REVIEW: What Happens at Christmas by Victoria Alexander

Title: What Happens at Christmas (Millworth Manor #1)
Author: Victoria Alexander
Publisher: Kensington
Publication Date: October 2012
Genre: Christmas / Historical Romance
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: Camille, Lady Lydingham, requests the pleasure of your company at a festive house party in the English countryside, as she endeavors to coax a marriage proposal from Prince Nikolai Pruzinsky of Greater Avalonia. Given the nature of the hostess’s eccentric relatives, they will be played by a troupe of actors hired to impersonate a proper Victorian family. What a clever way to fool the prince! And gate-crashing, distractingly handsome first loves like Grayson Elliott are most unwelcome.

But nothing about Camille’s charade goes as planned. Tonight, at Millworth Manor, games will be played, motives will be revealed, the masks will come off, and hearts will be lost—and won—in the most romantic, magical season of all.

My Thoughts: I’m not saying that the Regency time period does Christmas better than any other time period, but this book really pulls the reader in and surrounds them with the beauty and the spirit of the holiday. I can certainly see why Camille was so insistent on giving Nikolai the full effect of an English countryside Christmas as I was completely drawn into the elegance, charm and beauty of the home and the Christmas finery and frippery.

I loved that Camille’s so-called brilliant plan is so full of holes and nearly every time she manages to catch her breath, something else happens to make this undertaking all the more tasking. Of course, hiring a troupe of actors to play one’s family is definitely not a clever idea, especially when the actress portraying your mother can’t remember her name! Of course, the arrival of your first love, the man who broke your heart eleven years ago and vanished without a word is bound to add a few unplanned complications.

I loved Camille and Grayson individually and as a couple. There’s a lot of unresolved hurt and anger they need to work out, but it was so clear they were perfect for one another and though eleven years have elapsed since they have seen or spoken to one another, it felt like no time had passed at all. I couldn’t pick a side as they both are carrying pain from the past, but Camille is definitely the more stubborn of the two.

In addition to the madcap behaviors occurring at Millworth Manor, the spirit of the holiday is keenly felt as decorations are put up, a fresh evergreen is cut down and brought inside and there is ice skating at a nearby frozen pond. Everyone has a role to play to pull off this Christmas charade and it was so much fun to watch it all unfold.

My Final Verdict: I highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy Christmas themed stories as well as historical settings that really bring the traditions of the period to light. Christmas is a time for new beginnings and what better way to begin again than with a second chance at love?

REVIEW: Scrooge-ish by L.B. Dunbar

Title: Scrooge-ish
Author: L.B. Dunbar
Narrator: Stella Hunter, Teddy Hamilton
Publisher: L.B. Dunbar Writes, Ltd.
Publication Date: November 2022
Genre: Christmas / Contemporary Romance
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: I hate Christmas.

I don’t know who thought every female must love shopping, wrapping, baking and hosting but I missed the memo. On top of that, I manage an upscale department store. Sprinkle in the fact I’ll be turning forty during this holiday season, and my life is a Christmas cookie recipe gone wrong.

And every year I become a little more Scrooge-ish.

But the spirit of the most wonderful time of the year seems to have a plan for me and my midlife-crisis attitude.

First, my past returns when I attend a high school reunion happy hour and run into that boy—the one I had a summer fling before I left for college, then promptly ghosted me.

The torture continues because that boy is now a man, worldly, wise, and sexier than I remember. And he invites me to attend a holiday work party with him.

That’s where I learn this forty, fine, former NFL quarterback, now fireman has a new role: single father to the sweetest little girl, putting me at risk of falling for both of them.

However, I have my reasons not to believe in love and the happiest time of the year. And the first twenty-five days of December tests all my strength.

Just what the Dickens is happening? Charles himself might approve of this plot.

Even I’m a little curious to see how it all plays out.

With the past behind her and the future uncertain, can Eva Nazar accept that the present is a gift and love is the greatest treasure we receive even if it isn’t always wrapped in pretty paper with a perfect bow on top?

My Thoughts: Finally a fun story that can be flirty and sexy with a character who is turning forty. As a reader who is more than a dozen years older than this character, it’s nice to read a story about a woman who isn’t in her twenties or just turning thirty, who is still viable and has a lot to offer the right man. For Eva, turning forty may be the best thing that has happened to her in quite a long time.

Right after high-school graduation, Eva had a fling with the guy she had a major crush on. But it was over practically as soon as it started. Zebb went on to a successful NFL career and Eva went on to college and now manages a large department store in Chicago. She never really got over Zebb, but life moves on and we all get older and hopefully, wiser.

Working in retail at Christmas time was the job I hated most and Eva tries to power through it as she doesn’t have any family to celebrate with, so staying busy with work is just fine with her. Her mother left when she was ten and her father pretty much cancelled all celebrations. Eva is definitely a scrooge-ish character, absolutely no holiday spirit. She is not in a festive or celebratory mood so when her coworker practically forces her to attend her high-school reunion, she grudgingly agrees. Imagine her shock and surprise when she runs into none other than Zebb, who is back living in the same town again and is a fireman.

Their attraction reignites, though in Eva’s case, I doubt it was ever fully extinguished. This story mainly centers on Zebb’s efforts to change Eva’s mind about Christmas and he can be pretty persuasive. I absolutely adored Zebb’s daughter and loved how accepting she was of Eva in their lives. I loved Zebb and Eva as a couple, but really wish I were given more information about why they didn’t stay together. The blurb for this book says he ghosted her, but I don’t recall that being addressed in the story. It seemed that there was no real resolution with that, but it didn’t seem to affect my enjoyment of the story.

My Final Verdict: Overall, I found this to be a very enjoyable story and recommend it to readers who enjoy Christmas themes and second-chance romance plot devices. This story has a lot of spice and heat that will make the most grinchiest of grinches blush.

REVIEW: Last Couple Standing by Matthew Norman

Title: Last Couple Standing
Author: Matthew Norman
Publisher: Random House - Ballantine
Publication Date: May 2020
Genre: Contemporary Romance / Women’s Fiction
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: A couple determined not to end up like their divorced friends try a radical experiment—and get in way over their heads—in this hilarious, heartfelt novel from the author of We’re All Damaged.

The Core Four have been friends since college: four men, four women, four couples. They got married around the same time, had kids around the same time, and now, fifteen years later, they’ve started getting divorced around the same time, too. With three of the Core Four unions crumbling to dust around them, Jessica and Mitch Butler take a long, hard look at their own marriage. Can it be saved? Or is divorce, like some fortysomething zombie virus, simply inescapable?

To maximize their chance at immunity, Jessica and Mitch try something radical. Their friends’ divorces mostly had to do with sex—having it, not having it, wanting to have it with other people—so they decide to relax a few things. Terms are discussed, conditions are made, and together the Butlers embark on the great experiment of taking their otherwise happy, functional marriage and breaking some very serious rules.

Jessica and Mitch are convinced they’ve hit upon the next evolution of marriage. But as lines are crossed and hot bartenders pursued, they each start to wonder if they’ve made a huge mistake. What follows is sexy, fun, painful, messy, and completely surprising to them both. Because sometimes doing something bad is the only way to get to the heart of what’s really good.

My Thoughts: Last Couple Standing by new to me author Matthew Norman had me wondering is divorce contagious? As part of a group of four couples, three of which have systematically split up, Mitch and Jessica Butler are wondering if they are next. This is probably a common thought amongst couples whose friends are splitting up. As depressing as the subject may be, this book addresses this issue with open honesty and a lot of humor.

Mitch and Jessica decide to try an experiment by introducing a relaxed marriage. This wasn’t a free for all, have sex with anyone you want, but more of an opportunity to try some things differently, with rules and communication to see if their marriage is worth fighting for. What ensues was very entertaining as well as surprising.

I really liked both Mitch and Jessica and thought they were taking a huge risk by going in this direction and I was worried for them, to be honest. I absolutely did not want to see them end up the way of their friends. Personally, I didn’t think their marriage was on the rocks to begin with, but hey, sometimes we have to mix things up a bit and make some radical choices.

The supporting characters were all interesting and added to the entertainment of the story too. I found the writing to be clear, concise, and flowed very smoothly. The dialogue was relevant and drove the scenes and the story so the reader doesn’t feel bogged down in a lot of monotonous discussion.

My Final Verdict: It seems like we live in a throw away society these days where it is much easier to toss relationships aside when things get tough or boring. I highly recommend Last Couple Standing to remind us the important things in life, like love, are worth fighting for.

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

REVIEW: Christmas in Chamonix by Sasha Wagstaff

Title: Christmas in Chamonix
Author: Sasha Wagstaff
Publisher: Canelo
Publication Date: September 2019
Genre: Christmas / Contemporary Romance / Chick-Lit
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN

Description: When life goes downhill... head to the snow-capped Alps for roaring fires, apres-ski and festive romance.

Lily Jackson loves Christmas. She also loves her childhood friend Jamie, but when her plan to kick-start their romance goes drastically wrong and her job gets her down, Lily decides it’s time to make changes. A job opens up in snowy Chamonix and egged on by her best friend Imogen, Lily decides to go for it.

As Lily settles in with the eccentric Devereux family at their gorgeous boutique ski hotel, she starts to confront her past. But when she meets handsome ski instructor Luc, who hates Christmas, Lily might have taken on more than she can handle.

Can Lily make a new life – with or without skis? And can she get Luc to see how truly romantic Christmas can be?

A heart-warming, feel-good romantic comedy, perfect for fans of Holly Martin, Carole Matthews and Tilly Tennant.

My Thoughts: My first time reading this author and for the majority of the book found it to be just OK, bordering on the less than bright and shiny aspects of Christmas I look for in my reading this time of year. I didn’t feel much of a connection to Lily for most of the book. I couldn’t understand what she saw in Jamie. Her constant pining over this tool for most of the book started to get old but then she pours salt into the wound by jumping to all sorts of conclusions about Luc without even talking to him about it. It takes her to just about the very end of the book for them to resolve their concerns. Add to that her paralyzing fear of heights and emotional trauma about her father contributing to her reluctance to ski but then deciding to take a job at a ski resort where everybody’s favorite pastime is you guessed it…skiing left me with my eyes rolled up into my head so far that I thought I was going to have to make a trip to the hospital to have them fixed.

Enough of this negativity, let’s discuss what I did enjoy. I thought Luc was a wonderful character and the fact that he was even available to the wishy-washy Lily was nothing short of a Christmas miracle. He hates Christmas and with good reason as he is carrying his own trauma that really got me right in the feels. I enjoyed how Lily wants to help him learn to love Christmas again and when he surprises her in return, I got a little teary eyed.

The descriptive setting of Chamonix was simply breathtaking. Sasha Wagstaff did an excellent job of bringing this community to life and though you will never catch me on a pair of skis, I would love to be there sitting in a cushy chair in front of a roaring fireplace with a mug of hot chocolate or whiskey laced eggnog and a keeper shelf book in my hands.

The supporting characters also brought a lot of interesting moments to the story as well. Some of these characters, like Elodie, turned out to be quite different than I was expecting. Lily’s best friend, Imogen, was a delight and I thought Lily was very fortunate to have her. I also was quite surprised that I liked Lily’s sister, Ivy, as much as I did. Having your sister start dating the man you have been harboring feelings for could create a lot of animosity in their relationship, but I was glad to see that Lily wanted her sister to be happy and Ivy wasn’t the type to rub it in Lily’s nose when she finds out about Lily’s feelings.

My Final Verdict: Though I found Lily’s indecisiveness annoying, this story was quite heartwarming and a good addition to add to your Christmas reading this year. Readers who enjoy skiing will enjoy the snow-covered slopes and the mindfulness the author gives to this sport. If you’re like me and prefer to enjoy the snow from the comfort of the ski lodge, this story will also appeal.

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

REVIEW: Fool Me Twice at Christmas by Camilla Isley

Title: Fool Me Twice at Christmas (Christmas Romantic Comedy #1)
Author: Camilla Isley
Narrator: Denice Stradling
Publisher: Pink Bloom Press
Publication Date: January 2023
Genre: Chick-Lit / Christmas Holiday
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: There are two types of relationships: fake and real.

Chuck and Kate’s used to be real, oh-so-real. But after she broke his heart four months ago, leaving him, it became all just pretense for the sake of their entwined families.

With parents who are best friends and business partners, it’s not easy for Chuck and Kate to announce they’ve split up. But with the holidays looming over them, they can no longer keep pretending.

Chuck and Kate head home for Christmas, determined to tell the truth—and end up accidentally engaged instead. The more they try to pull apart, the more the Universe seems to push them back together, shortening the road to the altar. And when just-for-show kisses stir up forgotten feelings, things get even more complicated.

Now, with the midnight hour approaching, will Chuck and Kate’s relationship turn out to be real or fake?

My Thoughts: I enjoyed Fool Me Twice at Christmas but I should have skipped the audio format. The story was good, but the narration felt like nails on a chalkboard. There should have been two narrators, in my opinion, instead the narrator’s voice sounded like a squeaky mouse for all of the female character’s lines and kept pulling me out of the story.

Chuck and Kate broke up four months ago after a decades long relationship. Or, rather, Kate dumped Chuck and broke his heart and has moved on. They never told their parents who are all best friends and business partners. Now they are faced with Christmas and all the fun and frolic with family that believe not only are Chuck and Kate still in love decades later but are on the verge of matrimony. The lies keep piling up and before they know it, Chuck and Kate are engaged, pregnant and the wedding is on Friday! Even worse, their parents have an innovative marketing strategy for the company that features Chuck and Kate as the company role models. How will this work if word gets out that they broke up? Worse, Kate and Chuck feel horrible because they don’t want to shatter their parents’ dreams or hurt the business.

I really liked Chuck and Kate and the level of discomfort they both feel trying to pretend there is still a relationship as well as having to share a bedroom was quite entertaining. There are also a lot of things left unsaid between them so their emotions are filled with tension and irritation. I loved it when they find themselves in a pre-marriage counseling class pretending to still be together when Chuck starts airing their dirty laundry. It was impossible to take sides on who was right as I had a lot of empathy for both of them and didn’t wish to be in their shoes one bit when the proverbial poo finally hits the fan.

My Final Verdict: If you are looking for a quick read filled with Christmas cheer and warm fuzzies about two people who belong together as much as hot chocolate and marshmallows, give this book a go, but steer clear of the audio.

REVIEW: Highlands Christmas by Amy Quick Parrish

Title: Highlands Christmas
Author: Amy Quick Parrish
Publisher: Flying Cactus
Publication Date: October 2022
Genre: Christmas / Contemporary Romance
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: Christmas wishes do come true.

Melissa MacKenzie is an American interior designer with a seemingly happy life — until her husband Dave reveals he's been cheating on her and wants a divorce and the house. But when a letter informs her that she will inherit a home in Scotland, things start looking up. At the airport she inadvertently meets Colin McGregor, a charming Scottish-American lawyer who happens to be her husband's divorce lawyer. She's taken by his sexy Scottish accent and charm and, as fate would have it, he's on Melissa's flight to Edinburgh ... and on her train to Inverness and happens to live in the same town where she's inherited her home.

As sparks fly between Melissa and Colin, he agrees to help her secure the Scottish home that she believes she's entitled to. They dive right into Scottish culture — and each other's arms — as love and a new home seem within reach. Will they be able to succeed in both missions? Or will everything fall apart?

Highlands Christmas is a romantic and delightful story that will set hearts afire. In a fairy tale as captivating as the Loch Ness monster, Melissa and Colin must cross an ocean to end up right where they belong... because home is where the heart is.

My Thoughts: Highlands Christmas by new to me author Amy Quick Parrish was a cute and enjoyable story to add to my Christmas theme reading. Imagine after throwing a lavish Thanksgiving party for your spouse and a group of friends, your pig of a spouse announces that he wants a divorce because he is hooking up with your brother’s ex-girlfriend. The house you live in is in his name and he wants you out so you’re going to be homeless as well as divorced. Not a very festive beginning to the Christmas season. A letter arrives from Scotland advising you that as the last living relative of someone you’ve never met, you have inherited a home and rather than selling it, you decide to go to Scotland and see about making this house your new home.

Having a pig for a husband, one would assume that his divorce attorney is also a pig, but after meeting spontaneously in the airport, at the train station and in town, Melissa tries to maintain a professional and friendly demeanor. It’s quickly obvious that Colin is not the type of attorney or man who lacks integrity. I thought their meet cute was well played and a lot of fun to watch. Colin’s family is also wonderful and I thought it was so sweet how they welcomed Melissa into their home and invited her to participate in their holiday festivities.

My Final Verdict: I recommend this book to readers who are looking for a sweet romance with the Scottish Highlands at Christmas in the background. Sightings of the Loch Ness monster may happen, but not guaranteed.

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

REVIEW: Cobble Hill by Cecily von Ziegesar

Title: Cobble Hill
Author: Cecily von Ziegesar
Publisher: Atria Books
Publication Date: November 2020
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: From the number-one New York Times best-selling author of the Gossip Girl series, a deliciously irresistible novel chronicling a year in the life of four families in an upscale Brooklyn neighborhood as they seek purpose, community, and meaningful relationships—until one unforgettable night at a raucous neighborhood party knocks them to their senses.

Welcome to Cobble Hill.

In this eclectic Brooklyn neighborhood, private storms brew amongst four married couples and their children. There’s ex-groupie Mandy, so underwhelmed by motherhood and her current physical state that she fakes a debilitating disease to get the attention of her skateboarding, ex-boyband member husband Stuart. There’s the unconventional new school nurse, Peaches, on whom Stuart has an unrequited crush, and her disappointing husband Greg, who wears noise-cancelling headphones—everywhere.

A few blocks away, Roy, a well-known, newly transplanted British novelist, has lost the thread of his next novel and his marriage to capable, indefatigable Wendy. Around the corner, Tupper, the nervous, introverted industrial designer with a warehouse full of prosthetic limbs struggles to pin down his elusive artist wife Elizabeth. She remains...elusive. Throw in two hormonal teenagers, a 10-year-old pyromaniac, a drug dealer pretending to be a doctor, and a lot of hidden cameras, and you’ve got a combustible mix of egos, desires, and secrets bubbling in brownstone Brooklyn.

Smart, sophisticated, yet surprisingly tender, Cobble Hill is a highly entertaining portrait of contemporary family life and the colorful characters who call Brooklyn home.

My Thoughts: She felt a little left out. Stuart knew all these people, and she knew no one. But that’s what you got for pretending to have MS and hiding in your house with boxes of other people’s food and a whole lot of weed.

With Cobble Hill by new to me author Cecily von Ziegesar, we are introduced to a plethora of people living in the Brooklyn, New York neighborhood of Cobble Hill. Writer types, musician types, artist types and even people who lie about being afflicted with a debilitating disease and stealing their neighbor’s gourmet food deliveries from their front stoops. I want to live in this neighborhood. Prior to authoring this book, Cecily von Ziegesar had already made a name for herself with her Gossip Girl series, which I haven’t tackled. This book, however, is full of snarky wit, humor, sarcasm and the most eclectic group of people I have ever met.

Roy Clarke, his wife Wendy and their daughter, Shy are new to the neighborhood, having moved over from across the pond. Roy is a best-selling author struggling with his next book while his wife struggles to remain relevant in the highly competitive fast-paced world of magazine publishing. Their daughter is struggling with all of her classes, except Latin and her crush on her tattooed Latin teacher.

Stuart Little, (not the mouse), former lead singer of popular boy band, the Blind Mice, his wife Mandy, his high-school sweetheart who now struggles with her weight and self-esteem issues and takes it one step further by lying to her husband about her health and stealing. They have a young son, Ted, who is developing some behavioral concerns.

Peaches Park, the nurse at Ted’s school, an avid drummer who has a major crush on Stuart, her husband Greg, who teaches music and wears noise cancelling headphones everywhere and their teenage son, Liam, who has a crush on Shy Clarke and practically jumps at the chance to tutor her.

Rounding out the group are Tupper, an inventor of sorts and his wife, Elizabeth, an artist who is as mysterious and strange as the works of art she creates using prosthetic limbs.

I enjoyed how all of the lives of these characters intersect in the most unusual but entertaining way. It felt like those movies that have a bunch of people with different storylines, but then at the end, you see how connected they are to one another.

My Final Verdict: Overall, I found this story to be enjoyable with equal parts drama and humor. My takeaway from this story is that we all have the opportunity to meet some pretty amazing people living right in our neighborhood if we just open the front door and step outside. Readers who enjoy women’s fiction and stories about families and relationships will enjoy this book.

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

REVIEW: All the Dirty Secrets by Aggie Blum Thompson

Title: All the Dirty Secrets
Author: Aggie Blum Thompson
Narrator: Hillary Huber; Josephine Huang
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Publication Date: July 2022
Genre: Mystery / Thriller
Buy The Book:Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: One warm summer night twenty-five years ago, Liza Gold and her friends celebrated their high school graduation with a party on the beach. It should have been the best night of their lives, only one of them never came back out of the ocean.

The tragedy haunted Liza Gold for years. Now, Liza is a recently divorced working mom struggling to connect with her standoffish teenager daughter Zoe when history repeats itself. Another young woman has drowned at Beach Week, and this time the victim is Zoe’s secret best friend.

Liza begins to suspect that the two deaths are somehow related, which causes her to face hard truths and take an unflinching look at the people she’s called her closest friends for the past two decades. She must discover what really happened to both women before it’s too late.

Set in the upscale DC private school scene, where silence can easily be bought, All the Dirty Secrets asks how far you would go to protect your status and your family, and if some secrets should ever be revealed.

My Thoughts: With All the Dirty Secrets, new to me author Aggie Blum Thompson presents a novel that is so masterfully crafted with twisty suspense, it feels like something that comes from the mind of Alfred Hitchcock. Combined with the excellent narration by Hillary Huber and Josephine Huang, the reader is presented with a novel that is both written and narrated in such a way that I was unable to figure out what was happening while keeping me on pins and needles anticipating the big reveal.

Additionally, the story occurs both in the present and thirty years in the past and both time periods blend together so smoothly, the reader barely notices the shift. Understanding the background of all of the characters took a little bit of time as well as who was responsible for the two deaths.

If I had a problem with any part of the story, it was mainly centered around Zoe and her attitude towards her mother. I understood she’s a teenager and just found the dead body of her best friend but knowing that her mother went through something similar with her own best friend should have brought them closer together. Instead, Zoe acted like a petulant brat and I felt bad for Liza, who feels like she is losing her daughter and there isn’t anything she can do about it.

Understanding how the two deaths are connected in addition to the mountain sized pile of secrets everyone is keeping really ripped the rug out from under me. I really liked Liza and for the most part found her behavior and choices reasonable and understandable given the situations she finds herself.

My Final Verdict: This book illuminates brightly the problems that can and do occur when terrible things happen and are then covered up and people you thought you knew are keeping massive secrets. No amount of time passing will ever diminish the truth from eventually coming out and it packed quite a punch when it did. I highly recommend this book to fans of twisty thrillers, mysteries and novels of suspense. I think Alfred Hitchcock would approve.

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

REVIEW: She Wouldn't Change a Thing by Sarah Adlakha

Title: She Wouldn’t Change a Thing
Author: Sarah Adlakha
Narrator: Cassandra Campbell
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Publication Date: August 2021
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: Sliding Doors meets Life After Life in Sarah Adlakha's story about a wife and mother who is given the chance to start over at the risk of losing everything she loves.

A second chance is the last thing she wants.

When thirty-nine-year-old Maria Forssmann wakes up in her seventeen-year-old body, she doesn’t know how she got there. All she does know is she has to get to her home in Bienville, Mississippi, to her job as a successful psychiatrist and, most importantly, to her husband, daughters, and unborn son.

But she also knows that, in only a few weeks, a devastating tragedy will strike her husband, a tragedy that will lead to their meeting each other.

Can she change time and still keep what it’s given her?

Exploring the responsibilities love lays on us, the complicated burdens of motherhood, and the rippling impact of our choices, She Wouldn't Change a Thing is a dazzling debut from a bright new voice.

