Melt My Heart by Alicia Street
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is excellent escapism. The hero is a veteran with PTSD issues. The heroine has her own baggage. They connected through the rescue of an injured dog. Life in a small town where everyone knows everyone else’s business causes conflict in their budding relationship. Can they overcome their own issues in order to rescue each other’s hearts?
Lies That Bind by Valerie Davisson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I enjoy following this author. It is always an interesting read. Logan is yet again thrown into a homicide investigation. This can be read as a stand alone book.
My Big Red Monster by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
My Big Red Monster was an easy to read, colorfully illustrated adventure into the nightmares and fears of children. Lois Wickstrom creates an imaginative take on the fear many children have of a monster hiding under the bed. The little girl in the story has a strong, red monster under her bed but her brother doesn’t believe her. She finally confronts the monster, asking, “What do you want?” The monster tells her she can tell him what to do, but if she doesn’t, he’ll eat her. The little girl gives him various chores to do, and adds one very funny twist at the end! Cleverly written and beautifully illustrated, My Big Red Monster is a must read for any little one’s bed time!
Merry Christmas, Montana by Elsa Winckler
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I didn’t realize that this was the third book in the series, but it was easily read as a stand alone. I did go and buy the first two because I liked this book so much. Small town families and friends and drama. I am also a sucker for a book set at Christmas! Riley is a single mom living in Portland and working as a photographer. Her family has all moved to a small town in Montana and she goes back for a family wedding. She runs into Mitch, the bride’s brother, at the wedding and is annoyed by the “fighting guy” as she calls him. Riley asks him to dance with her to get away from a creepy old guy and they both feel sparks. She goes back to Portland and tries to move on, forgetting about the kiss they share until her aunt calls saying she is sick and she is back in Montana. Her son isn’t doing well in school and she doesn’t have a lot in Portland, but she is trying to make a home for them both. Riley avoids and Mitch confronts and Dylan is asking a lot of questions and hoping for a Christmas miracle! I can’t wait to dig into the first two to read about the other character’s stories more!
The Christmas Escape by Belinda Williams
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
An enjoyable and engaging romantic comedy with added Christmas magic! Lizzie already hates Christmas and then she loses both her job and her apartment two weeks before the holiday. So when her best friend Shona’s boyfriend cheats on her and leaves her with a non-refundable ticket to Australia, Lizzie decides to spend her redundancy payout and buy the ticket. Lizzie heads off to Australia with plans of forgetting Christmas, however she soon discovers that even in beachside Sydney the festive spirit is alive. Lizzie keeps bumping into Jaz, a surfer guy who she finds attractive and is even tempted to except his invite to Christmas lunch. However, Jaz is a single father with a lot of baggage and she’s only looking for a holiday romance, isn’t she?! No spoilers, I recommend picking up the book and reading this heartwarming and fun holiday romance, which will put you in the Christmas spirit.
Porter and Midge: Paws for Safety: A Kid’s Guide to Safe Dog Interactions by Giselle Nevada
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Porter and Midge are two wonderfully happy dogs, Porter is a Mastiff and Midge is a Greater Swiss Mountain Dog and they live together with heir owners CJ and Lora.
As they grow and learn, they also teach their owners how to behave around dogs and in this lovely book, they pass these lessons onto the readers in a fun, informative and interactive way.
Children and adults alike can learn a lot about pet care, communication and behavioural cues both in their own pets and those owned by others.
Reviewed by @roxsannel
My Big Red Monster by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is another great success from a well-loved author in our household. As soon as I said we had a new book to read, my kids insisted on doing so straight away. It was colourful, entertaining and, as always, had a positive message for children. And the fact that it was told via a big red monster hiding under a bed just made it all the more entertaining.
As with all books by this author, we had read this multiple times. My daughter was able to read the book herself (for the first time!) which made her so excited. And my son loved every picture throughout the book. This has been another huge success.
Reckless Love: A Small Town Slow-Burn Forbidden Love Romance by K.G. Fletcher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book is the fourth one of the series. although it can be read as a standalone, I would recommend reading the other books first. I was intrigued to see what would happen with this book and these specific characters. I wasn’t convinced I would connect with them as I had the others. It didn’t take me long to realise again why I love this author so much. Her work is always fantastic and it doesn’t get much better than this.
The author has successfully taken a character not fully liked and has turned him into someone you find yourself rooting for. Despite everything being said about him, I wanted them both to find their way together. Their connection felt natural and real, which for me made it even better to read. This really is such a fantastic book and I would urge everyone to read it.
Faking the Fall by Libby Kay
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Faking the Fall is the fourth book in the Buckeye Falls series. I’ve enjoyed a few of the books already so knew I was in for a treat! The books in the series work as standalones, each as a romance that focuses on particular characters from the community, but it’s fun to read them together and get to know the whole community!
In Faking the Fall we have two creatives, writer Alice and artist James, who are both facing creative blocks. They are also both recovering from bad break ups, which have brought them to Buckeye Falls. James is under pressure to produce more artwork after a long dry spell, and Alice’s parents are keen for her to move out and, preferably, get married and give them lots of grandchildren.
This is a fun fake dating story, with the inevitable sparks of real connection as things develop! I particularly enjoyed checking in with all of the familiar characters from other stories such as Max, CeCe, Natalie and Ginny. It’s great to see their stories continue to develop!
Faking the Fall gets five stars from me! I’d recommend the series to fans of cosy, small-town romance.
Reckless Love: A Small Town Slow-Burn Forbidden Love Romance by K.G. Fletcher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is the 4th book in The Bennets of Langston Falls Series. You will definately want to read these books from the beginning so you get a complete picture of the Bennet family and the ups and downs of their lives so far.
I have loved this author’s writing. These romances are slow burn story’s but the writing is beautiful and I really find myself captured by these characters and their stories as they struggle and strive to find love.
In this story we focus on the sister to the Bennet Brothers Becky.
Becky has been taking care of her brothers and father for a long time. As anyone with brothers know they are definately over protective of Becky which has the disadvantage of making dating and meeting someone tricky. She has been through the ups and downs alongside her brothers so she knows all about the fallout with Glen and she isn’t ready to forgive. Even if her brothers are.
Glen is trying to rebuild his life after drugs and alcohol turned him into someone everyone hated. As he makes Amends with his one time friends he also trys to kindle the friendship with Becky.
As the pair start to spend time together feelings start to grow which shock them both but neither of them can fight. As they work towards building bridges and the fires of the love start to burn there are still things that could come up that will threaten to tear this pair apart.
Will Becky’s brothers accept their relationship? Has Glen really become a changed man? Is their budding romance strong enough to withstand the pressures that will be thrown at it?
This is a beautiful enemies to lovers romance that will definately grip your heart. Seeing Glen’s character develop through the series to now had me preying he finally finds his happiness, however the path of love is never smooth and this couple will definately have a few bumps to contend with along the way.
The Christmas Escape by Belinda Williams
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This was a cute read that kept my attention better than I expected. I enjoyed the characters and would like to explore more by this author!
Beautiful Dangerous by Becky Flade
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is the fourth book in the Philly Heat series, focussing on Hannah and Doyle. I really do enjoy how different each story is in the series, it keeps the series engaging and fresh.
I liked how this one was written. I enjoyed the others too, but it was the way the stalker was written and revealed which makes this one stand out to me. The twist was very well written.
Both Hannah and Doyle have faced their share of trauma and Hannah’s stalker situation is still ongoing, worsening even. This shapes their views, actions and development well as the story progresses. As characters they were both likable and relatable, and I couldn’t help but root for a happily ever after for the pair. Given everything that happens both prior to and during the story just go to show how strong these characters are and determined to reach the other end of this awful situation.
My heart really went out to Hannah given everything she’d been through already with her brother’s murder, to experience a stalker who only worsens must be so distressing and difficult. I really admired her strength.
Unfortunately, I’ll all caught up with the series now even though I desperately want more. I can’t wait for another to be released so I can get my hands on it. In the meantime, I will be looking out for more from the author.
Whisper Creek by Valerie Davisson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Valerie Davisson has done it again! She has written another great book in the Logan McKenna Series! This is a full-length story filled with its fair share of mystery and crime, and it’s one you won’t want to miss reading. If you have never read any of the Logan McKenna Series, I recommend you go back and read in order to keep caught up and to be ready for this one.
Logan is engaged! Logan and Ben are about to start a new journey to their lives together, but she feels like she needs a place to get away and have some r&r before her big day……little does she know, that isn’t in the cards for her. Logan travels to Oregon to visit friends, and she finds much more than she could have ever anticipated! This is where the story starts to take a turn and gets really good! I mean what do you expect when there’s a dead body, mystery, suspense, friends and family?! All of this makes for a page turning story! Can Logan find the answers, catch the true suspect and solve the mystery, or will Logan fail in her mission to solve the crime that is at hand? There’s only one way to find out, and that is to get a copy of the book and read it for yourself!
Mary Espinoza, October 2023
Yesterday’s Over by Becky Flade
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is the third book in the Philly Heat series, focusing on Ben and Trudy. I enjoyed the move from focusing on police officers to medical examiners/anthropologists, it was a refreshing addition to the series as the investigation elements are still there.
Trudy and Ben are great characters, my favourite of the two being Trudy. She’s strong and determined to get to the bottom of the mystery behind the bones which have been uncovered. She’s willing to take the risk to ensure the truth is uncovered and I admire that about her. I do like Ben; he grew on me as the story progressed and I got to know him better. I could start to see why he was acting in the way he was and admired his want to protect Trudy.
This was another engaging read in the series and I can’t believe I’m almost caught up already. I can’t wait for more!
Fall to Pieces by Becky Flade
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is the second book in the Philly Heat series, this time following detective Alexandra and Detective Xavier’s story. This is a darker book than the first so if darker themes e.g., suicide, child murder, abuse etc is not something you are comfortable reading about, I would advise you not to read this book.
The plot was interesting, I found that I was unable to put the book down as I became immersed. The way things unfolded, I couldn’t get enough, I thought this one was even better than the first.
Both Alex and Xavier each have their own traumas in their pasts and it creates well-rounded, complex characters. Their development is clear as the narrative unfolds, as does their relationship. The characters are believable in their priorities and how they respond to events (and each other) to bring the killer to justice.
This was a great addition to the series and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Moving straight onto the next book!
The Man In Black by L.R. Liverpool
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is book is so many things…historical fiction, romance, western, LGBT+, thriller, mystery…I feel like it has it all! And it’s not a small undertaking either…this is a big ole book. But don’t let that deter you from picking it up. Liverpool has built this fantastical world for her characters and she takes her time really getting into her characters and developing them and letting them figure out who they are and what they want. I thoroughly enjoyed this book WAAAYYYY more than I even anticipated it would. It did take me a little while to get into, but once I did, I had a hard time putting it down. It’s a great coming-of-age saga, but it’s also so much more. I really can’t recommend this book enough. Pick it up for yourself…just allow yourself time to really get into to it and appreciate it.
Reviewed by @meggs1717
Porter and Midge: Paws for Safety: A Kid’s Guide to Safe Dog Interactions by Giselle Nevada
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is an educational book geared towards children in learning how to be around dogs. It has beautiful illustrations and the way it is laid out is engaging and fun to read. Going through all the ways to be safe around dogs is so important – as a dog owner myself, I know that bad things can happen if dogs aren’t approached in a safe way. This is a high recommend for parents to read with their children – even if you aren’t a dog owner.
A Love Restrained by Becky Flade
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is the first book in the Philly Heat series. In this book we follow the story of police officer Kaylee and criminal Jayson.
I enjoyed the plot of this book, it had me engaged and invested. The twists were great and fit so well into the story.
I enjoyed the characters of Kaylee and Jayson in particular; both are strong and determined characters and their chemistry leaps off the page. They were well developed with their shared past and the complex emotions that arise from that and the way they attempt to navigate these feelings and obstacles felt believable. There were moments were I just wanted to knock some sense into them, but the way I came to care for them both goes to show the author’s skill at created great characters that you can’t help but become emotionally invested in.
This was an enjoyable start to the series and I can’t wait to read the rest!
The Christmas Escape by Belinda Williams
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I always love this wonderful authors characters and settings, maybe I am a little bias because I am an Aussie but I am always left feeling so happy after reading one her fantastic storylines. The very talented writing meant that I saw everything so clearly in my mind as I read it and I LOVE when that happens. This book definitely made my day a happy one! Lizzie and Jaz are really great characters and their chemistry and connection was so fun to read. I wish it was longer because I would have happily stayed in their world. I Don’t want to go into the storyline too much and give anything away so I will just say that you really need to get reading this book NOW!!
Porter and Midge: Paws for Safety: A Kid’s Guide to Safe Dog Interactions by Giselle Nevada
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
4 Stars
Porter and Midge: Paws for Safety: A Kid’s Guide to Safe Dog Interactions by Jennie Chen & Giselle Nevada is not only a cute story, but is a great educational book that teaches children how to have safe interactions with dogs. It also has charming, bright, colourful, and interesting illustrations which help to bring the whole thing to life.
This is a fun, quick, and easy read that has also has a great rhyming rhythm, a bit of a lyrical feel, that will help children/readers to connect with the words/story/message.
Happy Reading…
Thank you, Jennie Chen & Giselle Nevada!
Reviewed by @angelahayes
.•°*°•. PREORDER .•°*°•.
Schoolteacher Joy Stewart has never been lucky. Her father died before she was born. Her mother left her in the care of her grandmother so that she could get remarried and move far away. So when her grandmother succumbs to illness, her debtors come to call. And one of them has his eyes set on Joy to be his bride as payment for his debt. That bad luck just seems to be compounding on Joy—what she needs is a Christmas Miracle, and her grandmother has put a plan in the works…
Marshal Jack Bolling has found himself in want of a nanny. With the death of his sister and her husband in a tragic accident, he has now come into possession of his twin niece and nephew of four years old. For over a month he’s had no luck in locating an appropriate nanny for them—at least not on his salary and what a marshal can afford. But then his good friend, Pastor North has the idea that perhaps Jack should be looking for a wife instead? The thought of that sends chills down Jack’s spine, but when he end’s up putting the twins’ lives in danger due to his job, he wonders what choice he has. But can he even dare to hope that he’d be lucky enough to find a wife so close to Christmastime?
.•°*°•.
PREORDER .•°*°•.Dylan’s summer just got more exciting. Can he catch the mail thief before they strike again?
Join 8-year-old Dylan, his talkative little sister, and his adorable dog as they kick off a summer they’ll never forget. Armed with his new detective kit, Dylan is ready to solve any crimes in the neighborhood. All he needs is a case to get started. Luckily for Dylan, his neighbor has realized that her mail is missing! Can Dylan and his trusty sidekicks collect the clues and solve the mystery?
Parents: Detective Dylan books are packed full of reading-level appropriate text, interesting content, and fast moving plots to engage reluctant readers. Each story includes 20+ illustrations to keep readers engaged.
Educators: look inside for a QR code with ELA/Math resources or visit the author’s website at www.mjmurraybooks.com
~ ☆ PREORDER ~ ☆ ~ ~ ☆Adventures on the Christmas Carousel!
Grandpa gave Rusty the magic brass ring that turns every carousel ride into an exciting time travel adventure. With Christmas fast approaching, Rusty wants to buy Grandpa a special present to say thanks. But he doesn’t have much money.
The solution to Rusty’s problem could lie in Santa’s Christmas Carousel. Its animals can talk, and they all say he must ride the carousel. But that takes money too.
Rusty is about to learn a big lesson about gift-giving and the real meaning of Christmas.
This is the second book in The Brass Ring Series.
✽ 
ღ PREORDER ღ ✽ Elijah is a best-selling romance author. Dreaming up romance was easy until his love was manipulated and abused. Now, love feels like a figment of his imagination.
Nearing a six-month writer’s block, in the thick of the holiday season, Elijah finds himself at Enchanted Juniper Resort. He’s never liked writing retreats, or well, socializing, but when negative reviews pour in from his most personal novel yet, he has to choose between succumbing to the fear of his craft, or learning to work through it.
Austin just landed a dream job; head chef at the most romantic place he’s ever been. He wakes up to snow-capped mountains and doesn’t have to drain his income in rent. Only downside? The guests are always couples. He loves love, but his single heart aches.
That is, until a stunningly troubled writer walks into the resort for the annual writing retreat. With the pressure of having nowhere to stay once the resort closes for Christmas, Austin proposes being Elijah’s fake boyfriend for the holiday. Elijah agrees, in hope the charade sparks the inspiration he needs for his novel.
But love doesn’t play charades. When the Christmas lights burn out, they are forced to answer the question they’ve both avoided. Can their fairytale romance persevere, or will the ghost of their pasts shatter the magic?
Reckless Love: A Small Town Slow-Burn Forbidden Love Romance by K.G. Fletcher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
5 Stars
#lovealwayswins
Reckless Love is the fourth book in the wonderful ‘The Bennetts of Langston Falls’ Series by K.G Fletcher. I feel like every time I review one of Ms. Fletcher’s books that I am repeating myself, because there are only so many ways to say ‘she keeps outdoing herself with each new book she releases’, ‘I LOVE this story’ ‘I think it might be one of her best yet’, ‘she had me swooning while all the emotion strummed at my heart strings’, ‘this is another example of why Ms. Fletcher is on my automatic one-click, no questions asked author list’. But it’s all true, and I am having trouble finding the words to do her book/stories the justice that they deserve.
The Bennet’s of Langston Falls is a really fantastic series, each member of the family get their own book, and each one (so far) has captured my heart along the way. This is Becky Bennett’s story – and it’s a fabulous slow-burn, small town, enemies to lovers, romance with all the ingredients needed to make it a captivating read. This book could be read as standalone, but I highly recommend reading the previous books before starting on this one, as they are all superb stories in their own right, and they will all make you feel like you want to stay in Langston Falls and have a Christmas tree farm, listen to music, and hang out with good friends.
Another wonderful, contemporary romance with plenty of emotion, chemistry, sizzle, a little drama, forgiveness, redemption, family, taking a chance on love, and much more.
Can’t wait for more!
Happy Reading!
Thank you, K.G. Fletcher!
Reviewed by @angelahayes
Fractured Hearts-Prospect by D.M. Earl
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book was a great read. Wonderful characters and a storyline that keeps you engaged and wanting to read more.
This book follows the story of Dingo (prospect) and Celee. Dingo is a prospect and is working towards becoming a full member of the Grimm Wolves MC. He enjoys making people laugh but he has been through more than most know. Celee was in the midst of an ugly situation when by chance she met Dingo in an online chat room.
Celee comes from a family with a nasty history and with a dark past. She is trying to avoid the many enemies that he father made before his death but that’s hard to do with next to no connections. Dingo decides to try to help her even though he is already hurting.
What happens when the enemies of the past come back? Is blood truly thicker than water or is that just an old saying? What does it mean to be an ole lady? Can someone fall for someone when they are hurting? Will helping Celee be Dingo’s downfall?
Read this book to find out.
Reckless Love: A Small Town Slow-Burn Forbidden Love Romance by K.G. Fletcher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
My favorite types of romance novels are enemies to lovers. This story hit the mark. After the other books I feel like Becky is my little sister. I felt protective of her yet I was rooting for her happiness. Definitely a great read.
Reckless Love: A Small Town Slow-Burn Forbidden Love Romance by K.G. Fletcher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This author shows us a different side to the bubbly, caretaking sister Becky Bennett in this one. It is great to see Becky living for herself and finding what she has been missing in her life, love.
Becky has been the caretaker of her dad and 4 brothers since her mother died. She has a successful YouTube channel, she is in talks for a cookbook, she is an event planner on the family farm. Becky has accomplished many of her dreams at a young age. What she is missing is love and companionship. It is hard for her to believe but in the midst of all those people, she is lonely.
Glen Kirby has been through so much and has been the cause of so much pain for the Bennett family. Now, Glen is 8 months sober, working with Walt to create an apple wine blend, regaining his family farm, and rebuilding a truck in his spare time. One day out of the blue, Becky Bennett brings him a homemade apple pie and his life is changing. Becky agrees to be friendly which turns into legitimate friends.
As the friendship deepens, both Becky and Glen realize it could be so much more. The biggest obstacle is her family. They all say they have forgiven Glen. But is that the truth? Do they trust him? Can they see past the man Glen was to see who he is now? When true feelings come out, Becky and Glen are tested.
The author handled Glen’s internal struggle with his addiction with class, humanity, and realism. I want James’ book. I need James’ book. I don’t want James’ book. That means this beautiful series will end. Each book has been heartfelt, had amazing character, and beautifully written. Worth every minute you spend reading and re-reading this series.
Lottery of Secrets by Nadija Mujagic
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
3 Stars
Lottery of Secrets by Nadija Mujagic is the first book in an intriguing new series. I am always up for a good thriller, so I happily jumped right in.
Imagine winning BIG in the lottery, but then find that instead of enjoying ‘the good life’, your world crumbles into a dangerous, paranoid mess. Well, that’s exactly what happen to Lynn- and we follow along in a race against time to unravel everything before it’s too late.
This is a psychological suspense, with drama, mystery, twisty details, paranoia, secrets, danger, and more. I did find the story intriguing, and as the first book in a series, I can see the potential yet to come. For most part it was an engrossing read. But I didn’t find it as psychologically twisty as I had anticipated. I really wanted to be on the edge of my seat, clamouring to find out what happens next- but that wasn’t the case here. It was definitely intriguing, and had some gripping, twisted moments- but I felt the story was much slower, a little more frustrating, and more predictable than I had expected.
There were some unexpected developments which kept me turning the pages to find out how it all played out- and I am interested to see what happens in the rest of the series as there are still some questions that need answering.
Happy Reading…
Thank you, Nadija Mujagic!
Reviewed by @angelahayes
Yesterday’s Over by Becky Flade
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
A story that keeps me on my toes will always be a hit in my opinion. This one is just as amazing as the rest of the series. I’ve come to expect to be completely sucked into the world that Becky Flade gives readers, and that’s exactly what I got this time. Trudy and Benjamin so easily bring you into their world and it’s not long before you are one the edge of your seat just reading as fast as possible to see what happens next. This author knows romantic suspense and I truly can’t wait for more. I love the suspense and edge of the seat feeling. It’s well written with everything you need in a romantic suspense story with characters that are easy to connect with. Four stars and highly recommended.