REVIEW: Nick and Noel's Christmas Playlist

Title: Nick and Noel’s Christmas Playlist
Author: Codi Hall
Publisher: Audible Audio
Publication Date: November 2020
Genre: Romantic Comedy / Christmas Holiday / Chick-Lit
Buy the Book: Audible | Amazon | BN

Description: Press play on happily ever after in this charming, heartfelt holiday rom-com.

Nick Winters and Noel Carter have known each other their whole lives. After years of shared family holidays, working together on the Winters’ Christmas tree farm, and being each other's safe haven, they wouldn't dream of crossing the line from friends to something more....

But when Nick comes home for the holidays after serving overseas and finds that his long-term girlfriend has decided to get her stocking stuffed elsewhere, Noel is there to pick him up and show him that instead of a Blue Christmas he can still have a Wonderful Christmastime without his cheating ex.

A night on the town and an impulsive kiss later has Noel thinking that perhaps this year they’ll be rockin’ around the Christmas tree as a couple, but only if the ghost - er rather - girlfriend of Nick's Christmas past doesn’t decide to haunt their holiday....

My Thoughts: This title popped up on my audible recommendations and was perfect for a quick listen to add to my Christmas holiday reading list. An enjoyable story that had me smiling all the way to the end. I really liked Nick and Noel and the premise of their shared love of music and playlists.

Best friends growing up, Noel is a part of Nick’s family and she has Nick’s back. As close as they are, it surprised me they weren’t a couple long before as their chemistry is so obvious, but Noel keeps people at a distance and is afraid of opening her heart to anyone, afraid she will lose them as she lost her parents when she was a teenager. I really enjoyed seeing Noel open up and let her guard down.

My Final Verdict: Solid story and great narration made for a good read to add to my Christmas cheer of 2020.

REVIEW: 'Twas the Knife Before Christmas by Jacqueline Frost

Title: ‘Twas the Knife Before Christmas (Christmas Tree Farm Mystery #2)
Author: Jacqueline Frost
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books
Publication Date: November 2018
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: SWEET JUSTICE

When a body turns up in the dumpster behind Caroline’s Cupcakes, the store’s owner is the main suspect. Everyone in town saw Caroline fighting with the victim on the night of his death. Worse, the murder weapon is Caroline’s custom-designed butcher knife. But Holly White knows that her best friend isn’t capable of murder.

Now, just ten days before Christmas, Holly’s up to her jingle bells in holiday shenanigans. Juggling extra shifts at her family’s Christmas tree farm and making enough gingerbread jewelry to satisfy the crowd is already more than she can handle. Add in her budding relationship with the sheriff, and Holly’s ready to fly south until springtime. But her mittens come off when Caroline is taken into custody. Can Holly wrap up the case in time for Christmas?

My Thoughts: One would think after nearly losing her life, the last thing Holly White would ever do again is insert herself into another murder investigation, placing herself in the killer’s sights and risking all sorts of danger to herself. Despite Holly’s apparent lack of common sense, another charming installment of the Christmas Tree Farm mystery series brings us back to Holly’s world, her family’s Christmas tree farm brimming with holiday spirit, festivities and another murder. This time, Holly’s best friend Caroline is the main suspect after a body is found stabbed with one of Caroline’s butcher knives. Caroline was also seen arguing with the victim, so it doesn’t look good for her. Much to hunky sheriff Evan’s, displeasure, Holly once again begins asking questions.

The story moves at a good pace and with several possible suspects besides Caroline, I was unable to figure it out before the big reveal. In addition to the regular characters that I have come to care about, this installment brings the arrival of Evan’s little sister from Boston under some unusual circumstances as well as construction for the new inn is well underway which will bring more visitors to Reindeer Games and hopefully more opportunities for murder and mayhem sprinkled with a little Christmas spirit.

My Final Verdict: Another great addition to my Christmas reading list that could be read any time of the year, but really recommend reading it with a steaming mug of cocoa and a plate of snickerdoodles while waiting for St. Nick to make his appearance.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of ’Twas the Knife Before Christmas from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Eight Winter Nights by Liz Maverick

Title: Eight Winter Nights
Author: Liz Maverick
Publisher: Audible Originals
Publication Date: November 2020
Genre: Romantic Comedy / Contemporary Romance / Christmas
Buy the Book: Audible

Description: Cozy up with this warm, festive rom com novella about being true to your heart, the friendships that define us, and the irresistible pull of holiday magic.

Last year, Rachel Bacharach met the man of her dreams at a Hanukkah party — and then her outgoing best friend Tamara swooped in and “called” Oz Caplan for herself. It’s a typical outcome for the dependable, bookish Rachel, who is never able to extinguish the spark she immediately felt for Oz. But being secretly in love with her best friend’s boyfriend all year hasn’t been easy.

As this year’s party approaches, Oz and Tamara break up. It’s a worst-case scenario when Oz asks Rachel to help him write Tamara love letters to win her back in time for their Hanukkah anniversary. Rachel’s been writing love letters to Oz in her journals for a year; she knows all the words he would need. But will Rachel be able to hide her true feelings from Oz any longer? And might this year’s party finally be Rachel’s chance to trust her heart and put everything on the line for love?

My Thoughts: It really frustrates me when the girl meets the guy of her dreams and loses him to her best friend before she ever has a chance to give it a go. I chose this story because I wanted more Christmas theme books for the holiday and the idea that Rachel is asked by her best friend to look after Oz after they break up was intriguing to me.

Rachel met Oz at a Hanukkah party the year before and before she could see where it would go, her best friend makes a grand appearance and calls dibs on him. Rachel has been in love with Oz ever since but only shares her feelings in her journal. A year later, Oz and Tamara break up, he hurts his leg and Tamara leaves the country on vacation. Tamara asks Rachel to look after Oz and Oz asks Rachel to help him write letters to Tamara in the hopes of winning her back.

This story should have frustrated me because Rachel comes across as a complete doormat, Oz is an idiot for not getting with Rachel in the first place and what kind of friend is Tamara to just think of herself? Instead of getting frustrated, I continued with the story to see how it would play out and it turned out to be one of my favorites for my Christmas reading of 2020.

Thankfully, Oz doesn’t spend the entire book pining over Tamara and begins to wonder if he had spent the last year with the wrong woman as he sees Rachel as more than just one of his best friends. I really enjoyed that we got both Rachel and Oz’s points of view throughout the story, which made the story more enjoyable. The chemistry between Oz and Rachel was palpable and though Oz was clueless when they first met, I enjoyed his confusion when he gets the clue. I couldn’t help but like Rachel. She is selfless and caring of the people she loves, even at her own expense. Yeah, she’s a doormat, but she’s a loyal one and she was easy to like and relate to. I wanted to despise Tamara and, to be honest, I had a bone to pick with her for most of the book. She comes across as vain, selfish and inconsiderate, considering she just dumps her boyfriend, who is injured and goes on vacation AND refuses to answer her phone, return calls or respond to text messages! She surprises me in the end, showing a different side of her personality and redeems herself.

My Final Verdict: I recommend this story to readers who are looking for an interesting story to make the Christmas season sweeter.

REVIEW: A Highland Ghost For Christmas by Jo-Ann Carson

Title: A Highland Ghost for Christmas (Gambling Ghosts #1)
Author: Jo-Ann Carson
Publisher: JRT Publications
Publication Date: November 2016
Genre: Paranormal Romance / Christmas
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: Jilted by her fiancé, librarian Maddy Jacobson is nursing a broken heart, when her best friend gives her an early Christmas present. Intended to be a fun, psychic reading in a spooky, tea house, the gift turns out to be life changing. Maddy becomes haunted by a mischievous, Highland ghost.

Ruggedly handsome, Cullen Macfie, the Highlander, has been dead for over three centuries, and never in all those years has he been so attracted to a woman, as he is to Maddy. He falls hopelessly in love and decides to woo her.

Can there be a future for a librarian and a naughty, Highland ghost?

A Highland Ghost for Christmas is a sweet, romantic comedy guaranteed to warm the cockles of your heart, make you laugh out loud and leave you craving a man in a kilt … and shortbread, of course.

My Thoughts: After a psychic reading in a tea house promising her not just one man in her life, but two, broken-hearted librarian Maddy meets Cullen Macfie, a Scottish Highlander. The only problem is Cullen is dead. For over 300 years, Cullen has been a ghost who spends his eternity being mischievous and playing poker with other ghosts. Cullen spots Maddy in the teahouse and is smitten so he makes a deal with his angelic counselor to allow him to try to mend Maddy’s heart.

This was a cute story and I loved the chemistry between Maddy and Cullen. Their interactions ranging from Christmas tree decorating and baking were a hilarious endeavor and thoroughly enjoyable. I also liked the second man, Hank, making an appearance in Maddy’s life. I’m not a fan of love triangles at all, but this story appealed because you can’t help but like Cullen and his determination to show her that love finds a way.

My Final Verdict: I recommend this book to anyone looking for some fun and stress relief during the busy Christmas season. This is the first book in a series that has me curious about what’s next.

REVIEW: It's A Wonderful Wife by Camille Pagan

Title: It’s a Wonderful Wife
Author: Camille Pagan
Publisher: Audible Originals
Publication Date: December 2020
Genre: Christmas / Romantic Comedy
Buy The Book: Audible

Description: In this charming and heartwarming retelling of Frank Capra’s classic It’s a Wonderful Life, Camille Pagán, best-selling author of This Won’t End Well and I’m Fine and Neither Are You, introduces us to Bailey, a dutiful yet sharp-witted 30-something who finds herself on the verge of a nervous breakdown as Christmas Eve approaches. As if it wasn’t enough that Bailey’s husband has just cheated on her, the family business she’s been running since her parents died, which employs most of her small town, is about to go under. But even as she’s questioning whether her life has any meaning, Bailey bumps into a handsome stranger who claims to know her - and through a series of strange events, sheds new light on what it means to make a difference in this messy, wonderful world.

My Thoughts: Story was OK, a modern spin on It's A Wonderful Life, but very somber for a Christmas setting. Woman's company is in dire financial trouble and she needs her estranged husband to loan her the money to make payroll because how can you shut down your company, putting hundreds of people out of work at Christmas? She begins to wonder if everything would have been better had she never been born. Everything works out in the end, but I could have used more Christmas whimsy in this story.

REVIEW: The Christmas Pact by Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward

Title: The Christmas Pact
Author: Vi Keeland / Penelope Ward
Publisher: Audible Original
Publication Date: December 2019
Genre: Christmas / Contemporary Romance
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: Heat up the holidays with this sizzling new novella from New York Times best-selling authors Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward!

Riley Kennedy’s emails keep getting crossed with her colleague, Kennedy Riley.

The infuriating man forwards them along with his annoying commentary and unsolicited advice. At least she never has to see him in person since they work in different locations…until they come face to face at the office holiday party. As luck would have it, Kennedy turns out to be gorgeous…though still a jerk. Yet somehow, he’s able to charm her out on the dance floor—and convince her to participate in his crazy scheme: He’ll go home with Riley for a Christmas party and pretend to be her boyfriend if Riley agrees to be his date to a wedding.

It sounds easy enough. But little by little, the act they’re putting on starts to feel like so much more than a Christmas pact—and Riley’s about to learn there’s more to Kennedy than she ever imagined.

My Thoughts: Short, cute story about a woman who is frustrated her emails keep getting crossed with her colleague. To make the situation more annoying, her colleague, Kennedy Riley, is an arrogant jerk who forwards her emails back to her with unsolicited comments or advice.

I really liked the chemistry between these characters and though he irritates her to no end, I thought Kennedy was a great character and Riley could use some loosening up. When Kennedy proposes a plan to get their respective families off their backs, Riley surprises herself by agreeing to it. Kennedy will accompany Riley to her parent’s home for their annual Christmas party and she will be his date for a family wedding. I know this is a plot device that has been used over and over again in so many books, but it works really well here.

I really enjoyed watching these characters begin to develop feelings for one another and let their walls down to take a chance on love. It was a perfect addition to my holiday reading list.

My Final Verdict: I highly recommend this book to fans of contemporary romances, romantic comedies and for readers who are looking for a Christmas theme to make their holiday festivities a little merrier and brighter.

REVIEW: A Timeless Christmas by Alexis Stanton

 Title: A Timeless Christmas
 Author: Alexis Stanton
 Publisher: Hallmark Publishing
 Publication Date: October 2018
 Genre: Time Travel Romance / Christmas Holiday
 Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

 Description: They’re from two different   centuries, but they’re perfect for each other.

 Megan Turner is in love with the past. As a tour guide at a beautiful historic mansion, she tells visitors about its original owner, Charles Whitley. An inventor and businessman in the early 1900s, he rose from poverty to wealth…only to disappear without a trace.

Charles was always intrigued by the future. He just never expected to go there. But when he repairs a mysterious clock he bought on his travels, he’s transported to the twenty-first century, with his home decorated for Christmas and overrun by strangers.

Charles is determined to find a way back to his own era, especially when he learns about what happened after he left. But as Megan introduces him to the wonders of smartphones, pizza, and modern holiday traditions, they both feel a once-in-a-lifetime connection. Could it be that, somewhere in time, they belong together?

My Thoughts: A sweet story about a man who travels from 1902 to the present day to discover his home has been decorated for Christmas and turned into a museum with strangers walking about. Charles Whitley was a man ahead of his time in 1902. A wealthy and successful businessman and inventor, he made his mark on the world in 1902, lives in a beautiful mansion he designed and has a fiancée that he keeps at arm’s length. Upon returning from a trip to Paris, he begins working on a clock and in the blink of an eye is transported to the 21st century.

He meets the staff that run the museum that used to be his home and despite the amazing changes he has seen and the attraction he feels for Megan Turner, the historian who reenacts the role of his housekeeper, Rosie, he is determined to return to his own time to live the life he was meant to have before he disappeared.

Megan loves her job at the museum and loves history. Her dream is to teach history at the university. The last person she ever expects is to meet the real Charles Whitley in his study, newly arrived from 1902 and quite annoyed at the intrusion of strangers in his home.

This story was a very quick read. Charles adapts exceedingly well to his surroundings but when he learns what has transpired since he left his time, he is determined to go back. Megan and the rest of the staff at the museum easily suspend disbelief and accept Charles assertions that he is THE Charles Whitley. In the present day, he learns to let his hair down a little bit and enjoy the festivities of the holiday. I had a little bit of an issue how Megan bought him a cell phone, food and personal care items and loaned him a bunch of her brother’s clothes without really knowing him, but since it’s Christmas and she’s moved by the spirit of giving, I can accept it. Charles is a true gentleman throughout the story and though their attraction to one another is plain to see by everyone around them, they never get past the hugging stage.

I really enjoyed this story and thought Charles and Megan were fantastic characters, well written and easy to relate to. I recommend this book to readers who love time travel and Christmas themes but also readers who are looking for something sweet to add to the flavor of the holiday.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of A Timeless Christmas from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Review: A Better Man by Leah McLaren

  

  Title: A Better Man
  Author: Leah McLaren
  Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
  Publication Date: July 2015
  Genre: Women’s Fiction
  Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

  Description: Every couple has a wish list.

  Maya wants
  Nick to come home earlier
  To engage with their children
  To engage with her

Nick wants . . .
A divorce

Having decided that their marriage is over, Nick is determined to leave quickly and with dignity. But when he looks into the financial realities of splitting up, he realizes that more of his hard-earned income than he can handle will go to Maya. Then a mutual friend proposes that Nick improve the marriage in order to end it amicably, because the better father and husband he is, the more self-sufficient Maya becomes and the cheaper his pay-out will be at the end.

But as Nick sets out to be a better man, he starts to feel like one. Time with his kids, dinners with his wife, fewer hours in the office has the strange effect of making him happier. As Maya starts to feel appreciated by her husband again, she starts to blossom, to unclench her fists from the parenting reins and start to do things for herself.

Nick and Maya feel like they are falling back in love. How odd, how funny, how serendipitous. But if Maya knew what had promoted this marital metamorphosis? Then it would be war.

A BETTER MAN is the story of a modern marriage on the rocks, how we constantly change in and out of relationships, and the price of love.

My Thoughts: Of all the species on the planet, humans have been given the amazing ability to think and feel, not just behave on instinct. We have the ability to feel empathy and compassion, make decisions based on logic, facts and evidence. Humans also have the ability to resolve conflict. Unlike the animals we share this planet with, humans can also demonstrate selfishness, greed, corruption and hate, just to name a few.

Nick and Maya Wakefield are that couple that appear to have it all. Amazing careers, beautiful twins, secure, cushy lifestyle. Somewhere along the way, she and Nick have lost the spark that brought them together in the first place. Maya gave up her career in law to be a stay at home mother and is consumed with over-protectiveness, bordering on obsession. I got the impression that Nick is a bystander in his home, not quite participating, just observing. Nick decides he wants out and after he talks to his best friend, Gray who is a divorce attorney, Nick is given the news that divorce will cost him more than he is willing to give up. Gray suggests to him that he should improve his marriage, become a better husband and father before splitting up so that the settlement will weigh more in his favor.

This whole premise knocked me back a little bit. Become a better husband and father, improve your marriage BEFORE YOU END IT? Wait, what? Isn’t the point of improving your marriage is so you don’t end it? This philosophy, though seriously messed up, was quite intriguing to me and what drew me into this story. Nick takes Gray’s advice to heart and actively sets out to be a better husband and father. Devoting more time to the family, spending time at home, picking up the slack and taking a more active role in the relationship. Nick is thoroughly shocked and amazed that he actually begins to FEEL like a better man. Maya notices it too and though she is confused and suspicious in the beginning at the practically overnight change she is seeing in her husband, she quickly embraces and accepts it and begins to relax more and be less obsessed about maintaining control over the household and everyone in it.

Though I thought it was shady of Nick to speak to Gray behind Maya’s back and thought it exceedingly underhanded of him to change on the surface so it would benefit him, I sensed that he really did change. I hoped he would come clean to Maya about not only why he changed his behavior on the outside, but how it also changed him on the inside. Just when I thought these two had struck the mother lode with the fix to all relationship problems, the proverbial cat is let out of the bag. Saying Maya doesn’t react well to the news is an understatement of epic proportion. She quickly moves out of their home with the children and starts divorce proceedings. She is completely unwilling to speak to Nick at all, which I totally understood, but it still frustrated me.

I liked both of these characters and wanted to see them succeed in their marriage. I didn’t agree with Nick’s tactics and I didn’t agree with Maya’s “take no prisoners” reaction but I could relate to both of them and where they were coming from. I couldn’t help but think if they had applied this kind of drive into making their marriage a priority in the first place, they wouldn’t be in this mess. As the most advanced and evolved species on the planet, humans sure know how to muck it up and do it well. I enjoyed this author’s voice and writing style. The story moves at a nice pace with enough detail to keep the reader engaged.

My Final Verdict: An all too realistic story-line for the times we live in but underneath the few top layers of two people all too ready to throw in the towel are two people who learn that sometimes pride needs to be chucked out the window and fighting for love is worth it. I recommend this story to anyone who has been in a relationship, which is most, if not all of us. We’ve all been there, at that cross-roads, when we have had to decide whether to throw in the towel or give it another shot.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of A Better Man from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Danger in Plain Sight By Burt Weissbourd

  Title: Danger in Plain Sight (Callie James Thrillers #1)
  Author: Burt Weissbourd
  Publisher: Blue City Press
  Publication Date: September 2020
  Genre: Mystery / Thriller
  Buy the Book: Amazon | B&N | Audible

  Description: It took fourteen years to construct a safe world for her and her son--      and only one night for her ex to unravel it.

  Celebrated Seattle restaurateur Callie James is more than a little thrown when her ex-husband, French investigative reporter Daniel Odile-Grand, shows up after fourteen years asking for her help. Even more disturbing: as she throws him out, Daniel is deliberately hit by a car, hurled through the front window of her restaurant--broken, bloody and unconscious. He flees from the hospital and breaks into Callie's apartment, where he passes out. Reluctantly, Callie hides him. When she gets back to her restaurant, two assassins walk in, insisting that she find Daniel for them by tonight or pay the consequences.

Overwhelmed and hopelessly out of her depth, Callie hires the only man she knows who can help her: Cash Logan, her former bartender, a man she had arrested for smuggling ivory through her restaurant two years earlier, and who still hasn't forgiven her.

The assassins blow up her restaurant. It's Callie's nightmare. And the worst is yet to come as she and her unlikely, incompatible ally discover that the most perilous dangers are far closer to home than they'd imagined.

My Thoughts: The story started out really slow for me and there were a lot of characters to meet and get to know before anything of noteworthy importance happens. Callie James has rebuilt her life with her son after her marriage to a French philandering journalist ends with her pregnant and her husband not wanting anything to do with the child. Fast forward fourteen years and Callie has found success in Seattle with her restaurant and raising her son. Her life is moving forward as she wants it until the day her ex-husband comes into her restaurant asking for her help. She throws him out and after he is deliberately run down in front of her, Callie agrees to hide him. Getting to this point seemed to take a long time, but the story quickly takes off from here. She is confronted by some hired thugs looking for Daniel who threaten her and that’s just the beginning. Callie decides to seek the help of Cash, a former employee she turned in to the authorities for smuggling a few years prior. She knows he has connections and will know what to do.

I was really surprised Cash agreed to anything, especially helping Callie. He is pretty bitter and appears to carry a grudge. He demands an exorbitant amount of money and the deed to her restaurant in exchange for his help and, of course, Callie agrees. I really liked Cash and his associates, Doc and Andre. On the surface, they appear to be laid back without a care in the world but are really seasoned mercenaries who take their assignment of protecting Callie and her son seriously.

Things go from bad to worse when her restaurant gets blown up and it seems there is no where she can go and be safe. I understood why she was helping Daniel, but I really resented this character through most of the book. He cheats on her, flushes their marriage down the toilet and tells her she has no right to have a child he doesn’t want, but has the unmitigated gall to show up expecting her to help him because his latest investigative story has gotten the attention of some very bad people who are not going to sit back and allow themselves to be exposed by Daniel. Sucks to be you, Daniel. Luckily for him, Callie has a bigger heart and believes it’s important for her son to know his father.

My Final Verdict: I ended up enjoying this story, though the romance between Callie and Cash seemed ill-timed and out of place in this story. I feel that plot device would have better introduced in the second or third book. With their previous history, I had a hard time accepting their feelings were legitimate. I am curious to see where this series goes next and fans of the thriller genre will find this an enjoyable read.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of Danger in Plain Sight from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Golden In Death by J.D. Robb

Title: Golden in Death (In Death #50)
Author: J.D. Robb
Publisher: St. Martin Press
Publication Date: February 2020
Genre: Urban Fantasy / Suspense
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: In the latest thriller in the #1 New York Times bestselling series, homicide detective Eve Dallas investigates a murder with a mysterious motive―and a terrifying weapon.

Pediatrician Kent Abner received the package on a beautiful April morning. Inside was a cheap trinket, a golden egg that could be opened into two halves. When he pried it apart, highly toxic airborne fumes entered his body―and killed him.

After Eve Dallas calls the hazmat team―and undergoes testing to reassure both her and her husband that she hasn’t been exposed―it’s time to look into Dr. Abner’s past and relationships. Not every victim Eve encounters is an angel, but it seems that Abner came pretty close―though he did ruffle some feathers over the years by taking stands for the weak and defenseless. While the lab tries to identify the deadly toxin, Eve hunts for the sender. But when someone else dies in the same grisly manner, it becomes clear that she’s dealing with either a madman―or someone who has a hidden and elusive connection to both victims.

My Thoughts: I really enjoy all the various plots and investigations J.D. Robb creates for Eve Dallas and the Scooby gang. I find them all interesting and intriguing, but I have to say Golden in Death sets the bar really high for standing out in a crowd. Imagine living your life, doing your thing and the delivery of a seemingly innocuous package changes everything. Inside the package is a golden egg that, when opened, emits toxic fumes that kills everyone in close proximity. We’re not talking quick and painlessly either. These victims suffer…badly. I found that quite terrifying as we live in an age of just about everything you can think of can be delivered to your front door.

The first victim is a pediatrician who appears to have nothing in his past that would make him a target, but nevertheless, he is targeted and killed and it’s just the beginning for Eve and her crew as they piece together the evidence before the killer sends the next package.

Obviously, Eve will achieve victory, but I am still impressed after fifty installments in this series how she goes about investigating the clues. She’s smart, sharp and focused and she doesn’t stop. Where some details may get past others, Eve rarely, if ever, drops the ball. She is quick to realize how dangerous this case is for everyone and wastes no time ensuring those she cares for have their guard up. I love how far she has come from the Eve way back in the first book. She has learned to relationship, receiving and giving, and though most people usually baffle her or piss her off, it has been a great joy to see her growth. I can’t wait to see where this series goes next.

My Final Verdict: I highly recommend this book to all readers as this series will appeal to fans of most genres. The plots are riveting, the characters are engaging, and each book just leaves me wanting more.

