Format: Paperback

#BookReview The Boundary Stone (The Sockbridge Series #1) by Gail Avery Halverson @gailhalv #TheBoundaryStone

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#BookReview The Boundary Stone (The Sockbridge Series #1) by Gail Avery Halverson @gailhalv #TheBoundaryStone Title: The Boundary Stone

Author: Gail Avery Halverson

Series: Stockbridge #1

Published by: Knight Wenstrom Publishers on Nov. 16, 2015

Genres: Historical Fiction

Pages: 328

Format: Paperback

Source: Gail Avery Halverson

Book Rating: 9/10

Bound since childhood to an arranged marriage with the restless and irresponsible heir of Houghton Hall, Viscount Miles Houghton; Lady Catherine Abbott, now grown, finds herself torn between duty to her family and her smoldering ambitions. Possessed of a nimble, curious mind, a love of science and the natural world, and a singular talent for illustration, Catherine desperately longs to accomplish something before she resigns herself to a loveless marriage and the idle, aristocratic whirl of parties and social gatherings within the confines of the palatial Houghton Hall.

Banished before his final year of medical training for pushing harder on the boundaries of scientific knowledge than any student at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, the mysterious and driven Simon McKensie has blurred the lines between research and criminality and must now choose between exile to the rural country village of Wells, or the hangman’s noose.

When the terrifying Great Plague of 1665 spreads from London to Wells, the town’s very existence is threatened and Catherine must confront her fears, her place in the world – and the burning passions she has long held inside.

Review:

Informative, fascinating, and incredibly absorbing!

The Boundary Stone is an immersive, compelling tale set in England during 1665 when social status was everything, arranged marriages were commonplace, science was just starting to win the battle against age-old religious theories, and the bubonic plague would once again sweep through and ravage the residents of its cities, towns, and villages.

The prose is expressive and rich. The characters are strong, intelligent, independent, and brave. And the engaging, well-paced plot is a captivating tale of familial drama, heartbreak, loss, love, courage, self-discovery, hope, death, romance, as well as the struggles and limitations of early medicine.

Overall, The Boundary Stone is an atmospheric, intriguing, well-written tale by Halverson that does a beautiful job of highlighting her impressive research and considerable knowledge into seventeenth-century Britain and the natural disasters that plagued it.

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

                

 

 

Thank you to Gail Avery Halverson for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Gail Avery Halverson

Award-winning writer, Gail Avery Halverson, is the author of The Boundary Stone, and its sequel, The Skeptical Physick, a historical romance novel set in 1666 England at the time of the Great Fire and the Scientific Revolution. The Boundary Stone is a Chaucer Award Finalist (historical fiction), a Cygnus Award Finalist (speculative fiction), and a Chatelaine Award Winner (historical romantic fiction). The Skeptical Physick is currently long-listed for both the Chatelaine and the Chaucer Awards. Ms. Halverson is also the writer/producer for “Take it From The Top,” (sitcom pilot, Twin One Productions, Inc.), as well as the playwright and composer of musical plays that have been performed for nearly 300,000 children since 2004. Writing for both theater and television, she holds a B.A. in English Literature/Communications from the University of California, Davis, and is currently at work on the third novel in the Stockbridge Series. She lives in Northern California with her husband and son.

Photograph courtesy of Author's Goodreads Page.

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#BookReview Roar by Cecelia Ahern @Cecelia_Ahern @GrandCentralPub #Roar #CeceliaAhern #GrandCentralPub

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#BookReview Roar by Cecelia Ahern @Cecelia_Ahern @GrandCentralPub #Roar #CeceliaAhern #GrandCentralPub Title: Roar

Author: Cecelia Ahern

Published by: Grand Central Publishing on Jun. 16, 2020

Genres: Women's Fiction, General Fiction

Pages: 320

Format: Paperback

Source: Grand Central Publishing

Book Rating: 8/10

From the bestselling author of P.S., I Love You, a fiercely feminist story collection that illuminates–sometimes in fantastical ways–how women of all kinds navigate the world today.

In this singular and imaginative story collection, Cecelia Ahern explores the endless ways in which women blaze through adversity with wit, resourcefulness, and compassion. Ahern takes the familiar aspects of women’s lives–the routines, the embarrassments, the desires–and elevates these moments to the outlandish and hilarious with her astute blend of magical realism and social insight.

One woman is tortured by sinister bite marks that appear on her skin; another is swallowed up by the floor during a mortifying presentation; yet another resolves to return and exchange her boring husband at the store where she originally acquired him. The women at the center of this curious universe learn that their reality is shaped not only by how others perceive them, but also how they perceive the power within themselves.

By turns sly, whimsical, and affecting, these thirty short stories are a dynamic examination of what it means to be a woman in this very moment. Like women themselves, each story can stand alone; yet together, they have a combined power to shift consciousness, inspire others, and create a multi-voiced ROAR that will not be ignored.

Review:

Astute, thought-provoking, and empowering!

Roar is a sharp, creative collection of short stories that highlight all the responsibilities, expectations, and discriminations that society places on women, as well as the self-reproach, pressure, and need for validation we as women place on ourselves. 

The writing is witty and sharp. The stories are imaginative, well written and impactful. And the plots, although slightly different, all have a similar theme and character, “the woman”, who is always in need of a good roar.

Overall, Roar is a novel all women should read. It’s a humorous, relevant, contemplative, perceptive anthology that reminds us that as women we need to believe in ourselves and always remember that we are confident, powerful, intelligent, attractive human beings no matter our size, age, race, or occupation.

 

This novel is available on paperback now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

           

 

 

Thank you to Grand Central Publishing for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Cecelia Ahern

Cecelia Ahern is the author of the international bestsellers PS, I Love You; Love, Rosie; If You Could See Me Now; There’s No Place Like Here; and The Gift. Her novels have been translated into thirty-five languages and have sold more than twenty-five million copies in over fifty countries. Two of her books have been adapted as major films and she has created several TV series in the US and Germany. She lives in Dublin with her family.

Photograph by Matthew Thompson.

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#BookReview 28 Summers by Elin Hilderbrand @elinhilderbrand @littlebrown @HBGCanada #28Summers

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#BookReview 28 Summers by Elin Hilderbrand @elinhilderbrand @littlebrown @HBGCanada #28Summers Title: 28 Summers

Author: Elin Hilderbrand

Published by: Little Brown and Company on Jun. 16, 2020

Genres: General Fiction, Women's Fiction

Pages: 432

Format: Paperback, ARC

Source: HBG Canada

Book Rating: 10/10

By the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Summer of ’69: Their secret love affair has lasted for decades — but this could be the summer that changes everything.

When Mallory Blessing’s son, Link, receives deathbed instructions from his mother to call a number on a slip of paper in her desk drawer, he’s not sure what to expect. But he certainly does not expect Jake McCloud to answer. It’s the late spring of 2020 and Jake’s wife, Ursula DeGournsey, is the frontrunner in the upcoming Presidential election.

There must be a mistake, Link thinks. How do Mallory and Jake know each other?

Flash back to the sweet summer of 1993: Mallory has just inherited a beachfront cottage on Nantucket from her aunt, and she agrees to host her brother’s bachelor party. Cooper’s friend from college, Jake McCloud, attends, and Jake and Mallory form a bond that will persevere — through marriage, children, and Ursula’s stratospheric political rise — until Mallory learns she’s dying.

Based on the classic film Same Time Next Year (which Mallory and Jake watch every summer), 28 Summers explores the agony and romance of a one-weekend-per-year affair and the dramatic ways this relationship complicates and enriches their lives, and the lives of the people they love.

Review:

Poignant, pensive, and nostalgic!

28 Summers is a lush, intimate tale that sweeps you away to the shores of Nantucket island and into the life of Mallory Blessing, a young woman who after inheriting a cottage from her late aunt and falling in love with her brother’s best friend from college in 1993 spends the next twenty-seven years fondly anticipating and savouring the last weekend of summer when she gets to spend three days of joy and pleasure with the one man who will always own her heart.

The writing is rich and emotive. The characterization is spot on with a cast of characters that are multilayered, genuine, and humanly flawed. And the compelling plot is a delightfully clever blend of moral dilemmas, family drama, relationship dynamics, and lighthearted beach read.

Overall, 28 Summers is another immersive, touching, astute tale by Hilderbrand that highlights once again her innate ability to delve into all the messy emotional and psychological entanglements that exist between family members, friends, and lovers, and proves why year-after-year she’s the queen of the must-read novel of the summer.

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

            

 

 

Thank you to HBG Canada for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Elin Hilderbrand

Elin Hilderbrand is a mother of three, an avid runner, reader, and traveler, and the author of twenty-three novels. She grew up outside Philadelphia, and has lived on Nantucket for more than twenty years.

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#BookReview Just Like That by Cole McCade @thisblackmagic @CarinaPress @HarlequinBooks @Bookclubbish #HarlequinPublicityTeam #CarinaAdores #ColeMcCade

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#BookReview Just Like That by Cole McCade @thisblackmagic @CarinaPress @HarlequinBooks @Bookclubbish #HarlequinPublicityTeam #CarinaAdores #ColeMcCade Title: Just Like That

Author: Cole McCade

Series: Albin Academy #1

Published by: Carina Adores on Jun. 30, 2020

Genres: Contemporary Romance, LGBTQIA

Pages: 336

Format: Paperback

Source: Harlequin Books

Book Rating: 8/10

Carina Adores is home to highly romantic contemporary love stories featuring beloved romance tropes, where LGBTQ+ characters find their happily-ever-afters.

Summer Hemlock never meant to come back to Omen, Massachusetts.

But with his mother in need of help, Summer has no choice but to return to his hometown, take up a teaching residency at the Albin Academy boarding school—and work directly under the man who made his teenage years miserable.

Professor Fox Iseya.

Forbidding, aloof, commanding: psychology instructor Iseya is a cipher who’s always fascinated and intimidated shy, anxious Summer. But that fascination turns into something more when the older man challenges Summer to be brave. What starts as a daily game to reward Summer with a kiss for every obstacle overcome turns passionate, and a professional relationship turns quickly personal.

Yet Iseya’s walls of grief may be too high for someone like Summer to climb…until Summer’s infectious warmth shows Fox everything he’s been missing in life.

Now both men must be brave enough to trust each other, to take that leap.

To find the love they’ve always needed…

Just like that.

In Just Like That, critically acclaimed author Cole McCade introduces us to Albin Academy: a private boys’ school where some of the world’s richest families send their problem children to learn discipline and maturity, out of the public eye.

Review:

Intimate, passionate, and sweet!

Just Like That is a seductive, May-December romance that features the nervous, impulsive Summer Hemlock, a former student who returns after seven years to work for his teenage crush, and the stern widower, Fox Iseya, a psychology professor who begrudgingly agrees to reward his new assistant with a kiss a day for conquering his fears.

The prose is smooth and fluid. The characters are multilayered, genuine, and honest. And the plot is a fervent tale filled with life, love, family, intimacy, grief, chemistry, heat, desire, romance, light drama, and relationship dynamics.

Overall, Just Like That is a tender, heartwarming, engaging tale by McCade that’s a promising start for this new Albin Academy series.

 

This book is publishing on June 30, 2020.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

          

 

 

Thank you to Carina Adores for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Cole McCade

Cole McCade is a New Orleans-born Southern boy without the Southern accent, currently residing somewhere in Seattle. He spends his days as a suit-and-tie corporate consultant and business writer, and his nights writing contemporary romance and erotica that flirt with the edge of taboo--when he's not being tackled by two hyperactive cats.

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#BookReview The Boyfriend Project by Farrah Rochon @FarrahRochon @ReadForeverPub @GrandCentralPub #ReadForever #Forever20 #FarrahRochon #TheBoyfriendProject

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#BookReview The Boyfriend Project by Farrah Rochon @FarrahRochon @ReadForeverPub @GrandCentralPub #ReadForever #Forever20 #FarrahRochon #TheBoyfriendProject Title: The Boyfriend Project

Author: Farrah Rochon

Published by: Forever on Jun. 9, 2020

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 368

Format: Paperback

Source: Forever

Book Rating: 9/10

USA Today bestselling author Farrah Rochon launches a new series about three young women who become friends when the live Tweeting of a disastrous date leads them to discover they’ve all been duped by the same man.

Samiah Brooks never thought she would be “that” girl. But a live tweet of a horrific date just revealed the painful truth: she’s been catfished by a three-timing jerk of a boyfriend. Suddenly Samiah-along with his two other “girlfriends,” London and Taylor-have gone viral online. Now the three new besties are making a pact to spend the next six months investing in themselves. No men, no dating, and no worrying about their relationship status . . .

For once Samiah is putting herself first, and that includes finally developing the app she’s always dreamed of creating. Which is the exact moment she meets the deliciously sexy, honey-eyed Daniel Collins at work. What are the chances? When it comes to love, there’s no such thing as a coincidence. But is Daniel really boyfriend material or is he maybe just a little too good to be true?

Review:

Clever, humorous, and sassy!

The Boyfriend Project is a flirty, charming rom-com about the hardworking, driven Samiah Brooks who after facing the humiliation of a date who likes to three-time and a lifestyle that caters to a little too much work and not enough play struggles to stick to the no-dating pact she makes with her new friends when the deliciously handsome, sweet but spicy, Daniel Collins starts at her firm.

The prose is witty and sharp. The characters are focused, amusing, and brazen. And the plot is a lighthearted, funny blend of life, love, introspection, friendship, secrets, deception, awkward situations, embarrassing moments, taking chances, and the ups-and-downs of being an intelligent, successful, African-American woman in a high-tech world.

Overall, The Boyfriend Project is a sexy, simmering, entertaining read by Rochon that’s brimming with empowerment, female friendships, and swoon-worthy romance.

 

This book is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

            

 

 

Thank you to Forever and Grand Central Publishing for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Farrah Rochon

USA Today bestselling author Farrah Rochon hails from a small town just west of New Orleans. She has garnered much acclaim for her Holmes Brothers, New York Sabers, Bayou Dreams and Moments in Maplesville series. When she is not writing in her favorite coffee shop, Farrah spends most of her time reading, cooking, traveling the world, visiting Walt Disney World, and catching her favorite Broadway shows. An admitted sports fanatic, Farrah feeds her addiction to football by watching New Orleans Saints games on Sunday afternoons.

Photography by Tamara Roybiskie.

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#BookReview Red Sky Over Hawaii by Sara Ackerman @ackermanbooks @HarlequinBooks @Bookclubbish #HarlequinPublicityTeam #RedSkyOverHawaii

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#BookReview Red Sky Over Hawaii by Sara Ackerman @ackermanbooks @HarlequinBooks @Bookclubbish #HarlequinPublicityTeam #RedSkyOverHawaii Title: Red Sky Over Hawaii

Author: Sara Ackerman

Published by: Mira Books on Jun. 9, 2020

Genres: Historical Fiction

Pages: 400

Format: Paperback, ARC

Source: Harlequin Books

Book Rating: 9/10

Inspired by real places and events of WWII, Red Sky Over Hawaii immerses the reader in a time of American history full of suspicion and peril in this lush and poignant tale about the indisputable power of doing the right thing against all odds.

The attack on Pearl Harbor changes everything for Lana Hitchcock. Arriving home on the Big Island too late to reconcile with her estranged father, she is left alone to untangle the clues of his legacy, which lead to a secret property tucked away in the remote rain forest of Kilauea volcano. When the government starts taking away her neighbors as suspected sympathizers, Lana shelters two young German girls, a Japanese fisherman and his son. As tensions escalate, they are forced into hiding—only to discover the hideaway house is not what they expected.

When a detainment camp is established nearby, Lana struggles to keep the secrets of those in her care. Trust could have dangerous consequences. As their lives weave together, Lana begins to understand the true meaning of family and how the bonds of love carry us through the worst times.

Review:

Enticing, exotic, and touching!

Red Sky Over Hawaii is a tender, heartwarming tale that sweeps you away to the island of Hawaii in the days, hours, and minutes leading up to Pearl Harbor and the year after and into the life of Lana Hitchcock, a young woman who after losing her father suddenly takes on the responsibility of hiding four individuals whose nationality makes them a target for detainment and internment.

The prose is expressive and lush. The characters are multilayered, troubled, strong, and compassionate. And the plot is an evocative tale of life, loss, love, self-discovery, war, secrets, friendship, determination, survival, romance, and the true meaning of family.

Overall, Red Sky Over Hawaii is a beautifully written, informative, absorbing tale with intriguing characters that I devoured from start to finish. I’m a huge fan of Sara Ackerman’s writing, and this novel didn’t disappoint. If you enjoy well researched WWII novels with a fresh and unique perspective, then I highly recommend it.

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

                

 

 

Thank you to Harlequin Books for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Sara Ackerman

Sara writes books about love and life, and all of their messy and beautiful imperfections. Born and raised in Hawaii, she studied journalism and later earned graduate degrees in psychology and Chinese medicine. She is the author of historical novels Island of Sweet Pies and Soldiers and The Lieutenant's Nurse, with several more in the works. She blames Hawaii for her addiction to writing, and sees no end to its untapped stories. Sara lives on the Big Island with her boyfriend and a houseful of bossy animals.

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#BookReview The Mobster’s Lament by Ray Celestin @PGCBooks @MantleBooks #TheMobstersLament

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#BookReview The Mobster’s Lament by Ray Celestin @PGCBooks @MantleBooks #TheMobstersLament Title: The Mobster's Lament

Author: Ray Celestin

Series: City Blues Quartet #3

Published by: Pan Macmillan on Jun. 1, 2020

Genres: Mystery/Thriller

Pages: 576

Format: Paperback

Source: Publishers Group Canada

Book Rating: 10/10

Award-winning author Ray Celestin’s The Mobster’s Lament is both a gripping crime novel and a vivid, panoramic portrait of 1940s New York as the mob rises to the height of its powers.

From the acclaimed author of The Axeman’s Jazz and Dead Man’s Blues, Ray Celestin’s gripping third book follows a gangster’s last chance to escape the clutches of New York’s mafia families, but as a blizzard descends on NYC, a ruthless serial killer is tracking his every move.

New York, 1947. Mob fixer Gabriel Leveson’s plans to flee the city are put on hold when he is tasked with tracking down stolen mob money by ‘the boss of all bosses,’ Frank Costello. But while he’s busy looking, he doesn’t notice who’s watching him.

Meanwhile, Private Investigator Ida Young and her old partner, Michael Talbot, must prove the innocence of Talbot’s son Tom, who has been accused of the brutal murders of four people in a Harlem flophouse. With all the evidence pointing towards him, their only chance of exoneration is to find the killer themselves.

Whilst across town, Ida’s childhood friend, Louis Armstrong, is on the brink of bankruptcy, when a promoter approaches him with a strange offer to reignite his career.

Both a gripping neo-noir crime novel and a vivid, panoramic portrait of New York, The Mobster’s Lament takes you to the heart of a city where the Mob has risen to the height of its powers.

Review:

Gritty, atmospheric, and action-packed!

The Mobster’s Lament is a pacey, enthralling thriller set in New York City in the late 1940s when America was still recovering from war, politicians were as dirty as they come, Italian gangsters were running the streets, the Copacabana nightclub was the place to see and be seen, and Jazz was still dominating the airwaves.

The prose is crisp and clear. The characters are focused, driven, and multilayered. And the plot is a fast-paced, riveting tale full of twists, turns, action, intrigue, power, corruption, deduction, duplicity, violence, and murder.

Overall, The Mobster’s Lament is another sinister, compelling, exceptionally absorbing, gangster tale by Celestin that does a fantastic job of blending real-life historical figures, insightful information, and gripping fiction into an unputdownable story.

This book is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

                 

 

 

Thank you to PGC Books for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Ray Celestin

Ray Celestin is a novelist and screenwriter based in London. His debut novel, The Axeman’s Jazz, won the CWA New Blood Dagger for best debut crime novel of the year, and was featured on numerous ‘Books of the Year’ lists. His follow-up, Dead Man’s Blues, won the Historia Historical Thriller of the Year Award, and was shortlisted for a number of other awards, including the CWA Gold Dagger for best crime novel of the year. The novels are part of a series – ‘The City Blues Quartet’ – which charts the twin histories of jazz and the mob through the middle 50 years of the twentieth century. The Mobster’s Lament is the third instalment in this series.

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#BookReview If You Must Know (Potomac Point #1) by Jamie Beck @writerjamiebeck @AmazonPub #montlakeromance

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#BookReview If You Must Know (Potomac Point #1) by Jamie Beck @writerjamiebeck @AmazonPub #montlakeromance Title: If You Must Know

Author: Jamie Beck

Series: Potomac Point #1

Published by: Montlake Romance on Jun. 1, 2020

Genres: Contemporary Romance, Women's Fiction

Pages: 368

Format: Paperback, ARC

Source: Amazon Publishing

Book Rating: 8/10

Life turns upside down for two sisters in Wall Street Journalbestselling author Jamie Beck’s emotional novel about how secrets and differences can break—or bind—a family.

Sisters Amanda Foster and Erin Turner have little in common except the childhood bedroom they once shared and the certainty each feels that her way of life is best. Amanda follows the rules—at the school where she works; in her community; and as a picture-perfect daughter, wife, and mother-to-be. Erin follows her heart—in love and otherwise—living a bohemian lifestyle on a shoestring budget and honoring her late father’s memory with a passion for music and her fledgling bath-products business.

The sisters are content leading separate but happy lives in their hometown of Potomac Point until everything is upended by lies that force them to confront unsettling truths about their family, themselves, and each other. For sisters as different as these two, building trust doesn’t come easily—especially with one secret still between them—but it may be the only way to save their family.

Review:

Absorbing, hopeful, and bittersweet!

If You Must Know is a heartwarming, engaging tale set in the small-town of Potomac Point that takes us into the lives of two main characters. Erin, a free spirit who is fun-loving and kind but often impulsive and reckless, and Amanda, a straightlaced, happily married, pregnant teacher whose idyllic world is suddenly shattered when her husband runs off with another woman and all of her mother’s savings.

The writing is smooth and fluid. The characterization is well-developed with an intriguing cast of characters, including two generations of strong, determined women who must learn to support forgive and embrace the future. And the plot is a delightful blend of heart, hope, angst, grief, drama and love.

If You Must Know is, ultimately, a story about family dynamics, heartbreak, secrets, friendship, loss, dreams, regrets, romance, contentment, sibling rivalry, discovering one’s true self, and the complex relationship between sisters. It’s a sweet, tender, emotional tale that does a lovely job of reminding us that no matter how challenging life might often seem things always seem to work themselves out in the end.

 

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

     

 

 

 

Thank you to Amazon Publishing for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Jamie Beck

Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author Jamie Beck’s realistic and heartwarming stories have sold more than three million copies. She is a two-time Booksellers’ Best Award finalist, a National Readers’ Choice Award winner, and critics at Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, and Booklist have respectively called her work “smart,” “uplifting,” and “entertaining.” In addition to writing novels, she enjoys dancing around the kitchen while cooking and hitting the slopes in Vermont and Utah. Above all, she is a grateful wife and mother to a very patient, supportive family.

Photograph courtesy of Author's Website.

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#BookReview Time for the Dead by Lin Anderson @PGCBooks @panmacmillan #RhonaMacLeod #TimefortheDead

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#BookReview Time for the Dead by Lin Anderson @PGCBooks @panmacmillan #RhonaMacLeod #TimefortheDead Title: Time for the Dead

Author: Lin Anderson

Series: Rhona MacLeod #14

Published by: Pan Macmillan on Jun. 1, 2020

Genres: Mystery/Thriller, Police Procedural

Pages: 400

Format: Paperback

Source: Publishers Group Canada

Book Rating: 8.5/10

Time for the Dead is a gripping crime novel by Lin Anderson and sees forensic scientist Rhona MacLeod discover that a terrifying war is unfolding on Scotland’s Isle of Skye.

When forensic scientist Rhona MacLeod returns to her roots on Scotland’s Isle of Skye, a chance encounter in the woods behind a nearby activities centre leads her to what seems to be a crime scene, but without a victim. Could this be linked to a group of army medics, who visited the centre while on leave from Afghanistan and can no longer be located on the island?

Enlisting the help of local tracker dog Blaze, Rhona starts searching for a connection.

Two days later a body is found at the base of the famous cliff known as Kilt Rock, face and identity obliterated by the fall, which leads Rhona to suspect the missing medics may be on the island for reasons other than relaxation. Furthermore, elements of the case suggests a link with an ongoing operation in Glasgow, which draws DS Michael McNab into the investigation.

As the island’s unforgiving conditions close in, Rhona must find out what really happened to the group in Afghanistan, as the consequences may be being played out in brutal killings on Skye . . .

Review:

Edgy, atmospheric, and immersive!

