Kimberly reviews Fear They Neighbor by Fern Michaels

TITLE: Fear Thy Neighbor
CHARACTERS: Alison Marshall
AUTHOR: Fern Michaels
PUBLICATION DATE: 03/29/22
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
From one of the most gifted and beloved storytellers of her time comes a riveting new novel of suspense where one woman’s picture-perfect island sanctuary reveals itself to be filled with dangers…

At twenty-nine, Alison Marshall is ready to find a place to call home. With no family and no ties, she’s drifted from one small Florida town to another since high school, working odd jobs, saving hard, and building a nest egg. Once she finds the right place to settle down, she’ll know. And when she reaches beautiful Palmetto Island, she thinks she may have found it.

The small, close-knit island community seems to have everything Alison needs. On a hunch, she contacts the island’s only realtor, and learns that an old beach house is on the market. Miraculously, it’s in her budget, and Alison takes it as another sign that she’s in the right place.

At first, home is everything she hoped it would be. But as days turn into weeks, she uncovers a dark side to this supposedly peaceful haven. The locals have a secret, and once Alison discovers what it is, she faces a stark choice. She can stay and join them—or escape. But leaving brings its own risks, and Alison is starting to wonder if coming to Palmetto Island is the last mistake she’ll ever make . . .

REVIEW:
It has been a while since I have read Fern Michaels and this book reminded me of why. The storyline was ok but first I never really found myself liking any of the characters and there are so many parts that are just unbelievable.

I realized that the main problem I have always had with Fern Michaels writing is the way her characters talk. The conversations are so unrealistic that they are distracting.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Kimberly reviews The Night Shift by Alex Finlay

TITLE: The Night Shift
CHARACTERS: Sarah Keller
AUTHOR: Alex Finlay
PUBLICATION DATE: 03/01/22
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
It’s New Year’s Eve 1999. Y2K is expected to end in chaos: planes falling from the sky, elevators plunging to earth, world markets collapsing. A digital apocalypse. None of that happens. But at a Blockbuster Video in Linden, New Jersey, four teenage girls working the night shift are attacked. Only one survives. Police quickly identify a suspect who flees and is never seen again.

Fifteen years later, in the same town, four teenage employees working late at an ice cream store are attacked, and again only one makes it out alive.

Both surviving victims recall the killer speaking only a few final words… “Goodnight, pretty girl.”

In the aftermath, three lives intersect: the survivor of the Blockbuster massacre who’s forced to relive her tragedy; the brother of the original suspect, who’s convinced the police have it wrong; and the FBI agent, who’s determined to solve both cases. On a collision course toward the truth, all three lives will forever be changed, and not everyone will make it out alive.

Twisty, poignant, and redemptive, The Night Shift is a story about the legacy of trauma and how the broken can come out on the other side, and it solidifies Alex Finlay as one of the new leading voices in the world of thrillers.

REVIEW:
3.5 Hearts I have some dislikes with this story but mostly I think it is pretty good. I enjoyed the cold case intersecting with the current case even though it has been a decade and a half. I enjoyed that Sarah is not a wallflower waiting for others to do the job. She gets right out there and does what she needs to do.

But that leads me to a dislike. Any woman who has been pregnant and ready to pop at 8 ½ months pregnant is not running around like a teenager, honestly at that far along the mom to be is exhausted. And more so the mom to be does everything in her power to protect her baby (in this case twins – which makes it even more so) but Sarah is out there doing things that just are feasible.

But other than that I enjoyed the story. I honestly kept trying to forget that Sarah was pregnant and enjoy the rest of the book even though it was very hard with some of the action scenes.

All in all a good book. Without the ridiculous writing for a pregnant woman (no surprise it was written by a man) I would have given this book 4 hearts.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Kimberly reviews Truly, Madly: Vivien Leigh. Laurence Olivier, and The Romance Of The Century by Stephen Galloway

TITLE: Truly, Madly: Vivien Leigh. Laurence Olivier, and The Romance Of The Century
CHARACTERS: Vivien Leigh & Laurence Olivier
AUTHOR: Stephen Galloway
PUBLICATION DATE: 03/22/22
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
A sweeping and heartbreaking Hollywood biography about the passionate, turbulent marriage of Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh.

In 1934, a friend brought fledgling actress Vivien Leigh to see Theatre Royal, where she would first lay eyes on Laurence Olivier in his brilliant performance as Anthony Cavendish. That night, she confided to a friend, he was the man she was going to marry. There was just one problem: she was already married—and so was he.

TRULY, MADLY is the biography of a marriage, a love affair that still captivates millions, even decades after both actors’ deaths. Vivien and Larry were two of the first truly global celebrities – their fame fueled by the explosive growth of tabloids and television, which helped and hurt them in equal measure. They seemed to have it all and yet, in their own minds, they were doomed, blighted by her long-undiagnosed mental-illness, which transformed their relationship from the stuff of dreams into a living nightmare.

Through new research, including exclusive access to previously unpublished correspondence and interviews with their friends and family, author Stephen Galloway takes readers on a bewitching journey. He brilliantly studies their tempestuous liaison, one that took place against the backdrop of two world wars, the Golden Age of Hollywood and the upheavals of the 1960s — as they struggled with love, loss and the ultimate agony of their parting.

REVIEW:
4.5 Hearts What a great book for any fan of Hollywood’s “it” couple. I have been a fan of Vivien Leigh’s since first seeing her in Gone With The Wind and probably that is where most fans will say they know her from. Laurence Olivier is best known for his stage performances and movies like Wuthering Heights and Spartacus.

Having started as an affair while both married they eventually married each other, suffered through miscarriages, time apart for filming and what would later be diagnosed as bi-polar disorder that was too new to be named but Leigh suffered from. Their relationship was one of romance, passion and tumultuous times.

The book is very thorough and very well researched. You can tell the author wrote from a love of the actors. I enjoyed so much of this book. Sometimes it was a bit wordy and a bit like a lecture but the information is worth the read.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

4 Hearts

Kimberly reviews The Summer Getaway by Susan Mallery

TITLE: The Summer Getaway
CHARACTERS: Robyn & Lillian
AUTHOR: Susan Mallery
PUBLICATION DATE: 03/15/22
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
One woman discovers the beauty in chaos in this poignant and heartwarming story about the threads that hold family together from #1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery.

With her divorce settlement about to run out and a mortgage she can’t afford, Robyn Caldwell needs a plan for her future. She nurtured her family and neglected herself. But how’s she supposed to think when her daughter has become the most demanding bride ever, her son won’t even consider college, her best friend is on the brink of marital disaster and her ex is making a monumentally bad decision that could bring everything crashing down on Robyn’s head? So when her great-aunt Lillian invites her to Santa Barbara for the summer, Robyn hops on the first plane.

But it’s hard to run away when you’re the heart of the family. One by one, everyone she left behind follows her across the country. Somehow, their baggage doesn’t feel as heavy in the sun-drenched, mishmash mansion. The more time Robyn spends with free-spirited Lillian, the more she sees the appeal in taking chances—on dreams, on love, on family. Life is meant to be lived on purpose. All she has to do is muster the courage to take a chance on herself.

REVIEW:
4.25 Hearts First off you can not go wrong with Susan Mallery. This is the perfect “beach” read. Not sure what that is? It’s a book that puts you in a relaxing, enjoyable mood while you are (or dream about) sitting on a beach instead of spending your day “Adulting!!!”

In this latest book by Mallery we meet Robyn and her family. She is going through a rough patch. Her daughter is wanting the wedding of her dreams and becoming a bridezilla to get it, her son who just graduated can’t figure out what he wants from life, soon she will have to sell her house per her divorce decree and her best friend is just plain stressing a girlfriend out. And now her great aunt invites her to run away to Santa Barbara.

