Falling Awake by Jayne Ann Krentz

Isabel Wainwright has just been fired. She worked for a dream lab as a Level 5 extreme dream analysis. Her former boss had postulated that there were five levels of dreaming with very few people who are able to reach the fifth level. So far, Isabel is the only analyst they know of. There is an unnamed government agency who has been using Level Five dreamers to solve particularly nasty crimes. Isabel then interprets their more enigmatic dreams.

But her boss has died and his son fires Isabel. She is frantic since she just spent a lot of money on some very expensive furniture. Eventually she ends up asking her sister's husband, who runs a motivational center, for a job as one of his teachers.
The romance aspect comes in to play when one of Isabel's client, Ellis Cutler, who she had privately dubbed as "Dream Man," finds her and tries to draw her into the unnamed government agency. But he's not the only one who wants her expertise. There's someone else who is willing to kill to make sure Isabel doesn't leave with Ellis.

Four stars

This book came out September 30, 2004

Borrowed as audiobook from Audible Plus

Opinions are my own

The Framed Women of Ardemore House by Brandy Schillace

Jo Jones has had a very fraught couple of years. Her much-older husband sold their publishing company out from under her for a pittance and then divorced her. Right as that was happening her mother died. On the Monday before this book starts, she finds out that she's inherited an estate in England from her mother and the book opens with her arriving there with her solicitor, Rupert Selkirk. It's just unfortunate that the next person she meets, Sid Randles, the caretaker of her livable cottage, is such an unpleasant jerk. He even leaves a lawn mower running and seems to be the obvious suspect when a painting goes missing from a previously locked room. 

It is the painting that Jo focuses on during this story even though Sid turns up dead in her cottage. And it's very refreshing to see an amateur sleuth sort of staying in her own lane. 

This was a really nice read about an autistic main character. The author didn't avoid the dread love (interest) triangle but I think this is going to be the start of a series with characters I really enjoy. 

Four stars

This book comes out February 13, 2024

ARC kindly provided by Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

Simply the Best by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Stepping out of her regular stories, Phillips adds a murder into this one. But, it doesn't detract from the romance, the genre she is really known for and trying to solve the mystery lets our two main characters get past their initial meeting which was both good... and not so good.

Rory Garrett (she uses the name Meadows so people are less likely to connect her to Clint Garrett, Chicago Stars football player) is used to things going wrong in her life. But her recent life is really taking the cake on that. A failed business, a bad attempt at a one-night-stand, and breaking up her best friend in Chicago and Clint are just some of the recent examples. But she's not prepared to find a body. Nor is she able to understand why Clint's agent is so darn hot, even if she knows there can never be a real relationship between them. 

Brett "The River" Rivers is used to being perfect. His life is built around being the best sports agent in the business. And that's about to be paid off with a promotion to Vice President at Champion Sports Management. But he's just made two massive mistakes and now he's not sure how to hang on to Cliff as a client. And it seems foolhardy to run around with the man's sister when Brett just can't help but be so darn attracted to her. 

I'm really not sure about the murder but it does create an external reason for Rory and Brett to be thrown together. Of course, there was a last Big Misunderstanding and a rather over-the-top end scene to the two being together but I overall enjoyed the book. 

Chicago Stars #10

Three and a half stars
This book comes out February 14, 2024

Follows When Stars Collide

ARC kindly provided by Avon and Harper Voyager, and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Truth or Dare by Jayne Ann Krentz

I like this second book in the Whispering Springs series. 

Zoe Luce married Ethan Truax in the last book in order to be safe from being returned to the mental hospital she escaped. In this book, her fellow escapee, Arcadia Ames is the target. Her presumed-dead husband, Grant Loring, is back and wants the information about his shady business dealings that Arcadia tucked away. Zoe and Ethan have to help out Arcadia, deal with their own professional problems and try to balance their own marriages.

Whispering Springs #2

Three stars

Follows Light in Shadows

This book came out September 1, 2003

Borrowed as audiobook from Audible Plus

Opinions are my own

Devil of the Gridiron by Melissa Blue

Adam Carpenter is almost through the year that he's been put on probation for his football team. He's been caught a few too many times doing things that his team would rather him not be doing. Now he's run into a cute little redhead and has offered her a favor.
Charlotte West is, indeed, sweet and insanely attracted to Adam. And he seems to be changing his feathers, helping her out by creating social media buzz to help her program. But has he really changed or is he just using her too?
This was just a little too short for me. Could have used some more time rounding out the characters and making me believe in an HEA.

