The Big Book of Female Detectives by Otto Penzler, Editor

Wow. This is a LOT of female detective stories all in one place. Divided mainly by date published, this book includes not only selected short stories but brief biographies of the authors as well. Not all of the authors are women but all of the main characters are. I say main characters advisedly because the last section is labeled "Bad Girls" (which, "girls", really? You couldn't call it Femme Fatales? or Wicked Women?) and includes characters who may not exactly be on the side of angels.
I rarely wish books were shorter but this would have been better served to be in a few volumes. It got long slogging through the stories. And it would have been more interesting with slightly longer biographies. Or biographies of the characters. These were all too brief.

This book was published October 16
Three stars
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley; Opinion is my own

Everything's Trash, But It's Okay by Phoebe Robinson

Phoebe Robinson is back with more of her observations about life. This time she covers feminism, toxic masculinity and other hard (and some not so hard topics with her trademark humor).
I have to admit, I suspect that I didn't enjoy this book as much as the first one because of where I am in my own life versus Ms. Robinson's writing. I think that most people will enjoy this book as much as the first.

This book came out October 16
Three stars
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley. Opinions are my own

Snowed in for Christmas by Noelle Adams, Zoe York, Samantha Chase

Stranded in the Snow (Holiday Acres, Book 2)  by Noelle Adams

Olivia Holiday's father cheated a man out of his share of some land. His relatives have hated hers ever since. So when she gets stranded with the man in a cottage during a snowstorm with Scott, the one who seems to dislike her the most.
An okay story, but there was a lot of shoehorning in of other characters and stories in this series which causes Scott and Olivia's romance to be not as believable.

A Christmas Rescue (Silver Bell Falls, Book 4) by Samantha Chase

Bailey Walsh is ready to quite her job. Her new boss is an absolute Scrooge and she's tired of it. But then a snowstorm and a litter of puppies let her see her boss in an entirely different light.
An okay story but Ms. Chase's longer works are more enjoyable.

Love on the Edge of Reason (Pine Harbour, Book 8) by Zoe York

Chloe Davis just found out she's pregnant. And when she told the father, Tom Minelli, he reacted.. less than well. But he's recovered. And getting trapped in a remote cabin during a winter storm give him time to convince her of just that.
Again, okay but would have been better in a longer book.

Three stars
This book came out October 23
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley; Opinion is my own

Exclusive / A Touch of Heaven by Samantha Chase

Exclusive
Jonathan Wade is famous for his mysteries and famous for not allowing himself to be interviewed. So it's a shock that Taylor Scott is invited up to do an in-dept interview with man. When she gets up to his house, she's surprised to see her old classmate Mike Green. And she's surprised at their connection...
The story of two classmates reconnecting because one is an author and the other is a reporter has been done and been done better. Mike was a jerk and I could not connect with him.

Two Stars

A Touch of Heaven
Regan is upset that her mother is selling their family home. Especially when her mother wins a remodel at their local hardware store with a father/son TV duo.
Sawyer Bennet is getting a little tired of being on TV. He'd like to go back to just being  contractor. Maybe with the perfect woman he can make that a reality.

An okay story. Might have been nicer as a fleshed out story.

Three stars.

This book comes out November 6
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley

Not Quite Over You by Susan Mallery

When they were eighteen, Silver Tesdale and Drew Levato had had a flaming affair. Then she broke up with him and sent him to college. Right after that, she discovered she was pregnant. Both decided they were too young and gave the baby up for adoption.
Twelve years later, Silver is trying to get a loan from the bank that Drew works in. But his aunt takes a special delight in turning her down. Then Drew swoops in and buys the Airstreams she had her eye on. He wants to get back into her life and figures that becoming a business partner is the way to go. Silver agrees, but only to be business partners. Drew is willing to start with that. And he's also ready to do the work that he needs in order to prove that he's grown. Of course, he'll also have to find out about the secret Silver has kept for so many years...
There was maybe a little too much drama in this book but it was, overall, a fast, fun, and fluffy read.

Three and a half stars
This book came out October 27
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley
Opinions are my own
Followed by Meant to be Yours

A Brand New Ending by Jennifer Probst

Kyle Kimpton is coming home after becoming a successful screenwriter in Hollywood. But not everyone in his home town is ready to welcome him with open arms. In fact, there at least one person who is decidedly UNhappy to see him. His former flame Ophelia. Not just his former flame but the woman who had gone to Hollywood with him to make it big. The same woman who left him without a word. And now she's refusing to let him stay at her B&B. But that's where Kyle needs to be, it's the place he can face his past.
Ophelia remembers a different past than Kyle. In her memory, she fought as hard as she could to make him understand her. She tried so many times to make him listen. But he left her. And now he's back, trying to act as though everything has changed. But has it?
I wish there had been a little longer ending but overall a very nice story.

Four stars
This book came out October 23
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley
Opinions are my own

Suddenly Mine by Samantha Chase

In previous books in the series, Christian Montgomery made an appearance as a workaholic heading toward disaster in pursuit of winning his father's approval. And his health does become a problem in this book but luckily, his mother and aunt have just hired a nurse for the company and she is there to

make sure he's okay.
Christian is somewhat disappointed that Sophie is his employee. He's been admiring her determination to surf for weeks and now she's loathe to have a relationship with him because he his her boss.
Except that he's not really her boss, she's a contractor and reports to someone else. And he's willing to make it work.
Didn't love the ending but most of the story was pretty good. Looking forward to hearing Carter's story, how opening up an everyday restaurant in Montauk is going to shake up his life.

Three stars
This book comes out January 29
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley
Followed by A Dash of Christmas