November 2023 Monthly Reread

As always, opinions are my own

A Curious Beginning by Deanna Raybourn

Veronica Speedwell #1

This book came out September 1, 2015

Followed by A Perilous Undertaking

Borrowed as ebook from Libby

Mother-Daughter Murder Night by Nina Simon

Lana Rubicon has gotten used to running her own life as a tight ship. As a powerful real estate agent in LA, she knows that she is at the top of her game. So she's left wondering why she can't quite pick herself up off the floor. When she finds out the answer is brain tumors, she does the unthinkable... she calls her daughter Beth for help.

Almost six months later, Lana is still living with Beth and Beth's daughter Jacqueline (Jack.) This is not the kind of life that she likes to have. She feels weak, she has nothing to do, and no one seems to respect her. So when fifteen-year-old Jack finds a dead body on a kayak tour that she's guiding, Lana springs into action to ensure that the detectives don't look at her granddaughter as a suspect. Plus, it reminds her of the times that she and Beth used to tuck in and watch Columbo on their mother-daughter murder nights.

It took me a bit to get into this book as the beginning didn't quite go in line with what I thought the description had said but I got pulled in and zoomed right through.

Four stars

This book came out September 5, 2023

Borrowed as hard copy from the library

Opinions are my own

My Darling Bride by Ilsa Madden-Mills

When she steals a car, Emmaline Darling is just trying to get away from an abusive boyfriend and a man who is coming on too strong. She left the keys on the tire in good faith not realizing someone else might steal the car. So, when Graham Harlan shows up and demands that she marry him in order to even the scales, Emmaline is aghast. It doesn't help that Graham has bought the bookstore where she works. 

Graham is just trying to help his brother. Though he's a famous football star, he doesn't have the money to help his brother open a gym. But he can get a chunk of money when he marries. A near death experience on the football field has made him more aware of his own mortality. A vision he saw while he was dead makes him wonder if Emmaline was pre-ordained.

I liked this book though the story felt a bit forced in places and Graham was not the best. I'm really hoping for a story with Graham's teammate and Emmaline's sister. 

Three and a half stars

This book comes out December 5, 2023

ARC kindly provided by Montlake and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Miss Morton And The Spirits Of The Underworld by Catherine Lloyd

Lady Caroline is happy to have left her family behind and work with her employer, Mrs. Frogerton and her daughter Dorothy, in London. She is, however, worried that Mrs. Frogerton is taking her to see a medium. Lady Caroline does NOT believe in psychics. However, this one is different. And she gives Caroline a note that speaks to Caroline's past. But before she can talk to Madam Lavinia, the woman is murdered.

Once again, Dr. Harris is involved. This time, the police are accusing him of murder. Caroline and Mrs. Frogerton are going to help prove his innocence but they have to figure out first why the psychic was killed.

This was a fun little mystery, a lot of fluff and some time that calls for believe suspension but an enjoyable listen.

Three stars

This book came out August 22, 2023

Miss Morton #2

Follows Miss Morton and the English House Party Murder

Followed by Miss Morton and the Deadly Inheritance

Borrowed as audiobook from Hoopla

Opinions are my own

Spotlight Scandal by Stella Bixby

Ellie is settling into her new town. Not everything is going smoothly but she is happy in Cliff Haven. She's even going to have the last line in the Christmas play! If she can manage to get it out, that is. And if the curse doesn't strike. There was a young lady who died (or was murdered, depending on who you talk to) during a play years ago. And there's one that dies in this one as well. 

With star frenemies in town, there is a lot going on. Not all of it made sense but it was an enjoyable book as Ellie tries to figure out who killed one Hollywood starlet and framed another. This is while dealing with discovering a magical cousin and trying to figure out how to use her magical powers.

