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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2379 KP) rated What the Cluck? It’s Murder in Books
Feb 11, 2023
Meeting the Family Turned into a Clustercluck
Frankie and her boyfriend are getting away for a long weekend so that Frankie can meet a few of Martin’s older sisters, the women who raised him. However, trying to make a good impression isn’t the only thing that Frankie has to worry about when she and Martin find a dead farm hand near the chicken coop. With the evidence pointing to one of Martin’s sisters, Frankie and Martin have to team up to figure out what is going on. Can they do it?
Yes, this is one of the few paranormal series I read, and I find the premise very fun. I was happy with how quickly I was able to keep the sisters and their families straight. I’m sure it helped that we weren’t meeting all of them. Since Frankie and Martin are the only returning characters, they got plenty of time to grow, and I love what we saw, especially from Martin. We get plenty of fun, especially with Frankie trying to read animals, although they did give us one scene I found tasteless. There are a few timeline glitches, but they were more annoying than anything else. The plot fights with family dynamics a time or two for dominance, but there are some fun surprises on the way to a suspenseful ending. All told, this is another fun book if you are looking for something different.
Yes, this is one of the few paranormal series I read, and I find the premise very fun. I was happy with how quickly I was able to keep the sisters and their families straight. I’m sure it helped that we weren’t meeting all of them. Since Frankie and Martin are the only returning characters, they got plenty of time to grow, and I love what we saw, especially from Martin. We get plenty of fun, especially with Frankie trying to read animals, although they did give us one scene I found tasteless. There are a few timeline glitches, but they were more annoying than anything else. The plot fights with family dynamics a time or two for dominance, but there are some fun surprises on the way to a suspenseful ending. All told, this is another fun book if you are looking for something different.
ClareR (5911 KP) rated Think of Me in Books
May 8, 2022
I got very excited when I saw that this book was coming up. I’d read and loved We Must Be Brave, and I knew that I’d enjoy this too - I wasn’t disappointed.
It’s the story of James Acton and Yvette Haddad who meet during WW2 in Alexandria where Yvette lives. James is the best man for Yvette’s sisters husband-to-be, and they both fly Hurricanes in North Africa.
James is captured by the Germans when he is shot down, and spends the latter part of the war in a prison camp, and keeps in touch with Yvette throughout. After the war they marry, return to England, and James returns to his ministry as an Anglican priest.
They have a wonderful marriage, it seems to me, whilst James struggles with his memories of war, they both experience a personal loss - and their marriage changes.
This has a dual timeline, set during the war in Alexandria and in 1974. James lives as a widower whilst their son goes to University. It’s a big change for James, and so he decides to go one step further as he puts in for a transfer of parish. But this transfer brings a lot of memories back.
Frances Liardet writes a slow burning novel really well. She makes the ordinary extraordinary, and has written a novel that I became totally immersed in. I really didn’t want to put it down.
It’s the story of James Acton and Yvette Haddad who meet during WW2 in Alexandria where Yvette lives. James is the best man for Yvette’s sisters husband-to-be, and they both fly Hurricanes in North Africa.
James is captured by the Germans when he is shot down, and spends the latter part of the war in a prison camp, and keeps in touch with Yvette throughout. After the war they marry, return to England, and James returns to his ministry as an Anglican priest.
They have a wonderful marriage, it seems to me, whilst James struggles with his memories of war, they both experience a personal loss - and their marriage changes.
This has a dual timeline, set during the war in Alexandria and in 1974. James lives as a widower whilst their son goes to University. It’s a big change for James, and so he decides to go one step further as he puts in for a transfer of parish. But this transfer brings a lot of memories back.
Frances Liardet writes a slow burning novel really well. She makes the ordinary extraordinary, and has written a novel that I became totally immersed in. I really didn’t want to put it down.
Love Tools (Bluestone Series, #1)
9.0
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What happens when the king of casual meets the queen of picking the wrong men? Lily is running....
Contemporary Romance
Blood (The McLeod Brothers Trilogy #3)
6.0
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He's a notorious playboy. Finn McLeod has always enjoyed the fun things in life, and he's never...
Paranormal Romance Shifters Vampires Fated Mates
Merissa (13063 KP) rated Second Match (Perfect Match Agency #5) in Books
Aug 3, 2023
SECOND MATCH is Morgan Dor's story. I first met him in Chance Match when the omega he'd been paired with fell for his assistant instead. So when I saw Morgan in this story, I knew I had to read it.
