Cozy Mystery Review ~ A Midwinter's Tail (Lucky Paws Petsitting Mystery, Book #4) by Bethany Blake @KensingtonBooks

Print Length: 300 pages
Publisher: Kensington Books
Publication Date: May 28, 2019
ASIN: B07H1YJQBN

Amazon

Daphne Templeton's sister Piper is getting married--and their mother is getting carried away. She insists on hiring Sylvan Creek's top event planner, Abigail Sinclair, who proposes an Independence Day theme complete with Statue of Liberty-inspired bridesmaid dresses. With all the bickering among the families, Daphne's glad her only duty right now is pet-sitting for Abby's cat, Ms. Peebles. But there are some fireworks coming that aren't part of the ceremony. The Poconos will never be the same . . .

At a tension-filled dress fitting, the abrasive wedding planner is found strangled by a garter--a weapon both borrowed and blue. Now Daphne's services are required not just for organizing the big day, but for figuring out whether one of the in-laws is an outlaw . . .



Welcome back to Sylvan Creek. The Lucky Paws Petsitting Mysteries are one of my absolute favorite cozy mystery series’. In this book, it’s time for Daphne’s sister Piper’s wedding. Their mother has insisted on hiring Sylvan Creek’s top wedding planner, Abigail Sinclair. Abigail goes a bit over the top in suggesting a Fourth of July themed wedding, producing a lot of squabbling between members of both families. When the wedding planner is found strangled, Daphne dives right into the fray to help bring a murderer to justice and save her sister’s wedding.

Something Borrowed, Something Mewed is a fantastic fifth book in Bethany Blake’s Lucky Paws Petsitting Mystery series. The cozy mystery is full of action, suspense, drama, and animals. I love Artie, the chihuahua Daphne rescued in book 1 and convinced Jonathan to adopt. He is such scene stealer in every book. I adore how he absolutely loves clothes. Tinks is a feisty cat with a mischievous and cantankerous personality, and Socrates is quite a long-suffering basset.

Daphne is a wonderful character. She is snarky, compassionate, without too many cares in the world. Some may think she's flaky since her cell never works and she's never on time for anything, but she's a strong protagonist that doesn't live by the timeline of others. She even has a PhD in philosophy but doesn't use her degree. She's down-to-earth, kind, and gentle. She loves her pet sitting business and she and the business continue to prosper.

The author does a spectacular job with the continued character development and world building. I love Sylvan Creek and how alive the author writes the town and characters (that is, unless you happen to be the latest murder victim). The book is engaging from the beginning and kept me entertained. There was never a dull moment and some of Daphne's antics had me smiling. The author's writing style is phenomenal. All dialogue was smooth, thought out, and conversational. The twists and turns kept me guessing all the way until the end.

I was provided an ecopy of the book to read.

Book Review ~ Crimson (Colors of Crime, Book #4) by Sophie Lark

Book Details:

Print Length: 241 pages

Publication Date: January 15, 2020

Sold by: Amazon.com Services LLC

ASIN: B081ZJHRP1

Purchase Link: Amazon

About the Book:

Seduce An Enemy To Control An Empire…

Nadia is a mafia princess, come to Moscow to solve an old mystery from her mother’s journal.

Nikolai is the heir to the rival Markov empire. He’s about to secure his family’s fortunes once and for all. There’s just one thing standing in his way...

He needs a wife. And not just any wife — he needs Nadia Lebedev. Their families have been enemies for generations. The bloodshed and betrayal goes back two hundred years.

Nikolai must end the feud by taking possession of Nadia. He will tame her. Own her. And make her his forever…

“Crimson” is a blazing hot Dark Mafia Romance, full mystery and intrigue. It’s Book 4 in the “Colors of Crime” series. It’s a stand-alone novel, complete with HEA and no cliffhangers. 

Contains explicit scenes, including spanking.

My Review:

Crimson moves further away from the themes in books one and two and becomes fully engulfed in the Russian mafia. There will be spoilers from Violet, book 3 in the Colors of Crime series. 

Nadia Lebedev lost her mother Samara in Violet, the previous book in the series. Crimson begins at Samara’s funeral. Not really having a relationship with her mother, Nadia is sad for the what-could-have’s that she’ll be missing out on. In an effort to try and connect with her mother, Nadia leaves Paris and ventures to Moscow to her grandfather’s estate, bringing along her boyfriend, Maxim. There, Nadia attempts to translate a journal given to her before leaving Paris, one that paints a picture starkly different than the woman Nadia grew to know. Nadia also attempts to get closer to her mother by staying in her old room and travelling to all her mother’s former haunts. 

After ditching Maxim, the dude was monster anyway, she finds herself gravitating toward Nikolai Markov. The two families have an ongoing feud that has lasted many, many years. The two families reuniting now is suspicious, but Nadia knows her feelings for Nikolai are real and growing stronger every day. When the truth is revealed, Nadia and Nikolai may very well end up like their parents. My only complaint is the ending. I would have loved another chapter to see how Nikolai’s father would have reacted to Nadia’s revelation. 

I love the characters in the Colors of Crime series. They are written well and are realistic. The suspense and twists in the story keep me on the edge of my seat. The mystery unfolding in Nadia’s mother’s journal is engaging and kept me reading, wanting to know more. Lyrically, the author is a star. Her use of descriptive language, metaphors, and vivid imagery take this book to the next level. Crimson hits all of positives for story, character development, world building, passion, and suspense. I look forward to getting my hands on the next book.

Please note this book does contain light BDSM and sex.

I was provided a copy of this book to read.

My Rating:

Book #Review ~ Death Waits in the Dark (A Writer's Apprentice Mystery, Book #4) by Julia Buckley ~ #CozyMystery @BerkleyMystery @juliabucks

About the Book:

Writer's apprentice Lena London is back and better than ever when her friend bestselling suspense novelist Camilla Graham needs help solving a town murder that hits a little too close to home...

It's summertime, and Lena and Camilla are busy working away while a town vandal runs amok. Things get even more complicated when Jane Wyland pays Camilla a not-so-friendly visit and gives her an ultimatum: reveal Camilla's husband James's family secret, or she will. Lena assures Camilla that nothing will come of the woman's threats, since the family has no secrets to hide.

When Jane Wyland is later found dead, they're convinced that whatever secret she was planning to expose led to her death. With Lena's assistance, Camilla is determined to solve the case before the finger points at her...

Amazon

Print Length: 304 pages

Publisher: Berkley

Publication Date: April 2, 2019

Sold by: Penguin Group (USA) LLC

ASIN: B07FC45PJZ

My Review:

Death Waits in the Dark is another fantastic book in the Writer's Apprentice Mystery series. Having picked up almost where book 3 ended, Lena is living the dream as a co-author to her favorite author, Camilla Graham. With Nikon in police custody and baby Athena back in the arms of her mother, Victoria, Sam's ex-wife, life is starting to resemble something normal....that is until a blast from Camilla's past barges into her home and threatens her with exposure of a family secret unless Camilla, herself, comes clean. The only problem is, Camilla doesn't have an scandalous secrets to admit to anyone so she had no idea what Jane Wyland is even talking about. When Jane is found dead shortly after her visit to Camilla's, Lean knows they have to figure out what the secret is that she thinks ultimately lead to Jane's death.

I love Lena's character and her love and affection for everyone around her. Her relationship with Sam has been taken to the next level and they are so cute together. Lena's relationship with her mentor, Camilla, is one of mother/daughter (at least to me) and there is genuine affection between them - and with Camilla's guy, Adam. I love how Cliff was introduced in book 3 and how he fits right in with everyone in Blue Lake. 

The twists, turns, and red herrings kept my mind actively trying to put the pieces together of this mystery. I didn't feel like there were any dull or slow moments as we spent more time with Lena, Sam, Cliff, Belinda, Doug, Allison, John, and of course, Camilla and Adam. It wasn't until the very end that I was able to put the pieces together and have the "ah ha" moment right along with the characters.

I reviewed a paperback I own.

My Rating:

Book Review ~ Unleash You (Cole Brothers #4) by Diana A. Hicks ~ @diana_hicks ~ Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Unleash You
Cole Brothers, Book #4
Diana A. Hicks

Publication date: March 11th 2020

Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

About the Book:

Eight years is a long time gone…

After graduation, artist Anabelle Copenhaver returns home to find that the only family member she has left is missing in action.

With her brother gone, his infuriatingly handsome best friend, Wesley, is now responsible for her family’s estate. Anabelle doesn’t need a babysitter, especially not her childhood crush—the first guy she ever loved.

Former marine Wesley Cole lives by his word. He promised to protect Anabelle and that’s exactly what he intends to do. His biggest challenge will be to keep his hands off the blue-eyed beauty who has a way of setting his soul on fire.

Anabelle is resourceful and determined to bring her brother home, but how can she when Wesley blocks every turn, messing with her plans and her heart?

My Review:

Unleash You is another wonderful book in the Cole Brothers series by Diana A. Hicks. Years after leaving her home, Anabelle Copenhaver comes finally returns. The place has caused such heartache and just when she thought things couldn't get any worse, there isn't anyone to greet her because her only living relative is missing. The absence of Ana's brother, Charlie, is exacerbated by the fact that Wesley Cole, the son of her family home's neighbors, is now in full control of Ana's estate until she turns 25. She doesn't need a babysitter, especially not the Cole brother has has always held a soft spot in her heart.

Wesley Cole feels guilty for the men he had to leave behind in a failed mission in Venezuela. He's been searching for Charlie since that fateful day but Charlie manages to keep evading Wesley's attempts. When Anabelle returns to their family home to discover Charlie missing, Wesley will do anything and everything to keep her safe. Except, safe is not what Ana cares about right now. She wants to infiltrate the harsh jungle of Venezuela to bring her brother home.

Unleash You is full of twists and turns, double-crosses, heartaches, and danger. The relationship between Charlie and Ana crumbled back when Ana was barely a teenager and she's tried so hard to put her life back together. She knows her brother changed eight years ago and felt that if he could just see her and let her explain that they could rekindle to relationship they used to have. Only, Charlie isn't the brother she used to know and trying to rescue him may cost Ana her life.

The author injects so much emotion into her Cole Brothers stories. I felt Anabelle's frustrations and her sense of loss. I felt her lack of confidence yet powerful yearning in regards to Wesley. The magic is there between the Ana and Wesley and the author unraveled their issues layer-by-layer. I was engaged in the story and couldn't put it down. The book is full of heart-pounding danger, along with the realization that some people just aren't who you thought they were and others are better than you could ever imagine.

The characters are realistic and imperfect. They are strong, heroic, and noble. They make mistakes, bad judgement calls, and put themselves in danger. Best of all, though, they love hard and true. The chemistry between Ana and Wesley is unmistakable. The sparks sizzle off of their skin every time they are together, whether right next to each other, or across the room. The book flows along perfectly paced, had a wonderful plot, side stories, and secondary characters. I could not put Unleash You down.

I was provided a copy of this book to read.

My Rating:



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#Book #Review: If You've Got It, Haunt It (Peyton Clark, Book #4) by H.P. Mallory ~ #Paranormal #Ghosts

Book Details:

Print Length: 225 pages
Publication Date: December 22, 2019
ASIN: B082ZV846G

Amazon:

https://amzn.to/2ZS5qSl

About the Book:

Having two men in your life, vying for your attention, is hard enough, but what if one of those men is dead?

Peyton Clark moved to New Orleans with two thoughts in mind--to escape a bad marriage and to fix up the huge mansion her great aunt left her. While her bad marriage becomes a thing of the past, her ownership of the house on Prytania Street is threatened. By whom? None other than a relative of Drake's, the ghost who happens to be haunting Peyton's house. Luke Montague is the embodiment of Drake in everything but disposition and he's proving to be a big thorn in Peyton's side.

