Wallflower Most Wanted by Manda Collins

Opening scene: our heroine falls while painting and sprains her ankle. As the hero strides over to help
her, they overhear a murder being discussed. There is also contained in this book the problem of vast amounts of forged art coming out of their village and an unscrupulous man running for local council.
Luckily, Sophia and Benedict are positioned to help (she's an artist, his family is part of the government entity trying to shut the forgeries down).
Sophia actually seemed believable; a female artist with talent who might not be appreciated because of her sex - somewhat resigned but accepting. Benedick is a nice guy. There could be more to their connection but I don't think regular Collins readers won't be disappointed.

Three stars
This book comes out January 30
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley
Follows Duke with Benefits

The Uncanny Express by Kara LaReau

Jaundice and Kale are (reluctantly) off on another adventure. This time, their (still absent) parents have arranged for the girls to meet their Aunt Shallot at the railroad station. Still recovering from their adventures of the first book, Kale and Jaundice are not ecstatic when the woman who shows up is a magician who immediately whisks them off onto the Uncanny Express. Magique (as she prefers to be called) is trying to break into the mainly male milieu of magicians. Her first show went horribly and she is heading to the Uncanny Valley to show what she can do. Unfortunately, after practicing her show on the train, Magique disappears. It is up to the two girls to help world famous detective, Hugo Fromage, solve the case of the missing magician.
A light play on the Orient Express that I quite enjoyed and I think kids will too. Definitely better than the first book.

Four stars
This book comes out January 9
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley

Dangerous Crossing by Rachel Rhys

A chance for a new life in a far away country? With free passage on an ocean liner? Lily Shepherd is apprehensive but open to change. She just didn't realize it was going to be exciting so fast. On board, Lily gets to mingle with the sort of people she might never have otherwise met. Even... well. Maybe a little romance. But, the veneer of wealth hides some dark secrets and Lilly gets caught up in webs she never thought she'd be a part of.
I have to admit that the present-tense-writing is not my jam and made it really hard to get into the book. I wish this book hadn't been billed as a mystery because nothing really happens until the end of the book. It's more a character study of flawed people but set among historical fiction.

Two stars
This book comes out January 9
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley

Deadly Summer by Denise Grover Swank

This was an interesting beginning to a new series.
Summer played a beloved girl-next-door character on a popular television series. But that was a long
time ago. Lately, she's been having trouble finding work. And she needs the money because her mother long ago took off with all of Summer's money and a balloon payment on a mortgage for the family farm is coming due. So, in a fit of temperament, Summer signs up for a reality television show wherein she will become a private investigator. Too bad the producer doesn't want the show to succeed and Summer is having to go back to the hometown and a family that doesn't really want to see her again (at least, her grandmother; her cousins welcome her with open arms).
The "Southern language" is a little hard to read sometimes. There also seemed to be a lot of back story that didn't get covered in this book. I'm definitely interested in the second book in this series.

Three stars
This book comes out January 9
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley
Followed by Blazing Summer Darling Investigations

The Case of the Unsuitable Suitor by Cathy Ace

There's a new man in town, Huw Hughes, and he's set his eyes on Annie, the woman that Tudor loves. And Tudor is concerned. The man has had three wives. All three are now dead. With one of their crew on vacation, it's up to Carol and Mavis to figure out whether something sinister is going on.
There is a little B plot with Christine. She's on vacation but there is a theft that throws her life into chaos.
This book was the first in the series that I had read and there were a LOT of people in this story. I would definitely recommend starting with the other books first.

Three stars
This book comes out January 1
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley

Restore and Rebalance by Judith Hanson Lasater

A nice introduction to restorative yoga. I think it would help to have a little background in yoga, like, this wouldn't be great for uber beginners. There is a list of various restorative poses with extensive instructions on how to get set up for either yourself or what to look for if you are teaching.

Four stars
This book came out December 26
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley

Now That You Mention It by Kristan Higgins

The book opens with Nora Stuart believing that she is dying. But then, she realizes that she's overhearing her current boyfriend hit on the ER nurse. That opens up her eyes that maybe she's not quite on the track that she wants to be with her life. Yes, she's an awesome gastroenterologist who graduate from Tufts and lives in Boston but... there are things left unraveled in her life.
She decides to go back to the island where she grew up, Scupper. Even if it means facing up to the demons she hasn't quite left behind; the mother who's not exactly warm and fuzzy, the daughter of her sister who is in jail, the town that thinks she had something to do with the meteoric fall of her grade's golden boy.
This was an okay story, but not up to the regular Higgins standard. I'm used to a little tears, maybe a chuckle. This book... was fairly static in the emotional ups and downs.

Three stars
This book comes out December 26
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley