Lavender Morning by Jude Deveraux

When Miss Edi (short for Edilean) leaves Jocelyn Minton a house, she's shocked. She has never even heard of the town of Edilean and she thought Miss Edi shared everything. Joce grew up with a handyman father who's a little... earthier (not all handymen are unenlightened, not sure why this is supposed to be such a big "social class" difference.) Her mother was genteel so when her mother dies and Joce is left with her father and then her biker stepmom and two bitchy stepsisters, her time with Miss Edi comes as a great relief. The greater shock is that Miss Edi, known (at least to Jocelyn) to be a great prognosticator of relationships (though the example in the book seems to be "I knew they wouldn't last," which, arguably, anyone could say) has told her that the perfect man for her, Ramsay, is in Edilean.

Luke is a grumpy Gus who seems to be hiding a lot. A LOT. But he likes Joce. Is it because she's meant for his cousin Ramsay or just because of her? Who can tell?.

Really two and a half stars but I keep re-reading (PURE fluff) so I rounded up.

Three stars

This book came out March 31, 2009

Followed by Days of Gold

Borrowed as hard copy from library

Opinions are my own

Peg and Rose Solve a Murder by Laurien Berenson

I assume that both Peg and Rose have appeared in Berenson's other series as there are references to both of them having helped solve other mysteries. But in this book, the two are working together, maybe for the first time in decades. Rose wasn't sure about Peg when she married Rose's brother and she made a scene that ensured the two wouldn't have a good relationship. Years later, her brother is dead and Rose is feeling penitent so she invites Peg to a bridge club. We get to meet all of the the other members along with Peg and Rose. It is one of their bridge club that gets murdered in this book. While the police (including a detective that Peg knows and trusts) are investigating, Peg is still going to poke her nose in. That leads to some danger for them both and Peg may not be able to stick around to take care of her prized poodles.

Four stars

This book came out August 20, 2022

Followed by Peg and Rose Stir up Trouble

Borrowed as hard copy from the library

Opinions are my own

Role Playing by Cathy Yardley

This is the story of two people who most definitely are not looking for love, especially not with each other. Maggie thinks that Aiden is her son's age while he thinks she's his mother's. It's a bit of a coincidence that they think that but not an unthinkable stretch. As the two spend more time together on an online role-playing game, they become friends. When Aiden hurts his ankle, they meet in person and realize they are about the same age. Love isn't instant, but as the two get to know each other, as they listen and grow (loved this!), they figure out they might want more from each other than merely friendship.

Four stars

This book came out July 1, 2023

Borrowed as audiobook from Kindle

Opinions are my own

Murder Most Witchy by Amanda M. Lee

Landon is going undercover and it is causing Bay fits. She sees him with two people at a corn maze (they are willing to go to another corn maze?). Later, the woman ends up dead on Bay's lawn and Bay is attacked. Suddenly, it seems like Bay is the only suspect by a local state trooper and an enemy of old, Agent Noah. 

There is So Much drama in this addition to the series. The mystery is even looser than usual while the drama takes its place in the word count. There are some developments between Bay and Landon moving their relationship forward but I didn't like this book as much as others in the series.

Wicked Witches of the Midwest #11

Three stars

This book came out 

Follows The Trouble with Witches

Followed by A Witch Before Dying

Borrowed as ebook from NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Bowling Blunder by Stella Bixby

Ellie didn't grow up with a lot of friends but she is slowly building a community in her new town. She's got her group of older ladies that run and take her yoga classes. She's also got Bex who she works with at the diner. Slowly but surely, she is making a place for herself. Yes, there are still people who accuse her of being a witch (her hair changes color/style with her emotions) but she knows that she wants to stay. It's just too bad that there's been another murder. This time at the local bowling alley. 

Ellie's ex-boyfriend's fiancee (yep), Samantha, is still in town and trying to argue that his property should go to her instead of the man's mother (he died in the previous book in this series.) Samantha is also a part of a bachelorette weekend that is somehow also in this same small town. It is one of the bridesmaids who gets murdered.

Is the mystery solution a little convoluted? Yes. Is the magic starting to get a little wild (we meet Xander, a warlock, in this book)? Yes. Am I going to keep reading this series? Heck yes. I want to see where it goes.

Three stars

This book came out March 16, 2021

Follows Downward Death

Followed by Spotlight Scandal

Borrowed as ebook from Kindle Unlimited

Opinions are my own

Murder at the Manor by Catherine Coles

Evelyn and Tommy very much remind me of Agatha Christie's Tommy and Tuppence: young, adventurous, newly married. This Tommy is the nephew of an earl and they are visiting the family to pay their respects and figure out their next steps. A big hitch in their plans occurs when the earl dies. Having been a police detective (Tommy) and worked for the police force (Evelyn), the two realize that the men assigned to this case are not doing their job well. So they decide to investigate.

If you like stories that are fairly clued, this is not going to be a book you enjoy but it is a quick and fun read and sets up these two characters nicely.

Four stars

This book came out July 31, 2020

Followed by Murder at the Village Fete

Borrowed as ebook from Kindle

Opinions are my own

The Hike by Lucy Clarke

Four friends go on a vacation together every year. This year, it will be an end of season hike in Norway. Each going for a different reason. Liz, the one with the seemingly picture perfect marriage, is burnt out and this trip marks the beginning of her and her husband's trial separation. Helena, who revels in the life of a single woman, fears that she might be pregnant. Joni is a rock star who is losing control. Maggie ... looks like a young woman who disappeared from the town where their hike is to begin. 

The hike starts well enough but the second day, they lose the path. Then secrets start to come out and their complicated relationships start to become even more so. And that's before they find the caves that will ensure that not all of them are leaving the mountain alive.

If you like Clarke's books, this book will hit the spot. I didn't always see all of the voices as distinct so it did get complicated to listen to but was overall an okay book.

Three stars

This book came out April 27, 2023

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own