Three stars

This book came out May 11, 2021

Follows Bowling Blunder

Followed by Tango Trouble

Ebook borrowed from Kindle Unlimited

Opinions are my own

Born to Be Badger by Shelly Laurenston

If you are one of the people, like me, who wait with baited breath for anything that Laurenston releases, this book will not disappoint. Full of the same antics, the need to completely turn off your disbelief and just enjoy the ride, and the exclamation points (!), this book pairs up another of Max McKilligan's teammates with one of the Malone brothers. Somewhat rigid Tock (time management is NOT just about being on time) might not initially be thought of with the laid back Shay (he's a tiger shifter who owns dogs) but the two actually work really well together. Tock isn't actually as rigid as she appears, she just prefers to have a schedule. Shay isn't lazy, he just doesn't care about most things. But he appreciates Tock's need to be on time as well as how well her personality meshes with his daughter's. Except for the felonies. But Tock does try really hard to keep that from her. 

There are, of course, also old grudges and new characters that come into this book as well as a lot of killing. A LOT of killing. Especially since Tock's grandmother. But we do finally get to know more about what happened with the Malones' father and you can definitely see the beginning of how Laurenston will be able to wrap up this arc in the last book. 

Honey Badger Chronicles #5

Four and a half stars

This book comes out November 8, 2023

Follows Breaking Badger

ARC kindly provided by NetGalley and Kensington Books

Opinions are my own

Reread as audiobook from Audible January 2024

Mrs. Pollifax and the Second Thief by Dorothy Gilman

The book opens with Mrs Pollifax standing in the rain at a funeral. She's been asked to take pictures by her old friend Farrell. The same Farrell who's sent out an SOS asking her and Curtis to come to Sicily. Curtis can't make it but Mrs Pollifax is up for the challenge.

She meets not only Farrell there, but also a young CIA agent named Kate. Kate and her aunt are the ones to hide Mrs. Pollifax and Farrell when they are followed from their meeting spot. There is something interesting going on with Kate's aunt and the village that she supports with her art. Somehow it overlaps with the work that Farrell has been doing, trying to retrieve a supposed signature of Julius Caesar. Oh, and old enemy rears his head once again.

Oh, these books are dated. Terms that were maybe acceptable in the early 80s now cause a twinge. Is this book believable? No. Does it need to be? Also no.

Three stars

This book came out in 1993

Follows Mrs. Pollifax and the Whirling Dervish

Followed by Mrs. Pollifax Pursued 

Hard copy I didn't keep

Opinions are my own

Murder in an Irish Pub by Carlene O'Connor

Siobhan O'Sullivan is working with the rest of the Garda to make sure the town stays safe while a major poker game is going on. There are some very famous players coming in including The Octopus, Eamon Foley (anyone's guess as to whether his nickname refers to his good poker hands or how he acts around women), Clementine Heart, and Shane Ross. 

During the first game, Eamon is dealt the Dead Man's hand. Major foreshadowing there as he later ends up dead but not before he's accused of cheating to win the hand. There was a lot going on with accusations that his wife was carrying a child that wasn't Eamon's, a bet involving a valuable racehorse, and longstanding rivalries. 

The actual answer comes somewhat out of left field. An interesting story and you don't need to have read the rest of the series to understand what it going on.

Three stars

This book came out February 26, 2019

Follows Murder in an Irish Churchyard

Followed by Murder in an Irish Cottage

Hard copy I didn't keep

Opinions are my own

Scarlet Nights by Jude Deveraux

Jude Deveraux... light fluff, incredibly enjoyable. Sarah Shaw was introduced in the first Edilean story as the neighbor/cousin who was involved with a man nobody liked. In this story, we find out that the man is actually a maniacal con artist and Mike Newland (the brother of another character from the first novel) has been dispatched to the town to entice Sarah away from her fiancee. 

Not to deep, not a lot of character development and the characters fall into bed WAY too fast, but some great dialogue and I just love the wackinesss.

Three and a half stars
This book came out August 1, 2010

Follows Days of Gold

Followed by The Scent of Jasmine

Borrowed as hard copy from the library

Opinions are my own

The Pantomime Murders by Fiona Veitch Smith

Clara Vale is asked to look into the sudden disappearance of Sybil Langford. The woman is legendary in pantomime circles and her professionalism is well-known. For her to leave so quickly and in the middle of the season worries her young friend Peggy. Even as Clara is looking into the information, another person dies. 

