Promise Not to Tell by Jayne Ann Krentz

This story follows "When All the Girls Have Gone," when the story of a cult leader who locked eight children in a barn and then set it on fire, leaving them to die. Virginia Troy and Cabot Sutter were both in that barn and neither believes that Quinton Zane is dead. The last painting of one of Virginia's clients certainly seems to point that way. When she receives a picture of that painting, Virginia goes to the only man who might believe her, Anson Salinas, the man who rescued her that night. He refers her to his adoptive son, Cabot Sutter. They recognize each other almost immediately.
But someone wants the illusion that Zane is dead to stay intact. They don't want Cabot looking into it. Virginia seems to be immune, maybe because someone believes she has the key to the fortune Zane lost right before he disappeared.
There was a lot going at the end of this book. There was just one twist too many. Honestly, the story could have ended about two twists sooner and earned another rating star. Also, there is a very nice part where Virginia panics and Cabot treats her very kindly. Very forward thinking in terms of sex interactions. So why no condoms? A guy who's that sensitive to his partner would be sensitive in other ways.  I was also disappointed that we didn't get to see more of the story of the two falling in love.

Cutler, Sutter, & Salinas #2
Three stars

Follows When All the Girls Have Gone

Followed by Untouchable
This book comes out January 2, 2017

Reread as ebook from Libby February 2024

A Devious Death by Alyssa Maxwell

This was the first book I had read in the series and I didn't feel like I needed to have read the previous books. Even knowing that Phoebe Renshaw and her maid Eva Huntford have solved two previous mysteries, it still felt like I was able to get to know the characters without a lot of info dumping.
This time Phoebe and her sister Julia have been invited to their cousin's. She's just bought a new house and wants Phoebe and Julia to visit. But it is a very odd sort of meeting. The cousin has now servants, just an odd friend, Olive. And they're both being very secretive about their plans for the building. To add to the oddity, Regina (the cousin's) family shows up. Her mother, brother, and sister-in-law, all of whom are upset that Regina's father left all the family money to her. It should not be a surprise to mystery readers that Regina ends up dead and there are no shortage of people who would like to see her dead.
Yes, it's a little over the top but still fun.

Three stars
This book comes out December 26
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley

Same Time, Next Christmas by Victoria Alexander

A very fun read. Sort of interesting in the first person. But, as described, a play on "An Affair to Remember" with Portia, Lady Redwell, deciding to step out of line for the first time in her life. When her aunt gets called back to England, Portia decides to travel to Italy by herself with just her maid. Too bad the person whose villa they were supposed to stay at also loaned the house to Mr. Fletcher Jamison. Being alone together allows Portia and Fletcher to really get to know each other. While both declare that this is just one year, they also decide that they have the option to come back next Christmas.

Fours stars
This book came out December 13
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley

Can't Forget You by Rachel Lacey

Mark Dalton grew up an orphan in a small-ish town. The one person he clung to was Jessica Flynn. At least until he unceremoniously dumped her right and left town to join the Special Forces. He's been back in town for awhile and now is trying to buy the plot of land that is in between her spa property and he and his friends outdoor recreation area.
Jessica isn't thrilled that Mark is back in town but she's mostly been trying to avoid him. Even if that old heat is still there....
There were some B plots that weren't woven into the main plot very well and I didn't love the Big Misunderstanding that was woven throughout the story but it was still a fast, fun, and fluffy book.

Three stars
This book comes out December 19
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley
Follows Crazy for You

So Over You by Kate Meader

Isobel Chase was raised to be a winner. While her father ignored her older sister and hid her younger sister, he groomed her to be a hockey player. The Best hockey player. Which is why he chased off Vadim Petrov when he dared to de-virgin-ize Isobel when both were teens.
Now the two have been thrown together again. Vadim has just been drafted to the team Isobel inherited, with her sisters, from her father. And, because he's injured, Isobel is working with him to get him back up to speed. It will result in a player for the team and a new chance for Isobel (her professional career ended after about 20 minutes with a skate to the helmet).
There are a number of stumbling blocks -- she's technically his boss, sleeping with him might look like she's using him to help further her coaching career, their first time together was less than stellar for her... but the chemistry between them is enough to overcome them all.
This wasn't my favorite Meader book. There was a lot of Vad being just SO Russian and it was a little hard to take. I didn't read the first book and didn't feel like I needed to and I am very much looking forward to Dante's love story.

This book comes out December 6
Three stars
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley

Murder on the Sugarland Express by Angie Fox

The book opens with Verity Long celebrating the opening of her boyfriend Ellis' restaurant. Too bad the picture the local paper uses is one of her... in his brother's (her ex) arms. They decide to take a break on the recently re-started Sugarland Express. Frankie (the mobster ghost that Verity connects with) decides that he wants to go along and brings his sweetheart with them. Too bad the ghosts of the people who died on the original Sugarland Express are still on board and at least one is warning Verity that murder is going to happen again.
I liked this book for the way it moved Verity's relationships forward; with Ellis, his brother Beau, and their mother Virginia. The story itself... parts seemed to try to capitalize on <i>Murder on the Orient Express</i> (murder on a train, woman in a kimono) but don't connect and this was one of those books with not a lot going on in the first 3/4 of the book and then a dump of info at the end.

Three stars
This book came out November 25
Follows Sweet Tea and Spirits
ARC provided by NetGalley

The Lady in Red by Kelly Bowen

For a novella, this was quite a full story. We get Lady Charlotte Beaumont who cannot be considered a good painter because of her gender. Then there is Flynn Rutledge who has not been considered for the Royal Academy because of his background. When these two each get a chance to work on a job together, Charlotte is first brought in as Charlie. Yes, the method of getting her on the job are a little overly complicated and, yes, there is a bit of an overused plot-line but this was a fast read and very enjoyable.

This novella comes out December 5
Three and a half stars
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley