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.

REVIEW: I Can See You by Karen Rose

Title: I Can See You (Romantic Suspense #10)
Author: Karen Rose
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Publication Date: August 2009
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Buy The Book: Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble | Audible

Description: New York Times bestselling author Karen Rose delivers her latest pulse-pounding suspense novel, where the line between the virtual world and everyday reality blurs when it comes to murder.

Eve Wilson's face was once scarred by a vicious assault. Terrified and ashamed, she escaped to the online realm, where she could choose the face she allowed people to see. Years later, her outer scars faded and inner scars buried, Eve has fought her way back to the real world and is determined to help others do the same. Now a graduate student moonlighting as a bartender, Eve researches the addictive powers of online communities. When her test subjects begin turning up dead as a result of apparent suicides, she doesn't know where to turn.

Homicide detective Noah Webster is one of the few people who believe the victims are connected murders. Eve becomes Noah's online guide and realizes that the handsome detective may have secret scars as painful as her own. As Eve and Noah chase a killer who is always one step ahead of them, together they try to overcome the tragedies of their pasts and learn to trust again, but they soon discover that danger is much closer than they think.

My Thoughts: A very good story in a good series where the characters are easy to relate to and empathize with. The author does an excellent job of developing the characters throughout the series in way that keeps them fresh and the stories interesting. This story features Eve who has been in this series from the beginning. I really liked this character. She has been through Hell, nearly dying at the hands of a deranged psychopath in Don’t Tell and recovering with her scars on the inside and the outside in Nothing To Fear. Now it’s time for Eve to get her happily ever after, but not without some tense and anxiety ridden moments.

As part of her graduate studies, Eve is participating in a research project of the online gaming communities. It made me think of The Sims but in this story the world that Eve is researching is dark and evil lurks in the shadows waiting to strike. Eve’s test subjects begin turning up dead and Eve reaches out to homicide detective Noah Webster for help. He believes that the murders are connected and jumps right in to help Eve, especially when the killer’s sights become locked on her.

I really loved Noah and thought he and Eve are perfect for one another. They both carry traumatic and painful emotional baggage, but are able to connect with one another in spite of it. They are so in tune with one another and slowly they let their guard down and learn how to trust and eventually love again. With Eve and Noah, the author has created two characters that have overcome so many obstacles in their life and it has made them wary and on edge, not willing to open themselves up to most anyone. When they get together, it’s like a deep sigh of relief. You know the kind where you sink down into a bubble bath and feel all the trials and burdens of the day just lift away and peace and serenity settle in.

The story moves at a fantastic pace. Ms. Rose is exceptional at keeping the reader interested and entertained without giving everything away in the first few chapters. She keeps me guessing but I never feel frustrated because the story is so riveting, it really doesn’t matter who the bad guy is as all will be revealed and the conclusion will be satisfying for all.

My Final Verdict: Fans of thrillers and suspense stories will enjoy this offering for the gritty and tense moments as well as fans of romance stories for the happy ending.

REVIEW: Faking It by Leah Marie Brown

Title: Faking It (It Girls #1)
Author: Leah Marie Brown
Publisher: Lyrical Press
Publication Date: May 2015
Genre: Chick-Lit / Women’s Fiction
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN

Description: Haven't you ever told a little lie in the name of love?

Vivia Grant couldn’t be happier. She has her dream job and is about to marry her dream man. Does it really matter that she’s led him to believe she’s a virgin? After all, being in love makes every experience feel like the first time anyway! But an unexpected encounter with an ex-lover is about to expose her embarrassing lie…

When Vivia’s fiancé discovers the truth, he ends their engagement—via text—and uses his connections to get her fired. Unemployed and heartbroken, Vivia begins planning her new future—as a homeless spinster. But her best friend has a better idea. They’ll skip the Ben & Jerry’s binge and go on Vivia’s honeymoon instead. Two weeks cycling through Provence and Tuscany, with Luc de Caumont, a sexy French bike guide. Too bad Vivia’s not a big fan of biking. And she’s abysmal at languages. Will she fib her way through the adventure, or finally learn to love herself—and Luc—flaws and all?

