Pushing Up Daisies by Katherine Hayton

This was a very short story about Willow Foxglove and her "gentleman caller." So far, they had just met and sipped tea but Willow did enjoy his company. "Did" because the man has just been found dead in her garden. 

Willow is not considered a suspect though the police do look at her for a little while. It was only a short while but she is also concerned that the man's secretary is a suspect as well. The town gossip has it that the secretary and the man were involved but Willow bonds with her over their shared love of a TV show.

Three stars

This book came out May 25, 2018

Followed by Berry Murderous

Borrowed as audiobook from Hoopla

Opinions are my own

Southern Magic by Amy Boyles

Pepper Dunn's mother died when she was very young and her father more recently. That means she has no family when she gets fired from her day job as a waitress and then her roommate kicks her out. Peppers new-ish boyfriend didn't deposit the cash she paid him for her rent, the check bounced, and he's too busy watching football to help her mourn the way her life is going. 

To add icing to the suck-cake, there is a goth-looking guy hanging out around her car who seems to want to kidnap her. But the talking cat whose come to tell her about her inheritance helps her get away. And yes, that last bit is completely weird. But the cat does get her to town. And it does seem that Pepper finally has some family. Ones that believe that they are witches - in a witch town. 

That, along with learning that the highly-allergic to animals Pepper has inherited a pet shop. The man down the street offers to buy it off her but he is murdered before she can take him up on the offer. 

There was a LOT of world building and not much mystery. A little on the sweet side for me but an okay book.

Three stars

This book came out April 15, 2018

Followed by Southern Spells

Borrowed as audiobook from Hoopla

Opinions are my own

Meant to Be Mine by Hannah Orenstein

Ever since she was young, Edie Meyer knew the day that she would fall in love. Her grandmother, Gloria, has a gift and it lets her know when people will fall in love. Today is Edie's day June 24, 2022.  She is heading out to watch her sister get engaged to the man she met on the day their grandmother predicted. Dressed to the nines, Edie is ready. When she sits down next to Theo, a rising band member and songwriter. 

As she starts to coordinate her sister's bachelorette party and leading into the wedding, Edie will have to examine whether she believes more in fate or herself.

Four stars

This book came out 

Hard copy borrowed from library

Opinions are my own

Lucky Brat by Christophe Cazenove

Another delightful book with Maureen and Wendy showing the highs and lows of sisterhood. Whether it's Maureen trying to read Wendy's diary or driving Wendy nuts as she searches for the perfect four leaf clover. We again get to see glimpses of the two of them all grown up as well as time with their parents. A fast read and an enjoyable one.

Four stars

This book came out January 19, 2021

Follows Hurricane Maureen

Borrowed as ebook from Hoopla

Opinions are my own

The Haunted Studio by Hayley LeBlanc

Hayley is starring in a TV show about a girl detective. Her two best friends on the show are her two best friends in real life, Cody and Aubrey. Her little sister on the show, Amelia,  is a diva in real life. Very dramatic; for example, she "faints" every time she forgets her lines. Their show moves to a new sound stage for their second season and one of the first things the trio learns is that there is a a ghost supposed to be haunting the set. Amelia quickly picks up the story and helps spreading rumors. Hayley has experienced some weird phenomena on the set herself. She doesn't want her show to end so she sets out to figure out what's going on. 

This was a fun start to a new mystery series. 

Four stars

This book come out August 19, 2022

Followed by The Hayley Mysteries: The Missing Jewels 

ARC kindly provided by Sourcebooks Kids and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Grace Under Fire by Julie Garwood

Regular readers of the series, I do not think you will be disappointed. You get the a gorgeous, virginal heroine (who has never even had an orgasm) with chiseled manly hero who will never stop to ask directions. They are both remarkable (Isabel has just graduated college and she's a really good listener who is also an amazing singer/songwriter but a terrible driver (so quirky!); Michael is an ex-Navy-SEAL lawyer who graduated college at 20 and is about to join a law enforcement group that is hard to get into). New to romance readers will find this book exactly meets expectations. Garwood has found a formula and sticks to it including throwing a whole bunch of stuff at the heroine that only the hero can rescue her from. Like, a lot of stuff including a man who has just been shot lurching toward Isabel and she, reacting quickly, grabs his gun and shoots the man chasing him directly between the eyes. 

I have been waiting to read Isabel and Michael's book otherwise I might have given up on the series but there is also something comforting in knowing exactly what you're going to get when reading a Garwood book. I just wish her characters would start using condoms. Or even acknowledge that birth control is very integral to romance in the 21st century. 

Three and a half stars

This book come out July 19, 2022

Follows Wired

ARC kindly provided by Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

In a New York Minute by Kate Spencer

Franny Doyle and Hayes Montgomery III have the ultimate meet cute -- she's having the worst day of her life, fired from her job and on the subway when her dress splits all the way down the back. He lends her his jacket and someone captures a series of photographs making it look like the two are having insta-lust. It's not true but it launches the two of them into their fifteen minutes of fame which each can use for some momentum. Especially since Franny accidentally launches her new interior design version on the fictional version of Good Morning, America.

It is a series of coincidences that lead the two to meeting again and again. Even though neither really believes they are going to be in a relationship with the other, they are going to end up in an HEA.

The best part of this book is the friendships. Franny has her ride or dies and Hayes has his cousin Peyton.

Four stars

This book came out March 15, 2022

Borrowed as hard copy from library

Opinions are my own