Having an sleuth made of dear Jane Austen’s character, Emma, was too good a premise to pass off. And I feel thatWell, that was positively delightful.
Having an sleuth made of dear Jane Austen’s character, Emma, was too good a premise to pass off. And I feel that Vanessa Kelly really did the character of Emma justice. She mellowed her a bit, while still keeping her incorrigibly curious and nosey, but she was also caring. Also, the relationship between Emma and George was adorable and sweet and I loved their interactions so much.
The mystery really did keep me on my toes throughout the book! There were a good number of red herrings thrown my way, but how is one to know? So many suspicions and questions, and it wasn’t until just before Emma herself began to ask questions that I also suspected the true villain. And even still, I did not suspect all of the true motive or what they would do then. Goodness, but it did keep me invested!
The cast of side characters was really fun, and I loved being in the world of Highbury. Between Miss Bates, Mr. Woodhouse, Mrs. Weston, Jane, Frank, Harriet, and a multitude of others, I had a good number of chuckles throughout the book. They were just so fun.
While this is a murder mystery, I would definitely place it in the cozy mystery category. It’s not suspenseful nor gruesome, and the writing harkens after the style of Jane Austen (without any fluff or unnecessary details), which was a breath of fresh air. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am very much looking forward to more from Vanessa Kelly in the future!
…
TW/CW: murder, mention of blood and cause of death; attempted murder; mention of poisoning and guns make a brief appearance; very mild language appropriate to the time period; some very subtle hints at relations between husband and wife, but all are very tastefully done and appropriate; romance: kisses only...more
Wow. I am genuinely so impressed with this story. It sucked me in and held on, keeping my attention even when I wasn’t in the middle of the pages. I aWow. I am genuinely so impressed with this story. It sucked me in and held on, keeping my attention even when I wasn’t in the middle of the pages. I am completely sold on Charlie’s books and can’t wait to read even more of them!
Pell is determined and hard working and cares about her people—of which there are few in their small town, which is slowly dying in the baking sun. The new world took me a minute to get used to, but once I did, I was all in. I liked how Pell would work through a problem, mentally and physically, giving herself time to figure things out, but also pushing herself to make sure she did. She was maybe a little hotheaded, but I still liked her tenacity and her vulnerability.
All the people in the town—Salki and Cas in particular—were really so good. I loved them and was invested in their lives. And I’d be lying if I said Heartwood wasn’t one of my favorites. He is kind of intense, but once you learn his story, it makes perfect sense why he would be.
The mystery surrounding Heartwood and Moseus really kept me interested. I guessed at a couple of things, but there were a lot that still surprised me, particularly how the whole world came to be. But there are a lot of puzzle pieces that have to be moved into place. It’s kind of interesting figuring it all out alongside Pell. Her visions and her experiences sometimes answer questions, but nearly always also create more questions. And I really was invested in figuring out why she had the visions in the first place, what the tower was all about, and her work with the machines.
As I said before, I really liked this book and I’m looking forward to spending more time in Charlie Holmberg’s works. And I hope we can look forward to a sequel for this one! It may have ended happy for now, but there has to be more to come. And I look forward to it when it does!
**Many thanks to the author for the copy. A positive review was not required, and these thoughts are my own....more
This fairytale retelling is delightful. I loved the nods to Cinderella throughout the book. They are subtle, providing the perfect touch to the overalThis fairytale retelling is delightful. I loved the nods to Cinderella throughout the book. They are subtle, providing the perfect touch to the overall story, and I really enjoyed it.
Rolland and Theresia were a good pair. I liked that Rolland was gentle and thoughtful, even despite all the terrible things he saw and experienced in the navy during the war with Napoleon. Theresia was so kind to people, but I also loved that she had a fiery side. Her treatment of Helena was especially admirable. I liked how Rolland dealt with the whole issue regarding Theresia’s step-mother and her background. The way they slowly began to fall for each other was so sweet. I always love a slower burn, and while this one isn’t what I’d call super slow, I loved the depth that developed in their relationship over the course of the book. The little tidbits about glass blowing and Bohemia were really cool. I’m super intrigued now, and want to look up glass products from the era, particularly the crystal. I also really liked the mystery sub-plot. I don’t know what we call this genre (Romantic mystery? Romystery?) but I am totally here for it! Beautiful book, Anneka! I loved it and can’t wait to recommend it to all my friends.
4.5 stars
**Many thanks to AustenProse, Covenant Communications, and the author for the copy. A positive review was neither requested nor required. All thoughts are my own....more
This book deserves all the heart eyes, all the love, all the hype! It was SO. DANG. GOOD. The mystery! The swoon! The kisses (you can writDear Jentry,
This book deserves all the heart eyes, all the love, all the hype! It was SO. DANG. GOOD. The mystery! The swoon! The kisses (you can write kissing scenes any time; I’ll read allllll of them)! The relationships and dynamics and these incredibly deep characters! The witty banter, the lighthearted, fun moments, paired with the pain and guilt of mental illness and family problems. Just all of it. You stuck me in a book hangover, and I’m still scrambling to find my way out.
I will start with how much I love Henry. I adore Henry. Every single thing about this man was utter perfection. He was so good and tender hearted, and it was painful to watch people take advantage of him and hurt him, sometimes on purpose. The treatment of mental illness has had a long, sordid history, and the way you added that into this book was masterful.
I must also say that I loved Dr. Stratford and Nurse Maggie. I am so glad there were some people who were willing to look beyond the fear and unknown and see humans underneath the mental illnesses. (Also dear sweet Sarah. Adore here and I want her story!)
Arabella is so sweet. I loved her desire to find a “spark,” her fun game with Shakespeare’s plays, and her desire to help people. I thought her propensity to try outlandish things under the guise of “I wanted to see if I could,” was brilliant. She may have been a bit reckless, but she was so fun. And her heart is genuinely good. What she did at the end was especially brave and incredible! Also, can we just talk about how amazing the build-up to the first kiss was? And then that first kiss? Whew! Swoony and delectable.
Henry’s relationship with Bradbury was absolutely the best thing. I love deep friendships in books, and Bradbury’s nicknames of Beasty and Goosey, and especially what he said about why he had given Henry those nicknames, was fantastic. I am so excited for Bradbury’s book!
This book surprised me in the best possible ways! I went in completely blind (my favorite way), and I think that’s the best way with this book. You kept me guessing, and delivered on something I didn’t know I needed. This book is reread material, and I will gladly do so.
Your fan, Jessica
AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: Read by Mary Jane Wells — This narrator did a phenomenal job! Her voices were perfect and emotion/inflections were spot on. I may have a new favorite narrator, and would listen to her narrate anything.
**many thanks to the author and publisher for the book; a positive review was not required; all thoughts are my own....more
I think there are some beautiful things to be learned from this book, particularly in the last 40% or so. It didn’t resonate with me as much as I’d hoI think there are some beautiful things to be learned from this book, particularly in the last 40% or so. It didn’t resonate with me as much as I’d hoped it would (I was a big fan of The Jane Austen Society), but I am certain it will work for other readers.
•••
Vivien’s career as a playwright has been destroyed with the savage reviews of critics after seeing her last play. She moves from London to Italy, where she works as a “script doctor,” tidying up and fixing a movie script that doesn’t pass muster. In this new world, she is faced with challenges and setbacks, unwanted admirers, oppression, and several mysteries, including what happened to her fiancé after the war. Vivien has to face difficult truths and learn to grow past the grief that has kept her tethered for the past decade.
•••
I think I struggled to connect with Vivien. She is supposed to be a woman still grieving the loss of her fiancé, but she felt passionless to me, and much too willing to give in to everything she said she wouldn’t. I didn’t like John Lassiter and his whole part in the story—particularly what we find out about him later—just confused me and didn’t feel necessary. I loved Claudia and Levi and would have loved seeing more of them on page. And I really loved Sir Alfred. I think that’s a big reason why the last 25%-30% or so was my favorite—Vivien finally started figuring herself out and we got more of Sir Alfred. Overall I think the history is interesting, and I was sad for Vivien and her loss (there is one particular scene that really finally helped me see what she’d gone through, and I wished we had gotten it sooner).
I think if you like history, 1950’s films or filmmaking, women’s fiction, and mysteries, this book could be for you.
TW/CW: war related stories and deaths; giving up child for adoption; child abduction; church oppression; kissing; mention of sexual relations
3.5 stars, rounded up.
AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: Narrated by Juliet Aubrey—I am torn about this reader. On one hand, I thought her accents and voices were really good, so I knew who was speaking and where they were from immediately. On the other hand, her narration for the narrative and the main character’s voice felt so apathetic and lackluster, even when the character was feeling something deeply or emotional in some way. While her voice is soothing, I didn’t feel like it fit with the emotions of the character. Unfortunately, I do think the narrator made it hard to feel engaged with the character and negatively influenced my overall opinion of this book. There are some really redeeming qualities, but still not my favorite. 3 stars for the narration.
**Many thanks to the publisher, Austen Prose, and NetGalley for the e-copy and audio. A positive review was not required.
Quotes I loved:
Claudia gave an enigmatic smile. “How does your anger help you?” “I think it protects me more than anything else.” “From . . . ?” “From getting hurt.” “Pain’s the cost of living, Vivi. But the angry pay an extra price.”
The past was never fully over—there was always something to be gleaned and gained from it. Through examination, the life already lived could act as both ancient, buried civilization and new frontier. Something you had to fight to reenter, even though it was already a part of you, in order to truly understand. A past that required the help of others to excavate, because you were the very person who was keeping buried.
What would the world be like without young Anne Frans diary, a book that not only conveyed the horror of the war’s genocide of Jews but reminded us of how alike we all are, thus bringing us closer than apart?
…more proof of how war reduced everyone to a basic, primal state. You ended up either good or bad, a resister or a collaborator, a hero or a coward. Someone who hoped, or someone who despaired.
After all, friends were not family. Friends ran alongside the current of your life, always there to pull you back up but rarely tumbling into the water themselves to save you. And when they said goodbye, it was often forever, their life choices forcing a permanent distance.
Sometimes she feared that all she had learned from the war was that nothing could be relied on: not family, not neighbours, not the public servants ostensibly in charge. Something much more powerful seemed to rule over it all. How Vivien wished it might be a higher power—how the horrors of the war kept her from believing it was so.
“I don’t care why someone does something good. I’m just glad when it happens. There’s not enough of it in this world.” -Mimi
“Perhaps examining the past will guide you in ways you can’t yet know. . . . Time goes, it always does, and always faster than we want. But the past stays with us for a reason.” -Sir Alfred
“Saying goodbye is the hardest thing in the world, save for one, and that is being cheated of it.” -Sir Alfred
“Our secrets are who we really are.” -Claudia
Lisetta sits alone in the kitchen, thinking as she so often does about goodness, and how cooked the fight for god can be. Yet in the end, goodness is fixed and steady, and not so difficult to spot. It is evil that takes a bewildering number of forms and keeps changing its shape, tricking you with false promises and reasoning, taunting you into resignation....more
Allow me to get my big feelings out of the way first: I LOVE JIM AND KATHERINE SO MUCH!!!
There. Now to more reasonable tones and less yelling.
I serioAllow me to get my big feelings out of the way first: I LOVE JIM AND KATHERINE SO MUCH!!!
There. Now to more reasonable tones and less yelling.
I seriously adore these two. If you’ve read any other books by Traci at all, you probably already love Jim and Katherine Whitmore. If you haven’t, that’s okay. This book is a great place to start.
Having read a chunk of Traci’s other books (my husband and I are obsessed with the Guardian series), we already know the Whitmores and are big fans. This book was like a special treat, getting their origin story and seeing how so many of their principles and values stemmed from their earliest years together.
The lineup of characters was perfect. From Katherine’s overprotective, though loving, and very politically motivated parents, to Jim’s entire big family, to Mel, Sandy, Ruth, Abigail, and everyone in between, there are a lot of good people to like in this one. They all balance each other out pretty well, and provided for a pretty great story. Except for Sandy. We still don’t like her.
I loved our bookish and studious heroine, Katherine. And though I enjoy baking, I don’t think I would like it at 4:00am, so kudos to her for being so amazing. She is disciplined, thoughtful, and good at helping people. Jim’s honest and hardworking nature would endear him to anyone, but throw in his political aspirations and his intrinsic goodness, and you have a winner. I really love him. I don’t even care what his political party is, I’d vote for him for president.
I kind of loved that this book has a different pace than other books I’ve read from Traci. It’s a bit slower paced, and romance is the main plot. I loved it! There is still some mystery involved, and every page I wondered when things would get crazy. Then I was still a little caught off-guard when it happened. So good!
Also, I’ve never read a book that made me crave something more. You’ve been warned. I’m pretty sure I need a permanent supply of cinnamon rolls now. Maybe I’ll have time to make some more tomorrow, because I need them! (Tip: if you need Katherine’s recipe for cinnamon rolls, you’ll find it in the Fiction Trio Cookbook.)
*many thanks to the publisher and author for the copy. All thoughts are my own....more
My favorite Becky Wade yet! Told in dual POV from Jude and Gemma (with a few side perspectives from Max, Jude’s half brother, and Fiona, Jude’s motherMy favorite Becky Wade yet! Told in dual POV from Jude and Gemma (with a few side perspectives from Max, Jude’s half brother, and Fiona, Jude’s mother), this book is full of romantic tension, mystery and suspense, family relationships, and beautiful settings. I seriously want to go to Maine and explore now. I’ve never been, and Becky brought the place to life with her words. The romantic tension in this one kept me so engaged from the very beginning. I was fully invested in Jude and Gemma. I liked each of them and was very intrigued by how they would get brought together. I loved the several side plots going on, with Gemma’s cousin and the illegal activity that brought FBI agent Jude to Gemma’s life in the first place; Jude’s mom, Fiona, and the scandal she incited many years previous and her efforts to reconcile with her sister; and the mystery surrounding Gemma’s grandma (who is such a sweetheart!). While there were several things going on, I didn’t feel like they detracted from the main story between Jude and Gemma and just added to the overall book. There are a number of Christian elements throughout this book, but I felt like they were balanced very well. I loved this one so much! And cannot wait for the next installment. ** AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: Narrated by Reba Buhr and Ryan Hudson—I enjoyed this narration and liked that there were two different voices to narrate the respective male and female POV chapters. It’s a narration I would listen to again and would recommend for anyone who enjoys audiobooks. ** *many thanks to the author for the copy. All thoughts are my own. I loved it so much!...more
Well, well, well, Gracie Ruth Mitchell, you have delivered again and I couldn't be more pleased! From the very first sentence, I was completely hookedWell, well, well, Gracie Ruth Mitchell, you have delivered again and I couldn't be more pleased! From the very first sentence, I was completely hooked and could not put this book down. I hope you keep writing murder mystery romcoms because this is a genre I need more of in my life. You deliver every time, and I devour it. Like a lifeline, I am tied to your words. I fear I would expire, cease to be, without finishing the next part. Dramatic? Perhaps. But I fail to see how else I could explain my love for these books. Soren is my favorite. No offense to Aiden, but I need more Sorens in my life and in my books and the world needs Sorens. I even feel like he needs the man bun. I have never before liked the look, but Soren gets a pass (for more reasons than his swooniness, but that's a IYKYK situation). I was absolutely in love with how much he loved Heidi. Like he now has all my loyalty. All of it, every single bit. He's the sweetest cinnamon roll of a guy, and I adore him. Heidi Lucy is such a firecracker. I loved her drive, her need to get answers, her willingness to ask tough questions and do the hard things. And her slow admittance to loving Soren just got me. The meet-cute scene between her and Soren had me laughing out loud and wiping all the tears away. The dynamic between the two is hilarious and fun and delightful. Other things I loved: - Bookshop - Baked goods - Dog walking - Baths - The man bun nickname - Authors in books - The roomba - Lists - Heidi's brother - The hot springs scene - Idaho setting - Tetons - Cameo appearances from Juniper and Aiden
This is another book that will for sure be on my rereads list, because I absolutely need more of these two in my life.
Audiobook Review: Narrated by Ellen Quay and Eric Fox -- I've said it before, but these two are both fantastic narrators! Absolutely love their narration style and voices....more
This was my first book by Linder, but it will not be my last. Her writing is lyrical and moving, the characters were deep and good, and the setting waThis was my first book by Linder, but it will not be my last. Her writing is lyrical and moving, the characters were deep and good, and the setting was alluring. I loved the Christian elements throughout, largely used for the characters to say, “this is who I want to be, and it is what I will strive for.” I thought that was very well balanced with the Gothic feel of the novel overall. This one is a bit darker than I anticipated it would be, but I was engaged throughout. The romance in this one is a bit light, but there are still some good toe tingling moments (the kiss!). The mysteries and suspense in this one will keep you wondering throughout the story. And while the first mystery seems solved so quickly, there is still a great deal going on that will have you turning the pages, and wondering how on earth the book could deliver on a happily ever after. But it does. Never you fear, it surely does. William is such a good person, it’s a wonder he is so good what with his childhood and considering who raised him. And he is genuine, kind, selfless. He has bouts with anger and difficulty forgiving, but his faith pulls him through. Then Isabella is more selfish, but also has a big heart. William teaches her a few things, largely through his actions, and her character arc is really good. I loved the themes of a person’s worth not being determined by wealth or status, and that God can help us overcome when all seems lost. There are a good number of things that happen through this one, and each new twist that came along shocked me in the best way. Each time I thought, “this seems impossible,” the exact right thing would make everything right. And conversely, a couple of times I wondered why things seemed a bit too easy, and then Hannah through a curve ball I never saw coming, and I was shocked and hooked all over again.
CW/TW: gun/sword violence and fighting; attempted and committed murders; blood/gore mentions; physical and emotional abuse; suspense; depravity and poverty; mentions of children born out of wedlock; kidnapping; torture
*** **Thanks to the publisher and Austen Prose PR for the gifted copy. I have provided this honest review of my own volition.
***note: I do not recommend the audiobook for this book. The story is lovely, but I did not feel the narrator fit the story, and her voice was not for me. ...more
This book is stunningly, incredibly beautiful. And I don't just mean the cover, though it certainly is that. I am convinced I will Dear Mrs. McDaniel,
This book is stunningly, incredibly beautiful. And I don't just mean the cover, though it certainly is that. I am convinced I will forever be the biggest fan of your storytelling style, but notwithstanding, I thought this book was phenomenal. I loved Amelie right from the very beginning. Her determination to do anything to help the allies in the war against the Nazis--even assume the dreaded persona of "blonde bimbo" (her words, not mine)--was admirable and made me love her right away. Finn was the perfect hero. He was broody and imperfect, and his secrets will keep you guessing for a while. But the way he and Amelie start figuring out how to work together, and solving their mysteries, is exciting and riveting. Every time I thought I had things figured out, another clue would come to light and I would need to start all over with trying to figure out what was going on. And I still didn't have an accurate guess once everything came to light at the end! As my own family heritage includes Swedish ancestry, I have a soft spot for all things Swedish, so naturally that facet of this story endeared me to the story right away. But that isn't the only thing that kept me engaged. The main characters are incredibly well written and exciting, the side characters provide the exact right touch of cheer and humor (or mystery), the mystery kept me guessing, the suspense is on-the-edge-of-your-seat perfect, and the history was well researched. And the book is so well-written. It's a reread worthy book, and I do look forward to immersing myself in this breathtaking book again in the future. Thank you for writing wonderful books I can drop into and have become a part of me. Love, Jessica
**I received a copy of this book from the publisher and author via Netgalley. I also listened to the audiobook via an app I pay for with my own funds. The audiobook is very well done and I recommend that as well. ...more
Traci and Sian, you have knocked it out of the park AGAIN! Just. Wow. I am seriously flabbergasted every time. How do two people write this and still Traci and Sian, you have knocked it out of the park AGAIN! Just. Wow. I am seriously flabbergasted every time. How do two people write this and still make it so seamless? How do you come up with these villains and stories? I’m here for it. I am allllll the way here! I will cheer and shout from the rooftops and read every single book you decide to work on together (I’ll read all your solo books too, for the record, just in case there was a question).
Anyway, I adore Lars & Merit and Cole and Isabelle. I really enjoyed that this wasn’t a romance in the traditional sense of “will they/can they get together,” but more of how to make their relationships work with life throwing curve balls at them. I liked the relationship growth (is that a thing? Because it felt like a thing) between each couple. Lars and Merit are #RelationshipGoals and Cole is hilariously left-footed when it comes to a girlfriend! But yay for adult, mature conversations! Also love Thor. IYKYK.
The relationship between Cole and Lars is so much fun. Having grown up in a relatively tight-knit family, and getting on well with most of my cousins, seeing cousin-friendships is very special. I also love the friendship blossoming between Merit and Isabelle.
This one kept me on my toes the entire time I read. As soon as I would think there wasn’t a way out, or how could anything go wrong, you both pulled out all the stops I didn’t see coming, and made it happen. And I loved it!
This is a fabulous suspense novel, and the sprinkling of romance (with some really good kisses thrown in for good measure! Good work guys!) added the perfect touch. And now for the annoying question every author hates: when is the next one? ...more
This book is may be my favorite short story collection I’ve ever read. I love the nod to history, in composing “penny dreadfuls,” similar to what woulThis book is may be my favorite short story collection I’ve ever read. I love the nod to history, in composing “penny dreadfuls,” similar to what would have been written as serials during Victorian England and printed for the poorer classes. It’s quite fun to experience some forms of literature in ways they would have so long ago (though I am quite lucky to have the benefit of the entire story at one time). It’s also a strong nod to Sarah M. Eden’s talent, that she can write each dreadful as if from a different “voice,” and staying so accurate to the historical serials.
These “Penny Dreadfuls” come from Sarah M. Eden’s popular series, The Dread Penny Society, where in each book, two “Penny Dreadfuls” are written from the perspective of characters in the book. They are so well done and a really fun twist on those novels. This book contains many of those stories, as well as three original stories never before published. I genuinely love all of them—and this coming from someone who is not typically a big fan of paranormal.
It’s difficult to pinpoint a single favorite story in this collection. There are so many fun ones! But some I especially love include The Lady and the Highwayman, Higglebottom’s School for the Dead, The Queen and the Knave, Posie & Pru, and On a Sea of Glass.
This is the perfect spooky read for this time of year. I think we will read some of these spooky tales with my children, to get us in the mood for Halloween.
**Thanks to the publisher for the copy. I have provided this honest review of my own volition. ...more
Dear Mrs. Mitchell, I LOVED THIS BOOK! Loved it so much. I read it, dreamed about it, thought about it, ate and word vomited this book for weeks. And tDear Mrs. Mitchell, I LOVED THIS BOOK! Loved it so much. I read it, dreamed about it, thought about it, ate and word vomited this book for weeks. And then I reread it. And here's the thing--I went into this book fully thinking it would be a little wacky. A murdery mystery that was also a romcom, that was suspenseful yet also funny and charming and written with beautiful prose, with asides that tickled my insides and stunned me with their profundity? Is all of this in one book even possible? Why yes, yes it is, and you have mastered it. Because this book delivers on every single point. I do not think I can suitably express my love for Juniper Bean. She is quirky and hilarious, from her inside out Halloween sweater and headband with pumpkins on springs, to her ability to jump from one thing to the next in no semblance of order, to her no personal space and how she simply says what she needs to say. I loved her with the very first sentence she ever uttered, and my love only deepened as the book progressed. Aiden was the most delicious grump ever. Thanks so much for writing a grump who is actually grumpy, a lot introverted, but still the soft squishy type underneath. Thank you for making Juniper his perfectly complementary match, the one who knows just what to say to jolt him from his hermit ways of thinking, and push him to consider what life he is missing. The backstory between these two is incredibly good. I loved that you weaved bits from Juniper's past into the present storyline and gave us a broader picture of her. I loved that you delivered on the swoon and the hilarity and the mystery all at once. Other things I loved? - Juniper's pajamas when she was a child - All of Juniper's "experiments" to help the heroine in her book - The food fight aftermath with Aiden - The drugged on sleeping pills Juniper. Hilarious! - Pretentious - Aiden's family - The beauty pageant ruse - Shakespeare bust - High school library - Swoony kisses - whew! - Potato mascot - Tweed jacket - Elbow patches - The song Juniper plays at the cemetery - Keeping the dead alive by remembering them - How Aiden slowly comes to adore Juniper - Juniper's prediction of Aiden
I could keep going. I just loved all of it. Every single thing. It is an incredible, beautiful, amazing, wonderful book! I've read it twice now and there will most definitely be a reread in my future, because my brain needs to be filled with this goodness. Fabulous book, Gracie. Absolutely stunning. With love, Jessica
Audiobook Review: Narrated by Ellen Quay and Eric Fox -- These narrators are so perfect. They bring the story and characters alive and you cannot go wrong with them. They deliver at slower speeds and faster speeds. Deliciously good. Highly recommend giving a listen!...more
I absolutely loved this book! I was sucked in from the beginning and couldn’t get enough. I feel as though Lady Eden is delivering more by way of mystI absolutely loved this book! I was sucked in from the beginning and couldn’t get enough. I feel as though Lady Eden is delivering more by way of mystery/suspense, and this book falls into line with that genre so well. That said, I also enjoyed the tension and chemistry between the MCs. There was some good flirting and MORE THAN ONE KISSING SCENE! More. Than. One. This is huge. I love a romance book with a more than one kissing scene. I’ve enjoyed the Savage Wells world in the two previous books, and really liked Hawk. I don’t know why I never expected him to get his own story (I should know better with Sarah), so I was really excited to see he was getting his own book! He is a no-nonsense lawman, set on keeping the peace in his corner of the wilderness. I like him a lot. And I liked so much how Liesl softened his heart—or made him realize how soft he really was under that gruff exterior. Liesl is a force to be reckoned with. Don’t mess with her and the folks she cares about! I liked her bravery and sense of right, despite who her father is. She’s a woman I want on my side. I have loved all the characters from Savage Wells since the very beginning. It was so fun seeing Paisley, Cade, Doc, and Tansy again. And Tansy!! Hooooweee! I always knew I liked her. The mystery in this one kept me guessing until very near the end. I did figure out a piece of it, but I still enjoyed seeing how the characters came to the same conclusion. I just really loved this book! I finished with a smile on my face and the warm fuzzies I’ve come to expect from Sarah’s books.
**Thanks to author and publisher for the gifted copy. All thoughts are my own....more
Loading...