My Thoughts: Faking It by new to me author Leah Marie Brown is a very enjoyable story and the first book in a series. Vivia Perpetua Grant (Holy Mother of God, what is the matter with her Mother to name her that???) has always felt she doesn’t measure up to the ideal expectations of who she should be. She was named after a long-dead saint and as such, should live a life of purity and chastity, or so her Mother thinks. The first problem with that is Vivia enjoys sex; a lot. Though she is far from being a tart, she has been around the block several times. The second problem with that is Vivia feels enormous guilt for her colorful sexual past. The third problem is she has lied to her fiancé and led him to believe she is a virgin. I’m assuming was is the operative word here because I have a hard time believing she has been with Nathan for any length of time and they never slept together. Yeah, I know; semantics.

Unfortunately for Vivia, whether she and Nathan have been physically intimate or not, she allows Nathan to believe he was her first and mere days before their wedding, Vivia runs into a one-night stand from college. Not a big deal, I know, but thanks to his big-mouth friend, all of Vivia’s secrets are exposed. Of course, Nathan doesn’t take it well and ends their engagement, via text! And to add insult to injury, he has her fired! Good job, Nathan, you have won Knob of the Year award.

Vivia’s best friend, Fanny, decides they will go on Vivia’s honeymoon and like the Travelocity Gnome, document all the adventures Vivia’s engagement ring is having in France. What follows is a grand adventure, bicycling through Provence and Tuscany with a really hot Frenchman as their guide.

Any woman having the rug ripped out from under her by love can relate to Vivia. Yes, she shouldn’t have lied, but I had a huge problem with the way Nathan reacted, especially with having her fired. I found that petty and vindictive and for that, I am praying for bowling ball sized kidney stones for that creep. I also had a slight problem with how quickly Vivia moves on to Jean Luc. Rebound romances rarely work and for some make things worse. I was disappointed that Vivia didn’t take more time for herself. Figure out who she is and be OK with that so that she never again has to be someone she isn’t. I mean, that ALWAYS works out, doesn’t it? Vivia hates bicycling so she reverts to old patterns and isn’t truthful about that either. Honestly, it’s her honeymoon, though Nathan the Knob, picked it out, and she should be allowed to honeymoon the way she wants. Her need to be accepted and not disappoint anyone pushes her to do some pretty bizarre things.

Overall, this story ends on a high note and Vivia comes out on top, but there are loose ends that the epilogue didn’t answer for me. I will have to look for the second book in this story to find out what happens between the last chapter and the epilogue. I really liked Fanny and there’s a book for her too in this series.

My Final Verdict: I recommend this very entertaining story to every woman who has been let down by love or who is trying to be someone she isn’t because she doesn’t think she is good enough. Fans of interesting storylines taking place in amazing locales with strong characters will also enjoy this story.

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

REVIEW: The Defense by Steve Cavanagh

Title: The Defense (Eddie Flynn #1)
Author: Steve Cavanagh
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Publication Date: May 2016
Genre: Thriller / Suspense
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: The truth has no place in a courtroom. The truth doesn't matter in a trial.

The only thing that matters is what the prosecution can prove.

Eddie Flynn used to be a con artist. Then he became a lawyer. Turned out the two weren't that different.

It's been over a year since Eddie vowed never to set foot in a courtroom again. But now he doesn't have a choice. Olek Volchek, the infamous head of the Russian mafia in New York, has strapped a bomb to Eddie's back and kidnapped his ten-year-old daughter Amy.

Eddie only has 48 hours to defend Volchek in an impossible murder trial—and win—if wants to save his daughter.

Under the scrutiny of the media and the FBI, Eddie must use his razor-sharp wit and every con-artist trick in the book to defend his 'client' and ensure Amy's safety. With the timer on his back ticking away, can Eddie convince the jury of the impossible?

Lose this case and he loses everything.

My Thoughts: I may have never known about this book or this author if it hadn’t popped up on my audible recommends list. It was riveting as an audiobook and kept me on the edge of my seat, tension high, nails bitten down to the knuckles. If you enjoy audiobooks, I highly recommend this format for this story.

Eddie Flynn was a con artist who then became a lawyer. I know for some people there isn’t much difference between the two professions. Over a year ago, Eddie walked away from it all after he learned the truth is irrelevant in the courtroom.

Unfortunately for Eddie, he gets caught up with some very bad, very sinister people in the Russian mob. Their leader, Olek Volcheck is going on trial for murder and Olek wants Eddie to defend him and win an acquittal. Eddie wants to say no but they have a bomb strapped to his back and they have kidnapped Eddie’s ten-year-old daughter, Amy. If Eddie refuses or loses, both Eddie and his daughter will die.

Eddie is caught in a macabre cat and mouse game where he has to stay several steps ahead of the Feds who seem to suspect something is going to on and convince the mob he is doing his best to defend Volchek before someone with an itchy finger presses the detonator.

This story was very intense and it was difficult to set it aside to accomplish everyday real life tasks. The story moves at a very fast pace but kept me engaged. I felt great empathy and sympathy for Eddie and was very vocal in encouraging him to hurry up, don’t open the door, sit down, etc., as Eddie takes massive risks to convince everyone he is just defending his client. Eddie is between a rock and a hard place and has no idea who he can trust.

My Final Verdict: Fans of legal thrillers and suspense stories will really enjoy this series. There are 5 books and one novella. Eddie is a very intriguing and likable character that draws quite a bit of empathy and support from the reader. I found myself completely bewildered how he would manage to survive this ordeal, much less acquire an acquittal from the jury. Obviously, with 5 books in the series, we know Eddie is victorious, but you will be amazed at how it goes down. I am forever grateful to Audible for knowing me so well and recommending a winner.

REVIEW: Only When It's Love by Olivia Spring

Title: Only When It’s Love
Author: Olivia Spring
Publisher: Hartley Publishing
Publication Date: February 2019
Genre: Chick-Lit / Women’s Fiction
Buy The Book: Amazon

Description: Alex’s love life is a disaster. Will accepting a crazy seven-step dating challenge lead to more heartbreak or help her find Mr. Right?

Alex is tired of getting ghosted. After years of disastrous hook-ups and relationships that lead to the bedroom but nowhere else, Alex is convinced she’s destined to be eternally single. Then her newly married friend Stacey recommends what worked for her: a self-help book that guarantees Alex will find true love in just seven steps. Sounds simple, right?

Except Alex soon discovers that each step is more difficult than the last, and one of the rules involves dating, but not sleeping with a guy for six months. Absolutely no intimate contact whatsoever. Zero. Nada. Rien. A big challenge for Alex, who has never been one to hold back from jumping straight into the sack, hoping it will help a man fall for her.

Will any guys be willing to wait? Will Alex find her Mr. Right? And if she does, will she be strong enough to resist temptation and hold out for true love?

Join Alex on her roller coaster romantic journey as she tries to cope with the emotional and physical ups and downs of dating whilst following a lengthy list of rigid rules.

Only When It’s Love is a standalone, fun, feel-good, romantic comedy by British author Olivia Spring, about self-acceptance, determination, love and the challenge of finding the one.

My Thoughts: In today’s day and age, Alexandra is a woman most single people can relate to. Looking for and hoping to find “The One.” With a plethora of online dating sites at our finger tips, it should be easy, right? Not so, in Alex’s case. For years, she has experienced one disastrous relationship after another. Alex cannot understand why she is continuously ghosted and is convinced Mr. Right does not exist. When Alex’s married friend shares what worked for her, Alex immediately dismisses it. It’s crazy and will never work. There is NO WAY Alex can go six-months without sleeping with someone she is dating. This self-help book guarantees Alex will find true love if she follows the steps and the six-month abstinence is one of them.

First of all, I was just as skeptical as Alex. I had serious doubts she would find anyone willing to go that long with zero intimate contact. No heavy kissing, petting or any of that other stuff. None of it. Hearken ye back to the 19th century, people, where a chaperone was present when a gentleman was courting a lady. I even asked my husband if he would have waited six months when we started dating. He’s still laughing. My first thought was, “OK, she finds a guy willing to wait and six months later, they become intimate, and it’s complete CRAP! Now what?” That’s six months our Alex will never get back. But, here’s the thing. What does Alex have to lose? If it doesn’t work, she hasn’t lost anything; not really. She’s already wasted loads of time on guys who are ghosting her, so she decides to go for it.

I really enjoyed tagging along with Alex as she embarks on her challenge. Some of the characters she meets, THANK YOU GOD, don’t last beyond that first meet and greet. I won’t go into detail about who she ends up with because that was the best part, so you are going to have to read this book. I adored Alex and related to her and her situation completely. Dating is a precarious precipice and whether you are male or female, the ups and downs can be quite the roller-coaster ride.

My Final Verdict: This witty rom-com will resonate with fans of chick-lit and women’s fiction. Interesting characters and a highly entertaining story will draw the reader in and provide several hours of enjoyment.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of Only When It’s Love from the author in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: The Heist by Janet Evanovich & Lee Goldberg

Title: The Heist (Fox and O’Hare #1)
Author: Janet Evanovich
Publisher: Bantam
Publication Date: June 2013
Genre: Mystery / Contemporary Romance
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: From Janet Evanovich, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Stephanie Plum novels, and Lee Goldberg, bestselling author and television writer for Monk, comes the first adventure in an electrifying new series featuring an FBI agent who always gets her man, and a fearless con artist who lives for the chase.

FBI Special Agent Kate O’Hare is known for her fierce dedication and discipline on the job, chasing down the world’s most wanted criminals and putting them behind bars. Her boss thinks she is tenacious and ambitious; her friends think she is tough, stubborn, and maybe even a bit obsessed. And while Kate has made quite a name for herself for the past five years, the only name she’s cared about is Nicolas Fox—an international crook she wants in more ways than one.

Audacious, handsome, and dangerously charming, Nicolas Fox is a natural con man, notorious for running elaborate scams on very high-profile people. At first he did it for the money. Now he does it for the thrill. He knows that the FBI has been hot on his trail—particularly Kate O’Hare, who has been watching his every move. For Nick, there’s no greater rush than being pursued by a beautiful woman . . . even one who aims to lock him up. But just when it seems that Nicolas Fox has been captured for good, he pulls off his greatest con of all: he convinces the FBI to offer him a job, working side by side with Special Agent Kate O’Hare.

Problem is, teaming up to stop a corrupt investment banker who’s hiding on a private island in Indonesia is going to test O’Hare’s patience and Fox’s skill. Not to mention the skills of their ragtag team made up of flamboyant actors, wanted wheelmen, and Kate’s dad. High-speed chases, pirates, and Toblerone bars are all in a day’s work . . . if O’Hare and Fox don’t kill each other first.

My Thoughts: I must start this by stressing that if you go for this series thinking it will be the same wacky and zany shenanigans you have to come to expect with this author’s Stephanie Plum series, you will be disappointed. If, however, you are looking for something a little different than Stephanie Plum but features interesting characters that you would like to get to know, then this would be a good series to start.

FBI Special Agent Kate O’Hare is described as tenacious by her boss. Her sole focus is bringing down the most wanted criminals and will stop at literally nothing to bring them to justice. The few friends she has think she is a tad obsessed and I would have to agree with them for the most part though I admire her dedication to her career.

Nick Fox is your typical con-man, thief, liar, scammer, etc. He’s also very charming and gosh darn it, very likable. Kate doesn’t care about that. She wants to capture him and throw him in jail until the end of time. She almost gets her wish but just as quickly as she slaps the silver bracelets on him, the next thing she knows, Nick has worked a deal where they are partners working together to bring in much bigger fish than he.

I liked Kate and Nick. They have great chemistry and though Kate tries hard to ignore that fact, the spark practically jumps off the page. Kate is wound a little too tight and Nick is exactly the type of character to bring her back to the Kate that has forgotten how to lighten up and enjoy life.

The story-line was interesting and I quite enjoyed the precision with which Nick put together their team. It’s early days yet to decide if Nick has turned over a new leaf or is just working another con, but that mushy soft-center heart of mine is hoping that Nick can be redeemed in both the eyes of the law and in Kate’s heart.

REVIEW: Pippa's Cornish Dream by Debbie Johnson

Title: Pippa’s Cornish Dream
Author: Debbie Johnson
Publisher: Harper Impulse
Publication Date: July 2015
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN

Description: Since Pippa Harte was forced to take over her parent’s farm, she’s barely had time to shave her legs let alone make time for love. Now she’s more likely to be getting down and dirty mucking out the pigs – and avoiding those of the human male variety.

When Ben Retallick walks out of her childhood and back into her present it seems that perhaps Pippa has more time than she thought. All Poldark smolders and easy-going charm, Ben’s definitely worth whipping her wellies off for!

But Ben is a man with his own past and his own issues – and as much as she’s enjoying having him around, she’s got to get a grip. After all life isn’t always a beach … even if you are in Cornwall.

