The Vanishing At Loxby Manor

 Disappearances, strange activities in the night, and secret organizations abound in this mysterious Regency romance.

Haunted by the assault she’s kept hidden over the past four years, Charity Halliwell finally has a chance to return home to the quaint village she left more than five years before and the happy life she wants so badly to reclaim. All she needs is good conversation with her old friend and an opportunity to find a governess position, and she can leave the fear and guilt behind. But the family who agrees to her yearlong visit turns out to be a far cry from the one she thought she knew, particularly when her friend disappears and the one man she made certain would not be at the house is forced to return. How can she possibly heal and claim her independence when day in, day out she must face the only gentleman who ever held a piece of her heart?

Piers Cavanagh was branded a coward when he failed to show up for a duel he arranged. He had his reasons, of course, but disclosing them would hurt far more than continuing life as an outcast. And worse, with the mysterious departure of his sister, the strange nightly occurrences in the ruins of an old abbey, and the uncomfortable whispers of a secret organization, Piers must overcome his aversion to society and work with the last person he ever thought he would get the chance to speak to again—the girl whose heart he had no choice but to break. 

My Rating: 4 Stars

What a captivating story! I very much enjoyed this regency novel with romance and a heathy dose of mystery. Charity and Piers were great characters and the supporting cast left no small pool for suspects. The mystery was great, it kept me turning pages to find out what had happened. This is a great read with mystery, romance, humor and danger made for a quite enjoyable read. 

I received this book from the publisher and was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are my own. 

A Dance In Donegal

To fulfill her mother's dying wish, Moira Doherty moves from Boston to the rolling green hills of 1921 Ireland to teach in a village school. She doesn't expect to fall in love--or to uncover a scandalous family reputation her mother left behind years ago.

My Rating: 2 Stars

I wanted to love this book. A historical set in Ireland?? What's not to love? Unfortunately for me the story fell flat. Moira wasn't my favorite as a leading lady, so there was a disconnect there for me. Then the absolute hatefulness of some of the characters turned me off as well as the twists the story took at the end. I loved the setting of Ireland and the characters of Peg, Bridge and Colm were my favorite elements of the story. While this wasn't my cup of tea overall, the teaser for the next book did peak my attention and I am definitely willing(and planning) to give it a try and see if that one clicks better for me. 

I received this book from the publisher and was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are my own. 

 

Obession

Natchez Trace Ranger and historian Emma Winters hoped never to see Sam Ryker again after she broke off her engagement to him. But when shots are fired at her at a historical landmark just off the Natchez Trace, she's forced to work alongside Sam as the Natchez Trace law enforcement district ranger in the ensuing investigation. To complicate matters, Emma has acquired a delusional secret admirer who is determined to have her as his own. Sam is merely an obstruction, one which must be removed.

Sam knows that he has failed Emma in the past and he doesn't intend to let her down again. Especially since her life is on the line. As the threads of the investigation cross and tangle with their own personal history, Sam and Emma have a chance to discover the truth, not only about the victim but about what went wrong in their relationship.

My Rating: 5 Stars

This was a super exciting read. I really enjoyed the cold case of Emma's missing brother along with the current day mysteries facing Emma and Sam. The story moved extremely well and was a very easy read. It held my attention throughout and I had trouble putting it down. A solid Christian Fiction suspense novel that leaves me wanting the next in the series asap!! 

I received this book from the publisher and was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are my own. 

 

All Because of You

Madison Price’s plans have fallen to ashes.

Instead of working in an Oregon library, she’s back in Walker Beach, California—a town full of painful memories—running her late aunt’s hardware store and falling for the gorgeous bad boy from high school. Again.

Yes, the same jerk who made Madison’s high school days a living nightmare. The one who, somehow, doesn’t remember her. But if the sparks flying between them are any indication, this time he will.

For the first time in his life, assistant community developer Evan Walsh is on the straight and narrow. He’s up for a promotion and helping Walker Beach recover from an economic downturn. But doing the right thing for the town might mean putting the woman he loves out of business.

Evan’s in trouble—in more ways than one. And though Trouble used to be his middle name, this time there’s no easy escape.

My Rating: 5 Stars

This is a wonderful story! I loved the character of Madison and her bookishness and Evan was such a sweet guy. All Because of You is a quick easy read that I basically read in one setting over an evening. I couldn't put it down because I wanted to see Madison and Evan finally find their place and their happily ever after. The ending did not disappoint! A perfect love story and a lovely read. Really really enjoyed!

I received this book as a member of the launch team and was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are my own. 

