little depth, they were a little too easy for me to leave behind when real life intruded, and when I finished the book. I will admit that there are a couple secondary characters that sparked some curiosity, but not enough for me to seek out the previous or next books in the series.

What Not To Wear to a Graveyard is a quick and engaging mystery. 

Early Book Review: Little Bookshop of Murder (Beach Reads Mystery) by Maggie Blackburn

Little Bookshop of Murder is the first book in the Beach Reads Mystery series by Maggie Blackburn and is currently scheduled for release on September 8 2020. Summer Merriweather's career as a Shakespeare professor hangs by a bookbinder's thread. Academic life at her Virginia university is a viper's pit, so Summer spends her summer in England, researching a scholarly paper that, with any luck, will finally get her published, impress the Dean, and save her job. But her English idyll ends when her mother, Hildy, dies from an apparent heart attack. Returning to Brigid's Island, NC, for the funeral, Summer is impatient to settle the estate, sell her mom's embarrassingly romance-themed bookstore, Beach Reads, and go home. But as she drops by Beach Reads, Summer finds threatening notes addressed to Hildy: "Sell the bookstore or die."

Little Bookshop of Murder is a mystery that had some really great moments, but also had some aspects that really fell flat for me. I loved that as a cozy mystery there was no attempt to add a romance arch for Summer. I really works in some stories, but not in others, and I do not think it would have added anything here. I thought parts of Summer's character were very realistic- the academic scholar that looks down on popular literature- even though most of the classics were the popular literature of its day. I have run into that attitude from teachers, librarians, and others just as often as those like myself that have the attitude of Hildy that as long as people are reading (and enjoying what they are reading) the particulars are not terribly important.  Parts of the mystery were very nicely done, as were a good number of he secondary characters. However, there were moments that missed for me. There were hints about the killer from the very start, enough so that I knew something was up with them though the entire book and I never really swayed from that or was surprised by them. I kept waiting for that bookclub meeting to happen, because it was talked about so much, and for it to be the big reveal. I kept waiting for some big dramatic something, and there was, but by the time it happened I was just waiting to see if the killer ended up dead or if the police would take them in but I was no longer invested. I just wanted to see the wrap up.

Little Bookshop of Murder is a decent mystery, but I was not invested or overly impressed.