REVIEW: Cupid's Match by Lauren Palphreyman

Title: Cupid’s Match
Author: Lauren Palphreyman
Publisher: Wattpad
Publication Date: July 2017
Genre: Young Adult / Paranormal Romance
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: He's mythologically hot, a little bit wicked, and almost 100% immortal. And he'll hit you right in the heart . . .

Lila Black doesn't believe in matchmaking, let alone soul mates. So then why is she constantly being hassled by the Cupids Matchmaking Service? But this gilded, cherub-bedecked dating agency isn't exactly what it seems...and it’s about to turn Lila's entire world upside down.

It turns out that Cupids Matchmaking is the real deal. As in, it's run by actual cupids―who don't look at all like they do in the paintings―and they have a serious problem with Lila's “match.” Because this guy shouldn't be in the system. He shouldn't have a match. And while he's irresistibly hot, he's also incredibly dangerous. Because Lila's true love match is Cupid. The original bad boy of love. And he wants her.

Now Lila's once-normal teenaged world has exploded into a mythological nightmare overrun by crime-lord sirens, wrathful cupid hit men, magic arrows that cause no end of trouble, and a mischievous, not-so-angelic love god she can't seem to stop herself from falling for . . .

My Thoughts: Enjoyable story about a teenager whose life is turned upside down when she finds out she has been matched by an online dating service to none other than Cupid. One might ask themselves why this would be a problem, and as Lila discovers, being matched to Cupid could bring about not only her death but the destruction of the world by Cupid’s evil and insane mother, Venus. Yes, Cupid’s mother is the goddess of love, but she is far from loving or lovable and with an army of cupid hit men wielding deadly bows and arrows at her disposal, Lila has to think fast if she hopes to save herself and her friends.

I liked the story and the characters. I honestly thought everyone was overreacting about Lila and Cupid being matched and hearing everyone droning on to Lila that the match must not happen or it is forbidden, blah blah blah, I wanted to take a few of those arrows and stab a few of these people myself. Until Cupid and Lila finally realize they have feelings for one another which returns Venus to Earth. Venus was one crazy loon. Call me crazy but wouldn’t a mother be happy that her son found his soul-mate? Wouldn’t she be happy that her son found “the one”? Wouldn’t she be happy that her son is happy? Apparently not in this family. I found it interesting that Venus’s return was feared and dreaded, but turns out was unavoidable. As soon as Cupid and Lila begin to have feelings, Venus returns and her primary focus is killing Lila, Cupid and everyone else she thinks has betrayed her.

I especially enjoyed the back story of Crystal and the Minotaur and meeting Pandora and Medusa. Fans of mythology will enjoy this book as well as readers who enjoy paranormal romances and young adult themes. This book is the first in a series and Lila and Cupid’s story continues in the next book.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of Cupid’s Match from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Sundaes With Nora by Anna Garner

Title: Sundaes with Nora (Sweet Dreams #2)
Author: Anna Garner
Publisher: Anna Garner
Publication Date: February 2015
Genre: Chick-Lit
Buy the Book: Amazon

Description: Nora Finch has a sweet life. She’s married to one of San Francisco’s wealthiest venture capitalists, she lives in a gorgeous old Victorian mansion in one of the city’s most sought-after neighborhoods, and she just launched an ice cream business with her two best friends, Cricket and Lindsay. However, exactly one week after Sweet Dreams opens its doors to the public, Nora’s husband, Kenneth, informs her he wants a divorce. Talk about bad timing. Now, on top of the tremendous pressure she feels to drive sales, Nora has to deal with the breakdown of her marriage, adjust to a more frugal lifestyle, find a new place to live and prepare to dip her toes in the dating pool for the first time in four years. If that weren’t enough, everyone keeps trying to get her to “process” her feelings. For an overachiever like Nora, juggling the demands of a new business along with a total overhaul of her personal life should be doable…right?

My Thoughts: Sundaes with Nora picks up where Sugar Spun Sister left off. Cricket, Nora and Lindsay have opened Sweet Dreams and they are still basking in the thrill and excitement of venturing out on their own, working for themselves. I was so excited to receive this story because I absolutely adored the first book and I was dying of curiosity to see how the girls made out fulfilling their dreams. Sounds divine, doesn’t it. For Nora Finch, it would be, except her husband, Kenneth, has just asked her for a divorce. Apparently, he feels she has lost her edge, has become weak and no longer has the killer instinct in the corporate world that attracted him to her in the first place. Nora is heartbroken and humiliated, obviously and with the stress of getting the business up and running, she now must worry about finding a place to live that she can afford and doesn’t want to burden Cricket and Lindsay with her personal drama.

I loved this story. Nora came across as a strong woman who can conquer the world and bring giants of industry to their knees immediately in the first book. The Nora in this book is not the hard as nails gladiator I believed her to be. She’s strong on the outside but carries the weight of the world on her shoulders. She soldiers on with grace and does a pretty darn good job of dealing with her personal issues and working her tail off to market Sweet Dreams. My admiration and respect for her grew by leaps and bounds.

It was wonderful hanging out with Nora, Cricket and Lindsay again. The story flows seamlessly, the characters are so likable and easy to relate to, you can’t help but empathize with them. Ms. Garner does a beautiful job creating the perfect world for these characters that drew me in so completely, I didn’t want the story to end.

My Final Verdict: I really hope this series continues. Nothing pulls on my sweet tooth the way ice cream does and I really would like another scoop.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of Sundaes with Nora from the author in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Lending A Paw by Laurie Cass

Title: Lending a Paw (A Bookmobile Cat Mystery #1)
Author: Laurie Cass
Publisher: NAL
Publication Date: December 2013
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: With the help of her rescue cat, Eddie, librarian Minnie Hamilton is driving a bookmobile based in the resort town of Chilson, Michigan. But she’d better keep both hands on the wheel, because it’s going to be a bumpy ride…

Eddie followed Minnie home one day, and now she can’t seem to shake the furry little shadow. But despite her efforts to contain her new pal, the tabby sneaks out and trails her all the way to the bookmobile on its maiden voyage. Before she knows it, her slinky stowaway becomes her cat co-pilot!

Minnie and Eddie’s first day visiting readers around the county seems to pass without trouble—until Eddie darts outside at the last stop and leads her to the body of a local man who’s reached his final chapter.