 

If For Any Reason

 

Emily Ackerman has traveled the world, her constant compass and companion a book of letters her mother left for her when she died. With no father in the picture, her mom's advice has been her only true north. But when professional failure leads Emily back to Nantucket to renovate and sell the family cottage she inherited, she wonders if her mom left advice to cover this . . . especially when her grandmother arrives to "supervise." And especially when her heart becomes entangled with Hollis McGuire, the boy next door-turned-baseball star who's back on the island after a career-ending injury.

As sparks fly between her and Hollis, Emily is drawn to island life, even as she uncovers shocking secrets about the tragic accident that led to her mother's death. With her world turned upside down, Emily must choose between allowing the voices from her past to guide her future or forging her own path forward.

My Rating: 4 Stars

Excellent read. I really enjoyed this book. Great characters and an interesting plot line made for a book that was hard to put down. The book was a little sad for me due to a personal connection to growing up without a father myself which made me feel the book that much more. All in all, a great read and I look forward to the rest of the series. 

Killer Comfort Food

Angie Turner’s Idaho restaurant, the County Seat, is known and loved for its fresh food. For Angie, it’s also meant a fresh start. But when big agriculture comes to town—along with whispers of foul play—Angie could lose more than the farm . . .

A soybean processing plant is trying to buy up the land around the small farm Angie’s beloved Nona left her. If Angie doesn't sell, she'll be surrounded by the plant and the congestion that comes with it. On the other hand, it’s Nona’s farmhouse. What is Angie supposed to do without it? Move into a condo in town with Precious, Mabel, and Dom—respectively, a goat, chicken, and dog. Worse, a troubling rumor is circulating about the lawyer who’s heading up the development: His socialite wife seems to be missing. When Barb, owner of the local bar, asks Angie to look into the woman's disappearance, she’s hesitant—until Barb reveals her surprising connection. Now it’s up to Angie to find the woman, uncover a shady plot, and hang onto her home—before she becomes a criminal’s final course . . . 

My Rating: 3 Stars

A solid mystery featuring Angie and the gang. Not my favorite of the series, but enjoyable nonetheless. For whatever reason, I just didn't connect with this story as well as some of the rest in the series. Looking forward to the next installment. 

Glory Falls

Screenwriter Cecilia "Blue" Walker is victim to life's worst plot twists. Having lost her daughter to the depths of the Madison River and her husband to the arms of another woman, she finds herself yearning for something to restore her brittle faith and once-vibrant career.

Hope arrives in the form of her childhood friend, Thomas Beck, a firefighter with a legacy of larger-than-life rescues who doesn't see himself as a hero. Haunted by his past, Thomas only agrees to a movie adaptation of his story if Blue, his longtime crush, is the screenwriter.

However, as Blue and Thomas work together to bring his heroism to the big screen, the glitz and glamour of Hollywood threaten to shed light on secrets that could tear their fragile relationship and their lives apart.

My Rating: 4 Stars

What an enjoyable finale to the Madison River Romance series! I had fun reading about Blue and Thomas and their lifelong friendship turned romance. They both went through a lot to get to a happily ever after, and it made for a story I couldn't put down. Great Read!

I received this book from the publisher and was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are my own. 

 

Nicole

 

Who has time to date when she’s trying to raise a miniature human by herself AND save the planet from its irresponsible inhabitants? Not to mention my winning personality (snort) and my curves-have-curves figure (eyeroll) don’t exactly attract the opposite sex. Unfortunately, none of these reasons have stopped my best friends and SoCal sewing sisters from taking on the archaic role of matchmakers, and they’re not beneath a little bribery if that’s what it takes to get my cooperation. Let’s just say everyone has their weak spot, and donations to my favourite charities is mine.

If I were to consider a romantic relationship, my dream guy certainly wouldn’t be immature, everything-is-a-game Dr. Drew Bauer. The man raises my body temperature faster than global warming does the Earth’s! But life seems determined to keep throwing us together, especially now that one of my SoCal sewing sisters is engaged to his best friend, in which case there can only be one of two outcomes:

1. I kill him in a fit of annoyance.

2. My common sense escapes me, and I fall in love with him.

Honestly, I'm not sure which would be worse.

My Rating: 5 Stars

Another super cute and fun read from Sarah Monzon about a fantastic group of friends. We finally get Nicole's story and it was worth the wait!! Nicole and Drew and their fantastic sparring chemistry was a hoot and made for a lovely audio listen. Nicole's daughter was adorable and a great addition to the story. Another light and very enjoyable read/listen perfect for a Sunday evening car trip. Don't miss it!!

I received a copy from a the author and was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are my own.