To make matters worse, Peyton's health and her very sanity is suffering by some unseen force. Visions of ghosts dance in her head, warping her understanding of what's real and what isn't. Furthermore, these visions prove to be a warning of a larger threat that's impacting the city--antiques are going missing, stolen by the ghosts of children.

When Peyton gets involved, she'll face more than she bargained for--including witches, possessed dolls, a strange dog, ghostly pirates and her teenage niece.

This is the first book I’ve read in H.P. Mallory’s Peyton Clark series. I went into the book unsure if I would know what was going on since If You’ve Got It, Haunt It is the fourth book in the series. I worried for nothing. Sure, there are a few things that I didn’t understand but they weren’t anything that detracted me from the story or left me feeling left out or confused. Peyton and her resident ghost, Drake discuss things from the past but the occurrences were explained enough to keep me up-to-date.

Peyton Clark is a medium with regular contact with ghosts, spirits, and others in the world of sensitives. She and her boyfriend, Ryan, a mundane, have so much going on this book. Peyton is having weird visions and dreams, causing discombobulation within her mind. Someone is threatening to take her home away, and by that, Drake’s home. There are ghost children stealing certain artifacts from various placed around New Orleans. Mysterious women keep popping up in Peyton's dreams, visions, and life. To top it all off, Peyton's niece, Maggie, is here for a visit with news of her own. There is no end to the weird occurrences in this book.

I really enjoyed reading about Peyton, Ryan, Maggie, and Peyton's voodoo friend, Lovie. I enjoy the author's smooth and conversational writing style. The characters are likable, complex, and easy to read about and story is fun yet terrifying. I was thoroughly engaged and invested in the characters, story, and book, overall. Nothing in the book was resolved, leaving the reader with a cliffhanger ending. I highly anticipate the next book in the series.

I was provided a copy of this book to review.

My Rating:

#Book #Review ~ A Midwinter's Tail (Lucky Paws Petsitting Mystery, Book #4) by Bethany Blake ~ #CozyMystery @KensingtonBooks @bethanyblakeau1

Book Details:

Print Length: 352 pages
Publisher: Kensington Books
Publication Date: November 27, 2018
ASIN: B07B7C8XQY
Purchase Link: Amazon

About the Book:

To bark or not to bark . . .

Professional pet sitter Daphne Templeton loves the holidays in Sylvan Creek, Pennsylvania. And nothing gets her into the spirit more than the town's annual Bark the Halls Ball. The whole community will be there to wag their tails, especially this year's special guest--Celeste "CeeCee" French, founder of a national chain of pet care franchises, who's returning home to announce plans for a bright new flagship store.

But not everyone's celebrating CeeCee's homecoming. Daphne's friend Moxie Bloom, owner of Spa and Paw, a unique salon for people and their pets, has plenty to growl about. So when CeeCee is found face down under Sylvan Creek's town Christmas tree, stabbed with a distinctive pair of professional-grade pet shears, suspicion lands squarely on Moxie. Despite Daphne's promises to Detective Jonathan Black, she quickly reprises her role as amateur sleuth. Ably assisted by her basset hound sidekick, Socrates, she must hurry to prove her friend's innocence before a killer barks again . . .

Includes recipes for homemade pet treats!

My Review:

A Midwinter’s Tail is a fantastic fourth book in Bethany Blake’s Lucky Paws Petsitting Mystery series. The cozy mystery is full of action, suspense, drama, and animals. I love Artie, the chihuahua Daphne rescued in book 1 and convinced Jonathan to adopt. He is such scene stealer in every book. I adore how he absolutely loves clothes. Tinks is a feisty cat with a mischievous and cantankerous personality, and Socrates is quite a long-suffering basset.

Daphne is a wonderful character. She is snarky, compassionate, without too many cares in the world. Some may think she's a flake since her cell never works and she's never on time for anything, but she's a strong protagonist that doesn't live by the timeline of others. She even has a PhD in philosophy but doesn't use her degree. She's down-to-earth, kind, and gentle. She loves her pet sitting business and continues to prosper.