Initially, Minnie is ready to let the police handle this case, but Eddie seems to smell a rat. Together, they’ll work to find the killer—because a good librarian always knows when justice is overdue.

My Thoughts: I enjoy the cozy mystery genre because they typically are lighter, more humorous and whimsical than the grittier mysteries and when I’m not in the mood for the intensity that the harder mysteries oftentimes will bring, I’ve had excellent luck with the cozier variety.

This story is the first in a series featuring Eddie the feline who makes himself more than comfortable aboard a bookmobile and the librarian he adopts. I usually like stories that feature a dog or cat as one of the central characters and this one is no exception. Eddie has a lot of personality and communicates very effectively. The problem is he isn’t allowed on the bookmobile and I spent a lot of the story just waiting for him and Minnie to get caught by her supervisor, who has quite a large stick up his rear end.

For me, the story dragged a bit and seemed to veer away from the mystery and sleuthing, but everything works out in the end and Eddie’s presence on the bookmobile remains a secret, for now.

My Final Verdict: There are currently nine stories in this series and I’m looking forward to Eddie’s next adventure on the bookmobile.

REVIEW: The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

Title: The Silent Patient
Author: Alex Michaelides
Publisher: Caladon Books
Publication Date: February 2019
Genre: Thriller / Suspense
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: Alicia Berenson’s life is seemingly perfect. A famous painter married to an in-demand fashion photographer, she lives in a grand house with big windows overlooking a park in one of London’s most desirable areas. One evening her husband Gabriel returns home late from a fashion shoot, and Alicia shoots him five times in the face, and then never speaks another word.

Alicia’s refusal to talk, or give any kind of explanation, turns a domestic tragedy into something far grander, a mystery that captures the public imagination and casts Alicia into notoriety. The price of her art skyrockets, and she, the silent patient, is hidden away from the tabloids and spotlight at the Grove, a secure forensic unit in North London.

Theo Faber is a criminal psychotherapist who has waited a long time for the opportunity to work with Alicia. His determination to get her to talk and unravel the mystery of why she shot her husband takes him down a twisting path into his own motivations—a search for the truth that threatens to consume him...

My Thoughts: A gripping and intense story about a woman who appears to have the perfect life and marriage. She is a talented painter, married to a very successful fashion photographer. They live in a beautiful home in a very posh neighborhood. Alicia’s life takes a downward spiral one evening when her husband comes home late and she shoots him multiple times and then becomes near catatonic, never uttering another word.

An explosive premise creating more questions than answers to Alicia’s actions kept me engaged throughout the entire story. Why did she kill her husband? Why is she not speaking? Her guilt was never a question as she was found with the weapon and the forensic evidence proved her guilt. The reasons why she did it appear to be locked in her mind and she isn’t telling anyone.

Theo was an interesting character. He has followed Alicia’s case from the beginning and is excited at the opportunity to be Alicia’s psychotherapist. He is determined to be the one to unravel the secrets locked away in Alicia’s mind, to get her to open up and speak about what happened. I kept wondering why he was so interested in Alicia’s case and what was driving him to near obsessive measures to reach her. He’s a likable character and appears to care about his silent patient’s well-being. Alicia is a murderer and there were moments that I truly believed she would kill Theo, but I felt a lot of empathy for her. I was rooting for Theo to succeed and break Alicia out of her self-imposed prison.

This story takes the reader into the lives of both Alicia and Theo, both present-day and in the past. The author does an excellent job of creating characters that are easy to relate to but are also intriguing and very mysterious. He has a brilliant talent of writing the scenes so descriptively that the reader feels they are more than a casual observer or bystander. The plot flows easily and the transitions between present-day and the past are smooth.

My Final Verdict: There are some major twists and turns in this story that I did not see coming and it completely blew me away making this my favorite book of 2020. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys an interesting story with characters who will shock and surprise the reader to the very end.

REVIEW: The Power Of Love by Kemberlee Shortland

Title: The Power Of Love
Author: Kemberlee Shortland
Publisher: Tirgearr Publishing
Publication Date: October 2019
Genre: Contemporary Romance / Christmas Holiday
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN

Description: When Elaine Donovan discovers she's pregnant, she hesitates telling her husband, Ethan. They're newlyweds and plan to wait until they're ready to start a family. Ethan surprises her by accepting early parenthood, embracing the idea more fully than either of them expects.

When they receive bad news after a prenatal exam, both must face that their charmed lives are about to come crashing down around them.

Do Christmas wishes really come true? Elaine is staking her life on it!

My Thoughts: This book has a happy ending, but what a heart-wrencher it was getting there! Kemberlee Shortland is a master at pulling on my heartstrings with this highly emotional story of newlyweds Elaine and Ethan who face the hardest of announcements at a pre-natal exam. I loved how this couple has a love for one another that brings them closer together with the arrival of bad news instead of tearing them apart.

The story flows smoothly and I really liked Elaine and Ethan. Their emotions come alive on the page, in bright color and sound. I felt like I was in the room with them praying alongside them for a Christmas miracle.

My Final Verdict: This is a short and quick read that readers looking for a little boost to their reading pile should grab a copy.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of The Power Of Love from the author in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: A Very Merry Manhattan Christmas by Darcie Boleyn

Title: A Very Merry Manhattan Christmas
Author: Darcie Boleyn
Publisher: Canelo
Publication Date: November 2016
Genre: Chick-Lit / Women’s Fiction / Christmas Holiday
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN

Description: Lucie Quigley hates Christmas. It’s the time of year when everything goes wrong in her life. So this year, when she’s asked to be a bridesmaid at her friend Petra’s Manhattan wedding, she jumps at the invitation to escape the festivities.

Dale Treharne has been best friends with Lucie for as long as he can remember. He’s used to looking out for his oldest friend and when she asks him to be her plus one, he can’t seem to find a reason to refuse. Instead, he sees it as a way to help Lucie get through what is, for her, the most miserable time of the year.

In New York, as the snow starts to fall, Lucie and Dale start to realize that their feelings run deeper than just friendship. But can they overcome their pasts, and make it a very merry Manhattan Christmas?