First off, the aunt’s house had me imagining Winchester Mystery House and was just fun if you ask me. Soon the family comes to Santa Barbara one by one and life catches up to Robyn.

Another wonderful story by Mallery. Susan Mallery is easily one of my favorite authors. Her name is the first I suggest to anyone who is looking for a new-to-them author.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

4 Hearts

Kimberly reviews High Stakes by Danielle Steel

TITLE: High Stakes
CHARACTERS: Jane, Hailey, Allie, Merriwether & Francine
AUTHOR: Danielle Steel
PUBLICATION DATE: 03/08/22
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
In this captivating novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Danielle Steel, five successful women play for high stakes in their careers at a boutique literary and talent agency.

Jane Addison is an ambitious young woman with big dreams of owning her own company someday. At twenty-eight, she arrives in New York to start a job at Fletcher and Benson, a prestigious talent agency. Eager to impress her new colleagues, Jane jumps right in as an assistant to Hailey West, one of the agents in the literary department.

Hailey is dedicated to the authors she represents, but her home life is chaotic and challenging. After her husband’s tragic and untimely death, she was left widowed with three children to raise on her own.

Then there’s Francine Rivers, the stern and accomplished head of the literary department. Also a single mom after her husband’s affair with the nanny, she has overcome the resulting financial hardships, but only with unbearable sacrifice.

Compared to Hailey and Francine, drama agent Allie Moore’s life seems much more carefree and uncomplicated. She relishes her success and loves working with the talented actors they represent—until a passionate relationship with one of her rising star clients threatens to derail her career.

Merriwether Jones is the CFO for the agency. She appears to have it all–beauty, success, and a perfect marriage until her husband’s jealousy over her career threatens to blow everything up.

Even though she’s a newcomer, Jane quickly realizes that there are damaging secrets hidden behind the doors of Fletcher and Benson. As one of the youngest employees, she has the least power, but is also the least willing to accept things as they have been for years. When she puts everything on the line to right these wrongs, the consequences will leave no one unscathed.

In this riveting novel, Danielle Steel tells the story of a group of remarkable women navigating the challenges of balancing their families, their personal lives and the high stakes of ambition at the top of their game.

REVIEW:
Another great book from Danielle Steel but this one might be best to have a warning label. This book is very much wrapped up in the Me Too movement and deals with sexual assault in depth. For some this may be too much but I think Steel wrote the story really well.

The characters are so well defined that even though there are a lot we learn quickly who is who and why they are integral to their storylines.

There is a lot to each woman’s story and this is not a feel good beach read. It is intense but a story that needs to be told.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

4 Hearts

Kimberly reviews The Lightning Rod by Brad Meltzer

TITLE: The Lightning Rod
SERIES #: Escape Artist #2
CHARACTERS: Nola & Zig
AUTHOR: Brad Meltzer
PUBLICATION DATE: 03/08/22
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Zig and Nola are back–in the hugely entertaining, highly anticipated follow-up to Brad Meltzer’s #1 New York Times bestselling thriller The Escape Artist.

Archie Mint has led a charmed life–he’s got a beautiful wife, two impressive kids, and a successful military career. When he’s killed while trying to stop a robbery in his own home, his family is shattered–and then shocked when the other shoe drops. Mint’s charmed life, so perfect on the surface, held criminal secrets none of them could have imagined.

While working on Mint’s body before his funeral, mortician “Zig” Zigarowski discovers something he was never meant to see. That telling detail leads him to Dover Air Force Base, where he uncovers Mint’s involvement in a top-secret military unit and his connection to military artist and Sergeant First Class Nola Brown. Two years ago, Nola saved Zig’s life–so he knows better than most that she’s as volatile and dangerous as a bolt of lightning.

Everyone wants to talk to Nola, but she’s not cooperating–and indeed doesn’t want to be found. In order to track her down, Zig teams with Nola’s long missing brother, who’s just as combustible as she is. As they follow Nola’s trail, they discover one of the U.S. government’s most intensely guarded secrets–an undisclosed military facility that dates back to the Cold War and holds the key to something far more sinister: a hidden group willing to compromise the very safety and security of America itself.

