Come Sundown by Nora Roberts

Bodine Longbow runs the resort side of her family's land, the Bodine Ranch. Her father and brothers run the ranch side while her mother seems to run them all. Bodine's life is interrupted by the return of one of her brother's old friends, Callen Skinner, who had been in Hollywood training stunt horses. It's also interrupted by the body of a dead woman and Bodine and Cal are the ones who discover her.
Bodine's story is intercut with that of her aunt, Alice. It seems Alice was always sort of a rebel. She ran away on the day of Bo's mother's wedding. Alice was on her way back to the Bodine Ranch when she was kidnapped and kept in a basement. We see both the lives of Bo and Alice; as Bo falls in love and as Alice slowly loses herself.
This book reminds me of a classic Nora Roberts and I think most of her faithful readers will really enjoy this book. It was one of the better books I've read set in Montana but it kept reminding me of so many of Nora Roberts' other books. A faithful Roberts reader, this book immediately hit me as a mix of Montana Sky and The Obsession; as soon as the villain was introduced, I knew who it was.I was disappointed that there were so many B-plots that took away from the main story. It seemed a bit patchwork. At least the heroine got to save herself this time.

Three and a half stars
This book comes out May 30

When to Engage an Earl by Sally MacKenzie

The third spinster of Loves Bridge has finally helped her two friends find love and now she gets what she wants most in the world, Spinster House. She moves out of her brother's home and into her own. Too bad she's starting to realize that a home of her own might not be what she really wants.
Alex, Earl of Evans, is also starting to realize that he might want more out of life. His heart was bruised when he was jilted (not quite at the altar but fairly close). It may be that she was just too young. He's discovering that an older woman (twenty-eight) might be the way to go.
This was a nice, gentle story but sort of elliptical. Alex likes Jane, Jane's not sure, 'round and 'round they go, spanning months.

Three and a half stars
This book comes out May 30
Follows How to Manage a Marquess

A Purely Private Matter by Darcie Wilde

Rosalind Thorne is still working. She's helping particular ladies in Society solve some very particular problems. This time it's one doozy of a case that has her sneaking into a gentleman's club at the opening of the book. But then she meets Margaretta Seymore. Margaretta is pregnant. But she's married, so that shouldn't be a problem. Except that her husband is getting notes saying that she's been cheating on him and that the child she's carrying isn't his. He's suing the man for... I can't remember what it's called but it's basically a cash grab. Too bad Margaretta's supposed lover, famous actor Fletcher Cavendish, is found stabbed. Margaretta's husband is the prime suspect. It's up to Rosalind to figure out who the real killer is before Captain Seymore is hanged.
This book was an oddity to me because I actually wished we had gotten to see a furtheration of the series' love triangle. There was so little of it in this book, that means it's just going to be dragged out even further. Other than that, this was not a grand-breaking mystery novel but I think regular Wilde readers will be more than satisfied.

Three and a half stars
This book came out May 2

Hospitality and Homicide by Lynn Cahoon

Jill Gardner is balancing a lot of responsibilities (as per usual). She's got her bookstore, her classes, the boyfriend that is starting to get serious (is she really ready for this?), an employee leaving, and her regular obligations to her dog and to the town business council. Heaped on that is a mystery author who is in town for a signing and, added bonus, is driving Jill's police chief boyfriend up a wall. So, she's really not ready for the dead body that turns up at one of the local vineyards. Or the fact that her neighbor and local psychic, Esmeralda seems to be falling apart because of a missing boy.
Jill does figure it all out in a story that is fast, fun, and fluffy. Regular readers of the Tourist Trap Mystery series will quite enjoy it.


Three and a half stars
This book comes out May 16
Follows Tea Cups and Carnage                                          

Sticks and Bones by Carolyn Haines

Sarah Booth Delaney and her posse are back. And they're all united at being pissed at Frangelica "Sister" McFee, a local girl who has profited off the death of her brother and mother in a mysterious car accident. She even refers to Tinkie as "Stinky." Really, now. Now a film company is in town, getting ready to turn her story into a movie. But Sister isn't the only McFee whose name is out the world. Her father is making quite a name for himself while he runs for Senate, showing off his young, pregnant wife and denigrating Putin as much as possible.
Sarah and Tinkie are brought into the case when the filmmakers hire them to find out who killed Sister's family. They run into some people who really, really don't want them to find out the truth.
Regular Haines readers will not be disappointed.

Three and a half stars
This book comes out May 16

Ivy Get Your Gun by Cindy Brown

Ivy is still working on figuring out her life. I missed one of the books in the series but I didn't feel like I missed too much of the story.
Still working for her uncle's detective agency but also working as an actress, Ivy is trying out for "Annie Get Your Gun." She is somewhat sidetracked by the appearance of Arnie's son (supposedly). Nathan has borrowed money from Arnie (actually, it was Marge's money) to start a live-action Western town. Add to that, Arnie and Marge's pug, Lassie, has recently run away to run with a pack of feral Chihuahuas.
So, Ivy's working at the town, trying out for a play, searching for Lassie, and trying to figure out how to keep her relationship going when her boyfriend live  an hour away. It's a good book, much in keeping with the first one. A fast, fun, and fluffy read, it's perfect for a summer pick.

Four stars
This book comes out May 16
Followed by The Phantom of Oz

Love Me Again by Jaci Burton

When the book opens, Loretta Simmons is still trying to figure out her relationship with Deacon Fox (and, seriously, is that not the best romance hero name ever?). Things are still awkward between them after she broke up their grand high school romance because her parents had better things in mind for her. But now Deacon is working on the shop next door to her bookstore so they're seeing each other every day. And Loretta's nine-year-old daughter, Hazel, is super-interested in anything dirty (e.g. construction) and is also somewhat looking out for a father-figure.
Deacon is wary at first but <gasp> is adult enough not to hold a grudge for something that happened over a decade ago. The two start hooking up and then fall deeply in to love.
And that's pretty much the story with a Great Dane who is more of a plot moppet than Hazel is. I was only a little disappointed with Loretta's "resolution" with her parents (but, arguably, it's a work in progress and therefore truer to life). The part with her ex-best friends could have been fleshed out a bit more but I think served to introduce us to Josie and set up her romance with Zach (who I really, really hope ends up owning the fancy cabin they all went to in this book because he made a ton of money from writing romance novels.)

Four stars
This book went on sale May 2
Follows Don't Let Go