Thursday, June 21, 2018

It Takes Two by Jenny Holiday

It Takes Two by Jenny HolidayWendy and her best friend Jane bonded over both losing their fathers at a young age, naming themselves the Lost Girls. Jane definitely had it a little easier with her older brother being there to help out. Of course, that may have also been a detriment since her brother Noah was so unbelievably overprotective. And he still is. Of course, he's also still hot.
Noah didn't want to get sucked into the vortex that is his sister's "low-key" wedding, but he doesn't hat that it's brought him back in the circle with Wendy. He was always attracted to her and that hasn't gone away. She's a lawyer, like him, a runner, like him, and really into baseball, like him (although they don't like the same team.) 
I really liked the first book in this series and this one doesn't quite live up to that but is still good. The ending was definitely over-the-top for me.

Three stars
This book comes out June 21
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley
Follows One and Only

Wednesday, June 20, 2018

A Lady's Guide to Etiquette and Murder by Dianne Freeman

A Lady's Guide to Etiquette and Murder by Dianne FreemanWhat's more embarrassing than your husband dying in his mistress's bed? Having it happen at a house party you're hosting. Oh, and then having to bring in another man to carry your husband back to his bed so it doesn't appear as if anything scandalous has happened.
Frances Wynn, Countess of Harleigh, has spent a year in mourning for said husband and now she's ready to get out of his family's house and away from the brother-in-law who just wants to get ahold of her money. So she moves to London. Too bad trouble follows her. First her funds get frozen when the brother-in-law tries to claim them. Then the police come around having heard that her husband's death may not have been natural.
This was some nice world building for a new series. While it dragged in a few places for me, it felt somewhat fairly clued and I really liked Frances.

Four stars
This book comes out June 26th
Follows A Lady's Guide to Gossip and Murder
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley
Opinions are my own

Tuesday, June 19, 2018

Murder at the Mansion by Sheila Connolly

Katherine Hamilton is a damn good hospitality manager at a large hotel in Boston. When a friend of hers from high school asks her to return to their hometown to help see if she can use the old house just outside town to revitalize the now failing town. Katherine decides to give her opinion but is going to leave it at that... until her job is suddenly made redundant. As she starts to think more about what saving the Barton mansion could mean for her town, she gets more and more excited. Too bad her high school nemesis is still in town. And doubly too bad same nemesis is found dead on the front porch of the mansion.
Murder at the Mansion by Sheila ConnollyI liked the world building in this book though there was a somewhat forced effort to cross paths with Connolly's other series. The ending though was... less than satisfying. I mean, the reason for the murder, really? We haven't seen this is in SO MANY books in the past. It's a sad, overworn stereotype. It dropped the book a full star for me.
Regular Sheila Connolly readers probably won't be disappointed.

Two and a half stars
This book comes out June 26
Followed by Killer in the Carriage House
ARC Kindly provided by St. Martin's Press and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

Tuesday, June 12, 2018

Untamed Cowboy by Maisey Yates

Untamed Cowboy by Maisey YatesKaylee Capshaw knows why she's always had trouble with men. He's a gorgeous pile of best friend named Bennett Dodge. But he barely acknowledges that she's female. They even work together at the Gold Valley's veterinary clinic.
Suddenly, Bennett's life is turned upside down. He has a 15-year-old son that he never knew about. And he turns to his best friend to help him out.
Regular Yates readers won't be disappointed. This is definitely a nice addition to the Gold Valley series. I didn't love Kaylee and Bennett's whole story but overall enjoyed the book.

Four stars
This book comes out June 19
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley

Tuesday, June 5, 2018

The Bookshop of Yesterdays by Amy Meyerson

The Bookshop of Yesterdays by Amy MeyersonWhen she was twelve, the uncle that Miranda Brooks had always idolized disappeared from her life. She never really knew what happened to him. Over a decade later, she's shocked to learn that he's dead and that he's left his bookstore, Prospero books, to her. Also included in his will? A series of clues leading her to uncover a deeply held family secret.
The "twist" wasn't hard to figure out and the romance was a little formulaic but this was still worth finishing. The Shakespeare touches were nice to have.

Three stars
This book come out June 12
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley

Friday, June 1, 2018

Rockets' Dead Glare by Lynn Cahoon

Rockets' Dead Glare by Lynn CahoonVolunteer fire chief Barry Gleason has made a number of enemies in the days leading up to the Fourth of July (a major money making day for this small tourist town) by threatening to shut people down because of supposed "violations." He does offer to overlook some of the violations in return for "favors." When he uses his own property to stage a fire and rescue, he turns up dead with only three volunteer firefighters (all of whom might have a grudge) in the area.
A short read. I did sort of like the end but it wasn't my favorite.

This novella comes out June 5
Three stars
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley

Thursday, May 31, 2018

Blazing Summer Darling Investigations by Denise Grover Swank

Blazing Summer by Denise Grover SwankI am really liking this series about a teen star turned reality star/private investigator. Summer Butler's first season of "Darling Investigations" was a surprise hit and she's back for the second season. Too bad she still has the same sadistic producer, the one who doesn't seem like her very much. In fact, Lauren has hired Summer's arch-nemesis, the boy who convinced her to fake a scandal that led to her downfall. Then, there's the fact that mysterious fires are starting all over town and everyone seems to be looking at Summer's cousin, Dixie. And then there are those pesky murders, also happening.

This book comes out June 5
Four stars
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley
Follows Deadly Summer