My Thoughts: Holy Bookworm, Batman, what did I just read here? This story gives the reader a front-row seat to the opportunity to start one’s life over, so to speak. What would you do if you were given such a chance? When Maria suddenly finds herself in this situation, her primary objective is to get back to her husband, daughters, unborn son and her psychiatry practice. Learning her trip back to her seventeen-year-old self comes with a life-or-death purpose, what will she choose? Fulfill her purpose or go back to her family? She can only choose one. I did not envy Maria one little bit. The stress and anxiety she feels was so brilliantly written and narrated, I felt loads of empathy for her and her situation.

This story got me thinking about so many topics such as reincarnation, past life regression and death, just to name a few. I couldn’t imagine myself in Maria’s shoes, because she is carrying a heavy burden, especially when she wakes up no longer pregnant and back in her parent’s home and seventeen again. Not only does it freak her out and she thinks she’s dreaming, but the people around her think she’s lost her mind, demanding to know where her husband and children are.

This story has so much going on, not just with Maria, but with the numerous supporting characters as well. It’s a lot to unpack and it took me a few stops and starts with the audio to get plugged in, but once I did, I was riveted. The writing and the story are exceptional. The characters are very complex and well developed. Their behaviors, thoughts and dialogue are appropriate for the situations they find themselves in. The audio narration performed by Cassandra Campbell was superb. She conveys not just the emotions of the characters in her reading, but also their personalities. I got an excellent sense of knowing these characters, which is vital for the reader to have any empathy for them.

My Final Verdict: Sarah Adlakha has created an amazing story around the concept of time travel and I absolutely loved it. Readers who enjoy the same concept will enjoy this tale as well as fans of women’s fiction and readers who love strong familial relationships in their stories. This book was highly focused on family and the connections we have with the people we meet throughout our journey of life.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of She Wouldn’t Change a Thing from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Rome is Where the Heart Is by Tilly Tennant

Title: Rome is Where the Heart Is (From Italy with Love #1)
Author: Tilly Tennant
Publisher: Bookouture
Publication Date: March 2017
Genre: Contemporary Romance / Women’s Fiction
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: Can a holiday romance ever have a happy ending? Escape with Kate to the sun-drenched city of Rome where a love affair is just about to begin…

When Kate’s husband Matt dumps her on Friday 13th she decides enough is enough – it’s time for her to have some fun and so she hops on a plane to Rome. A week of grappa and gelato in pavement cafes under azure blue skies will be just what the doctor ordered.

What she doesn’t count on is meeting and falling for sexy policeman Alessandro. But the course of true love doesn’t run smoothly – Alessandro has five meddling sisters, a fearsome mama and a beautiful ex Orazia. They’re all certain that Kate is not the girl for him.

Can Kate and Alessandro’s love last the distance? Or will she return home with the one souvenir she doesn’t want – a broken heart …

Fall in love with the colorful cafes and the cobbled piazzas of Rome and follow Kate’s dreams and her heart in this enchanting escapist read. Perfect for fans of Debbie Johnson and Carol Matthews.

My Thoughts: With Rome is Where the Heart Is, Tilly Tennant once again brings to life a story so rich in locale detail that I don’t know why I am sitting here writing this review when I should be on a plane bound for Rome! In addition to all of the food and drink delights that await one visiting Rome, the city has amazing history and architecture that really should be reason enough to put a visit on your bucket list. Instead, I was able to tag along with Kate on her holiday to Rome.

I really liked Kate and admired her courage to not only travel to another country by herself, but her determination to not let fear or apprehension keep her from enjoying all the city of Rome has to offer. I really enjoy stories that shake the characters out of the rut they are in and do something exciting and unexpected. Deciding to move to Italy and start a new life is definitely something very unexpected and not something I recommend but it definitely worked for Kate. I thought Kate’s sister advising that Kate take more time before jumping into this plan also made sense, and I understand she was only trying to look out for her. Kate’s frustration and sense of guilt for doing something for herself for a change was keenly felt and understood too. I very much enjoyed Kate’s family meeting Alessandro and seeing them connect with him made the impossible seem possible.

I also enjoyed the side story of Kate’s new friendship with American businessman Jamie and thought he filled the role of big brother, tour guide and new best friend perfectly. This is the first book in the series and ended with Kate returning to Rome to start her new life. I am looking forward to the next book to see how she fares and hopefully get to reconnect with these characters again.

My Final Verdict: Overall, if you can ignore the voice of reason in your head pointing out why moving to another country, a country whose primary language is not one you speak or understand is a bad idea, then you will enjoy seeing Rome through Kate’s eyes and will likely fall in love with it as she did. I recommend this book to readers who enjoy romances and the excitement of visiting exotic destinations. Readers who enjoy seeing the characters take chances, not worrying about the future and living in the moment will also enjoy this story.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of Rome is Where the Heart Is from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Bookworm by Robin Yeatman

Title: Bookworm
Author: Robin Yeatman
Narrator: Karissa Vacker
Publisher: Harper Perennial and Paperbacks
Publication Date: February 2023
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: A wickedly funny debut novel—a black comedy with a generous heart that explores the power of imagination and reading—about a woman who tries to use fiction to find her way to happiness.

Victoria is unhappily married to an ambitious and controlling lawyer consumed with his career. Burdened with overbearing in-laws, a boring dead-end job she can’t seem to leave, and a best friend who doesn’t seem to understand her, Victoria finds solace from the daily grind in her beloved books and the stories she makes up in her head. One day, in a favorite café, she notices an attractive man reading the same talked-about bestselling novel that she is reading. A woman yearning for her own happy ending, Victoria is sure it’s fate. The handsome book lover must be her soul mate.

There’s only one small problem. Victoria is already married. Frustrated, and desperate to change her life, Victoria retreats to the dark places in her mind and thinks back to all the stories she’s ever read in hopes of finding a solution. She begins to fantasize about nocturnal trysts with café man, and imaginative ways (poisoned pickles were an inspired choice in Jane Smiley’s A Thousand Acres) of getting rid of the dread husband.

It’s all just harmless fantasy born of Victoria’s fevered imagination and her books—until, one night, fiction and reality blur and suddenly it seems Victoria is about to get everything she’s wished for . . . .

My Thoughts: With Bookworm written by new to me Robin Yeatman, we are introduced to Victoria, an avid bookworm stuck in a dead-end job and a dead-end marriage to Eric, a lawyer who sneers at her book reading. She lives a very dreary existence. I wouldn’t even go so far as to characterize what she is living as a life. There is no joy in Victoria’s world, except between the pages of the book is reading and the imaginary stories she makes up in her mind about the people around her.