Trouble always finds her…

She’s the lightning rod.

REVIEW:
Finally! The follow up to The Escape Artist. I was so excited to read this book and I was not disappointed.

The thing I love best about Brad Meltzer’s stories is how truthful he is. He knows more than most about the White House and other government buildings so when he tells a story that includes “secrets” I can’t help but enjoy that I (and yes millions of others) am in on the secret.

Zig and Nola are great. I enjoy the dynamic between them but that is not why I read Meltzer. I read him for the suspense and the facts that he shares.

Another great story by Meltzer and can’t wait for the next one!

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

4 Hearts

Kimberly reviews Girl In Ice by Erica Ferencik

TITLE: Girl In Ice
CHARACTERS: Val & Wyatt
AUTHOR: Erica Ferencik
PUBLICATION DATE: 03/01/22
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
From the author of The River at Night and Into the Jungle comes a harrowing new thriller set in the unforgiving landscape of the Arctic Circle, as a brilliant linguist struggling to understand the apparent suicide of her twin brother ventures hundreds of miles north to try to communicate with a young girl who has thawed from the ice alive.

Valerie “Val” Chesterfield is a linguist trained in the most esoteric of disciplines: dead Nordic languages. Despite her successful career, she leads a sheltered life and languishes in the shadow of her twin brother Andy, an accomplished climate scientist stationed on a remote island off Greenland’s barren coast. But Andy is gone: a victim of suicide, having willfully ventured unprotected into 50 degree below zero weather. Val is inconsolable—and disbelieving. She suspects foul play.

When Wyatt, Andy’s fellow researcher in the Arctic, discovers a scientific impossibility­—a young girl frozen in the ice who thaws out alive, speaking a language no one understands—Val is his first call. Will she travel to the frozen North and meet this girl, try to comprehend what she is so passionately trying to communicate? Under the auspices of helping Wyatt interpret the girl’s speech, Val musters every ounce of her courage and journeys to the Artic to solve the mystery of her brother’s death.

The moment she steps off the plane, her fear threatens to overwhelm her. The landscape is fierce, and Wyatt, brilliant but difficult, is an enigma. But the girl is special, and Val’s connection with her is profound. Only something is terribly wrong; the child is sick, maybe dying, and the key to saving her lies in discovering the truth about Wyatt’s research. Can his data be trusted? And does it have anything to do with how and why Val’s brother died? With time running out, Val embarks on an incredible frozen odyssey—led by the unlikeliest of guides—to rescue the new family she has found in the most unexpected of places.

REVIEW:
There is good and bad to this story. First the good. I really enjoyed the language part of this story. When Val talks to the “girl in ice” the conversations are interesting and well written.

Now the bad, the story is slow and while we are supposed to be spending time finding out what really happened to Val’s brother it seems to take a back burner to the rest of the story.

I think this story had a lot of potential but it just didn’t meet up to it.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Kimberly reviews True Wolf by Paige Tyler

TITLE: True Wolf
SERIES #: STAT #3
CHARACTERS: Brielle & Caleb
AUTHOR: Paige Tyler
PUBLICATION DATE: 02/22/22
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Paige Tyler brings excitement, action and adventure that’ll leave you breathless! Fierce werewolf alphas determined to protect, no matter the cost. Steamy romance as breath-taking as the action Thrilling international intrigue you can escape into
When the Special Threat Assessment Team (STAT) needs help tracking down a group of supernatural terrorists who stole nuclear weapons from the military, their only lead is to a mysterious woman with abilities no one can explain…
Brielle Fontaine is a unique supernatural who can borrow the powers of other creatures near her—an ability that makes her wary of anyone who might want to use her for their own gain. She’s suspicious of letting anyone get too close. Until she meets STAT werewolf Caleb Lynch. And when Brielle, Caleb, and the other STAT agents come under fire from terrorists seeking to start a war, that attraction could lead to something much more explosive…

REVIEW:
This is book 3 in the new series by Paige Tyler. In this one Caleb and Brielle are working together. Brielle is still trying to find her brother. Caleb and Brielle have a connection but Caleb keeps himself back from any feelings he may have but Brielle is not going to let him stand in their way.

I enjoyed this story. Tyler has been writing these wolf shifter books for so long that sometimes they get a bit stale but I thought this one was enjoyable.

I would suggest reading the first two in the series so you understand what SWAT is all about.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Kimberly reviews Playing With Fire by Skye Jordan

TITLE: Playing With Fire
CHARACTERS: Lacey & Tucker
AUTHOR: Skye Jordan
PUBLICATION DATE: 02/01/22
ORDER LINKS: Amazon

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Another sizzling, stand-alone firefighter romance from New York Times bestselling author Skye Jordan!
Tucker
I learned young that women don’t stay. Luckily, no-strings hookups work perfectly for me, and as a firefighter, I have no problem finding women. But losing a victim to the river in a flash flood, left me not only shaken, but changed. Playing fast and loose doesn’t work for me anymore, but when Lacey walks into the bar and buddy bets me I can’t get her into bed without telling her I’m a firefighter, I stupidly take it. Only that lie by omission comes back to bite me in the ass because one sizzling night later, I want something I’ve never wanted before—more.
Lacey
I’m only back in the states for a friend’s wedding, which means avoiding my overbearing parents. I’m a photographer base overseas, but my parents see my career as worthless. And after almost losing everything to a domineering ex, I’m all about independence. Hooking up with the hot bartender seems like the perfect beginning to a ten-day visit, but one night with Tucker Medina has me weak-kneed and wickedly satisfied. Until I learn he not only lied about who he was, he made a bet on getting me into bed.
When I hear my parents put my twin brother on a 72 hr hold at a local psychiatric facility, Tucker comes to my rescue. And it doesn’t take long to realize there’s more between us than some good sex. A lot more. But it’s hard to imagine this working when his life is here and mine is on the other side of the globe.

REVIEW:
Another wonderful read by Skye Jordan. In this one we follow Tucker, who we have met before, and Lacey. I really enjoyed these two. It wasn’t a romance at first sight kind of book… sex yeah but not love. They had to work at being together and I enjoyed the fight.

This story shows that we all have a past and sometimes we need to work through our past to have a future.

I really enjoyed the look into the first two books of the Forged In Fire series.

Skye Jordan is quickly becoming one of my go to authors. I highly recommend her to anyone and everyone. Another enjoyable read!

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

4 Hearts

Kimberly reviews The Killer In The Snow by Alex Pine

TITLE: The Killer In The Snow
SERIES #: DI James Walker #2
CHARACTERS: DI James Walker
AUTHOR: Alex Pine
PUBLICATION DATE: 02/01/22
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
The first fall of snow can be fatal…

A year has passed since DI James Walker cracked his biggest case yet, and he’s hoping for peace and quiet this festive season.

But across the fells, a local farmer returns home on Christmas Eve to find footsteps in the fresh snow that lead down to his unused basement – and no footsteps leading away. Days later, his body is found, alongside those of his wife and daughter.

Without a neighbor for miles, there are no witnesses and little evidence. And the crime scene has strange echoes of another terrible murder committed at the farmhouse, twenty years earlier…

James knows that to catch this killer, he needs to solve a case that has long since gone cold…

REVIEW:
This is the second in the series. In this one James has to open up a cold case to solve a recent one.

I thought the concept of having to solve a decades old case to solve a recent one was great. I enjoyed the suspense part of the story.

However, I find it really hard to want to read these books. I am not a fan of the writing of Alex Pine. I wanted to give him a second chance but I still had a hard time. It might be the London influence but there doesn’t seem to be any emotions in the writing. It is very monotone to me.