Set on the gorgeous Cornish coast at the height of summer, this is the perfect romance to take on your hols!

My Thoughts: An enjoyable story about a woman who has to carry the burden of taking over her parent’s farm and looking after her younger siblings. She has no time for anything else, especially not a romance. Even if the guy walking in the door is the guy she harbored a secret crush on in her youth.

Ben spent a lot of time at the farm in his youth and feels this would be the best place to come for a respite from his past, get some peace and quiet, work on his novel. Unfortunately, that’s not in the cards. Pippa’s younger siblings come to depend on Ben much too quickly for Pippa’s liking and she’s having a hard time trying to maintain a distance herself. Ben seems to be the answer to their prayers. Along the way, Pippa and Ben find themselves feeling much more than either expected.

I liked Pippa but found she was too stubborn when she didn’t need to be. She has shouldered so much responsibility for someone so young, but never asks for help. Whether it’s pride or fear, she keeps most people at an arm’s length. I really enjoyed it when Pippa finally lets Ben in. The author does a great job of bringing two characters together, baggage and all. Both Pippa and Ben have a lot of scars and trust issues. I enjoyed seeing these characters let their guard down and begin to trust and like one another.

My Final Verdict: I found this story engaging and the characters easy to relate to. The descriptions of the Cornish countryside added to the story and gave it more vibrancy. Fans of stories featuring characters overcoming the hardships life throws at them will enjoy this story.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of Pippa’s Cornish Dream from the author in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Secrets In Death by J.D. Robb

Title: Secrets In Death (In Death #45)
Author: J.D. Robb
Publisher: Platkus Books
Publication Date: September 2017
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: The chic Manhattan nightspot Du Vin is not the kind of place Eve Dallas would usually patronize, and it’s not the kind of bar where a lot of blood gets spilled. But that’s exactly what happens one cold February evening.

The mortally wounded woman is Larinda Mars, a self-described “social information reporter,” or as most people would call it, a professional gossip. As it turns out, she was keeping the most shocking stories quiet, for profitable use in her side business as a blackmailer. Setting her sights on rich, prominent marks, she’d find out what they most wanted to keep hidden and then bleed them dry. Now someone’s done the same to her, literally—with a knife to the brachial artery.

Eve didn’t like Larinda Mars. But she likes murder even less. To find justice for this victim, she’ll have to plunge into the dirty little secrets of all the people Larinda Mars victimized herself. But along the way, she may be exposed to some information she really didn’t want to know…

My Thoughts: Another very good installment of the In Death series where the story opens with Eve Dallas having drinks with Garnet DeWinter to work on their communication. I know, I know, that in itself is enough to take the reader out of the story, but the story opens with it so the reader has the whole rest of the book to process this anomaly. Like Eve, I’m having a hard time warming up to DeWinter. Nothing specific about this character puts me off exactly, but I just don’t feel a connection to her. Maybe I’m protective of Morris and I don’t want to see him hurt again and as he and DeWinter seem to have gotten really friendly, I’m a tad skeptical that she’s good for him. I think Eve feels the same. They have a frosty relationship, not hostile but definitely not friendly, so this story begins with an ice-breaker of sorts for Eve and Garnet, to have a drink or two, talk and get to know one another better. I got the feeling that Eve was a little relieved when the murder goes down so she can get out of that booth and get to work.

One of the biggest characteristics Eve demonstrates that I absolutely adore is her black and white approach to her cases. It doesn’t matter to her who the victim was in life, the lives they led or the kind of people they were. In death, they are all hers and she works tirelessly to bring them justice.

I found it interesting that this murder was so brazen while being subtle at the same time. Public place and to the average patron, nothing unusual about the victim stumbling as she comes out of the bathroom, but to Eve’s eagle eye, she sees death all too often not to recognize its arrival. In the blink of that eagle eye, Eve has her cop hat on, drinks forgotten and she gets to work.

My Final Verdict: Overall a solid addition to the series. I don’t expect Eve and DeWinter to become besties, but I think there’s a level of professional respect that is very slow to come to the surface. I didn’t care for Nadine at first, but now she is one of Eve’s most solid allies, so honestly with this series, absolutely anything can and will probably happen. J.D. Robb does an amazing job of surprising me so I’m looking forward to seeing where this series goes next.

REVIEW: The 9th Girl by Tami Hoag

Title: The 9th Girl (Kovac and Liska #4)
Author: Tami Hoag
Publisher: Dutton
Publication Date: June 2013
Genre: Mystery / Suspense / Thriller
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: "Kovac had seen more dead bodies than he could count: Men, women, children; victims of shootings, stabbings, strangulations, beatings; fresh corpses and bodies that had been left for days in the trunks of cars in the dead of summer. But he had never seen anything quite like this . . . "

On a frigid New Year's Eve in Minneapolis a young woman's brutalized body falls from the trunk of a car into the path of oncoming traffic. Questions as to whether she was alive or dead when she hit the icy pavement result in her macabre nickname, Zombie Doe. Unidentified and unidentifiable, she is the ninth nameless female victim of the year, and homicide detectives Sam Kovac and Nikki Liska are charged with the task of not only finding out who Zombie Doe is, but who in her life hated her enough to destroy her. Was it personal, or could it just have been a crime of opportunity? Their greatest fear is that not only is she their ninth Jane Doe of the year, but that she may be the ninth victim of a vicious transient serial killer they have come to call Doc Holiday.

Crisscrossing America's heartland, Doc Holiday chooses his victims at random, snatching them in one city and leaving them in another, always on a holiday. If Zombie Doe is one of his, he has brought his gruesome game to a new and more terrifying level. But as Kovac and Liska begin to uncover the truth, they will find that the monsters in their ninth girl's life may have lived closer to home. And even as another young woman disappears, they have to ask the question: which is the greater evil--the devil you know or the devil you don't?

My Thoughts: The 9th Girl begins with murder when a young woman’s body falls from the trunk of a car on New Year’s Eve. Her murder is attributed to Doc Holiday, making her the ninth victim of this vicious and elusive predator. The press quickly nicknames her Zombie Doe because of questions as to whether she was still alive when she fell out of the trunk. I found that truly crass and heartless, but then I’m not a real fan of the media personally, and I find it unethical and abhorrent how they twist a story to sensationalize it for ratings, like they do in real life.

When she is identified as Penelope Gray, we also learn she was a classmate of Detective Liska’s son and that’s where it should hit home to people that this young girl’s life has been taken, along with the promise of what she could have been, what she could have done had she lived. Instead, we learn that Penelope, known as “Gray” to the people who knew her lived a troubled life. She was an unhappy person, struggling to find her place in a world that seemed to be against her. She didn’t have many friends and the people that got close enough, usually got pushed away. Suffice it to say there weren’t many people who mourned her passing.

As Kovac and Liska begin investigating, a lot of clues don’t add up to support the theory that Doc Holiday is responsible for this murder. In spite of the media’s rabid insistence that it is. One thing I enjoyed is this book gives us some first-person perspective and insight from Doc Holiday giving the reader the opportunity see how his mind works, particularly when he hears the media reports that a murder is being attributed to him. As the clues lead the reader to believe Gray’s murder was not the work of Doc Holiday, what will he do next?

I enjoy the partnership and friendship Kovac and Liska share. They work well together but I got a strong sense they are getting burnt out and this series will be coming to an end in the near future. Hopefully it ends because Kovac retires or Liska takes an assignment out of homicide so she can spend more time with her family. I really like these characters and don’t want to see anything bad happen to either one of them.

My Final Verdict: Overall, an intense nail-biter, edge-of-your-seat offering that continues the story of the serial killer introduced in The 1st Victim, but what is interesting is this book segues right into Cold Cold Heart, which is not part of the Kovac and Liska series. After reading this book, you should follow up with Cold Cold Heart to bring things full circle and get closure with Doc Holiday. This was another great thriller that I highly recommend to fans of thriller, suspense, mystery genres.

REVIEW: Six Years by Harlan Coben

Title: Six Years
Author: Harlan Coben
Publisher: Dutton
Publication Date: March 2013
Genre: Mystery / Thriller
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: Harlan Coben, the master of domestic suspense, returns with a standalone thriller in the vein of #1 bestsellers Hold Tight, Caught and Stay Close that explores the depth and passion of a lost love . . . and the secrets and lies at its heart.

Six years have passed since Jake Fisher watched Natalie, the love of his life, marry another man. Six years of hiding a broken heart by throwing himself into his career as a college professor. Six years of keeping his promise to leave Natalie alone, and six years of tortured dreams of her life with her new husband, Todd.

But six years haven’t come close to extinguishing his feelings, and when Jake comes across Todd’s obituary, he can’t keep himself away from the funeral. There he gets the glimpse of Todd’s wife he’s hoping for . . . but she is not Natalie. Whoever the mourning widow is, she’s been married to Todd for more than a decade, and with that fact everything Jake thought he knew about the best time of his life—a time he has never gotten over—is turned completely inside out.

As Jake searches for the truth, his picture-perfect memories of Natalie begin to unravel. Mutual friends of the couple either can’t be found or don’t remember Jake. No one has seen Natalie in years. Jake’s search for the woman who broke his heart—and who lied to him—soon puts his very life at risk as it dawns on him that the man he has become may be based on carefully constructed fiction.

Harlan Coben once again delivers a shocking page-turner that deftly explores the power of past love and the secrets and lies that such love can hide.

My Thoughts: With Harlan Coben, I know I am going to get a story that’s hard to put down and draws me in, trying to guess what is going to happen next. The bad news is I’m usually wrong. The good news is I’m usually wrong. Just when you think you know what’s coming next, you get thrown for a loop with a twist you never saw coming. I love that. This book doesn’t disappoint in that area, either.

First of all, Jake was a great character, very well written, very easy to relate to and quick to like. I felt for him and the heartbreak he has been living with and admired him for trying to move on with his life after the woman he has always loved married another man. He definitely goes down the rabbit hole when he sees an obituary in the paper for the man that Natalie married. Against his better judgment, he decides to go to the funeral to get a glimpse of her. Imagine his surprise and mine, when he gets to the funeral to learn that the mourning widow is not the woman he once loved!

This story takes the reader on a roller-coaster of intrigue, mystery, lies and cover-ups as Jake begins to research to find the truth, which puts Jake’s life in danger from unknown parties. I felt like Jake can’t trust anyone. He is being lied to by people he has known for years and he has nowhere to turn for help.

My Final Verdict: Readers looking for a nail-biter of a story that keeps you on the edge of your seat will devour this one. The characters are very developed and easy to relate to. Readers who want stories with characters they feel deep empathy and compassion for will lose themselves in this story worrying about Jake and cheering him on. Readers who love to immerse themselves into stories that take them out of their minds and the distractions of daily life should give this one a shot. Well done, Mr. Coben, I look forward to more from you.

REVIEW: Mid-Life Ex-Wife by Stella Grey

Title: Mid-Life Ex-Wife
Author: Stella Grey
Publisher: Harper Paperbacks
Publication Date: May 2017
Genre: Memoir / Non-Fiction
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: Nora Ephron meets Bridget Jones's Diary in Guardian columnist Stella Grey’s heartrendingly honest, witty memoir about her online odyssey to find real love in a virtual world.

Singers may croon about love being lovelier the second time around, but it can also be far more complicated. When Stella Grey’s husband leaves her for another woman, she fears she'll be unhappy and alone for the rest of her life. But daytime vodka-drinking and ice-cream are only short-term consolations. Realizing that she needs to take her future into her own hands, Stella dives into the world of online dating. What follow are 693 days of hilarious, depressing, and baffling encounters that unfold both in person and online. Stella quickly discovers that the more perfect a man appears on her screen, the warier she should be. It's a game of chance, with some players perfectly willing to lie to get what they want, whether that’s a lifetime of love or a very brief encounter.

Amid flirty emails, Skype chats, and awkward small talk over glasses of bad wine (which may or may not lead to awkward sex), Stella struggles to remain optimistic. To succeed, does she have to redefine the kind of man she’s looking for—or change the kind of woman she is? Funny, raw, and heartwarming, this book is a brutally honest account of the world of online dating—a world which so many of us are a part of, no matter our age—drawn from Stella’s hugely popular Guardian column, “Mid-life Ex-Wife” (and expanded with new material) about her search for a second chance at love.

My Thoughts: First time reading any of this author’s work and I absolutely loved it. I’m usually not drawn to non-fiction, though I do enjoy watching documentaries.

This author does a brilliant job of illustrating her experiences with on-line dating so vividly, I honestly felt like I was sitting next to her in a coffee-shop, having a chat with my friend, listening to her as she tells me about the wanker she met for drinks on Friday. It was wonderful as with each date, I was completely drawn in with sympathy, empathy, outrage on her behalf, laughter and tears.

Though this author isn’t the only one to experience the fun as well as the horrors of on-line dating, she takes it one step further and journals nearly 2 years of her experiences, offering sage and logical advice she learned the hard way. This book was a very fast read and I found it hard to put down.

My Final Verdict: Told entirely from the author’s point of view, each encounter offers a no-holds-barred honesty and some tongue-in-cheek humor that gives the reader a very enlightened impression of what finding “the one” online can be like. This book is a must-read for anyone looking for their happily ever after, especially if they are considering going on-line to find them.

REVIEW: Turbo Twenty-Three by Janet Evanovich

Title: Turbo Twenty-Three (Stephanie Plum #23)
Author: Janet Evanovich
Publisher: Bantam
Publication Date: November 2016
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: In the heart of Trenton, N.J., a killer is out to make sure someone gets his just desserts.

Larry Virgil skipped out on his latest court date after he was arrested for hijacking an eighteen-wheeler full of premium bourbon. Fortunately for bounty hunter Stephanie Plum, Larry is just stupid enough to attempt almost the exact same crime again. Only this time he flees the scene, leaving behind a freezer truck loaded with Bogart ice cream and a dead body—frozen solid and covered in chocolate and chopped pecans.

As fate would have it, Stephanie’s mentor and occasional employer, Ranger, needs her to go undercover at the Bogart factory to find out who’s putting their employees on ice and sabotaging the business. It’s going to be hard for Stephanie to keep her hands off all that ice cream, and even harder for her to keep her hands off Ranger. It’s also going to be hard to explain to Trenton’s hottest cop, Joe Morelli, why she is spending late nights with Ranger, late nights with Lula and Randy Briggs—who are naked and afraid—and late nights keeping tabs on Grandma Mazur and her new fella. Stephanie Plum has a lot on her plate, but for a girl who claims to have “virtually no marketable skills,” these are the kinds of sweet assignments she does best.

My Thoughts: Another installment of Stephanie Plum and company and this series has run its course for me in terms of story-lines and character growth and development. I don’t see much more for Stephanie in terms of career opportunities or her relationships. What keeps me coming back is the mindless fluff this series provides for me. Hours of entertainment whereby I can enjoy a laugh out loud story without worrying about the details or if the story-line remains consistently accurate to the rest of the series.

I also keep coming back for Ranger, of course. Why he keeps coming back is beyond me, but I am glad he does. He has no problem conveying to Stephanie that he wants her in his bed, but for the umpteenth time, Stephanie manages to avoid temptation. I honestly don’t know why she puts up a fight. Joe Morelli is a decent guy, but their entire relationship has become boring to me. I know he loves her, but sometimes he comes across as a little condescending when he’s interacting with her. We all know Stephanie is a hot mess and the fact that she is still alive is beyond miraculous, but if I could see Joe, I suspect he is eye rolling to the extreme and, God Forbid, patting her on the head like she’s some precocious child that we tolerate because she’s adorable. Ranger is there for her. He lets her crash at his place when it isn’t safe for her at her own, he doesn’t mind when she wears his t-shirts or uses his shower gel, and he looks out for her, literally. He has her wired with GPS in just about every place you can think of. OK, that sounds a little stalkerish and is probably illegal to track someone’s whereabouts without their permission, but come on, she needs a freaking babysitter!

I also come back for Grandma Mazur. She can always be counted on to keep Stephanie and her mother on their toes. Their problem is they underestimate her so when she does something zany, they freak out. Honestly, they should be expecting the unexpected where Grandma Mazur is concerned. At least that way, they won’t be shocked or upset when she pulls one of her stunts.

I enjoyed the addition of Randy Briggs in this installment. He is usually a reprehensible character and that hasn’t changed really, but his interaction with Lula in their quest to become movie stars was highly entertaining.

My Final Verdict: If you are deep into this series, character growth and fresh storylines are expected and should be the rule. The storyline for this installment was pretty interesting with Stephanie helping Ranger, which also helps herself. As we find out, the ice-cream business can be pretty cut-throat. Fans of the series should enjoy the interesting plot, but don’t expect anything else new in terms of any resolutions to Stephanie’s same old, same old situation.