My Thoughts: I had high expectations with this book to really make the charm and whimsy of Christmas explode around me. Christmas in Manhattan sounds wonderful and it was, but it just took too long for Lucie and Dale to get there. Instead, I felt like too much time was spent lying to family and friends about their fake relationship as an excuse for missing Christmas and how they will “break up” when they get back.

I also felt completely uninformed and in the dark about what happened to Lucie’s mother and why she hates Christmas. Hints are dropped all over the book with a large thud that took me out of the story wondering what happened and wishing they would spit it out already.

What I really liked about this book is the real relationship Lucie and Dale have. The one they are ignoring, or trying to. The deep love and friendship they have for one another is something few people find but most of us spend a lifetime looking for. I loved how Dale is there for Lucie, day or night, rain or shine. It was obvious to me how deeply his feelings for Lucie are and how hard he tries to hold it inside. I was very happy when they finally got honest with one another and bared their hearts and souls.

This book has a lot of interesting characters and I had a difficult time understanding how Lucie and Petra were even friends, much less having Lucie be a bridesmaid. However, the starts and stops I had to endure in the beginning were made up for by the interesting twist the story takes when Lucie and Dale get to Manhattan. I loved the horse-drawn carriage ride through Central Park and going to Rockefeller Center to see the tree and ice-skating.

My Final Verdict: Although this book had a lot of moments that dragged for me, I liked the story overall. I thought Dale and Lucie were good characters and their emotions were so raw and powerful in their intensity at times. I even felt a little compassion for Petra by the end. This was a good choice for my Christmas themed stories and readers who think Manhattan at Christmas time is the place to be should give this one a look.

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

REVIEW: Connections In Death by J.D. Robb

Title: Connections in Death (In Death #48)
Author: J.D. Robb
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Publication Date: February 2019
Genre: Urban Fantasy / Mystery
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: In this gritty and gripping new novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling series, Eve Dallas fights to save the innocent—and serve justice to the guilty—on the streets of New York.

Homicide cop Eve Dallas and her billionaire husband, Roarke, are building a brand-new school and youth shelter. They know that the hard life can lead kids toward dangerous crossroads—and with this new project, they hope to nudge a few more of them onto the right path. For expert help, they hire child psychologist Dr. Rochelle Pickering—whose own brother pulled himself out of a spiral of addiction and crime with Rochelle’s support.

Lyle is living with Rochelle while he gets his life together, and he’s thrilled to hear about his sister’s new job offer. But within hours, triumph is followed by tragedy. Returning from a celebratory dinner with her boyfriend, she finds Lyle dead with a syringe in his lap, and Eve’s investigation confirms that this wasn’t just another OD. After all his work to get clean, Lyle’s been pumped full of poison—and a neighbor with a peephole reports seeing a scruffy, pink-haired girl fleeing the scene.

Now Eve and Roarke must venture into the gang territory where Lyle used to run, and the ugly underground world of tattoo parlors and strip joints where everyone has taken a wrong turn somewhere. They both believe in giving people a second chance. Maybe even a third or fourth. But as far as they’re concerned, whoever gave the order on Lyle Pickering’s murder has run out of chances…

My Thoughts: One of the things that make Eve and Roarke such interesting and intriguing characters is how they have pulled themselves out of a life of violence, despair and ultimate misery and made something of themselves, individually and as a couple. Yes, Roarke is the richest man in the universe who buys and sells planets like they are baseball trading cards, but at his heart, he is a humanitarian who happily uses his wealth, power and influence to make life a little better for those who society discards and writes off.

Roarke has taken on the building of a school and youth shelter, which he hopes will help the children in the area make better choices to help them on the path to success. He hires child psychologist Rochelle Pickering because she knows better than anyone what a life of addiction and crime can do. Her brother, Lyle, lived that life until she helped him overcome it and with her help he has found his way back to sobriety and stability.

Unfortunately, Lyle’s success is short-lived when Rochelle comes home to find him dead with a syringe, an apparent overdose, another statistic. Eve doesn’t see it that way and quickly determines that Lyle’s death has been staged to appear as an overdose but she knows he was murdered. Eve knows that Lyle’s former gang is involved but tracking down who gave the order is a little more difficult and not so obvious. This story had a lot of unexpected twists and turns, several villains and agendas. A lot more than meets the eye, but Eve does not let that slow her down. In fact, I think it motivates her more to solve it.

My Final Verdict: With forty-eight installments in this series and more to come, what surprises me about this series is how thorough and meticulous Eve continues to be. I love how her brain works, organized and compartmentalized. She remembers the most trivial and smallest of details. I’m starting to wonder if she’s actually human or droid. More surprising is that she can solve the most intricate and twisted of murder cases, but she has been unable to figure out who the candy thief in her office is. Or, maybe she has…stay tuned…

REVIEW: Leverage In Death by J.D. Robb

Title: Leverage In Death (In Death #47)
Author: J.D. Robb
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Publication Date: September 2018
Genre: Urban Fantasy / Mystery / Suspense
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: Lieutenant Eve Dallas puzzles over a bizarre suicide bombing in a Wall St. office building in the latest in the #1 New York Times bestselling series…

For the airline executives finalizing a merger that would make news in the business world, the nine a.m. meeting would be a major milestone. But after marketing VP Paul Rogan walked into the plush conference room, strapped with explosives, the headlines told of death and destruction instead. The NYPSD’s Eve Dallas confirms that Rogan was cruelly coerced by two masked men holding his family hostage. His motive was saving his wife and daughter―but what was the motive of the masked men?

Despite the chaos and bad publicity, blowing up one meeting isn’t going to put the brakes on the merger. All it’s accomplished is shattering a lot of innocent lives. Now, with the help of her billionaire husband Roarke, Eve must untangle the reason for an inexplicable act of terror, look at suspects inside and outside both corporations, and determine whether the root of this crime lies in simple sabotage, or something far more complex and twisted.

My Thoughts: What an intense nail-biter plot this story offers! I could not wrap my mind around the abject fear, horror, misery and anguish these people felt knowing they were going to die, choosing to die because the alternative is too horrible to imagine. Once again, J.D. Robb pulls out all the stops to deliver another in death installment that knocks my little white cotton socks right off my feet.

More than that, I get such a good buzz from hanging around these characters, they are interesting and fun to be around. I especially love that Robb makes them real. They aren’t just one dimensional characters. They have so many layers to their personalities and after forty-seven books, I still believe there is much more to them.

