Review - - Treasure Coast Legacy

Treasure Coast Legacy

by Leigh Duncan

Emerald Bay - Book 6

Publisher: Gardenia Street Publishing

Release Date: December 30, 2024

Reviewed by PJ

 

For nearly a year, Belle and her cousins have poured their hearts and souls—and every spare dime—into restoring the Dane Crown Inn to its former glory. As they stripped peeling paint from walls and repaired the damaged floors, the women uncovered not just the charm of the inn but also the deep, unbreakable bond they shared as teenagers, when they spent every summer keeping the inn’s suites spotless and enjoying the gorgeous beach as a tight-knit family. Now it’s time to fulfill Aunt Margaret’s final wish and host one last Dane family reunion at the inn that once again lives up to its reputation as “the gem of Florida’s Treasure Coast.”

Finally, preparations are complete for a weekend filled with family traditions. There will be horseshoes and croquet matches, fun treasure hunts and a talent show, a sing-along and even a wedding—all in celebration of the love and history their family has shared with the inn. But as assorted aunts and uncles and cousins once removed descend on the tiny beachside community of Emerald Bay, the Dane family’s legacy hangs in the balance. At the conclusion of the reunion, Margaret intends to plant a For Sale sign in the yard.

Before she does, one important question remains: If the Dane Crown Inn is the lynchpin that holds their family together, how much are Belle, Kim, Diane and the rest willing to sacrifice in order to keep it?

PJ's Thoughts:

It's the end of the Emerald Bay series and I am not ready to say goodbye to these complex characters who by this point all feel like dear friends. I've enjoyed their individual journeys as one by one the cousins returned home, reconnected as a family, worked together to restore their family legacy, and found lasting love - plus a few surprises - along the way. Duncan vividly depicted each of them on the page, bringing them to life in such a way that they felt authentic and relatable, each with unique personalities and realistic challenges, both as individuals and as a family. 

If you enjoy heartwarming women's fiction, family dynamics, a small-town, beachside location, and heart-tugging journeys to love, I highly recommend this series. I also strongly suggest reading the books in order as each book in the series builds upon those before it. 

I don't know what Leigh Duncan has planned for her next book but after falling in love with both her Emerald Bay series and the Sugar Sand Beach series that preceded it, I'll definitely be in line to buy whatever comes next. 

Review & Giveaway - -The Secret Daughter

The Secret Daughter

by Anne Gracie

The Brides of Bellaire Gardens - Book 4

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: December 24, 2024

Reviewed by PJ

 

Orphaned Zoë Benoît has spent the last three years in Paris learning how to be a lady. But Zoë is torn—as an independent spirit and a talented artist, she cannot help but want more than the tightly controlled life of a society lady.

On an impulsive visit to the château where her mother lived, Zoë, disguised as a maidservant named Vita, meets a handsome wandering artist, known simply as Reynard. One blissful week with the charming Reynard convinces Zoë that this is the man and the life for her—until she discovers what he’s been hiding from her, and she flees, heartbroken.

Longing for the chance to redeem himself, Reynard searches far and wide for the woman he knows as Vita, to no avail. Disheartened, he returns to England to reluctantly resume his role as Julian Fox, the Earl of Foxton. However, when he sees one of Zoë’s paintings, he realizes she’s in London, and becomes desperate to find her before it’s too late. But even if they reunite, can he convince Zoë he’s worthy of her trust and prove to her that, with him, she can be a free-spirited artist and a countess?

PJ's Thoughts:

It was Anne Gracie's characters who first drew me to her books almost twenty years ago and it's her characters who bring me back with each new book she writes. Each one - whether main or secondary - is brought to life on the page with Gracie's deft hand. 

In this fourth and final book of The Brides of Bellaire Gardens series, we finally get Zoë's story and it's a delight. This former orphan, born in the London slums but with a French aristocratic heritage, is one of my favorite Gracie heroines, right up there with George (Georgiana), heroine of Marry in Scarlet (book four - Marriage of Convenience). I love her layers, her loyalty, her forthright manner, and her determination to carve her own path. I also love her vulnerability. She's quite a complex character.

Reynard/Julian has layers of his own. I enjoyed the evolution of their relationship, both as Vita and Reynard then as Zoë and Julian. Their banter is electric with each holding their own. I also appreciate how he isn't threatened by Zoë's artistic skill but supports and encourages it. There's plenty of humor between these two but also deep, heart-tugging emotion. They are a good match and I rooted for them to find their way back to one another. 

The Secret Daughter can stand on its own but it's the final book in a four-book series. As such, overarching secondary storylines are wrapped up and main characters from the first three books are instrumental in this story. Julian isn't introduced until book four but for a better understanding of Zoë and the rest of the characters I recommend reading the series in order. 

I don't know what Gracie has in store for readers next but whatever it is, I'll be happily buying it. 

~~~~~~~~~

Have you read any Anne Gracie books yet?

The Secret Daughter is set in both rural France and London. Do you enjoy books that have multiple settings?

Do you have books on your Christmas list? What titles are you hoping to get?

One randomly chosen person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, December 27 will receive a print copy of The Secret Daughter.

*U.S. only

*Must be 18

Review - - Take Me Home for Christmas

Take Me Home for Christmas

by Tracy Solheim

Chances Inlet - Book 5

Publisher: Sun Home Productions

Release Date: December 12, 2024

Reviewed by PJ

 

In the quaint coastal town of Chances Inlet, Christmas is a time for rekindling lost connections . . .

Elinor “Elle” McAlister is on the brink of a big-time promotion that will finally put her on equal footing with her overachieving siblings. The catch? She has to babysit a notoriously prickly war reporter who’s late delivering his memoir. As if that weren’t enough, her editor banishes them both to Elle’s hometown on the Carolina coast to get the job done. Spending the holidays in Chances Inlet might have been fine—if only she hadn’t wrecked the most important relationship in her life during her visit last Christmas.

Deputy Sheriff Hayden Lovell has known Elle was his person ever since she swiped his purple crayon back in kindergarten. Through every twist and setback, her steady friendship has been his anchor, especially after he returned from combat with wounds that run deep. But everything changed last New Year’s Eve when Elle surprised him with a kiss, stirring feelings he didn’t realize he had. Now that she’s back in town and keeping her distance, Hayden wonders if that moment meant as much to her as it did to him.

Chances Inlet has a knack for bringing people together. With Christmas around the corner, can Elle and Hayden rewrite their story before the holiday spirit fades? Join them in a heartwarming tale of love, friendship, and the magic of second chances in a town that knows how to celebrate Christmas like no other.

PJ's Thoughts:

I can always count on the books in Tracy Solheim's Chances Inlet series to be brimming with a strong sense of community, quirky characters, relatable family dynamics, emotional depth, lovable animals, and heart-tugging happy endings. Take Me Home for Christmas is no exception.

I enjoy the friends-to-lovers romance trope. Throw in messy emotional baggage, a currently strained relationship, family complications, a potential new love interest (championed by his mother), and careers in different locations and you have a book that kept me flipping pages right up until the end. 

Solheim really brings these characters - as well as the town of Chances Inlet - to life. I could easily envision the noisy family gatherings and festive holiday events around town. Secondary characters add richness, humor, and texture to the story, enhancing without detracting from the main couple. I love how seamlessly family and friends weave in and out just as people do in real life. 

Elle's and Hayden's individual journeys as well as their romantic one feel authentic and relatable. I enjoyed the growth of both characters as they navigated the changing landscape both of their personal goals and dreams and their deepening feelings for one another. 

The children in this book are a particular delight, especially their relationship with the curmudgeonly author Elle's publisher has tasked her with babysitting (for lack of a better term). West (the author) has an interesting evolution of his own, one that intersects with Elle's and leads to unexpected opportunities for both of them.