The author does a spectacular job with the continued character development and world building. I love Sylvan Creek and how alive the author writes the town and characters (that is, unless you happen to be the latest murder victim). The book is engaging from the very beginning and kept me entertained throughout. There was never a dull moment and some of Daphne's antics had me smiling. The author's writing style is phenomenal. All dialogue was smooth, thought out, and conversational. The twists and turns kept me guessing all the way until the end. This book's ending shocked me a little. I had no clue who the one was responsible for the mayhem in book 4.

I was provided an ecopy of the book to read.

My Rating:

Early #Book Review ~ Theater Nights Are Murder (A Poppy McAllister Mystery, Book #4) by Libby Klein ~ #CozyMystery @LibbyKleinBooks @KensingtonBooks

Book Details:

Print Length: 304 pages
Publisher: Kensington Books
Publication Date: December 31, 2019
ASIN: B07Q7WHQ3H

Pre-Order on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2sx8W7Z

About the Book:

The last thing gluten-free baker Poppy McAllister needs in her life is more drama--or more murder . . .

Poppy thought her toughest challenge this winter would be sticking to her Paleo diet and filling all her orders for her gluten-free goodies, but now she has to choose between two suitors. She's not the only one with boyfriend drama. Aunt Ginny's long-ago high-school beau, Royce Hanson, a retired Broadway actor, has returned to Cape May, New Jersey, to star in a Senior Center staging of Mamma Mia. Leaving Aunt Ginny to wonder: What's his motivation?

Slated to open February 13th, the problem-plagued production seems to be cursed--with stolen props, sabotage, and even a death threat. But when a cast member plunges to his death from a catwalk, it soon becomes clear a murderer is waiting in the wings. Now Poppy, Aunt Ginny, and a supporting cast must take center stage to catch the killer--before it's curtains for someone else . . .

Includes Seven Recipes from Poppy's Kitchen!

My Review:

Theater Nights are Murder is the fourth book in Libby Klein’s Poppy McAllister cozy mystery series. The story begins exactly where Restaurant Weeks are Murder leaves off. Poppy just finished off restaurant week where she was on Tim, her ex’s cooking team and her other love interest was on another team. Talk about tense. Poppy is also going to be working for both men; in Tim’s restaurant and Gia’s coffeeshop. It will be nice when Poppy picks a side. I’m not one for long-term love triangles. Theater Nights are Murder takes a turn and we find Poppy’s not the only one with a conundrum of the male type.

Aunt Ginny suddenly learns her old high school boyfriend has retired and is on his way back to New Jersey. It seems he will be playing the male lead in the senior center production of Mamma Mia. The town is abuzz about the return of Royce and the play. Only, as the rehearsals begin, the trouble also starts. Strange happenings, sabotage, and theft are just the beginning as one of the cast members falls from the catwalk to his death, the thought of murder rears its ugly head.

Book four is just as wonderful as the rest of the books in the series. Theater Nights are Murder pulled me in and kept me engaged from the very beginning. The author put a lot of thought into this book concerning Poppy’s life, the life of her Aunt Ginny, and the romantic entanglements of both. Poppy is a wonderful main character. She’s not perfect, not supermodel thin, yet has a personality that is awesome. She’s a very realistic character and funny. This book is full of wit, snark, and humor. Poppy’s Aunt Ginny is a such a quirky character, too. I love her antics.

The strong character development and world building continues in Theater Nights are Murder. The book is written with realism that I could feel. I love how the author continues to develop Poppy. She uprooted herself from where she lived with her late husband and took on the caretaker role for Aunt Ginny – who is healthy and spry but needs a little bit of looking after. She changes her diet, meets a new flame and reunites with an old flame, and begins new business ventures. The author takes these themes and combines them into fantastic books in a terrific series. I have devoured each and every book in the Poppy McAllister series. I look forward to book five!

I was provided an ARC of this book to read.

My Rating: