My Darling Bride by Ilsa Madden-Mills

When she steals a car, Emmaline Darling is just trying to get away from an abusive boyfriend and a man who is coming on too strong. She left the keys on the tire in good faith not realizing someone else might steal the car. So, when Graham Harlan shows up and demands that she marry him in order to even the scales, Emmaline is aghast. It doesn't help that Graham has bought the bookstore where she works. 

Graham is just trying to help his brother. Though he's a famous football star, he doesn't have the money to help his brother open a gym. But he can get a chunk of money when he marries. A near death experience on the football field has made him more aware of his own mortality. A vision he saw while he was dead makes him wonder if Emmaline was pre-ordained.

I liked this book though the story felt a bit forced in places and Graham was not the best. I'm really hoping for a story with Graham's teammate and Emmaline's sister. 

Three and a half stars

This book comes out December 5, 2023

ARC kindly provided by Montlake and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Miss Morton And The Spirits Of The Underworld by Catherine Lloyd

Lady Caroline is happy to have left her family behind and work with her employer, Mrs. Frogerton and her daughter Dorothy, in London. She is, however, worried that Mrs. Frogerton is taking her to see a medium. Lady Caroline does NOT believe in psychics. However, this one is different. And she gives Caroline a note that speaks to Caroline's past. But before she can talk to Madam Lavinia, the woman is murdered.

Once again, Dr. Harris is involved. This time, the police are accusing him of murder. Caroline and Mrs. Frogerton are going to help prove his innocence but they have to figure out first why the psychic was killed.

This was a fun little mystery, a lot of fluff and some time that calls for believe suspension but an enjoyable listen.

Three stars

This book came out August 22, 2023

Miss Morton #2

Follows Miss Morton and the English House Party Murder

Followed by Miss Morton and the Deadly Inheritance

Borrowed as audiobook from Hoopla

Opinions are my own

Spotlight Scandal by Stella Bixby

Ellie is settling into her new town. Not everything is going smoothly but she is happy in Cliff Haven. She's even going to have the last line in the Christmas play! If she can manage to get it out, that is. And if the curse doesn't strike. There was a young lady who died (or was murdered, depending on who you talk to) during a play years ago. And there's one that dies in this one as well. 

With star frenemies in town, there is a lot going on. Not all of it made sense but it was an enjoyable book as Ellie tries to figure out who killed one Hollywood starlet and framed another. This is while dealing with discovering a magical cousin and trying to figure out how to use her magical powers.

Three stars

This book came out May 11, 2021

Follows Bowling Blunder

Followed by Tango Trouble

Ebook borrowed from Kindle Unlimited

Opinions are my own

Born to Be Badger by Shelly Laurenston

If you are one of the people, like me, who wait with baited breath for anything that Laurenston releases, this book will not disappoint. Full of the same antics, the need to completely turn off your disbelief and just enjoy the ride, and the exclamation points (!), this book pairs up another of Max McKilligan's teammates with one of the Malone brothers. Somewhat rigid Tock (time management is NOT just about being on time) might not initially be thought of with the laid back Shay (he's a tiger shifter who owns dogs) but the two actually work really well together. Tock isn't actually as rigid as she appears, she just prefers to have a schedule. Shay isn't lazy, he just doesn't care about most things. But he appreciates Tock's need to be on time as well as how well her personality meshes with his daughter's. Except for the felonies. But Tock does try really hard to keep that from her. 

There are, of course, also old grudges and new characters that come into this book as well as a lot of killing. A LOT of killing. Especially since Tock's grandmother. But we do finally get to know more about what happened with the Malones' father and you can definitely see the beginning of how Laurenston will be able to wrap up this arc in the last book. 

Honey Badger Chronicles #5

Four and a half stars

This book comes out November 8, 2023

Follows Breaking Badger

ARC kindly provided by NetGalley and Kensington Books

Opinions are my own

Reread as audiobook from Audible January 2024

Mrs. Pollifax and the Second Thief by Dorothy Gilman

The book opens with Mrs Pollifax standing in the rain at a funeral. She's been asked to take pictures by her old friend Farrell. The same Farrell who's sent out an SOS asking her and Curtis to come to Sicily. Curtis can't make it but Mrs Pollifax is up for the challenge.

She meets not only Farrell there, but also a young CIA agent named Kate. Kate and her aunt are the ones to hide Mrs. Pollifax and Farrell when they are followed from their meeting spot. There is something interesting going on with Kate's aunt and the village that she supports with her art. Somehow it overlaps with the work that Farrell has been doing, trying to retrieve a supposed signature of Julius Caesar. Oh, and old enemy rears his head once again.

Oh, these books are dated. Terms that were maybe acceptable in the early 80s now cause a twinge. Is this book believable? No. Does it need to be? Also no.

Three stars

This book came out in 1993

Follows Mrs. Pollifax and the Whirling Dervish

Followed by Mrs. Pollifax Pursued 

Hard copy I didn't keep

Opinions are my own

Murder in an Irish Pub by Carlene O'Connor

Siobhan O'Sullivan is working with the rest of the Garda to make sure the town stays safe while a major poker game is going on. There are some very famous players coming in including The Octopus, Eamon Foley (anyone's guess as to whether his nickname refers to his good poker hands or how he acts around women), Clementine Heart, and Shane Ross. 

During the first game, Eamon is dealt the Dead Man's hand. Major foreshadowing there as he later ends up dead but not before he's accused of cheating to win the hand. There was a lot going on with accusations that his wife was carrying a child that wasn't Eamon's, a bet involving a valuable racehorse, and longstanding rivalries. 

The actual answer comes somewhat out of left field. An interesting story and you don't need to have read the rest of the series to understand what it going on.

Three stars

This book came out February 26, 2019

Follows Murder in an Irish Churchyard

Followed by Murder in an Irish Cottage

Hard copy I didn't keep

Opinions are my own

Scarlet Nights by Jude Deveraux

Jude Deveraux... light fluff, incredibly enjoyable. Sarah Shaw was introduced in the first Edilean story as the neighbor/cousin who was involved with a man nobody liked. In this story, we find out that the man is actually a maniacal con artist and Mike Newland (the brother of another character from the first novel) has been dispatched to the town to entice Sarah away from her fiancee. 

Not to deep, not a lot of character development and the characters fall into bed WAY too fast, but some great dialogue and I just love the wackinesss.

Three and a half stars
This book came out August 1, 2010

Follows Days of Gold

Followed by The Scent of Jasmine

Borrowed as hard copy from the library

Opinions are my own