Review & Giveaway - - A Wedding in the Lowcountry

A Wedding in the Lowcountry

by Preslaysa Williams

Publisher: Avon

Release Date: February 18, 2025

Reviewed by PJ

 

When Avila's mother passes away, Avila must return to Charleston to get her mother's house ready to put on the market. Returning home means that she'll have to face relationships that were best left behind. Her feelings are complicated, to say the least. 

Things get even more complicated when she runs into her childhood friend, Terence, who is now a professor at the local college. Years ago, when Terence left Charleston to attend Hampton University, Avila felt abandoned, but it’s clear that their connection hasn’t faded… and may even be something more than the friendship they once shared.

As Terence supports Avila in the wake of her mother’s passing, they have to deal with the feelings that they have for one another. Avila is wary of trusting others - she’s used to taking care of herself and her daughter alone - but could Terence hold the key to opening her heart?

PJ's Thoughts:

Just like William's first two books, this third novel sets a leisurely pace, much like the city in which it's set. A character-driven story, it centers on reunited childhood friends, Terence and Avila and Avila's twelve-year-old daughter Ebony. 

I enjoyed the characters of Ebony and Terence and connected with them fairly quickly. I tried to connect with Avila but, wow, did she make it tough. She is one complicated woman with a whole host of issues to work through. Those issues add emotional depth to the story and to her character growth, which is the most significant of the main characters, but they sure didn't make it easy to root for her during the process. 

Anyone who has ever been around a pre-teen girl should appreciate the character of Ebony. Williams checks all the boxes in her crafting of a hormonal girl and her single, stage mama. 

I like a friends-to-lovers trope and Terence is a very good friend to Avila, but I was a little put off by how strongly - and quickly - Terence pushes things forward romantically between them. Given that these two haven't seen one another in more than ten years, it felt a bit too "insta-love" for me. He does eventually slow down and I ultimately felt good about their relationship but it's one of the stumbling blocks that kept this book from being rated higher. Please keep in mind that these are my thoughts. Other readers may have a totally different reading experience. 

My small issues aside, I did enjoy the overall story as well as the growth of the characters though I did not enjoy it as much as the author's first two books. 

Have you read Preslaysa Williams?

Have you ever visited Charleston?

Do you enjoy a slow-burn romance?

One randomly chosen person posting a comment before 11:00 PM, April 16 will receive a print copy of A Wedding in the Lowcountry. 

*U.S. only

*Must be 18

Review - - Shoot Your Shot

Shoot Your Shot

by Lexi LaFleur Brown

Publisher: Canary Street Press

Release Date: March 11, 2025

Reviewed by PJ

 

Jaylen “JJ” Jones’s hockey career is over. After not securing an NHL contract with the Seattle Rainiers, Jaylen decides to bid the city farewell with a final night of fun, blowing off steam with an anonymous one night stand. But when a last-minute roster spot opens up on the Rainiers, he connects his luck to the girl he spent the night with. Superstitious Jaylen is desperate to keep her around—his career depends on it.
 
Aspiring tattoo artist Lucy Ross isn’t so sure about the proposition to remain Jaylen’s lucky charm—she’s been called a lot of things in her life, but good luck has never been one of them. But stuck in a career slump, Lucy has everything to gain. Hoping for an apprenticeship hasn’t offered much stability, and Jaylen is willing to pay any price to get Lucy to agree…so maybe sending him a routine text message before each game won’t be too hard.
 
What starts as an agreement to trade favors—a good luck text in exchange for tattooing practice for Lucy’s portfolio—quickly turns into sizzling chemistry that’s too delicious to deny. But Lucy’s been in too many situationships to even think about getting attached again, and Jaylen is clearly only with Lucy as long as it’s helping his gameplay…
 
Neither of them expecting getting lucky could be so complicated.

PJ's Thoughts:

This author clearly knows her hockey. The games, practices, and locker room banter were highlights of the book for me and kept things interesting when the romance lagged. 