One day while sitting in her favorite coffee shop, reading a book she absolutely detests, she notices a man who is reading the same book she is! It has to be fate, right? This man is her soul mate and she can’t stop thinking about him. That is, when she isn’t thinking about ways her husband should suddenly and tragically meet his doom. She even goes so far as to tamper with his vehicle. There isn’t a whole lot about Victoria that I found likeable and she is seriously several sandwiches short of a picnic. However, I also felt a lot of pity for her. Her parents adore her husband. He’s the model example of the child they wish they had, instead of Victoria. They even maneuvered the two of them together, so I guess you could say theirs is an arranged marriage. A very solid pre-nup agreement would leave Victoria with nothing more than the clothes on her back if she should ever leave, so here she is drifting through life, making chicken dinners of various varieties and imagining her husband dead, in quite creative ways.

I don’t want to say too much without giving away the plot, but I will say I was dreading just how far Victoria would go with her fantasy life, not just with her husband, but also with her café crush, Luke. None of these characters are likeable or relatable, but I couldn’t look away. What is Victoria going to do? For most of the book, I wanted to shake her and slap some sense into her.

I enjoyed this book and I was highly anticipating what would happen. There were some unexpected surprises, some laugh out loud moments and some great twists. Bookworm is Robin Yeatman’s debut book and I will be on the lookout for her next book.

My Final Verdict: This book does not end with the happily ever after Victoria was yearning for, but that’s life, isn’t it? The takeaway for me after reading this book is we have a choice every day to be happy or to be unhappy and we have the power to change or fix what’s lacking. I don’t think Victoria would know how to choose happiness even if it showed up with a gold embossed invitation. I recommend this book to readers who like to be surprised and entertained and don’t mind if the characters have no moral compass.

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

REVIEW: The Young Wives Club by Julie Pennell

Title: The Young Wives Club
Author: Julie Pennell
Publisher: Atria Books
Publication Date: February 2017
Genre: Contemporary Romance / Teen / Young Adult / Women’s Fiction
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: In Toulouse, Louisiana finding your one true love happens sometime around high school. If you’re lucky, he might be the man you thought he was. But as four friends are about to find out, not every girl has luck on her side in this charming debut novel perfect for fans of The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood and Desperate Housewives.

Laura Landry’s quarterback husband was her ticket out of Toulouse. But when a devastating football injury sidelines him, they’re forced to move back to the small town she was so desperate to leave. As Brian starts drinking instead of rehabbing his knee, Laura must reevaluate what her future looks like…and if it includes her husband.

For years, Madison Blanchette has been waiting for bad-boy musician Cash Romero to commit to her. When wealthy George Dubois asks her out, she figures she may as well wait in style. Life with George means weekend trips to New Orleans, gourmet meals, and expensive gifts. At first she loves how George’s affection sparks Cash’s jealousy, but when George proposes to Madison, she finds herself torn between two men…

All Claire Thibodeaux wants is to be the perfect wife and mother. If she can do everything right she won’t end up like her mom, a divorced, single parent trying to make ends meet. But when Claire’s husband Gavin, a well-respected local pastor, starts spending late nights at work and less time in their bed, she can’t help but fear that history is about to repeat itself…

Gabrielle Vaughn never thought she’d end up with someone like her fiancé. The son of a prominent congressman, Tony Ford is completely out of her league—which is why she lied to him about everything from having a college degree to the dark truth about her family. She knows she has to come clean, but how do you tell the love of your life that your entire relationship is a lie?

As these young wives come together to help each other through life, love, and heartbreak, they discover that there are no easy answers when it comes to matters of the heart.

My Thoughts: First of all, OMG, ya’ll, where has this author been hiding? Secondly, I am kicking myself for taking so long to read this book! Honestly, I adored this book and everything about it. From the small-town community feel that gave me major Steel Magnolia vibes to the individual characters and their story lines that were so expertly fleshed out and unique. Before I started this book, I thought it was going to be a real pill trying to keep four, yes, FOUR main characters and their plots straight. I thought that it would be a real cluster and it would have been better if this were actually four separate books, but new to me author Julie Pennell totally nailed it!

Besides the characters, I also loved that the author rotates each character’s point of view for each chapter but doesn’t give the story a choppy isolated feel. By that, I mean that even though each chapter focuses on a different character, the other characters are still present and play supporting roles in each other’s story, like best friends do.

The character development and the plot pace were perfect. It was so easy to get to know these women, their history, their situations and it felt like I could be friends with all of them. I had enormous amounts of empathy for each of them and the struggles they were facing. I especially loved that the author takes the time to bring it all full circle, some with unexpected results, but it worked brilliantly! Books like this that bring so many warm fuzzies to my bookworm heart is the reason I love to read and share with others.

My Final Verdict: For the love of God, get this book! Now. Do you have it yet? I will definitely read anything this author writes, even her grocery list and you should too.

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

REVIEW: When You Get the Chance by Emma Lord

Title: When You Get the Chance
Author: Emma Lord
Narrator: Jesse Vilinsky
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Publication Date: January 2022
Genre: Contemporary Romance / Teen
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: Nothing will get in the way of Millie Price’s dream to become a Broadway star. Not her lovable but super-introverted dad, who after raising Millie alone, doesn’t want to watch her leave home to pursue her dream. Not her pesky and ongoing drama club rival, Oliver, who is the very definition of Simmering Romantic Tension. And not the “Millie Moods,” the feelings of intense emotion that threaten to overwhelm, always at maddeningly inconvenient times. Millie needs an ally. And when a left-open browser brings Millie to her dad’s embarrassingly moody LiveJournal from 2003, Millie knows just what to do. She’s going to find her mom.

There’s Steph, a still-aspiring stage actress and receptionist at a talent agency. There’s Farrah, an ethereal dance teacher who clearly doesn’t have the two left feet Millie has. And Beth, the chipper and sweet stage enthusiast with an equally exuberant fifteen-year-old daughter (A possible sister?! This is getting out of hand). But how can you find a new part of your life and expect it to fit into your old one, without leaving any marks? And why is it that when you go looking for the past, it somehow keeps bringing you back to what you’ve had all along?

My Thoughts: Stories in the teen and young adult genres are usually a lot of fun for me and, when done well as this one is, are hard to put down. New to me author Emma Lord creates a world starring Millie Price and her family and friends. Millie is a typical teenager with big dreams of making it on Broadway. In order to accomplish that, she is convinced she needs to attend a “pre-college” course in musical theater for her senior year to better prepare her.

Raised by her single parent dad and never having known her mother, Millie tends to be an overachiever, which completely made sense to me even though it seems to create more issues for Millie. After her dad tells her she can’t go to California to attend the pre-college course, she decides she is going to find her mother, get her on her side about the school and somehow, together, they will present a united front to convince her dad.

Along the way, she ends up competing for an internship at a talent agency with her annoying arch nemesis, Oliver, that made me feel like their job was nothing more than a giant scavenger hunt, so that was quite entertaining to tag along on.

I adored the chemistry between Millie and Oliver and though it’s obvious to everyone but them that they belong together, it was adorable to watch it happen. I also liked all of the prospective “Mom” candidates that Millie has identified. I thought any of these women would have been great to be the one revealed. I had my suspicions early on who she was and I was correct, but the getting there came as a surprise.

I also enjoyed all of the Mama Mia references and now, because of Millie, I want to see some Broadway shows. This is one of those stories that the reader roots for all of the characters to come out on top. There are no mean girls to fight or evil to vanquish. Just a girl living her life, trying to fulfill her dreams in the best conceivable way.

I went with the audio format and loved the performance by Jesse Vilinsky. Her narration brought out each character’s personality vibrantly and some of the one-liners she delivered had me laughing so hard. For example, a scene between Oliver and Millie when he realizes Millie got to work before him. Oliver sweeps from the elevator a beat later and immediately narrows his eyes at me. “How do you keep beating me here?” “Because I drink coffee like a real New Yorker and you drink tea like the American Revolution never happened.”

My Final Verdict: I highly recommend this book to fans of the romance, teen and young adult genres as well as readers who like stories about people with big dreams, drive and determination. This book will make you laugh and you may shed a tear or two, but you won’t mind because this book will leave a smile on your face when you finish it.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of When You Get the Chance from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Justice Is Coming by Cenk Uygur

Title: Justice Is Coming
Author: Cenk Uygur
Narrator: Cenk Uygur
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Publication Date: September 2023
Genre: Non-Fiction / Politics
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: A manifesto that outlines the progressive vision, recent history and worldview ― by the founder of The Young Turks and co-founder of Justice Democrats.

The media can't stop talking about the gridlock in Washington, as if a handful of stubborn Republicans are the only thing standing between us and a fully functional democracy. The reality is that our government was taken over by big business and their allies in both political parties. The getaway driver in this heist was corporate media. The good news is that the American people are very progressive. And soon progressives will take over Washington as well! And when they do, the great majority of Americans will love it.

In Justice Is Coming, The Young Turks founder Cenk Uygur presents two ideas that counter everything we hear from pundits and politicians on a daily one, progressives are correct on all issues, and two, America is actually a very progressive country. Millions of us know that we are a part of something larger, a movement that is already transforming Washington.

This compulsively readable manifesto seeks to apply the momentum we have already built to a concrete progressive agenda that activists, voters, and citizens can all rally around. It looks beyond Trump to the larger historical forces that have given us this unique political moment, and explains why we should fight, how we should fight, and how we will win.

Sharp-witted, persuasive, and inspiring, calling out toxic Republicans, politely ineffectual Democrats, and mealy-mouthed media mavens in equal measure, Justice is Coming will give heart to Democrats and progressives who seek to change our politics and society for the better.

My Thoughts: If you’re already a regular viewer of Cenk Uygur’s news and political show The Young Turks, this book won’t add much to what he already has to say about the state of our democracy and the way this country has been taken over by corporations buying off politicians. Narrated by the author, this book gives an open and honest perspective with a little tongue-in-cheek humor that the author is quite good at. In all honesty, he is much more animated on his show with his emotions laid bare.

Nothing is off limits and Cenk Uygur is fearless about exposing the corrupt and the ridiculous that we have elected to office. Now that he has announced his intention to run for President in 2024, I can wholeheartedly say this will be one interesting, if not entertaining, election.

My Final Verdict: Americans should be concerned at the very least at what our government and elected officials are doing right under our noses. I am nowhere close enough to being a political pundit, but Cenk Uygur offers an enlightening perspective to which we should listen. Give the book a go, form your own conclusions and then cast your vote.

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

REVIEW: Fairest of All by Serena Valentino

Title: Fairest of All (Villains #1)
Author: Serena Valentino
Narrator: Lucy Rayner
Publisher: Blackstone Audio
Publication Date: October 2016
Genre: General Fiction / Fantasy
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: The tale of the young princess and her evil stepmother, the Wicked Queen, is widely known. Despite a few variations from telling to telling, the story remains the same—the Queen was jealous of the girl’s beauty, and this jealousy culminated in the Queen’s attempt on the sweet, naive girl’s life.

Another tale far less often spoken of is the one that explains what caused the Queen to become so contemptuously vile. Still, some have attempted to guess the reason. Perhaps the Queen’s true nature was that of a wicked hag and her beautiful, regal appearance a disguise used to fool the King. Others claim that the Queen might have hated the girl for her resemblance to the King’s first wife. Mostly, the Queen is painted as a morally abhorrent woman who never loved another being during the course of her miserable life.

In fact, the theories about exactly what caused the Queen’s obsessive vanity and jealous rage are too numerous to catalog. This book recounts a version of the story that has remained untold until now. It is a tragic tale of love and loss, and it contains a bit of magic. It is a tale of the Wicked Queen…

My Thoughts: We all know the tale of Snow White, some of us have it memorized. Growing up, this was one of my favorite Disney stories but I always wondered why the Queen was so vile and hateful. This woman gave stepmothers the world over a bad name and I honestly was very happy when she went over the cliff at the end. This interesting story gives us a whole new perspective and different spin on the how and the why the Queen becomes evil and wicked.

The Queen garnered a lot of sympathy from me. She wasn’t always evil and wicked and Snow White wasn’t her ultimate target. Instead, the reader is given a front row seat into the life of the woman before she became the Queen, her love for Snow White. Yes, you heard me correctly. She absolutely adored Snow White. Her love for the King. She was, in a nutshell, one of the most liked and even respected members of the Court. She grew up in a horrible situation, her mother dying in childbirth and her father hating her all her life. She meets the King and falls in love with him and upon marrying him claims Snow White as her daughter. Unfortunately, tragedy strikes and the Queen never regains her spirit, resolve or peace of mind that she once had. Her childhood fears and self-loathing returns and she becomes obsessed by an enchanted mirror and being the fairest one of all. She will do anything to achieve that goal.

Knowing how it all would end did not diminish my enjoyment of the story and getting there. The Queen struggles with her obsession and the rage and hatred that consumes her and though her love for Snow is absolute, the evil wins out in the end. I can’t help but wonder, though, if in the end, she chose to take the path that led to her ultimate demise in order to save Snow from further attempts that she would most likely make.

I went with the audiobook option and the performance of Lucy Rayner kept me engaged. This is the first book in the series and I have the next two and am hopeful they will be just as enjoyable.

My Final Verdict: Overall, I found this story interesting and recommend it to fans of the classic fairy tales. Though I still love the original story and the Queen is a character we have all loved to hate, I have a little more empathy for this tragic character.

REVIEW: Steeped in Secrets by Lauren Elliott

Title: Steeped in Secrets (A Crystals & CuriosiTEAS Mystery #1)
Author: Lauren Elliott
Narrator: Stephanie Richardson
Publisher: Tantor Audio
Publication Date: November 2022
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: Flat broke and divorced, intuitive gemologist Shay Myers has changed since leaving her artsy hometown of coastal Bray Harbor sixteen years ago. But when she moves back under strange circumstances, old instincts may be the only key to spilling the tea on a deadly mystery.

Even with her life in ruins in New Mexico, Shay feels uneasy about settling into the small seaside town where she grew up on California’s Monterey Peninsula and taking over an estate bequeathed to her by Bridget Early, a woman she had barely known. Her heightened senses—an empathic gift she’s had since childhood—go into overdrive upon touring Crystals & CuriosiTEAS, Bridget’s eclectic tea and psychic shop brimming with Irish lore and Celtic symbols. They reach a boiling point when Shay looks up to discover a stranger’s body sprawled across the shop’s greenhouse roof . . .

With her new business a crime scene and questions brewing over Bridget’s so-called accidental death, Shay fears she’s also inherited the attention of a killer. The terrifying realization sets her on an impractical investigation for answers aided by her sister, an elusive pure-white German Shepherd, a strikingly handsome pub owner who speaks in a gentle brogue, and a misunderstood young woman with perceptive talents of her own. As Shay struggles to figure out her true purpose in Bray Harbor and the powerful connection she has with the tea shop, she must trust her judgment above all else to identify a ruthless murderer and save herself from becoming victim number three.

My Thoughts: Just an OK read for me that die-hard fans of cozy mysteries with paranormal elements will likely enjoy. The book’s pacing was just too slow for me and there seemed to be too many extraneous details thrown in to fill up time that could have been handled better.

This book is the first in the Crystals & CuriosiTEAS series that introduces us to Shay Myers, who after a brutal divorce that not only cost her every penny to her name but her professional reputation as a gemologist is back in her hometown to accept an inheritance of a teashop and cottage from Bridget Early. The why wasn’t too hard to figure out, but the story took forever to get there. While touring the shop with the realtor, they discover a stranger’s body on the greenhouse roof. Again, the story dances around who the deceased is, why he is in Bray Harbor and what his connection is to Shay. By the time the story got around to solving the murder, I was a little surprised. ”Oh yeah, there’s a dead guy from the beginning of the story. Wonder whatever came of the murder investigation…”

I liked Shay and the addition of Liam, the pub owner with the slight Irish brogue who assists Shay in discovering the truth and Spirit, the solid white German Shepherd dog who adopts Shay and seems to be her guardian angel. The audio narration by Stephanie Richardson was just OK too. Her performance of Shay was done well, but the Irish brogue of Liam sounded forced.

My Final Verdict: A story that doesn’t deliver a lot of surprises and takes too long to get there isn’t one I can wholeheartedly recommend. The series may improve as it goes but I don’t need my tea leaves read to know that I will probably take a pass.

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

REVIEW: If I'm Dead by Marcia Clark

Title: If I’m Dead (Rachel Knight #1.6)
Author: Marcia Clark
Narrator: January LaVoy
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Publication Date: April 2012
Genre: Mystery / Thriller
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: It started with a haunting image: a Ford Explorer, iridescent in the moonlight and alone on a desolate stretch of beach. Its owner, Melissa Gibbons, has gone missing. Her husband says she flew the coop. But Los Angeles Deputy DA Rachel Knight is convinced otherwise: Melissa Gibbons has been murdered.

So begins the confounding case that Rachel must present before a disbelieving jury. A dissatisfied heiress and her philandering husband-- what really happened? The husband has a fiendishly convincing case that Melissa faked her own death and fled. But with the support of her trusty sidekick, Detective Bailey Keller, Rachel pieces together a much more sinister truth.

In this short, standalone Rachel Knight thriller, readers follow our savvy and riotously entertaining heroine through the surprising world of LA crime.

My Thoughts: You know that old saying be careful what you wish for? Well, it certainly applies here as I have been hoping that I haven’t seen the last of Rachel Knight when I finished The Competition. Marcia Clark fulfilled my wish…in a sense. However, instead of another full-length book, she has given her readers several filler novels that are part of the series, but as I learned If I’m Dead is a standalone.

Taking place between the events of Guilt by Association and Guilt by Degrees, this story involves a case of a missing woman who is likely dead and the resulting murder trial with the woman’s husband as the defendant. Pretty standard Rachel Knight without any surprises or twists that grabbed me the way the other books did.

My Final Verdict: I recommend this book to fans of the Rachel Knight series, which, for me, really showcases Marcia Clark’s talent as an author. Rachel’s success in the courtroom clearly shows to me that Ms. Clark certainly knows her stuff and can hold her own. I’m still holding out hope for another full-length story, but until then there are two more filler stories.