A Christmas to Remember by 5 Prince Publishing – Review by Emily H

A Christmas to Remember: An Anthology from 5 Prince PublishingA Christmas to Remember: An Anthology from 5 Prince Publishing by Bernadette Marie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a delightful anthology just in time for the holidays. You start off with a couple of bakers and a setting for a second chance romance. Then you are swept away to Colorado for a entertaining story of a jewelry designer at a craft fair who is trying to decide how she can get another start with her career but also finds herself falling for a local man. From there you are reading a page in Randi’s diary and she is at a crossroads in life, will she take the path of what was supposed to be or maybe she will find a different path to happiness. What could possibly go wrong with a Blind date at Christmas, maybe meet the woman of your dreams, that being said not all is as it appears to be and will the newly found couple be able to weather the storm swirling around them? A newcomer comes to town taking over the local bank, he finds his welcome is short lived by some of the changes he is making only to find interest with a fiery tempered beauty. A family emergency brings home Valentina to take over the family business, but pressure from an outsider has put her in the direct line with Sal, the only man who ever made her heart speed up. The anthology finishes with an ex who is trying to get back together with Abigail, but she finds someone who is a better catch. All the stories are entertaining and festive.

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And Then She Fell by Dreena Collins – Review by Mercedes Jones

And Then She FellAnd Then She Fell by Dreena Collins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What’s worse than losing a child? Losing one and not knowing exactly what happened to her. The mother, Catherine, has accepted the fact that her daughter is gone, but she hasn’t accepted that nobody knows the details. She visits the place of her daughter’s untimely death, questions the employees, her friends. There is no way her daughter, Susie, just fell due to being intoxicated.
This book was a such a well written psychological thriller. Trying to piece together what really happened to Susie that night, with experts from “Susie” after each chapter retelling of what happened, could have happened, or maybe it really did happen one of the ways she describes, but which one is the truth? I loved the way this story was written and I cannot wait to read more from Dreanna Collins.

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A Christmas to Remember by 5 Prince Publishing – Review by Jennifer Gordon

A Christmas to Remember: An Anthology from 5 Prince PublishingA Christmas to Remember: An Anthology from 5 Prince Publishing by Bernadette Marie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

An enjoyable and entertaining anthology of holiday romances, each one by a different author. Each one of the stories in this collection of festive reads had me happily turning the pages. I thoroughly enjoyed these heartwarming and wonderfully written ‘Happily Ever After Christmas’ tales. I ‘binge read’ this anthology, where each storyline had a different theme and each one had me hooked. ‘MISTLETOE MEMORIES’ by Bernadette Marie, was a particular favourite with an enemies to lovers theme. In Amy L. Gale’s ‘FALLING FOR CHRISTMAS’, a small town is in chaos when a big city businessman turns up to make a deal. ‘THE MRS. CLAUSE’ by S.J. Reisner, ‘A ROCKY MOUNTAIN ROMANCE’ by Jessica Mehring, ‘MERRY MIX-UPS’ by Emily Bybee, Emersyn Kane’s ‘CHRISTMAS PIZZO’, and ‘COPPER PENNY CHRISTMAS’ by Ann Swann, make up the collection. I was taken on an emotional rollercoaster whilst reading these stories, and I felt immersed in each storyline and engaged with the likeable and relatable characters in each one. I definitely recommend this anthology for a Christmas escape, which will leave you in a festive mood.

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Raine Down (The Shadow Guardians Book 1) by CB Samet – Review by Shelly Kittell

Raine Down (The Shadow Guardians, #1)Raine Down by C.B. Samet
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow! This is one intense story. I loved it. The action is fast paced. The mixture of human/paranormal is exciting and most intriguing. The chemistry between Will and Raine sucked me in right from the start and I was totally invested. I loved the fact that she fought it but eventually was worn down. The writing is so fast paced and just grabs you that you can’t put it down. You just want to keep reading to find out what’s next. I can’t wait for the next book.

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The Dwarves’ Dilemma (Science Folktales) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Kerry Baker

Dwarves' Dilemma, TheDwarves’ Dilemma, The by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a fun an engaging version of Snow White that myself and my kids really enjoyed reading. It was easy to read but still put across an important message. As with all this authors’ book it was well illustrated, which really helped to capture my kids attention.
For an author that we hadn’t read until this year she has certainly become a firm favourite in a short space of time. We are already looking forward to the next book.