Less impactful was the emotional heft of the story. I felt very little connection between JJ and Lucy. Yes, there was plenty of steam but I struggled to detect the development of any deeper feelings, at least on Lucy's part. Without that, I had a hard time feeling invested in their relationship. I felt more invested in JJ's relationships with his teammates than his relationship with Lucy, even at the end of the book. I love hockey and hockey romance but this couple just didn't do it for me. Other readers may feel differently. 

Shoot Your Shot is the author's debut. While I wanted more from the romance and I felt the writing could have been more polished, there were parts of the story I enjoyed and I think she has potential. I'll probably give her one more try. 

 

Review - - A Tribute of Fire

A Tribute of Fire

by Sariah Wilson

The Eye of the Goddess - Book 1

Publisher: Montlake

Release Date: November 1, 2024

Reviewed by Nancy

 

Lia is the princess of Locris, a dying desert nation cursed centuries ago by an earth goddess—one still worshipped by the thriving and adversarial nation of Ilion. Every year, Ilion offers the goddess a sacrifice: two Locrian maidens forced to compete in a life-and-death race to reach her temple. In a millennium, no maiden has made it out of Ilion alive. This year, Lia is one of the hunted.

An education in battle gives her a fighting chance, but the challenges are greater than she feared: Lia’s beloved but untrained sister Quynh has been put in the path of danger. The winding streets of Ilion itself have been transformed into a labyrinthine maze of countless choices and dead ends. And if the risks weren’t significant enough, Lia is reluctantly drawn to the commandingly attractive Jason, an Ilionian sailor she loathes to trust and desires like no man before.

The tribute game is on. It’s up to Lia to lift the goddess’s curse, restore Locris to its former glory, and change the fate of every young woman destined to follow in her path.

Nancy’s Thoughts:

A Tribute of Fire offers an intriguing blend of epic fantasy, action adventure, and steamy romance. The story opens with Lia, the central character, training to survive the race in Ilion. If she can reach the temple, she’ll be safe, and she’ll have a chance to save her drought-ridden, starving homeland. Legend says an artifact known as the goddess’s eye is hidden in the temple. If Lia can obtain it, she can save her people and possibly end the sacrificial tradition. While other maidens pray not to be chosen as one of the two sacrifices, she makes arrangements that will ensure she’s picked. 

Lia’s courage and determination had me rooting for her instantly. The odds against her surviving the race are staggering, but her plan is her country’s only hope. 

She has more to deal with than the race, though. She is betrothed to a prince of Ilion, so she must manage to be chosen for the race and to run it without anyone from Ilion realizing she is the prince’s betrothed. While that may seem unlikely, Wilson sets up the situation so it’s believable.

Another complication tangles Lia’s plans when she meets Jason, a handsome sailor from Ilion, in her family’s palace garden. They are both stricken with immediate and compelling attraction that has them making out in the palace garden. While this may not be a problem for some readers, it was for me. I’m not a fan of irresistible lust, and having Lia making out with this unknown guy in the garden when she knows she shouldn’t bothered me a lot. Even though she feels they’re destined for each other, she loses her head with this stranger.

Their attraction worked better for me as the story continued because Jason does a lot to help her and Quynh on the journey across the sea to Ilion. He and Lia gradually come to know each other as she seeks the goddess’s eye and he helps her, adding relationship layers that are not just physical attraction. They also meet in their dreams, in steamy, romantic scenes that are very well done.

Jason’s help is sometimes mixed, though, as when he gives Lia a cryptic warning about the dangers of a situation. Because of her military training, Lia shrugs off this warning. Instead of being more specific, which might’ve made her wary, he lets her go ahead. She runs into trouble, and that left me feeling he’d let her down.

They have a big confrontation at the end of the story, one he engineers and has known is coming for a while. Yet he does nothing in the runup to it that might sap any of her anger and, in the moment, seems not to understand her feelings of betrayal. He also has an irresistible card he can play, one he could’ve played at any time. But he didn’t. That left me wondering why he hadn’t acted sooner.

The story world is based on Greek culture, including its myths and legends. The settings are detailed enough to feel real, but Wilson skillfully avoids overwhelming the reader with descriptive detail. After I finished the book, I read the author’s note, which said the sacrifice and the race come from Greek history. I’m a history nerd, so I think that is really cool. While I was reading, though, I found the similarities to Greek myths in a story not apparently set in Greece distracting. I kept stopping to compare the similarities with the Greek myths I’d read. This also is something that may not bother other readers.

The supporting characters are primarily women, including those in Lia’s adelphia, a group like sisters. Wilson does a good job of differentiating them, and the way she builds and demonstrates their loyalty to each other is beautifully done. The other women are also well drawn and interesting, as is their closed society.

The story overall is smoothly written and moves at a good pace, and the world is well drawn. The characters are engaging, though I did have problems with some of their choices.

Despite my reservations, I recommend this book with the caveat that it does end on a cliffhanger.

3.5 stars

~Nancy

Review - - The Ghost of Loon Lake

The Ghost of Loon Lake

by Rachelle Paige Campbell

The Shores of Loon Lake - Book 1

Publisher: Harbor Lane Books, LLC

Release Date: July 16, 2024

Reviewed by PJ

 

Ten years ago, ASHLEY HALE left the Inn at Loon Lake, her family's business, frustrated by her father's apprenticeship that treated her more like a personal assistant than heir apparent. Her childhood best friend turned husband, CHRISTOPHER LEWIS, stayed behind, breaking her heart. After her father's sudden passing, Ashley discovers that he changed the terms of the will to include either her or her husband, whoever stays for thirty consecutive days following his death.

To claim her rightful legacy and her only chance at a happy future, Ashley sneaks into the lighthouse behind the Inn with the intention of scaring her estranged husband off the premises by pretending to be a ghost. Unfortunately for Ashley, Christopher knows she's back. He's spent the last decade running the business and hating himself for not following her. Her father forbade him from telling her the truth of the Inn's financial circumstances. In an act of love, he saved the resort and has been supporting her with an allowance ever since.

When Ashley accidentally sets the lighthouse on fire, she runs into Christopher's arms. He hopes her return means a relationship resolution and a chance to show how much work is involved in managing the property, hoping she will gladly hand over the reins. However, Ashley isn't giving up, and Christopher doesn't want her to leave. Convinced the Inn's lighthouse is haunted, she starts an investigation. Together, they uncover one mystery after another. Will they discover the secret to a happy future and a second chance at love?

PJ's Thoughts:

I have mixed feelings about this one. Parts of the story were enjoyable while others left me frustrated. I guess the bottom line is, I just wanted more. This is a husband and wife who have been separated without contact for ten years which presents a good opportunity for hashing out emotions on the road to a possible reconciliation. Good potential that had its moments but didn't quite live up to my expectations. 

I'm not a huge fan of secrets, especially when in this case those secrets were kept - and continue to be kept - for the other person's "own good." Ashley and Christopher grew up together, fell in love, married, and are still married, though estranged. This is not an age-gap romance yet he's still treating her like a child, just as her father did. Yes, some of the things she's done have been immature but maybe if the men in her life had been upfront and open with her instead of withholding facts and opportunities from her, her life would have taken a different course. As it is, both main characters need to do some growing up - and they do - but, for me, it took way too long to accomplish. Others may feel differently. By the end of the book I did feel better about them as a couple but I'm also hopeful that we'll continue to see their relationship grow and solidify in the rest of the series. And yes, I do plan to give the next book in the series a go. There are locals introduced in this book who have me intrigued. 

While the romance part of the book wasn't all I had hoped for, the mystery was well crafted, keeping me guessing with unexpected twists and on the edge of my seat with some suspense-filled moments. 

In the end, I'd give The Ghost of Loon Lake 3.5 stars. It didn't keep me up reading late into the night but it piqued my interest in Loon Lake and her citizens enough to return for the next book in the series. 

Review - - Finding Mr. Purrfect

Finding Mr. Purrfect

by Codi Gary

Publisher: Forever

Release Date: January 16, 2024

Reviewed by PJ

 

Frenemies + Fake Dating = Falling for the wrong person…for all the right reasons
 
Charity Simmons may have great taste in friends, felines, and fruit tarts, but if there’s one thing the baker and co-owner of Meow and Furever Cat Café knows, it’s that she has horrible taste in men. Case in point: Will Schwartz. He may be the best friend of her best friend’s boyfriend, but after their one night together, Charity is positive Will’s nothing but a womanizing charmer—despite his nice-guy persona and adorable, crooked smile. So why then did she pick him to pretend date to get her parents off her back about being single?

