Category: 3 Star

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Winter Romance Wednesday! Kimberly reviews First Kiss At Christmas by Lee Tobin McClain

TITLE: First Kiss At Christmas
SERIES #: The Off Season #5
CHARACTERS: Kayla & Tony
AUTHOR: Lee Tobin McClain
PUBLICATION DATE: 10/26/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
“Lee Tobin McClain’s books make my heart sing.”—Debbie Macomber, #1 New York Time bestselling author

Don’t miss this brand-new Christmas romance by New York Times bestselling author Lee Tobin McClain!

At 25 years old, preschool teacher Kayla Harris is embarrassed to admit she’s never been kissed. When Tony DiNunzio and his grieving nephew show up in her classroom, she can’t help being drawn to both of them. If only her insecurities-and his guilt over his sister’s death-would stop standing in their way.

As Christmas approaches, can these three come together to form a family… not just for the holidays, but forever?

The Off Season

Book 1: Cottage at the Beach
Book 2: Reunion at the Shore
Book 3: Christmas on the Coast
Book 4: Home to the Harbor

REVIEW:

This is the fifth in the series but I did not believe I have read any of the series but this can be read as a stand alone.

This is a sweet story that could easily fall under the made for tv movie for Lifetime or Hallmark. There is a lot to this book, not just romance. There are actually two storylines really so sometimes it was a bit hard to follow along.

This is an enjoyable read though I wouldn’t say it put me into the holiday spirit. The characters are well written and keep you invested in their story.

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

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Winter Romance Wednesday! Kimberly reviews Jingle Bell Wolf by Terry Spear

TITLE: Jingle Bell Wolf
SERIES #: Wolff Brothers #2
CHARACTERS: Gabrielle & Landon
AUTHOR: Terry Spear
PUBLICATION DATE: 10/26/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
USA Today bestselling author Terry Spear brings you the wolf shifters you’ve been wishing of for Christmas in this action-packed paranormal holiday romance!

It’s almost Christmas, and Florida gray wolf shifter and veterinarian Gabrielle Lowe has been talked into going with her friends to a ski resort in Silver Town, Colorado. But when her two jaguar girlfriends are held up on a mission, it not only leaves Gabrielle alone for the holidays, but also out of her element at the snowy resort. Determined to make the best of it, Gabrielle takes a dip in the lodge’s heated pool–after it’s closed, of course…

Gray wolf shifter Landon Wolff is part owner of the ski lodge and he’s got enough on his plate getting ready for the annual influx of Christmas visitors. The last thing he needs is a rebel, indulging in a midnight swim long after the pool is closed. Just as he’s about to throw the rule breaker out of the pool he realizes that Gabby is also a wolf. Suddenly, all the rules change… Maybe Landon will finally find the wolf he’s always wanted to share the holidays with.

REVIEW:
3.5 Hearts In this story we meet Gabrielle and Landon. Gabrielle comes to town for a vacation where she meets Landon who owns the lodge she is staying at.

The Christmas spirit is alive and well in this story. However, after all the books that Spear has written in the shapeshifter genre it is hard to come up with anything new.

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

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Winter Romance Wednesday! Have A Holly Haunted Christmas by Lynn Cahoon

TITLE: Have A Holly Haunted Christmas
SERIES #: Kitchen Witch Mysteries #2.5
CHARACTERS: Mia Malone
AUTHOR: Lynn Cahoon
PUBLICATION DATE: 10/26/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Mia Malone is planning a holiday party to promote her catering and cooking school business—but she’s got a Christmas spirit to deal with first, in this new Kitchen Witch Mystery from New York Times bestselling author Lynn Cahoon . . .

For all its merriment, Christmas can also bring melancholy—and in Magic Springs, Idaho, Mia finds that the season has brought her an unhappy ghost who’s pulling poltergeist-style pranks to get her attention. When she demands an explanation, the ghost just sends a message: Ask Mary Alice—that is, Mia’s beloved Grans, who’s been training her to develop her witchy talents. If anyone can figure this out, it’s Grans . . . even if she still hasn’t managed to free Mia’s cat from a previous spell that she cast.

The restless spirit turns out to be Magic Spring’s most well-known ghost, Dorothy, who supposedly died peacefully in her sleep. Now Dorothy claims she was murdered, and she wants her killer brought to justice. And she doesn’t have much patience about it, so the pressure is on Mia—with some help from her boyfriend, Trent, and a strangely secretive Grans. There aren’t many dicing-and-chopping days till Christmas—but this year, the most important gift Mia can give is to cheer up this troubled spirit . . .

REVIEW:
2.75 Hearts Honestly, I had a hard time with this story because it really shouldn’t be read as a stand alone. There are a lot of references and people that the previous books have that are mentioned. And there is no real Christmas in the book. There are comments about it but Christmas is not really celebrated.

Also I could not stand Trent, Mia’s boyfriend. He is just so condescending in my opinion.

This story did not make me want to go back and read the others in the series. Just not all I hoped it would be.

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

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Winter Romance Wednesday! Kimberly reviews Kissing Under The Mistletoe by Suzanne Enoch, Amelia Grey & Anna Bennett

TITLE: Kissing Under The Mistletoe
SERIES #: Wild WIcked Highlanders #3.5
CHARACTERS: Varies
AUTHOR: Suzanne Enoch, Amelia Grey & Anna Bennett
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/28/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
In GREAT SCOT by Suzanne Enoch, Jane Bansil knows she will never have a fairy-tale life. But even at three-and-thirty and well past marriageable age, though, she has to admit that the architect the MacTaggerts have hired could turn even a confirmed spinster’s head.

In CHRISTMAS AT DEWBERRY HOLLOW by Amelia Grey, Isabelle Reed has no plans to ever fall in love. Certainly not with Gate, a man who doesn’t live in Dewberry Hollow. She will fulfill her duty and help him keep his promise to have his ill grandfather back in London in time for Christmas dinner. The last thing Isabelle wants is for Gate to take her heart with him when he goes.

In MY MISTLETOE BEAU by Anna Bennett, Miss Eva Tiding is determined to cheer her widowed father with the perfect Christmas gift. Even if it means breaking into the home of the rakish earl who swindled Papa out of his pocket watch and pretending to date the earl for the Christmas season.

REVIEW:
This is a collaboration of three Christmas novella’s by Suzanne Enoch, Amelia Grey and Anna Bennett. I planned on writing a separate review for each but I give each of the stories 3 hearts so I will combine the review.

I found the stories well written and perfect for the holiday season. I liked that I could read each novella between reading novels. I can not recall if I have read any of each series but if I have it has been a while. That left me a bit lost with some of the background characters.

But these stories were sweet throw ins for the holidays.

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

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Winter Romance Wednesday! Kimberly reviews The Christmas Bookshop by Jenny Colgan

TITLE: The Christmas Bookshop
CHARACTERS: Carmen, Blair & Oke
AUTHOR: Jenny Colgan
PUBLICATION DATE: 11/16/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Perfect for the holidays! A brand-new heartwarming Christmas novel from the beloved New York Times bestselling author of The Bookshop on the Corner and Christmas at the Island Hotel.

When the department store she works in closes for good, Carmen has perilously little cash and few options. She doesn’t want to move in with her perfect sister Sofia, in Sofia’s perfect house with her perfect children and her perfectly ordered Edinburgh life.

Frankly, Sofia doesn’t exactly want Carmen there either. Her sister has always been sarcastic and difficult. But Sofia has yet another baby on the way, a mother desperate to see her daughters get along, and a client who needs a retail assistant for his ailing bookshop, so welcoming Carmen might still have some benefits for everyone.

At Sofia’s behest, Carmen is thrown into the daily workings of old Mr. McCredie’s ancient bookshop on the streets of the old dark city. Can she use her design skills to revamp the store and bring it back to popularity in time to benefit from Christmas shopping traffic? Can she choose between bad boy literary rock star Blair and quiet Quaker student Oke? And will she heal the rift with the most important people of all: her family?

REVIEW:
3.5 Hearts This is a very sweet story with a bit of romance but more about the story of two sisters finding their way back to each other.

Carmen has been set to the task of saving an old bookstore after her sister has found her the job. Carmen also has two men wooing her. How will Carmen choose between the good boy and the bad boy?

I really enjoyed the children in this book. So many times the children are written either too old or too young for the ages but not in this book. The kids are a great addition.

A charming book to sit by the fire with a cup of cocoa and enjoy during the holidays.

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

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Kimberly reviews Stillwater Island by Gregg Olsen

TITLE: Stillwater Island
SERIES #: Detective Megan Carpenter #4
CHARACTERS: Megan Carpenter
AUTHOR: Gregg Olsen
PUBLICATION DATE: 12/07/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
“Mommy, I’m scared.” Marlena’s precious boy lies with his little arm thrown over her thigh. It’s pitch-black, and she can hear seagulls. She realises they must be near water, and a new panic rises in her.

At 2 a.m. one icy winter morning, in the smart suburbs of Jefferson County, local father Ben Parker reports his wife Marlena and their little boy missing.

Rushing to the impressive family home, Detective Megan Carpenter finds the halls adorned with pictures of the beautiful, stay-at-home mom and their bright-eyed son. But that’s not all she finds…

A bottle of prenatal vitamins in the bathroom cabinet reveal that Marlena is pregnant. Why didn’t Ben mention this in his panicked call to the police?

Digging deeper into their seemingly perfect marriage, Megan’s fear begins to grow. The couple are separated, there’s talk of an affair, and the neighbors report loud fights. And then, Megan tracks a young woman believed to be Ben’s secret girlfriend, only to find her lifeless body in a secluded wood.

Ben’s watch lies in the undergrowth, and Megan’s team think she’s cracked the case, but she’s sure something’s not right. Ben’s family has wealth including a private island, and connections in high places. Is someone trying to block their investigation?

As Megan starts to wonder if the answer lies on the Parkers’ closely guarded island, just offshore, a shocking revelation makes her question everything. With a killer on the loose, can Megan find the missing pieces to the most complex case of her career and bring Marlena and her little boy home alive? Or will it be too late to save them?

REVIEW:
3.5 Hearts This is the fourth in the series and a bit slower than the last three books. Megan is coming into her own and we are getting to know her partner, Ronnie.

The nice thing about this story is it felt true to life. Meaning Megan assumes it is the husband because of the history he and his wife had. It seems that is what happens sometimes especially when the neon arrows are pointing at the husband’s head.

I enjoyed the story except I wanted to speed it along.

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

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Kimberly reviews Annihilation Road by Christine Feehan

TITLE: Annihilation Road
SERIES #: Torpedo Ink #6
CHARACTERS: Savage & Seychelle
AUTHOR: Christine Feehan
PUBLICATION DATE: 12/28/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
All paths lead to destruction in the new Torpedo Ink novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Christine Feehan.

Savin “Savage” Pajari is convinced he’s not worth a damn thing. He’s not like his brothers. He’s a sadistic monster, a killer—a man no woman could truly love. So it completely throws him when a stranger risks her life for his, pushing him out of the way and taking the hit that would have sent him six feet under. If he had any kind of sense, he’d leave her alone, but Savage can’t get the woman with a smart mouth and no sense of self-preservation out of his head. With one kiss, he’s lost.

Seychelle Dubois has spent her entire life not feeling much of anything, until Savage comes along and sets her whole body on fire. Kissing him was a mistake. Letting him get close would be a catastrophe. He’s the most beautiful—and damaged—man she’s ever met. He has a way of getting under her skin, and what he’s offering is too tempting to resist.

Seychelle knows so little about Savage or the dangerous world of Torpedo Ink, but his darkness draws her like a moth to a flame. Loving him could mean losing herself completely to his needs—needs she doesn’t understand but is eager to learn. But what Savage teaches her could destroy her.

REVIEW:
3.5 Hearts I usually love the writing of Christine Feehan and while I mostly enjoyed this book I had a couple problems. So let’s get that out of the way.

I hate a book where one of the main characters cheats and Savage cheats. It really turned me off. Also this book doesn’t have an ending. Well I mean it does, but in the next book. Also, other triggers like rape, torture, sex trafficing, etc Read the warning Feehan has at the beginning of the book before starting it.

Ok that being said I mostly enjoyed this book. I liked Savage in most cases. Sometimes he pissed me off so that means I was invested. Seychelle was an interesting character. I loved the powers that she has and how she used them. She has such a calming personality.

Another good book from Christine Feehan but be prepared.

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

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Kimberly reviews Murder At Sunrise Lake by Christine Feehan

TITLE: Murder At Sunrise Lake
CHARACTERS: Stella & Sam
AUTHOR: Christine Feehan
PUBLICATION DATE: 06/29/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
#1 New York Times bestselling author Christine Feehan reaches new heights of passion and suspense in this thrilling novel that takes readers deep into the California backcountry, where a woman is tormented by visions of a killer.

It starts in her dreams. Hideous flashes from a nightmare only she can stop. Images of a murderer stalking the ones she cares about most…

Stella Harrison thought she got away from the traumas of her past. Running the Sunrise Lake resort high in the Sierra Nevada mountains has brought her peace, even though she doesn’t truly share her quiet life with anyone. Not even Sam, the hired handyman that notices everything and always seems to know exactly what she needs.

Stella doesn’t know anything about Sam’s past, but somehow over the last two years his slow, steady presence has slipped past her defenses. Still, she knows she can’t tell him about her recent premonitions. So far there’s been no murder. No body. No way to prove what’s about to happen without destroying the life she’s built for herself.

But a killer is out there. And Stella knows that this time she’ll do whatever it takes to stop him.

REVIEW:
3.5 Hearts Christine Feehan is one of the queens of suspense and paranormal so putting them together is right up Feehan’s alley.

Stella has premonition nightmares. And when she heads to the Sierra Nevada’s her nightmares return. And she sees a serial killer near the lake. And Stella knows she has to find this person before she dreams and witnesses another murder.

I will be honest, this was not my favorite book by Feehan but I enjoyed the step out from her many series’ that she has going on right now. And I enjoyed the story very much but Feehan is a master of writing and this one didn’t have the same “umph” that most of her books do.

Now that being said, keep in mind I am comparing her to herself and not to the general author in the genre. And that says a lot.

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

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Kimberly reviews The Hunted by Lisa Childs

TITLE: The Hunted
SERIES #: Bane Island Trilogy #2
CHARACTERS: Olivia & Deacon
AUTHOR: Lisa Childs
PUBLICATION DATE: 11/30/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
YOU’RE GOING TO PAY

The pressures of fame and an obsessive stalker have driven pop star Olivia Smith to take shelter at Halcyon Hall, an exclusive spa on a remote island off the coast of Maine. Yet from the moment she arrives, there are rumors about women disappearing, and stories about the resort’s grisly past. Then a note arrives from her stalker, proving that nowhere is truly safe . . .

It’s been twenty-five years since Sheriff Deacon Howell discovered his first dead body on these grounds. Back then, Halcyon Hall was an asylum known as Bainesworth Manor. Others have perished here since, including Deacon’s wife. Many locals share his belief that her death wasn’t suicide. The difference is, they think Deacon killed her. But he has bigger problems than gossip, because another body has been found . . .

As Deacon investigates the increasing threats to the singer’s life, the danger becomes undeniable. Something evil lurks here—not just in the asylum’s grim history, but in the present. And there will be no rest at Halcyon Hall until every sin has been avenged . . .

REVIEW:
2.75 Hearts So the first book in the series was really dark. This one was a bit more of a romance but still had a bit of violence that was too much for me.

I am just not that thrilled with this trilogy but now that I have read the other two I will probably pick up number three from NetGalley.

I would suggest reading book one before reading book two. There is some background from book one that helps in book two. Yes, it does sum it up a bit but not as much as if you read book one.

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

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Kimberly reviews The Midnight Lock by Jeffrey Deaver

TITLE: The Midnight Lock
SERIES #: Lincoln Rhyme #15
CHARACTERS: Lincoln Rhyme & Amelia Sachs
AUTHOR: Jeffrey Deaver
PUBLICATION DATE: 11/30/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
When a woman arrives home to her Manhattan apartment to find that her personal items have been rearranged while she slept, police initially dismiss her complaint. Nothing was stolen, and there’s no sign of breaking and entering. But when the same woman turns up dead, Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs are brought in to investigate the murder. They soon learn that the murderer calls himself “the Locksmith.” He is obsessed with locks, slipping into homes in the dead of night and tying his victims up with knots or locks, ultimately strangling them.

Their hunt for the killer is interrupted when an internal investigation in the police force uncovers what seems to be a crucial mistake in one of Rhyme’s previous cases. He is removed from the case, and must investigate the Locksmith in secret to untangle the mysteries behind the psychotic killer before he can set his ultimate trap.

REVIEW:
I have read most, if not all, of the Lincoln Rhyme books and have enjoyed most of them. This is not high on my “enjoyed” list. Now I want to say that I am comparing this to other Jeffery Deaver books not to books in general.

I was really enjoying the book at first. The storyline was holding my attention but then something happened. I just stopped being interested. I, honestly, can’t even tell you why. Maybe I just wasn’t in the mindset or something. Because the writing seemed off.

I do really appreciate who Lincoln Rhyme is. And the mind that Deaver has given him. He is a fascinating character and even though I gave this 3 stars, as I said it is based on other Lincoln Rhyme books because honestly Jeffrey Deaver is one of the best.

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

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Kimberly reviews All The Feels by Olivia Dade

TITLE: All The Feels
SERIES #: Spoiler Alert #2
CHARACTERS: Alexander & Lauren
AUTHOR: Olivia Dade
PUBLICATION DATE: 10/26/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Following Spoiler Alert, Olivia Dade returns with another utterly charming romantic comedy about a devil-may-care actor—who actually cares more than anyone knows—and the no-nonsense woman hired to keep him in line.

Alexander Woodroe has it all. Charm. Sex appeal. Wealth. Fame. A starring role as Cupid on TV’s biggest show, God of the Gates. But the showrunners have wrecked his character, he’s dogged by old demons, and his post-show future remains uncertain. When all that reckless emotion explodes into a bar fight, the tabloids and public agree: his star is falling.

Enter Lauren Clegg, the former ER therapist hired to keep him in line. Compared to her previous work, watching over handsome but impulsive Alex shouldn’t be especially difficult. But the more time they spend together, the harder it gets to keep her professional remove and her heart intact, especially when she discovers the reasons behind his recklessness…not to mention his Cupid fanfiction habit.

When another scandal lands Alex in major hot water and costs Lauren her job, she’ll have to choose between protecting him and offering him what he really wants—her. But he’s determined to keep his improbably short, impossibly stubborn, and extremely endearing minder in his life any way he can. And on a road trip up the California coast together, he intends to show her exactly what a falling star will do to catch the woman he loves: anything at all.

REVIEW:
I really, really wanted to like this book. The heroine is a plus size woman so not the Barbie doll type. The hero has issues so he is not “perfect”. But there was no chemistry between the couple.

I didn’t read the first in the series so I felt I was missing a little bit about the couple meeting in the first place but mostly the writing didn’t keep me interested.

Reading the reviews from others makes me feel like this just might have been a fluke. I may give the next one a try depending on the synopsis.

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

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Kimberly reviews The Haunting Of Leigh Harker by Darcy Coates

TITLE: The Haunting Of Leigh Harker
CHARACTERS: Leigh Harker
AUTHOR: Darcy Coates
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/07/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Sometimes the dead reach back…

Leigh Harker’s quiet suburban home was her sanctuary for more than a decade, until things abruptly changed. Curtains open by themselves. Radios turn off and on. And a dark figure looms in the shadows of her bedroom door at night, watching her, waiting for her to finally let down her guard enough to fall asleep.

Pushed to her limits but unwilling to abandon her home, Leigh struggles to find answers. But each step forces her towards something more terrifying than she ever imagined.

A poisonous shadow seeps from the locked door beneath the stairs. The handle rattles through the night and fingernails scratch at the wood. Her home harbours dangerous secrets, and now that Leigh is trapped within its walls, she fears she may never escape.

Do you think you’re safe?

You’re wrong.

REVIEW:
Ummm, what? As a fan of paranormal shows (Travel channel fan) I was excited about this book. I thought “Ok. Cool. An old fashioned ghost story.” But I was wrong.

First the “ghost” does nothing of any major excitement in this book. So it would be scary to see doorknobs turning, things moving and even hearing “Hello” from a non-physical being but come on. I found no real scare to this book.

I had it figured out from pretty much the start.

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