It did help me, having read about Morgan before, as there isn't much background to him in this book. Riley is the omega he gets matched with, who suffers from an extreme UV allergy. This means he gets called a demon and shunned by everyone, including most of his family, by the religious cult he grew up with.
This book moves at a breakneck pace which, unfortunately, means most parts are not fleshed out or given the attention they deserve. At best, points are skimmed over and the reader is told what has happened, rather than being shown, ie. Riley's UV treatments, the year of their marriage, and the crazy cult leader. I was left with many questions after reading this, which was a shame as I had loved the other story.
A good addition to the Perfect Match Agency series that I did enjoy, but I would recommend you read Chance Match first, just so you get a little more background.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Aug 3, 2023
It did help me, having read about Morgan before, as there isn't much background to him in this book. Riley is the omega he gets matched with, who suffers from an extreme UV allergy. This means he gets called a demon and shunned by everyone, including most of his family, by the religious cult he grew up with.
This book moves at a breakneck pace which, unfortunately, means most parts are not fleshed out or given the attention they deserve. At best, points are skimmed over and the reader is told what has happened, rather than being shown, ie. Riley's UV treatments, the year of their marriage, and the crazy cult leader. I was left with many questions after reading this, which was a shame as I had loved the other story.
A good addition to the Perfect Match Agency series that I did enjoy, but I would recommend you read Chance Match first, just so you get a little more background.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Aug 3, 2023
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2379 KP) rated A Peculiar Combination in Books
Aug 24, 2023 (Updated Aug 24, 2023)
A Winning Combination
Electra “Ellie” McDonnell and her uncle supplement their income as locksmiths with the occasional burglary. London in 1940 is ripe with opportunities, but after one late night robbery, they are caught and given a choice – jail or helping Major Ramsey. Ramsey needs someone to break into a safe to retrieve some sensitive documents. Ellie reluctantly agrees, but when she and Ramsey arrives, they are surprised by what they find. As things spiral out of control, can Ellie still help?
When I first heard about this series, I knew I had to give it a try. I’m so glad I did. Obviously, there is a lot of set up needed, but the book moves through it quickly, creating characters along the way. The characters are all sharp from the beginning but become more interesting as the book progresses. We also get Ellie’s history is small doses, which sets up some storylines I can’t wait to read more about. I saw a couple twists coming a few pages early, but every time something happened, I was more drawn into the story. I was expecting a strong romantic sub-plot, but I wasn’t expecting the beginning of a love triangle. The period came to life, and I appreciated that this really couldn’t have taken place at any other point in history. I’ll definitely be back for more, and if you enjoy historical mysteries, you’ll be glad you picked this one up as well.
When I first heard about this series, I knew I had to give it a try. I’m so glad I did. Obviously, there is a lot of set up needed, but the book moves through it quickly, creating characters along the way. The characters are all sharp from the beginning but become more interesting as the book progresses. We also get Ellie’s history is small doses, which sets up some storylines I can’t wait to read more about. I saw a couple twists coming a few pages early, but every time something happened, I was more drawn into the story. I was expecting a strong romantic sub-plot, but I wasn’t expecting the beginning of a love triangle. The period came to life, and I appreciated that this really couldn’t have taken place at any other point in history. I’ll definitely be back for more, and if you enjoy historical mysteries, you’ll be glad you picked this one up as well.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2379 KP) rated Union Jacked in Books
Sep 3, 2022
Retirement Parties, Strikes, and Murder
A British investment firm has bought out Travada, the local department store were Samantha Kidd works as a buyer. She’s struggling to match what she thinks the store should be selling with her new directives. Meanwhile, many of the employees are on strike, and Samantha is planning a retirement party for Detective Loncar. When Detective Loncar stops by the store on day, he’s on sight when someone shoots a gun. He and the leader of the strike are both shot. Who was the target? Can Samantha figure out what is going on?
Parts of the premise of this book stretch credibility a bit, but I was quickly caught up in the story and didn’t care. With everything happening, the story was fast paced and kept me engaged right up to the ending. The ending took a bit of thinking on my end, but it does make sense. What doesn’t make the sense is the timelines. It’s not anything that impacts the story, but Samantha can’t keep the days of the story straight or when some of her last adventures happened in relation to each other. On the other hand, I still enjoyed my time in the characters, new and old, and appreciated the growth we saw in Samantha. The humor is still sharp as well; I was grinning when I wasn’t laughing. Fans of the series will enjoy this adventure for sure.
Parts of the premise of this book stretch credibility a bit, but I was quickly caught up in the story and didn’t care. With everything happening, the story was fast paced and kept me engaged right up to the ending. The ending took a bit of thinking on my end, but it does make sense. What doesn’t make the sense is the timelines. It’s not anything that impacts the story, but Samantha can’t keep the days of the story straight or when some of her last adventures happened in relation to each other. On the other hand, I still enjoyed my time in the characters, new and old, and appreciated the growth we saw in Samantha. The humor is still sharp as well; I was grinning when I wasn’t laughing. Fans of the series will enjoy this adventure for sure.
Merissa (13063 KP) rated In a New York Minute in Books
May 22, 2023
IN A NEW YORK MINUTE is a standalone with a couple of cameos but nothing that would confuse you. It is a sweet and tender story of grown-up problems and mature responses. I simply adored this story from start to finish.
Both Garrett and Remi have their own baggage but they don't just jump off the deep end when something happens they didn't expect. They pass the time until they are able to speak privately and then work it out. I'm not saying it's all easy but communication does make things easier.
Bubbe and Grandpa Sol are both outstanding characters and I would love to see more of them. Pringle was an excellent example of prejudice that is still around today, even if the bloody Pringles catchphrase leapt into my head every time I saw his name. For him, it was certainly a case of "once you pop, you just can't stop." I really hope he got his comeuppance. Jeffrey stole my heart and I honestly NEED for them to get their story. All of the other characters are fantastic though, whether you like them or not.
A fantastic addition to Felice Steven's repertoire that I have no hesitation in recommending. Absolutely brilliant!
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
May 22, 2023
Both Garrett and Remi have their own baggage but they don't just jump off the deep end when something happens they didn't expect. They pass the time until they are able to speak privately and then work it out. I'm not saying it's all easy but communication does make things easier.
Bubbe and Grandpa Sol are both outstanding characters and I would love to see more of them. Pringle was an excellent example of prejudice that is still around today, even if the bloody Pringles catchphrase leapt into my head every time I saw his name. For him, it was certainly a case of "once you pop, you just can't stop." I really hope he got his comeuppance. Jeffrey stole my heart and I honestly NEED for them to get their story. All of the other characters are fantastic though, whether you like them or not.
A fantastic addition to Felice Steven's repertoire that I have no hesitation in recommending. Absolutely brilliant!
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
May 22, 2023
Debbiereadsbook (1472 KP) rated Secret Admirer Pact in Books
Feb 23, 2024
kinda cute
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarain, I was gifted my copy of this book.
I liked this book, but I didn't love it. Why?? I dunno, but book feelings are strong about this and ya'll know I need to share the book feelings!
It's a fun read, about friends who never really saw each other as anything other than best friends, until the thought of losing each other looms. And it's all laid out for you!
While there is romance here, there is no smexy times. I think that might be my biggest issue. I like my books smexy and I wanted Monique and Will to get their freak on, and they don't. At least, not on page. There's just some kissing.
It's painfully obvious who the secret admirers are, other than Will and Monique, but I didn't see the twist to Monique's boss' situation! So that was a great twist.
It's billed as a comedy romance. Now, I dunno if it was me, but I didn't get much comedy, at all!
It was a nice read (you know I don't like to use that word, but I can't find another one to fit!) one you can just fall into and wile away a couple hours, or less. Took me 90 mins.
I'd like to read something esle by this author, I haven't read her work before, but a longer work.
3 good stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
I liked this book, but I didn't love it. Why?? I dunno, but book feelings are strong about this and ya'll know I need to share the book feelings!
It's a fun read, about friends who never really saw each other as anything other than best friends, until the thought of losing each other looms. And it's all laid out for you!
While there is romance here, there is no smexy times. I think that might be my biggest issue. I like my books smexy and I wanted Monique and Will to get their freak on, and they don't. At least, not on page. There's just some kissing.
It's painfully obvious who the secret admirers are, other than Will and Monique, but I didn't see the twist to Monique's boss' situation! So that was a great twist.
It's billed as a comedy romance. Now, I dunno if it was me, but I didn't get much comedy, at all!
It was a nice read (you know I don't like to use that word, but I can't find another one to fit!) one you can just fall into and wile away a couple hours, or less. Took me 90 mins.
I'd like to read something esle by this author, I haven't read her work before, but a longer work.
3 good stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Hard By A Great Forest
9.0
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Saba’s father is missing, and the trail leads back to Tbilisi. It’s been two decades since...