REVIEW: Milked by Lisa Doyle

  Title: Milked
  Author: Lisa Doyle
  Publisher: Simon & Fig
  Publication Date: November 2014
  Genre: Women’s Fiction
  Buy the Book: Amazon | BN

  Description: By and large, Amanda Keane makes pretty good decisions. Okay, she   might not have the best taste in men, but she’s got great friends, a good job, and an   independent spirit. That is, until her 30th birthday ushers in a whirlwind romance   with a sexy Irish musician who leaves her, not at the altar as she imagined, but   accidentally pregnant. And when he disappears, she’s downsized out of a job, her apartment is robbed, and lapsed health insurance coverage leaves her with a C-section to pay for, Amanda is launched headfirst into the life of a broke single mom. But her friend and uber successful ob-gyn, Joy, clues her in to an unlikely temp position with one of Chicago’s celebrity elite that just may be the answer to all her woes. Or could it be just the beginning?

It’s with serious trepidation that Amanda embarks on her surprisingly lucrative new career: underground wet nurse to the offspring of Chi-town’s rich and famous. Amanda must quickly understand how to live at the whims and mercy of the one percent as she deals with the irony of nursing – and loving – someone else’s child, while still making ends meet for her own daughter. And then there’s Cute Daycare Dad (aka Dan), who’s obviously interested in her. But can she afford to tell him what she really does for a living? Is her new job (something she thought went out with the 19th century) a shameful thing? Just another way of selling her body. Or does it have something to teach her after all?

A novel of motherhood, its many demands, and all the little triumphs along the way, MILKED is a warm and witty debut about making tough choices and traveling the roundabout road to happiness.

My Thoughts: This story isn’t like anything I have ever read and that’s probably why I found it so interesting and entertaining. This story is about a young woman who seems to have a good grasp on her life, good friends, good job but has never found the relationship and family she wants to settle down for. After a passionate fling with a hot, Irish musician, she finds herself pregnant and alone. Then to add insult to injury, she loses her job, her apartment is burglarized, and she is quickly running out of money. Just when things appear to be at their worst, her friend tells her about an opportunity for some temp work as a nanny with an elite Chicago family. A nanny with a special skill set that Amanda happens to have being a new mother herself. This family needs a wet nurse and Amanda is more than qualified as she has weaned her daughter, but her milk supply has not diminished. At first, I was shocked by the notion that this is something she would consider. I must be honest and say it took me several beats to wrap my mind around the idea of a stranger breast-feeding your child. Ironically, a lot of people would find it off-putting, so much so, that Amanda is expected to sign non-disclosure agreements to protect the privacy of the family she works for. What made this story interesting for me is how adept Amanda is and how much she enjoys the job.

I really liked Amanda and her determination to make a home for herself and her daughter, though I was glad when she finally relents and gets help tracking down the father so he can provide financial support. That was the only thing I did not like about this book was how long it took Amanda to go after him. She should have done it months earlier, but when she finally did, things went smoothly, and she is successful. I didn’t care for the families Amanda works for. I thought they treated Amanda poorly and though she only works for two families in this story, that was more than enough. What starts out as a way to put food on the table and keep a roof over her head inspires Amanda to become a lactation consultant, helping families who are struggling with breast-feeding and the anxiety that often compounds the problem.

Amanda’s love interest is Dan, a single father she meets at the day care center she takes her daughter to. They have an instant connection and I liked him, but he doesn’t know what Amanda’s nanny gig really entails and it would be an understatement to say it doesn’t go well when he finds out.

My Final Verdict: Overall, this was a very entertaining story with characters I found easy to relate to and like. The story moved at a very enjoyable pace and though the idea of a wet nurse might be odd for some people, I applaud the author for tackling this subject and making it thought-provoking. I recommend this book to fans of women fiction who are looking for something a little different without taking too far a detour to the happy ending.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of Milked from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: The Ghost and the Femme Fatale by Alice Kimberly

Title: The Ghost and the Femme Fatale (Haunted Bookshop Mystery #4) Author: Alice Kimberly
Publisher: Berkley
Publication Date: May 2008
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: A film festival gone noir gives bookshop owner Penelope Thornton-McClure and her ghostly companion a big screen caper to solve in this Haunted Bookshop mystery from Cleo Coyle, writing as Alice Kimberly.

The Movie Town Theater is holding its first ever Film Noir Festival, with Pen handling book sales for the guest speakers, including screen actress Hedda Geist. The legendary femme fatale has been out of the spotlight for decades. Unfortunately, the moment she steps back into it, she's nearly killed. Then other guests start to die, and Penelope wants to know why her little town's Film Noir weekend has taken a truly dark turn.

With local police on the wrong track, Penelope enlists the help of Jack Shepard, P.I. Okay, so Jack hasn't had a heartbeat since 1949, when he was gunned down in what is now Pen's store. But the hard-boiled ghost actually remembers Hedda's dark past and Penelope's sure he can help solve this case--even if he and his license did expire more than fifty years ago...

My Thoughts: This is such a cute series. Full of fluff and whimsy with a dash of humor and mild suspense. I enjoyed this offering that brings a film noir festival to town and a killer along with it. Jack is a hoot and I love his 1940’s vernacular, which would probably be inappropriate today, but hearing him refer to women as dames doesn’t bother me and it doesn’t seem to bother Penelope. My only real issue with this series is that Penelope can only see Jack when he takes her into his world while she is sleeping. In her world, she can only hear him. Otherwise, I like their chemistry and interactions. The supporting characters are interesting too.

The plot moves at a good pace and easy to follow. I recommend this series to readers who are looking for a break in between the more gritty and intense mysteries and thrillers they usually are drawn to. I wouldn’t classify this as a romance at all, but fans of paranormal romances may enjoy this for the flirtatious interactions between Jack and Penelope.

REVIEW: The Switch by Beth O'Leary

Title: The Switch

Author: Beth O’Leary
Publisher: Quercus
Publication Date: April 2020
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: Eileen is sick of being 79.
Leena's tired of life in her twenties.
Maybe it's time they swapped places...

When overachiever Leena Cotton is ordered to take a two-month sabbatical after blowing a big presentation at work, she escapes to her grandmother Eileen's house for some overdue rest. Eileen is newly single and about to turn eighty. She'd like a second chance at love, but her tiny Yorkshire village doesn't offer many eligible gentlemen.

Once Leena learns of Eileen's romantic predicament, she proposes a solution: a two-month swap. Eileen can live in London and look for love. Meanwhile Leena will look after everything in rural Yorkshire. But with gossiping neighbors and difficult family dynamics to navigate up north, and trendy London flat mates and online dating to contend with in the city, stepping into one another's shoes proves more difficult than either of them expected.

Leena learns that a long-distance relationship isn't as romantic as she hoped it would be, and then there is the annoyingly perfect - and distractingly handsome - school teacher, who keeps showing up to outdo her efforts to impress the local villagers. Back in London, Eileen is a huge hit with her new neighbors, but is her perfect match nearer home than she first thought?

My Thoughts: A charming story about a young woman and her grandmother and their plan to switch places for two months. Leena is on a forced leave of absence after bombing a major presentation at work. Leena’s grandmother, Eileen, is nearly 80, single and ready to mingle. Both feel a change of scenery would do them the world of good. Leena needs peace and tranquility and Eileen is looking to meet eligible men in the big city. Leena is also carrying a lot of resentment towards her mother over the death of her sister and Eileen is convinced that time together will help her daughter and granddaughter resolve those issues. Leena and Eileen both must navigate new surroundings to find their place and purpose.

This story was easy to follow, and I liked Leena and Eileen a great deal. Leena takes after her grandmother in many ways and I enjoyed their interactions. They adjust very well to their respective situations and appear to thrive in their new surroundings. The supporting characters gives the story more depth and a sense of camaraderie and family.

My Final Verdict: A book about grabbing life by the tail and hanging on, relationships, forgiveness and second chances will interest readers of several genres.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of The Switch from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Accidental Tryst by Natasha Boyd

Title: Accidental Tryst (Charleston #1)

Author: Natasha Boyd
Publisher: Natasha Boyd LLC
Publication Date: March 2018
Genre: Chick-Lit / Romantic Comedy
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: Meet Trystan Montgomery. Suit monkey, commitment-phobic serial dater. No more than three dates, unless he hasn't ... you know.

Emmy:
What a disaster! I only just made my flight to New York to help my uncle, and the phone I’m holding is not mine! It seems to belong to some commitment-phobic serial dater who’s never made it past four dates (according to the constant notifications he's getting from his fake dating profile...) And worse? I have a sinking feeling it’s that hot suit-monkey with the arctic grey eyes I just had a run-in with at the airport. Somehow, I have to persuade him not to get a new phone until I get back. My whole life is on that phone. It’s only a few days. Surely, we can handle it.

Trystan:
This is a joke, right? My life could not get more f*cked up. I’m in the middle of selling my company and on my way to a funeral and that hot mess hippie-chick stole my freaking phone. I’m not sure how she convinced me not to immediately walk into a smart phone store and get a new one, but now she’s going to have to play stand in and distract me while I deal with my long-avoided and estranged family. I don’t have my dating apps after all, and frankly she’s pretty funny. And sexy. And why can’t I stop texting her? And now we’re talking. And … look, I’ll admit that I usually run for the hills the morning after, but the morning after phone sex? That’s not really real, right?

My Thoughts: Equal parts cute and hilarious, new to me author Natasha Boyd delivers a keeper-shelf book that I highly recommend to readers who enjoy an entertaining story with relatable characters and hilarious situations. I thought Emmy and Trystan were amazing characters and their chemistry really sizzles, but funnily enough they don’t actually meet in person until the story is nearly over.

Thanks to the amazing technology of cell phones, Emmy and Trystan find themselves with each other’s cell phone and over 500 miles separating them. After a run-in at the airport, Emmy picks up Trystan’s phone by accident before boarding a flight to New York and now they have to share emails and text messages with one another to ensure they can each take care of what they need to do. The intimacy they create with one another through emails, texts and phone calls was really endearing for me and so fun to see, I honestly could not wait until they met in person.

My Final Verdict: As this is the first book in a series, I am hopeful that this won’t be the last we see of Emmy and Trystan.

REVIEW: The Misadventures of a Playground Mother by Christie Barlow

Title: The Misadventures of a Playground Mother (A School Gates Comedy, #2)
Author: Christie Barlow
Publisher: Bookouture
Publication Date: September 2015
Genre: Chick-Lit
Buy The Book: Amazon  | BN | Audible

Description: New term. New dramas. New friendships. And that’s just the parents…

After a year of country living, Rachel Young is finally getting into the swing of things. Her four kids are happy and content at the village school, and she’s managed to navigate the choppy (shark-infested) waters of the playground mafia.

Or… so she thought.

When playground mum Penelope Kensington moves herself and her kids into Rachel’s home, after discovering husband Rupert has been having an affair, Rachel knows she must ask them politely to leave. The problem is, Penelope never takes no for an answer.

As Rachel tries to deal with Penelope, she also meets new school mum Melanie. Melanie is a breath of fresh air, but her arrival sends ripples of gossip through the playground. Melanie has a few secrets in her closet, and it seems she’s not the only one…

My Thoughts: When I started this book, I had no idea it was the second book in a series. When I began reading, there was a slight struggle as the “getting to know you” bit the reader gets with meeting the characters already happened in the first book. Having said that, the author does an excellent job of bringing the reader up to speed so I didn’t feel I missed out on too much. This story picks up not long after the first book and centers on Rachel Young who has adjusted fairly well to her surroundings and found her place amongst all of the other school mothers.

I have to say that I’m not surprised that Rachel tries so hard to extricate herself from all things Penelope. I absolutely could not stand the woman and was surprised that Rachel spoke to her, much less interact with her on any level. The author does a fantastic job of giving the reader a good sense of Rachel’s irritation and frustration with Penelope throughout the story and there were some moments that made me roll with laughter. I love it when the villain gets their comeuppance.

I enjoyed the side relationships with the other couples and though I didn’t care for him at first, Penelope’s ex, Rupert turned out to be pretty decent. The story moved at a decent pace and once I got through the initial confusion was very easy to follow and stay entertained.

My Final Verdict: I really like this author’s voice. She has a wonderful ability of creating characters that are easy to like as well as dislike and stories that draw the reader in so completely, the reader can easily lose themselves between the pages for several hours. I recommend this story to fans of the chick-lit genre as well as readers who enjoy reading about the underdog beating adversity and coming out on top.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of The Misadventures of a Playground Mother from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Vendetta In Death by J.D. Robb

Title: Vendetta in Death (In Death #49)
Author: J.D. Robb
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Publication Date: September 2019
Genre: Urban Fantasy / Mystery / Thriller
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: The predator becomes the prey in the newest thriller in the #1 New York Times bestselling series featuring homicide detective Eve Dallas.