Will Schwartz may give relationships a hard pass, but he’s not about to say no to fake dating Charity. She’s brilliant, hilarious, and best of all, she’ll put an end to his mother’s interrogations about his love life. And maybe, after all this time giving him the cold shoulder, Charity will finally warm up to him.  But it’s not long before Will and Charity realize they got much more than they bargained for--and they’re freaking out. What if what they have isn't make believe but the real, forever kind of love?

PJ's Thoughts:

I have mixed feeling about this one. I liked the Cat Café. Any story that spotlights rescue animals is a plus with me. The marketing menu blurbs at the start of each chapter were fun and more than a few had me drooling. I want recipes! 

The first few chapters of this book were light and fun, setting up what I thought was going to be the vibe for the rest of the book. But then the story took a hard left and, whoa, dysfunction city. Suddenly we're knee deep into toxic family relationships (Charity), work stress, looming financial crises, misunderstandings, childhood emotional trauma (carried into adulthood), health crises, family secrets (Will), a fake relationship with physical attraction but a decided lack of understanding and compromise (from both main characters), and more. For me, all the side issues kept getting in the way of connecting with the two main characters as a couple. Others may not have that issue but I wanted more development of their relationship without all the extraneous issues. It's not that I didn't like the book - it has a lot of positives going for it - it's just that I wanted a deeper connection with the characters and less noise steering me away from their romantic journey. 

If you enjoy a frenemies-to-lovers romcom with flawed characters, a fair number of romantic obstacles, family you'd just as soon toss off a cliff, but also solid friends and rescue cats, this book might be a good fit for you. 

Review - - Unrealistic Expectations

Unrealistic Expectations

by Andie J. Christopher

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: September 26, 2023

Reviewed by Hellie

 

When a relationship therapist gets dumped right before her new dating handbook hits shelves, she fake dates to save face in this spicy romantic comedy. 

There are a lot of things that can go wrong on an author's publication day, but breaking up with her long-term boyfriend might just be at the top of Jessica Gallagher’s list. She also didn’t expect to run into her old crush, Galvin Baker, the very next day. When Jessica goes into crisis mode about the PR nightmare, she proposes the first solution that comes to mind: fake dating. Luckily, Galvin seems game. 

Galvin Baker is used to being a constant disappointment, which is why he can’t—and won’t—commit to a relationship. Unfortunately for him, his last girlfriend used her vast social media power to make sure everyone knows how much Galvin "underperforms.” Fake dating for Jessica’s book promotion seems like the perfect cover—and maybe she can teach him something along the way. 

Hookups “for science” and some seriously sweet gestures later, Jessica and Galvin’s fake dates are feeling more authentic than any of their previous relationships did. Have they replaced unrealistic expectations with unexpected realness? 

Hellie’s Heeds: 

TLDR: This book is for readers who relate to late-blooming heroines, enjoy reformed rakes, and don’t mind HFN (happy for now) endings.  

I really like Andie’s writing style and smart-alec heroines. I really like that her heroines enjoy a judicious placement of an F-bomb in their everyday conversation. They are some of the more relatable heroines out there for the modern rom-com. And honestly I would love to actually read Dr. Gallagher’s self help book, Ten Things Not to Do If You Ever Want to See a Naked Girl Again: The Straight Man’s Guide to Not Dying Alone in a Pile of Dirty Underwear. I think this is a book that really needs to be out on stands right now, if Tinder and Hinge are anything to go by.  

I can easily imagine Jessica’s unease and sheer shock when she returns to the apartment she shares with her fiance, only to find said-fiance is moving out of the apartment without telling her. I can easily see her concern that she has a book coming out, indicating she knows the ins and outs of keeping up a successful relationship, and apparently her fiance would rather die in a pile of dirty underwear. The panic is real. So yes, the premise, while perhaps a little hinky, fits. Both she and Galvin Baker, who has his own very real reasons for wanting to show a successful relationship, leap into fake dating to save their reputations in the social media world.  

Andie’s writing is easy to fall into: we see how good Jessica and Galvin were together: the banter, the tension, the growing friends-to-lovers like relationship relayed in a believable way–with only a gnawing adage we all know: “rebound relationships never work out.” And for a while, I was much more concerned about Galvin’s potential broken heart–because it was quite clear he’d never been in love before (or at least not for nearly 20 years) and he was quite a hot mess as he realizes his vulnerability with his fake-dating girlfriend who doesn’t seem to need him nearly as much as he needs her.  

When it came time for the black moment, I was glad it was not something jerkish–like the hero is mean to her to “protect her because he’s not a good guy and she can do better.” While we all cut our teeth on such a hero, we can do better these days. Instead our hero blows up the relationship just as one would expect: by his insecurities and his inability to communicate effectively, neither of which he hasn’t had to really worry about before since he wasn’t sticking around. Now he wants to make this one stick, but horrors, what if she understandably dumps him? He can’t tell her he loves her–she’ll definitely run. You know, the normal issues. However, I expect this a bit more for a couple who is under 30. For a pair of 37 year olds, I expected a little better from them, even if he had never had a long term relationship and she had recently realized that in her past 15-year-relationship, she had continually made herself smaller to make sure Luke loved her.  

Perhaps unfairly, I expected a bit more of Jessica because she was a licensed therapist who counsels couples just like her and Galvin. But I think the author would be the first to point out, most of us walk around with blinders in regards to ourselves, blundering around in our relationships and not doing what all the studies say to do to maintain a good relationship. None of us like being vulnerable. (I love that the author quotes Brene Brown mid-book–hilarious!) 

I don’t know if Andie’s books usually have a Happy for Now type ending–but this one definitely fits that. I think they are good for each other, especially considering where they are in their lives, but I’m not sure I would mark them as a Happily Ever After couple. Mostly I want to recommend couple’s counseling to them if they’re going to continue dating, which I would hope Jessica recommends once she and Galvin work past their black moment. 

 

Review and Giveaway - - Kiss Me, Mi Amor

Kiss Me, Mi Amor

by Alana Quintana Albertson

Love & Tacos - Book 2

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: July 4, 2023

Reviewed by PJ

 

 

Enrique Montez, smooth-talking heir to the Taco King empire, is man enough to admit that he made a critical error when he underestimated Carolina Flores. The agricultural hotshot should have been an easy conquest—who would turn down the chance to partner with California’s largest fast-food chain? But instead of signing her name on the dotted line, Carolina has Enrique eating out of the palm of her hand, and when fate steps in with an unexpected opportunity, Enrique is willing to do whatever it takes to capture her heart.

Growing up as the daughter of farmworkers, Carolina spent her youth picking strawberries in the fields of Santa Maria and vowing to improve the lives of people like her parents. Now, as one of only a few Latina farm owners, she has no time for romance and she’s certainly not about to let the notorious Montez brother anywhere near her business—even if just being near Enrique makes her skin tingle.

But she is willing to let him help get her overinvolved family off her back. When Carolina’s father and her lovelorn sisters mistake Enrique for her (nonexistent) boyfriend, she reluctantly agrees to a series of pretend dates to their town’s traditional Mexican-American holiday celebrations. Soon the fake feelings turn real and both Carolina and Enrique must convince each other to take a chance on love before their vacation romance is over.

PJ's Thoughts:

I have mixed feelings about this second book in Albertson's Love & Tacos series. There are several things I enjoyed. The Mexican-American representation is strong in this book as it was in the first. Albertson paints a vivid picture of cultural expectations and traditions amongst the Mexican-American communities throughout California, adding a rich palette of textures to the story. Traditional foods are a strong thread and, yes, there was plenty of drooling on my part. While the author highlights colorful festivals and warm, welcoming families, she doesn't shy away from the darker side of life among these families, especially in the agricultural areas, and I appreciated that. Low wages and inaccessible healthcare are a concern and a thread of reality these characters work to combat. 

Where the story fell a bit short for me was in the main characters, in particular, Enrique. I had a difficult time connecting with him and because of that, I didn't feel as invested in his relationship with Carolina as I had with the lead couple in the first book. I wanted to see more growth in his character. Others may not have the same difficulty with him as I had. 

I did not have the same reaction to Carolina. Her situation tugged at my heart as she struggled with her loyalty to her family, including her ultra-conservative, controlling father, and her desire to be an independent businesswoman. She's caught between two cultures with no easy way forward. I found her evolution, and her layers, to be much more complex and meaningful than Enrique's. In the end, I was happy with the romantic conclusion to the story though I did feel the resolution to Carolina's falling-out with her family was wrapped up a bit too quickly to be believable. 

The cast of secondary characters add another layer of richness - and conflict - to the story and has me intrigued enough about the Montez brothers to want to know where their journeys will lead them next. I'll be sticking around for youngest brother, Jaime's story in book three. 

Have you read Alana Quintana Albertson yet?

Do you enjoy learning about different cultural traditions?

What's your favorite ethnic cuisine?

One randomly chosen person posting a comment before 11:00 PM, July 9 will receive a print copy of Kiss Me, Mi Amor.

*U.S. only

*Must be 18

Review - - The Secret Service of Tea and Treason

The Secret Service of Tea and Treason

by India Holton

Dangerous Damsels - - Book 3

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: April 18, 2023

Reviewed by Nancy

 

 

Two rival spies must brave pirates, witches, and fake matrimony to save the Queen.

Known as Agent A, Alice is the top operative within the Agency of Undercover Note Takers, a secret government intelligence group that is fortunately better at espionage than at naming itself. From managing deceptive witches to bored aristocratic ladies, nothing is beyond Alice’s capabilities. She has a steely composure and a plan always up her sleeve (alongside a dagger and an embroidered handkerchief). So when rumors of an assassination plot begin to circulate, she’s immediately assigned to the case. 

But she’s not working alone. Daniel Bixby, otherwise known as Agent B and Alice's greatest rival, is given the most challenging undercover assignment of his life— pretending to be Alice’s husband. Together they will assume the identity of a married couple, infiltrate a pirate house party, and foil their unpatriotic plans. 

Determined to remain consummate professionals, Alice and Daniel must ignore the growing attraction between them, especially since acting on it might prove more dangerous than their target.

Nancy Says: 

Although The Secret Service of Tea and Treason is number three in a series, it generally works as a standalone. The premise, secret agents posing as household servants in Victorian England, is brilliant, and I loved the callback to the old Man From U.N.C.L.E. TV series in the secret headquarters entered through a shop, the A.U.N.T. acronym, and the gadgets, both magical and not. I really wanted to love this book. Unfortunately, I didn’t quite get there. There were a great many things I liked about it, though, so let’s look at those first. 

The main characters are charming. The heroine, Alice Dearlove, is clever, loves books, and can hold her own in a fight. She prides herself on being a professional woman. The hero, Daniel Bixby, is smart, strong, bookish, and equally able to hold his own in a fight. Both grew up in orphanages run by A.U.N.T. and so were trained from childhood to be effective agents for the organization. It has shaped their lives so it is their main focus, and their superiors are determined that nothing will distract from that. When this policy leads to conflict later in the book, it’s believable and is handled well. 

Also handled well are the attraction and resulting sexual tension between Daniel and Alice as they pretend to be married. They’re determined to maintain a professional demeanor, focusing on the mission, but that pesky attraction draws them steadily closer. Because of that attraction, they both grow and change. They’re each in an emotional place at the end of the book that’s very different from where they are at the beginning. The character arc was engaging and believable. 

The book has a large supporting cast, so it’s natural that some would be drawn in more detail than others. The A.U.N.T. head scientist is an inept version of James Bond’s Q, and I would’ve felt sorry for him had he been a little less pushy and annoying to Alice and Daniel. 

A few of the pirates and other supporting characters are developed in individual scenes, but most have brief introductory appearances that give the reader an idea of their characters. This is one spot where having read the prior books might have helped by supplying a fuller picture of them. A bit more about those the hero and heroine knew before would’ve been helpful to me as a first-time reader. When Daniel turns to a particular character at a moment of crisis, I would’ve liked just a little about how he feels about his reaction and why he trusts this individual. 