Gridiron Bad Boys #1

Three stars

This book came out November 8, 2015

Followed by Gridiron Heartbreaker

Borrowed as ebook from Hoopla

Opinions are my own

Board to Death by C.J. Connor

Ben Rosencrantz used to be an English professor (yes, he's heard all of the Shakespeare jokes) but he came back to Sugar House, a neighborhood of Salt Lake City, Utah, to help his father run their family's board game shop. His father is ill and can use the help but their shop has been in a slow decline for years as Amazon has taken over. Newly divorced, Ben is just in a constant state of nervousness because nothing has gone the way it should have and now he's back, still gay, in the heart of Mormon country. 

It really doesn't help that a patron shows up on his doorstep, with a knife sticking out of his chest, and promptly dies. The man had claimed to have the prototype for Monopoly which, if true, would have been worth quite a lot of money. Ben thinks that he may be a suspect in the murder so he decides to investigate on his own.

This was an okay start to a series. I don't love amateur sleuths who run into danger but Ben at least took someone along with him. There wasn't a lot of build up for the mystery other than Ben running around. The narrator also had some weird pauses that kept throwing me off but I did finish the book and I'd probably read the next one. 

A Board Game Shop Mystery #1

Three stars

This book came out August 22, 2023

Borrowed as audiobook from Hoopla

Opinions are my own

A Witch Before Dying by Amanda M. Lee

Bay and her cousins are having to deal with dual issues, both stemming from Mrs. Little. One is that she is planning a Renaissance faire. Well, there hasn't been a lot of planning but she has brought in a troupe. It's one of their members who has been killed and Bay is worried that people will think that one of them did it. 

But trouble is also coming from the new witch, Scarlet Darksbane, that Mrs. Little has imported into town. And it will be up to Bay and her cousins as well as their significant others to figure out exactly what is going on. 

It took me a long time between picking this book up and finally finishing it. There was somehow simultaneously too much and not enough going on. It was fine but I may be nearing the end of my reading this series.

Wicked Witches of the Midwest #11

Three stars

This book came out November 5, 2017

Follows Murder Most Witchy

Followed by A Breath of Witchy Air

Borrowed as ebook from Kindle Unlimited

Opinions are my own

Wildest Hearts by Jayne Ann Krentz

When Daniel Lyncroft, the head of Lyncroft Unlimited, disappeared in a plane crash some time ago. His creditors are getting restless but his sister Annie doesn't want to sell his company; she knows that he is alive. So she's pulling her nuclear option, contacting his former employer, Oliver Rain. Everyone knows that he not pulled his own family's company from the brink of disaster several years ago, he multiplied their fortunes by quite a bit. He's invested in Daniel's company so it's in his best interests to make sure that the company doesn't fail. So Annie proposes a marriage of convenience.

It is possible that some of my enjoyment of this book is nostalgia but I still like that both Annie and Oliver are able to grow in this story. Oliver becomes a little less rigid while Annie becomes a bit less naive.

Four stars

This book came out in 1993

Borrowed as audiobook from Audible Prime

Opinions are my own

Goodbye's a Witch by Danielle Garrett

Though there is a bit of a mystery in this story, it is more about wrapping up the series, and if you go in expecting that, you'll be fine. There is a new character who is introduced but we don't see much of her. She comes through the portal that is on the manor property. But there is a problem. There are vampire's chasing her and Holly's magic is on the fritz. 

It was a little flat and a little predictable but still a nice end to the series. 

Beechwood Harbor Magic Mystery #12

Three stars

This book came out June 15, 2021

Follows Men Love Witches

Audiobook of mine in Audible

Opinions are my own

Men Love Witches by Danielle Garrett

Now that their home is finally open as a B&B, Holly and Adam are playing host to a vampire council, one specifically arranged by their old housemate, Lacey Vaughn. But the super-secret meeting isn't going so well. First, the powers that have gathered can't agree how they should work together. Then Harmony (who was already a little jittery around vampires) sees someone skulking in the shadows and she's pretty sure it's an old foe. Then, a valuable item goes missing. All of this craziness and she's planning a wedding and meeting Adam's parents again. Well, most of the planning is going well bt she just can't seem to find a a dress and the wedding is only six weeks away.
A fun little story that I think regular readers of the series will enjoy.

Beechwood Harbor Magic Mystery #11

Three stars
This book came out October 29, 2020

Follows The Witch is Inn

Followed by Goodbye's a Witch

Audiobook of mine in Audible

Opinions are my own

An Elderly Lady Is Up to No Good by Helene Tursten

I didn't realize this was a collection of short stories. Or that this was such a short book. It is still utterly delightful. I'm wondering where they were published before because I had read one of them.

All of the stories center on Maud. She has lived in the same apartment for over seventy years. After her father died, it was the only thing of value the family owned. The building was sold but her apartment was kept for as long as she, or her mother, or her sister, lived. Maud is the only one left but she still lives in that apartment. She travels at least once a year but always returns. Her life has been filled with disappointments but lately she has taken to killing the people that she sees as a threat.

Four stars

This book came out January 1, 2013

Followed by An Elderly Lady Must Not Be Crossed

Borrowed as ebook from Libby

Opinions are my own

When He Was Bad by Shelly Laurenston

Miss Congeniality by Shelly Laurenston

Professor Irene Conridge doesn't have time for anything that isn't work. Like many of the people in this series, she was a child prodigy. Her area of expertise is... science...y... stuff (?). But more important, she's caught the attention of Niles Van Holtz. Well, she caught it seven years ago when he thought she was a freshman on campus and he hit on her. She was actually a visiting professor.

Magnus Pack #3.5

Three stars

This book came out June 1, 2008

Follows Here Kitty, Kitty

Hard copy of mine

Opinions are my own

My Kind of Town by Shelly Laurenston

Emma Luchessi isn't sure why she's drawn to Smithville but this New York girl is down in the south to see what is leading her here. She's not expecting to end up in the hospital in a town where everyone is a giant and strangely good looking.
Kyle Treharne likes living in Smithville. Yes, it's a wolf town and he's a cat but he can't choose who his father married (his half sister is the snaggle-toothed cousin in the Pride series). He is interested in Emma but isn't sure she's going to stick around. She's not sure about it either but it may be up to fate.
A cute little story but short and not a lot of depth. 

Long Island Coven #1

Three stars

This story came out June 1, 2007

Followed by Belong to the Night

Hard copy of mine

Opinions are my own

The Bright Spot A Novel by Jill Shalvis

Luna's been working on a ranch that barely scrapes by but she has gotten to work for an owner who, though incredibly cranky, has usually treated her well. Well, he did until last week when he died. So, now Luna's trying not to panic while she waits to find out what's going to happen next. She is shocked to find out that she will be the half owner, along with someone from out of town. 

Jameson Hayes is used to coming in and dismantling companies. He knows the farm has been failing and he's not impressed with what he's heard about the manager. He's only planning on being in the town for a short time but is intrigued by a lady he meets at the bar. In true romance novel fashion, the night doesn't end how he would have hoped and it's even worse when he realizes who he was chatting up.

The two will have to work past preconceived notions in order to find out what they want in the end. Neither really has a biological family and they're trying to figure it out along the way.

We get a LOT of background on Luna and her found family but we don't get to see much from Jameson. We especially get to know Luna's best friend Willow and the husband who she just can't get separated from. 

If you are looking for building friendships and in-depth characters, Shalvis is amazing. The romance is a little less well-developed but I don't think regular Shalvis readers will mind. 

Three and a half stars

This book comes out January 16, 2024

ARC kindly provided by Avon and Harper Voyager, and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Deep Six by D.P. Lyle

The book opens in the first person with Jake Longly, former professional baseball star, sitting outside a house doing surveillance. Too bad it's in front of his ex-wife's house and she's not really ecstatic to have him there. So she takes a golf club to his car. This is also how he meets Nicole, a screenwriter. She lets him follow her to her uncle's house so his vintage car won't be ruined in the oncoming storm. This kicks off a relationship that we see in the rest of the book as the two get sucked into the death of one of the people Jake was watching. 

This was a fast ride but I did get thrown off between the third and first person views, even within a chapter sometimes. 

Jake Longly #1

Three stars

This book came out July 5, 2016

Followed by A-List

Borrowed as ebook from Hoopla

Opinions are my own

The Witch Is Back by Sophie H. Morgan

Emmaline Bluewater was engaged to Bastian Truenote until the day he ran away. He didn't even leave a note for her, just for his parents. Emma was already known as lesser in their witchy society. Her family isn't prominent and, as a later born child, she doesn't have a lot of power. When he left, it was the lowest point of her life. But it opened the door to letting her escape her overbearing mother.

It's seven years later though and Bastian has just walked back into her life as though he never left. She's not very happy but he's got a hell of a reason- if they don't marry, his mother will die. So she agrees to a marriage in name only, just so that the contract will be fulfilled.

I wish we had seen more about she formed a friendship with Leah and more about how she, Leah, and Tia opened a bar. I also thought it would have been nice to know more about what she and Bastian did for the Exhibition.

Three and a half stars

This book came out 

Borrowed as hard copy from the library

Opinions are my own

Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld

I saw this book on the 2023 NPR Best Books and it was worth the read. It took me some time to appreciate the story as the first week is somehow most of the first half of the story but I ended up being glad I stuck with it. 

Set behind the scenes of an SNL-esque show, we meet Sally Milz, one of the writers. She enjoys her job but is stymied by how her fellow writers (male) keep hooking up with these superstars (female.) In fact, she makes a rule out of it. Everyone laughs. Except Noah Brewster who is a guest on the show. However, the two of them seem to have a connection. But maybe only Sally feels it. Then COVID hits and the two start communicating through email and getting closer without being physically close. Love ensues. 

Three and a half stars

This book came out April 4, 2023

Borrowed as hard copy from library

Opinions are my own

Murder on Milverton Square by G.B. Ralph

I can't remember why I picked this book up but I ended up enjoying it quite a bit. There wacere some parts where my suspension of disbelief was stretched a bit thin but I am definitely looking forward to the second book in the series as I really enjoyed Addison's character development. 

Addison Harper's uncle has died and left Addison something in the will. Summoned to Milverton by a rather abrupt lawyer, he at first enjoys the adventure. He's astonished to find out he'as inherited quite a large estate including Milverton Manor which looks like it hasn't been redecorated since the 60s. It's just too darn bad that the best-looking guy in town happens to be Sergeant Jake Murphy who is investigating Addison in the death of the aforementioned lawyer. 

Of course, as mysteries are wont to do, this book has the lawyer as a villainous sort who has made a number of people in town angry so the mystery is slow going in the solving department.

Four stars

This book came out November 8, 2022

Followed by Poison at Penshaw Hall

Borrowed as ebook from Kindle Unlimited

Opinions are my own

Wisteria Wyverns by Angela Pepper

In the last book, Zara's father returned. It was a surprise because he had generally been an absentee father. A the end of the book, someone else from her past had returned. Her mother. The one who was dead. 

This book gives Zara a chance to get to know her mother again. They're going to be spending a lot of time together in the castle in the next town over because, as they are sitting there, a new ghost enters Zara's body. It's someone that we know if you've been reading the series. Dead body means nobody gets to leave for a while so Zara's going to be spending time with her mother.

Throw in a man who looks just like her neighbor and has the ability to disappear, a wyvern named Ribbons who can communicate with Zara telepathically, and the water district team and you've got another screwball mystery. Not very deep but a fast, fun, and fluffy read.

Three stars

This book came out October 31, 2017

Follows Watchful Wisteria

Followed by Wolves of Wisteria

Borrowed as ebook from Kindle Unlimited

Opinions are my own

Heartwishes Edilean by Jude Deveraux

Seriously, what is it with normally good romance authors deciding that it's perfectly okay to write sex scenes without condoms? Would have been a four star book if the characters had decided that they loved each other enough to protect each other rather than just fall into bed because Gemma is on the pill?

Otherwise, really liked her character (hiring a historian instead of an archivist to organize your family papers aside). Devereaux often writes about physically strong women and Gemma is one of them. She isn't necessarily beautiful but she certainly captures the attention of Colin Frazier, a descendant of one of the seven founding families of Edilean. He's super rich (like all good romance heroes?) but works as the local sheriff, and oh, he's a Pied Piper with children.

It might seem a little too good to be true but they'll have to deal with Colin's not-so-ex-girlfriend, many small emergencies, a magical wishing stone, and even an international thief.

Three stars

This book came out August 30, 2011

Follows Scent of Jasmine

Followed by Moonlight in the Morning

Borrowed as hard copy from library

Opinions are my own