At the same time, she is hired to help figure out why a local department store is losing so much merchandise. The man who hires for the department store is a familiar name, Jack Danskin. He is eventually brought into the mystery a little bit more and he may become a bigger part of the series as we go on. 

I like this book better than the first ones as we are getting to know the characters more and the mystery came together a bit more smoothly. 

Four stars

This book comes out November 28, 2023

Follows The Picture House Murders

ARC kindly provided by Embla Books and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Thanksgiving by Sam Sifton

This is a delightful book which, written by the one man turkey helpline for the New York Times, simplifies Thanksgiving for everyone. Whether you've hosted Thanksgiving in the past or this will be your first year, this book is going to help you be ready for the big day. Combining recipes with some of the author's own nostalgia with instructions from before the big day to the end of it, this book is no-nonsense and filled with some rules to break (you can put your for on top of your napkin) and others to definitely follow (NO appetizers.)

Highly enjoyable and definitely worth a read, probably even a re-read.

Five stars

This book came out January 1, 2012

Borrowed as hard copy from the library

Opinions are my own

Watchful Wisteria by Angela Pepper

Zara's newest ghost is one who was persistent. She made it into Zara's body even though she had a blocking gel and was trying to hold her breath. The ghost, Tansy, was Zinnia's plant provider and Vincent's estranged sister. When Zinnia and Zara go to check out the house, there are also ghosts of 

More of the book actually centers around a red fox that Zara rescues in the woods and what it showing up does to upend Zara's life.

Three stars

This book came out July 11, 2017

Follows Wisteria Wonders

Followed by Wisteria Wyverns

Borrowed as ebook from Kindle Unlimited

Opinions are my own

Inheritance by Nora Roberts

Is it trite to walk in on your fiance having sex with someone else right before the wedding? Yes, but that doesn't mean it's not happening to Sonya. It's just too bad that he takes the breakup badly and that she works with him. So she quits her job and branches out on her own.

Sonya's able to get even a little more space when she finds out that she's inherited a large house from the uncle she never knew she had. It's in Maine and she has to live in it at least 40 weeks for the next three years. Though trepidatious, Sonya's ready to take the leap. It doesn't even take three weeks for her to decide she's going to go for it. It takes a little longer for her to convince her best friend Cleo that she should move there too. 

Roberts is a master and this book just shows it once again. You think you've read books similar to this one -- old ghost angry about life and taking it out on the living; two friends moving to a new place and finding handsome men; playful and adorable dogs. But this book has enough of a twist and some nuances in the characters that make it worth reading to see what happens next. 

Four stars

Lost Bride Trilogy #1

Followed by The Mirror

This book comes out November 21, 2023

ARC kindly provided by Macmillan and Edelweiss

Opinions are my own

Reread as hard copy from the library April 2024

Lavender Morning by Jude Deveraux

When Miss Edi (short for Edilean) leaves Jocelyn Minton a house, she's shocked. She has never even heard of the town of Edilean and she thought Miss Edi shared everything. Joce grew up with a handyman father who's a little... earthier (not all handymen are unenlightened, not sure why this is supposed to be such a big "social class" difference.) Her mother was genteel so when her mother dies and Joce is left with her father and then her biker stepmom and two bitchy stepsisters, her time with Miss Edi comes as a great relief. The greater shock is that Miss Edi, known (at least to Jocelyn) to be a great prognosticator of relationships (though the example in the book seems to be "I knew they wouldn't last," which, arguably, anyone could say) has told her that the perfect man for her, Ramsay, is in Edilean.

Luke is a grumpy Gus who seems to be hiding a lot. A LOT. But he likes Joce. Is it because she's meant for his cousin Ramsay or just because of her? Who can tell?.

Really two and a half stars but I keep re-reading (PURE fluff) so I rounded up.