I also have trouble with the idea that pirates and spies travel by magically flying houses (vaguely reminiscent of Baba Yaga’s chicken-leg but non-flying house and her flying mortar and pestle), yet the government wasted about twenty years without managing to figure out how that’s done. This means the pirates have free rein for raiding, not that much of it occurs in this book. This may work for some readers, but I just didn’t buy it. If pirates are a problem, someone who wants them stopped will figure this out. If A.U.N.T. can do it, so can someone working for the government. 

The overall plot involves Alice and Daniel searching for a weapon that’s to be used to assassinate Queen Victoria. A.U.N.T. finagles their attendance at a pirate house party so they can find and destroy or steal that weapon. While I liked the idea, I didn’t feel any sense of urgency about it. Alice and Daniel do search various parts of the mansion, but there’s no ticking clock, no feeling of an immediate threat. Because I didn’t feel anyone was in serious peril, the book sometimes felt slow to me. 

While the pirate houseguests are a threat to everyone around them, stealing from each other and their hosts and vandalizing the house, they don’t seem to be much of a threat beyond their group. They’ve stolen various valuable objects, and one of them fires on the A.U.N.T. flying house, but they don’t seem generally menacing. Even when they chase Daniel and Alice, they don’t seem serious about catching them. 

I also don’t buy that anyone who knows how these people behave would invite them to a house party and tolerate their vandalism and stealing. They play games that damage the house, and I have a hard time accepting that any host would put up with that, let alone invite in a group they know are prone to such behavior. 

In summary, I loved the setup, the emotional arc, and the main characters. The overall plot didn’t work for me, but I realize not everyone cares about that as much as I do. Based on the setup and the strength of the romance, I recommend the book.

 

3.5 stars

 

~ Nancy

 

Review - - Coming Home to the Highlands

Coming Home to the Highlands

by Lisa Hobman

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Release Date: April 4, 2023

Reviewed by PJ

 

Sometimes life is full of surprises, especially when you least expect them…

Born into the Scottish Clan MacBain and the 17th century ancestral home, Drumblair Castle, Liv MacBain has always dreamt of
leaving the ancient homestead and becoming her own person in the world of fashion.

From a young age, she worshipped the trailblazing designs of the haute couture glitterati, hoping one day to join them.

With older brother Kerr, the rightful heir, Liv has been free to spread her wings.

Fast forward. Liv, is now 28 years old, working at a high-end fashion house and living her dream life in New York. She’s
never been happier.

Until everything changes with one devastating phone call from her brother, Kerr, that brings her rushing back to
Scotland.

Old friends and adversaries resurface and Liv faces a difficult decision that could mean her dream future can no longer be
a reality.

Or can you have your castle and your career?

PJ's Thoughts:

I've read other books by Lisa Hobman and enjoyed them so I was looking forward to this one. The premise is intriguing and who doesn't love a Scottish castle, right? Unfortunately, this one fell a little short of my expectations. That's not to say I didn't like it. I did. But I really wanted to love it. 

The setting of the book is wonderful. Hobman really brings Liv's family's castle to life. I could easily envision both the castle and the grounds as I was reading. The characters are also brought to life, some very appealing and others not so much. The author gives several of them interesting layers, complex life issues, and secrets. In fact, she uses them to introduce some very weighty and relatable topics, begging to be explored more fully, and with one character, an issue that isn't talked about enough (in my opinion). 

The biggest fly in the ointment for me was Liv's brother, Kerr. He's a self-centered, entitled, egomaniacal jerk who treats his sister with careless disregard at his best and outright cruelty at his worst. This goes on for the vast majority of the book until there's an inexplicable change - an abrupt, unexpected change of course that I didn't buy for a moment. It felt contrived and unrealistic and didn't leave me with the feel-good moment I'm pretty sure the author was hoping for. 

I liked Liv. My heart ached for her - for the grief that was breaking her heart, the tug of war between her loyalty to family and her passion for her career. I loved her relationships with her childhood pals in Scotland, her roommate in NYC, her mother's dog, and her boss. Everyone should be lucky enough to have a boss like Liv's. I was cheering for her to find her happy ending even while shaking my head at the choices she made in direct opposition to what she had always adamantly said she wanted. And for an intelligent woman, how did she not clue in to what was so glaringly obvious? 