In this latest novel by Anderson, Time for the Dead, we head to the Isle of Skye, Scotland where forensic scientist Rhona MacLeod has fled for some much-needed rest and recuperation after a traumatizing previous case only to find herself suddenly immersed into the evidence collection and investigation of a bloody crime scene she inadvertently stumbles across in the woods.

The prose is descriptive and gritty. The characters are focused, tenacious, and troubled. And the plot, including all the subplots, intertwine and unravel meticulously into a hauntingly suspenseful tale full of deception, abuse, violence, rape, control, power, manipulation, war, drug trafficking, and murder.

Overall, Time for the Dead is an astute, intricate, mysterious tale by Anderson that kept me enthralled and entertained from the very first page and certainly left me eager for more.

 

This book is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

              

 

 

Thank you to PGC Books for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Lin Anderson

Lin Anderson is a Scottish author and screenwriter known for her bestselling crime series featuring forensic scientist Dr Rhona MacLeod. Four of her novels have been longlisted for the Scottish Crime Book of the Year, with Follow the Dead being a 2018 finalist. Her short film River Child won both a Scottish BAFTA for Best Fiction and the Celtic Film Festival’s Best Drama award and has now been viewed more than one million times on YouTube. Lin is also the co-founder of the international crime writing festival Bloody Scotland, which takes place annually in Stirling.

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#BookReview Summer at Firefly Beach by Jenny Hale @jhaleauthor @readforeverpub @grandcentralpub #ReadForever #Forever20 #JennyHale #FireflyBeach

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#BookReview Summer at Firefly Beach by Jenny Hale @jhaleauthor @readforeverpub @grandcentralpub #ReadForever #Forever20 #JennyHale #FireflyBeach Title: Summer at Firefly Beach

Author: Jenny Hale

Series: Firefly Beach #1

Published by: Forever on Jun. 2, 2020

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 288

Format: Paperback

Source: Forever

Book Rating: 8/10

From USA Today bestselling author Jenny Hale comes an unforgettable beach read about family, friendship, and the magic of finding true love, perfect for fans of Jill Shalvis and Susan Mallery!
 
Hallie Flynn’s favorite place in the world is her aunt Clara’s beautiful beachside house, with its inviting wraparound porch and enchanting views across the sparkling turquoise ocean. For Hallie, going to Firefly Beach, filled with magical childhood memories, feels like coming home. But in one moment, Hallie’s left brokenhearted when her adored aunt Clara passes away.
 
In her last letter, Aunt Clara included the bucket list Hallie wrote when she was twelve years old — and a final wish for Hallie to complete it. Stepping away from her dead-end job and predictable schedule, Hallie embraces Aunt Clara’s words.
 
Spending the summer at Firefly Beach, Hallie begins to remember the things that matter most to her. Best of all, her childhood friend Ben Murray is there, supporting her every step of the way. But a run-in with wealthy Gavin Wilson, a newcomer to Firefly Beach, leaves her questioning her future and facing something buried deep in her heart.
 
Will Hallie complete the bucket list and change her life? Or will the secret she’s been keeping destroy her new beginning — and the chance to fall in love?

Review:

Warm, hopeful, and touching!

Summer at Firefly Beach is a charming, emotive, friends-to-lovers tale that takes you into the life of the heartbroken, sorrowful Hallie Flynn who at the request of her late great aunt Clara’s final wishes attempts to complete her childhood bucket list, rediscovers passions long forgotten, and finally recognizes that the one person who’s always been standing right beside her is everything her heart’s ever wanted or needed.

The writing is fluid and smooth. The characters are troubled, supportive, and kind. And the plot is a delightful mix of life, love, loss, family, friendship, community, romance, starting over, taking chances, new beginnings, and following one’s dreams.

Overall, Summer at Firefly Beach is an easy, tender, lighthearted tale by Hale that is entertaining, compelling, and perfect for a day at the beach.

 

This book is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

                

 

 

Thank you to Forever for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Jenny Hale

Jenny Hale is a USA Today bestselling author of romantic fiction. Her novels Coming Home for Christmas and Christmas Wishes and Mistletoe Kisses have been adapted for television on the Hallmark Channel. Her stories are chock-full of feel-good romance and overflowing with warm settings, great friends, and family. Grab a cup of coffee, settle in, and enjoy the fun!

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