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Defiant Princess (Mafia Elite Series Prequel) by Amy McKinley – Review by Kerry Baker

Defiant Princess (Mafia Elite Prequel)Defiant Princess by Amy McKinley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Amy McKinley has done it yet again. She has created a story that is well written, with great characters and simply is simply incredible. I never hesitate to pick up one of her books and she always manages to pull me in from page one. I loved getting to know theses characters more and read this book in record time.
This wholes series has been one of my favourite ones and I love getting back into it with each book. They are always exciting and intense. This book is the perfectly example of that. I would highly recommend it and can’t wait to read more.

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Oliver A Story About Adoption by Lois Wickstrom, Review by Torey Foster

Oliver: A Story about AdoptionOliver: A Story about Adoption by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oliver is the story of a young boy who was adopted. After getting in trouble, he is angry at his parents which leads him to wonder about his birth parents and why they did’t keep him. He thinks about his life and what it could have been like had he not been adopted.
I think this is a wonderful story that helps validate feelings and work through emotions that kids might have in this situation. I have two children that are not mine biologically and I am glad to have a book to read to them that they can relate to and that might help them work through some of these feelings. My 7 year old is already starting to question why she doesn’t just have a normal family and is starting to feel a sense of rejection from her bio mom. It is important to validate those feelings while also making sure they know they are loved and help them work through it. This book is a great resource to help us do just that. While adopted children are the target audience, I think this book is beneficial for everyone, just to help us understand each other better, and help us be more empathetic to people in different situations. I definitely recommend this book.

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Borrowed Time by Lane Cohen – Review by Tausha Treadway

Borrowed TimeBorrowed Time by Lane Cohen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Borrowed Time by Lane Cohen. This is such a fun read about time travel. It all starts when an advanced physics instructor and one of his students create a time machine. They hook up power source found by Samoset one of the the brightest students to the original Time Machine from the movie Time Machine and it actually works. The professor Andy Case and Samoset have two very different versions of where they want to go and what they want to do. Samoset wants to correct wrongs that were done years ago and Andy just wants to mend relationships. Andy fell in love with a married woman while he was married. He left his wife but she stayed with her husband. He was heartbroken. He lost his wife and his soul mate. Now of course as things go their travels don’t go as either one of them planned. They have several adventures and visit towns and times they never could have before. This is a fun, fast paced time travel story. Where would you go if you could travel in a time machine?

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Soliloquy by Janet Fogg – Review by Katie Turner

SoliloquySoliloquy by Janet Fogg
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Seven years after her grandmother’s passing, Erin inherits a strange box containing very realistic and intricately-made figurines. She can sense energy coming from them as soon as she opens the box and sees what is inside. She could only imagine the power they held at that point. But before she knows it, she is being teleported back in time to WWII France, and into someone else’s body, where she is responsible for entertaining a powerful German soldier with her musical talent. Erin finds herself and her friends taking a huge risk to hide and aid an injured pilot that was gunned down. She can’t stand the thought of losing him, and she is certain she knows him from another time. Can she keep the German soldier happy and her friends safe as she tries to understand what has happened to bring her there?

Soliloquy by Janet Fogg is a well-balanced and captivating story of history, time travel and romance. From the very first page, this story hooked me and made it nearly impossible to put away. The author has a way with words and weaved them into such a unique and intriguing tale, that I could swear I was back in France as well as I read along. I highly recommend!

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The Final Bite by Naomi Valkyrie – Review by Breanne Christian

The Final BiteThe Final Bite by Naomi Valkyrie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

After being killed by his greedy sister, Quinnlan is chosen to get a second chance at life. The catch? He must find a mate within three days, using no magical abilities. Did I forget to mention that Quinnlan is a vampire? The Gods dump him in an area with very little population. His second chance at life seems to be slipping out of his grasp, when on the second day, he sees a stranger in danger and chooses to save him. Mystery surrounds this intriguing stranger. What would become of this stranger and Quinlann? Can he help the stranger solve the mysteries? Find out in The Final Bite.
The Final Bite is full of relatable characters, paranormal beings, surprise, and quick comedic relief. It was fast-paced, and events unfolded quickly, to the point where it felt rushed. There were many opportunities for the story to be elaborated on or unfold slower. It is good for a short story, but I was expecting more out of it. It left me with questions that could have been answered with some elaboration.
Overall, The Final Bite is a great, quick read. It is full of mystery, suspense, and romance. If you are looking for a short story full of vampires, witches, and wolf shifters, do not hesitate to pick up The Final Bite.

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Better Gnomes & Gardens (Mysty Haven Mystery Book 1) by Casey Cardel – Review by Sheri Schrader

Better Gnomes & Gardens (Mysty Haven Mystery)Better Gnomes & Gardens by Casey Cardel
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Better Gnomes & Gardens is the first book in the Mysty Haven Mystery Book series. This is the first book I have read from this author, and I was not disappointed. The story is fun and entertaining. Bob is new to town and finds out that not everything is as it seems. Will he find out what has happened to the disappearing gnomes?
The story is well thought out and kept me reading to discover what would happen. I liked that the story was not the typically cozy mystery because of the dash of paranormal. I look forward to reading the next books in this series and more from this author in the future.

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Raine Down (The Shadow Guardians Book 1) by C.B. Samet – Review by Caralee Loonat

Raine Down (The Shadow Guardians, #1)Raine Down by C.B. Samet
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I really love finding new authors. This is the first book from this author I have read and I was not let down. I really like fantasy and paranormal genre type books and this really fit the bill. I like how the author is able to define the characters and give just enough of their backstory to bring fullness to the story. I like how the chemistry between the main characters is very unique. The author does a good job of brining the characters to life and I felt as though I was right in the midst of the action.

There was just enough drama and action and I like how there is an undertone of romance. I find that the author really brings the story to life and I was just not wanting to put this book down. I look forward to reading more from this series and from this author.

Reviewed by @caraleeloonat
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Road to the Mansfield (Express Investigations Book 1) by CB Laurence – Review by Sheri Schrader

Road to the Mansfield (Express Investigations, #1)Road to the Mansfield by C.B. Laurence
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Road to the Mansfield is the first book in the Express Investigations series. The blurb for this book drew me in, and I was not disappointed. The book focuses on three stories that converge on one evening in 1927. I will not give more about the plot because I do not want to wreck someone’s experience. I enjoyed getting the different character POV while reading. Each kept me reading to find out what would happen to them. The story has twists and turns in the plot that are excellently woven together. I stayed up late into the night reading this book and look forward to more in this series. This was a new author for me and I’m glad I stumbled upon this book.

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Shadow Patterns of Melt by J. R. P. Fogg – Review by Terri Jo McAllister

Shadow Patterns of Melt - Book OneShadow Patterns of Melt – Book One by J.R.P. Fogg
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was definitely not the usual type of book I read. However, the world building was pretty awesome throughout . It did take me a few chapters to grasp what was going on. And the main characters, Bishr and Nialla, grew on me as their relationship unfolded in the the story. If you’re a sci-fi enthusiast, I recommend this book.

Reviewed by Terri Jo McAllister
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Rainbow’s Red Book of Poetry by Lily Lawson – Review by Rachel Moss

Rainbow's Red Book of PoetryRainbow’s Red Book of Poetry by Lily Lawson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed reading this set of poetry! It was easy for me to read, and I understood most if not all the poems, which says a lot for me since I usually don’t understand many poems. This went really fast too, so it was a quick read. I haven’t read anything from this author before but I will definitely be coming back because I really did enjoy this book of poems.

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Gunner (Hollins & Haring Book 3) by T.J. Beach – Review by Terri Jo McAllister

Gunner (Hollins & Haring #3)Gunner by T.J. Beach
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Hollins and Haring are partners in a private detective agency. When tragedy strikes Haring’s family, Hollins begins to share his own tragic past as a distraction. While it seems to be working, how much is he ready to disclose? This is the third book in the series, but is a stand alone. I’ll be going back to check out the other two!

Reviewed by Terri Jo McAllister
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Kiss Away Your Pain (Wounded Hearts Series Book 2) by Debbie Cromack – Review by Lacy Mercado

<a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60057769-kiss-away-your-pain” style=”float: left; padding-right: 20px”><img border=”0″ alt=”Kiss Away Your Pain (Wounded Hearts, #2)” src=”https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1653331201l/60057769._SX98_.jpg” /></a><a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60057769-kiss-away-your-pain”>Kiss Away Your Pain</a> by <a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20904214.Debbie_Cromack”>Debbie Cromack</a><br/>

My rating: <a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5106199379″>5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />

I love Enzo and Candi’s story. This is a slow burn book. I love storyline. I can’t wait to read more books from the author.<br />

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Better Gnomes & Gardens (Mysty Haven Mystery Book 1) by Casey Cardel – Review by Cindy Mayberry

Better Gnomes & Gardens (Mysty Haven Mystery)Better Gnomes & Gardens by Casey Cardel
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was just as I thought it would be. I love gnomes and well I grab it because of the cover. Silly I know, but so is this story. Bob McLerney moves to Mysty Haven looking for adventure as well as a story to tell. Being a journalist, he wanted an unusual story to tell. After being fired from his job, for writing a story about Bigfoot. He meets Mr Weaver who offers him $ 1,000,00 to find his missing gnome. That is all I am going to tell you. No Spoilers! This is a new to me author. But like many of my favorites authors this one will too be added. I have not laughed as much as I did reading this story. The characters are funny and perfect for the roles they play. This story kept me reading as I was enjoying the adventure. I am looking forward to see where this authors takes book 2.

Review@cinful

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A Crossbow Christmas by Ann Swann – Review by Lacy Mercado

<a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62872091-a-crossbow-christmas” style=”float: left; padding-right: 20px”><img border=”0″ alt=”A Crossbow Christmas” src=”https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1664825133l/62872091._SX98_.jpg” /></a><a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62872091-a-crossbow-christmas”>A Crossbow Christmas</a> by <a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5420711.Ann_Swann”>Ann Swann</a><br/>

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This is a different Christmas story. Carina got sick with Covid and was in hospital. When she gets out of the hospital. No one wants to spend Christmas with her. The only one that understands is a young man in a grief support group. You have to read the rest of the book to see what happens. I can’t wait to read more books from this author.<br />

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And Then She Fell by Dreena Collins – Review by Christine Baranek

And Then She FellAnd Then She Fell by Dreena Collins
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

And Then She Fell
By: Dreena Collins

Every once in a while I pick up a book that is so well written, so convincing that I find myself thinking about it long after I finish reading it. And Then She Fell is one of those books. It is the story of a mother who doesn’t trust her daughter’s death. She doesn’t believe what the reports are saying. She can’t believe that it was just an accident. There must be more, doesn’t there? The author does a fantastic job illustrating the grief and despair a mother faces in this situation. The characters are amazingly well written and there is so much drama! This is a fantastic book written for anyone who loves crime stories, especially those with an air of mystery surrounding them.

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A Christmas to Remember by 5 Prince Publishing – Review by Kay Stritesky

A Christmas to Remember: An Anthology from 5 Prince PublishingA Christmas to Remember: An Anthology from 5 Prince Publishing by Bernadette Marie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I absolutely enjoyed the collection of stories that made this up! Each author was different but each one really brought Christmas through the pages! As I read I decorated my house and let the Christmas spirit envelope me! Each character brought something to the table and each story was long enough to tell readers the story but not too long that it felt drawn out!

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A Christmas to Remember by 5 Prince Publishing – Review by Tara Johnson Barnes

A Christmas to Remember: An Anthology from 5 Prince PublishingA Christmas to Remember: An Anthology from 5 Prince Publishing by Bernadette Marie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a beautiful Collection of Christmas stories written by various authors that are perfect for the holiday season. Each author has a different writing style, but the overall theme of Christmas spirit is strong throughout. Every story is unique with well developed, relatable and lovable characters and well written scenes. The characters in each story are facing their own challenges that they are struggling to overcome but no matter what happens they persevere. With love, romance, Christmas cheer and happy endings these stories will leave you feeling warm and fuzzy all over. A must read to put you in the mood for the true spirit of the Christmas season.

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Revenge Honeymoon by K.J. Gillenwater – Review by Vanessa Estrada

Revenge Honeymoon by K.J. Gillenwater
Review

Emily was very rude and annoying and assumptive when she first met Max. I mean I understand she’s supposed to be awkward but I felt like it was taken too far. Both Max and Emily are too self-deprecating. There is too much internal thoughts, not enough dialogue. The book felt very repetitive and it was difficult for me to get through. It’s just not my cup of tea but I’m sure someone else will enjoy it.

Raine Down (The Shadow Guardians Book 1) by CB Samet – Review by Desiree Ottinger

Raine Down (The Shadow Guardians, #1)Raine Down by C.B. Samet
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Raine Thoren is shadow guardian who saves FBI special agent Will Decker’s life when their cases collide. Both are used to working alone. However, with their cases being one in the same, they have to pair up and find answers in order to hunt down their serial killer. As their case progresses, can they stay focused on the task at hand? Or will their feelings for each other cause them to become distracted?

This was such a fun read that I didn’t want to put it down! I enjoy reading stories about crime that is otherworldly being solved by a mixed task force of normal humans and humans who have special powers. What I enjoyed most about this book was the mix of Norse myths and magic. Both Raine and Will have ancestral ties to more than they understand. This was a great first book to a promising series! Looking forward to the next book!

