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Recipe For Revenge (An April May Cozy Mystery Book 2) by Hazel Smith – Review by Christie Mitchum

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Recipe For Revenge: An Unputdownable Small Town Cozy Murder Mystery (An April May Cozy Mystery Book Book 2)Recipe For Revenge: An Unputdownable Small Town Cozy Murder Mystery by Hazel Smith
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Recipe for Revenge was a quick, witty cozy mystery, and I enjoyed every minute of it!!!

I have to be honest…I did not read the first book in the series. I will go back and read the first book just to get more of a background into April’s history, but I also think it was fine as a standalone book as well. In this particular book, April has her hands full again with a new mystery, well actually, a couple of mysteries that converge together quite nicely at the end of the book. It begins with a burglary, but soon a mysterious fire complicates things and results in a missing persons case. However, the biggest mystery to be solved actually involves April personally. One might think all these small mysteries would be confusing and ruin the plot, but that is not the case in Smith’s very capable hands. The twists and turns kept me flying through the pages.

In April’s personal life, things seem to be moving forward with her love interest, Wesley. She is still struggling with deciding on staying in this charming little town or returning to Chicago. I really liked April. She was someone I would want to be friends with, and Wesley was adorable and sweet. I also enjoyed the quirky cast of secondary characters and their relationships with one another.

Before reading this book, I had read some of the books in the Maid Ivy Series, and I like both of the series. Her writing is clever, and I love the characters, both the main ones and the secondary ones. Reading her books along with a good warm cup of tea is a great way to spend the day!

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Shadowed Agenda: An Enemies to Lovers Action-Packed Romantic Suspense Thriller (Shadow Defense Security Series) by Mavery Ellscott – Review by Christie Mitchum

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Shadowed Agenda: An Enemies to Lovers Action-Packed Romantic Suspense Thriller (Shadow Defense Security Series Book 2)Shadowed Agenda: An Enemies to Lovers Action-Packed Romantic Suspense Thriller by Mavery Ellscott
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Shadowed Agenda is a part of the Shadow Defense Security Series. Regan Christenson and Pavlo Barislov are like oil and water. In other words, they don’t mix. The two are forced together on a book tour…they even write books in two completely different genres. They avoid one another and only interact when they need to, and usually when they do, it’s full of snark. All that changes when Regan’s life is threatened when she refuses to do a private book signing for a woman who just may well be the next First Lady. The sole person who can protect her is Pavlo. As the two spend more time together, they discover their first opinions of one another were all wrong, and that snark may have been hiding a desire for the another.

I will be completely honest. I wasn’t sure how I was going to like this book because it involved politics, and I get enough of that every day on the news. However, I quickly changed my mind as that didn’t dominate the book! Yes, it was a part of the plot that drove the story, but it didn’t take away anything from the actual book itself. The pacing was spot-on, and the twists and turns kept me guessing. Just when I thought I knew who the bad guy was, Ellscott would flip the script on me, and I was second-guessing myself. I couldn’t stop flipping the pages to see what the final outcome would be.

I loved Regan and Pavlo. They were complex characters, and with each chapter told in their own POVs, another layer of who they were was revealed. Both of them had some serious trust issues. They had each loved someone with everything they had to have their hearts and their trust in love destroyed. Regan and Pavlo also dealt with that differently. Regan wouldn’t even consider a relationship much less a one-night stand, and one-night stands were all that Pavlo could offer a woman. Each of them was fiercely independent and determined. Pavlo was dedicated to his job with Shadow Defense, and Regan was dedicated to her daughter, Emmeline.

The secondary characters also added a layer to the story. Characters were not always who I thought they were. In fact, that was part of the guessing game for me as well. Because of my uncertainty about their agenda, the epilogue was such a treat for me. It was one of my favorite parts of the book.

It’s been quite a while since I have read romantic suspense, and Mavery Ellscott reminded me why I love this genre. She did a fantastic job of combining mystery, intrigue, and romance. She is a new author for me, and I’m so glad I got the chance to discover how talented she is. I will be reading more from her in the future!!!

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Lela’s Choice by Jennifer Raines – Review by Christie Mitchum

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Lela's ChoiceLela’s Choice by Jennifer Raines
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Lela’s Choice by Jennifer Raines is a great combination of romance and women’s fiction!!!

Lela is the epitome of a loyal daughter, not to say she isn’t obstinate and determined, but she has dedicated her life to her father and her niece. She had plans to make her own path when Sophie turned 18. However, Sophie has disappeared with her boyfriend which sends all of Lela’s plans completely off track. Now, she races to Malta to find her and bring some sort of peace to her family. She wasn’t expecting Hamish McGregor, who is working for her father, and aiding in the search. Their first meeting isn’t necessarily cordial. Lela doesn’t trust Hamish or anyone that works for her overbearing father. Yet, she can’t deny the attraction and pull she feels towards him, and he can’t deny his attraction to her. As the two work trying to find Lela, they soon find themselves falling in love.

Both Lela and Hamish are complicated and complex characters. Both have suffered tragic losses in their lives which has impacted their present lives, especially in their ability to have a relationship. Lela is fighting her father’s controlling behavior, and Hamish is afraid he will lose another woman to violence because of his job. The two did a tremendous amount of growth throughout the book. They are two different people by the last page even though not too much time passes within the storyline.

Their romance is a slow burn at first, but then, things take off quite quickly when they decide to give in to their feelings. There are some obstacles to their happily ever after, but thankfully without too much angst. While the disappearance of Sophie is the reason both of them are in Malta, that plotline does somewhat become secondary. The book was well-written and was very descriptive. At times, I found myself in the setting with the characters. It made me want to visit Malta.

I found the book quite enjoyable, and I not only liked but respected both of the characters for their determination and strength. While the book was mostly centered around their romance, it was also about family, loss, forgiveness, and second chances.

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Mission Target (Jake Wolfe Thrillers Book 7) by Mark Nolan – Review by Christie Mitchum

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Mission Target (Jake Wolfe, # 7)Mission Target by Mark Nolan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Mission Target by Mark Nolan is a nail-biter of a book!!!!

Jake is summoned to take care of a target that is putting America at risk! The weapon is a powerful new drug that is killing people, and there is no antidote to save peoples’ lives like with opioids. Now, it’s up to Jake and his faithful dog, Cody, to stop the threat before it’s too late!!!

This book is a part of a series, and I haven’t read the prior books, but I don’t think it hampered my understanding of the characters or the plot. It was a well-written book, and the pacing was very rapid with many twists, turns, and surprises. I am a dog lover myself and a mom to two fur babies so I loved the relationship between Jake and Cody!

One of my favorite parts of the book was the author, Mark Nolan’s, notes at the end to his readers. While the book itself and the things occurring were scary, what is more scary is the fact that some of the instances that happened in the book are based in reality, most notably the drug, Tranq, which is killing people. The things noted in that section were mind-blowing and made me think more deeply about things happening in our society.

If you are looking for a lovable dog and a fast-paced thriller, give this book and the series a try!!! I don’t think you will be disappointed!!!!

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Wicked Games (Hidden Valley Elite Book 7) by Isla Vaughn – Review by Christie Mitchum

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Wicked Ends (Hidden Valley Elite #8)Wicked Ends by Isla Vaughn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wicked Ends picked up exactly where it left off in the previous book! Who can forget that cliffhanger!!!!!!

Shane has always been a mystery to me. Throughout the series, I wasn’t sure if I liked him. In the previous book, I fell hard for him, and I can honestly say he became my favorite character. He appeared so arrogant, and boy did he have a stubborn streak. I had no idea what heavy baggage he was carrying from his past. I didn’t always agree with his actions, but part of me could see why he did the things he did.

I was in Winter’s corner from the beginning. She was beautiful and intelligent, and the girl had perseverance and strength. I’m not saying she was perfect. She was far from it and did hurtful things to others during her childhood. Just ask Shane. The things she did, like Shane, were reactions to her painful, painful past. That’s why they made such a perfect couple.

The series does encompass some dark, emotional aspects, and some of the main characters are less than loveable in the beginning. However, Vaughn is so talented at bringing light and love into each book. The journeys to their happy endings are fraught with obstacles, mostly in the imperfections and flaws of the characters, but those hard times and roadblocks are what bring the love and light into each book! She balances both the dark and light so perfectly!

I felt like Vaughn gave each book such an appropriate title, and the one she chose for this one was perfection!!! It was a wicked end to the series and in all the right ways!!! The epilogues were icing on the cake! Thank you, Isla Vaughn, for letting me see how each character I have grown to love was doing in the future. I highly recommend this series!

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Murky Murder (A Maid Ivy Cozy Mystery Book) by Hazel Smith – Review by Christie Mitchum

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Murky Murder (A Maid Ivy Cozy Mystery, #4)Murky Murder by Hazel Smith
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Murky Murder was a cute, cozy, and heartwarming mystery!

Life is looking good for Ivy. She has been promoted to the new head maid at Hotel LaFontaine, and her first date with her boss, Max Humphrey, was a success except for one creepy interruption, someone rushing into the restaurant brandishing a knife. However, it was short-lived and the hooded man left almost as quickly as he appeared, escaping security.

The hotel is all abuzz with a business conference with many successful, elite businessmen and women arriving. Nothing ruins success like a murder, and that is just what happens not long after guests arrive. One of the guests is found in his room, and there are plenty of suspects as he isn’t the most liked person. If that wasn’t enough, Ivy discovers that the random person who came running towards their table at dinner on their first date wasn’t random. It seems like someone has something against Max as cryptic and threatening notes begin to appear.

I love quirky characters, and Murky Murder is packed with them. I love Ivy. She is tenacious and so likable. She is determined to discover who the murderer is and how it connects to herself and Max. Max was just as likable as Ivy was, and the two make a great team. I’m so glad that the romance between the two of them is not rushed. It’s utterly charming!!! The addition of great secondary characters and the dogs made it even better! There are some twists and turns and no shortage of suspects that kept the book rolling along at a great pace.

This book is the 4th in the series, and while it was very easy to read without any confusion from not reading the earlier books, I liked it so much that I would love to go back and read the prior books. It reminds me of my favorite TV mysteries on PBS and Brit Box, and it was a perfect way to spend the day… helping Ivy solve the case and drinking a nice cup of hot tea.

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