I am not sure I will pick up book 3 but it might depend on the synopsis and give the series another try.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Kimberly reviews Calder Grit by Janet Dailey

TITLE: Calder Grit
SERIES #: Calder Brand #2
CHARACTERS: Blake & Hanna
AUTHOR: Janet Dailey
PUBLICATION DATE: 02/22/22
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
A Romeo and Juliet romance with shades of Legends of the Fall powers the intense drama of this beautifully written and researched saga from a legendary New York Times bestselling author. Return to early twentieth century Montana with this compelling book that pits farmer against cattleman and brother against brother, in a story of America’s westward expansion.

As the countryside explodes in violence, the Calder patriarch has the power to stop the destruction, though some believe Benteen Calder is only stoking the flames for his own gain. One man courageously straddles the divide…

That man is Blake Dollarhide, the ambitious young owner of Blue Moon’s lumber mill. When Blake’s spoiled half-brother takes advantage of the innocent daughter of a homesteading family, Blake steps in as Hanna Anderson’s bridegroom to restore her honor and give her unborn child his name. But Blake doesn’t count on the storm of feelings he develops for sweet Hanna. When the war between the factions rages anew, everyone wonders if Blake will stand by the close-knit community he serves, or the wife he took in name only…

A marriage of love is more than Hanna ever dreamed of. For her family, surviving the rugged trip west, claiming a parcel of land and planting their first crops on the vast prairie are the only things that matter. Which is why the unexpected passion she feels for her husband is all the more poignant. But even as she longs to trust the strong bond growing between her and Blake, Hanna knows it will take courage and grit to overcome the differences between them. And even greater strength of will to put down roots in this wild new country.

REVIEW:
Of course this is another wonderful book by Janet Dailey. I have been a fan for as long as I can remember so I am always happy when a new book comes out. This is the 2nd in the Calder Brand series. In this one we enjoy Blake and Hanna.

Set in the 1900’s we visit a time when a lady is compromised, the family steps up and in this one Blake steps up for Hanna when she ends up pregnant by Blake’s half brother. Blake and Hanna are polar opposites but sometimes opposites attract.

I am not sure if this is actually a story from before Dailey passed away or if this is ghost writer(s). But either way the writing is as wonderful as it has always been under Dailey’s name.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

4 Hearts

Kimberly reviews Not The Witch You Wed by April Asher

TITLE: Not The Witch You Wed
SERIES #: Supernatural Singles #1
CHARACTERS: Violet & Lincoln
AUTHOR: April Asher
PUBLICATION DATE: 01/01/22
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
A fake relationship between a magic-less witch and a wolf shifter turns to more in the start of a bewitching new paranormal rom-com series.

Magic-less witch Violet Maxwell wants nothing to do with alpha wolf shifter Lincoln Thorne—the man who broke her fragile, teenage heart. But when the two of them are forced by arcane Supernatural Laws to find mates, Violet and Lincoln agree to fake-date their way to a fake-mating in order to conjure themselves some time.

The joke’s on them. When old feelings make a reappearance—along with Violet’s magic—they both realize there’s nothing fake about their feelings. But there are old secrets and looming threats that could snatch away their happily ever after, again. One thing’s for sure: magic doesn’t make dating and love any easier.

In Not the Witch You Wed, April Asher brings all the hilarity and sweet, sexy moments you love in a romantic-comedy—plus a fun dose of magic—to this spell-binding new series about being sexy, single, and supernatural in New York City.

REVIEW:
3.75 Hearts This is a second chance at love with more than magically feelings but actual magic.

Violet is a magic-less witch who dated shifter Lincoln who dumped her when they were teens. But now they are at mating age and the Law says they need to find their mates and settle down. With no one in their lives they decide they will fake date and mate to get everyone off their backs. But as with any fake dating book the old feelings start to come back and then magically (pun intended) Violet’s powers appear too.

I really enjoyed this book. More than I thought I would and as much as I hoped I would. The writing is cute and gives the characters personality that compliment the way they are written. I look forward to the next in the series and hope April Asher can stay at the high bar she set with this story.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

4 Hearts