One More Moment by Samantha Chase

For the last member of the Band on the Run series, Julian Gray, love has been a slog. The book opens when he dumps his fiancée at the altar, playing the video that shows that she has never really been in the relationship for him or their love.
Dedicated social worker, Charlotte Clark doesn't recognize Julian Gray when he can't pay for his coffee one day at her favorite coffee shop. She just recognizes the symptoms of someone who is in a liminal space and does not want to be there. She strikes up a conversation and helps to start pull him out of the dark space he's been in.
The two will have to figure out how to work around each other. I like that Charlotte sticks to her guns and makes Julian put forth actual emotional effort rather than letting him get away with just buying her forgiveness.

This book comes out September 4
Four stars
ARC Kindly provided by NetGalley
Follows  One More Promise 

Murder at the Mousetrap by Helena Marchmont

Alfie's aunt has died and left him her cottage in Bunburry. He arrives on a cold and rainy night. He also lands in the middle of a mystery. Or, is it? It seems a local man has died. It seems like an accident but there are those in town who aren't so sure, including two of Aunt Augusta's friends. It's up to Alfie and the ladies to figure out what is really going on. Even as they are helping get the annual rendition of "The Mousetrap."
A super-short novel but one that built it's characters out pretty well. There was less of a Christie connection than I expected from the description but aI'm looking forward to the next book.

Four stars
This book comes out September 1
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley

The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton

The premise of this book, a Groundhog Day Agatha Christie murder mystery with a touch of Quantam Leap thrown in, really intrigued me. I like all of those things. But would the author be able to make it work?
A man wakes up without a memory. He seems to be at a house party. It is nineteen years after a similar house party where the young son of a lord was drowned. Soon after, his sister was sent to Paris. This party is ostensibly for her return but it seems that someone has something more insidious in mind. Evelyn Harding is going to die. Our protagonist is "hosted" by various members of the party, one each day. He only has eight "days" to figure out who kills Evelyn Harding or else... I, I have to be honest. I never really did figure out what the absolute consequences were.
It took me awhile to get into the first person narrative. The ending was... how much can I say without giving it away? It wrapped up most of the plot points but it took a lot of effort. It is a good book though and I'm guessing it will be very popular when it comes out.

Four stars
This book comes out September 1

Barefoot in the Dark by Suzanne Enoch

I hadn't read any of the books in the previous series but that didn't prevent me from enjoying the story of Samantha Jellicoe and Rich Addison settling into their engagement. As a bazillionaire, Rich's engagement has caused a lot of interest and his house is surrounded by paparazzi and his disappointed followers. So he plans to whisk her away to Scotland to visit his ancestral home and let her meet her family. Of course, there is a mystery. A centuries old hidden treasure that is directly linked to the local village.
I am most definitely looking forward to further books in this series.

Four stars
This book came out August 15
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley

Sliding Home by Kathy Lyons

Ellie McDonald is generally shy and retiring. But when she decides to do one thing every day where she gets rejected, her sister dares her to ask out MVP on her cousin's pro baseball team, Jake Armstrong. Except that he doesn't reject her. And then there's a hotel fire... and things really spiral out of control. Suddenly she's agreeing to pretend to be in a relationship to help save his job and her reputation.
There were parts of the book that I didn't love (a lot of misunderstandings) but I am interested in reading more books in this series.

Three and a half stars
This book came out August 13
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley

The Dogfather by Sparkle Abbey

Melinda Langston's former fiance Grey Donovan is under suspicion for a murder. A nearby store owner is dead and there is no shortage of people who might want to kill him: he had accused Grey of selling him a fake, his wife doesn't seem to like him very much, there's a mysterious blonde standing over the body, and a guy in town from the murdered man's past.
Betty is once again on the case which means that hijinks will ensue. And she's not too over the top in this book. But she definitely verges.
Overall a good read.

Three and a half stars
This book came out September 21

The Butterfly Conspiracy by Vivian Conroy

The start of a new series, I quite enjoyed most of this book. It did take me a while to get into it but I did overall like this book and look forward to the next one.

 Miss Merula Meriweather is not pining for marriage. She would rather be inducted into the butterfly "club" in society. But she's an unmarried woman so that's not really going to happen. But she can present her work as her uncle's. Too bad her first presentation ends in death. And her uncle accused of the murder. Luckily, Lord Raven Royston is willing to lend her a hand in her investigations.

Three stars
This book came out August 7
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley

The Prisoner in the Castle by Susan Elia MacNeal

At the end of the last book, Maggie Hope had been sent to Forbidden Island after a mission gone horribly wrong and after the discovery of a major war secret. At the beginning of this book, a society recruit with a penchant for killing is sent to the island as well. Basically, everyone on the island has been sent because they're a broken toy. And it ends up that with an island of broken toys, it can turn into an Agatha Christie mystery very quickly.
I really enjoy Ms. MacNeal's stories and this one did not disappoint.

This book came out August 7
Four stars
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley

Racked and Stacked by Lorelei James

Larissa "Riss" Thorpe is a strong-ass woman who is going to find her joy where she can and isn't going to be slut shamed by anyone. Though she might get annoyed by... certain people. Ike Palmer being the one who gets under her skin. And now the truce they've called to help them get through their friends' wedding is off. And then Riss breaks her arm and Ike feels a strange compulsion to rescue her from her brothers.
 I quite liked this book and believe that regular James readers won't be disappointed.

Four stars
This book came out August 7
ARC kindly provided by Net Galley

Down with Love by Kate Meader

First impressions can be crucial and cynical divorce lawyer Max Henderson sure blows his with wedding planner Charlie Love. But sparks still fly and the two have a fling. At least, that's what Charlie assumes. But Max's grinch-y heart has grown a size (he still has a ways before it's three sizes) and wants to explore whether there could be something more there.
Between the two of them, they've seen the extremes of a lot of marriages. They have both had relationships that gave them good reasons not to trust other people. They'll have to work their way past all of that in order find their HEA.
The last Big Misunderstanding was a bit much and I never truly connected with Charlie but this was still a lovely read and a nice start to a new series.


Three stars
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley
This book came out August 7th

Good Luck with That by Kristan Higgins

Within three paragraphs of starting this book, I knew that Kristan Higgins was probably going to make me cry. It starts with three friends at a fat camp deciding what they would do if they ever became skinny. Sixteen years later, and one of them is dying. Her last wish? That the other two fulfill all of the points on their list.
Marley is a chef. She is amazingly healthy. Except that people always look at her and judge her. Or, that's what she assumes. But she is ready to break out of the rut she's in and go after the man of her dreams. But what if he's not actually the man she needs?
Georgia grew up with a mother and brother who poked and prodded and outright made fun of her size her entire life. It made her have a lot of issues with food and with who she is as a person. She has a father and step-mother and half sisters who love her as does her nephew but her brother is still a jerk.
This book definitely pulled on the heart strings. There was a little too much generalization about "What a Fat Person Thinks" but overall a lovely book.

Four Stars
This book comes out August 7
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley

Geeky Fab 5 vol. 1: It's Not Rocket Science by Liz Lareau; Lucy Lareau

The book starts with Lucy preparing for a new day at school. It starts off okay, meeting her friend Zara "Zeke" Kumar in line and then discovering that they are in the same pod (desks grouped together). Unfortunately, a monkey bar breaks, Lucy is injured, and it leads the principal to completely shut down the playground during recess. With the help of her new friends, Lucy decides to raise the funds to get a new playground. But the sixth graders don't want the team to succeed; they like having the playground to themselves.
It's a bit cheesy and the "Girl Power" is a little ... unsubtle, but overall an enjoyable read.

Three stars
This book came out July 31
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley

Toucan Keep a Secret by Donna Andrews

In addition to her regular duties of blacksmithing, being a mother to twins, helping the mayor, Meg Langslow is helping out the Episcopalian priest while she's on bed rest. After a meeting one night, she sees light moving in the columbarium (crypt). When she goes to investigate, one of the most contentious lay officials has been killed and many of the niches destroyed.
Linked to a robbery in the late-80s, this crime will result in more crimes including someone shooting at Meg.
Another great book in the series. Andrews knows how to move the timelines and still keep readers involved without an info dump.

Four stars

Follows How the Finch Stole Christmas!
Followed by Lark! The Herald Angels Sing

This book comes out August 7
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley

Reread July 2021, as Audible book December 2023