Danger on the Atlantic by Erica Ruth Neubauer

In the first two books, Jane was starting to step out of her shell after having been in an abusive marriage. She moves out a little further in this one, joining the mysterious Mr. Redvers on a transatlantic voyage. Jane will be posing as his wife as they try to uncover who is working as a German spy. 

While on the trip, Jane meets Vanessa FitzSimmons, a newly married woman whose husband disappears almost immediately after the ship goes out to sea. But no one else seems to believe the man ever existed. 

This was an interesting story but I thought some of the plot lines could have been more thoroughly developed. 

Three and a half stars

This book came out March 29, 2022

Follows Murder at Mena House

Followed by Intrigue in Istanbul

Opinions are my own

A Very English Murder by Verity Bright

Lady Eleanor Swift has spent most of her adult life traveling the world. She has been to any number of unsafe places and has made it out alive. However, she has now returned to her home country of England and it seems like her life may still be in danger. 

Eleanor has inherited a manor from her uncle. She spent some time there as a child but it never really felt like a true home. But she's back now, at least for a while. Except that she spends her first night wandering the estate and happens to see a man get killed. It's lightning out and she's emotional... no one really believes her. The man then turns up dead... but in his own home and apparently by his own hand. 

In trying to find out what actually happened, Eleanor gets to know her town, the townspeople, and even more about the people working in her manor and what her uncle was like before he passed away.

As a first book in a series, this was a nice one. We get to know the characters, we get to like the characters, and we get a nice mystery that is wrapped up at the end.

Four stars

This book came out April 7, 2020

Followed by Death at the Dance

Borrowed as ebook from Kindle Unlimited

Opinions are my own

Shot Across the Bow by Julie Ann Walker

In the previous books of this series, we've seen Spiro "Romeo" Delgado and Mia Ennis dancing around each other. They are clearly attracted to each other but they keep claiming to only be friends. Friends that often spend evenings together, reading to each other from their favorite fantasy series and then falling asleep. In fact, that's what happens in one of the first scenes in this book. At least their night was better than Doc's. He left with a woman but then... well. It didn't work out. And then the woman ends up being the lawyer that the lieutenant hired to make sure that they can keep the treasure after they find it. 

Unfortunately, while the four of them are flying back to the island where they are looking for the Santa Cristina, their plane goes down. That would be bad enough if it didn't seem like someone is making sure that no one survives the night...

Because the whole book takes place in such a short time period there is understandably not a lot of character development and you will probably want to read the other books in the series before you read this one.

Three stars

This book came out November 29, 2021

Follows Deeper Than the Ocean

Followed by Dead in the Water

Borrowed as ebook from NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan

One day, scriptwriter Nora Hamilton's husband decided to leave. He just took off leaving her behind with her two children. This caused her to diverge from her usual Hallmark movie writing into a much more serious film. One that got picked up by a major studio and is going to star Leo Vance. Yes, THAT Leo Vance, a former Sexiest Man Alive. Even better, they want to film at her house meaning she will get to make some extra money. And that's good because Nora doesn't seem to have it in her anymore to write that old familiar script. Hollywood will show up for a week, film, and leave. And all of that happens, except that Leo doesn't leave. Leo stays. And that is the story that unfolds in this book. 
I didn't love the ending nor the Big Misunderstanding. And the ending was a little too formulaic but this was overall a delightful read. 

Three and a half stars

This book comes out June 7th, 2022

ARC  kindly provided by Penguin Group Putnam and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Book Lovers by Emily Henry

This book has gotten some delightful reviews and there is a good reason why. Henry has created a book that I think regular romance readers and newbies alike can enjoy. The book touches on so many of them and then upends them in a way that feels right for these characters.

The book opens with first person narrator, Nora Stephens, book agent, opining on the types of romantic tropes. She herself has been a part of no fewer than four instances where a big city-type goes away to the country and falls for some woman there, leaving behind theuptight ex in New York. Unfortunately, Nora is the uptight ex. But she is good at her job so why would she need to change? Especially when one of her clients is just about to hit the best seller lists. No matter what editor Charlie Lastra says about the book.

After that book does turn into a mega-hit, Nora's sister, Libby, asks Nora to go to the small town outside of Asheville where the book was based. Libby is pregnant with her third child and just wants to get away. For an entire month. Nora makes the arrangements to telework for that time and heads out. She and her sister, usually so in sync, have been out of a good rhythm lately and maybe this is a way to solve it. While there, Libby insists that they create a list of things to do while they are there. Nora reluctantly agrees because, really, most of the things on that list are things that only Nora can do. Like go out on at least two dates. What makes it even worse is that somehow, the town that the book was based on, is Charlie Lastra's home town. And he's back there, working in his parent's bookstore (apparently the only place in town with working Wi-Fi). He's all smolder-y and handsome and gets Nora's snarky sense of humor. He even admires that she's a shark. 

Of course, there are a few miscommunications that derail the Happy Ending but it does all work out. And even if I would've liked getting to know Charlie just a little better, this was a fabulous read and I look forward to more books from this author.

Five stars

This book came out May 3, 2022

Borrowed as ebook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Rotten to the Core by T. E. Kinsey

Lady Hardcastle and Flo are back! Lady Hardcastle is still involved in filmmaking and as they leave the grocer's, they meet a mysterious (and beautiful) on the way out who is looking for the Dog and Duck. They decide to visit the local pub themselves but it's overrun by the Weryers of the Pomary (the Guardians of the Orchard), twelve men who traditionally get the bar to themselves for their meetings. But suddenly, one of the Weryers is dead. And then another. 

We get to learn more about village politics and revisit a number of characters in the village. There is some self-reflection as one of the characters comments on the number of dead bodies that the two ladies run into.

Four stars

This book comes out June 7, 2022

Follows The Fatal Flying Affair

Followed by An Act of Foul Play

ARC kindly provided Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Unicorn Selfies: Another Phoebe and Her Unicorn Adventure by Dana Simpson

Many more fun adventures in this book of Phoebe and her Unicorn. Pixies build a clubhouse that is amazingly splendiferous (and pixies are oddly like human contractors.) Also, Marigold gets stuck in her mirror (of course) and has some new-to-her emotions like envy and some self-doubt. The latter comes in the form of preparing for her family reunion.

One of my favorite things in reading Simpson's series is the language. Words are not dumbed down for kids and she plays with things like, "I'm a big fancy-butt! Pay attention to my big, fancy butt!" I love it. And the unveiling of Phoebe's name is built up to in this book (and some of the past books but the possibly more confusing second half is in this book.) 

Four and a half stars

This book comes out June 7, 2022

Follows Unicorn Playlist

Followed by Unicornado

ARC kindly provided by Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley

Opinions are my own