Category: 4 Star

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Kimberly reviews Cackle by Rachel Harrison

TITLE: Cackle
CHARACTERS: Annie & Sophie
AUTHOR: Rachel Harrison
PUBLICATION DATE: 10/05/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
All her life, Annie has played it nice and safe. After being unceremoniously dumped by her longtime boyfriend, Annie seeks a fresh start. She accepts a teaching position that moves her from Manhattan to a small village upstate. She’s stunned by how perfect and picturesque the town is. The people are all friendly and warm. Her new apartment is dreamy too, minus the oddly persistent spider infestation.

Then Annie meets Sophie. Beautiful, charming, magnetic Sophie, who takes a special interest in Annie, who wants to be her friend. More importantly, she wants Annie to stop apologizing and start living for herself. That’s how Sophie lives. Annie can’t help but gravitate toward the self-possessed Sophie, wanting to spend more and more time with her, despite the fact that the rest of the townsfolk seem…a little afraid of her. And like, okay. There are some things. Sophie’s appearance is uncanny and ageless, her mansion in the middle of the woods feels a little unearthly, and she does seem to wield a certain power…but she couldn’t be…could she?

REVIEW:
3.75 Hearts I am not sure exactly what genre this fits into. Sometimes I thought it was YA and others more women’s lit. But either way it was an adorable story.

It was hard for me not to imagine “Beauty and The Beast” as I read this story. Not because there was a beast but more that the place Annie comes to is magical. But what is also magical is the way that Annie blooms once she gets to know Sophie.

I found this book just adorable. And a joy to read.

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

4 Hearts

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Winter Romance Wednesday! Kimberly reviews A Royal Christmas Fairy Tale by Karen Schaler

TITLE: A Royal Christmas Fairy Tale
CHARACTERS: Kaylie & Alexander
AUTHOR: Karen Schaler
PUBLICATION DATE: 10/05/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
From “A holiday publishing darling” (Entertainment Weekly) and Emmy Award-winning writer of Netflix’s hit rom-com A Christmas Prince comes this heartwarming, feel-good Christmas romance about the power of believing in yourself to find your happily ever after…

A charming Christmas village, a storybook castle, a royal ball, and a gorgeous prince are the last things New York City reporter Kaylie Karlyle expects to find on her holiday freelance assignment to Europe. But when the family she’s interviewing turns out to be the royal family of Tolvania, Kaylie has a meltdown when the quirky queen wants her to write a Christmas fairy tale for the spunky, young princess. Kaylie must battle the princess’s father, who doesn’t trust the media, and her own insecurities about writing anything beyond the news.

To spark inspiration for the fairy tale, the queen recruits the prickly Prince Alexander to show Kaylie the family’s most spectacular royal holiday traditions. And sparks definitely fly when the only thing Kaylie and the prince agree on is that they’re both more “bah humbug” than “ho, ho, ho.”

But somewhere between sleigh rides and snow angels, merrymaking and mistletoe, upside-down Christmas trees, and a legendary Christmas crown, Kaylie and the prince open their hearts to Christmas and start believing in themselves and each other. It’s a real-life fairy tale in the making until Kaylie discovers a secret about a royal Christmas heirloom that jeopardizes everyone’s happily ever after. Can the magic of the season save this holiday happy ending?

Bonus Content: Includes delicious royal Christmas recipes and holiday activities.

A Royal Christmas Fairy Tale is an uplifting, inspiring Christmas romance that’s filled with heart and hope and will appeal to fans of Debbie Macomber, Susan Mallery, and RaeAnne Thayne.

REVIEW:
As the holiday season comes into bloom don’t we all wish about getting away to a beautiful snow covered fairy tale castle complete with a royal family? Ok maybe we do not go that into depth but doesn’t it sound great?

Kaylie is a journalist but loses her job and is invited to write a fairy tale about a royal family. While she doesn’t really fall into “holiday spirits” she figures “Why not?”. So off she goes.

This is a delightful read that really will put you into the holiday spirit. The description of the castle puts you right into the middle of the family home.

I love reading holiday/Christmas romance’s and when I read “will appeal to fans of Debbie Macomber, Susan Mallery, and RaeAnne Thayne” I grabbed the title since all three are high on my fav authors list (Mallery being at the top) and I agree. This story really does beg you to pull up a cozy blanket, a cup of hot cocoa and a fireplace surrounded by twinkling lights lighting the pages.

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

4 Hearts

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Kimberly reviews The Family Tree by Steph Millin & Nicole Mabry

TITLE: The Family Tree
CHARACTERS: Liz Catalano
AUTHOR: Steph Millin & Nicole Mabry
PUBLICATION DATE: 10/05/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon  | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
The DNA results are back. And there’s a serial killer in her family tree…

Liz Catalano is shocked when an ancestry kit reveals she’s adopted. But she could never have imagined connecting with her unknown family would plunge her into an FBI investigation of a notorious serial killer…

The Tri-State Killer has been abducting pairs of women for forty years, leaving no clues behind – only bodies.

Can Liz figure out who the killer in her new family is? And can she save his newest victims before it’s too late?

A gripping, original thriller for fans of My Lovely Wife, Netflix’s Making a Murderer, and anyone who’s ever wondered what their family tree might be hiding…

REVIEW:
What an interesting concept. As one who found a never known sister via DNA testing I can actually picture something like this happening. You find out you have a relative but you do not know who that person “really” is.

I enjoyed the story and the writing. Yes there were a few things I would have enjoyed if it was different but to me even thinking that way makes me realize I had a stake in the story.

I am sure more and more books will be coming out about the DNA/Ancestry link since it is becoming so common in the world today but I really enjoyed this new foray into the new science.

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

4 Hearts

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Kimberly reviews The Liar Of Red Valley by Walter Goodwater

TITLE: The Liar Of Red Valley
CHARACTERS: Sadie
AUTHOR: Walter Goodwater
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/28/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Don’t trust the Liar.
Don’t go in the River.
Do not cross the King.

In Red Valley, California, you follow the rules if you want to stay alive. But even that isn’t enough to protect Sadie now that she’s unexpectedly become the Liar: the keeper and maker of Red Valley’s many secrets.

In a town like this, friendships are hard-won and bad blood lasts generations, and when not everyone in town is exactly human, it isn’t a safe place to make enemies.

And though the Liar has power—power to remake the world, with just a little blood—what Sadie really needs is answers: Why is the town’s sheriff after her? What does the King want from her? And what is the real purpose of the Liar of Red Valley?

REVIEW PROVIDED BY: Kimberly NUMBER OF HEARTS: 3.75 Hearts

REVIEW:
Review featured at www.books-n-kisses.com

3.75 Hearts I have no idea what genre this is. It is not exactly paranormal, women’s fiction or suspense. But it is really interesting.

Red Valley is ruled by The King and The Liar. When Sadie becomes The Liar she has many secrets she must learn and keep. There are actually three main characters, The King, The Liar and The River.

I will be honest, this book is so WEIRD! And yet it is interesting. I am really not sure how I felt about it. Everytime I thought “This is getting too odd to finish” something happened that kept me reading. The world that Walter Goodwater has written of is a world of dreams and nightmares.

I do believe there is a genre to this book but I have no idea what it is. But if you are already a fan of this unknown genre you will love this book! And that sentence makes as much sense as the book itself.

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

4 Hearts

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Kimberly reviews The Orphan Witch by Paige Crutcher

TITLE: The Orphan Witch
CHARACTERS: Persephone May
AUTHOR: Paige Crutcher
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/28/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
A deeper magic. A stronger curse. A family lost…and found.

Persephone May has been alone her entire life. Abandoned as an infant and dragged through the foster care system, she wants nothing more than to belong somewhere. To someone. However, Persephone is as strange as she is lonely. Unexplainable things happen when she’s around—changes in weather, inanimate objects taking flight—and those who seek to bring her into their family quickly cast her out. To cope, she never gets attached, never makes friends. And she certainly never dates. Working odd jobs and always keeping her suitcases half-packed, Persephone is used to moving around, leaving one town for another when curiosity over her eccentric behavior inevitably draws unwanted attention.

After an accidental and very public display of power, Persephone knows it’s time to move on once again. It’s lucky, then, when she receives an email from the one friend she’s managed to keep, inviting her to the elusive Wile Isle. The timing couldn’t be more perfect. However, upon arrival, Persephone quickly discovers that Wile is no ordinary island. In fact, it just might hold the very things she’s been searching for her entire life.

Answers. Family. Home.

And some things she did not want. Like 100-year-old curses and an even older family feud. With the clock running out, love might be the magic that saves them all.

REVIEW:
3.75 Hearts I really enjoyed this book. Persephone is so easy to like and care for. She has always been the odd ball out. Nothing seemed like where she should be. Foster homes and group homes seem like a stop over because soon she will need to leave once the weird stuff starts happening again. When Persephone moves to NC she learns much about herself and her history.

There is so much in this book. Curses, feuds, different dimensions, and the Library Of The Lost. Paige Crutcher did a great job with what I believe is her first novel. I enjoyed the background characters and Wile Isle. I imagine Persephone is the type of witch every little girl believes she is when she dresses up for Halloween and thinks “What if I were really a witch?”.

I really hope there is more to this novel and it becomes a series.

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

4 Hearts

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Kimberly reviews Secret To The Grave by Steve Frech

TITLE: Secrets To The Grave
CHARACTERS: Meredith Somerset
AUTHOR: Steve Frech
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/22/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
The woman recoiled as she rolled the body onto its back. Deep bruises encircled the neck, but the most unsettling feature was the eyes, which stared lifelessly upwards. That was the moment the woman began screaming.

When a teenage girl is found dead on a quiet suburban street, Detective Meredith Somerset is haunted by flashbacks to the day her little sister vanished—the day Meredith should have been watching her. But with a murder to solve, she doesn’t have time for painful memories to cloud her judgement.

The victim is shoeless, the only clue to her identity a small silver medallion hidden in her grass-stained sock. Did she run from her killer across the smooth lawns of Willow Lane? And if so, how did no one in the surrounding houses see or hear a thing?

Meredith needs answers, or she’ll never shake the image of her sister’s face begging her for help. But Willow Lane has more than one mystery behind its doors—and to find the killer, Meredith must venture into a community that’s determined to keep its secrets hidden at any cost…

REVIEW:
I thought this book was really well written. Meredith lost her sister when she was in charge of her so she has a soft spot for children and not only wants but needs to find the killer of the teenage girl from Willow Lane.

I found the suspense of the story intriguing. I wanted to keep reading it. I did figure portions out but not everything and I always enjoy that.

I think this could easily be made into a series and I am hoping that Frech continues with this duo and gives us a bit more on Tyler.

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

4 Hearts

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Winter Romance Wednesday! Kimberly reviews Santa’s Sweetheart by Janet Dailey

TITLE: Santa’s Sweetheart
SERIES: The Christmas Tree Ranch #4
CHARACTERS: Grace & Sam
AUTHOR: Janet Dailey
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/28/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
The delightful and entertaining new holiday novel from the legendary author of dozens of treasured romances! This Christmas, visit the small town of Branding Iron, Texas, where it’s time for the Cowboy Christmas Ball and one irritable sheriff is about to get in the spirit of the season…and find love along the way.

Sheriff Sam Delaney is shouldering a lot as the lone lawman in the small Texas town of Branding Iron—and the widowed single father of six-year-old Maggie. Especially since Maggie’s determined that what her daddy needs this holiday season is a girlfriend. Suddenly Sam is hustled off to a meeting with Maggie’s schoolteacher—and surprised to discover the demure Grace Chapman is unexpectedly alluring. Then he’s roped into playing Santa at the annual Christmas ball, with the pretty Miss Grace by his side. It’s enough to make Sam even grumpier than usual—if not for the feelings sweet Grace stirs up inside . . .

Grace only wants to heal after her broken engagement. So why is she so charmed by the slow smile—and the surprising tenderness—of the town’s sheriff? Maybe because Grace is discovering that beneath Sam’s gruff exterior lies a heart as big as Texas, especially when it comes to the women in his life—like little Maggie. And now her… Which only has Grace hoping she’ll be Santa’s sweetheart for many seasons to come . . .

REVIEW:
Janet Dailey doesn’t write sappy, she writes emotional and that is what she did in this book as well. We meet Maggie who lost her mom and wants to be sure her daddy is happy for the holidays and she loves her new teacher so why shouldn’t six-year-old Maggie believe they would be perfect together?

Sam is the widower sheriff and Grace has recently had her engagement broken. Both aren’t thinking love is in their immediate future but with Maggie having her way these two are bound to become a family.

I really enjoyed all the characters. I thought Maggie was adorable, even though I think sometimes Dailey forgot she was only six. This story is a deep emotional read for the holidays and will make you fall in love all over again.

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

4 Hearts

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Kimberly reviews My One Night by Carrie Ann Ryan

TITLE: My One Night
SERIES #: On My Own #1
CHARACTERS: Elisa & Dillon
AUTHOR: Carrie Ann Ryan
PUBLICATION DATE: 04/13/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
A one-night stand is supposed to end once the sun rises. Only it doesn’t always work out that way in this opposites attract and tortured hero romance.

Elise Hoover never expected this. She didn’t want to go to another party, but when her friend pulls her in, she somehow finds herself hiding in a corner with…him.

Dillon Connolly.

The smirking, so-called good guy with the shadows in his eyes. A single glance, a sweet smile, and she lets herself have one night of giving in.

Only she has to promise herself not to fall in love. No matter the cost.

REVIEW:
I am thrilled to have a new series from Carrie Ann Ryan.

Elise and Dillon are perfect for each other. Yes, they only wanted a one night stand but come on when the chemistry is as strong as theirs is one night enough? Nope!

I really love the way Carrie Ann gave them such strong backgrounds and we learn they are not perfect. They have dealt with a lot and, honestly, still are. But maybe the other is just what they each need.

Another great story by Carrie Ann Ryan and a perfect start to a new series.

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

4 Hearts

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Winter Romance Wednesday! Kimberly reviews Christmas Wishes At The Chocolate Shop by Jessica Redland

TITLE: Christmas Wishes At The Chocolate Shop
CHARACTERS: Charlee & Matt
AUTHOR: Jessica Redland
PUBLICATION DATE: 08/03/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Sometimes you just need a little Christmas magic to make your wishes come true…

When master chocolatier, Charlee, takes the leap to move to the picturesque seaside town of Whitsborough Bay, she is determined to follow in her grandfather’s footsteps and set up a chocolate shop.

Luckily, she finds the perfect location for Charlee’s Chocolates on beautiful Castle Street… Now she just has to refurbish it in time for Christmas!

With a useless boyfriend and countless DIY disasters, Charlee doesn’t know if she’ll make it in time. With no ‘traditional’ family to support her, she feels lost in her new surroundings and the secrets of the past are weighing her down.

But the warmth and festive spirit of the Whitsborough Bay community will surprise her, and when plumber, Matt, comes to the rescue, it might be that all of Charlee’s dreams could come true this Christmas, and she could learn what family really means…

REVIEW:
Hallmark or Lifetime: Are you listening? This is a great book to movie holiday romance. We meet Charlee after the biggest event of her life. Her grandmother who raised her has passed away and she is scattering her ashes with her grandfather. That alone is a perfect opening of a Christmas book/movie, right?

Well anyway. Charlee is dating Ricky but there is no real chemistry between these characters. However he convinces her to start her own chocolate shop, which is the only thing that really makes her happy. Then we meet Matt when Charlee needs help and, of course, Ricky is nowhere to be found.

There is so much going on with Charlee. Great friends, two men, the mom who abandoned her, the father she never knew and, of course, her chocolate shop.

This is a great book to start off your holiday season to get in the mood. But have some chocolate ready because you will want some with every chapter.

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

4 Hearts

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Kimberly reviews Dirtiest Little Secret by Skye Jordan

TITLE: Dirtiest Little Secret
CHARACTERS: Ave & Isaac
AUTHOR: Skye Jordan
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/15/17
ORDER LINKS: Amazon

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
New York Times bestselling author Skye Jordan brings you a fiery new collection of romances designed for a quick, sexy, satisfying read: Quick and Dirty Collection.

All books in the Quick and Dirty collection are stand-alone romances and can be independently.

She’s his fantasy…

Ava Jennings has spent her life dedicated to her family’s steel business. So when she catches her fiancé engaging in extracurricular activities under his desk with a coworker, Ava fires him on the spot. With her self-esteem at an all-time low, Ava throws caution to the wind and heads to a well-known, wild biker bar. She’s determined to prove she’s capable of the spontaneous, wicked-hot sex her fiancé was searching for outside their relationship. And she finds all that and more in a rugged, edgy motorcycle mechanic, the one man in the bar who eclipses all the others.

He’s her dirtiest little secret…

Isaac Banks doesn’t talk to members of the Steel Warriors motorcycle club about his painful past. All they know is he’s the best bike mechanic in the state, which is exactly how he likes it. Ava doesn’t recognize him as the awkward kid who used to spend Sunday nights at her dinner table with their families, but she’s sure interested in the man she thinks he is now. She’s from the world he left behind, and he knows he should walk away—but it’s impossible to say no to the woman who starred in all his adolescent fantasies. All he wants is one night to get her out of his system. Because there was no way she could live up to his dreams.

But he’s wrong. One night will never be enough.

REVIEW:
How did I miss this book? I thought I had read all of Skye Jordan’s books but I guess not.

I really enjoyed this story. Isaac is everything a guy should be. Smart, handy, loving, an alpha with a heart of gold. And while he thinks the run in with Ava will just get the taste out of his mouth from his youth he is so wrong.

Ava is trying to prove who she is to everyone else but comes to realize the person she needs to prove herself to is herself. And Isaac is just the bad boy to do it. Even though she doesn’t remember him from so many years ago.

These two are made for each other. And I love that Isaac comes to terms with his history and changes his future to do what he wants and is comfortable with no matter that MIT had him going in one direction and his heart in another. And I love that Ava realizes that she can be herself and that is enough.

Jordan is one of my favorites and like I said I thought I had read them all but I am so happy to have received this chance to find again why I enjoy her books so much.

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

4 Hearts

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Kimberly reviews Rogue Wolf by Paige Tyler

TITLE: Rogue Wolf
SERIES #: SWAT: Special Wolf Alpha Team #12
CHARACTERS: Samantha & Trey
AUTHOR: Paige Tyler
PUBLICATION DATE: 08/31/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
There’s been a wicked attraction between SWAT werewolf Trey Duncan and medical examiner Samantha Mills since the two met, but Trey’s never worked up the nerve to ask her out. So when Samantha says she wants to cash in the favor Trey owes her for a date, it seems like the perfect time to confess his true feelings. But the trouble with wolves is that they’re never far from danger, and this time Trey is going up against a monster the likes of which his Dallas SWAT team has never seen… This time it’s going to take everything Trey and Samantha have to crack the case and protect each other.

REVIEW:
It seems that Tyler has found the groove again. This is the 12th in the series and with all the books Tyler has written in the genre I felt it was getting a bit stale but Tyler has really gotten back into the swing of her writing.

Trey and Samantha have had feelings for each other for a while and finally get the chance to admit their feelings but man does this book go at high speeds stopping everything but the twist and turns. I am not sure there isn’t a little bit of everything in this book. It is a great book to get your head out of real life.

I enjoyed Trey and Samantha together. I enjoyed seeing the past characters and look forward to reading more in the series.

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

4 Hearts

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Kimberly reviews Whiplash by Janet Dailey

TITLE: Whiplash
SERIES #: The Champions #2
CHARACTERS: Val & Casey
AUTHOR: Janet Dailey
PUBLICATION DATE: 08/31/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
From New York Times bestselling author Janet Dailey comes the latest Champions novel, set on the Alamo Canyon Ranch, where a legacy bull rearing operation is run by three sisters–women who aren’t afraid to compete in a man’s world, or to take on something as wild as love–and win.

When Val Champion returns to the family ranch, she’s ready to put her past behind her. Her dreams of a Hollywood acting career have become a nightmare of fear. But once she sees rodeo man Casey Bozeman facing down a bull in the arena, she knows she’s no safer at home. Face to face with her first and only true love, Val can’t deny her still powerful feelings for Casey. Feelings she can never act on again…

Val’s the one who got away, the woman who broke his heart so hard he still feels the sting. But there’s no denying Casey’s still drawn to the fiery beauty. And there’s no way he can stand by when the high stakes Professional Bull Riding finals in Vegas bring out the danger Val’s been running from. Suddenly the rugged cowboy is willing to risk it all for her once more, even if it means facing down those secrets lurking in her unforgettable eyes…

REVIEW:
3.75 Hearts Janet Dailey has more books than I can believe and yet her stories are still as loved as ever.

In this story we meet Val and Casey and enjoy their second chance at true love. Val returns with some difficult situations in her wake. Casey is a PBR and the sparks fly when Val and Casey see each other again. But when they go to Vegas the trouble Val hoped to leave behind follows her.

First let me say I am against rodeos so I hated that aspect of the book and not sure if that is why it took me a little bit to get into the story. But I finally started enjoying the book when the suspense really started to get heated.

Dailey is one of my favorites but I want to say I am not exactly sure if this book is Dailey herself or a ghostwriter. She sadly passed almost a decade ago and while I have heard she had a lot of books that she had never published I am not sure if we have moved pass those to a new writer using her name.

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

4 Hearts