How Y'all Doing? by Leslie Jordan

Leslie Jordan has been a favorite of mine since Ski Patrol and I loved discovering his true personality as he blew up on Instagram. This is a rather short book (~4 hours) but is a joy to hear Leslie read his own stories starting with the show he was on "The Cool Kids" which is where he really learned what Instagram was.

He gives his stories including the time Debbie Reynolds called his mother which almost made me cry, information on his seasons on American Horror Story, meeting Dolly Parton, and more. One of the amazing things is that he worked breaking horses for a number of years before becoming an actor.

Definitely consume this as an audiobook. Hearing it in Jordan's voice is the reason I would give this four and a half stars.

Four and a half stars

This book came out 

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Murder at Keyhaven Castle by Clara McKenna

I am really enjoying this series in general. Each book takes its time without rushing anything. We don't get to see a LOT of Stella and Lyndy's relationship developing and the backstory on the mystery for this one was a little underdeveloped but it is just a light, cozy mystery that is perfect for beach reading. 

Stella and Lyndy are finally heading toward marriage, the random murders and her father's meddling notwithstanding. The invitations have been sent, the wedding is announced in all the papers, and everyone is starting to come over - even some uninvited guests. 

In the invited category is a family that Stella's father invited because they are influential in Kentucky. Stella was always set up to be the daughter's best friend but the girl didn't treat her very well and that continues to this day with backhanded compliments and little digs that no one else seems to notice. 

For the uninvited guest, there is one rather sinister young man with a pistol and murder on his mind but also Stella's father's brother and his children. It is looking like it will be an interesting gathering but Stella and Lyndy are just ready for one thing, to finally be married. Except that it looks like a murder is going to change their plans...

Four stars
This book comes out  June 29th, 2021
Follows Murder at Blackwater Bend

Followed by Murder at the Majestic Hotel

ARC kindly provided by Kensington Books and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

A Bad Day for Sunshine by Darynda Jones

Can you be elected sheriff if you don't even run? Apparently if you are Sunshine Vicram you can. It's all a part of her parents plot to have her move back home. Hell, they even built a guest house and they never have guests. It's all a little suspicious. For Sunshine, it's the latest in a series of "interesting" things that have happened to her. At least her fourteen-year-old daughter seems amused by it. 

Too bad both of them are going to have hard first days. Sunshine's consists of an escaped prisoner, a woman nearly crashing into her as she stands in the police station, a kidnapped girl who may or may not have had visions of the kidnapping, and a throwback to Sunshine's own muddled past. 

Auri has to go to school where everyone thinks she is a narc, people spray paint her locker, and the mysterious boy that everyone wants to befriend or date seems to have his eyes on her which paints an even bigger target on her back.

We have alternating third person omniscient narrators and that creates a bit of mystery around the past since they hide things, even from themselves. Jones can be very fun but sometimes veers into the territory of "Too Much" for me but this seems like a great start to a new series.

Four stars

This book came out April 7th, 2020

Followed by A Good Day for Chardonnay

Borrowed as ebook from Libby

Opinions are my own

The Engagement Arrangement by Jaci Burton

I had enjoyed the first book in this series and thought that the second looked like it might be fun as well and friends-to-lovers is one of my favorite tropes. Fake relationship is a trope that I don't mind (not catnip; not something I avoid) but it was interesting to me that so little of the book was actually spent with Brenna and Finn actually having to pretend to be in a relationship when it is literally in the title of the book. There are a few chapters where Brenna needs Finn to pretend to be her fiance so that her ex-husband and his new wife (Brenna's high school BFF turned worst enemy) can't gloat. Then there is a larger part where they are moving toward a real relationship with a couple of chapters thrown in for faking the relationship again though that seemed to be mostly for Brenna mending fences. 

Finn Nolan has loved Brenna Bellini ever since he arrived at her family's vineyard after his parents died. Now that she needs a buffer for an upcoming wedding, he's ready to make her see that he can be more than just part of the family. 

Three stars

Follows The Best Man Plan

Followed by The Accidental Newlywed Game

This book comes out June 29th, 2021

ARC kindly provided by Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

His Improper Lady by Candace Camp

We've seen Tom Quick grow up from a street urchin rescued by one of the Morelands to a man who is running a detective agency. When he sees an intruder one night, he's immediately intrigued. She's a woman! But why has she invaded his agency?

Desiree Sullivan and her brothers have worked hard for every penny that they have. Granted, a lot of their pennies came from thievery but they've had a hard life. At least until her oldest brother came back from Australia with a fortune. Now he owns a casino and Desiree uses her talent (an inner eye for lack of a better word) to determine when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em. But she and Tom decide to join forces to figure out how her past intersects his. 

As long as most of the other books in this series, this definitely follows the same path and regular readers will enjoy it. I don't think you need to have read the rest of the books in the series but it certainly does help to know who everyone is. 

Three and a half stars

Follows His Wicked Charm

This book comes out June 29th, 2021 

ARC kindly provided by HarperCollins and Edelweiss

Opinions are my own

Someone to Cherish by Mary Balogh

Lydia Tavernor's late husband was not only a charismatic pastor, he was a hero dying to save one of the young boys in their village. Now that he is gone, this man who she loved so deeply that their wedding is one of her happiest memories, she is discovering that she rather likes living on her own. Somewhat scandalously, she bought her own house at the edge of the village not even employing a servant. She grew up with a family of men who were overbearing in their love.

Harry Westcott understands the need to be alone. His family may have lost their titles but the people in the village still respect him as though he were still an earl. When he was younger, he was sunny and open but, after losing his title and serving in the king's army, he became much more serious. Now he just wants to live a quiet life, occasionally visiting his large and rowdy family. But when Lydia makes a tentative overture toward a purely physical relationship, Harry does not want to turn it down. 

Regular Balogh readers will probably enjoy much of the story. I felt some of the conflict didn't quite make sense in this story but otherwise a lovely book.

Three and a half stars
Follows Someone to Romance

Followed by Someone Perfect
This book comes out June 29th, 2021
ARC kindly provided by Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

When Stars Collide by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

I'm having a hard time figure out what I think of this book. I was uncertain about the two characters in the beginning, didn't really like that the reveal of why Olivia doesn't like Thaddeus at first (and it's ridiculously quick resolution), and REALLY thought there was too much drama at the end and Thad was a jerk. This book could have been saved with the elimination of any of the 16 reasons the HEA doesn't happen or the streamlining any of the 212 storylines. If this had just been a forced proximity between an opera singer and a football player, this could have been an amazing book, especially by this author. However, all that being said, SEP is an amazing author and I eventually grew to like Olivia and liked Thad other than his (out of character) ridiculousness  at the end. 

Olivia Shore is a world-famous opera singer. She is the perfect choice for a luxury watch brand. Too bad the man they've chose to be her counterpart is such an amazing jerk. This tour is definitely just adding to the problems heaping on her life that are coming out as physical ailments.

Thaddeus Walker Bowman Owens is thirty-six. Not particularly old unless you're a football player. And not particularly galling unless a much younger, much more egotistical player is now the starting quarterback for the Chicago Stars while he is still second string. And now he has to travel with a woman who not only looks down on him, she seems terrified of him. What else is he to do except try to figure out why that is and whether he can't help her figure out her life. 

Three stars
This book comes out June 29th, 2021

Chicago Stars #9
Follows First Star I See

Followed by Simply the Best
ARC kindly provided by William Morrow and Custom House, and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

Reread as ebook from Libby February 2023, as hard copy May 2024