My Final Verdict: Stories that continue to deliver intensity while maintaining an intriguing edge and characters that always entertain and surprise me remains the biggest reason I keep coming back to this series. I try to figure the case out before Eve and Roarke put it together, but I usually fail and that’s completely fine with me.

REVIEW: Lizzie's Christmas Escape by Christie Barlow

Title: Lizzie’s Christmas Escape
Author: Christie Barlow
Publisher: Bookouture
Publication Date: October 2016
Genre: Chick-Lit / Christmas Holiday
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN

Description: A gorgeous country house hotel, a liberal dusting of snow, a cozy weekend away…what more could Lizzie ask for at Christmas?

Every Christmas Lizzie promises herself that things will change and she will leap into the new year a new woman. And yet here she is again, at the beginning of December and nothing is different. Her girls have grown up and left home, her husband Henry is slumped in front of the TV and she is alone in the kitchen, seeking refuge in the cooking sherry and talking to her Gary Barlow calendar. She’s also been very diverted by handsome new neighbor Marcus and she knows she shouldn’t be …

So when best friend Ann suggests a weekend away in the country, Lizzie jumps at the chance. Will this Christmas escape give Lizzie some much needed perspective and allow her to mend her marriage? Or will Marcus prove to be too much of a distraction?

My Thoughts: There is so much more to this story than what meets the eye and I had to struggle a little bit as my feelings for Lizzie changed quite a bit as I got further into the story. I began with a lot of empathy for her and her situation. She’s been married a long time, her children are grown and away at university and her husband barely acknowledges her existence other than to ask when dinner is ready. I felt bad for her and when she meets her new neighbor Marcus, it seemed innocent but then the flirtation starts to take on a very serious tone and I had a much harder time feeling any empathy for Lizzie. I began to get angry because as cold and distant as Henry was, Lizzie never communicates her feelings to him. He deserved a swift kick and a shoe thrown at his head, but it annoyed the living daylights out of me that Lizzie so quickly embarked on this fling with Marcus without even TRYING to resolve the issues in her marriage! Also, the Christmas escape is more of an afterthought that occurred near the end of the story after Lizzie’s life is already in shambles.

I’m glad I didn’t give up on this story, however, because I was surprised at how it all played out and it resolved very well. In the end, I ended up feeling a lot of empathy for Lizzie, but also admiration. I was pleased to see her take full responsibility for her actions when confronted by not only her husband but her daughters. She also demonstrates a lot of courage by starting her own business, something she always wanted but never dared to try.

The story flows well and the characters were easy to engage with. I especially liked Lizzie’s friend, Ann, who demonstrates loyalty to Lizzie even though she is going through her own trials. Lizzie is lucky to have her as a friend. There are some surprise twists that came out of left field, but it enhanced the story very well.

My Final Verdict: Although I struggled with a few parts of the story, I recommend this story to readers who are looking for a story about forgiveness and second chances because isn’t Christmas the season of hope?

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of Lizzie’s Christmas Escape from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: A New York Love Story by Cassie Rocca

Title: A New York Love Story (Blame It On New York, #1)
Author: Cassie Rocca
Publisher: Aria
Publication Date: October 2016
Genre: Chick-Lit / Women’s Fiction
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN

Description: Giving a present is not always easy. Clover O’Brian knows that only too well: her job consists of helping people in the arduous task of choosing unusual gifts. Christmas is coming, New York is buzzing, and Clover, who has always loved the festive period, savors the atmosphere.

Cade Harrison already has everything in life. A Hollywood actor, he is handsome, rich, famous and popular. Success, however, has its downsides; having just emerged from a disastrous relationship with an actress, he feels a need to hide away in an area unfrequented by stars, in a house lent to him by a friend, far from prying eyes – especially those of tabloid reporters. But as chance will have it, the house in question is right opposite the one occupied by Clover, who until now has seen Hollywood actors only on the big screen. Two quite different lives meet by chance, at the most exhilarating time of year…

My Thoughts: Christmas in New York is one of my bucket list items. Watching the tree lighting at Rockefeller Center, ice-skating (OK, watching the ice-skaters), horse-drawn carriage ride through Central Park, hot-chocolate at Serendipity all bring an atmosphere of Christmas joy to my mind and in this story, I got to tag along with Clover and Cade and experience it through their eyes. Not all of these things happen in this story, but these are the things I would love to do in New York at Christmas.

I liked Clover and Cade, but it was little off-putting for me at first how abrasive she comes across when she meets Cade for the first time. She struck me as a little rude and obnoxious at first, but I soon chalked it up to her trying to keep things light. After meeting her family, I understood why she keeps many people at arm’s length. Cade is very guarded and suspicious of people, being a Hollywood superstar and with good reason. Hiding out on Long Island for Christmas sounds like the perfect escape from the Hollywood gossip rags and the bad breakup he left there.

Clover and Cade couldn’t be more opposite in everything; in fact their lives, likes and dislikes are polar opposites from one another. I really didn’t see how they would find their way to one another; much less create enough chemistry to fill a story. Cassie Rocca does a good job of revealing not only both characters in all of their vulnerability, but using their insecurities to break down the walls they each have built around themselves. I enjoyed watching this couple learn to trust each other and let their guard down.

My Final Verdict: A good choice for readers who enjoy a cute story in New York at Christmas. It will make you want to go outside and make snow angels.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of A New York Love Story from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Twelve Slays of Christmas by Jacqueline Frost

Title: Twelve Slays of Christmas (Christmas Tree Farm Mystery #1)
Author: Jacqueline Frost
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books
Publication Date: October 2017
Genre: Cozy Mystery / Christmas Holiday
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: When Holly White's fiancé cancels their Christmas Eve wedding with less than two weeks to go, Holly heads home with a broken heart. Lucky for her, home in historic Mistletoe, Maine is magical during Christmastime--exactly what the doctor prescribed. Except her plan to drown her troubles in peppermints and snickerdoodles is upended when local grouch and president of the Mistletoe Historical Society Margaret Fenwick is bludgeoned and left in the sleigh display at Reindeer Games, Holly's family tree farm.