She calls herself Lady Justice. And once she has chosen a man as her target, she turns herself into a tall blonde or a curvaceous redhead, makes herself as alluring and seductive as possible to them. Once they are in her grasp, they are powerless.

The first victim is wealthy businessman Nigel McEnroy. His company’s human resources department has already paid out settlements to a couple of his young victims—but they don’t know that his crimes go far beyond workplace harassment. Lady Justice knows. And in one shocking night of brutality, she makes him pay a much steeper price.

Now Eve Dallas and her husband, Roarke, are combing through the evidence of McEnroy’s secret life. His compulsive need to record his misdeeds provides them with a wide range of suspects, but the true identity of Lady Justice remains elusive. It’s a challenging case, made even more difficult by McEnroy’s widow, who reacts to the investigation with fury, denial, and threats. Meanwhile, Lady Justice’s criminal crusade is escalating rapidly, and if Eve can’t stop this vigilante, there’s no telling how much blood may be spilled…

My Thoughts: Rewind, repeat…here I go again. It gets more difficult with each installment of this series to come up with something new to say. Perhaps if I ever get to the point where I did not like the story (yeah, right), that will be the day, so until then, let me get my fan-girl pom-poms out and Rah Rah Rah this book. It took me 15 days to listen to the audio and honestly that seems to be a long time for a book I so thoroughly enjoyed, but I really savor these and highly recommend the audio format with Susan Ericksen as the narrator. Susan Ericksen IS EVE DALLAS! J.D. Robb knocks it out of the ballpark with the intriguing story lines and the development of the characters over 49 installments and counting (WOW!), but Susan Ericksen breathes life and personality into these characters through her amazing narration. She isn’t just reading the book; she’s performing the book. I feel like I’m in the car alongside Eve and Peabody.

It’s not difficult to figure out who the killer is in this story and though Eve does her job so well, I found myself agreeing with the killer’s philosophy throughout the book, though vigilantism is never a good option. I found myself feeling some empathy for her. I know…empathy for the killer? Whoa…I don’t condone it, but I definitely understood it and even better, so does Eve. It’s truly understandable to Eve and had Eve taken a different path in life, she could have become as insane and over the top as Lady Justice. This installment delivers great action and dialogue and there never seems to be enough interaction with all of the characters, but I can suck it up and deal.

My Final Verdict: So, once again, I highly recommend this series to fans of stories featuring very strong and thoroughly developed characters, interesting and exciting plots, and dialogue that is heartbreaking, gut-wrenching and hilarious. But to get the full effect of Roarke’s Irish brogue, get the audio format and make sure the talented Susan Ericksen is the narrator. You won’t be disappointed.

REVIEW: Searching for Steven by Jessica Redland

Title: Searching for Steven (Whitsborough Bay, #1)
Author: Jessica Redland
Publisher: So Vain Books
Publication Date: June, 2015
Genre: Chick-Lit, Women’s Fiction
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: When Sarah Peterson accepts her Auntie Kay’s unexpected offer to take over her florist’s shop, she’s prepared for a change of job, home and lifestyle. What she isn’t prepared for is the discovery of a scarily accurate clairvoyant reading that’s been missing for twelve years. All her predictions have come true, except one: she’s about to meet the man of her dreams. Oh, and his name is Steven.

Suddenly Stevens are everywhere. Could it be the window cleaner, the rep, the manager of the coffee shop, or any of the men she’s met online?

On top of that, she finds herself quite attracted to a handsome web designer, but his name isn't even Steven...

During this unusual search, will Sarah find her destiny?

My Thoughts: Searching for Steven by new to me author Jessica Redland is the first book in a series that all take place in the fictional town of Whitsborough Bay. I really liked this story and the author does a wonderful job of breathing life into not only the characters, but the town itself. A place a person can really feel at home at, whether they are just visiting or make Whitsborough Bay their home. Sarah Peterson grew up here and when she left to go to university, she didn’t look back. Sometimes life has a way of making you go home. After her long-term relationship ends (much later than it should have), Sarah receives an offer from her Aunt to take over her flower shop and make it her own. Seems old Auntie Kay has some oats of her own she is ready to sow and is embarking on her own adventure.

Sarah doesn’t hesitate too long before taking Auntie Kay up on her offer and chucks the loser boyfriend and the crap job into the bin and starts packing. Sarah and her two best friends find a tape of a reading she had twelve years ago. Everything on the tape has come true except for the bit that she will be meeting the man of dreams…and his name is Steven. Sounds exciting, doesn’t it? I could not wait for Sarah to hustle her bustle and get up North to start this thrilling next chapter. When Sarah gets there, she discovers there are Stevens everywhere! And to complicate matters, she feels a strong attraction and connection to a man whose name is NOT Steven.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story as Sarah navigates all the changes in her life, which she does quite well, actually. I admired the speed at which she adapts to moving home and starting her own business, turning it into something just as special as Aunt Kay’s was. I loved getting to know all the characters in the story and I am sure they will be making reappearances in later books. Sarah’s search for Steven was hilarious, both online and offline. She feels she has to make an effort to find Steven though she is really attracted to Nick and to make things more complicated, the man she loved during university shows up again, apparently determined to give their relationship another go.

The story moves at a great pace and I was thoroughly entertained, while anticipating what would happen next. The characters were easy to relate to and I was wishing Nick’s name was Steven because I thought he was super awesome.

My Final Verdict: I highly recommend this book to readers who love a sweet story about grabbing the brass ring and taking a chance at finding your destiny. Fans of the chick-lit and women’s fiction genres should put this entire series on the top of their to be read pile.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of Searching for Steven from the author in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: #PleaseRetweet by Emily Benet

Title: #PleaseRetweet
Author: Emily Benet
Publisher: Harper Impulse
Publication Date: August 2015
Genre: Women’s Fiction / Chick-Lit
Buy the Book: Amazon

Description: How to mess up your life in 140 characters…

Social media whizz kid, May Sparks has landed her dream job. Well, not quite, but the salary is great and all May has to do is handle the online profiles of C – list celebrities who have the tendency to say inappropriate things. Easy, right? #wrong

May’s clients include an ex big brother star (who she's definitely not going to sleep with #neversaynever), a disgraced TV presenter (who wants May to sort out his marriage as well as his Twitter account), and a woman who once flashed her boobs on X-factor. They're all relying on her to turn them into stars. But they're not going to make her job easy.

As May is sucked further and further into her job she begins to lose her grip on real life. Her friends don’t ‘like’ her Facebook posts anymore and even her gorgeous neighbor, who once seemed to be on the same wavelength, criticizes her career choice. Worse, May’s clients start getting trolled by an annoying tweep, who May happens to agree with.

Then May’s secret online identity is leaked, causing her to start trending on Twitter. It looks like the status update is over. Unless May can leave the superficial social media word behind and find her own voice again…

My Thoughts: In a world where so much of the thoughts and actions of the human race are driven by social media, this book could be a biography instead of a work of fiction. May Sparks is your typical social media aficionado. Twitter, Facebook, Instagram…she knows them all and uses them effectively to document her life, as most people who live in this digital society knows all too well. May accepts what she thinks is her dream job, managing the online profiles of celebrities who don’t play so nice online, without anyone finding out.

I honestly didn’t understand the need for secrecy as I have long known that celebrities hire PR people to manage their online accounts not because they can’t but because they don’t have time. Isn’t that what PR are paid to do? Apparently in May’s world, nobody can find out, so of course, the reader already figures everyone will eventually find out. May’s clients aren’t people of integrity in the first place so trying to present them in a positive light online is going to be downright impossible to me.

This book swings between just OK and a good read for me. I liked May and though I thought her job was interesting, I got frustrated quickly at how she allows people to walk all over her, her clients, her boss, her client’s managers, friends, the list goes on and on. What I found annoying is that they are paying May’s company to provide them with an online presence they can’t pull off themselves because they lack human skills like kindness, honesty, restraint and manners but yet they are demanding of May, calling her round the clock, treating her like she’s their personal servant or at their beck and call. Her boss is a sycophantic dweeb, more interested in May taking on yet another client instead of looking out for his employee and having her back. Her friends resent the amount of time May spends on her tablet and phone (HELLO, IT’S HER JOB!) and even go so far as snub her by excluding her from her friend’s housewarming party. Her roommate and neighbors criticize her for the work she does, that she lacks integrity or values, somehow. Her family doesn’t really know the full extent of May’s job, so aren’t critical or negative, but when things get rough for May, she finds it hard to talk to them about what’s really going on.

I started enjoying the story more when things began getting worse for May. I was interested at how things would turn out for her and the path she would choose. I didn’t really understand what the big deal was when her identity was leaked, why people were so upset. For the most part, I thought these people really needed to get over themselves and get a life.

My Final Verdict: The story started out as just OK but became a good read. I liked May and was pleased with how everything turned out. Readers who enjoy stories featuring strong protagonists throughout the entire story and not just in the last few chapters may find themselves frustrated with May. Readers who enjoy stories where the underdog comes out on top will be happy with May’s choices and will be rooting for her as she crosses the finish line.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of #PleaseRetweet from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Picnics In Hyde Park by Nikki Moore

Title: Picnics in Hyde Park (#Love London #6)
Author: Nikki Moore
Publisher: HarperImpulse
Publication Date: August 2015
Genre: Chick Lit
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN

Description: The last story in the fun & flirty #LoveLondon series from exciting new chick lit author Nikki Moore! The perfect novel for reading in the sunshine… and falling in love with London.

A summer to remember or forget?

When Zoe Harper returns to the UK after five long years in New York, the last thing she expects is to find her younger sister Melody jobless, homeless, broke and dumped. Unfortunately, life has a way of delivering the unexpected. She should know that, given her ex-fiancé Greg’s faithless behavior.

Filled with rage and determined to get revenge on the infamous Reilly brothers for her sister’s heartbreak, as well as get some answers, Zoe hatches plan Nannygate. Unfortunately that means moving in with the gorgeous but uncaring music producer Matt Reilly to be nanny to his two adorable, complicated children. But something isn’t adding up, and over the course of the hot London summer, she starts to think that perhaps Matt isn’t so bad after all.

Let down by his last nanny and weighed down with guilt about his wife’s death three years before, wealthy but camera-shy Matt has spent a long time pushing people away, including his own kids. His stunning new nanny challenges him every single day in completely different ways, but maybe that isn’t such a bad thing?

But what happens when you open your heart, and someone isn’t who you thought they were? And can it really be true love when it’s on the rebound, and starts off with a plan for revenge?

My Thoughts: I eventually liked this story but I had some problems with it in the beginning. I had a hard time with the fact Matt chucks Melody out of the house and her job without giving her a chance to explain. As her employer, I thought he handled it very poorly and thought he had some major character flaws and this was a big one. I also had a problem with Zoe’s motivations in going to Matt’s house to confront him. I personally felt it was impulsive and rash and not her place. When she is mistaken for an applicant for the nanny position and doesn’t set the record straight bothered me. Zoe is coming out of a very bad relationship and I suspected she was using her pain and outrage at the cheating fiancé to get revenge on Matt. When the plan of revenge was revealed, this book nearly became a wall-banger.

I had a hard time seeing these two flawed characters with major trust issues between them ever manage to become intimate, much less build anything solid together. As I read and got to know Zoe and Matt better, I began to warm up to them and empathize with them. Zoe brings a breath of fresh air into Matt’s world, though he really isn’t prepared for it or wants it. She gets him to see that he has withdrawn into himself since his wife’s death and that his children are suffering for it. Through Zoe’s efforts, Matt’s relationship with his children changes drastically for the better and that was wonderful to see. His relationship with his wife’s mother also improves.

In spite of her deceit in obtaining the job and continuing in the job, I admired that Zoe was committed to the welfare of the children and was really good with them. They bonded quickly and Zoe was able to draw them out of their shells too. It still bothered me that Matt never gave Melody a reason for her abrupt dismissal and acted without investigating what he had been told. It also bothered me how long Zoe waited to tell Matt the truth, the whole truth and I was frustrated at the consequences of her actions. All ends well, though the finale felt rushed and there is no closure between Melody and Matt. Perhaps this will be addressed in another book in this series.

My Final Verdict: Fans of chick-lit stories about forgiveness and second chances will enjoy this story. If deception, misunderstandings and miscommunication in the plot is frustrating to them, they may want to take a pass.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of Picnics in Hyde Park from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.