The book ends on a high note with a happy ending for more than one couple. But I still don't trust Liv's brother. 

CW: Parental death, grief, domestic violence (off page)

Review - - A Chance Inheritance

A Chance Inheritance

by Carolyn Brown

Publisher: Sourcebooks

Release Date: January 10, 2023 (reprint anthology)

Reviewed by Hellie

 

Upon inheriting their sassy grandmother's home and family bait shop, cousins Lanie, Jodi, and Becky Cornell return to Catfish, Texas, looking for a fresh start. Turns out living as roommates in Granny Lizzie's tiny two-bedroom house and running the Catfish Fisherman's Hut isn't at all like the idyllic summers they spent as children on the banks of the Red River. The days are long and hot, the tourists demanding and rude. And then there's Chris Adams, a local river guide who seems to have eyes only for Becky.

But Lizzie's death has set in motion a chain of events that will cause a new generation of Cornell women to come together. And thanks to this chance inheritance, the Cornell cousins discover that sometimes an ending is really a new beginning .

Hellie’s Heeds 

Carolyn Brown is a very reliable read if you are in the market for sweet, romantic, and small town, and the stories featured here definitely fit her trademark storytelling. When I originally read the back blurb for this book, I thought the entire book was about Lanie, Jodi, and Becki–and admittedly I was quite invested in the trio when I started–but I soon realized (yes, I’m one of those who occasionally skips ahead to see what might be happening), this was actually a novella. And this book was a series of three novellas. A little more research had me realizing this book is a reprint, and while I, a book hoarding dragon, enjoy my books, I do get a little put out when I end up buying a duplicate book I didn’t mean to, especially for an author I was anticipating as a new read. I think Sourcebooks should have made it a bit clearer in the blurb and such that this was a reprint anthology.  

The first novella, in the complicated nature novellas are, is short and only lightly conflicted. When you only have a hundred pages, there aren’t massive dark secrets and dark moments. I enjoyed the story, especially the cousins, and the romance between the eldest cousin and a childhood crush was very cute, though perhaps I did have to suspend belief a little for myself because as a romance hero–his career is a professional fishing guide?–he isn’t exactly Mr. Darcy. I fully admit this probably says much more about me who does not find fishing particularly alluring in reality or fantasy, especially since catfish seems to be the main target, and have you ever smelled the bait for that? You never forget it. I think my real disappointment is that I wanted to know more about the other two cousins, or even have romances for them, and maybe I’ll go in search to see if Ms. Brown wrote novellas featuring them.  

The second novella is another of Ms. Brown, written in first person, and featuring entirely different characters. The story is much more complex and dark, full of secrets and problems and an absent father. The heroine is plucky and has a sister who is hilarious and just the kind of older sister you imagine: bossy and “I know best.” The hero–while not a fishing guide (plus)--is an assclown. Now Mr. Darcy is definitely an assclown, so this should not have bothered me, but this guy did. And again, since this is a novella, his evolution from asshole to Prince Charming left me a bit disbelieving, though as a Pisces, I do like to hold a grudge so again, this may just be me.  

The third novella is Sharon Sala’s…and I believe in Ms. Sala’s fashion, it does not lack in drama, conflict, or black moments. In fact, it starts with a jilted bride (heroine) and then turns into a school shooter situation and ends with an optimistic new start in a new school system. (I only share the main beats here because if you’re like me, I was rather triggered by a short story of a school shooting as part of an anthology of sweet contemporary Western romances.) 

In summary, my recommendation for the stories is a bit mixed. If you’re in the mood for very lightly conflicted romance and you don’t want to commit to a 300 page book, this book may be much more your preferred read. The first two stories were definitely quick reads and enjoyable. The third one feels a bit odd man out compared to the other two, but Ms. Sala is a very good writer and if you enjoy her stories, I imagine you will enjoy this too. If, like me, you’d rather not go fishing on a romantic date and you prefer the gentleman status of Mr. Darcy to the self-employed fishing guide as a hero, this might not be your book.