Three stars

This book came out March 31, 2009

Followed by Days of Gold

Borrowed as hard copy from library

Opinions are my own

Peg and Rose Solve a Murder by Laurien Berenson

I assume that both Peg and Rose have appeared in Berenson's other series as there are references to both of them having helped solve other mysteries. But in this book, the two are working together, maybe for the first time in decades. Rose wasn't sure about Peg when she married Rose's brother and she made a scene that ensured the two wouldn't have a good relationship. Years later, her brother is dead and Rose is feeling penitent so she invites Peg to a bridge club. We get to meet all of the the other members along with Peg and Rose. It is one of their bridge club that gets murdered in this book. While the police (including a detective that Peg knows and trusts) are investigating, Peg is still going to poke her nose in. That leads to some danger for them both and Peg may not be able to stick around to take care of her prized poodles.

Four stars

This book came out August 20, 2022

Followed by Peg and Rose Stir up Trouble

Borrowed as hard copy from the library

Opinions are my own

Role Playing by Cathy Yardley

This is the story of two people who most definitely are not looking for love, especially not with each other. Maggie thinks that Aiden is her son's age while he thinks she's his mother's. It's a bit of a coincidence that they think that but not an unthinkable stretch. As the two spend more time together on an online role-playing game, they become friends. When Aiden hurts his ankle, they meet in person and realize they are about the same age. Love isn't instant, but as the two get to know each other, as they listen and grow (loved this!), they figure out they might want more from each other than merely friendship.

Four stars

This book came out July 1, 2023

Borrowed as audiobook from Kindle

Opinions are my own

Murder Most Witchy by Amanda M. Lee

Landon is going undercover and it is causing Bay fits. She sees him with two people at a corn maze (they are willing to go to another corn maze?). Later, the woman ends up dead on Bay's lawn and Bay is attacked. Suddenly, it seems like Bay is the only suspect by a local state trooper and an enemy of old, Agent Noah. 

There is So Much drama in this addition to the series. The mystery is even looser than usual while the drama takes its place in the word count. There are some developments between Bay and Landon moving their relationship forward but I didn't like this book as much as others in the series.

Wicked Witches of the Midwest #11

Three stars

This book came out 

Follows The Trouble with Witches

Followed by A Witch Before Dying

Borrowed as ebook from NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Bowling Blunder by Stella Bixby

Ellie didn't grow up with a lot of friends but she is slowly building a community in her new town. She's got her group of older ladies that run and take her yoga classes. She's also got Bex who she works with at the diner. Slowly but surely, she is making a place for herself. Yes, there are still people who accuse her of being a witch (her hair changes color/style with her emotions) but she knows that she wants to stay. It's just too bad that there's been another murder. This time at the local bowling alley. 

Ellie's ex-boyfriend's fiancee (yep), Samantha, is still in town and trying to argue that his property should go to her instead of the man's mother (he died in the previous book in this series.) Samantha is also a part of a bachelorette weekend that is somehow also in this same small town. It is one of the bridesmaids who gets murdered.

Is the mystery solution a little convoluted? Yes. Is the magic starting to get a little wild (we meet Xander, a warlock, in this book)? Yes. Am I going to keep reading this series? Heck yes. I want to see where it goes.

Three stars

This book came out March 16, 2021

Follows Downward Death

Followed by Spotlight Scandal

Borrowed as ebook from Kindle Unlimited

Opinions are my own

Murder at the Manor by Catherine Coles

Evelyn and Tommy very much remind me of Agatha Christie's Tommy and Tuppence: young, adventurous, newly married. This Tommy is the nephew of an earl and they are visiting the family to pay their respects and figure out their next steps. A big hitch in their plans occurs when the earl dies. Having been a police detective (Tommy) and worked for the police force (Evelyn), the two realize that the men assigned to this case are not doing their job well. So they decide to investigate.

If you like stories that are fairly clued, this is not going to be a book you enjoy but it is a quick and fun read and sets up these two characters nicely.

Four stars

This book came out July 31, 2020

Followed by Murder at the Village Fete

Borrowed as ebook from Kindle

Opinions are my own

The Hike by Lucy Clarke

Four friends go on a vacation together every year. This year, it will be an end of season hike in Norway. Each going for a different reason. Liz, the one with the seemingly picture perfect marriage, is burnt out and this trip marks the beginning of her and her husband's trial separation. Helena, who revels in the life of a single woman, fears that she might be pregnant. Joni is a rock star who is losing control. Maggie ... looks like a young woman who disappeared from the town where their hike is to begin. 

The hike starts well enough but the second day, they lose the path. Then secrets start to come out and their complicated relationships start to become even more so. And that's before they find the caves that will ensure that not all of them are leaving the mountain alive.

If you like Clarke's books, this book will hit the spot. I didn't always see all of the voices as distinct so it did get complicated to listen to but was overall an okay book.

Three stars

This book came out April 27, 2023

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Lord of the Privateers by Stephanie Laurens

Eight years ago Roy's Frobisher, the oldest of the children in this series, handfasted with Isobel Carmichael. They spent three blissful weeks together then he told her he had to sail away for a month or two. She had no problem with that, her family also works with ships, but she was upset that he disappeared for over a year and no one would tell her were he was and, of course, he didn't write. When he came to find her, she slammed the door in his face.

Now she's asking him for help getting to Africa. Well, he's going there anyway so, what the hell? It will give him a chance to win her back. And it's pretty easy to do, even with the reveal (REALLY early on in the book) that he's a secret baby daddy.

And that was a major complaint for me in this book. At over 500 pages, you'd think there'd be more romance. But it's more of a "oh, we had a big misunderstanding and it was partially my fault? Okay, lets be adults and figure it out." Major props for that, BTW, no Big Misunderstandings. But, oh dear god, there were still 300 pages. I get that this was wrapping up the series, but there was major shoehorning going on to fit in the rest of the couples from this series, the Black Cobra series, and even the Cynsters.

Three stars
This book came out December 27, 2016

Follows The Daredevil Snared

Borrowed as hard copy from library

Opinions are my own

The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic by Breanne Randall

Sadie Revelare has had an interesting life. She and her twin grew up with their grandmother and with magic. Sadie has a curse that means she will have four heartbreaks in her life. Knowing that, she has been very careful in how she uses her magic and in the control she has over her life. She will have to face her fear and her grief in order to bring her family together. 

This book takes a LOT from Practical Magic - two siblings raised by someone other than a parent, they have magical powers, one stays home and suffers heartbreak while the other travels, there is a family darkness caused by an evil man, etc.

Three stars

This book came out September 19, 2023

Borrowed as ebook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Not My Kind of Hero by Pippa Grant

Maisey was one of the stars on a D-list home improvement show. Her ex-husband was the other. She knew more about home repairs but was content to be the comedic partner. The ex wanted a bigger star and divorced her so now she's on her own except for her daughter, Junie. If that wasn't bad enough, Maisey's mother was the head of a Ponzi scheme and their names became mud in their home town so Maisey has moved them both to Wyoming. The book opens with them confronting a bear (Earl) and accidentally scaring a man off his horse. 

Flint isn't excited about his new landlord. She never came to visit her uncle and she is a dilettante who is telling him he can't run his after-school program on her property. He'd rather not deal with her at all and wishes that her uncle had finally changed his will to leave his property to the town like he had always said he would.

There are definitely misunderstandings between the two but after some time (and some heated stolen moments that they each assure each other they shouldn't be taking), they figure out they might be perfect for each other. 

I loved getting to see Maisey figure out her new life. I never quite warmed to Flint but I could see why she would. If you like Grant, you will enjoy this book.

Four stars
This book came out August 15, 2023

Borrowed as audiobook from Kindle Unlimited

Opinions are my own

Penelope Goes to Portsmouth by M.C. Beaton, Helen Lisanti

This book is absolutely crazy. We still get Miss Pym but she is sort of not interested in matchmaking anyone on the coach to Portsmouth since none seem like they would suit. Yes, there is the painfully naive merchant's daughter, Penelope, and the aristocrat's son who she might normally try to pair but Lord Augustus really is just too dissipated. At least, he seems that way until Penelope begs him to try and save Benjamin, a man who cannot hear or speak but is accused of thievery and is due to be hanged. Augustus steps up and... distracts... the evil Lady Kasey (sp?) to find the broach. Benjamin is freed! But there is more than half the book left. 

Still to be read are kidnappings, fires, near drownings, murder for hire, a marriage that Miss Pym doesn't believe in, one she does, and a night at the opera for Miss Pym.

I don't know how all of this fit in such a small book and I really can't believe that this book was published but, outside of the parts I was aghast at, I did enjoyed the end of the ride.

Three stars
This book came out January 1, 1992

Follows Belinda Goes to Bath

Followed by Beatrice Goes to Brighton

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

The Daredevil Snared by Stephanie Laurens

Youngest of four brothers, Captain Caleb Frobisher has been sent into the jungle to discover the whereabouts of a camp that has been stealing English people from a nearby village and putting them to work in the diamond mines. When he is captured, he uses his chance to embed himself in the mine and be able to work from the inside until their back up arrives.

Katherine Fortescue was one of the young ladies captured from the village. She has barely been hanging on to hope but seeing Caleb reignites the spark. Seeing him also ignites a spark of a different kind. Is it possible she has found true love?

A nice addition to the series but several parts could have been cut out.

Three stars

This book came out July 28, 2016

Follows A Buccaneer at Heart

Followed by Lord of the Privateers

Borrowed as hard copy from library

Opinions are my own

Chaos Terminal by Mur Lafferty

Mrs. Brown is leaving Eternity for a few days and leaving Mallory in charge. This shouldn't be a big deal but there is a delegation of humans, including the new ambassador who are arriving soon. 

The station has been unsettled and Mrs. Brown is hoping to fix that, but things get worse before they get better including the fact that Mallory knows several of the people who have arrived on this ship and, where there are coincidences for Mallory, there is usually murder.

Her best friend from high school, Amy, and Amy's twin brother Parker are among the group. However, it takes Mallory quite some time to remember Parker at all. Their older brother Reggie and his husband Max are there as well as is Oscar Daye, a basketball coach at North Carolina (where the rest of them are from as well) who also runs a gossip blog. Oh, and of course, Jessica, the new ambassador who seems to know quite a bit about Xan and Mallory.

The story does get  a bit convoluted but so was the first. It's still highly enjoyable and, especially if you loved the first book, you should read this one.

Four stars

This book comes out November 7, 2023

Follows Station Eternity

ARC kindly provided by Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree

I didn't realize this book was going to be a prequel when I requested it from NetGalley. Usually, prequels are not as good as the first book. And that was still true for this book but it was darn close.

Viv has been injured in battle and is stuck in a sea town until she heals. At first, she is bored out of her mind but she finds a bookshop where the rattkin owner forces a book on her. And, to her surprise, Viv enjoys the book (which we also see on page.) And the next one.

But the reason Viv is stuck in Murk is going to come back to haunt her. A man in gray appears and brings two things of great value with him which will lead great evil to the town. Viv knows she isn't going to stay, but she values the people she's met and wants to help them live. 

Four stars

This book comes out November 7, 2023

Follows Legends & Lattes

ARC kindly provided by Tor Publishing Group and NetGalley

One Sweet Holiday by Lucy Day

When I requested this book, I didn't realize it was the third book in a series. It is very much a standalone book though and I didn't feel like I was missing anything by having not read the first two books. I will say that, though this book may have been set at a holiday, I didn't really get that feel so the title is a bit misleading.
Gwen Griffin needs a date to a wedding. Her sister is getting married and Gwen wants everything to be perfect. That includes no one questioning why she's still single.
When Gwen's sister rents out the house next door to one of the groom's friends, Gwen isn't bothered. It's often used as a rental. But she's not expecting the tenant, Logan, to be so gosh-darn handsome. Nor is she expecting to meet him while she's half dressed.
The two spend some time together and are delighted to find that they have much in common and that they may be falling in love.
Closed door romance with a bit of a rushed ending but I overall enjoyed it. 

Three and a half stars

This book comes out November 6, 2023

ARC kindly provided by Blue Crow Publishing and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Witch of Wild Things by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland

Ever since her sister Sky died, Sage has been avoiding going home. But now, her job has been made redundant and she has nowhere else to go. Besides, the (literal) ghost of her past is encouraging her to go and mend the fences with their other sister.

It seems that Sage can't keep her mouth shut. She blurts out things that other people would keep quiet and that has caused rifts for her in the past. But she's determined to try and patch up those relationships. She's also interested in maybe getting something going with her boss, Nate, at the plant shop where she immediately gets rehired, having been nicknamed the Plant Whisperer when she worked there in high school. But that is her gift, being able to speak to the plants, know what they are and what they need. Her relationship with Nate may not run smooth as another man from her past, Tennessee Reyes, turns up as well. 

This was fast, fun, and fluffy. Sage may not have been the deepest character and there are some definite plot holes but I really enjoyed this story and am hopeful that we will see some sequels.

Four stars

This book came out September 12, 2023

Borrowed as ebook from Libby

Opinions are my own

The True Love Experiment by Christina Lauren

I only vaguely remember Fizzy as being a side character in a previous book but, dang, is she hilarious. Thirty-seven years old and a romance writer who has known who she is for most of her life, she is in the middle of a bit of writer's block and some decisions about whether where she is in life is where she wants to be. When she's contacted by a producer who thinks she would be great as a "Bachelorette" type main character on a new show he's developing, her first thought is she doesn't want to do it. But when she overhears a conversation (and only gets the tail end), she decides that she will do the show but only under her terms. To start? She's going to parameters around the men she's going to date (the words cinnamon roll may or may not be included.)

Connor's life is changing whether he wants it to or not. He was happy producing documentaries for a small network but now they want a reality show. He happens to see a news story about the DNADuos and thinks that maybe he could do a dating-type show where the audience chooses the match but they see if they can figure out who among the contestants would have been picked by the algorithm.

The two actually saw each other across a crowded bar and were intrigued. But now they are contractually forbidden from fraternizing with each other. However, the more time they spend together, the more they want to stay together.

I really liked Fizzy. Connor was pretty good too but Fizzy is the kind of person who lives their lives authentically and is just a fun person to know. Maybe a touch too much drama for me but overall an enjoyable read.

Four stars

This book came out May 16, 2023

Follows Soulmate Equation

Borrowed as hard copy from library

Opinions are my own

Reread as hard copy from library November 2024

Beatrice Goes to Brighton by Marion Chesney

Lady Beatrice is a widow- a happy widow at that. But now her father has promised her in marriage to another brutish man so she decides to travel by coach to Brighton. Hopefully, but the time she comes back, those hopes will have been dashed. She intends to be cold to the other coach passengers but, of course, one of them is Miss Hannah Pym. The others include a dumpy man, a woman with a child, a soldier, and a small woman with big eyes.

At the first stop, a few things happen. Lady Beatrice is taken by a brutish man into another carriage. She says it is of her own free will but Miss Pym is not convinced. Benjamin, her footman who was thought not to have hearing or speech is found to have both. She is left behind but is helped by Lord Alistair.

Miss Pym is at it again though, trying to convince Lord Alistair that Lady Beatrice is not quite the harridan she appears while convincing Lady Beatrice that Lord Alistair is going to be her best choice if she doesn't want to marry the brute. 

A little disappointing because this one isn't nearly as crazy as the last one but still a nice addition to the series. 

I liked that we got more in the way of Miss Pym and her budding relationship with Sir George.

Three stars

This book came out in 1991

Follows Penelope goes to Portsmouth

Followed by Deborah goes to Dover

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own