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Murder from Scratch
Murder from Scratch
Leslie Karst | 2019 | Mystery, Thriller
10
8.8 (6 Ratings)
Book Rating
A Delightful Cozy Mystery!
MURDER FROM SCRATCH is book four in the series of the Sally Solari Mysteries of which I look forward to reading more. It’s a delicious mixture of mystery, family, and irate chefs and a fun, fast and interesting read. I haven’t read the other books in this series yet, however, I don’t think that this spoilt my enjoyment of this novel. That said, there is nothing more exciting than picking up a book that is the first in a new series.

Santa Cruz restaurateur Sally Solari’s life is difficult enough at the busy Gauguin restaurant. So she’s worked up when her dad persuades her to take in Evelyn, her estranged blind cousin whose mother has just died of a drug overdose.

But Evelyn proves to be lots of fun and she’s a terrific cook. Back at the house she’d shared with her mum, Evelyn’s heightened sense of touch tells her that various objects - a bottle of cranberry juice, her grandfather’s jazz records - are out of place. She and her mum always kept things in the same place so Evelyn could find them. So she suspects that her mother’s death was neither accident nor suicide, no matter what the police believe.

The cousins’ turn detective and Sally and Evelyn are thrown into the world of male-oriented kitchens, and the cut-throat competitiveness that can flame up between chefs. With a long list of suspects in the frame, will Sally be able to find the perpetrator or end up getting burned?

Leslie Karst’s delightful writing style is well-paced and complemented by some interesting characters, some of whom were annoying but helped to make the story as good as it was. There was some romantic and spicy love entanglement, too. Written in the first-person narrative and sharing Sally’s innermost thoughts, Leslie Karst includes some wonderfully amusing moments and vivid descriptions especially of some of the food, such as fall-off-the-bone pulled pork and salmon with habanero-lime butter. An ex-lawyer, the highly organised and extremely likeable Sally demonstrated admirable sleuthing techniques and her cousin Evelyn, although with her own problems, exuded warmth and friendliness.

The book had a natural, steady pace and I was kept guessing right until the surprising reveal. Delightful and entertaining, MURDER FROM SCRATCH is a quick, light, highly recommended read for all cozy mystery fans.

{Thank you to #NetGalley, #Crookedlanebks and Leslie Karst for the free copy of #MurderFromScratch and for giving me the opportunity to provide an honest review.}
  
Sugar: My Life as a Sugar Babe
Sugar: My Life as a Sugar Babe
Monique X | 2018 | Erotica, Romance
10
5.3 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
A fun, fast and interesting read. (2 more)
Fascinating to read about Monique's travels to different countries.
Intense and emotional
Nothing. (0 more)
Very Steamy!
Sugar was beckoning at me to be read, initially by the eye-catching and attractive cover and that it looked like it would be a very steamy read, as indeed it was. I was definitely not disappointed! I was smitten from the very first, right until the last page.

Monique is a loving single mother, who is trying to create a happy home for her two daughters and she's also a Sugar Babe, dating wealthy men, a practice known as Sugar Daddy dating. She mostly meets her Sugar Daddies during the day, when the children are at school or when they are with their father. Monique finds a thousand pounds in her purse after one night of passionate and very hot sex, and she realises that Sugar Daddy dating could be her way to survive as a single mother.

A heady life of wealthy men, luxury hotels and glamorous experiences ensue. One of my favourites was Iranian engineer Farshad, who liked to lavish Monique with gifts such as expensive jewellery and leather boots and wine and dine her in exotic restaurants.

Dates with Sugar Daddies see her flying to Paris, Barcelona, Vienna, Milan, Japan, Singapore and Hong Kong and skydiving in Dubai. Thanks to her Sugar Daddies, Monique can provide for her children, she has some independence, and experiences a whole new range of sexual fantasies.
 
She deactivates her account with her agency, Seeking Arrangement, and her ex-husband stops paying for the children's' upkeep. She is then prepared to do anything for the sake of her children. Money becomes her top priority and she starts living in the dangerous waters of the escort world. Now she realises that she must find a way out before this hollow existence becomes a habit.
  
I absolutely loved reading Sugar. Maybe it was the novelty of reading a book told as memoirs and based on true events. It was fascinating to read about Monique's travels to different countries and about the different nationalities, cultures and personalities of the gentlemen she dated. However, she ends up working as an escort rather than a Sugar Babe, as it's all about basic survival instincts, money and very spicy sex.
 
Sugar is steamy and hot, passionate and caring, intense and emotional and there are definitely moments where you will laugh. It is such a fun, fast and interesting read.

Monique X is a brilliant storyteller and really draws you in with her descriptiveness.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thistle Publishing for my ARC.
  
40x40

Merissa (12684 KP) rated Boy Banned in Books

Jun 8, 2023  
Boy Banned
Boy Banned
RJ Scott | 2016 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I started reading this book at night, and that was my first mistake!

STOP!!!! DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT OPENING THIS BOOK...

... at least, not until you can sit down and read it without interruption because, trust me, you will NOT want to be disturbed until you've finished it! Like I said, I started it at night and read until I couldn't read anymore. I reluctantly put it down, only to dream about the story and the characters all night. I couldn't wait to continue the next day, but life got in the way, making me wait.

Mind you, it was worth it when I could finally dive back in and continue with Corey and Angel's story. Taking place in a UK reality pop show, Angel and Corey, plus the other members of the bank, are actually there as individuals but are placed together by the judges. After a faltering start, they come together, becoming good friends and helping each other out. The fly in the ointment is their 'mentor'. Yeesh, I wasn't sure it was possible to really dislike someone to the extent that I did with her.

All five of these characters are amazing, supportive and friendly to each other whilst dealing with their own foibles. Corey and Angel are the ones who stole my heart, but each of them is in there! The descriptions used to describe Corey and how he is feeling/dealing with things are raw and real! Angel being his safe place made complete sense and that is just one other thing that I loved about this story. It all makes sense!!! Nothing seems forced or out of place. The story flows, with sweet and spicy spots, but overall, it is a love story.

In case you haven't figured it out by now, I absolutely LOVE this story. It is one of the books that I couldn't wait to finish but really didn't want to either. I needed to know if they got their HEA but didn't want their story to end. Totally first-rate, highly recommended and everything that goes with it. Basically, if you like M/M Romance, you should give this book a try!!! (Bearing in mind what I said at the start!) I sincerely hope that for every Corey out there, they find their Angel!

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
May 27, 2016
  
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