When the murder weapon is revealed as one of the wooden stakes used to identify trees on the farm, Sheriff Evan Grey turns to Holly's father, Bud, and the Reindeer Games staff. And it doesn't help that Bud and the reindeer keeper were each seen arguing with Margaret just before her death. But Holly knows her father, and is determined to exonerate him. The jingle bells are ringing, the clock is ticking, and if Holly doesn't watch out, she'll end up on Santa's naughty list.

My Thoughts: You are probably thinking how schmaltzy that this story takes place in the town of Mistletoe, Maine, the female protagonist is named Holly and she comes home to her childhood home, Reindeer Games, where the best Christmas trees are sold as well as yummy snickerdoodles and hot chocolate. I agree but it still didn’t stop me from wanting to be there, especially at Christmas time.

Holly doesn’t have a lot of time to enjoy the celebratory atmosphere as the town grump who also happens to be the president of the town’s historical society is murdered and Holly’s father appears to be the primary suspect. Having your dad arrested for murder does not contribute to a holiday spirit, so Holly quickly begins looking into the matter herself, despite the hunky new Sheriff telling Holly to butt out.

I really enjoyed the premise of this story and was a great addition to my annual Christmas theme reading. The author creates very personable characters that the reader can relate to easily and quickly. The story flows smoothly and is well-written. I especially liked how the town of Mistletoe, Maine is one of the characters readers will also love. The author did such a fantastic job of illustrating the town, I got a strong sense of Mistletoe’s charm very quickly which added to the whimsy of the holiday season.

My Final Verdict: If you like your bludgeoning and murdering to be packed with festive Christmas cheer, you can’t go wrong with this book. The next book in the series, ’Twas The Knife Before Christmas is ready to go for next Christmas and I’m looking forward to more from this author.

REVIEW: Dark In Death by J.D. Robb

Title: Dark In Death (In Death #46)
Author: J.D. Robb
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Publication Date: January 2018
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: It was a stab in the dark.

On a chilly February night, during a screening of Psycho in midtown, someone sunk an ice pick into the back of Chanel Rylan’s neck, then disappeared quietly into the crowds of drunks and tourists in Times Square. To Chanel’s best friend, who had just slipped out of the theater for a moment to take a call, it felt as unreal as the ancient black-and-white movie up on the screen. But Chanel’s blood ran red, and her death was anything but fictional.

Then, as Eve Dallas puzzles over a homicide that seems carefully planned and yet oddly personal, she receives a tip from an unexpected source: an author of police thrillers who recognizes the crime—from the pages of her own book. Dallas doesn’t think it’s coincidence, since a recent strangulation of a sex worker resembles a scene from her writing as well. Cops look for patterns of behavior: similar weapons, similar MOs. But this killer seems to find inspiration in someone else’s imagination, and if the theory holds, this may be only the second of a long-running series.

The good news is that Eve and her billionaire husband Roarke have an excuse to curl up in front of the fireplace with their cat, Galahad, reading mystery stories for research. The bad news is that time is running out before the next victim plays an unwitting role in a murderer’s deranged private drama—and only Eve can put a stop to a creative impulse gone horribly, destructively wrong.

My Thoughts: Another winner in the series and what makes this one so interesting is the murderer is committing the murders exactly as they are written by an author of police thrillers. Usually with serial killers, there are patterns to be followed. There is often a common thread connecting the victims or the MO of the crime is typically the same. This killer uses different methods and the victims are pretty random. Until the author comes forward, this doesn’t seem like a case that Eve will easily solve.

How frightening it must be for an author to recognize their work being copied by a maniac, someone trying to take credit for their work and takes their revenge in the most heinous manner. The killer in this story was insane, no doubt about it, but the precision with which they carry out their retribution gave me chills.

I really enjoyed that Eve and Roarke have to delve into the author’s others works to research how and where the killer may strike next. It totally helps that Summerset is out of the house, away on vacation so Eve and Roarke are afforded peace, quiet and privacy to work the case.

With all too many series, the stories begin to stagnate and are often not as large. They become cookie-cutter and repetitive and the reader can figure everything out pretty quickly. Happily this series has not done that. Each installment features an interesting plot that blends gritty murder scenes, spot-on investigations, humor and romance all neatly packaged with characters that continue to impress and amaze me.

My Final Verdict: I prefer this series on audio. The emotion and depth the narrator gives the characters, especially Eve, brings more enjoyment to the story. Eve’s snark and sarcasm shine through brighter and more vivid than on the page, which heightens the entertainment value of the story. Whatever format the reader chooses to read this series, they are sure to be entertained for several hours and will anticipate the next installment with equal parts anticipation and impatience.

REVIEW: Christmas Kisses by Allison May

Title: Christmas Kisses
Author: Alison May
Publisher: Choc Lit
Publication Date: November 2017
Genre: Chick-Lit
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN

Description: Three girls, three kisses, three gorgeous Christmas stories...

Holly hates Christmas with a passion and can't wait to escape it - but then the flight to her once-in-a-lifetime holiday destination is canceled...

Cora has had the year from hell, and faces a bleak Christmas working in Golding's department store - in the most unflattering reindeer costume imaginable...

Jessica is in denial after her husband's betrayal, and can't help but think back to when her life still seemed so full of hope and promise...

Three years from hell, three sets of broken dreams, three girls in desperate need of Christmas spirit. Is the perfect Christmas kiss all it takes?

Includes Holly's Christmas Kiss, Cora's Christmas Kiss and Jessica's Christmas Kiss.

My Thoughts: My first pick for Christmas themed reading of 2019 started out magnificently with Christmas Kisses by new to me author Alison May. Three individual stories focusing on a different character who have all lost the Christmas spirit. The main thing I enjoyed is that even though each story is individual, they are all connected and I really enjoyed all of them. I found the character’s engaging and their experiences intriguing and interesting and I had a difficult time putting the book down. Thinking back, I’ve tried to pick a favorite of the three, but it’s nearly impossible. I had empathy for each character and their situation and was invested in their situation from the beginning.

My Final Verdict: Readers looking for a wonderful story to bring out the Christmas cheer and the spirit of the holiday should definitely start here. Though this was my first read by Alison May and the publisher, I hope it won’t be my last.

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

REVIEW: Hardcore Twenty-Four by Janet Evanovich

Title: Hardcore Twenty-Four (Stephanie Plum #24)
Author: Janet Evanovich
Publisher: Bantam
Publication Date: November 2017
Genre: Contemporary Romance / General Fiction
Buy The Book: Amazon  | BN | Audible

Description: Trouble comes in bunches for Stephanie Plum. First, professional grave robber and semi-professional loon, Simon Diggery, won’t let her take him in until she agrees to care for his boa constrictor, Ethel. Stephanie’s main qualification for babysitting an extremely large snake is that she owns a stun gun - whether that’s for use on the wandering serpent or the petrified neighbors remains to be seen.

Events take a dark turn when headless bodies start appearing across town. At first, it’s just corpses from a funeral home and the morgue that have had the heads removed. But when a homeless man is murdered and dumped behind a church Stephanie knows that she’s the only one with a prayer of catching this killer.

If all that’s not enough, Diesel’s back in town. The 6-foot-tall, blonde-haired hunk is a man who accepts no limits—that includes locked doors, closed windows and underwear. Trenton’s hottest cop, Joe Morelli isn’t pleased at this unexpected arrival nor is Ranger, the high-powered security consultant who has his own plans for Stephanie.

As usual Jersey’s favorite bounty hunter is stuck in the middle with more questions than answers. What’s the deal with Grandma Mazur’s latest online paramour? Who is behind the startling epidemic of mutilated corpses? And is the enigmatic Diesel’s sudden appearance a coincidence or the cause of recent deadly events?

My Thoughts: Just meh...this series is over done and beyond its prime. The characters have become stagnant, redundant and repetitive. The stories have become weak and are bordering on annoying. I used to feel entertained at how many cars Stephanie can go through in a book or how many times Grandma Mazur causes Stephanie's mother to take a swig from the whiskey bottle, but it's just getting too ridiculous to continue and I'm starting to get bored.

I think it's time for Stephanie to get her ass off the fence, choose Ranger or Joe (at this point I don't even care anymore) and do something with her life. I never thought I would agree with her mother, but maybe Stephanie needs to go get that job at the button factory and give up her bond enforcement gig.

This series has brought some very great moments of laughing so hard, tears were rolling down my face. I will always cherish those moments when Grandma Mazur pulls out her gun at the dinner table and murders the Sunday meal or when a severed penis is delivered to Stephanie. “It's a penis,' Grandma said. 'Stephanie got it in the mail. It's a pretty good one too.” and “Sliced off like a chicken neck and stuck with a hatpin. Reminded me of my husband.” Lula leaned forward so she could whisper. “You talking about size? Was your man’s part that big?” “Heck no,” Grandma said. “His part was that dead.” Good times.

My Final Verdict: Ms. Evanovich has my everlasting love and gratitude for that, but it's time to put this puppy to bed and move on to a new project.

REVIEW: Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell

Title: Then She Was Gone
Author: Lisa Jewell
Publisher: Atria Books
Publication Date: April 2018
Genre: Thriller / Suspense
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: THEN:

She was fifteen, her mother's golden girl. She had her whole life ahead of her. And then, in the blink of an eye, Ellie was gone.

NOW:

It’s been ten years since Ellie disappeared, but Laurel has never given up hope of finding her daughter.

And then one day a charming and charismatic stranger called Floyd walks into a café and sweeps Laurel off her feet.

Before too long she’s staying the night at this house and being introduced to his nine year old daughter.

Poppy is precocious and pretty - and meeting her completely takes Laurel's breath away.

Because Poppy is the spitting image of Ellie when she was that age. And now all those unanswered questions that have haunted Laurel come flooding back.

What happened to Ellie? Where did she go?

Who still has secrets to hide?

My Thoughts: Very dark and disturbing story about a woman’s search for her fifteen year old daughter who vanished without a trace ten years ago. By pure chance she meets a man who sweeps her off her feet and she meets his nine year old daughter who is the spitting image of her missing daughter.

This story switches between the past and the present of Laurel’s life. The time before her daughter went missing and ten years later after Laurel’s marriage and life are torn apart and she is trying to pick up the pieces and move on. We also get a front row seat into the perspective of the person responsible for Ellie’s disappearance, which I found equally riveting, repulsive and horrifying. Finding out who was responsible wasn’t what disturbed me the most. Finding out the why it happened and events resulting from that moment depict a character so warped and dangerous and with no redeeming qualities that I could discern.

I liked this author’s voice and her ability to weave a story with so many twists and turns that keeps the reader anticipating what happens next. The characters also have many layers and just when you think you know them well enough to figure out their next move, they surprise you. The psychotic lunatic responsible for Ellie’s disappearance is such a character. As Ellie must have felt confusion and shock, trying to understand why this is happening to her, so does the reader at the various displays of alternating concern for Ellie coupled with anger and bitter hatred.

My Final Verdict: Fans of thrillers and mysteries will enjoy this story. I also recommend this book to readers who enjoy complex characters who are not so easy to figure out and intricately woven storylines that will surprise and shock the reader. I also recommend the audio-book version of this book as the emotions and voices make the story richer.

REVIEW: Suddenly Sorceress by Erica Lucke Dean

Title: Suddenly Sorceress (Ivie McKie #1)
Author: Erica Lucke Dean
Publisher: Red Adept Publishing, LLC
Publication Date: December 2013
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN

Description: PMS can be a real witch.

Ivie McKie isn’t your run-of-the-mill kindergarten teacher. After an encounter with a horny goat, followed by a confrontation with her lying, cheating fiancé, Ivie is shocked when the big jerk suddenly transforms into a skunk—the black and white furry variety.

Enlisting the help of her shopaholic friend Chloe and sexy club magician Jackson Blake, Ivie is forced to play a literal game of cat and mouse as she races against the clock to change her ex back before she's arrested for his murder.

With every new spell comes a fresh wave of sexual desire, drawing Jack further into Ivie’s troubles—her panties, the car, the kitchen, and assorted seedy bathrooms along the way.

Ivie soon discovers what every witch worth her spell book knows: There’s nothing worse than a bad case of Post Magical Syndrome.

My Thoughts: The timing for Suddenly Sorceress by new to me author Erica Lucke Dean couldn’t have been more perfect. With Halloween right around the corner, this book caught my attention at an opportune time. It’s a great story to kick off a series about a sorceress who doesn’t know she is a witch until her jerk of an ex-fiancé demands the ring back so he can give it to another woman. Not really sure how it happened but when Ivie comes back to her senses, Matt the Rat is now a skunk…literally.

Now, Ivie is racing around trying to figure out how to change Matt back before the police come knocking. Along the way, she changes him into a snake and a few breeds of dog. There may have been a rat in there somewhere too. I had a hard time keeping it all straight but since he was a creep, I didn’t spend a lot of time worrying about his condition. It seemed that Matt had full awareness of what was happening to him and I really liked that, though he doesn’t show one iota of remorse for the crappy way he has treated Ivie. Personally, she should have left him as a skunk and had Animal Control come and pick him up. He doesn’t deserve to walk upright on two legs.

I really enjoyed this story and the shenanigans Ivie and her BFF get into wrangling help from two magicians. I especially enjoyed the Ivie’s relationship with Jackson. All I will say is that he is not all he appears to be. This story ends on a high note for both Ivie and her BFF (kudos to Chloe for her brilliant Halloween costume idea) and leaves a major segue into the next book.

My Final Verdict: A very good choice for readers wanting a Halloween theme story that will hold their attention with the zany storyline that gave me many laugh out loud moments. Fans of paranormal romance will enjoy the backstory of how Ivie got her powers and the effects using magic has on her.

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

REVIEW: One Day In December by Josie Silver

Title: One Day in December
Author: Josie Silver
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Publication Date: October 2018
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: Two people. Ten chances. One unforgettable love story.

Laurie is pretty sure love at first sight doesn't exist anywhere but the movies. But then, through a misted-up bus window one snowy December day, she sees a man who she knows instantly is the one. Their eyes meet, there's a moment of pure magic... and then her bus drives away.

Certain they're fated to find each other again, Laurie spends a year scanning every bus stop and cafe in London for him. But she doesn't find him, not when it matters anyway. Instead they "reunite" at a Christmas party, when her best friend Sarah giddily introduces her new boyfriend to Laurie. It's Jack, the man from the bus. It would be.

What follows for Laurie, Sarah and Jack is ten years of friendship, heartbreak, missed opportunities, roads not taken, and destinies reconsidered. One Day in December is a joyous, heartwarming and immensely moving love story to escape into and a reminder that fate takes inexplicable turns along the route to happiness.

My Thoughts: Imagine it…you’re living your life, today being another day just like every other day, and fate kicks you right in the gut when you see “the one” through the window of the bus on which you are riding home. Your eyes meet and you know, you feel the jolt, and then the bus drives away before that person can get on board. This is exactly what happens to Laurie one snowy December day on her way home from work. She is the type of woman who doesn’t really subscribe to romance and is mostly convinced that true love is a plot device used to sell movie tickets. Call me a romantic sap but this book nailed it on all levels. From the moment Laurie first sees Jack through the bus window, the following year she is trolling bus stops and cafés in the hope of finding him to ultimately crossing paths with him when he is being introduced to her as her best friend’s new boyfriend, the author does a brilliant job of drawing the reader into every emotion and thought Laurie is feeling.

Laurie can’t stop living her life and she would never dream of hurting her best friend to tell her that Jack is “the one” she has been searching for all this time. This story focuses instead on the beautiful friendship Laurie and Jack develop over ten years. Though it’s heartbreaking at times, it’s all too realistic as they each to pretend not to feel what they feel.

I adored Laurie and Jack and though I normally get frustrated at the “missed opportunity” plot device. However, the author wrote this one so beautifully that I couldn’t be frustrated as I really liked Laurie’s best friend, Sarah, too. When a story touches the heart as this one did and there are no villains, I cheer for everyone to get their happily ever after and I am avidly rooting for them. These are people just like us; good people who deserve better than what fate has thrown at them. I loved seeing how Laurie and Jack remained good people who didn’t just think of themselves.

Though this story spans ten years, yes you read that right, TEN YEARS, it doesn’t feel like it because the story flows so smoothly that it seems everything happens in the blink of an eye. The one and ONLY downside to this story is that it takes TEN YEARS for resolution and closure, but like Laurie and Jack, I was all in to see this through. My sappy heart couldn’t get enough of this charming, witty and heartwarming story.

My Final Verdict: Fans with a sappy heart like mine will adore this story, but readers with less sap who are drawn to charming characters, witty dialogue and an interesting storyline will enjoy this as well.

REVIEW: Fairytale Beginnings by Holly Martin

Title: Fairytale Beginnings
Author: Holly Martin
Publisher: Bookouture
Publication Date: July 2015
Genre: Chick-Lit
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN

Description: Love is an open door…except when it keeps slamming in your face.

Hopeless romantic Milly Rose has had her fair share of heartbreak. Obsessed with all things Disney, she refuses to give up on finding her Prince Charming – he’s out there somewhere, isn’t he?

When Milly is given a job to investigate the origins of an historical building in the village of Clovers Rest, she’s not sure what to expect. What she discovers takes her breath away - a beautiful real life Cinderella castle, complete with turrets, a magnificent drawbridge AND a very handsome owner…Cameron Heartstone.

As Milly and Cameron begin to unearth the secrets of Clover Castle, they can’t ignore the intense chemistry building between them. But they’ve both been hurt badly before. Can they take a big leap of faith and find their own happily-ever-after?

My Thoughts: Fairytale Beginnings by new to me author Holly Martin was a cute story about a girl who finds her happily ever after in the most unexpected way. Milly is an unusual character; very likable and easy to relate to but she initially comes across to me as immature. She’s obsessed with all things Disney, wears sparkly pink everything and appears to be in over her head with her job assignment. I found Cameron to be very likable and easy to relate to as well but didn’t think he and Milly had an instant chemistry. I honestly struggled with this book because the story seemed to meander without really going anywhere.

Happily things picked up as Milly and Cameron began spending more time together, exploring the castle and grounds and researching the history. The introduction of a ghost, meeting the odd villagers and the arrival of Cruella deVil’s little sister, Olivia reignited my interest. This book took much longer to read than I would have liked, but once it started to pick up, I was locked in with anticipation of what would happen next. Unsolved mysteries, secret passageways leading to God knows where, lost treasure and a beautiful castle that draws the reader in with a subtle magical bippity boppity boo and before I knew it, I was enjoying the story.

Readers who look for a happily ever after in the stories they read will enjoy this offering, once they get past the slow beginning.

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

REVIEW: The Other Woman by Sandie Jones

Title: The Other Woman
Author: Sandie Jones
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: August 2018
Genre: Thriller / Suspense / Women’s Fiction
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: A deliciously disturbing, compulsively readable debut domestic suspense—prepare to meet The Other Woman: there’s nothing she won’t do to keep you away from her son...

Emily thinks Adam's perfect; the man she thought she'd never meet. But lurking in the shadows is a rival; a woman who shares a deep bond with the man she loves.

Emily chose Adam, but she didn’t choose his mother Pammie. There’s nothing a mother wouldn’t do for her son, and now Emily is about to find out just how far Pammie will go to get what she wants: Emily gone forever.

The Other Woman is an addictive, fast-paced psychological thriller about the destructive relationship between Emily, her boyfriend Adam, and his manipulative mother Pammie.

My Thoughts: Sandie Jones delivers a nail-biter of an intense thriller with this book. Emily and Adam meet and fall in love and begin making plans to build a life together. Emily believes life with Adam is perfect except for Adam’s mother, Pammie. On the surface, Pammie comes across as a loving mother who would do anything for her children, but underneath the smiles and words, Emily believes Pammie is manipulative and is out to destroy her relationship with Adam, determined to break them up.

The great thing about this book is how realistic it is. So many women can relate to this scenario. Meeting the man of your dreams only to discover his mother is a hateful witch can really put a damper on things, ultimately can destroy the relationship if Mr. Wonderful is put in a position of having to choose his mother or his love. For some women, no woman will ever be good enough for their son and they will pull out all the stops to do what they have to do to ensure their son sees that.

This was a fast paced story and I could not put this story down. I fluctuated between pity and animosity for Pammie. She initially comes across as weak and helpless, using a multitude of excuses to summon Adam to her side and Adam seems unable to see that and is more than willing to drop what he is doing and immediately rush to her beck and call. Of course, Emily can see it very clearly and though she initially accommodates Pammie and tries to be empathetic, it soon wears thin as she sees a side of Pammie Adam does not.

I repeatedly asked myself why Emily would stay in this relationship and why she would want to be committed to a man who does not appear to have a spine and who is unwilling to rectify the situation. The heart wants what the heart wants and most women in this situation hold on, hoping things will change, get better. In Emily’s case, things do not get better and Emily finds herself backed against the wall with some major decisions to make.

I thought the characters were very realistic and well-developed but still surprised me. Every time I thought I had Pammie figured out, she says or does something that left me scratching my head, trying to understand what she is up to. I liked Emily though she seems very naive through most of the book; she is a lot stronger than she lets on. I liked Adam in the beginning but I got frustrated that he appeared to enjoy the conflict between Emily and his mother.

There are some major and very exciting twists in this story that I did not see coming and was not expecting at all. It ripped the rug right out from under me but kept me engaged in the story. The climactic ending brings closure and a lot of jaw-dropping shock and surprise.

My Final Verdict: This book was an “ear-read” for me from Audible and listening to it added to the suspense. Readers who prefer listening to their books will enjoy this story. I highly recommend it to all readers looking for a story that will shock and surprise them, in print or in audio.

REVIEW: Ms. Conception by Jen Cumming

Title: Ms. Conception
Author: Jen Cumming
Publisher: Tryst Books
Publication Date: May 2015
Genre: Chick-Lit / Women’s Fiction
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN

Description: Abigail Nichols has tried everything from rash-inducing herbal creams to acupuncture in a desperate, last-ditch effort to get pregnant. Wedged into her iPhone schedule among new business pitches and rebranding design meetings is Abby’s ovulation cycle, along with potential opportunities for illicit afternoon quickies.

With all of their hopes and savings on the table, Abby and her husband Jack enter the whispered world of fertility clinics. Along with a meddling mother-in-law, competitive pregnancies, and constant obligatory sex, Abby’s baby-track mind conspires to ravage her career, her marriage, and her sanity.

One thing she knows for sure: a healthy sense of humor (and the occasional glass of red wine) is the best coping strategy. One thing she wishes she knew: whether it will be enough. Ms. Conception is an honest but light-hearted novel inspired by the ups and downs of fertility treatments and the emotional burden that rests on those trying to conceive.

My Thoughts: Ms. Conception by new to me author Jen Cumming delivers a good story about a woman’s struggle to get pregnant, which parallels the author’s personal experiences in fertility resolutions. Abigail Nichols has always wanted to be a Mother and when the story begins, she and her husband Jack have been trying for a good while, with negative results and increasing frustration. They decide to pull out all the stops and invest an obscene amount of money on the fertility clinic route, where the procedures she has to endure sound horrific and made me question whether it was worth it as there are still disappointments ahead of them.

Eventually Abby does get pregnant despite the struggles she has gone through and for me, the book just fell a little flat. It was still good, and my favorite scene in the book is when Abby is in labor and her domineering and annoying Mother in law shows up in the birthing room! I just felt that for me, once Abby got pregnant, everyone just kind of went, “our work here is done.” I found the story of Abby and Jack’s experiences before she got pregnant more enjoyable as well as the issues Abby is facing at work. It seemed like after she got pregnant, the story sped up and all of that was forgotten and OH HERE, have a promotion……by the way, the promotion is well-deserved, but I had real concerns if Abby would even have a job by the end of the book.

I don’t understand why more attention wasn’t placed on the option of adoption. I think that with so many children in the world without loving parents, it seems a little selfish to me to overlook it because you really want a little girl that has your wife’s eyes, hair, whatever…I would have gotten more enjoyment if Abby and Jack adopted a baby, only to find out they are knocked up with triplets…OK, soapbox has been put away.

Despite all that, I did enjoy this story. Abby’s assistant, Scott, was fabulous and would be a hoot to hang out with. He initially comes across as a great stirrer of the pot and total drama queen, but in the end he has Abby’s back and goes above and beyond for her. I am still shaking my head, however, at the name of Abby’s niece.

My Final Verdict: Readers looking for an interesting and light read centered on a serious issue will enjoy Ms. Conception. The characters are realistic and the subject matter is both beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time. Abby is a real trooper for what she goes through to achieve her dream of motherhood and I can’t help but admire her strength of spirit and tenacity.

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