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The Rom Com Movie Club (The Rom Com Movie Club Book 1) by Bernadette Marie – Review by Bethany Rollins

The Rom Com Movie Club - Book OneThe Rom Com Movie Club – Book One by Bernadette Marie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Lisa, Mindy, Tina and Ruby are the Rom Com Movie Club and informal family. Lisa, unlike the other girls, grew up in foster care and never attended college. The girls are only a handful of people that have never walked away and forgotten about her. Upon Tina’s wedding, Lisa meets the grooms brother, Ryan. These two have instant chemistry but this is seen as a threat to Tina, wanting all focus on her wedding day. What ensues is love story in the making all while attempting to maintain peace within the friendship group. There were so many great things about this story and the author nicely intertwined Lisa’s childhood and finding her own family. While I did enjoy the story of Lisa and Ryan, I was more drawn to the friendship aspect of the book, especially the one on one moments between Ruby and Lisa. I’m excited to continue the characters storylines in the remaining books of this series.

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Ghost Talker (Madame Chalamet Ghost Mysteries Book 1) by Byrd Nash – Review by Shea Gilkerson 11/15/22

Ghost Talker (Madame Chalamet Ghost Mysteries #1)Ghost Talker by Byrd Nash
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Elinor is a smart, talented, sassy Ghost Talker and daughter of a jeweler. Right from the first sentence, she drew me in and made me like her. She occasionally uses her talents to assist the police, and today is the beginning of one of those times.

Elinor is called upon in the middle of dinner because the new case in need of the Ghost Talker involves royalty and murder. Duke Archambeau is the suspect in question, and also happens to be a person from Elinor’s past. You don’t learn much about him in this story, but the author sprinkles just enough throughout to keep you invested in the two of them together.

Excellent world building, very well written characters and an especially enviably strong and smart female lead, great and interesting mysteries – I’m thrilled to read the rest of the series! Another win for Nash!

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Better Gnomes & Gardens (Mysty Haven Mystery Book 1) by Casey Cardel – Review by Karen Pearman

Better Gnomes & Gardens (Mysty Haven Mystery)Better Gnomes & Gardens by Casey Cardel
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a book by a new author to me, so I was not quite sure what to expect. I thought the cover was unbelievably cute as it reminded me of a Better Homes and Garden cookbook. It is a cute small-town mystery that involves gnomes. I am so glad that I picked this book up. It is so cute and the gnomes are so adorable. I laughed so hard reading this story. The author pulled me in from the beginning with the wonderful telling of this story. The characters are all so diverse and loveable. I also loved how the writer created such an amazing world different from the normal universe. I loved it. I highly recommend you read this book. And I also highly recommend that you make the recipe that is included at the end. It is delicious.

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Operation Blackbird (Brass Compass Series Book 2) by Ellen Butler – Review by Megan Conley

Operation BlackbirdOperation Blackbird by Ellen Butler
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the second book in the Brass Compass series; however, you don’t necessarily need to read the first in order to understand what’s going on (I didn’t) in this one. This is more of a companion novel, not a sequel. I am going to go back and read the first one to see how much it enriches this novel, but you can definitely read this as a standalone.
We follow Miriam Becker, a CIA operative, who has one last mission with an old friend, Jake Devlin but things don’t go as planned and when Jake puts his life before hers, Miriam is forced to flee while Jake is left behind.
I really enjoyed not only Ellen Butler’s character development and her strong female lead, but also the way she develops her plot and just pulls the read in from the get-go and doesn’t let them go. I couldn’t put this book down. I love historical fiction and this went above and beyond what I thought it would be.

Reviewed by @meggs1717

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A Christmas to Remember by 5 Prince Publishing – Review by Kerry Carr

A Christmas to Remember: An Anthology from 5 Prince PublishingA Christmas to Remember: An Anthology from 5 Prince Publishing by Bernadette Marie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Wow I loved this collection of stories. All of them are uniquely different but all of them are really great reads.

The stories are romance with a Christmas twist so although the journey to the HEA isn’t always smooth the Christmas magic makes anything possible.
I honestly could not pick a favourite because I loved each on in different ways but every book captured the essence for romance and the magical spirit of Christmas. I will be re reading this anthology again curled up in from of my Christmas tree with a hot chocolate to really embrace and make each story come alive. These stories are so magical and beautifully written I can imagine them being turned into films to watch over the Christmas period.

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Borrowed Time by Lane Cohen – Review by Rayne East

Borrowed TimeBorrowed Time by Lane Cohen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Timeless
A beautifully written book that had me turning the pages late into the night. The author captured each moment within the adventures and didn’t skimp on the details. I felt I was present in every moment. The story follows the group as they invent the ability to time travel and then navigate the possible implications and moral dilemmas of doing so. The author has clearly done their homework with the accuracy of past events. There is definitely room for a sequel- which I will definitely read.

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