Take Me Home for Christmas is the fifth book in Solheim's Chances Inlet series. Fans of the series (like me) will no doubt enjoy all the catch-up cameos by couples from earlier books while readers new to the series should be able to enjoy Elle's and Hayden's story on its own. Whichever camp you fall into, Take Me Home for Christmas delivers a sometimes humorous, sometimes poignant, heartwarming tale of family, community, and finding that one person who completes you in all the right ways. 

Review - - Duchess Material

Duchess Material

by Emily Sullivan

Publisher: Forever

Release Date: November 19, 2024

Reviewed by PJ

 

Phoebe Atkinson is what society might call unconventional. Instead of marrying well like other women born to wealth, she chose to be a schoolteacher. Not to mention she lives in a leaky flat in an unfashionable part of town rather than stay in her parents’ mansion. But when her most promising pupil goes missing she has only one option: beg her sister’s best friend, the powerful Duke of Ellis, for help. 

The last thing William Margrave ever expected was to inherit a dukedom. But now that he has it, he’s determined to act the part perfectly—and that includes marrying the perfect duchess. A bluestocking Bohemian schoolteacher is decidedly not duchess material. But he can’t resist her plea for help regarding her missing student. 

As they fall further into the mystery, William discovers that he never got over his childhood crush on Phoebe, and he doesn’t really want to.

PJ's Thoughts:

Emily Sullivan is quickly becoming one of my go-to authors for fresh, entertaining, hard-to-put-down, Victorian romance. Duchess Material is the newest addition to her list of books that have kept me eagerly reading late into the night, unwilling to stop until the final page is turned with a swoon-worthy HEA secured. 

Let me start by saying I adore Phoebe Atkinson. She checks so many of my Victorian heroine boxes: independent, engaged, kind, inquisitive, focused; a social and educational activist determined to provide opportunities for all women and girls, regardless of financial or social standing. I enjoyed her journey, her growth, and the lessons she learned, especially pertaining to her family, society, career, and, of course, her relationship with Will.

Did I mention growth? Boy howdy, does Will ever have one doozy of a growth arc. It's understandable that he feels duty bound to the dukedom he unexpectedly inherited at the age of eighteen. It's been the totality of his life for the past decade and he's determined to do right by it, including choosing a wife who is perfect duchess material. How fun it was to watch his entire plan be knocked sideways by one request for help from his best friend's little sister, the now grown woman who had fascinated him as a teen and, unfortunately for his duchess hunt, still does. 

The relationship journey Will and Phoebe embark upon is filled with steam, snappy banter, a bit of a mystery, hijinks in disguise, family dynamics, self discovery, a vibrantly depicted secondary cast of characters, and a hard-earned happy ending. I enjoyed every bit of it. 

I have my fingers crossed that Sullivan has more books planned for this family. I'm thoroughly invested in the lives of Phoebe's two sisters, Alex and Freddie, who both deserve books of their own. 

Review - - A Legend in the Baking

A Legend in the Baking

by Jamie Wesley

Sugar Blitz - Book 2

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Release Date: November 19, 2024

Reviewed by PJ

 

August Hodges was supposed to be the silent partner in Sugar Blitz Cupcakes. Emphasis on silent. That is until his impromptu feminist rant about how women bakers are the backbone of the industry and baking cupcakes isn’t a threat to masculinity goes viral, making him the hottest bachelor in town. With a new location in the works, August and his partners decide to capitalize on this perfect opportunity to help cement their place in the community. But the hiring of his best friend’s younger sister, the woman who has haunted some of his best dreams for years, was as much of a shock as his new-found fame.

Social media manager Sloane Dell fell hard for her brother’s best friend the moment she met him more than a decade ago, but that teenage infatuation cost her dearly. Still, she accepts her brother’s request to revamp the bakery’s social media presence to take advantage of August’s newfound popularity, knowing it’s the big break her fledgling career needs. She’ll just ignore the fact that August is still August, i.e. sexier and sweeter than any man has a right to be. And that he drives her crazy with his resistance to all her ideas.

They vow to leave the past in the past. But when an explosive make-out session makes it clear their attraction burns hotter than ever, Sloane and August are forced to reconsider what it means to take a risk and chase your dreams.

As they’re both about to find out, all’s fair in love and cupcakes.

PJ's Thoughts:

Sloane may have fallen hard for August but I was right there with her. A professional football playing cinnamon roll feminist hero who is handy with tools and also bakes cupcakes? It's like the author created him just for me. Of course, she actually created him for Sloane but, hey, a girl can dream.

Jamie Wesley reeled me in with the first book in this series, Fake It Till You Bake It, and kept me hooked through this second installment, A Legend in the Baking. It's a slow-burn romance with a best friend's sister trope, a second chance, chosen family, well-placed humor, and a fair amount of emotional depth. 

I enjoyed the layers Wesley gave both August and Sloane. It made them feel authentic and relatable. My heart ached for August. Watching him work his way through long-held issues and beliefs to emerge at the other end with confidence and knowledge of his own self-worth was immensely satisfying. Sloane's journey was no less impactful. I especially appreciated the fact that she finally came to realize the impact her actions were having, apologized, and grew from the experience. In the end, I was confident their relationship would be long lasting and happy.

I'm really enjoying the bonds of brotherhood that August, Donovan, and Nicholas have formed. These partners both on the football field and in the bakery may not be related by blood but in every meaningful definition of the word, they are family. I can't wait to discover what Wesley has planned for Nicholas, the last (single) man standing.

One more thing, in case the cupcake baking football stars are listening. I really need a recipe for those Lemon Meringue Cupcakes, the drool-inducing confections that August bakes and Sloane devours. I'm not above begging. 

Tour Review - - A Skye Full of Stars

A Skye Full of Stars

by Sue Moorcroft

The Skye Sisters Trilogy - Book 2

Publisher: Avon

Release Date: November 7, 2024

Reviewed by PJ

 

Under the winter stars, anything is possible…

Ezzie Wynter can’t wait for Christmas on the beautiful Isle of Skye. Her island home sparkles at this time of year thanks to the snow-capped mountains and frosty winter walks, topped off with family gatherings with those she loves the most.

But her peaceful Christmas idyll is upended when she hears that the Larson family – the owners of Rothach Hall – are flying in from Sweden for the festivities. As Manager of their grand Scottish manor house, Ezzie suddenly has decorations to hang, food to source and itineraries to organise.

Life only becomes more difficult when Mats Larson turns up. The owners’ handsome, self-assured son is used to doing things his own way – and he is only another headache to add to her overflowing list.

Yet when unexpected visitors arrive looking for Ezzie, nothing else matters as she is left questioning everything she ever knew about herself. But amidst the Christmas chaos, she might also discover that, when all is lost, it’s sometimes those we least expect who come to our aid…

PJ's Thoughts:

Sue Moorcroft takes readers back to Rothach Hall on the Isle of Skye for another heart-tugging, contemporary novel. This one features middle Wynter sister Ezzie, now manager of the Scottish manor owned by an absent Swedish family. When the Larsons begin arriving for their winter holiday sojurn, with divorced son, Mats and his children leading the way - it signals the beginning of many changes in Ezzie's life - changes that throw a wrench into her relationship with one of her sisters and just may undo all the hard-won happiness she's found on Skye.

I'm really enjoying this new series of Moorcroft's. She's assembled an intriguing cast of characters, centered by the three adopted Wynter sisters. Their journeys are a satisfying blend of women's fiction and romance, with explorations of relatable issues, personal growth, family, and love. I like their flaws, that they've made questionable decisions in the past, the hard work they've put in to atone for those decisions and create good lives, and the obstacles sometimes thrown into their paths. I'm especially enjoying the adoption storyline, the chaos it throws into the lives of the sisters but also the opportunity it affords to open their hearts and redefine what "family" means to each of them. 

Meeting the Larson family in this book is fun. They bring laughter, wisdom, a bit of angst, and a whole lot of heart to Ezzie's story. I especially enjoyed Mats' children and the relationship they form with Ezzie. I had no idea how Moorcroft planned to give Ezzie a happy romantic ending but she pulled it off in a realistic manner that fit the characters well. 

Ezzie and her sisters bring a rich, complex, and relatable sibling dynamic to each of the books. I really enjoy their interactions, disagreements, and strong, loving bonds that may be stretched but never break.

You don't have to read book one, Under a Summer Skye (Thea's story) to enjoy A Skye Full of Stars but I had a better understanding of the characters and enjoyed Ezzie's book more for having read them in order. I'm now looking forward to the third book in the trilogy and curious to discover what Moorcroft has in store for final sister, Valentina. She's in a troubled marriage and I'm eager to find out what direction it's going to take. 

Review - - Like Cats & Dogs

Like Cats & Dogs

by Lizzie Shane

Pine Hollow - Book 6

Publisher: Forever

Release Date: November 12, 2024

Reviewed by PJ

 

Magda Miller’s feud with rival baker Mackenzie Newton is so old, folks in tiny Pine Hollow, Vermont forgot how it started. But Magda remembers: Ten years ago, she offered Mac her heart—instead, he ran off with her grandmother's maple cake recipe. Now, Mac traipses all over Magda’s baking territory, just like his oversized tabby keeps sneaking into her house to claim her dog’s favorite bed. So, when Magda gets the call to compete on The Great American Cake-Off, she’s thrilled to finally shine in a Mac-free zone. But when she arrives on set, her devilishly handsome nemesis is already there . . .

It turns out, Mac and Magda’s story has inspired the first ever Arch Rivals edition of Cake-Off, and of course Mac has to raise the stakes with a wager. The winner takes all—the Cake-Off title, the contested recipe, and control of the narrative. Magda is more than ready to kick Mac’s Bundt. But as they spar, on-screen and off, Mac and Magda reveal the best in each other...and the sizzling attraction fueling their rivalry. Only one of them can win, so why does it suddenly feel like they both stand to lose?

PJ's Thoughts:

What a fun book! If you wait on pins and needles for the newest episode of Great British Bake Off or Food Network Holiday Baking Championship or any of the plethora of other reality cooking/baking competitions available to view, you are going to love this book!

For the final book in her Pine Hollow series (I do not want to say good-bye to these characters!), Lizzie Shane has created a fast-paced, enemies-to-lovers story with snappy banter, sizzling chemistry, drool-worthy food, plenty of humor, but also heart, an enthusiastic, meddling, but supportive friend group, adorable dogs, and one lone cat who you will never convince me didn't know exactly what it was doing. 

The characters are well-developed with intriguing layers that are slowly revealed, and not only Magda and Mac. The kitchen scenes are especially fun. Shane really nails the atmosphere - both on screen and off - of what I would expect from a rivals edition of a reality show. It's fun to observe the friendships that form while also rooting for the "villains" to be cast out of the kitchen. And it's not just the contestants who create the drama. 

I have thoroughly enjoyed all of the books in this series. They are tied together through the group of friends, with a different couple - and dog - featured in each book yet can be read in any order. If you enjoy humor, heart, animals, friendships, emotional depth, and endearing romance, give this book - and this series - a try. I highly recommend it. 

 

Review & Giveaway - - All the Painted Stars

All the Painted Stars

by Emma Denny

The Barden Series - Book 2

Publisher: HQ

Release Date: November 5, 2024

Reviewed by PJ

 

To win her heart, she'll have to fight…

Oxfordshire 1362

When Lily Barden discovers her best friend Johanna’s hand in marriage is being awarded as the main prize at a tournament, she is determined to stop it. Disguised as a knight, she infiltrates the contest, preparing to fight for Jo’s hand. But her conduct ruffles feathers, and when a dangerous incident escalates out of Lily’s control, Jo must help her escape.

Finding safety with a local brewster, Lily and Jo soon settle into their new freedom, and amongst blackberry bushes and lakeside walks an unexpected relationship blossoms. But when Jo’s past catches up with her and Lily’s reckless behaviour threatens their newfound happiness, both women realise that choices must always come at a cost. The question they need to ask is if the cost is worth the price of love…

PJ's Thoughts:

Emma Denny has done it again; she's created a heart-tugging novel that immersed me fully into the time, place, and lives of her characters with a story that I didn't want to put down. 

This is a tender, slow-burn, at times heart-aching, but ultimately joyful romance between two women in Medieval times. One, Lily, knows who she is and what she wants, both in love and life. The other, Johanna, has known only duty and suppression under her tyrant of a father. She knows not what she wants but only what she doesn't. However, breaking free of what is planned for her will not be easy.

I really love the journey Lily and Jo embark upon, both individually and as a couple. Their story begins with friendship (a solid foundation of any relationship) and slowly, organically, believably, transitions into a deep and abiding love. Denny handles their relationship with care, respect, tenderness, and realistic obstacles. I had no idea how she was going to pull off a happy ending for these two and have it be believable but she does. 

The sense of time and place created in the book by Denny is also well done. There was never a moment of language, action, or reaction when I did not feel like I was in Medieval times. I enjoy an author who can immerse me in an era other than my own and keep me there.

There are some unexpected twists in the book that keep things interesting and a visit from book one characters that adds another layer to the story that is fun for fans of One Night in Hartswood (click to read my review) but shouldn't be confusing for readers new to the series. All the Painted Stars can absolutely be enjoyed on its own. 

Have you read Emma Denny yet?

Do you enjoy Medieval romance?

Lily dreams of being a chivalrous knight. What did you dream of being? Have you fulfilled those dreams?

One randomly chosen person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, November 13 will receive a print copy of All the Painted Stars. 

*U.S. only

*Must be 18

Review & Giveaway - - Lightning in her Hands

Lightning in her Hands

by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland

Wild Magic - Book 2

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: October 15, 2024

Reviewed by PJ

 

Teal Flores is desperate for two things—control over her gift of weather, and a date to her ex’s wedding. The first isn’t possible until she finds her long-lost mother, but the second has a very handsome last-ditch solution: Carter Velasquez.

Carter needs Teal too. His chance at receiving an inheritance is dependent on him being married by age thirty (blame his traditional Cuban grandmother), so who better to pose as his wife than Teal? But fake marriage and cohabitation prove tricky when mutual attraction charges the atmosphere—quite literally for Teal, whose volatile emotions cause lightning strikes.

Together, Teal and Carter embark on a quest to find her mother and the answers she’s searching for. But along the way, they’ll discover something even better: a love that can weather any storm.

PJ's Thoughts:

I've read several friends-to-lovers tropes recently but this one has unique twists that make it stand apart from the rest. Gilliland pulled me into this dysfunctional family in her first book, Witch of Wild Things, leaving me eager to discover more about the Flores sisters, their sibling relationship, romantic relationships, and magical abilities. After reading book one, I thought I knew what I'd be getting with middle sister, Teal. I got so much more.

This book has so many layers and Gilliland expertly navigates every one of them. Teal is a complex character. I didn't like her in book one, wasn't sure I liked her in the first part of book two, and ended up loving her by the end. My heart ached for her when all she had been through was revealed. It answered so many questions. I enjoyed her growth throughout the book, how hard she worked to achieve that growth, and especially her efforts to mend her relationships with her sisters. It was all realistically depicted and relatable, as was the ebb and flow of her evolving relationship with Carter, a genuinely nice guy who loves and supports her but isn't without flaws to overcome himself.

Then there's the magic. The abilities these sisters have, and the things that have happened to them, should be unbelievable and yet Gilliland crafts them in such a way that they seem perfectly natural and believable. Of course, Teal's emotions control the weather. Of course, Sage communicates with plants. Of course, animals talk with Sky. And speaking of youngest sister, Sky, you won't believe what she's been through. I cannot wait for her book. Can. Not. Wait. 

If you enjoy fast-paced stories with flawed characters, emotional depth, snappy humor, sibling dynamics, Latin (Mexican/Cuban) culture, magical realism, and hard-won happy endings, give this series a try. For the best reading experience and understanding of the characters, I strongly recommend reading the books in order. 

Have you read any of the books in this series?

What are your thoughts about magical realism in romance?

If you could have one magical ability, what would you choose?

One person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, October 30 will receive a print copy of Lightning in her Hands.

*U.S. only

*Must be 18